IP group denounces ‘malicious’ charges

An Indigenous Peoples (IPs) group in Northern Mindanao has denounced the attacks and harassment against lumad evacuees encamped at the provincial capitol park including the ‘false and malicious’ charges filed against their leaders.

The Kalumbay Regional Lumad Organization, in a statement, said the charges filed against their leaders and other individuals from the support group is a ‘desperate attempt by the military, police and their cohorts in the provincial government to sow fear and discord against the evacuees.’

Kalumbay chair Datu Jomorito Guaynon said the leaders of the evacuees were now accused of holding their fellow evacuees hostage in their own political protest.

But, the bakwit leaders will prove to the court that there are no truth to all accusations thrown against them.

“Not only this accusation baseless and imaginary, it is as if calling these communities blind and

being unable to think for themselves. It’s tantamount to calling them stupid,”Kalumbay said.

“We will face the court and they will hear the truth from those they claim are being held against their will from returning home. We will continue to support the evacuees calls to return home peacefully, without the presence of military detachments and destructive projects,”the group added.

Governor Yevgeny Emano said the capitol could not meddle in the cases faced by the leaders of the evacuees.

The governor also said he will not allow his workers to take sides, adding that the capitol will do its very best to accommodate and attend to the needs of the evacuees in the duration of their encampment.

Kalumbay had blamed the eco-tourism project of the provincial government for the more than two months of displacement of residents from Sitio Camansi, Banglay, in Lagonglong town.

The group said the capitol has allowed the military to install a detachment with “pretense of protecting said development projects”.

However, the group reported that there have been no development seen in their communities.

“Why do residents report the further strengthening of the detachment and zero progress of roads and highways?”the group asked.

“The inaction of the provincial government are rooted from vested interest. Governor Emano’s flagship eco-tourism projects are also the face of said displacement,”the group added.

But, Emano in the last dialogue with the evacuees’ leaders encamped at the capitol park, had assured that he will put on hold the eco-tourism projects as appealed by the residents.

For the meantime, Emano said he would develop ecotourism in other areas until such time that residents of Sitio Camansi themselves will voluntarily request for ecotourism development in their community.

“Dili sa nato ipadayon ang eco-tourism dihang dapita (We will put on hold our eco-tourism in that area),”Emano earlier said. (Alwen Saliring)