No.  55  Ferguson  Road,  2600  Baguio  City,  Philippines  
Tel.  No.  (63)  74  422  9754,  Email:  cpa@cpaphils.org,  chra.karapatan@gmail.com  
 
June  8,  2018  
 
Madame  Victoria  Tauli-­‐Corpuz  
Special  Rapporteur  on  the  Rights  of  Indigenous  Peoples  
United  Nations    
 
Dear  Madame:  
 
The  situation  of  indigenous  peoples  in  the  Cordillera  continues  to  mirror  institutional  discrimination  
against  our  peoples.    With  development  aggression  and  militarization  plaguing  the  region  at  a  more  
aggressive  pace  set  by  the  Philippine  government’s  laws  and  policies,  there  is  a  need  for  the  United  
Nations  to  remind  and  compel  the  Philippine  government  to  comply  with  its  obligations  to  all  
human  rights  and  international  humanitarian  law,  treaties  and  conventions  that  it  is  a  signatory  to,  
including  the  UN  Declaration  on  the  Rights  of  Indigenous  Peoples.  
 
It  is  most  relevant  now  to  review  the  following  recommendations  of  former  Special  Rapporteur  
Rodolfo  Stavenhagen  who  conducted  the  last  country  visit  to  the  Philippines  (2003)  and  whose  
recommendations  were  upheld  by  subsequent  other  UN  reports  and  Universal  Periodic  Reviews  on  
the  Philippines.    Fifteen  years  after  the  last  country  visit,  these  are  some  of  the  following  
recommendations  that  should  still  be  reiterated  to  the  Philippine  government:    
 
• That  resolving  land  rights  issues  should  at  all  times  take  priority  over  commercial  
development.  There  needs  to  be  recognition  not  only  in  law  but  also  in  practice  of  the  prior  
right  of  traditional  communities.  The  idea  of  prior  right  being  granted  to  a  mining  or  other  
business  company  rather  than  to  a  community  that  has  held  and  cared  for  the  land  over  
generations  must  be  stopped,  as  it  brings  the  whole  system  of  protection  of  human  rights  
of  indigenous  peoples  into  disrepute.  Bringing  justice  to  indigenous  communities  in  the  
area  of  land  rights  is  the  great  historical  responsibility  of  the  present  Government  of  the  
Philippines;  
 
The  Cordillera  remains  a  resource-­‐base  for  profit  by  big  local  and  multinational  corporations.    Land  
use  and  ownership  continues  to  be  based  on  the  Regalian  Doctrine  and  other  oppressive  land  laws.    
There  are  presently  102  pending  mining  applications  covering  649,230  hectares,  the  largest  of  
which  is  from  the  Cordillera  Exploration  Company,  Inc.  (CEXCI),  a  subsidiary  of  multi-­‐national  
company  Nickel  Asia  which  has  already  plundered  ancestral  lands  in  Palawan  and  Mindanao.  These  
are  in  addition  to  the  existing  mining  operations  of  Lepanto,  Philex  and  Benguet  Corporation.  
Energy  companies  Hedcor,  SN  Aboitiz,  First  Gen,  Chevron,  Pan  Pacific  Renewable  Power  
1
Philippines,  San  Lorenzo,  Asia  Pacific  and  Quadriver  threaten  our  rivers  and  mountains  with  
destructive  hydropower  and  geothermal  projects.  The  Chico  River  Irrigation  Project  is  being  revived  
as  well.    
 
Furthermore,  enshrined  provisions  on  the  recognition  of  ancestral  land  rights  are  threatened  with  
the  proposed  Charter  amendments  aiming  to  remove  the  protectionist  economic  provisions  
enshrined  in  the  1987  Constitution,  including  provisions  on  ancestral  land  (Art.  VII,Sec.  5)  and  
regional  autonomy  (Art.X,  Sec.  15),  which  the  Cordillera  Peoples  Alliance  lobbied  for  in  the  1986  
Constitutional  Commission.    The  proposed  amendments  also  allow  100%  foreign  ownership  of  lands  
and  100%  foreign  owned  corporations  to  exploit  our  natural  resources,  which  are  prohibited  under  
the  current  Constitution.    
 
