Mindanao Examiner Newspaper May 20-26, 2013

Pilantropong governor biktima ng black propaganda

Hataman-Lucman tandem tagumpay sa ARMM PAGE 2

Team Tan panalo sa Sulu PAGE 4

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5 Reasons to Advertise Online

Prosecute Mastermind of Activist’s Murder

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Long road to recovery for survivors of Typhoon Pablo

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TEAM PNOY IN ARMM WINS EASILY IN POLLS Basilan Governor Jum Akbar, Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu, Sulu Governor Abdusakur "Totoh" Tan II, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, Tawi-Tawi Governor Nurbert Sahali, Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong, Jr. ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Commission on Elections proclaimed all President Benigno Aquino’s candidates in the Muslim autonomous region after a landslide victory in the midterm elections.

Influential politician and a known philanthropist Sakur Tan won in Sulu as vice governor and his sons – Abdusakur “Totoh” Tan is now the governor and Samier Tan is re-elected mayor of Maimbung town.

The patriarch thanked all those who supported his team and vowed to continue his peace and development programs for Sulu, one of 5 provinces under the autonomous region.

The Tans virtually ran unopposed in the province.

“The victor here is the people and I and the rest of my team are just civil servants and we want to thank all those who supported us,” the elder Tan said.

In Tawi-Tawi, Nurbert Sahali, the son of Governor Sadikul Sahali, also won in the polls and is now the new governor. His father was on his third and last term.

And the same in Basilan province where the incumbent governor, Jum Akbar, won hands

Former Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali and Sulu Vice Governor Sakur Tan. down against her closest rival, Rabia Salapuddin, daughter of former rebel leader-turned-congressman Abdulgani Salapuddin.

Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong, Jr also won in the elections and so is Mujiv Hataman, who was elected as governor of the Muslim autonomous region.

Hataman, a political ally of President Aquino, was also proclaimed winner and he thanked all those who supported him.

“We thank everyone who contributed to make the first-ever synchronized election in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao successful especially the voters who granted us the mandate to lead the region for the next three years. Finally, the voice of the great majority in ARMM has been heard through a clean and credible election, which was uncertain if not entirely improbable in the past,” he said.

“We thank you for believing in the reforms we have started and for trusting us to take ARMM forward. Now the real challenge for us all begins.

We need a vigorous, decent and inclusive regional government for real change to happen.

The seeds of reforms have started to take roots during our incumbency as caretakers. Help us nurture these seeds so that their vines and fruits reach even the farthest island and remotest village in the region,” he added.

Hataman said elections always tend to be a divisive exercise, but was quick to say that it is now time to move on and appealed to all to put aside differences and to unite to bring progress and development to the autonomous region and to work together for the common good and interest of the people. (Mindanao Examiner)

Pagadian airport runway binarakadahan muli PAGADIAN CITY – Muling binarakadahan ng mga heirs ng Taug-Boto clans ang Pagadian City Airport matapos na pumalya na naman ang pamahalaan na bayaran ang pagkakautang nito sa kanila.

Ang Taug-Boto clans ang siyang nag-mamayari ng lupain na kung saan ay ginagamit ito ng airport.

Nuong April 4 ay

ARMM

binarakadahan rin ng mga ito ang runway upang puwersahin magbayad ang pamahalaan ng P8 milyon para sa paggamit ng kanilang lupain.

Nagkasundo ang mga ito at pamahalaan kung kaya't inalis ng barikada matapos ng halos isang linggo dahil na rin sa negosasyon na pinasok nina Pagadian Mayor Samuel Co at Airport Area

Manager Jose Bodiongan na nangakong magbabayad sa Taug-Boto heirs, ngunit pumalya ulit ang mga ito.

Kinumpirma rin ng regional police ang naturang paglalagay ng barikada, ngunit walang pahayag ang airport authorities ukol dito.

