Philippine Muslim Today

Muharram 1442: An Elegy to Transitions

President Duterte and his health (1)

Blessing in disguise

Mehol K. Sadain | A3

Homobono A. Adaza | A4

Ali G. Macabalang | A4

Help Muslim talent !

What does chest pain indicate?

Benj Bangahan | A5

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Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442) | 12 Pages | Philippines

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Inside Stories

Muslims urged to be on guard vs crimes, violence Muslim civic leaders have urged their brother Muslims to be on guard always against lawless elements and violence for their safety as killings are being perpetrated against them. .

See Page A7

PHILIPPINE

The Muslim National Digital Newspaper | Bearer of Glad Tidings.

Kabacan massacre draws probes by various entities

By Ali G. Macabalang

T

he alleged involvement of cops in the carnage surfaced in the initial probe of the Commission on Human Rights in Region 12 (CHR-XII), which had reportedly interviewed relatives of massacre victims.

Now the investigation draws higher level investigations.

Mindanao leaders call for review of rice importation

Mindanao leaders have urged Congress to review the law which allows unimpeded rice importation as farm gate prices of palay dropped drastically .

See Page A9

BARMM allots P60M aid for formal workers The Bangsamoro government has allotted P60million cash aid for some 12,037 workers in the formal labor sector..

See Page A8

Fear of backlash mounts after Lanao Sur placed under MECQ A concerned Muslim leader here is worried on the backlash of placing Lanao del Sur and Marawi City under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) without due consideration to religious sensitivity..

See Page A7

PH Covid-19 cases now 248,947; recoveries rise to 186K The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday reported 3,821 new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections, raising the overall tally to 248,947 with only 58,823 active cases.

See Page A9

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PROTEST RALLY. Concerned Moros hold a protest rally on the broad daylight carnage of nine Moro farmers in Kabacan, Cotabato province. (AGM)

(Full story on Page A6)

Sulu Sultan believes Malaysia willing to discuss Sabah issue

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor

D

ARUL JAMBANGAN, Maimbung, Sulu: “One voice, one call Sultanate believes Malaysia is now willing to talk to the Philippine government to settle the Sabah issue. But the pretenders to the throne are muddling up the picture,” the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo said.

In a statement, Amroussi Rasul, the Wazir or the Sultanate’s Prime Minister, who inherited the post from his father, also told the Philippine Muslim Today “there is only one legitimate Sultan of Sulu. His name is Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram, descendant to Sultan Mahakuttah and Sultan Esmail, his father and grandfather, respectively, who were the Sultans of Sulu before him.”

According to Rasul, Sultan Muedzul took over the sultanate’s leadership from Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, the caretaker sultan, when Muedzul could not rule yet because he was too young when the throne got vacated for him.

A grainy black and white photograph of that enthronement ceremony exists. In that rare gem of history, present were the successors to the positions left by their patriarchs before them. They are the living witnesses to this transfer of power.

Among them was Amroussi Rasul, the Wazir or the Sultanate’s Prime Minister, who said “that is how successions work in the Sult anate.”

He added never has this historical bloodline succession been broken. The people of Sulu observe and honor this rule.

SULU SULTAN | A6

Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram, (JIJ Photo)

EDITORIAL

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Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY The Muslim National Newspaper Operated by Muslimedia.PH Founded in June 2020 BOARD OF EDITORS: MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Editor-In-Chief and Publisher JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor ALI G. MACABALANG News Editor PHIL MUSLIM Layout Artist FATIMA ORTIL-JANNARAL Advertising Sales Director for NCR COLUMNISTS | WRITERS: HOMOBONO A. ADAZA BENJ BANGAHAN JUAN PONCE ENRILE MACABANGKIT B. LANTO JOHNNY R. LEE FILEMON G. ROMERO MEHOL K. SADAIN ABDUL HANNAN M. TAGO DISCLAIMER: Opinion of the writer expressed herein is not necessarily the opinion of Philippine Muslim Today.

RANAO PUBLISHING HOUSE Publisher Ad Interim and Consultant TEMPORARY BUSINESS OFFICE: Purok 4, Lower Kaplag, C3 Road Ubldo Laya, Iligan City, Philippines Phone: 09152184388 | +63 2283454 Email: muslimtoday2020@gmail.com Http://www.philmuslimtoday.wordpress.com NCR SATELLITE OFFICE: 9052 Viscarra Compound, Molino 3, Bacoor City 4102 Cavite Province PHONE: +639778430218 | +639353138549 EMAIL: munir1845media@gmail.com

Front page of PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY previous issue.

On politics and politicos

By MASIDING NOOR YAHYA

T

his early, or earlier, politics is being talked about in media plat-

forms.

We see politicians are aligning or realigning themselves in preparation for the 2022 national and local elections.

Organizations, old and new, are looking for prospect politicians to promote for whatever good they will have in return, usually money, positions or the like.

Other organizations are yet to be formed for same purpose.

But nothing much has been said these days about “Vote-buying.”

"Vote-buying" is as old as history. As long as there is election, there is vote buying.

Instrument for vote buying is not necessarily cash, but a lot of things.

It can be material, words, promises etc.

To gain the sympathy of others, you have to offer something that will benefit them, one way of buying their side, to vote for you.

But “vote-buying” must be interpreted as a relative term.

It could not be necessarily wrong if it is aimed for noble intention.

The messengers and prophets of God had to offer something to benefit those who would side with them against the tyrants and oppressors of the time.

They offered the Promise of God of good life here and in the hereafter if they believe in what they propagate for the sake of God. In other words, they bought their followers with Divine promises that, as in Christian dogma, if they follow they will be blessed with eternal life, otherwise they be doomed.

But vote buying nowadays is different and sinful because it means buying the future of the voters.

It seems instead of giving them a bright future, the buyers give them painful doom.

This early, Muslim voters should inculcate in their hearts what should be best for them for long term in voting for a candidate. oooooo GOOD WRITING IS NOT LIKE THE WINE AGING PROCESS It’s true that producing good writing is not easy. But, then again, anything worth your attention is never easy.

Some say developing a good writing skill is a lot like the aging process of wine: it gets better with time.

We disagree. With wine, all you have to do is sit and wait — the longer, the better.

Sitting and waiting will never do anything much for your writing skills, because being a good writer means you have to work at the craftsmanship: repeatedly.

So, yes, it’s not easy. But if you try, you will get better at it.

May all those who desire to be a good writer become one.

(Repost)

Opinion

Ijtihad WITH MEHOL K. SADAIN

W

e are now approaching the end of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic Hijri year 1442.

For the Muslims, the new year is a time for much hope and anticipation, as the old year was marked with redemption and renewal. In the Philippines, the year 2020 has been marked by several natural upheavals beginning with the eruption of Taal Volcano in January where the residents of adjacent provinces, cities and towns, including Metro Manila, had to wear surgical masks to shield themselves from volcanic dusts. Immediately thereafter, the covid 19 pandemic germinating from a novel virus in 2019, came into popular consciousness, and everybody all over the world had to wear face masks and shields to protect themselves from contamination.

In the Gregorian calendar, the current year has not yet ended, and fears of other catastrophes continue to linger, as many have learned to believe that 2020 is a year of tribulations: earthquakes, flooding, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, the viral pandemic and forest conflagrations which just a few days ago, turned the San Francisco skyline into dim apocalyptic orange.

To many this is a time of depression, and it looks like this somber and sobering covid 19 atmosphere will persist several more months into the future. Vaccines are still being developed, and deaths are still being recorded: 3% of those afflicted dying globally, and 1.6% in the Philippines. The figures may not be that big compared to the deaths during the bubonic plague that killed from 75

Batanes to Tawi-Tawi WITH JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

O

n the Good Ampatuan Not all people are bad there is always good left behind.

This is in the case of Engr.

Zamzamin Ampatuan, the multi-awarded Mayor of the Municipality of Radjah Buayan, Maguindanao.

When everyone hears the surname Ampatuan what comes to the mind of a person is the infamous Maguindanao massacre where among the prime perpetrators are some of the members of the Ampatuan family. Though in the eyes of other people these Ampatuan tagged as the perpetrators of the heinous crime are bad people, still Engr. Ampatuan whom everyone calls him as the "Good Ampatuan" is our subject matter in this column.

But take note when the prime perpetrator, Datu Andal "Unsay" Ampatuan, Jr. gave up and surrendered to government authorities, it was even Engr. Zam who accompanied the then Office of

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPPAP) Jesus Dureza to go to Shariff Aguak by helicopter to accept the surrender of Datu Unsay where they brought him to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Headquarters in General Santos City.

Just recently, Engr. Zam Ampatuan gave up his mayoralty post and gave way to the much bigger calling as a Public Servant serving not only a tiny municipality like Radjah Buayan but serving as the Public Servant for the whole nation.

