ONE of the 180 evacuees currently holed out at the capitol grounds showed reporters video clips which prove that soldiers have occupied Sitio Mincamansi, Barangay Banglay, Lagonglong town in Misamis Oriental.
The footages showed soldiers belonging to the Army’s 58th Infantry Battalion building a makeshift camp inside the tribal village. The International Humanitarian Law forbids state security forces from using civilian communities as military camps.
The female evacuee, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told the Gold Star Daily she took the video as they were leaving their homes on March 29 to evacuate to the capitol grounds here.
The source said the video clips should be a sufficient answer to Camp Evangelista spokesman Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez who denied that soldiers have been camping out in Mincamansi.
“Ingon sila (military) walay sundalo didto sa among lugar kay matud pa ni Capt. Martinez peke kuno ang among pagbakwit diri sa kapitolyo. Unsa man diay ang video nga inyong nakita, bakak lugar na?” Sarisa Acosta, spokesperson of the Tagtabulon Higaonon Tribes Association, asked rhetorically.
Acosta said it was the fifth time they fled from their village since 2013 for fear of being caught in the crossfires every time armed clashes break out betweeen the New People’s Army and government troops.
In another development, Acosta said many of the evacuees have started getting sick, especially the old and the children.
Acosta suspects it is the water they have been drinking which is straight from the capitol faucets. Most of the indigenes who are with them, Acosta added, are not used to drinking treated water.
“Tubod (spring water) man nga tubig among ga-imnon didto sa amoa. Dinhi ang tubig bahong taya. Mao nang nagkalibanga gyud ang among mga anak,” Acosta said.
Aside from problems with bowel movement, cough and colds have also been prevalent among their children because they have not acclimatized with the urban temperature.
“Init kaayo ang klima dinhi ug pagka gabii. Bugnaw ang semento nga among gahigdaan. Kinsa may dili magsakit ana?” Acosta said.
But Acosta added that the capitol has been giving them medicine and food supplies. (nitz arancon)
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