Ibalois hit NCIP for cancellation of ancestral land titles

Ibalois hit NCIP for cancelled titles

November 23, 2014 

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Ibaloi ancestral land claimants and their lawyers are up in arms when the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) issued a resolution to cancel their ancestral land and domain titles after these had undergone the required and legal processes mandated by RA 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997.

IBALOI CLAIMANTS. (From left to right) Mrs. Pacita Medina holds their Happy Hallow ancestral domain title issued and signed by all the commissioners of the NCIP. Also in the picture: their legal counsel former Benguet Board Member Manuel Cuilan and Chona Kubulan Espina (with eyeglasses) who represents the Kellet clan of Dagsian barangay. Photo by Arthur L. Allad-iw

In a press conference Wednesday, they scored that a resolution by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) dated October 8 undermined the IPRA law and had denied them due process as the cancellation was done without giving them time to present their side, nor informing them of the cancellation and their grounds thereof.

NCIP Commission En Banc Resolution 06-086-2014 ordered cancelled Ancestral Land Titles (ALT) 000302, 000303, and 000304. The agency said that these ALTs are unaccounted for and considered lost, and the resolution created an investigation team to look into the matter.

Atty. Alfonso Aroco, counsel of the owners, said that ALT 000302 is located in the area now occupied by Casa Vallejo and was awarded to the heirs of Cosen Piraso, ALT 000302 is located in Pacdal and was awarded to the heirs of Josephine M. Abanag, and ALT 000304 is located in South Drive and was awarded to the heirs of Lauro Carantes.

He added that after complying with the processes mandated by the IPRA law, these ALTs were awarded to the claimants in November 2010. These titles were registered at the Register of Deeds of this city in that same year.

It was learned that before the ALTs were awarded to the owners, they had undergone the processes on ancestral land claims as per DENR Administrative Order Number 2 and, as a consequence, granted Certificate of Ancestral Land Claims (CALCs), which under the 1997 IPRA mandated the NCIP, as to its ministerial function, to convert it to ALTs.

“In fact, these claims are among the original Ibaloi claims recognized in 1937,” Aroco explained in a press conference on Wednesday.

If it is indeed true that these are unaccounted and missing, why let the beneficiaries suffer from a misdeed not of their own making, added Aroco where he reiterated that an investigation instead must be done for those responsible of the lost ALTs. He added that the said instruments were kept by the NCIP Ancestral Domain Office and the investigation should be done against them instead of punishing the beneficiaries by cancelling their legally acquired title.

We will file appropriate charges if the said office does not rectify its mistake, he said.

Cancellations via the court

In the same press conference, Ibalois who acquired ALTs over their ancestral land and domain title also criticized the move to have their titles cancelled.

Lawyer Manuel Cuilan explained that the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) which manages the former American military base – now Club John Hay – filed a case of cancellation of ALTs to the heirs of Kellet and Morie Shodang whose ancestral lands are claimed by BCDA as part of the former military base. He added that even the Ancestral Domain Title (ADT) granted to indigenous peoples of Happy Hallow is included for cancellation by the case filed by the BCDA, through the office of the Solicitor General.

Cuilan said that the case was filed at the Regional Trial Court in Baguio City which decided that it has no jurisdiction over the case as it is under the NCIP. BCDA appealed to the Court of Appeals where the said court decided in upholding the RTC Baguio decision, and not contented with it, they went to the Supreme Court reiterating that the RTC has jurisdiction and must decide on their petition.

Cuilan pointed out that the move is unnecessarily exhausting the resources of the government. Both offices, the BCDA and the NCIP are under the office of the president which could have facilitated dialogue to resolve the matter and not put the two agencies on different sides of the coin.

“The NCIP, after the beneficiaries had undergone the IPRA processes, granted the said ALTs and ADT, and here is the another office under the Office of the President moving for the cancellation of these titles,” he explained to media adding: this is another injustice to the Ibalois who exerted their resources and all their effort for the land that they are historically entitled to.

The Ancestral Domain Title for Happy Hallow was granted based on the claims of the six clans, namely, Canuto, Ciso, Pitlongay, Paytocan, Liwan, and Otinguey for a total land area of more or less 146 hectares. Representing the Otinguey clan, Pacita S. Medina said that the move to cancel is unfair for indigenous people.

