‘No One Is Buying Duterte’s Denials Over Drug War Deaths’ says Human Rights Watch
Phelim Kine (Human Rights Watch)
Founded 2006
THE HUMAN RIGHTS Watch has said President Rodrigo Duterte has run up against the limits of his government’s campaign of denial and distraction to counter criticism of its ongoing “drug war” killings. Phelim Kine, Human Rights Watch Deputy Director, Asia Division, said both the United States State De-
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partment and the European Parliament issued scathing criticisms of the “drug war” bloodshed and lack of accountability for those deaths. He said the European Parliament expressed “deep concern” about the deaths of some 12 000 people, including women and children, killed in the drug war to date, and warned
that failure to stop the killings may prompt suspension of export trade privileges under the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences trade scheme. The State Department’s annual human rights report described a sharp rise in extrajudicial killings since the start of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign in 2016. It also
implied there is official support at the highest levels of the government for the campaign, by noting Duterte’s numerous public statements suggesting that killing suspected drug traffickers and users was necessary to meet his goal of wiping out drug-related crime, according to Kine. Continue on page 2
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President Rodrigo Duterte (President of Russia website)
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Muslims want more consultations on BBL
M
USLIMS HA VE ur ged P odr igo D uter te to consult all differ HAVE urged Prresident R Rodr odrigo Duter uterte differ-ent tr ibes in souther nP hilippines in dr afting the B angsamor oB asic tribes southern Philippines drafting Bangsamor angsamoro Basic eder al go ver nment lawmakpartt of the new F Feder ederal gov ernment Law or BBL that will be par ers ar e pr oposing. proposing. are There are over a tion, but their leaders are And to make matter dozen Muslim tribes in not well represented in the worse, Christian lawmakthe region, mostly in the Bangsamoro Transition ers continue to challenge provinces of Basilan, Commission or BTC the the provisions in the draft Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao government has put up to law by saying they are undel Sur and draft the BBL. Majority of constitutional. ate M uslim R egion Maguindanao that com- the Muslims do not even Separ eparate Muslim Region prise the autonomous know the provisions in the Even provincial goverregion; and also in BBL and previous consul- nors of the Muslim Palawan. tations in the time of the provinces were not part of An estimated 11 mil- Aquino administrations the BTC which was chaired lion Muslims or were mostly staged with by Mohagher Iqbal, the approximately 11 percent Muslim leaders saying they vice chairman of the rebel Continue on page 4 of the Philippine popula- were not consulted.
Duterte aide sees peace prospects A Muslim supporter of BBL. (Photo by Najib Zacaria)
Police beef up security ahead of May polls
Special Assistant to the President Christopher Bong Go (Presidential Photo)
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POLICE SAID it would work overtime to comply with the Department of the Interior and Local Government's (DILG) directive for law enforcers to further enhance visibility in light of the possibility of increased number of incidents related to the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan
(SK) elections on May 14. “As ordered by the OIC, SILG (Secretary of Interior and Local Government) Eduardo Año, we will intensify the ongoing Comelec (Commission on Elections) checkpoints as well as police visibility in strategic locations within the election watch list of areas to prevent violence
during the election period,” national police spokesman Chief Supt. John Bulalacao said. “Our personnel on the ground are well prepared and are implementing the prescribed security measures based on the peculiarities of their respective areas.” Continue on page 2
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Apr. 30-May 6, 2018
Members of the Philippine jihadist group pose for propaganda photo in this screen shot taken from the website of the Islamic State.
23 ISIS-linked groups operating in Mindanao
WHILE the Maute Group might have been defeated in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province, a recent report, according to the Asian Correspondent, has now claimed that there are 23 pro-Islamic State groups operating in the restive region of southern Philippines. The Asian Correspondent reported that unnamed intelligence sources have told regional news portal Benar News that extremist organisations were regrouping with some
allied “under the black flag of IS” in order to avenge their defeat by the Philippine Army in Marawi. Last year, Islamic Stateinspired militants laid waste to Marawi during a battle with security forces that lasted five months and displaced more than 350,000 people. It will cost at least an estimated P50 billion to rebuild the city. “They are now aggressively reorganising, recruiting and retraining to re-establish their desire to have a foothold in Southeast
Asian region,” an intelligence source told Benar News, referring to groups including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Abu Sayyaf. A spokesman for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) – which signed an interim peace deal with the government in 2014 – said that once it was granted autonomy in Mindanao as of May, it could help to “eliminate” the groups that support IS. Zachary Abuza, a Professor in Southeast Asian
Politics and Security at the National War College in Washington DC responded on Twitter that: “many are vanity projects, defunct cells, or simply so geographically isolated.” “Only a few count, and with exception of Marawi siege, they really don’t work together,” he added. The Marawi siege saw President Rodrigo Duterte declare martial law across the entire Mindanao, which is set to last until the end of 2018. (Asian Correspondent)
‘No One Is Buying Duterte’s Denials Over Drug War Deaths’ says Human Rights Watch
Continued fr om page 1 from The Duterte government reaction was swift. The new Philippine National Police chief, Oscar Albayalde, questioned the EU Parliament’s estimated death toll of 12,000 by stating: “We do not know the basis of the accusations…they should list it one-by-one, who those 12,000 victims are.” Foreign Affairs Secre-
tary Alan Cayetano attacked the US State Department report by saying: “We do not need others, who think they know better than us Filipinos, to tell us what to do.” Cayetano’s frustration is understandable. He has led government efforts to deflect international criticism of the “drug war” by rejecting outright reports of high death tolls as “alter-
