Photo from Cherry Ann Codilla’s Facebook page
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in region 11 said the selected Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) lacks the mandatory genealogical qualification and cannot be installed into office.
In an interview with NCIP Regional Director lawyer Geroncio Aguio, he clarified that three days after the submission of genealogical data, the agency validated the qualifications of the selected IP mandatory representative Cherry Ann Codilla but her records did not match with the official record of NCIP with regards to the clan of Pandian and Buisan where she belongs.
“When we traced it with our records of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT), it appears that her great grandmother’s surname belongs to the Ovu-Manobo tribe while her great grandfather’s Buisan surname belongs to the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe.”
The NCIP regional office has returned her records to NCIP Davao City Provincial Office.
This way said Aguio, the local NCIP can clarify and make reports to meet the qualification for next IPMR.
Based on the minimum qualification “c” stated in Section 8 under the guidelines for the selection of IPMR in local legislative councils, a person must at least be 25% Bagobo-Klata by blood or consanguinity.
In order to determine his/her eligibility, a genealogical form should be presented prior to his/her selection.
The minimum qualification “d” further states that the prospective IPMR “must be an acknowledged leader of the Bagobo-Klata Indigenous Cultural Communities, fluent in Bagobo-Klata dialect, a duly validated member of the Talaukom/Pagdatua, continuously engages in Bagobo-Klata activities for the past five years and must be certified by the NCIP.
The NCIP said Codilla’s record did not meet the requirements.
On Wednesday Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag questioned that agency’s decision over the qualification of Codilla’s nomination claiming she underwent three validation process.
The vice mayor urged NCIP not to “politicize” the decision to install Codilla.
In his letter to Vice Mayor Al-ag last May 11, 2018, Aguio said he clarified that the issuance of the Certification of Affirmation and the assumption of the prospective IPMR will all depend on the result of the verification conducted by the NCIP provincial office.
Due to her failure to meet the qualification, “Codilla can be replaced by another IPMR candidate but the latter will still undergo the same selection process.” (davaotoday.com)
