Video from 9News Philippine TV Cebuano
By Hirohito D.
Cadion
PAGADIAN CITY,
Zamboanga del Sur, Sept. 22 (PNA) – The National Commission on Indigenous
Peoples (NCIP) has recommended the reinstatement of Timuay Langhap Rio Olimpio
Lingating as the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the City
Council.
NCIP Regional
Director Woy Lim Wong said Monday the recommendation came after the fact
finding team the agency has created which has completed its investigation over
the termination of Lingating as the IPMR to the City Council brought about by
the alleged withdrawal of support by the Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
Wong said they have
also recommended the local government to honor the validity of the Certificate
of Affirmation (COA) issued by the NCIP and the Certificate of Recognition
(COR) issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Likewise, Wong said
they have recommended to the NCIP central office for the Commission to pass an
en banc resolution addressed to the DILG to compel compliance on the part of
the city government.
He said the fact
finding team found out that there was manipulation that resulted to the removal
of Lingating as IPMR.
Bobby Lingating |
The team also found
out that most of those who withdrew their support are incumbent and former
barangay officials, government casual employees and if not they have relative
working in the city government; there were also those ICCs/IPs who
categorically denied to have signed a joint affidavit and also there were those
who signed the joint affidavit that the lawyer who subscribed the documents was
not known to them; some admitted that they signed the affidavit at their
barangay because it was personally brought to them and the others have signed
although they were not present during the 2009 General Assembly; some of them
have not signed endorsement to Lingating but they signed the joint affidavit
under oath withdrawing their endorsement.
Wong said the fact
finding team has established that the selection of Lingating was in accordance
with the formulated guidelines, customs, traditions and practices of the
Subanen ICCs/IPs of this city.
Wong said the fact
finding team further found no valid grounds to invalidate the selection process
Lingating have undergone “since there were testimonies and documentary
evidences that he was really selected as the IPMR by the Subanen Elders and
Leaders of this city.”
He said the fact
finding team has also recommended for the NCIP to undertake necessary actions
to protect the ICCs/IPs from any form of abuses, discriminations, persecutions,
harassments and other acts that would suppress their rights under the law.
“Time has come to end
the agony and stress brought forth by my illegal removal as the duly selected
IP Mandatory Representative of the Subanen as ex-officio member of the City
Council of Pagadian,” Lingating said as he appreciated the fact finding team’s
efforts to ferret out the truth concerning his removal from the city council.
Lingating said the
fact finding team has given justice to the Subanen Tribes “as we exercise our
rights as inspired by section 16 of R.A. 8371 otherwise known as Indigenous
Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997.
Lingating assumed
office as IPMR in the City Council on March 19, 2013 by virtue of COA issued by
the former NCIP Regional Director Salong Sunggod and COR issued by the DILG.
Wong said he hoped
that all other government agencies including local government units will fully
support the cause of the IPs particularly those living in the hinterlands.
“There are things
that we have accomplished but, more issues, problems and concerns have to be
addressed. These cannot be addressed alone by the NCIP. We need the support particularly
of our IP leaders and other government agencies,” Wong said. (PNA)
TPGJR/HDCADION/UTB
TPGJR/HDCADION/UTB
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