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• Canines on campuses

• Boyfriend of woman shot still sought

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• Lodi wants world class bike race to pedal through town next year

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November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 8th, 2009

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November 7th, 2009

• Lodi High graduate was at Fort Hood

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• Tour packs buses as birdwatchers admire Sandhill cranes

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• Daytime thieves targeting Lodi homes

• Lodi High School rally featured on 'Good Day Sacramento'

• Out of control

• Homicide suspect Anthony Hubbard arraigned

• Regional Roundup

• New Lodi Memorial rule to combat spread of H1N1: Visitors must be older than 16

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

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• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

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November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

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November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

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• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

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November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Regional Roundup

• Group investigates reports of haunting

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

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Bishop calls for end to 'politically motivated' killings in Philippines

Bishop Eliezer Pascua has been through a lot in his country, the Philippines. Hundreds of people who disagree with their government have been killed, and human rights violations in general have been numerous, he says.

Pascua took his story to Lodi on Wednesday, first to a gym full of students at Jim Elliot Christian High School, and then to an Ash Wednesday service at Grace Presbyterian Church.

Despite all the violence he has encountered in the Philippines, Pascua began his remarks at Jim Elliot Christian with, "Good morning; God is good."

A student from the audience cried out, "All the time!"

Pascua really enjoyed the comment, repeating, "God is good — all the time."

Nevertheless, the general secretary to the United Church of Christ of the Philippines focused on what he termed "politically motivated" murders of labor leaders, lawyers, judges, journalists, community organizers and pastors.

"When I came here (to the United States) last week, already 825 persons were killed," Pascua said of his homeland.

After the chapel service at Jim Elliot Christian, Pascua said that people killed are those who object to the government driving property owners off their land so that developers can take over.

"Any victim of human-rights violations in the Philippines is a victim of human rights violations everywhere," he told the Elliot Christian students. "Any defense of human rights violations in the Philippines is a defense of human rights violations everywhere."

At a reception Sunday in the Delta community of Ryde, Pascua added that most Americans thought that oppression ended in the Philippines when President Ferdinand Marcos was ousted in the 1980s. Yet oppression has begun again under the current president, Gloria Macapagal-Arryo, he said.

The Philippines are 95 percent Christian, Pascua said, but the government has unfairly branded Christian activists as communists.

Pascua called for American military and financial intervention to quell the killings in his homeland. He spoke about it last week to a representative from Sen. Barbara Boxer's office in San Francisco.

Pascua will speak at a World Day of Prayer vigil at noon March 2 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1300 N St. The public is invited.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.

First published: Thursday, February 22, 2007