DAVAO CITY —Davao Oriental Governor and Regional Peace and Order Council chairman Nelson Dayanghirang called on the leaders of United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP) Haran to stop abusing the innocence and the rights of the Indigenous People who are inside their compound along Fr. Selga St. this city.
Chaos ensued when Jubahib sent 15 dump trucks, five vans and a dozen of officials from Davao del Norte and IP leaders to Haran on Saturday morning, in a botched rescue attempt to the more than 300 IPs who are still inside the Haran compound since 2015.
The miscalculated rescue resulted to almost disorder, but the team was able to get five individuals who just joined the Haran group. Among them are: Hasmin Boolan 25; Angel Amansor 22; Amyan Andel 25; Mayha Andel 18; and one minor alias Jenelyn, all from Barangay Dagohoy, Talaingod, Davao del Norte.
The tension subsided when Police Chief Inspector Melvin Violan was later joined by Davao City Police Director John Kirby Kraft and Police regional director Col. Filmore Escobal.
The PROC position
Dayanghirang in a statement issued on Sunday emphasized ” I stand with Gov. (Edwin) Jubahib and the IPs of Davao del Norte to IMMEDIATELY STOP the continuing Human Rights abuse perpetrated by the leaders and supporters of UCCP Haran. “
The rescue move was to “Ensure the proper exercise of law and order for the protection and best interest of the marginalized hundreds of Indigenous Peoples from Davao del Norte inappropriately encamped at UCCP Haran in Davao City,” Dayanghirang said.
The RPOC , Dayanghirang emphasized, supports Jubahib, the IP leaders and elders “in this effort to liberate their relatives and other tribe members from dislocation and isolation from their Ancestral Domains for quite sometime now, violating IP rights under RA 8371 otherwise known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act.”
The peace body, according to Dayanghirang supports “The sentiments and support also goes to their relatives who are determined to take their loved ones home. We have heard their voices, we heard them speak up and we are all listening.”
The peace body accused the UCCP administrations of continuously holding and exploiting the IPs, a reason why rescue must be undertaken.
The mediator
Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte arrived about 3:00 in the afternoon and held a dialogue with Haran officials, tribal leaders who are staying in Haran and the IP leaders from Davao del Norte led by Datu Guibang Apuga.
Jubahib, who came in late promised the IPs of Haran that the provincial government will provide support if they will come home with him, but his call fell into the deaf ears.
The young Duterte in an interview with reporters said he went to Haran to mediate and avoid further problem during the confrontation.
Duterte brokered and the group agreed to set for a series of dialogue in the hope of attaining a viable and peaceful solution to the issues involving the IPs inside Haran.
The UCCP Haran stand
UCCP Bishop Hamuel Tequis said the IPs fled their homes to a safer ground due to militarization, he also denied that they are exploiting the evacuees.
Tequis said Haran is a sanctuary and everyone regardless of color, creed, religion and political affiliation and everyone is welcome to rest.
The church called for a dialogue and the government take out military in the hinterlands.
Datu Dumig of Salugpungan claimed no one can assure their safety if they return home because the Alamara, a group of IP whom he said are armed and backed by the military will kill them.
“Dapat ipullout ang military ug mawala ang Alamara kay mopatay sila sa walay sala (The military and the Alamara should be out because they kill the innocents).
Why rescue?
The RPOC in a resolution wants the immediate closure of UCCP Haran citing series of violations to include IPRA law, exploitation, human rights abuses and the schools which they run is not accredited by the Department of Education (DepEd).
Added to that, the UCCP leaders and their allied militant groups are also being accused of manipulating the IPs to attend anti-government rallies.
The rescue operation last Saturday was the third attempt to rescue the IPs inside Haran.
What’s next?
After the dialogue the UCCP Haran leadership together with the IPs and the Davao del Norte leadership agreed to hold a dialogue to iron out issue and find a peaceful solution to the problem.
During the last five years, the government kept on calling on the IPs inside Haran to go home, but their leaders and the allied groups stood firm, they will only go home if the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will pullout their men in the area, a thing which the government never gave in since 2015.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline
