SAF Cordi families want an investigation

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Son of Cordillera is PMA topnotcher

By: Arthur L. Allad-iw, Northern Dispatch (special to InterAksyon.com)
March 10, 2015 2:29 PM

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The online news portal of TV5

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines -- An Igorot, son of a Kankanaey father and Ibaloi mother, is the topnotcher of the 171-strong Philippine Military Academy’s “Sinaglahi” Class of 2015.

Cadet First Class Arwi Chiday Martinez, who graduates cum laude, will receive the Presidential Saber and Philippine Army Saber, and is also the JUSMAG (Joint US Military Assistance Group) Awardee and Tactics Group Awardee.

The topnotcher CFC Martinez. Photo by Mau Victa

He will be joining the Philippine Army.

His father Darcio, a forester from Buguias, Benguet, said he and his wife, an Ibaloi from the Chiday clan of Loakan in this city, fully support their son’s decision and whatever plans he has for the future.
Martinez’s uncle, Jackson Chiday, the elder brother of his mother, was literally speechless when called for an interview.

When he got his voice back, Chiday said Arwi’s achievement is an honor not only for him and his family but for all Ibaloi and Igorots, the term used for the various ethnoliguistic groups of the Cordillera region.
“I” or “Y” means “from” and “golot” means mountain, thus the word literally means “people from the mountain.”

“I hope that he (Arwi) will serve as an inspiration for the ipusan (referring to Igorots who use g-strings) youth; for them to work hard in their studies and achieve their aspirations,” Chiday said.

A “thanksgiving ritual” will be performed by their clan after Arwi’s graduation, said Chiday, who is president of the Onjon ni Ivadoi, a union of Ibaloi residents in this city that spearheaded the celebration of Ibaloi Day on February 23.

HS teachers recall ‘intelligent’ yet ‘humble’ student

Faculty and students of the Baguio City National High School annex in Loakan also welcomed the news of their alumnus’ achievement.

Martinez graduate from the high school in 2010 as first honorable mention, with awards for excellence in science and math.

“He was intelligent yet humble,” his math teacher Mary Leah Duka Abad said in an interview.
She said they had encouraged him to take up engineering but he went into the PMA promising they would be proud of him someday. 

“He always updated us of his (PMA) scholastic standing. We expected him to be in the Top 5 but it is a bonus that he ended up first,” Abad said.

The Baguio City government also hailed Martinez’s achievement.

Martinez is one of two Cordillerans to land in the Top 10 of this year’s graduating PMA class. Cadet First Class Jan Klyde Danganan, from Irisan, is ranked No. 7.

The top ten with PMA officials. Photo by Mau Victa

The other top 10 graduates are:

• Genesis Dizon of Zamboanga City (2)
• John Paul Bacsain of Pili, Camarines Sur (3)
• Paolo Dominis Regis of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro (4)
• Caroline Jhoy Nacional of Maitum, Sarangani, and the only female (5)
• John Denver Bambico of Naguilian, La Union (6)
• Steven Tali of Zamboanga City (8)
• Brian Villanueva of General Santos City (9)
• Regoric Fuentes of North Cotabato (10)

Sixteen of the graduates are women.

Ninety-two of them are joining the Army, 45 will be in the Navy, and 34 in the Air Force.                              

Indigenous people join calls for PNoy to quit

By: Arthur L. Allad-iw, Northern Dispatch (special to InterAksyon.com)
February 28, 2015 10:03 AM

Rice farming in an indigenous people's community in the Cordillera (photo by Arthur L. Allad-iw)

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The online news portal of TV5

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines -- A national federation of indigenous people’s groups has joined calls for the resignation of President Benigno Aquino III, citing a “dangerous incompetence” they said can be clearly seen in an economic program that revolves around the plunder of resources in IP communities.

Large-scale mining and energy projects -- coupled with militarization – have enveloped and threatened to destroy IP communities, the Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) said in a statement.

The group singled out Aquino’s centerpiece Public-Private Partnership program, which KAMP spokesperson Piya Macliing Malayao said, “sold out our lands to private business.”

Malayao blasted Aquino’s Executive Order 79, which she said propped up the Mining Act of 1995 that is causing the most turmoil in indigenous communities nationwide.

