By Tito Natividad Fiel
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Higaonon Tribe troops to Iligan City Council |
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ILIGAN CITY – The Higaonon Tribe
from the Bayug Ancestral Domain through its Council of Elders trooped Tuesday
to the City Council here during its regular session to get seat for the
Indigenous People Mandatory Representative.
About twenty leaders comprising
of seven communities men and women attended the session Tuesday to listen the
positioning and arguments of the City council member whether in favor or
against the assertion of the Higaonon Tribe to get seat in the council
In a letter sent to the council
and read during session penned by Datu Diamla Rolando D. So-ong, an Indigenous
People Mandatory Representative said that he is informing the City Council that
the Tribe elected him as mandatory representative to the SP in a selection
process under customary laws and traditional practices.
“The
undersigned respectfully, humbly and formally informed this august body that I
am dully affirmed as Indigenous People (IP) Mandatory Representative to the
Sanguniang Panglungsod of Iligan City”, the letter said.
The
letter said that such is in accordance with the section 16 of the Republic Act
No. 8371 known as Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) and pursuant to Section
6, Paragraph 1, Rule IV of Implementing Rules and Regulation, NCIP
Administrative Order No. 001, Series of 2009 for mandatory representation.
Datu
Diamla in his letter said that he complied with the selection/election process
and requirements during the General Assembly of the Higaonon Tribal Councils
and Leaders on July 17, 2013 at Iglupas Building here.
NCIP
authorized representative was present during the process and the leaders
through the customary laws and traditional practices elected him as Indigenous
People Mandatory Representative to the Sanguniang Panglungsod.
Datu
Diamla informed the SP about his assumption to office by virtue of the second
paragraph of Letter E. Selection and Assumption to Office (Section 12, Title
II, NCIP AO No. 001 S., 2009) under Memorandum Circular No. 2010-119 of the
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) dated October 20, 2010
dully signed by late Secretary Jesse M. Robredo.
“Assumption
to office shall take place as soon as the selection process is formally
certified by the concerned NCIP Regional Director, upon recommendation of the
Provincial or Community Service Center Head, as the case may be, in accordance
with the Administrative Order No. 001, S., 2009, and the person chosen takes
the appropriate oath before an authorized officer and inform the appropriate
body of his or her assumption”, DILG Memorandum Circular said.
In
compliance with the above-stated provision, Datu Diamla also took oath before
the authorized officer to administer oath through RASHID A. MACARIMBANG,
Prosecutor II of the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in the Province of
Lanao del Norte in Iligan City dated January 21, 2015, Datu Diamla’s letter
narrated.
He
prayed in his letter to the Sanguniang Panglungsod Members to adopt and accept
his assumption to office as IP Mandatory Representative.
In
response to his prayer after long deliberation, the body resolved to turn it
back to the Committee on Indigenous People, conduct necessary processes and
hearing as a matter of protocol under their internal house rules and submit
committee report for final adoption.