Nuong nakaraaang buwan ay sinuspinde ng mga commercial airliners ang lahat ng kanilang

Southern Mindanao

Davao

biyahe sa Pagadian City dahil sa naturang protesta.

Matatandaang nagsimula ang commercial operation ng airport nuong April 27, 2010 at karamihan ng mga pasehero nito ay mula Zamboanga Peninsula, Maynila, Lanao provinces at Cebu. Kabilang ang Cebu Pacific at Air Phil Express ang bumibiyahe doon.

(Ely D. Umaboc - Mindanao Examiner)

Manila

Inihahanda ng mga clan members ang kanilang mga placards para sa muling pagbabarikada sa Pagadian City Airport runway. (Kuha ni Ely D. Umaboc ng Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper)

Zamboanga Peninsula

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May 20-26, 2013

Hataman-Lucman tandem tagumpay sa ARMM

Ang proklamasyon nina ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman at Vice Gov. Al Rasheed Lucman kasama sina Regional Board of Canvassers Atty. Ray Sumalipao, ARMM COMELEC Regional Election Director at Regional State Prosecutor Ramy Guiling at ang pamilya ni Hataman. (Kuha ni Jo Henry) COTABATO CITY - Todo ang pasasalamat ni elected Gov. Mujiv Hataman ng Autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao matapos itong mahalal kasama si Vice Gov. Al Rasheed Lucman.

Pormal ng naproklama si Hataman at Lucman matapos ng isa rin landslide victory sa katatapos na halalan.

Halos hindi maipaliwanag ni Hataman ang saya nito dahil sa tiwalang ipinagkaloob sa kanya ng publiko. Ipinangako nitong itutuloy ang nasimulan na "daang matuwid" upang ipagpatuloy ang mga reporma nito sa ARMM. Todo rin ang pasa-

salamat nito kay Pangulong Benigno Aquino sa tiwalang ipinagkaloob nito at gayun rin sa mga gobernador ng ARMM at ibat-ibang civil society organizations at grupong sumuporta sa kanya.

Sa pahayag naman na inilabas ng ARMM Communications Group ay ito ang sinabi ni Hataman: "We thank everyone who contributed to make the firstever synchronized election in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao successful especially the voters who granted us the mandate to lead the region for the next three years. Finally, the voice of the great major-

ity in ARMM has been heard through a clean and credible election, which was uncertain if not entirely improbable in the past.

We thank you for believing in the reforms we have started and for trusting us to take ARMM forward. Now the real challenge for us all begins. We need a vigorous, decent and inclusive regional government for real change to happen. The seeds of reforms have started to take roots during our incumbency as caretakers. Help us nurture these seeds so that their vines and fruits reach even the farthest island and remotest village in the region.

Elections always tend to be a divisive exercise. But it is now time to move on.

Let us put aside our differences and concentrate on

what unites us - the desire to bring progress and development to ARMM, our homeland. Let us devote our energy working together for the common good and interest of our people.

Once again, we reiterate our support to the Mindanao peace agenda.

We are ready to take the necessary sacrifice to accommodate the outcome of the ongoing peace negotiation between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

We shall remain firm in our pledge and would step aside to make way for a new political setup meant to take the Bangsamoro to greater heights."

Kasama ni Hataman sa proklamasyon ang kanyang pamilya. (Mindanao Examiner)

Si ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman at ang kanyang pamilya.

Pulis, militar sa Dipolog nagtambayong alang sa malinawong pinili-ay DIPOLOG CITY Gipasalamatan karon ni Dipolog police chief Joven Parcon ang tibuok puwersa sa kapolisan, ang militar ug ang publiko nga mitabang sa pagbantay sa kahapsay ug kalinaw ning dakbayan sa Dipolog tungod kay nahimong malampuson ang eleksiyon gumikan sa ilang walay pu-as nga pagbantay sa seguridad dinhi.