While EO 79 ostensibly sets a the moratorium on all mining applications, KAMP said it excluded 712 mine applications approved prior to its issuance.

These applications cover 967,531 hectares, 532,368 hectares of which lie in indigenous communities.
An estimated 100,000 people from 39 tribal groups nationwide will be dislocated or stand to lose their livelihood due to liberalization of mining, KAMP documents said.

Igorots from the provinces of the Cordillera expressed their opposition to the large-scale mining as they heightened their call for repeal of RA 7942 or the Mining Act of 1995. Photo by Arthur Allad-iw

Indigenous people are estimated to make up 12-15 percent of the country’s population of 100 million.
Aside from mines, KAMP said 149 hydropower projects and 16 geothermal projects have been built, are under construction, or are in the pipeline to being built in IP lands.

And wherever mining, energy and other corporate projects are located, KAMP said government forces are also deployed to contain any opposition and paving the way for human rights violations.

“He (Aquino) does not recognize and respect the IPs rights over their lands and self-determination,” Malayao said.

Since 2010, KAMP said that 50 indigenous peoples, 6 of them were women and six were children, had been victims of extrajudicial killings.

The human rights situation of IPs has also worsened under the administration’s counterinsurgency campaign Oplan Bayanihan.

“There is no let-up in human rights violations as BS Aquino revels in impunity … We have every reason to call for his removal in Malacanang,” Malayao ended.

Photo by Arthur Allad-iw

Sagada elders perform rituals for safe journey, justice for fallen SAF hero

By: Arthur L. Allad-iw, Northern Dispatch (special to InterAksyon.com)
February 3, 2015 3:53 PM http://www.interaksyon.com/article/104302/sagada-elders-perform-rituals-for-safe-journey-justice-for-fallen-saf-hero
 

Special Action Force personnel attend the wake for PO1 Russel Bilog in Baguio City. (photo by Arthur Allad-iw, Northern Dispatch)

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines -- For elders of the eastern villages of Sagada, Mountain Province, respect for a fallen hero is manifested in the rituals tradition obliges them to perform, accompanied by prayers that none of his kin meet the same fate and that he have justice in hand as he joins his ancestors in the outer world.

Thus it was for Police Officer 1 Russel Bawaan Bilog, 28, one of the 44 Special Action Force commandos who died in battle in faraway Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25 as the elders of his village offered animals and read the sacrificed creatures’ bile to ensure his safe journey and welcome by his ancestors and Creator.

Residents of PO1 Bilog's native Sagada village attend his wake in Baguio City. (photo by Arthur L. Allad-iw)

Aside from Bilog, 12 more of the SAF 44 trace their ancestry to the Cordilleras, including two others from Sagada -- PO3 Noel Onangey Golucan and PO2 Jerry Cayob.

The other Cordillerans were PO2 Nobel Kiangan of Mankayan, Benguet; PO1 Angel Kodiamat of Bontoc, Mountain Province; PO2 Walter Danao of Irisan, Baguio City; PO1 Gringo Cayang-o of Bontoc, Mountain Province; PO2 Peterson Carap of Kabayan, Benguet; PO2 Joel Dulnuan of Kiangan, Ifugao; PO3 Robert Allaga of Banaue, Ifugao; PO2 Franklin Danao of Tinoc, Ifugao; Senior Inspector Gednat Tabde of La Trinidad, Benguet; and Senior Inspector Cyrus Anniban of Balbalan, Kalinga.


A SAF honor guard stands by PO1 Bilog's coffin

The series of rituals for Bilog began Saturday morning when his body, in a sealed coffin, was taken home to Puliwes in this city and a pig was offered in a ritual called “senga” to signal the start of the overnight wake for the fallen policeman.

Two more pigs would be sacrificed that evening, one in a ritual called “linabi,” and another called the “alolosan” at 3 a.m. Sunday.

A pig is butchered in the ritual called 'linabi,' performed at the wake of PO1 Bilog. 

In between these, Lakay Eduardo Latawan, offered a chicken in the “pamutbutan” ritual, reciting prayers in Sagada Kankanaey.

Harking to the martial tradition of the northern tribes, the prayers for Bilog not only asked that he be the last of his kin to fall in battle but that he be allowed to take vengeance on his killers with the help of his ancestor.

