[ Manila Bulletin Online ] June 8, 2008
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Tribal leaders in this city and nearby Polomolok and Tupi towns in South Cotabato deplored the long-delayed processing of their ancestral land titles that was exacerbated by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples’ (NCIP) suspension of delineation activities in the area earlier this year.
Marcis Sanmento, a leader of Blaan land claimants here, said their claims face uncertainty due to the suspension of the land surveys and the delineation activities in the area based on NCIP Resolution No. 212, which was approved last March 14.
"We really don’t know what to do now. We have been fighting for our land titles for so many years and we cannot afford to face another delay," Sanmento said.
Sanmento’s clan is claiming at least 4,328 hectares of their ancestral lands covering Barangays Apopong and Sinawal here for the last 20 years.
He said their clan first applied for their ancestral land title in 1987 and they already spent around R6 million for its processing before the NCIP suspended its delineation activities last March.
According to NCIP’s Resolution 212, the decision to suspend its delineation activities was due to the "recent killings and assassination plots on NCIP officials in the Province of South Cotabato."
It said the killings and the alleged assassination plots have sown fear and terror among NCIP employees in the provincial office and the community service centers.
"Said tragic situation prompted the commission to suspend the delineation activities in the area to give ample time for the NCIP investigating team and law enforcement agencies to gather vital information and evidence in the resolution thereof," the resolution said.
The resolution cited that the suspension of delineation activities covers all ancestral land claims in the towns of Polomolok and Tupi in South Cotabato and General Santos City area.
The resolution was signed by NCIP Chairman Eugenio Insigne and Commissioners Rizalino Segundo, Noel Felongco, Rolando Rivera, Miguel Imbing Sia Apostol and Jannette Serrano-Reisland.
Since January, at least two NCIP officials in South Cotabato have been gunned down by still unknown suspects.
NCIP’s ancestral domain coordinator Tommy Dawang was killed by motorcycle-riding suspects in Polomolok town last January 20 while newly-appointed NCIP-South Cotabato provincial director Rafaelito Handoc was shot dead in Koronadal City last March 5.
Gina Malumpong, who represents another Blaan clan claiming a portion of Sitio Cabuay in Barangay Sinawal here, said they understand the predicament of the NCIP employees but stressed that the suspension order will not solve them.
"Further delaying these processes will leave us with no other legal option. I hope they will listen to us and eventually reconsider their decision," she said.
Sanmento and Malumpong were among the more than 50 tribal leaders and elders representing 25 claimant organizations and clans in Region XII and Maguindanao province who converged here Tuesday for the two-day First Regional Coalition Forum on Indigenous Peoples’ Ancestral Domain.
The forum was aimed at strengthening the advocacy campaigns for the IPs ancestral domain claims and building a coalition process "for a unified approach to secure ancestral domain claims and ensure future food security of the IPs."
It is supported by the Tri-People Concern for Peace, Progress and Development of Mindanao Inc., HESED Foundation, Partners for First People Foundation, Inc., Rural Development Institute-PhilNet Sultan Kudarat, Social Action Center of the Diocese of Marbel, League of Indigenous Peoples for Ancestral Domain (LIPAD) in Mindanao and the Federation of Ancestral Domain Claim Organization in Southern Mindanao.
On Tuesday, forum delegates adopted a resolution urging the NCIP to lift the suspension of the delineation activities on the ancestral lands in the area.
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