Lumad children evacuees on the grandstand of the Provincial Sports Complex in Tandag City (Photo by Kilab Multimedia)

By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com

TANDAG CITY — A four-year-old Lumad girl died of asthma early this morning, Sept. 8, at the Surigao del Sur Sports Complex where thousands of Lumads are seeking refuge.

The child’s mother, Maribel Enriquez, told Bulatlat.com that her daughter Renabel was still playing and dancing last night and was surprised to find her no longer breathing at around 3:30 a.m.

They rushed her to the nearby Adela Serraty Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.

Enriquez blamed her daughter’s death on the military, as their massive operations coupled with the paramilitary killings, had pushed them to leave their home in Magkahunao, Buhisan village in San Agustin.

Magkahunao is one of the 19 Lumad communities in four municipalities that evacuated after the killing of two Lumad leaders Dionel Campos and Datu Juvello Sinzo, and Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (Alcadev) executive director Emerito Samarca last Sept. 1.

They have been staying at the sports center, sleeping on the grandstand, for a week now.