Sports development program lalong pinagtibay sa Sulu PAGE 2
Uphold the truth, respect the law and free scientist Kim Gargar
Floods worsen situation for displaced persons in Zamboanga PAGE 4
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P1.4 Bilyon Philhealth bonus ng opisyales dapat isauli sa mamamayan PAGE 7
PNoy inspects quakeravaged areas PAGE 8
Is the end of pork barrel near? PAGE 9
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SULU, TAWI-TAWI ‘HOSTAGE’ NG ZAMBOANGA CITY
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ala pa rrin in linaw kung kailangan muling magkakar oon ng commer cial flights patungong magkakaroon commercial Sulu at Tawi-T awi matapos itong suspindihin ng awi-Tawi Civil A viation A uthor ity of the P hilippines at ng Aviation Author uthority Philippines C r isis M anagement C ommittee ng Z amboanga dahil sa Management Committee Zamboanga kaguluhan noong nakar aang buwan sa natur ang lungsod. nakaraang naturang Inatake ng Moro National dalawang lalawigan dahil sa Liberation Front rebels ang walang sapat na salaping Zamboanga noong September pumapasok sa Sulu at Tawi9 at tumagal ng tatlong linggo Tawi. Maging ang mga ferries ay ang sagupaan na kung saan ay kontrolado rin ng Coast Guard. mahigit sa 400 katao ang Apektado ang pagkuha ng nasawi at sugatan sa Internal Revenue Allotment sa karahasan. At dahil dito ay mga banko upang maipasuspindo ang lahat ng flights sa sweldo sa mga empleyado at Zamboanga, ngunit pinayagan noong nakaraang lingo lamang naman ng CAAP at CMC ang nakapagdala ng salapi ang Land commercial flights sa Bank of the Philippines matapos Zamboanga patungong Cebu, itong sumulat sa mga awtoridad Davao at Manila at vice-versa, sa Maynila upang payagan na ngunit hindi naman isinali ang makalipad ang kanilang charter Sulu at Tawi-Tawi. plane upang maihatid ang mga Dahil sa suspindido ang salapi sa Sulu at Tawi-Tawi. flights ay mahigit isang buwan Hindi pa rin binibigyan ng rin hindi tumatanggap ng go signal ng CMC sa ilalim ni sahod ang mga empleyado ng Mayor Maria Isabella Salazar at
ng CAAP sa pamumuno naman ni Danilo Abareta, upang muling buksan ang biyahe sa naturang mga lalawigan kung kaya’t apektado ng husto ang lahat ng sektor sa Sulu at TawiTawi. Maging ang mga air line companies ay apektado sa naturang suspensyon ng flights. Ngunit sinabi naman ni Salazar sa Mindanao Examiner na depende na umano sa CAAP ang muling pagbubukas ng commercial flights sa Sulu at Tawi-Tawi. “Oh, CAAP,’ ani Salazar sa maiksing sagot nito ng tanungin ng Mindanao Examiner kung bakit wala pang desisyon na payagan ang commercial flights sa Sulu at TawiTawi. Subali’t ayon naman sa CAAP ay nasa mga kamay ni Salazar ang desisyon dahil ang mayor ang siyang pinuno ng CMC. (Mindanao Examiner)
Peace talks end without accord
Moro Islamic Liberation Front soldiers clean their weapons at a rebel base in the southern Philippines. The MILF is the country's largest Muslim rebel group now talking peace with the Aquino government. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
ARMM
Southern Mindanao
COTABATO CITY – Philippines and Moro National Liberation Front rebels ended peace talks in Kuala Lumpur without a substantial agreement. But peace negotiators claimed to have made progress on the remaining annexes on power-sharing and normalization. In a joint statement, the peace panels headed by Miriam Ferrer for the government side, and Mohagher Iqbal, for the MILF, said: “The remaining challenges and the time constraints demand that the peace panels remain focused on completing the annexes following a break for Eid al-Adha. Both sides have a full understanding of their responsibility as they strive towards a
Davao
Isang lantsa ang nakaangkla sa pier sa bayan ng Jolo sa lalawigan ng Sulu. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
sustainable and inclusive solution for the benefit of all people in the Bangsamoro.” Eid al-Adha is an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to follow Allah's command to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Muslims around the world observe this event. Iqbal said on the MILF website that power-sharing represents the heart of the negotiations since it contains the list of powers reserved for the central government, powers exclusive to the envisioned Bangsamoro government, and concurrent or shared powers between the two. Last year, the peace panels
Manila
signed the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement which would pave the way for the Muslim homeland. Under the accord, the Bangsamoro government would take a ministerial form, where members of the legislature who would be elected by the people and in return they would elect a chief minister among themselves. Peace negotiators agreed to meet again after the Muslim holiday. Iqbal said the delay is impeding the working timeline of the Bang-samoro Transition Commission, the body tasked to draft the Basic Law. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Oct. 21-27, 2013
Si Vice Governor Sakur Tan sa pagbubukas ng volleyball court sa bayan ng Indanan sa Sulu province. (Mindanao Examiner Photo ni Ahl-Franzie Salinas)
Sports development program lalong pinagtibay sa Sulu SULU – Pinangunahan ni Sulu Vice Governor Sakur Tan ang pagbubukas ng isang volleyball court sa bayan ng Indanan bilang bahagi ng sports development program ng pamahalaang panlalawigan. Mismong si Vice Governor Tan ang nanguna sa
laro sa Barangay Lantad na kung saan ay dinaluhan ito mga kabataan. Proyekto ni Sulu Governor Totoh Tan ang volleyball court, ngunit hindi naman ito nakadalo sa pagbubukas dahil nasa hajj pilgrimage ito sa Saudi Arabia. Todo naman anag
pasasalamat ng mga taga-Barangay Lantad sa nasabing volleyball court dahil maraming kabataan umano ang makikinabang dito sa kanilang libreng oras o kaya ay kung walang klase sa mga paaralan. Marami na rin naitayong mga basket-
ball at tennis courts ang administrasyong Tan sa Sulu at maging ang sports complex sa bayan ng Patikul ay binigyan rin ng pansin ni Vice Governor Tan noong kapanahunan nito bilang governor kung kaya’t isa ito sa pinakamaganda sa Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao. Target rin nito na mabigyan ng pagkakaabalahan at libangan ang mga out-of-school youth. Ibat-ibang proyekto na ang naitayo ni Governor Totoh Tan na ngayon ay nasa kanyang unang termino pa lamang.
