Davao mayor orders probe on cocaine shipment PAGE 3
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Security forces foil kidnapping in Sulu
Roadmap to Peace
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Troops foil bombing ahead of peace deal signing with MILF rebels PAGE 7
Malaysia says flight MH370 is assumed to have crashed in southern Indian Ocean
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President Benigno Aquino greets Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman Murad Ebrahim during the Courtesy Call at the President’s Hall of the Malacañang Palace. (Photo by Ryan Lim) See story on Page 2
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Peace, Finally!
Mar. 31-Apr. 6, 2014
MILF rebels, Aquino sign Bangsamoro accord
M
oro Islamic Liberation Front rebels have finally sealed a peace deal with the Aquino government after 17 years of negotiations with both sides pledging to presever the gains of the historic event. Weeks after he declared himself new chieftain of the former rebel group Moro National Liberation Front, Abul Kayr Alonto, whose faction claimed to have replaced Nur Misuari, has also publicly thrown his support to peace deal. Alonto, who was among the original founding members of the MNLF, urged the Muslims to support the Bangsamoro agreement. He said his group is supporting the peace process and also urged Congress to approve the new political entity called Bangsamoro which shall replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which is composed of the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao. Mor o people should unite oro “The Moro people want to set their house in order but how can they set their house in order when the very key to their own hands is not in their own hands. And the sad part is that the people who want to govern them do not even speak the language that the people to be governed speak. Ito na po ang key and I believe the taught by my grandfather was saying that the key is not in their hands, the key now is the framework basic law that we look forward to that will be approved by Congress or through Constitutional amendment, please do so, let’s do it so that we can unite and spare the future generation of a war of aggression,” Alonto said. “I will look forward that when the establishment of this government we can have a full fiscal autonomy we can budget what we need, all these revenues coming from our resources just to catch up with the nation must be used for a free education, free health and free shelter para po ang inyong kawawang sambayanang Moro sa timogan Pilipinas ay magkaroon ng pagkakataon to set their house in order and establish a place in
President Benigno Aquino huddles with Moro Islamic Liberation Front, led by its chairman Murad Ebrahim, for a group photo souvenir during the Courtesy Call at the President’s Hall of the Malacañang Palace. (Photo by Ryan Lim) the sun for their children and children to be,” he added. The MILF thanked all those who supported the peace talks. “We want to thank everybody and all those who supported us in the common quest to peace, just and lasting peace for each and everyone,” Mohagher Iqbal, the chairman of the MILF peace panel and also the Front’s current vice chairman, told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. Suppor upportt Peace advocate Father Eliseo Mercado also praised the signing of the peace agreement. “We celebrate the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. Wishing the GPH and the MILF all the power and blessings to make peace and prosperity a reality for all the inhabitants of the Bangsamoro Territory, hopefully within my lifetime, all our cooperation and support,” he said. Muslims in the autonomous region in Mindanao also held various programs in support to the peace deal signing. The governors of the Muslim autono-
mous region - Totoh Tan, of Sulu; Jum Akbar, of Basilan; Esmael Mangudadatu, of Maguindanao; Nurbert Sahali, of Tawi-Tawi and Mamintal Adiong, of Lanao del Sur, were also in the ceremony to witness the signing of the accord. The British Ambassador to the Philippines, Asif Ahmad, called the signing of the peace deal as a "fantastic occasion." He said the presence and support of Christian, Lumad and Muslim representatives from Mindanao as well as senators, congressmen, civil society and the international community and media, all underscored the significance of this historic peace agreement. "Given Malaysia’s important role facilitating the talks, it was fitting that amidst the tragic disappearance of Malaysian Air flight MH370, Prime Minister Najib and Tengku Abdul Ghafar were able to attend and witness the signing. The peace accord is a truly Filipino solution to the conflict that will not just bring benefit to Mindanao but to the country as a whole and of which all Filipinos can be proud," he said, add-