That is when he assumed as Undersecretary to Secretary William Dar at the Department of Agriculture (DA).

As the 2nd in Command at the Agriculture Department the Civil Engineer and former Munipal Mayor Datu Zamzamin Ampatuan is now DA Undersecretary for Regulations and Build Build Build Agriculture.

Then just last week, USec Zam Ampatuan was tapped by the newly assumed Com-

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

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Muharram 1442: An Elegy to Transitions million to almost 200 million people from 1346 to 1353; and the recent Spanish flu that claimed the lives of 50 million people worldwide from 1918 to 1920, and imposed the now familiar nonpharmaceutical interventions (quarantine, isolation, personal hygiene, disinfectants, face masks, social distancing and limited public gatherings) on the populace.

Nevertheless, people are worrying, for various reasons, foremost of which are loss of livelihood and limitations on social interaction. Uncertainty hangs like dark, ominous clouds over everybody, and nobody is really sure when it will dissipate. Many have gone jobless and many more saw their health deteriorate.

And while we are used to living in a time and space where most of our activities are routine and predictable; we now live in a time and space where our activities

are still routine, but now unpredictable, and therefore, unsettling.

Our authorities call the pandemic phenomenon the “new normal”. Positive thinkers, however, consider it a return to the basics of life, and a realization that we must simplify the complicated lives we lead. This pandemic revealed a lifestyle that can survive on staple food (sans the fancy trimmings of fine dining); nondescript attires (without the glamour of high fashion); and most of all, solitary introspection in lieu of massive spiritual gatherings.

Never has there been an instance in our contemporary lives when families stayed at home, and their steward went out only for necessities. Never has there been a realization that salaried positions can be lost as offices and business establishments close shop, but entrepreneurship and agricultural produc-

tion will always be an available option to those who are willing to work.

All these are not new to mankind. Years and centuries ago, our forefathers thrived in the environment that we are now compelled to live in. It is not new at all; it is in fact, the old coming back to rule over our lives. Truly time goes in cycles, with environments and the rest of creation following suit. Allah in the Noble Qur’an reminds us: “It is Allah who begins (the process of) creation, then repeats it; then shall ye be brought back to Him.” [30:11] Muharram in the hijri calendar signals a rebirth of a period, as it has always done so, year after year. But this time, it comes during a particularly difficult but symbolic transition: In rebirth, something in us must die; and in death, everything in us is reborn..

MKS

On the Good Ampatuan; One Voice, One Call from Sulu Sultanate over Sabah Claim manding General of the Philippine Army, Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana to be a member of of the Multi-Sector Advisory Board (MSAB). This is considering his being a Muslim peace advocate.

Ampatuan said he intends to serve in PA MSAB's Research and Education Committee. He hopes that his experiences as a follower of Islam will contribute to the endeavors of the board’s support towards the Army’s mission especially in advocating peace.

It can be recalled in 1990s, Engineer Zam became a vocal critic of Violent Extremism. He ran a radio broadcast program which became his platform on preventing and countering the spread of radical Islamist ideology propagation and its promotion of culture of violence.

He dismissed the extremists as veering away from true teachings of Islam and leading more into a corrupt and wayward Jihad.

The involvement of USec Ampatuan with the military being a peace advocate is not only now.

But long time ago, he has

been well recognized for his views against Violent Extremism that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the time of Gen. Angelo Reyes as AFP Chief of Staff, requested him as an adviser of the military on how to deal with concerns within the Muslim Mindanao region.

The recognition he has garnered led him to speak at the Center for Excellence in National Security (CENS) in Singapore and the US Military Academy at West Point in New York State, USA. Sulu Sultanate calls for One voice, One call The Sultanate of Sulu believes Malaysia is now willing to talk to the Philippine government to settle the Sabah issue.

Hence, they need "One Voice and One Call" in dealing with the Sabah Issue.

But the pretenders to the throne are muddling up the picture, according to the recent statement released from the Office of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (Sabah).

Hence, due to interference of the pretenders to the throne muddling the Sabah Issue,

instead of "One Voice, One Call," there are so many Voices and so many Calls on the Sabah Issue.

As this developed, Amroussi Rasul, the Wazir or the Sultanate’s Prime Minister, told this Columnist that “there is only one legitimate Sultan of Sulu."

He is referring to Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram, the 35th Sultan who is recognized as the legitimate and reigning ruler as of the moment.

Sultan Muedzul-Lail is the descendant to Sultan Mahakuttah and Sultan Esmail, his father and grandfather, respectively, who were the Sultans of Sulu before him.

According to Rasul, Sultan Muedzul took over the sultanate’s leadership from Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, the caretaker sultan, when Muedzul could not rule yet because he was too young when the throne got vacated for him.

He added never has this historical bloodline succession been broken. The people of Sulu observe and honor this rule.

Rasul said it is unfortunate JANNARAL | A11

Opinion

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Diliman Way With HOMOBONO A. ADAZA

“It’ nobody’s business, if I go to Singapore.” - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte

I

t is everybody’s business, if President Duterte goes to Singapore.

Why? The reason is simple – he is President of the Philippines, not private citizen Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Every minute of his life as President, he is accountable to the people, more than any other public official.

Being the head of government, he is responsible to what will happen to the country and the government during his watch. He is not the mayor of Davao City or head of his political party.

He is the President of the Philippines, not a governor of a province of China. As governor of a province of China, he is only responsible and accountable to President Xi Jin Ping. But we are not a province of China, so he is

responsible and accountable to the Filipino people. That is why some people asked him why he was going to Singapore.

Constitutional provisions: There are several constitutional provisions which involve the issue of the health of a President. The first involves the duties and responsibilities of a President. Section 5, Article VII of the President, other than preserving and defending the Constitution, executing our laws and to do justice to everyman, it is his bounden duty “to consecrate myself to the service of the nation.”

The word is consecrate – it simply means sacred dedication to the service of the country; it does not say sacred dedication to the person of Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Punchline

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

President Duterte and his health (1) The other provision is embedded in section 1, Article XI of the Constitution which states that – “Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.”

This provision is very clear. The President is a public officer and, therefore, he is bound by this provision. This provision does not provide for an exception. So he must answer questions about his health. He must answer question on where he is going and why. As President and public officer, he is at all times, and there is no exception to this also, accountable to the people. If he does not want to be accountable to the people, then he should cease being President so nobody will bother him about his health and on where he is going except his wife and his children.

As President, he should be transparent because if he

is not, he violates this provision. His behavior on this matter is not acting with “utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, efficiency, patriotism and justice.” It is culpable violation of the Constitution and breach of public trust.

Specific constitutional provisions: There are two constitutional provisions directly involving the President’s health – specifically, sections eleven and twelve of Article VII of the Constitution.

Section 11 envisions several situations. First, when the President himself sends a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives that he is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice-President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office, as Acting President” …”until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary.”

The second instance is “when the majority of all Members of the Cabinet transmit to the President of

the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the power and duties of his office, the VicePresident shall immediately assume the powers and duties as Acting President.”

When after the Cabinet’s majority written declaration, the “President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall reassume the powers and duties of his office.” However, after he reassumes the power and duties of his office, when the “majority of all the Members of the Cabinet transmit with five days to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Congress shall decide the issue.”

ADAZA | A10

Blessing in disguise

ALI G. MACABALANG

T

here is a saying that natural or man-made problems contain opportunities that may lead affected people for the better when harnessed in what clerics sometimes call a “blessing in disguise” from God, the Almighty Master of Universe.

And this has turned out true to me.

On Nov. 18, 2009, a police demolition team returned to the vicinity of the Tajah Sulayman Mosque in Baclaran on the border of Parañaque and Pasay cities to evict Moro informal settlers who rebuilt makeshift homes after law enforcers demolished such two years earlier.

The second wave of demolition drive was reportedly meant to pave the way for the construction of a public transport terminal in the area as an annex of the wide area of the famed Mall of Asia.

Like in the past demotion drive, the mostly Moro informal settlers and the police demolition forces clashed fiercely. In the Nov. 18 incident, more than a dozen from both sides were injured and one of the informal settlers

was hit in his lower leg by a bullet fired by cop in retaliation to barrage of stones and bottles hurled at the team.

Things turned complicated when some media entities, notably the ABS-CBN TV news and the Philippine Star, carried an allegation by a leader of the resisting settlers that three of his compatriots named as Hakim Usman, 30 years old; Rajib Batalo, 7; and Yacob Macaona, 37 were killed in the clash.

Then AMIN Party-list Rep. Mujiv Hataman and former scribe Samira Gutoc called me up by phone separately, gave me the identities of the supposed fatalities, and urged me to write something about the incident.

The phone calls came a few minutes after I confirmed to the family of then Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu my intent to join the group of media people that would cover the filing of his Maguindanao gubernatorial candidacy in Shariff Aguak capital town set on Nov. 23 that year.

