IP justice forum launched

ZAMBOANGA CITY — A justice forum for “Panglima” or adjudicators practitioners for Indigenous Communities (IP) in Basilan province was launched in Lamitan City on Sunday in a bid to enhance the adjudicators’ capability in rendering a decision to complaints filed by residents living in the indigenous community in Basilan province.

Ammar Salahuddin said that 45 Panglima practitioners of the “traditional IP justice system” in the 11 municipalities and two cities in Basilan province attended the “justice forum” at Barangay Sabong in Lamitan City.

He added that the forum was primarily aimed to strengthen the indigenous justice system in the province and will help decongest the cases filed in the regular judicial court.

Basilan Indigenous Peoples Provincial

Board member Datu Masid Yacob and Bangsamoro Transition Authority member Ustadz Abdulmuhmin Mujahid had served as resource persons during the forum in Lamitan City.

The Panglima in the indigenous community have settled various family feuds — also known as banta or rido — in close coordination with the local government units, police and military authorities.

Among the topics discussed during the forum were customary laws in relation to Shariah laws and the statute adopted and practiced by the Katarungan Pambarangay under the Local Government Code of 1991.

Salahuddin is the Yakan cluster head under the program of the Southern Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.