Military: Sitio Camansi already safe for evacuees

A MILITARY official said Monday, June 24, that the Army's 58th Infantry Battalion (58IB) remains on top of the situation in Sitio Camansi, Banglay in Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental and that the community is already safe for evacuees to return home.

Captain Leoden Bajado, 58IB civil military operation officer, urged the supposed 30 displaced families from Sitio Camansi who remain in Cagayan de Oro City to go home since military presence is kilometers away from their community.

Bajado said the evacuees are just making excuses to project that armed conflict has continued to get support from outside sources.

"Excuse rana nila para magpabilin ug i-project nga naay gubot kay bisan ang LGU sa Lagonglong nag-ingon pwede na makabalik kay malinawon naman ang area (It was just their excuse to project that there's armed conflict, because even the Lagonglong local government said it's now safe for them to return home)," Bajado said.

Bajado said the community is already peaceful and the Army soldiers were far from the area.

"Layo ra ang sundalo kay gitahod nato ang balaod nga nagbawal sa pagkampo sulod sa komunidad (The soldiers are stationed far from their community since we respect the law that it is prohibited to set up a camp inside a community)," he added.

Bajado said the military assured that it controls and dictates the situation though they could not account the Militiang Bayan (MB) and mass supporters of the New People's Army (NPA) in the community, he added.

He also said the eco-tourism projects the evacuees blamed are still prospects and possibilities and will never be implemented unless it gets the approval of the local government unit and the community.

"Kontrolado namo ang area. Kami ang ga-dictate sa situation maong walay atrocities ang mga NPA pero dili nato ma-account ang mga MB ug NPA supporters," Bajado said.

Private Bernie Calimhay, 37, who was once among those who stayed at the Capitol grounds, also called on his fellow evacuees from Sitio Camansi to go home as he can attest that the community is already safe.

Calimhay left the Capitol months after they set up a camp at the park and voluntarily joined the armed forces.

"Wala ko nagmahay nga nihawa ko ug niduol sa army kay nakita nako ang kausbawan sa akong kinabuhi pero subo lang ko kay wala pa nako hikit-i akong pamilya," Calimhay said.