Sinabi naman ni Vice Governor Tan marami pang mga proyekto ang nakalinya para sa ibatibang bayan sa Sulu. Suportado naman ng publiko ang “Team Tan” na siyang nakapagbigay ng malaking developments sa nasabing lalawigan. (Ahl Salinas)
Zamboanga City celebrates Catholic feast, all mobile phone signals cut off ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities cut off all mobile phone signals for hours in the southern port city of Zamboanga – scene of deadly street battles between security and rebel forces - for fear that terrorists may launch bomb attacks using cell phone signal to trigger detonation. Zamboanga is celebrating the Catholic Feast of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar in honor of the Virgin Mary and a long procession was held in the afternoon around downtown area where last month was occupied by Moro National Liberation Front rebels who stormed several villages here. Security was so tight during the annual procession that residents were not allowed to carry any backpacks. Those who wanted to pray at the open space shrine of the Virgin Mary at For Pilar had to pass a strict search before being allowed inside the small compound surrounded by soldiers and military armoured vehicles. No officials would like to talk publicly about what
steps authorities had taken to ensure the security of the largely Catholic city of Zamboanga, which was attacked many times by rebels and terrorists. But the mere presence of a huge number of soldiers and policemen has virtually turned Zamboanga into a military garrison. Catholic faithful, many of them clutching rosaries and crucifix, marched the streets as the procession, led by Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar snaked through what were once busy roads to show their devotion to the Virgin Mary that old locals believed is miraculous. Several military helicopters made a low flyover and dropped flowers and confetti over the long procession. “Our devotion to Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar all through the years has been our beacon of hope amidst the trials and adversities,” the mayor said. She said unlike in previous years, the Fiesta Hermosa celebration was a “toned-down affair” because of the man-made crisis that devastated
Zamboanga and the subsequent widespread flooding due to the recent typhoon that hit the southern region. “I urge our people to continue reverence to the La Virgen del Pilar to always lead us to Jesus. Our steadfast devotion to the Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar all through the years has been our beacon of hope amidst the trials and adversities. No matter how intricate and complicated the challenges are we, the good, will always prevail,” Salazar said. Locals are largely superstitious and attribute all things – good or bad – to the Virgin Mary and other Catholic deities and even a recent typhoon that hit the city was attributed to the gods. Other pray for the rains to stop and when the sky cleared after five days of heavy rains that submerged a huge part of Zamboanga, all praises went to the Virgin Mary and of course, Jesus Christ. Last month’s fighting killed and wounded over 400 people and resulted in a humanitarian crisis and many of the over 100,000
war refugees still remain in temporary shelters and evacuation areas as security forces have to finish clearing at least 6 villages occupied by separatist rebels. The Fort Pilar where the centuries-old statue of the Virgin Mary, is displayed was also hit by several mortar bombs during the fighting. (Mindanao Examiner)
A soldier guards the Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines at the height of fierce fighting in last month between security and rebel forces. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
LBC branch robbed in Zamboanga Sibugay PAGADIAN – Two armed men robbed a branch of the cargo forwarder LBC in Buug town in Zam-boanga Sibugay province in southern Philippines and escaped with over P180,000 in loot, police said. Police said the employees were about to close their shop when two gunmen barged and declared the robbery. The assailants fled on a motorcycle after the heist. Investigators said the cargo forwarder was manned by only three employees - Rutcher Pagayon, Allen Capas and Palen Banseloy – who gave their statement to the police. The employees said the gunmen forced them to open the vault. It was not immediately known whether the firm has a security camera. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Army says captured professor-turned-rebel charged in court DAVAO CITY – A university professor, who was captured and accused by the military as a communist rebel, is facing criminal charges after authorities filed multiple cases of illegal possession of weapons and explosives, and frustrated murders against him, an army spokesman said. Troops captured Professor Kim Gargar who was wounded in a recent clash in Davao Oriental’s Cateel town. An automatic rifle was also recovered from him in the village of Aliwagwag where troops also killed a rebel leader of the New People’s Army. “Gargar is now charged with illegal pos-
session of explosives and firearms, violation of Commission on Elections gun ban and multiple frustrated murders,” said Captain Alberto Caber, of the Eastern Mindanao Command. He said the criminal charges against Gargar, who belongs to the NPA Platoon Front 25, have been filed in court in Mati town in Davao Oriental province. Caber said Gargar told military interrogators that he joined the NPA last year, but previously helped Sison in the production of several books aimed at exploiting villagers in the countryside. Gargar was a Physics
professor at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City and also worked at the Don Mar iano University in Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental province and in Polytechnic University and Mapua University, both in Manila. He was also doctorate scholar in University of Groningen in The Netherlands, according to Caber. But the human rights group Karapatan has branded Gargar’s arrest and detention as illegal, saying the he was wrongfully accused by the military. “To throw Professor Kim Gargar in jail on trumped up charges be-
cause he wanted to help the (Typhoon) Pablo victims in rehabilitating and developing their communities is not only violating his rights but is also injustice to the communities he is assisting. Professor Gargar should be immediately released,” said Cristina Palabay, the group’s Secretary General. Gargar, who is a member of the Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Mamamayan (Alliance of Groups Supporting Science and Technology for the People), is helping in humanitarian efforts to restore the communities ravaged by the typhoon in Mindanao.