“If they had any opposition to our claims, why did they fail to raise it when we were processing our title? They were there during the surveys and other activities during our application,” she pointed out in the conference. Their ancestral domain sustainable development program was even recognized by the City Council.

Chona Kubulan Espina, who represents the Kellet clan in Dagsian Barangay, also narrated the act of BCDA prohibiting development of their ancestral lands despite their tiles. And like Medina, she claimed that there were no consultations done with them before the move for the cancellation of their titles was made.

Making the situation tense, they alleged that a commissioner of the NCIP, in a meeting, told them that their titles are to be cancelled as these are just pieces of paper and she (commissioner) even got the nerve to shout at them.

Cuilan said that this move is not correcting the historical injustice of denying the Ibalois of their rights to their ancestral land and domains. The NCIP was primarily established to work for the interests of indigenous peoples, he added.

He hit the present administration that while the Carino Doctrine started in this city where the American Court declared that lands possessed by indigenous peoples never became public and privately owned, it is not applied in the city where the case originated. # nordis.net

Baguio media light candles to urge justice for victims of the Maguindanao massacre

Baguio media light candles to urge justice for victims of the Maguindanao massacre

Urge PNoy to protect witnesses, help victims’ families on livelihood 

By Arthur Allad-iw

BAGUIO CITY – Media practitioners in this summer capital city lit candles at the Session Road Rotunda here to commemorate the 5^th year commemoration of the killings of 58 mostly media workers in Maguindanao on November 23, 2009



Photo by: Noel Godinez 

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Photo: Art Allad-iw

With candles lighted forming the number 58 to reiterate the victims of the Maguindanao massacre, the local media practitioners – wearing black and red shirts - urged the administration of Pres. Noynoy Aquino to perform his tasks by doing all means that would facilitate the immediate resolution of the case, which they claimed is in a turtle-pace at its present dispensation.

The candles that had been lighted tonight at the Rotunda and those at home, who cannot attend the activity, represent the days when the massacred happened up to this day and to reiterate that justice is still elusive for the victims of the horrible massacre in the history of the Philippines. It was a joint activity by media practitioners affiliated with the local chapter of the National Union of Students of the Philippines and the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters club.

Photo by Rocky Ngalob

“We do not only commemorate the untimely death of our compatriots, but we resolve to elevate to a higher level of vigilance our call for justice for the victims of the massacre,” said Kathleen Okubo, chairperson of the local NUJP and editor of the Northern Dispatch Weekly.

                                            

Photo: Art Allad-iw

The journalists also reiterated in their activity four points, which are as follows:

First, the case resolution of the Maguindanao massacre is a turtle-pace which allegedly reflects our justice system;

Second, Pres. Aquino should do his tasks as the highest officer of the land by ensuring that concerned agencies are performing their tasks towards attainment of justice for the victims, as they claimed that Aquino, whose father was killed during the fascist regime of Marcos, also experienced what the children of the victims felt at the moment;

Third, that the witnesses be extended protection in order that they will help in proving the guilt beyond reasonable doubt of those accused, as they pointed out that a fifth witness was recently killed; and,

Fourth, the government should extend protection to families of witnesses as they are continuously threatened. They pointed a situation where Myrna Parangan-Reblando, wife of one of the journalists killed, was forced to seek refuge to other country because of the continuing threat to her and her family. They also urged that the government extend hand to the victims’ families, particularly for livelihood until they can recover as their murdered kin were their bread winners, who died untimely and detached them from their sustenance.

Photo by: Noel Godinez

The lighted candles are the local media’s contribution on the target one million candles to be lighted nationwide by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.  # 

Sagada's Balangagan Cave, an underground wonder and ancient burial ground

Underground wonder Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

Sagada’s Balangagan Cave, an underground wonder & ancient burial ground

Published by the Northern Dispatch Weekly November 16, 2014 

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW


The genesis is from a folk tale passed on by elders. A long time ago, three men from Taccong, Sagada went for kupiti (bat) hunting inside a liyang (cave) caught quite a fortune – lot of bats. On their exit, they had difficulty finding the way out. They got tired, confused, and fear took over them as it seemed they kept ending up in the same area of the liyang. They heard a voice of a spirit dwelling in the cave. It told them not to take out dwellers (the bats) or anything from the cave. Immediately, the three men Bangcawayan, Lawagan and Nagayang freed all the bats they caught. Then they followed the same path they took and came out alive from the liyang.

