Human Rights

No reason to celebrate the international indigenous peoples? day — Kalumaran

DAVAO CITY (davaotoday.com) -- A partylist representative and leaders of indigenous peoples? groups in Mindanao said there?s no reason to celebrate the 15th year of International Day of Indigenous Peoples as the tribes continue to suffer from the atrocities of the Arroyo administration. "The Arroyo administration did not only fail to uphold, protect and promote IP rights,? Gabriela Women Partylist representative Luz Ilagan said, ?It has also violated these rights.? Read on

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Lumad farmer survives slay attempt

DAVAO CITY - - A lumad farmer survived a slay attempt in Baganga town of Davao Oriental on June 26 this year. ?I was lucky to have noticed the triggerman drew a gun as their motorcycle pulled alongside us. I heard three shots. They were so close, I could almost see the bullets whizzing by my head," Gonzales told Davao Today. Read on.

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Why worry about the OB list?

(Second of three parts) First Part : A Pattern to Madness AT LEAST three people whose names and groups were on the reported military list that Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo leaked to the media in May, were killed in the last two years. The picture of Pojas, killed on May 15 last year, appeared in one of the slides.

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A doctor?s death and the dying health system

Dr. Bong Pe?era. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

DAVAO CITY (davaotoday.com) ? While more health workers chose to go abroad to look for greener pastures, Dr. Rogelio ?Bong? Pe?era, 45, opted to stay. But on June 24 this year, his killers took his life. His brother Carlos Pe?era said he learned from the neighbors that men aboard an L200 vehicle had been asking about Dr. Pe?era a few days before he was killed. Dr. Jean Lindo, a member of the doctors? group Rx for Peace, said that amidst the continuing migration of doctors out of the country, Pe?era?s death was a big loss. Read on.

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Missing farmer’s Ma files raps vs Army

DAVAO CITY (davaotoday.com) -- A farmer last seen beaten and forcibly taken allegedly by soldiers on July 4 is missing, according to the human rights group Karapatan. Witnesses saw Alvin Lopez, 25, a farmer and resident of sitio Maot, Barangay San Jose in Monkayo town of Compostela Valley Province hogtied, and forced into a military vehicle during a military operation. Alvin's mother, Erlinda, 46, sought Karapatan's help to locate his son. She filed a complaint Tuesday before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in the region against the military's 26th Infantry Battalion based in the area. Read on.

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