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Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Balingit: On being a 'kabayan'
By Allan Balingit
GAUGING from the response I got from casual conversations with some people - about the alleged gang rape perpetrated by six American soldiers on a hapless Filipina - I would surmise that we Pinoys are not much of a "kabayan".
Why? No more than a holler was heard from the public despite the seeming brutality of the allegations against these foreign soldiers. A few whimpers from militant women's groups were just about the strongest protest that we've heard of.
Worse... Based on the reactions of most people, it is quite obvious that the odds are against the 22-year-old victim. Apparently, folks either believe that the crime never happened, or even more disturbing is that they say that the victim just got what she deserved.
"Baka prostitute"... "Di siya matinong babae. Kung matino siya bakit siya sumama..."Di natin alam ang totoo..." "Bakit siya sumamang nakipaginuman..." Hintayin na lang natin ang korte ang humatol..."
Wouldn't that say much of how we feel about our fellow Pinoys and us being Filipinos as a whole?
Here is a girl, her integrity questioned despite the statement of eight witnesses - including the driver of the van where the crime was supposed to have been committed before he recanted - stating that there was indeed abuse done on her, having to face the indictment and indifference of her own people.
Suspects in previous sensational rape cases were torched by media and the public even before a formal trial was conducted, and yet in this case it is the other way around.
Is it because American Big Brother is involved, and messing up with him, would probably be like chipping a stone wall armed with nothing but a nail file?
Is it the effect of the controversies and intrigues that surround the sensitive case and that would probably create a ripple, if not a destructive wave, in the otherwise calm and friendly relationship with the Americans? Is it because of this that makes us earnestly try to downplay the issue in the expense of our hapless 'kabayan' victim?
Who would want to pick a fight with a bully anyway? Not unless you want to end up like Saddam, broken and bitter.
But still, there are some of us who believe that more is at stake here - not just a question of a girl being raped, or picking a fight that would likely leave us bruised and beaten, but rather a test of the collective pride and honor of our country.
If we let other people abuse us, it is because we let them. It is horrific that we hear Pinoys mistreated in some foreign land - coming home with brains all wired-up or cruising inside a refrigerated box. But to suffer cruelty from other people right in his own backyard - that would be an insult.
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Kailangan suma-ilalim sa review ang nilalaman ng kontrobersyal na Visiting Forces Agreement upang maplantsa ang ilang baluktot na probisyon ditto. Isa na rito ang probisyon na nagsasaad na dapat ay ibigay sa custody ng mga US officials ang mga sundalo nilang nasasangkot sa krimen kasabay ang paniniyak na dadalo ang mga ito sa pagdinig ng kanilang asunto. Bagamat extra ordinary ang rape case laban sa 22-anyos na Pinay sa Subic ay tiniyak ng Justice Department na gugulong ang batas sa nasabing kaso, mismong si Sec. Raul Gonzales at DFA and tumiyak na hindi makakalabas ng bansa ang mga suspect. - (Source, PIA News Service)
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American soldiers who abused Iraqi prisoners in Abu Gharib were immediately hauled into military prison, charged and subsequently convicted by the court.
Here, Filipino authorities couldn't even lay a finger on the accused. In fact, they didn't even have the chance to interrogate the suspects. "Lameness" seems to be written all over our sorry nation.
(November 22, 2005 issue)
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