native facts.” And he has dismissed statistical evidence and well-documented accounts of a surge in killings of suspected drug users and dealers since Duterte took office in June 2016 as a baseless “political tactic” wielded by the president’s critics. The US and the European Parliament’s criticism of the drug war shows his
Police beef up security ahead of May polls Continued fr om page 1 from The police, he said, is also closely coordinating with the military and have set up the Joint Security Control Center (JSCC) for the joint conduct of checkpoints in the country. Out of the 5,744 election watch list areas (EWAs) in the country, some 3,448 vil-
lages were identified as having intense rivalry between candidates, history of election-related violence, armed threats and partisan armed groups (PAGs). Some 2,025 barangays also have intense rivalry between candidates, history of election related violence, PAGs but no
armed threats. The remaining villages are classified as highly-critical areas where loose firearms and criminal gangs are prevalent. Bicol Region has the highest number of EWAs followed by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. (Benjamin Pulta)
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efforts have failed. And they provide more support for the International Criminal Court’s move in
February to launch a preliminary examination into the killings that senior Philippine government
officials have incited and instigated, but refuse to acknowledge. (With a report from Mindanao Examiner)
Duterte aide sees peace prospects DAVAO CITY - Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Secretary Bong Go has expressed bright prospects on the development of the peace talks in Mindanao, especially with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the New People's Army (NPA). Go said he is appreciative that the MILF is fully aware and acknowledges the efforts of the Office of the SAP towards the success of President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign for peace in the region. “Alam po ng MILF kung ano yung effort na ginagawa ko at ng aking opisina rin para matuloy po itong usapang pangkapayapaan. Alam po ni MILF Vice Chairman (Ghazali) Jaafar at MILF Chairman Murad (Ebrahim), parati po kaming nag-uusap, alam po nila na gusto na rin ng gobyerno at ni Pangulo Duterte na tapusin na yung giyera. Gusto po ni Pangulo ng kapayapaan kaya parati silang nag-uusap. Sana ay matuloy na to,” Go said, praising the MILF for being open to such talks. Go said that efforts to reach out to the NPA are also on the way. “Yung sa NPA, mag-uumpisa na po yung pag-uusap nila with the government panel kaya po nanawagan ako na sana maging sincere sila sa paguusap,” he said. He further explained
that even when Duterte was still mayor of Davao City, both of them had climbed to the mountains together numerous times to talk to the leftists. He said there is already trust between them since he and Duterte have repeatedly gone to NPA bases even without bodyguards. “At alam niyo kung gaano ka-sincere si Pangulo sa pag-uusap na ito. Sana kayo rin, equally,” Go said, pertaining to the NPA. Go said the sincere approach would come in various projects the government will propose. “May ino-offer po ang local government na livelihood. The President has already directed TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) to talk to the local government units and the military to help the NPA rebels lead new lives,” he said. Additionally, the President has also asked the Department of Agrarian Reform to study how they can help distribute lands, according to Go. “Tulad dito, tungkol sa palm oil, bibigyan ng seedlings ng government, pero saan mo naman itatanim yan kung wala namang lupa? Kaya dapat may lupain rin,” Go said. There is also the collaboration of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of National De-
fense for the “Balik Baril Program.” The initiative encourages rebels to surrender their firearms to the government in exchange for peace and new beginnings, Go said. Go is being urged by lawmakers and Duterte’s supporters to run for the senatorial elections to better serve the public, particularly the poor sector. But Go has emphasized that he does not want to talk about a possible senatorial run and that it is still too early to talk about politics despite the endorsements coming from many groups and Duterte. “Ayoko pa pong pagusapan yan senatorial bid at masyado pa pong maaga para pag-usapan yung pulitika. Unang-una po, hindi po ako handang tumakbo kasi hindi ko pinaghandaan. Hindi naman ako pulitiko, wala akong pera, wala akong pang-ikot. Wala akong panahon kasi marami po akong trabaho at ang kaya kong gawin sa ngayon ay mag trabaho kay Pangulo and manilbihan sa Pilipino. Trabaho lang po muna ako,” Go said. “Maraming salamat sa Boss ko...thank you very much to President Duterte sa endorsement niya. Maraming salamat sa MILF,” Go also said regarding the MILF’s public support for his senatorial bid. ( Jun Ledesma)
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The Mindanao Examiner
Apr. 30-May 6, 2018
NPA leader captured in Sarangani province DAVAO CITY – Government soldiers captured a senior communist New People’s Army rebel leader who was wounded in a clash in Sarangani province in southern Philippines, an army spokesman said. Major Ezra Balagtey, of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said Pablito Torno was cornered by troops in Amsipit village in
Maasim town near where last week clashes occurred. Torno was immediately given first aid by his captors – members of the 27th Infantry Battalion under Colonel Jones Otida – before bringing him to hospital in General Santos City. The rebel leader is being guarded tightly in the hospital. Balagtey said troops also recovered three M16
automatic rifles, one rifle grenade, one fragmentation grenade, three handheld radios and eight backpacks containing anti-government propaganda. There was no immediate statement from the rebel group on Torno’s capture. The rebels have been fighting for a separate state for the past decades. (Mindanao Examiner)
4 people strafed at Basilan sea
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Unidentified gunmen strafed a motorized boat and wounded at least 4 people off the restive province of Basilan in the Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines, police said. It said the attackers, who were also on a boat, opened fire on the victims who came from the town of Lantawan. The attack occured recently. The victims were rescued and brought to
Zamboanga City for emergency medical treatment. The motive of the attack was unknown and no individual or group claimed responsibility for the strafing, the second strafing in recent weeks. Gunmen also rained bullets on a house in Ungkaya Pukan and killed four of its occupants, one of them a former village chieftain. Police said it arrested one of the suspects in the killing.
It was unclear whether the attack was an offshoot of a clan war or political violence since village elections are up coming. Political violence is notorious in the Muslim autonomous region where various rebel groups are actively operating and clan war always play a part in the polls where opposing or feuding candidates themselves are fighting over elected positions. (Mindanao Examiner)
Military photo released to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner show government and army officials in Davao City in southern Philippines welcoming Friday April 20, 2018 returning Filipino poachers deported by Indonesia.
Indonesia returns 31 Filipino poachers
DAVAO CITY – Indonesia has deported 31 Filipino poachers who arrived Friday in Davao City in southern Philippines, security officials said. Officials said the Filipinos were caught illegally fishing in Indonesian waters and handed over to the Philippine Navy on April 13 and brought to Davao City recently where military and government officials welcomed them. Army Lieutenant General Benjamin Madrigal,
chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said he coordinated with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian government for the repatriation of the fishermen. The fishermen also underwent quarantine procedures and their papers processed by the Bureau of Immigration so they can return to Davao City. They were also provided an unspecified amount of cash as initial government aid and farm
implements, including food packs, and they handed over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for their return to their respective provinces, according to Major Ezra Balagtey, an army spokesman. No other details were made available by the military and it was unknown how long the Filipinos were incarcerated or if their boats had been destroyed or confiscated by Indonesia. (Mindanao Examiner)
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The Mindanao Examiner
Jolo fire victims get financial aid
Jolo fire victims receive financial assistance from Sulu provincial government. (Photos by Ahl-franzie Salinas) SULU – Governor Totoh Tan has provided financial assistance to fire victims in the capital town of Jolo. The recent fire displaced dozens of people in the village of Alat. Tan or-
dered the release of the fund to help the victims. Members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office led by Conrad Agpangan Jawali and
Farham Alfad, along with village chieftain Nuria Talib and other officials personally met the victims and handed the financial assistance. (Ahl-franzie Salinas)
Apr. 30-May 6, 2018
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The Mindanao Examiner
Apr. 30-May 6, 2018
Duterte launches ‘Balik-Baril Program’ in Maguindanao
MAGUINDANAO – President Rodrigo Duterte has led the launching of the government’s “Balik-Baril Program” in Buluan town here. The event held recently was attended by Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman, Maguindanao’s municipal mayors and other local officials led by Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, and representatives from security agencies, barangay, civil society organizations, as well as from women and youth sector. Mangudadatu said the provincial government provided livelihood and educational assistance to residents who surrendered illegal or unlicensed weapons to the authorities. He said the assistance is in exchange for the surrendered firearms. Surrendering unlicensed firearms is in support of the national drive to end any form of violence in the country. In the launching, about 900 loose firearms were turned over to the government, Mangudadatu said, adding, those who surrendered their unregistered firearms will receive scholarship grant and P50,000 worth of livelihood assistance.
The unregistered and high-powered weapons turned over to the government were mostly from officials and civilians who were involved in ‘rido’ or clan feuds. Official data from ARMM’s Regional Reconciliation and Unification Commission showed 588 cases of rido, or clan feuds, in the region from 2012 to 2018. The province of Maguindanao has 273 such cases, and 54 of which remain unsettled. “Walang mabuting idudulot ang pag gamit ng baril kaya mas mabuti pa isurrender na ninyo yan,” Duterte said during the event. In February, residents in the towns of Parang, Barira, Matanog, and Buldon first surrendered their unregistered and high-powered guns. Hataman has encouraged other towns in the entire region to replicate the campaign. In support of the program, the ARMM government is already providing livelihood assistance to those who surrendered their unlicensed firearms. Residents and officials who are still illegally holding firearms were asked to voluntarily surrender so they will not be liable for charges of illegal possession of firearms.
