The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has opposed the transfer of the Ancestral Domains Office (ADO) of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
In a statement, the CHR said the proposed transfer of ADO with a new name Ancestral Land Registration and Administration Office (ALRAO) under House Bill No. 9608 will weaken its core mandate to protect the rights of indigenous peoples.
The law on the country's indigenous peoples is Republic Act No. 8371, the Indigenous People's Rights Act of 1987. The law aims to "recognize, protect and promote the rights of indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples."
"The CHR firmly reminds legislators and the public that the NCIP was deliberately established as an independent body, free from external influence, to ensure its ability to effectively champion the rights and welfare of indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples," the commission said.
It noted that it has issued a position paper that outlines its
recommendations to strengthen the protection and fulfillment of the rights of indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples, all the while safeguarding their autonomy and dignity.
"As the country’s national human rights institution, the CHR remains steadfast in its commitment to defending the rights of indigenous peoples and in ensuring the integrity of institutions created to protect them," the CHR said.
It stressed that the NCIP's independence should be supported and its spirit upheld, and it called on all stakeholders to undertake collaborative initiatives that would genuinely empower indigenous communities.
"In doing so, we take a step closer to building a just and inclusive society -- one where the rights, heritage, and dignity of indigenous peoples are fully recognized and respected," the CHR said.