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Humanitarian crisis: Socorro Bayanihan members could go homeless after DENR rescinds deal

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ABS-CBN News

Members of the alleged cult Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. could find themselves homeless after the government rescinded a deal allowing the group to use 353 hectares of land in Socorro, Surigao del Norte as a protected area. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources earlier suspended the Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA) of SBSI, covering 353 hectares of land located in the northeast part of Barangay Sering, overlooking the northeast portion of Bucas Grande Island.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/29/23/denr-suspends-land-deal-with-socorro-bayanihan-group">DENR suspends land ageement with Socorro Bayanihan group to occupy Sitio Kapihan</a></li></ul>A PACBRMA is a legal instrument between the DENR and tenured migrant groups to develop and conserve a portion of a Protected Area for a 25-year period.<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vAuWV57ZdSo?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>Socorro Task Force Kapihan spokesperson Edelito Sangco said rescinding the agreement could lead to thousands of SBSI members being homeless after they already sold their homes to join the group.&quot;If it will be enforced, magkakaroon talaga ng humanitarian crisis dito dahil walang uuwiang bahay ang halos lahat ng nandoon sa Sitio Kapihan kasi ibinenta na nila ang kanilang mga bahay. Kasi sabi ng kanilang leader na si Senior Agila na ibenta niyo na ang inyong mga ari-arian dahil magugunaw na ang mundo,&quot; he said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/09/26/23/socorro-bayanihan-members-binenta-umano-ang-ari-arian-bago-tumira-sa-bundok">Socorro Bayanihan members binenta umano ang ari-arian bago tumira sa bundok</a></li></ul>He said SBSI has 3,560 members or more than 1,000 families.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/09/24/23/socorro-bayanihan-members-express-outrage-over-senate-probe">Socorro Bayanihan members express outrage over Senate probe</a></li></ul>After selling their homes, SBSI members gave away 40 percent of their earnings to SBSI leaders, Sangco said. He called on local government agencies as well as national and international NGOs to help reintegrate SBSI members &quot;into the society where they once belong.&quot;&quot;Sana magkaroon ng pabahay...Walang kakayahan ang LGU pero since this is a man-made calamity, hindi naman pwedeng iwasan ng LGU ang responsibilidad na ito.&quot;&quot;Parang magkakaroon ng evacuation center para sa kanila, magkakaroon ng food packs ang DSWD, magkaroon ng mga tents. &#x27;Yun ang nakikita naming pwedeng gawin for the meantime para lang ma-accommodate sila, just in case ma-enforce talaga &#x27;yung sinasabing suspension ng kanilang tenurial instrument doon.&quot;The Senate is currently investigating SBSI over its alleged &quot;cultish&quot; practices such as child marriage, rape, and others. The group and its leaders have denied the allegations.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/09/28/23/child-marriage-rape-pinapayagan-sa-socorro-bayanihan-miyembro">News Patrol: Child marriage, rape pinapayagan sa Socorro Bayanihan - miyembro</a></li></ul>The DENR said that as early as 2019, they have already flagged SBSI over its alleged violations of the PACBRMA, including restricting entry in the area, establishment of checkpoints and military-like training, establishment of structures within the PACBRMA area, as well as the resignation of teachers, uniformed personnel and barangay officials. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/28/23/higit-800-kabataan-sa-socorro-group-tumigil-sa-pag-aaral">Higit 800 kabataang miyembro ng Socorro Bayanihan group tumigil sa pag-aaral</a></li></ul>In the interview, Sangco said the local government is backing the DENR decision since the group is already becoming a threat. He said there is &quot;wanton extraction of resources&quot; in the area, with water pipes being broken and trees being cut down indisciminately by SBSI members.&quot;Kapag pupunta &#x27;yung personnel ng Socorro Water District, sasabihin lang sa kanila harap-harapan na hindi naman sa inyo ang lupaing ito. Pag-aari naman ito ng Diyos...Threatened din ang bayan namin kasi ang source ng tubig nasa kanila. Mabuti na at i-resettle na sila for good,&quot; he said. &quot;Hindi nila ginagalang ang gobyerno kasi ang kanilang orientation may sarili silang gobyerno doon.&quot;

SBSI members could find themselves homeless after the government rescinded a deal allowing the group to use 353 hectares of land as a protected area. 