Duterte says rape, not poverty, could be behind Mariannet’s suicide

By CHERYLL D. FIEL | Davao Today

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte suspected the 12-year-old Mariannet Amper could have been raped, based on the findings bared by the medico legal officer who conducted the autopsy. The mayor, who ordered the girl?s body exhumed five days after burial, said it was possible that rape could have driven the girl to kill herself. He also said that it?s also possible that someone could have killed her.

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Duterte backs decriminalization of libel; planning to help Adonis?

By GERMELINA A. LACORTE | Davao Today

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte vowed to help the Davao broadcaster jailed for libel now that a full blown war has erupted between him and close administration ally Congressman Prospero Nograles over what people perceive as the first salvo of their fight for the 2010 elections.

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Independent probe of House bombing urged


Members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) take to the streets of Davao the morning after the blast in Congress, urging vigilance among the people. They call on people to act and demand an investigation into the incident that killed three, wounded several others, including lawmakers. InPeace, the peace advocacy group, said in a statement that the bombing was a smokescreen for something more sinister. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

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By design or neglect, Batasan bombing a smokescreen for scandal-ridden Arroyo government

nPeace Mindanao November 13, 2007 STATEMENT on the Batasan Bombing By design or neglect, Batasan bombing a smokescreen for scandal-ridden Arroyo government InPeace Mindanao condemns yesterday's bombing of the Philippine…

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Suicide of 12-year-old girl moves pastor to paint, child worker to compose verses

"My Diary" by Pastor Jurie Jaime. (davaotoday.com photo by Cheryll D. Fiel)

By CHERYLL D. FIEL | Davao Today

The suicide of the 12-year-old girl has moved a pastor to paint; a child?s advocacy group volunteer to write verses, and government and civil society group to press the government for more attention to children?s rights. The night after he heard about the girl?s death from the television news, Pastor Jurie Jaime, of the United Christ of the Philippines (UCCP) in Tibungco, stayed up in his parsonage throughout the wee hours in the morning, crying and angrily splashing paint on his canvass.

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