In 2020, an illegal gold mining operation was discovered on the ancestral lands of the Obo Monuvu Indigenous people (commonly called Manobo) within the protected Mount Apo area in Mindanao, Philippines. Tribal chief Joel Buntal reported that "The operator did not seek permission from the tribal council to mine the area. They conducted their operations during the nighttime." According to Manobo leader Era España, previous illegal small-scale mining operations had encroached on ancestral lands around Mount Apo because "the tribe allowed them" without following the legally required Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process. This bypassing of proper procedures undermined Indigenous governance systems and created community divisions. The illegal mine consisted of a 5 metre tunnel with approximately 25 sacks of ore (each containing about 90kg). One Child Labourer interviewed by Mongabay described carrying four 10kg sacks of ore daily from the mining tunnel to waiting trucks, traversing rivers and navigating steep, slippery slopes. The children were promised 5 pesos per kg (potentially earning about US$4 per day) but ultimately weren't paid for their work. This wage theft prompted the children to report the operation to authorities, which led to the exposure and subsequent shutdown of the illegal mining operation, according to tribal council member Benjamin Bugcal.