Sayyaf ransom used to fund Jolo cathedral bombings A FORMER fighter of the Indonesian militant group, Jemaah Islamiya, said the deadly twin bombings on a cathedral in the southern Filipino town of Jolo was largely funded by ransom paid to free an Indonesian hostage of the pro-ISIS Abu Sayyaf group.
Abdullah Sandakan, who is based in Sabah, told BenarNews that the attack on the church on January 27 was planned by the Abu Sayyaf. “This attack was on their calendar. This is done by the pro-Islamic State faction of ASG and they have been planning it for quite some time.
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They were just waiting for the ransom money, which they used for the bombing. Twelve days is more than enough time for them to source and buy the explosives, prepare their people to carry out the bombing,� he said. Continue on page 3
F February ebruary 4-10, 2019
HILIPPINE AUTHORITIES are now on heightened alert following deadly twin bombings of a cathedral in Jolo town that left dozens of people dead and wounded. Continue on page 2
President Rodrigo Duterte with Defense Chief Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon and other officials during their inspection at Jolo cathedral.
A military photo show the aftermath of the twin bombings at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo town in Sulu province.
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bors until this very day. We should never allow anyone or anything to destroy what we have strongly built and nurtured through generations and so endearing to last for many more lifetimes to come, Inshallah!” “As I deeply grieve and condole with the bereaved, I beseech everyone to exercise sobriety and allow concerned authorities and all instrumentalities of government to bring the perpetrators of this heinous and inhuman act to account for what they did to Sulu and its people. They should not go unpunished,” he said. Martial Law It was unclear how the improvised explosives were smuggled inside the church or how it managed to pass through a supposedly tight police and military checkpoints. The bombings happened despite an extended martial rule in the whole of southern Philippines, and the attacks only showed how poor the security was in the capital town. On New Year’s Eve, an improvised explosive also went off outside the South
Continued from page 1 The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or ISIS claimed responsibility for the January 27 attacks carried out by a pair of suicide bombers. ISIS, in a statement released by its Amaq News Agency, said the first bomber detonated an explosive belt, while the second attacker blew himself up outside the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral. The SITE Intelligence Group, a U.S. company that tracks online activity of jihadist organizations, also reported that ISIS owned to the bombings. “ISIS, through Amaq and communiqué, claim deadly bombing on Christian church in Jolo, stating it was carried out by two suicide bombers. One detonated belt at church gate and second in church’s private lot where Filipino security forces gathered after first blast,” said Rita Katz, SITE director. The Long War Journal, in its report, said ISIS describes its target in Jolo as a “Christian temple,” saying that it was bombed during a “gathering of the Crusaders to perform their polytheist rituals.” Both reports and Amaq did not say whether the suicide bombers were foreign fighters or Filipino militants, but President Rodrigo Duterte, who cited military and other intelli-
gence reports, claimed the bombers were a man and woman, probably foreigners. Other reports suggested the bombers were a Yemeni couple or Indonesian nationals. Ajang-Ajang The Philippine military has largely blamed the “Ajang-Ajang Group,” a unit of the Abu Sayyaf, whose leaders have pledged allegiance to ISIS, and vowed to fight for the establishment of a caliphate in the restive region. Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, a military spokesman, said two bombs went off in the church. One of the bombs was hidden under the seat of a motorcycle parked outside the cathedral. Authorities said a total of 21 people were killed and over 100 others wounded in the blasts. Earlier police reports claimed 27 had died – seven soldiers, one Coast Guard and 19 civilians; and that 14 more troops were wounded and also 61 civilians and two Coast Guards. Security Lapses Duterte flew to Jolo a day after the blasts and visited the church and met with security officials and has ordered them to crush the Abu Sayyaf. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Police Director-General Oscar Albayalde also arrived in Jolo to oversee the investigations into the attacks. Albayalde admitted
the local police force failed to implement tight security that led to the attacks. The bombings prompted the police to impose a nationwide alert to preempt any acts of terrorism. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said there could be lapses in security and that Duterte is awaiting the results of investigations. He said Duterte was so angry by the attacks. “Of course he was so angry, for one. For another, he is so disappointed that despite the movement to tread the path towards peace and development, there are still some forces in that region that sow terror and kill and murder people,” he said. Dastardly Act Sulu Governor Toto Tan condemned the twin bombings and called it a “dastardly act committed inside a place of worship and wrecked deaths and devastations beyond imaginable reasons, and deserves the strongest of condemnation. Words elude us at this moment of profound grief.” He said there has never been an episode in the post-colonial history of Sulu when wars were fought due to religious differences. “Sulu can rightly claim to be the most tolerant of any Muslim-dominated provinces in the region. Neighbors before the war of the 70s are still good neigh-
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Seas Mall in Cotabato City that left dozens of casualties. A member of the MILF – tagged by the police and military as a Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter – linked to the attack was arrested by authorities during Duterte’s visit to Cotabato to campaign for the BOL ratification ahead of the plebiscite. His family denied all the accusation against him. Attacks The latest attack in Jolo was not the first time for Catholic churches in the predominantly Muslim province. In August 2013, a grenade explosion outside the cathedral wounded two civilians. And in the previous year, another fragmentation grenade exploded at the cathedral’s roof. Previous attacks on churches were largely blamed by the authorities to the Abu Sayyaf, a small but the most notorious among rebel groups operating in the troubled region. In December 2010, Abu Sayyaf militants bombed another church inside the police base in Jolo and killing at least six worshipers.
