CLARK FREEPORT – “A desecration of the dead, a deprivation of our right to our homeland.”
Thus said Robert Serrano, leader of a local Aeta tribe, when a group of tribesmen in Sitio Haduan, Marcos Village, Mabalacat City who were part of a funeral cortege on their way to Sitio Bilad were reportedly prevented from passing into the ongoing development in their area early morning last Saturday.
Serrano reported that the funeral cortege was blocked by security personnel of BB International Leisure and Resort Development Corp. (BBI) who were backed up by security escorts of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC).
Serrano said they were on their way to the Aeta ancestral burial ground in Sitio Bilad, where one of their member identified as Santa Saplala, 27, would be buried after she died earlier from complications due to childbirth.
Serrano said despite their pleas, the BBI security personnel stood their ground and blocked the funeral cortege.
Serrano said they were finally allowed to pass along the perimeter road but sans the hearse. He said they carried the coffin through thick bush for about 500 meters until they reached a clearing near the Fontana area where a paramilitary road blockade was put up.
Serrano said had they been allowed to pass through a road which runs parallel to the perimeter fence it would have posed no problem with the scheduled groundbreaking ceremony of BBI’s Clark valley View Leisure and Resort set later that day.
Serrano’s tribe had been complaining of the harassment from the BBI since they questioned the firm’s “intrusion” into their ancestral lands which was opened to Clark investors after a joint management agreement was entered into by tribal elders with the CDC.
Sembrano said most of the provisions in the agreement to benefit trhe tribes have not been fulfilled.
BBI president Ireneo “Bong” Alvaro cannot be reached for his comment as of press time.
