Source: MPPM-Caraga on Manobo-Pulangiyon
Fulfill IP Rights!
END Impunity!
Mindanao
Peoples’ Peace Movement – Caraga Cluster strongly condemns the shooting
committed by the agri-business plantation security guards at the
Manobo-Pulangiyon Indigenous Peoples in Quezon, Bukidnon last April 19,
2022.
This is not an isolated case. It is just one of the many
violence faced daily by the Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao and the whole
country as they assert their rightful rights for their ancestral lands
and identity against corporate and vested interest’s control. The
perpetrators have been enjoying the (allegedly) blanket protection and
for many instances are in collaboration with authorities just what had
happened to the IPs in the municipality of Quezon province of Bukidnon.
According
to reports, 5 persons were directly hit by gunfire during the incident
namely Datu Didilosan Arroyo, Robert Dabatean, Hernani Abila, Charita de
Socorro and Orlando Lingaolingao and they are currently recuperating.
Reports
also showed that around 500 Manobo-Pulangiyon were set to re-possess
their ancestral land on that day occupied by the Kiantig Devlopment
Corporation (KDC) formerly Cesar Fortich Incorporated. They planned to
occupy the remaining four hectares unplanted to pineapples out of 958
hectares recognized by the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples
(NCIP) as their ancestral land. The indigenous families led by Anglao
clan filed their claim in the NCIP on June 5, 1998 but no Certificate of
Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) was awarded until now.
For
decades, the Manobo-Pulangiyon tribes were displaced from their
ancestral land after their ancestral land was placed under the control
of the KDC based in Forest Land Graze Management Agreement (FLGMA) which
has expired in 2018. KDC is owned by a cattle rancher and a pineapple
grower Pablo Lorenzo III who is currently the municipal Mayor of Quezon
Bukidnon. FLGMA is a production-sharing agreement between a qualified
person or corporation and the government to develop, manage and utilize
grazing lands. Years have passed since the expiration of FLGMA but the
land has yet to be returned to the indigenous peoples.
In 2017,
exactly 10 years after Lorenzo III was appointed as KDC’s general
manager the indigenous peoples were forced out of their community near
the banks of the Pulangi river. Since then they were faceless, nameless,
street dwellers with no help from the government. At the height of the
struggle in 2017, one (1) tribe member Renato Anglao was murdered by
three unknown men.
We demand to the NCIP to bring the
Manobo-Pulangiyon to their Ancestral Land and hold the corporate KDC and
cohorts in shooting and harassing the tribe members accountable since
NCIP is the primary government agency office tasked to uphold, protect
and fulfill IP Rights mandated by the 1987 Philippine Constitution and
the Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous People Rights Act of 1997
We
join the clamor for an impartial and transparent investigation not only
on the shooting incident but on the plight of the Manobo-Pulangiyon
since the early 90’s.
We call on fellow Filipinos, as we are
about to elect new leadership in our municipalities, cities. Provinces,
districts and national officials in the country to put high regard on
the fundamentals of good governance and moral integrity. Those
candidates who strongly uphold and support the rights of the Indigenous
people. Let us unite in building a people-centered government, a
participatory and empowering leadership and a human rights-based
governance.
MPPM-Caraga Cluster is composed of faith-based
denominations; farmers, women, youth organizations, lgbt and Indigenous
People’s structures and organizations. We believe that Just Peace will
only be realized when the Right to Self-Determination of a minority
nationality shall be recognized and respected co-equally among other
nationalities - Dignity above all and not graveyard.
In time of
the global observation of the Earth Day 2022, we proclaim this firm
Solidarity to the Manobo-Pulangiyon and all Indigenous Peoples and Earth
Defenders in the World!
MPPM – Caraga Cluster
April 22, 2022"
#EarthDay2022
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