Peers of slain doctor worried over colleagues’ safety

Peñera’s name was not in the reported military list earlier leaked by Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo to the media. But groups like the United Integrated Health Services Foundation Incorporated (UIHSFI), where Peñera used to sit as Board member, and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), where he was a council member, were.

Dr. Jean Lindo, chair of the doctor’s group Rx for Peace, said the killing of Peñera has raised the concern of their colleagues over the safety of six other physicians identified in the military Order of Battle (OB) list. They included Dr. Ruben Robillo, Dr. Jose Lacuesta, Dr. Shalom Lorezana, Dr. Eugene Nalian, Dr. Rey Lasaka. The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) plans to call a meeting with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to clarify what’s on the document. Read on.

Something reeks in government housing

Alan Codizar’s family noticed the smell after two months inside their house in Catalunan Grande, a village about five kilometers from downtown Davao. “We thought it was the dog,” recalled Codizar’s wife Lourdes, “So, we moved the doghouse somewhere else but still the smell lingered.”

Later, they opened the sewage at the back of the house and noticed that the pipes were leaking.

The house was one of the low cost housing units of the South Villa Heights 2 awarded to them in 1994 under the Unified Home Lending Program (UHLP). But they only assumed it two years ago because the area did not have an access road and it was very far from their place of work.

When they took over, the one-room 90-sq. meter house looked like an empty matchbox. They put up jalousies on the windows, installed the doors and the tiles on the floors and later, the sewage pipes. “There were cracks even at the ceiling,” Lourdes said, “We can’t even nail something on the wall without feeling that the house would crumble.” Read on

Will Parago appear in a CHR hearing?

Commission on Human Rights Chair Leila De Lima in an inquiry on extrajudicial killings in Davao city. (davaotoday.com photo by Jonald Mahinay)

DAVAO CITY—The Commission on Human Rights is thinking of inviting New People’s Army (NPA) leader Kumander Parago in a public inquiry to help shed light on the abduction and killing of his daughter Rebelyn Pitao.
But will Parago appear in a public hearing?
“We considered calling him (Parago),” Leila De Lima, CHR chair, told reporters at the end of the hearing on the Rebelyn case on the third day of the inquiry on extrajudicial killings. “We were already trying to make that a reality, kaya lang ang kausap ko, nag-back-out sa (but the one I talked to had backed out at the) last minute,” said De Lima. She vowed to take stronger actions against the three personnel of the military intelligence group (MIG) who failed to show up in the inquiry. Read on.

Dreaming of the dagmay

Various designs of the dagmay(davaotoday.com photo)

By Germelina A. Lacorte
Davao Today
Among the Mandayas, the dagmay has been worn as women’s skirts but it is also used as blankets and to wrap the dead. Each design, however, carries with it a certain story. Most of the traditional designs, which can easily date back to over a hundred years, have come to them in dreams.

Davao firms to issue warning on closures, retrenchments

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

The early warning system is part of the contingency plan initiated by Dole to deal with the projected increase in unemployment if companies will have a hard time dealing with the crisis. It will allow the government to draw up possible employment and livelihood options to workers affected, said Lawyer Jalilo dela Torre, Dole regional director.

Rice tops Mindanao’s imports last year — Medco

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

According to the report from the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco), the island’s biggest importation last year consisted of US$138.28 million rice from Vietnam, making up 12 per cent of Mindanao’s total imports.

Moro groups fear renewed military offensives during Ramadhan

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today
DAVAO CITY—Amidst reports of civilian casualties in the recent fighting in Mindanao, Moro groups fear that renewed government offensives will only displace more people in conflict affected areas during the Ramadhan.
Amirah Ali Lidasan, president of Suara Bangsamoro, said that Moro groups are worried that government troops will take advantage [...]

Japanese-Filipino kids welcome new law on citizenship

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

The June 4 decision of the Japan Supreme Court will reverse the old law which only grants nationality to Japanese-Filipino children whose parents were married legally. The new law will include children whose parents are not legally married.

Arroyo orders all-out offensive vs Drilon’s kidnappers

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Arroyo said she has ordered an all out military offensive not only against the Abu Sayyaf, but also against the Communist New People’s Army (NPA) so that the government can finally “return Mindanao to its people,” she said.

NFA pilots rice auction in Davao to bring down prices

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

The National Food Authority (NFA) is selling its special grade imported Thai rice in commercial markets here to bring down the soaring prices of rice that have gone up to as much as P52 a kilo in the previous weeks.

