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More senators condemn slay of volunteer-doctor in Lanao del Norte

MANILA, March 4 (PNA) -- More senators on Saturday condemned the murder of a physician deployed in Lanao Del Norte who was shot dead last Wednesday.

Reports showed that Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas, a native of Aklan, was shot dead by unidentified persons while he was riding a motorbike in Kapatagan town in Lanao del Norte around 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that she had met Perlas before and described him as an “idealistic young man who wanted to push for meaningful change.”

She described his death as “tragic.”

“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,” Hontiveros said.

The neophyte senator also urged the health community to express their strong indignation against the killing of Perlas.

"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," she added.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate Committee on Justice, who expressed outrage, urged law enforcement authorities to quickly solve the case.

“I urge the authorities to immediately solve his killing so that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. I am outraged that a doctor who is serving the community is killed like this,” Gordon said.

He also expressed sympathies to the Perlas’ family noting that Perlas was “a good man and a dedicated doctor who was not afraid to serve even in area where no one dares to work.”

Expressing his outrage, Gordon stressed that Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas’ murder should be solved immediately and his killers brought to justice for their crime.

“Rest assured that his killers will not be able to evade the long arm of the law,” he added.

Perlas was a 31-year-old physician who had been working under the Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program.

He reportedly had the opportunity to return to his home province of Aklan, but chose to stay in Lanao del Norte even after his contract expired three years ago. (PNA)
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