DENR suspends protected area accord with Socorro village

MANILA, Philippines — Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga yesterday ordered the suspension of the Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA) of the controversial Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) in Sitio Kapihan in Socorro town, Surigao del Norte amid various allegations against the group, including child marriage in the hillside community.

Loyzaga said that the suspension order was necessary pending further investigation into Socorro’s alleged gross violation of the terms and conditions of the PACBRMA.

“The DENR will work with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, the provincial government of Surigao del Norte and other authorities to ensure the smooth and peaceful enforcement of the suspension notice and the possible resettlement of the occupants,” the DENR said.

The DENR added that a PACBRMA is a legal instrument between the DENR and tenured migrant groups to develop and conserve a portion of a protected area for a 25-year period.

The DENR said that as early as 2019, it started its investigation on the alleged violations of SBSI including restriction of entry in the area, establishment of checkpoints and military-like training; resignation of teachers, uniformed personnel and barangay officials and establishment of structures within the area.

“In 2021 and 2022, the DENR called the attention of SBSI on the recurring violations. In both instances, there was no response from them,” the DENR said.

In an advisory, DSWD denied yesterday a circulating social media post that the agency had delisted beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who are members of SBSI.

However, 4Ps households found to have given their cash grants to the group will, instead, undergo “social case management” to be guided on how the assistance should be used.

“Secretary (Rex) Gatchalian had ordered an investigation to determine those behind this false claims,” DSWD added.

Multiple violations

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate committee on public order who presided over the SBSI public hearing on Sept. 28, said that while the leaders denied that their community is a cult, information about the group’s activities would qualify them as one.

“Well per our standard, if you will really research the meaning of the cult, they will really qualify as a cult, blind obedience, strict reverence to a single personality, it turns out they’re a cult, they don’t want to admit it,” Dela Rosa said in an interview over ANC.

“We’ve seen so many violations, like forced marriages for minors, forced sex, forced labor, violation of the right to travel, violation of the right to formal education, they have many violations and these have to be addressed,” he noted.

Dela Rosa said his office received a letter from Socorro municipality, requesting an investigation into the alleged illegal activities of forced labor, arranged child marriages and rape.

“There were accounts of abuses: sexual, physical and even psychological. Accusations of human trafficking, private armies and the operation of a shabu laboratory were also reported to my office,” he noted.

“It is bad enough for us to commit crimes against one another, but if and when the alleged crimes are done to innocent children, to those who have yet to make and see their own future, then it is much, much worse and horrifying,” he said.

Dela Rosa said his committee intends to conduct the next public hearing in Socorro municipality in Surigao del Norte to save expenses, as members of the committee are less than the number of resource persons who are required to attend the proceedings.

He said when the news broke out that the Senate would investigate alleged illegal activities of a cult operating under the name of SBSI, some senators expected that they would be accused of discriminating and meddling with the affairs of religion or affairs of private associations.

“Our concern is that in the guise of beliefs and religion, peace and order in society, the safety and welfare of our people are now allegedly threatened. Every person has the right to practice his or her beliefs and religion, it is allowed by the state. But this right does not entitle one to inflict harm over another,” Dela Rosa said.

Meanwhile, Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. hinted there could be politics behind the issues that hound SBSI.

 “Although I can call for a motu propio investigation on that matter, there is a need to consider this carefully. Number one, is this political?” he told reporters yesterday during the Balitaan sa Harbor View media forum in Manila.

Abante also said the issue on the group being a religious organization is also tricky as the Constitution ensures freedom of religion.

“We have a constitutional provision to not intervene with religion because they are free to be able to do their own religious profession.”

As chairperson of the House of Representatives’ committee on human rights, Abante said Congress would study if the group committed human rights violations particularly on minors allegedly ordered by its leaders.

“We could intervene if there is a crime committed. If minors are being wed, if there are no papers or signed marriage contracts, only rituals, what crimes were committed?” he asked. — Sheila Crisostomo, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Ghio Ong