ing "it is moments like these that diplomats strive for and few have the privilege of being a part of a moment of history. I applaud everyone, including colleagues from the UK who have made a contribution to peace." Ahmad said the successful implementation of the accord demonstrates the Philippines’ increasing political maturity, its ability to accomplish things that have been intractable in the past and its potential to emerge as one the world’s economic powers. He said the Bangsamoro has the opportunity to develop best practice for other parts of the Philippines and other countries where there is a history of strife, including in the historic roles being played by women in this process. "Those who will eventually assume key roles in the Bangsamoro will carry the hopes and wishes of the nation on their shoulders. They will be judged not by the importance of their positions, but by the tangible improvements they bring about in the daily lives of citizens. There will undoubtedly be challenges ahead, but with the
continued commitment, courage and creativity that has made this agreement possible the dividends of peace will inevitably be realized," he said. Aquino also expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for Malaysia’s assistance in facilitating the peace talks between the government and the MILF. “We know for a fact that Malaysia is undergoing a crisis owing to the fact of the disappearance of the Malaysian airline. Be that as it may, Malaysia is fully aware of its international commitments and we thank them that despite the difficulty that they’re encountering, that they have accepted our invitation to grace the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said. Aquino and Najib also spoke matters of mutual concern between the Philippines and Malaysia. Najib was also in Manila in October 2012 to witness the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. (Mark Navales)
A fisherman casts his net in Rio Grande de Mindanao River that cuts through the province of Maguindanao in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
Davao mayor orders probe on cocaine shipment DAVAO CITY – Local mayor Rodrigo Duterte has ordered an investigation into the seized shipment of cocaine discovered in a false ceiling of a refrigerated container van at a wharf in Davao City in southern Philippines. Authorities estimated the market value of the illegal drugs to be more than P130 million, but the shocking discovery has surprised Duterte who has previously issued a strong warning against drug dealers operating in Davao City. The high-grade cocaine was accidentally
discovered during inspection after a hole tore through the ceiling and exposed the bricked drugs, but Duterte said there could be more and told police to further investigate the illegal shipment. Duterte urged those who have information about the shipment or anyone having in their possession the drugs to surrender it to the police. It was unknown who was behind the illegal shipment. In 2009, authorities in Davao City also seized a shipment of cocaine worth over P50 million. (Mindanao Examiner)
Bahay ng abogado niratrat sa Dipolog City DIPOLOG CITY – Niratrat ng mga dikilalang armado ang bahay ng isang abogado sa Dipolog City sa Zamboanga del Norte province, ngunit blanko pa rin ang pulisya sa motibo ng atake. Sinabi ng pulisya na walang sugatan o nasawi sa atake sa bahay ni Atty. Alan Ranillo, 47, ngunit nahagip naman ng dalawang bala ang sasakyan nito sa garahe. Ayon sa imbestigasyon ng pulisya, bago naganap ang atake ay naispatan sa lugar ang dalawang di-kilalang lalaki na nakasakay sa
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Mar. 31-Apr. 6, 2014
motorsiklo na siyang itinuturong nasa likod ng pamamaril. Nabawi pa ni Ranillo, na dating provincial board member, ang isang slug at dalawang basyo ng bala sa lugar at ibinigay nito sa pulisya upang masuri. Walang umako sa atake at patuloy ang imbestigasyon ng pulisya sa naganap. Kaliwa’t kanan rin ang barilan sa Dipolog City at karamihan sa mga ito ay ibinibintang sa mga hired killers na nagkalat sa lalawigan. (Mindanao Examiner)
KISMET Cable Channel 63 Pagadian City
Student abducted near Zambo hospital compound recovered in Sibugay province Z AMBOANGA CITY – Police have recovered a student who was allegedly seized near the premises of the Zamboanga City Medical Center. Police said Basil Bernardo, a student taking up radiologic technology at the Universidad de Zamboanga, was allegedly abducted at around 10.45 a.m. by five unidentified men onboard a white van. Bernardo was recovered by policemen led by Inspector Raul Clavecilla inside a branch of
Jollibee restaurant in Ipil town in the neighboring province of Zamboanga Sibugay, according to Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman. “On or about 10:45 a.m. of March 21, 2014, one Basil Brice G. Bernardo, Radio Technology student of Universidad De Zamboanga, Zamboanga City was allegedly abducted beside Zamboanga City Medical Center, Veterans Avenue, Zamboanga City by five unidentified person
onboard a white van.” “ Victim was recovered by Ipil Police Station led by PInsp Raul T Clavecilla, Officer in Charge, inside Jollibee, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay Province at about 3:00 p.m. of the same date; and victim was brought to Ipil Police Station for proper disposition and further investigation,” Huesca said in a brief report sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. It was unknown whether Bernardo’s family paid ransom or not.
