Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has administered the oath of office of Peg-Buyyahon Rodolfo M. Mande of the Matigsalug Tribe as the new Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Monday, January 10, at the Davao City Hall.
Mayor Duterte, during the 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) Special Hours program also on January 10, however, said the ongoing petition of Bagobo Klata tribe representative Cherry Ann Codilla has not yet been resolved.
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) refused to release the certificate of affirmation (CoA) for Codilla’s IPMR post at the Davao City Council in 2018 due to her lack of mandatory genealogical qualification.
Codilla was selected by the Bago Klata tribe to take the IPMR post after the term of Halila Sudagar ended in May 2018. Sudagar was re-installed in June 2018 via a hold-over status by the NCIP after it denied Codilla the CoA.
Sudagar eventually cut her extended term and decided to run for city councilor of the second district but lost.
NCIP then called for a second selection process and Datu Demetrio Bolo was chosen but he was never confirmed as IPMR.
“Fortunately, we have a new regional director for NCIP, si Atty. Mamukid and he was able to secure the permission sa tribo na he will proceed with the next tribe in line to select the IPMR (Fortunately, we have a new regional director for NCIP, si Atty. Mamukid and he was able to secure the permission from the Bagobo Klata tribe to proceed with the next tribe in line to select the IPMR),” said the mayor who was talking about lawyer Michael Mamukid.
Mayor Duterte said she emphasized to Atty. Mamukid the need to have an IPMR at the City Council when the latter assumed as the new NCIP regional director.
She also said, “Finally, after all that wait and delay na mag-take oath atoang IPMR, we now have a new IPMR. He was selected sa ilahang tribo Matigsalug under the supervision of the NCIP (Finally, after all that wait and delay for an IPMR to take an oath, we now have a new IPMR. He was selected from their Matigsalug tribe under the supervision of the NCIP).”
The IPMR will chair the City Council’s Committee on Indigenous Peoples and pass resolutions and ordinances for the benefit of the IP community. CIO
