North Cotabato 2nd District Rep. Nancy Catamco speaks during the supposed dialogue between her and members of the lumad who fled to an evacuation center in Davao City over the alleged militarization of their communities. KARLOS MANLUPIG/INQUIRER MINDANAO
A word war erupted Monday night between North Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco and Makabayan solons in the plenary of the House of Representatives over alleged insults on lumad, or indigenous people, seeking shelter at a church compound in Davao City.
It started when Catamco delivered a privilege speech to explain why she went to see the lumad at the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Haran compound in Davao City.
According to her, she only had the best intentions at heart when she—flanked by the military—urged the lumad from the Ata-Manobo and Matigsalug tribes to go home.
Catamco also denied claims by the House’s Makabayan bloc that she insulted the natives by calling them “stinky.”
She played a video of the visit which showed her telling the lumad: “Hindi kaya ng aking kalooban na makita ang mga bata sa lugar na ganito ang amoy.” (I can’t take seeing these children in a stinky place like this.)
First to interpellate Catamco was Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan, whom Catamco identified in her speech as the one who “misheard” her supposedly calling the lumad as “stinky.”
Earlier, the Makabayan, to which Ilagan belonged, issued a statement wherein they criticized the Cotabato representative for humiliating the lumad at the UCCP center. Their statement quoted Catamco as saying: “Panguli na mo kay baho na kayo mo diri. (Go back home because you are become stinky in this place.)”
Ilagan, who was present when Catamco went to the center last July 14, said the video did not show her making incriminating statements. On the contrary, it was Catamco who was the one who kept on humiliating the lumad, she said.
“My name was mentioned, my picture was shown. If you look at the video, I was not saying anything. I was just in the background,” Ilagan said.
“The honorable congresswoman was the one who kept on repeating in a strident voice: ‘Gusto niyo na ba umuwi? Bakit hindi pa kayo umuuwi?’ (Do you want to go home already? Why don’t you go home?)”
Ilagan continued, “If we show the full video, we would also hear the representatation (Catamco) saying: ‘Why are you still here? Why don’t you go home? Mabaho na nga ang inyong mga anak rito.’” (You children already stink.)
The Gabriela representative then said Catamco should not force the lumad to go home against their will, adding that the natives would only go back to their communities if the military pulled out.
The militant lawmaker added that the lumad were being recruited by the military to join the paramilitary group called Alamara.
“They did not want to go home. We do not want to impose. If we do, the lumad (would) appear as brainless and that they have no minds of their own, that they cannot think or decide for themselves. I think that is the abuse and discrimination,” Ilagan said.
For his part, Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate, who was also present at the center on July 14, said the issue should not be about members of Congress but about displaced lumad in Mindanao.
“Huwag na natin i-twist at paglaruan ang mga facts. Hindi usapin ito ng mga kinatawang mambabatas sa plenaryo. Ito ay usapin ng ating mga kababayang lumad,” (Let’s not twist the facts. This is not about lawmakers in the plenary. This is about our fellowmen, the lumad) Zarate said.
In her speech, Catamco accused militant groups of deceiving the lumad into joining protest actions to promote their political interests.
She said it was reprehensible that certain groups were using the lumad against the government in pursuit of their political agenda.
“Ginamit nila – inutusan at sinanay pa – ang mga lumad na magdala ng mga placard at alipustain ang pamahalaan at maging ang Pangulo,” (They use the lumad—whom they order and train—to carry placards and lambast the government and even the President) Catamco said.
In a previous statement, the Makabayan bloc – Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Kabataan, ACT Teachers, Anakpawis – said Catamco was insensitive when she brought the military with her to the UCCP compound last July 14, when she was supposed to hold a dialogue with the indigenous people.
The group noted that the natives were displaced because of fighting between communist groups and the military. That was why they were seeking shelter at the evacuation center in Davao City.
Instead of bringing the military and “strong-arm the evacuees into returning to their homes,” the bloc said Catamco should have brought the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples.
“By inviting the military to the supposed dialogue, Rep. Catamco practically deceived the lumad who had been complaining against military atrocities and abuses. What she did was not only uncalled for, it was insensitive, insulting to the very people her legislative committee is supposed to look after,” the Makabayan bloc said. Marc Jayson Cayabyab/CB