Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas —PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK (TOTO PERLAS)
Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday condemned the killing of a rural doctor, saying that the culture of death has reached the health sector.
She called the murder of Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas “heartbreaking and infuriating loss to the medical profession and to the community of Lanao del Norte.”
“The loss of Dr. Perlas is nothing short of tragic. He is the latest victim of the culture of killing and impunity that has engulfed the country,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“We have few enough bright young doctors who are willing to serve in the provinces. I urge the authorities to identify his killers and bring them to justice,” she added.
Perlas, 31, was heading home on board his motorcycle last Wednesday night when he was shot by unidentified assailants.
He was a volunteer under Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program by the DOH and is well-loved by the community.
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The senator recalled her meeting with Perlas, describing him as an “idealistic young man who wanted to push for meaningful change.”
Hontiveros, who is also a human rights advocate, urged the health community to express their strong indignation against the killing of Perlas.
READ: Family of slain rural doctor cries for justice
“No one is safe anymore. Even those who are silently and selflessly working for the promotion of universal healthcare are not spared from an assassin’s bullet,” Hontiveros said.
“The current climate of violence under the Duterte government poses a serious threat to the people’s access to public health, and a mortal danger to the lives of health workers. We cannot allow this climate to continue unchanged,” Hontiveros added. IDL