SAURON-LIKE OPERATIONS, wherein soldiers and police swarm entire barangays and intimidate, suppress and harass residents, are prevalent across the country.
Soldiers of the 2nd IB and Military Intelligence Company and police forces occupied eight barangays in Masbate since the last week of May. (See details on page 3.) In Barangay Dalipe, 11 residents were illegally arrested.

In North Cotabato, 73rd IB elements occupied houses at Sitio Bantaan, Barangay Bagumbayan, Magpet on May 28.

In Davao Oriental, 67th IB troopers encamped in houses and a church in barangays Binbondo and Mahan-ub, Baganga on May 27-29.

In an assembly, parents expressed their alarm and fear as they were coerced by soldiers to sign documents prohibiting them from enrolling their children in the community school. Soldiers threatened to withhold their 4Ps benefits if they fail to comply.

Meanwhile, on May 18, the paramilitary group Alamara, along with soldiers in plainclothes, attacked the UCCP Haran in Davao City where Lumads from Talaingod, Davao del Norte, temporarily evacuated.

They forcibly took with them 31 individuals, herded them onto a truck and announced that they “escaped.” Pasaka, a peasant group, fear that the military will intimidate the 31 and then use them against their fellow evacuees.

In Negros Oriental, soldiers illegally arrested Jiesel Castin of Anakbayan-Negros on May 24 in Siaton. The military has not surfaced Castin and made it appear that he “surrendered.”