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Members of the New People’s Army are sending feelers. They want to
surrender, Gov. Cora Malanyaon of Davao Oriental told National
Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales during the Davao Oriental
Lecture, Forum and Workshop for Peace and Development on May 23. But
how can we convince them to come down when they are facing cases
left and right, the lady governor lamented.
Gov. Malanyaon wants peace in her province. She
believes the speedy passage of the amnesty bill can facilitate the
peace process. Earlier this month, Gov. Arturo Uy of Compostela
Valley told local media that he was doing his best to stop the
military operations in his province. This after the Kilusang
Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and other NPA supporters staged a protest in
front of the provincial capitol against the ongoing military
operations which according to them had displaced civilians.
On April 26, four soldiers were killed while
three were wounded in an encounter with the NPA in Monkayo,
Compostela Valley. Two children were wounded by the NPA in the
encounter. Three weeks later, two policemen were killed and several
wounded when they had a chance encounter with NPA members who were
planting landmines in Mabini town, also in Compostela Valley. A week
ago, two lieutenants were hit by sniper fire in Monkayo. One is
still in the Intensive Care Unit. The other one, a member of
Philippine Military Academy Class 2005, is waiting for the
doctors’ verdict on the bullet that is still lodged inside his
body.
The parents of a 19-year-old girl have asked the
military to look for their daughter. She joined the NPA when she was
16. A 16-year-old boy was captured last year together with his
father, an NPA commander. The father is in jail facing various
charges. They boy is now trying to live a normal life after his time
in the mountains. These are the real life stories from Compostela
Valley.
At least four Globe towers in the
Davao-Compostela Valley area have been attacked by the NPA since
April adding to the long list of Globe towers hit by the NPA. The
burning of Globe towers is part of the NPA’s extortion campaign.
Globe refuses to pay the so-called revolutionary tax and the
company’s property gets destroyed as a consequence. Other
telecommunications companies have not been hit.
We want peace but war is being thrust upon us,
Fr. Romeo Intengan told the participants to the peace and
development forum. The cases that NPA members face left and right
are for crimes that they have committed. Murder, destruction of
property, robbery, extortion and abduction. There can be no peace if
there is no justice.
While some local government officials seem to be
a little too eager to forgive and forget the atrocities committed by
NPA members, the same officials are—to be fair to them—doing
good on other fronts. Gov. Malanyaon has made food self-sufficiency
and improved health care her priorities. The provincial government
has declared war on illegal mining and illegal logging while
promoting agricultural production. Davao Oriental is a rice
producing province, but the production of abaca and cassava is also
being promoted.
The provincial government of Davao Oriental has
prioritized the improvement of health care services including the
upgrading of skills of health workers. The efforts of the governor
and her team have been recognized by the Department of Health and
the European Commission. Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley will
each receive a multi-million peso grant from the EC for their health
programs.
A project dubbed “Bright Child Project”
which addresses illiteracy will soon be launched province-wide.
Incidence of illiteracy is high—as is also the case with
malnutrition and poverty. Gov. Malanyaon believes this has something
to do with attitude. Davao Oriental is rich in natural resources,
including fertile soil, and is typhoon-free. The lady governor has
challenged her provincemates to work with her in making the province
more progressive.
Davao Oriental is truly blessed with natural
endowment and beauty. The view from the road going to the City of
Mati is breathtaking—and I was told that there is so much more to
see. The province has the longest coastline in the country. Good
diving spots, waterfalls, caves, white sand beaches and other
potential tourist attractions abound. Unfortunately, the NPA is
still very active in Davao Oriental—on May 19, NPA members staged
a daring daytime raid on the provincial jail in Mati City and carted
away with several pieces of firearms.
opinion@manilatimes.net
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