Tribal studes, teachers will not return to beleagured school just yet

By Ben Serrano,
Correspondent

DIATAGON, LIANGA, Surigao del Sur — The teachers and students of the beleaguered tribal school here said they will not return to their school until all suspects in the killing of their executive director have been arrested.

The killings of two tribal leaders and a tribal school executive have resulted in mass evacuation to Tandag City starting on Sept. 1. The first wave of evacuees came from Sitio Han-ayan, Km 16, while the second wave of evacuees came from Diatagon. A four-year old Manobo child already died in the cramped evacuation center.

Laid to rest

Meanwhile, at least five thousand, most of whom indigenes, joined the funeral march and ecumenical service for the murdered Alcadev Executive Director Emerico “Emok” Samarca in Butuan City Saturday.

Starting from Agusan del Norte Provincial Capitol, the mourners marched four kilometers to Guingona Park (formerly Rizal Park) where they laid Samarca to rest.

The joint theological ecumenical service and prayers by different religious groups here in Butuan City and other parts of Caraga Region such as the United Church of Chirst in the Philippines, Iglesia Filipina Inde-pendiente, Roman Catholic and other religious sects held at the Guingona Park (formerly Rizal Park) fronting the St.

Joseph Cathedral started at around 10 a.m. and ended past 12 noon Saturday.

Fiery Eulogies

At the joint theological ecumenical service, Lumad group KASALO Vice Chairperson Josephine Pagalan who is one of the eyewitnesses in the killing of Alternative Learning Center for Agriculture and Livelihood Development (Alca-dev), Executive Director Emerico Samarca early morning of September 1 as she was at the ALCADEV school office at that time claimed he saw members of the Philippine Army present just observing as Magahat members killed Samarca.

Pagalan challenged Suri-gaonon AFP Chief of Staff Irriberi and other military officials who have denied military involvement in the killings to a debate and lie detector tests.

Pagalan alleged it is the military particularly the 75th IB Philippine Army who organized and armed Ma-gahat and Bagani armed groups who were responsible in the killings

Pagalan who had been working in Alcade School’s Demo Farm where variety of agri crops are planted and are now producing but abandoned for nearly two weeks due evacuation, alleged the entry of a huge mining operation in the mountainous areas of Han-ayan were the main reasons of heightened militarization.

Anakpawis Partylist Rep. Fernando Hicap, for his part, said he will sponsor a congressional  inquiry to look into the series of extrajudicial killings of indigenous people in Mindanao recently.

Gabriela Party-list Rep. Emma De Jesus agreed with Pagalan adding that the heightened militarization in areas near Alcadev School was due to encroaching large-scale mining operations in the area.

Although Surigao del Sur Gov. Johnny Pimentel and other provincial officials were in Manila to meet with Office of the Presidential Adviser to the Peace Process Secretary Ding Deles, Pimentel said they went to a church in Manila to offer candles and prayers to Samarca.

Pimentel said he had been at the Alcadev School and Coop office site in Han-ayan Kilometer 16, Barangay Diata-gon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur and met Samarca five times especially during graduations and other school events.

“Although some government officials are afraid to go there because they say it is critical area and very far, I went there and stayed there at times whole day,” Pimentel told The Gold Star Daily, Saturday.