Pagdinig ni Robin, Unang Hakbang sa Paglutas ng Problema ng Aeta sa Gitnang Luzon

Nagkaroon ng unang hakbang ang Senado sa paglutas sa problema ng mga katutubo sa Clark Sub-Zone sa Gitnang Luzon, sa pamamagitan ng unang pagdinig sa Senado nitong Huwebes.

Pinamunuan ni Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla ang pagdinig ng Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs ang pagdinig para tugunan ang hinaing ng mga Aeta tungkol sa kasunduan na nilagdaan noong 2007.

"Ang Senado, lalo na ang ating Senate President Migz Zubiri, ang kabilin-bilinan niya na ayusin itong problema ng ating mga katutubo," ani Padilla matapos marinig ang panig ng mga kinatawan ng mga katutubo, Clark Development Corporation, at National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

Nag-ugat ang pagdinig sa Senate Resolution 149 ni Padilla na imbestigahan ang Joint Management Agreement ng CDC, NCIP at Tribong Ayta noong DIsyembre 6, 2007. Ayon sa resolusyon, hinaing ng Tribong Ayta na hindi pa nila natatanggap ang 20% na bahagi nila sa net income sa paggamit ng ancestral domain sa Sitio Haduan, Mabalacat, Pampanga.

Sa pagdinig, naglabas ng sama ng loob ang mga katutubo kasama si Ruvielane Margarito at Oscar Rivera, na nilalabag ang kanilang karapatan para mamuhay nang maayos sa sariling lupain. Humingi rin sila ng accounting ng naipon na pondo.

Ayon naman kay Rhodex Valenciano, ang Commissioner ng NCIP para sa Region III, maaaring amyendahan ang Joint Management Agreement ng CDC at mga katutubo. Dagdag ni Valenciano, maaaring mag-draft sila ng special provision sa batas na charter ng Bases Conversion Development Authority.

Iginiit naman ni Commission on Audit supervising auditor Rachelle Policarpio na sana tiyakin na hindi mapapapirma sa kasunduan ang mga katutubo na hindi nila naintindihan o walang sapat na paliwanag sa kanila.

Tugon ni CDC vice president for legal affairs and general counsel Josep Jefri Miranda, maaaring ipasok ang mga isyu na ito sa susunod na meeting ng Joint Development Council para maresolbahan.

Nais din malaman ni Padilla ang puno't dulo ng trust fund para sa mga katutubo. "Susulatan namin ang COA kung magkano talaga," aniya.

Inaasahan niya na sa susunod na pagdinig, matutugunan na ang mga isyu na tinalakay. "Huwag natin palampasin ang pagkakataong ito ang Senado sa 19th Congress sa pamamahala ni Senate President Migz Zubiri," aniya.

Robin-led Hearing Takes First Step to Addressing Central Luzon Aetas' Fund Row

The Senate took the first step toward addressing the row preventing Aetas in the Clark Sub-Zone in Central Luzon from availing of some P19 million in funds, with a hearing on the matter Thursday afternoon.

Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla led the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs in the hearing to address the problem that stemmed from an agreement signed in 2007.

"Ang Senado, lalo na ang ating Senate President Migz Zubiri, ang kabilin-bilinan niya na ayusin itong problema ng ating mga katutubo (The Senate will work on this, especially since Senate President Migz Zubiri has instructed us to address the problem)," said Padilla after hearing the sides of the Aetas, Clark Development Corporation, and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

The hearing stemmed from Padilla's Senate Resolution 149, which seeks to look into the Joint Management Agreement of the CDC, NCIP and Tribong Ayta on Dec. 6, 2007. The resolution noted that the Tribong Ayta claimed it has yet to receive a 20% share of the net income from the use of their ancestral domain in Sitio Haduan, Mabalacat, Pampanga.

During the hearing, representatives of the Aetas including Ruvielane Margarito and Oscar Rivera said their rights to a prosperous life were violated in their own land. They also sought an accounting of the funds due them.

Rhodex Valenciano, NCIP Commissioner for Region III, said the JMA can be amended while his office can draft a special provision to the charter of the Bases Conversion Development Authority.

For her part, Commission on Audit supervising auditor Rachelle Policarpio said steps should be taken to ensure the indigenous peoples understand the agreements they sign.

Meanwhile, CDC vice president for legal affairs and general counsel Josep Jefri Miranda said these issues can be tackled and resolved in the next meeting of the Joint Development Council.

On the other hand, Padilla said he wants to get to the bottom of the trust fund for the IPs. "Susulatan namin ang COA kung magkano talaga (We'll write the COA to determine how much is in the fund)," he said.

Padilla also said he expects the issues to be resolved in time for the next hearing. "Huwag natin palampasin ang pagkakataong ito ang 19th Congress sa pamamahala ni Senate President Migz Zubiri (Let's not waste this opportunity in the Senate in the 19th Congress under Senate President Zubiri)," he said.