Timuay Justice and Governance 3rd TIMFADA LIMUD (Tribal Congress)

To Your Successful assembly and the continuous assertions for your rights, Mabuhay!

MindanaOne Tri-People Movement (MindanaOne) extends its warmest greetings and congratulations to the TIMUAY JUSTICE AND GOVERNANCE (TJG) on its 3rd TIMFADA LIMUD (TRIBAL CONGRESS) this April 16-19, 2017 in Nuro, Upi, Maguindanao.

Quoting below about the Timuay Justice and Governance and the Timfada Limud:

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The Timuay Justice and Governance

"The Timuay Justice and Governance (TJG) also known as the Késéfanang-guwit Timuay in the Téduray and Lambangian vernacular is an ancient system of governance, otherwise known as the Indigenous Political Structure (IPS) with the Customary Laws of the Téduray and Lambangian Indigenous Peoples (IPs) composed of the Ukit, Tegudon and Dowoy as their guide in implementing the governance system within their territory. TJG is operationalized in the remaining traditional territory of the Téduray and Lambangian in portions of Maguindanao Province, ARMM and Sultan Kudarat Province, Region 12, a territory which was left to them by their ancestor Apu Mamalu.

The term Timuay is both a system and a tribal title among the Tédurays and Lambangians. The root word is “timu”, meaning, gather. Thus, any one, either men or women who has the capacty to gather people is a Timuay. The Téduray and Lambangian ethnic groups are among the 110 Indigenous Peoples listed by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in the whole country.

The Timuay system is a traditional form o f leadership and tribal based self-governance practiced by the Téduray and Lambangian since time immemorial up to the present. This is characterized by a collective form of leadership and free participation of the magingéd (citizens) through attendance to assemblies and forums called for by the Baglalan or tribal title holders in the different lines of work in the Timuay system of governance.

The central leadership is the Minted sa Inged (roughly interpreted as Supreme Council of Chiefs) headed by the Timuay Labi. The first Timuay Labi was Alim Bandara in 2002 followed by Sannie Bello in 2010. The third will be determined in the 2017 TJG Timfada Limud.

The basic unit of the TJG is the Fenuwo (village) headed by the Timuay. This is where the bulk of the participants during the Timfada Limud came from.

Prior to the enactment of RA 8371, otherwise known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997 (IPRA), the Teduray and Lambangian were able to put into a written form the Tegudon - Teduray version as early as 1994 and was officially adopted in 1995 as seen in the logo of the Timuay Justice and Governance (TJG). However, the TJG operation before IPRA was clandestine due to bad experiences of Teduray and Lambangian leaders during the alangkat (defensive mode) period whereby tribal activities were outlawed by the commonwealth government in their efforts to integrate the indigenous peoples in mainstream government. The alangkat however is not a movement against the commonwealth government but rather a process of tribal consolidation to protect and promote customary laws and spirituality.

In early 1990s, indigenous peoples awareness for the right to self-determination spread wide throughout the country that led to the enactment of IPRA in 1997. The four (4) bundles of rights recognized in IPRA are on (1) ancestral domains; (2) self-governance and empowerment; (3) social justice and human rights; and, (4) cultural integrity.

The IPRA gave window of opportunity for the transformation of the TJG operation from clandestine into a genuine and legal operation as legitimate indigenous peoples’ self-governance system. But another story if we talk of IPRA in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where the implementation of IPRA is not yet resolve to the moment. However, IPRA is a national law and ARMM is still within the jurisdiction of the Philippine State, hence, IPRA has a jurisdiction over the ARMM. This is manifested by NCIP En Banc Resolution to delineate the Ancestral Domain of the Teduray and Lambangian.

Legal basis of the TJG

1. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

2. RA No. 8371 of Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997 (IPRA)

3. Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 241 of 2008 (MMAA No. 241

The Timfada Limud

The Timfada Limud refers to a big gathering of Teduray and Lambangian baglalan (tribal title holders) for decision making relating to review of the customary laws, program of governance and installation of baglalan for the Inged level. Other issues of best interest to the tribes shall also be discussed and can be decided in the Timfada Limud.

There is no historical data as to when was the last Timfada Limud by our ancestors. In fact, there are many interpretations of Timfada Limud. One interpretation is that Timfada Limud is a person, the highest decision maker. And the current application is based on this interpretation but not as a single person making his/her decision but a group of persons preferably key leaders from the different parts of the Inged making important decision, hence the TJG 2017 Timfada Limud.

In modern day implementation, the TJG 2017 Timfada Limud is our 3rd Timfada Limud. The first was conducted at Kansad Gadung in 2002 and the 2nd was at the Upi Municipal Gymnasium at Nuro, Upi, Maguindanao in 2010. And today, the venue of the TJG 2017 Timfada Limud is once again at the Upi Municipal Gymnasium, Nuro, Upi, Maguindanao.

Objectives:

1. Review and amend if necessary the Teduray and Lambangian customary laws (Tegudon, Ukit and Dowoy);

2. Installation of the Minted sa Inged and Fagilidan;

3. Consolidation and submission of positions on the issue of Peace; IP Party Building; Federalism and Ancestral Domains delineation;

4. Get responses and support from responsible government offices and agencies and from the rebel forces talking peace with the Philippine government"

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Fiyo Bagi! Meuyag!

Abulcair Balindong

MindanOne National Chairperson

12 April 2017