Sulu may bagong gobernador; pag-unlad at kapayapaan mas paiigtingin pa PAGE 2
Zamboanga police force gets new patrol vehicles
Human rights issues pull down Aquino PAGE 4
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Inaugural Speech of Vice Governor Abdusakur M. Tan
Preliminary words of Abdusakur “Totoh” A. Tan II
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After Tatay, more were killed in Aquino’s three years – son of first EJK
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backhoe dr iv er has descr ibed in chilling dedriv iver described tail ho w he used the ex cav ator to bur y the 58 how excav cavator bury victims of the P hilippines' worst political Philippines' massacr e, accor ding to a cop y of his deposimassacre according copy tion obtained b y AFP by AFP.. Minutes after the No- a poor farming province in vember 2009 shootings, the south. The Ampatuan patriBong Andal said he excavated two pits on both arch, two sons and several sides of a rural road -- one family members are in custo dump the victims' bod- tody and on trial for the ies and the other to bury murder of 58 victims, including 32 journalists who their cars. He said his employer, were covering the political clan patriarch Andal contest. The backhoe driver Ampatuan Senior, had ordered him to take the ex- was arrested last November cavator to the site. There, after a three-year manhunt. he saw the patriarch's son More than 90 other susand namesake, Andal pects remain at large. "I used the backhoe to Ampatuan Junior, with push the vehicles into the scores of other gunmen. "I was shocked to see hole first. Then I flattened so many dead people, them with its metal arm," women and men, all of the driver said. "Some of the vehicles them soaked in blood. The dead were scattered along had dead people inside, so the side of the road," the I just closed my eyes out of driver said in the undated fright and got on with it." After digging a second statement, written in Filihole, the driver said he used pino. "It was then that Datu the excavator's arm to drag Unsay commanded me, the bodies into the pit. "After several hours, I 'Bury all of them, including their cars'," he added. still had not buried all of the "Datu Unsay" is dead and their vehicles. Ampatuan Junior's nick- Then we heard a helicopter coming and all the armed name. The clan allegedly or- men guarding me fled." The driver said he also dered the massacre to stop a political rival, Esmael fled, taking his family from Mangudadatu, from run- his home, and spent the ning against one of its next few years in hiding. He said he had worked members for the governorship of Maguindanao, as supervisor at a garage for
ARMM
Philippine police investigators examine bodies of massacre victims after being recovered from a site in Ampatuan town in the restive province of Maguindanao in the Muslim autonomous region. Gunmen massacred about 46 political supporters, journalists and lawyers who were on their way to file election papers for Vice Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu of Buluan town who is running for governor in Maguindanao province in next year’s polls. (Mindanao Examiner Photo - Mark Navales) the Ampatuan family's earthmoving equipment, and had on three previous occasions seen Ampatuan Junior murder 15 other people. Ampatuan Junior ordered him to use backhoes to bury six of these victims, he added. The driver has given
Southern Mindanao
Davao
the statement to the justice department in a bid to be admitted as a state witness, a person familiar with the case told AFP on condition of anonymity. The document bore a thumbmark above the driver's name. The source said the driver fears for his life under
Manila
police detention because the government had yet to decide whether to let him testify against the Ampatuans. This meant he and his family could not be transferred to a safe house, unlike the other state witnesses. At least three witnesses
have been killed since 2010, including a former Ampatuan family employee whose dismembered remains were found stuffed into a sack in 2012. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima did not respond to requests for comment from AFP. (Agence France Presse)
Zamboanga Peninsula
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July 8-14, 2013
Sulu may bagong gobernador; pag-unlad at kapayapaan mas paiigtingin pa
Ang oath-taking ng bagong gobernador ng Sulu na si Abdusakur "Totoh" Tan II at iba pang mga nahalal sa nakaraang eleksyon. (Mindanao Examiner Photo) SULU – Pormal ng nanumpa ang bagong gobernador ng Sulu na si Abdusakur “Totoh” Tan II at nangako itong ipagpapatuloy o hihigitan pa ang magagandang proyekto at programa ng ama at ngayon ay bise-gobernador Sakur Tan. Ang dating gobernador ay nahalal bilang bise gobernador at madamdamin at emosyonal ang talumpati nito ng ipinakilala ang anak sa napakaraming tao na dumalo sa oath-taking ng mga opisyal sa Kapitolyo. Sa kanyang talumpati ay sinabi ni bise-gobernador Sakur Tan: “I mark this day as the most memorable in both my personal and public life. With another term still left to complete my stint as governor. I know many are wondering why I did not go for the full
stretch, believing I will win convincingly anyway? Thus far, God has been very kind to me allowing me to
ing from within that is so compelling, demanding and beckoning. The comfort and fortunes of a ful-
weather the storms and challenges in my life, by His Infinite Mercy and Compassion, Alhamdulillah!” “I can live in comfort and free myself from the humdrums of politics if I had so wished, but there is that murmuring voice call-
filled life will still be devoid of meanings if there are still those around you who are less fortunate and in need. Dignity or martabbat is in the very being of our people. Martabbat is not the sole property of those who hold special positions
in society or of the privileged few.” Idinagdag pa nito na “someone once said to me that, in essence, the desire for freedom is in the nature of every individual; freedom from want, from hunger, from illiteracy, and freedom from feeling inferior to others. I savor the day when my people, whatever their status in life and their choice of faith may be, they will not bow their heads to anyone. That would be dignity and freedom in the true sense of the word. Let us not be dictated by the perceptions of those who are bent on reinventing us for their own selfish intent. Let us reinvent ourselves and harness the true potentials that we keep hidden as a treasure, tempered through generations and founded on a glorious civilization. Let us not dwell on the past but rather build a bridge that together we can make the cross-over from a glorious past towards a brighter future. With renewed resolve, determination and strong sense of purpose, the Tausug can excel and shine as a people.” Ilang ulit rin pinalakpakan ng publiko ang talumpati ng bisegobernador. Ilang munuto rin nagtagal ang pagsasalita nito at sa dakong huli at pinupog naman nito ng halik ang kanyang anak sa entablado. Sa panig naman ng bagong gobernador ay taas-noo naman nitong sinabi na hindi hadlang ang pagiging bagito sa larangan ng pulitiko upang mapagsilbihan ng maayos at tama ang mga nasasakupan. Parehong miyembro ng ruling Liberal party ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino ang mag-amang kilala bilang mga pi-