Malipayon ang maong buhatan tungod kay nahuman gayud ang eleksiyon nga walay dagkung matang sa kriminalidad nga nagpanghitabo atol sa adlaw sa piniliay, diin gilaoman sa Dipolog police nga adunay walhong puwersang gustong mogubot sa mga “polling precincts”.

Dugang pang nasayran nga gipatuman nila ang lagda nga gisitar sa

Commission on Elections, diin gimanduan ug gitahasan ang tibuok puwersa sa kapulisan ug Armed Forces of the Philippines nga siguraduhon gayud nga “ma-secure” ang ilang mga lugar nga ginsakupan aron dili gayud makasulod ang gustong mogubot dinhi.

Kini pinaagi sa pagpatuman sa “Gun Ban”, “Money Ban”, “Liquor Ban”, “No Vote-Buying/Selling,” sa pagsigurado nga ang mga “elected public officials” anaa lamang sa “3050 meters range” gikan sa mga “polling precincts” gawas lang kung mobotar kini, ug sa pagsigurado nga dili na maka-operate ang mga tigpahigayon ug nagkalain-laing kriminalidad sulod sa siyudad sama na lamang sa robbery, hold-up, ransack, theft,

Nograles, Duterte naghari sa Davao City DAVAO CITY - Pinatunayan ni Davao City congressman Karlo Nograles na malakas pa rin ito at halos landslide ang panalo nito sa kalabang si Luis Bonguyan, ngunit panalo rin ang mahigipit nitong katunggali sa pulitika - ang father and son tandem na Rodrigo at Paulo Duterte na nagwagi bilang mayor at vice mayor.

Samantalang bug-bogsarado naman Si Elly Pamatong nag-ambisyon maging congressman ng Davao City dahil sa huling bilang ay wala pang

dalawang libo aNg booting nakuha kung iha-hambing kay Nograles na mahigit sa 120000 na base sa partial canvass ng mga nakuha ng boto.

Landslide rin ang panalo ni Rodrigo Duterte dahil sa mahigit na 400000 botong nakuha doon, samantalang ang anak na si Paolo ay halos 400000 rin ang nakuha. Unang pinatakbo ni Rodrigo noon ang anak babae na si Sara at nanalo bilang mayor, ngunit umayaw na ito matapos ng isang termino.

(Mindanao Examiner)

patay ug daghanan pang uban.

Nunot niining maong kalambuan, gipasalig sa kuwerpo sa kapolisan nga buhaton nila ang kutob sa ilang makaya aron gayud mamintinar ang kahapsay ug kalinaw sa siyudad sa tanang panahon bisan paman sa kakulangon sa ilang mga armed personnel.

Gipasalamatan usab sa maong buhatan ang da-

kung tabang nga natampo sa PNP Provincial Command pinaagi sa pagtahas sa mobile group niini, ang Provincial Public Safety Company nga maoy moasister sa Dipolog police aron mapahigayon ang hiniusang pagpatuman sa seguridad sulod sa siyudad isip usa sa kamandoan sa COMELEC aron gayud malikayan ang pag-ulbo sa kagubot dinhi.

Sulu election pictures. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

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Pilantropong governor biktima ng black propaganda SULU - Ikinalat ng mga kalaban ni Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan ng Team Pinoy ang isang palsipikadong resolusyon ng Commission on Elections na diumanoy pagdidisqualify nito sa pilantropong lider ng Liberal party.

Pirmado ang nasabing resolusyon na dated May 9 ngunit lahat naman ng mga lumagda nito any pawang mga retiradong commissioners na. Sa nasabing resolusyon any ipinaaaresto rin si Tan ng COMELEC, subalit hindi naman nakalagay ang kaso nito.

Mali-mali rin ang Ingles na pagkakasulat ng resolusyon.