• That  the  Government  of  the  Philippines  carry  out  a  prompt  and  effective  investigation  of  
the  numerous  human  rights  violations  committed  against  indigenous  peoples,  which  have  
been  documented  by  human  rights  organizations  and  special  fact-­‐finding  missions.    The  
Special  Rapporteur  further  urges  the  Government  to  take  all  necessary  measures  to  
prevent  a  recurrence  of  human  rights  violations;  
 
In  2017,  two  fact-­‐finding  missions  were  held  in  (1)  Ifugao  –  to  gather  data  on  the  forced  evacuation  
of  villagers  from  Nalapunan1  and  (2)  Abra  –  to  document  the  effects  of  the  indiscriminate  airstrikes  
in  Malibcong2.      
 
Of  these,  we  would  like  to  highlight  the  urgent  need  for  further  investigation  on  the  use  of  white  
phosphorus  bombs  by  the  Armed  Forces  of  the  Philippines3  as  an  international  humanitarian  law  
violation.    While  the  Commission  on  Human  Rights  in  the  region  has  issued  an  advisory4  regarding  
the  incident,  it  did  not  define  the  use  of  the  incendiary  weapon  as  a  violation  and  did  not  come  up  
with  a  strong  recommendation  to  cease  the  use  of  it.          
 
• Given  the  severity  of  the  various  alleged  human  rights  abuses  and  the  divisive  effects  on  
indigenous  communities  caused  by  irregular  military  units  or  paramilitary  groups,  the  
Special  Rapporteur  urges  that  CAFGUs  be  withdrawn  from  indigenous  areas  altogether,  
within  the  framework  of  a  national  programme  to  demilitarize  indigenous  peoples’  
territories.    Furthermore,  the  Special  Rapporteur  recommends  that  the  Government  of  the  
Philippines  take  maximum  caution  to  protect  indigenous  peoples’  rights  during  its  military  
operations,  in  accordance  with  international  humanitarian  standards;  

1
Fact  Finding  Mission  Report:    Ifugao  Peace  Mission:    The  Struggle  for  Just  and  Lasting  Peace  and  The  Cost  of  Civil  War  
by  the  Ifugao  Peasant  Movement  and  the  Cordillera  Human  Rights  Alliance  
2
Fact  Finding  Mission  Report:    Abra  Peace  Mission:    We  Want  Genuine  Peace  In  our  Land
3
Using  white  phosphorous  as  an  incendiary  weapon,  i.e.  to  set  fire  to  military  targets,  is  subject  to  further  restrictions.  
The  use  of  such  white  phosphorous  weapons  against  any  military  objective  within  concentrations  of  civilians  is  
prohibited  unless  the  military  objective  is  clearly  separated  from  the  civilians.  The  use  of  air-­‐dropped  incendiary  
weapons  against  military  objectives  within  a  concentration  of  civilians  is  simply  prohibited.  These  prohibitions  are  
contained  in  Protocol  III  of  the  Convention  on  Certain  Conventional  Weapons.    (Phosphorous  Weapons  –  International  
Committee  of  the  Red  Cross  Review)
4
January  26,  2018  CHR  Regional  Advisory  signed  by  OIC  Regional  Director  Atty.  Rommel  Daguimol:    Urging  Parties  to  
An  Armed  Conflict  to  Respect  International  Humanitarian  Law,  Human  Rights  and  Indigenous  Peoples  Rights.
2
  
There  continues  to  be  no  policy  on  demilitarizing  indigenous  peoples’  territories.    On  the  contrary,  
more  troops  have  been  deployed  to  indigenous  territories  where  there  are  mining,  energy  and  
logging  projects  with  the  National  Internal  Security  Plan  Oplan  Kapayapaan.    Two  Divisions  from  the  
Northern  Luzon  Command  –  the  5th  and  7th  Infantry  Divisions  –  now  operate  in  the  Cordillera  region.    
Both  have  gained  notoriety  because  of  their  human  rights  violations.    Active  recruitment  to  
paramilitary  groups  in  the  region  like  the  Civilian  Armed  Forces  Geographical  Units  (CAFGU)  and  
Cordillera  Peoples  Liberation  Army  (CPLA)  are  being  conducted  aggressively  in  the  region,  
especially  with  the  additional  military  budget  provided  by  the  national  government  this  year.        
 

