A GROUP with former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur C. Ocampo is being held at the Talaingod police station in Davao del Norte province after they were stopped at a checkpoint Wednesday evening, according to the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom).
In a statement released Thursday morning, EastMinCom said the group, which included schoolchildren, were on board five vans. “(The) group is carrying a still undetermined number of minors…who are allegedly students of Salugpungan School. This happened after the Salugpungan School at Sitio Dulyan, Palma Gil, Talaingod Davao Del Norte was padlocked by the IP (indigenous people) Leaders in the area.”
“Currently, the group (is) still at the Talaingod Police Station for blotter and for the MSWDO (Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office) to conduct profiling to the affected children,” EastMinCom added.
Non-government group Save Our Schools (SOS) Network condemned what they called “fascist attacks against human rights defenders and children in Talaingod” and called for the release of the “Talaingod 74.”
In a statement, SOS said the group also includes members of the National Solidarity and Fact Finding Mission (NSFFM) who were investigating cases of attacks on IP schools and communities.
“The NSFFM team rescued the children and teachers but were met with indiscriminate firing, harassment and questioning” from the military and police, SOS said. “They were brought to the police precinct and were threatened with trumped up charges of kidnapping and violation of RA 7610,” it added. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

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