National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Commissioner Purisimo Tiam has called for dialogue among government agencies, affected Indigenous communities, and Northern Luzon Minerals Corporation to address the ongoing barricade against mining exploration activities in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.
For weeks, residents and anti-mining advocates have maintained a barricade along a road in Barangay Pao to prevent the entry of equipment belonging to Northern Luzon Minerals Corporation, which is conducting exploration activities in several Kasibu barangays after securing an exploration permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB).
Tiam, according to the Philippine Information Agency, said the discussions should involve the NCIP, DENR-MGB, Philippine National Police, affected Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) and Indigenous Peoples (IPs), and the mining company.
He said the dispute should first be clarified through official records and the appropriate legal processes.
Among the matters that need to be established are the exact areas covered by the proposed exploration, whether ancestral domains are affected, which Indigenous groups may be impacted, whether consultations and the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process have been conducted, and what permits and certifications have been issued.
“These questions should be answered transparently and on the basis of official records. Let the law prevail, let due process roll and let the voices of the affected communities be heard without fear. I do not believe that this issue should be resolved through confrontation,” Tiam said.
Tiam also said the legal rights and permits of other parties should be examined objectively and in accordance with existing laws, while stressing that such a review should not diminish protections granted to Indigenous communities under the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA).
He said NCIP officials should serve as “bridge-builders” by bringing the concerned parties to the negotiating table, verifying the facts, and ensuring that rights guaranteed by law are protected.
Tiam added that it would be irresponsible to prejudge the outcome while the facts and legal processes surrounding the dispute have yet to be fully established.
“NCIP must remain faithful to its mandate—to recognize, protect, and promote the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples,” he said.
Tiam stressed that no mining or development project should proceed at the expense of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.
“Mining and economic development should never require us to disregard Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and at the same time, disagreements should be resolved peacefully and through lawful processes. Our responsibility is to uphold the law and, above all, to ensure that the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples are fully respected,” he said.
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How should government agencies, mining companies, and Indigenous communities balance mineral development with the protection of ancestral and Indigenous rights?
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