Lumad youth ask Duterte to ‘save’ them from Reds

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent .

Mindanao’s Indigenous People Youth Organization (MIPYO) leaders asked the President Rodrigo Duterte to “save” their tribe from being victimized by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.

This was the call made by MIPYO political officer Datu Suhan Dante Tumanding during their peace assembly held last Thursday at Chali Beach Resort in Barangay Cugman, this city.

Tumanding said that around 200 lumad youth leaders from across Mindanao gathered to attend the peace assembly spearheaded by the Office of the Presidential Advuiser on the Peace Process.

The three-days assembly contributes to their sectoral unification, capacity building and empowerment cluster under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in line with Executive Order No. 70’s Whole-Of-Nation Approach.

He said they are now aware that caused-oriented groups dubbed as non-government organization went to tribal communities and started telling stories targeted against the government.

“Picture, picture dayun ipasa sa laing nasud. Kung pila ilang makuha nga tabang gikan sa laing nasud dili kana moabot ngadto sa indigenous communities. Maghatag lang dayun sila og lapis, ballpen, notebook and bags alang sa mga kabataan pero ang dako nga pundo ilang gigahin ngadto sa kalihukang pundo,” he claimed.

He said at present, the lumad elders are already aware of all their community program.

“We will be making a resolution to fight against the entry of NGOs. They have installed non-formal education which leads to the recruitment of lumads as a rebel combatant. Dili ba kini pagpangilad ang ilang gihimo,” he added.

MIPYO officers welcome the localized peace agreements where local governments and members of the situated in conflict-affected communities can take the lead in providing recommendations on how to resolve the root cause of the decades-long communist insurgency.