Leader of fake tribal group facing trafficking raps
SAN FRANCISCO, AGUSAN DEL SUR—The leader of a bogus group claiming ancestral domain rights over Surigao City is in for a more serious legal dilemma after authorities charged him for trafficking.
Col. Mariano Lukban, Surigao City police chief, said Judge Vals Lisondra of Regional Trial Court Branch 29, had issued an arrest warrant against Jorgeto Santisas, 44, on June 14.
Lukban added that the warrant for three counts of qualified trafficking in persons was already served to Santisas at the Surigao City jail where he, along with several leaders of Federal Tribal Government of the Philippines (FTGP), are detained after their arrest on Feb. 20 following a raid.
The court had not set any bail amount for his temporary liberty.
Known to his FTGP followers as “Datu Adlaw,” Santisas led them in locking up establishments in Surigao City supposedly for failure to seek their permission to do business inside an ancestral territory.
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and tribal leaders in Caraga region had disowned Santisas and FTGP as one of their own.
Santisas, his partner Lourdes Infante, and 18 followers, including his sister, Ester, were arrested inside their rented compound in Barangay Sabang on Feb. 20.
Authorities filed malicious mischief, alarm and scandal, grave coercion, usurpation of authority, physical injury, serious illegal detention, grave threats, cyberlibel, and violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 against FTGP leaders Santisas, Infante, and Jhavie Latraca Infante.
The raid was carried out by police teams through an arrest warrant issued by Judge Maureen Chua of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 2 for usurpation of authority.
‘Supreme adviser’
Santisas introduced himself to the public as the “supreme adviser” of FTGP which he claims to have ancestral domain rights over Surigao City under Republic Act No. 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act.
Lukban said usurpation of authority was just one of four charges filed against FTGP members. Other charges included large-scale illegal recruitment, qualified trafficking in persons, and multiple violations of the cybercrime law.
Rico “Datu Alinghian” Maca, secretary general of the association of Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representatives in Caraga, said FTGP had been recruiting mostly non-“lumad” individuals, charging them P1,200 in membership fees for a promised P25,000 in monthly allowance.
A few weeks before the raid, several FTGP members, who had been recruited from Davao de Oro province, sought the assistance of the Surigao City government so they could return to their hometowns.
