Small-scale miners and peasants in this town have been up in arms against the no-habitation policy, saying it displaced and deprived them of their livelihood. They reckoned, the move is in favor of big and foreign mining capitalists.
Usurious schemes and failure of the government to support farmers bury them in a vicious debt cycle. Farmers are left fending for themselves.
Military operations in Arakan valley hinder Gina Batoy, wife of slain peasant leader, Ramon, from going back home. Ramon Batoy was killed in a raid by the 10th Special Forces three days after Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio was gunned down, also in the same town. Advocates link the killing of Fr. Tentorio and Batoy as part of the abuses of the AFP counter-insurgency policy Oplan Bayanihan in North Cotabato.
“Clearly, he deserved the NPA’s punishment” and his death “is a first step towards achieving full revolutionary justice for the beloved Fr. Tentorio.” — New People’s Army
“Majority of the students were not able to join the consultation. The administration has also failed to show its financial statement despite claiming that the teachers and non-teaching staff will benefit in the proposed tuition fee hikes.” — Maureene Villamor, Ateneo de Davao University student council president
“A lot have become victims of injustice and they have no one to defend them. That’s why public interest lawyering is very much needed and remains relevant” — Roan Libarios, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) president
“We’ve been lagging behind in democracy. It’s the same system.” – Davao City Vice-mayor Rodrigo Duterte
By JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA
By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN
By JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA
