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Why Anti-Igolot culture, why the resistance

By Fr. Eduardo Solang, Sr. (Ret.)

In the incidence of resisting and stopping such kind of demolition action in Guinzadan, Bauko, Mt. Province on Feb. 16, 2005, which I witnessed myself, I wish to make clarifications on why I have called it anti-Igolot culture and why the resistance as far as I am concerned and involved. Personally, it was sort of an instinctive reaction to some facts of the matter namely:

1. The demolition team came from elsewhere outside the community;
2. Members of the team were mostly prisoners;
3. One of them was observably differently able person or sick of some kind by the way he was moving around;
4. There was element of force since they were accompanied by many armed policemen in uniform.

Then and there, at the height of actions and reactions by those present, I was reflecting that if such kind of demolition be allowed to take its course, it will be initiating a new style of culture of doing about the same certain matters in our Igolot villages. At age 66, I was not born yesterday. And since childhood, I have never seen such an activity with such an atmosphere. Because it is not part of my experience, not only that it is something strange and abnormal to me, but it is all the more anti-culture. And that remains to be my fear.

It was all for the protection of peaceful process of culture where such actuations cannot be accepted as normal and can therefore render unnecessary disturbance in the community.

While the community, including some outsiders, pleaded with the sheriff that the demolition be stopped, I could hear emotional statements from some Guinzadan folks. “No ma-ippalobos ay ommut na – awanen nan Guinzadan.” (Once this is allowed, Guinzadan will be no more).

Cannot things be talked about some more to end up with some other options other done demolition by force and all that accompany it? Especially that the contending parties of the case are RELATIVES themselves.

On Feb. 16, the sheriff accepted a five-day delay of the action as requested by the community people present. I understand recently, it has been moved to a ten-month period, meaning, the Guinzadan folks would have a longer time (and opportunity) to still see what could be better done culturally – as peaceful as things can be if so arranged accordingly. So we continue to learn from what happened. #

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