By Jong Cadion
PAGADIAN CITY - The suspects of the ambush of
anti-mining activist Timoay (Tribal Chieftain) Lucenio Manda, also a Barangay Chairman
of Brgy. Conacon, Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur who lost his 12 year old son Jordan
Manda were arrested by Bayog PNP operatives yesterday at about 8:20 in the
morning in cooperation with the elements of 53rd infantry Battalion
of the First Infantry (Tabak) Division, Philippine Army who were on Peace
Development works in said town.
The suspects are now in the custody municipal police
station identified as Marlon E. Luao and Caloy C. Entag both residents of
Conacon, Bayog. A home-made shotgun and caliber 45 pistol were recovered from
their possession by the Police operatives.
Criminal cases of murder and frustrated murder were
filed in court against the suspects.
Manda is one of the 4 tribal leader’s anti-mining advocates
and also one of the claimants of the ancestral domain for indigenous people in
Bayog. He survived from the ambush on September 4 perpetrated by at least 10
unidentified armed men but his son died due to fatal wounds at the back of his
body.
Moreover, tribal chieftain Manda together with the
catholic bishops and environmental groups are petitioners for the writ of
Kalikasan in order to protect mount Pinukis and its forest which is among the
last untouched forest region in Zamboanga Peninsula.