Fear of armed group stalks ‘lumad’ evacuees

MALAYBALAY CITY—Fear continues to hound “lumad” residents of Barangay Dao in San Fernando, Bukidnon, from where they fled more than four months ago.

The 35 Manobo families, who belong to the other side of conflicting claims over ancestral domain and potential mining areas, had put up makeshift tents outside the provincial capitol compound here and have been urging officials to arrest the main suspect in the killing of their barangay chair, Jimmy Liguyon.

Liguyon was shot dead outside of his house on March 5 in front of his children.

The suspect, Alde Salusad, had fled.

His family said the motive for the killing was to silence Liguyon because he was against large-scale mining operations in the barangay.

Randy, one of Liguyon’s children, told the Inquirer that he had heard Salusad declaring that he shot his father “because he refused to agree with the ancestral domain claim of the San Fernando, Matigsalug, Tigwahanon, Manobo Tribal Datu Association (Sanmatrida).”

Salusad is a former communist rebel who became a militiaman after surrendering and he belongs to the Sanmatrida group.

Sharon, Liguyon’s wife, said her husband had been opposing Sanmatrida’s claim over a 52,000-hectare land area in Dao and argued that the area belongs to the Liguyon clan.

Insp. Gregorio Adrigado, San Fernando police chief, said a warrant of arrest had long been issued against Salusad. “He belongs to a big group and they are armed. I don’t want to put the lives of my men unless we have a bigger team to hunt Salusad down,” Adrigado said.

Bukidnon Vice Gov. Jose Ma. Zubiri said on Wednesday that he had sent a negotiator to persuade Salusad to yield. “I even offered to take Salusad under custody so that the evacuees can go home,” he said.

Leah Tumbalang, secretary-general of Kaugalingong Sistema Tu Igpapasundog Lumadnong Ogpaan or Kasilo (Right to Self-Determination and Ancestral Domain), said the 35 families have been running out of food and water.

She said many of the evacuees skip meals so they could live through the next day.

An evacuee, who requested to be identified as Marlyn, said their children have started to get sick because of exposure to extreme weather and unfavorable conditions inside the tents.

“But I prefer living here these days because it is safer. We won’t return unless the people threatening us are arrested. If they easily killed our village chair, they can also kill us anytime,” she said.

In Matanao, Davao del Sur, police said they were trying to prevent a tribal war after the leader of a B’laan community was shot dead on Friday.

Senior Insp. Charlie Merca, Matanao police chief, said they wanted to immediately determine the identity and motive of the two motorcycle-riding gunmen, who shot dead Datu Calibo Lasib inside his house in Barangay Colonsabak on Friday evening. Merca said Lasib’s relatives might take revenge, which could worsen the situation. Grace Albasin with a report from Orlando Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao