House to look into cultural slur incident at Manila Hotel

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The House of Representatives will eventually look into the cultural slur incident Wednesday at the Manila Hotel where former US Bill Clinton spoke on “Embracing our Common Humanity.”

Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat, chairman of the House committee on cultural communities who is currently in China attending a conference, told The STAR in an oversees call he is now gathering details and is filing a resolution before the House for lawmakers to look into reports that three Ibaloi tribesmen were prevented by the US Secret Service escort of Clinton from wearing their G-string inside Manila Hotel.

Baguilat said, “The United States Secret Service should be educated when in other countries. Why? Does wearing G-string constitute a threat to Clinton?”   

Lawyer Jose Molintas, an Ibaloi native from Benguet in the Cordillera who has been appointed United Nations Expert on Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanisms, denounced the incident as “a very harrowing and continuing discrimination against IPs in the country and the whole world.”

Reports reaching the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) said Dr. Vladimir Cayabas, administrator and board director of the Baguio-based National Institute for Information Technology, complained that the US Secret Service prevented him and his two companions from wearing their traditional costume.

The alleged discrimination took place on the day President Aquino ordered the transfer of the NCIP from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) back to the Office of the President (OP).

Cayabas said while they do not intend to file any case regarding the maltreatment that they received, the organizers should apologize not only to Cordillerans but to all indigenous peoples in the world.

“We went there using our tribal gear to represent our region. We went there to participate and learn, and not to be labeled as terrorists or suspects,” said Cayabas.

Cayabas was with two students of the NIIT – Moshe Dacneg, an Igorot from Taccong, Sagada town, and Joneelyn Aparri.

He said they were already inside the hall when a US Secret Service agent approached Dacneg who was wearing a G-string and told him to “follow me.”

Sensing discrimination, Dr. Cayabas said he insisted to the American agent that there was no guideline on what to wear during the forum.

“In fact, we were already allowed to go inside after security checks on our things at the entrance,” he said.

Apparently, the American agent fumed and started to point at Cayabas and even warned, “We won’t mind dragging you in a drastic way if you act differently.”

Standing their ground, Cayabas said they did not leave the hall if only to prove they were there only to learn.

A Filipina usher came after the American agent and asked him if they can order his companion to go out.

The girl also apparently insisted that the young Igorot student wear a t-shirt, but Cayabas explained that “it is taboo for us to use a shirt over a G-string.”

Cayabas reportedly said, “You are discriminating (against) us,” adding that they, too, paid P2,000 each to attend the forum.

He also demanded that they be shown a guideline disallowing such attire.

“Former President Clinton stressed respect and interdependence among the inter-cultural and ethnic groups around the world,” he said.