“The regional government supports the campaign and we are encouraging other towns in the ARMM to surrender their unlicensed firearms,” Hataman said, adding that violence in all forms should stop. Mangudadatu also stressed that possession of guns heightens the ego of gun holders. “This also increases their propensity to harm, or dominate, non-affluent people or groups. In most cases gun possessions lead to loss of lives, or limbs,” he said. “Bilang chairman ng barangay namin talagang kinakausap ko po lahat ng mga residente na isuko ang mga baril. At leastngayon kapag nag surrender ka, may tulong pang ibibigay ang gobyerno,” Nor Samilon, barangay chief of East Libutan, Mamasapano, said. To combat terrorism across the region, the ARMM government also launched this month the Program Against Violent Extremism, the regional government’s first model program in providing various interventions to former Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members who surrendered to the government. Four rebel returnees from Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters also received livelihood assistance
during the program. Latest government data showed the number of returnees from the ASG as follows:
Basilan – 139; Sulu – 61; and Tawi-Tawi – 23. Hataman said the ARMM government is committed to pursue and
apply all the necessary measures to address violent extremism. (Bureau of Public Information)
Sulu strengthens anti-drug advocacy campaign
The meeting of the Sulu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council led by Governor Totoh Tan. (Photos by Sayjin Ukkoh) SULU - Governor Totoh Tan convened the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) in Patikul town in an effort to further strengthen the government’s campaign against illegal drugs. Tan said the PADAC tackled the drug problem affecting several villages in the province with the police presenting various steps and processes in order to address drug abuse
in those areas and eventually declare them drug-free free. He said municipal governments and village chieftains should aggressively pursue different approaches to the drug menace and to intensify the advocacy for a drugfree community in Sulu. Provincial and municipal officials, including the police and military and other stake holders at-
tended the meeting. The provincial government has been very supportive of the police in its campaign and has even launched programs to educate the public, especially the youth, on the bad effects of illegal drugs. Tan also launched different sports programs as part of his advocacy for the youth to a healthy and peaceful environment. (Ahl-franzie Salinas)
Muslims want more consultations on BBL
Sulu Sultans Ibrahim Bahjin, Muizuddin Jainal Bahjin, Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram, Mohammad Venizar Julkarnain Jainal Abirin and Phugdalun Kiram with Datu Shah Bandar. (Mindanao Examiner Photo) Continued fr om page 1 from group Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed an interim peace deal with Manila in 2014. The MILF - whose influence is concentrated only in Maguindanao - now wanted to rule over the proposed new Bangsamoro homeland that would replace the Muslim autonomous region. Muslims in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and Palawan belong to two ethnic tribes – the Yakan in Basilan; and the Tausug in Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Palawan – and they do not want to be ruled by the MILF, of majority of its
tribe and members. They wanted a separate autonomous region with Tausug as their leader; and for the revival of the Sultanate of Sulu and give political powers to their sultans. “We do not know what the entirety of the BBL. But we want to manage our own affairs,” said one Muslim resident in Zamboanga City. Sabah Claims In May 2016, Duterte said he will press the Sultan’s claim to Sabah, now one of the states of Malaysia. The Sultanate of Sulu, up to this time, continues to lay claim to the mineral-rich Sabah
which Malaysia strongly rejected, although it is paying the Sultanate of Sulu every year. Also in April the same year, for the first time in the rich history of the Sultanate of Sulu, five influential sultans signed a covenant in an unprecedented move aimed at consolidating and strengthening their unity. The signing ceremony held in Zamboanga City brought together Sultans Ibrahim Bahjin, Muizuddin Jainal Bahjin, Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram, Mohammad Venizar Julkarnain Jainal Abirin and Phugdalun Kiram to form the Royal
Council of the Sulu Sultanate. Sulu Governor Totoh Tan was one of the witnesses in the signing of the covenant along with the Grand Mufti Abdulbaqi Abubakar. It was attended by hundreds of supporters and members of the different Royal Houses of the Sultanate of Sulu, and religious leaders and representatives of various sectors not only in the province, but in the autonomous region. Tan’s father, then the Sulu Vice Governor Dr. Sakur Tan, is a key figure in the unification of the sultans. He commis-