Huesca said the police are still investigating the reported abduction. But he said the Ipil police interviewed tricycle drivers Benedicto Señalde and Rodel Gemao, who claimed they saw Bernardo disembarked from a passenger bus that came from Zamboanga City. Huesca said police investigators also recovered the bus ticket from Bernardo's pocket shortly after he was found in Jollibee restaurant. (Mindanao Examiner)
Cashless Purchase Card System posibleng makasulbad sa wala mahusay nga paggasto diha sa gobierno - DBM CEBU - Ang gipangunahan sa administrasyon nga prohekto sa paggamit og cashless cards diha sa pagpamalit sa gobierno posible nga mahatagan og solusyon ngadto sa problema sa wala mahusay nga paggasto diha sa mga transakyon sa gobierno, ang Departamento sa Budget og Management mipahayag kaniadtong Domingo. Si Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad sa usa ka mensahe mipahayag nga ang inisyal nga pagpatuman sa Aquino nga administrasyon sa Cashless Purchase Card System nga programa mao ang pinaka-una nga lakang diha sa pagpakgang sa wala mahusay nga paggasto diha sa gobierno, ilabina diha sa Commission on Audit (COA) nga pagpahibalo nga P5 Bilyones diha sa pundo sa pangagamhanan ang ki-
nahanglan pa nga hatagan og husay pa. “Cashless cards will play a defining role in ridding government transactions of the corruption they’re notorious for. The cards will do away with petty cash advances and payments in procurement, and the details of each transaction will be recorded in real-time and on a web-based platform. Overall, the digitization of the procurement process will be key in ensuring that every peso spent by government officials and employees is well-spent and accounted for,” matud ni Abad . Ang programa- nga gilusad kaniadtong Enero karong tuiga- mao ang inisyal nga bahin og kasamtangan nga giunang gisulayan diha sa DBM og sa Department of Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines (DNDAFP). Ang administrasyon nakigtambayayong
kauban sa Citibank diha sa pag-padagan sa mga cards, kansang matang susama ngadto sa kasagaran nga mga credit cards. Ang pasiuna nga bahin sa Cashless Purchase Card System nga programa, gi-apilan sa mga ahensiya kinsa mogamit sa mga cards aron sa pagpamalit og medical supplies, pagkaon, trasnportasyon sa opisyal nga mga dokumento, airline nga mga tikets, og konstruksyon nga mga suplay alang minus nga prohekto sa pagpangayo. Matud ni Abad nga ang administrasyon nagpa-abot sa pagpatuman sa programa sa tibook nga ahensiya sa gobierno sa sunod tuig, maingon man diha sa pagpalapad sa listahan sa mga items nga angayan alang sa pagpamlit pinaagi sa cashless cards. “Automating govern-
ment processes and switching to cashless solutions doesn’t only save time and resources. By integrating and digitizing the procurement process, we can seal off the gaps that make it easy for irregularities to happen. In the case of cashless purchase cards, we’re tying together what used to be separate transactions: procurement, payment, and auditing,” matud ni Abad. “Once we’ve successfully established the use of these cards in government, there won’t be any room for unliquidated expenses, as every detail will be tracked from the beginning of the transaction. It’s not just a matter of doing our public auditors a favor. It’s also a matter of assuring our citizens that the government is using state funds honestly and responsibly,” dugang niyang pahayag.(SoLeyte)
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Judge held for gun shipment at Zambo airport Police hunt village chieftain who assaulted cop in Zambo town ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY – Police are searching for a village chieftain and his followers who allegedly attacked a policeman guarding a village celebration in the town of Imelda in Zamboanga Sibugay province in southern Philippines. Police said charges were also being readied against the group of Nelson Ortega, village chieftain of San Jose who was accused of mauling local policeman Gerald John Giner. Ortega reportedly mauled the policeman after he accosted a suspicious man clad in black jacket who turned out to be a relative and a follower of Ortega. The man, who was offended by the policeman’s action, told Ortega that he was accosted by Giner.
