MATI CITY, Davao Oriental — Indigenous peoples (IP) leaders in Barangay Macambol are actively pressing for greater transparency and financial accountability regarding the disbursement of mining royalty fees, stressing that community benefits must be clearly documented and equitably shared among local IP communities, including neighboring Barangay Cabuaya.
In an interview on Wednesday, recognized tribal leaders Datu Vidal Mapinogos Jr., 56, and Datu Simplicio Mendoza Jr., 67, who both serve as members of the Indigenous Peoples Political Structure (IPS), firmly asserted their authority in demanding a full accounting for the PHP24 million royalty released in 2024 by Hallmark Mining Corp. (HMC). The royalty funds, which are legally earmarked for grassroots tribal development, were previously downloaded directly to the Macambol-Cabuaya Ancestral Domain Management Office (MCADMO).
Mapinogos revealed that during a general assembly held in May 2024, MCADMO officers reported that only PHP1.4 million remained of the substantial royalty fund, a massive discrepancy that immediately prompted IPS members to demand a comprehensive and proper liquidation.
“The IPS is the highest governing body in matters concerning the Community Resources Management Development Program,” Mapinogos explained, noting that the utilization of any royalty must strictly align with the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan under the established guidelines of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
Supporting the call for strict fiscal oversight, Mendoza added that 10 out of the 12 IPS members have already formally demanded a detailed accounting from the Indigenous Peoples Organization (IPO), citing a complete absence of official resolutions or documentation verifying the projects allegedly funded by the royalty.
While HMC is set to release an additional PHP32 million in royalties this year, Mapinogos emphasized that the pending release must remain on hold until a proper and transparent liquidation of the previous fund is made available to the community.
Tensions surrounding the financial dispute boiled over on July 22 when IPS members clashed with MCADMO officers and regional officials from NCIP-11 during a meeting convened to present interim officers intended to replace the existing IPS leadership. Hundreds of IPs vehemently rejected the leadership transition and stood their ground to demand absolute transparency in royalty management.
Following the heated confrontation, NCIP-Davao Oriental chief Julius Mabini confirmed that his office will prepare an official incident report on the matter. “We initiated to gather the IPs with the intention to solve their issues. We were just shocked that we were pushed away,” he said.| (PNA)
