“Political coercion and abuse of influence have no lawful place within the Ancestral Domain of the Mandaya tribe in Barangays Macambol and Cabuaya, where the legitimate title holders—comprising five clans—exercise their collective rights.”
This was strongly declared by Datu Vidal Mapinogos Jr., a member of the Indigenous People Political Structure (IPS), who continues to battle the unceasing efforts of “forces with dark intentions” to ease them out from the management and supervision of the royalty funds from Hallmark Mining Corporation (HMC).
The statement of Mapinogos came as Barangay Kagawad Errol Aquino, who concurrently heads the Macambol-Cabuaya Ancestral Domain Management Office (MCADMO), has consistently exhibited a patronage-driven and self-serving style of leadership, advancing personal interests at the expense of the community’s welfare and legal entitlements.
“It is a matter of public record that the IPS has formally and repeatedly demanded accountability for the PHP19 million royalty released in 2024,”Mapinogos said.
Another legitimate IPS member, Datu Simplicio Mendoza Jr., emphasized that the 2024 royalty fund, earmarked for the development of tribal communities within the mining site of HMC, remains unaccounted for.
“To date, Aquino has failed to submit any resolution, official documentation, or pertinent records detailing the lawful appropriations of the said fund,” Mendoza said.
Equally alarming is the fact that, since the IPS initiated its demand for transparency, Aquino—acting in concert with provincial and regional officials of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)—has unlawfully undermined the IPS by forcefully installing her so called “interim officers,” both IPS leaders voiced out.
“This maneuver constitutes a blatant usurpation of authority and a violation of the tribe’s recognized governance structure under the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection framework,” Mapinogos said.
Undue reliance on political endorsement
On March 14, 2026, Barangay Kagawad Errol Aquino, together with regional and provincial officials of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), convened the leaders of the five clans of Macambol and Cabuaya to formally recognize her newly installed “interim IPS and IPO officers.”
During the proceedings, Aquino brazenly declared: “Nganong mahadlok man mo? Ato ang governor. Ato ang mayor. Ato ang NCIP” (“What are we afraid of? The governor is ours. The mayor is ours. The NCIP is ours”).
“We heard this statement of Errol Aquino and we’re deeply alarmed, realizing that she openly invoked the backing of powerful political figures in the city and province,” Mapinogos said.
He stressed that Aquino’s pronouncement constitutes an admission of undue political influence and collusion with government officials to advance her malicious intent.
Echoing this concern, Mendoza remarked: “Now we realize how determined Aquino is, with the political backing of provincial and city leadership and the NCIP, to unlawfully ease out the legitimate IPS and install her favored interim officers.”
Both IPS leaders further noted Aquino’s abuse of authority and coercive tactics when, on July 22, 2026, she orchestrated the blocking of public roads leading to the Barangay Hall of Macambol to prevent legitimate clan members and residents from attending her staged presentation and recognition of the interim officers.
“They stopped everyone—even the school bus transporting students and an ambulance carrying a patient. These were unlawfully obstructed by Aquino’s group,” Mapinogos said, describing the act as a gross violation of public safety, obstruction of essential services, and a clear abuse of police power without lawful authority.
Despite these maneuvers, Aquino failed to secure legitimacy for her interim officers. More than a thousand residents categorically rejected her scheme and drove out the purported officers from the venue, reaffirming the community’s collective stand against coercion and illegitimate governance.
Interim recognition violates NCIP memo
Mapinogos stressed that the purported recognition made by Aquino for her favored interim officers constitutes a direct violation of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 03, series of 2026, issued by NCIP Chairperson Nancy A. Catamco on May 20, 2026.
In a press conference convened by Aquino and NCIP officials after her failed attempt to install interim officers on July 22, Aquino claimed that the interim IPS she had appointed was “recognized” by the NCIP.
“We are left to wonder where she derived such authority to install IPS officers. Or does she continue to rely solely on the political backing of provincial and city leaders to unlawfully impose her own IPS?” said Mendoza.
