Gunmen abduct woman in Zambo PAGE 2
Hustisya holds storytelling for 'Haiyan' children-survivors
Shariff Aguak mayor shines, gets prestigious award PAGE 4
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Goiter, hernia patients get help from APO alumni group and Tzu Chi Foundation
Los Angeles man, Filipino cop killed in motorcycle crash
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President Aquino elated over spikes in ARMM investments PAGE 9
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ONLINE LIBEL UMANI NG BATIKOS, PROTESTA!
U
mani ng katakut-takot na pr otesta at hindi protesta pagsang-ay on ang publiko tikular ang pagsang-ayon publiko,, par partikular ibat-ibang gr upo at netiz ens on ng grupo netizens ens,, sa desisy desisyon Kor te S upr ema na nagdeklar ang legal ang orte Supr uprema nagdeklarang online yber cr ime Law at maitutur ing itong Cyber ybercr crime maituturing online libel sa C isang cr iminal offense criminal offense.. Ipinagtanggol naman karapatan ng sinuman ang ni Pangulong Benigno naturang desisyon ng Korte Aquino at Senador Vicente Suprema. Tutol kami Sotto ang desisyon at sinabing proteksyon ito ng Tinuligsa rin ng media isang indibidwal sa mga group Alab ng Mamanakakasirang paratang sa mahayag ang desisyon ng Internet at social media. Korte Suprema at ayon kay Ayon kay Aquino ay hindi ALAM national Chairman umano makakalabag sa Jerry Yap, hindi bagong
ARMM
batas ang libel at matagal na itong tinututulan ng media dahil sinisikil nito ang kalayaan sa pagpapahayag ng katotohanan. Aniya, isa na namang bagong paraan sa panggigipit sa media ang online libel. “Noon 1932 pa, tinututulan na ang libel. In fact, may batas na para madecriminalize ang libel. Ano ba ang naisipan ng mga walang magawang mambabatas at media na naman ang ginigipit nila?
Southern Mindanao
Davao
Napakaraming kriminal na nagkalat, bakit hindi iyon ang asikasuhin para mabawasan krimen. Nagtatrabaho lang kami para maiulat ang katotohanan,� ani Yap. Sinabi naman ni Atty. Theodore Te, ang tagapagsalita ng Korte Suprema, na mapaparusahan ang orihinal na author ng libelous post sa Internet, ngunit lusot ang mga nakatanggap o nagkomento lamang sa naturang post sa social me-
Manila
dia, batay sa Section 4 ng batas. Ayon sa batas ay parurusahan rin ang mga taong tumulong o nakipagsabwatan sa pagsagawa ng cybercrimes o sinumang magtatangkang gumawa nito na kinabibilangan ng mga sumusunod na aktibidad: illegal access; illegal interception; data interference; system interference; misuse of devices; cyber squatting; computer related fraud;
computer-related identity theft; at cyber sex, batay naman sa Section 5. Subalit ilegal naman, ani Te, ang pangungolekta ng real-time traffic data ng mga awtoridad at paglimita o pag-alis ng access sa Internet ng user. Media ang tar get target “Mas prayoridad yata ng gobyerno ang maliliit na krimen kesa mga seryosong mga krimen at napakaraming drug lords, Continue to P age 2 Page
Zamboanga Peninsula
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Feb. 24- Mar. 2, 2014
Online Libel umani ng batikos, protesta! Continued fr om P age 1 from Page mga kaso ng child pornography, murder, human trafficking, money laundering, bakit media ang binabatikos nila? Kakampi kami ng batas. Ang kaaway nating lahat, yung mga kriminal. Kung nagkataong kongresista o senador, kahit pa presidente ang kriminal, kahit pa sanlibong libel cases, hindi makapipigil sa pagsisiwalat naming ng katotohanan,” sabi pa ni Yap. Sinabi ni Yap na hindi dapat itinutuon ng batas ang kanilang atensyon sa media at mga Internet users dahil iilan lang naman ang iresponsable sa kanila. “Konting masaling mo ang mga government officials, libel agad. Konting samaan ng loob, libel agad. Laging iyan ang pang-harrass sa media,” wika pa nito. Idinagdag pa ni Yap, na dating pangulo ng National Press Club, na kung tutuusin ay hindi na kailangan ang online libel dahil dahil kapareho
rin ito ng libel na nakapaloob sa Revised Penal Code. “Importante sa aming media men ang makapagsiwalat ng katotohanan. Teknikal ang libel. Kahit mababa lang ang parusa, nasa ilalim pa rin ito ng hurisdiksyon ng Regional Trial Court. Sa madaling sabi, kung maconvict ang writer, lalabas na kriminal siya,” paliwanag pa ni Yap. Ipinangko naman ni Yap na muli silang maghahain ng motion for reconsideration upang paulit-ulit na igiit na unconstitutional ang Cybercrime Law. Pananggalang kontr a kontra batikos Naglabas rin ng pagkabalisa ang grupong Karapatan at sinabing ang probisyon ng libel sa Cybercrime Law ay lalo lamang magagamit kontra sa mga taong tumutuligsa sa Pangulo, partikular sa mga “anti-people policies” diumano nito. “The libel provision in the Cybercrime Law will most likely be used against those who criticize Presi-
dent Benigno Aquino’s anti-people policies and programs and those who expose corruption and rights violations. If such would be the case, Aquino’s lies and spins used to cover up the country’s real situation should also be subject of libel for they are far more disastrous to the Filipino people,” ani Karapatan Secretary-General Cristina Palabay. Noong Oktubre 2012 ay naghain ang Karapatan ng asunto kontra Cybercrime Law sa United Nations sa pamamagitan ni Frank La Rue, ang Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression; at Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders. Sinabi ng Karapatan na ang “Cybercrime Law constitutes several violations of international human rights conventions and declarations, including the International Convention on Civil and Politi-
