Indigenous groups in Bugsuk, Palawan, accused armed forces allegedly linked to San Miguel Corporation (SMC) of human rights violations in an ongoing land dispute, according to a statement released by the Philippine Misereor Partnership Incorporated (PMPI) on Wednesday.
PMPI, a network of development and advocacy organizations, expressed alarm over what it described as a pattern of violence and intimidation targeting the Indigenous Molbog and Palaw’an communities.
The group said these acts are related to a land-grabbing case involving 10,821 hectares of ancestral land in Barangay Bugsuk and Pandanan.
On 9-10 September, seven representatives from the Molbog and Palaw’an communities, accompanied by members of the National Federation of Peasant Organizations (PAKISAMA), submitted sworn testimonies to the Commission on Human Rights.
According to PMPI, the testimonies detail multiple incidents of harassment, including threats at gunpoint, since June this year.
“Since 29 June 2024, community members have reported alarming incidents, including threats at gunpoint to force them out of their ancestral lands,” PMPI said in its statement.
The group added that there has also been intrusive surveillance and intimidation, which have disrupted the daily lives and livelihoods of the communities.
The alleged violations reportedly stem from efforts to remove Indigenous families from land claimed by SMC. PMPI added that the inaction of local authorities, including the police, has only deepened the communities’ sense of insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with the Molbog and Palaw’an communities,” PMPI said, calling for the immediate removal of security forces from the disputed areas.
The group also voiced its support for the Indigenous communities’ petition to reinstate the land to the agrarian reform program, from which it was removed by the Department of Agrarian Reform.
The Molbog and Palaw’an communities are pushing for government intervention to resolve the issue and secure their rights to the land, which they claim has been unjustly taken from them.
PMPI also appealed to civil society and human rights advocates to take action, emphasizing the need to uphold the rights of the Indigenous peoples in the face of what it called a “grave” situation.
“The right to land, safety, and a dignified life is fundamental, and we must ensure that these rights are upheld for all,” PMPI stressed.
SMC has not yet responded to the allegations. Local government officials and police have also not issued any public statements on the matter.
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