The Alternative Lawyering Internship Experience

The Alternative  Lawyering

                A month ago I have had a lot of first times in the internship program. I’ve had my first time being exposed in the immersion process, to be engaged in paralegal stuffs, to travel to different places concerning environmental issues which also involves my IP brothers and sisters and other than that, it was my very first time to have heard the word “alternative lawyering.” Right to its very core, indeed it is proper to say that the highest form of alternative lawyering is realized when the poor and marginalized become lawyers themselves and engage in the practice of law in its original and noble sense as aptly stated in an article written by Atty. Marlon J. Manuel. From the field exposure I had, I felt the administration of justice towards our unfortunate IP siblings in their fight for their ancestral domain. These issues that I have directly experienced during the internship were not common issues in the typical lawyering world. I’ve learned so much from my seniors and from the community people themselves who were direct parties to a pending case against mining. The legal knowledge and skills employed based on my observation during our actual experience of what it really feels like to become an alternative lawyer is something to look up to. It is totally quite different when you are in the field mingling with the concerned parties and being able to stand in the very place where conflicting parties have struggled over conflicting interests.

                I am amazed at how people like Sir Cocoi and the rest of the team of the ALG are able to make use of their skills and passion to eliminate deeply rooted injustices in communities that need legal aid and in the process attain what is called “social justice”.

                Alternative lawyering is not just lawyering for the poor but WITH the poor. It’s a collaborative effort between law advocates and the marginalized people. It teaches them not to be dependent but to make them realize that they need to learn by heart what the laws are in order for them to stand independently and fight for their rights. If they are able to do so, alternative lawyers will be with them hand in hand, together, to be empowered and to make use of the law as a tool for achieving justice and fairness.

My Host Institution

                The LRC-CDO has become an extended family of mine. 

When Sir Cocoi chose me to be one of his interns, I didn’t know what to expect and it is a good thing because I never thought that I would be so lucky to have a mentor like him. Honestly, I am really grateful that I was assigned at LRC because I am well taken cared of and it feels as if I really belong in the group. Reporting to the office on a mundane basis for a span of almost two months made it harder for me to say goodbye because I have learned to treasure these people even for a short span of time. The bond that we formed with Sir Cocoi, my fellow interns Choco and Rejee, DJ, Sir Erwin, Ate Tetchie and the ladies from Samdhana Institute is priceless. I’ve learned so much from them be it in work or in any facet of my life. Given the conducive working place, the airconditioned offices, wi-fi connections, foods, travels, learnings and laughters are things I will never forget being an intern in the LRC.

Working with Co-interns and Staff

      I have to say from the first time we met, we have already connected. There was never a moment that we have had serious conflicts; in fact we were all smiling. I can never remember a dull moment with Sir Cocoi, my co-interns or with the Samdhana ladies. We have this give and take relationship, respect, understanding and a maturity that we all share of the same wavelength. Our relationship with each other goes beyond co-interns/boss for we work not just a team but more like a family. 

Not only did I get to work with the awesome people of LRC and Samdhana Institute but I also got the chance to mingle with my fellow interns from CDO and Davao wherein they too were assigned in different ALG's like Balaod Mindanaw, Kaisahan and Saligan. Definitely it was a great experience together with my close friend Ching and best friend Glenice, we have had the chance of widening our circle of friends in the person of Choco, Rejee, Yahoo, DJ, Zed, JJ, Maia, Alfie, Mark, Ian and Onyot. I pray that one day, these fellow law students of mine from XU, Liceo, CU, FEU, ADMU and ADDU will soon be our panyeros and panyeras in the legal profession, God-willing. Memories of you guys always flash back every now and then. I've missed you already.

Highlights

      For me, meeting people from different organizations and traveling from Cantilan, Anislagan and Bayanga, every road trip we took, every encounter we had, every picture we captured and every community discussion we initiated were all highlights to me as an LRC intern. The discussion on AMMB, meeting with IP chieftains who were on the hit list, to study abruptly about EO 79 for a community discussion, being tailed and pictured by mining company employees were all of the same weight as important as the other field exposures I had in the entire internship program.

Recommendation

                It has been my observation that a job like this being taken by a strong and dedicated man like Sir Cocoi is still quite a risky profession. Since I would always look into the security issues whenever I travel to some other unknown territory, I believe it is wise to employ people who have the skills in arms and weaponry for protection against unforeseen attacks of any kind, be it enemies in a case or the other way around. 

Long Distant Relative?

Typo Error. Ha! I thought we owned a trading center at San Franz, Surigao del Norte 
Oh well, here na us in Davao. Gonna meet up with our fellow interns based here and then Rejee and I shall be traveling back to CdeO. Let the good times roll! Yeah! \m/

Kiss you, no way!

Kissing my mortal fruit enemy! 

It's our second day at Anislagan, Surigao del Norte with my fellow LRC (Legal Rights Center) Interns and our head, Sir Cocoi. We have had a very busy day talking and learning much of the environmental issues and getting to know the direct parties to a pending case against Mining companies here. We have also toured vast farmlands, fisheries & nagtampisaw sa Tanke Falls. T'was totally FUN! For sure, when we go back home via road trip, I will definitely miss this place and perhaps this FRUIT? LOL! I just loved the idea of simple living here. Peaceful, healthy and happy. I wish to achieve that state of mind too, eventually.

Anislagan: A Visit to the Bleeding Mountains

ABRUPT. This is the very word I was looking for when I started to do my field report days after we came back to our respective residences. The entire experience at Anislagan was on a fast-paced momentum. I had to travel back to CDO since I was staying at Iligan due to the ever – ruckus election in the Philippines particularly in our hometown. My co-intern Rejee informed me that I shall be replacing our other co-intern, Choco, to travel en route to Anislagan since the latter had a fever. Thus, I travelled back to CDO and around 5am came to the LRC office to travel via road trip with Sir Cocoi, Rejee and DJ, a Digital Arts student of FEU. Amidst the stressful life of traveling to and fro, I, being an optimist, have always been thankful for this rare opportunity to travel, learn and be a part of a great cause all at the same time. This is what I have always adored, I wanted result-oriented experiences and so far, as a law student myself, I have learnt a lot because of LRC.

Aside from being abrupt, this experience I had en route to Anislagan made me studied Executive Order No. 79 in a few span of hours. This mandate originating from the Office of the President, E.O. 79, was for the very first time I have ever encountered it. Being able to permeate this to the commoners of Anislagan is heart-pounding enough to begin with because I might be surprised that they might know more of this mandate more than I do. I never really had a background on stuffs like these given that we do not have environmental law in our curriculum in the College of Law at MSU – Iligan. Still, I am thankful that Sir Cocoi and my co-intern were there to help out. Truly, it was one unforgettable experience. I have not only learnt from my self-study but I have also learned so much from the experiences of the people there and from my co-intern’s detailed discussion on the Rules of Procedure in Environmental Cases. That was totally enlightening on my part since like I’ve mentioned awhile ago, we haven’t had a subject that relates to that field.

For the following days, we were able to meet up with the direct parties of mining cases, such as that of the personal testimonies and confessions of Tatay Daniel Gonzales among others. We went to his farm and examined his fishpond, the one which he complained of where his fishes were on the verge of dying as he suspected that the mining operation from uphill was the main cause of it. The funny thing was when we tried to survey other parts of the place particularly that of Tanke Spring of which there were employees who were spying on us and taking pictures. At first, I thought they were just commoners from that place but when Sir Cocoi told us they were mere mining employees, the aura became quite scary. I knew all along that this entails a part of the journey we decided to take on but at this level, I began to feel a bit petrified. It became so overwhelming when we were on the way home via Buda en route to Davao then eventually to CDO.

While on the way, we had our lunch at Trento, Agusan del Sur & met up with Datu’s from the Manobo Agusanon tribe. Our conversation started from their plight towards land entitlement, SIPA, and then I discovered that one of the Datu’s had a fixed price on his head. Given that fact, I began to panic a little since people from politics and big mining companies wanted to bring him down. The things we discussed were quite informative especially when we were in awe to have heard that these Manobo’s really know what they were talking about in English language at that! It was so astonishing because they were totally fluent and were quite updated of certain changes of laws or mandates that will definitely benefit the entire tribe. All of these were spices to the entire journey we took and to have known that one of the Datu’s were on the hit list, totally made the trip more adventurous.