Immediately after the calls, I phoned up then PNP Chief

Director General Jess Verzosa, a frat brother in APO who had entrusted me his personal contact number in one of our past meetings in Central Mindanao, and verified in a condemning fashion the veracity of the news reports as corroborated by Hataman and Gutoc.

I realized my harsh words during my phone talk with Gen. Verzosa he complained: “Brod, parang subordinate mo ako na pinagagalitan mo.”

In an apparent bid to appease me, Brother Jess asked me to fly to Manila, offering to shoulder my expenses just to unearth the real situation. He even promised to shoot in the head the sitting National Capital Region police head in my presence, if there indeed was fatality in the demolition stride.

I flew to Manila on Nov. 20 and booked a Nov. 22 return flight ticket to Mindanao purposely to catch up in the preset filing of Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy, an event I deemed significant because it signified an unprecedented challenge to the political clout of the influential Ampatuan clan led by now deceased ex-Gov. Datu An-

dal, who won two elections without an opponent.

But before my flight to Manila, I had written a hearttouching published by the Manila Bulletin which I learned drew the attention of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through then Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, my intimate friend until his untimely demise on January 19, 2010.

In Manila, I interviewed many of the informal settlers and learned that there was not fatality in the Nov. 18 clash. Out of shame, I did not ask brother Jess to replenish my expenses as promised.

What consoled me though was his grant of my request for a suspension of the demolition drive pending investigation and mediation by concerned parties.

I met for the second time the settlers on Nov. 21 in a gathering attended by Muslim personalities including Haji Putri Zorayda AbbasTamano, wife of the late exSenator Mamintal Tamno, and Lala, one of the wives then of Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. of Maguindanao.

Lawyer Ali Diampuan, a diplomat, served as head of the secretariat of the meetings for

the settlers.

In the meeting, I called up Sec. Remonde to update him on my representation, with my phone’s loudspeaker mode on.

Responding to my quest for Palace intervention, Sec Remonde told me that President Arroyo allotted P5-million aid as payment for the damages among the settlers and that she had ordered the PNP to call off the demolition efforts.

In the afternoon of the same date, I accompanied the group of settlers and Muslim personalities to the Paranaque City hall and helped convince the city mayor follow up the Presidential order calling off the demolition.

In the evening of Nov. 21, I started packing up my things for my scheduled early morning return flight to Mindanao the next day. At that juncture, my Cotabato media colleague Ferddie Cabrera called up and told me that DOSTRegion XII Director Dr. Zenaida Laidan, a fellow alumna from MSU main campus, was inviting me to cover an international forum on the halal industry on Nov. 23 in Metro Manila.

MACABALANG | A8

Opinion My two-cents

Rx

WITH BENJ S. BANGAHAN, M.D., FPCP, FPCCP

C

hest pain is one of the most frequently complained about symptoms by many people, but in spite of its being common, it is nonetheless considered as the most scary, maybe for an obvious reason -– the chest cavity houses some organs that people think possess important roles in the lengthening or shortening of a person’s life. Rightly or wrongly, perhaps, for there are actually a number of possible causes of pain that can be manifested in the chest, ranging from simple to the complicated ones, with each kind differentiated from the others by each respective characteristics, which are important to the doctors in their process of analysis and diagnosis. It is for this purpose that patients should be exact with their descriptions when asked by their attending physicians.

Chest pain may be simply categorized as those that arise in the structures located in the chest wall, which doctors sometimes term as

“lateral or chest wall pain”, those that arise in the internal organs located in the chest cavity, termed as “visceral or central pain”, and one that should not be overlooked, those that do not show any organic reason for the pain, simply called anxiety -caused pain, which belong to the psychiatrist.

Chest wall pain is usually described as sharp, well localized to an area, and is increased by deep breathing or coughing; it is sometimes referred to as pleuritic pain or pleurisy since it is associated with any disease that brings about inflammation of the lung covering called pleura, such as infections like pneumonia, tuberculosis or pus formation (empyema); trauma like in pneumothorax or air accumulation in the pleural space, hemothorax or blood accumulation, or rib facture; and tumors of varied forms. Chest wall pain may also be manifested as a sign of herpes zoster and inflammation of the rib joints.

On the other hand, the fre-

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

What does chest pain indicate? quently mentioned internal organs where visceral or central chest pain arise in are the respiratory tree, esophagus, and probably the most feared, the heart and its structures.

Acute bronchitis, or the inflammation of the main stem of the respiratory tree, manifests with pain that is made worse by coughing.

Also, cancerous growth within the bronchus and the mediastinum manifests this type of pain. The visceral pain that arises in the esophagus is usually secondary to reflux of stomach acidic content and is made frequent when the patient is lying down in bed, a process made easier by gravity. Esophageal pain is related to meals and is relieved by antacid; it is known to cause spastic cough and can be mistaken for a lung condition.

As has been alluded to, the pain that arises in the

A Matter of Credibility

By AMINULLAH ALONTO LUCMAN

I

t is as often disguised civilization to be a matter to be credible about; that its true discourse is destroy hence, what man has seen all the many centuries of inception has actually been the preservation of greed. However, if this is to be believed, what proofs have I that it is not?

This is the tricky part because as a Muslim, I’d say Islam had its sway during of which many odd centuries ago, it sought the discovery of science and really did relieve man of many of his malefaction; war and conflicts and poverty, in all either orders. Or should I say the animal in men? So did the saying ‘the cake is in the pudding’, but why haven’t we been Muslims all this many odd centuries too been uncaring and had gotten so enmeshed on forgettable issues like defending head scarves, the hijab?

The ambiguities indeed can overburden; the myopia to say the least of the miniscule issue has gotten the better part of Muslims from within the romance and antics of Paris and elsewhere

in Europe and the American travel ban, incinerating these places perilously that has animal behavior consuming these swell civilized places in rabid frenzy, really crazy. Given the vicissitudes of inexplicable wars in majority Muslim areas, the hijab as an issue is to me a ploy remove our thoughts in greater things, like knowing why we Muslims are at war. Crazy isn’t it?

Let me begin nonetheless in nondescript issues like hijab and science; why would it care to compare in the first place. This is really a tricky question as a matter of fact, like what is a head scarf from science, in mathematical equations it doesn’t say much. But when you say what is science in Islam; it can mean a lot. It means that had Islam been all war and no fun, one and zero would have remained unknown; meaning no Facebook Twitter and things of the cyber, zilch. Hijab however, is symbolical of Islam; the overtly misinterpreted issue civilized men have gotten so insane about.

The science of Mathematics is of Islamic origin; it was from a Muslim named Al Jab-

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bar whose discovery concocted the moniker ‘Algebra’ and many more of it like Astronomy Medicines etc.

Well, there is no comparison but let me check American travel ban for Muslims coming from certain areas in the Middle East; American jurisprudence say order is illegal, the judiciary has seemingly decided it encroaches on lawful rights of individuals, but how is this really? This phenomenal racist behavior in governments had been mostly I suspect because of irrepressible panicking; like a murder weapon with traces of ownership ‘law enforcement’ is remiss finding out simply for the better part of fair play. Or law enforcement making fun of the pervasive sayings anything of violence is ‘Islamic terror’, not fair at all.

I would like to hence argue along comparisons of by words of what you say, and what you prove; they are miles apart in meaning but they can be complimentary.

What Muslims need is proof; like how can one compare from proof from what is policy statements, can they sustain to be in same pool?

damage to the heart muscle and renders it functionally inadequate, though when the damage is minor and treatment is apt, the condition is successfully tided over.

Sometimes when the treatment is administered late or there is no proper medical regimen, the injury may worsen the clinical status, transforming into a more damaging myocardial infarct, and causing death.

The pain of the initial stage, the angina pectoris, is

induced by exertion of effort and typically becomes relieved by rest. Usually patients describe the feeling as sensation of heaviness or tightness located right under the sternum, the solid bone in the middle of the anterior side of the chest, or at the left half of the anterior chest.

Occasionally it may be radiated to the left arm or the left shoulder, to the jaw, or may even manifest like toothache.

There are other cardiovascular conditions that do manifest chest pain, though to a lesser frequency.

There is pericardial pain, which rises in the cover of the heart (pericardium), and which gets relieved by sitting up or leaning forward. There is also the deep pain of dissecting aneurysm of the aorta, not too frequent but is quite lethal.

Patients who feel something like the above described symptoms must at all cost try to find a way to get to a hospital. Or better still, one should not forget to care for his or her own self.

Dr. Benj Bangahan

Well, pundits say jump in the pool and you’re wet, not jump and you’re dry. Or policies from pool of dogmatic racism like ‘clustering’ people and call them names, that’s okay, but soonest policy bars people from free movement for no

reason, it’s called violation of American jurisprudence.