cal Rights and the UN Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders of which the Philippines, as a signatory, has the obligation to implement.” Freedom of expr ession expression Inalmahan rin ito ng media watch group National Union of Journalists of the Philippines at sinabing “a half-inch forward, but a century backward” ang naturang desisyon ng Korte Suprema – “this best describes the Supreme Court’s decision on the petitions to declare the Cybercrime Prevention Act unconstitutional.” “For while the high court rightly declared a number of provisions of the statute unconstitutional, it otherwise upheld the law and, worse, online libel, thus adding yet another element - ironically the very frontier we all believed would be most immune to attempts to suppress free expression - to an offense that former colonizers had, a hundred years ago, declared criminal in nature to stifle dis-
sent, and which succeeding governments have conveniently retained in our Revised Penal Code for the very same reason and as a convenient tool for the corrupt and the inept in power to harass and muzzle those with the temerity to bring their venalities to light,” ayon pa sa pahayag ng NUJP na ipinadala sa Mindanao Examiner. “By extending the reach of the antediluvian libel law into cyberspace, the Supreme Court has suddenly made a once infinite venue for expression into an arena of fear, a hunting ground for the petty and vindictive, the criminal and autocratic. We can only hope that the Supreme Court will not remain blind to this when appeals to the ruling are filed. But if it does, then there can only be one response lest we be forced to surrender all our other rights – resistance,” dagdag pa nito. Samantala, nais naman ni Senador Francis Escudero na i-decriminalize ang libel at amyen-
dahan ang Section 4 ng Republic Act No. 10175 o Cybercrime Prevention Act. Problema noon pa Sinabi naman ng Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility na ang “February 18 ruling of the Supreme Court declaring key provisions of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175) unconstitutional is a victory for free expression. But declaring the provision on libel committed through the Internet constitutional retains one of the most problematic provisions of the Act.” “The Supreme Court decision is in short a partial victory for free expression. Libel as provided for in the Revised Penal Code, thus remains today as problematic as it has been for over 80 years to press freedom and free expression, and in addition has become an even bigger constraint on free expression when committed online,” dagdag pa nito. (Mindanao Examiner)
Philippines vows to fight graft THE PHILIPPINES vowed to fight graft and corruption as part of President Aquino's campaign pledge during the 2010 presidential election. A government spokesman Herminio Coloma Jr., doused fears from some quarters which said that Aquino's dedication to fight graft may waver over time. He said the public must remember that Aquino was elected on anti-graft and corruption platform and that he will not waver from his political promise. “Tandaan natin na ang administrasyong ito ay nahalal dahil sa panawagang ‘kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap,’ kaya batayan ng administrasyon ang prinsipyo na kinakailangan ang mabuting pamamahala. Good governance is essential to attaining the political and economic development objectives of this administration,” he told reporters. And with regards to the continuing Senate and Department of Justice's investigation on the P10 billion pork barrel fund scam, Coloma said the government will pursue all the leads in the inquiry and prosecute people who committed wrongdoings. As the Senate and the DOJ tighten its focus on
Janet Napoles and several lawmakers in connection with the scam, there were reports about some lawmakers who maintained their own non-government organizations intended to be used for the diversion of their pork barrel allocations. “Lahat ng mga umano’y katiwalian hinggil sa paggamit ng pondo ng bayan ay dapat siyasatin, alamin, at mabigyan ng tamang proseso para matunton kung merong mga lumabag sa batas,” he said. Coloma said the government carried out other measures to speed up its inquiry as the National Bureau of Investigation investigates Napoles-related NGOs and their connection to alleged pork barrel irregularities. He said these include setting up an interagency anti-graft commission composed of the Department of Justice, Commission on Audit, and the Office of the Ombudsman which will work continuously to find out all those involve in the scam. So far, among the major lawmakers implicated in the controversy were Senators Juan Enrile, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada who all denied the accusations against them.
For all your publications and advertisements in Pagadian City and Zamboanga del Sur, please call Richard Suarez 062-2142706 and 0910-7348600
Dedma lamang ang Ateneo de Zamboanga University sa bentahan ng maruming pagkain tulad nitong manggang hilaw na nilalagyan pa ng bagoong o patis sa labas lamang ng campus nito sa lungsod ng Zamboanga. Kinakamay ng mga nagtitinda ang pagbabalat ng mangga at hindi alintana ang mga sakit na maaaring makuha tulad ng Hepatitis at iba pa sanhi ng maruming mga kamay. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
Gunmen abduct woman in Zambo GUNMEN seized a woman on a village in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines, police said. The 28-year old victim, Sabrina Ikbala Voon, was taken from their house at Pohoc Drive in the village of Mercedes by gunmen disguised as policemen and dragged her to a white van which was later recovered on a neighboring village by pursuing policemen. The van has a license plate GPH-851 and an identification card was also found in the vehicle with the name of Ignacio Curambao, who is the owner of the ve-
Photo from Sabrina Ikbala Voon Facebook account hicle. Curambao said the van was rented from their shop in Zamboanga.
Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman, said police and
military forces were searching for the woman. Citing reports in the area, Huesca said six gunmen were involved in the abduction. He said the gunmen and their hostage fled towards the shoreline of MuluMuluan village. “Pursuit operation is going on and we still do not know who were behind the abduction,” he said. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the abduction, but authorities had previously blamed kidnapping cases to the Abu Sayyaf group. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Feb. 24- Mar. 2, 2014
Hustisya holds storytelling for 'Haiyan' children-survivors MANILA – The human rights group called Hustisya held a storytelling for children who were survivors of typhoon Haiyan on the 100th day since it struck eastern Visayas and other parts of the central Philippines. The event, dubbed “Susmatanon: Mga Kwento ni Lolo Edong,” featured stories of a fellow Waray, political prisoner Eduardo Sarmiento. “Susmatanon” is a Waray term for “kwentong bayan” or folklore and it will also be the title of the book when published. It consists of six children’s stories of Sarmiento, which presents social issues of justice and peace written in the simplest manner. Held at the UP College of Science Library, “Susmatanon” brought together not only children victims of typhoon Yolanda but also children of victims of human rights violations. “We deemed it very significant that we hold this activity on the 100th day since typhoon Yolanda struck. We are one with the
people of Samar and Leyte and other parts of the Visayas in their call for justice. Thousands of people are denied of the much needed help and rehabilitation. It has made their sufferings worse, and we should all demand accountability and justice from the Aquino government,” Maria Cristina Guevarra, Hustisya Secretary- General, said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. Sarmiento, whom the organizers fondly introduced to the children as Lolo Edong, has been longing to share his unpublished book of children’s stories to his fellow Waraynons, but cannot personally do so because of his unjust imprisonment. Guevarra said Sarmiento was fully denied of due process when he was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment by Judge Myra Bayot Quiambao of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 203 on December 11, 2013 for the
Children listen to 2010 Miss Universe 4th runner-up Venus Raj as she tells one of the children’s stories written by political prisoner Eduardo “Edong” Sarmiento in UP Diliman in a storytelling activity titled “Susmatanon.” trumped up criminal charge of illegal possession
of explosives. In a message he wrote
Over 30 injured in bus mishap in Zambo Sibugay ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY – A chartered bus fell on its side following a near collision with another vehicle injuring over 30 passengers in the southern Philippines, police said. Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman, said the bus, carrying mostly teachers from Basilan province, came from Marawi City and heading to Zamboanga City when the mishap occurred on a highway in the village called Monching in Zamboanga Sibugay’s Siay town. He said the passengers came from the regional school sports competition. The wounded, he said, were brought to hospital in Kabasalan town. “They were all brought to the hospital for medical treatment and police are
Police photo of ill-fated bus in Zamboanga Sibugay province that injured over 30 people. investigating the accident,” Huesca told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. The 48-year old bus driver, Pepito Buot, told police investigators that he avoided a collision with another vehicle from the
opposite lane of the road on the dark highway and the bus – owned by Rural Transit Mindanao – swerved and fell on its side injuring the passengers. Just recently, a mini van carrying mostly athletes also fell in a cliff in
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the town of Buug in Zamboanga Sibugay and killing its driver and injuring 14 passengers. The driver Abdulajid Lukman, a resident of Zamboanga City, lost control of the wheel on a curve road near Bulaan village and fell into the cliff. The wounded, including teachers and a school nurse, were rushed to hospital. The van was on its way to Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province to bring the athletes to the venue of the annual sports competition of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Athletic Association. The athletes were part of a delegation from Sulu province. The regional sports competition is a project of the Department of Education of the autonomous government which is participated by Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)
to the activity organizers, Lolo Edong said: “Ang pagnanais na dumalo sa inyong pagtitipon at makaniig kayo kasama ang mga bata, ay isang panaginip lang sa kasalukuyan, sapagkat ako’y isang bilanggong pulitikal na nakapiit ngayon sa NBP (New Bilibid Prisons). Gayunpaman, wala man diyan ang aking katawan, nariyan naman ang aking isip at damdamin.” (My desire to be with you with the children in these gathering remains a dream at present, because I am a political prisoner currently detained at the NBP. However, my physical body may not be there but my mind and emotions are with you.) He further sent his messages of hope to the children: “Makikisuyo ako na maipaabot sa mga bata ang aking mainit na pagbati. Pakisabi sa kanila na huwag mawawalan ng pag-asa dahil may liwanag sa dilim at may bahaghari pagkatapos ng bagyo.” (May I ask for a favor to ex-
tend my warmest greetings to the children. Please tell them not to lose hope for there is light after the dark and there is a rainbow after the storm). Storytellers of the activity are 2010 Miss Universe fourth runner up Venus Raj, stand-up comedian Karen Dematera, and children’s storytellers JK Anicoche and Amihan Ruiz. “The children and Lolo Edong both suffer from injustice. Let this activity served as a channel for relaying the message that we should all work together for the attainment of justice. We should not let those people in power further torment the tormented. We call on our fellow Filipinos to work together to deter human rights abuses by helping those incarcerated hold their persecutors accountable. We call to free Lolo Edong. We call for justice for the people of Samar and Leyte and the rest of the Filipino people who suffer injustice,” Guevarra said.
Police investigate murder of Petron man Z AMBOANGA CITY – Police are still investigating the murder of a young maintenance man working for Petron Corporation in Zamboanga City. Police said Joey Malaki was biking his way to the Petron depot when shot in the village of Sutterville. It was not immediately known if there were witnesses to the attack and police said it is investigating the motive of the killing. Malaki’s body was discovered by civilians who phoned the police about the killing. One kibitzer was electrocuted by an electrical wire while watching the scene from a roof and had to be rushed to the hospital by his companions. No individual or group claimed respon-
sibility for Malaki’s murder, but hired killers are actively operating in Zamboanga City where gun attacks are common. Last July, two armed men also attacked and killed Kenneth Bernardo, a Petron gas depot employee in Zamboanga City. The assailants stopped the 25-year old Bernardo who was also traveling on a motorcycle and then stabbed him in the body. The assailants escaped after the attack. Bernardo managed to seek help from villagers before collapsing on the road and was rushed to hospital, but died while undergoing operation. The case remain unresolved. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Police units ordered to follow policies in releasing info MANILA - Police chief Alan Purisima has told his commanders, especially police units in the country to follow strictly the current policies and instructions on the proper procedures in handling and disclosure of information, particularly those involving operational data on investigative matters. Purisima said only police stations and operating units with inherent investigative mandate and functions to include all criminal investigations units are authorized to entertain and investigate cases and that only the duty desk officers of any police station are authorized to record incidents reported. He said there should be no undue disclosure of operational data on in-
vestigations being conducted by the police. He said to further enhance the communication capability of police units in handling major incidents, including critical investigation and crisis situations, the police will hold another series of public information and media relations training for all police chiefs starting with the National Capital Region. Purisima said he instructed Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, who heads the Philippine National Police - Public Information Office, to design a program of instruction and training module on media relations and public information for lower unit police commanders. Sindac said thge training will include basic
Trio in brutal Basilan slay captured POLICE arrested three men linked to the gruesome murder of three family members in the southern Philippine province of Basilan. Police said the men were arrested separately in Zamboanga City and in Lantawan town in nearby Basilan province where they killed an elderly couple Pablo and Teresa Guerrero and their granddaughter, Trixie. Another family member survived the assault, but
is seriously injured in the attack blamed by the police to Rigoberto Erasca, 28, Ricky Toledo, 21, and Alty Falcasantos, 19. Police said robbery was likely the motive behind the killings and that the weapons, among them a crow bar, used in the attack had been recovered by authorities and further bolstering evidence against the trio. A fourth man is being hunted by the police in Basilan and 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 Central Mindanao Richard Suarez Pagadian City Zamboanga del Sur
Alan Navales North- South Cotabato Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat
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
understanding on how to properly handle situations that require media relations and communication skills. The training also aims to re-orient and motivate police officers to be cognizant of the importance of a good working relationship with the media with keen awareness of the limits of disclosure of information. Sindac also emphasized the police maintains a policy utmost transparency in releasing information to the media or in obtaining them, particularly on matters of public interest.
Civilian shot in Isabela City Shariff Aguak mayor shines,
Shariff Aguak Mayor Zahara Upam-Ampatuan, a known peace advocate and a respected politician in Maguindanao province is a recipient of the government’s prestigious Seal of Good Housekeeping.
BASILAN – An unidentified gunman shot a civilian just outside a bank in Isabela City in the southern Philippine province of Basilan, police said. Police said the 34-year old Jeng Sabirun was about to go to the automated teller machine of the Land Bank of the Philippines along Juan Alano Street when the gunman shot him several times from behind. The attacker fled after the shooting. Sabirun, a resident of Lanote-Bliss village, was rushed to hospital, but his condition is unknown. Police are investigating the motive of the attack and no individual claimed responsibility for the shooting. Gun attacks are not uncommon in Isabela City and many of the cases remain unsolved. (Mindanao Examiner)
gets prestigious award
MAGUINDANAO – The Department of the Interior and Local Government has awarded a respected town mayor in Maguindanao province in southern Philippines the prestigious Seal of Good Housekeeping. Shariff Aguak Mayor Zahara Upam-Ampatuan, who was cited for her outstanding accomplishment and remarkable governance, received the Public Service Excellence award through the Civil Service Commission. The award is a government project which recognizes local government units with good performance in internal housekeeping, particularly in the areas of local legislation, development planning, resource generation, resource allocation and utilization, customer service,
and human resource management and development, as well as, in valuing the fundamental of good governance and it advances the primacy of performance, accountability, transparency and participation. The mayor has managed to get back the trust and confidence of the business sector in her town and nearby neighboring municipalities and at the same time strengthens the investment condition in Shariff Aguak. She has also transformed Shariff Aguak into a tourism hub with the participation of the community and support from the locals to make the town more peaceful and tranquil to all. The town mayor, a known peace advocate,
envisions Shariff Aguak to be a “gun-free” area that would signal a new beginning for the whole province which is part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that peace and development can be achieved if all would exert effort for a better future to all inhabitants of the province. The mayor is also a staunch supporter of the government peace process in Mindanao and in the past helped organized a peace gathering known as Kanduli that drew thousands of people in Shariff Aguak town. She is also active in children’s advocacy campaign and has been greatly helping orphaned and indigent children in the town through her various programs. (Mark Navales)
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Bel Yenko and wife Beb meet with Zamboanga Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar and Council man Rogelio Valesco and Dr. Anton Lim, of Tzu Chi Foundation.