lantropo at respetadong mamamayan hindi lamang sa Sulu, kundi sa bansa. “When I accepted the banner or our party elections, I also accepted wholeheartedly the political reform program for which it stands. As ably exemplified by my father, Governor Tan, we stand for reform without disaster and dislocation,” ani pa ni Gobernador Totoh Tan. “My father, Governor Tan, didn’t tell me how to live and how to govern; he lived and he led and let me watch him do it. Much of his governance manifests itself, without speeches revealing them. Often, the more we talk of development and progress, the less we do of either. The mouth speaks of abundance of the heart; but often the very reverse of what the man practices.” Prayoridad ngayon ni Gobernador Totoh Tan ay ang kapayapaan at pag-unlad ng lalawigan na kabilang sa Muslim autonomous region. “This is not a day of triumph; it is a day of dedication. The values and attitudes that our youth learn will shape the kind of province Sulu will become. We need to turn the hopes we
share for ourselves and our children into economic and social reality for others. Insha Allah, we shall be witnessing a renaissance of public faith, a reawakening of public trust, a revival of cultural prominence and the beginning of thoughtful reconstruction,” ani pa ng opisyal. “I shall not be weak to yield to what clamor claims, but will be quick to know and to do things that the time and the province needs. I believe power consists in one’s capacity to link his will with purpose of others. This power knotted with love is the golden chain let down into the well of truth that will bind our ranks together. The future is not for parties playing politics, but for reforms pushed by leaders who cherish not their office, but their duty and their opportunity to serve.” Kasama rin sa pasasalamat nina gobernador at bisegobernador ay ang buong pamilya na lubos-lubosan ang suporta sa kanila, partikular si Hajja Nurunisah Tan; gayun rin ang mga alkalde ng 19 bayan at mga board members ng Sulu; at ang ibat-ibang sector ng lalawigan. (Mindanao Examiner)
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The Mindanao Examiner
July 8-14, 2013
Mayor vows to make General Santos more progressive, peaceful city in Mindanao
General Santos City Mayor Ronnel Rivera speaks to employees and with leaders of the South Cotabato Swine Producers Association. (Mindanao Examiner - Russel Delvo)
The pick-up trucks, converted into mobile patrol vehicles, parked outside the Zamboanga City Hall in these photos released by the Office of the City Mayor.
Zamboanga police force gets new patrol vehicles ZAMBOANGA CITY – From a fleet of small prowl jeeps, the local police force now have 9 new all-terrain pickup trucks to augment its mobile patrol in Zamboanga City. The trucks were handed over to the Zamboanga City Police Office by new mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar to equip police stations in farflung villages. Salazar, who was the Deputy House Speaker before being elected as mayor, vowed to provide more vehicles and other equipment to the police. Climaco previously donated vans to many villages in Zamboanga during her stint in Congress. The police force and villages had been using small jeeps called multi-cabs provided by the previous Lobregat administration, but those did not last long. Salazar said the pick-up trucks, converted into mobile patrol vehicles, will equip police precincts and make them more capable in
responding to emergencies and atrocities in Zamboanga.
Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco-Salazr "We envision a safe and crime-free Zamboanga City enjoying a vibrant, investorfriendly economy that will serve the global community, able to provide jobs to its people and can secure a better future for our children," she said. Salazar also encour-
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aged everyone to join her and move forward with a shared vision and a collective sense of mission constituency-responsive governance. “Government cannot do it alone. This government is also your own to earn, shape and lead. Citizen participation does not end in discussion of issues but should extend to policy implementation and community engagement. Only then can we achieve peace. But peace is beyond the idea of tranquility it is also the provision of basic needs for human security and wellbeing, reaching out to the very core of the human heart,” she said. She said security, health and education will remain important performance areas of her administration. (Mindanao Examiner)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Local mayor Ronnel Rivera has started his working days in General Santos City in southern Philippines with various meetings and conferences with different groups in an effort to bring his government closer to the people. Rivera vowed to fulfill his task in building a better General Santos City
which he included in his inaugural address and said there is a need merge and re-define and collaborate or modify all efforts to achieve a progressive economy and peaceful environment. “We will not cut back, we shall move forward,” he said, referring to his vision of making General Santos as one of the most progres-
sive and peaceful cities in Mindanao. The mayor also presided a meeting with leaders of the South Cotabato Swine Producers Association at City Hall. He said he envisions General Santos City as a center to agro-industrial, financial and service hub in the southern region. (With a report from Russel Delvo)
New Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar takes her oath as her family looks on.
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Assorted sea shells seized in Zamboanga City ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities have seized thousands of various sea shells in the port of Zamboanga City in southern Philippines, officials told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. Officials said the shipment was seized during an inspection from the ferry Magnolia Liliflora which came from Tawi-Tawi province. But the shells had been picked from the island of Siasi, according to PO3rd Catherine Cabrera. Among those confiscated from the boat were turtle scales. It was not immediately known who owns the shipment, but it was the second time in barely two weeks that authorities seized sea shells in the port.
