2 hurt as Nueva Vizcaya tribal folk battle demolition team

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — An old woman and a policeman were wounded in yesterday’s demolition of houses of tribal families accused of illegally occupying a piece of agricultural-cum-residential land in Barangay Upper Batu here.

Backed up by fatigue-clad and Armalite-wielding policemen from the provincial mobile group and soldiers from the Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion, the demolition team dismantled several dwellings in Barangay Upper Batu in an attempt to force the tribal families to abandon the area where they have settled for more than 15 years.

Gloria Guiloran and PO1 Noel Valdez suffered gunshot wounds in the legs after the villagers, some of them armed with bolos and knives, prevented the demolition team from destroying their houses.

Further violence was averted with the arrival of human rights lawyer Ernesto Salun-at, who pacified the villagers.

The demolition squad also voluntarily withdrew from the area, feeling the strong resistance put up by the villagers.

The affected families, mostly Igorots, said they would confront those who would dismantle their houses rather than leave their community.

Speaking in behalf of the families, Gilbert Bucasan said they decided to remain in the village, where they have lived for the last 15 years, despite the eviction order issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

"We will not leave the place. This has been our home for more than 15 years," said Bucasan who, along with the other settlers, had cordoned roads leading to the village to prevent DAR personnel from evicting them.

The DAR’s legal division here said the eviction is in compliance with a 1998 directive of its central office’s adjudication board.

Local DAR personnel, however, failed to push through with the eviction last Tuesday amid the settlers’ strong resistance.

Salun-at said the DAR should refrain from evicting the families since the constitutionality of its order is still being questioned in the Supreme Court.