FILE PHOTO: The government assures the public that it will do its best to protect and preserve the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal province as it firms up plans to develop idle properties within the area. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NI脩O JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Masungi Georeserve Foundation, the private contractor tasked to care for the protected area in Rizal province, has disputed claims that it has placed fences in areas where indigenous people (IP) are residing.
In addition, the foundation鈥檚 management on Friday claimed that one of the supposed tribe member-complainants assisted by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) used to work for a recently closed quarry in Masungi and the Upper Marikina Watershed.
鈥淭he Masungi Georeserve Foundation is not aware of any fencing activity being made by our team inside the Tanay CADT (Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title),鈥� Masungi Georeserve Foundation said in an e-mail message to 好色先生TV.
鈥淩ogelio Doroteo who is being quoted by this article is known to be an employee of the recently canceled quarries in Masungi and the Upper Marikina Watershed who claim to retain vested interests in the area,鈥� the foundation added.
Masungi鈥檚 management was reacting to a story published where NCIP sought the help of the Public Attorney鈥檚 Office (PAO) in Calabarzon to help members of the Dumagat-Remontado tribe complaining about the fences allegedly built over their supposed ancestral land in Tanay, Rizal.
NCIP sought the PAO鈥檚 help based on the advice of PAO chief Persida Acosta.
Doroteo was one of the supposed Dumagat-Remontado tribe members quoted in the story.听 According to him, they have tried to adjust to what the Masungi鈥檚 management has been doing in the area, but lately, the activities have already obstructed their livelihood.
Doroteo claimed that things got heated when a supposed Masungi personnel reprimanded him for staying in the area and bringing his livestock there 鈥� as he insisted that the land is theirs.
READ: IPs from Tanay, Rizal seek PAO help over Masungi fencing issue听
But the foundation insists that Doroteo does not go home to the place he claims, noting that the area he goes to is a quarry station.
鈥淚n fact, he does not go home to this place he claims to be his and resides elsewhere. Instead, 听the area has security guard/s and is known to us as a station of the quarry,鈥� the foundation claimed.
In a Facebook post on Friday, NCIP鈥檚 regional office in Calabarzon said that they have already sought PAO鈥檚 assistance regarding the indigenous people (IP) complaints from Tanay鈥檚 Barangay Cuyambay.
Masungi Georeserve Foundation Inc. is the private contractor assigned to take care of the 400-hectare georeserve in Rizal, which is considered a protected area.听 Last September, the foundation called on to the government to protect forest rangers who are in danger due to harassment from several land claimants.
This was after a group seeking to occupy Masungi was found armed with several firearms, which local police soon seized.
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