Human Rights

Before the Agusanon Manobos were displaced due to intense military operations in this province, they were Typhoon Pablo survivors who had to rebuild all over again their ravaged houses and damaged farms.

“Unsaon namo pag-uli nga naa pa may gyera didto sa amoa?(How are we going home when there’s still a war going on there?)” said Jocely Andaliki “At least diri, safety among paminaw, di pareha didto sa amoa nga giabog mi mismo sa among gobernor, (Here, we feel safe, not like there where our governor drove us out).”

Some 400 Manobos refused an order from Agusan del Sur Governor Edward Plaza to leave the capitol compound and dialog with the Philippine Army’s 26th Infantry Battalion in their villages in Loreto town.

By DAVAO TODAY

Hanimay Suazo of Karapatan Southern Mindanao who was with the medical team coming from Davao said there was chaos as they wanted to talk to provincial government officials to calm down the situation, especially when the adults were contained later by the police away from the children awaiting them. “They still have not eaten, it was like they were placed in a concentration camp,” exclaimed Suazo.

JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA
Davao Today

The Agusanons endured a grueling two-day travel circuiting two provinces. Starting Thursday, they walked four hours from their evacuation center in Barangay Kauswagan, Loreto, Agusan del Sur, crossed a river to reach the neighboring Laak, Compostela Valley. Then they took a bus that brought them to Tagum City in Davao del Norte at night. Friday morning they traveled to Prosperidad and held a camp-in until provincial officials responded.The Agusanons took this circuitous route to steer clear of the military.

TYRONE A. VELEZ
Davao Today

Bernard Mondragon, spokesperson of Child Alert Mindanao, asked “What did ‘Tokhang’ accomplish?”

He said government’s view of ‘gangsterism’ as a peace and order concern shows government failure “to look at why poverty pushes them towards it.”

By JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA
Davao Today

Juanita Loreto said prior to the military operation, the Bagani members had been going around the community forcing them to sign a “tie-up” agreement with a company to build a plantation for tuba-tuba (jathropa) and biograss.”We refused their demand for us to ask to sign a blank paper that would sell-off our land to the company,” she said.

City Councilor Danny Dayanghirang said the Council needs to firm up a resolution in the next two weeks before it’s too late to oppose the entry of two mining companies in Paquibato district, this city. Otherwise, “(M)aybe we will wake up and see the companies excavating the mountains,” he said.

by John Rizle Saligumba
Davao Today

Initial reports from Karapatan Southern Mindanao showed that Agusanon residents fled on Sunday from Barangays Kauswagan, Sabud, Mansanitas and San Mariano. The residents along with 224 children evacuated to Barangay Kauswagan Elementary School.

In a press release from the Armed Forces’ 1002nd Brigade, Maria Loida Magpatoc, 52 years old, was arrested by joint elements of the Davao del Sur Police Provincial Office and 1002nd Infantry Brigade in the city’s Old Terminal, Barangay Zone III.