Reds, military clash anew in Agusan Norte upland village

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

AT least 48 families fled their homes as communist rebels and government soldiers exchanged firepower in Agusan del Norte yesterday morning.

Brig. Gen. Franck Nemesio Gacal, commander of the 402nd Infantry Brigade, confirmed that soldiers from the 29th Infantry Battalion encountered New People’s Army guerrillas in Sitio Ancili, Barangay Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte, at around 7 am yesterday, forcing indigenes to flee their homes for fear of being caught in the crossfires.

There was no casualty report at presstime. Gacal said the 29th IB responded and immediately sent reinforcement. Army Lt. Tere Ingente, spokesperson of the 4th Infantry Division, said military clearing operations are ongoing at the encounter in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte at presstime. Surigao Evacuation

Meanwhile, 12 indigenous peoples’ communities fled their homes in Surigao del Sur last week due to the heavy military presence in the area, a Lumad group reported.

Sarry Campos, the spokesperson of the Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod, said at least 161 families composed of 758 individuals are currently seeking refuge in Km. 9 Barangay Diatagon, Lianga town, while an unaccounted number of individuals are currently staying with their relatives.

The Lumad communities decided to evacuate in Jan. 29 due to series of threats, harassment, and intimidation allegedly by military troops.

“How can we go to our farmlands if the military troops are present around the community? Lumad farmers were interrogated and were asked to present their identification cards,” Campos said.

He added: “Clearly, they are harassing civilians. If they failed to provide IDs, soldiers will take photos and threaten them that if something will happen to military troops, the state forces will go after the civilians.”

A civilian was also forced by the soldiers to surrender “even he vehemently denied he was an NPA member.”

Also affected were 706 students and 51 faculty staff of alternative Lumad school Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural Development, and Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur.

Classes were suspended at the school but the faculty continued lessons inside the evacuation center.

Campos said that the “intensified military operations in the countryside especially in Lumad communities clearly shows that the military is not going after the NPAs but communities and organizations that struggle to defend their ancestral lands from mining and foreign corporations.”

Kahugpungan sa mga Lumadnong Organisasyon-Caraga said in a statement that eight battalions of the Armed Forces under two brigades were deployed in the region “resulting in widespread human rights violations.”

“All these are being implemented to eliminate opposition against the continuing operation of 23 large scale nickel, chromite and gold mines and the entry of 15 coal mining operations, expansion of banana and oil palm plantations and other destructive projects within our ancestral lands,” it added. (with reports from davaotoday.com)