DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/18 Dec) — Malacañang today ordered that the controversial 144-hectare land in Sumilao be restored for agricultural use, thus cancelling the earlier conversion order exempting it from the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
But Sumilao farmers are not celebrating, and vowed to continue their struggle until they finally occupy the land.
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/16 December) – A day before marching to Malacañang for their second attempt for a dialogue with President Arroyo, farmers from Sumilao, Bukidnon joined this country's Catholic community in welcoming Christmas by celebrating the traditional simbang gabi (dawn mass) at the campout in front of the central office of the Department of Agrarian Reform
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/15 December) — Farmers from Sumilao, Bukidnon who walked all the way from their hometown to Manila will march on Monday to Malacanang to dialogue with President Arroyo.
DAVAO CITY (Mindanews/12 Dec) — Three former agrarian reform secretaries have thrown in their support to the Sumilao farmers, urging the current leadership of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for an “immediate revocation” of the land conversion order issued by former Executive Secretary Ruben Torres over a decade ago.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/03 December) – While several parts of Mindanao’s 27 provinces and 33 cities are celebrating during the Mindanao Week Of Peace from November 29 to December 5, in Lianga and San Agustin towns in Surigao del Sur, war is driving away hundreds of Lumads (indigenous peoples ) from their homes.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/22 November) — Despite claims it is cash-strapped in as far as the distribution of more lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program is concerned, the Department of Agrarian Reform said it has funds for the planned relocation of its central office from Quezon City to Davao City.
DAVAO CITY (for MindaNews/22 November) – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) should be strengthened by giving it power to prosecute violators of human rights, Liberal Party president and former senator Franklin Drilon said in a press conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel here.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/13 Nov) – Militant party-list groups have filed a “genuine agrarian reform bill” that would replace the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program of 1988 whose land distribution ends next year.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/07 November ) – Any time, any day.
Chief Justice Reynato Puno wants the public to know that any time or any day, relatives of missing persons can petition the judge for a writ of amparo, a measure intended to protect the missing person from becoming a victim of extrajudicial killings or a desaparecido (disappeared or victim of enforced disappearance).
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/04 August) – The series of recent bombings in Mindanao targeting bus companies might be used as an excuse to arrest Moro men falsely accused as terrorists, the Kawagib Moro Human Rights organization warned.
ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews/19 July) – “Are the MILF fighters responsible for this horrible crime of beheading and mutilating the dead Marines (in Basilan)? Could they have done this when they returned to the scene of battle at 5:30 am on Wednesday, July 11? Definitely, no,” Maulana Robert Alonto, a member of the peace panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) told a Round Table Discussion here Wednesday.
KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/19 July) — The court in South Cotabato has not acted on the petition for habeas corpus filed by two suspects accused of masterminding the bombing of a Koronadal-bound bus from Tacurong on July 7.
KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/11 July) — The eight girls rescued by police authorities from various KTV bars here last week were reunited with their parents last Monday.
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/10 July) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today vowed “swift justice” for victims of human rights violations through a strengthened anti-terrorism law, five days before her Human Security Act takes effect.
ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews/20 June) — The passage of the Human Security Act disrespects universal humanitarian values and presumes the innocent is a criminal, lawyer Abet Ursua of the Commission on Human Rights office here said in a forum on “Human Security Act and its Implication to Peace” at Berds Theatre Mall today.
