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GLAN, Sarangani (June 27, 2011) -
Governor Migs Dominguez welcomes the 15 active bandits and former members of
New People’s Army who voluntarily surrendered last June 21 to Mayor
Victor James Yap (2nd right seated) and 1Lt Rolly B. Destura of the 73rd
Infantry Battalion along with their high powered firearms as they are
presented to media during a press conference Monday, June 27. Also
in the panel are police regional director PCSUPT Benjardi Mantele, Major Romasanta of 73rd IB and police provincial director Florendo
Quidilla.
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73rd Infantry (Neutralizer) Battalion
Barangay Felis Malita Davao Occidental
Jun 27, 2011
73IB presents 15 surrenderess
Jun 8, 2011
DLUMAY: A dream come true (by Dr. Roel Z. Cagape, MD)
Repost from http://tulongkosapasyentengpilipino.blog.com/glumay-a-dream-come-true/
Medical mission is my life. I have been to almost all remote areas in Sarangani Province and Gen. Santos City. In the 90’s frequent medical missions were conducted in Barangay Upper Suyan, in the municipality of Malapatan, Sarangani Province. Patients kept mentioning of Sitio Dlumay in the same barangay where their relatives reside who need medical attention. It is five hours walk from Upper Suyan proper. I asked the permission of the barangay leaders to allow me to go to sitio Dlumay. I also requested the church and tribal leaders to accompany me to sitio Dlumay. All of them denied my request for the same reason: rebel groups stay in Sitio Dlumay.
I have been to sitios in neighboring barangays much farther than Dlumay like sitio Banlas in barangay Kihan, sitios Kikong, Kiahe, Kitulag in barangay Kinam, sitio Mlangay in barangay Libi, sitio Tamlang Lefu in barangay Sapu, etc. Every time I go to these very remote areas I am always reminded of Dlumay.
The desire to go to sitio Dlumay is eased up by going to far areas in other municipalities of Sarangani Province and Sultan Kudarat. I have been to sitio Biao, five hours walk from barangay Milbuk in Palembang, Sultan Kudarat; barangay Tudok in T’boli where we walk 18 hours from Kiamba, Sarangani Province; barangay Quitumbod, Davao del sur where we walk five hours from Glan, Sarangani Province and other remote areas to conduct medical mission.
More medical missions were conducted until I forget about Dlumay.
On May 10, 2011, about fifteen years later, I received a text message from a certain Maricel Salem of the Center for Lumad Advocacy and Services, Inc. (CLANS) who said that she got my cellphone number from a common friend. She requested me to conduct medical mission in sitio Dlumay, barangay Upper Suyan, Malapatan. The desire came back and it became an obsession. I told Maricel Salem that I am available on May 22-26 and I am very much willing to join them. She sent me an invitation to attend a press conference at Brokenshire College telling me that the schedule of the medical mission will be decided after the press conference. Together with the letter is a photocopy of their complaint and case filed with the Commission on Human Rights against the 73rd Infantry Battalion particularly Sgt. Cabaobao, Lt. Roldan and Col. Espuelas and their demand for the pull out of the military in Dlumay.
The complaint of CLANS centered on the alleged child abuse by the 73rd infantry battalion. CLANS claimed that a B’laan boy by the name of Cookey was put inside a sack and hanged for three hours on a tree that the boy defecated on his pants out of fear.
The 73rd IB has been my partner for more than 3 years for the many medical missions in Sarangani Province. I know them very well that I was very surprised to read of the complaints. I called up Col. Espuelas, the battalion commander, and told him about the letter. He strongly denied the accusations.
To find out the truth myself, I decided to go to Dlumay, Upper Suyan to conduct medical mission and at the same time interview the people especially the concerned individuals mentioned in the complaints.
I learned that Maricel Salem and the CLANS established community projects in Dlumay.
Military personnel from Alpha Company of the 73rd Infantry Battalion also camped in the area. With this information, I believe that the sitio is safer now than before. So I decided to start my mission on May 23. The barangay captain of Upper Suyan offered horses to bring my medical and personal supplies from Daan Suyan, the end point of vehicles, to Upper Suyan and advised the people in Dlumay to bring horses to get the supplies from Upper Suyan.