sioned many respected Muslim scholars and educators from the University of the Philippines to help in crafting the unity covenant. The sultans also thanked the elder Tan for his efforts in unifying the Royal Houses of the Sultanate of Sulu. Tan, a philanthropist, is strongly advocating the revival of Sultanate of Sulu and promoting the rich and colorful tradition and culture of the Tausug people. And in November 2016, the Tan patriarch - a staunch ally of Duterte – was conferred as Datu Shah Bandar by the Royal Council of the Sulu Sultanate and designated as Special Envoy. Sulu S ultanate Sultanate The Sultanate of Sulu was founded in 1457 and is believed to exist as a sovereign nation for at least 442 years. It stretches from a part of the island of Mindanao in the east, to Sabah, in the west and south, and to Palawan, in the north. It continues to lay claim to North Borneo, now Sabah in Malaysia after obtaining it from Brunei as a gift for helping put down a rebellion on Borneo Island. The British leased Sabah and transferred control over the territory to Malaysia after the end of World War II. But the sultanate said it had merely leased North Borneo in 1878 to the British North Borneo Company for an annual payment of 5,000 Malayan dollars then, which was increased to 5,300 Malayan dollars in 1903. North Borneo was
annexed by Malaysia in 1963 after a referendum organized by the Cobbold Commission in 1962 saw the people of Sabah voting overwhelmingly to join Malaysia, but Kuala Lumpur continues paying the Sulu Sultanate some 5,300 ringgits a year on the basis of the Sulu royals’ ceding the Borneo state. M alaysia In February 2013, the ailing Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, sent about 200 followers headed by his brother Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram to Sabah to assert their claim to and supposed historical rights over the oil-rich state. Jamalul’s group rejected Malaysian demand for them to surrender peacefully and fighting erupted in Lahad Datu town where more than 60 of the sultan’s men were killed and over 300 Filipinos arrested on suspicion that they were aiding the group of Raja Muda Agbimuddin. Malaysia also put Jamalul and his brother on its wanted list and branded them as terrorists for intruding into Sabah and killing and decapitating 10 policemen and soldiers in separate clashes on the island. Agbimuddin managed to escape the Malaysian assault in Sabah, while Sultan Jamalul died in October the same year from a lingering illness at age 75. Agbimuddin died from cardiac arrest in 2015 in Tawi-Tawi province. (Mindanao Examiner)
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‘Paglimpyo sa Boracay’ by Jun Ledesma PAG-ORDER ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte sa pagserado sa Boracay aron limpyohan ni og maayo, segurado ko nga di lang ang tubig sa dagat ang iyang buot ipasabot kundili lakip na ang mga opisyales sa local government unit (LGU). Si Presidente na mismo ang nag-ingon nga ang Boracay lim-aw sa grabe nga kahugaw. Angay nga palagputon ang mga opisyales sa gobyerno nga nagpasagad ug ningtugot nga ang pinakadugokonon nga lugar sa mga turista ug numero uno sa tibuok kalibutan mahimong agayayan ug tigsalo sa mga hugaw. Adunay mga pagsupak gikan sa nagkalainlaing hutong nga nagpatugbaw sa opinyon nga ang gobyerno mawad-an og income nga mokabat of mga bilyones ka pesos gikan sa turismo. Apan dili madugay likayan gyud ang Boracay sa mga turista sama sa sakit nga mananakod tungod sa komersyalismo ug kurapsyon sa gobyerno nga mas baho pa kay sa lim-aw sa kahugaw ug ang kantidad sa mawala nga income mas dako pa kay sa makaya nato og kwentada. Human ang tanan ug magkinaunsa man, sa akong pangagpas ang pagkadaut sa kinaiyahan ug kalikupan sa Boracay nga maoy nagpakunhod niini isip primera klase nga lulinghayawan naggikan sa pagka inutil sa gobyernong probinsyal ug lokal nga maoy gisangonan sa pagpatuman sa mga ordinansa ug mga balaud sa kinaiyahan ug kalikupan. Ang order ni Presidente Duterte sa pagserado ug rehabilitasyon sa Boracay ning-abli og lata nga puno og ulod nga ningbutyag sa gidak-on sa kurapsyon nga miresulta niining radikal nga solusyon nga mao ang pagserado sa intero isla aron mapabalik ang orihinal, natural ug dalisay nga katahom. Mosahi og gamay ang akong ideya sa ideya sa Presidente nga ideklarar ang intero isla og agrikultural tungod kay sa akong tan-aw, gituyo ni sa kinaiyahan nga ang usa ka libo kapin ka ektarya nga isla mahimong paraiso sa mga turista. Sugdan nako ang pagpangutana og asa ningadto ang Environmental Fee nga tag P75 kada turista. Ang datos sa turismo sa tuig 2017 nagpakita nga kapin sa 2 ka milyon ang mga turista nga ningbisita sa Boracay. Sa maong tuig, P150-million ang dunay klarong kwenta sa paggasto apan ang P91million di pa klaro kun asa ning-adto. Asa na man ang tag P200 kada pasahero sa sakyanang pandagat nga ibayad sa kada pasahero nga mosulod o mogawas sa isla? Ang gobyernong probinsyal sa Aklan ug ang munisipalidad sa Malay nagabahin sa koleksyon. Ang Malay dunay 17 ka barangay ug 3 niini naa sa isla sa Boracay. Bilyones ka pesos na ang nakolekta sa sulod sa pipila ka dekada apan ang isla makapasar lamang sa gradong lim-aw nga grabe kahugaw imbes dalisay nga paraisong isla. Unsay nahitabo? Anaay pipila ka Aklanon
