Davao City Vice Mayor lambasts NCIP for delayed IP rep certification

DAVAO CITY (May 23) –– – Vice Mayor  Bernie Al-ag lambasted the regional office of the  National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP)  for dilly-dallying the issuance of the  certificate of affirmation for Bae Cherry Ann Ortiz  Codilla, the   Indigenous People Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the City Council,.

Codilla was elected and has been proclaimed as the IPMR representative to  the City Council  last March, but until now, she hasn’t  taken her oath.

Al-ag said,   Codilla cannot take her oath  without  the certificate of affirmation from the NCIP .

Al-ag claimed “I only find one reason, is to delay the process.”

According to Al-ag, the City Council has been waiting for the certificate of affirmative from the NCIP but to no avail.

Codilla for her part  claimed, as early as 2017, the NCIP was aware she was running for the IPMR seat   “They know I was running, they should have started checking my background.”

Cris Ingay, provincial head of the NCIP,  in an interview with PTV Mindnao said  for one to be the IPMR, (S)he must have  25 percent IP blood.

Ingay stressed  “The regional director   has prerogative before he will issues  the certificate of affirmation, it turned out nga naay mga questionabling kuan.. (there is a questionable ahh… ) .in as far as qualification of Cherry Codilla  with respect to her genealogy.”

But Al-ag said the NCIP is among the agencies which verified and screened the candidates vying for the IPMR position.

Al-ag said he has already called the attention of the NCIP  but still got not positive response.

Al-ag found the reasons cited by NCIP unjustifiable, noting that Codilla has already undergone a series of validation process before she was selected and proclaimed as the tribe’s IPMR for the City Council last March.

He said NCIP’s dilly-dallying has disadvantaged the IP sector in the city, depriving them of “the services supposed to be given to them.”

Al-ag pointed out that Codilla is a member of her tribe’s own Tribal Council in Barangay Biao Guianga, her mother being a deputy mayor representing the Bagobo-Klata in the city.

The City Council, Al-ag said  might  bring the matter to the legislative body, or to the Office of the President.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph