An Official of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and a barangay chair in the city have been charged before the Office of the Ombudsman over the alleged unjust selection of a tribe’s Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR).
Eight leaders of the Tagabawa Tribal Council filed the complaint before NCIP Provincial Officer Cristito Ingay and Barangay Captain Sonny Mansilagan of Catigan, Toril District for violating Republic Act 6713, the code of conduct for public officers.
The complainants – Datu Lawrence Bayocboc, Datu Jaime Otay Sr., Datu Feliciano Andival, Datu Monorato Adan, Datu Elias Fulguerinas, Datu Billy Fulguerinas, Beya Juliana Bayocboc, and Beya Diosdada Andival – claimed Ingay and Mansilagan “unlawfully deprived (us) our lawful rights of participation in the selection and/or validation” of IPMR.
They said Ingay and Mansilagan illegally installed Noemi Comprado as the tribe’s IPMR during the selection process last March 1 by giving her “unwarranted benefits and advantage.”
The complainants said “there was no valid selection process that actually happened because the members of our tribe did not sign any list that endorsed Comprado as the IPMR.”
They claimed that Ingay and Mansilagan defrauded the tribe members after making it appear that they signed a document endorsing Comprado.
The complainants claimed the document they signed was for the Christmas gifts that the Office of the City Mayor gave last December.
In a phone interview, NCIP Regional Director Geroncio Aguio said he has yet to receive the complaint.
However, Aguio said “any politician, or a barangay official for that matter, is not allowed to participate in the selection process for the IPMR.
“This should only be conducted by the tribe’s Council of Elders,” Aguio said. “It is clear that they did not follow the proper proceedings for an IPMR selection.”
A copy of the complaint was also endorsed to the City Council.
