3rd ID mulls giving part of its camp

JAMINDAN, CAPIZ, Philippines — The leadership of the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division has said that it is more than willing to release portions of Camp Macario Peralta here, the nation’s 3rd largest, to the Indigenous People (IP) of Panay.

This was after Edmund Vencer, spokesperson of the National Democratic Front-Panay issued a statement on July 10 saying that if the Philippine Army wants real peace, the soldier’s first step should be to return the Tumandok land and implement land reform.

Major Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr., commander of the 3rd ID, replied: “For the sake of peace, the military is more than willing to vacate portions of the military reservation. But of course this will have to pass through what is required by law. That is why what is important now are talks to reach a collective effort to facilitate and resolve the concerns on this matter for the IPs in Jamindan and Tapaz towns (in Capiz province) with the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) as the lead agency.”

He said that the camp, as mandated by law under Presidential Proclamation No 67, “will continue to accomplish its mission of protecting the people, against those who attempt to take the ‘peace’ we treasure today in Panay, with the 3ID as its occupant.”

Mabanta added: “The camp will continue to serve its purpose, fighting for what those ahead of us, our forefathers has fought for, so that we can continue to ‘Win the Peace’ here in Panay.”

Colonel Arnold Quiapo, commander of the 301st Infantry Brigade, for his part said that efforts of the Army with the NCIP to facilitate the airing of concerns of Indigenous People (IP) in Panay are ongoing with several meetings done and will continue to be conducted in the future, with the LGUs of Jamindan and Tapaz both Capiz to assess the concern of indigenous people regarding ancestral domain.

“We certainly continue to listen to our IP. Since the declaration of the camp as military reservation, IP communities has since continued to live peacefully with our soldiers within the camp boundaries,” said Quiapo.

“The government have to be certain that we are able to identify those legitimate members of IP communities, which are frequented by insurgents with their false promises of giving land in what they call as ‘agrarian revolution, which is well outside the bounds of our constitution,” he added.

Mabanta had emphasized the importance of a dialogue with the NDF while adhering to the points raised on the issue. “Certainly a dialogue with the NDF and IP’s rights advocate groups will be able to help the government on this,” he said.

In line with the spirit of Filipino culture of bayanihan, various stakeholders, particularly the IP of Jamindan and Tapaz towns in Capiz held meetings and fora to resolve the concerns of these people in the province.  - THE FREEMAN