Featured image above shows the defenders of the Molbog indigenous people and their rights to their ancestral domain in Balabac, Palawan. From left are Atty. Veronica Millado, Dean Atty. Antonio La Viña (The Manila Observatory), legal counsels of the Molbogs; Soleil Vinoya (Fair Finance Philippines); Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula (Akbayan Party-list); Tony Abuso (ECIP-CBCP); and Edil Guyano (Caritas Philippines). (Photo: SDN)
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QUEZON CITY, December 22, 2025 (SDN) — Unless President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. gets his hand directly, hopefully, and intervene on the case of the Molbog ethnic community in Sitio Marihangin (or Mariahangin), on Bugsuk Island, Balabac, Palawan, the Muslim ethnic community could be evicted forcibly from their ancestral homeland.
Other natives in the 38-hectare Sitio Marihangin are Pala’wan and Cagayanen.
A search on the internet showed the Molbog tribe has been living in parts of Palawan, the fifth biggest Philippine island, even before the coming of the Spanish conquistadores in 1521. Thus, they are rightfully, it appears, correct in insisting at least parts of Bugsuk Island as their ancestral domain. It’s where their forebears were buried, fished, farmed, and spent their every day lives, and until now it’s being lived on practiced by the present Molbog population on the island.
SDN — SciTech & Digital News learned about this today, Monday, in the press conference here conducted by groups and personalities who vowed to support to the end the Molbog residents as they have already faced the might of masked armed men in the recent past, ordering them to leave their ancestral homeland.
The Molbogs are also called Malebugan or Malebuganon, according to http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com, and inhabit the Balabac Island in Palawan’s southernmost reach.
“They are part of the Muslim minority in the Philippines that is made up of (13) ethno-linguistics groups. Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, the Molbogs were already settled (on) the island and were the earliest inhabitants of Balabac,” the website pointed out, adding they were “migrants from the northern part of Borneo.”
Panelists in the media briefing are Dean Atty. Antonio La Viña (Manila Observatory), legal counsel; Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula (Akbayan Party-list); Atty. Veronica Millado, legal counsel; Executive Director Tony Abuso (Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines — ECIP-CBCP); Edil Guyano of Caritas Philippines; Soleil Vinoya of Fair Finance Philippines; and Raul Socrates C. Banzuela (Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka, PKSM)).
They came in behalf of the Sambilog-Balik Bugsuk Movement fighting for the rights of the Molbog people.
Dean La Viña and his fellow panelists conducted the briefing amidst a 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Brooke’s Point, Palawan, issued which they said “cruelly removed the rights of the (Molbog) families to defend their only remaining homes — the small 38-hectare Marihangin Island that is surrounded by clean white sand and (home) of many generations.”
Dean La Viña and Attorney Millado were set to file a Motion for Reconsideration (MR) contesting the TRO.
While the rest of the nation’s children are preparing for Noché Buena, the Molbog children are living in fear, asking if the armed men will be back before Christmas Day to drive them from the land of their ancestors.
Akbayan’s Congresswoman Ismula backs Molbogs
Dean La Viña and the rest also signed a three-page “Pahayag ng Pakikiisa” (Statement of Solidarity) with the embattled Molbog, earnestly calling on the President to reverse a decision of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) that took back the Notice of CARPER Coverage and grant the 10,821 hectares, including areas on Marihangin Island.
Other signatories are Yolanda Esguerra, executive director at Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc. (PMPI), Lissa Jardin, community enterprise devoper.
Among others, the Statement of Solidarity rendered in the Filipino national tongue, which Guyano of Caritas Philippines read at the press conference, recalled that 50 years ago, in the dark days of Martial Law, soldiers forcibly evicted the Molbogs’ descendants from the islands of Bugsuk and Pandaman from their almost 11,000 hectares ancestral domain to give way to private interest.
The statement added that of the 11,000 hectares, only Marihangin was left, their last refuge, their ultimate sanctuary.
In relation with the Molbogs’ need for support from every quarter, Banzuela welcomed a suggestion to enlist the support of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). “Good suggestion,” he said, at the same time indicating the possibility of talking to NCMF and BARMM leaders.
And, now, as the Yuletide season is upon the country, the statement noted, “muling binantaan ng makapangyarihang pwersa na gawing mga refugee ang mga katutubong ito sa kanilang sariling bayan” (Now, a powerful force is again threatening to make the natives a refugee in their own home).
