Sagada folks, officials urge Army to leave tourist town

By Aldwin Quitasol

SAGADA, Mountain Province – Residents and officials here urged the military to move out from this tourist town saying this was a “peace zone.”

More than 60 persons from local government units and residents of six barangays of Northern Sagada initiated a move that will give no more reason for the Philippine Army to launch military operations in their territory.

Sagada Mayor Eduardo Latawan said it was agreed by the people and the municipal government together with the barangay officials of Aguid, Madongo, Fidelisan, Bangaan, Pide and Tanulong during a peace conference to inspect mountains and forests of north Sagada to look for New Peoples Army camps and dismantle them.

He said after they will remove such camps and confirm that there is no more NPA presence within their areas, there will be no more reason of the military to do combat operations there that will again disrupt the lives and livelihood of the people.

Around 63 persons did just that, searched the mountains  and reported they did not find NPA camps.

They said what they found out were makeshift tents of loggers operating in the areas.

One group however reported that they saw  an abandoned NPA camp and  dismantled it.

Latawan said that they will launch same activities regularly.

He clarified however they have nothing against the NPA. He said all that they want is that the way of life in Sagada will go on as normal as it should be.

Latawan said local folks do not need the presence of the army as they want to maintain Sagada as peace zone.

In 1989, the people lobbied that Sagada be declared a peace zone following the death of three kids.

The first one was killed in crossfire after NPA and army troopers clashed.

The two other children were shot by drunken soldiers within the market area of Sagada in 1988.

The mayor said that everybody is welcome in Sagada provided that they should respect the peace and the people.

On August 30, 2013 at around 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.the Philippine National Police and Philippine Air Force dropped several bombs on forests of Aguid and Fidelisan in pursuit operations against NPA guerillas.

A day before that, two police officers were wounded when PNP operatives attacked an NPA camp in Bandong Hill near the swidden farms of the community people of north Sagada.

Latawan said that after the bombings, the people were afraid to visit and tend to their farms.

From July to August last year, army troopers of 50th, 54^th and 77th Infantry battalions of the Philippine Army deployed in Sagada and Besao towns staged combat operations.

Latawan said, this inflicted fear and disruption to the way of life of the Sagada people.

The mayor said they observed that during the Holy Week this year, the number of tourists visiting Sagada dwindled after the army declared  Sagada was no longer a peace zone because of the presence of the NPA. 

Latawan said the army declaration affected livelihood of tourist guides of Sagada as well as owners of inns in this town.