JONG CADION
Senior reporter
SIOCON, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE—Jesus “Boy” Anoy, a Subanen Timuay, shed his tears after receiving the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) from National Commission on Indigenous People (NCPI) OIC administrator Hector Sumiton.
Anoy is one of the descendants of Apu Manglang, a Subanen clan named Apu Manglang Glupa’ Pusaka (AMGP) of the so-called greater Subanon territory that is the “Pito Kodolongan” or Seven Rivers.
The CADT he has in his hands covers 8,213 hectares of land, including Mt. Canatuan in Siocon—the much touted area asserted by Anoy as theirs, against the clutches of TVI Resource Development Inc.
TVI is the Canadian mining company which operates open pit mine concession within Anoy’s ancestral domain “without consent.”
Anoy earlier led a harvest ritual or thanksgiving ritual at Sitio Paduan, Brgy. Candiz, Siocon marking their piece of good fortune.
The ritual was attended by different NGO’s and religious groups, like the Save Siocon Paradise Movement (SSPM), DIOPIM Committee on Mining issues (DCMI), Mining Watch Canada (MWC) media personalities from Ozamiz and Pagadian cities.
To recall, during the 71st Session of the Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) held in February to early March, seven organizations submitted their documentation regarding the discrimination committed against the Subanons of Mt Canatuan, Siocon, ZamboNorte in the context of large-scale gold mining concession on their ancestral domain.
The documenters are the indigineous peoples (IP) identified as “Tupo Nog Pito Kobogolalan Pogokbit Nog Gulal Sog Pito Kodolongan” (Gukom of the Seven Traditional Councils of the Seven Rivers), Pigsalabukan Bangsa Subanon (PBS) or Confederacy of the Subanon People, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center /Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth Philippines, Tebtebba Foundation Indigenous Peoples’ International Centre for Policy Research and Education; Indigenous Peoples Links and the Irish Centre for Human Rights.
Anoy, who likewise attended the UN CERD’s 71st Session, was recognized a Subanon leader representing the Subanon of Mount Canatuan, as accepted by the Philippine government.
Evidence to this is President Gloria Arroyo’s handing out of a CADT, on behalf of his community, last June 12, 2003 at Southcom, Zamboanga City.
It can be recalled that immediately following the enactment of IPRA in 1997, Anoy applied to have their CADC converted into a CADT.
However, despite repeated efforts by Anoy to have their title registered to the NCIP, the document was given a run around until after five years, now.
For whatever reasons, it’s obvious, maybe because Anoy remains opposed to the mining operations in Mt. Canatuan.