The village chieftain, who was reportedly under the influence of liquor, led a small a group and angrily confronted the policeman and subsequently assaulted the officer in front of other people, according to Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman. Huesca said Giner was deployed in the area to secure the village which was celebrating its 37th Anniversary. “Elements of Imelda Police Station conducted a follow-up operation for the possible arrest of the suspects while case is now being readied against them,” he said. There was no immediate statement from Ortega or his family about the incident. (Mindanao Examiner)
ZAMBOANGA CITY Police held a judge for investigation after a gun cargo she was shipping for Manila was intercepted at the Zamboanga City airport, officials said. Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman, said the judge, who is based in Sulu province, claimed ownership of the cargo that contained a .380 pistol, a magazine and seven bullets, before it could be sent to Manila through AP Cargo courier. Huesca said the police security at the airport led by Inspector Jose Krispher Abas discovered the gun during a routine inspection and authorities informed the judge, who rushed to the airport and presented her gun license. But her permit to carry the pistol outside her house was expired and is now the basis of the police to hold the cargo and further investigate the judge. The cargo was intended to a fiscal at the Department of Justice in Manila, according to Huesca. “She was supposed to board the Cebu
Pacific Flight 5J852, but has been placed under questioning and investigation at the Zamboanga airport,” he said. Just recently, airport police also seized an automatic rifle which was dismantled and concealed in a computer unit sent through LBC Express. The cargo, bound for Tawi-Tawi province, was discovered during an inspection. Airport police also seized a cargo of a kilo of shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride which is also known as “poor man’s cocaine” on March 6. The cargo, which came from Caloocan City, was shipped through LBC Express and bound for Tawi-Tawi, when intercepted during a routine security inspection. It was consigned to Dayang Askali and shipped by Walter Aquino. Tawi-Tawi is one of 5 provinces under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the southern Philippines. Officials said the drugs were hidden with other items in the box when it was discovered by alert airport security. The drugs
were passed off as a corn starch. It was not immediately known whether the names of the consignee and its sender are fictitious or not, but police and other law enforcement agencies have began investigating the seizure of the illegal cargo. Authorities were also investigating how the cargo managed to pass through a supposed tight security at the airport in Manila. It was not the first time such drug cargo had been intercepted at the local airport and previous haul yielded millions of pesos worth of shabu and even weapons’ spare parts and munitions. Despite being a small airport, local aviation security personnel have excelled tremendously as one of the best in the southern Philippines. In January, police security at the local airport intercepted a cargo of marijuana worth over a million pesos after it passed a routine security inspection. The marijuana was concealed in several plastic bags along with coffee and milk powder and bound for the town of Jolo. The
cargo, passed through LBC Express, was shipped from Las Pinas City by Abdusahar Albi with Nadzmer Murajam as its consignee. Police made no arrest, but officials said investigation is going on to determine whether the names on the package were fictitious or not. Marijuana is still illegal in the Philippines and listed as among dangerous drugs whose medical usage and sale are strictly prohibited. Just late last year, police arrested two men Mohammad Daud and Salim Sabtari - who tried to smuggle some 20 kilos of illegal dr ugs called shabu, also methamphetamine hydrochloride, at the Zamboanga airport. The men were supposed to fly to the capital town of Bonggao in TawiTawi to deliver the drugs in Sabah, Malaysia when it was intercepted. The drugs were hidden in milk boxes when discovered by airport police. Daud and Sabtari arrived on November 7 in Zamboanga City from Manila where the drugs originated. (Mindanao Examiner)
Security forces foil kidnapping in Sulu SULU – Police and military forces have captured a suspected kidnapper following a brief chase in Jolo town in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, officials said. Officials said Jaavier Julma Kabir was arrested at the village of San Raymundo after his vic-
tim, a 17-year old student, screamed for help upon seeing the security forces. Kabir was driving a tricycle with her victim when pursued by soldiers and policemen, said Senior Superintendent Abraham Orbita, the provincial police chief. Orbita said a frag-
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
mentation grenade was also recovered from Kabir. “We are currently interrogating the suspect to determine if he is a member of the Abu Sayyaf or other group behind the series of kidnappings here,” he told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. Locals and provincial government officials have condemned the series of kidnappings perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf and drug addicts and criminal
gangs in Sulu and called on the citizens to stay vigilant and report to authorities suspicious persons and provide information about criminals. Just recently, suspected Abu Sayyaf kidnappers freed Claire Salinas after more than a month in captivity, but the rebel group is still holding her husband, Bonifacio Salinas, in Sulu. The couple was seized outside their house in
Kasalamatan village in Patikul town on February 16. Both husband and wife work at the Jolo Mainland Water District. The Abu Sayyaf is still holding several hostages, among them two European wildlife photographers Ewold Horn, 52, from Holland; and Lorenzo Vinciguerre, 47, from Switzerland who were kidnapped in TawiTawi province on February 2012.