 
 
 
• That  adequate  basic  social  services,  including  housing,  education,  health,  food  and  drinking  
water,  be  made  available  to  all  indigenous  peoples  in  the  country  to  the  maximum  extent  
possible;      
 
Fifteen  years  after  this  recommendation  was  made,  indigenous  peoples  remain  to  be  the  most  
marginalized  in  the  country  in  terms  of  the  lack  of  access  to  all  basic  services,  especially  health,  
food  and  drinking  water.  The  2018  national  budget  has  not  given  weight  to  social  services  like  
health,  education,  housing  and  the  people’s  welfare  but  has  given  close  to  PHP  145  B  for  the  
Department  of  National  Defense.      
 
3
In  the  Cordillera,  there  is  1  doctor  to  at  least  50,000  people5.      This  is  far  below  the  recommended  
standard  by  the  World  Health  Organization,  as  the  minimum  number  needed  to  address  just  the  
Millennium  Development  Goals  (MDG’s)  of  maternal  and  child  health  alone.  
       
• That  maximum  protection  be  afforded  to  human  rights  defenders  in  carrying  out  their  
legitimate  human  rights  work;  
 
Human  rights  defenders  in  the  Cordillera  region  like  the  in  the  rest  of  the  country  are  politically  
persecuted  through  orders,  policies  and  laws  issued  and  implemented  by  the  Philippine  
government  and  its  State  security  forces.  
 
The  violations  have  consistently  been  increasing  especially  after  the  Peace  Talks  between  the  
Government  of  the  Republic  of  the  Philippines  (GRP)  and  the  National  Democratic  Front  of  the  
Philippines  (NDFP)  were  stalled  in  February  2017.    Cordillera  Peoples  Alliance  members  and  leaders,  
indigenous  rights  advocates,  activists,  communities  and  people’s  organizations  asserting  
indigenous  peoples  rights  became  targets  of  illegal  arrests  and  detention,  political  vilification  and  
persecution,  threats,  harassment  and  intimidation,  the  filing  of  trumped-­‐up  charges  and  even  
extrajudicial  killing.    
 
In  the  morning  of  February  9,  Sarah  Abellon-­‐Alikes,  a  Kankanaey-­‐Igorot,  was  illegally  arrested  in  
Baguio  City  by  the  Armed  Forces  of  the  Philippines.  She  was  turned  over  to  the  Philippine  National  
Police  and  was  illegally  detained  for  two  days  without  charges.  On  February  11,  she  was  charged  
with  arson  and  robbery  with  intimidation  alleging  that  she  was  among  the  members  of  the  New  
People’s  Army  that  burned  the  equipments  of  the  Philex  Mining  Company.    She  was  released  after  
posting  bail.    Two  weeks  after,  she  was  charged  again  with  illegal  possession  of  ammunitions,  
which  was  dismissed  at  the  Baguio  City  Prosecutor’s  level.    Sarah  Abellon-­‐Alikes  is  a  pioneer  of  the  
Cordillera  Peoples  Alliance  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Regional  Development  
Center  –  Katinnulong  dagiti  Umili  ti  Amianan  (RDC-­‐Kaduami).    
 
Fifteen  (15)  cases  of  illegal  arrests  and  detention  took  place  since  February-­‐December  2017.    Every  
month  from  July  to  October  2017,  the  7th  Infantry  Division  (ID)  of  the  Armed  Forces  of  the  
Philippines  (AFP)  filed  trumped-­‐up  charges  against  human  rights  defenders  -­‐  all  members  of  
legitimate  peoples’  organizations.    
 