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The Mindanao Examiner
Apr. 30-May 6, 2018
nga nia na nanimuyo sa Syudad sa Davao apan dunay mga kabtangan sa Boracay. Taga Boracay ni sila kaniadto ug duna pa silay mga paryente nga nanimuyo sa isla. Matud pa nila, samtang nagdahom sila nga ang isla mahimong dili hitupngan nga destinasyon sa mga turista, nakuyawan sila sa walay kaluoy ug agresibong komersyalismo nga maoy ningdaot sa isla. Sa dihang ningkomentaryo ko bahin sa Boracay dinhi sa Facebook niadtong ningaging semana, ningbuhos kanako ang mga impormasyon gikan sa mga magbabasa. Komon nga anggulo ang kurapsyon nga matud pa nila angay nga ibasol sa LGU ang pagkadaot sa kalikupan. Sumala pa nila, ang balita ni Ted Failon ug sa ABS-CBN maayo apan tumoy ra ang gidak-on sa gisangkad niini. Usa ka bulan human sa order sa pagsira, ang grande nga hotel nga ginganlan og West Cove mao ray gibungkag. Kataw-anan kay ang order ni DENR Sec. Roy Cimatu mipatag sa kabatuan ug ningpahiuli sa usa ka tungtonganan para sa mga manan-aw sa mao nga kabatuan. Nakaadto ko og Boracay panagsa ug nagtuo ko nga si Nasudnong Kinumo Manny Pacquiao maoy tag-iya sa puti nga resort hotel nga gilibotan og mga kahoy ug kabatuan. Sa akong pagpangalap og dugang impormasyon, nahibaw-an nako nga dili diay. Apan ang mga sakayanon modala sa ilang mga bisita sa maong lugar ug mosulti nga kang Pacquiao kuno to. Moinsistir man gud ko kun mobisita sa Boracay nga dad-on ko sa maong lugar kay mao man ni ang ginabutang sa mga brochure sa turismo ug sa magasin sa Philippine Airlines. Di pa lang gyud dugay, ang West Cove ninggawas sa mga materyales sa turismo panahon sa forum sa APEC. Apan unsa ning akong nadungog? Tinuod ba nga ang West Cove mas nagsunod pa sa balaod kay sa uban? Usa ka dili kaduhaduhaan nga tinubdan nagsulti nako nga ang tinuod nga tag-iya, usa ka Cris Aquino, nakakuha sa tuig 2009 og usa ka 25-year Forest Land Agreement para sa turismo gikan kang DENR Sec. Lito Atienza ug nagbayad siya og P100,000 kada tuig ngadto sa gobyerno. Kini nga permit gikanselar sa lokal nga pangagamhanan tungod sa alegasyon nga ang iyang FLAG lease gikanselar na daw. Gitubag kini ni Aquino pinaagi sa pag-insistir nga wa siya pahibaw-a sa DENR sa mga environmental isyu kun naa man. Ang iyang resort hotel gidimolis gihapon nga way order sa korte ug kini gikawatan. Mga 85 ka empleyado sa hotel nawadan og trabaho. Bisan og ang nagalingkod nga Mayor sa Malay dunay sayop, kinahanglan nga iapil sa gobyerno sa pag-imbestigar ang ning-aging administrasyon. Kadaghanan sa naapil sa mga anomaliya nga wala tutoki sa imbestigasyon
mga salin sa nangaging administrasyon. Gani, usa na ka buwan ang ninglabay ug wala pa tay balita bahin sa resulta sa maong imbestigasyon ug kinsa ang responsable sa natural wetland sa Boracay ug ningbaligya niini ngadto sa pribado. Ang LGU wala makaimplementar sa balaod nga nagmando nga walay building construction nga tugotan sa easement nga mosangkad og 25 ka metros plus lima ka metros gikan sa maabot sa tubig sa dagat kun magtaob. Ang mga establisimiyento sa baybay dimolisonon pa. Dugang pangutana. Kinsa ang nangulo sa demolition team? Basin og angay sab nga i-check ni Secretary Cimatu ngano nga ang kalasangan nabaligya ug gitagaan og permit sa munisipyo. Basin sab angay nga hilngon sa Bureau of Internal Revenue ug sa National Bureau of Investigation ngano nga kun mag snorkeling ka mobayad pa man og P40 kada salom ug walay resibo nga isyu. Basin ug ang LGU ug NBI angay nga mocheck sa lifestyle sa nangagi ug kasamtangan nga mga opisyales sa munisipyo ug sa mga barangay. Matud pa sa akong tinubdan, pipila kanila nagadrive og mahalon nga mga sports cars ug nagaselebrar og mga anibersaryo ug mga birthday sa mga mahalong hotel sa Manila apil na sa grabe ka luho nga City of Dreams. Wa ko kahibalo kun ang Local Water Utilities Administration duna bay gahom sa Boracay Island Water Co. nga gipanag-iya sa Ayala ug Boracay Tubi ni Lucio Tan. Mahibulong ka ngano nga ang usa ka gamay nga isla sama sa Boracay dunay duha ka water utilities nga nagacharge sa mga customer og P130 kada metro kubiko! Ug nadunggan nako nga ang bayad sa paglimpyo sa kasilyas ug paglabay sa sulod niini mokabat og P2,630.00 kada 3-metro-kubiko! Sa dihang ang DENR probe team ni Secretary Cimatu ning-abli sa mga drainage canal ug mga tubo nga agayanan sa mga hugaw, ilang nakita nga konektado ni tanan ug tone-tonelada ang mga hugaw sa tawo ang mosangko sa dagat nga moresulta sa daghan kaayong coliform bakterya. Kun anaay mga lamesa nga ibutang sa baybay, ang tag-iya sa maong lamesa kinahanglan nga mobayad og P300 kada lamesa. Ayaw na ko og pangutan-a kun kinsa ang nagakolekta niini, apan kun ang mga tag-iya sa stall gustong mokooperar sa gobyerno, mas maayo nga isulti nila ang tanan aron ang baybay, dagat ug LGU mahinlo ug matanggal ang mga hugaw ug kurapsyon. Human niini, basin di pa moabot og unom ka bulan, mobalik ug maglanoglanog ang himaya ug kabantog sa Boracay sa tibuok kalibutan. Tungod sa pagdawat sa mga imposisyon ug mga demand sa mga kurap, ang mga resort establishment mag-antos sa resulta. Sa panultion pa, “duha ang kinahanglan nga mosayaw og tango”.
