COMMUNIST PARTYLISTS SHOULD BE BANNED! (From Manassas Benedict L. Serrano) Soldiers blocked solon, Surigao Vice Governor convoys on way to CPP’s 46th anniversary, peace consultation by Ben Serrano December 27, 2014 Marihatag, SURIGAO DEL SUR- Soldiers belonging to 2nd Scout Ranger Company of the 401st Infantry Battalion blocked convoys of Surigao del Sur Vice Governor Manuel Alameda and Bayan Muna Party-list Congressman Carlos Sarate yesterday causing stranded for hours of thousands of people who wanted to witness and attend local celebration of the 46th year founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and Peace Consultation. Soldiers hiding their name tags/patches of their camouflage uniforms belonging to 2nd Scout Ranger Company headed by certain Sgt. Alvarez blocked first the convoy of vehicles of Surigao del Sur Vice Governor Manuel Alameda then that of Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Sarate in Sitio Mabong, Barangay San Isidro, Marihatag, Surigao del Sur December 26 morning. The blockade caused monstrous traffic jam at the barangay road as minute after minute hundreds if not thousands of people and well wishers from different parts of Mindanao started to come in. People from all walks of life some of them representatives from different women, urban and rural poor, elderly, youth and farmer-fisher folks, indigenous people sectors and even representative from Muslim community were stranded for nearly three hours in Sitio Mabong yesterday morning due military blockade. Nuns from Missionary Sisters of Mary and other religious orders, Priests and Bishops from Catholic and Independiente Filipina Iglesia (IFI), church leaders from the UCCP, pastors from different religious denominations who trooped in and on the way to attend the celebration of the 46th year founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and Peace Consultation were also stranded for a while. Heated arguments ensued as soldiers insisted that no one is allowed to enter the celebration site or venue which is about still about seven to eight kilometers away in Barangay San Isidro, Marihatag, Surigao del Sur. This prompted Surigao del Sur Vice Governor Manuel Alameda to call Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny Pimentel about the military not allowing him and his convoy to go to Barangay San Isidro, the venue of the local celebration of the 46th CPP founding anniversary and peace consultation. Alameda told soldiers that he was sent by Governor Pimentel to represent the Governor in the peace consultation so as to assess situation if there is possibility of locally initiated resumption of peace talks. Alameda even told the soldiers that he is the provincial vice chairman of the Provincial Peace and Order Council by which the military and the PNP is part of the council but still government troopers insisted they were just following orders from their superiors not to let anyone go into the venue. “We came here for the peace consultation because the provincial government of Surigao del Sur wanted peaceful resolution of this long overdue peace problem due growing insurgency issues in our province and here you are blocking us? We are not yet in military state, civilian authority still reigns supreme over military. Why you don’t allow to pass?” Alameda told the leader of the Scout Ranger platoon who didn’t introduce his name at first and told the Vice Governor to stop and not to proceed further. It was this writer and colleague newsmen who were able to get the surname of the Scout Ranger leader who was later identified as Sgt. Alvarez. This writer and many newsmen from all over Mindanao were invited by the organizers. Sgt Alvarez who keep on hiding his first name told Vice Governor Alameda and newsmen present that they clearing operations were on-going in the area due alleged presence of landmines. Less than two hours of waiting and as many as about two to three thousand people already keep on arriving, the convoy of Congressman Carlos Sarate of Bayan Muna and former Congressman Joel Birador also of Bayan Muna arrives. They too were told by the soldiers to stop and not allowed to go further. Sarate and Birador confronted the leader of the soldiers, Sgt. Alvarez and asked why. Again, Sgt, Alvarez reasoned that they received reports that landmines were planted along the road on the way to the venue and because of reports, clearing operations by the military are underway. Sgt Alvarez explained it will take hours that will reach probably at 5 p.m. before clearing operations will be completed and that to continue in going to the venue will be extremely dangerous. This irked Congressman Sarate and former solon Joel Birador saying it would be very impossible the NPA rebels placed landmines when they were the ones who invited them, the media, different sectors and people not only to witness the 46th CPP Founding Anniversary but also attend, joined peace consultation. But Sgt Alvarez and his troops insisted no one will be allowed to pass and explained they were just following orders from their higher ups and hope Congressman Sarate and former solon Birador and the nuns present will understand. PEOPLE POWER PREVAILED Sensing all talks and convincing the soldiers bogged down and failed, people around four thousand who keep on arriving in Sitio Mabong and more than 70 vehicles already trapped and stranded, the people who witnessed the talks, convincing shouted they will have to walk and there is nothing the blocking soldiers can do. Past 10 a.m. , people including media men, Congressman Sarate, Birador and around 4 to 5 thousand of people, well wishers started to walk despite Sgt Alvarez and his men keep on stopping them saying their military superiors had not issued clearance yet allowing people to go on. Surigao del Sur Vice Governor Manuel Alameda and his convoy proceeded to the area by telling Sgt. Alvarez, the soldiers they will take the risk of the landmines As thousands of people walk in the area the soldiers claimed it had landmines, no single landmine was found. Alameda and his convoy arrived ahead in the venue while the newsmen, Congressman Sarate, former Rep. Birador, nuns, priests and Bishops, pastors, UCCP Church leaders, sectoral leaders and the people well wishers arrived in the venue past eleven o’clock in the morning or almost noon of December 26. The program, cultural presentations by NPA rebels and youth group KM and the peace consultation started almost 1 p.m. and all the activities ended past 5 p.m. Surigao del Sur Vice Governor and Congressman Sarate vowed to summon military leaders who ordered blockade Surigao del Sur Vice Governor Manuel Alameda told newsmen he and Governor Pimentel will summon the soldiers and the military officials responsible in the blockade in an attempt to not let them allowed or almost failed to attend the peace consultation. “I and Governor Pimentel already agreed during our phone conversation just recently that we will summon the soldiers and military leaders asking them to explain why blocking us. This will also be one of our major area of discussion or agenda once we will be holding our Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting anytime from now. We really are disappointed, disgusted on this military actuations lately. It seemed they are blocking our initiatives and efforts to discuss peace in our area.”, Alameda told newsmen in an interview with him about the incident. Congressman Sarate for his part plans to call for a congressional inquiry in the military’s own violation of their own declaration of Suspension of Military Operations or SOMO. “We will summon them, it seems they do not want peace and wanted the World ‘s longest insurgency to continue” Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Sarate concludes. (-30-)
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 07:14:37 +0000
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