Abra man killed after changing song lyrics during karaoke session

BAGUIO, Philippines – Changing the lyrics of a song with political implications can have consequences – this was a lesson learned the hard way by two residents of Abra during the Lenten week

Leomar Parado Santos, 19; Jhudges Castañeda Parado, 22; and Moises Gomez Salingbay, 22, were all drinking on the evening of Maundy Thursday, April 18, in the house of Albert Baucas in Sitio Baybayatin. Brgy. Collago, Lagayan, Abra. 

They were singing videoke when a group led by barangay captain Dominador Cardinas Jr. of nearby Collago came. 

The two groups had a heated argument that resulted in one of Cardinas’ group hitting Salingbay on the head with a beer bottle.

Salingbay ran and his two colleagues followed but they were shot at.

Santos was shot in the arms but Parado was hit in different parts of the body. Parado died while undergoing treatment at the Abra Provincial Hospital. 

According to Major Carol Lacuata, information officer of the Philippine National Police – Cordillera, the altercation began after the 3 young men changed the lyrics of Freddie Aguilar’s song, Mindanao. 

The song begins, “Mula nang magka-isip ay nagisnan ko ang problema/ Hanggang sa kasalukuyan, akin pang makita/ Tuloy pa rin ang digmaan/ Kalat na ang kaguluhan sa Mindanao/ Mindanao, Mindanao (Since I had become mature I realized the problem, the war is ongoing and the conflict has spread in Mindanao)

The song tells about the Mindanao conflict in the 1970s and 1980s. 

The young men decided to change “Mindanao” to “Lagayan,” their hometown. Although a relatively small town in Abra, Lagayan has been one of the most violent in the province for the past two decades. 

Cardinas Jr., who was with barangay kagawad Jerry Tabas, Henry Tabas, and Juny Tabas, was likely irked at what they did.

It was Henry Tabas who reportedly hit Salimbay on the head with the beer bottle, but the police have yet to determine who shot the other two.  The four voluntarily surrendered on Friday. – Rappler.com