Strong agriculture sector at the root of ARMM’s growing economy COTABATO CITY - While the growth rate of the Philippines’ gross domestic product slowed at the national level, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has shown an “accelerated” growth rate pegged at 7.3 percent in 2017, a significant leap from the 0.4 percent gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate it registered in 2016. “People used to say this kind of growth was impossible in the ARMM but through our collective efforts in the regional government, together with our civil society partners, we have made it possible,” ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said during a press conference headlined by the release last week of the 2017 Report on the Regional Economy of the ARMM. Director Razulden Mangelen of the Philippine Statistics Authority in ARMM noted that the region is a “persistent and predominantly agricultural region.” Out of 17 regions in the Philippines, the ARMM is the only region with a strong agricultural base, as the rest of the country thrives on a predominantly services and industrial-based regional economies. “The improved performance of the region’s economy was mainly due to the recovery of the agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing (AHFF) industry,” according to PSA figures. Hataman credits the ARMM’s economic growth to institutional reforms. “The ARMM is far from perfect, but the reforms we have institutionalized in the region have been crucial. Our sluggish economy in the past was never about a lack of resources but of political will, which is why we have committed ourselves to making the ARMM bureaucracy work better for the people.” The AHFF industry posted the highest contribution to the ARMM’s economic growth this year, accounting for 4.3 percentage points out of the 7.3 percent GRDP growth of the region. Both the agriculture and forestry, and fishing subclass under the AHFF industry registered significant growth, with the agriculture and forestry subclass posting a growth of 8.7% in 2017 from negative 0.9 percent in 2016, and
the fishing sector posting a growth of 4.5% from negative 8.7 percent in 2016. These figures are significant, as farmers and fishermen remain among the poorest of the poor in the Philippines as of 2015, also according to PSA data released last year. “We are glad to see that our efforts have led not only to unprecedented statistical growth, but to actual growth that is felt by the Bangsamoro,” Hataman said. The ARMM ranks sixth in terms of economic growth for the year 2017, among the 17 regions of the Philippines. ARMM's GRDP gr owth gro rate hits rrecor ecor d-high ecord-high ARMM’s gross regional domestic product growth rate also peaked at 7.3% in 2017 from a dismal 0.4% in 2016 – the highest economic growth rate in the region's history, and surpassing the national economic performance at 6.7 %. The unprecedented performance put the region at sixth place among 17 regions in the country, overtaking other fast-growing economies nationwide. PSA figures shows that a recovered agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing sector contributed a lot to the region's economic performance. It regained its performance as it registered a 15.5 percent growth from a mere 4.3 percent in 2016. The ARMM is predominantly agricultural, with a 56.4 percent industry contribution in the region's economy. “The GRDP is a tool to measure the economy of each region. It covers the value of goods and services offered in the region,” Mangelen said. The GRDP measures the goods and services produced in every region of the country. It is the basis for analyzing the regional distribution of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, including the industries and factors that contribute to the regional economies. National Statistician Lisa Grace Bersales lauded the ARMM government's effort to provide accurate information at the right time. “In behalf of the PSA, I congratulate the ARMM for the great economic performance and for helping us advocate for the right information. Ngayon nararamdaman na talaga ang pagbabago sa ARMM,” Bersales said. Hataman noted that the region's economic growth rate is truly remarkable in the ARMM's history since its creation. “Yung mga
imposible noon naging posible na ngayon. Masaya ako dahil mag iiwan tayo ng marka sa rehiyon bago ang transisyon sa Bangsamoro government,” he said. He said the high economic rate is one of the gains following reforms in regional governance and bureaucracy since he assumed office in 2011, during which the ARMM recorded a low economic growth rate of negative 0.3 percent. “Inayos natin at patuloy na aayusin ang pamamahala at burukrasya sa rehiyon kaya naniniwala ako na tataas pa ito sa susunod na taon,” Hataman said. The fishing subsector also showed remarkable growth from negative 8.7 percent to 4.5 percent. “Ito ay dahil sa good weather condition, pagtaas ng seaweeds production at mataas na fisheries production. The regional government will also continue to provide livelihood projects to farmers and fisherfolks,” ARMM's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-ARMM) Director Janice Musali said. The ARMM remains the largest producer of fish in the country with reported fisheries production of 4.3 million tonnes, and a seaweeds volume of 4.7 million tons in 2017. The PSA-ARMM also noted the improved performance of the industry sector, which jumped to 10.3 percent from 5.7 percent. The industry sector covers mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and electricity, gas and water supply. Growth drivers in the region also included the service sector which improved to 9.6 percent from 8.2 percent. The services sector, also referred to as tertiary sector, covers businesses that engage in transport, storage, and communication; trade and repair of motor vehicles, personal and household goods; financial intermediation; real estate, renting and similar business activities; public administration and defense; compulsory social sector; utilities; and other services. In 2016, the region's economy rebounded after a slower growth in the previous year. It posted positive 0.3% from negative 0.4% in 2015. (Bureau of Public Information)
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Apr. 30-May 6, 2018
AirAsia to launch Cebu-Shenzhen flights
CEB U CIT Y - AirAsia P hilippines is set to CEBU CITY Philippines launch new flights fr om C ebu to S henzhen from Cebu Shenzhen in China on M ay 19, accor ding to its Chief May according Executiv e Officer D exter C omendador xecutive Dexter Comendador omendador.. “Cebuano travellers He said the CebuShenzhen flight is the would be delighted to exShenzhen’s low-cost airline’s first perience China route from the modern metropolis and Mactan-Cebu Interna- marvel at the world’s largtional Airport. The new est electric bus fleet linking route would enable the Hong Kong to mainland airline to further China, massive malls, and parks,” strengthen its network amusement outside Manila and open Comendador said. Shenzhen is located in up new and exciting places for travellers, es- the Pearl River Delta metpecially Cebuanos, to ropolitan area and is one of China’s major economic visit.
