Lumads would rather die in Davao City than die at the hands of the soldiers in their villages

Bastos? Lawmaker insults lumads, calls them ‘stinky’

By NewsDesk
July 17, 2015

A LAWMAKER from North Cotabato is now drawing flak after she lost her temper in the middle of a dialogue that she had with members of tribal communities to address the presence of soldiers in their villages in Davao del Norte and parts of Bukidnon province.

The dialogue held in Davao City Wednesday turned ugly when Rep. Nancy Catamco, the chair of the House Committee on Indigenous Peoples, turned from emotional to being offensively heavy-handed and crass.

Photo by Kilab Multimedia

She did not only berate lumad leaders who attended the dialogue for refusing to go home to their villages, but also took a jab at how they supposedly stink. During the dialogue held at UCCP Haran, Catamco brought representatives of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Commission on Human Rights, and the military.

The presence of the soldiers brought discomfort to the lumads as they accuse them of harassment, the reason why left their villages.

During the dialogue, a leader told Catamco that they would rather die in Davao City than die at the hands of the soldiers in their villages.

The statement sparked a barrage of insulting comments from the lawmaker.

“That is what you want? So you want to die here? Those who want to die here may raise your hands,” an apparently agitated Catamco said.



She also lamented at how the lumads, especially the children, stink in Haran. At least 700 Manobos, including schoolchildren, are sheltered in UCCP Haran since May.

The dialogue collapsed even when it was later transferred to a hotel in downtown Davao.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, who attended the dialogue, expressed his disbelief over how Catamco conducted the process. He later walked out saying it was no longer healthy, noting how the lawmaker from North Cotabato kept on interrupting the lumads as she insisted that they go back to their villages.

“I already cautioned her, this is not a dialogue but a monologue,” Zarate said. “If you’re facilitating and you’re emotional, you can’t be objective anymore.”

Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan also expressed her dismay over how Catamco handled the dialogue. She said the lumads were surprised that military officials arrived at the dialogue, since there was an agreement that only NCIP representatives will be invited to listen to the complaints of the lumads.

“Dismayed is the mildest, and apprehensive because the leaders were exposed, and very disappointed because that is not how you are supposed to conduct a dialogue,” said Ilagan, a Dabawenya who represents Gabriela Women’s Party. “You must not fan conflict when you are facilitating a dialogue. I pity the leaders who became helpless because she was not listening to them.”

Photo by Bai Ali Indayla

Datu Kailo Bantulan, a leader of the lumads, they left the dialogue feeling down and insulted.

“Kung gusto niyang mutabang maminaw siya kanamo kay kami ang nakasinati sa maong abuso (If she wants to help, she should listen to us, it is us who experienced abuse),” he said.

Bantulan said more than simply returning to their homes, they want a written agreement with the military that soldiers should stay away from their houses, farms and schools.

The leaders of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) expressed concern over the conduct of Catamco.

“UCCP Peace Sanctuary is a prophetic witness and humanitarian effort of the church for the lost, the last and the least of our people,” said UCCP Bishop Hamuel Tequis. “It is a place purposely created to accommodate individuals or communities that were deprived, neglected, exploited, harassed, and suppressed with their rights to peace, respect and free as a community.”

He reminded the lawmaker that forcing the lumads to go back — while in fear — will not address their issues and demands.

Government officials, he said, must not make the situation worse as public servants should “act as genuine servants to the people.”

UCCP, he said, will continue extending help to the IPs.

“We encourage the LGU’s and government agencies to do also with no single amount of hatred and bitterness, but rather by love and acceptance,” he said.

In a text message, Catamco denied she meant to insult the lumads.

“It was not alluded to anyone but it was the place that going smelly (sic),” Catamco said. “They can call me arrogant or anything they want, I don’t care.”| JMT, NewsDesk