SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 17 June) — The leader of the fake indigenous group known as the Federal Tribal Government of the Philippines (FTGP), who previously caused a commotion by padlocking business stalls in Surigao City earlier this year, will remain behind bars after local police filed a more serious charge against him—qualified trafficking in persons.
A new arrest warrant was issued by Judge Vals Lisondra of the Regional Trial Court Branch 29 and was served to Jorgeto Corpuz Santisas, 44, a resident of Tandag City, on June 14 while he was detained at the Surigao City Jail. The warrant pertains to Criminal Case No. 18265.
Col. Mariano Lukban, Surigao City police chief, said in a mobile phone interview on Tuesday that he sent his men to serve the non-bailable three counts of warrants of arrest.
He said the new charge against Santisas was for violation of Republic Act 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, a non-bailable offense.
According to the court’s ruling, Santisas will not be allowed to post bail for his temporary release as the new charge against him is far more serious. Santisas allegedly illegally recruited members of the FTGP to participate in criminal activities, including the unlawful closure of business stalls in Surigao City. This act disrupted normal business operations for several days.
Santisas (known to the group as “Datu Adlaw”), his partner Lourdes Infante, and 18 followers, including Santisas’ sister Ester, were arrested inside their rented compound in Barangay Sabang on Feb. 20.
The two women initially resisted arrest, confronting the police officers with invectives, during the serving of the warrant.
Authorities filed malicious mischief, alarm and scandal, grave coercion, usurpation of authority, physical injury, serious illegal detention, grave threats, cyber libel, and violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 against FTGP leaders Santisas, Lourdes Latraca Infante, and Jhavie Latraca Infante.
The raid was carried out at 6 a.m. by joint police forces through an arrest warrant issued by Judge Maureen Chua of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 2 for usurpation of authority.
The court had earlier set a bail of ₱30,000 for each accused.
During the raid, the City Social Welfare and Development Office in Surigao City rescued nine minors, an elderly and two mothers, mostly family members of Santisas’ followers, and took them under the agency’s protection.
Santisas had 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.
Banking on this claim, Santisas, with his bolo-wielding followers in tow, padlocked several establishments in Surigao City on Jan. 24 due to their failure to supposedly seek a so-called land occupancy certificate and business permit from FTGP. He then threatened to expand their operations in the city’s nearby towns.
Santisas also ordered the establishment of a checkpoint just outside the group’s compound in Barangay Sabang, which the local police eventually dismantled.
The Caraga regional office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) had belied the legitimacy of FTGP, warning the public against dealing with its members.
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 ₱1,200 in membership fees. In return, members were promised ₱25,000 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. (Chris V. Panganiban Sr. / MindaNews)