The statement’s signatories linked the latest attacks, citing reports, to the “big ambitions of San Miguel Corporation (SMC)” to build a luxury ecotourism venture on Balabac Island.
They vowed to not remain silent as Molbog mothers tightened their hold on their children during the night, listening to the sound of incoming boats; as the elders weep in their sacred burial grounds that they may be forced to leave behind.
“We asked: Is it right to construct a paradise for the rich on top of the tears of the poor? Is it right to drown with the laughters of tourists in the future the cries of evicted native children?”
The signatories of the Statement of Solidarity said they are standing up with the brave Molbog women and the families of Sitio Marihangin who voiced their opposition to evict them and settled in the mainland.
“Hindi kami aalis dito” (We are not leaving), the Molbog women cries with tears falling from their eyes, the statement said.
“We, who signed below, defenders of human rights, Church leaders, legislators, citizens with conscience, are raising our united voice,” they emphasized as they condemned what they lambasted as a heartless TRO and ask for its quick review and lifting to save the families from suffering in this sacred period.”
They also called on the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to finally award the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title and preserve the sacred principle of free, the first and correct permission or FPIC.
The signatories further called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to immediately investigate the reported threats, intimidation, and armed threats against the Molbog community.
Finally, they urged Congress, particularly the Committee on Cultural Communities of the Senate and House of Representatives to immediately conduct investigation and provide stronger protection against land-grabbing by corporations, especially of ancestral domains even as they callied every citizen with good heart to not let this injustice triumph amidst silence.
Akbayan’s Congresswoman Ismula said she already delivered a Privilege Speech on December 15 at the House about the problem the Molbogs are facing to support their struggle against a giant corporation.
She described as a form of “torture” the TRO issued by the RTC in Brooke’s Point as she called for an in depth investigation in Congress.
Ismula called on the Palawan provincial government and the Balabac municipal government to not allow San Miguel to establish its ecotourism project in Sitio Marihangin.
Banzuela reveals boycott campaign vs. San Miguel Corporation products
Dean La Viña said the Molbogs are his client as he expressed confidence on their case.
He said the native community are fearful the armed men might be back because of the 20-day TRO enjoining the Molbogs to not prevent them from coming that may result in losing their homes.
The human rights defender cited what he called the “failures” of DAR and NCIP and the judiciary in protecting and preserving the ancestral rights of the Molbogs over their ancestors’ land.
Lawyer Millado, also a counsel of the Molbogs, mentioned a so-called “Affidavif of Waiver” supposedly signed by members of the tribe.
She said the Molbogs denied having signed the affidavit.
“The harassment in the area started in 2011 where the fishermen in the island where physically harassed and, in 2023, 2024, the armed men starting coming in,” the lady lawyer said.
ECIP-CBCP’s Abuso and Caritas Philippines’ Guyano also vowed support as well as Fair Finance Philippines’ Vinoya, bringing to bear their respective organizations.
“We support the call of Marihangin Island (natives), especially the Balik Bugsuk Movement. We hope that President Marcos would order the return of the ancestral domain to the Molbog indigenous community,” Guyano said.
Banzuela revealed that they are planning to launch a nationwide boycott campaign on all the products of San Miguel Corporation headed by tycoon Ramon Ang and hit where it hurts. — EDD K. USMAN (©)
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The author
EDD, a native of Sub-Saharan Africa Buluan/Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, BARMM, college at UST, is a Manila-based journalist for over 40 years (33 years with Manila Bulletin), has five Media Awards (1 with University of the Philippines (UP) 2017 Science Journalism Award), covered and traveled over 40 times abroad), has contributed to Rappler, Business Mirror, Manila Business Insights, Panorama Magazine, Agriculture Magazine, and others, former Manila-based Foreign Correspondent of Saudi Arabia newspapers Saudi Gazette and Riyadh Daily, and The Peninsula (Qatar newspaper), with 2008 East-West Center (EWC) Journalism Seminar in the United States, 2000 Executive IT Seminar in Seoul, South Korea, with three Silver Awards in Photography, writes Muslim and Current Affairs, Enterprise, Science, Tech, Products Launch, and virtually everything under Heaven. (©)