2 abducted DENR employees released

DAVAO CITY , Philippines  – Two of the seven Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) personnel who were abducted last Wednesday in Butuan City were released yesterday afternoon by the group of Lumads led by a certain Andot Behing.

Captives Emiliano Gatillo Jr. and Efren Sabuero were reportedly released to the Church-led multi-sectoral group that negotiated for the release of the victims.

Gatillo and Sabuero reportedly arrived at the headquarters of the Police Regional Office 13 in Butuan City escorted by the city police officials.

The source alleged that the continuing selective implementation in the campaign against illegal logging, neglect of indigenous people through government’s failure in the delivery of basic services that are supposed to generate employment were few of the reasons why still unidentified armed group kidnapped the government workers.

Caraga Police Regional Office here claimed seven field personnel of the DENR were abducted Wednesday morning by the unidentified armed men at Barangay Anticala about 19 kilometers northwest of this city, the region’s capital, however, two were already freed.

Caraga police identified the victims as forester Gabriel Arlan, team leader Rito Espenido, Teofredo Pujadas, Emilliano Gatillo Jr., Efren Sabuero, Eduardo Abogatal and Rudy Clar, all members of Task Force Taguibo Team-B, based in Barangay Anticala, this city.

The abductors allegedly used the DENR Toyota pick up and brought with them the said personnel of Task Force Taguibo Team-B to an unknown direction.

Police report said the abducted personnel of the Butuan Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) were enforcing forestry and mining laws when seized by the still unidentified group from their monitoring station at Barangay Anticala between 1 a.m. and 2:30 a.m.

Caraga Police Regional director Chief Superintendent Lino Calingasan immediately directed the regional and provincial mobile force commanders as well as the Butuan City Police Office to conduct search and rescue operation for the abducted DENR-CENRO staff.

He said his men are still investigating the incident.

The commander of the 30th Infantry Battalion said one of the suspects, only identified as Anot Behing of Barangay Kolambugan, Sibagat, also demanded that the government must award land title certificates on the ancestral domain and approval of costumary farm.

The kidnappers are also asking for the cancellation of operations of the integrated forest management agreement, the military said.

Behing reportedly called up yesterday morning Butuan City environment and natural resources officer Jimmy Acebo and claimed responsibility for the abduction of the seven DENR personnel.

Behing was said to have assured the safety of the captives by even letting Acebo talk with one of the victims, Emiliano Gatillo Jr., who in turn confirmed that they were indeed in safe condition.

Acebo said Behing promised to release one of the victims this morning to act as the group’s courier in bringing their demand letter to the authorities.

According to Senior Superintendent Samuel Yordan of the Police Regional Office 13, Behing is a native of Barangay Anticala who used to be a member of the New People’s Army but later surrendered and became an active leader of the Lumads living in the said community. – With Dennis Carcamo, Cecille Suerte Felipe