April 22 2022
Of the same observance and spirit we express our salute and gratitude to all Earth, Land and Human Rights defenders globally!
Thus, we proclaim this Solidarity to the Manobo-Pulangiyon in Quezon, Bukidnon and in the strongest sense we condemn the shooting committed by the agri-business plantation security guards at the Manobo-Pulangiyon Indigenous Peoples in Quezon, Bukidnon last April 19, 2022.
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 and is currently the municipal Mayor of Quezon Bukidnon.
Reports showed that around 500 Manobo-Pulangiyon were set to re-possess their ancestral land on that day occupied by the Kiantig Development 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. In fact prior the April 19 incident, the representatives of the tribe met with the officials of the NCIP in the province and has allowed the planned re-occupation of the remaining un-cultivated portion.
With a white flag, the tribe members and solidarity groups came in peace but the guards of KDC shoot at them wounding five (5) namely Datu Didilosan Arroyo, Robert Dabatean, Hernani Abila, Charita de Socorro and Orlando Lingaolingao.
FLGMA is a production-sharing agreement between a qualified person or corporation and the government to develop, manage and utilize grazing lands. Year has passed after the expiration of FLGMA but the land has yet to be returned to the indigenous peoples.
Indigenous Peoples assertions against corporate and political aggression are always faced with violence and deaths of leaders and tribe’s members to many instances. This is a daily reality of different extent for the IPs in Mindanao, Luzon and Visayas. The collaboration of the political and corporate powers locally and nationally has made it more difficult for the IPs. Perpetrators are of full impunity hiding behind the authorities and anti-people and anti-environment policies. Therefore, this is not an isolated case!
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 home to their Ancestral Land. NCIP is the primary government 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.
We demand NCIP, DENR and other government agencies to hold the corporate KDC and cohorts in shooting and harassing the tribe members accountable.
To note, 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 till this day.
We call on fellow Filipinos to stand by the true values and morals of humanity as we are to elect new leadership of the country. Let us use this opportunity to bring back democracy, dignity and morality in governance and in our land.
Standing with the Manobo-Pulangiyon and All Fighting IPs,
Independent Indigenous Peoples Voice (IPVoice)
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