On June 18, more than 700 pieces of helmet shells or locally known as “budyong” were confiscated from the ferry Kristel Jane that also came from the southern Philippines. Sea shells are commonly use as fashion accessories and for home decorations among others, but gathering and selling of these are prohibited under Philippine laws. There are dozens of types of sea shells in the country which are considered rare, threatened and endangered and the penalty for violating the laws is imprisonment from 12 years to 25 years and a fine of up to P120,000. (Mindanao Examiner)
Photos released by the Philippine Coast Guard show the assorted sea shells seized from the ferry Magnolia Liliflora in the port of Zamboanga City. (Mindanao Examiner)
The Mindanao Examiner Media, Film and Television Productions Maritess Fernandez Publisher/Executive Producer (On Leave) Al Jacinto Editor-in-Chief/Producer (OIC) Ahmed Baldomero Joanna Valerie Wee Graphics/Video Editor Mindanao Examiner Productions Web Master REGIONAL PARTNERS Mindanao Daily Business Week Mindanao Star NEWS/ADVERTISING OFFICES Mark Navales ARMM
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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Asa Madale Lanao Provinces Ely D. Umaboc Zamboanga Sibugay/Zamboanga del Sur/Zamboanga del Norte The Mindanao Examiner Newspaper/Business Week/Mindanao Daily is published weekly/daily in Zamboanga City and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao, Philippines. The Mindanao Examiner Television is broadcast in Skycable 54 in Zamboanga; Lupah Sug Cable in Sulu province and Basilan Cable in Basilan province. Our business and editorial offices are located at Units 15, 3rd Floor, Fair Land Bldg., Nuñez St., Zamboanga City Phone & fax: 062- 9925480 Mobile: 0917-7103642 URL: mindanaoexaminer.com E-mail: mindanaoexaminer@gmail.com
July 8-14, 2013
Human rights issues pull down Aquino MANILA - A noted Australian professor has these to say to Philippine leader Benigno Aquino on his first 3 years in office - "progress limited, some backsliding; needs to do better, but systemic barriers suggest will not improve." That is is how Australian Professor Gill Boehringer viewed the three years of the Aquino government. Boehringer, an expert on contemporary state and corporate abuse of human rights, has written a number of articles on Philippine lawyers, human rights and the Philippine elections and justice system. Karapatan, a human rights group, in a statement said Boehringer illustrated the Aquino regime’s track in the past three years, saying "the current administration, in order to maintain its anti-people program has dished up through an adoring media the self-serving and contentious message that the economy is doing really well, and receiving plaudits from round the globe; corruption is under attack; and the protection of human rights is improving and is far better than under
his predecessor.” But in reality, he said, “it (the Aquino government) has failed to act to effectively prosecute and sanction human rights violators.” Boehringer also pointed to the government’s failure “to prioritize Freedom of Information legislation which is essential for a genuine human rights regime.” “Of course we know that (Aquino’s) real “bosses” (the rich and powerful) are not the ones who have to worry about their human rights being violated or ignored. The country is following the typical neo-liberal program whereby inequality worsens, hunger and poverty continue at high rates, citizens are driven overseas so their family may have a better income while unemployment, under-employment and child labor remain significant problems,” he observed. “In a country with a semi-feudal political-economic system generating a huge gap between rich and the masa, the former will fight in every way possible to maintain the structure of social, political and economic relations-including relations of coercion, violence and state/corporate terrorwhich have made the Philippines a paradise for the wealthy and purgatory for the rest,” he added. Boehringer was a former Dean of Macquarie University Law School in Sydney, Australia, and former Director of the Center for the Critical and Historical Study of the Common Law. He was a delegate in the People’s International Observers’ Mission during the Philippine elections in 2007 and 2010, and personally observed the 2013 elections.
July 8-14, 2013
The Mindanao Examiner
I
mar k this day as the most memor able in both mark memorable my personal and public life m life.. With another ter term still left to complete my stint as go v er nor gov ernor nor.. I kno w many ar e wonder ing why I did not go for know are wondering the full str etch, believing I will win convincingly stretch, anyway? Thus far, God has been very kind to me allowing me to weather the storms and challenges in my life, by His Infinite Mercy and Compassion, Alhamdulillah! I can live in comfort and free myself from the humdrums of politics if I had so wished, but there is that murmuring voice calling from within that is so compelling, demanding and beckoning. The comfort and fortunes of a fulfilled life will still be devoid of meanings if there are still those around you who are less fortunate and in need. Dignity or martabbat is in the very being of our people. Martabbat is not the sole property of those who hold special positions in society or of the privileged few. Someone once said to me that, in essence, the desire for freedom is in the nature of every individual; freedom from want, from hunger, from illiteracy, and freedom from feeling inferior to others. I savor the day when my people, whatever their status in life and their choice of faith may be, they will not bow their heads to anyone. That would be dignity and freedom in the true sense of the word. Let us not be dictated by the perceptions of those who are bent on reinventing us for their own selfish intent. Let us reinvent ourselves and harness the true potentials that we keep hidden as a treasure, tempered through generations and founded on a glorious civilization. Let us not dwell on the past but rather build a bridge that together we can make the cross-over from a glorious past towards a brighter future. With renewed resolve, determination and strong sense of purpose, the Tausug can excel and shine as a people. Public service is an opportunity that when well taken, can bring changes to people’s lives and can cast some glow to the gloomy portrayal of Sulu by judgmental eyes. I have never left Sulu, even during the years of living dangerously and I have no intention of leaving her and will continue to be in her service under whatever capacity accorded to me by fate. The love for the homeland and the people or in the vernacular “kasilasa ha hulah iban ha bangsa” will not suffice to dwell only in the tongue nor take shape only in the eloquence of spoken words. Like any love but not of the forbidden kind, it must be consummated in the open, displayed without shame but with pride. The love for Sulu can best be consummated by the marriage of governance and the people and should blossom in the landscape of the beloved homeland in actual and tangible shapes and forms in what we call development and progress. Lest we forget, leadership is action not a position. As the outgoing Governor of Sulu, I owe it to you the people, to account on what I have done thus far and let you be the judge if they are worthy of the love I professed for the province and that I have served my people as expected of me. From the 20% development funds, stands the impressive Provincial Women and Children’s Center right in the heart of the town of Jolo as testament of our commitment to safeguard and protect the vulnerable sectors of our society; the Maimbung Municipal Hall was constructed in record time and serves as an assurance that there is now an active government in the municipality that has long been neglected by time and now stands as a model for other municipalities to emulate. The Provincial Sports Complex constructed during my first stint as Governor in 1996 still retains its usefulness due to regular repair and maintenance works like repainting and re-roofing and construction of additional amenities. This Multi-Purpose Gym has also gone through renovations and regular maintenance. The Municipal Ice Plant in Maimbung was constructed not only to serve our local fisherfolks, but likewise as a drop point for fish products from nearby island municipalities. The provision of decent housing for our constituents remains at the heart of my administration. The construction of Badjao and Tausug core shelters on stilts in Maimbung is not only meant to provide accommodation for the people but also as an example of how development initiatives should retain the natural settings of the municipality. Perhaps some may entertain the thought that most of my efforts are geared towards Maimbung merely because it’s my birthplace and the incumbent mayor is my son. As charity begins at home, one has to develop his own backyard first. In the Sulu experience and with due respect to my predecessors, I would be the only governor who had developed his own home municipality with basic infrastructures and public amenities in place in record time. From our local development funds, we vigorously embarked on road developments in
