Some MisOr evacuees already sent back home

w After court order pressuring ‘bakwit’ leaders to stay tune with the law

SEVERAL displaced residents encamped at the provincial capitol park were sent back to their relatives following a court order, a leader evacuee said Monday, August 20.

Sariza Acosta, spokesperson of the Tagtabulon lumad organization, said wives and children of the three men who ran to the court to get their family members out of the encampment, were no longer staying in the capitol grounds since August 11.

She said they were living now with their relatives in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental because said evacuees refused to stay under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Ingon sa among abogado nga duna man mando sa korte so ang lain option is pwede sila didto sa ilang paryente kung dili sila gusto sa DSWD mao toa sila karon sa ilang mga paryente sa Balingasag,”she said.

Acosta said they bring along the wives and children of complainants Bernie and Arante Calimhay and Reboden Hilogon during a court hearing last August 8.

The three husbands have filed for a writ of habeas corpus to order Acosta and other leader evacuees to produce the members of their respective family who were staying at the capitol encampment.

The complainants accused the ‘bakwit’ leaders of threat, intimidation and forcing their wives and children to evacuate.

However, Acosta had earlier denied the allegations.

“Sakit sa ilang buot nga mobiya dinhi sige gani sila og tawag kung makabalik ba sila sa encampment inig human sa kaso,”Acosta said.

Meanwhile, Acosta said until now they are still waiting for the planned fact finding mission in their community at Sitio Camansi, Banglay, Lagonglong town.

She said the evacuees have wanted to know the positioning of the military detachment and the condition of their respective houses and livelihood in the area.

Acosta said the military presence was the main reason of their evacuation for almost three months now.