Since   July   2017,   the   81st   IBPA   and   the   71st   DRC   filed   trumped   up   charges   of   attempted   homicide  
against  women  human  rights  defenders  working  in  the  Cordillera  in  the  persons  of  Sarah  Abellon-­‐
Alikes,  Sherry  Mae  Soledad,  Joanne  Villanueva,  Rachel  Mariano  and  Asia  Isabella  Gepte.    
 
All  five  activists  belong  to  legal  and  legitimate  organisations  in  the  Cordillera  people’s  movement.    
They   work   for   the   promotion   and   respect   of   indigenous   peoples.   All   are   advocates   for   peace,  
supporters  of  the  Peace  Talks  between  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of  the  Philippines  and  the  
National  Democratic  Front  of  the  Philippines.    All  are  working  to  support  marginalized  communities.  
Two  of  these  women    have  young  children  while  another  gave  birth  to  her  first  child  when  the  case  
was  filed.    

5
Philippine  Health  Situation  2017,  Center  for  Health  and  Development  Philippines
4
  
Sarah  and  Sherry  Mae  are  both  with  the  Katinnulong  dagiti  Umili  ti  Amianan-­‐Regional  Development  
Center.  Sarah  is  a    pioneer  of  the  Cordillera  Peoples  Alliance  (CPA).  Rachel  is  with  the  Cordillera  
Health,  Education,  Services  and  Training  in  the  Cordillera  (CHESTCORE).  Villanueva  works  with  the  
Cordillera  Women’s  Education,  Action,  Research  Center  (CWEARC)  and  Asia  is  a  convenor  of  
Binnadang,  a  network  of  advocates  supporting  Cordillera  indigenous  peoples’  issues  and  
campaigns,  and  a  staff  of  the  joint  secretariat  of  the  NDFP  nominated  section  to  the  Joint  
Monitoring  Committee  on  Human  Rights  and  International  Humanitarian  Law.    All  of  them  were  
granted  temporary  liberty  last  February  when  they  posted  bail  for  their  cases.  
 
In  October,  the  81st  IBPA  again  filed  trumped-­‐up  cases  of  murder  and  attempted  murder  against  
Rachel  Mariano  and  United  Church  of  Christ  in  the  Philippines  Pastor  Francisco  Bonuan,  Jr.  in  
connection  with  an  alleged  armed  encounter  between  the  81st  IBPA  and  the  New  People’s  Army  
(NPA).    A  review  of  their  case  is  currently  with  the  Department  of  Justice.  
 
The  conduct  of  war  of  the  Philippine  State  security  forces  has  consistently  violated  human  rights  
and  international  humanitarian  laws.    Their  tactics  constantly  involve  attacks  on  civilians.    The  
enactment  of  different  local  human  rights  and  international  humanitarian  laws  has  not  ensured  the  
departure  of  national  internal  security  programs  and  policies  from  Martial  Law  tactics  and  has  not  
ensured  the  utmost  need  for  the  protection  of  civilians.    
 
On  March  2,  2018,  Ricardo  Mayumi,  an  indigenous  and  environmental  activist  from  Ifugao  province  
was  shot  dead  inside  his  house  by  two  unidentified  men  believed  to  be  members  or  agents  of  the  
military.    Mayumi  was  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Ifugao  Peasant  Movement  (IPM),  the  provincial  
chapter  of  the  Cordillera  Peoples  Alliance  in  Ifugao  province  and  led  the  opposition  against  the  
Quadriver  mini-­‐hydro  projects  in  Tinoc,  Ifugao.      
 
In  February  2018,  the  Philippine  government’s  Department  of  Justice  filed  a  civil  case  against  
around  600  individuals  asking  the  court  to  proscribe  them  as  terrorists  under  the  Human  Security  of  
2007.    The  unfounded  terrorist  proscription  list  includes  you  and  the  following  staunch  indigenous  
peoples  rights  defenders:  
 
