Surigao City Police Station Chief Lt Col/ Atty. Mariano Lukban insisted that the operation of the Federal Tribal Group of the Philippines (FTGP) has been completely stopped.
This was after the authorities arrested its leaders Jorgeto Corpuz Santisas, alias ‘Datu Adlaw’ and Lourdes Salinas alias Reyna Lourdes/Bai Lourdes.
In an interview with Brigada NewsFM Manila, Atty. Lukban said the cases filed against the 21 members of FTGP are strong.
With the arrest of Datu Adlaw and Bai Lourdes, Lt. Col Lukban said the group’s activities are fully stopped.
“Wala na po yan kasi sila na yong pinaka head dito sa Caraga Region, mayroong mas mataas pa sa kanila pero wala na dito sa Caraga, I think nasa Region 11 na” Lukban said.
Prior to this, the composite team of the Philippine National Police-Surigao del Norte (PNP), PNP Special Action Force, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and PNP-Mobile Force Company served the warrants of arrest against the leaders and members of the said group.
Judge Maureen Chua of Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC-Surigao City) issued the warrants of arrest against the respondents for the crime of Usurpation of Authority.
Other cases filed against the respondents include Qualified Trafficking in Persons, Large Scale Illegal Recruitment and multiple violations of the Cybercrime Laws of the Philippines.
The group went viral in the social media after they padlocked several establishments in Surigao City for their alleged failure to pay taxes to the tribal government.
They also threatened that a bloodshed will happen in the country if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr refused to release their group members who were earlier arrested.
They claimed jurisdiction over Surigao City, Surigao del Norte and the entire Philippines as under their ancestral domain.
Police claimed the FTGP is not a recognized legitimate tribal organization under the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
(BNFM-Davao photo)
Abner is an award-winning journalist. He received the prestigious 2015 Titus Brandsma Award for Community Communication in the Philippines and participated in the 2016 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the United States of America, sponsored by the US Embassy in the Philippines. Founder of WATCH NORTH COTABATO, a media-citizens’ transparency group. He worked as a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and CNN Philippines. His experience in broadcasting includes anchoring for Brigada News FM in Kidapawan and General Santos City and Brigada News TV. He anchors Tira Brigada via 105.1 Brigada News FM Manila, Mondays-Saturdays.