Report: Lumad evacuees steadily increasing

MANILA, Philippines — The number of evacuees who are Lumad indigenous people at the Tandag City Sports Complex in Surigao del Sur is steadily increasing, according to a report.

Data from the Assistance and Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development (ACCORD) showed that as of Wednesday, 2,790 individuals or 547 families are staying at the stadium.

"The evacuees expressed need for food, drinking water, hygiene kits and emergency shelter materials," ACCORD said.

The Lumad evacuees refuse to go home until they are given assurances of security and until the Magahat-Bagani paramilitary group are held accountable for their "atrocities."

Lumad families fled their homes for fear of the activities of the paramilitary men. Evacuees from 24 Lumad communities in five of Surigao del Sur's municipalities have been streaming into the stadium by batches since September 1.

"The 36th Infantry Battalion and Special Forces Regiment arrived and occupied the function hall and grounds of ALCADEV, an award-winning school catering to the Lumads. Magahat-Bagani members burned down the cooperative of Malahutayong Pakigbisog alang sa Sumusunod (MAPASU)," the ACCORD report said.

The Bagani-Mahagat members also ordered the people to move to another community while ALCADEV executive director Emerito Samarca was told to stayed behind. This was the last time he was seen alive.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the MAPASU tribal group, Dionel Campos, and his cousin were executed in front of the people, ACCORD said.

Groups have been calling on President Benigno Aquino III to implement measures that would protect Lumad evacuees in Surigao del Sur.

The president assured that there is no government campaign to kill Lumads amid allegations of military involvement in the killings as part of its anti-insurgency campaign.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Hernando Iriberri dared groups linking the military to Lumad killings to show evidence of their allegations.