Katribu wants NCIP chairman out
>> Saturday, January 21, 2023
EDITORIAL
If there is one that
needs to be removed from office, it is National Commission on Indigenous
Peoples chairman Alen Capuyan, who called on NCIP officials to resign, a non-government
organization said.
Capuyan’s term will end this coming February 2023.
“It is him who should resign first,” Katribu national convenor Beverly Longid said.
Retired Army General Capuyan released a statement two days ago calling for NCIP officials and personnel to voluntarily tender their resignation. It was directed to those “who are no longer effective in their mandates and those who are unwilling to respond to legitimate burning issues of indigenous cultural communities/ indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs).”
But Longid said, “This is but a lame attempt to downplay and cover-up Capuyan’s accountability to his violations and corruption and pass it simply as incompetence of NCIP personnel. This is a desperate attempt to remain relevant and continue his position amid rumors of position-grabs in the executive offices. The NCIP under Capuyan’s leadership has directly violated IP rights to land and free, prior, informed consent (FPIC),” Longid said.
Katribu cited the cases of indigenous communities affected by the Kaliwa and Gened dams in Quezon Province and Apayao, respectively. According to Katribu, the NCIP issued the certificate of precondition for the said energy projects despite the opposition of communities.
“It is also during Capuyan’s authority that red tagging against IP communities, organizations, and leaders escalated. This has resulted in the many massacres, declaration of persona-non-grata against leaders of IP organizations, arrest and detention of IP leaders and advocates,” Longid said.
“Capuyan should be thoroughly investigated on many reports undermining FPIC rights of communities, allegations of graft such as the 7-M worth of coffee table book, and manipulation of IP Mandatory Representatives to declare persona-non-grata to his critics.”
Katribu said it is high time the NCIP should be revamped starting with Capuyan’s removal from office. "The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) must be abolished. Both the agencies, the NCIP and the NTF-ELCAC have violated the rights of the indigenous peoples and their communities," Katribu said in a statement.
Capuyan’s term will end this coming February 2023.
“It is him who should resign first,” Katribu national convenor Beverly Longid said.
Retired Army General Capuyan released a statement two days ago calling for NCIP officials and personnel to voluntarily tender their resignation. It was directed to those “who are no longer effective in their mandates and those who are unwilling to respond to legitimate burning issues of indigenous cultural communities/ indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs).”
But Longid said, “This is but a lame attempt to downplay and cover-up Capuyan’s accountability to his violations and corruption and pass it simply as incompetence of NCIP personnel. This is a desperate attempt to remain relevant and continue his position amid rumors of position-grabs in the executive offices. The NCIP under Capuyan’s leadership has directly violated IP rights to land and free, prior, informed consent (FPIC),” Longid said.
Katribu cited the cases of indigenous communities affected by the Kaliwa and Gened dams in Quezon Province and Apayao, respectively. According to Katribu, the NCIP issued the certificate of precondition for the said energy projects despite the opposition of communities.
“It is also during Capuyan’s authority that red tagging against IP communities, organizations, and leaders escalated. This has resulted in the many massacres, declaration of persona-non-grata against leaders of IP organizations, arrest and detention of IP leaders and advocates,” Longid said.
“Capuyan should be thoroughly investigated on many reports undermining FPIC rights of communities, allegations of graft such as the 7-M worth of coffee table book, and manipulation of IP Mandatory Representatives to declare persona-non-grata to his critics.”
Katribu said it is high time the NCIP should be revamped starting with Capuyan’s removal from office. "The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) must be abolished. Both the agencies, the NCIP and the NTF-ELCAC have violated the rights of the indigenous peoples and their communities," Katribu said in a statement.
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