Goiter, hernia patients get help from APO alumni group and Tzu Chi Foundation in Zambo City Militia leader arrested in Zamboanga City POLICE arrested a government militia leader in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines after he was intercepted on a checkpoint carrying suspected drugs and a gun. Police said Gonzalo Mandawe, 34, was immediately detained for possessing suspected shabu and a Magnum revolver. Mandawe is said to be the leader of the Civilian Volunteer Organization in Cabatangan village.
Mandawe was apprehended in Maasin village where policemen headed by Inspector Antonio Ancheta were manning the checkpoint. Police said Mandawe’s gun had no permits. It was not immediately known who organized the CVO in Cabatangan village, but the militia unit is supposed to be under the supervision of the local government. (Mindanao Examiner)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Dozens of goiter and hernia patients have availed of the free services of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and Project BOSS or Brotherhood Operation Surgical Services in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines. Bel Yenko, president of the Alpha Phi Omega, Southern Zamboanga Alumni Association (APOSOZA-ALAS), helped largely in bringing the patients from Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay provinces to the Tzu Chi Foundation at the Zamboanga City Medical Center where they had been screened.
Yenko, a known humanitarian worker, and his wife Bebs Rota, partnered to make the mission successful in Zamboanga. Yenko said the APO-SOZAALAS is just one of the groups that responded to the request of Dr Anton Mari Lim, of the Tzu Chi Foundation, to bring the patients to Zamboanga City for screening. “APO SOZA ALAS is just one of the groups which responded to Dr. Anton Mari H. Lim request to bring patients having goiter and hernia for screening. It was Mr. Tirso 'Buknoy' Dumapit, of radio station dxPR in Pagadian City, who
interviewed me for the said undertaking, and the patients who registered in his office. We can achieve good results if we band together for the Glory of God,” Yenko said. The Salwa Hotel in Zamboanga City also provided the accommodation for Yenko and his wife while they were here assisting the screening of the goiter and hernia patients. The couple thanked the hotel owner, Salwa Julwadi, and her daughter for their generosity and support to the humanitarian mission. Just recently, Yenko’s group and Tzu Chi Foundation also held an examina-
tion to patients with cataract problems. Yenko and his wife also met with Zamboanga Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar and Council man Rogelio Valesco at City Hall where they discussed about replicating the project here. Previously, Yenko’s APO-SOZA-ALAS also conducted “Operation Harelip,” a charity project with the Association of Surgeon’s and Anesthesiologists of Pagadian City, Philippine Medical Association- Zamboanga del Sur Chapter, and the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center. (Mindanao Examiner)
Fast-track hiring of civilian employees, Secretary Roxas tells PNP MANILA - Interior Secretary Mar Roxas has ordered the Philippine National Police to fast-track the hiring of civilian employees in their organization to boost the number of policemen fighting crimes on the streets. Roxas has encouraged young, idealistic and disciplined high
school graduates with technical or vocational skills, and college undergraduates to take the opportunity of joining the police organization. “Patuloy ang ginagawang pagtanggap ng PNP ng mga aplikante. Binibigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang mga may kakayahan na
maging lingkod-bayan sa pamamagitan ng PNP at maging bahagi ng kampanya laban sa kr iminalidad,” Roxas said. “Bahagi ito ng mga repormang ipinatutupad ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Aquino at inaasahan namin na hindi palalampasin ng
PNP ang pagkakataong ito para palakasin ang kanilang kakakayahan sa laban natin kontra kriminalidad.” Roxas, who is also chairman of the National Police Commission, said applicants may inquire and apply for the vacant positions at regional, provincial and municipal
police offices or stations across the country. The police need over 7,000 civilian employees for various police stations. “Kailangan nating dagdagan ang mga sibilyan para naman madagdagan ang mga
pulis na nasa labas at lumalaban para sugpuin ang kr iminalidad sa bansa. Magiging malaking tulong ang halos 5,000 dagdag na pulis para panatilihin ang kaayusan at kapayapaan sa mga lansangan,” Roxas said.
