WE NEED HELP: OUR CENTURIES-OLD CEMETERY DESECRATED AND THREATENED BY LAFARGE QUARRY IN ILIGAN
By: Sabra Sarip Serad
June 30 at 5:30pm
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| Sultan Macasalong Sarip pointing to the graves threatened by quarry operations of Lafarge |
According to my father, Sultan Macasalong Sarip, our ancestors has been living in the area known today as Kiwalan since time immemorial. The place that is known today as Kiwalan was known to our ancestors as Natangkopan which means "a place surrounded by mountain." This place is the flat area surrounded by rapidly increasing mountain from where the Barangay Hall of Kiwalan is located up to present-day Dalipuga. Across the plain was a crystal clear creek that came from a cool-clear spring surrounded by lush vegetation.
Based on the oral tradition of our clan, the original leader of the place was Limbobongan. He was the leader of the village known as Natangcopan. When the Muslim Sarip came, he married to the descendants of Limbobongan, thus the people were slowly Islamized but continue to maintain their indigenous traditions.
At the center of Natangkopan flowing to the sea was a creek. During high tide the sea water penetrate further to the interior. Our ancestors put an assorted of tree barks and other materials that attracted fishes especially during high tide. These materials were called "kual" in our indigenous language. The place where the "kual" were abundant was called "Pigkualan". The area was known to have plenty of supply of very good fish, hence, it became destination of fresh fish lovers.
When the Bisayan migrants arrived, they frequented the area to buy fish for "kinilaw". Some people called the place "Kilawan" but it was not popular. The place remain to be known as "Pigkualan". The term was slightly altered to Pigkiwalan by the migrants who cannot pronounced it in the way our ancestors did. The term was further shortened to Kiwalan and was given prominence when a merchant establish a lumber-yard called "Kiwalan Lumber" near in what is now the gate of Granex plant.
I am narrating this story to show that our clan has continuously live in this area except when they were forced to evacuate during the Second World War and when our houses were burned to the ground in 1973 at the height of the Ilaga-Barracuda conflict. This proves that the area is part of our ancestral domain.
When the Americans started building the present highway, they informed our ancestors that they will pass through our lands. When the road was built, migrant started to arrived and asked permission from my ancestors for them to till some portion of our domain. When the government started informing our ancestors that they have to register our land, they did. Unfortunately, they could only register as much as 10 hectares. Hence, my great-grandfather could only register 10 hectares of what was more than a hundred hectare ancestral domain.His brothers also registered their areas but not the whole domain. Some lands were tilled by Bisayan settlers who asked permission from our ancestors. They were allowed to till the land without paying any rent nor share from their harvest since our ancestors believed that the land only belongs to God and we are just stewards. Hence, it is our obligation to make the land productive to sustain life.
In the effort to protect our land, my great-grandfather, Mapandi Sarip, was able to get homestead patent sometime in the early 1930's. The rest of their ancestral lands were tilled by migrants.
During the Second World War, the whole of our family evacuated to the mountains. When our ancestors returned around 1947 and 48, there were already people occupying the land. Most of them came years earlier than us. Our ancestors questioned them but they were simply told that the land were vacant that's why they settled their. Some asked papers to prove our ownership but our ancestors could not provide any because many of their papers were lost during the war.
After the war, from 1949 until around 1954, the area was subjected to cadastral survey. Many of the people who came after the war and those who were allowed by my ancestors to till parts of our ancestral domain were registered as claimants of the land.
What is now the plant site of Mindanao Portland and ICC, all Lafarge-owned, were part of the claims of our ancestors that later claimed by some people who sold it to the company in the early 60's. This happened despite the objection of our ancestors.
When we evacuated after our houses (at least 80) were burned in 1973 by the rampaging Ilaga gang, all the documents that we had were burned. When we returned in 1979 and 1980, most of the areas under the claim of my great-grandfather were already quarried because those were already sold to the company. We demanded for the deeds of sale but the company cannot produce one.
The most controversial area is the area where our century old cemetery is located. Part of the cemetery was titled under the name of Mindanao Portland because the company bought it from a certain Mr. Halibas in 1977. Mr. Halibas allegedly bought it from one of my aunts years earlier and titled it under his name in 1975. What is intriguing is that the whole of our clan was out of Kiwalan from 1973 to 1979, how could my aunt sold it to somebody when she has not came to Iligan in those years.
When we returned we negotiated with ICC and Portland management not to touch the cemetery and they agreed. We decided to live in the 4-hectare area that was not quarried despite all the dust. At least two of my relatives died of TB-like disease but not TB. Our children have constant cough. We live in a very difficult life before because the company did not give us a safe access road until around 2004. We braved the dust and the rocks that falls into our rope when the company is blasting.
Sometime in 1990, when we tried to clarify the status of the land particularly the portion of the cemetery claimed by Portland Cement to be part of the properties that they bought, we were surprised to know that it was not yet titled. We apply for a title and we were issued an Original Certificate of Title (OCT) in 2000. We felt secure of this development because at long last we were able to secure the cemetery.
Last Monday, June 22, a group of army soldiers, police officers and security guards of the company swooped into our village just us we rise up after our meal. We were so scared because they were fully armed and some of them were positioning themselves in the hill above our house as if our houses were enemy camps. We were told that they were just following orders to secure the Lafarge workers who were going to fence their property including part of the cemetery.
We were greatly insulted by their action of disturbing us during fasting. They even bring with them sniffing dogs that came near to us when it is haram when we are fasting. We wanted to fight back but we know that whatever we do they will always report that we are terrorist or whatever. We vowed to fight terror with perseverance and peace - the way of the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him). We fully entrusted our lives to the Almighty Allah who gave us strength and courage amidst dust, threats and poverty.
When we asked if they have fencing permits we were simply told that we should inquire in their office. They continue fencing until today and they start digging right inside the cemetery potentially destroying the old graves that do not have markers. Some graves even they are new could be included in the Lafarge area and could be buried forever!
We also don't know if they are willing to bury as alive as we vow not to leave the area. We will not fight them because we have nothing except our pride and dignity as human beings. We are resolved not to leave the place and we are more than willing to be buried with our ancestors.
Original Post including the photos are from Sabra Sarip Serad Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/sabrasarip.serad/posts/101629266850148
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