Cotabato governor: Farmers expressed valid concerns through illegal means

North Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” Mendoza—in hot water over last week's bloody dispersal of protesting farmers in Kidapawan City—on Monday admitted that the protesters' concerns were was valid.

However, it was the way the protesters aired their concerns—by blocking off a portion of the national highway—that was illegal, forcing the police and the local government to act accordingly, Mendoza said in an interview on "Unang Balita."

"Totoong lehitimo ang kanilang pangangailangan dahil totoong may El Niño dito sa amin," Mendoza said. "Ngunit ang pamamaraan na ipaabot mo sa gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng pagra-rally, hindi namin 'yun ginusto."

Three people were killed while at least 30 were injured Friday when attempts by the police and military to disperse the crowd ended in violence.

The farmers, close to 6,000 of them, were asking for government assistance as the effects of El Niño started taking its toll on their livelihood.

In the interview, Mendoza insisted that they observed maximum tolerance, and that the shot heared in the viral video of the dispersal was a warning shot from the police.

"Kung mayroon mang putok kayong nakitang sa video, 'yun ay warning shot nung bumagsak ang barikada ng police," she said.

She said the police and military were ordered to disperse the crowd so that the highway could be opened again to motorists.

"Yung nangyari po noong Biyernes ay clearing operation para mabuksan muli ang ating national highway from illegal assembly," Mendoza said.

"Martes pa lang, hanggang Biyernes, sarado po ang aming national highway ng apat na araw kahit walang permit ang mga raliyista," Mendoza added. "Ganun po ang pagbibigay ng ating provincial government."

The governor said the local government agencies are already rolling out distribution of relief in El Niño-affected towns. The relief operations, according to Mendoza, started in the town of Tulunan with 7,000 families as beneficiaries and Magpet with 13,000 families as beneficiaries.

"Noong nagkaroon ng demand ng paghihingi ng bigas, ang sabi namin, bumalik kayo doon, nandiyan yung mga sasakyan ng kapitolyo, kayong mga rallyista ay hahakutin kayo dadalhin kayo sa munisipyo at mavalidate kung kayo ay taga North Cotabato at bibigyan kayo ng bigas," she said.

She reiterated that all the parties must cooperate with the investigation of the incident.

"We all submit investigation, biktima tayo lahat dito, lalo sa panahon ng el Niño," Mendoza said. --Kiersnerr Gerwin Tacadena/KBK, GMA News