Or I’d say, I’ll sue your ass rather than be a suicide bomber, cause it’s a pretty downtrodden thing to do, isn’t it? AMINULLAH ALONTO LUCMAN

heart has been the most feared one since it may be due to an insufficient supply of blood through the arteries to the heart itself that are blocked. The insufficiency engenders partial

MNLF faction joins call for impartial probe on Kabacan ambush COTABATO CITY – Another faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) has joined the call for an impartial investigation on the brutal murder of nine Muslim motorists in broad daylight in Cotabato’s town of Kabacan last Saturday, Aug. 29.

Romeo Sema, the political affairs vice chairman of the MNLF faction headed by former Sulu governor Yusop Jikiri, expressed the MNLF condemnation on Wednesday and asked the police, the military and the National Bureau of Investigation to fuse ranks and look extensively into the incident.

“The MNLF condemns the incident. We in the MNLF join the sectors, including the Christian groups in North Cotabato province, in calling for an impartial probe on the atrocity,” said Sema, the labor and employment minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). t shall be recalled that the once strong MNLF under its founding chairman Nur Misuari has been divided into several factions. One of which is the MNLF under Jikiri in which Sema is the vice chair for political affairs, the other is the one led by the late Abul Khair Alonto, MinDA chair.

Both factions have cooperated with the MILF in its negotiations with the government that resulted to the signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. The nine ethnic Maguindanaons killed in the incident were on separate motorcycles en route to the town proper of Kabacan from an interior barangay when gunmen blocked their route and shot them one after another using assault rifles. (Muslimedia.PH)

News

A6 Sulu Sultan believes Malaysia willing to discuss Sabah issue From page A1 Rasul said it is unfortunate that self-proclaimed sultans have sprouted from the various clans in Sulu. Some of them come from the royal bloodline and are staking claims to the throne.

Just recently, another newspaper had mistakenly quoted another one who called himself as “the paramount sultan,” or sultan of all sultans — the highest one which does not exist.

Rasul, speaking for the Sultanate, laughed off this long line of pretenders.

“There are now many pretenders to the throne of Sulu, and Malaysia is exploiting this seeming division among the heirs so that it could divide them,” Rasul stated.

“There is only one Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram. He rules and owns Sulu, including Sabah, despite giving its (Sabah’s) sovereignty for the national government to protect,” he added.

The Sultanate has recently revved up its claim to Sabah, the island it leased to the British North Borneo Co. after it received the territory as a gift from the Sultan of Brunei in the 15th century.

The island was owned by the Sultanate since then.

A twist in history, however, had mistakenly placed Sabah as part of the Malaysian Federation in 1963.

The fault dates back to the end of the last great war.

The British company leased the island because the British government knew that it was not part of territories it had colonized before World War II. That lease was a recognition of the Sultanate of Sulu’s ownership of the island.

The British government had mistakenly turned over Sabah to Malaysia after the war. When the federation was formed, the people of Sabah — with mostly Malaysians casting their votes — decided to join the new grouping along with Sarawak and Singapore.

That was in 1963. Singapore was kicked out of the federation in 1964.

Earlier in 1962, however, the Philippine government had lodged its claim to the island.

It follows an earlier claim made by the Philippine Congress that was filed as early as 1950.

Both claims were initiated by Diosdado Macapagal, who was a congressman in 1950 and was President of the Republic of the Philippines in 1962.

Sabah is part of Sulu. It is owned by the Philippines.

The sultanate has given its sovereignty to the Philippines that early.

Malaysia, recognizing the Sultanate of Sulu’s ownership of Sabah, had long been paying the continuance of the lease until recently.

The other week, Malaysia filed a note verbale before the United Nations rejecting the Philippines’ claim to Sabah.

It was viewed by the Sultanate as a publicity stunt.

The latest Kuala Lumpur missive was in response to Manila’s challenge to Putrajaya’s plan to extend continental shelf in waters off the eastern state of Sabah.

Rasul said the Sultanate of Sulu believes Malaysia is willing to talk to the Philippine government to settle the Sabah issue. But the pretenders to the throne are muddling up the picture.

There are just too many them.

Rasul is asking President Rodrigo Duterte to stomp his foot now to silence these pretenders and make the Philippine government as the one strong voice that will talk on behalf of the Sultanate of Sulu.

Duterte had promised to fight for the Sabah cause.

The Sultanate is saying it is time to start inviting the Malaysians to the negotiating table.

(JIJ)

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muslimtoday2020@gmail.com

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

Kabacan massacre draws probes by various entities

By ALI G. MACABALANG

C

OTABATO CITY – The killing in broad daylight of nine Moro farmers in Kabacan, North Cotabato on Aug. 29 has continued to draw attention from various entities, with the House of Representatives and the new Philippine National Police leadership joining the bandwagon of popular demands for justice.

Seven Muslim members of the House of Representatives have called for a joint inquiry in aid of legislation on the so-called Kabacan massacre, through a resolution filed on Sept. 2 persuading the lower chamber’s Committees on Public Order and Safety and on Muslim Affairs House to lead the legislative inquiry.

Also on Sept. 2, Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, upon assuming office as new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said his administration will launch its own probe on the incident.

“Yes, if that would be the case, we will investigate that.

We will come up with an investigating team [that] will look into that matter,” Gen. Cascolan said over CNN Philippines’ that sought his reaction to initial news reports that police officers were behind the carnage.

The alleged involvement of cops in the carnage surfaced in the initial probe of the Commission on Human Rights in Region 12 (CHR-XII), which had reportedly interviewed relatives of massacre victims.

Nine motorcycles-driving Muslim farmers were killed in the incident. Eight of them died on the spot, while the ninth victim named as Nasher “Tong” Guiaman succumbed to bullet wounds in hospital.

CHR-XII Director Erland Deluvio, citing tips from grieving relatives, had disclosed that Guiaman before his death had mentioned that the armed men who flagged them down, herded them to the roadside and fired at them were cops.

The mass killing happened in broad daylight along a busy provincial road in the vicinity of the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) campus on Aug. 29.

Information reaching the Philippine Muslim Today online news said some USM security guards witnessed the incident, even as one of them had corroborated the alleged involvement of cops.

Initial investigations showed the nine victims aboard separate motorbikes were unarmed and traveling from Barangay Aringgay of Kabacan town when their attackers flagged them down, herded them to the roadside and fired at them. These refuted past reports that the incident was a shootout.

Apart from Guiaman, the eight other victims were named as Kors Salilangan,

KABACAN MASSACRE. Relatives of victims being interviewed by social welfare workers from the Bangsamoro government.

(BARMM photo) Sandigan Zailon, Benladin Dimanalao, Romeo Balatamay, Katindig Kagayawon, and Fahad Mandigan, all residents of Kabacan town; Budsal Lipusan of Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao; and Musaid Jaiden of Midsayap town in North Cotabato province.

The incident had spawned condemnations from various sectors, prompting some concerned entities to form investigation teams to unearth the truth and identify the culprits for prosecution.

North Cotabato organized a special task group of probers from the office of provincial police director, Col. Henry Villar, agents from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and representatives from the local government unit of Kabacan.

Even the local military establishment had also initiated a separate investigation due to the possible adverse implication of the incident to security concerns and the government’s peace deals with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Bangsamoro autonomous government Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim, who is also chairman of the MILF, had tasked his Public Order and Safety Minister Hussein Muñoz to create and lead a probe body, and encouraged the Bangsamoro

Commission on Human Rights to conduct a parallel probe.

Ebrahim had initially dispatched a team from his Ministry of Social Services and Development to interview relatives of the massacre victims and provide them financial assistance.

BIAF still alive The Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), the MILF’s armed wing led as chief of staff by incumbent Bangsamoro government Executive Secretary and Environment Minister Abdulraof Macacua, has posted online a statement assuring families of the massacre victims that the “BIAF is still alive” to rally them in their moment of grief and in their demand for justice.

Indignation Rally Hundreds of people from Bangsamoro villages in North Cotabato staged a peace rally in Kabacan town on Sept. 5 to denounce the massacre and demand for speedy investigation as well as prompt dispensation of justice for the victims.

Along both sides of Kabacan highway, rally participants waved placards bearing justice-seeking messages.

Two of the placard messages read, “Give us justice” and “Huwag idaan sa limot ang hustisya ng Kabacan massacre.”

KABACAN | A7

News

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

Muslims urged to be on guard vs crimes, violence SEEK LEADERS IN GOVERNMENT TO FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHT

By MASIDING NOOR YAHYA

M

ANILA — Muslim civic leaders have urged their brother Muslims to be on guard always against lawless elements and violence for their safety as killings are being perpetrated against them.

