THE National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) said newly-elected Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Datu Demetrio Bolo will still assume his seat in the next City Council despite a pending disqualification case filed before the court by Bai Cherry Ann Codilla.
NCIP Davao Director Geroncio Aguio said the re-selection process held last May 23 is still valid since the court did not issue any stoppage order.
"Dili babag tong petition ni Codilla. Naa naman siya sa korte. Lahi na siya nga proceso kay ang korte na iya gitugutan mu-decide. By injunction, dili siya babag kay lahi siya na proseso. Wala man nag enjoin ang korte sa administrative processes, unless mu-enjoin ang korte dili siya babag sa kalihukan (Codilla's petition will not affect the selection process since she filed it in court. It has a different process since she let the court decide on the matter. By injunction, it will not affect since the court did not enjoin in the administrative processes, unless the court says otherwise)," Aguio told SunStar Davao Wednesday, May 29.
Codilla was selected last year by the tribal council to be the IPMR but she was disqualified also last year by the NCIP for lack of genealogical qualification.
Meanwhile, Aguio said the NCIP is now working on the necessary documents for the issuance of Bolo's Certificate of Affirmation (COA).
He said they are targeting that the newly-elected IPMR will be able to take his oath along with the newly elected city councilors by July 1.
Two days before the selection process, NCIP disqualified Barangay Baguio tribal kagawad Datu Camilo Bancas, citing his lack of community engagement, which is one of the requirements.
Aguio said Bancas's camp can still file their petition to NCIP, but he said this will not affect the results of the selection.
"Siguro na-improve na namo ang tanan. We will siguro talk to the community na masabtan nila ang proseso sa selection (We think we had already improved everything. We will maybe talk to the community, to let them further understand the selection process)," Aguio said.
Outgoing IPMR Bai Halila Sudagar said she is still not certain when she would be stepping down since there is still a pending case filed by Codilla.
"As stated in my Hold Over Certificate, for as long as there is still no qualified IPMR yet and no new Certificate of Affirmation (coming from NCIP), I will still be the IPMR," Sudagar said.
She also said that the newly-elected IPMR is also aware of the situation.