The two foreigners, along with their Filipino guide Ivan Sarenas, 35, were seized at gunpoint by five men in the coastal village of Parangan in Panglima Sugala town while taking photographs of wild birds, and handed them over to the Abu Sayyaf. Sarenas managed to escape, but the fate of the two foreigners and other hostages are still unknown. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Mar. 31-Apr. 6, 2014
5 soldiers who fought NPAs awarded medals PAGADIAN CITY – The Philippine Army awarded medals to 5 soldiers wounded in fierce battle with communist rebels in the southern province of Misamis Occidental. Captain Jefferson Mamauag, a spokesman for the 1st Infantry Division, said Colonel Amadeo Azul, assistant division commander, led the pinning of the medals to Staff Sergeant Rufeus Cabrido, Private First Class Hope
Paul Mendez, Privates Joerwin Cris Arriola, Ronel Tabat and Rosaldo Galisanao. He said the awarding of the medals was held at the Kuta Cesar Sang-an Station Hospital at the division headquarters in Pulacan town in Zamboanga del Sur province. The soldiers are members of the 15th Division Reconnaissance Company who clashed with the New People’s Army in the town of
Bonifacio on March 10, according to Mamauag. Maj. Gen. Felicito Virgilio Trinidad, the division commander, also praised the soldiers for their bravery. “The brave Tabak troopers’ action demonstrated their tenacity and perseverance and even dedicated their lives in accomplishing their mission to bring peace and development for the community,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
Troops foil bombing ahead of peace deal signing with MILF rebels COTABATO CITY – Security forces have disarmed a powerful bomb, ahead of the signing of the peace agreement between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, at a highway in the southern Philippine city of Marawi, officials said. Officials said patrolling soldiers headed by Lt. Louie Kent Heredia, of the 65th Infantry Battalion, discovered the ex-
plosives in the village of Gadungan.The explosives were assembled from two 81mm mortar bombs and a cooking gas cylinder attached to a cell phone that served as its detonator. Members of the army’s 35th Explosive Ordnance Disposal recovered the bomb after safely disarming it, officials said. It was not immediately known who
was behind the foiled bombing, but its discovery came ahead of the signing of the peace deal on March 27. Several rebel groups are opposing the peace talks between the Aquino government and the MILF, the country’s largest Muslim group fighting for self-determination in the restive region of Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)
It’s not the Walt Disney, but the facade of an entrance to a vacant lot in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province in southern Philippines. And second photo is what behind the facade. (Mindanao Examiner Photo - Alvin Lardizabal)
Zamboanga police rescue maid from employers
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ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police rescued an 18-year old maid after seeking help from a local radio station claiming she was maltreated by her employers in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines. Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman, said victim has been handed over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development after she was rescued from her employers
at a building in downtown Zamboanga. Huesca said the victim, who was recruited by her co-worker in Ipil town in Zamboanga Sibugay province, managed to send a letter to dxRZ-Radio Mindanao Network which sought police assistance. Policemen, accompanied by the village chieftain Khaizar Sakandal, convinced the victim’s employers to allow her to leave the premises. “Accordingly, she was recruited to work in Zamboanga City by her co-helper. She had been working since March 17
however she could no longer endure the alleged maltreatment by her employers.” “She wanted to go home to the province she came from but they refused telling her to work for few more days to provide her a fare in going back home thus she wrote a letter for help and threw it down to the pavement,” Huesca said in a report sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. It was unknown whether the victim would file charges against her employers, whose surname is Tan, or not. (Mindanao Examiner)
Four children rape 8-year old girl in Zambo Sibugay ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY – Policemen arrested four minors who allegedly raped an eight-year old girl in the southern province of Zamboanga Sibugay. Police said four, ages 15, 13, 11 and 9, grabbed the girl who was grazing their farm animal and took turns in raping her in the village of Payongan in Alicia town. The victim, a grade 3 student, reported the matter to her parents
who then sought police help in arresting the minors. The girl told police investigators that she was abused by the four at a grassy area of the village and then left her alone after the sexual attack. The four were arrested separately in a police operation and handed them over to the care of social workers while police are investigating the case. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Malaysia says flight MH370 is assumed to have crashed in southern Indian Ocean KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia announced that Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370, which disappeared on March 8 while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was lost in the southern Indian Ocean. MAS informed families of the 239 passengers and crew members that the plane was assumed to have crashed with no survivors. "Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets that we have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived," the airline said in a SMS message. "We must now accept all evidence suggests the plane went down in the southern Indian Ocean." Shortly after, Prime Minister Najib Razak addressed a press briefing that was hastily scheduled. "This evening I was briefed by representatives from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). They informed me
