Masungi Georeserve cries for help vs. 'professional squatters' but energy firm exec claims protecting IPs

The Masungi Georeserve, a conservation area in Rizal, on Thursday sought the help of the government in addressing the alleged harassment perpetrated by "professional squatters" who are claiming large tracts of lands in the site.

During a Senate hearing led by the committee on environment, Masungi Georeserve project manager Ann Dumaliang said that last October 20, a former police general fenced out the forest rangers from up to 1,000 hectares of the watershed.

"Right now, they are still here. Nagdadagdag pa sila ng armed guards [who are] continuously harassing us on the ground and making it difficult for us to pursue reforestation efforts," she said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros asked if Dumaliang was referring to a certain retired General Luizo Ticman who owns the energy company Green Atom. The resource person answered in the affirmative.

"They come to patrol the areas regularly. Sometimes they come at night and they do not speak with us. They just move around the area. When we do try to talk to them, napaka-harsh po ng kanilang words. Ako po mismo sinabihan nila na kakaladkarin nila ako pag nakita nila ako," Dumaliang said of the armed guards.

"Their president actually told me na when we go past a certain area, they will not hesitate to hunt us down... Kailangan po namin ang tulong niyo para matigil na po ito," Dumaliang added.

Green Atom president's side

Green Atom President Rex Recarro vehemently denied that the company is involved in the alleged harassment against the rangers of the Masungi Georeserve.

He admitted that he personally spoke with Dumaliang, but as a local who was close to the indigenous community in the area, and not as a representative of the firm.

"Ang sabi ko sa kaniya, makipag-usap sila sa mga katutubo. And ang sinabi ko sa kaniya, sa oras na niloko nila ang mga katutubo, hahanapin ko sila para ipamukha sa kanila 'yung kanilang sinasabi na sila'y maaayos na tao," he told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

He turned the tables at the management of Masungi Georeserve and said it was them who were engaged in land-grabbing in the eyes of the indigenous people because of the "gates" they were putting up.

"Lugar na puntahan din, 'di na sila (mga katutubo) makapunta dahil may gate na. Anong tawag doon?" Recarro said.

He also said the "baseless accusations" against Green Atom chairman Luizo Ticman should stop as all the lands in the area that had been previously linked to the latter had already been subsumed when the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act took effect in 1997.

"Ipina-subsume na niya. Walang may-ari ng lupang iyan kasi ang may-ari ng lupang iyan ay ang susunod na mga henerasyon," Recarro said.

Moreover, he said the security guards were not deployed by Green Atom. He said these forces have a contract with the indigenous people's organization that is in touch with the community, and are there to protect ancestral domain.

"Pine-prevent na ipasok nila (Masungi management) 'yung arko nila doon kasi holy area 'yun, sagradong lugar 'yun... 'Yung mga mga 'yun ay security guards na may lisensyadong baril," he added.

Recarro said the management of Masungi Georeserve needs more dialogue with the IP community to settle these issues.

DENR's action

During the hearing, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said his agency will take immediate action on the matter.

"We have a memorandum of agreement sa PNP at AFP na magbigay sila ng support sa amin. I can ask some personnel from the army and the PNP para matulungan din ang aming presence doon, in support sa management ng Masungi para matulungan sila," he told senators.

He also urged the lawmakers to fast-track the passage of the bill that would create an enforcement bureau within the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Senator Nancy Binay said she already filed Senate Bill No. 1878 bill in the upper chamber.

Senate committee on environment chairperson Cynthia Villar said she would hear the measure as soon as possible, and committed to help set up a temporary office of the DENR and of state forces in Masungi Georeserve to prevent the alleged harassments in the area. -MDM, GMA News