Cogon Ramos indigenous people: Higaonon Tribe should comply with requirements

CEBU, Philippines - The Higaonon Tribe in Barangay Cogon Ramos should undergo legal process and comply with the requirements before it could seek representation of the Indigenous Cultural Communities or be acknowledged as the Indigenous People in the barangay.

Councilor Edgardo Labella, chairman of the committee on laws, ordinance, public accountability and good government, said there are qualifications and selection processes laid down in the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples that have to be followed.

Labella’s opinion was in response to the query of Cogon Ramos Central barangay captain Omar Durano who said a tribal chieftain of the Tribu Ni Datu Mahogany claims representation in the barangay council citing the Republic Act No. 8371 or the Indigenous People Rights Act as their legal basis for their assumption and representation in the council.But Durano declined the tribe’s assumption explaining the coverage of circular that there is no ancestral domain or resettled communities of indigenous people in his area.

Durano also said the barangay is not covered by the memorandum circular for representation and they are not obliged to have an indigenous people representative in the local legislative council.

Labella agrees with Durano, saying it has not been sufficiently shown in the case that Tribu Ni Datu Mahogany has complied with legal process. He said there are also minimum qualifications that have to be met for the group to qualify as Indigenous People Community to represent in the local legislative council.

Labella also referred the matter to the Department of Interior and Local Government for determination and resolution. —(FREEMAN)