that Inmarsat, the UK company that provided the satellite data which indicated the northern and southern corridors, has been performing further calculations on the data. Using a type of analysis never before used in an investigation of this sort, they have been able to shed more light on MH370’s flight path," he told reporters. "Based on their new analysis, Inmarsat and the AAIB have concluded that MH370 flew along the southern corridor, and that its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth. "This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites. It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean," said Mr Najib. He said MAS has briefed the families and Malaysia will hold another press conference. He urged the media to respect
the families' privacy and to give them space and time to grieve over their losses. "For them, the past few weeks have been heartbreaking; I know this news must be harder still. I urge the media to respect their privacy, and to allow them the space they need at this difficult time," he said. "We wanted to inform you of this new development at the earliest opportunity. We share this information out of a commitment to openness and respect for the families, two principles which have guided this investigation," he added. Flight MH370 vanished from civilian radar screens less than an hour after take-off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8. No confirmed sighting of the plane has been made since, but much debris has been found in remote waters off Australia which might be part of the
missing plane. MAS said that the multinational search operation will continue, as authorities seek answers
to the questions which remain. "We would like to assure you that Malaysia Airlines will continue to give
you our full support throughout the difficult weeks and months ahead," it added. ( The Straits Times)
Embahada sa Israel sa tibuok kalibotan, kasamtangang ipasarado MANILA - Gipahibalo sa Embahada sa Israel sa Pilipinas ang kasamtangang pagpasarado niini apil na usab sa uban pang Embahada sa Israel sa tibuok kalibotan. Giingong ang desisyon nga ipasarado ang
mga Embahada sa Israel gihimo sa Foreign Ministry’s Employee’s Labour Union. Kini taliwala sa wala pagkab-ot sa Ministry of Finance sa mga hangyo sa mga mamumuo sama sa igo ug makatarunganong
suholan. Sugod karong adlawa, dili na mag-abli ang mga embahada. Bisan ang mga preparasyon alang sa mga transaksyon sa Israel sa ubang nasud, kasamtangan usab nga ipa-hunong. Giingong
United Nations urged to probe extrajudicial killings in the PH MANILA - The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in the Philippines has appealed to the United Nations to investigate the unabated cases of extrajudicial killings in the country and also urged the world body to compel Manila to respect human rights. “The growing number of children victims of extra judicial killings in the Philippines is alarming. We appeal to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to investigate these cases of extra judicial killing of children and we urge the Philippine government to respect the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and to comply with its obligation under international human rights law,” said Atty. Ephraim Cortez, assistant Secretary-General for legal services of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), in his oral intervention during the general debates of the 25th United Nations Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva, Switzerland recently. Cortez, who also spoke in the name of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, was part of the delegation
of the Ecumenical Voice for Peace and Human Rights in the Philippines (EcuVoice), a network of human rights defenders and faith-based institutions advocating for peace and human rights issues in the country. “In the Philippines, under the Aquino administration, 18 children have been victims of extrajudicial killings. The government continues to sow violence and terror through military operations under the counterinsurgency program Oplan Bayanihan, claiming children's lives,” Cortez said as he welcomed the reports of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on Children in armed conflicts and on violence against children. He cited the cases of seven-year old Richard Mancera and ten-year old Michael Mancera and their father who were allegedly killed by soldiers of the 49th Infantry Battalion in their house in Camarines Norte on February 25, 2012. And also the case of eight-year old Roque Antivo from Compostela Valley province in southern Philippines who was allegedly killed by the
71st Infantry Battalion on April 3, 2013; and the 16-year old Victor Freay, who was reportedly killed by the 39th Infantry Battalion and Task Force KITACO on August 23, 2013. All of the cases, he said, were documented by human rights groups Karapatan and the Children’s Rehabilitation Center. “In 2012 alone, a total of 13 children were killed. In these documented cases, four of the children were living in militarized communities protesting the entry of mining companies; four were killed because of indiscriminate firing of state security forces forces; two of the victims were tagged as members of the New People's Army; nine of the victims were inside their homes when they were killed. Not one perpetrator involved in the above cases has been arrested, prosecuted and brought to jail,” Cortez said. The military has previously denied all allegations by Karapatan whom officials claimed is a political front of the communist New People's Army rebels who are fighting for a separate state in the country.
wala usab una ang mga pagbisita ug bisan unsang “cultural activities” ang ipahigayon samtang ang mga aid o tabang ug development programs, ipahunong usab. “We, as Israeli diplo-
mats feel a great responsibility to our country and to our profession and because of this we feel that we have no choice but to take this drastic step in order to facilitate the changes that are so much needed at our min-
istry. We hope that by this course of action we can influence others in insuring that we and our families and our ministr y have a more prosperous future”, matud pa sa notice nga gipagawas sa embahada. (ECB)
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The Mindanao Examiner
Mar. 31-Apr. 6, 2014
Bureau of Customs makes data publicly available
Some of the apprehended and impounded motorcycles now at the Tacurong City Police Office. Police forces under Superintendent Junny Buenacosa said they have intensified operations against traffic violators as part of their renewed campaign in coordination with the City Hall. (Photo by Rosemarie Muneza)
Traffic cops, aides nab dozens of motorbikes, trikes in Tacurong City TACURONG CITY – Dozens of motorcycles and tricycles were nabbed by the local traffic police for various violations as authorities intensify its operations against road rules violators.
