Leader of protests against DSWD killed

A BOY pauses from his work chopping copra to reach out for a pack of relief goods in Baganga, Davao Oriental. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—A leader of Barug Katawhan, which led the occupation of the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development here last week, was shot and killed in Baganga, Davao Oriental on Monday evening.

The victim, Cristina Jose, a councilwoman in Barangay (village) Binondo in Baganga, had just attended a council session when she was shot by two motorcycle-riding men at around 6 p.m.

Karlos Trangia, spokesperson of Barug Katawhan, said Jose and those who participated in the protest action at the DSWD regional office in Davao City were being harassed by soldiers.

“Supposedly, she was on her way to Davao City to report the cases of human rights violations but she was brutally killed,” Trangia said.

Sheena Duazo, spokesperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Southern Mindanao, said Jose, prior to her death, had exposed an alleged food and economic blockade in Sitio (sub-village) Limot in Barangay Binondo by soldiers.

Jose was among the thousands of typhoon victims who last week stormed the DSWD regional office here demanding the release of relief goods. The protesters knocked down the DSWD’s gates and “confiscated” sacks of rice and boxes of canned goods and noodles.

The DSWD raid, after several violent confrontations with the police, ended with the protesters and the government agency agreeing to the release of 10,000 sacks of rice to the typhoon victims.

The DSWD, the police and Barug Katawhan also agreed that there will be no retaliation and filing of charges against each other.