Mobile Reply from Principal of Langpas: Parents of our pupils suffered from offensive military operation

Based on mobile reply of Hja. Nalda J. Muksan, Princial of Langpas Elementary School to the mobile call of PSDS Sam who is on travel outside province of Sulu, 4 parents of learners in Langpas Elementary School, Langpas, Indanan, Sulu suffered from painful death caused by the offensive military operation conducted in Barangay Bud Taran, Indanan, Sulu a day before yesterday. One father and one brother of Grade 4 student died on the spot; one grandmother of Grade 5 pupil died, too; and father of Kindergarten Volunteer Teacher, Aida Arran was wounded in the belly. The principal and her teachers visited Aida's father confined in the IPHO (Integrated Provincial Health Office) Hospital.

The school principal told the Public Schools District Supervisor on the details given by the father of her Volunteer Teacher during her interview made in the hospital. Rangers caught them while they were busy on their livelihood activities in the mountain. They were tied and ordered to drop. He, Aida's father decided to rise and run away. Rangers fired him with much bullets; fortunately; only one bullet hit him that made a wound on his belly. His companions left were also killed by the rangers.

Principal Hja. Nalda learned that the grandmother of her Grade 5 student was washing clothes in the River of Bansungay when the rangers happened to catch and fired her to death.

PSDS Moore was eager to know the school situation from Hja. Nalda J. Muksan. He also asked about the condition of the residents in Barangay Bud Taran and Barangay Kuppong. The principal answered that there were only few families used the vacant classrooms for evacuation. On the day of incident, the school principal advised all teachers not to get panic; rather; ensure the parents of the students would safely bring their children home. Afterwards, she led her teachers homeward using their hired tamaraw vehicle passing by Mukammali Elementary School whose teachers were also using the same vehicle to Jolo, Sulu and vice versa. Langpas Elementary School is about a kilometer away from Mukammali Elementary School. Its distance from Jolo is about 14 kilometers away.

Several people outside Sulu chatting over the incident happened in Barangay Bud Taran. Thus, PSDS Moore could hardly let it go without confirming from his lady principal of Langpas Elementary School. Before he dialed his Samsung Galaxy Duos A5 2016, he sent text messages to his Caretaker, Faisal A. Kadil last night. He inquired about the current situation of ISD schools particularly the school beyond Mukammali Elementary School. Fai had no details about the happening. He told PSDS that only TIC of Sapie Primary School mentioned something unusual about the circumstances in the hinterland. However, he was not able to clarify it because Faijal I. Andan, TIC of Sapah Malawm and Annex immediately left the ISD Office.

At around 7:30 in the morning today, text messages sounded on the PSDS' cellular phone. It read the five families settling for evacuation in the vacant classroom of Langpas Elementary School. He also mentioned the wounded father of Aida Arran, Kindergarten Volunteer Teacher of Langpas Elementary School.

Through mobile reply, Hja. Nalda revealed that the conduct of classes in all grades level were going on because the situation in Barangay Langpas was so normal as before. Most of the evacuees from Barangay Bud Taran stayed in the Day Care of Barangay Langpas at about half kilometer away from the school or located between Mukammali Elementary School and her school. She further spoke over her cellphone that the DSWD workers, barangay officials and municipal officials under the new administration of Hon. Hermot "Moy" D. Jikiri had been in the Day Care Center giving relief goods and many other supplies for the evacuees. Evacuees occupying the two classrooms of Langpas Elementary School were also visited by those officials and DSWD personnel extending more supplies for the families who were on evacuation. Hja. Nalda reported that she already took pictures of the evacuees in her school purposely for reporting to the DSWD Office and Barangay Chairwoman, Hja. Melda Ajini. She said that she did it because it was the advice of the District Caretaker.

When mobile call was almost to end, PSDS Sam cautioned the principal to observe the situation in the nearby barangays prone to offensive military operation. He advised to stop reporting in the event the residents of Barangay Langpas would leave the area for safety. 

Barangay Bud Taran was named after its location, Mt. Taran. It is about 3 kilometers away from Langpas Elementary School. Several school age children from Mt. Taran are officially enrolled in Langpas Elementary School though Kuppong Elementary School is nearer to that mountain.

The above-posted photo of Langpas Elementary School was taken last June 14, 2016 during monitoring activity of the PSDS on the observance of First Day of Classes. The PSDS was in the company of his two district staff, Naser L. Assil, District Property Custodian and Jahaddi J. Taulani, District PESS Coordinator. Sir Moore and his staff reached Langpas Elementary School on the second day of regular classes. He observed the school had more number of enrollment compared to last year. All classrooms seemed conducting teaching-learning activities in months ago.

Langpas Elementary School is the only elementary school of ISD prone to volatile peace and order situation since before. It is located beside the foot of Mt. Tumantangis where strong MNLF Camp manned by its Chairman, Nur Misuari existed. Likewise, its neighboring barangays are also prone to massive encounter between the rebels and the government troops. In 2009, the school disrupted its teaching-learning activities almost a year.