TO BRING peace and development in the hinterland barangays of Caraga region, Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion has joined in the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and other government line agencies to intensify their community support program, a military official said Friday.

They even made visitation and consultation activities with the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) on August 3, 2020 particularly at Barangay Simbalan, in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte

“They hold activities to intensify their  community support program,” said 4ID’s public affairs chief Major Rodulfo Cordero.

Cordero said IPs even could no longer take what the NPAs are doing to their communities.

They have been abusive to the IP tribes and they are the main reason why the IP tribes do not progress, according to Cordero.

“The IPs in Caraga region are getting more participative in their involvement to government’s activities, particularly in solving the problem on insurgency,” said Cordero.

He said this is their way of support to the implementation of Executive Order 70 (EO70) of President Rodrigo Duterte to end local communist armed conflict.

23IB civil military officer 1st Leiutenant Roel Maglalang said the activity was graced by the chair of the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) and head of NTF-ELCAC Secretary Allen Capuyan.

Maglalang said around 200 tribal leaders and members from the towns of Las Nieves, Buenavista, Nasipit and Carmen in Agusan del Norte were attended.

The towns of Las Nieves, Buenavista, Nasipit and Carmen are under the operational jurisdiction of the 23rd IB, according to Maglalang.

23rd IB commander Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo, said the activity is important and very timely considering that the IPs in the said four (4) towns in Agusan del Norte are greatly affected not only by the health threats of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic but also from the intimidations and extortions of the remaining vommunist New People’s Army rebels in their communities.

“Many innocent lives of ordinary IPs and their leaders were lost here in the province of Agusan del Norte and the rest of Caraga Region due to the continued terroristic activities of the NPA rebels,” Paulo said.

He took note of the IP killings perpetrated by the communist rebels even when the people of Caraga Region are battling against the spread of Covid-19.

“Communist rebels’ manipulations are the real threat to the IPs which destroy their future by deceiving them to join their useless ideology,” said Paulo adding that the IP communities, their families and children continue to suffer and the CNTs continue to sow fear and chaos, not only in communities in Agusan del Norte but also in the rest of the region.

He added that the consultation on Monday served as a venue for the Higaonon tribal leaders to ventilate the situations in their communities.

The activity gathered the tribal leaders from Higaonon tribe in the four towns of Agusan del Norte for consultation and discussion inside their ancestral domains, situated in conflict-affected and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas in the province.

Capuyan and the representatives from different line agencies heeded to the accounts made by IP leaders that dwelled on the security, peace and order situation and ancestral domains.

The tribal leaders also raised the issue on the issuance of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) which they said an important document to establish ownership of their ancestral domain claims.

According to them, the lack of CADT impedes the plan of every tribal community to further develop their ancestral lands.

They added that left-leaning groups with links to the communist NPA rebels also exploit the lack of CADTs in communities and use the issue to recruit more IP members to join their movement.

During the consultation, Capuyan talked the salient provisions on the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) as the basis to pursue the efforts of tribal communities for the issuance of CADT for their ancestral domains.

The NCIP chair also emphasized IPRA provisions that ensure the rights of the IPs to their ancestral domains.

The tribal leaders also expressed optimism on the issues and concerns they raised on their ancestral domain will be addressed with the presence of Sec. Capuyan and the other agencies of the government.

IPMR of Agusan del Norte Datu Eddie Ampiyawan urged the leaders of Higaonon tribe to support the efforts of the government and cooperate with the moves of the NCIP and other line agencies in the processing of the issuance of CADTs for their ancestral domains.

“The efforts of the government will remain futile if we do not cooperate,” Ampiyawan said, as he assured Capuyan and the representatives of the line agencies of the continuing support of the Higaonon tribe to the efforts of the government to bring peace and development in the province.

“We will strengthen our support through our unity to oppose the leftist groups that cause all the disorders and troubles in our communities,” Ampiyawan said.

The activity was also joined by Tesda, CHR, DA, DSWD, PIA, NICA, the 402nd Infantry Brigade, and the Police Regional Office -13.

A total of two hundred (200) hygiene kits were also distributed to the tribe leaders and members present in the said activity.

“Your government servants, especially your army will never cease to extend help, bring programs, projects and services and always willing to hear the voices of our beloved IPs,” added Paulo.

“We will protect and safeguard you from the CNTs and uphold your human rights as we look forward to ending the insurgency in your communities to attain long-lasting peace and sustainable development,” Paulo said.

He added that the Army, as an active part of NTF-ELCAC, will continue to encourage the IPs to help the government fight insurgency that has caused poverty, hunger and conflicts in IP communities.

“Let us help each other to end armed struggle to improve the lives of the IPs,” Paulo said.


Meanwhile, 4ID commander Major General Andres Centino expressed his gratitude to the local government unit, non-government organizations and other stakeholders of Caraga for their trust and support to the CSP teams.

“We encourage various local government units in Caraga and Northern Mindanao to maintain and preserve their communities from being exploited by the communist terrorist group, and civilian stakeholders to support the government programs especially in the far flung communities,” said Centino.

The deployment of CSP team is one way of making the government closer to the people, particularly in those areas where government services seldom reach or even cannot be felt by our people, according to Centino. (Ben Balce)