ELDERS have upheld Roger Sinot’s election as the Indigenous Peoples (IP) mandatory representative (IPMR) for Baguio City.
Errol Tagle, president of Unjon ni Ivadoy, council of elders member Isabelo Cosalan Sr., Myrna Valdez and Kathleen Okubo recommended “to unanimously affirm Mr. Sinot as the IPMR in the City Council of Baguio City and demand NCIP (National Council for Indigenous Peoples) regional director Rolando Calde to issue the Certificate of Affirmation” in a recent meeting.
The council bared that Cosalan signified if Calde will not issue the Certificate of Affirmation after the submission of the group report, he will write to all Cordillera Congressmen on the indecisiveness of the regional director to facilitate the settlement of this issue.
Cosalan also signified he will also sign a protest against any person made to hold the IPMR position other than that of Sinot while Okubo said if there will be any disqualification cases that will arise against Sinot, the general assembly of November 4, 2016 is rightfully the one to resolve the issue.
“As legal processes go, Sinot, the selected IPMR should be allowed to sit or take on the position first before any protest or disqualification is considered, just as in the case of other elected officials. If a disqualification case is filed, then it can be settled by the proper body, in this case the Council of Elders selected on November 4, 2016,” the group said.