To have seen Sir Cocoi go about conversing with the Manobo’s and the people from Anislagan was such an inspiration. His job isn’t easy for his life is always on the line wherever he goes. I salute people like him for his tireless efforts in extending help to the unfortunate ones. I think that in movements like this, the objectives of the LRC organization were successfully met.  Us interns have learnt a lot & were convinced in one way or another to be engaged in alternative lawyering soon whether or not we become lawyers or just mere law advocates. For whatever its worth, the lessons we had acquired from different unknown territories we owe it all to LRC.

And as for our objective, as far as I am concerned, our purpose was met. Why E.O. 79 and the Rules of Procedure in Environmental Cases were created and how they can be of help to the community people in Anislagan have been duly imparted to them in our efforts to make them realize and understand the purpose of the existence of these mandates.

 

For me, I think, the next time the organization initiates another trip, it would be wise to bring along people from the army as an escort or someone who is skilled enough in shooting or of self-defense. Probably so it would be better too if Sir Cocoi and other members of LRC are trained with karate or anything that pertains to self defense.

Over-all, I felt the essence of what alternative lawyering really is all because of LRC and Samdhana. Although I am a bit freaked out when it comes to security issues, but I still plan on connecting with LRC every summer as a volunteer that is if Sir Cocoi would approve of such request. I would love to learn so much more from Sir Cocoi, Ma’am Joan and the others. All along I have always wanted my summer to be engaged for a cause and thank God He blessed me with this opportunity and for that I am happy. Perhaps soon, I shall set my bare feet back in Anislagan and visit the bleeding mountain which will no longer bleed to death but be filled with luscious greens, be well defended and conserved not just the place but the people themselves.

The questions thrown at us during the discussions we had at Anislagan were a challenge to us law advocates because based on that discourse, there are still loopholes in our laws that needs to be reviewed. Therefore, it has been my task as well to delve into these deeper as I now begin to take interest in issues like these.

Bayanga: Dawn of Women Empowerment

In our second time to venture into another place, Sir Cocoi introduced to us another prominent member of the LRC family, in the person of Sir Erwin. Other than that, we, together with some other interns fromo Kaisahan and Balaod Mindanaw were also gathered on that day to meet other representatives from different NGO’s in the country, in fact I have also met the sister of my classmate at law school, she was Ate Neneng, one of the outspoken representatives from the Commission on Human Rights here in Mindanao.

Again, heading on to another place made me giddy up as I would not know what might happen next that makes it all the more exciting. Well, the thing that made me really curious was that moment when IP women from different tribes in Mindanao were gathered at the Samdhana rest house on the second day. I wanted to delve deeper into their thoughts and to witness a ritual they often do as a prayer to seek guidance from the creator in order to make any actions that shall favour the entire tribe in the long run. I am glad that in a secluded place like the ones where they hail from, IP women too have been empowered which makes me very proud as a woman myself.

Given the cozy place for staying overnight, the pleasant accommodation and thorough discussion on AMMB and the MILF framework from effective speakers, I believe the objective of the ALG in trying to educate, inform, update and amalgamate data to solve certain issues amongst our marginalized brothers and sisters of the Indigenous People have been met. The views we had absorbed when we had our first exposure in Cantilan were correlated to that of the issues that the IP’s in CDO have been facing for all these years.

 To have seen that only women have been sent as representatives from each of the tribes goes to show that they too, are empowered as do women in the urban world. It amazes me how firm their beliefs are and how willing they are to fight for what is rightfully theirs. It even shook me to the bones upon hearing their personal stories of their encounters of men with guns and goons. You can see their struggle for acquiring their own lands that they shed blood and lost their loved ones all for the sake of their so-called “ancestral domain”.

These melees were all apparent on how teary-eyed they become when they started to share their untold stories or show the scars left in their bodies as a sign of a bloody bout. I am amazed how they remain tireless for years and years of fighting for their rights despite being denied or perhaps given minute opportunity to be heard regarding their plea.

Thus, I believe the importance of sharing to them our knowledge on AMMB, to protect and help them for their cause is really a precious thing for all of them. I might conclude that some of them have already given up the fight but I realized that Alternative Lawyering Groups such as LRC totally plays a big role in their lives and for me, the team have become their motivation and they to us are our motivation as interns to do best in our studies and help them out soon as administrators of justice in this country.

