Marcos urged to help Bukidnon indigenous groups to reclaim ancestral lands

Amnesty International on Wednesday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to direct the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to help the Manobo-Pulangiyon of Bukidnon to reclaim their ancestral lands.

Amnesty International Philippines Director Butch Olano said the community was composed of around 1,490 families.

“We call on President Marcos to personally instruct the AFP and other agencies of government to install the Monobo-Pulangiyon community in their land,” Olano said in a press conference.

Olano said the thousand-hectare ancestral land of the community is being illegally used and occupied by the Kianteg Development Corporation (KDC), formerly known as Cesar Fortich Incorporated.

“Nag expire na ‘yung Forest Land Graze Management Agreement ng KDC in 2018 and that was already turned over to NCIP and NCIP last year gave the certificate of ancestral domain title o ‘yung titulo ay binigay na sa mga tribuno,” he said.

(KDC’s Forest Land Graze Management Agreement expired in 2018 and that was already turned over to the NCIP and the NCIP last year gave the certificate of ancestral domain or title to the tribe.)

In 2022, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) also issued a cease and desist order against KDC for its “long due occupation and use without legal basis of a portion of the Kianteg-Pulangiyon.”

Despite these efforts, he said the community is still unable to enter the area and are still living along the highway.

“In fact, marami nang mga batang nasagasaan nung mga truck ng tubo. And while they already have the titles, KDC is still operating the area,” Olano said.

(In fact, a lot of children have been run over by trucks. And while they already have the titles, the KDC is still operating the area.)

Aside from this, he also pushed for a military outpost to prevent the community from being driven out again.

“Kasi natatakot kami na pag na install sila, baka balikan sila at mapaalis ulit (because we are afraid that if they are installed, they will be driven out again),” Olano said.

He also called on the government to review the implementation of The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 (IPRA) and strengthen the NCIP to effectively implement the law.

According to Olano, the NCIP is a “weak” government agency with “no teeth” and “no political will.”

GMA News Online has sought comment from the NCIP and Malacañang but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.—RF, GMA Integrated News