1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 SEC. 21. Penalties. — Any individual, corporation, partners.hip, association, or other juridicial entity that commits any of the prohibited acts provided for under section 20 of this Act shall be prosecuted and upon conviction shall suffer a fine of not less than SIX THOUSAND PESOS (PhP 6,000.00) or any amount not to exceed FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PhP 500.000. 00) or imprisonment of not less than SIX (6) MONTHS AND ONE (1) DAY or more than SIX (6) YEARS, or both, at the discretion of the court, including perpetual disqualification from public office if the offender is a public officer, and confiscation or forfeiture in favor of the government of the objects and the instrumentalities used in committing any of herein prohibited acts. If the offender is a corporation, partnership or association, or other juridical entity, the penalty shall be imposed upon the officer or officers of the corporation, partnership, association or entity responsible for the violation without prejudice to the cancellation or revocation of these entities license or accreditation issued to them by any licensing or accredited body of the government. If such offender is an alien, he or she shall, in addition to the penalties prescribed in this Act, be deported without further proceedings after service of the sentence. However, the prosecution for offenses set forth in Section 20 of this Act shall be without prejudice to any liability for violation of Republic Act No. 8371, as amended, otherwise known as the “Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997”, and other criminal or civil liabilities. CHAPTER VII FINAL PROVISIONS SEC. 22. Annual Report. — On or before March 30 of every year following the effectivity of this Act, the NCIP shall submit to the President and to the Senate and the House of Representatives a progress report on the status of the implementation of this Act and on the implementation of the National ICCA Program. The Council shall recommend legislation, where applicable and necessary. SEC. 23. Construction. — The provisions of this Act shall be construed liberally in favor of ICCs/IPs and in consideration of the protection and conservation of biodiversity. SEC. 24. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The NCIP, in coordination with the DENR and other concerned government agencies and members of the civil society, shall, within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the enforcement of the provisions of this Act. SEC. 25. Appropriations. — The sum of TWENTY MILLION PESOS (PhP 20.000. 000.00) is hereby appropriated as initial operating fund. Thereafter, the amount necessary to effectively carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. In succeeding years, in additional to the annual appropriations to be provided for the implementation of this Act, the fines to be collected as penalties under Section 20 shall also be added for the implementation of this law. SEC. 26. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.