IKINALUNGKOT ni Senator Loren Legarda ang nangyaring marahas na dispersal ng mga pulis sa mga nag-rally sa harap ng US Embassy noong Oktubre 19. Kabilang sa mga nag-rally ang mga Lumad o indigenous peoples (IPs). Ilan sa kanila ang nasaktan sa dispersal tapos ay hinuli pa ang iba.
Komento ni Sen. Loren sa naturang insidente, “The dispersal of the Lumads, you’re referring to the protest in the US Embassy, is really unfortunate. I’m also referring to incidents of Lumads including last year in Lianga, Surigao del Sur and many of the abuses on Lumads. Including what happened in North Cotabato, remember when the Manobos also joined the protest because they were hungry.
“So, this I brought out so many times in the Senate whether in policy speeches or committee hearings. And I think we must deal with it through our law enforcers, who must really exercise restraint and have sensitivity with regards to the complaints and the problems of our Lumads. No way should violence be an option. Protecting their physical safety and understanding their rights is a primordial consideration.
“So, it’s really unfortunate, and it’s something that we should look into. It’s something that perhaps I will raise with the law enforcement agencies. Whether Lumads, women or children, in the sense civilians who are unarmed should not be physically violated.”
Hindi nagustuhan ni Sen. Loren ang pangyayaring ito dahil kabilang sa mga adbokasiya niya ang pagprotekta sa karapatan ng mga katutubong grupo o indigenous peoples sa ating bansa gayun din ang pagtataguyod sa tradisyunal na sining at kultura.
Dahil nga sa adbokasiyang ito ng senadora kaya nabuo ang hino-host niyang six-part weekly documentary series ng ANC (ABS-CBN News Channel) in partnership with National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), ang “Dayaw,” na nasa ikalawang season na ngayon.
“My interest in indigenous peoples’ culture goes back three decades and they never fail to amaze me. Whenever I talk to IPs or visit indigenous communities, I always discover marvelous things about our culture and heritage. Doing the ‘Dayaw’ TV series is an enriching experience for me because I continuously learn about our indigenous culture with every episode. We have a very rich culture that we must all try to learn about and I hope that through ‘Dayaw,’ Filipinos will be inspired and encouraged to discover their indigenous roots. To me, it is not just another television show but a legacy for the Filipino people,” sabi ni Sen. Loren.
Mapapanood ang “Dayaw” tuwing Huwebes, 6 p.m., sa ANC simula sa Nobyembre 3. (GLEN P. SIBONGA)