DENR grants demand of foresters' captors

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has effectively suspended the prevailing community-based forest management agreement (CBFMA) in Barangay Sibagat in Butuan City to pave the way for the release of five forest rangers still in the hands of kidnappers.

DENR-Region 13 director Edilberto Buiser said yesterday the suspension of the CBFMA in the Sibagat area was among the demands of the lumads holding the five DENR personnel captive since Wednesday.

Two other foresters, Emiliano Gatillano Jr. and Efren Sabuero, were released Thursday afternoon.

In a meeting of the Butuan City crisis management committee yesterday morning, Buiser said a committee has been formed to look into the other demands of the kidnappers led by one Andot Behing.

Gatillano and Sabuero reportedly attended the meeting.

Aside from the cancellation of the CBFMA, Behing also demanded the awarding of a certificate on ancestral domain title to the indigenous folk residing within the Taguibo watershed area.

Behing also asked for the approval of the implementation of a customary farm in the area as well as the cancellation of a separate integrated forest management agreement there.

Still being held are DENR personnel Gabriel Arlan, team leader, Teofredo Pojadas, Romeo Espinido, Rudy Clar, and Eduardo Abogatac.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has also been holding talks with Behing’s group for the safe release of the five captives.

The multi-sectoral negotiating team also reportedly asked the police and military not to conduct any operations against Behing’s group as negotiations were ongoing.

Sabuero said their colleagues still in the hands of Behing’s group are now suffering from various ailments like high blood pressure, arthritis and back pains.

Arlan, according to him, has bruises and back pains which he suffered after falling from their kidnappers’ getaway vehicle on their way to a mountainous area in Kulambugan, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur.

Sabuero said he and Gatillano were supposed to return to the kidnappers’ lair, as they promised, to bring medicine “but the crisis committee won’t allow us to go back there anymore.”

“I am worried that the kidnappers would harm my colleagues,” he told The STAR. – With Ben Serrano