During the celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (IDWIP) and National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD), Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) BAYAN MUNA-Affiliated Front Organizations, namely Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KATRIBU), Sandugo-Movement of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for Self-Determination (SANDUGO), KATRIBU Youth, Tunay na Alyansa ng Bayan Alay sa Katutubo (TABAK), BAI Indigenous Women’s Network (BAI), Sandiwa – Network of Advocates for National Minority Rights (SANDIWA), and Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), staged a rally in front of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Central Office led by former BAYAN MUNA Representative and SANDUGO Spokesperson Eufemia Cullamat to call for the abolition of NCIP claiming that the Agency is not doing its job and mandate to promote and protect the rights of the Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs).

It could be recalled that the NCIP Commission en Banc (CEB) passed four (4) substantive Resolutions last year to condemn the continued atrocities being committed by the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) against the ICCs/IPs as follows: (1) CEB Resolution No. 08-071-2021, Series of 2021 “A Resolution Condemning the Continued Killings of IPs by the CPP-NPA-NDF”; (2) CEB Resolution No. 08-072-2021, Series of 2021 “A Resolution Condemning the Radicalization, Recruitment, and Exploitation of IP Youth by the CPP-NPA-NDF”; (3) CEB Resolution No. 08-073-2021, Series of 2021 “A Resolution Condemning the Acts of the CPP-NPA-NDF in Creating their “IP Organizations” Misrepresenting the True Interests and Situations of the ICCs/IPs”; and (4) CEB Resolution No. 08-074-2021, Series of 2021 “A Resolution Urging for a Concerted Effort for the Freedom of Bae Bibyaon Bigkay Ligkayan and Condemning Her Exploitation by the CPP-NPA-NDF Front Organizations”.

These NCIP CEB Resolutions were approved and released in order to inform and educate the public on the terroristic activities of the CTGs for the past fifty-three (53) years perpetrated particularly against ICCs/IPs within their Ancestral Domains.

Some of the issues raised by the group include struggle for self-determination, disinformation, fascism against IPs, and environmental problems such as irresponsible mining, construction of dams and power plants inside the Ancestral Domain, defending the environment defenders, protecting biodiversity, and Ancestral Land exploitation through eco-tourism.

Based on the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) last 25 July 2022, the issues raised by the rallyists were already incorporated in the NCIP Strategic Master Plan because most of the economic activities envisioned by the President will be done inside the Ancestral Domains.