Mother of Jerlyn Doydora Seeks Accountability After Daughter’s Death in Mindoro Clash
The mother of Jerlyn Doydora has spoken out following her daughter’s death during a reported clash between government troops and rebel groups in Mindoro.
During a media forum on January 9, she held Kabataan Party-list Representative Renee Co and the group’s leaders responsible, stating that they should be accountable for what happened to her child. She also urged the group to stop using Jerlyn’s photos in public campaigns for justice, explaining that her daughter had already lost her life, and continuing to use her image only adds to the family’s grief and the loss of her dreams.
In response, Kabataan Party-list released a statement saying that Jerlyn was a victim of ongoing military operations in rural areas. The group said these security campaigns are funded with large amounts of public money each year but often harm ordinary citizens, including causing the loss of lives and livelihoods. They described the incident as part of a broader conflict that affects civilians who are not involved in fighting.
Before her death, Jerlyn served in the General Secretariat of Kabataan Party-list and was a student at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, taking up a Bachelor of Secondary Education, major in English. Friends and colleagues remembered her as a dedicated individual committed to public service and helping communities.
Meanwhile, Filipino-American volunteer Chantal Anicoche was found alive by soldiers on January 8, around 2:00 p.m., about 500 meters from the site of a January 1 clash between government troops and NPA rebels in Sitio Mamara, Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro. She had been hiding in a hole and was later brought down from the mountains and checked by local health workers. Authorities confirmed she was in stable condition and under military custody. Anicoche, a recent psychology graduate from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, was in the area to learn about the conditions of the Mangyan-Iraya community and to volunteer in rural communities.