As always, every activity the LRC initiates, we the interns have always something new to learn about. Just like the previous AMMB consultation we had at Cantilan, I think the process of the discussion brought out in just a span of one or two days isn’t even enough to cover the entire subject. Still, I am rest assured that for the continued enlightenment of LRC & Samdhana towards these aggrieved stakeholders would be a better move to let them be edified of the laws that will help them protect themselves, their families and the future generations to come.

The way the main discussants used the local dialect to expound further the topic on AMMB and the MILF Framework is a stepping stone to make these direct stakeholders feel secured and able to grasp ideas that will help them in their struggle. Having done that, not only will the women be the ones that are empowered but the entire tribe will stand up and justify what is rightfully theirs from the very beginning.

 

Beyond words, these women, their cause and their mundane struggles have made my will stronger for me to focus in my quest to become a lawyer myself. Hopefully, if things work out well, if luck & determination favours a person like me, I will soon come back to LRC and render my services as an alternative lawyer per se.  

Ayoke Island is Ay,okey!

'Ah, summertime! Days of endless delights, of uninhibited fun and frolic and food with a few favored friends - still the magic never fades..'

Seen that picture on the left? Yeah, that's me! I've been really bold enough to sport a two piece for the very FIRST TIME. It's really liberating to do things which you know you will never ever regret doing when you get old. As they say it, we only live once not unless if you're a cat coz you get to have 9 lives? :D

I've been the kind of person who is really conscious of what I would look like or act in front of a lot of people but I've learned so much not to dwell on things like this and just let my inhibitions die. Thus, touring to different parts of Mindanao, building friendly relations with people I never thought would become a great addition in my life and doing things I know which is done in good faith are things I can never bargain to anyone. So yeah, thank you so much SUMMER OF 2013. :)

Unwinding in one of the beautiful islands of Surigao this summer has been one for best adventures ever! Ayoke island is said to be one of the best preserved marine sanctuary in the Philippines. Totally it is worth the while when you are with great people having fun right after doing some work to protect Mother Nature. Swimming, laughing, surfing? Unfortunately I didn't have the time to do that but to have stayed there for one night, making unforgettable memories with friends is just pure bliss. We just tried to make the most out of it right after we delve into the busy world of being interns in LRC in the summer of 2013. I've been into lots of activities in the move for the advocacy against mining here. I also showed my support by participating in the fun run activity to show how the constituents of Cantilan despised the idea of mining in their respective areas. Lots of things to be done and stuffs to learn in application of my quest in the legal profession. 

Oh, right after we had our thorough consultation on AMMB in the hopes of educating, guiding and updating the vibrant community people of Cantilan regarding this bill, I and my bestfriend Glenice head on to the Blue Church. It was my crazy idea to also take a picture there just like how Atty. Ryan shared his one of a kind experience during his internship years where he too prayed to a Church somewhere up North to let God bless him and pass his bar subjects at law school. His funny story inspired me to become like him too. He visited that Church years after when He had already attached the prefix ATTY. to his name. To him, that church was a miracle. And so, I also hope to be as determined and as God-fearing as Atty. Ryan. So there, I whispered a prayer before all of us will be heading back home. I thanked our Almighty for all the blessings he has given me and my friends since we know not all law students will be able to experience this kind of exposure and to learn so much from genuine people seeking justice and fairness as well as helping protect our already exploited Mother Nature.

It was such an unforgettable adventure. To Mr. and Mrs. Janise Iriberri, thank you very much fir the sumptuous dinner and snacks for the past days that we have stayed in Cantilan. We will never forget the beautiful city of Cantilan, Surigao del Sur. My summer vacation became even more awesome especially so that I have had the opportunity to visit your place, learnt & met lots of great people together with my fellow interns and our family from LRC, Kaisahan and Balaod Mindanaw.

So for now, we bid farewell to all of you.  Years from now, through pain-staking sacrifices to pass the gruesome bar exam and become future lawyers, I hope the passion we have as of the moment to decide for ourselves to become alternative lawyers will not change through the course of time so that we may all work together to help save Surigao and other areas in Mindanao which have been facing the dire consequences of having Mining Industries without regard to the needs of the future legacy of this country. We're praying that pending cases shall now bear a verdict possibly in favor of our side and unjust killings will stop eventually giving justice to the bereaved families of those brothers and sisters who are now in the loving arms of our Creator. God bless us all. See you soon! :)

An Inspiration: The David’s in Cantilan

Entering into another field of internship for this summer has been one of the most intriguing and quite exciting decisions I have ever made. I tried to do something fun, informative and of help to my fellow Mindanawan communities. I had hesitations at first since it involves a lot of traveling to different unknown territories but after the AMMB Consultation we had in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur, I thought that the risk I took was in every inch worth it. To have marvelled at the sight of vast areas of mountains, rice fields, fisheries and to feast my eyes on one of the best sunset as well as sunrise that I only get to see in a painting canvass are now in front of me. 

