Allan was scared. His neighbors also told him how the soldiers accosted Bansayluan at the unfinished purok and rebuked him for allowing Allan to complain in public. Allan feared that the soldiers might come for him.
The soldiers left the village after lunch. Before they left, they warned the Lumads that they would go back and burn all their houses if anything were to happen to them in an encounter with the NPA.
At 3 pm, the Lumads heard gunfire. They gathered at the purok, remembering the soldiers’ warning. They agreed that they had to leave immediately.
More soldiers arrived at 4:30 pm to serve as reinforcement to those who had passed by earlier. The uniformed men told the Lumads they would bear the brunt of the soldiers’ anger if any of the soldiers got hurt.
After the soldiers left, some villagers started packing, bringing clothes, cooking pots and what little food they had in stock.
CHOKED. Allan has filed a case against members of the 28th IB after he was allegedly strangled and his head put inside a plastic bag. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)
Bansayluan, however, couldn’t decide to leave right away. He was concerned for Jenalyn, who had just given birth that morning and couldn’t possibly make the long journey on his own. Allan, whom Bansayluan knew was still sore from the soldiers’ beating the week before, would have to carry his wife. He decided to leave their fate with Allan.
But Allan knew that the soldiers had already marked him because he had filed charges against them. Although his bruises were still smarting, he decided to leave. He wrapped Jenalyn in a malong and had her wrap her arms around his neck.
Allan’s mother carried the newly born Vermon while Jennis and Allan’s younger sister took care of his other children, aged six, four, three and one.
At around 6 pm, the gunfire stopped. The villagers knew that the soldiers would soon be on their way back. One neighbor who just purchased a sack of rice, divided it among themselves, one can for every child in the family. At around 10 pm at night, they started walking. They kept on walking until they reached sitio Salbasyon at 4 at dawn.
When they arrived, Allan’s back was drenched in blood because Jenalyn was still bleeding.
By motorcycle, Salbasyon was still two hours away from the center of Compostela. Allan still felt a bit uneasy but the Lumads were exhausted and tried to find a place to rest in the church, in the purok and even in just a piece of ground.
Guimbuloy contacted Pasaka, who had asked assistance from the mayor. At 9 that morning, a truck from the mayor’s office arrived, ready to transport them to the center of Compostela. The mayor also volunteered free use of the municipal gym.
However, Allan’s nightmare wasn’t over. Military personnel also started arriving at the gym as soon as the Lumads arrived. They were in full battle gear, brandishing their long firearms and vests full of bullets!
Indigenous Peoples