Mabilis naman na pinasinungaliangan ng COMELEC ang naturang resolusyon. Pinagiingat

Sentinel guarding PCOS machines killed

A sentinel guards the Precinct Count Optical Scan machines for use in polls. (Mindanao Examiner Photo - Mark Navales)

Environmental groups worry over unstable mine sites Si Vice Governor Sakur Tan habang panayam ng Radyo ng Bayan. naman mga awtoridad ang publiko sa mga maling impormasyon.

Iniimbestigahan na rin ng mga awtoridad Kung sing ang nasa likod nito dahil isang paglabag sa batas ito. Tinawan

KISMET Cable Channel 63 Pagadian City

lamang ni Tan ang black propaganda at sinabing desperado na ang mga kalaban nito. Tumatakbo Si Tan bilang vice governor sa Sulu at nagwagi ng walang kahirap-hirap.

(Mindanao Examiner)

DAVAO CITY - The Philippine environmental group Alyansa Tigil Mina and its international partners questioned the Mines and Geosciences Bureau decision to allow the Siana Mines operation to continue in Surigao del Norte province despite historical reports of mine flooding and underground fire.

The group is also wary over the silence of the MGB pertaining to recent reports of land instability in mines since last month.

An earlier news release

by Siana Mines owner, Red5 Limited, stated that due to the instability of the tailings dam, the milling operations have been suspended.

“This is very terrible that the government has been very careless in its issuances to mining companies. Unfortunately, as in the earlier years of mines, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and MGB seem to have forgotten their role to ensure that the environment is secure in balancing this destructive and exploitative industry,” Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina, said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

Further research by members of ATM led to the knowledge that the Siana

Mines was previously abandoned by Surigao Consolidated Mining Company which was first opened in the 1940s. However, it closed down during World War II and was reopened in 1946, producing 4,800 kg of gold and 8,000 kg of silver. It was closed down again due to mine flooding and underground fire.

The abandoned mine site was not rehabilitated until Red5 Limited secured a mining permit in 2002. It was granted an Environmental Compliance Certificate in April 2009 despite a prior scheduled Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan expected late May of the same year.

PAGADIAN CITY – Army soldiers shot and wounded a pro-government militia who stabbed dead his companion while guarding elections machines at a school in Zamboanga del Sur province in southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said militia man Jhon Siay was shot while trying to flee from pursuing soldiers after he killed Alberto Cabiling during a heated argument.

Siay and Alberto were both part of a sentinel team sent to guard the Precinct Count Optical Scan machines in Lantian Elementar y School in Labangan town.

Officials said Siay fled after the killing, but soldiers cornered him at a cemetery where he tried to shoot at the pursuing group. Brig. Gen. Daniel Lucero, commander of the 1st Infantry Division, said soldiers rushed the wounded militia to hospital. (Mindanao Examiner)

Farmer shot in Zambo ZAMBOANGA CITY – A lone gunman shot and wounded a farmer in an attack in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines, police said.

Police said the attacker shot Absi Iraham, 28, who was walking his friend Fahad Pajiran in the village of Dita. The gunman escaped after the shooting, leaving behind Iraham. Pajiran rushed the victim to the hospital.

The motive of the attack is still unknown and

police launched an investigation into the shooting.

Just recently, a gunman also shot and wounded John Kent Lapidario, 27, outside a hotel in downtown Zamboanga.

Lapidario was seated on his motorcycle when shot in the back while waiting for his friend. The gunman tried to flee with the motorcycle, but failed. (Mindanao Examiner)

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May 20-26, 2013

Team Tan panalo sa Sulu SULU – Pormal ng naiproklama ng Commission on Elections si Abdusakur “Totoh” Tan II bilang bagong gobernador ng lalawigan ng Sulu at si Sakur Tan, bilang bisegobernador matapos ng isang landslide victory sa katatapos na halalan.

Parehong nagpasalamat ang mag-ama sa malaking pagtitiwala na ibinagay sa kanila ng mga Tausug. Isa pang anak na si Samier Tan ay unopposed rin sa bayan ng Maimbung at naunang nai-prokla ng poll body.