A7

Fear of backlash mounts after Lanao Sur placed under MECQ

By MASIDING NOOR YAHYA

M

ARAWI CITY – A concerned Muslim leader here is worried on the backlash of placing Lanao del Sur and Marawi City under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) without due consideration to religious sensitivity.

Abdul Hannan Tago, a director of Philippine Amanah Bank and a former senior journalist in the Arab News, said he feared repercussions of the measure will affect the entire community.

Tago said the measure has been tested in other localities but did not succeed effectively.

“Strict measure without spiritual reform and repentance that only ensure discipline was already a failure experience in Iligan,” said Tago, now a columnist of Philippine Muslim Today.

“Why should we adopt them here in Lanao del Sur?” he asked.

Tago recalled on April 18 there was no any case in Lanao del Sur and “we openly requested that prayers at Masajid in the last 10 days of Ramadan should be allowed. Hindi daw kasi walang kinikilala ang Covid-19.”

“Instead, no Taraweeh was allowed nor Eid Al Fitr, alleging they may not be able to control the worshipers so the virus will spike and spread more. So saan tayo ngayon?,” Tago remarked. (Muslimedia.PH)

A Muslim couple from Lanao del Sur was ambushed and died on the spot in an apparent robbery cum murder. (FB) Abdul Aziz GolingDecampong Lucman, a Maranao leader in Metro Manila and a close kin of the victim, said, “It appears obvious that we Muslims are easily killed in Metro Manila, (and we asked) our leaders especially those in Congress to defend and fight for the rights of Muslims in Metro Manila.”

On Thursday evening, a Muslim couple from Lanao del Sur was ambushed in Pasay City by unidentified armed suspects in ‘police uniform.’

The victims earlier identified by relatives as Hj. Farhan “Jun” Saad Decampong, and wife Hja. Farhana died on the spot.

The Maranao couple is known in the Muslim community in the National Capital Region especially in Metro Manila as merchants engaged in jewelry business.

Police initial report said that the incident happened at about 6:25 p.m. along Ortigas St., Barangay 76 Zone 10, Pasay City.

Media reported two witnesses claiming that prior to the shooting incident they saw two men in police uniform on board a motorcycle parked along Ortigas St. The witnesses claimed they heard gunshots when the victims’ vehicle arrived on the crime scene and saw the motorcycle-riding men

flee towards the direction of EDSA bringing what appears to be a vault.

Vault containing P15million in cash and jewelries missing Sultan Hj. Yunos Labay, president of the Pasay Muslim Consultative Council said the victims were on their way home when the incident happened.

Yunos said the vault of the victims containing cash and jewelry amounting to P15-million is missing.

The Pasay ambush took place at the heels of what happened in Kabacan where nine Muslim farmers were massacred, the so-called suicide bombings in Jolo

KABACAN | From Page A6

Kabacan massacre draws probes by various entities Among the rally participants were some decommissioned combatants of the MILF-BIAF, who were related by affinity and consanguinity to three or more of the massacre fatalities.

Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, spokesman and minister of the Interior and Local Governments of the regional government, said listening to the former combatant’s story broke his heart.

He was referring to an elder rally participant, who narrated in tears how he joined the Moro revolutionary front to protect his family and community from infamous massacres that included the Manili carnage north of Kabacan town.

At the sidelight of the peace rally, protesters were

informed that local representatives from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) observed partly the rally in their launch of their own probe of the incident.

House legislative inquiry Due ostensibly to the alleged involvement of cops, seven Moro members of the House of Representatives filed Resolution 1183 on Sept. 2 to call for a joint legislative inquiry on the massacre by the committees on public order and safety and on Muslim affairs.

The resolution authors included Representatives Esmael Mangundadatu of Maguindanao, Mujiv Hataman of Basilan, Amihilda Sangcopan of AMIN Partylist, Yasser Alonto Balindong and Ansaruddin Adiong of

Lanao del Sur, Munir Arbison of Sulu, and Rashidin Matba of Tawi-Tawi.

“The recurrence…of alleged illegal practices committed by the law enforcement agencies (among) the Muslim population has become alarming and leads the people to believe that these are systematic and institutional failures, requiring a comprehensive review of the existing criminal justice system and law enforcement procedures and protocols being implemented in the country,” the resolution said.

Rep. Mangudadatu said: “We are truly heartbroken and outraged with the death of the farmers who were reportedly ordered to alight from their motorcycles while traversing the road along

Then presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte being interviewed by Abdul Hannan Tago for Arab News. (File) done earlier and other violence in other parts of the country.

Also, sometimes in June this year in Manila, a Muslim barangay chairman in Quiapo was executed in public.

Victim chairman Abubakar Sharief was seen talking to a group of policemen when, a

few minutes after their mobile patrol left, another group of armed men executed Sharief.

A CCTV camera caught the presence of the group of killers and their getaway vehicle at the time Sharief and the policemen were talking. Muslimedia.PH

Aringay Road proximate to the University of Southern Mindanao campus.”

“This tragedy is truly painful for the victims’ families. It would be sadder and troubling if it’s true that police officers were behind the crime,” Mangudadatu said, underscoring the need to “thoroughly examine how the police run the country’s justice system, as well as its processes and protocol.”

Mangudadatu cited past instances on how police and military people were being used by politicians either willingly or unsuspectingly to carry out hatchet jobs and illegal activities.

“As legislators, let us also find ways to end the stigma where policemen are called ‘criminals in uniform’. I believe that a good number of law enforcers are willing to join this cause and are willing

to uplift and restore respect to their insignia,” he said.

Mangundadatu lost his wife and two sisters along with 55 others in the November 23, 2009 Ampatuan Massacre.

Of the 197 suspects in the carnage, 52 were cops, 19 of them convicted while 33 were acquitted.

Hoodlums in uniform The call for legislative probe by the Muslim lawmakers came three days after a Maranao couple engaged in jewelry business was waylaid, robbed and shot dead by armed men, who were shown in CCTV videos as clad in police uniforms and gears.

Justice advocates in separate social media messages expressed hope that the proposed House inquiry could also cover efforts to shed light on the killing of the Maranao couple. (AGM)

News

A8 Across Mindanao USec Ampatuan sworn-in as member of the Army multi-sector advisory board CAMP FORT BONIFACIO, Taguig City: The Philippine Army (PA) Headquarters welcomes an undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who is at the same time a Muslim peace advocate as new member of the Multi-Sector Advisory Board (MSAB) here recently.

Engr. Zamzamin Ampatuan, DA Undersecretary for Regulations and Build Build Build Agriculture, took his oath as MSAB member before Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana, commanding general of the Philippine Army.

Ampatuan said he intends to serve in PA MSAB’s Research and Education Committee. He hopes that his experiences as a follower of Islam will contribute to the endeavors of the board’s support towards the Army’s mission especially in advocating peace.

“The Philippine Army’s transformation is a bid shared with governance and policy experts, the people we need in attaining our breakthrough goals. They are the people we rely on for criticisms and opinions in wide -ranging matters affecting the Army,” said Sobejana.

NEW ARMY MSAB MEMBER: Engr. Zamzamin Ampatuan, left, DA Undersecretary, is being pinned by Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana, Army Commanding General that signals his membership in the Army Multi-Sector Advisory Board. (Contributed Photo by Mark Navales) Ampatuan who is widely known as a peace advocate is also technologically equipped as a development worker in Mindanao, especially in the Bangsamoro region.

His advocacy ranges from being vocal against violent extremism since his youth, to community-based development work. He has been into various engagement both local, national and international propagating peaceful approaches in the resolution of social ills and political discontent.

USec Ampatuan was born on 14 March 1963 at Zapakan, Radjah Buayan, Maguindanao. He is married to Bai Farida Sinsuat Lidasan with whom he has one daughter and four sons.

In like manner prior to joining the DA as undersecretary to Secretary William Dar, he was the incumbent mayor of the Municipality of Radjah Buayan but has to give up the mayoralty post in favor of the big calling as a public servant serving the entire nation.

It can be recalled in 1990s, he became a vocal critic of Violent Extremism. He ran a radio broadcast program which became his platform on preventing and countering the spread of radical Islamist ideology propagation and its promotion of culture of violence.

He dismissed the extremists as veering away from true teachings of Islam and leading more into a corrupt and wayward Jihad.

Engr. Ampatuan believes in the principles of democracy which allow spiritual, moral and ethical values to flourish under state-guaranteed freedom, and without the use of force.

Hence, Ampatuan has been well recognized for his views against Violent Extremism that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the time of Gen. Angelo Reyes as AFP Chief of Staff, requested him as an adviser of the military on how to deal with concerns within the Muslim Mindanao region. The recognition he has garnered led him to speak at the Center for Excellence in National Security (CENS) in Singapore and the US Military Academy at West Point.

