Senator Robinhood Padilla has filed a bill seeking to probe alleged irregularities of Malampaya in the selection process of the Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative (IPMR) in Palawan.
In his Senate Resolution No. 885 filed on Dec. 11 but released to media on Tuesday, Padilla said his office got complaints regarding the irregularities in choosing the IP representative.
“The Cuyonons of Palawan alleged that the IPMR selection process did not adhere to customary laws and practices, resulting in the disenfranchisement of traditional leaders and their exclusion from meaningful participation,” Padilla said in his explanatory note.
He urged the Senate Committee on Cultural communities and Muslim Affairs to conduct an inquiry into the complaints of the Cuyon tribe, which resides in the Cuyo islands in the Northern and Central Palawan area.