It really was a difficult five-hour walk. Crossing rivers about 30 times. Passing through mud and slippery terrains. Climbing hills and mountains of about 60 degrees. Suffering the scorching heat of the sun and then suddenly it rained.
After four hours walk, I reached Sitio Datalnay where I met Cookey and his mother (see photo below). Cookey was the child who was allegedly put inside the sack and hanged in the tree for three hours. In B’laan dialect I asked the mother about the accusation. She denied it. She said she was with Cookey all the time and nothing of the sort happened.
The following day during the medical mission in Dlumay, the mother of Cookey came for treatment of another child. She was interviewed again by a volunteer and the same response was given.
Cynical as I am, it came to my mind that maybe the military ordered the mother as to what to respond in case of an interview.
However, looking at Cookey hugging and doing “high-fives” with the military confirmed it all. The child showed no fear of the military which is very unlikely if he indeed experienced being put inside a sack and hanged by the military.
In the evening after the medical mission, I happened to talked with a certain Kasun, a community leader in Dlumay. I asked him what transpired when Maricel Salem was in the area for the project of CLANS. At the start of the project, he said, there was a good relationship between Maricel Salem and the military. Until Jimmy Balbino and a certain Luntay were hired by Maricel Salem to work for the project. Jimmy and Luntay, Kasun added, are members of the New People’s Army (NPA).
This blog is all about Dlumay. A dream come true fifteen years later.
Medical mission is my life. I have been to almost all remote areas in Sarangani Province and Gen. Santos City. In the 90’s frequent medical missions were conducted in Barangay Upper Suyan, in the municipality of Malapatan, Sarangani Province. Patients kept mentioning of Sitio Dlumay in the same barangay where their relatives reside who need medical attention. It is five hours walk from Upper Suyan proper. I asked the permission of the barangay leaders to allow me to go to sitio Dlumay. I also requested the church and tribal leaders to accompany me to sitio Dlumay. All of them denied my request for the same reason: rebel groups stay in Sitio Dlumay.
I have been to sitios in neighboring barangays much farther than Dlumay like sitio Banlas in barangay Kihan, sitios Kikong, Kiahe, Kitulag in barangay Kinam, sitio Mlangay in barangay Libi, sitio Tamlang Lefu in barangay Sapu, etc. Every time I go to these very remote areas I am always reminded of Dlumay.
The desire to go to sitio Dlumay is eased up by going to far areas in other municipalities of Sarangani Province and Sultan Kudarat. I have been to sitio Biao, five hours walk from barangay Milbuk in Palembang, Sultan Kudarat; barangay Tudok in T’boli where we walk 18 hours from Kiamba, Sarangani Province; barangay Quitumbod, Davao del sur where we walk five hours from Glan, Sarangani Province and other remote areas to conduct medical mission.
More medical missions were conducted until I forget about Dlumay.
On May 10, 2011, about fifteen years later, I received a text message from a certain Maricel Salem of the Center for Lumad Advocacy and Services, Inc. (CLANS) who said that she got my cellphone number from a common friend. She requested me to conduct medical mission in sitio Dlumay, barangay Upper Suyan, Malapatan. The desire came back and it became an obsession. I told Maricel Salem that I am available on May 22-26 and I am very much willing to join them. She sent me an invitation to attend a press conference at Brokenshire College telling me that the schedule of the medical mission will be decided after the press conference. Together with the letter is a photocopy of their complaint and case filed with the Commission on Human Rights against the 73rd Infantry Battalion particularly Sgt. Cabaobao, Lt. Roldan and Col. Espuelas and their demand for the pull out of the military in Dlumay.
The complaint of CLANS centered on the alleged child abuse by the 73rd infantry battalion. CLANS claimed that a B’laan boy by the name of Cookey was put inside a sack and hanged for three hours on a tree that the boy defecated on his pants out of fear.
The 73rd IB has been my partner for more than 3 years for the many medical missions in Sarangani Province. I know them very well that I was very surprised to read of the complaints. I called up Col. Espuelas, the battalion commander, and told him about the letter. He strongly denied the accusations.
To find out the truth myself, I decided to go to Dlumay, Upper Suyan to conduct medical mission and at the same time interview the people especially the concerned individuals mentioned in the complaints.
I learned that Maricel Salem and the CLANS established community projects in Dlumay.
