October 25, 2024
The Timuay Justice and Governance (TJG), representing the Teduray-Lambangian Indigenous Peoples (IP) community, has issued an urgent call for the Bangsamoro Parliament to pass an acceptable Indigenous Peoples (IP) Code for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The plea highlights the pressing need for a code that genuinely addresses the rights, protections, and unique status of the Teduray-Lambangian, a Non-Moro Indigenous group in BARMM, who face not only legal and political challenges but also ongoing violence and killings since BARMM’s establishment.
On October 2, 2024, TJG leaders were informed that an IP Code—originally discussed but unpassed in the Bangsamoro Parliament’s First Assembly—was scheduled for approval before the end of October. While this news brought hope to the region’s Indigenous Peoples, who await formalized recognition and protection within BARMM’s legal framework, only four working days remain in the month, and no update has been given from the Parliament. This lack of action fuels fears among the Teduray-Lambangian that this Second IP Code may also end up archived without securing any real protections.
The Teduray-Lambangian and other Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIP) have long been excluded from BARMM’s power structure, facing threats to their land, culture, and even their lives. An acceptable IP Code—one that respects their ancestral domains, self-governance, cultural identity, and social justice—has become an urgent demand, as the community has been subject to displacement, encroachment on lands, and killings in recent years. They assert that only a meaningful IP Code can address these issues and ensure that BARMM’s institutions fairly include and represent the Indigenous populations in both policy and practice.
Timuay Labi (Supreme Chief) Leticio L. Datuwata of the TJG emphasized the critical nature of passing a truly representative and acceptable code: “A delayed law for Indigenous Peoples in the region delays justice for their four bundles of rights: ancestral domains, self-governance and empowerment, social justice, and cultural integrity,” he stated. He emphasized that without an effective IP Code, even the newly established IP Ministry is insufficient to fully protect the rights of the Teduray-Lambangian. For these communities, the IP Code is not simply a bureaucratic matter but an essential law to ensure their survival, dignity, and participation in BARMM.
The TJG has appealed to the national government for support in this matter, especially since October is National Indigenous Peoples’ Month. While Indigenous Peoples across the Philippines commemorate their heritage, culture, and rights, the Teduray-Lambangian in BARMM continue to struggle for basic recognition. The TJG’s demand for an acceptable IP Code stresses that it must reflect their specific needs and circumstances rather than a generalized or symbolic acknowledgment.
The TJG’s call to action urges the IP Committee in the Bangsamoro Parliament, the Office of the Interim Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim, and the entire Bangsamoro Parliament to prioritize the passage of a truly inclusive and acceptable IP Code. For the Teduray-Lambangian and other NMIPs, this legislation represents not only long-overdue recognition but a pathway to fair participation, security, and self-determination in BARMM. The TJG remains hopeful for a positive outcome that will allow Indigenous communities to live in peace, prosperity, and cultural dignity within the Bangsamoro region.
