Alimaong group to be monitored

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Police Coordinating and Advisory Council will be strictly monitoring the activities of the Alimaong group in the mountain barangays of the city.

This after the National Commission on Indigenous People clarified that Alimaong group is not accredited under the commission.

“Kinatas-ang Kahugpungan Sa Kapupud-an Datu Alimaong group is not one of the indigenous cultural communities that is recognized by NCIP Region 6 and 7. Only organic NCIP or its duly appointed officers and officials can enjoy official recognition as part of the agency in their official transactions,” said NCIP-Cebu head Hazel Torrefiel.

Torrefiel said that the group is only claiming to be an indigenous people and is reportedly bringing the name of the NCIP.

With this, Vice Mayor and PCAC chairman Edgardo Labella directed police personnel assigned in barangays Guba, Lusaran, Busay, Binaliw and Agsungot to maintain peace and order in the area.

“If they (Alimaong) will conduct themselves in a manner of violating existing laws, so they will be dealt with accordingly,” Labella said.

He said that police visibility and random checkpoints in the mountain barangays will help lessen the tension in the area as well as safeguard the residents since there were reports on the group’s recent move of recruiting members that might affect the peace and order in barangays.

In September, a shootout between Alimaong members and the Special Weapons and Tactics team that occurred in Barangay Agsungot left one of the tribe members dead and a SWAT member injured. -Jean (FREEMAN)