Leaders of the five Mandaya clans in Barangays Macambol and Cabuaya, Mati City, are calling for full accountability over the P19-million mining royalty released in 2024.
The royalty, sourced from the earnings of Hallmark Mining Corporation (HMC), is legally intended to support the development of indigenous communities within the mining area.
Recognized tribal leaders Datu Vidal Mapinogos Jr., 56, and Datu Simplicio Mendoza Jr., 67, who are members of the Indigenous People Political Structure (IPS) in Macambol, said the IPS has the authority to oversee matters involving the Community Resources Management Development Program (CRMDP).
“The IPS is the highest governing body in matters concerning the Community Resources Management Development Program,” Mapinogos said, explaining that projects funded under the CRMDP are guided by the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection (ADSDP) Plan.
He added that the ADSDP serves as the legal framework governing the use of royalty funds, following guidelines issued by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
According to Mapinogos, implementation of programs under the CRMDP is the responsibility of the Indigenous Peoples Organization (IPO) through the Macambol-Cabuaya Ancestral Domain Management Office (MCADMO), headed by Barangay Kagawad Errol Aquino.
Mendoza said 10 of the 12 IPS members have formally sought an accounting of how the P19-million royalty was spent by the IPO under Aquino’s leadership.
“No resolutions or official documents have been presented showing the projects funded by the P19-million royalty,” Mendoza said.
The tribal leaders also questioned the role of NCIP Regional Director Geroncio Aguio in the release and oversight of the 2024 royalty funds.
“We have already raised the issue of accountability before the NCIP, but it remains unresolved,” Mendoza added.
Mapinogos also criticized an assembly organized by the NCIP Regional Office and Aquino on Wednesday, July 22, claiming it was intended to undermine the legitimate IPS leadership.
He alleged that Aquino attempted to introduce an “interim leadership” during the gathering to replace the IPS and pave the way for the release of the P32-million royalty for 2025.
More than 1,000 residents attended the assembly and rejected the proposed interim leadership, according to Mapinogos.
He further claimed that Aguio and Aquino worked together to portray the IPS as a non-functioning body in order to justify its replacement.
“The allegation is baseless. The NCIP Regional Office issued a memorandum declaring us a non-functioning IPS, which is simply not true,” Mapinogos said.
He maintained that the move to discredit the IPS and install an interim leadership was intended to facilitate the release and possible misuse of the P32-million royalty.
Mendoza said the people of Macambol and Cabuaya have consistently maintained that accountability should come first before any additional royalty funds are released.
“This money belongs to the tribe as a whole, not to any individual or unauthorized group. The people have every right to know how the P19-million royalty released in 2024 was allocated and spent,” he said.
Residents also echoed the call for transparency during Wednesday’s assembly, reaffirming the community’s position.
“The people understand that this so-called interim leadership is merely a way to hasten the release of the P32-million royalty. That is why it was immediately rejected during the assembly,” Mendoza said
