Human Rights

Indigenous peoples now temporarily settled in a church-owned compound here ask well-meaning groups to help them protect the area which they say is similar to an "ilihan."

A partylist lawmaker from Mindanao brought up the situation of the indigenous people evacuees in a church compound here in a meeting with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons.

Days after policemen raided a church compound here, indigenous peoples organizations held their own version of State of the Nation Address inside the Haran Mission Center compound on Sunday.

Bai Bibyaon Bigkay, a Matigsalog leader from Talaingod, Davao del Norte, said she is dismayed with the attitude shown by North Cotabato Representative Nancy Catamco who is now under fire after a dialogue with lumad (tribal) evacuees in Davao City turned sour.