Military personnel from Alpha Company of the 73rd Infantry Battalion also camped in the area. With this information, I believe that the sitio is safer now than before. So I decided to start my mission on May 23. The barangay captain of Upper Suyan offered horses to bring my medical and personal supplies from Daan Suyan, the end point of vehicles, to Upper Suyan and advised the people in Dlumay to bring horses to get the supplies from Upper Suyan.
It really was a difficult five-hour walk. Crossing rivers about 30 times. Passing through mud and slippery terrains. Climbing hills and mountains of about 60 degrees. Suffering the scorching heat of the sun and then suddenly it rained.
After four hours walk, I reached Sitio Datalnay where I met Cookey and his mother (see photo below). Cookey was the child who was allegedly put inside the sack and hanged in the tree for three hours. In B’laan dialect I asked the mother about the accusation. She denied it. She said she was with Cookey all the time and nothing of the sort happened.
The following day during the medical mission in Dlumay, the mother of Cookey came for treatment of another child. She was interviewed again by a volunteer and the same response was given.
Cynical as I am, it came to my mind that maybe the military ordered the mother as to what to respond in case of an interview.
However, looking at Cookey hugging and doing “high-fives” with the military confirmed it all. The child showed no fear of the military which is very unlikely if he indeed experienced being put inside a sack and hanged by the military.
In the evening after the medical mission, I happened to talked with a certain Kasun, a community leader in Dlumay. I asked him what transpired when Maricel Salem was in the area for the project of CLANS. At the start of the project, he said, there was a good relationship between Maricel Salem and the military. Until Jimmy Balbino and a certain Luntay were hired by Maricel Salem to work for the project. Jimmy and Luntay, Kasun added, are members of the New People’s Army (NPA).
This blog is all about Dlumay. A dream come true fifteen years later.
Every photo has a story to tell.
The making of Ambulansyang de kabayo
Patient on board the ambulansyang de kabayo
Patient ready for transport to the hospital
Soldier applying lotion to extract head lice from a child in Dlumay
Bayanihan construction of temporary health center in Dlumay
Child feeding in Dlumay by the 73rd IB
Giving of candies and goodies to children in Dlumay by the 73rd IB
Jun 4, 2011
73IB Connects with the Religious Sector
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04 June
2011, a momentous event in the camp grounds of 73IB happened when 80 members of
faculty and staff of Notre Dame-Siena College of General Santos City visited
the so called Fort Sarangani. The last phase of their itinerary is to visit the camp and conduct
team-building activities as part of their In-Service Training. The officers and
men of 73IB received the sisters, teachers and non-teaching personnel of the
school with boodle fight, hosted the team-building activities and a short tour
around the camp. They also experienced tank-riding and rifle shooting to let
them feel what a soldier’s life is.
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| Sisters of Notre Dame-Siena College excitedly ride the tank during their visit. Tank-riding has been one of the tourist attractions to civilian visiting the camp. Aside from its free ride, tourists get to see an overview of Sarangani Bay while on top of the tank. An experience that would never be compared to any other military camps. |
May 31, 2011
Together we can make it happen
TOGETHER WE MAKE IT HAPPEN :: MAITUM, Sarangani
(May 19, 2011) – Partners, organizers, facilitators and officials
headed by Mayor Elsie Perret (seated, 2nd left) pose for a photo ops
after the the joint community orientation, launching and medical mission
at barangay Pinol headed by the GRP-MILF International and Local
Monitoring Teams (IMT-LMT)in partnership with the Provincial Government
of Sarangani, municipalities of Maitum and Palimbang, 73rd Infantry
Battalion, private doctors and nurses and facilitated by Kalinaw
Sarangani dubbed as “Together we make it happen” at barangay Pinol
Tuesday, May 16. (Ritchie Tongo/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)
Medical and Dental Team
73RD INFANTRY BATTALION DENTAL SERVICE ::
MAITUM,
Sarangani (May 19, 2011) – Members of 73rd Infantry Battalion medical
team perform a dental operation as one of the services for the medical
mission conducted at barangay Pinol Monday, May 16, spearheaded by
GRP-MILF International and Local Monitoring Teams (IMT-LMT). Eighty-one
beneficiaries availed of the free dental services and over 300 residents
received other medical services. (Ritchie Tongo/SARANGANI INFORMATION
OFFICE)
Mangrove Planting
MANGROVE PLANTING VOLUNTEER :: GLAN, Sarangani (May 20, 2011) – PFC Harrold Sacramento of 73rd IB joins other volunteers in planting mangroves and coastal clean-up activity of Sarangani Energy Corporation in time for the Sarangani Bay Festival 2011 celebration Friday, May 20, in barangay Kapatan. (CocoySexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)
73rd IB 2nd Place in the Sarangani Swim Across the Bay
“Now the event is on its 6th year in celebration of the Sarangani Bay Festival,” organizer Nemrod Butil said.
The province will celebrate the Sarangani Bay Festival on May 19 to 21, with the swim-across-the-bay on the second day (May 20) from 5:00am.
Swim-across-the-bay is a relay competition with team members both professional and amateurs swimming a distance of 15 kilometers from Tinoto Point in Maasim to Tango village in Glan.
To qualify, swimmers must be 14 years old or above. This year’s swimmers are mostly from Davao, South Cotabato, Koronadal City, General Santos City, Polomolok and local swimmers from Siguel and Maasim.
“This year, a new team from Kiamba (Sarangani) will join,” Butil said.
The idea to conquer the bay by human prowess was a brainchild of then swim manager Guiseppe Chew.
Chew described the race as “the longest open ocean marathon swimming competition in the country and probably in Asia.”
In the Philippines, related swimming competitions have been staged in Guimaras Strait (approximately 5km.), the body of water separating Guimaras and Panay islands, and in Samal Strait (5km.), separating Samal Island and mainland Davao.
Sarangani Bay’s biodiversity is twice richer than Carigara Bay in Northern Leyte, Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte, Bais Bay in Negros and Illana Bay in Northwestern Mindanao.
Sarangani Bay has been the passage for trade, businesses and social contacts with the Philippines’ Southernmost tip and neighboring countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei for hundreds of years.
But in particular, the bay provided a safe route to Sangils of Northern Indonesia and established trade and social relations with the Blaan natives of Glan some five hundred years ago.
“Sarangani is as old as our very own race, Malay. When Ruy Lopez de Villalobos happened to reach this part of the ocean in their search for provision in 1543, his chroniclers wrote Sarangani to mean ‘This is our territory’ or ‘We stop here’ according to the Indonesian language,” Dr. Tranquilino Ruiz II said. Ruiz is a known local historian of Glan, Sarangani’s oldest town.
Among journalists who have been covering Sarangani Bay Festival, now becoming the biggest beach festival in Southern Philippines, the most challenging yet fulfilling event is covering the swim-across-the-bay from start to finish.
Prizes for this year’s swim are P50,000, P35,000, P25,000 for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes and trophies for major winners.
All teams finishers will receive P5,000 with medals. (Russtum G. Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)
May 23, 2011
73rd IB Joins BRIGADA ESKWELA IN SARANGANI
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Maasim, Sarangani – The
nationwide Brigada Eskwela or the National Schools Maintenance Week has just
started last 23 May 2011. Several schools in Sarangani had their own kick-off
on the launching of the program. Together with the different stakeholders,
volunteers and the soldiers of 73rd IB the Department of Education
family contribute their time, effort and manpower services, and even resources
in ensuring the public school facilities are all set in preparation of the
opening of classes.
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In Maasim Central Elem
School, soldiers of 73rd IB participated the Brigada Eskwela through
classroom repair and roof painting. Three school buildings were repainted.”Usually,
during Brigada Eskwela we are in need of manpower to work on the repair of our
classrooms. We are pleased that the soldiers from 73rd IB
volunteered to help us without reservations,” Mrs. Torcino said, principal of
the school. The principal had requested the soldiers a week before the activity
started.
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Meanwhile, in Datu Bali
Elementary School, in Brgy Tinoto, the construction of a classroom had just
started with the effort of the soldiers who have carpentry skills. “This
classroom is part of Bayanihan concept – Adopt a Clasroom Program, wherein we are asking literally any
construction materials to the people we know,” LTC Espuelas said, Commander of
73rd IB. Many responded the call and donated several materials for
the construction of the classroom.