Inaugural Speech of Vice Governor Abdusakur M. Tan June 30, 2013 Sulu Provinve various parts of the town of Jolo and in different municipalities not only in the mainland but also in the islands. Through our strong representation and initiative, we have been allocated from the DPWH Stimulus Fund Projects like the Jolo-TaglibiTiptipon Road and the Jolo- Bud Daho Romandier Road. For the residents of Jolo in particular, the declogging of esteros and waterways and the rehabilitation of Jolo Drainage System as part of our Flood Mitigation Program at a cost of more that 10 million pesos, excluding equipments and machineries, brought great relief to the residents. Alhamdulillah the flood waters now recede at a faster rate unlike before when people have to wade for weeks in filthy waters. Plaza Tulay which has been the venue for many political rallies and programs for many years has turned into an eyesore and does not anymore serve the purpose it was built for. In its stead we are developing a park that will complement the adjacent Jolo Grand Mosque, both in design and purpose. Recognizing that law enforcement is integral in maintaining peace and order, the provincial government under my watch has been very supportive of efforts geared towards professionalizing our law enforcers. We have constructed a Training Center and a Staff House at the Julasirim Kasim Camp at Asturias. In the field of education, we have assisted various schools in the construction of additional classrooms, covered courts, school fencing and giving educational tools like computers, school desks and school bags. We have shown our capability to organize and host large events like the Regional Forum on the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the National Ulama Summit by mobilizing our own resources and by the support and cooperation of line agencies, NGOs, CSOs and representatives of different sectors of our society. I will not consume much of your time in enumerating all that we have accomplished. You are aware of the extent of the development we have brought to Sulu and I invite you to look at the tarpaulins on display on both sides of this Gym, which can better speak of our achievements. These were not single-handed endeavors, and I have to thank all my colleagues in the Provincial Government and our Congressman of the First District, Kah Habib Tupay Loong, who is untiring in his suppor t for our development efforts. The Mayors, the barangay chairmen, the community and religious leaders and the constituents in general, who stood by me all these years are deserving of my sincerest gratitude. I hope they will accord the same support for our new governor. We acknowledge the officers and men of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police who make Sulu a safer and secured place. I harbor the same hope for the officers and staff of the Provincial Capitol who have been very supportive of my programs and aspirations for Sulu to serve the new Governor with the same dedication they have accorded me through the years, if not more. I acknowledge with gratitude the services accorded to our people by members of the medical profession, the doctors, nurses down to barangay
5 health workers; to the members of the academe and those teachers who are found even in the remotest of islands just to free our people from illiteracy and our farmers who toil the land and the fishermen who brave the seas to feed the population. Words will not be enough to acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices of the woman who never left my side through both the good and the bad times. She remains my undying source of inspiration. To Hja. Nurunisah, our children and grandchildren, you are the crowning glory of all my achievements and triumphs in life. Anthony Brandt once said: “other things may change us, but we start and end with the family”. The 2013 elections was unprecedented in many ways and this is the kind of political exercise that we want to see in Sulu; a legacy that we can impart to the new breed of leaders who will take the helm and course the ship of the province to a brighter, progressive and peaceful destination. During the recent elections, I would like to acknowledge the role played by the Schools superintendent, supervisors and teachers who served as BEIs and other election duties. Their sacrifices are appreciated. We salute members of the security sector, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines who remained apolitical during the entire exercise and maintained the dignity and pride of their uniforms. As the new Chief Legislative Officer of the province, I will call on my colleagues in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to be more proactive and attuned to the situation prevailing in Sulu. The Provincial Board has promulgated ordinances and passed numerous resolutions, but the enforcement aspect is a matter we will look into. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Sulu under my watch shall support the agenda of the executive especially those gearing towards poverty alleviation, livelihood programs and assistance, development of more decent housing, cushioning the effects of climate change and the harnessing of information technology as indispensable instrument of governance. I will be turning-over authority of the Provincial Government of Sulu to a young man whom I am tasked to introduce to you this morning as the new Governor of Sulu. I will do just that, as a father and as an outgoing governor. I am not bidding goodbye to public service and fade away like an old soldier. Sakur Tan will still be an active public servant. The helm of authority will yield to the energy and dynamism of the young, to his idealism and enthusiasm, and to give in to his own dreams and aspirations for his people and for Sulu. Anyone can take the helm of a ship when the sea is calm and clear. But the true measure of a real helmsman is sailing the ship through rough and stormy waters and to arrive safely on the shores of his destination. Totoh grew up like any normal kid; interested in basketball and other kind of sports. He was born on 17 March 1977 and I thanked Allah that he was spared the horrors and agony of the war that obliterated Jolo in 1974. As a graduate of Business Management from FEU, he put his degree into practical use in the petroleum business, where his acumen came to fore. His business and managerial experience can be of good use in his handling of the Provincial Government. As members of the Provincial Government, my colleagues and I will give him our full support in the name of good governance. As a father, I will stand by him always but will give him the space and freedom to be his own man, to leave his own mark in the world of politics in the service of his people. I will not stand in his way if he chooses to demolish all that we have built if only to erect in their stead stronger and sturdier foundation that will stand the test of time. There is no better compliment to a father than a son who will outdo what his father has done and surpass his achievements, just as I did relative to my late father. I expect the same from Governor Totoh Tan. He may not have been successful in his earlier attempts in politics. But look at him now, triumphant as Governor and garnering more votes than his father. For me, luck has nothing to do with it - it’s his destiny! In 1910, the poet Rudyard Kipling wrote I f , a paternal advice in a poetic form for his son, John Kipling, let me recite some lines from that poem: If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a man, my son!
