3rd Infantry Battalion Headquarters, Calinan, Davao City
March 23, 2018
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte attended the 16th founding anniversary of the Supreme Tribal Council for Peace and Development, Inc. (STCPD) at the 3rd Infantry Battalion Headquarters in Davao City.
The STCPD was organized on February 2002 by the five (5) major tribes of Davao City — Ata Manobo, Obu-Manuvu, Matigsalug, Bagobo-Tagabawa, and Bagobo-Klata — through the initiative of former 73rd Infantry Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Eduardo del Rosario, presently the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairman, in order to strengthen, unify, and promote peace and development.
The Council eventually expanded its membership by organizing the 13 tribes of Region XI. Subsequently, some indigenous communities in Regions X, XII, and XIII were also organized.
The STCPD seeks peace, unity and development through convergence that forge partnerships and collaboration with national and local government agencies, civic society organizations (CSOs), non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs), and indigenous peoples organizations (IPOs). It is an expansion of a genuinely empowered Indigenous Peoples (IPs) whose rights and well-being are truly recognized, respected and protected. It also recognizes the critical role of indigenous knowledge, systems and practices, as well as the indigenous systems of governance, in the realization of their aspirations on cultural integrity.
In the event, the STCPD and the 3rd Infantry Battalion presented 35 rebel returnees to President Duterte. Likewise, HUDCC Chairman Eduardo del Rosario briefed the Commander-in-Chief during the presentation of 29 surrendered firearms from the former rebels.
The surrendered firearms included the following: nine (9) low powered firearms (LPFAs) composed of (2) 9mm Ingram assault weapons, one (1) 9mm KG9 assault weapon, five (5) caliber 357 revolvers, and one (1) caliber 38 revolver; high powered firearms (HPFAs) composed of two (2) M16 rifles, one (1) M14 rifle, six (6) 30 M1 Garand rifles, nine (9) caliber 45 pistols, one (1) M1 Carbine rifle, and one (1) improvised M14 rifle.
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