A legislator described “preposterous and wild fabrications” the case of “serious illegal detention and child abuse” which was filed against him and seven other Lumad (indigenous people in Mindanao) leaders and human rights advocates for allegedly preventing a child evacuee and her family from leaving their sanctuary at the United Church of Christ in Philippines (UCCP) Haran Compound in Davao City.
A leader of a farmer’s organization who “resisted” Army operations in their village North Cotabato, was killed morning of Tuesday in Barangay Naje, Arakan town.
The Army suspects of killing a pregnant mother and two of her children last October 2012 must be in jail, said a partylist representative during a Congressional inquiry on alleged human rights violations last Friday.
The Davao City Council approved Tuesday the report of its committee on the Army killing of three residents in Paquibato District last June that seeks to recall, investigate and file appropriate charges against erring soldiers.
The chairman of the House committee on human rights said he wants to amend a law protecting children after listening to testimonies of educators who alleged they were harassed by the soldiers camping in the schools.
Young Filipino-Americans who spent a week in Mindanao formed an alliance with their local counterparts to “strengthen” the campaign for human rights and protection of the environment.
Personnel from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), led by head of Mindanao operations Peter Deck, visit Lumad evacuees in a church compound in Davao City. (John Rizle Saligumba/davaotoday.com)
Some leaders of tribal evacuees here claimed they received death threats after a supposed rescue operations by police officers and government agencies failed to remove them from a church compound here, a human rights group said.
A center is being built to take charge of archiving documents, photographs and other records of the city.
An administrator of a school owned by Lumads but run by educators and missionaries from the non-government sector said government appear to receive a “slap in the face” whenever individuals and organizations donate funds, materials and moral support to indigenous peoples.
