SunStar
+ February 17, 2021 THE police rescue of 19 indigenous minors was yesterday’s news headline. The word rescue was quoted somehow to underscore the fact that it was not really a rescue operation by the police and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), but could have been the arrest of those who brought in the 19 minors to Cebu City allegedly against their will.
The worst part of the story is that the University of San Carlos (USC) was dragged into the issue for allegedly confining the children from Davao de Oro, but, whose only role, according to its statement, was to provide shelter for the best interest of the lumads.
SunStar
+ February 17, 2021 AFTER more than four years of legal battle, one vice president is left standing. And she is a woman.
All doubts about Vice President Leni Robredo’s election were finally laid to rest the other day by the Supreme Court with only a little more than one year left of her term. Since the decision dismissing his protest was unanimous, it seems pointless for Bongbong Marcos to file a motion for reconsideration. It is already not easy to convince even just one justice that he committed a mistake. How much more difficult would it be to persuade eight of them?
SunStar Kidnapping, other charges filed against 2 teachers, 5 Lumads
CEBU. Investigators from the Commission on Human Rights Central Visayas (CHR 7) meet with the parents of some of the Lumad children who attended the Bakwit School in the University of San Carlos Talamban campus. / BENJIE TALISIC
+ February 18, 2021 CHARGES of kidnapping, serious illegal detention and qualified trafficking in persons were filed online Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, against two Bakwit School teachers, three adult Lumad students and two Lumad elders.
The charges were filed by the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) before the Davao del Norte Provincial Prosecutors’ Office in Tagum City during virtual inquest proceedings held via Zoom videoconferencing app at the Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO 7) Wednesday.