Recodo folks,Dacon deal finalized

Recodo folks,Dacon  deal finalized

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ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) - After a lull in the negotiations, residents of Purok 3 Recodo and the Dacon or M&S Company have finally come to an agreement last August 29 ending an almost 7-month conflict that have caused lives and properties.

The peace deal was prompted after officials from the Recodo Non-Christian Muslim Homeowners Association headed by Edris Aminulla as president and Hadja Amina Ambunting as secretary have voluntarily written a letter accepting the conditions set by the Dacon related to the construction of a fence in the latter’s property in the barangay.

Both association officials affixed their signatures on the letter agreeing that the fence construction will continue based on the sketch plan by the company. The entry and exit points to are to remain open and that no gates or doors will be established so that the residents can freely move around in the area.

Standing as witnesses to the peace deal were Mayor Climaco, Task Force Zamboanga Chief Col. Andrelino Colina, City Police Director Col. Angelito Casimiro, Recodo chair Wahab Ibba, the regional director of the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos, Asst. City Administrator Elmeir Apolinario, Ph.D., Councilor Mel Sadain and Fr. Angel Calvo.

Mayor Climaco expressed elation that the peace agreement will revive unity and understanding, as she called on the signatories to put to heart what they signed in the document. “Ohala ay bira el Amistad [aqui na lugar] so we will have unity and understanding. Let us put to heart what we have signed,”

“Nais po naming sabihin sa inyo na lahat kaming miyembro ng Asosasyon ng Reservation at mga apektadong residente ay sang-ayon na po sa bakod na itatayo nyo base sa lay-out plan na nakalakip dun sa sulat niyo kung saan sinabi niyo na hindi niyo isasara ang kasalukuyang lagusan at wala ring mga gates o pintuan ilalagay sa mga lagusan at sa tapat ng highway at sa kahabaan ng main entrance road gaya ng nakaguhit sa lay-out plan,” the association said in the letter, as it t hanked the Dacon company for accepting its request and for understanding their situation.

To recall, the conflict started sometime in January this year when the Dacon management decided to construct a perimeter fence surrounding its premises as residential houses were encroaching on the road leading to the company.

The following month, Feb. 8, a rifle grenade was fired at the company, destroying one of its buildings. No one was injured.

 Last May 1, a commotion ensued between the Dacon workers and the so-called informal settlers who barricaded the road using children and women, some of them were injured. On May 3, at 11:30 a.m., a grenade was lobbed and exploded outside the Dacon premises, killing Hamuddin Hamja, 19, and wounding 6 Dacon workers, 4 of them were SCAA members.

 Wounded were Elmer Tadeo and Ariston Sarato, both Dacon workers, John Rey Maghanoy, Enrico Menor, Robert Clog and Loreto Morales, all SCAA members.

 The conflict has led to a series of dialogues between the two parties initiated by the local government as well as the police and military. For a while there was no resolution to the problem until last Friday. (Sheila Covarrubias) (090914)