No indigenous tribe/ancestral domain in Mandaue City - I

With flirty eye-catching ostentatious wear, but almost bare get-up – more revealing than decently concealing – the so-called Alimaong “tribe” of measly 10, imposed anew their presence at the session of the Mandaue City Sangguniang Panlungsod last January 5, 2011.

Councilor Diosdado P. Suico, majority leader of the SP, had to rise on a question of privilege (obviously both personal and collective) since the SP as a body “would not take cognizance of the issue in any manner”. Besides, “Red Badge” Daddie – mutual pet names since way back – had got peeved because the “proponents are harping on the airlanes and making false accusations…that I did not recognize or acknowledge their representatives as an indigenous political structure”.

He stressed that the self-proclaimed representations of “Alimaong tribe” in Mandaue city turned out a brazen lie, as he also read into the SP records the letter he personally received from Robert N. Palma claiming as “Datu Dimantag”, that Vicente Gonzales (alias Datu Bentito Leon Kilat) is not accredited by their National Council on Indigenous Peoples and not authorized to represent their group, the Supreme Council of Datus-Alimaong, and calling Vicente Gonzales and his ilk as “misguided and unaccredited groups”.

There are two basic terms to be defined and finely delineated, to clear the air of misrepresentations, of sweeping fallacies, and/or crass conclusions, viz: “indigenous” and “tribe”.

“Indigenous” has a standard dictionary meaning of being born, or growing naturally in a region or country as a “native” of the place. The keyword “native” refers strictly to “inborn”, or belonging to a country or locality by birth, as an original inhabitant, as differentiated from a “visitor”, not the “orig” by birth.

The term “tribe” or “tribal” refers to a cultural minority group of persons or clan descended from a common ancestor and living under a leader or chief, with common customs, occupation, culture, or interest, living the same lifestyle in a specific locality, or ancestral home or domain.

Given these meanings and connotations, and bare of assumptions and guesswork, or folktales, or legends, was there any indigenous tribe anywhere in old Mandawe at anytime? The answer is a big “No”! Even the few families of Aetas – small physical build, dark in complexion, and kinky hair – supposedly from Antique just before World War II in their perilous makeshifts under the old bridge of Butuanon River, didn’t qualify as an indigenous tribe of Mandawe then and Mandaue now. Their number could hardly pass off as a “tribe”. Moreover, few “homes” under the Butuanon Bridge is neither a specific locality or sitio, nor made these Antique native Aetas as Mandaue indigenous tribe.

Even the present fast-growing Muslims relocating themselves from Mindanao, or Basilan and Sulu, and now occupying Mantuyong, Mandaue City, whether as temporary or permanent residents of Mantuyong, do not make them indigenous or native Mandauehanons. They are indigenous Muslims of their places of origin. It doesn’t matter that their exodus is with permanent intent; they’re only migrants.

Under the unique criteria of being native-born, a common specific locality, or a common culture, character, occupation, language or speech, or similar lifestyle, customs and traditions, etc. the “originals” as indigenous tribes or clans of their places of origin should continue to be so. Perhaps, their succeeding family or tribal generations might qualify later.

How then could the so-called “Alimaong Tribe” of Mandaue qualify under the law (RA 8371) or the Indigenous People’s Rights Act, if they are not native Mandauehanons, and not innately indigenous? It’s even doubtful if their measly number – 10 in all? – and individually scattered in different communities constitute as ancestral domain. In short, let them prove their claims with facts, not by too general claim fraught with mere presumptions.

Assuming arguendo that Robert Palma’s allegation that there’s the Supreme Council of Datu-Alimaong in Mindanao, like, Cagayan de Oro City, does it follow that they can branch out in Mandaue City where the facts inre indigenous tribe are non-existent? If otherwise, how could Vicente Gonzales, and his minority clique justify their short-cut inclusion in the official political structure of Mandaue City when they have no accreditations from their parent group?

(To be continued)

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