The militants scaled the church wall undetected under cover of darkness and planted the bomb and waited the next morning before detonating the powerful explosive during a mass. Two people were also killed and 17 others wounded when militants also detonated a huge bomb planted outside the cathedral in July 2009. A second bomb was found near the church and had been disarmed by Filipino and US troops helping the military fight terrorism. In July 31 last year, a Moroccan ISIS soldier Abu Katheer al Maghribi, exploded his van filled with explosives in Lamitan City in the volatile Muslim province of Basilan, several nautical miles south of Zamboanga. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide attack that left over a dozen casualties. Basilan is a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf. Several foreign fighters had been killed in clashes with soldiers in Basilan in recent years. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Zambo mayor appeals for sobriety after mosque blast
A blurred photo of 2 Islamic missionaries killed in a grenade attack in a mosque before dawn Wednesday, January 30, 2019, was released by the Philippine military to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. ZAMBOANGA CITY – Mayor Beng Climaco appealed to residents to remain calm as police continue to investigate the grenade attack on a mosque here that killed 2 Islamic missionaries. Climaco condemned the attack and called for sobriety and vigilance. She ordered the police to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident, calling it a “dastardly act,” as she allayed fears the attack is a consequence of a tension between Muslims and Christians. Two unidentified men allegedly carried out the attack last week that also wounded 5 other missionaries or Tablighi Jamaat on Kamalhaldikan Mosque. At least 11 people were sleeping at the mosque when the attack occurred, killing Sattal Bato, 47, and Rex Habil, 46. “We call on the people to remain sober but vigilant and let us not allow terrorists to divide the good relationship between Muslims and Christians because we remain united, practice tolerance and live together in peace,” Climaco said. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the desecration of the mosque, but the attack drew condemnation from Muslim groups and local leaders. The attack occurred 3 days after a pair of ISIS bombers blew themselves up at the Our Lady of Mount
Carmel Cathedral in Jolo town in Sulu province that left dozens of casualties. It was not immediately known whether the attack was connected to the suicide bombings or perpetrated by rival groups. Governor Mujiv Hataman, of the Muslim autonomous region, and the influential Ulama Council of Zamboanga Peninsula, also strongly condemned the attack. Hataman confirmed that 2 missionaries were killed and 5 others wounded in the attack. “There is no redeeming such blasphemous murder. It is the highest form of cowardice and obscenity to attack people who are at prayer. We call on the authorities to act with alacrity and thoroughness as they investigate this latest attack, and identify and prosecute the perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law,” said Hataman. “The goal of terrorism is to sow fear and confusion. We should not allow this to happen. We call on all people of faith – whatever their chosen faith is – to come together in prayer for peace. We must stand united against the terrorists who would divide us and, thus, destroy all that we are working to build and establish in our communities,” he added. Muslim scholars, in a strong worded statement,
called the attack on the mosque and the killings of the missionaries, as “devilish, irrational and inhumane act.” “The Ulama Council of Zamboanga Peninsula strongly condemns this devilish, irrational and inhumane act. We call upon the Zamboangueños to be calm, yet vigilant with current bombing incident in Masjid. We share the grief of the families who lost their loved ones and sincerely extend our condolences to them in the most comforting manner that a human being may,” it said. (Mindanao Examiner)
Sayyaf ransom used to fund Jolo cathedral bombings Continued from page 1 The ex-JI militant was referring to Indonesian fishing boat captain Samsul Sanguni, who was released by the Abu Sayyaf on January 15 in Sulu province. Sanguni along with another Indonesian fisherman, Usman Yusuf, were kidnapped at sea near Gaya Island in Sabah’s Semporna town and brought to Sulu. The 35-year old Yusuf was freed in December in Bual village in the town of Luuk. The release of Yusuf came after the Chief of the Indonesian Consul-General’s Office in Sabah, Sulistijo Djati Ismojo, appealed to Malaysia to resolve the kidnapping of its citizens.
