COTABATO CITY–A Manobo woman in Magpet town, Cotabato province was attacked by four men while she was on her way to her farm at the village of Mahongkog in the town past 2 p.m. on Sunday (Aug. 23), according to police. Bae Leah Aurena-Labrador, provincial executive assistant on Indigenous Peoples in Cotabato province, said Celis had been actively advocating for the protection of indigenous peoples’ (IP) culture and ancestral domain at her village in the face of continued illegal logging. Otherwise, it will continue to destroy civilian and IP lives.”Catamco called on police to investigate and to leave no stone unturned. “Whoever has the evil mind to commit such crime on a helpless and defenseless woman should be brought before the bar of justice,” the governor said. She urged the tribe to remain strong and assured the victim’s family the government would not abandon them.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 24, 2020 12:00 UTC