Roaming Badjaos nabbed in La Union

SAN FERNANDO CITY — The police and the social welfare officers here have arrested 23 Badjaos from Mindanao loitering and begging around the city.

They were found occupying a lot near the Ortega Cultural and Sports Center as their temporary shelter.

Earlier this year, the city PNP apprehended 50 Badjaos who were turned over to the DSWD for transport back to Sulu where they came from.

The latest batch, also came from Sulu, claimed they were forced to leave their place due to the ongoing operations by the military against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf.

They added that poverty as a result of the Mindanao crisis has engulfed their lives.

The group leader, a certain Eddie Amad, said that they arrived in Manila five days ago, hidden inside a ship with the help of port stevedores. They reached this city by boarding and begging in provincial buses bound for Ilocos provinces.

Amad, the only member of the group who can speak and understand Tagalog, told police here that another group of Badjao’s went to San Carlos City in Pangasinan to beg during the Christmas season. The group here consists of nine female and three male adults and 11 children aged 3-10 years old.

A La Union provincial government truck transported them back to Manila and they were referred to the social welfare department for return to Jolo.

Food assistance was extended by the city government during their travel.— Vic Alhambra Jr.