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Sunday, April 24, 2005
Rebels linked anew to bombing, burning
By Ben Serrano
BUTUAN CITY -- The New People's Army (NPA) Northeastern Mindanao Committee was identified as the culprit in two separate incidents of bombing and burning of two units of heavy equipment of Surigao Development Corporation (Sudecor) last April 18 afternoon and April 19 early dawn.
The two incidents occurred hours following the end of the anti-logging barricade/protest rally staged by lumads (indigenous peoples).
Surigao del Sur police said one unit tractor was burned and subsequently exploded after NPA rebels allegedly set the tractor in fire in Kilometer 9, Barangay Agsam, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur at 2:10 a.m. last April 19.
In a separate incident, a bulldozer also owned by Sudecor was blasted by 30 armed rebels headed by a certain Ka Jivy and Ka Buyan near the area in kilometer 11, Barangay Agsam, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur at 5:20 p.m. last April 18.
The rebels reportedly blocked the road with huge logs to prevent responding army troopers from reaching the area.
Last Monday, 300 lumads, pro-environmentalist and religious groups staged a mass protest rally/barricade near the national highway of Barangay Agsam-logging road that almost led to a free-for-all among anti and pro logging supporters.
The PNP dispersal team tried to disperse the picket line installed by the protesters.
But cooler heads intervened as participating priests held a mass right at the barricade area to resolve the near chaos that could have injured many children of the lumads who joined the rally.
Gun and nightstick-totting policemen on orders of Caraga Police authorities tried to disperse the picket line that almost led into trouble after the lumads insisted to stay.
Police claimed their picket and barricade are illegal since there was no permit issued for their rally. Barangay officials headed Barangay Chairman Ronito Maquilling cancelled permit of the protesters.
Caraga Police regional director Chief Superintendent Rene Jamolod Elumbaring orders investigation of the burning incident.
The quarterly monitoring on Sudecor logging operations is being done by the government initiated Tripartite Monitoring Team composed of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the local government units of host communities where logging operations are ongoing and the private sector composed of non-government organizations, church or religious groups, the lumads and socio-civic organizations.
(April 24, 2005 issue)
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