More or less 2,000 Lumad, farmers and small scale miners from different parts of Davao region set up a barricade in front of the Army’s Eastern Mindanao Command headquarters in Panacan, Davao City to call for the pull out of military troops from the communities.(Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY — More or less 2,000 Lumad, farmers and small scale miners from different parts of Davao region set up a barricade in front of the Army’s Eastern Mindanao Command headquarters in Panacan, Davao City to call for the pull out of military troops from the communities. The entrance and exit points in the north part of the city was totally closed for more than six hours on Friday, March 18.
Jong Monzon, spokesman of the PASAKA Luma Confederation of Southern Mindanao explains to local residents why they are in front of the Eastern Mindanao Command headquarters to in Panacan, Davao City.
A protester takes a quick respite from the heat as he snuggles under the placards during their blockade in front of the Eastern Mindanao Command camp.
The barricade of more or less 2,000 protesters cause a heavy traffic in the northern approach to Davao City.
Kerlan Fanagel, chairperson of PASAKA, confronted by a certain police officer, telling them to give one lane for the motorist. But the officer was unsuccessful.
Protesters remained firm on their demand to pull out the military encampment in their communities.
Kerlan Fanagel of PASAKA Southern Mindanao said that they only want the national government agencies to heed their demand.
Davao City administrator Atty. Melchor Quitain, shakes hands with a protester as he assures that he will talk the to the government agencies about their demands.
Ellen Manlibaas, a Lumad leader from Kitaotao, Bukidnon shares her experience when she was taken by soldiers and was accused of alleged trumped-up charges.
A medical staff of the protesters roams around the barricade to look for sick protesters.
Protesters open the southbound lane and clean the mess in the streets after some of their demands are given.
They call it small victory for their ranks as some national agencies like the Department of Education in the region talk to them.
At around 6:30 pm, the protesters negotiated with the Department of Education represented by Janet Veloso, Chief of Curriculum and Learning Management division. They demanded DepEd to call for the military’s pull out from Lumad schools and to revoke Memorandum Order No. 221, which they say, allows military presence in schools. The protesters gave a month for the agency to act on their demands.(davaotoday.com)
