Kin of IP rights advocate appeal for her body’s return

THE kin of the revered advocate for indigenous peoples (IPs) rights, Bai Bibyaon Bigkay, appealed that her remains be returned to her hometown in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

Rurelyn Bay-ao, niece of Bai Bibyaon Bigkay, appealed that the remains of her aunt be returned to them after the family was only informed of her death through a Facebook post of Sabokahan IPwomen last December 5, 2023.

“Mutoo mi nga patay na si Bai kung makauli siya diri, unya gusto namo paguli niya diri kung patay man siya ang iyang income nga gigamit siya sa pikas mauli diritso diri sa amoa (We will only believe that Bai is dead when she is returned home, and we want that when she returns, if indeed she is dead, we want all of the income that she earned be returned to us),” Datu Benito Bigkay, nephew of Bai, said as translated by Bayao, during the Kapihan sa PIA, on Friday morning, February 23, 2024, at NCCC VP.

Bay-ao also said that after hearing the news of Bai Bibyaon’s passing, they asked the Sabokahan if it was true since they did not even present any pictures or proof of her death. There was also not even a death certificate that was presented to them.

“Hantud karun gapangulit gihapon mi sa among kaila didtoa nga ngano ingani man, ngano gibuhat man na ninyo sa amoa, unsa man gyud dakong sala, dapat irespeto gyud na ninyo na, nga patay na gani iyang lawas pangwartahan pa (Until now we are still reaching out to the people we know there, why did they do this to us, what is our great sin to them, they should respect her, she already died and they are still using her to get money),” she said.

Datu Bigkay added that her cadaver must be returned to Talaingod, Davao del Norte, her hometown since it has been 13 years since Bai Bibyaon left Talaingod.

Bay-ao shared that she has been the translator of Bai Bibyaon and Bai Bibyaon has been used by the organization for fund-raising and financial support-seeking from other countries. She expressed that her family was not able to benefit from the earnings of Bai Bibyaon, as these would go directly to organizations such as the Save our Schools Network and the Sabokahan.

In September 2022, Bai Bibyaon’s family sought the help of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to bring her home. Both Bay-ao and Datu Bigkay went to the University of the Philippines-Diliman (UP-Diliman) to see her, however they never got to meet Bai.