Malaysian media reported that the Abu Sayyaf had demanded P20 million from Sanguni’s employer and militants threatened to kill him if ransom is not paid. In a video sent by militants to his family, Sanguni appealed to his employer to save him from death. The clip shows Sanguni – both hands tied behind his back – inside a freshly dug hole in a forested area and guarded by heavily armed militants as he cried and pleaded for help. Sandakan said part of the ransom money paid to the Abu Sayyaf was also used to pay villagers who sheltered the militants. “The money is given to the villagers for sheltering them and also to win
Victims of Jolo cathedral bombings get aid from ARMM GOVERNOR MUJIV Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) visited 36 of the dozens of wounded victims of the twin bombings of Sulu’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral to provide both moral support and cash assistance of P20,000 for their medical needs. The survivors, who were transferred here, are undergoing treatment at the Zamboanga City Medical Hospital. DSWD ARMM Secretary Laisa Alamia said
their staffs in Sulu are also ready to assist the victims and their families. According to the ARMM HEART (Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team), the regional government released some of P320,000 in cash and distributed the money to the victims in the hospital. A total of P400,000 was earmarked as initial assistance for the people affected by the bombings, and will be distributed equally among the blast survivors
and the families of the people killed by the attacks. And cash assistance of P500,000 will also be given to the parish for the renovation or repair of the cathedral. While military operations against the Abu Sayyaf continue in Sulu, villagers from Latih and Bungkaong in Patikul town were also assisted by DSWD ARMM by distributing relief goods to those who fled their homes, according to Alamia. “So far, the DSWD
ARMM has monitored around 62 families displaced, from Barangay Bungkaong and other barangays to Barangay Latih in Patikul. DSWD ARMM in Sulu started distributing relief goods to the IDPs or internally displaced persons. The number of IDPs is expected to increase in the coming days. The DSWD ARMM will continue to provide assistance to the IDPs until they can safely return to their homes,” she said. (Bureau of Public Information)
them over,” he said, warning that more kidnappings would take place around the waters of eastern Sabah and the Sulu Sea to raise funds for terror attacks and other activities. “The kidnappings will not stop and neither will the bombings. The success of the Jolo bombing may even encourage them to try to carry out bombings in Manila,” he warned. Jemaah Islamiya, a group affiliated with al-Qaeda, was blamed for Indonesia’s deadliest terrorist attack, the Bali bombings that ki lled 202 people 17 years ago. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the cathedral attack, saying, two suicide bombers carried out the deadly mission. This was also confirmed by President Rodrigo Duterte, who cited military and other intelligence reports. He said the bombers were a man and woman, probably Indonesian couple. Other reports suggested the bombers were a Yemeni couple. In September last year, the Abu Sayyaf released four Indonesian hostages to Nur Misuari, chieftain of the former rebel group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and his wife Tarhata, and a former Indonesian army general Kivlan Zein. But despite the anti-terror campaign in Sabah, Abu Sayyaf militants still managed
to kidnap three more Indonesian fishing crew members off Sabah and had been taken to Sulu, Malaysian media reported. It said the trio – Heri Ardiansyah, 19; Jari Abdullah, and Hariadin, 45, were working for a fishing company in Sandakan town and had been seized by 7 gunmen on the night of December 5 near Pegasus Reef – an area where four armed men also attacked a tugboat two days later and wounded an Indonesian crew in what police said was a failed abduction. Sabah police, citing intelligence sources, said identified the kidnappers as Abu Sayyaf commanders Al Mujir Yadah and Hajan Sawadjaan, who teamed up with another militant commander, Indang Susukan. The group was tagged as behind the spate of ransom kidnappings in Sabah waters and attacks on fishing boats there. The militants have been targeting Indonesian fishermen because their employers and Jakarta are paying ransoms to the Abu Sayyaf which it uses to purchase weapons, recruit members and to finance kidnappings and terror attacks in the country. The Abu Sayyaf is still holding nearly a dozen foreign and local hostages in the restive region. (BenarNews. Additional report from Mindanao Examiner.)
