Igorot farmers demand AFP pullout from Bontoc

Bontoc, Mountain Province — Igorot women farmers are complaining that military operations against New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in upland Bontoc villages have disrupted their farming activities and affected their source of livelihood.

In a news conference held here, villagers said they have not harvested their camote and other farm produce because of the daily operations of government troops in the area.

Bombings, they added, also threaten their water source.

"Our farm produce are left rotting," said Petra Macli-ing, of Bgy. Mainit in the native local i-Fontoc dialect. Farmers, she added, cannot go to their farms as military operations are still ongoing.

Since August 5, soldiers from the 45th Infantry Battalion, 53rd Reconnaissance Company and the 21st Infantry Battalion, supported by two MG520 attack helicopters. have been tracking down rebels in the area.

Daily skirmishes were reported last week by the Northern Luzon Command.

Joseph Pit-og, 86, an elder in Bgy. Mainit, said they do not want to be caught in the crossfire because skirmishes were very near their community.

Mountain Province police director Supt. William Aspilan confirmed the ongoing military operations against communist rebels but said the bombings had already stopped.

Aspilan said the insurgency problem in Mountain Province is manageable with only about 70 rebels holed up in the area. To arrest the raging conflict, he is urging a sort of localized peace talks.

"The problem that ignited the growth of the NPA in the area during the '70s is already gone," the police director said.

He acknowledged, though, that the utter lack of basic services in remote and far-flung villages are the reasons why some still people embrace the armed struggle espoused by the NPA.

He acknowledged, though, that the utter lack of basic services in remote and far-flung villages are the reasons why some people embrace the armed struggle espoused by the NPA.

"If we can agree on common talking points for agreement with the rebels, then we might step forward to peace in the area, "Aspilan explained.