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The Mindanao Examiner
W
hen I accepted the banner or our par ty last election, I also party accepted wholehear tedly the wholeheartedly political rrefor efor m pr ogr am for which it eform progr ogram stands y my fastands.. As ably exemplified b by ther , G o v er nor T an, w e stand for rreether, Go ernor we for m without disaster and dislocation. form Our adversaries ridicule us as amateur. I am proud and willful beyond measure to admit that I have not yet proved myself possessed of any extraordinary acumen; and I cannot claim the possession until I have exhibited new found executive capacity for exercising political will and carving out critical reform. There are greater and better things in us all; than our critics take account of or those we take note of these are UEST S of God’s love parts of the BEQ BEQUEST UESTS and kindness to our souls; that induce us to yield ourselves to their guidance and control. That which cause us trial shall yield us triumph and that which made our heart ache shall fill us with gladness. Out of the same circumstances, different men bring totally different results. The same difficulty, distress, poverty, misfortune that breaks down one man, builds up another and makes him strong. Yes we are amateur politicians. We are in politics to raise its standard - not to make our fortune in it. My party mates know I did not seek my nomination. It has come to me absolutely unsolicited; with the consequence that I shall enter the office of the governor with absolutely no pledges of any kind to prevent me from serving with singleness of purpose. My dear elders and peers, policy cannot be either prompt or straightforward when it must serve many masters. It UIV OCA TE must either EQ EQUIV UIVOCA OCATE TE, or hesitate or fail altogether. In the next three years, if there will be one thing clear than another, it is this: that in any endeavor, whether of government or of mere business somebody must be trusted in order that when things go wrong it may be quite plain who should be punished. I firmly believed, the rule for every man is, not to depend on the education which other men prepare for him, but to strive to see things as they are and to be himself as he is. Every man has the power, and should use it, to make all situations, trials and temptations instruments to promote his virtue; and it is so far from being creature of circumstances, that he creates and controls them. My father, Governor Tan didn’t tell me how to live and how to govern; he lived and he led and let me watch him do it. Much of his governance manifests itself, without speeches revealing them. Often, the more we talk of development and progress, the less we do of either. The mouth speaks of abundance of the heart; but often the very reverse of what the man practices. I also believed government must grow and change; it must conform to the needs of the human beings it serves. Some of the best minds in the world today have call attention to the ABYSMAL gap between the haves and the have-nots. They argue, that freedom and equality are meaningless to people
PRELIMINARY WORDS OF ABDUSAKUR “Totoh” A. TAN II Provincial Governor of Sulu June 30, 2013 who wallow in grinding poverty, DEBILITATING disease and inexplicable hunger. They further content that destabilized by extreme poverty and feeling not fairly treated they are forced to look upon law as an implement to their survival. Soon their community ultimately became haven of unrest, violence, and terrorism. Let’s face it. Sulu harbors a bothersome splinter of this problem. Only our less-privileged did not chant any slogan or demand anything from us well-fed urban folks. They simply starve and freeze in SQUALID misery and brutal ignorance very quietly in their secluded filthy homes and wait. Our meanest poor will endure hunger and deprivation for long but they will never tolerate abuse and indignity. Ano po ang kadalasan nangyayari sa ating kapuspalad at naghihirap na mga kapatid at mayayaman? Kadalasan po, mas nau-una ang kamatayan dumarating sa kanila kaisa sa ating sinumpaang tungkulin paglilingkud, pag-tulong, pagkalinga at pag-aruga sa kanila. As a result their MISCREANT children in full vigor of their youth and strength, charmed and bullied by misleading sermons coming from vicious and ignorant preachers drift to criminality and add to the group of so called jihadist against whom the theory that penalty deters crime is inapplicable. Thus, my dear elders and peers, we are buying peace in addressing the plight of disadvantaged sector. The improvement of the masses in the grand security for popular liberty, in the neglect of which, public peace and tranquility perish like dry grass in the hot fire of popular fury. VIA TION is not about Poverty ALLE ALLEVIA VIATION pity. It is more about passion. Pity sees the suffering and wants to ease the pain; passion sees injustice and wants to settle the score. Pity ignores the powerful to pay attention; passion warns about what will happen if they don’t.
