DAVAO CITY – Bai Bibyaon Bigkay, a Matigsalog leader from Talaingod, Davao del Norte, said she is dismayed with the attitude shown by North Cotabato Representative Nancy Catamco who is now under fire after a dialogue with lumad (tribal) evacuees in Davao City turned sour.
Catamco last Wednesday (July 15) visited the indigenous people’s from Davao del Norte and some parts of Bukidnon province who evacuated to the United Church of Christ in the Philippines Haran House in Father Selga street due to militarization in the area.
Bigkay told Davao Today that she even gave Catamco a necklace as a token for her “generosity in seeing to the plight of the lumads”.
“At first, we welcomed her. She gave bags for the children, and I also gave her a necklace,” Bigkay said.
“I thought she really meant sincere help but then after a few hours, she got angry at us. She even said the children here stinks,” Bigkay said.
Catamco on Wednesday morning, appeared to the members of the press and expressed her dismay over the statement of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte that the problems with the evacuees involves ideology and that she must talk to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Previously, Catamco on her visit to the evacuees asked the lumads to go home. The lumads later refused saying that they will return to their lands only after the military’s pull out from the communities.
The organization Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon (Salugpungan) released a statement declaring Catamco as persona non grata for various reasons.
The statement said Catamco deceived the 700 lumads during the dialogue last July 16 when she brought with her Brigadier General Alexander Balutan of the 10th Infantry Division and Col. Harold Cabreros of the 1003rd Brigade in the evacuation camp which caused fear among the IPs.
The IP leaders also decried the “lack of respect” when Catamco questioned the legality of their leaders.
The IPs also believed that Catamco favors the military and remains deaf on their call to pull out the military.
Datu Doloman Dawsay said they are refusing to engage any discussion with Catamco.
The IPs also said Catamco is prohibited to enter the evacuation camp.
Bigkay said that if Catamco returns to Haran, she will personally ask Catamco to never return to their evacuation camp.