Engr. Ampatuan is a dedicated development worker. This was concretely manifested when he became one of the leading implementers of the United Nations Development Program-lead UN Programmed to assist the implementation of the 1996 GPH-MNLF Final Peace Agreement. The Program AMPATUAN | A10

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

BARMM allots P60M aid for formal workers

By ALI G. MACABALANG

C

OTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro autonomous government has allotted P60-million cash aid for its Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) to distribThe fund exactly involving P60,180,000.00 was approved by Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim and later released by Ministry of Finance, and Budget and Management (MFBM) to the MOLE on last August 17 as a package called COVID -19 Assistance Program (CAP), the Bureau of Public Information (BPI) said.

The aid package is meant to help the formal labor sector, especially those establishments that are mostly affected

by Covid-19 pandemic, a BPI statement said.

In the statement, MOLE Minister Romeo K. Sema said the Bureau of Labor Relations and Standards (BLRS) were preparing the required supporting document for the eventual release of the aids to the recipient workers in various establishments in BARMM. Minister Sema was all praises for the Chief Minister and his cabinet for the allotment, noting though that

ute among its 12,037 workers in the formal labor sector affected by the ills from COVID-19 pandemic.

CASH AID TO FORMAL WORKER SECTOR. BARMM Labor Minister Romeo Sema at a recent virtual forum announcing the availability of P60-million cash assistance for 12,037 formal labor workers in the Bangsamoro autonomous region. “because of increasing positive case(s) of Covid-19 (discouraging interpersonal aid distribution), the aid will be distributed to the recipients fund through bank transfer, money remittance and/or payroll for nearby establishments.

In the statement, BLRS head Abdulrakman Nor said the first distribution is scheduled next week for the formal sector workers in this city,

followed by other component provinces and cities of the Bangsamoro region including the 63 Barangays in Cotabato Province.

Minister Sema, meanwhile, urged concerned establishments still unable to submit full documents to complete the requirements promptly in order to support the processing of checks and payrolls of their workers. (AGM)

MACABALANG | From Page A4

Blessing in disguise I told Ferddie I could not extend my sojourn in Manila because I ran out of money, and besides I had a standing commitment to cover the filing of Mangudadatu’s gubernatorial candidacy. But he told me that Dr. Laidan already booked me for two-day more stay in another hotel, and set aside some pocket money.

While reasoning out to Ferddie, my second phone rang. My eldest brother, then BFAR-Region XII Director Sani told me he would also attend the halal forum, he being the focal person halal development program of the Department of Agriculture, under which BFAR operates.

Kuya Sani said he was already in Manila and I should cover the event and write something about it, prodding me about my being a member of the Islamic da’wa movement.

Convinced of the more benefits that Filipino people could derive from halal forum, I heeded the persuasions of my brother and colleague Ferddie. I asked both of them to provide me data about the forum and wrote an advance story for the international event. The Manila Bulletin

carried my story as a front page banner article the following day. The DOST-XII bought hundreds of copies of the newspaper to serve as among reference materials for forum delegates.

Due to the change in my travel itinerary, I called up fellow Manila Bulletin scribe Alejandro “Bong” Reblando of Gen. Santos City to fetch in for me in the media coverage of Mangudadatu’s filing of candidacy. Bong gladly accepted my request after confiding that I should have flown to Manila with him as usual in our three decades of partnership.

In the morning of Nov. 23 (about 10a.m.) while I was in huddle with forum delegates at our designated table, I felt my heart burst into tears when I received a call from Central Mindanao informing that Bong Reblando alongside other local media people had been “kidnapped.” Another call came later, saying the bodies of the “kidnapped” journalists were found headless.

Many of the halal forum delegates, including my brother Sani, who knows my intimate friendship with Bong,

saw me sobbing. I revealed to the delegates about the nature of the calls, prompting a disruption in the flow of forum official discussions as every tuned on several standby TV sets watched the blow-by-blow reportage on the incident along the highway of Ampatuan town’s Barangay Salman – now called the 2009 Maguindanao massacre that left 58 people, 32 of them media workers, killed.

On that fateful day, I received dozens of calls from people, especially those aware of my consistent company with Bong Reblando, to say “Alhamdulillah” and “Subhanalllah” upon hearing my voice. They al thought I was with the media team accompanying the Mangudadatu family’s ill-fated convoy of vehicles.

Since that day and every annual anniversary of the 2009 massacre where I was asked to say some words, I could not help by shed tears.

Allah (subhanahu wa taala) granted me a “blessing in disguise” out of the wrong information received about the Nov. 18, 2009 clash between informal Moro settlers and police demolition elements. (AGM)

News

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

Mindanao leaders call for review of rice importation

By ALI G. MACABALANG

D

AVAO CITY – Mindanao leaders, including the Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, lawmakers and governors, have urged Congress to review the law which allows unim-

peded rice importation as farm gate prices of paddy rice dropped from P22 two years ago to P11 per kilo in many areas of the region this harvest season.

PALAY PRICE LOWERED DUE TO MASSIVE IMPORT. Farmers buckling back to harvesting their rice farm this month, rekindling wishes for higher prices for their padded rice [palay] productions lowered as a consequence in the massive imports of rice allowed under R.A. 11203, also known as Rice Tarrification Law.) In its 12th virtual meeting on Tuesday here, the Governing Board of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) unanimously adopted a resolution urging both House of Representatives and the Senate to review and amend R.A. 11203, also known as Rice Tarrification Law (RTL), which allows unimpeded entry of imported rice into the country.

The MinDA governing board includes Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Murad Ebrahim, governors and mayors representing regional development councils and private sector representatives.

The MinDA Board meeting was convened by its chairperson, Secretary Manny Piñol, primarily to tackle issues and concerns affecting efforts for Mindanao’s economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The island region’s recovery campaign includes the Mindanao Rise Program, which is funded by the European Union with a Grant Fund of P2.1-B, the Balik Probinsya Program, and other specific recovery projects.

In his online post, Sec. Piñol said the MinDA Board, on motion of private sector representative Engr. Sherwin Begyan and duly seconded

by Agusan del Norte Governor Dale Corvera, unanimously adopted the resolution for Congress to “review

the Rice Tariffication Law in the face of irrefutable evidence that the unimpeded rice importation has caused injury to the local rice industry and the rice farmers of Mindanao.”

Piñol said it was pointed out during the meeting discussions that the “very low farm gate prices of paddy rice, some at P11 per kilo which is below the production cost of P12, is causing economic hardships for Mindanao’s rice farmers and could adversely affect the economic recovery efforts of Mindanao.”

Senator Zubiri, unable to join the virtual meeting in view of their ongoing events in the Senate, relayed to the MinDA Board later his support to the intent and purpose of the resolution, according to the board secretariat.

“If it is really causing injury to the rice industry and hardship to our farmers, then it is only fair that we review the law,” Zubiri was quoted as saying.

Zubiri, who was among the Senators who passed the RTL, hails from Bukidnon, which is one of Mindanao’s biggest rice production provinces. He reportedly admitted having received similar appeals from rice farmers for a review of the RTL. R.A. 11203 or RTL was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on February 14 and took effect on March 5, 2019.

Its provisions, introduced

mostly by senators over the version of the House of Representatives, removed government limits known as quantitative restrictions (QRs) on rice importation.

Senators, according to published reports, believed that the RTL could help “affordable rice prices for consumers, coupled with the goal of raising the income of palay/ rice farmers.”

The law consequently allows importers to bring in as much imported rice provided they pay the tariffs which in turn will be placed under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) which assures the rice industry of a P10-billion annual support for the next six years.

But studies conducted by the Federation of Free Farmers showed that while rice consumers benefited from the lower rice prices at an estimated value of P6-B, rice farmers lost about P80-B because of reduced income as a result of very low farm gate prices.

Additional losses which have yet to be quantified were also reported in ancillary activities to rice production, including land preparation equipment utilization, milling and processing and by products like rice bran and rice hulls.

The MinDA board secretariat said copies of the resolution will be formally enMINDANAO | A11

A9

The Nation in Focus

PH Covid-19 cases now 248,947; recoveries rise to 186K MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday reported 3,821 new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid -19) infections, raising the overall tally to 248,947 with only 58,823 active cases.

The DOH said the additional cases reported were based on the total Covid-19 tests done by 105 out of 117 operational laboratories.

Of the active cases, it said that about 88.3 percent are mild, 8.8 percent are asymptomatic, 1.2 percent severe, and 1.7 percent are critical.

The majority of the newly announced cases were from the National Capital Region (NCR) with 2,079, Rizal with 286, Cavite with 174, Laguna with 168, and Bulacan with 142 cases.

The department also reported 563 new recoveries and 80 deaths, bringing the total number of recoveries to 186,058 and the number of deaths to 4,066.