Senior Inspector Nestor Maderse, Jr, of the City Traffic Section, and local traffic aides, impounded at least 50 motorcycles and tricycles. City Mayor Lina
Montilla has lauded the operations made by the group and vowed for a tougher support to authorities in their campaign. (Rosemarie Muneza and Dado Diaz)
Guro itinumba ng ‘riding in tandem’ ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY – Patay ang isang public school teacher matapos itong pagbabarilin ng dalawang lalaki na nakasakay sa motorsiklo sa bayan ng Imelda sa Zamboanga Sibugay province. Sinabi ng pulisya na binuntutan umano ng dalawang lalaki si Rowena Abubakar sa
Barangay Balugo at saka ito tinadtad ng bala. Kasama umano ni Abubakar ang dalawang iba pa at patungo sa sentro ng bayan ng maganap ang atake. Hindi naman mabatid kung saan galing ang teacher, ngunit residente ito ng katabing bayan ng Siay. Nakaligtas naman sa pamamaril ang kasama-
han ng biktima, ngunit hindi naman inilabas ng pulisya ang mga pangalan nito dahil patuloy pa ang imbestigasyon sa krimen. Agad rin tumakas patungong bayan ng Diplahayn ang mga salarin matapos ng pagpatay kay Abubakar at wala rin umako sa krimen. (Mindanao Examiner)
MANILA - The Bureau of Customs said it is starting to make public all its available data to ensure transparency in its transactions, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said. He said the Bureau of Customs is part of the government’s Open Data task force and has started publishing new data for greater transparency. “The one thrust of Commissioner John Sevilla is to open up all the data in the website, sa dashboard ng data.gov.ph at saka may sarili silang portal, ilalabas doon ang mga presyo, ang
mga duties, kung sino ang nag-i-import. All these for the purpose of the public to verify kung ‘yung mga Customs duties na binabayaran, for instance, specific consignees are correct,” Lacierda said. During the launching of the Good Governance Summit in January, when the Open Data was also launched, Sevilla invited everyone to look into the BOC’s data and the bureau got good reception from the public, according to Lacierda. He said the new BOC thrust made a basis for ev-
eryone who’s interested on Customs data to visit either the Customs website or go to the Customs dashboard of data.gov.ph, adding the idea is to open to the public data and information to ensure transparency. “We follow the sunlight principle, ‘pag naarawan ‘yan, mas mabuti sa atin. So lahat ‘yan may plano ang Bureau of Customs na ilabas ang mga datos na hindi naman confidential ang nature. So ilalabas ‘yan for everyone to see kung tama ba ang binabayad ng mga consignees,” he said.
NPA ambush kills army officer in Agusan Sur COTABATO CITY – Communist rebels ambushed a military truck and killing an army officer and wounded four others in the southern Philippines, officials said. Officials said the truck was traveling in the village of Los Arcos in Prosperidad town in Agusan del Sur province when New People’s Army rebels at-
tacked the soldiers. The ambush sparked a firefight, but it was not immediately known if there were casualties on the enemy side. An army lieutenant was killed in the attack, but his identity was withheld by the military. The attack came after rebels warned of more offen-sives in the country following the capture in Cebu province in
central Philippines of communist chieftain Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma Austria, who is also a senior ranking rebel leader. The rebels have been fighting for decades in an effort to overthrow the democratic government and replace it with the communist rule. (Mindanao Examiner)
Chief Superintendent Noel Delos Reyes, Regional Director of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Police Office reads Mindanao Examiner regional newspaper from his headquarters in Maguindanao province. (Mark Navales)
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P10
Mar. 31-Apr. 6, 2014
NPA ATTACKS CONTINUE
D
AVAO CIT Y – N CITY New ew my rrebels ebels eople’’s Ar Army People hav e vvo owed to intenhave sify its offensiv es in offensives the P hilippines follo wing the Philippines following captur e of two top leaders of the capture communist gr oup in C ebu pr ovgroup Cebu pro ince ince.. Security forces captured Benito Tiamzon, the chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines, and his wife Wilma Austria, who is the current CPP secretary-general, after long surveillance operations involving elite teams of policemen and soldiers. “The capture of Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria only emboldens the New People’s Army in Southern Mindanao to further intensify the people’s war in the region. The US-Aquino regime is daydreaming when it says the arrest spells the demise of the revolutionary movement. The NPA-SMR is ever resolute to advance the guerrilla war to a higher stage because the roots of armed conflict are firmly embedded in a region heavily militarized by the fascist AFP troops,” a rebel spokesman in Mindanao, Rigoberto Sanchez, said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. Sanchez said instead of dismantling pork barrel and corruption and providing genuine relief for disaster victims, and ending the poverty of the Filipino masses, the Aquino regime, backed by Washington, has embarked its relentless aggressive war in the countryside. “Under its counterrevolutionary policy Oplan Bayanihan, it deployed its vast resources and manpower to militarize the peasant villages and open it for further imperialist plunders,” he said. The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)
