By KATHLEEN T. OKUBO
www.nordis.net

One of our recognized opinion makers in the local media made an observation that the “picketers” in Madaymen, Mankayan were a “violent opposition of 300 or more protesters” which “practically forced (authorities serving a court ruling and to demolish the picket line) to withdraw from the scene”.

Furthermore, he wrote that the majority of the protesters were not from Mankayan: “To set the record straight, reports that the protesters were Mankayan residents is totally inaccurate. The greater bulk are actually outsiders, coming from as far away as Abra and Kalinga, a sure indication that the unruly protest is being funded by an unknown source opposed to mining, with Lepanto as collateral damage.”

Is it being insinuated, in his article, that the people of Tabeo, Madaymen and towns people of Mankayan are not protesting the exploratory drillings and planned expansion of a mining company into their farms? And that the residents were not the ones who put up the barricade to stop the drillings? And kept vigil and guarded the barricade for eight months? And defended the barricade from attempts of the company to dismantle it?

Or maybe it is being insinuated that the Kankanaeys and Ibalois are not brave enough to man the barricade that they employed Abraenians and Kalingas to provide warm bodies in the barricade? I do hope that these insinuations are not what he believes in.

I also believe he was cross eyed to perceive the mining company – with all its local and foreign capital and the large profits it drew and took away from the province – as collateral damage but rather it has been the people of Mankayan, in all the 75 years of mining operations of Lepanto, who are the collateral damage.

Manong, I think the situation is something like a snake driven to a corner and is forced to strike back in defense of its very life – the snake in this case are the residents who continue to protect the land that breaths life into the families in Mankayan.

For now, let us respect and commend both parties (the local police and the residents) for recognizing that they are not enemies and therefore worked very hard to keep their tempers from getting the better of them. Though the incident did end in a violent note, it could have been worse if any of the parties blindly pushed their respective agendas.

And if there were people from Abra or Kalinga in the ranks of the protesters, I am sure they were noticeable considering that they are usually taller, lankier and darker than the usual physique of the i-Benguet.

Most probably they were there in solidarity with the protesting community for they also face the same issues in many villages in both of these provinces, as well as in the Ilocos, Cagayan regions and in Mindoro, Palawan and Mindanao.

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The circus is back in town. Friday was the last day for filing candidacies. Well, the circus actually started a bit earlier for some who were busy jockeying to be the favored candidates for the ruling party.

Apparently, the incumbent ruling party in the city is more consolidated than any local opposition even the traditional Liberal Party chapter in the province and the city.

As the campaign to win the favor of the voting public progresses, so shall we see more of the clowns, the barkers, and the lions, and elephants, dancers, magicians, the fat lady, etc. Let us allow these clowns to perform the best entertainment but let us be discerning and conscientious when the time comes to choose who shall be our champion and who shall serve our communities with the best of ability and compassion. # nordis.net