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“I am in deep gratitude to
the soldiers of 73rd IB for their initiative to materialize the
classroom. I never thought they plan this bigtime to finish this PTA project,”
Mrs Quintana said, principal of Datu Bali Elem School in Maasim.
Together with the Parents
Teachers Association of the school, each parents in that school also donated
one or two hollow blocks as their contribution for the classroom.
The commitment of the
soldiers of 73rd IB is not only limited in maintaining the
classrooms through cleaning, repair and repainting but also helps in building
more classrooms. As part and parcel of their job, this Brigada Eskwela is a
regular activity of the unit in support to the Department of Education. (1LT
SOMBONG)
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May 16, 2011
Blood Letting Activities "Dugo ko, Buhay mo"
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“Dugo Ko, Buhay Mo” –
A JOINT BLOOD LETTING ACTIVITIY OF 73RD IB, PNRC GENSAN 1205th CDC
07 May 2011, 73rd IB, St Tampuan,
Kamanga, Maasim - A joint bloodletting
activity of 73rd IB, Philippine National Red Cross – Gen Santos City
Chapter, and 1205th CDC with the theme “ Dugo Ko, Buhay Mo” was held
in 73rd IB headquarters. This activity marked as one of the noblest
act the Army can offer aside from guarding the land territories in maintaining
peace and order in Sarangani Province.
2LT Marvin Rosal, the Executive officer of
the 1205th Community Development Center, 12 RCDG, ARESCOM, together
with more or less 60 reservists from Bravo Company and Gen Santos City
participated on the bloodletting activity.
“ The bulk of the soldier’s life today is
more on humanitarian activities and blood donation is one of it,” Maj Romasanta
said on his welcome remarks. Ms. Estella
Dolendres,CSR Blood Services of PNRC Gensan was thankful and in deep gratitude
for the soldiers who donated blood and their willingness to offer a part of
their lives for the welfare of others. “I am very much indebted to the soldiers
of 73rd IB and the reservist for their selfless love in this
bloodletting activity. Many lives will be spared because of their
volunteerism,” Ms Dolendres said on her message during the opening program.
“It is a great help and honor to the soldiers
that they will be donating blood today. This humanitarian activity where the
soldiers are doing now is one of the noble and brave act of service they could
offer to the people,” LTC Espuelas said on his message during the opening the
program.
A unit briefing was followed after the
opening program while other volunteers piled up for registration. The briefing
was presented by Lt Fernandez, operations officer of 73rd IB which
emphasized the culture of peace concept approach of the unit.
A total of 25 soldiers donated blood with at
least 450cc/bag were collected during the activity.#
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GMA 7 Born To Be Wild and 73rd IB - A Call for Peace
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The GMA 7 Born To Be
Wild host Kiko Rustia and his crew
together with the 73rd IB and local officials of Brgy. Amsipit, Maasim, SP visited the B’laan tribes. The program covered
the B’laan Tribes of Amsipit and their Mameng expedition in
Sarangani Bay. Their program will be aired for the whole month of May, 11:45 in the evening every Wednesday.
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May 11, 2011
Joint 73IB-PNP Conference
Visit of International Monitoring Team
Platoon Sustainment Training
Apr 28, 2011
Visit of Board Members of Sarangani Province
MAASIM, SARANGANI PROVINCE, April 13, 2011 :: The Sarangani Province Board Members visited the home of the Neutralizers at
sitio Tampuan, Brgy Kamanga, Maasim, Sarangani Province and welcomed by
LTC Adolfo B Espuelas Jr 73IB Battalion Commader, Staff Officers and Enlisted
personnel of the unit. LTC Espuelas briefed the Legislators of the province about the unit history and what the unit is doing in the entire province.
Medical and Dental Outreach Program, Feeding and gift giving Activities`
MALAPATAN, SARANGANI PROVINCE, 13, 14, 15, April 2011 :: The 73rd Infantry (NEUTRALIZER) Battalion in partnership with Indigeneous People Development Program (IPDP), Provincial Barangay Affairs (PROBA), Kalinaw Sarangani Unit (KSU) and LGU Malapatan conducted Operation Sagip Tribu at sitio Dlumay, Brgy Upper Suyan, Malapatan, SP. The team conducted community dialogue, mentoring, child friendly activities, Medical and Dental outreach program, gift giving, feeding and community assessment to address their problems.
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