July 8-14, 2013
The risk of pity is what it kills with kindness; the promise of passion is that it builds on the hope that the poor are fully capable of helping themselves if given the chance. In Islam, the imperative of social responsibility includes the obligatory dispersal of private wealth in form of Sadaka, Waqaf and Zakat to alleviate poverty and pursue other humanitarian cause. But in the roar and crush and hurry of life and business, and the TUMUL T and uproar of politics in our reMULT gion the quiet voice of Islam is unheard and unheeded. I lived my teen among the bitter and crushed people of this province. I was born here in Sulu - the only place in this world where nothing has to be explained to me. Peace to endure here must be the effect of justice. Those who forget the right of others, must not be surprised if their own are forgotten; and those who stood to the lowest embraces of sense must not wonder, if others are not concerned to find their prostrate honor, and lift it up to the remembrance and respect of the world. All the noble deeds that have beaten their marches through succeeding ages have proceeded from men of truth and genuine courage. We must now find and believe that the safety of free government and its ETUIT Y depend continuance and P ERP ERPETUIT ETUITY upon the virtue and prosperity of the common people. In neglecting our impoverished people we are just precipitating our ruin and despair. Sooner or later, we are delivered to the sway of those whom we abhor and neglect. My dear elders and peers, this is not a day of triumph; it is a day of dedication. The values and attitudes that our youth learn will shape the kind of province Sulu will become. We need to turn the hopes we share for ourselves and our children into economic and social reality for others. In sha Allah, we shall be witnessing a renaissance of public faith, a reawakening of public trust, a revival of cultural prominence and the beginning of thoughtful reconstruction. I shall not be weak to yield to what clamor claims, but will be quick to know and to do things that the time and the province needs. I believe power consists in one’s capacity to link his will with the purpose of others. This power knotted with love is the golden chain let down into the well of truth that will bind our ranks together. The reason we lag behind is not unknown to us. Politics has served faction not the province. As we have grown in numbers, our collective well-being has declined. As our needs have multiplied, our capacity to satisfy them diminished. Our power is from the masses, our feelings must be with them and our thoughts shall be for them. The future is not for parties playing politics, but for reforms pushed by leaders who cherish not their office but their duty and their opportunity to serve. Accept my sincerest thanks and gratitude for your indulgence and reassuring presence. So long. Wassalam.
July 8-14, 2013
The Mindanao Examiner
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Police searched for Zamboanga bomber
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After Tatay, more were killed in Aquino’s three years – son of first EJK The three years of the Aquino government mark the three years of injustice to my father, and to the hundreds more who fell victims of extrajudicial killings under the current administration. My father, Fernando Baldomero, was gunned down by motorcycleriding men on July 5, 2010, while he was preparing to send my younger brother to school. He was municipal councilor of Lezo, Aklan and provincial chairperson of Bayan Muna partylist. Tatay is the first victim of extrajudicial killing under the Aquino administration. That year, the Philippine National Police formed a Task Force Baldomero. Pres. Aquino mentioned my father’s name in his first State of the Nation Address, and boasted that the killing was 50% solved. Three years after, however, the case remains archived at the local courts and the perpetrator while charged, remains scot-free. For a government that declared to be different and better than its predecessor, the outright denial of justice for my father is unacceptable in the same way that it is unacceptable that the likes of Jovito Palparan and Joel Reyes are still-at-large; and the Ampatuans allegedly offering money as settlement to the victims. It is unacceptable that the Armed Forces of the Philippines now claims it champions human rights, but fails to punish perpetrators within their ranks.
Most of all, it is unacceptable that the spate of killings and rights violations continue as more victims fell after Tatay. According to Karapatan, From July 2010 to April this year, 142 persons were killed, 16 became victims of enforced disappearance while 164 individuals were victims of frustrated extrajudicial killing; 293 were illegally arrested and detained. For three years, the Aquino government has been covering up not only the murders but also its policy of repression and attacks against socalled “terrorists” or “enemies of the state.” Poor people in rural communities evacuate due to heavy military operation in areas where the armed resistance is strong. While denying the existence of political prisoners, Malacañang goes on a rampage arresting and detaining activists on the basis of trumped up charges. The President went as far as calling human rights violations as “leftist propaganda,” which are expected outcome of its counter-insurgency program, Oplan Bayanihan. Pres. Aquino is now halfway through his term. We are alarmed by the thought of how far these violations will continue in the next three years. We called for justice since day one of the Aquino government. We are angered that no one has been prosecuted and that the killings continue. We demand a stop to the killings and human rights violations.
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police are searching for a man who tossed a grenade at a bus in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines, officials said. Officials said 8 people were wounded in the attack. The man lobbed the grenade as the bus owned by Philippine Fisheries Development Authority passed the village of Tetuan to pick up employees. The wounded were rushed by ambulances to hospitals. At least 5 of them suffered severe shrapnel wounds, although not lifethreatening. Police investigators said they recovered grenade fragments at the rear section of the bus and were trying to reconstruct them together to determine the type of explosive used in the attack. But one police explosives expert said an MK2 was likely the type of grenade used by the attacker. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the attack and police would not speculate on who was behind it. (Mindanao Examiner)
A grenade attack on a government shuttle bus wounded at least 8 people in Zamboanga City. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
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The Mindanao Examiner
July 8-14, 2013
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The Mindanao Examiner
July 8-14, 2013
Edward Snowden's letter to the president of Ecuador "The NSA whistleblower, who is currently in Moscow, has written to Rafael Correa regarding his request for political asylum" Text of a letter by Edward Snowden to the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa. Written in Spanish; obtained and translated by the Press Association, London
Chief Superintendent Juanito Vaño, Jr., commander of the regional police force in Western Mindanao, leads the celebration of the month-long 18th Police Community Relations. Ernesto Belen, Chief Executive Officer of the Public Safety Savings And Loan Association, Inc., also visited the regional police office in Zamboanga City
PNP celebrates community relations month ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Philippine National Police kicked off the celebration of the month-long 18th Police Community Relations. Chief Superintendent JuanitoVaño, Jr., commander of the regional police force in Western Mindanao, said this year’s theme “Serbisyong Makatotohanan at Matatag na Ugnayan ng Pambansang Pulisya at Mamamayan Tungo sa Tuwid na Daan,” aims to emphasize the strong collaboration between the police and the community and to bridge them for the attainment of the law enforcer’s effectiveness in enforcing the law, reducing occurrence of crimes and maintaining peace.