A chicken is sacrificed in the 'pamutbutan' ritual by a Kankanaey elder from Sagada

As tradition requires for those who fall in battle, Bilog was buried at the Baguio cemetery as the sun rose Sunday.

Another ritual, the “daw-es,” or cleansing, was performed for Bilog’s family after the funeral “to end this kind of nightmare and to overcome the incident and to move on,” an elder explained.

But as he was laid to rest, the recriminations began, with condemnation for President Benigno Aquino III, who is widely perceived to be responsible for sending Bilog and his comrades to their deaths.

“There should be a full-blown investigation into the incident and appropriate charges should be filed against all those who are involved in the incident,” said Baguio City Councilor Faustino Olowan, who also traces his roots to the same eastern Sagada village as Bilog.

Maguindanao PNP carnage and PNoy weak leadership

Advocate’s Overview:

February 1, 2015 

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net 

Cordillera folk, from various walks of life, condemn the carnage of 44 elite forces of the Philippine National Police in Maguindanao on Saturday, January 24. At least 13 from the victims came from the Cordillera region while two were reportedly injured as per news report.

The Magunidanao carnage of the PNP Special Action Force manifested the weak leadership of Pres. Noynoy Aquino. And it fueled the call from various sectors for an impartial investigation of the incident and to work for the attainment of justice for the carnage victims, who despite doing their legitimate job, were actually used for the interests of Pnoy and his top officials.

PO1 Russel B. Bilog /Photo by: Ana Mae Sabelo

Young, brave and obediently following orders from their higher ups, they were in Maguindanao with a mission to arrest two top ranking members of the terrorists Jemayah Islamiyah: Zulhifil Bin Hir alias Marwa and Basit Usma, who carried a bounty of US$ 5 million and $2 million respectively.

The reasons why we should condemn PNoy and his administration for the Maguindanao carnage are:
First, it showed that Pnoy and the state securities under his command as Commander in Chief failed to lend support to the PNP SAF at the time they needed it most. The claims for no coordination and mis-encounter further showed his weakness at decision making. It must be remembered that the “battle” between the PNP SAF and the MILF/BIFF happened on the night of Saturday until the morning of Sunday. Yet there was no reinforcement move from the state security agencies, despite Pnoy’s knowledge that there was the move to arrest the said targets in Maguindanao. These young members of the PNP elite forces died without concern of support for reinforcement from their Commander in Chief.

Second, I wonder why the information on their mission was not known by DILG Secretary Mar Roxas and the AFP Chief of Staff. Even for the sake of security, is it not proper for the other security agencies to have the knowledge on the said mission? But it seems that the bounty of 6 million US dollars was more important. Those who were directly knowledgeable and in command of the said elite forces were only concerned and after that million dollar bounty; they wanted to keep the bounty for themselves, hence they did not like anybody to be aware of their mission, even for reinforcement if they were put in a dangerous situation. While they sacrificed their lives in their noble service, that sacrifice was tainted by the whims and caprices of the higher ups – greed. And, there is already confirmation through DNA at Marwa was already dead (courtesy of the US troops who intervened in that operation as the seen presence of their helicopter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao). Maybe they will be happy with the bounty but look at the number of victims.

Third, there arises a question as to the delineation of roles of the PNP and the AFP. While it seems true that the state security agencies are also concerned with protecting the public against terrorism, Mindanao is an area where there is a conflict (regardless of the peace talks) between the MILF and its “allies” with the Philippine government. In this kind of situation, it is the AFP who should be responsible for the security tasks in the area. The police force is not intended for war against those engaged with armed conflict with the government, which is more of an AFP task. We wonder why these policemen were sacrificed then.

Lastly, I tried to understand that just war is waged for just aspirations. But I cannot stomach the after effect of the PNP SAF and MILF/BIFF “armed encounter.” I believed there were violations in the conduct of war committed by the MILF/BIFF forces against the PNP SAF. The videos and stories proved that the dead PNP SAF were desecrated. And their personal belongings were robbed, compounded by the statements of the ambushers (and their wives) which rubbed salt on the injury inflicted upon the victims’ families. It is a challenge to the MILF to prove that they upheld international humanitarian law by conducting investigations on its own ranks and punished those who committed breaches of these international laws. No armed group (a revolutionary for that matter) could be exempted from the rules of war. The MILF should respect this process.

