BARELY a week had elapsed from the time Datu Ruben Labawan, an Ata-Manobo chieftain of Paquibato District, was gunned down along with his aide, another tribal leader, Danny Diarog a Bagobo-Klata, was ambushed by still unidentified gunmen. Diarog survived but his companion, Hermie Alegre did not make it to the hospital.
Following the incident, wild speculations are up in the air and this did not even exempt the city top cop.
It is good that Acting Mayor Pulong Duterte issued an advisory to stop unnecessary conjectures following statements from the Davao City Police Office hinting that the motive behind the ambush was due to land conflict.
I remembered that years back, a certain Domingo Diarog was also murdered in what was bannered by some quarters as a land conflict between Diarog and Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Name Above Every Name.
The issue was even brought to the attention of the Davao City Council complete with placard-bearing demonstrators and members of local human rights watch foundations. They zeroed in on Pastor Quiboloy who at that time was abroad preaching. The allegation was that the pastor grabbed the two or four hectare-land of Domingo Diarog.
Some even came out with preposterous claims that the pastor was out to grab the land by hook or by crook because the fabled Yamashita treasures were buried in the area. The fairy tale would have had another fantastic episode until tribal Chieftain Joel Unad came out in public and declared that the death of Diarog was on account of a family feud.
I would not go into the details anymore in deference to the family of Diarog and the late datu himself but it is enough that the Unad’s statement put an end to the land grabbing issue.
For the record however, it will be important for the new DCPO Chief Michael John Dubria and his men to remember that the parents of Pastor Quiboloy had long settled in a farm in Tamayong where the prayer mountain is located. That is where the good pastor grew up.
Contrary to some notions being spread by people who denigrate Quiboloy, within the ancestral lands of the lumads in Calinan and Marilog districts are titled properties.
The prior rights of the land owners be they lumads or not are respected by the edict on ancestral domains. They sell part of the lands they own and the rights are passed on the new owners who now possess wholly or partly of the titled properties.
The land of the beautiful Glory Mountain, which the Kingdom citizens have developed and had reforested, is a titled land bought by the pastor. It may be located inside the ancestral domain but the pastor has legitimate rights over the land.
The “Kingdom” moreover had been sought by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to reforest denuded lands outside of its domain.
Because Pastor Quiboloy is an environmentalist to the core, he gladly accepted the chore and set out hundreds of the Kingdom citizens to reforest these areas at his own expense!
I find it therefore idiotic and criminal that some sectors chopped down fully grown pine trees that had protected the barren slopes on suspicion that Quiboloy grabbed the land.
It is a sad commentary that Pastor Quiboloy is being held suspect by some sectors to include human rights watchers. This son of a farmer-pastor who is now a famous international preacher has definitely helped more lumads and poverty-stricken families in and out of the ancestral domain in Calinan and Marilog. He has constructed schools near the ancestral domains for the children of the poor to go to. He constructed a school for higher learning – Jose Maria College – where most of the students are enjoying scholarships with allowances.
Where now is the logic why he would be suspect?
Acting Mayor PulongDuterte is correct in cautioning police investigators from drawing conclusions. In short, Pulong is saying do not jump the gun on anyone until you have a conclusive and airtight evidence.
It is unfortunate that lives are lost and we mourn the death of these victims. Those who are responsible for these murders should be brought before the court of justice. These must not happen in the city where the President of the Philippines resides. We have a reputation to protect … a city of peace and quiet where you can roam around and no one will cause you any harm.