Photo released by the Eastern Mindanao Command to the Mindanao Examiner shows captured former professor-turnedrebel Kim Gargar as he listens to a military interrogator in Davao. “The illegal arrest and detention of Gargar is yet another desperate move by the Aquino government to suppress the people’s collective action towards meaningful
change,” Palabay said. The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been fighting for a separate state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)
Uphold the truth, respect the law and free scientist Kim Gargar MANILA - Last October 1, members of the 67th Infantry Battalion Philippine Army of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) arrested my husband Kim Ajeas Gargar in Mati, Davao del Sur. At the time of his arrest, Kim was in the third month of his research on the impact of Typhoon Pablo on the diversity in Mindanao. On October 24, the will arraign Kim on the preposterous charges of two counts of attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms and violation of the gun ban implemented as part of the impending baranggay elections. I have spent the more than a decade of my life as a human rights advocate, writing about the civil, political and human rights of workers, urban poor and other marginalized sectors of Philippine society. As a writer and an alternative journalist, I have documented and written reports of many events and issues that prove the wretchedness and depravity of the political and economic system that controls this country. I have already written profiles and stories of ordinary working class Filipinos who struggle against all odds to assert their rights and defend
their dignity against the inhumanity of anti-people and anti-poor policies and actions of state institutions and agencies. Never for the life of me did I ever think that I would one day write about my own husband being accused of common crimes by the military. By all accounts, Kim is a civilian. He is an academic, a researcher and a scientist. From first grade to the time he graduated magna cum laude in physics, he has done nothing but excel in academic pursuits. He could have focused his energies on getting rich, but instead he chose to be a scientist with a social conscience; instead of working for some transnational company, he chose to teach. Instead of staying in the Netherlands where he was a scholar from January 2009 to December 2012, he decided to return to the Philippines and work for the Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC), a nongovernmental organization that champions the cause of a sustainable environment for the Filipino people. Kim’s work in Mindanao was made possible through the coordination between the CEC and its affiliate
PANALIPDAN-Southern Mindanao. Kim’s expertise on research and science was expected to make the project research successful and useful as it will help in plans and efforts to rehabilitate of communities devastated by Typhoon Pablo. I wish I could say that I am surprised that the AFP arrested him when they found him hurt at the bottom of a waterfall that fateful morning on October 1. When he heard gunfire sometime around 2am that morning, Kim hurriedly left the hut where he had been staying on his own as he did his research on nocturnal life in the forest. It was pitch dark and he could barely see the front of his hand when he waved it in front of his eyes. Of course he was afraid, of course he panicked. Disoriented, he made a wrong turn and fell 20 feet, hurting his leg and cutting his forehead on large rocks and stones at the bottom of a small waterfall. When the military found him, they automatically accused him of being a member of the New People's Army despite his immediate explanations that he was a scientist doing research. Nevermind that he had no weapon;
nevermind that he had identification cards proving who he was; nevermind that he had concrete proof of the data he was gathering including pictures in his camera. He was an NPA in the eyes of the military -- soldiers are always eager to show that they had done their duty to capture rebels, nevermind if they were actually only innocent civilians. It's hard to put into words the outrage and indignation I felt when I learned how the military had forced Kim to make a false confession that he was a member of the NPA. Hungry, cold, sleep-deprived with a broken leg and a possible concussion, Kim was surrounded by at least 15 soldiers in full-battle gear and forced to say that he was an NPA member. The military arranged various paraphernalia -an M-16 rifle, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), blasting caps, and all other materials that he could not describe and shot a video of him saying that he was NPA. There he was, my husband who's afraid of firecrackers, a man so clumsy that one time when I was a guest on Manolo Quezon's old ANC show "The Explainer" he almost knocked down two six-feet tall studio lamps, there he was accused of carrying and firing a gun, handling land mines, murdering civilians. Kim has explained -- a little shamefacedly-- that he gave his false admission under extreme duress. I don't blame him, I probably would've admitted to countless crimes myself if I had been in his position. It would have been very hard to keep calm and level-headed when you are well-aware that you could get summarily executed anytime or disappeared forever if you didn't obey orders from the AFP. I don't know how else to argue that Kim is an ordinary civilian (and a brilliant scientific mind). Do I present our marriage certificate that proves that the ceremony was officiated by no less than House
Speaker Sonny Belmonte when he was still mayor of Quezon City in May 2005? Do I show the passport that shows that he arrived in the country only on January 2, 2013 when the AFP alleges that he has been in the boondocks with the NPA since 2012? Should I write that he is sorry for having missed the developments in the plot of My Husband's Lover which he was really interested in when it debuted in May just before he left for Mindanao? I really don't know. But what I do know is that the soldiers and military officials who arrested him and violated his human rights while breaking many other provisions of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) protecting civilians are lying through their teeth. What was he doing in the forest and alone? Is it really so hard to accept the truth that he was doing research? A fisherman casts his net at 3 am far out into the sea, and no one questions him. Kim -- a scientist just like Dr. Leonard Co before him -- was in the forest documenting nocturnal habits of wildlife, and automatically he is an NPA, a legitimate target and no questions asked. Even if he was able to explain all about circadian clocks, climate change effects, soil erosion caused by mining etc., etc., the soldiers wouldn't have paid attention. Truly, to be a patriotic scientist in this country is a thankless job. Kim is not the first civilian to be accused and framed by the military of being an NPA member. In its ruthless campaign to present itself as winning in the battle against the insurgency, the AFP continues to terrorize, abduct, disappear and kill civilians and present them to the media as bona-fide NPAs. The fact that they did not kill Kim outright when they found him hurt and helpless is not a credit to the AFP-- it is the law, it is part of IHL that they do not harm anyone wounded and unarmed.
So now, with all the calmness and dignity I can muster, I demand on our five-year old daughter's behalf that the Aquino government release my husband, political detainee and scientist Kim Gargar from prison and dismiss all the ridiculous charges against him. Arresting innocent civilians does nothing to improve the image of this government in the eyes of the international human rights community and the rest of the world. The last time he was home with our daughter was in early June. They drew marine animals, folded paper cranes and ate ice cream. When he told her goodbye, he explained that he was again leaving for work and that he would be home in time for Christmas and they would watch animated films all day in his laptop. Now, four months later, Kim is in jail, her daughter is missing him, and I don't know what happened to his laptop. I haven't told our daughter where her father really is. As far as she knows, he is still in Holland, that cold far-away country where she herself lived for a time with both her parents. While I have already started bit by bit to explain to her the nature of Philippine society and how injustice is suffered by the poor on a minuteby-minute basis in this country, I am unable to begin to tell her that her own father is a victim of the same unjust system. The way she also is a victim, being denied him, his love and protection by the government that refuses to uphold the law, much less the principles of truth and justice. On October 24, I can only hope that the court in Lupon Municipality, Davao Oriental goes against the tide and the defies the pressure of the military; I hope Judge Emilio Dayanghirang III does what is moral, legal, right and just and frees my daughter's father, scientist and civilian Kim Gargar. (Alleco R. Silverio.)