ARMM
Police photos of the arrested communist rebel leaders during their inquest at a court in Manila. has protested the arrest of the two rebel leader, saying they are consultants to the peace talks with the Aquino government and that both are covered with immunity from arrest. Five other people who were with the couple were also arrested and detained on various criminal charges. NDFP spokesman Jorge Madlos said in spite of the capture of the two leaders, the rebel group’s “democratic revolution” will advance in the country. “The arrest of Benito Tiamzon, Wilma Austria Tiamzon and five others, will not deter the People’s Democratic Revolution from continuing to advance nor will it dampen the resolve of the entire revolutionary forces to carry forward the interests of the people and the Revolution. Beyond having to frustrate the objectives of the bru-
Southern Mindanao
tal Oplan Bayanihan in its first three years, the Revolutionary movement is more than ever intent on frustrating the last three years of its implementation, because of the people’s continuing struggle against exploitation and oppression in the midst of an ever worsening crisis gripping the entire country and the world,” he said in a separate statement. “While revolutionary forces in Mindanao are once again faced with the challenge of thwarting renewed attacks of the Oplan Bayanihan, which deployed three new additional AFP brigades against the NPA in Mindanao, only presents itself as an opportune time for other regions in the Visayas and Luzon to advance further,” he added. He said the capture of the
Davao
Tiamzons will further result in more intensified operations against government and military and police targets across the country. He said even the capture in the past of top rebel leaders did not deter the NPA from expanding its forces and aggressively launching offensives against the government, what more now that rebels are scattered all over the country. “With these as precedence, there is absolutely no basis for the people’s revolutionary struggle to cease from advancing on account solely of the Tiamzon couple’s capture. The primary basis for the Revolutionary movement’s continuing and unstoppable advance does not rely solely on its leaders, but derives impetus with the ever worsening state of exploitation and oppression by imperialists and its local ruling classes towards the vast masses,” Madlos said. “The principal reason for either the regression or advance of the revolutionary movement in the face of the continuing grave social crisis in the country is whether or not the movement follows the correct political line, and not because of certain personalities in its leadership. This means that if the revolutionary movement resolutely stands for the general interests of the vast majority of the people, particularly for their aspiration to attain genuine agrarian reform, national industrialization, genuine right to self-determination, democracy and social benefits, the people’s revolution will continue, and continue to struggle until socialism shall have been established,” he said. Peace talks between the NDFP and the Aquino government stalled following demands by rebels to free
Manila
all political prisoners in the country, among others. Peace negotiations up to rrebels ebels But President Benigno Aquino said the resumption of peace talks with communist rebels will only depend on their “willingness” to return to the negotiating table. Aquino also dismissed that the arrest of the Tiamzon couple will have an effect on the stalled peace talks with the communist groups. “Well, they have walked out to the CPP-NPA and they have walked out of the peace talks, if you remember correctly. Does it have an impact? I don’t think so. It really depends on their willingness to go back to the bargaining table,” Aquino said. He said the arrest of the Tiamzon couple is a “serious blow” to the CPP-NPA and “it shows you also the competency of our security forces.” Aquino said the government should deal with “root causes” of insurgency problem to be able to stamp it out.“That’s why we are focused on empowering our people, especially in trying to move them out of poverty in the various interventions that we have been doing from education, to health, to livelihood, to housing, to disaster preparedness and so on and so forth,” he said. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima also defended the arrest of the Tiamzons, saying that they were not covered by any immunity because of the stalled peace talks. The NPA, armed wing of the CPP and the NDFP, has been fighting the democratic government for many decades now in an effort to put up a communist state in the country.(Mindanao Examiner)
Zamboanga Peninsula