On 7 October 1998 the 38th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army attacked Lumads in Barangay Bantek, while on combat patrol. They killed one person and wounded another. Some of the MNLF are still collecting revolutionary taxes. The MILF are also collecting revolutionary taxes. The MILF leaders say this should not be going on, but the indigenous people are afraid to refuse, because the collectors are armed.
People are afraid to complain.
The MILF are also exploiting us. For example, the Pajardo coconut plantation in Barangay Kinimi was supposed to be distributed to indigenous people under the agrarian reform programme. The MILF and the government are talking about peace, but the fighting is still going on. We do not know who started the fighting.