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Oct. 21-27, 2013
Floods worsen situation for displaced persons in Zamboanga AT THE START of October, five consecutive days of rain submerged Zamboanga, increasing the health risks for people displaced by recent fighting. The ICRC and the Philippine Red Cross continue to help those most in need. Chest-deep floods in some villages placed an additional strain on the city’s residents, yet to recover after fighting between government troops and a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) caused thousands to flee their homes. New evacuation centres have opened to accommodate new flood victims, along with families who have had to leave seriously flooded centres like the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex. "With all this rain, it's muddy even inside our tent and the children are getting ill. We really want to go back to our house now but they said it's all burned down," explained Mia Juwaran, a resident of Brgy, Rio Hondo, whose family has found shelter along the Cawa-Cawa shoreline. Together with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), the ICRC continues to help people displaced by the clashes and/or affected by the floods. "The flooding degraded sanitation and hygiene in many evacuation centres, while high winds destroyed shelters, piling extra misery onto people who were already living in very difficult conditions," said Sebastien Sujobert, an ICRC delegate working in Zamboanga.
"While most of the floods have subsided, there is still stagnant water in some areas. The health risks remain high as we expect rains to continue this season," he added. Some of the 41,000 people living in 29 evacuation centres will probably have to stay there for the next two months, as shelling or flooding have damaged many houses. Others have lost their means of livelihood. "Many people are not allowed to go back to their villages, as the authorities are still conducting clearing operations. Heavy rains have slowed down those operations, delaying their return," said Victor Liozo Jr, administrator of the PRC's Zamboanga chapter. Between 5 and 16 October, the ICRC and the Philippine Red Cross delivered emergency aid, improved sanitation, provided basic health care and improved living conditions for displaced people. Together, the two organizations: ·distributed onemonth food rations, household items and hygiene items to around 5,000 families in seven evacuation centres; · delivered 40 tonnes of rice and 25,000 tins of sardines to the PRC's Zamboanga chapter, for distribution to 8,000 families; ·started building latrines in Taluksangay National High School, with 32 latrines already installed; ·will build a number of latrines at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex, where sanitation
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 Central Mindanao Richard Suarez Pagadian City Zamboanga del Sur
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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Richard Falcatan Basilan Province Ely Dumaboc Zamboanga Peninsula The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper is published weekly in Mindanao, Philippines. The Mindanao Examiner Television is broadcast in KISMET Cable TV and Pagadian Cable Television Channel 63. 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
needs are acute; ·operated "cleaning brigades" in seven evacuation centres, employing over 1,000 evacuees, who were paid for sweeping and waste disposal; ·promoted health and hygiene, including proper hand washing techniques, at four evacuation centres; ·provided clean drinking water via nine water storage bladders at six evacuation centres; ·donated plumbing materials to Zamboanga City Water District, so they could install new water points connected to the public network; ·operated a basic health-care unit round the clock at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex; ·deployed an ICRC medical team to Zamboanga, to assess public health, focusing on displaced people living in evacuation centres. ICRC teams, including
Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex.Temporary shelters begin to flood, forcing some IDPs to move to higher ground or to nearby evacuation centres. (ICRC / A. Jacinto) medical personnel, visited and registered 285 people in Zamboanga whom the authorities had detained in connection with the fighting. They monitored their conditions of detention
and their treatment and supplied all detainees with clothes and toiletries. Meanwhile, flooding and separate hostilities have hit Basilan, in the Sulu archipelago. The ICRC
has supported the PRC Basilan chapter’s operations by donating 10 tonnes of rice and 6,000 tins of sardines, which the PRC will be distributing to 2,000 families.
Two of 4 seized men freed in Sulu POLICE FORCES have recovered before dawn two of four people seized by gunmen in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, officials said. Senior Superintendent Abraham Orbita, police chief of Sulu province, said the victims – Bernal Joe and Absuwal Sasapan – were recovered by policemen in Tagbak village in Indanan town. The remaining hostages - Dr Salladin Teo and Wilfred Ngo – are still being held captive. He said the four men were seized in Siasi, an island-town off Sulu province late Tuesday and that since then police forces were tracking down the gunmen until Joe and Sasapan were recovered in Indanan town. “Two of the victims – Bernal Joe and Absuwal Sasapan – have been recovered by combined elements of the Siasi municipal and provincial police forces. We are still searching for the remaining captives. The victims were all seized from Dr
Soldier shot in Zambo Sur PAGADIAN CITY – A government soldier was shot and wounded in an attack in the town of Guipos in Zamboanga del Sur province in southern Philippines, police said. Police said Pfc. Botz Malalis, a member of the 53rd Infantry Battalion, was shot in the village of Bag-Ong and the attackers escaped after the shooting. Malalis was rushed to hospital after the shooting. The motive of the attack is still unknown or whether the gunmen are members of the communist rebel group New People’s Army. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the shooting, but police said there is an ongoing investigation into the attack. There was no statement from the army about the failed assassination of the soldier.
Members of the elite Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police patrol the province of Sulu. (Mindanao Examiner Photo) Teo’s house in Siasi and the gunmen dragged them to a waiting speedboat and escaped. There was a pursuit operation shortly after the abduction and one report claimed the victims landed in (the village of ) Luuk Tulay in Pata town where
our forces are now deployed,” Orbita told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. He said the two freed men were immediately brought to hospital for medical examination and later to the police headquarters in Jolo town for
debriefing. “The motive of the abduction is still unknown,” he said. No group claimed responsibility for the abductions, but Abu Sayyaf rebels have been largely blamed for many ransom kidnappings in the province. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Oct. 21-27, 2013
P1.4 Bilyon Philhealth bonus ng opisyales dapat isauli sa mamamayan
Ito ang larawan na ipinasa ng Eastern Mindanao Command sa pahayagang Mindanao Examiner sa matagumpay na ‘scuba-surero at mangrove tree planting’ sa Island City Garden of Samal sa Davao del Norte province.
