Capiz IP leaders back Robredo as president

ILOILO City, Philippines – Indigenous Peoples (IP) leaders from various areas in Capiz expressed their support for the 2022 presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo during her convention with supporters in Roxas City, Capiz on Tuesday, February 15.

Pan-ayanon and Panay Bukidnon IPs and Indigenous Cultural Community (ICC) elders from Tapaz and Jamindan towns signed a resolution expressing their support for Robredo, saying they believe she would advocate for their rights.

The Tapaz and Jamindan ICCs and IPs expressed their aspirations to obtain a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) at the soonest possible time as a signal of the government to uphold Republic Act No. 8731 (Indigenous Peoples Rights Act).

They cited the CADTs issued to barangays in the neighboring town of Calinog, Iloilo in January 2005 and in Dumarao town, issued only recently.

“Tapaz and Jamindan ICCs/IPs strongly aspire for the soonest issuance of CADT to stop the illegal intrusions and the multiple grave violations committed by non-IPs against ICCs/IPs’ Ancestral Domain,” the IP leaders said.

The government needs to prove that IPRA is being upheld, recognizing CCs/IPs’ possession & ownership of Ancestral Domain, they added. 

“Large areas of military reservation are found within the Ancestral Domain of Tapaz & Jamindan ICCs/IPs, which pose impediments in the processing of CADT and which has no Presidential Amendment until now,” they said in their manifesto.

“Tapaz and Jamindan were outrun by their neighbors in CADT issuance having Brgy. Garangan, Brgy. Masaroy, and Brgy. Agcalaga in Calinog, Iloilo issued issued CADT last January 23, 2005,” the IP elders said.

Their manifesto also noted that and CADT for the Ati ICCs/IPs of Dumarao, approved during the time of President Corazon Aquino, and was issued just recently.

Their belief in Robredo as a strong advocate for the rights of Pan-ayanon and Panay Bukidnon stems partly from her recent statements about the proposed National Land Use Act and her record as a human rights lawyer.

The IP elders posed the following conditions in exchange for their support of the vice president:

–       Ensure the immediate amendment of Presidential Proclamation 67 for smooth process and issuance of CADT and other related issuances that may follow thereafter in the Pan-ayanon/Panay Bukidnon ICCs/IPs’ Ancestral Domain;

–       Assure a seat at the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples for Ricardo Camarig Jr., a Pan-ayanon and Panay Bukidnon ICCs/IPs’ leader for over 30 years, as Commissioner for the Panay Island group and the rest of the Visayas; and

–       Provide projects to enrich and develop all Ancestral Domains and assistance for socio-economic and political welfare of Pan-ayanon/Panay Bukidnon ICCs/IPs.

The Tapaz and Jamindan ICCs and IPs claim to have 28,000 settlers. Those in Tapas have  28 ICCs and IPs, and in Jamindan six ICCs and IPs.

Robredo won the province of Capiz in 2016 with a 200,000-vote margin over the second placer and her current rival, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – Rappler.com

Joseph B.A. Marzan is a Visayas-based journalist and a recipient of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.