hubs. Known as “China’s Silicon Valley,” Shenzhen is home to some of the top start-up and tech businesses in the world, including Huawei, BYD, and ZTE. Comendador said AirAsia is also set to introduce direct flights from Cebu to Shanghai and Hangzhou soon. He said they choose Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Hangzhou as routes not just because of their tourist attractions but also because these cities have big airports and
big population. “We have also considered Beijing, but it is too quite far for our planes,” Comendador said. AirAsia will also launch its new domestic flights from Cebu to Clark in Pampanga on May 11. “We are thrilled to be painting Clark and Cebu skies red with introductory fares from as low as P17 only. Our commitment is to make air travel more affordable, convenient and accessible to travellers especially outside Manila,” Comendador said. AirAsia, the world’s
best low-cost carrier, launched its first commercial flights from Clark with only two planes in March 2012 before transferring its hub to Manila following a strategic partnership with a local airline. Comendador said they are continuing their talks with the government for the proposal to build low-cost carrier terminals (LCCT) or budget terminals. He said LCCT would allow 25 minutes turnaround time as it uses stairways to board and deplane passengers instead of tubes. “We don’t use the tubes
that’s why we have the fastest turnaround time of 25 minutes. You cannot board or de-plane 180 passengers in five to ten minutes time using the tube. That’s what causes delays in flight schedules,” Comendador said. “Aside from that, using the tube costs $50. We try to lower our cost, so that we can offer passengers low fares. The government must cater to the needs of low-cost operation, because we bring in 70 percent of the passengers,” he added. (Luel Galarpe)
Army hunts down UP Cebu graduate CEBU - Another graduate of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) campus in Cebu was tagged by the Philippine Army in Negros Island as a member of the communist rebel group New People’s Army (NPA). Captain Ruel Llanes, of the 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia, Negros Occidental, said the 26-year-old Alyssa Sumulong, of Cebu’s Minglanilla town, is being hunted by soldiers after her journal was recovered by the military following a recent clash in San Carlos City. He said Sumulong studied mathematics in UP Cebu. “Troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion
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Eastern Mindanao
learned about Sumulong’s identity through her journal, which was among the items recovered by the soldiers at the encounter site in Barangay Guadalupe in San Carlos City in Negros Occidental,” Llanes said. Llanes also said that Sumulong also wrote about her traumatic experiences during her stay with the NPA and showed that sometime in November 2011, she underwent training in the hinterlands of Himamaylan in Negros Occidental. In 2012, she became a full-time NPA member and was assigned to the hinterland villages of San
Carlos City and Canlaon City and Vallehermoso town in Negros Oriental. Brigadier General Eliezer Losañes, commander of 303rd Infantry Brigade, said they thoroughly examined the recovered documents and these confirmed that Alyssa Sumulong is with the rebel group. He urged young people who have joined the rebel group to surrender to the authorities and avail of the amnesty program of the government. “Live a normal and peaceful life, and do not be deceived by fake promises of a better future,” Losañes said. (Nanette Guadalquiver)
Bridges up in plans to connect Visayas to Mindanao, Luzon
CEBU CITY – Local Mayor Tomas Osmeña welcomed the government’s plan to build bridges that will connect Visayas to Luzon and Mindanao and make travel and transport of merchandise and goods much easier. “This will virtually make the Visayas islands as one,” Osmeña said, hoping the construction of these
Western Mindanao
bridges will begin soon. Department of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez has announced the plan during the Philippine Economic Briefing last week at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. Dominguez said the government will build a total of eight bridges that will connect the Visayas to Luzon and Mindanao.
Cebu
The eight bridges, estimated to cost P269 billion, include the 24.5kilometer Cebu-Bohol and 5.5-km Cebu-Negros link bridges. The projects are just waiting for the approval of the National Economic and Development Authority’s Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC). (Luel Galarpe)
Manila