Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib. (PNA file photo)
DAVAO CITY – Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib called on the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to investigate the alleged exploitation of the Indigenous People (IP) currently housed inside the mission center of a religious group here.
In a press briefing on Monday, Jubahib accused the Haran Mission Center of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) of exploiting the IPs for anti-government activities.
Jubahib's call came after the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC-11) called for the total closure of Haran last week, accusing the center of being a tool for the communist rebel movement to pursue its "various terroristic activities."
The center was also accused of violating the Indigenous People’s Rights Act, as well as of committing child abuse, serious illegal detention, and human trafficking.
“I hope they will also look into these (allegations). Through this, we can really see if they truly cared for the rights of these people,” the governor said of Haran.
Jubahib also expressed dismay that the CHR did not immediately act to alleviate the situation of the IPs, who have been at the Center since 2015 to protest the military presence in their villages in various parts of Davao and Cotabato provinces.
Authorities, meanwhile, see the evacuation of the IPs as a ploy of the New People's Army (NPA) and its supporters to pressure the military to leave the hinterlands where the rebels are mostly left unchecked.
“In our fight for the IPs, CHR has not extended its help. They only focused on the violations committed by the elected officials, the military, and the police,” Jubahib said,
Jubahib said the RPOC-11 resolution is being evaluated by its legal officer and will form the basis for the charges that would be filed against the administrators of Haran, including a number of IP leaders with alleged links to the NPA.
“We will fast-track the documents to formally close the center. Right after the passage of the resolution, we have already submitted a copy to Malacañan,” he said.
Still, Jubahib clarified RPOC-11 remains open to a dialogue with UCCP Haran officials.
Currently, Haran's "Bakwit school" houses about 125 families or about 400 IPs coming from Talaingod and Kapalong in Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, and Arakan in North Cotabato. (PNA)
