The Government and I did not see eye to eye, as usual.  Or more accurately, counsel from the government and I did not.  He casually said “dismissed” and “(weak) evidence” and I worried that the ‘clients’ would lose heart.  Apparently (and uncharacteristically), my worry (lost heart?) showed, and was immediately sensed by the ‘clients’.

 

Our jeep crawling through the highway of unforgiving sun, I was jolted from my confused thoughts of dry statutory provisions by a word from “Commissioner” –  

 

“Huwag kang mag-alalala, gracevill, kaming mga katutubo ay hindi papatalo sa iisang papel.”  (Don’t worry, gracevill, we, indigenous peoples will not be defeated by a mere scrap of paper.”)  

 

Shortly thereafter, the jeep-ful of cheerful old men and two strong ladies, dropped me off at a gas station, where this girl took the bus to Manila.  The orange sun, to my left, was blazing and low on the horizon.  Tomorrow, it shall be on the right again, rising.