Aeta council approves quarry operations at Sacobia River

MABALACAT CITY -- The Sangguniang Tribung Aetang (STA) Ng CADT (Certificate of Ancestral Domain) 025 has approved a resolution giving temporary authority to all licensed quarry operators along the Sacobia River.

The Aeta tribal council passed the resolution last July 18 after Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president and chief executive officer Vivencio Dizon, who was then officer-in-charge of Clark Development Corporation (CDC) issued a memorandum temporarily stopping the desilting operations at the river.

STA Resolution Number 12 Series of 2017 is “A Resolution Giving Temporary Authority to Sell Quarry Materials To All Legal Permitees As Licensed By The Provincial Government of Pampanga.”

The resolution was signed by Oscar Dizon, president; Robert Serrano, vice president; Marcelo Sumilang, treasurer, Michael Lundang, auditor, Roy Tanglao, business manager, Tarsis Pamintuan, media relation, and Virgilio Sanchez, Bamban Aeta Tribal Association head.

The tribal council members stated that Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous People Rights Act (IPRA Law) and the Philippine Constitution of 1997 provided the ownership of CADT 025 to the Tribung Aeta as represented by the STA through the accreditation of the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) letter dated March 9, 2017.

The STA also claimed that “CDC has no jurisdiction in the operation of a private property of the Tribung Aeta CADT 025.

In his memorandum dated July 18, 2017, Dizon also directed the CDC Assets Management Division to refrain from issuing loading permits to all permittees of the CDC River Management Project.

“While issues related to the CDC desilting operations at the Sacobia River as still being resolved, CDC management has decited to temporarily suspect all desilting activities in the area,” Dizon stated.

But the Aeta council stated in its resolution that the Sacobia River should be desilted in order to avoid flooding in the area of Clark Freeport and CADT 025.

The STA resolution allowed the desilting of said area with the following royalty payments to the Sangguniang Tribung Aeta – P200, Mabalacat Aeta Tribal Association– P100, Aeta Council of Elders – P100, Bamban Aeta Tribal Association – 100, and Task Force CADT 025 for the Management/Security – P50.