3 Lumad leaders held in Surigao del Sur

DAVAO CITY – Three tribal leaders were allegedly arrested without warrant by members of the 36th Infantry Battalion early dawn Friday in Sitio Poog, Maitom village of Tandag, Surigao del Sur province.

Dulphing Ogan, speaking for the lumad group Kalumaran, identified the Lumad leaders as Enecito Catapte, chairperson of the lumad group Sidlak, and his companions Junie Catapte and Lito Delicona.

Ogan said the group Sidlak is a Lumad organization in the hinterlands of Tandag, an affiliate of Kalumaran.

“Cortez and Lanuza strongly oppose the entry of mining and logging concessions in their ancestral lands,” Ogam said.

Prior to the arrest, soldiers repeatedly invited the leaders to the 36th IB headquarters in Tandag City.

“Soldiers have also been pressuring the leaders to close down their indigenous community school, the Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur,” according to Ogan.

Ogan said Lt. Col Xerxes Trinidad, commander of the 36th IB, also spoke about closing down their community school publicly during a rally by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Tandag City in July this year.

The Inquirer is still trying to reach the 36th IB for comment.

The three Lumad leaders were being held at the headquarters of the unit in Tandag City. MART SAMBALUD