Detained in Kidapawan, lola rues prospect of jail

KIDAPAWAN CITY - Valentina Berlin, one of the elderly women arrested for alleged direct assault during the Kidapawan dispersal, lamented that she never expected to be nabbed.

Berlin, who is from Barangay New Caridad in Arakan town, has just finished taking a bath along with two other elderly woman when a scuffle took place between anti-riot police and hungry farmers along the Kidapawan-Makilala boundary in Cotabato on April 1.

She narrated that while on their way inside the Spottswood Methodist Center, she saw the protesting farmers scampering in various directions as gun bursts were heard.

 

“Tatlo kami ka mga mal-am nanago kay madamo na lupok basi maigo kami sang bala. Pero pagkatapos sang linukpanay nag guwa kami para mag sulod sa Methodist pero ginkuha kami sang mga pulis kag gin singganan nga dal-on sa luwas nga lugar. Waay kami nagdahum nga gindakop na gali kami. Amo nga ari kami karon diri sa Kidapawan Convention Center (We three seniors hid because we heard several gun shots and we feared that we might get hit by bullets. We surfaced after the series of gun shots to enter the church but we were picked up by the police. They informed us that they will bring us to a safe place. We never thought that we were already held. That is why we are here at the Kidapawan Convention Center)," Berlin told this writer in Hiligaynon.Berlin and the two other elderly women sought refuge at a small sari-sari store fronting the church as she feared they might be hit by stray bullets.

Direct assault charges

At least 28 women, including three senior citizens and three pregnant women, are temporarily housed at the convention center as charges of direct assault are being prepared for their alleged participation in the Kidapawan rally.

Berlin recalled that on March 28, she was among 12 passengers of a jeep that joined a convoy from their village to Barangay Poblacion in Arakan. She said they were fetched by an unknown group to be brought to Kidapawan to receive their share of at least a sack of rice from the provincial government.

“Sa kalipay ko kag sa kagustuhan nga makakuha man sang bugas waay gid ako nag duha-duha nga nag upod sa amon grupo para magkadto sa Kidapawan (I was overjoyed, and because of my desire to get rice, without hesitation I went with the group in going to Kidapawan)," Berlin said.

She added that their convoy stayed overnight at the municipal gymnasium of Arakan and the following day they proceeded to Kidapawan.

Instead of going directly to the provincial capitol in Barangay Amas, as they were told, however, their convoy went to the direction of the city proper. They were told to stay for three days at the Methodist center.

Farmers numbering 500 began a protest on March 29 in front of the National Food Authority office in Kidapawan City.

The next day, their number ballooned to 6,000 as they blocked the Kidapawan Highway.

Then the violent dispersal happened. Three people were killed and about a hundred were injured.

“Waay gid takon nagdahum nga amo ini ang maabtan ko. Mal-am don ako kag adlaw dulang ang ginahulat ko ma preso pa takon. (I don’t expect that it will happen to me. I’m old already and anytime I will be leaving this world and yet I will be in jail),” Berlin said, her eyes teary.

She added that if not for the sacks of rice promised to them, they will not be languishing in jail.

“Bisan sin-o man guro nga promisahan tagaan bugas ma upod man, labi nagid kay tag gulutom karon sa bukid (Anyone who will be promised rice will go, especially that hunger is now being felt in our place),” Berlin added.

Denied assault; appeal made

She also refuted the allegation that she and the two other elderly women with her were assaulting the police as the cops dispersed the protesters who barricaded the highway in Kidapawan City.

“Sa edad namon nga ini makabato pa ayhan kami sa mga pulis. Daw waay na gani kami sang sarang puwersa (With our age, we can no longer assault the police. We don’t have the strength against them),” Berlin said.

She made an appeal to kindhearted individuals to help her raise the needed P12,000 bail bond for her temporary liberty.

Jovita Debalid, 65, of Barangay Temporan in Magpet town, also shared the same sentiments.

Debalid said that because of her desire to receive a sack of rice, she was also convinced to go here.

Like Berlin, Debalid was also charged with direct assault and needs to raise at least P12,000 for her temporary liberty.

Others arrested

Of 79 arrested rallyists, 13 men are still held at the city gymnasium while 28 women are at the city convention center.

Thirty-eight of them were already committed to the North Cotabato District Jail and Kidapawan City Jail.

At least two rallyists already posted P12,000 bail bond each.  

Meantime, the three minors arrested during the bloody dispersal have been reunited with their respective families.

Lorna Morales, City Social Welfare and Development Officer (CSWDO), said the minors from the towns of Arakan, Magpet and President Roxas were received by their respective families through the social welfare officer of their towns.

Morales said the minors will undergo psycho-social intervention and counseling.

The Commission on Human Rights on Thursday told a Senate committee conducting a hearing on the violent dispersal that there were disturbing findings in its initial investigation of the incident.

"We are still vetting information and evidence that were given to us. But there are indeed disturbing findings which we are still pursuing in terms of the investigation," Human Rights Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana told the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

The CHR found in its initial investigation that pregnant women and the elderly were among those detained by the police. —KG/JST, GMA News