Duterte says he won’t allow witchhunt vs activists

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he will not allow a “witch hunt” against political activists in the city even as he ordered a prompt investigation on the killing of a peasant leader here recently.

Adonis, other journalists challenge Philippine libel laws before UN

Lex Adonis, the former anchorman of Bombo Radyo-Davao jailed for libel, filed a complaint addressed to the UN High Commission on Human Rights, challenging the legality of the criminal libel laws in the Philippines.

Little Swiss shop helps Lumads in Mindanao

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Pencils and notebooks made in Germany and Switzerland, durable umbrellas, raincoats as big as blankets because European sizes are almost twice as big as average Filipino sizes, used toys curiously making their way to the Lumad communities in Mindanao.

Davao’s new jailhouse gives hope to women behind bars

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Landscaped and painted in bright pastels, the duplexes that make up the new women’s facility of the Ma-a city jail resemble a village that reminds inmates of home.

Despite doubts by MILF, ‘peace is still possible’

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Dureza said the government is currently working on another draft on the ancestral domain clause that will hopefully be acceptable to the MILF to break the deadlock in the peace negotiations.

Japanese pastors learn shocking things about Davao bananas

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Reverend Fr. John Yuji Kanzaki, chair of the Philippine committee of the National Christian Churches of Japan (NCCJ), remembers growing up in Japan, where he used to love bananas as a boy. “Bananas are expensive in Japan,” he tells reporters here, “When I was a boy, I can’t stop eating them.” But a recent visit in banana plantations in Compostela Valley made him change his mind.

Davao wants to attract investments in electricity-powered cars

After hearing about the successful launch of the e-jeepney in Makati, Davao officials are excited about the prospects of electric-powered cars, saying it could lessen the country’s dependence on gasoline.

Duterte rejects Senate prospects under Lakas

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte thumbs down initial moves to entice him to run for the Senate under the slate of Lakas-NUCD when his third term as mayor finally ends in 2010.

‘Alston’s report will not stop me’ — Duterte

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ordered no let up against drugs and crime syndicates despite criticisms from international human rights groups and the report by United Nations (UN) rapporteur Philip Alston on extra-judicial killings.

The other story of Luisito Bustamante

Tortured. Luisito Bustamante shows the burns on his neck and marks of the metal chain on his his feet which were used by his captors to bind him. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Luisito Bustamante, 22, admitted during a court hearing that he was a member of the Communist New People’s Army (NPA). He told the court that not even his fingertips was touched when he was in military captivity, belying any possibility of torture. But an hour after the hearing, Luisito told a different story. He showed his mother and friends the burn marks on his neck and back, the scars on his ankles that had been, days before, tied with wires.

Davao journalists troop to Ombudsman to support beaten colleague

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

The journalists trooped to the office of the Mindanao Ombudsman as Sembrano filed a criminal case of grave coercion, grave threats, physical injury, and an administrative case of grave abuse of authority against against the Compostela Valley provincial board member Neri Barte, who allegedly attacked him inside the announcer’s booth at around 6:15 a.m. of October 23.

Show of Support. Colleagues demand justice for Radyo Natin Compostela Broadcaster Roel Sembrano. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

Mother of missing youth files amparo petition

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

On the night of October 27, 22-year-old Luisito Bustamante and his friends and younger sister Libby were on their way to Malabog to distribute handbills for the approaching barangay elections when they were accosted at a checkpoint by elements of the Task Force Davao. Bustamante was held and has not been found since.

Taken. Bebilita Bustamante, mother of the missing Luisito Bustamante, and Kelly Delgado, secretary general of Karapatan Southern Mindanao, show the petition for the writ of amparo that they filed at the sala of Judge Isaac G. Robillo Jr., Regional Trial Court Branch 13 in Davao City. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

New land-reform law eyed to break up land monopoly

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

The KMP said what it proposes will be a better law than the existing CARP, which failed to end the sufferings of farmers after two decades. The new bill will ensure that farmers will no longer lose control of their land. To do that, the proposed bill wll do away with provisions giving the farmers the option to sell their land.

In bid to revive Eaga, businesses turn to foreign donors

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Millions of US dollars in funding are now being earmarked by the Asian Development Bank, the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), and the Australian Agency for International Development as governments from the four Eaga countries — Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines — try to revive interest in the economic subregion.

Davaoeño Palanca winner writes for the poor

Palanca Award winner from Davao City writes for the poor