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The Mindanao Examiner
NEDA updates Philippine Grade 7 pupil nahaharap sa kasong attempted murder Development Plan MANILA - The National Economic and Development Authority said it has updated the Philippine Development Plan: 2011-2016 to ensure sustainability and inclusiveness of the country’s rapid economic growth. The Philippine Development Plan Midterm Update spells out the government’s roadmap for inclusive growth.“Overall, the ultimate goal of the updated Plan is inclusive growth. Accomplishments will be measured primarily in terms of economic growth, to an average of 7-8 percent until 2016, reduction in unemployment to 6.5-6.7 percent in 2016 and the incidence of income poverty to 18 to 20 percent,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said. “In addition, we are committing to quality of life targets: raise the quality of employment and overall quality of life. The former will be reflected as a reduction of underemployment to about 17 percent in 2016 and the latter, as a reduction of the incidence of multidimensional poverty incidence to 16-18 percent,” he added. The PDP midterm update highlights sustained economic growth. Balisacan said multidimensional poverty incidence, unlike income poverty, looks at deprivation in various dimensions – health, education, access to water, sanitation, secure housing, among others. He said this indicator can track the supposed outcomes of the different human development strategies, which impact on future income poverty. “Accelerating job creation requires building up of capital. Investments must continually rise for the economy to continue to grow and this requires a stable and predictable market environment. Thus, we should maintain positive expectations of consumer and business sectors through macroeconomic stability, a strong financial system, and a healthy external sector,” Balisacan said. He also emphasized the need to raise productivity and sustain growth in the agriculture, industry, and services sectors. “Reducing the cost of doing business in the country will continue to be a priority, consistent with the platform of good governance, and in order to en-
courage more investments. This requires addressing infrastructure bottlenecks, improving connectivity and increasing the availability of highly trainable and skilled labor,” he said. He said the plan aims to substantially reduce poverty by improving the skill sets of the poorest families and undertake more aggressive employment facilitation for better job-skills match especially concerning the poor. “We believe that the key is to directly address the constraints faced by the poor, set against a backdrop of rapid and sustained growth. These constraints operate in a highly diverse, fragmented and hazard prone environment. “Some cities or provinces have been experiencing economic growth, but the poorest families are being left behind perhaps because the growing sectors do not require the goods or services that the poor can provide,” Balisacan said. For this reason, he said, they will make use of the data from the National Household Targeting System which identifies the poor households in these provinces by name and will begin with the growth sectors present in these provinces, then focus on providing auxiliary and ancillary services that could be provided by the poorest families in the province. He said based on their growth experience, these sectors could be ITBusiness Process Management, tourism, construction, manufacturing, and logistics. “The role of government is to set the necessary policy and regulatory framework and provide public goods and services to catalyze private initiative and encourage efficiency improvements,” he said. The Plan emphasizes the government’s facilitative role in promoting competition and making it easy for firms and entrepreneurs, regardless of size, to do business in the country. “The updated Plan specifies indicators of efficiency and effectiveness to measure success. The real measure of efficiency is the extent to which private effort has been steered towards the direction laid out in the Plan; effectiveness is the extent to which the well-being of Filipinos has been improved,” Balisacan said.
ISANG GRADE 7 PUPIL ang nahaharap ngayon sa kasong ‘attempted murder’ matapos umano nitong saksakin at masugatan ang kapwa dahil lamang sa sagutang nauwi sa away sa bayan ng Liloy sa Zamboanga del Norte province. Sinampahan ng kaso ang menor de edad na ngayon ay nasa pangangalaga ng Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office at hinihintay na lamang
ang order ng korte upang maibigay ito sa Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth ng Department of Social Welfare and Development sa Zamboanga City. Nabatid na ipinagtatanggol umano ng menor de edad ang kaklase mula sa biktima na noon ay nagaaway sa compound ng Liloy National High School sa Barangay Fatima. Bumunot umano ang suspek ng balisong at
saka inundayan ng saksak ang biktima na tinamaan sa kanyang likuran. Bagamat tumakas ang suspek ay nadakip naman ito ng pulisya sa pangunguna ni SPO4 Rene Sagan sa bahay nila na kung saan nagtago. Hindi naman agad mabatid kung paanong nakakapasok ng paaralan ang suspek na may bitbit na balisong sa kanyang bulsa. (Mindanao Examiner)
Los Angeles man, Filipino cop killed in motorcycle crash DAPITAN CITY – An American national and a Filipino policeman were both killed in a motorcycle collision in the southern Philippine city of Dapitan, police said. Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman, identified the victims as 60-year old Stephen Richard Orr, from Pineville, Los Angeles; and SPO1 Armand Sagario Dalman, 42, assigned with
the Sibutad police station. Huesca said the policeman’s wife, Nora, 42, was also injured in the road accident which occurred in the village of Polo. Emergency workers rushed the foreigner and the policeman in the hospital, but both died along the way, police said, but it was unknown whether officials informed the Department of Foreign Af-
fairs or the U.S. embassy in Manila about the death of Orr whose American address is 2114 Shreveport Hwy Apt 271, Pineville, Rapides County. Police provided no other details about the personal background of Orr or whether he had a Filipino family or business in Dapitan City, except that he was temporarily residing in the area. (Mindanao Examiner)
NPA rebel leader yields in Bukidnon DAVAO CITY – A New People’s Army rebel commander has surrendered to the Philippine Army in Bukidnon province in Northern Mindanao, officials said. Officials said the 42year old Adaser dela Mansi, whose group operates in Bukidnon’s Malaybalay City surrendered to the 403rd Infantry Brigade under Col. Francisco Pabayo. Dela Mansi also yielded a rifle and ammunition when he surren-
dered in the village of Aglayan after abandoning his unit, according to Capt. Alberto Caber, a spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command. Caber said the rebel leader is being interrogated by the army. He said over 270 rebels had surrendered last year in Eastern Mindanao.