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Alert in Zamboanga after Sayyaf bomber is killed ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police continue to strictly monitor villages in Zamboanga City after commandos recently killed a suspected Abu Sayyaf bomber in a firefight. Officials said Admar Asilon, an alleged member of the Abu Sayyaf’s urban terrorist group under Marzan Ajijul, traded gunfire with police in the village of San Jose where he was tracked down. The 35-year old Asilon was cornered in a building where he was eventually killed. According to a police report, Asilon was also a member of a gun-for-hire syndicate operating in Zamboanga City and neighboring province of Basilan. “Moreover, subject person is known to be an active member of UTG under the leadership of Marzan Ajijul who operates in the East Coast of Zamboanga City and also a member of City
Hunter a gun-for-hire group operating in Isabela City, Basilan and this city (Zamboanga),” the report said. The operation against Asilon was launched by the 904th Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 9. The killing of Asilon came barely a day after two ISIS suicide bombers blew themselves up at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo town in Sulu province. Mayor Beng Climaco has urged residents to “be very vigilant against the presence of suspicious-looking persons and unattended packages in their community, and report them immediately to the authorities.” She said security here has been heightened with police and military personnel, including other law enforcers, now on full alert. “Multiple layers of
checkpoints have been established, particularly in thickly populated areas and at the borders or entry and exit points of the city,” Climaco said. Just recently, local police also captured an Abu Sayyaf militant, Daud Isnani, in the village of Talon-Talon. The 33-year old Isnani is being linked to multiple kidnappings in Basilan. Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Luis Licup, the regional police commander, said Isnani is facing 7 kidnapping charges in Basilan. It was not immediately known whether the operation against Asilon was connected to the capture of Isnani, who was tracked down by members of the Regional Anti-Criminality Task Group of the Police Regional Intelligence Division 9. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Smooth transition of Bangsamoro autonomous region assured COTABATO CITY – Governor Mujiv Hataman, of the Muslim autonomous region met with Moro Islamic Liberation Front chieftain Murad Ebrahim, and Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez have assured a smooth transition of the ARMM to the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao following the ratification of the law that created the new regional government. Hataman said he hopes for an autonomy that makes full use of good governance to make a positive impact on the lives of the region’s constituents. “We must put a premium on the welfare of our people and ensure open and transparent governance if we are to build a lasting
peace that benefits all,” he said. The trio recently met and discussed important matters ahead of the formal transition. Hataman also highlighted the importance of the meeting and said: “It was a fruitful meeting, we discussed substantial steps on how to go about the transition from ARMM to BARMM’s Bangsamoro Transition Authority.” The meeting, he said, ensured the next steps of a historic transition, where the new autonomous political entity BARMM will replace the 29-year-old ARMM. The change ensures that the region will be more autonomous in nature as well as fiscally independent, all changes which will benefit the
people. Currently, the ARMM has its own unitary government, the BARMM will be parliamentary-democratic and this gives it the power to enact their own laws, which will hugely benefit the people. And while the ARMM depended on approval from Congress for the region’s budget, the new autonomous government will have a budget automatically allocated from the annual block grant, amounting to 5% of the net national internal revenue. Through this historic meeting, Hataman, Murad, and Galvez are facilitating matters so that the transition from ARMM to BARMM can be a conducive and productive one. (Bureau of Public Information)
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Self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan urged to stop pretending family were also related to Datu Tambuyong Datu Misuari, who is a brother to Sultan Ombra. “We have the legal documents with us to prove who we are, so whoever wants to claim that they are the Sultan of Sulu, can come to us to verify. For those who claim that they are the Sultan of Sulu and try to create conflict between the Philippines and Malaysia, we urge you to stop what you are doing. We have proof that you are imposters,” Datu Ilahan said. He explained that he and his family, who are Malaysians, do not wish to cause trouble to any country. However, they do not want to see pre-
