State agents armed tribal militias

By BEN SERRANO,
Correspondent

BUTUAN CITY — Government is responsible in arming paramilitary groups in Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur and other tribal communities in Caraga Region, the final report of the International Fact-Finding Mission (IFFM) states.

The IFFM presented their findings to local media, here, on Monday.

In the official findings of the IFFM in Surigao del Sur, it claimed “there is clear historical and present connection between the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and armed paramilitary groups of Marcos Bocales, Datu Calpet Egua-Marcial Belandres with the Hasmin Acevedo group in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur.”

It further claimed that presence of armed paramilitary groups has been a persistent problem since 2009 to the present and the Marcos Bocales group was even “accredited by the AFP” on allegations by the fact finding team that Col. Benjamin Pedralves of the 58th Infantry Battalion introduced Bocales as leader of Task Force Gantangan – Bagani Force .

It added that armed militia groups of Marcos Bocales, Datu Calpet Egua-Marcial Belandres with the Hasmin Acevedo group were implicated in the killings of the Tabugol Brothers and the Sitio Han-ayan, Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur massacre.

Last Sept. 1 at early dawn, residents of Sitio Han-ayan, Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur were ordered by armed Magahat group to assemble at the village’s plaza or covered court, then shot pointblank tribal leader Datu Aurelio Sinzo and tribal coop leader Dionel Campos.

At the Alcadev tribal school, the school executive director Emerico Samarca was also shot dead but before he was shot to death, Samarca was hogtied and stabbed in the chest and hanged.

The IFFM cited the police and military statements that national police and the Alpha Company of the 75th IB were in Hanayan and surrounding communities since the September 1, 2015 to “secure and protect the property of the evacuees who left their communities.”

The IFFM also noted the destruction, burning, defacement and divestment of property in tribal villages of Panokmoan, Han-ayan, Km 16, Mike, and Magkahunaw which  happened after the Sept. 1 incident where thousands of lumad villagers fled their homes because of fear.

However, the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) Region 10 regional director Roberto Almonte and Lt. Col. Raymond Landingin, the assistant chief of staff for civil military operations for the 4th Infantry Division, on Nov. 8, signed a joint press statement denying the findings of the IFFM saying they have no knowledge of the existence of Philippine Bagani Force Tribal Army.

In the joint statement, the two officials claimed that if ever there are  armed groups, they don’t have the authority of the NCIP and the military.