Of the 80 deaths, DOH said NCR has 35 or 44 percent, Region 7 (Central Visayas) with 16 or 20 percent, Region 4A (Calabarzon) with 13 or 16 percent, Region 6 (Western Visayas) with six or 8 percent, Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) with three or 4 percent, Region 3 (Central Luzon) with two or 2 percent, Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) with two or 2 percent, BARMM with two or 2 percent, and Region 5 (Bicol) with one or 1 percent.

It added that some 17 duplicates were removed from the total case count and of these, 12 recovered cases have been removed.

“Moreover, there were 36 cases that were previously reported as recovered but after final validation, they were 35 deaths and one active case,” the DOH said.

As of Wednesday, the 89 licensed reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratories and 29 licensed GeneXpert laboratories have conducted a total of 2,764,242 tests nationwide.

The DOH said it has a 21,100 total bed capacity dedicated to Covid-19 patients.

Occupied are about 46 percent of 1,800 intensive care unit beds; 45 percent of 13,700 isolation beds; and 48 percent of 5,600 ward beds.

About 28 percent of 2,200 ventilators are in use.

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

Villar SIPAG donates chairs from recycled plastic to Lanao Norte school DAVAO CITY — Top businessmen, key industry players, government executives, and members of the diplomatic and consular corps will once again convene for the 29th Mindanao Business Conference, one of the biggest and most anticipated business events in Mindanao.

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte — On September 4, 2020, Pigcarangan Integrated School in Barangay Pigcarangan in Tubod, Lanao del Norte received classroom chairs made from recycled soft plastics through the Villar SIPAG Foundation.

The Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) Foundation since opening its first Waste Plastic Recycling Factory in Metro Manila in 2013, has been recycling plastic discards into plastic furniture such as school chairs, desks, and benches, and other types of furniture, and followed by two other factories in Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro to cover the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

One school chair needs 20 kilos of soft plastics and could last for 20 years with changeable parts and are made to look like wood, a remarkable idea to transform garbage into valuable materials.

Governor Imelda ‘Angging’ Quibranza -Dimaporo in support for the sustainability of the program and for the benefit of public schools, has been actively collecting plastics, such as bags, wrappers, bubble wrap, and other soft plastics, and sending it to Villar SIPAG Foundation.

Governor Angging is thankful to the Villar family for establishing the foundation and as a partner in helping public schools in the Province of Lanao del Norte create an environment that is conducive to learning, as well as providing opportunities to the youth in developing to become responsible, responsive, pro-active, and morally upright members of society. ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL

News

A10

Egypt arrests mother, 50 relatives of Islam the Australian E

gypt security forces have arrested the mother of a young Egyptian man whose death at the hands of police

earlier this week sparked protests in Giza.

Islam the Australian, 26, owned a shop selling birds.

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

UAE, Israel to sign peace treaty on Sept. 15 in Washington ABU DHABI: H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will lead a UAE high -ranking delegation to Washington on September 15 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump to participate in the signing ceremony of the historic UAE-Israeli peace accord, a senior Washington official confirmed to the media on Tuesday.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu will be present during the signing.

US officials said senior delegations from both countries would likely be led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayad, the brother of the Abu Dhabi crown prince.

The officials, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ceremony would either be held on the South Lawn, the Rose Garden or inside, depending on the weather.

(AGENCIES)

AMPATUAN | from Page A8

USec Ampatuan sworn-in...

Islam the Australian died at the hands of the Egyptian police, 7 September 2020 [amrsalama/Twitter]

I

slam the Australian, 26, owned a shop selling birds.

Almanassa reports that 50 of Islam the Australian’s relatives and neighbours have also been arrested.

On Monday, Islam was taken to Munib Police Station after he objected to police officers insulting his mother in the street.

He died of suspected torture. According to a forensic source, who spoke to Almanassa, an initial examination showed that he had bruises on his body.

Residents living close to Islam’s mother said she refused to receive the body

until an investigation is launched into his death.

After security forces coerced and pressured her by arresting her twice, she gave up her demand.

The Interior Ministry is denying what happened, and smearing reports as simply being affiliated to Muslim Brotherhood media outlets.

The Muslim Brotherhood was outlawed in Egypt shortly after the 2013 coup which brought in the current military government, and thousands of political prisoners are accused of being members, even if they were opposed to the Islamist group.

In a statement on Islam’s

ADAZA | from Page A4

President Duterte and his health How does Congress decide the issue? Third paragraph of Section 11, Article VII of the Constitution provides the answer. “For that purpose, the Congress shall convene, if it is not in session, within forty-eight hours, in accordance with its rules and without need of call.”

Then, what will the Congress do after it receives the last written declaration of the majority of all the Members of the Cabinet? Section 12, Article VII of the Constitution gives us the definitive answer: “If the Congress, within ten days after receipt of the last written declaration, or, if not in session, within twelve days after it is required to assemble, determines by twothirds vote of both Houses, voting separately, that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice-

President shall act as President, otherwise the President shall continue exercising the powers and duties of his office."

The present situation: Nobody really knows for sure the present status of the health of President Duterte – nothing is clear. Contributing to the confusion triggering a number of speculations is the statement of Harry Roque, the presidential spokesman the President is in a state of “perpetual isolation”. Anybody who knows and understands English can only draw the following rational conclusions – that the President is sick of an infectious or debilitating disease; that he will be isolated for an indefinite period which could be defined as permanent; that he is unable to perform his powers and duties as President.

If the speculations are accurate, then it is the duty of

death, the ministry said that a fight had broken out in the street over a financial dispute, one of those involved was injured in the fight, had a heart attack and died whilst being transferred to hospital for treatment.

Despite the fact that the 2011 revolution was in part fuelled by the same police brutality that killed Khaled Saeed, since 2013 impunity and brutality has worsened.

In 2018 protesters tried to storm Mokattam Police Station after a young Egyptian man Afroto was beaten and tortured inside.

(Middle East Monitor)

the Cabinet or whoever is tending to the President to inform the public of the state of health of the President under section 12, Article VII of the Constitution. It is the duty, under this provision, of the Secretary of National Defense, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to visit President Duterte – to determine his state of health and inform the Cabinet of the state of health of the President. That’s their constitutional duty.

They should do it now. Otherwise, if they cannot do their job, they should resign so somebody else could be appointed to their positions, persons who are able to perform their constitutional duty.

Evaluation: Judging by his words and actions, will President Duterte inform the Cabinet and the country that he is sick? Of course not! What about the people attending to him? With more reason, they will not. If the Members of the

covered a wide array of developmental interventions to rehabilitate the conflict affected communities in the areas then declared as the Special Zone of Peace and Development (SZOPAD).

Even as he is committed to the campaign against Violent Extremism, Engr. Ampatuan was able to carry on his work as public servant, and he ascended in the career executive hierarchy eventually attaining the highest rank as CESO I (Career Executive Service Officer I), thus he has been in various executive posts in the national government.

Aside from serving as a career bureaucrat, he also has experience as a local government executive as mentioned earlier he became Mayor of Radjah Buayan, his birthplace and hometown.

As Mayor, he was one of the recipients of the 2014 AFP Bayanihan Award for having successfully defended his town, organizing both the local AFP Unit, the MILF, and civilian volunteers against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF).

USec Ampatuan is currently a member of 6ID Multi -Sectoral Advisory Board.

“My membership in the Philippine Army MSAB will bring into this forum my in depth knowledge of Islamist Extremism which inspires terrorism worldwide thus provide the Army the needed insight in keeping its role in protecting the land,” Ampatuan further said. (Mark Navales) Cabinet know for certain that President is sick and unable to perform his powers and duties, will the majority of all the Members of the Cabinet send that written declaration to the head of both Houses of Congress about the President’s inability to perform his powers and duties? Of course not! They are afraid of President Duterte and of losing their jobs. Most of all, they are all loyal to Duterte and themselves while their loyalty to the country and our people has yet to be found.

Will the Secretaries of National Defense and Foreign Affairs as well as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines go and see President Duterte to verify the state of health of President Duterte? It is more possible for them to go to the summit of Mt. Everest or for the DFA secretary to cry in national television or show his infamous dirty finger sign than to determine the state of health of the President.

So, where do we go from here? Failing in almost everything, the remedy is in the Constitution. It is not difficult to find it.

Importance of President’s Health: The situation in the country is bad enough when he is physically healthy, how much more if he is not? Who will run the country in his absence – being in perpetual isolation? If the Members of his Cabinet cannot properly perform their duties when the President is healthy, how much more if he is not and not around?

If graft and corruption flourishes when the President is healthy, how much more if he is not and not around? If the police is abusive when the President is healthy and around, how much more if he is not and not around? If other officials in government misbehave when the President is healthy, how much more if he is not and not around?

