TWO years have passed since members of the Anglao Clan of the Manobo Pulangiyon tribe faced gunfire from guards of the Kiantig Development Corporation (KDC) as they sought to reclaim their ancestral land on April 19, 2022.
Despite filing a case of frustrated homicide against one guard, the wheels of justice continue to turn slowly, with proceedings ongoing as of March this year.
But their woes don’t end there. The challenges for the displaced tribe persist.
Despite being granted their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) last year, they remain barred from their land. The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) grapple with resolving overlapping claims on the territory.
In an exclusive interview with Gold Star Daily, Datu Rolando Anglao, the tribal head, lamented the lack of clarity in implementing the CADT, saying “Na issue ang CADT atong August 2023, hangtud karon wala gihapon klaro ang implementasyon sa NCIP.”
“Gani pa, sa atong Marso 12 nagpatawag og meeting ang simbahan nga naa pud ang NCIP Province. Isa pud nga nakita nga ang [Department of Agrarian Reform] wala pa mohatag og [Certificate of No Overlap] dili ma register among title sa [Land Registration Authority].”
Displaced for over a century, the tribe struggles to survive in makeshift shanties along the highway, outside KDC’s perimeter fence. Tragically, vehicular accidents have claimed lives, with one member killed when a pickup truck crashed into their dwellings in 2023.
“Subo kaayo akong mga kauban, og kana man ang problema ngano karon paman gi storya nga pila naman ka tuig among pag agwanta. Kay kung kana ang kulang unua ginstorya na kanamo, siguro human na na nga problemaha. Bahin sa installation, wala pa gyuy klaro kay atong January 16 ang nahisgutan (with NCIP) kay reposession. mao nga grabe among kalipay ato kay mapa sulod mi 70 meters gikan sa koral,” Anglao said.
Speaking on their livelihood, Datu Anglao emphasized, “Ang among kinahanglan yuta. Kay kami wala mi nag kinahanglan og (tabang) pagbalay. Wala mi nan Wala mi nangayo og ayuda sa DSWD. Ang importante makasulod mi sa among ancestral domain.”
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