“Instead of investigating on the reported abuses against their constituents in the hinterlands of Talaingod, Mayor Libayao denied the evacuation, insisting that the situation of the area has been peaceful, despite reports and testimonies of lumad victims and the military’s own reports of an encounter that happened in the past weeks,” said Kernal Fanagel, Pasaka secretary general.
Lumad men and women gather during the interfaith mercy mission. (davaotoday.com photo by Jonald Mahinay)
Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario also told the media during the Local Peace and Security Assembly in February, that no evacuation happened. Del Rosario attributed the movement of the lumads to their traditional and seasonal way of farming.
First Lieutenant Arthur Alluigan, commanding officer of Bravo Company under the 73rd Infantry Battalion-Philippine Army, accused Sagip of exploiting the incident to come up with “black propaganda” against the military.
“You are hard headed! I’m sure you will die now. Run!” Amantol was told. Afraid that he might be shot, he stayed.
The soldiers searched each village house for guns and bullets. Amantol feared that the soldiers might plant guns among the villagers’ things.
Some of the soldiers also interrogated villagers’ wives and accused those whose husbands were not around as members of the NPA.
Vick Alfonso Balagisi, 28, and a teacher of Damagan Litnum Learning Center, said classes had been interrupted since the military operations started.
RELIEF GOODS. After the long walk to sitio Dulyan, displaced Ata-Manobos fall in line to receive relief goods, medical check-ups and take part in psycho-social therapy sessions from the Pasaka and Sagip-led medical mission. (davaotoday.com photo by Jonald Mahinay)
After hearing of a military operation in sitio Sasu, residents evacuated and stayed for four days in the nearby sitio Laboo. This time, only forty out of the fifty families in Damagan proceeded. The other ten families went to Pantaron range to hide in the forest because of fear.
While in Sitio Laboo, residents awaited news of operation in an adjacent sitio of Sasu.
“During the operation in Sasu, we did not get of our houses for two days and that was the time when the children started to get very hungry,” he said.
When they heard that the military were going to sitio Laslasakan, across Talomo river, the remaining forty families decided to go back to sitio Damagan. But the military followed them there.
Balagisi told the people to stay in their houses while he and Amantol dealt with the military.
PERCUSSION LOG. A bangkakawan is a log that creates music when tapped with small wood. Ata-Manobos show their visitors from the city how they use this instrument while they dance in prayer to the gods for a bountiful harvest. (davaotoday.com photo by Jonald Mahinay)
One of the soldiers wanted a chicken but Balagisi said he told him that most of their chickens and livestock died because of the operation. The military paid three hundred pesos for three chickens.
Panubaran, a worship place of the lumad was also suspected as a meeting place of the NPA.
“They asked why it was situated on top of the hill. I told them that the Panubaran should be placed on top of the hill so that it will be facing sunlight,” Balagisi said.
Indigenous Peoples
