tives in Visayas or Luzon. They have raised their families on the income from the land. They have developed deep attachment to land they acquired in good faith and hard work.
how turned with regards to their relationship with the Moros. If at the start they were at the receiving end of benevolence, in the last thirty years they have returned the favor and have somehow turned the table around, now extending assistance to whenever their Moro brothers and sisters are in need. The settlers provided protection for the Moros during the Ilaga wars. They also attempted to persuade them to return to the barangay when it was relatively peaceful already. Finally, the settlers accommodated requests of additional payment for the lands they have either sold or mortgaged.
While they admit the Moros claimed ownership of the area, they acquired these lands from them through sale or mortgage. They did so without intimidation or violating seller rights. For most of them, land ownership changed hands, the legitimacy of which has not been challenged as far as they can remember. While they acknowledge the Moros as inhabitants of the area before them, the land were classified as Public Land and as such may be titled to qualified actual occupants.
When some Moros attempted to occupy a lot owned by the barangay government, the settlers maintained a calm demeanor in approaching the Moros and in talking with them at the Mayor’s Office. They believe in diplomacy in resolving disputes. They also believe the same goes for Moros.
Settlers believe it is their obligation is to protect land they legally acquired, have invested, developed and for many of them, the only source of income from for their families. For them, blood will flow if someone will take it away, even if it is a government program.
Similarities and Differences in Storylines As far as the Moros are concerned, the conflict situation would have been avoided if the DENR handled, based on the principles of parens patriae, the distribution of land (Lot 26, Swo 17260) previously awarded to Caram. It is known to the DENR that the descendants of Datu Talipasan were the orginal claimants, that there were descendants of Datu Talipasan who was the original claimant. In fact, the DENR order to distribute Lot 26 was a decision in favor of a petition filed by Talipasan’s son, Bagua Mama (Datu Sanggutin) to whom land should have been awarded. It would not also be unknown to DENR, upon investigation to find no descendants were actual occupants because these were forced out of the claimed land by the war. Hence, for the Moros, the DENR is accountable for the mishandling the distribution.
For the settlers, the Moros are their brothers and sisters. When they arrived in Impao, they experienced Moro generosity and accommodation which became the foundation of their harmonious relationship. They looked up to them with respect as original inhabitants and had been careful to maintain goodwill. They recognized the dominance of the Moros and subscribed to Datu Sanggutin as their leader. For many, Datu Sanggutin was a legitimizer of land-related transactions taking place between the settlers and the Moros. The succeeding years of hard work afforded economic upliftment for some settlers. For some settlers, the tables have someLand Tenure Stories in Central Mindanao
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