Ombudsman files charges vs NCIP officials

The Office of the Ombudsman has filed charges against eight officials of the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) for illegal titling of ancestral lands in 2009 and 2010 in General Santos.

NCIP Chair Eugenio Insigne, six commissioners including Rolando Rivera, Rizalindo Segundo, Noel Felongco, Jannette Serrano-Reisland, Felecito Masagnay and Miguel Sia-Apostol and Regional Director Jeanne Anne Moendeg-Zoili are facing three counts of violation of Republic Act No. 9649 or the Charter of the City of General Santos in the Sandiganbayan.

Based on the complaint filed by former Rep. Darlene Antonio-Custodio, the officials issued three certificates of ancestral land title (CALT) with respective titles of property to private individuals without proper consultation and concurrence of the city government.

The issued land that covers equivalent to 4,040 hectares situated in Barangays (Village) Fatima and Bawing in General Santos is reserved for an international airport under Presidential Decree No. 219.

RA 9649 states that the city government shall exercise the rights and prerogatives over all lands of the public domain and the city government shall, at all times, be consulted and informed of any disposition, administration and management thereof. Ma. Rhona Ysabel Daoang/RC