4 tagged in slay of ‘people’s doc’

Dreyfuss Perlas —PhilHealth Iligan

ILOILO CITY—Police have brought a complaint for murder against a woman and three men for the killing of barrio doctor Dreyfuss Perlas.

Senior Supt. Faro Antonio Olaguer, Lanao del Norte police director, on Friday said the complaint was filed against the suspects in the Lanao del Norte Provincial Prosecutor’s Office on March 21.

“We are confident that the information will be filed in court and a warrant of arrest will be issued soon,” Olaguer told the Inquirer.

2 suspects identified

He said investigators had identified two of the four suspects.

Perlas had drawn the ire of the suspects in the performance of his work, Olaguer said without providing details.

Perlas, 31, was the municipal health officer of Sapad town in Lanao del Norte province.

A lone gunman shot Perlas as he was riding home in Kapatagan, also in Lanao del Norte, on March 1. The bullet struck the doctor in the back and pierced his heart.

His killing has provoked an outcry because he was one of a few volunteers who chose to stay in the area after their contracts under the government’s Doctors to the Barrios program had ended.

A native of Batan town in Aklan province, Perlas was well loved in the community because of his generosity and dedication to the medical service.

Perlas’ father, Dennis, a councilor in Batan, vowed to press for justice as the family marked the first month of the death of his son.

“I will go there even if it’s far and difficult for us. I will go there even if we hardly know anyone just to be able to find justice for my son,” the elder Perlas said.

“We are praying that those responsible will be arrest soon,” he said.

During the session of the Batan municipal council on Thursday, Councilor Rina Sarceno sponsored a proposal for the declaration of March 1 as a holiday in the town in honor of Perlas.

Earlier, the Department of Health conferred the “Bayani ng Kalusugan” award on Perlas posthumously for his service to the community.

Given starting last year, the award honors individuals and organizations who have made exemplary contribution to the achievement of universal healthcare.

Harassment of health workers

A new coalition of health workers on Friday urged the administration of President Duterte to protect health workers serving in remote communities.

Health Action for Human Rights expressed fear that harassment by the military and recent killings like that of Perlas could discourage health workers from serving in the barrios.

Edelina dela Paz, president of the new group, said violence against health workers persisted long after the fall of the Marcos regime.

Health workers get caught in the crossfire between the military and the communist New People’s Army (NPA), she said.

The Community Medicine Development Foundation Inc. cited the impact of the military’s operations against the NPA on health services.

Julie Caguiat, executive director of the foundation, said the military tended to close areas of conflict to medical missions.

“Even if there are patients, health workers cannot go to them,” she said. —WITH A REPORT FROM VINCE F. NONATO