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, also urged other rebels to return to the folds of the law and rejoin their family in peace. The NPA has been fighting for a separate Maoist state in the largely Catholic country. (Mindanao Examiner)
Fish broker killed in Zambo City ZAMBOANGA CITY – A fish broker was shot and killed in an attack in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines, police said. Police identified the victim as Hussin Naama, a resident of Lower Calarian village. Naama, who just came out from an eatery, was killed in the seaside village of Baliwasan where the gunman had been waiting for him. The attacker fled on a
motorcycle driven by another man after the shooting. Police said Naama was shot several times and died instantly from the attack. Troops nearby responded to the shooting, but did not catch up with the assailants. Police said it is investigating the killing. Killings are a common occurrence in Zamboanga where guns-for-hire are actively operating. (Mindanao Examiner)
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The Mindanao Examiner
Feb. 24- Mar. 2, 2014
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Library photo of US forces in Zamboanga City and Sulu province. (Mindanao Examiner)
Talks to increase US military presence in Philippines going on MANILA - Filipino leader Benigno Aquino said work is still ongoing for a prospective Philippine-U.S. framework agreement that would allow increased rotational presence of American troops in the Philippines. Aquino said both countries want to make sure the pact does not violate Philippine and U.S. laws. “Mula naman noong simulan ang usapan na ito talagang ang focus ay mapamadali, na magkaayos na tayo’t magkasundo dito. Iyong principles that we want to
uphold… dapat klaro ang details. Sabi nga nila, the devil is in the details. Iyong details ang medyo kailangan pang plantsahin (Since the negotiations started, the goal was to reach an agreement soonest. But we must make sure the result does not violate the rules of both countries. We still have to iron out the details),” he said. There are speculations that the pact is being readied for signing in time for U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Manila in April.
But Aquino said there are still meetings being held to iron out the details of the pact. He said the added presence of US forces would boost the the country's position in its territorial row with China in the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea. Hundreds of U.S. troops are deployed since 2001 in southern Philippines - with camps in Zamboanga City in Mindanao and Sulu and Basilan provinces - to help Filipino troops fight terrorism.
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The Mindanao Examiner
Feb. 24- Mar. 2, 2014
President Aquino elated over spikes in ARMM investments DAVAO CITY - Philippine President Benigno Aquino said the spike in investments in the Muslim autonomous region is a sign of increasing business confidence in the area. Citing a report from the Board of Investment, Aquino said investments in the Muslim autonomous region reached P1.46 billion in 2013 - higher by 157% compared to the P569 million worth of investments in 2012. Aquino also lauded the entry of Iron Blaze Petroleum, Inc. at Polloc Port in Maguindanao, one of five provinces under the autonomous region, where it put a nine-million liter depot facility. Iron Blaze Petroleum, Inc - an oil trading and importing firm - begun shipping cheaper gasoline from nearby Sabah and Labuan in Malaysia in December. However, more supplies of this cheaper gasoline from Sabah and Labuan are needed before it can put a dent to the high oil prices in Central Mindanao. RBOI Chairman Ishak Mastura said: “This could be the start of something
big since the oil supply for the oil depot comes from neighboring Malaysia. Experts are telling us that this budding trade and investment relationship could be crucial for our future economic growth, as ARMM transitions to the new ‘Bangsamoro’ political entity.” Malaysia is the facilitator of the peace deal between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. According to Mastura, just this month, Lamsan Power Corporation based in Maguindanao's Sultan Kudarat town also registered with the Board of Investment its biomass renewable energy project costing P921.56 million. He said the power plant will utilize rice hull, coconut husks, corn cobs and other agricultural wastage from its own corn starch plant with a capacity of 15 megawatts (MW). The project is expected to reduce the commercial power consumption of its corn starch operations. This will also augment power reserves of the National Power Corporation and the
Mindanao Grid since Lamsan Power will be selling 11.5 MW to these power companies. The Board of Investment also registered another firm, ABSCOR MultiTrading Company which is engaged in import and export business based in Basilan province. ABSCOR stands for
President Benigno Aquino ASEAN Business System Company Organizing Resources. Its president Abraham Menor said and his Malaysian partners, who are respected and reputable business people in Sabah - among them Hajja Sidang Ahmad, of Rosita Enterprises; Raiza Zainal Abidin, of Raiza En-
Student shot by Zambo watchman ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police are searching for village watchman who shot a 19-year old student in an attack in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines. Police said Arnel Maut was accused of shooting Efraim Khan
Jamilon near the Barigon Bridge in Tugbungan village. Maut escaped after the attack leaving Jamilon bloodied and wounded and had to be rushed to hospital to save his life. The motive of the attack is unknown, but police said both Jamilon - a
terprises, and Susan Binti Ladjaguni, of Susan Hardware Enterprises - has set up headquarters in Port Holland in Maluso town and another satellite office in Zamboanga City. “We are trading company that deals with import and export in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and this is also one way to help small
3rd year at the Universidad De Zamboanga - and the assailant are both residents of the area. Police said Jamilon was attacked with a shotgun. Police are investigating the shooting. (Mindanao Examiner)
traders who are not capable or cannot put up their own firm, but now through ABSCOR Multi-Trading Company, we can help them in importing or ex-
