By Media Mindanao News Service
(August 15, 1987 News Digest Volume 1, August 1987-July 1988 Posted by Davao Today)
DAVAO CITY (MMNS) — At least 42 vigilante groups now exist in Mindanao, the Mindanao Human Rights Monitor (MHRM) reported in its latest issue. These organizations, denominated by a strong anti-communist line abound in three key provinces mainly Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga.
Thirty-three percent of these anti-communist crusaders is concentrated in Davao provinces; 26 percent can be found in the Cotabato provinces and 23 percent is in Zamboanga provinces. The rest are distributed in Agusan, Misamis Oriental, Ozamis and Surigao. There could be more, said the MHRM, a publlication of the Task Force Detainees.
Based on reports published in the local dailies, rural membership of vigilantes, armed and unarmed, is estimated to have reached two million or 16 percent of Mindanao’s population. The figure is the sum of the membership declaration of the 42 vigilante groups which ranged from 20 to as high as 100,000 members as claimed by the NAKASAKA in Davao del Sur.
The following are some of the vigilante groups enumerated in the MHRM report:
*ALIMAONG in Sta. Maria, Davao del Sur led by Apolinario Gumera alias Commander Alimaong;
*Alsa Masa in Davao City with a total membership of 3,628 in the city’s 46 barangays. This nationally-known vigilante group is also spreading to the provinces of South Cotabato, Agusan del Sur, Cagayan de Oro and other parts of Mindanao;
*Bantay Bayan in Digos, Davao del Sur; Tandag, Surigao and Cagwait towns of Surigao del Sur;
*BOLO BATTALION operating in the countryside of Davao del Sur;
*KAMPILAN in Davao del Sur said to have 15,000 bolo-wielding members;
*KALIHUKAN LABAN SA KOMUNISTA (KLK) or Movement Against the Communist still in Davao del Sur. It is also known as “Black Bee Squad”;
*KUSOG SA KATAWHAN ALANG SA KALINAW (KKK) or People Power for Peace in barangays San Miguel, Mankilam and Pagsabangan of Tagum, Davao del Norte;
*MALCOM which can be found in Davao Oriental; and in some parts of Surigao del Sur and General Santos City;
*MINDAHILA-KKK operating in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato;
*NAGKAHIUSANG KATAWHAN ALANG SA KALINAW (NAKASAKA) or United People for Peace in 15 municipalities of Davao del Sur;
*SERBISYONG KATILINGBANON ALANG SA DEMOKRASYA (SEKAD) in San Isidro, Davao Oriental;
*TABAK in Sulop, Davao del Sur with some 100 members;
*ALSA MASA LABAN SA NPA in Kiamba, South Cotabato;
*BALIKBAYAN, a group of Muslim rebel-returnee who are fighting Muslim insurgents in Maguindanao province;
*CHRISTIAN LIBERATION ARMY (CLA), an armed group operating in Maguindanao province and in some towns of North Cotabato;
*KATILINGBANONG KALIHUKAN KONTRA KOMUNISTA (4Ks) or Community Movement Against the Communists in Malapatanang Malungon towns of South Cotabato;
*KORONADAL MOVEMENT FOR UNITY AND TRANQUILITY (KOMUT) based in four barangays in Koronadal, South Cotabato. It has 120 members;
*LORD DIVINE SERVICE (LANDASAN), a fanatic group along the borders of Cotabato and Bukidnon provinces;
*TADTAD (SAGRADO CORAZON SENOR), one of the notoriously known groups that started in Misamis Oriental which has spread in many parts of Mindanao. It claims to have some 500 members in Davao del Sur alone;
*BAGANIAN SUBANON ANTI-COMMUNIST ORGANIZATION (BASACO) has tribal Filipinos for its members. It is said to be operating throughout Baganian Peninsula of Zamboanga del Sur;
*PROTECTION OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION IN THE PHILIPPINES (PDIP) in Dalindingan, Siay, Zamboanga del Sur;
*PANAGHIUSA CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM SUBANON, INC (PCMSI) composed of KPPK personalities, a pastor of the Alliance Church, some Muslims and Subanon natives and a certain Major Alcos, intelligence head of the 3/1 Brigade based in Siay, Zamboanga del Sur;
*PANALIPOD SA KATAWHAN ALANG SA NASUDNONG DEMOKRASYA (PKND) or People’s shield for National Democracy in Titay, Zamboanga del Sur;
*ROCK CHRIST, a fanatic group which started during the Marcos regime and is still existing in Zamboanga del Sur. A faction is reportedly operating in some parts of Davao del Sur;
*BAGWIS in Barangay San Toribio, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur with 40 members.
*PULAHAN which has members in Bayugan, Agusan del Suras well as in Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental;
*CHRISTIAN MINDANAO LIBERATION ORGANIZATION – MINDANAO LIBERATION ARMY (CMLO-MLA) which claims to have members all over Mindanao; and
*KURATONG BALELENG which derived its name from a bamboo instrument used to warn of the presence of insurgents in Ozamis City’s 51 barangays. It has some 600 regular members.
All of these vigilante groups are allegedly organized by the military authorities stationed in each area. Most of them are supported by local government officials. (Media Mindanao News Service News Digest Volume 1, August 1987-July 1988 Posted by Davao Today)
Terrorism
