Sectors pay tribute to slain ‘Ka Victor'

“Death shall not bar you from us, great comrade, great friend, for the mountains and you are one, as the masses and their struggles are one, moving us to higher grounds and higher still, in the wellsprings of your commitment.” PEOPLE from various walks of life, some obviously unfamiliar with the city rituals converge at the Cooperative Funeral Homes Thursday, September 14, to offer their tributes to the slain Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Bohol chair Victor Olayvar. Farmers in rolled sweatshirts, fishermen with a slight hint of sea, drivers with the scent of burnt gasoline clinging to their shirts, urban poor and professionals sat in a cramped and humid funeral parlor to hear and reaffirm the slain leader's charisma while yet alive.

Earning the respect as a farmer master of political diplomacy and the darling of the media, Victoriano Quisto Olayvar was born February 25, 1965 in Mindanao has always been at the middle of everything, including being born 7th in a family of 13, confessed his brother Adolfo. Schooled in the harsh realities of a poor life, the hardship seasoned the young man into a jolly person of simplicity and tenderness wrapped in a tough character honed by his immersion into the bowels of land reform issues when his family resettled in Sitio Panaghiusa, in San Vicente Trinidad, added his brother in law who now heads a strong integrated farmers organization in his hometown Trinidad.

Brandishing only a resolve to put an end of being always at the mercy of the landowners, Victor won lands for the Talibon Trinidad Integrated Farmer's Association (TTIFA) which pole vaulted him to amass support to be elected Hugpong sa mga Mag-uumang Bol-anon (Humabol) secretary general, HUMABOL chairman William Boybanting recalled. While with Humabol, he advanced to be the chairperson where his being vocal against issues resuscitated the seemingly hopeless situation of land disputes, land distribution problems, issues resulting to presidential proclamations affecting farmers and at the same time waving farmers' rights, the current Bohol organization of farmers chair.

Riding high with the emerging trend of networking, the charismatic Victor freely flowed into other issues breaching the mega-dams to his perceived anti-poor airport, urban poor issues, ambulant vendors even as he was doing his share in resolving issues with diplomacy. Considered an ace in community organizing coupled with a light heart and equal dexterity of hand in the guitar, his songs which resound the call of the times never failed to awaken ones patriotism, said Carmelo Tabada, Farmer's Development Center Provincial Coordinator during the tribute.

Now finally silenced by assassins' bullets, Bohol sectors have indeed shown they have started missing the man and his principles as a good number of sectoral representatives stood with bowed heads in solemn procession to offer flowers to the dead comrade. This they did, while accompanied by the vigorous strum of an acoustic guitar and the unmistakable fist clenching patriotic songs. Victor leaves behind his grieving wife Maria Elena Guiritan, 7 kids, brothers and sisters and visibly grieving community vowing to take on the dare for the advancement of rights. When the sun's light finally closes on his casket this Monday, September 18, farmers have said sealing his tomb could not choke the will to fight, but instead from a buried Bayan shall sprout the shoots of hope for a new breed of victors.

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