BUTUAN CITY – Highlanders from the two big tribes in the Caraga Region – Manobo and Mamanwa – came down from the mountains and conducted their mass protest action on Monday against the regional director of the National Commission and Indigenous People (NCIP) in the region for alleged inaction on their problem.

The lumads also appealed to President Arroyo to help them address their problem about the one percent royalty share from companies operating in their ancestral lands that has not been allegedly given to them since year 2005.

They demanded to thoroughly implement the Indigenous People’s Rights Acts of 1997 (IPRA).

The placard-bearing protesting highlanders belong to the Caraga Tribal Council (CTC), Asosasyon sa Madazaw na Panagkaisa nan mga Tribong Mamanwa sa Taganito ug Urbiztondo (AMPANTRIMTU), Kahugpungan sa Tribong Manobo ug Mamanwa (KATRIMA) Carrascal Manobo, Mamanwa Indigenous Cultural Communities (CMMICC), and “Green” Mindanao.

They staged their mass protest action at the premises of the NCIP regional office here starting Monday.

The highlanders led by their respective tribal chieftains threatened not to vacate the picket line until their demands will be granted.

Chief Supt. Lino D. Calingasan, director of Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) ordered the Butuan City Police Office to deploy police force nearby the picket area to maintain peace and order.