THE Davao City Council approved Tuesday a resolution supporting the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity.
The act was passed December 2009 as they condemned the continued denial of justice for murdered teacher Rebelyn Pitao.
Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, proponent of the resolution, cited Pitao's brutal murder as a violation of this law and he condemned acts similar to this.
During Tuesday's session, Evelyn Pitao, mother of Rebelyn, spoke to the City Council on how the investigation on her daughter's death.
"Kita man tanan diri naay anak. Masabtan unta ko ninyo kung musulti ko na sakit gyud kaayo nga mamatyan ug anak, hilabi na kung gipatay kini sa pinaagi nga gipatay ang akong anak nga si Rebelyn (All of us here have children. I hope you understand when I say it's very painful if your child dies especially if your child was killed in a way that my daughter Rebelyn was murdered)," Evelyn said.
Councilors present gave a private word of consolation to Evelyn after her speech.
Militant groups, Hustisya and Karapatan, pleaded Rebelyn's cause at Dayanghirang's office.
"We raised this last week and it was good Councilor Dayanghirang who gave word to support the call for justice for Rebelyn," Karapatan spokesperson Kelly Delgado said in the vernacular.
Rebelyn was a 20-year-old substitute teacher when she was raped and murdered last year. Her body was found in an irrigation ditch in Barangay San Isidro in Carmen, Davao del Norte.
Pitao is the daughter of New People's Army leader Leoncio Pitao alias Kumander Parago.
To date, Delgado said, the investigation of Rebelyn's death remains "fruitless".
Speculations float that she was murdered because she was a daughter of a rebel, Delgado said.
"Dili kini maayo ug gina-kondena ni namo (This is a dastardly act and we condemn this)," Delgado said.
Affiliates of leftist body Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan) will gather Friday with Senatoriables Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza for the continued call for justice for Rebelyn.