SC dismisses Dela Cernas' plea; RTC, not NCIP, has jurisdiction

The Supreme Court dismissed a Petition for Mandamus filed by Bienvenido Dela Cerna, Virginia Dela Cerna, Rolando Dela Cerna, Maribeth Dela Cerna, "Isay" Dela Cerna, and Jushuane Dela Cerna Alerta (collectively, the Dela Cernas) for lack of merit. The Court explained that the proper courts, instead of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), shall take cognizance of cases where parties belong to different indigenous cultural communities, or when one of the parties is not a member of an indigenous group.