But the PNoy administration must have more to prove and explain on the situation. Else, his acts – in relation with the Maguindanao carnage – as the highest officer of the land and commander in chief are impeachable offenses.

While we urge for an impartial investigation and justice for the victims of the Maguindanao carnage, I join the Cordillerans and Filipinos in extending condolences to these 44 brave warriors, specifically to the following Cordillerans who perished in the carnage:

1. PO1 Russel Bilog of Sagada, Mountain Province and Tabuk City, Kalinga
2. PO3 Noel Golocan of Sagada, Mountain Province and Mankayan, Benguet
3. PO2 Nobel Kiangan of Mankayan, Benguet
4. PO1 Angel Kodiamat of Bontoc, Mountain Province
5. PO2 Jerry Kayob of Balili, La Trinidad
6. PO2 Walter Danao of Irisan, Baguio City
7. PO1 Gringo Cayang-o of Bontoc, Mountain Province
8. PO2 Peterson Carap of Kabayan, Benguet
9. PO2 Joel Dulnuan of Kiangan, Ifugao
10. PO3 Robert Allaga of Banaue, Ifugao
11. PO2 Franklin Danao of Tinoc, Ifugao
12. PSI Gednat Tabde of La Trinidad, Benguet
13. PSI Cyrus Anniban of Balbalan, Kalinga.

I also hope for the immediate recovery from injury by Cordillerans police officers Christopher Lalan and Clifford Agayyong. # nordis.net

Sayote: ‘Hanging Green Gold’

Filipinos are familiar with the sayote, but not everyone knows its origins and its many uses.

 

BY ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat

 

SAGADA, Mountain Province — Filipinos are familiar with sayote (Sechium edule) but not everyone knows that this vegetable was introduced by the Spaniards.

Sayote (called chayote by Spaniards) was introduced in Sagada sometime in 1922 by Spanish soldier-turned-farmer Jaime P. Masferre, the father of the legendary photo-artist Eduardo L. Masferre. The older Masferre introduced fruits and vegetables of Spanish origin in the Philippines.

The older Masferre brought the first sayote from Mexico when he and his son came back to the Philippines. They were on their way home after Eduardo lived in Spain for his elementary education, according to the June-July 1995 issue of the Sagada Postboy, a publication of the Saint Mary’s School, an American-established school in Sagada.

In an article written by Bartholomeo Dao-as, Eduardo’s maternal cousin, the father and son returned home from Spain to Sagada in 1922. That was after the older brother of Eduardo died and after Eduardo finished his elementary education in Spain.

Propagation

The Sagada Postboy traced that when the first sayote were then propagated in Sagada, “it eventually spread throughout the Cordillera as perhaps the most sustainable vegetable in the region,” according to an article written by then Sagada Mayor Thomas Killip.

Masferre established in Batalao, Sagada a 32-hectare farm, which was later reduced to 21 due to land claimants, said Jake Masferre Reyes, Jaime’s great grandson by Eduardo. The older Masferre had in his farm sayote and other foreign fruits and vegetables. However, with a cultural system where seeds and products were communal, he shared the propagated sayote and other plants with the Sagada residents.

“The chayote (or sayote) has climbed its way into the most barren and rocky terrains,” stated the Sagada Postboy.

Sayote survived in the Cordillera because its climate is similar to that of Mexico. In an article by R. Lira Saade of the National Herbarium of Mexico, chayote has been cultivated in Mexico since the pre-Columbian times. The plant’s common names of native origin, like the Mexican Nahuatl’s chayote or chayotli, are concentrated mainly in Mexico and Central America. She said the species was “undoubtedly domesticated within the cultural area of Mesoamerica, and specifically in the region lying between south Mexico and Guatemala.”

Saade added that chayote is grown in the area preferably between 800 and 1,800 meters in altitude. In Oaxaca, Bolivia and Chihuahua, Mexico, it is cultivated above 2,000 meters.

 

Sayote plantation along the Halsema Highway. Photo by Art Allad-iw

With the similarities in climate and altitude, sayote survived well in the Cordillera. The altitude explains also why it failed to survive in areas with lower altitude like the Cagayan and Ilocos regions.

