"The results indicate that the rate of endemism is high for the Mt. Hilong–Hilong IBA making it an important conservation priority considering that seven species of mammals, five species of birds, one specie of herpetofauna, and 18 species of plants are included in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) list of globally threatened species," Haribon Foundation and MSU–IIT said in their report.

Engr. Roel Caseñas, Project Coordinator of an environmental group Green Mindanao Association, Inc. and a resident of Cortes town, said that a number of rare and threatened species can be found within Mt. Hilong–Hilong. Caseñas said that the kalaw or hornbill, classified by IUCN as near threatened specie, can be seen flying freely and heard – this bird serves as the clock of the indigenous people – within this mountain range. Rare species such as the flying lemurs and tarsiers freely roam around the mountain range, Caseñas added.

During a visit to Mt. Hilong–Hilong early this year, Inside Mindanao witnessed Mt. Hilong–Hilong's bounty. The creeks at this mountain range are crystal clear. No wonder edible frogs, fresh water eels and shrimps abound.

Location: Inside the KATRIMMA ancestral domain and Mt. Hilong–Hilong
Photo by Ellen Red

On the same day, in a document dated February 10, 2010, Calvin Tan David, Managing Director of VTC, and Eleazer Quinto, then Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, signed the Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA). The agreement states that VTC shall be responsible in managing 7,363 hectares of public forest lands located in the municipalities of Jabonga, Madrid, Lanuza and Cortes. The IFMA agreement, to remain in effect for 25 years, states that the agreement "shall be for the establishment and management of plantation of timber and⁄or non–wood forest products and protection and management of natural forest therein on a sustainable basis .... "

In a document dated February 12, 2010, Felecito Masagnay, NCIP Officer–in–Charge and Commissioner of Southern and Eastern Mindanao, issued a certification that Ventura Timber Corporation "satisfactorily complied with the procedures and process requirements for the issuance of Certification Precondition and the Free and Prior Informed Consent" for the company's IFMA project not just in the KATRIMMA ancestral domain in Cortes and Lanuza, but also outside KATRIMMA's area such as in barangays Bangonay, Cuyago, Maraiging, Libas, all located in Jabonga town and Zapanta Valley in Kitcharao town. Jabonga and Kitcharao are already part of the province of Agusan del Norte.

In a document dated September 3, 2010, Ester Olavides, Environmental and Management Bureau Region 13 OIC Regional Director, approved the Envrironmental Compliance Certificate for the IFMA operations plan of VTC in the towns of Cortes and Lanuza.

Clamor from the Community
Some leaders and members of KATRIMMA have questioned the validity of the KATRIMMA–VTC MOA on the ground that the indigenous people signed the document under threat, force and intimidation.

Carmelito Montenegro, chairman of KATRIMMA and one of the signatories of the MOA, in a signed affidavit said that "tungod sa kahadlok nga adunay dautang mahitabo kanamo mao nga napugos ako sa pag-perma sa maong dokumento (because of fear that something bad would happen to us, I was forced to sign the said document)."

For her part, Anecita Gonzales, chairperson of the women's group of KATRIMMA and the only one who was present during the meeting who did not sign the MOA, in a signed affidavit to the Commission on Human Rights, said that "natingala ko nga ang mga tawo ni Calvin Tan David ... namugos pagpapirma sa maong dokumento nga wala nako masabti (I was surprised when the companions of Calvin Tan David ... forced people to sign the document that I did not even understand)."

"Nga akong giignan sila nga dili ko mopirma ug diha–diha nangasuko sila samtang gigukod ko nila sa gawas ug pugson ko sa pagpirma (When I told them that I will not sign, there and then they got angry and followed me outside to force me to sign)," Gonzales added.

Meanwhile, Eleuterio Capua, Jr., chairman of Katiguman Ka Mamanwa Manobo sa Kitcharao Jabonga (KAMAMAKIJA), an organization of two indigenous peoples, the Mamanwa and Manobo, in the towns of Kitcharao and Jabonga, in an interview with Inside Mindanao said they only came to know about the IFMA of VTC two weeks ago and that they were not consulted and they did not give their free prior and informed consent. He added an upcoming gathering of the Mamamwa–Manobo tribe will be held to discuss how to penalize in their traditional way those responsible for the approval of the IFMA of VTC.

For his part, Engr. Caseñas said that Green Mindanao is calling for the cancellation of the IFMA of VTC for the simple reasons that the company violated the rights of the indigenous peoples and even the rights of the local government units such that of Cortes – by not even informing the local government that logging is going on. Caseñas added that the actions of the VTC are contrary to the intent and purposes of IFMA. He added that with IFMA, one has to plant trees and then cut it. What is happening now, he said, is that VTC is cutting trees that are grown by nature. Caseñas said: "Logging is very destructive. It is one of the factors that will eradicate the rich biodiversity of a mountain."

Government Actions
During a dialogue attended by government officials, indigenous peoples, representatives of non–government organizations and media practitioners held last October 12, representatives from VTC did not issue a statement.

Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny Pimentel, during the dialogue, said he does not side with the logging company. However, the governor said that all parties must respect the legal processes as the logging company allegedly followed the legal processes.

During the dialogue as well, Charlyn Gumanoy Binghoy, head of the NCIP Surigao del Sur Office, said that based on the investigation conducted by her office, there have been evidences proving that some NCIP employees violated the agency's standard operating procedures. Binghoy added that they found evidences that VTC offered money to KATRIMMA and that some leaders of KATRIMMA, in return, accepted money from VTC. For short–cutting the NCIP procedures, for offering money and accepting money, Binghoy recommended that proper administrative cases should be filed to the individuals concerned.

Other government agencies such as the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Department of Interior Local Government (DILG) have also inquired into the logging operation of VTC into the ancestral domain of KATRIMMA. CHR field investigators have already interviewed the many parties to this case and DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo issued a memorandum to DILG 10 Regional Director Loreto Bhagwani to investigate into the alleged conflict between KATRIMMA and VTC.

In a letter to DILG Sec. Robredo, Cortes Mayor Pedro Trinidad, Jr. asked the DILG Office "for the immediate suspension of the logging operation of Ventura Timber Corporation at the municipality of Cortes, Surigao del Sur."

Mayor Trinidad added: "The Integrated Forestry Management Agreement or IFMA was approved without the Free Prior Informed Consent from the affected communities in the area including various stakeholders. This is an insult to the Local Government Units which were never consulted prior to the issuance⁄approval of the Integrated Forestry Management Agreeement. We in the Local Government believed that prior to the operation, the Company had to plant trees but this was not done. The approval/issuance of the agreement, was done through manipulation, deceit and bribery which are strong grounds for the non-approval of the agreement by NCIP and DENR."

End