Davao Today

MONEY FROM TRASH

davao.today — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:12:45 +0000

MONEY FROM TRASH. Handmade products made by women inmates of Davao City Jail on display during the 9th Recyclable Collection Event at SM Entertainment Centre on Tuesday. The event was organized by City Government of Davao, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and SM Davao. (photo by Keith Bacongco / AKP Images)

A Pattern to Madness

GERMELINA A. LACORTE — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:47:58 +0000

(first of three parts)

Killed on the feast of San Isidro, the patron saint of peasants, Celso Pojas fell just a few steps from the gate of the KMP office in Maa. (contributed photo)

First, their groups have been tagged as the legal fronts of the Communist New People's Army. Then, top military officials make public statements suggesting they're enemies of the state. Finally, before anyone could stop to consider, they are killed. This pattern emerges in the extrajudicial killings of activists in the country, which have become more pronounced in Davao City and neighboring provinces of Compostela Valley as the government's 2010 deadline to wipe out the Communist insurgency looms. After Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo exposed the existence of a military document linking some individuals and civil society groups to the Communist movement, Davao Today finds it urgent to look into the pattern of the killings of activists in this part of the country. Read on.

FIRST PERSON: Angel Locsin comes to Munai

AMIRAH ALI LIDASAN — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:27:55 +0000

Angel Locsin meets people in Lanao del Norte. (contributed photo)

When I first met Angel during our briefing in a hotel in Cagayan de Oro City, she explained at length why the visit had to be low-key. She wanted to digest the story of the people, wanted to give the ones she would be talking to the impression that she did not go there as a film star but as a person, as a countryman. She did not need to explain. Angel is known for her women's rights advocacy. Amirah Ali Lidasan, the national president of the Moro partylist group Suara, reflects upon a visit of popular actress Angel Locsin in the war-torn communities in Munai, Lanao del Norte. Read on.

Top military officers a no-show at the amparo hearing

CHERYLL D. FIEL — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:08:38 +0000

DAVAO CITY -- High-ranking military officers earlier named in the Davao lawyers' petition for writ of amparo failed to show up in court for the scheduled hearing on Wednesday. This was the second time that Judge Jose Manuel Castillo of the Regional Trial Court Branch 10 called a hearing on the amparo petitions of Davao-based lawyers, Carlos Isagani Zarate, Lilibeth Ladaga and Angela Librado-Trinidad. Read on.

SLEEP BABY, SLEEP

davao.today — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:16:25 +0000

SLEEP BABY, SLEEP. Racma Jehna tries to put her eight month old grandson, Datu Gumbay, to sleep amid the noise in the Datu Gumbay Elementary School in Datu Piang. Maguindanao. Fleeing home because of the fighting, Racma and her grandson have taken refuge in the school -- their "home" for the past ten months, where her grandson, Datu Gumbay, was born. (MindaNews photo by Froilan Gallardo)

HOLD

davao.today — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:15:00 +0000

HOLD. Soldiers guard a nine-van convoy of journalists after stopping them at an army checkpoint in Barangay Bagan, Guindulungan town in Maguindanao Tuesday morning.The journalists were held for nearly an hour. (MindaNews photo by Froilan Gallardo)

ORPHANED

davao.today — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:14:03 +0000

ORPHANED. Dr. Rogelio Peñera’s daughter says goodbye for the last time. The Davao City epidemiologist was gunned down last week on his way home after fetching her from school. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

Grieving

davao.today — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:34:36 +0000

Grieving officemates and friends are calling for justice over the doctor's untimely death. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)

Nograles’ scholars pushing Karlo to run?

CJ KUIZON — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:20:37 +0000

DAVAO CITY -- Scholars of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, the Davao City first district Representative, are worried. When the congressman steps down after his last term in 2010, they fear that funds for the scholarship program "Oplan Kaalam" will also end. So, when a Nograles staff mentioned this in a May 26 scholars' orientation program, some scholars suggested letting Karlo Nograles, the son of Prospero Nograles, run for election. Read on.

DAVAO MEDIA AGAINST REPLY BILL

davao.today — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:05:12 +0000

DAVAO MEDIA AGAINST REPLY BILL. Calling the Right of Reply Bill (RORB) an “anathema” to press freedom and free expression, Davao media unite to fight the passing of the bill, now on second reading in Congress. NUJP-Davao calls the bill an ‘act of terrorism’ against the independent Philippine press. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)