Saturday, November 24, 2007 NCIP speeds up titling of ancestral domain claims
KORONADAL CITY -- The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples is fast tracking the titling of ancestral domain claims in Central Mindanao region to keep up with the Mindanao peace process, a ranking official said.
Jeanne Anne Zoilo, NCIP regional director, said there are at least 395,656 hectares of land that are being processed in the region for conversion from Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claims (CADCs) to Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs).
Zoilo noted that the efforts to expedite the issuance of CADTs to various indigenous groups in the area are complimentary to the southern peace process.
Central Mindanao has been considered a bailiwick of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has been reportedly seeking also for the inclusion of ancestral domain lands of indigenous peoples to their proposed Bangsamoro homeland.
But some of the ancestral lands of the indigenous peoples also lie in mining areas backed by foreign firms, she added.
"We are doubling our time to issue CADTs to our indigenous brothers and sisters. It should appear that their ancestral lands shall fall in the Bangsamoro homeland [if ever the latter will be formally established]," Zoilo said.
Lawyer Noel Felongco, NCIP regional hearing officer, said that selling of lands under CADTs is strictly prohibited by law.
"If they [natives] sell it, that transaction is considered null and void," Felongco said to warn prospective buyers.
As of last week, Zolio revealed they have issued titles to ancestral domains or lands straddling 15,131 hectares in the provinces of North Cotabato and Sarangani and in General Santos City.
The other provinces in the region are South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat and the rest of the cities are Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
Peace negotiations have been stalled since September last year after the Moro rebels rejected government's proposal that areas to be placed under the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity shall be subjected to a plebiscite.
The government wanted only 613 villages included in the Bangsamoro entity while the MILF pushed for the inclusion of a much wider area.
Peace negotiations of both sides presently dwell on the ticklish ancestral domain agenda, particularly in the issue of territory.