To have experienced these things in a short span of time were all new to me since I am a certified urban girl. However, what seemed to be a sore to the eyes was the fact that some of Cantilan’s mountains were stripped off as apparent from afar and were all brought down by big dump tracks and backhoes. Such site to me seemed like a mountain raped and exploited by foreign mining industries without showing no economic progress at all in the said place but instead heightened the plight on pollution, soil erosion and the change of geographical terrain which totally affected the livelihood of both the farmers and fishermen folks.

Having gone there without any expectations in my mind as implanted to us by Atty. Normi Batula before we were respectively designated to each of our NGO’s, has indeed truly made the trip more exciting. Although given the fact that I had this exposure for the very first time, still, I already had thoughts about what might happen to us during the immersion. Right after ADMU’s HR wrapped up the discussions we all shall need for the upcoming trips and meet ups with the concerned parties regarding the mining issues here in Mindanao, I had already formulated an idea of what our roles will be.

Fortunately we had a great start, had a safe trip, met lots of great people, visited some of the best spots in Cantilan, ate some of their great delicacies and interacted to some of the community people who were directly affected of the dire effects of mining in Surigao del Sur particularly in Ayoke Island.

I am beyond grateful to the Almighty to have been given this chance to be exposed and to experience first-hand the real mining situation in Cantilan by means of visiting the said place and to have interviewed the stakeholders which served as the highlight of this rare opportunity and to have mingled with them personally. We even participated in a fun run initiated by the Church and other local units in Cantilan.

The fun run was coined “Save Our Surigao: Dagan Para sa Kinaiyahan” and it was my first time to have run a 5K route.  Well, actually we just had brisk walking because we can’t take much of the scorching heat of the sun. Not only was it a means to celebrate earth day but that it was a way for us to show support against mining activities in Cantilan. I thought for myself that although AMMB is not entirely against mining but that it only tries to regulate the entire process so as not to jeopardize the future generations. After all, the earth is ephemeral and we all dreamed of having sustainable development which is for me, personally what AMMB is aiming at. 

To have heard Sir Erwin’s discussion on AMMB for the very first time was enlightening. I am proud to have helped facilitated this cause to fight against mining. Connecting with different sectors just to have more exposure to show contradiction to mining is a brave thing for these local units to participate into.

Based on my little exposure of mining in some parts of Mindanao, I believe, in order to achieve the pristine concept of sustainable development, it must have the important element of responsible action that supports the present needs and that of the future legacy of the Philippines. Thus, amongst a pool of hard-working NGO’s in the Philippines, people from Cantilan should be grateful for LRC’s efforts to help them protect their lands and achieve a more sustainable environment in the present and for the future generations yet to be born.

Truly, the role of ALG as the David to fight against Goliath’s, a.k.a. the big foreign mining companies residing within the country, is such an inspiration for law students like me. The likes of Sir Cocoi, Ma’am Normi, Ma’am Mally, Sir Ritz, Ma’am Joan & the others, have truly opened my eyes to the sad reality of what is happening to our fellow Mindanawon neighbors. They, along with the other law advocates and administrators of justice have made me realized what I want in life and what I want to see myself years from now. It’s going to be one heck of a challenge but these experiences I’ve had fuelled my passion to do well in school and God-willing be able to help out our IP brothers and sisters. The kind of help that is genuine and voluntary. I want to be like my Sensei’s. I want to help.

Just like the sun that beautifully rises and sets in Cantilan which brings new hope to the people who are still in struggle to fight against mining, we, the interns are the ones that shall soon be there to fight for the rights of those who are extremely oppressed and are politically marginalized. Whatever tomorrow brings, if God permits that we too shall become lawyers soon then we will eventually come back and shall soon fight the good fight. Whether we be lawyers or law advocates, we shall meet once again, Cantilan.