Lakay (elder) Julio Mani of Taccong retold this tale on Wednesday’s inauguration of the Balangagan Cave to serve as a reminder, “while we open the cave for visits to tourists and locals, nothing should be taken out from the cave,” he told the crowd of representatives from different agencies, officials, media and villagers.
From the tale, it was learned that the liyang was named after as Balangagan, coined from the names of the three lost villagers inside the cave, and, perhaps, an eternal reminder for visitors to observe their indigenous concept of inayan or lawa, leave the things as they are sacred to the area.

Balangagan Cave inauguration. Photo Art Allad-iw

Balangagan is located in the hilly and pine tree covered barangay of Taccong and Suyo, Sagada, Mountain Province. It is more or less three kilometers from Poblacion. Sagada is more or less 130 kilometers and a four to five hour drive – on the improved Halsema Highway – from Baguio City.
It is a unique wonder, natural underground environment of various rock formations and century-old burial grounds of the ancestors of the indigenous peoples in the area. Such complimented Sagada as Shangrila of the north due to its waterfalls, lake, pristine pine-clad mountains, and wonderful underground caves that offer natural attractions to spelunkers and nature lovers.

Blue-watered natural pool. Photo Art Allad-iw

Natural wonder
Near the entrance of Balangagan is an eye-catching blue-water natural pool, where guides claim turns to green during rainy season. Flowing crystal clear streams seem to lead vistors into the cave.
Stalactites and stalagmites, in various forms and sizes, will definitely glue the eyes of adventurers to the roof from the entrance to inside the cave. “Its colorful speleothems are studded with sparkles that glint when lighted,” Robert Pangod, the municipal tourism officer said. Like the Sumaging cave of the town, these natural formations at the Balangagan cave are beyond description but best appreciated only when personally seen.

Cave entrance. Photo by Art Allad-iw

Cavers are cautioned, too, in exploring the winding hollows as there are low ceilings and passages that are tight and slippery. As such, cavers are advised to use appropriate footwear, and must visit the area with the assistance of professional guides provided when visitors register at the Poblacion.

Cavers would be amused with cathedral wide spaces inside complimented by the echoing din of bat sounds, the only music one may hear. And, the bats’ guano, evidence that the area had been closed for a long time, as one would have his foot covered up to his knee from the substance.

Rock formations. Photo by Art Allad-iw

Sacred burial ground
Balangagan’s natural wonders are complimented by the rich heritage of the indigenous people in the area. It is a sacred burial ground where various coffins were either tucked in high above on the ceiling, hanging coffins, or piled one coffin on top another. Their dead at the Balangagan Cave were placed in hollowed tree trunks and in jars, elders added. And they added that the cave’s twilight zone was an ideal resting place for their departed. “It is sacred that we are morally bound to protect,” explained Lakay Mani.

While amazed by how the coffins were kept inside, there are various questions that arise.

One of the rock formations. Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

At the height of a three storey building, there were coffins – both jars and hollowed tree trunks. There was no evidence insight of how they did it or any evidence of support materials in the area that they may have used to reach such height.

“How did the earlier ancestors place the coffins at that height? How old are these jars used as coffins?,” were among the questions raised by Larry Fabian, a journalist based in Baguio City. The questions may be answered by anthropologists who may have studied these ancient practices, as the elders had no documented literature to aid answers for the questions raised.

Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

Marcos Cave
The wonders of Balangagan captivated officials of the then President Fedinand Marcos administration. Then provincial Governor Alfredo Lam-en facilitated the development of Sagada as tourist destination. Through the Ministry of Tourism headed by Jose Aspiras, Lamen facilitated a road to Taccong and opened the cave to the public. In return, it was through him that the cave was named Marcos Cave, a chamber named Imelda, the wife, and the hall, as Aspiras hall, all directed for a development of the area as tourist attraction.
The development stopped during the tumultuous years of Marcos until he was removed from power via the Peoples Power Revolution.

But the cave named after Marcos, his wife and crony, was not acceptable to the people, ever since it was coined in the 80s. Hence villagers still call it Balangagan cave.

