BAGUIO CITY — The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Cordillera Region has issued a public notice warning against the illegal land title activities of a group calling itself Lumad Katutubo (Independent People) Free and Independent People (I.C.Cs/IP).

According to NCIP Cordillera, the unauthorized entity has been issuing fake Original Certificates of Native Titles to deceive the public and target members of indigenous cultural communities (ICCs). The group has misleadingly claimed authority under Presidential Decree No. 1529, also known as the Property Registration Decree, and Republic Act No. 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997 (IPRA). It has also falsely claimed valid registration involving Environmental Compliance Certificates and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) mechanisms.

The regional agency clarified that the entity holds no legal authority under Philippine law to issue Torrens titles, land registrations, or ancestral land awards. NCIP Cordillera stressed that any documents or certificates produced by the group are fraudulent, illegal, and void from the beginning, cautioning that these activities are intended to exploit vulnerable communities for financial gain.

Under Republic Act No. 8371, NCIP holds the sole legal mandate to process, register, and issue legitimate Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles and Certificates of Ancestral Land Titles (CADT). The public is advised to halt all land-related transactions with the group and coordinate directly with the NCIP Cordillera regional office at the Lyman Ogilby Centrum on Magsaysay Avenue in Baguio City for verified land claim records. The agency also urges anyone approached by the group to report the matter immediately to NCIP Cordillera or local law enforcement authorities.