“The (nationwide) celebration is an opportune time to foster, strengthen and highlight police and community partnership for the attainment of a safe, peaceful, orderly community and the road to “Tuwid na Daan,” he said. Vaño also welcomed Ernesto Belen, Chief Executive Officer of the Public Safety Savings And Loan Association, Inc., who visited the regional police office in Zamboanga City. Belen, who met with senior police officials, also joined a tree-planting activity and donated a complete set of personal computer to the regional police office. Vaño said among the highlights of the occasion
were the presentation of awards and recognition to the “best practices” initiated by the police units and offices, and personnel and recognizing their initiatives that have projected the police image not just as a regular law enforcer but a catalyst for the socio-economic development of the country. He said the PCR celebration is in line with the Presidential Proclamation No. 764 which declares July of every year as PCR month. The National Police Commission is the lead agency for the celebration which would culminate of August 8 and coincide with the celebration of the 112th Police Service Anniversary.
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There are few world leaders who would risk standing for the human rights of an individual against the most powerful government on earth, and the bravery of Ecuador and its people is an example to the world. I must express my deep respect for your principles and sincere thanks for your government's action in considering my request for political asylum. The government of the United States of America has built the world's largest system of surveillance. This global system affects every human life
to live peacefully without fear of illegal aggression. As I face this persecution, there has been silence from governments afraid of the United States government and their threats. Ecuador however, rose to stand and defend the human right to seek asylum. The decisive action of your consul in London, Fidel Narvaez, guaranteed my rights would be protected upon departing Hong Kong – I could never have risked travel without that. Now, as a result, and through
touched by technology; recording, analysing, and passing secret judgment over each member of the international public. It is a grave violation of our universal human rights when a political system perpetuates automatic, pervasive and unwarranted spying against innocent people. In accordance with this belief, I revealed this programme to my country and the world. While the public has cried out support of my shining a light on this secret system of injustice, the government of the United States of America responded with an extrajudicial man-hunt costing me my family, my freedom to travel and my right
the continued support of your government, I remain free and able to publish information that serves the public interest. No matter how many more days my life contains, I remain dedicated to the fight for justice in this unequal world. If any of those days ahead realise a contribution to the common good, the world will have the principles of Ecuador to thank. Please accept my gratitude on behalf of your government and the people of the Republic of Ecuador, as well as my great personal admiration of your commitment to doing what is right rather than what is rewarding. Edward Joseph Snowden.
Newspaper publisher binaril MANILA – Kinondena ng media group Alab ng Mamamahayag ang tangkang pagpatay ngayon araw kay Urdaneta City-based Northern Express Weekly publisher Jaime Aquino. Kasalukuyang nakikipaglaban sa kamatayan ang biktima sa Villaflor Hospital sa Dagupan City na kung saan ito ginagamot dahil sa tama ng mga bala sa katawan. Ayon sa ulat na natanggap ni ALAM President Jerry Yap ay nabaril si Aquino ng mga armadong nakasakay sa motorsiklo sa kahabaan ng highway. Makikipagkita umano si Aquino kay local veteran journalist Jong Velasco upang pag-usapan ang kaso ng kanyang anak na nasa kustodiya ng gobyerno. “Ipagdasal na lamang natin ang kaligtasan ni Aquino,” ani Yap. “Grabe ang tama niya dahil malapit sa puso at may iba pang vital organs na tinamaan din ng bala.” Ani Yap, isa na naman itong karagdagan sa napakahaba nang unsolved media crimes sa bansa. “Humahaba ang listahan ng mga biktima, wala namang nareresolba,” dagdag pa nito.
Matatandaang umapela si Aquino ng writ of Amparo petition matapos kunin ng Department of Social Welfare and Development ang kanyang 16-anyos na anak na lalaki. Inaakusan umano si Aquino ng sarili niyang anak na siyang mastermind sa pagpatay sa isang mayor ng Pangasinan noong nakaraang taon. Sinabi naman ni Berteni Causing, abugado ni Aquino, na isang nongovernmental group na Akap Bata-Caritas ang nagsumite sa Manila Regional Trial Court ng petition na humihingi ng involuntary termination of custody para sa otoridad ng magulang sa menor de edad nilang anak. Kasalukuyang nasa kustodiya ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) at DSWD ang bata. At ayon sa NBI, sinabi sa kanila ng bata na kasama siya sa isang beach house sa Bolinao noong November 2011 kung saan narinig diumano niya ang kanyang ama na kasama ang dalawa pang pulitiko na nagpalanong patayin si Infanta Mayor Ruperto Martinez. Binaril at napatay ng mga motorcycle gunmen si Martinez noong Dec. 12, 2012 ilang oras matapos ang rally ng mga
residente na tumututol sa isang local infrastructure project. Sa amparo petition ni Aquino, hiniling nitong ibigay ang kustodiya ng anak sa kanya o sa ina nitong si Ester. Sinabi pa ni Aquino na hindi kapani-paniwalang witness ang kanyang anak dahil dati itong gumagamit ng droga at may rekord ng pagnanakaw at pagsisinungaling. Sinabi pa ni Aquino na walang alam ang kanyang anak sa krimen at itinanggi nito ang lahat ng akusasyon sa kanya. Natatakot din umano siya para sa kaligtasan ng kanyang anak at ng kanyang buong pamilya. Posible umanong may mga gumagamit sa kanyang anak upang idiin siya sa krimeng hindi niya ginawa. Wala pang lead ang pulisya kung sino ang mga suspek sa krimen. Nananawagan naman si Yap sa Task Force Usig ng Philippine National Police at Task Force 211 ng Department of Justice na agad aksyunan ang naganap na krimen, dahil kung hindi ito mareresolba ay madaragdag na naman ito sa napakahabang listahan ng unsolved media crimes sa bansa. (Nenet L. Villafania)
