Misamis evacuees leave capitol grounds as shelters torn down

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Philippines — After more than a year of living in makeshift shelters, more than 100 evacuees from a mountain village in Misamis Oriental province left the capitol grounds here when their tents were removed by government personnel on Tuesday.

The displaced residents, composed of 30 families, settled at De Lara Park within the capitol compound after leaving their homes in Barangay Banglay, Lagonglong town, on June 3 last year to escape clashes between government forces and communist rebels.

But the provincial government decided to dismantle the shelters when the evacuees started building huts made of bamboo, coconut lumber and canvass to replace the tents.

Datu Reynaldo Ayuman, the group’s leader, said they had to improve their shelters to protect their families from the elements, especially during heavy rainfall.

Bigger structures

But lawyer Cerillo Pacana, provincial legal officer, was incensed when he discovered that they were building bigger structures.

Pacana said he allowed the evacuees to make some repairs, not to build houses.

“I was surprised when they started building those structures, which [can] no longer [be described as] makeshift,” he said.

Ayuman said the evacuees were disappointed with Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano, who assured them they could stay at De Lara Park as long as martial law in Mindanao was still in effect.

Emano, who was reported to be on leave, did not immediately reply to Ayuman’s statement, although he was quoted as saying that the provincial government could not facilitate the evacuees’ return to their community in Sitio Camansi since that decision could only be made by the military.

Fear

Rachel Hilogon, one of the evacuees, said they were afraid to return to their village because of the presence of  soldiers.

She feared that New People’s Army rebels would attack government troops and put their lives in danger.

The indigenous people’s advocacy group, Sandugo, assailed the provincial capitol for pushing the evacuees to leave their temporary shelters at the park.

“‘Lumad’ evacuees built these makeshift homes to protect themselves from extreme heat and rain. Now that these are demolished, the children will be exposed to harsh environment, especially this rainy season,” Kerlan Fanagel, Sandugo council member, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Where else will our indigenous brothers and sisters go in times of crisis? The local government [had] turned their backs [on them]. Not only did they neglect the indigenous peoples, they even demolished our efforts to survive,” Fanagel added.

The evacuees have sought temporary shelter at the compound of United Church of Christ in the Philippines, a few meters from De Lara Park. —Jigger Jerusalem