‘Scuba-surero’ tagumpay sa IGaCoS DAVAO CITY - Nakilahok ang militar sa pamahalaan sa paglulunsdad ng “scuba-surero at mangrove tree planting” sa Island City Garden of Samal sa Davao del Norte province sa Mindanao. Sinabi ni Captain Alberto Caber, ang information chief ng Eastern Mindanao Command, na nagtulong-tulong ang ibat-ibang sektor sa
nasabing kaganapan na binansagang “Kilos Progreso, Makilahok sa PagAsenso.” Bukod sa paglilinis sa karagatan ay nagtanim rin ang mga nakilahok ng mga bakawan upang lalong mapalawak ang mangrove area sa Sanipaan Shoal. Ang mangrove ang nagsisilbing tirahan ng mga isda at iba pang mga uri ng mga hayup kung
kaya’t ang pagpapalaganap nito ang tinututukan ng pamahalaan. “Tayo rin ang makikinabang ng lahat ng ito kung kaya’t dapat natin pagtuunan ng pansin ang kalikasan at sa tagumpay ng scuba-surero at mangrove tree planting ay natitiyak natin na protektado ang ating kapaligiran,” ani Caber sa Mindanao Examiner.
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MAYNILA - Nanawagan ang grupong Kilos Bayan Para sa Kalusugan (KBK) upang isauli ng mga opisyal ng Philhealth ang P1.44 bilyon “allowances” at “bonuses” na ipinamahagi sa kanila noong taong 2012. Sa ipinadalang pahayag ng grupo sa Mindanao Examiner, kasuklam-suklam umano ang pagpapakasasa na ito ng mga opisyales, kawani at kontraktor ng ahensya samantalang milyun milyon sa ating mga kababayan ang hindi makapagpagamot dahil walang pera. Bagaman miyembro ng Philhealth, napakarami pa rin ang hindi makatamo ng sapat na tulong mula sa ahensya at pamahalaan dahil sa napakaliit na porsyentong inilalaan nito para sa pagpapagamot at pagpapa-ospital. Iginiit din ng KBK na ang Philhealth ay nagiging gatasan lamang ng mga mandarambong sa pamahalaan kaya dapat na itong buwagin. Ayon kay Albert Pascual, tagapagsalita ng KBK, pinipiga ang pawis at dugo ng mamamayan para magbayad ng kontribusyon. Dagdag pa niya, napakawalang-hiya na “nagpapasasa sila sa ilang bilyong bonus sa harap ng panibagong pagtataas ng singil nila sa PhilHealth.” Mula sa P1,200 kada taon na bayad sa Philhealth magiging P2,400 na ang babayaran ng mga karaniwang miyembro. Sa mga OFW, mula P900 magiging P2,400 na ito, at 3% naman sa basic pay ang kakaltasin sa mga empleyado sa
pribado at pamahalaan. Aniya, imoral na ninanakawan ang mahihirap na mamamayan. Habang nireregaluhan nila ang kanilang mga sarili gamit ang pera ng bayan,kakarampot ang nakalaan na serbisyo sa mamamayan mula sa PhilHealth. Tinawag ng grupo na “makapal ng mukha” ng mga opisyal ng Philhealth na “gantimpalaan ang kanilang sarili” samantalang sangayon sa report ng COA ay kulang ng P3.8 bilyon ang kanilang “reserved requirement” para sa taong 2012. Batay sa COA, nakatanggap noong 2012 ang mga opisyales at kawani ng PhilHealth ng napakalaking P1.44 bilyon na bonus at benepisyo. Ito ay ang productivity incentive allowance/bonus (P272.006 million), anniversary bonus (P33.4 million), rice benefit (P106.27 million), educational allowance (P278.89 million), Christmas package (P234.05 million), nominal gift (P10,000), shuttle service assistance (P134.53 million), labor management relation gratuity (P156.92 million), birthday gift (P39 million), medical and mission critical allowance (P23.33 million), corporate transition and achievement premium/grocery allowance (P104.4 million), representation expenses (P32.5 million), rewards and other claims(P24.74 million). Sang-ayon kay Secretary Enrique Ona, walang silang kakayahang patakbuhin ang PhilHealth kaya kumuha sila ng mga “contractors” para magbigay ng
expertise sa pagpapatakbo ng korporasyon. Ang mga pribadong kontraktor ng Philhealth ay nakatanggap ng P6,506,869.00 na mga bonus at benepisyo. Kasama dito ang “special events gift,” project completion benefit, gratuity/Christmas package, sustenance gift/rice allowance, recognition gift, efficiency/productivity gift, alleviation gift, transportation assistance , medical and mission critical allowance”. Ayon pa kay Pascual, habang milyones ang bayad sa pagdalo sa mga board meetings, “ang karaniwang mamamayan ay kailangang pumila ng maghapon, maghintay ng anim na buwan para makuha ang katiting na serbisyo ng PhilHealth. Pinakamalala pa, may mga miyembro na hindi nabibigyan ng benepisyo.” Sadyang walang maaasahan ang mamamayan kundi ang lakas ng pagkakaisa at sama-samang militanteng pagkilos para ilantad at labanan ang korapsyon at kabulukan ng sistemang ito. Nananawagan ang KBK na isauli ang P1.44 bilyon na kinuha ng Philhealth, buwagin ang Philhealth dahil wala itong silbi sa mamamayan, ipaglaban ang libre at kumprehensibong serbisyong pangkalusugan para sa mamamayan, dagdagan and badyet pangkalusugan, labanan ang pribatisasyon, parusahan ang mga mandarambong at panagutin si PNoy sa malawakang korapsyon ng kanyang mga kabinete.
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The Mindanao Examiner
Oct. 21-27, 2013
PNoy inspects quake-ravaged areas MANILA – President Benigno Aquino on Wednesday flew to Cebu and Bohol provinces in central Philippines and inspected ruins in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake that killed over 100 people. Aquino, accompanied by some of his Cabinet officials, was also briefed on the progress of government efforts to restore normalcy and help those affected by the magnitude 7.2 quake that struck the region. The quake injured more than couple hundreds and displaced thousands of people in the Visayas. The earthquake also hit Tagbilaran City in Bohol; Iloilo City, Hinigaran and La Carlota towns in Negros Occidental; Masbate City, Roxas City, San Jose, Culasi, Antique and
A government photo shows President Benigno Aquino upon his arrival in Cebu province. Guihulngan towns in Negros Occidental, and even in Davao and Pagadian cities. Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the quake was tectonic in or igin and has been
traced 33 kilometer deep east of Carmen town in Bohol province. Solidum said they recorded more than 800 aftershocks. The quake damaged many buildings and old churches and destroyed roads and bridges in many areas and cut off
power in the provinces. The Sulu provincial gover nment has expressed sympathy to the victims of the earthquake. Fazlur Rahman Abdulla, head of the Sulu Area Coordinating Council, said the acting Governor Sakur Tan, has offered prayers to the victims. "We share with acting Governor Sakur Tan in expressing sympathies and prayers to the victims of earthquake in Visayas, and some parts of the country. We invoke Allah's continuous protection from calamities, and also reminded to seriously invest in furtherance of individual communal disaster preparedness at our end," he told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Hundreds of landless farmers belonging to Task Force Mapalad in Bacolod City protested outside the Department of Agrarian Reform Negros Occidental South Office. Farmers demand for action on their land claims before the agrarian program ends in June 2014.
