A LEGAL desk exclusive for the indigenous people (IP) is to be created to address efficiently the concerns of the IPs, an official said.
IP’s mandatory representative, Councilor Bai Halila Y. Sudagar, said the IP legal desk will prevent abuse against members of the ethnic groups, as some of them do not have knowledge of their rights.
"Kung ma-violate yung kanilang karapatan, wala silang nagagawang remedy kasi they do not know what to do," Sudagar said.
"One of the reasons which prompted this ordinance" is the matter on Aida Seisa, vice chairperson of Sabokahan Confederation of Lumad Women who was involved in the Paquibato massacre, wherein several cases were filed against her, including murder.
The IP legal desk will employ lumad graduates as legal officers, as they will better understand the plights of the complainant, and this way language will not be a barrier. But it is also open to everyone who is willing, said Sudagar.
She also saw it as an opportunity to inspire other lumads, especially the children, to stay in school and become legal practitioners.
The council is still studying the ordinance, whether they were to build an office or a legal center on wheels to avoid redundancy because there is already a legal desk in the City Hall of Davao.