1. Joanna  Cariño,  an  Ibaloi,  member  of  the  CPA  Advisory  Council  and  Co-­‐Chair  of  the  SANDUGO  
Movement  of  Moro  and  Indigenous  Peoples  for  Self  Determination  
2. Windel  Bolinget,  a  Kankanaey-­‐Bontok,  current  Chairperson  of  the  CPA  and  National  Co-­‐
convenor  of  KATRIBU  national  alliance  of  indigenous  peoples  in  the  Philippines  
3. Jose  Molintas,  an  Ibaloi  human  rights  lawyer,  former  Asia  representative  to  the  UN  Expert  
Mechanism  on  the  Rights  of  Indigenous  Peoples  (EMRIP),  former  CPA  Chair  and  current  
member  of  the  Advisory  Council  member  
4. Joan  Carling,  a  Kankanaey,  former  Secretary  General  of  the  Asia  Indigenous  Peoples  Pact  
(AIPP),  current  Co-­‐Convenor  of  the  Indigenous  Peoples  Major  Group  on  Sustainable  
Development,  former  CPA  Chair  and  current  member  of  the  CPA  Advisory  Council    
5. Beverly  Longid,  a  Kankanaey-­‐Bontok,  current  global  coordinator  of  the  International  
Indigenous  Peoples  Movement  for  Self-­‐Determination  and  Liberation  (IPMSDL),  current  Co-­‐
Chair  of  the  CSO  Partnership  for  Development  Effectiveness  (CPDE),  former  CPA  Chair  and  
current  member  of  the  Advisory  Council  member  
5
 6. Jeanette  Ribaya-­‐Cawiding,  Kankanaey,  former  chairperson  of  CPA-­‐Tongtongan  ti  Umili  and  
current  Regional  Coordinator  of  the  Alliance  of  Concerned  Teachers  –  Cordillera    
7. Sherwin  de  Vera,  Regional  Coordinator  of  DEFEND  Ilocos  and  member  of  the  Save  The  Abra  
River  Movement  (STARM)  
 
These  acts  aim  as  well  to  delegitimize  revolutionary  forces  in  the  civil  war  –  the  Communist  Party  of  
the  Philippines,  New  People’s  Army  and  the  National  Democratic  Front  of  the  Philippines  and  brand  
them  as  terrorists,  and  not  recognize  them  as  belligerent  forces.    
 
With  these,  we  call  on  your  office  to  help  urge  the  Philippine  government  to  pursue  peace  
negotiations  between  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of  the  Philippines  and  the  National  
Democratic  Front  of  the  Philippines  without  conditions  in  order  to  address  the  root  causes  of  the  
long-­‐term  armed  conflict  affecting  indigenous  peoples  in  the  Philippines.    The  Philippine  
government  has  also  to  be  strongly  reminded  to  comply  with  its  international  human  
rights  obligations  and  pursue  its  commitments  under  the  Comprehensive  Agreement  on  
the  Respect  of  Human  Rights  and  International  Humanitarian  Law.  
 
• That  the  Government  of  the  Philippines  request  the  United  Nations  High  Commissioner  for  
Human  Rights  to  establish  an  office  in  the  Philippines  to  provide  technical  cooperation  in  in  
the  field  of  the  promotion  and  protection  of  the  human  rights  of  indigenous  peoples;  
 
With  the  growing  concern  on  the  respect  and  recognition  of  indigenous  peoples  rights  in  the  
Philippines,  this  recommendation  is  necessary  to  provide  additional  mechanisms  for  redress.    
 
Annexed  to  this  submission  are  the  following:  
1. Position  papers  on  Genuine  Regional  Autonomy  in  the  Cordillera  (Annex  A)  
2. A  list  of  Documented  Human  Rights  Violations  in  the  Cordillera  Region  from  February  2017  –  
April  21,  2018  (Annex  B)  
3. Fact  Finding  Mission  Reports  in  Ifugao  (Annex  C)  and  Abra  (Annex  D),  and  the  
4. Commission  on  Human  Rights  Resolution  and  Advisory  on  the  Malibcong,  Abra  bombing  
(Annex  E  and  F).  
 
Thank  you.  
 
Sincerely,  
 
 
 
 
SARAH  BESTANG  DEKDEKEN           AUDREY  BELTRAN        
Secretary  General,  Cordillera  Peoples  Alliance     Vice  Chair,  Cordillera  Human  Rights  
Alliance