Gunman barges in Zambo Ambush kills politician Farmers demand land house, kills occupant ahead of village polls
ZAMBOANGA CITY – An unidentified gunman barged in a house and fatally shot a villager in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines, police said. Police said Freddie Sabran, 39, was shot by the lone assailant who escaped after the attack in Kilometer 7 in Pasonanca village. Sabran, who was shot in the chest, had been rushed by his family to hospital, but he died
along the way. Police are still investigating the motive of the attack and who was behind it. Sabran’s family did not give any statement about the killing, but gun attacks are not uncommon in Zamboanga. Many of the killings in Zamboanga have been largely blamed to gunsfor-hire who are actively operating in the city. Most of the murders remain unsolved. (Mindanao Examiner)
COTABATO CITY – Gunmen killed a young politician and wounded and her husband and driver in an ambush that occurred ahead of village polls in the southern Philippines, officials said. Officials said the attack in Lanao del Sur’s Piagapo town killed the 28-year old Salma Abdurahman Sultan, a candidate in the October 28 elections. Her husband, Tagoloan Jakaria, 29, and their driver, Jainal Pacasum, were both wounded in the
Zambo Sur village official, driver nabbed on drug and gun charges PAGADIAN CITY – Police arrested a village official and his companion in Zamboanga del Sur province on alleged gun and drug charges, officials said. Officials said the official Wilmer Deles, 34, and his driver Rosmar Barredo, 31, were apprehended during an inspection at a checkpoint along the Zamboanga highway in Aurora town.
Barredo reportedly yielded an unlicensed .45caliber pistol while two sachets of suspected shabu and two dozen rolled aluminium foils were allegedly seized from Deles both are residents of Lintugop village. The two men were travelling on a motorcycle when policemen led by SPO4 Jeremias Pepito stopped them at the
checkpoint for a routine inspection, according to Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman. “The arrested barangay official was brought and detained at the Aurora Municipal Police Station and the driver is still being investigated for carrying an illegal weapon,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
ambush, according to Captain Jefferson Somera, a regional army spokesman. “The politician had just filed her candidacy paper in the town and was returning home when gunmen attacked her vehicle. The woman was instantly killed in the attack,” he told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. Somera said the ambushers escaped after the shooting. He said the military and police have launched a separate investigation into the ambush and he could not say who were suspected as behind the broad daylight attack or whether the ambush was connected to the upcoming polls. The province is part of the Muslim autonomous region. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the ambush, but elections in the southern Philippines are traditionally violent and even village polls is a huge concern to authorities because of warring political clans, vote buying and the presence of private armies and rebel groups in the troubled region. (Mindanao Examiner)
BACOLOD CITY — Hundreds of landless farmers besieged the Department of Agrarian Reform in South Negros and demanded full land distribution under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. They held a noise barrage at the DAR office to dramatize their fury at the failure of the agency to speed up land distribution. “This interagency dialogue had been reset four times since August. They seem to have all kinds of excuses to avoid meeting us despite their ver y low rate of accomplishment in land distribution,” Task Force Mapalad President Alberto Jayme said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. DAR South Negros distributed only 454 hectares as of July 2013 out of its target of 7,590 hectares for the entire year. TFM South Negros farmers slammed DAR for performing badly even as it has been beefed up with additional personnel, officials and all the needed
equipment. Lucresia Taburnay, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer for Negros Occidental South, allegedly snubbed farmers for the fourth time since August and would not talk to them, saying she had to attend a training session along with her staff. The farmers slammed Taburnay for this, saying that apparently, she does not care about the complaints of the farmers, who said CARP expires in June 2014 and land distribution must be hastened by these absentee local DAR officials. President Beningo Aquino has promised TFM farmers during a dialogue in Malacanang in June 2012 that he would complete CARP until the end of his term in 2016. The CARP backlog in the whole of Negros Island zoomed to 145,000 hectares since President Aquino took over Malacanang in 2010. Since 2010, the Aquino administration was only able to distribute a measly 7,565 hectares out of the four-year target of 81,330 hectares.
Pencing By Jun Feliciano (Zamboanga City) THE WORD: “There’s a big difference between religiosity and spirituality. Religiosity is more on rituals and on traditions while spirituality is worshipping God purely in the spirit because we worship Him in truth and in the spirit. God sees only our spirit, and without it, we’re dead in his sight, spiritually.” THE Crisis Management Committee in last Thursday’s midday press briefing held at the conference room of City Hall, announced that the curfew hours be shortened starting at 12 midnight to 4 a.m. the following day. Previous to this, the curfew which came about due to the recent two huge crisis- the September bloody standoff and the succeeding massive flash floods - was from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. IN the said CMC briefing, Mayor Beng Climaco-Salazar commended all those who, in one way or another, did their part in helping Zamboanga City rise from its darkest horizon during the herculean crisis. AT our extreme angst, I suppose, we manage to fence off those potential threats still hounding us to this day. ON their part, our authorities keep on assuring us of their supposed tight security mantle spread out, citywide. IN my very recent interview with Task Force Zamboanga Commander Army Col. Andrelino Colina on Oct. 15, those supposed threats accordingly stemmed partly from the Moro rebel group/s off the borders of Barangay Limpapa near the boundary of Sibuco municipality in Zamboanga del Norte. BUT, the good Colonel appeared the least worried - meaning there’s not much to fear in mi ciudad de Zamboanga. “We already checked and verified those reported threats,” the TFZ Chief declared, as if to calm down the whole situation here after those harrowing days that we all went through.
