Govt forces hold 150 Subanen tribesmen

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Security forces held nearly 150 tribesmen on their way to a meeting in Sindangan town in Zamboanga del Norte on Monday, organizers said.

Nenita Condez, secretary-general of the indigenous organization Salabukan Nok G’Taw Subanen or Nagkaisang Mamamayang Subanen, said they were worried about the safety and welfare of their members who are being held against their will.

She said policemen and soldiers stopped the group as they headed to the meeting venue.

Security forces, according to Condez, were accusing the natives of either being members or supporters of the communist rebel group New People’s Army (NPA).

She denied this and said soldiers were allegedly harassing tribal members.

“We organized the meeting to seek support from President Rodrigo Duterte or the provincial and municipal governments to help us provide aid to our poor members who are mostly farmers affected by recent calamities in the province. We are in need of seeds and other agricultural assistance from the government,” Condez said.

She added that the local govern- ment has failed to assist farmers despite repeated pleas.

“We are also asking the government to provide our people the needed medical assistance or even a medical or humanitarian mission,” Conez said.

She added that a medicine donation from Bishop Antonio Ablon of the Diocese of Pagadian City was confiscated by soldiers from the Philippine Army in Sindangan town.

Condez said the medicines, mostly for cough and flu, and vitamins were intended for children and elderly members of the Subanen tribe.

She added that their group, which was founded in the 1990s, is working for the welfare of tribal communities in Zamboanga Peninsula.

Ricky Gandoy, a member of the group in Sindangan, appealed to the government to investigate continued harassment of tribesmen by soldiers. “We are just ordinary poor farmers and yet the soldiers are always harassing us, accusing us of being rebels or sympathizers of the NPA which is not true. We need help, we are hungry,” he said.

There was no immediate statement from the police and military about the allegations of the Subanen leaders.