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JUSTICE --- DOH-ARMM
Secretary Kadil M. Sinolinding, Jr. (seated right) met the journalists to
openly condemn the senseless killing of Dr.DreyfussPerlasas they seek speedy
resolution to the case. With him is Chief Administrative OfficerDr.Tato M.
Usman. (BENJAMIL U. TIBUMBO- MINDANAO EXPOSE’)
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COTABATO CITY --- Officials and
workers of the Department of Health (DOH) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (DOH-ARMM)strongly condemned the killing of a government doctor in
Kapatagan, LanaodelNorte the other week.
ARMM health workers wore black armbands as sign of
the agency’s protest to the death of Dr. DreyfussPerlas.
Perlas, who was a physician deployed under the
Doctors to the Barrios program, was shot dead by an unknown gunman in Kapatagan
while riding his motorcycle. He was heading home from a medical mission in a neighboring
town when he was gunned down.
In a statement, DOH-ARMM Secretary Kadil”Jojo” M.
Sinolinding, Jr. urged the provincial government of LanaodelNorteto give swift
action on the murder of Dr.Perlas.
“This incident sends a straight message to all
health professionals that no one is safe around. With so many problems that we encounter
nowadays, we always wish and pray that the workers of the health department
shall be spared,” said Dr. Sinolinding.
However, Dr. .Sinolinding said it is not true
anymore, hence, appealing to authorities,straight to President Duterte, that
they cannot accept promises, except on the resolve of the case.
“Justice for Dr. Perlas is justice to all victims
of senseless killings,” he said.
Further, Dr. Sinolinding also appealed to the local
government units to protect the doctors and health workers. “We should help our
health workers so they can serve the communities better.”
Dr. Dreyfuss “Toto” Perlas of Sapad municipality
was driving through Barangay Maranding Annex in Kapatagan on his way to Lala
town around 7:30 p.m. when he was shot.
Perlas died at the LanaodelNorte Provincial
Hospital in nearby Baroy town from a single bullet that pierced into his heart
after it hit him in the left side of his back.
Dr. .Anjuli May Jaen, president of Batch 30 of the
Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program to which Perlas belonged, said he had
been receiving threats from unknown individuals but did not elaborate.
Perlas, 31, the eldest of two siblings, was a
native of Batan town in Aklan province. He was a biology graduate of the
University of the Philippines in Los Baños in 2007 and earned his medical
degree from the West Visayas State University in Iloilo City in 2011.
As a scholar of the Department of Health, he was
required to render two years of government service. He volunteered in the DTTB
program, which was initiated by the late Senator and Health Secretary Juan
Flavier in the 1990s.
In addition, Perlas was assigned to Sapad from 2012
to 2014 and was known for travelling solo to remote villages to conduct medical
check-ups. He opted to remain in the town, which had no municipal health
officer for 12 years, after his stint. He served the community, the people,
with both honour and pride.
Other DTTB volunteers also praised Perlas for his
decision to remain in Sapad.Dr. Jordan Pinzon, who was assigned in Salvador
town near Sapad, said Perlas was well known in the community.
Pinzon said Perlas would personally fetch mothers
and their newborn babies from the hinterlands to take them to the health
center.
“There were some cases he paid for the ambulance
and other hospital fees that patients could not afford,” said Pinzon.(GILMHAR A. LAO - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)
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