Surigao tribes light candles for victims of NPA terrorists’ IP Killings

LIANGA, Surigao Del Sur – Manobo tribes ended the October Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) month and observance of the All Souls' Day in a candle lighting rally against Communist Terrorist Group’s (CTG) barbaric killings of innocent IP leaders and members.

The rally was held at barangay St. Christine, Lianga on October 31, 2020.

According to the report by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), about twelve (12) IP leaders and members were already killed since March this year. The latest is Lianga IP Mandatory Representative, Hawudon Jumar S. Bucales (Datu Nahikyad), and two others who were ambushed by CPP-NPA Terrorists (CNT) on October 4, 2020, on their way home after an IP Council meeting in Lianga.

The Tribal Council of Lianga recently reported that CNTs in Surigao sent them death threats because they allowed the construction of the DepEd IP Schools of Living Tradition to replace the NPA-linked schools of Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) in the hinterlands of Lianga and Marihatag towns.

“Ang aming mga tribal leaders na walang ibang gusto kundi makapagbigay ng kalidad na edukasyon sa mga IP gaya ni Datu Jumar Bucales ay gusto nilang patayin. Ganunpaman, hindi kami matatakot at ipagpapatuloy namin ang mga isinusulong na programa ni Datu Jumar Bucales para umunlad ang tribo sa Lianga,” Datu Constancio Duhac, Lianga Tribal Chieftain, said.

On October 31, KASALO CARAGA, a group revealed by tribes as a CTG supporter, posted fake news on their Facebook Page accusing the military of abuses which was disproved by the tribal leaders outright.

“Ang totoong nagmimilitarisa sa tribo ay hindi ang Army, kundi ang mga sinungaling at teroristang NPA na sapilitang nirerekrut ang kabataang tribo para maging NPA o milisya ng bayan. Sila ay nagsisinungaling sapagkat ang gusto lamang nilang paalisin ang Army na tumutulong sa amin sa pamamagitan ng Community Support Program (CSP),” Datu Rico Maca, San Miguel IPMR said.

The CTG proudly owned the killings of Datu Bucales and other members, in the statements of a certain Sandara Sidlakan who claims to be the NPA spokesperson in CARAGA.

"Hindi na umuubra ang propaganda ng mga kaalyado ng NPA gaya ng Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (MAPASU), Kahugpungan ng Mag-uuma sa Surigao del Sur (KAMASS), KASALO CARAGA, Karapatan CARAGA, Save our Schools Network at iba pa kaya ang gingawa ng mga terorista ay pananakot at pag-atake sa mga walang laban na IPna ayaw na sa kanila, “Datu Constancio Duhac, added.

It can be recalled that the CTG and their front organizations were declared persona-non-grata in the whole province of Surigao del Sur to include all its municipalities, city, and barangays.

Surigao del Sur Provincial Government, NCIP, Local Chief Executives, and sectoral groups have earlier declared statements of condemnations against the CTG's brutal killings of the IPs and supported the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and the National Task Force-Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

The provincial government and the military’s doors are still open for those who would like to peacefully surrender and lay down their arms and avail of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

The first batch of former rebels was awarded E-CLIP benefits last September this year.

Meanwhile, the Communist Terrorist Group has been declared in the country as a terrorist group through Proclamation 374 s. 2017 while other countries like the US, New Zealand, UK, Australia, the European Union have also declared them as terrorist organizations.

Source: Civil-Military Operations Office, 3rd Special Forces Battalion, Joint Task Force Diamond, PA