Central Mindanao University Academic Paradise of the South
Today marks a decisive moment in Central Mindanao University’s long-standing commitment to protect its land, uphold the rule of law, and defend the future of academic integrity.
The demolition of structures and shanties unlawfully built by the BUFFALO-TAMARAW-LIMUS (BTL) and Musuan Inhabitants Landless Farmers Association (MILFA) within the 155-hectare property of CMU is not an arbitrary act. It is the lawful and necessary execution of a final judgment rendered by our courts.
On June 18, 2024, the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Maramag-Kalilangan-Pangantucan, presided by Acting Judge Hon. Tristram C. Tenebro, ruled in favor of CMU. That ruling was affirmed by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 45, under Presiding Judge Hon. Eldred Dongallo Cole. The law has spoken—and today, it is being implemented not by CMU, but by the Sheriffs of the Regional Trial Court under the 10th Judicial Region, in close coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
CMU’s role in this implementation has been purely logistical. We did not lift a hand in violence, nor did we act outside the parameters of the law. Our only battleground is the courtroom, and it is in that arena that justice was rightfully secured.
This is not just CMU’s victory—it is a victory for every student, faculty, staff, and partner who believes in the sanctity of education and the rightful stewardship of public land. This is a victory for the people who believe that justice, though slow, is firm. That truth, though contested, will always prevail.
Today, we reaffirm: Central Mindanao University does not wield power beyond what the law provides. But we will always defend what is rightfully ours—not with force, but with evidence, due process, and unrelenting faith in the judicial system.
Let this day be remembered—not with hatred or hostility—but as a solemn affirmation of the rule of law and institutional integrity. In the heart of Bukidnon, the academic paradise of the South stands stronger—still, and always, Central Mindanao University.
