ARMED groups blamed for the evacuation of some 250 villagers, many of whom are members of the Higaonon tribe from Minkamansi, Barangay Banglay, Lagonglong, have left the area, confirmed a joint multi-sectoral monitoring team sent by Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano to the area over the weekend.
The monitoring team led by Lawyer Cecilia Faelnar, provincial legal officer, is composed of representatives of the National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP), the barangay office of Banglay and media, among others, went to the village to confirm claims made earlier by the local command of the Armed Forces that its troops have left the area.
Charita Acosta, Minkamansi purok leader and acting as spokesperson of the group, insisted that armed groups, including elements of the AFP, must leave the place before they return home. She also asked that the evacuees be compensated over the alleged destruction of homes, properties and farms.
The Faelnar team came back from the trip with members of the media cynical on the claims made by evacuees on allegations against the government troops.
They found the village deserted by its residents and no sign of any armed groups. There were no destroyed homes although many domisticated animals presumably left by the residents before their evacuations were roaming the village.
What was evident, however, were some damages on government properties, particularly on power cables used for the electrificaton project for the village.
The evacuues arrived at the provincial capitol grounds some two weeks ago, claiming threats on their lives by government forces camped in their village to secure the electrification project of the government.
They have been staying at the capitol grounds ever since, and depended on their panhandling activities but mainly on the generosity of the provincial government, where a schedule was given to its offices for specific days for them to “take care” of the needs of the evacuees.
It was not known when the evacuees will finally return home.
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