Ipingako naman ng mga Tan na ipagpapatuloy nila ang mga magagandang programa na kanilang nasimulan at pinakinabangan ng Sulu.

Isang magandang halimbawa nito ay ang malaking pagbabago sa bayan ng Maimbung na halos 4 dekadang walang developments sa nakalipas na administrasyon. Ngunit ngayon ay kapuna-puna

ang malaking pagbabago sa nasabing bayan.

Nagkaroon na ito ng malaking parke, mga sementadong kalsada, gusali para sa mga paaralan, cold storage facility, central market, Internet at cell sites, daan-daang pabahay para sa mahihirap, pier at munisipyo. Lahat ng ito ay nagawa lamang sa 3 taon na paninilbihan ni Mayor Samier sa tulong na rin ng butihing ama.

Aktibo rin si Mrs. Nurunisah Tan, na may bahay ni Vice Gov. Sakur Tan, dahil sa marami nitong proyektong pangkabuhayan at mga programa para sa mga kababaihan. Ito rin ang nangunguna sa ibatibang medical mission – dahil na rin sa pagiging registered nurse - kasama si Provincial Health Officer Dr. Farah Omar.

Kilalang pilantropo ang Pamilyang Tan hindi lamang sa Sulu kundi sa Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)

Man killed over illicit affair ZAMBOANGA CITY – A 22year old Muslim man who was accused of carrying an illicit affair with his uncle’s wife was shot and killed in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines, police said.

It said the victim was killed by his own uncle when they incidentally met at a clan gathering in the village of Cawit.

Police said the attacker previously confronted his nephew about his alleged

affair with his own aunt. The clan initially settled the matter following a series of negotiations by family leaders until the shooting occurred.

Both families of the victim and the assailant have not issued any statement about the killing. Police said the attacker remains at large and it was not immediately known whether the victim’s family would file criminal charges against the clan member. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Ang proklamasyon ni elected Sulu Gov. Abdusakur 'Totoh' Tan at Vice Gov. Sakur Tan. (Kuha ni Al Salinas para sa Mindanao Examiner)

5 tigok sa Zambo Sur PAGADIAN CITY - Limang katao ang patay at 5 iba pa ang sugatan sa hiwalay na atake sa bayan ng Bayog sa Zamboanga del Sur. Sinabi ng mga awtoridad na unang tinambangan ng 4 armado sina Roy Mendoza at Dexter Calunsag, na pawang mga tauhan ni defeated mayoralty candidate Julieto Monding. Sakay ng motorsiklo ang dalawa at pauwi ng sila ay ratratin.

Sinundo naman ng isang pick-up truck ang mga salarin at tumakas patungong sentro ng naturang bayan.

Bago naganap ang atake ay niratrat rin ng mga armado ang isang bahay ng grupo ni Monding sa Barangay Buuan at napatay naman sina Julito Isig, Junicio Manos and Vivencio Balido at sugatan naman ang 7 iba pa na nakilalang sina Elchito Nonggong, Hernani Nonggong, Bernie Nonggong, Jimboy

Bulay, Nono Kwap, Sinay Tungcasan and Domingo Siton. Kabilang sa mga sugatan ay dalawang teenagers at isang menor de edad.

Walang umako sa pamamaslang ngunit si Monding ay kilala umanong illegal miner sa Bayog, ngunit hindi naman mabatid kung may kinalaman Ito sa krimen. (Mindanao Examiner)

NPA holds 7 traffic cops in Davao City DAVAO CITY - New People's Army rebels have detained 7 members of the police regional traffic management group in Davao City in southern Philippines, a spokesman said.

Simon Santiago said the prisoners were escorting a village official bringing money to a politician to buy votes in Monday's local and national elections.

He identified the prisoners as Edgardo Butad, Erald James Cajeras Sr., Vincent Dela Torre, Abdul Azis Ali Jr., Ariel Carbule, Edmond Trinidad and Rusalito Caranguit. They were arrested in Paquibato district, a known stronghold of communist rebels in Davao City.