THE best that we can do to help our authorities, instead, is never be part of these loonies out to fan more troubles. DIDN’T our CMC head Mayor Beng Climaco-Salazar remind us all in here to train all those unverified alarming text messages appearing in our cell-phones to either the AFP through its Western Mindanao Command here or to the Philippine National Police through their own PRO-9 Headquarters as well? THE problem within us is we keep being defiant and even foolhardy, at times, to all these and when they occur truthfully, we get rattled and panic all the way. Too bad, we act that late resulting to our own debacle in the end. WHAT I’m trying to drive at, is be, at all times, ready to treat all these potential threats as indeed real and really exists - for awareness sake. IS there a local version of Napoles in mi ciudad de Zamboanga? A lot of talks are abuzz these days about our own Napoles bleeding that bad our own coffers to the point it drains dry, nothing left to the poor and plenty to spare for the few who are rich. WHY is it so? Think of our government projects easily washed out, compared to those private ones that can prove too sturdy not to easily fall down. ONE concerned citizen brought up such local Napoles issue just the other day, and true to his word, came the buzz unsurprisingly that indeed we have our own Napoles right now supposedly making our city - already badly battered - virtually a milking cow. THIS is nauseating! This is despising and more so, condemnable! DISCL AIMER: The views and opinions DISCLAIMER: expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Mindanao Examiner or any of its staffs and employees.
Rebels raid plantation in Surigao del Sur DAVAO CITY – Communist rebels have destroyed a rubber tree plantation after farmers rejected extortion demands in the southern Philippine province of Surigao del Sur, the army said. It said some 15 New People’s Army rebels swooped down on the village of Bacolod and chopped off trees and uprooted thousands of seedlings. The farmers belong to the Bacolod Upland Farmers Association, according to Captain Alberto Caber, an army spokesman. He said the farmers sought help from the army and asked for deployment of patrol in the
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The Mindanao Examiner
Oct. 21-27, 2013
area to protect them from future rebel attacks. “I thought they are pro-poor. Why did they chopped-off the future source of our livelihood? Why do they attack civilians and our simple properties?” Caber quoted one of the farmers as allegedly saying. Caber accused the rebels of human rights violations. “This is another human rights violation of the NPAs,” he said. He said Lieutenant General Ricardo Rainier Cruz, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, also condemned the targeting of civilians by rebel forces and that he ordered troops to intensify the op-
eration against the NPA, which is fighting for a separate communist state. There was no immediate statement from the NPA about the accusations of the military. Last month, rebels also raided a Communist rebels raided a rubber processing plantation owned by the Standard Rubber Development Corporation and killed its manager before torching the facility in North Cotabato province also in southern Philippines. The SRDC is one of the largest producer and exporter of natural rubber in the Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Is the end of pork barrel near? by Perry Diaz THE PHILIPPINE Supreme Court, in a move that caught administration officials by surprise, issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) last September 10 stopping further releases of funds from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the President’s Social Fund (PSF). Also covered in the TRO are releases from the Malampaya Fund, which President Benigno Aquino III had used in projects that had nothing to do with “financing energy resource development and exploitation programs and projects of the government” as required by law. The TRO was in response to three citizens’ petitions that asked the court to declare as unconstitutional the lump sum allocations under the PDAF and the PSF, and the misuse of the Malampaya Fund. The petitioners are former senatorial candidates Greco Belgica and Samson Alcantara, and former Marinduque Board Member Pedrito Nepomuceno. The respondents include Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, Senate President Franklin Drilon, and House of Representatives Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. Mocker y of the C onstitution ockery Constitution In his petition, Alcantara said: “The pork barrel system allows the perversion of taxation by providing opportunities for the members thereof to gorge themselves in funds collected pursuant to tax legislation they have enacted purportedly for the public good.” He called the pork barrel system a “mockery” of the constitutional mandate on “accountability, honesty and integrity of public officers.” He said that the President could end up “controlling” the lawmakers because the system allowed him to release or withhold the funds, which is in violation of the constitutional separation of powers. It’s interesting to note that while the respondents indicated that they would comply with the TRO, Speaker Belmonte raised an issue. “To abolish it 100 percent, to reform it, to do anything with it, it is my position that it’s a political question which under our system of government belongs to Congress,” he told the media. Unconstitutional pr ovisions pro But Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio seems to support the petitioners’ arguments. During the hearing for the oral arguments on the petitions last October 8, he said that the PDAF “on its face is unconstitutional” because the President cannot share the power to utilize public funds with the legislative branch. He said that the power to utilize public funds lies solely with the President; therefore, any power-sharing is unconstitutional. He said that the PDAF is “riddled with unconstitutionality.” Carpio also said that while the Constitution allowed the President to realign savings, he couldn’t delegate that authority to Cabinet secretaries. Carpio also said that another unconstitutional provision is the power given to Congress to concur with the realignment of funds, and the privilege given to lawmakers to identify their projects. He said that these provisions circumvent the “power of the President to veto.” “It violates the right of the President to veto projects. It destroys the check and balance when it comes to the executive and legislative branches of government,” he said. There is a groundswell of support for the abolition of the pork barrel system, which many believe is the source of massive corruption. Indeed, a citizens’ movement for the abolition of the pork barrel system is spreading like wildfire. Another EDSA? An EDSA “people power” revolution might be welcome to the suffering poor. However, oligarchic forces – like those behind EDSA 1 and EDSA 2 -- usually lead this kind of revolution, which is actually anti-revolutionary intended to preserve the oligarchy, albeit with a new
