Group seeks mining ban in ancestral lands

MANILA, Philippines –  Leaders of an indigenous people’s (IP) group from Palawan sought yesterday to stop the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) from issuing permits to mining companies encroaching on ancestral lands in the province.

Tribal leaders belonging to the Ancestral Land/Domain Watch (ALDAW) Indigenous Network trooped to the House of Representatives yesterday and met with some congressional leaders to seek their support in stopping mining activities in ancestral lands in Palawan and other parts of the country.

The group, led by ALDAW chairman Artiso Mandawa, met with Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat, chairman of the House committee on national cultural communities, and was reportedly scheduled to meet with Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, chairman of the House committee on ecology.

Mandawa said the “struggle of the indigenous people of Palawan against mining corporations is now being impaired by highly manipulative processes” being carried out by both NCIP and MacroAsia Corp., which has a planned project in Brooke’s Point, Palawan.

ALDAW said MacroAsia is about to use a group of “fake” tribal leaders to prove that it has social consensus for their mining operations in Palawan. The group said the alleged fake tribal leaders were “appointed” by the NCIP to favor MacroAsia.

With sympathetic IP leaders on their side, MacroAsia would be able to secure the necessary permits, particularly the certificate of precondition from the NCIP. The group said the document is necessary to allow the mining firm to pursue its plan to revive an old nickel mine.

ALDAW also called for a probe into the actions of the NCIP officers.

“Ultimately, those officers who have abused their power and conspired with mining companies should be removed immediately from their positions,” Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of the Alyansa Tigil Mina said.

The group also called on the Office of the President to revoke and nullify all certificates of precondition issued by NCIP to mining companies in Palawan.

Baguilat said he met leaders of the tribal groups from both sides and filed a resolution for the conduct of a congressional inquiry into the issue.

“It’s a complicated matter,” Baguilat told The STAR.

Palawan Gov. Abraham Mitra called for a dialogue with both sides and admonished them not to exploit the IPs in Palawan.

Earlier, Agustin Bacosa, vice president of the Brooke’s Point Federation of Tribal Councils (BPTLF), pressed the NCIP to issue the certificate of pre-condition.

The BPTLF represents the IPs that strongly support the MacroAsia mining project. The group said the NCIP should have issued the document 15 days after the agency validated the support for the project.

Bacosa said the issuance of the certificate would trigger employment opportunities for more than 3,000 IPs and continued support for socio-economic, education, health and livelihood projects and the schooling of their children arising from the project. –Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star)