Southcom assures safety of foreign donors’ reps

DAVAO CITY — The commanding general of the Armed Forces’ Southern Command (Southcom) gave assurance yesterday on the safety of representatives of donor-countries overseeing projects all over Mindanao.

"I will assure them of their safety. Necessary measures (will be in place) for their security and protection," said Southcom chief Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu.

International funding agencies have expressed concern about the safety of their officers who oversee their projects in Mindanao, especially after New People’s Army (NPA) rebels abducted and killed Jose Libayao, a former mayor of Talaingod, Davao del Norte, last Sept. 5.

A band of 40 guerrillas snatched Libayao while briefing officials of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Talaingod.

Libayao was dragged away from the Talaingod town hall, where the briefing was being held, and was killed about a kilometer away.

Foreign donor agencies have called the attention of President Arroyo on the safety of their representatives here, particularly after Libayao’s killing.

Cimatu said he will instruct the Army’s 4th and 6th Infantry Divisions to look into the matter and put necessary measures in place to adequately protect representatives of the funding agencies.

"It was really sad to hear of Libayao’s death because he was very supportive of military operations against communist rebels in the area," Cimatu said.

Despite the Talaingod incident and other security risks in Mindanao, the foreign donor agencies, such as the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), are still bent on carrying out their various projects on the island.

The other day, CIDA conducted here a forum on funding which several local project proponents attended.