ABOUT 80 moro and lumad people from Mindanao gathered in front of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) headquarters in Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. in Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City, to air their grievances to Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa was the guest of honor for the 116th Police Service anniversary rites at the PRO-7 headquarters yesterday.
The Mindanaoans holding banners and placards asked Dela Rosa to heed their call and take action to end martial rule and humans rights abuses by the police in Mindanao.
Samahang Mag-bubukid leader Pedro Arnado alleged that there were cases involving the policemen in Mindanao wherein they would enter the homes of farmers and lumads and plant evidence to make it appear that they are part of the Maute Group.
“Ilang sudlon ang mga panimalay ug lahoson ug dakop ang atong mga kaigsuonang mga magbubukid ug mga lumad kung diin walay mga search warant nga gipakita (Policemen would enter houses and arrest the farmers and lumads without presenting any search warrant),” Arnado said.
The group also conveyed their message to Dela Rosa that they are condemning the ongoing lumad killings, extrajudicial killings, the selling of lands in Mindanao to the Americans and the death of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos in Caloocan City.
“I hope masabtan sa atong mga kaigsoonan nganung nag-rally me. Gusto lang namong ipahibalo kong unsa ang nasinati sa atong mga kaigsoonan sa Mindanao. Amo klarohon wala mi gibayran para magpahigayon nianing kalihukan ug kaming tanan puro ni boluntaryo lamang (I hope our fellow countrymen would understand why we hold a rally. We just want to let them know what we experienced in Mindanao. We just want to clarify that we joined the movement voluntarily without being paid),” Arnado said.
Arnado knew that Dela Rosa would come to Cebu so they had complied with the necessary permits needed for the rally.
The group has arrived in Cebu last Tuesday and will be staying here for four days before moving to Manila for the last leg of their information drive in Mendiola.