(To be continued)

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

Mutawiff fee refund to resume after MECQ in Lanao Sur, Iligan lifted

Suwan Suwan on Ramadan and special days The Best of Halal Home-Cooked Muslim Filipino Dishes

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor

M

ARAWI CITY: The refund of paid services fee or Mutawiff of the intending pilgrims for 2020 whose journey for the Hajj was cancelled due to the COVID -19 pandemic will push through after the lifting of the MECQ (Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine) status in Lanao del Sur and Iligan City, an official from the government hajj agency said.

In an exclusive interview, Director Malo Manonggiring, chief of the Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (BPE-NCMF), told the Philippine Muslim Today that the refund of the Mutawiff Fee will resume in Lanao del Sur, Marawi City, and Iligan City by October 1 as soon as the MECQ quarantine status shall have lapsed by September 30.

“I call upon all the Sheikhs of Lanao del Sur, Marawi City including Iligan City to inform their respective Jama’as not to worry since they can have their refund of their Mutawiff fees paid upon

by October 1 in time for the lifting of MECQ by the end of the month of September,” Manonggiring emphasized.

It can be recalled that the payment of reimbursement of Mutawiff fees was postponed effective Monday, September 7 and until further notice when the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) in these places elevated the quarantine status to MECQ due to the spikes of the number of persons tested positive of COVID-19.

Among the known personalities from Lanao del Sur afflicted and tested positive of Corona-

A11

With MARIA FHEBIE ORTIL

M

y father who is a Tausug from Lupah Sug or from Sulu narrated to me how happy he was that during the time of Ramadan back in his hometown in every Sahur between 2:00 am and 3:00 am his elder Sister never missed to cook Suwan Suwan for 30 days during the fasting month of Ramadan.

However, nowadays many prepare Suwan Suwan during ordinary days especially when there are visitors around.

Hence, Suwan Suwan is a mainstay dish for the entire Tausug family. Here in my Series of the Best of Halal Home Cooked Muslim Filipino Dishes featured on the Cooking Recipe compiled by Abdulaziz H. Hamsain, I am featuring here the easy to do or easy to cook Suwan Suwan.

Actually reading from a procedure below it is quite simple and almost self-explanatory that any housewife or anyone who stays at home in this time of Pandemic can easily cook this Suwan Suwan and ready to serve during any meal of the day.

SUWAN SUWAN Serves 3-4

Pilgrimage and endowment bureau chief Malo Manonggiring. (File)

virus is Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan, the Health Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and his wife.

Ingredients:  1 large lapu-lapu fish      

1 cup coconut milk 1 small can green peas 1-2 cloves garlic chopped 1 whole onion chopped 1 inch ginger chopped 1 whole green pepper chopped into a long rectangular shape

Mindanao leaders call for review of rice importation

 

Salt (depending on taste) 1 pinch black pepper

dorsed to both chambers of Congress for their review and action.

During the deliberations of RTL-related issues in the cabinet, Piñol sitting then as agriculture secretary had reportedly argued for the protection of farmers’ welfare.

But the President had reportedly preferred the version of other Cabinet economic cluster members like Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez backed by Senator Cynthia Villar.

Among other reasons, the arguments over the RTL had prompted Piñol to resign his top agriculture cabinet post.

The President appointed Pinol as MinDA chairman in August 2019 to succeed Sec. Abdul Khayr Alonto, who succumbed to lingering ailment a few months earlier.

Regulate agriculture imports In another online post, Secretary Piñol has outlined some measures to restart Mindanao’s economy from the adverse effects by the

 

4 tbsp ketchup 1 tbsp soy sauce

MUTAWIFF | A12

MINDANAO | from Page A9 disruption of supply chain because of COVID -19 pandemic.

He reportedly made the recommendations during the recent virtual meeting in Zamboanga Sibugay of the Mindanao Regional Development Councils chairmen headed by Agusan del Norte Governor Dale Corvera.

“I shared with the MIndanao RDC chairmen the appeal of agriculture stakeholders, especially rice farmers, for the government support as farm gate prices fell below break-even levels,” Piñol said.

He said “the economic recovery of Mindanao, including the whole country, could be jump-started if we consider the following practical solutions: “1. Just like in a basketball game, let us look at our deep bench, meaning our local resources, and exploit these rather than depend on imports; “2. Our local government leaders in Mindanao should

spread and promote the “Buy Local” Advocacy to support not only our agricultural producers but also local manufacturers; “3. By promoting and buying local products, we provide income-earning opportunities and jobs to Filipinos and at the same time, allow the circulation of money intended for imports in the country to perk up the economy.”

He said the foregoing “suggested solutions which will not cost government anything and will certainly be welcomed by the agriculture and fisheries sector.”

During the “lockdowns” in the pandemic, he said, “local farmers could have (remained gainful and stable) had local government units opted to procure local goods over imported products, like rice.”

“By regulating the entry of imports and promoting local products, we will see an immediate recovery of Mindanao’s economy,” he pointed out. (AGM)

JANNARAL | from Page A3

On the Good Ampatuan; One Voice, One Call from Sulu Sultanate... that self-proclaimed sultans have sprouted from the various clans in Sulu. Some of

them come from the royal bloodline and are staking claims to the throne.

Just recently, another newspaper had mistakenly quoted another one who

Procedure: 1. Fry lapu-lapu fish until golden brown remove then set aside.

2. Sauté the garlic, onion, ginger, and black pepper.

3. Then add the coconut milk.

4. Then add green peas and green pepper.

5. Add ketchup and soy sauce until the sauce becomes creamy.

6. Add salt according to your taste.

7. Add the cooked lapu-lapu fish. *Best served during any meal of the day.

called himself as “the paramount sultan,” or sultan of all sultans — the highest one which does not exist.

Rasul said the Sultanate of Sulu believes Malaysia is willing to talk to the Philippine

government to settle the Sabah issue. But the pretenders to the throne are muddling up the picture.

"There are just too many them," Rasul further said.

JIJ

A12

Eco-Tourism

Quotes and Insights from Inspirational Figures

Vol. I, No. 13 | September 11-17, 2020 (Muharram 23-29, 1442)

9 Sulu cops face raps on killing of Army intel officers

By JOHNNY R. LEE, Ph.D.

I

n today’s issue of The Philippine MUSLIM TODAY, this writer will temporarily skip the regular written article on Tawi-Tawi. I have numbers of topics in the pipeline, but as a researcher, I feel that I still need to gather materials that could add and substantiate the veracity and facts of it to avoid controversy in its final publication.

For a change, this writ-

M

er is posting thoughts, quotes and insights from some inspirational figures that could help us understand their masterpieces better and learn something that we would be able to apply to our own lives.

Herein are the compilation of 10 meaningful and inspiring quotes by legendary and world- famous authors in history.

ANILA – The nine police officers involved in the shooting of four military intelligence operatives in Jolo last June and the three top officials in Sulu have been slapped with administrative charges, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan said Monday.

Cascolan said administrative charges have been filed against Senior Master Sgt. Abdelzhimar Padjiri; Master Sgt. Hanie Baddiri; Staff Sgt. Iskandar Susulan; Staff Sgt. Ernisar Sappal; Cpl. Sulki Andaki; Pat. Moh. Nur Pasani; Staff Sgt. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin; Pat. Alkajal Mandangan; and Pat Rajiv Putalan. All are under restrictive custody in Camp Crame.

Based on the findings of the Internal Affairs Service (IAS), the three senior officials—Lt. Col. Michael Bayawan, Jr., the Sulu police chief; Maj. Walter Annayo, the Jolo police chief; and Capt. Ariel Corsino, head of the Sulu drug enforcement unit, are also facing administrative charges since they are also liable under the doctrine of command responsibility.

“I am giving internal affairs unit the free hand in exercising its mandate to determine the administrative liability of these personnel and to impose the appropriate penalty as prescribed under PNP regulations,” Cascolan told reporters in a press briefing.

The National filed criminal cases of murder and planting evidence against the nine cops. It also recommended the filing of complaints for neglect of duty against Bayawan, Annayo, and Corsino.

“These personnel are readily available to face investigation by the panel of summary hearing officers who will determine probable cause to take further admin actions against them,” Cascolan said.

“Let me assure that these personnel will be afforded due process throughout the course of the entire investigation,” he added.

Killed in the June 29 incident were Maj. Marvin Indammog, Capt. Irwin Managuelod, Sgt. Jaime Velasco, and Cpl. Abdal Asula—all Army personnel.

The four were conducting intelligence and monitoring operations against two suspected suicide bombers when gunned down by the police officers.

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

MUTAWIFF | From Page A11

Mutawiff fee refund to resume Although they were tested asymptomatic, however Dr. Dipatuan and his wife had a 14-day quarantine period at the Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) in Marawi City.

Dipatuan meanwhile advised all the people in Cotabato City and Marawi City they have made closed contacts to subject themselves to the required 14 day status of quarantine.

(Muslimedia.PH)