tenders using the name of Sulu to cause problems which may cause misunderstanding and conflict between Malaysia and the Philippines. “We welcome the government of Malaysia and the Philippines to come to us to verify our background. We are ready; we are ready to go to any court in the world. We have all the legal documents to support and prove our claims,” he said. Datu Ilahan said the Malaysian government should not take statements from the Philippine government lightly, especially when the Philippine government issued statements that could jeopardise the sovereignty of
the country. “We feel that the Malaysian government is taking the Philippines’ claim over Sabah too lightly when it is more serious than it looks. However, we as the descendants of Sultan Ombra are now Malaysians, and we are ready to cooperate with the Malaysian government should they want to inquire about our background,” he said. Datu Ilahan who recently visited Sultan Ombra’s monument in Simunul thanked the local mayor for building the monument and recognising the contribution of Sultan Ombra in the town. (Rebecca Chong - The Borneo Post)
Monument of Sultan Ombra Amilbangsa built in Tawi-Tawi’s Simunul town. SANDAKAN - Descendants of Sultan Amirul Ombra Amilbangsa, who have been living in Sabah for the past 70 years, have called on self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, including Mudarasulaul Kiram, to stop pretending and to meet them to present legal papers that they are
the Sultan of Sulu. One of the descendants, Datu Ilahan Datu Amilbangsa, claimed that he and his relatives have legal documents that could prove that his family is directly connected to Sultan Ombra Amilbangsa (1937 – 1968), which were verified by the High
Courts in Sabah and Sarawak, recently. Datu Ilahan said Sultan Ombra Amilbangsa was the last Sultan of Sulu, and Sultan Ombra’s monument was built on Simunul Island, Philippines by the Simunul Island local authority. He said he and his
A photo of the coronation of Sultan Ombra as the Sultan of Sulu in 1937.
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Weakness and apathy invite aggression by Jun Ledesma THE DEADLY blast in Jolo of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral ushered gory memories of similar vicious bombing incidents of San Pedro Cathedral in Davao City. These dastardly and bestial attacks especially on the house of worship are condemned by both Christian and Islamic religions and can only be carried out by extremists. The first attack on the San Pedro Cathedral and the Mt Carmel were carried out under the aegis of martial law. The Davao incident was during Marcos and now this assault on The church in Jolo. The Davao tragedy happened in the waning days of martial law regime. I must say that in both incidents the enforcement of martial rule is not as tight and the security measures wanting. Pres. Rodrigo Duterte has not hide his anger on how the twin blasts were carried in and out of the church. What happened in Jolo should give an expensive lesson to our law enforcers. I have personally witnessed the lackadaisical attitude of police elements that are supposed to keep the security at the Redemptorist Church in Davao. Instead of
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posting themselves in one or two in strategic parts or moving around the church, they are all clustered in one corner where it is shaded either rumor mongering or texting. The homemade bomb used in Jolo must be something big considering the extent of the damage and the number of people killed and maimed. If the security was tight enough the bombs could not have been brought inside the church. All these are beyond us now. After we bury the dead we should continue to care for the wounded. The president has ordered a stand down in Jolo and an all-out-offensive against the terrorists that seemed to move around freely, kidnapping people be they Christians or Muslims, foreigners or locals, men or women, children or adults. Police and military should not waste their time thinking and analyzing whether the perpetrators were ISIS or Abu Sayyafs, politically motivated or terrorist attack. It is plain carnage and whoever carried this out must be pursued to the ends of the earth and annihilated. The supremacy and
strength of the government forces against these criminals must prevail because weakness and apathy invite aggression. Stop moonlighting as security guards of mining firms in Tawi-Tawi. That is not your sworn duty. The Bangsamoro Organic Law had been ratified. It is a demonstration of sincerity of the Duterte administration in fulfilling the desired autonomy in what was once the autonomous region of Muslim Mindanao. It is now the turn of The Moro Islamic Liberation Front to demonstrate its sincerity to assist the government in hunting down the perpetrators. As to the Moro National Liberation Front, whose leader Nur Misuari, is a veritable brother to President Duterte, you know every inch of the ground of the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, the time has come to prove you are worthy of your friend trust and confidence. Join hands with him to end once and for all the evil that lurks in your region for there is no better time than now to make your land and your people prosper. (Jun Ledesma)
