By NITZ ARANCON
and LITO RULONA
Correspondents
OVER 200 Tagtabolon indigenes from Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental yesterday trooped to the capitol grounds in the city in an effort to pressure the government to pull out troops deployed to their villages as part of a military offensive against the New People’s Army (NPA).
Some 230 evacuees, including children, occupied an area at the capitol grounds, flanked the Press Freedom Monument, as early as 6 am.
They came from the covered court cum evacuation center at the Lagonglong town where they had sought refuge since they evacuated their homes in June 5.
The evacuees signed a petition addressed to Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano, asking the capitol to intervene. The governor is reportedly on leave until next month and has left the capitol under the care of Vice Gov. Jose Mari Pelaez.
Nenita Hilogon, secretary general of the Tagtabolon Lumad Association, the capitol should ask Camp Evangeslita to order the pullout of soldiers from the 58th Infantry Battalion from Camansi and Tapol in Lagonglong, and from an area near the evacuation site at the town proper.
“Malo-oy unta ang mga official sa kapitolyo, ug motabang sila paghangyo sa mga heneral sa Camp Evangelista nga ipapahawa na kanang mga sundalo nga nagkampo didto sa among sitio,” Hilogon said.
She said villagers had to flee for fear of being caught in the crossfires. As a result, she said, the children of the indigenes could not go to school.
“Nia kami karon aron madungog gyud among demanda. Ipa-pullout diha sa Barangay Banglay, Lagonglong ang military. Naa pa’y mitungas didto karon sa among lugar apil kadtong nagbantay sa amo sa gym sa Lagonglong,” she said.
A fact-finding mission in Camansi and Tapol involving the capitol, the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, and the groups Kalumbay and Karapatan, found that at least five houses in Camasi were ransacked by still unidentified men, according to Kalumbay secretary general Roger Plana.
Plana said one of the houses belonged to a tribal chieftain identified as Datu Reynaldo Ayuma.
About 28 families have decided to camp out at the capitol grounds.
“Daghan sa amo ang wala mi-uban kay dunay mga buros, masakiton og mga bata nga gidala,” Hilogon said.
The Misamis Oriental Risk-Reduction and Disaster Management Council said some 46 families evacuated in the town because of the armed conflict.
Lt. Janine Diaz, a military spokesperson, said soldiers were sent to Tapol and Banglay even as the Army beefed up forces in Sitio Lantad, Barangay Kibanban in Balingasag town. The purpose, she said, is “bayanihan.”
“We are bringing our programs to the remote and hinterland barangays,” said Diaz, denying that soldiers have been harassing civilians.
The allegation, she said, is part of a black propaganda against the military in an effort to cause the pullout of troops from these areas.
Diaz said intelligence reports indicate that some indigenes have been influenced by rebels.
“Natunga na kini kay dunay mga pamilya sa mga lumad nga nakasabot na nga gigamit lamang sila sa pikas group,” Diaz said.
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