Culture & Entertainment · Philippines Bureau
Developer defends land rights amid Mangyan ancestral domain dispute
Pieceland Corporation says it holds valid legal title to a property in Occidental Mindoro that an indigenous Mangyan-Iraya organization claims as ancestral domain. The developer stated it does not seek to suppress the tribal group's assertions.
LSN Philippines ·
CALAPAN CITY — Developer Pieceland Corporation has reasserted its legal ownership of a 302,944 square meter property in Barangay Poblacion, Abra de Ilog town, Occidental Mindoro, amid claims by the Mangyan-Iraya indigenous community that the land forms part of their ancestral domain.
The corporation said Monday it maintains valid rights to the property and emphasized it does not intend to "silence" concerns raised by the tribal organization. The statement comes as the dispute over land ownership continues to draw attention in the region, highlighting broader tensions between development projects and indigenous land claims.
The Mangyan-Iraya community has asserted traditional rights to the area, claiming it is part of their ancestral territory. Pieceland Corporation countered that its ownership is backed by legal documentation and proper title, positioning the two claims as competing assertions rather than a matter of suppression.
The dispute underscores ongoing challenges in the Philippines regarding the balance between property development and recognition of indigenous peoples' rights to ancestral lands. Both parties appear willing to maintain their positions as the matter remains unresolved.