“Though they are no longer connected with our company, we ask for forgiveness in behalf of those involved in HRV’s. This is what Feliece Yeban said, TVI’s Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility, during the Free, Prior and Informed Consent Process conducted by the National Commission On Indigenous People (NCIP) Region IX at the Tribal Hall of Timuay Jose ‘Boy’ Anoy, Sitio Paduan, Candiz, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte, last June 17, 2007.

In the presence of the Subanen community who attended the FPIC Process, Feliece Yeban admitted the Company’s Human Rights violations committed mainly by TVI’s SCAA, its armed security. “We cannot deny the accusations, that is why we are hired by the Company in order to design a Special Program for Human Rights Education for Managers so they will not become human rights violators.”

Ms. Yeban and the rest of the staff of Community Relation and Development Office (CREDO), were formerly connected with Non-government Organizations; like Amnesty International, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates and from the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process. Given this professional background, Ms. Yeban confidently claims that CREDO now is manned by human rights advocates. However, some members of the Subanen community, believe that this is not a guarantee that there will be no more human rights violations in the future.

Timuay Jose ‘Boy’ Anoy, the tribal chieftain and a victim of human rights violation himself, disproves the testimony of Ms. Yeban that the human rights violators are no longer working for TVI. In an interview after the FPIC process, Timuay Anoy disclosed that those involved in human rights violations are still working in the company. He even mentioned the following names: Eudolo Comisas, Ret. Col. Gilbert Cayton, the head of the SCAA, Lolie Micabalo and many more. ‘the company is lying. Those involved in human rights violations , like demolishing the houses of ‘Lumads’ without Court Order are still working in the Company’. This was confirmed by Oscar Covarubias, CREDO official, in an interview when he said that Ret. Col. Cayton is still connected with the Company.

‘Their apology is not enough…’ Timuay Noval Lambo, head of the Subanon Judiciary Body, the ‘Gukom’ declares in an interview. He further said that if the Company is sincere in its intention, it must accept full responsibility of the damage and abide by the Subanen tradition in asking for forgiveness, by writing a formal letter so that a ritual can be performed for the atonement of their sins.

Since 1997, numerous cases of human rights violations had been attributed to TVIRD. Up to this time the Subanen of Mount Canatuan are still experiencing different forms of HRV’s; the food and economic blockade, shooting, foot path traps made of nails are placed on the trails, and residents forbidden to use the road. Results from Fact-finding Missions from different international organizations coming from United Kingdom and Canada will attest to this.