By CONG. B. CORRALES
Associate Editor .
THE vice mayor of Kitaotao town in Bukidnon yesterday confirmed that officials and residents of Barangay Digongan were rounded up and held by the military last week on mere suspicion that they were supporters of the New People’s Army.
In a phone interview yesterday, Vice Mayor Edwin Abucayan confirmed that 10 residents of Barangay Digongan, including the barangay chairman and a village councilor, were taken from their homes to the 88th Infantry Battalion camp in Maramag, Bukidnon.
In a statement, the Save Our Schools Network said among those who were taken by the soldiers were members of the Parents-Teachers Community Association of the Misfi Academy, a lumad school in Bukidnon.
The group assailed the arrests since these were done without warrants nor filed formal complaints against the persons who were arrested.
Abucayan said prior to the arrest, there was a reported clash between NPA rebels and troops from the 88th IB in the area on Wednesday night.
When the soldiers came down from the hinterlands on Thursday morning, they went straight to houses of the residents and took 10 persons, he added.
“Napasanginlan man tua sila nga mga supporters sa NPA ug ang uban membro daw,” said Abucayan.
But Abucayan said the soldiers released nine of the 10 villagers the following day.
One of those taken and held, identified as Vidasto “Toto” Llido, “voluntarily” stayed behind the camp to help soldiers in sawing wood.
“Ang gisulti sa ako sa kapitan nga nagpabilin si Toto kay nagpatabang daw ang mga sundalo pagabas og kahoy,” said Abucayan, adding that Llido worked as a chainsaw operator.
Abucayan however said soldiers confiscated a solar energy panel and battery pack that were given to Llido by the government as part of a support project.
“Among kabalak-an lang kay kung operator siya nganong giapil man og kuha ang solar panel ug baterya nga project kadto sa LGU nga hinatag pud sa DOE (Department of Energy),” Abucayan said.
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