Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Jolo – Last Thursday, 118 families that were internally displaced officially return to their land in Patikul after 20 years of being ‘bakwits’ due to the terror brought by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
Amidst a rainy Thursday morning, the people of Barangay Bakung and the Patikul Municipal Task Force in Ending Local Armed Conflict (MTF-ELAC) gathered for a simple ceremony marking the start of a new life for Bakung residents.
“Ang mga huli kong ala-ala sa lugar na ito ay iyong naglalaro ako rito noong ako ay maliit pa. Siguro ang iba ay halos nabura na rin sa isip kung paano ang mamuhay rito dahil napakatagal na. Pero dapat lang na kami’y bumalik dahil narito ang aming hanapbuhay. Sa pagkakataon na ito, gagawa kami ng mga bagong ala-ala, at ang aming relihiyong Islam ang magiging gabay namin,” said Bakung Barangay Chairperson Hammisa A Anuddin.
In 2001, the people of Bakung were left with no choice but to totally leave their land and settle in the neighboring barangay or in the town of Jolo as armed conflict took over their homes. This was also the case for seven other barangays in Patikul that in 2019 Mayor Hayundini and officers of units under 11th Infantry Division (11ID) agreed to bring these people back to normalize their lives and make way for economic progress as the hinterlands of the municipality became more secured attributed to the series of successful military operations in the area.
With this, the Balik Barangay Program was crafted as the banner project of MTF-ELAC. Chaired by Mayor Hayudini with the full support of the troops of 11ID with other chief of local agencies, the MTF-ELAC were able to succeed in making Brgy Bakong as the 7th beneficiary of the Balik Barangay. Two months prior, road construction leading to the barangay started, street lights and water system were emplaced, a Barangay Hall was built and the school buildings were renovated.
A ground breaking for the construction of a masjid was held. 1102nd Deputy Brigade Commander Col Tarahuddin Ampatuan emphasized its significance. “Pasalamatan natin si District Engineer Adjan Ajijul dahil talagang ibinuhos niya ang proyekto rito noong nag-request si Mayor. Pasalamatan natin ang 6th Special Forces Battalion sa pamumuno ni Ltc Rafael P Caido at sinamahan nila si engineer para ligtas na mabuo ang mga nakikita niyo ngayon. Pero parang kulang pa ito, kailangan natin ng masjid,” he said.
“Kung magkakaroon tayo rito ng masjid, sama-sama tayong magdarasal. Hindi matatapos ang araw na hindi maaayos ang kung ano mang hindi pagkakaunawaan. Iyan naman ang tradisyong Islam, kunsultasyon at kasunduan. Kung mayroon tayo nito, tiyak na magiging mapayapa itong komunidad. Kung may kapatid tayo nasa grupong Abu Sayyaf at gustong bumalik sa barangay, tatanggapin natin bats’ siyay mabubuhay bilang tunay na Muslim. Mapagmahal sa mga tao kahit pa ano ang relihiyon,” he added.
Col. Ampatuan, designated by BGen Benjamin Batara Jr who leads the 1102nd Infantry Brigade, is the focal person for civil military relations in the whole of Patikul.
As part of the program, the attendees reaffirmed a vow through a simultaneous recitation of the People’s Peace Covenant. They pledged that they will be guided by the Almighty Allah and that they will commit themselves to respect and uphold the covenant. It had several points to include collectively empowering the Muslim family by instituting measures to have sustainable livelihood, productive well-being and becoming a responsive member of an Allah fearing community. Also, it declared ASG as persona non grata in the barangay.
“Importante itong peace covenant dahil ang Tausug talaga may pahalaga sa salita, kapag isinumpa ay talaga gagawin nila ‘yan. Lalo na itong covenant natin ay naisulat matapos ang paulit-ulit na konsultasyon sa kanila. Kami rin sa military, ganoon din ang buong Provincial Task Force – ELAC sa pamumuno ni Governor Abdusakur M Tan, tutuparin namin lahat ng naipangako sa mga dating IDP. Hangga’t kailangan nila ng assistance, narito kami. Nagtayo na sila ng bahay dito mga two weeks ago, iyang mga bahay na yan hindi na yan masisira dahil sa giyera,” said Joint Task Force – Sulu and 11th Infantry Alakdan Division Commander MGen William N Gonzales.
Aside from infrastructure projects each family from barangay Bakung was given an initial assistance package as a start-up. 5000 pesos cash from the Office of the Governor, worth 2000 pesos goods from Patikul LGU, lamps and mosquito nets from United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees, water container and clothes from the Western Mindanao Command. The mentioned stakeholders and the Ministry of Social Services and Development were also able to give three sacks of rice for each of the family.
Also present during the occasion were 11ID Chief of Staff Col Christopher C. Tampus, Police Provincial Officer PCol Michael Bawayan representatives from US MARSOC Team, Office of the Presidential Affairs for Process, Reconciliation and Unity, representative of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office, Municipal Planning and Development Office, Rural Health Unit, Ministry of the Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Fire Protection, Ministry of Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE), Ministry of Basic On Higher Technical Education and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform. (Wesmincom CIO)
(Source: 11th Infantry “Alakdan” Division Facebook page)