Reopening of Balangagan
The reopening of the cave is a move by the southern barangays of Sagada, namely Taccong, Suyo, Nacagang and Ankileng. They favor the opening of the cave which would be integrated to the town’s plan but, importantly, a community-based tourism program where they will have a greater role in the development and management. “This community-based tourism program will be ensured by our municipality, particularly the culture of the umili (villagers) of respecting the sacredness of the place,” assured Mayor Eduardo Latawan Jr., as they will adopt more measures to ensure that the coffins inside will be protected from deterioration and vandalism.

Accessibility, too, is addressed as the Balili-Payag-eo-Suyo road is on-going as a priority project funded by the DPWH-DOT convergence program.

Road development for easier access to the cave. Photo Art Allad-iw 

Such accessibility is seen by the municipal government as a step to easily supervise the area and arrest from defacement. Vandalism, destructions of the stalactites and stalagmites, desecration of the coffins and the remains had been noted earlier in the cave. With such accessibility and municipality’s adoption of management plan, stakeholders believed that Balangagan can be maintained at its present state.

But the words of Lakay Mani that reverberates must be incorporated in the plan, “nothing should be taken out from the cave as it is a sacred ground. We are willing to share the appreciation of this natural and cultural heritage to visitors who can freely visit the area. A must, however, is the respect of our system – that the area is a resting place of our departed ancestors. We are morally bound to protect its sacredness.” #nordis.net

http://www.interaksyon.com/search?q=arthur+allad-iw+on+mountain+province+folk

Mountain Province folk hold indignation rally over death of student under police custody

By: Arthur Allad-iw, Northern Dispatch (Special to InterAksyon.com)
November 13, 2014 8:19 AM

Mountain Province residents hold an indignation rally in the capital town Bontoc on November 12, 2014, calling for justice over the death of 20-year-old college student Stephen Galidan, allegedly a victim of police brutality. (Photo courtesy of Ricky Samidan)

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

BAGUIO CITY – At least 1,000 residents of Mountain Province, led by provincial and municipal officials, on Wednesday held an indignation rally condemning the death of a 20-year-old college student arrested by policemen for allegedly violating a curfew ordinance.

Stephen Bosleng Galidan, a sophomore taking up Business Administration at the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, was picked up by the police on November 4 for allegedly loitering in the town with fellow students who scampered when the police were about to approach them, according to a Bontoc police report.

Photo credit: Ricky Samidan


The police report said that while Galidan was being brought to the police station, the student jumped out of the patrol car and landed on the road.
Bontoc police further said in the report that Galidan was brought to the hospital where he died the following day.

The rally against police brutality, considered as the biggest in the decade, was conducted by students of Mountain Province State Polytechnic College and attended by provincial officials, led by Gov. Leonard Mayaen, as well as municipal officials from the towns of Bauko, Sabangan, and Bontoc.
Mayaen told the rally participants at the plaza in the capital town Bontoc to be vigilant to contain the excesses of police, who tainted the name of their institution.

“Let us not allow such excesses, let us be vigilant,” Mayaen said.

He called for a fair and impartial investigation of the five policemen said to be involved in the custody and resultant death of Galidan, a resident of the vegetable-producing village of Monamon Sur, Bauko.
Bauko Mayor Abraham Akilit said an investigation should lead to the filing of appropriate charges against the policemen.

Akilit asked why the police, who should be protecting the people, are the ones involved in the loss of an innocent life.

Photo credit: Ricky Samidan


“If the police cannot assure security for our youth, we will bring home our 400 youth who are studying here in Bontoc,” said Akilit, adding that “those involved should be punished and jailed in Muntinlupa.”
Abi Batawang, an elder, said the rally was not against the police force per se but a call for justice for Galidan, an innocent youth who died allegedly due to police brutality.

The youth group Mountain Province Youth Alliance (MPYA) hit the police for saying in their report that Galidan died when he jumped out from the police car and hit the road.

Marceline Pilala, MPYA spokesperson, scored the police story as a move to cover up their atrocities.
She urged authorities to hand down an administrative suspension on the policemen involved so that witnesses can come out to reveal the truth without fear.

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office-Cordillera Director Isagani Nerez said they have secured a witness’ statement that Galidan was maltreated and that the five police officers have been suspended to pave the way for an investigation.

Galidan was buried on Saturday, November 8, in his village in Monamon Sur. #