Since 1991, several Lumad families have been displaced due to the expansion of Consunji-owned coffee plantation in the hinterlands of Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The villagers are now struggling to reclaim their ancestral domain.

The Lumads families, mostly T’bolis, says the expansion of the coffee plantation is choking them as they have almost nothing left to cultivate.

Aside from this slideshow, a 7-minute video documentary about the village can viewed here.

Both of them are trapo. Both of them are puppets of GMA. Both of them are power-hungry. Both of them were involved in various controversies. Both of them want charter change. So, how do they differ?

Personally, I’m no fan of ousted speaker  Jose De Venecia or newly installed Speaker Prospero Nograles. But for the sake of those who don’t really know who’s Nogie, you can check some useful links here.

Be the judge.

On Monday, I was able to witness and record one of the most important events in the Catholic church especially in the Diocese of Kidapawan: the meeting of Fr. Peter Geremia and his would be assassin Norberto Manero, aka Kumander Bukay.

Click here to view more photos.

The event drew mixed reaction — some are still skeptic about the motive of Manero in meeting with the people in the diocese of Kidapawan.  While some believed that it’s for the  good  of everybody.
It’s pretty hard to remove or ignore the label on  Manero as a “priest killer.” He was believed to member of the dreaded Ilaga, a fanatical group terrorizing the Muslims in Mindanao during the Martial Law era.

But then the meeting was more on Manero’s renewal of commitment before the church. I really admire how his principal target, Fr. Geremia, was able to process everything inside him and he was able to gave a tight embrace to his would-be assassin 23 years ago who visited the diocese for the first time.

As we were driving back to Davao City, I recalled my late friends George and Macel Vigo. I just hoped they were able to witness that very important event.

At any rate, Manero still deserves even a single page in our history.