SUPPORT PEACE IN MINDANAO 75 ARMM towns pass DILG’s Good Financial Housekeeping standards COTABATO CITY – As Bangsamoro areas transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), a total of 75 provinces and towns in the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) have passed the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) standards for Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping in 2018. This is a huge leap from zero passer in 2015, when local government units (LGUs) in the region were still adjusting to the good governance drive of the ARMM’s current administration. Passers of the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping in the region comprise three provinces, one city, and 71 municipalities. Two of these LGUs are even non-IRA (internal revenue allotment) municipalities from the province of Maguindanao, specifically Pandag and Northern Kabuntalan. Non-IRA towns, which re-
ceive meager assistance instead from the regional government, are LGUs created prior to 1991 that failed to meet the requirements in the creation of municipalities under the Local Government Code, or R.A. 7160. “I am so happy na may dalawang nakapasok na non-IRA, it shows that they are adhering to the principles of good governance,” DILG-ARMM Secretary Kirby Matalam Abdullah said adding that it is a sign that the LGUs in the ARMM are on the right path. Sec. Abdullah explained that to pass good financial housekeeping standards, the LGUs must receive qualified and unqualified opinion from the Commission on Audit (COA). Such standards are among the components of the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), which is conferred to LGUs which pass the reporting guidelines of the COA, and declare their financial reports under the
full disclosure policy. It is also one of the factors being considered for an LGU to pass the first core area of SGLG, which is Financial Administration. The other three areas are disaster preparedness, social protection, and peace and order. Aside from the four core areas, LGUs need to pass at least one of the essential areas namely, business friendliness and competitiveness; environmental management; and tourism, culture, and the arts. “Continuing naman ang effort ng DILG but we added extra effort to attain the figures. Tinutukan natin nang mabuti and we made sure that they will follow policies within the time frame,” said Sec. Abdullah. With the establishment of the new Bangsamoro entity, the DILG is hoping the region’s LGUs will continue the good performance in the administration of areas under their jurisdiction. (Bureau of Public Information)
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Mactan-Cebu airport firm eyes Davao operation THE GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation or GMCAC, the firm that manages the Mactan-Cebu International Airport or MCIA, said it is open to any opportunity to operate or develop the Davao International Airport also known as Francisco Bangoy International Airport. Andrew Harrison, chief executive advisor of GMCAC, said they would be delighted to come in if the Duterte government wants them to do op-
erations and maintenance work for the airport, or develop it under a concession agreement. “We would like to be part of an opportunity to contribute to the growth of air travel in the Philippines through marketing, through the development of airports, and we are proud and happy to partner with the government in any capacity that they would like,” Harrison said. Although Harrison noted that the Davao airport is managed well, he said “there is al-
ways room for improvement that Davao also deserves”, noting the city’s importance in national development. Harrison, however, said a good airport management does not solely depend on the credentials of the proponent “but the value to make traveling experience better.” He said when GMCAC took over the Mactan-Cebu airport in 2014, there were only seven international routes and 15 domestic routes. Currently, he
said, there are now 26 international routes and 32 domestic routes, a huge improvement for the benefit of the traveling public. For now, Harrison said GMCAC is conducting sales mission to offer more connectivity through the MCIA. “Even if we get only one more passenger to believe that connecting to Cebu is more advantageous, more convenient and offers better connectivity to the rest of the world, then
we have achieved something,” he added. Harrison said sales missions allow them to showcase the best of what GMCAC has to offer in terms of connectivity, ease of transfer between terminals, and for travel agents to understand the markets they serve so they can sell to the traveling public. “We concentrate on major cities, like Davao, but also smaller cities like Tacloban because the Philippines is an
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island nation and connectivity is very important. If we can have more flights, it means the average price of a flight will decrease, (enabling) more people to travel by air and when it is affordable, more passengers will fly,” he said. GMCAC is also going to Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Tacloban for its series of sales missions on February 6, 12, 13 and 20. (Lilian Mellejor)
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