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Nakaratay pa ang bomber na ito ng matagpuan ng mga awtoridad sa Lamitan City sa Basilan province na kung saan ay sumabog ang dala nitong bomba. (Kuha ni Richard Falcatan)
Basilan naghigpit ng siguridad! An American soldier stands guard from a ship in the Southern Philippine port city of Zamboanga. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
U.S. access to RP military bases condemned MANILA - The League of Filipino Students condemned the announcement of Philippine defense officials that US military forces and its allies would be allowed access to military bases in the Philippines. The group warned that the access agreement would only further intensify the already existing violation of national sovereignty by the US military. “Not satisfied with just multiple offenses by port calls and military exercises in Philippine soil, the US is intent on reclaiming our country as their very own military base in the Asia-Pacific. This is an insult to the historic struggle and consequent victory of the Filipino people which evicted US bases in 1991, yet Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin sees no problem in this,” LFS spokesperson Issa Baguisi said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. Basguisi said while
ARMM
the Senate decision that year required the withdrawal of the US military from the country, American troops and warships have continued to operate within Philippine territory with the introduction of the Visiting Forces Agreement in 1998. Baguisi also refuted government assertion for the need of US troops in the country in the light of territorial disputes between China and the Philippines. He said the US’s decision to station troops in Asia was necessitated by its intention to keep an eye on and restrain China’s growing economic power, contrary to government claims that the US is to support the Philippines in its standoff with China. Indeed, the US has already expressed neutrality on the conflict in a ministerial meeting with Philippine officials in Washington last year. “It is deplorable how the Aquino administration has no qualms in deceiving the people it
should be serving and jeopardizing their safety just to accommodate the interests of the US,” Baguisi said. The LFS called on Filipinos to once more rise collectively to the challenge of expelling US military and influence from the country. The group maintains that the youth will not take this issue of national sovereignty sitting down, and vows to spark protest actions in response to the access agreement. “We have done it before, and we will not hesitate to do it again. History has shown that the unity of the youth with the rest of the Filipino nation is more than enough of a motive force to effect change in the way this country is run. If the government remains bent over for the US while compromising national interests, then let the people of this country change this society into one that serves them,” Baguisi said.
Southern Mindanao
Davao
BASILAN - Mahigpit pa rin ang siguridad na ipinatutupad ng mga awtoridad sa Basilan province matapos na masawi ang isa umanong bomber ng sumabog ang dala nitong bomba sa Lamitan City. Sinabi ng pulisya na nagdagdag na ito ng mga checkpoints sa ibat-ibang lugar upang masigurong ligtas ang mga mamamayan sa anumang banta ng karahasan o terorismo. Matatandaang noong nakaraang linggo lamang ay isang hinihinalang bomber ang natigok ng
ito'y masabugan ng sariling bomba sa Barangay Balagtasan. Sakay ng kanyang motorsiklo ang bomber ng biglang sumambulat ang bag nito at halos mahati ang katawan sa lakas ng pagsabog. Nagkaluray-luray ang hita at braso nito ng matagpuan ang naturang lalaki. Hindi naman agad mabatid ang pangalan ng biktima, ngunit naka sando lamang ito at sandals at nakasuot rin ng short pants na military fatigue. May scarf rin ito sa kanyang leeg. Hindi naman maba-tid
kung paanong na-kalusot sa mga checkpoints ng militar at pulisya ang lalaki. Nagdulot naman ng panibagong takot sa publiko ang naturang kaganapan dahil kung hindi ito sumabog sa bomber ay malamang mas marami pang inosenteng buhay ang madadamay sa Basilan. Ilang beses na rin inatake ng mga rebelde ang nasabing lalawigan na bahagi ng Muslim autonomous region. (Mindanao Examiner)
Village chieftain killed ahead of elections in Philippines PAGADIAN CITY – Motorcycle gunmen shot dead a village chieftain ahead of elections in Zamboanga del Norte province in southern Philippines, police said. It said Rudolfo Lao, Jr. was heading home on a motorcycle in Sominot town from Pagadian City when attacked by gunmen who were tailing him. The attack occurred in the village of Upper Sicpao. Lao was the chieftain of the neighboring village of Tungawan. Police said forensic investigators re-
covered 7 bullet casings fired from a .45caliber pistol in the area. It said two gunmen were involved in the attack It said the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body. No individual claimed responsibility for the killing which occurred ahead of the October polls. It was unknown whether the murder was connected to politics or not. Police are investigating the killing. (Mindanao Examiner)
Provincial bus driver killed
ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY A provincial bus driver was killed in a gun attack in the southern Filipino province of Zamboanga Sibugay, police said. Police said the victim, Arniel Andicoy, was shot by two gunmen riding tandem on a motorcycle along the highway in Imelda town. Andicoy, who worked for the Rural Transit Inc., was shot as he was slowing
Manila
down in the village of Gandiangan. The driver was heading to Pagadian City from here, but made a stopover in Siay town. Police said the attackers may have followed the bus from Siay and attacked Andicoy when he slowed down to allow the bus inspector George Amorganda to disembark. The gunmen fled after the shooting. Andicoy was shot several times with a .45-
caliber pistol, according to the police. The motive of the attack is still unknown. The bus firm is one of the biggest in the southern Philippines. Last year, one of its bus was bombed in Zamboanga City and 5 passengers were wounded in the blast blamed by authorities to rebels who were extorting money from the company. (Mindanao Examiner)
Zamboanga Peninsula