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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10) The National Historical Commission of the Philippines on Wednesday released a statement on rapper EZ Mil s song Panalo, which has been criticized for its controversial lyrics on the death of Philippine hero Lapu-Lapu.
While it said it welcomes new songs that inform Filipinos of their history, the agency stressed the importance of accuracy. Let us not compromise our history and be conscious of our accountability on what we are conveying to our people, it said. Lapu-lapu was definitely not killed in the Battle of Mactan. The battle was a victory of our ancestors led by him.
A line on the song goes, “Pinugutan si Lapu sa Mactan…”
Realizing he might offended some, EZ went on to explain himself in a video uploaded on Hbom Segovia’s Youtube channel.
“Why I chose the term, ‘pinugutan si Lapu sa Mactan.’ Because in terms of the rhyming pattern, I always go to this dilemma or doubt in my head in closing out a song. Am I gonna close it out with absolute truth or am I gonna make people talk about it? It’s like me weighing the options,” he said.
“It’s inaccurate but he still died. He’s dead right now. It’s not overall factual in a way but still like… the thing that is factual is that when he did die, people were still saddened,” he related.