Sapata rites needed to ‘cleanse’ payoff barbs

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY – A sapata is what is needed, according to my favorite kailyan, to cleanse the city government of evil spirits and make allegations of payoffs, worth millions of pesos disappear into thin air in relation to the “sell-out” of the Athletic Bowl to Korean investors. (You may read first the banner story on page 1 for more information on the Athletic Bowl controversy before continuing to have your mind addled by this column.)

Among some Igorot tribes like the Kankanaeys, sapata is an indigenous way of determining truth from falsehood by making people suspected of doing crimes swear in front of the people that they didn’t do evil. They swear that if they lie, they will die, their body would be deformed or something untoward will happen to their families.
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Growing up as a kid in Sagada in the 60s, I’ve seen folk perform this rite after being suspected of committing transgressions. I remember when people swore at the site after the old Anglican St. Mary’s School building was burned in what was suspected as arson. What happened later, everybody knows in the community, but then, that is another story.

Now city officials are being accused, particularly in the internet site Facebook, of getting money worth millions of pesos from Korean investors as grease money to have them approve a memorandum of agreement for the latter to develop the Athletic Bowl into a “world-class complex” with a hotel, a gold driving range among other amenities.
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My favorite bubwit says two smart people conceptualized the idea – one a former government employee who did damage control for a former city official whenever the latter got in trouble with the local press and another, a city official, also, who engages in the art of enticing foreigners to smell the garbage of the city.

The latter was reportedly due to fly to Korea for a “familiarization tour” but had to scrap it when the rats in media smelled something fishy. So now, according to our bubwits, this group of officials, on separate occasions last holiday season, went to the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay to meet the Korean mafioso.
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Everybody reportedly came out smiling. It was happy holidays galore, and for some, capped by a visit once more to The Mansion to see the top lady in Malacanang for more goodies.
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Of course, as one of my bubwit says, where there is smoke, there is fire. And where there is fire, in this case, there is somebody to fry. As some of our officials are learning, being dry is one thing and being wet is another. This cold season, being wet is an inconvenience. And no amount of cold water could douse a redheaded face back to normal in a council session, much more on TV, if allegations just wouldn’t go away.
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Monday’s council meeting was a session on human behavior. One councilor was livid with rage over councilor Pinky Rondez’ proposal to have Malacanang and the Department of Interior and Local Government investigate the issue, while another was fuming claiming the council was playing to a gallery irate over the “sell-out.”

Another said there was no need to “nullify” the MOA but only to “cancel” it since the MOA was “null and void” in the first place. A lawyer said the media didn’t understand what they were saying or writing since they were not lawyers. Two said the “terms of reference” were not yet perfected so there was no need for the brouhaha.

A religious person and a lady lawyer were proclaiming to high heavens they never dipped their hands in the cookie jar while a lady and a gentleman were smugly saying they wanted the MOA nullified even if they earlier, along with the others approved it.
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All these, while councilor Pinky who opened Pandora’s Box, looked as pretty as ever with a thin smile and a pout from her elevated platform. She was saying, if her peers were not afraid of anything, then why didn’t they want Malacanang or the DILG to investigate the matter?

This feisty lady could give any beauty queen a run for her money. But please Your Honor, to settle the issue once and for all, would you please convince your peers and the two top honchos to a sapata and perform a canao with an am-ama officiating rites over a big black pig?

You see, my kailyan and bubwits including Yours Truly, dreamed this all up since they just wanted to have a meal of good old pinulpugan. Some pinikpikan on the side with tapey and sili would be most welcome to ease the cold.