DAVAO City — School children, studying in Lumad schools in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, were traumatized after the military conducted an aerial strikes, earlier this week, while pursuing communist rebels, a spokesperson of the Lumad group said.
Jong Monzon, secretary-general of Pasaka-Southern Mindanao Region, a confederation of Lumad organizations, said on Tuesday afternoon, state security forces under the Army’s 10th Infantry Division conducted an aerial strike in Sitio Malid, Barangay Dagohoy, in Talaingod, Davao del Norte where a Lumad school is situated.
“This traumatized the teachers and students,” Monzon said, as the exchange of gunshots came just 500 meters away from the Lumad school’s location while Lumad school children were playing outside of their classrooms.
A series of gunshots that lasted for 30 minutes was also heard by the teacher and Lumad students of Salugpongan Ta ‘Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center Incorporated in Sitio Tibucag, Barangay Dagohoy, Talaingod, Davao Del Norte on Aug. 25 before the Tuesday’s alleged bombing incident, Monzon said.
But Maj. Ezra Balagtey, spokesperson of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said there was an armed encounter between the soldiers and communist rebels on Aug. 27 in Sitio Malid, Barangay Dagohoy, in Talaigod, Davao del Norte.
Balagtey said they need to conduct the aerial strike to extricate their soldiers who were wounded during the encounter.
“For us to extricate them [3 wounded soldiers] we have to conduct close air support, and it was precisely implemented,” he said. (davaotoday.com)
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