National minorities forced to evacuate
Indigenous peoples families were forced to leave their homes amid intensified militarization of their communities in Mindanao and Luzon. Meanwhile, two women activits were killed by military agents while harassment and intimidation in peasant communities continue unabated.
Forced evacuation
In Misamis Oriental, 47 Higaonon families from Sitio Camansi, Barangay Banglay, Lagonglong were forced to evacuate last May 26 because of the intensified operations and encampment of the 58th IB in their community.
Under the command of 1st Lieutenant Valleser of the 58th IB, soldiers relentlessly threatened, harassed and intimidated residents who they accused of giving support to the NPA. They also strafed the school in the community. One civilian was held at gunpoint and five houses were ransacked.
Soldiers kept close watch as residents trekked to the Lagonglong Gym where they first encamped. Since they were prohibited by local government from staying longer in the gym, they were compelled to walk another 100 kilometers to the center of Cagayan de Oro City.
Soldiers under the command of a certain Captain Diaz continue to coerce civilians to surrender in exchange for reward money and food. Residents are interrogated and photographed individually under the pretext of relief goods distribution. This was the sixth time the community was forced to evacuate since 2015.
In Quezon, 420 Dumagats were forced to evacuate along the riverbank of Sumag, Barangay Umiray, Gen. Nakar. The residents were harassed by elements of the 80th IB and 2nd ID after an encounter with the NPA last May 14. Twelve Dumagat civilians were arrested and were falsely charged for purportedly violating the gun ban. Meanwhile, Rockey Torres and Dandoy Avillaneda, two Dumagats who were illegally arrested and tortured by military elements last May 14 (See Ang Bayan, May 21, 2018) are now facing trumped up murder charges.
While soldiers currently occupy the Umiray barangay hall, residents endure their “talikod mundo” (shelters made of sacks and coconut leaves) along the riverbank. The residents were compelled to leave their farmlands and livelihood due to the intense militarization of their community. The soldiers have already slaughtered the residents’ livestock.
In Zamboanga del Norte, residents from Barangay Saad, Siayan again left their homes last April 26 due to the AFP’s relentless military operation in their community. They temporarily evacuated in the covered court of Barangay Poblacion in Siayan.
Killing
Beverly Geronimo, 27, member of the Tabing Guangan Farmers Association (TAGUAFA) and leader of the Parents-Teachers Association of the Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc., (MISFI), was shot dead by elements of the 25th IB last May 26 in Barangay Salvacion, Trento, Agusan del Sur. Geronimo and her daughter Nene (not her real name) were on their way home aboard a vehicle when the suspects held them up. Beverly sustained seven gunshot wounds while Nene was shot in the arm. Nene recounted that her mother pushed her away to save her from the shooting.
Beverly has been intimidated by the military since 2009 for actively opposing large-scale mining and expansive operations of OZ Metals and Agusan Petroleum. A couple of months before the killing, the military presented her and other members of TAGUAFA as Red fighter surrenderees. They have also been threatened to be killed tokhang-style (killed in the name of the “war against drugs”) if they would not cease giving support to the NPA.
On the same day, Bayan-Central Luzon reported the murder of Carolina Lana, a former leader of the Samahan ng mga Magbubukid na Kababaihan in Aurora. Lana was shot dead by two men in her store in Barangay Dianawan, Maria Aurora, Aurora Province.
Harassment
In Bukidnon, Quezon Vice Mayor Pablo Lorenzo’s armed goons fired two shots at Manobo-Pulangihon farmers in Barangay Botong, Quezon last May 26. The goons also ransacked the farmers’ temporary office and stole their money, belongings and food, including five sacks of rice.
The farmers are members of the Tribal Indigenous Oppressed Group Association, and are actively asserting their right to their ancestral land. They also oppose the Lorenzo family’s plan to convert their lands into a pinapple plantation. They reported the incident to the local police but the latter did not help them.
In Cavite, farmers under KASAMA-LR conducting collective land cultivation (bungkalan) in Lupang Ramos, Dasmariñas were repeatedly harassed and intimidated on June 2-4 by goons of Rudy Herrera, a notorious landlord agent. Last May 28, in an attempt to evict the farmers from the area, Herrera ordered Nestor Pangilinan and his group BUKLOD to enter the 150-hectare land that was being cultivated.
On June 2, Herrera’s goons physically assaulted Rosalinda Atienza, 62, and Romeo Aledia, 45, members of KASAMA-LR. On June 3, Hererra and Pangilinan brought with them 40 fake land-claimants to interrupt the bungkalan. In connivance with the PNP, they barred the supporters of KASAMA-LR from the farmers’ camp. On June 4, gunshots were fired at members of KASAMA-LR while they were on their way home from the barricades they set up to protect their land.
The farmers of Lupang Ramos have long been struggling for their right to land. In 1990, the Department of Agrarian already ordered the distribution of the land as per the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). After a decade, however, the Supreme Court revoked this order and ruled that the disputed land is not covered by CARP. Determined to assert their right, the farmers decided to launch their bungkalan on September 2017.
In Metro Manila, a junk shop which serves as the office of the Sandigan ng Maralitang Nagkakaisa sa Dumpsite Catmon Org. Inc. was strafed on May 27 by Malabon Mayor Antolin Oreta’s private goons. Thirteen residents of Barangay Catmon, Malabon including the leaders of various organizations and two minors were inside the office during the incident.
Arrest and detention
Juan Alexander Reyes, a union organizer, was arrested by state agents on June 2 in Barangay San Antonio, Quezon City. He was shoved to a van and was taken to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-NCR in Camp Crame where he was slapped with illegal possession of firearms and a case of arson in Agusan del Sur.
Reyes is a leader of the Sandigang Manggagawa sa Quezon City (SMQC) and Bayan-Quezon City. He actively participated in the campaign against endo and in the struggle of the workers in Pearl Island Commercial Corporation, and many other factories in the city.
In Butuan City, Nerita de Castro was arrested by elements of the CIDG-Davao and Caraga and the 402nd Brigade in Emenville Subdivision, Barangay Ambago last May 31. De Castro is a small-time business woman who devoted her life in advancing the rights of women. She was also a member of Karapatan-Surigao del Sur during the 1990s and served as the executive director of Pulso Micro Media Services from 1990 until 2006. Pulso is under the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Tandag. She was charged with murder for purportedly having been involved in a killing and an attempted killing in Lianga, Surigao del Sur. She is currently being subjected to unceasing interrogation by agents of the CIDG-Davao City, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Presidential Management Staff and members of the PNP-Caraga.
In Negros Oriental, elements of the 62nd IB arrested last May 25 Jesus Rafols, a farm-worker from Sitio Bungao, Barangay Trinidad, Guihulngan City. He was illegally detained for three hours by the military. Following the arrest, the soldiers militarized the sitio and put the village folk under strict surveillance. Drones were also flown in the community from May 26 to 29.
[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/ang_bayan/20180607-national-minorities-forced-to-evacuate/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.