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The other day, more or less 500 Agusanon Manbo from Loreto, Agusan del Sur sought refuge in the City of Davao, not to rejoice for the “good harvests” as the city annually celebrates KADAYAWAN, but to tell their stories of fear, anger and desire for justice, peace, equity and inclusion.
This Agusanon Manobo family sleeps off their exhaustion in Bankeohan Gym after riding eight hours to Davao City to seek refuge. Some 500 Manobos fled their village in Loreto, Agusan del Sur from military troops 24, and were not welcomed by their governor when they sought his help. (davaotoday.com photo by MEDEL V. HERNANI)
“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.
An Agusan Manobo child lets the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command in Panacan, Davao City know that military operations have affected the schooling of children in five barangays in Loreto, Agusan del Sur since the end of July. Around 1,000 Manobos including 300 children fled their villages for fear of hearing successive gunfire. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)