The sayote was soon called the “hanging green gold” due to its economic value and resilient character, able to survive tough conditions. The Sagada Postboy said sayote is high-yielding while requiring little input. It is also environment-friendly as it is non-polluting.

Ready food, medicine

In Sagada and the whole of Cordillera, sayote provides ready foods from its uggot (tops) and fruits. Uggot can be prepared easily like the fruits which can be chopped and added to the etag (Igorot ham), with or without chicken.

Surplus sayote is also used as alternative animal feeds. In fact, Dao-as said that Eduardo Masferre used sayote to feed his hogs, poultry and rabbit in Batalao and recycled, on the other hand, the wastes of these animals as fertilizers for his sayote and other plants.

 

Sayote is also a source of cash by farmers in the region. Photo by Art Allad-iw

The sayote root is not much utilized for food by the Cordillerans, unlike Mexico’s indigenous Mayans who also eat the starchy roots – like the fruits and tops – and added it to beans. Sayote was also the staple food of the indigenous Aztecs in Mexico. At present, sayote can be prepared and eaten raw as salad. It may be stuffed and baked and may be prepared mashed, fried or boiled. It can also be used as soup or cream.

Unknown to many, however, the sayote is also a medicinal plant. Its leaves can be made into tea. It can dissolve kidney stones. On the other hand, it is also used to treat hypertension and arteriosclerosis, according to an article on sayote history and lore on the Internet. Northern Dispatch/Posted by Bulatlat

 

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BLISTT to address Baguio’s problems

January 11, 2015 

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

TUBLAY, Benguet — Baguio City’s perennial problems which included shortage of housing for overflowing visitors, water supply shortage, tons of garbage, bumper to bumper traffics, among others, can be addressed through the strategic development of the BLISTT areas.

The BLISTT stands for Baguio City and the nearby Benguet’s towns of La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay.


In an interview, Tublay Mayor Ruben Paoad said that the development of the BLISTT areas would help the problems now confronting Baguio City that had manifested during the latest holidays.
The BLISTT development plan has a framework for convergence of development opportunities, cooperation on development-related concerns, serve for resource use sharing and venue to discuss and resolve their (BLISTT) inter-LGU concerns and issues.

Mayor Paoad being interviewed by local media in his Tublay office. Photo Art Allad-iw

Alternative routes to ease traffic
He added that infra-structure projects particularly the development of the alternative routes connecting various municipalities and Baguio City would ease the traffic problems as cars would not necessarily pass throught the city.

Since national roads are well developed, the improvement of these alternative roads is a must for the present situation. He cited the roads from Sablan road to Tublay, Tublay to Itogon, and Itogon to Tuba which would, if developed, ease the heavy traffic in Baguio and La Trinidad as travelers can take these routes directly to their business and concerns.

“They would not contribute to the heavy traffic in the center if they go through these alternative routes,” he added.

In fact even the vegetable produce, like the Baguio beans that are grown in the town, can be bought outside the City and La Trinidad, he explained. The vegetable produce are more expensive in Baguio City than in the outskirts.

Tourism development
In the BLISTT development plan, the promotion of untapped tourist attractions in the Tublay and other towns would help spur the tourism industry. Like the natural and burial caves in Sagada, Mountain Province, those found in the BLISTT towns can be promoted, he said.

Balangagan Cave in Sagada, Mountain Province. Photo by Arthur L. Allad-iw

 Tublay has natural caves with Cathedral spaces and eye-gluing stalagmites and stalactites which can be visited by tourists, particularly those who do not have enough time to visit Sagada, Paoad added. Hotels and inns are viable too in the BLISTT towns which would help in the decongestion of visitors in Baguio and La Trinidad areas.

Paoad likened the BLISTT development to neighbors, who extend help to each other during merry making like canao and other non-merry making situations like in calamities.

There is already a tradition and culture among these Benguet towns t extend help to each other, he explained. The resources of the BLISTT members can be shared with their neighbors like water. The same with problems, like that on garbage, can be solved with the help of members of the BLISTT.

The local executives of the BLISTT area signed in 2012 the memorandum of agreement for the strategic development of the area, where the mayors also formed the BLISTT development council. The Benguet governor, the Regional Development Council, the NEDA, and the DILG CAR are also members of the said council. # nordis.net