He said four village leaders also handed over to the NPA envelopes con-

taining money allegedly given by Congresswoman Mylene Garcia to buy votes.

The allegations could not be immediately verified, but rebels have previously warned politicians against campaigning in so-called guerrilla zones. The NPA has been fighting for decades now for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

May 20-26, 2013

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May 20-26, 2013

Prosecute Mastermind of Activist’s Murder MANILA – Philippine authorities should ensure that those who planned and financed the killing of an environmental activist in 2011 are arrested and prosecuted, Human Rights Watch said.

In the first conviction for an extrajudicial killing since President Benigno S. Aquino III came to office in 2010, a court in Palawan on May 7, 2013, sentenced Marlon Recamata to 40 years in prison for the January 24, 2011, killing of Gerry Ortega. Recamata had been arrested moments after shooting Ortega and subsequently confessed to the crime, implicating others.

“The conviction of the gunman in the killing of activist Gerry Ortega is an overdue milestone for the Aquino administration,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “But the alleged mastermind is still at large and should not escape justice.”

While in custody, Recamata identified his accomplices, among them Rodolfo Edrad, a former soldier who allegedly coordinated the plot. Edrad in turn accused Joel Reyes, who was governor of Palawan from 2003 to 2010, as the author of the crime.

Ortega had hosted a radio program on environmental issues and corruption that frequently criticized Reyes. The gun used in the murder was later traced to a person who had served as Reyes’ provincial administrator.

Seven other suspects in the case were taken into

custody. Five are awaiting trial, one suspect died of natural causes while a second died under unclear circumstances.

In the past decade, government officials and members of the security forces in the Philippines have been implicated in several hundred politically motivated killings, but successive administrations have failed to obtain any convictions. The murder of Ortega, among the first extrajudicial killings during the Aquino administration, was one of the very few where the authorities gathered strong evidence and witnesses against the suspects.

In June 2011, a Department of Justice panel formed to investigate the case recommended the filing of charges against four suspects. But it removed Reyes, the former governor, his brother Mario, and five others, citing a lack of evidence.

After Ortega’s family protested the failure to charge Reyes and others, the Justice Department created a new panel to reinvestigate the case, which in March 2012 proposed filing charges against Reyes, his brother, and three others. After arrest warrants were issued against Reyes and his brother, they evaded arrest by fleeing the country.

Their lawyers, meanwhile, went to the Court of Appeals, which ruled in March 2013 that the charges against the Reyes brothers and the others should be dropped, citing judicial overreach by the

Justice Department. The case is now pending in the Supreme Court.

Among his environmental activities, Ortega hosted a radio program in which he talked about environmental degradation, corruption, and other governance issues. In its 2013 Impunity Index, the Committee to Protect Journalists ranked the Philippines as the third most deadly for journalists in the world – after Iraq and Somalia – with 55 unsolved killings of journalists in the past decade.

As president, Aquino has promised to end impunity for extrajudicial killings. The number of killings has decreased significantly since the adminis-

tration of his predecessor, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, though they have not ended. The government has passed several key pieces of legislation on human rights. Yet the Aquino administration has made little progress in bringing perpetrators of serious human rights violations to justice and ending impunity.

“This first conviction was easy, as the gunman had confessed,” Adams said. “Now the government has to do the more difficult work of successfully prosecuting those who ordered Ortega’s murder. This would demonstrate that the government is finally getting serious about political killings.”

Masked gunmen raid village chief’s house in Dapitan City DIPOLOG CITY – One person was shot and wounded after masked gunmen raided the house of a village chieftain in Zamboanga del Norte’s Dapitan City, police said.

It said the raiders, about 8 of them all wearing military fatigue uniform and carrying automatic weapons, arrived on a pick-up truck and climbed the fence of the house of Edna Cabilin, Canlucani village chieftain, who was then having

a meeting with other officials.

