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By Johny S. Natad
BUTUAN CITY, August 27 (PIA) -- The Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) of Caraga has created a Joint Investigating Teams on IDPs. in response to the reported internally displaced person (IDPs) situation in Loreto, Agusan del Sur.
In a letter dated August 19 to Caraga regional peace and order council (RPOC), Kahugpongan alang sa Kalambuan Association/ IDP Spokesperson Ricky C. Lope, HELP Agusan Sur Co-initiator and Spokesman Susan E. Claro, and HELP Agusan Sur Co-initiator and United Church of Christ in the Philippines Agusan District Conference Minister Rev. Jesse A. Pagalan appealed the Caraga RPOC for urgent action about the IDPs from Loreto who are taking temporary shelter in Davao City.
It was revealed that “around 500 individuals were forced to evacuate due to intensified military operations by the 26th Infantry Batallion and paramilitary group-Bagani Force in the four barangays of Loreto, Agusan del Sur. Apparently, internal displacement happened wherein hundreds of families of Agusanon Manobo lumads and peasants took refuge at the Barangay 5A Gym, Bankerohan, Davao City after the provincial government of Agusan refused to heed their humanitarian needs and appeals.”
The HELP Agusan Sur and IDPs sent their appeal to RPOC stipulating alleged existence of illegal private armed group and torture, and raised concerns and request for humanitarian assistance. They bared that the conflict has affected the livelihoods of IDPs and deprived the Manobo tribe from their ancestral domain.
With this, the Caraga RPOC immediately created a joint investigating team on August 19 to validate the allegations of the HELP Agusan Sur and IDPs from Loreto. The team will also conducting meetings necessary to discuss pertinent issues/concern on the IDPs, and prepare report and recommend measures based on the findings.
The joint investigating team headed by the DILG Caraga Regional Director Lilibeth Famacion is composed of the regional directors from Commission on Human Rights, Department of Social Welfare and Development, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Office of Civil Defense, National Economic and Development Authority, Philippine Information Agency, Philippine National Police-PRO 13 and commander of 401st Infantry Brigade of 4ID Philippine Army.
Meanwhile, Famacion revealed that the RPOC will be conducting special meeting on August 28 to discuss appropriate measures that the team will undertake in order to come up with a comprehensive approaches about the appeal of HELP Agusan Sur and the IDPs. (FEA/JSN, PIA-Caraga)
