MALAPATAN, Sarangani (March 26, 2011) – Civilian and military authorities yesterday denied that government troops have perpetrated “human rights violations” in a hinterland village where a non-government organization (NGO) purportedly working for the interest of the indigenous people (lumad) has established a learning center and micro hydro power project.
Officials of barangay Upper Daan Suyan disclosed that the allegations of the NGO known as CLANS were mere black propaganda aimed at destroying the peace and development program of the 73rd Infantry Battalion in Upper Suyan.
Major Adolfo Espuelas Jr., battalion commander of the 73rd IB, Mayor Alfonso Singcoy and barangay officials called a press conference Friday (March 25) in reaction to CLANS’ statement alleging that soldiers perpetrated the violations “from November 4, 2010 to March 17, 2011.”
Espuelas said what CLANS or Center for Lumad Advocacy and Services was circulating thru the internet and the media was untrue.
“Ako karong ginasulti nga dili tinuod ang tanang gipang sulti nila. Walay bisan isa nga tinuod sa ilang gipangsulti, gusto lang siguro aning mga grupo nga muhawa ang atong mga sundalo sa maong mga sitio kay kung naa ang mga sundalo didto dili makalihok sa ilang mga gusto nga buhaton (I tell you what they are claiming is not true. Those are all lies. These groups just want to oust our troops from the sitios because they cannot do what they want if we are around),” Espuelas said.
In its statement, CLANS said elements of the 73rd IB arrived and camped in sitio Datalnay on November 4, 2010. “Sitio Datalnay is one of the project areas of CLANS. The soldiers who were in full battle gear stayed in Datalnay until December 15, 2010. The 27 Blaan families, including their children, and the teachers and staff of CLANS were disturbed and in fear, disturbing the day to day activities of the community,” according to CLANS.
Akong isa-isahon kining mga allegations kay seryoso man kini. Unfair man sad sa atong mga kasundaluhan, nga sila butang-butangan nalang. Sila nag sakripisyo, naghatag tinuod nga serbisyo sa katawhan, ni-antos ug kamingaw sa pamilya unya butang-butangan lang ug sala (I want to tackle these allegations one by one. It’s unfair on the part of our soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the community by giving them their services away from their families just to be victims of these lies),” Espuelas said.
The officer said they invited sitio leaders and tribal leaders to tell the truth and disprove CLANS’ allegations.
In its statement, CLANS alleged that 73rd IB soldiers had interrogated repeatedly nine individuals; forcibly placing a boy inside a sack and forcing a 10-year old Blaan boy to don a chain of sub-machine gun bullets on his shoulder, and carry an M-16 rifle and his picture was taken to show that he is a child soldier.
Instead of peddling lies, Espuelas called on CLANS to coordinate with the authorities about their presence in the area.
For his part, Mayor Singcoy said the municipal government should have known first the violations if they were true. “So far, sukad pa kaniadto hantod karon, wala man pud koy nakita nga mga lakang, binuang, mga tinunto nga binuhatan sa atong mga sundalo. Number one gyud kaming makahibalo (Since then, I have not seen any abuse or wrongdoings of soldiers. We will be the first to know if ever.)”
Singcoy lamented that CLANS used his constituents’ poor condition to build a P100,000 project in the village with a P60 million funding from a foreign source.
Espuelas said authorities would not make a legal action but they were questioning the supposed P60-million micro hydro electric power project to energize the barangay and a rice mill. “Pero kana nga plano wala na hantod karon, tulo ra daw ka bombilya sa staff house nila kanang gipuy-an nila anang maestro nga maoy gapasimuno aning reklamo mao nay atong ginatuki karon. (But that plan was not realized until now. There are only three light bulbs at the staff house owned by a teacher where they are staying and who initiated this complaint. That is what we are now trying to investigate).”
A village official disclosed that until now, CLANS has not shown any formal document about its existence or any coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)
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