set of players. But the people are now tired of “people power” revolutions where “change” is nothing more than reinvented slogans and recycled trapos (traditional politicians). It is therefore in this context that a “judicial interference” is, imperatively, the only instrument for real change. This is because the executive and legislative branches of government have abdicated from their core responsibility of implementing laws that are consistent with not only the letter of the law but, more importantly, the spirit of the law. And what a better time to do it than now! Speaker Belmonte can continue to argue that the abolition of pork barrel is the prerogative of Congress and that the Supreme Court should stay out of congressional business. But how can the high magistracy of the land stay out of it when there are – right now! -- three valid petitions filed before it? Simply put, the Supreme Court may not have any alternative but to rule on the constitutionality of the pork barrel system. After all, its job – and solemn duty – is to make sure that any law enacted by Congress, if challenged, must be within the purview of the Constitution. To avoid the death knell for the pork barrel system, Congress must act to reform it and to institute controls to prevent anyone – particularly the lawmakers – from raiding the people’s treasury. But wouldn’t this be akin to the Mafia policing itself to prevent the Mafiosi from committing crimes? For this reason, the only branch of government that can institute real reforms to the pork barrel system and avoid its abolition is the Judiciary. In reforming the pork barrel system, the high court should be cognizant that lawmakers thrive on pork barrel. Indeed, pork barrel is to Philippine lawmakers as ambrosia was to the Greek gods. It’s their food. Deprive them of their food and they’d wither away. It would not then come as a surprise if the members of Congress – with collaboration from the executive branch – were to lobby the 15 justices of the Supreme Court to uphold the constitutionality of pork barrel. It is a fight not only for their livelihood but also to save their political lives. In other words, it’s all about self-preservation. End game President Aquino is now at the crossroads of his presidency. Would he heed the wishes of his “boss,” the people, or would he pander to the corrupt political establishment? It shouldn’t be a hard choice to make; however, there were times when “political expediency” had taken precedence over good governance. And by the looks of it, Aquino seems like he is bent on maintaining the status quo, with some “reforms” to keep everybody happy… except the people. Last October 14, the House of Representatives announced that the P27billion PDAF would be scrapped from the proposed P2.268-trillion national budget for 2014. But the PDAF and PSF (President’s Social Fund) are just small portions of the President’s P450-billion Special Purpose Funds (SPF). If you add the SPF, the Unprogrammed Funds, and the Funds Under the President’s Control, you’re looking at a huge pork barrel totaling P1.33 trillion! Does it seem like Aquino’s allies in the House are sacrificing the tiny PDAF to preserve the obscenely humongous presidential pork barrel? However, Malacañang insists that these are not pork barrel. What is it then? Ultimately, the people will be the final arbiter, which brings to mind the question: Is the end of pork barrel near or is it here to stay? A wise man once said, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Yes, indeed. (PerryDiaz@gmail.com) DISCL AIMER: The views and opinions DISCLAIMER: expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Mindanao Examiner or any of its staffs and employees.
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P10
Oct. 21-27, 2013
‘MNLF’ GROUP CHARGED WITH REBELLION IN ZAMBO
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ebellion char ges hav e been filed against 23 charges have alleged rrebels ebels who surr ender ed to the posurrender endered lice at the height of fier ce fighting betw een fierce between secur ity for ces and M or oN ational Liber asecurity forces Mor oro National Liberation F amboanga City in souther n Frront members in Z Zamboanga southern Philippines epor ts said. hilippines,, rrepor eports Quoting Assistant working for a politician City Prosecutor Glady who sent the gunmen to Bernabe, Solar News re- Zamboanga to pose as ported the group of Com- surrenderees to demoralmander Usong Ugong, ize the ranks of the rebel was formally charged in group and as a media propaganda. Zamboanga City. Ugong’s group has Ugong’s group surrendered September 17 been separated from over to Senior Superintendent 200 MNLF rebels now beJose Chiquito Malayo, ing held in the sprawling then the local police San Ramon Penal Farm chief, in the village of and moved to the overMampang in exchange crowded Zamboanga Refor a safe passage back to formatory Center for a still Basilan province. Ugong unknown reason. Zamboanga Mayor claimed the MNLF under Nur Misuari misled them Maria Isabella Salazar said into believing they would she will not allow the attend a peace rally in rebels to go unpunished. Rebel forces led by Zamboanga, but ended up hiding in the village Ustadz Khabir Malik stormed several villages in when fighting erupted. Malayo was initially Zamboanga on Septemreported to have been ber 9 and took over 200 taken hostage by Ugong’s people hostage and used group, but this had been them as shield against denied by the police of- pursuing soldiers and auficer who admitted he thorities said almost all went to the village to ne- captives had been freed or gotiate for the surrender rescued. The fighting had killed of the rebels. Malayo has and wounded over 400 been recently sacked. But other reports people and displaced claimed Ugong’s group more than 100,000 people. was allegedly paid or Malik escaped the military
Alleged MNLF leader Commander Ugong and his followers and their weapons shortly after their surrender to the police. (Mindanao Examiner Photo) dragnet along with his trusted men and were either in Basilan or Sulu provinces, both strongholds of the MNLF rebels.
Misuari, who signed a peace accord with Manila in 1996, accused the Aquino government of reneging on the peal deal
and launched a new rebellion, the second in more than a decade. In 2001, loyal forces of Misuari also attacked military bases in
Zamboanga City and Jolo town in Sulu province and the clashes killed over 100 people. (Mindanao Examiner)
Sulu offers prayer, sympathy to Visayas quake victims SULU – Sulu province offered prayers and expressed sympathy to the victims of a deadly earthquake that killed over 100 people in the central Philippines. Fazlur Rahman Abdulla, head of the Sulu Area Coordinating Council, said the acting Governor Sakur Tan, has offered prayers to the victims. "We share with acting Governor Sakur Tan in expressing sympathies and prayers to the victims of earthquake in Visayas, and some parts of the country. We invoke Allah's continuous protection from calamities, and also reminded to seriously invest in furtherance of individual com-
ARMM
munal disaster preparedness at our end," he told the Mindanao Examiner. President Benigno Aquino flew to Cebu and Bohol provinces and inspected ruins in the aftermath of the earthquake before flying to South Korea for an official visit. Aquino, accompanied by some of his Cabinet officials, was also briefed on the progress of government efforts to restore normalcy and help those affected by the magnitude 7.2 quake that struck the region. The quake injured more than couple hundreds and displaced thousands of people in the Visayas. The earthquake also hit Tagbilaran City in Bohol;
Iloilo City, Hinigaran and La Carlota towns in Negros Occidental; Masbate City, Roxas City, San Jose, Culasi, Antique and Guihulngan towns in Negros Occidental, and even in Davao and Pagadian cities. Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the quake was tectonic in origin and has been traced 33 kilometer deep east of Carmen town in Bohol province. Solidum said they recorded more than 800 aftershocks. The quake damaged many buildings and old churches and destroyed roads and bridges in many areas and cut off power in the provinces. (Ahl Salinas)
Southern Mindanao
Davao
Sulu Vice Governor Sakur Tan, right, and Sulu Governor Totoh Tan. (Mindanao Examiner Photo by Ahl-Franzie Salinas)
Manila
Zamboanga Peninsula