The officials scampered in different rooms after seeing the gunmen, but the raiders took Cabilin’s daughter and granddaughter and held them and forced the village leader to come out from hiding.

The village secretary, Richie Cayongcong, 26, was shot in the thigh after he came out first from the bedroom and Cabilin followed.

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The gunmen then demanded from Cabilin her money and weapons, but gave them nothing. The raiders instead took Cabilin’s laptop and cell phones and fled.

It was not immediately known whether the raid had anything to do with politics, but masked gunmen had been harassing local politicians and their supporters. Some attacked houses of village leaders in the province.

(Mindanao Examiner)

Members of the Mormon Helping Hands, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, help the Kidapawan City Environment Office remove election propaganda. (Geonarr i Solmerano - Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Body of man recovered in Zamboanga ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police recovered a body of a man, whose head was wrapped in a cellophane and bore a gunshot wound, in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines.

The body was found in the village of Lubigan near a military post. Militias guarding the area said they heard no gunshots and the victim may have been killed elsewhere and the body dumped in the village to confuse the police.

Police launched an investigation into the murder. It said the body remains unidentified.

(Mindanao Examiner)

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NPAs free captive army soldier in Mindanao DAVAO CITY - The Philippine Army said communist rebels have freed a soldier they held prisoner for over two weeks in the southern region of Mindanao.

It said Private First Class Jesus Tomas, of the 71st Infantry Battalion, was safely released in Compostela Valley province. Capt. Severino Vicente David, a spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the soldier was taken prisoner by the

New People's Army on April 24 while buying food at a market in Maco town.

David did not give details of the soldier's release, but said: "Tomas was released without military submission to the preconditions set by the National Democratic Front as requisites of his safe and orderly turn over."

The NDF earlier demanded the suspension of military offensive in the

province and neighboring areas again the NPA to ensure the safety of the prisoner. "As always, such situation was exploited by them to gain propaganda mileage," David said.

He said the freed soldier is now in military custody.

"As a standard procedure, PFC Tomas undergoes full medical check up and series of debriefing to ensure his physical health and mental state to determine his suitability for reintegration back to military service," he said.

The NPA has been fighting for decades for the establishment of a separate state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

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ICRC premises, Davao Oriental province, Philippines: Carpenters from Campawan learn to build storm-resilient houses in the pilot site of the ICRC shelter program. The ICRC will soon be replicating the program in Compostela Valley province.(Benito Lavisurez)

Long road to recovery for survivors of Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) MORE THAN FOUR months have passed since Eastern Mindanao was hit by a typhoon that destroyed the homes and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people. This is an update on what the ICRC is doing to help them get back on their feet again.

Typhoon Bopha (known locally as Pablo) has had a devastating impact on the southeastern Philippines, destroying infrastructure and displacing thousands. While continuing to distribute food and other relief items to more than 273,000 people in the two worst-hit regions of Eastern Mindanao, the ICRC and the Philippine Red Cross have now launched income generation projects and begun improving communities’ longer-term access to shelter, clean water, and health care.

"Many people lost their homes and livelihoods as a result of the havoc wreaked by the typhoon in December 2012," said Pascal Mauchle, head of the ICRC delegation in the Philippines. "It is a long and difficult process for them to rebuild their lives from scratch."

"What survivors most need now is help to quickly recover from this harrowing experience and get back on their feet again. The ICRC is providing sustainable access to drinking water and health care, supporting families in their efforts to rebuild longer-lasting shelters, and finding ways to kick-start their livelihoods. At the same time, we are also delivering emergency aid to cover essential needs," Mr Mauchle added.

More than four months have passed since Typhoon Bopha hit Eastern Mindanao.

