Davao mayor orders probe into alleged abuses by local dorm

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday ordered an investigation into complaints by Indian medical students about the poor service of a dormitory run by an Indian trader.

 

The mayor also warned traders to leave the city or face prosecution if they cannot follow the law, Davao-based news site Davao Today reported.

 

He ordered the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to come up with a report on the case by Wednesday, the report said.

 

Duterte said he expects a report by Wednesday.

 

Last Thursday, some 200 Indian medical students went to City Hall to complain against what they called the poor service of the dormitory, GMA Davao reported.

 

The students said the dormitory owned by one Dr. Ashin Mojan served poor food and had strict curfews and high penalties. They also said they could not study well because the dorm would shut the lights early.

 

But they also claimed they were physically punished, and said Mojan threatened to pull strings at their school to flunk them.

 

Each student pays P10,000 a month for a small room with eight beds. "We are not getting proper facilities and proper food there. We are arguing for that," one of the complainants said.

 

"If you violate some rule, there is also one saying you need to pay P100,000 per head," still another said.

 

City administrator Melchor Quitain and representatives of the Immigration Bureau went with the students to see Mojan but he did not present himself.

 

The Davao Today report quoted Duterte as saying in his Sunday program that foreign traders should "follow the law."

 

It also cited documents it obtained showing dormitory violations had penalties ranging from P2,000 to P100,000.

 

He added the allegations made by the students could involves extortion, so Mohan "should be called to explain.”

 

“If there’s a violation of law like operating the dormitory without permit or clearance from the city then that’s one offense,” he added.  — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News