83 families have been displaced because of an encounter between the military forces and the New People's Army


Dear Friends,

Please find below the incident report made by our partner, the LGU of Makilala, North Cotabato where 83 families have been displaced because of an encounter between the military forces and the New People's Army last January 22, 2013.

They are urgently asking for your help. Please coordinate with our Monitoring and Action Response Coordinator Wilbert Mercado  (0917) 844 1257 or with our Mindanao Coordinator Editha Mansayagan (0915) 8191408.

CARHRIHL Monitoring:
Date of Incident: January 22, 2013
Incident:
A reported NPA and 57th Infantry Battalion armed hostility at the interior and hilly portion of Brgy Cabilao, this municipality, occurred. Account from displaced population informants and the Brgy Chair said the incident happened at 2 pm. Same source indicated at least one army officer died, and two other army personnel were wounded. At least four artillery batteries were exploded by the army during the incident. No report of casualty or wounded on the side of the NPA.
Brgy chair related that the army coordinated with him requesting for civilian assistance to evacuate the wounded, after the incident. At least 3 civilians accompanied the army team for the purpose. They set out from the barangay center at 5 pm, and arrived at the site where the wounded army personnel were at 5 am the next day. An army chopper airlifted the wounded and dead at around 7 am on said second day or January 24, 2013.
Affected civilians:
On the day of the incident, 86 families from five interior sitios (Eden, Lamudon, Mapongges, Medang, Mata-Mata and Badyangon) located near the incident area left their homes and took refuge at Cabilao barangay center. Within today, January 25, 2013, the Brgy Chair will submit the complete list of displaced people. Same list will account the number of children affected.
However, a number of civilian population living at the barangay center are also economically affected. Their sources of livelihoods are located in the affected sitios. The Brgy Chair will also account them.
One woman showed severe psychological trauma. Her husband said she is in a “state of shock.” She cannot talk, move or eat in a normal way. Her name is Lyn “tata” Flores. The husband is Jovito “bitoy” Flores, a former CAFGU. She is now temporarily at the adjacent Brgy Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. An interview with Bitoy Flores, showed signs he is also traumatized. He profusely cried as he related how the hostility happened close to their house. His is angry why they had to suffer that way, why they (army and NPA) had to disturb their peaceful lives. He said, he is angrier because the army “destroyed” his house. It was still difficult to verify this claim.
 
Immediate support:
The LGU provided food supplies (5 kgs rice, canned sardines, noodles and medicines) to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) on January 23, 2013. In a meeting yesterday (January 24, 2013) with at least 30 affected population, they claim they still had food supplies.
Needs:
In yesterday’s meeting, the people said that their priority need is food. They have no other economic source except their farms they left behind.
Other needs include: medicines (for cough, stomach ache, etc), medicines for children, mats (banig), blankets, spare clothing, kitchen utensils, soap (laundry and shower), water containers. People said they did not see any NPA or army elements prior to the incidents, and were not able to prepare for such eventually. They left their homes hurriedly, and left everything.
IDP requests:
1.       Armed hostilities must not be near their homes
2.       Civilians should not be made as guides (they do not have military training and do not know what to do in situation of exchanges of fire)
3.       NPA or army elements not to get their meagre properties and livestock (mostly chickens) left in their untended homes
Proposed possible arrangement in armed conflict situation:
People interviewed said the one army officer could not have died had he been evacuated immediately after the exchanges of fire went out several minutes after the first engagement. The two other wounded army personnel could have also suffered so much from their wounds in the span of more than 17 hours (from 2 pm to 7 am next day when they were airlifted) in field.
A humanitarian ceasefire may be arranged when exchanges of fires went out or after several minutes of hiatus after an initial engagement. Then, the LGU and civilian people could retrieve the wounded of either party for immediate medical treatment. This is to save lives. NPA or army, they are all human, and their lives are valuable and sacred.
The LGU may facilitate this arrangement to both sides, NPA and the AFP.
 
Leonard S. Legarda
Peace Program, LGU Makilala
January 25, 2013

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