Photo from The Breakaway Media
DAVAO CITY — Eighteen members of the solidarity mission who went to Sitio Dulyan, Barangay Palma Gil in Talaingod, Davao del Norte to rescue children being threatened by paramilitary group Alamara were charged with trafficking of minors on Thursday morning.
Police read the charges for violation of Republic Act 7610 and Republic Act 10364 to the members of the group composed of former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo, ACT party-list Rep. France Castro, Salugpongan executive director Meggie Nolasco, nine volunteer lumad teachers of Salugpongan, two other members of ACT party-list, and four pastors.
The group had rescued 29 children, all Lumad pupils of a Salugpongan School in Sitio Dulyan, Barangay Palma Gil in Talaingod town, which was forcibly shut down by the armed Alamara group in the area around 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The Davao del Norte provincial police office is yet to face members of the media to answer questions surrounding the arrest of Ocampo and his companions. /kga
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