NCIP to mining firm: Get people’s nod first

BAGUIO CITY — The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Cordillera stressed to a mining company that it is not the agency that will give consent to its project but the affected indigenous peoples (IP)whose rights over their ancestral land are at stake.

In response to the letter of the Yamang Mineral Corporation which previously acquired an Authority to Verify Minerals (ATVM) from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Cordillera, the NCIP manifested its strong objection to YMC’s letter defying NCIP’s directive for them to cease and desist (CDOrder) from exploring the lands of the Tingguians in Sal-lapadan, Abra.

The NCIP was prompted to issue such directive as the YMC has no Free Prior Informed and Consent from the affected IPs of Sal-lapadan. The NCIP told the company that it has no Certification Pre-Condition from the government agency. The agency stressed that it is a violation to the provisions of Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act.

Sal-lapadan Mayor Fernando Alafriz Semanero in a letter in the first week of November complained that YMC was able to obtain ATVM from the MGB without even a consultation with the affected people.

The mayor stressed that they as IPs of the land should be properly consulted and their consent be secured. He said that the IPs aired their grievances and expressed their objection to the project. This also prompted Abra Congresswoman Ching Bernos to file a House Resolution seeking an investigation on the issue.