Maria Fe Ayala, a 35-year-old mother from Monkayo, Compostela Valley, says she and her family barely survived the disaster. "My children and I could not go out and risk our necks because even my mother-in-law's house was swept away. I made a small hole and we climbed into it just before our house was destroyed. We laid our bodies flat on the ground… if the rains had not stopped, we would have died from the cold."

Shelter for vulner able families vulnerable In the worst-hit communities of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces, many families continue to live in temporary shelters. Together with the Philippine Red Cross, the ICRC has launched a project to help almost 19,000 people rebuild their homes and provide an income stream for skilled workers in the local community such as carpenters and chainsaw operators.

For families who are struggling to rebuild after their houses were completely destroyed, the project will provide the construction materials and labour needed to build permanent, storm-resilient housing. Other families who lost their homes will be provided with materials and labour for a "skeleton house" that includes the foundation, structure and roof. In addition, community residents will receive training in good construction practices.

Marilyn Donga, whose house was destroyed in the typhoon, has a new home in Campawan, in Davao Oriental province: "Now that we have safe shelter, we can focus on earning an income again so our children can return to school."

From rrelief elief to liv elihood suppor livelihood supportt From January to April, relief items were regularly distributed to 273,000 people in all 42 barangays (villages) of the three worst-hit municipalities of Davao Oriental and 35 barangays of the five worst-hit areas of Compostela Valley. People received food such as rice, sardines, salt, cooking oil, coffee, soy

sauce and sugar, and such household essentials as jerrycans, buckets, cooking pots, sleeping mats, mosquito nets and soap.

At the same time, cash-for-work programmes are helping to generate income for communities whose crops – and therefore their livelihoods – were totally or partially destroyed.

Along with other community members, Maria Fe volunteered to take part in a cashfor-work programme in Monkayo municipality, which involved desilting the local canal by removing a build-up of mud, refuse and other debris. This was essential to ensuring that irrigation water reached farms.

"I used the money I made to buy food for our family and to replace some of our damaged belongings. It was worth all the hard work," said Ms Fe. Eleven cash-for-work programmes are benefiting over 2,600 families, with dozens more programmes in the pipeline. In addition, local farmers are receiving corn seed, peanuts, chili seed and other items that will boost harvests and generate income while increasing the availability of food locally.

Impr oved access to dr inking water mpro drinking Between December and mid-April, emergency distribution systems set up by the ICRC and the Philippine Red Cross provided drinkable water to 18,000 people in 14 communities in Cateel and Baganga, in Davao Oriental province.

In an effort to make drinking water available on a more permanent basis, existing community water supply systems damaged in the typhoon are being repaired. Thus far, work to overhaul 11 damaged supply systems serving nearly 27,000 people is under way or has been completed.

ICRC engineers also helped rebuild and improve the water and sanitation systems in the Philippine Red Cross' evacuation camp in New Bataan, Compostela Valley, which provided services to nearly 3,000 people at the height of the emergency.

Enhancing access to health car e care With local health facilities suffering significant damage in the typhoon, the ICRC helped meet acute health-care needs by setting up in Baganga, Davao Oriental, a basic health-care unit donated by the Japanese Red Cross. Opened in January, the unit has provided immediate medical attention and psychosocial support to over 7,000 patients during its 11 weeks of operation. Medical professionals seconded to the ICRC from the Red Cross societies of Japan, Canada, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Norway, and the Philippines provided free consultations and treatment.

"The unit ensured people had access to basic health care despite the prevailing situation. It proved essential in covering the gap while badly damaged health facilities were being repaired. It also helped back up existing health services," said Gegham Petrosyan, ICRC health coordinator.

Local health facilities have continued to receive a range of assistance from the ICRC as they return to normal service. The ICRC has supported or is supporting the repair of eight damaged health facilities (village health stations, rural health units and a district hospital) in Davao Oriental, which serve a population of nearly 120,000. People in typhoonaffected areas had uninterrupted access to health care thanks in part to medical supplies provided by the ICRC to five rural health units and one hospital.

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