About a year ago, fear gripped this sleepy town due to heavy militarization. Several cases of human rights violations have been reported that includes the arrest of several Lumad farmers accused by the military of either members or supporters of the communist movement.

But many believed that the militarization in the area was part of the security of the mining operation of SMI in neighboring town of Tampakan, South Cotabato.

After almost two years of being hounded by the fear and terror, the villagers — Lumads, Muslims and Christian settlers — are now enjoying the relative peace in the locality.

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.

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.

This morning, I’ve read on Carlos Conde’s website — The Pinoypress — regarding the cancellation of his own Facebook account. I followed the link on his site about the story behind the extremely popular social-networking site. I created my account about three or four months ago after some friends and colleagues encouraged me. They said it’s better than Friendster.

Out of my curiosity, I signed in to Facebook. I found a little amusement on Facebook than Friendster. I also found out that even top photojournalists in the country have their own account in Facebook, too. I know how busy they are but they still have time to tinker on the pages of Facebook. I told myself: ” This could be better than Friendster because these guys have been lured into this site than the latter.” And oh yeah, I found it cool than Friendster. Continue Reading »

The most common song being played during funerals is the “Hindi Kita Malilimutan.” It’s song that would really bring the mourners in tears. It’s like a tradition to Filipinos to play that song every interment.

But when I attended the interment of Fernando ‘ Batman’ Lintuan this morning, right after the mass, the Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was played because according to his eldest son it’s his dad’s favorite song.

As the the music plays, some Davao journalists ( could be of his age) also sang along with the song. Later on, as a tribute, the journalists requested to replay the song because they wanted to sing it again for Ferdie. Continue Reading »

Do the Sumilao Farmers from Bukidnon could already say that they’ll have a merry Christmas this time? Well, for me, I’d still hope and pray that Ms Arroyo and her government is sincere to their word — in granting the land back to the Sumilao farmers who walked for 1,700 kilometers fro Bukidnon in Mindanao to Manila for over two months to demand to the government in Imperial Manila to return their land.

Even the Catholic Bishops are still skeptic on the matter. Under this government, where lies and corruption reign, is this another chapter of “I’m sorry” series? Even militant lawmaker Satur Ocampo warned saying: “Mrs. Arroyo’s granting political accommodation and economic concession to Danding Cojuangco is what prevents her and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) from exercising political will to give the land back to the farmers.” Continue Reading »