FLORA, Apayao – No grand rhetoric. No wasted words. Standing before legal officers and municipal leaders during the inauguration of the Flora Justice Hall on March 19, Apayao Lone District Representative Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang made it clear that justice must be swift, and abuse cases should not be treated as paperwork to be settled behind closed doors.
“I would like to take this opportunity to again reiterate our campaign against abuse to women and children. Hindi lang dahil babae ako o dahil Women’s Month ngayon. Alam naman natin na ang mga kababaihan ay pinaglalaban ang kanilang mga karapatan pero the more that we talk about the rights of women, the more we hear of violence and abuses against women,” she asserted.
“To our partners sa judiciary, we need you to help us. Ang daming nangyayari ngayon and what is so frustrating and sad is that most of the victims are minors. Ubbing as young as 10 years old ay naaabuso,” she declared.
The congresswoman did not mince words on what she called the disturbing pattern of cases—especially rape being “resolved” through out-of-court settlements. She questioned why perpetrators continue to walk free while victims carry the weight of their trauma.
“Tinitignan namin kasi napakaraming naaareglo na kaso ng rape. Sabi nga ni Governor, kahit sana pundohan natin hanggang ma-integrate ang victim, hanggang mailagay sa kulungan ang mga perpetrators,” she stated.
The lady legislator also turned her attention to the roots of the problem, saying that crime prevention starts long before a case reaches the courts. She spoke bluntly about young boys slipping into patterns of violence, questioning whether authorities are truly willing to intervene before they turn into repeat offenders.
“Ako mismo, personally, ayaw ko sana yung maareglo. Not that I do not want them to continue living nga haan da man lang ma-punish, sa akin lang, ma-rehab sana yung mga kabataan nga agrugrugin nga agbalin nga criminals. Do we really need to wait for that time nga asawa mo, kapatid mo, anak mo, apo mo, ay maabuso rin?” she asked.
She likewise outlined that concrete actions are already underway. A new Women and Children Protection Desk facility will soon rise within the Apayao Police Provincial Office compound to provide victims a safe space to report cases without fear of intimidation or dismissal.
“Napintas iti direksyon iti social programs tayo tatta. Ayusin natin ang mga buildings natin. Even the center for our victims is now being improved,” she said, signaling that efforts are in motion, but the real challenge is whether officials, concerned agencies, and other stakeholders, will back those efforts with real commitment.
With the inauguration of the new Justice Hall, she hopes that legal institutions in the province will expedite the resolution of cases and will serve as a pillar of hope for those seeking justice. Justice, she insists, should not be a privilege reserved for the few willing to fight for it—it must be a certainty for those who need it most. By Jess Christley Marquez
