PROTECT THE WOMEN POOR VICTIMIZED BY DISASTER AND GREED

At 4:00 pm of 09 October 2009, a Mother, Disaster Victim, Urban Poor Leader, and Womens Rights Advocate, and Development Activist was brutally shot and killed, along with her teenage son, by security forces of a private landowner claiming ownership of a parcel of land at Pechayan, North Fairview, Quezon City, Republic of the Philippines. 

Myrna Porcare was a long-time leader of the Damayan ng Maralitang Pilipinong Api (DAMPA).  Her community was recently devastated by severe flooding from the typhoons Ketsana and Parma, where close to 100 families, including herself, lost their homes.  Within the week after the flood, while the people were still rummaging through the wreck of their houses to salvage the few remaining things that were spared by the flood, about 200 security forces representing an unidentified individual claiming to own the property swooped down on the community and proceded to build a fence around the area. 

Myrna led a mobilization to the Human Rights Commission, which declared the fencing illegal, and halted constcution of the wall.  The commission also told the people that since there was no permit for the fencing, the people can remove them.  Unarmed, Myrna attempted to remove the fence that surrounded their community. She was then shot twice in the stomach with a shotgun.  Her son Jimyr, 18 years old and stiull recuperating from dengue fever, attempted to help her mother but was also shot in the heart, killing him instantly.  Myrna was brought to the nearesr hospital but died two hours later.

The vulnerability of poor people to the effects of disasters is great, and they need the most protection, especially from those who would exploit their situation to satisfy their greed.  Please help to ensure that justice is served, and that the perpetrators of this crime do not go unpunished.  Please help us put pressure on the Philippine Government, the Philippine National Police, and the Office of the President, so that they will act with haste to resolve this crime, and prevent more crimes from being committed against the poor, especially in thei time of great need.