porting products and commodities to other countries and vice versa,” Menor said. “Our aim now is to strengthen ABSCOR and help in the economy, not only in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, but the whole country as well. We are also seriously looking into the manufacturing sector – among them the processing of seaweeds which ABSCOR can export, we will deal with agricultural and marine products, construction and hardware materials, food stuff and groceries, including scrap metals – those would be our main line of business,” he added. Menor said their company would also provide jobs, aside from their social responsibility or commitment to the communities or in areas where they operate. “There is a lot projects and programs that we are now working on and we also would like to do our share in helping the country, in nation building and
promote the ARMM, the Philippines in other countries as a place to come and invest and in the end, it is our people who will reap the fruits of all our labor,” he said. Menor said they are concentrating their importexport business in BIMPEAGA which consists of Brunei Darussalam, Central Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Maluku, Sabah and Sarawak states and the Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia. East and West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, Irian Jaya in Indonesia, and Mindanao and Palawan province in the Philippines. BIMP-EAGA is eyed as a major location in ASEAN of high value-added agroindustry; natural resourcebased manufacturing, and high-grade tourism as well as non resource-based industries. (Mindanao Examiner)
Decomposing body of man discovered in Zambo Sibugay ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY – A man that police claimed is a primary suspect in a hacking incident was himself murdered in the town of Siay in the southern Philippine province of Zamboanga Sibugay. Police said the decomposing body of the 43-year old Alfredo Elias,
Jr. was found in the San Isidro village by a government militia. The corpse bore a stab wound in the chest. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the killing, but Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman, said the mu-
nicipal police are investigating the murder. “Elements of Siay Municipal Police Station are conducting an investigation for the possible identity and arrest of the perpetrator,” Huesca said without further elaborating. (Mindanao Examiner)
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PAGDAGSA NG DEPORTEES MULA SABAH INAASAHAN
P
inaghandaan na umano ng pamahalaan ang pagdagsa ng mga Pino y depor tees Pinoy deportees mula S abah dahil sa panibagong cr ackSabah crackdo wn ng M alaysia sa mga ilegal migr ants down Malaysia migrants at abahador doon. trabahador at tr Mahigit ng 1,000 mga bilang ng mga deportees mula Sabah - na deportees at inaangkin rin ng Sultanate of Sulu abala na rin - ang itinapon pabalik ng bansa ngayon ang mga sa nakalipas na 5 buwan. ahensya ng Sinabi naman sa Mindanao pamahalaan at Examiner ni Atty. Laisa Alamia, na kabilang dito siya rin Executive Secretary ng Au- ang Department tonomous Region in Muslim of Social Welfare Mindanao, na ginagawa nila ang and Developlahat upang matulungan ang ment, Departmga deportees at matugunan ang ment of Foreign problemang dulot ng crackdown. Affairs, Depart“We are now working on an ment of Health, immediate solution to process Department of quickly and sent home the Labor at Comdeportees so they can be reunited mission on Huwith their families,” ani Alamia man Rights matapos na bumisita sa Bongao, upang alalayan Tawi-Tawi upang tignan ang ang mga ito. sitwasyon ng mga deportees Maraming doon. mga deportees Dumating kamakailan ang ang nagsabing 198 Pinoy deportees mula Sabah pinahirapan sila at karamihan sa mga ito ay galing sa bilanguan sa Nagbibigay ng briefing ang isang kawani ng Department of Social Welfare and Development sa isang grupo ng mga Pinoy sa Tawi-Tawi at Sulu na sakop Malaysia at may deportees mula Sabah, Malaysia.(Kuha ni Therence Koh) naman ng ARMM. Tinatayang mga balitang mahigit sa 600,000 Pinoy ang nasa ginahasa ang iba. Ngunit ayon kay tions, subali't noon nakaraang taon deportation na nangyari, we have rights violations nga na sinasabi Sabah, na ngayon ay bahagi ng Alamia ay wala silang natatanggap ay may mga narinig umano ukol sa not receive yet reports of alleged but we intend to discuss the mifederated states of Malaysia. ngayon na ulat ukol sa mga hinaing ng mga deportees. human rights violation, but previ- gration issues, yun mga Filipino Inaasahang tataas pa ang reklamo ng human rights viola“Well for now, itong sa current ously, that was in 2013 at the time migrants who are there whether na nagkaroon ng siege by the Royal legal or illegal na nandoon. Kasi Sultanate Army tapos yun mga that would be more long term – dumarating ay na-interview ng so like for example itong demoliDSWD habang pina-process and tion of the water villages, the conthe DSWD officers sa mga tinued crackdown and we have probinsya was given instructions to an appeal to do it calibrated para document kung mayroon ba silang hindi naman tayo ma-overna-experience na human rights whelm dito sa pagdating ng mga violation when they were arrested deportees. That will include huor during their escape..iba-iba yun man rights issues mayroon mga kuwento, there are allegations kasing mga diplomatic relations of human rights violations and so because this is a national issue these are based on what they are it’s up to the Philippines, it’s (in) the national level so the resolusaying,” ani Alamia. Inamin rin ni Alamia na wala tion of the Sabah issue is a napang isinasagawang imbes- tional issue that is best left sa wistigasyon ukol sa mga alegasyon, dom ng national government ngunit may rekomendasyon na and we do not want to preempt umano ito sa pamahalaan. also. But gumawa na kami ng rec“There is no empirical evi- ommendations,” sabi pa ni dence based on investigation Alamia. that’s conducted on site. Wala Hindi rin nagpa-imbestiga si pang investigation. We cannot go Pangulong Benigno Aquino sa there. Walang formal investigation mga reklamo ng mga deportees coming from the Philippine gov- kontra Malaysia na siya ngayon ernment na pumunta sa Sabah to namamagitan sa peace talks ng investigate human rights viola- pamahalaan at Moro Islamic Libtions. Sa ARMM, we have not sent eration Front rebels. (Mindanao Si ARMM Executive Secretary Laisa Alamia habang kausap ang isang grupo ng mga mamamahayag sa Garden any team to investigate the human Examiner) Orchid Hotel. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
ARMM
Southern Mindanao
Davao
Manila
Zamboanga Peninsula