Bontoc folks rally vs CPP-NPA; priests say conflict causing fear

By Alpine L. Killa

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Religious sectors said ongoing violent conflict between the military and communist rebels caused fear and disturbance among community people and loss of lives among military, rebels and civilians.
    This, as Dalican, Guina-ang, and Mainit communities held indignation rallies condemning “atrocities and deceptions” of the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s (CPP-NPA) and its political wing, the National Democratic Front, on three separate occasions  of the Indignation Rally and Grand Pulong-Pulong on Dec. 11-12.
    Holding placards, village officials, women’s organizations and representatives from youth, education and communities marched along thoroughfares of their barangays saying the CPP-NPA-NDF was not welcome in their villages.
    They called for the CPP-NPA-NDF to stop their activities to give the communities a better and peaceful place to live, work and do business.
    In 2019, the Mountain Province Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MP-PTF-ELCAC) conducted a series of consultations in Barangays Dalican, Guina-ang, and Mainit that were identified as influenced barangays.
    During the series consultations, barangays identified their needs to be addressed by government agencies.
Municipal legal officer lawyer Seichi Ofo-ob, keynote speaker during the occasions called for peace to reign in the municipality.
    He said there is no perfect government, but holding arms and joining the rebels in the mountain was not the solution.
    He added that there were peaceful ways to voice out complaints against the government.
    Ofo-ob said government has been bringing its services to grassroots- the community.
    He cited the opening and concreting of the roads going the barangays, establishment of schools, livelihood programs to the farmers, are only a few of the government has brought.
    Rev. Brent Harry Alawas, represented by Father Daniel Longatan in Barangays Guina-ang and Mainit said ongoing violent conflict between the military and rebels caused fear and disturbance among community people and loss of lives among military, rebels and civilians.
    He said road construction going to Barangays Dalican, Guina-ang, and Mainit were positive moves of the government to uplift the lives of the people. Rev. Alawas expressed optimism that more government programs will benefit the grassroots.
    Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Lourdes Claire Peel mentioned that the ELCAC program of the national government adapted the whole-of-the-nation approach of which all government agencies have converged to address the needs of the ELCAC barangays.
    Relative to this, the Channeg Farmers Association in Barangay Dalican, Bontoc, Mountain Province received 20 cows costing P557, 900 from the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
    This was coursed through the ELCAC initiatives of the government.
    The Aratey Di Inkhawisan Organization comprising 60 members also received free-range chickens.    
    Each member received 30 heads of free-range chicken, one sack grower feeds, one sack layer feeds, and five pieces of egg trays. This was funded through the SAAD program of DA.
    Mainit Elementary School and Mainit National High School in Barangay Mainit received one desktop and one printer each from the Bontoc Municipal Government.
    This was also the result of the ELCAC meeting in Barangay Mainit participated in by concerned government agencies and the community of which the said barangay requested the provision of Information Technology (IT) equipment in the said schools.
    Peel said these were only a few of the lists of needs identified by the concerned barangays of which the national government and LGU have addressed.
    Maj. James D. Acod, OIC of Mountain Province Police Mobile Force Command said the gathering of the community was a manifestation that they do not want violence in their place.  
    LTC Franz Josef Diamante, the Commanding Officer of 54th Infantry Battalion, 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army gave  assurance that soldiers will collaborate with their PNP counterparts, local government, and different agencies to help  communities.
    Capt. Barnard Bone Navarra, represented by PLT Manuel Bigwil, deputy chief of police for operations in his message encouraged the parents to always look upon their children. 
    Guina-ang Punong Barangay Domingo Mang-usan, Mainit Punong Barangay Johnson Tangchor, and Dalican Punong Barangay Reynald Waking unanimously expressed their gratitude to the government for bringing its services to their respective barangays.
    Guina-ang Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) president Clymson Magsoy, Mainit SK president Evayan Chaloyen, and Dalican SK president and SK municipal federation president Sherwin Chamkas urged the youth to focus on their studies.
    The respective Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representatives of Barangays Guina-ang, Mainit, and Dalican also urged the youth to concentrate on improving their lives.
    During the occasions, a former rebel testified about his experience as a member of the CPP- NPA-NDF, which started when they were recruited as members of front organizations in their teens. 
    With this, he encouraged the youth not to follow the mistake he committed.