INDALISEO Diano, the provincial officer of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples-Davao Region (NCIP-Davao Region), said that the 13 Indigenous People (IP) killings in Marilog have diverse causes beyond land conflicts.
Speaking at the Kapehan sa Davao on Monday morning, October 16, 2023 at SM Ecoland, Diano said that not all incidents are solely related to land disputes.
He also said that according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) report, the IP killings were not exclusively linked to land conflicts.
NCIP is working closely with concerned agencies, including the army, tribal communities, and the Local Government Unit (LGU).
“Ang status gyud sa kaso karun kay naa na ang uban sa court, ang uban naa'y outstanding warrant and uban naay murag dili makita (The status of the cases now is that some of them are in court while others have an outstanding warrant and for some, there are circumstances we cannot determine),” Diano said.
To address these issues, the NCIP, in partnership with the Davao City government, is evaluating documents and will issue certification or permits once applicants comply with the NCIP’s Certificate of Precondition. This process aims to help mitigate incidents in the area.
The NCIP has reinforced its free and prior informed consent process, ensuring that business owners obtain this condition before applying for a business permit from the city.
Meanwhile, Indigenous People Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Rodolfo M. Mande, in a media interview on Monday morning, October 2, at the City Hall Drive, said that the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the army are working together to ensure the safety of the IP community.
“Daghan na gihimo sila arun ma-angkun ang hingpit na kalinaw sa Davao mao na akoang ikasulti sa tanan na ipadayun na ang pag resolba (They did a lot to make Davao peaceful, that is what I want to say, and they will continue to resolve these cases),” Mande said.
Mande added that there are already suspects, and authorities are actively pursuing the investigation. He urged continued efforts to apprehend those suspected to be involved in these incidents.
On September 12, 2023, Mande called on the Department of Justice (DOJ), NBI, and PNP to expedite the investigation of unsolved murder cases involving IPs in Davao City. RGP