HIGAONON TRIBE

ST. PETER, MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON

September 14, 2020

SEN. CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE “BONG” TESORO GO

Senator, Philippines
Senate Office: Rm. 507 & 14 (New Wing 5/F)
GSIS Bldg., Financial Center, Diokno Blvd., Pasay City

Dear Sen. Go,

We, the Higaonon Tribe identified as “people of living mountains” and “people of the
wilderness” are one of the lumads (indigenous peoples) in the mountainous areas of Northern
Mindanao in the Southern Philippines, who have defied assimilation or acculturation with our
traditional structures, customs , values, and beliefs. Currently, there are approximately 5, 000
tribe members situated in St. Peter, Malaybalay Bukidnon.

We the Higaonon Tribe have retained up to this day our value of conflict resolution, locally
called paghusay (meaning “to settle”). In line with that, we are writing to report the unjust
treatment and violence that we are currently experiencing done by the DENR (Department of
Environmental and Natural Resources), CENRO and ENRO personnels of Barangay St.
Peter, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. We were treated unjustly, for building a house situated in
our owned ancestral domain because they want to take ownership of our very own land. The
leader of IPMR - Indigenous People Mandatory Representatives, which we believed could
help us by the name CRISTOTO P. LAILAY JR., rather won't allow us to build a house.
They just arrived with companions and brought high powered guns to stop our tribe from
living in our rightful places. To add, former members of the NPA surrendered because they
trust your good governance and leadership. However, IPMR is forcing these individuals to
join back the group.

The horrible problem that we are currently experiencing dear Senator is just a “tip of the
iceberg”. As narrated by the Chairman of CDA, USEC. Orlando Ravanera when he touched
base with the Indigenous People (IP) in Mindanao, there were outpourings of reports about
how the rights of the IPs being violated that includes their right to ancestral domain, water
rights and others as embodied in the IPRA Law. In line with this ongoing conflict, Bae Lea
(Lady datu) of San Fernando Bukdinon dared to stop the taking away of their water right, she
was murdered.
In the same breadth that the water right of Datu Benjamin Anoos in Mirayon, Talakag,
Bukidnon was tampered upon without even informing them when in 2006 the ancestral
domain’s watershed was transformed into a water system that is providing some 300 gallons
of water every hour to the thousands of residents in Talakag. In Musuan, Bukidnon, the IPs in
Sinilayan reported how their ancestral domain became a part of the Central State University
in utter disregard to their ancestral domain right. The water-system that provides them water
has been closed including a bridge above a creek - their passage-way from their barangay.

As the representative of the Higaonon Tribe, we are asking for your help to allow us to live in
peace with our own family in our own land. Our soil is not just our material property but it
has already become our life and part of our legacy from our ancestors.

Attached herewith are the reports and claims of the injustices experienced by the Higaonon
Tribe. Hoping for your immediate action by the above-mentioned request.

Respectfully yours,

DANTE O. LIPANDA/DATU MAN ESTAMBAY

Vice Chairman, Higaonon Tribe
Malaybalay City, Bukidnon Philippines

Noted By:

USEC. ORLANDO R. RAVANERA, CEO, VI, CSEE

Chairman, Cooperative Development Authority
Quezon City, Philippines