After author begs more time: Lapu-Lapu City Council defers action vs rapper

CEBU, Philippines —  The Lapu-Lapu City Council has deferred a resolution seeking public apology from US-based Filipino-American rapper Ezekiel Miller or popularly known as Ez Mil over his controversial hit song “Panalo” that allegedly ridicules Lapulapu.

This after the author of the resolution, Councilor Jan Vincent dela Cerna, begged for more time to study the lyrics of the controversial rap. In his proposed resolution, dela Cerna condemned the lyrics of the song and asked Ez Mil to rectify it and issue a public apology to the Oponganons.

The City Council of Lapu-Lapu was supposed to discuss the resolution on Tuesday. However, due to the author’s request to further study the lyrics it was deferred until February 18, 2021.

The lyrics of Mil’s song “Panalo” says “nanalo na ako nung mula pa na pinugutan si Lapu sa Mactan”. (I already won ever since Lapu was beheaded in Mactan.)

The lyrics were described as “inaccurate” and “demeaning” to the name of the national hero.

“The lyrics are historically inaccurate, if not demeaning and besmirching the name of our National Hero, not to mention the fact that we are to celebrate the 500th victory of the Battle of Mactan,” the resolution reads.

 The proposed resolution also stated that the video performing the song was uploaded online and has garnered more than 27 million views on YouTube. Mil performed the rap song on Wish U.S.A. bus, a music platform based in Los Angeles, California.

 The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) in a statement said that while it welcomes new songs that inspire people to think great and be informed of their history, the same should not be compromised and an artist should be conscious of his accountability.

 “Let us not compromise history and be conscious of our accountability on what we are conveying to our people,” read the NHCP statement.

The statement was signed by NHCP president Rene Escalante, who is incidentally the executive director of the National Quincentenial Committee.

 “Lapu-Lapu was definitely not killed in the Battle of Mactan. The battle was a victory of our ancestors led by him,” Escalante said.

Earlier, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan demanded Mil to issue an apology to the city residents and rectify the lyrics of his rap.

“Nasuko ko, naglagot ko. Nagpataka lang siya himo og istorya. Unsa man nang iyaha, bahala og sayop basta kay aron siya mosikat? Dakong bugal-bugal ang iyang gihimo sa atong hero nga angay natong respetaran, dili bugal-bugalan,” Chan told The FREEMAN.

“Dili gyud na mao. Si Lapulapu wala na siya gipugutan. Usa ni ka dakung insulto ang iyang gihimo. We are praising Lapulapu kay lagi atoa siyang bayani unya sa iyang kanta, bati kaayo iyang gibuhat ni Lapulapu,” the mayor said.

According to Chan, there is now even an effort to include LapuLapu in the curriculum of the Department of Education to educate the younger generation of his heroism.

“Mao nga isip amahan sa dakbayan, nasakitan ko sa pagbiaybiay nga gibuhat. Kung wala giila ni Ez Mil nga bayani si Datu Lapulapu, dili nalang unta siya maghimo og kanta nga makamugna og kalagot ug kasuko sa matag Oponganon,” the mayor in a post to Facebook.

The rapper earlier admitted that he mistakenly got the facts wrong. — FPL (FREEMAN)