Philippine Muslim Today by Philippine Muslim Today

A “SULUAN” QUINCENTENNIAL MARKER?

Mehol K. Sadain | A2

Should President Duterte be impeached and convicted for Constitutional violations? (2)

Homobono A. Adaza | A3

Pandemic vocabularies are now enriched with additional words

Don’t die on COVID-19 time

Julmunir I. Jannaral | A3

Ali G. Macabalang | A4

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Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442) | 16 Pages | Online Issue

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First day of fasting likely to fall on Tuesday, April 13

Muslims fast for Ramadan still under pandemic By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor

he glint of a crescent moon in coming Sunday’s twilight sky (or the eve of Monday in the Hijri calendar) will beckon to the world’s more than a billion Muslims that the holy month of Ramadan has begun even as many Islamic scholars think the first day of the fast will most likely fall on Tuesday, April 13, considering that scientific calculations reveal that the new moon will appear before noon Monday. Cotabato Grand Mosque where thousands of Muslim devotees perform Eid prayers at end of Ramadan.

A9 EDUCATION

A5 THE COMMUNITY

A6 MINDANAO

NCMF holds dialogue with Muslim residents and the police in Cavite on illegal search and seizure

MILF camp to pilot Bangsamoro halal beef production

Over 4,200 vie for 400 teacher-items in Lanao Sur, Maguindanao

Sec. Manny Pinol, MinDA chairman, and BARMM officials agreed to kick off the pilot Cattle Fattening Program in Mindanao in the autonomous region via the MILF main enclave in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao – Camp Darapanan.

Over 4,200 eligible graduates are vying for only 400 teacher item -slots for Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao provinces alone in what was described as tedious process posing as “one of challenges” facing the infant Bangsamoro autonomous government’s stride to institute administrative and organizational reforms to produce quality education.

NCMF Commissioner Yusoph Mando recently conducted consultation with distraught Muslim residents and dialogue with the Director of Dasmariñas City police office on the issue of illegal search and seizure of Muslim residents in the area.

Full Story on Page A11

A13 TOURISM The Latest Tourists Attractions in Tawi-Tawi

Teeming with beautiful islands with white sandy beaches, quaint coastal towns, sacred mountains, appetizing cuisine, and historic mosques, made Tawi-Tawi a mustvisit tourist destination in this southernmost tip of the country.

Opinion

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

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Front page of PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY previous issue.

No Movement Sundays, But All the Moves on Weekdays?

s Meranaws in Lanao del Sur face another month of "No Movement Sundays" in the face of the alarming sudden increase in cases locally and nationwide, the directive has yet again drawn the usual reactions of disappointment, anger, anxiety, ad infinitum, as usual. Apart from concerns regarding the resulting limited livelihood opportunities and the limited mobility that the said move entails, one is likely to think: "Would this really stop the spread?" and "Does this even make sense anymore?" But then, one does not have to look far to see what had caused the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur and the IATF to come up with this. With the relatively lax implementation of the GCQ in the province recently, and with the spike in cases in NCR, and with Meranaws being more free than before to slip in and out of the province, the fear of replicating the harrowing situation in the National Capitol Region may likely had fueled the move. With the "No Movement Sunday" and the likelihood of another ECQ (Allah forbid) should the cases spiral out of control, the clamor for more government assistance and the complaints that go along with the slow response of the authorities have once again emerged. Nevertheless, what is striking is the lack of individual accountability and the sense of responsibility among the people regarding their responsibility in preventing the spread of Covid-19. People may not be able to go about as usual in the coming Sundays, but would that mean that the virus will be doing the same? It chooses no time, and can strike anyone. People need to regulate their moves for the rest of the week, nor just on Sundays. If Lanao del Sur will be able to keep its cases down or even eliminate the spread of the virus, it will not need a "No Movement Sunday" in the first place. PMT

A “SULUAN” QUINCENTENNIAL MARKER?

n a development that qualifies for Ripley’s “Believe it or Not”, the quincentennial committee on the landing of Magellan and the EHOL ADAIN coming of Christianity to the Philippines sent a marker to Jolo, with the inscription “Suluan”, expecting the Tausugs to erect it in their Lupah Sug. The Jolo Municipal Council was prudent enough to call a group of Tausug historians for their opinion on the matter, and the historians were straightforward enough to call for its rejection. For there is no justifiable reason for the installation of such a marker in Jolo, or the province of Sulu for that matter. Magellan and his crew did not land in any part of Sulu. In fact, as one Tausug historian says, Magellan feared to sail across the Sulu Sea and had to ask the Brunei Sultan to intercede in his behalf with the Sulu Sultan so he can be granted safe passage. Sulu also remained unconquered by the Spaniards until they were forced out of the country by the Americans. If the quincentennial was meant to celebrate the coming of Christianity to the Philippines, that will still be inapplicable and inappropriate to be commemorated in Sulu. The Tausugs spent almost that equal number of years protecting their Islamic faith and resisting the intrusion of other faiths, from the Catholicism of the Spaniard to the Protestantism of the Americans. Christianity was only able to take root in Sulu in the 1900s, with the coming of the Americans, and as fate would have it, the Tausugs extended welcoming arms to the Christians, to the point that many Christians of pre-martial law Jolo call themselves Tausug, instead of the ethnic identity they used to have outside Sulu. And except for isolated cases of kidnappings and bombings by unlawful elements unsanctioned by majority of the Tausugs, and exacerbated by past military atrocities and the rise of violent extremism, the relationship between Muslims and Christians in Sulu have been amiable and amicable until the present. Just the same, however, the fiercely independent Tausugs will not accept the anachronistic absurdity of a “Suluan” quincentennial marker in their land. In fact, there is no such word as “Suluan” in use in Sulu. The natives of the place call themselves Tausugs or Bangsa Sug or Ra’ayat Sug or Ahlu s-Suluk, because that is how they have called themselves for a long time now. At times the people of Jolo call themselves Joloanos, but they never called themselves “Suluans”. SADAIN | A16

Ijtihad

K. S

Opinion

Diliman Way

o impeach Duterte in the House, you need one third of the House Members to affirm the Articles of Impeachment. If one third decides for affirmation of the Articles of Impeachment, it is then sent to the Senate for trial. This means you need about one hundred votes in the House for the trial in the Senate to begin. After trial, you need the votes of two thirds of the entire membership of the Senate to convict which means sixteen votes. Game of numbers: If it is a question of votes, it boils down to a game of numbers. President Duterte controls the House and the Senate. So how can he be impeached and convicted if he has the numbers? It appears that impeachment as an option of removing President Duterte is an exercise in futility. Proof of the inu-

tility of such an option is a previous attempt of an ambitious fledging party list congressman who thought he had what it takes to impeach Duterte. As expected, he failed miserably as he overestimated his ability and capacity to succeed at it. If he and his group could not even pull a coup d’etat, a field where they are supposed to be experts, how can this congressman succeed in an activity where his knowledge is absolutely next to nothing? The lesson learned here is – leave impeachment to the experts. Why? Impeachment is not just a game of numbers. Fight for the hearts and minds: We have interesting experiences on this subject of impeachment. In 1985 when I was one of fiftynine members of the Opposition in the regu-

S I write this Batanes To Tawi-Tawi Column my attention was called to the additional terms that I heard every now and then. Inasmuch as it is the time of Pandemic there are words that are quite not familiar to me and I called them “Pandemic Vocabularies.” One particular example is like the word “lockdown.” But I heard this term lockdown from the official announcement of the City Government of Cotabato when I officially assumed office some two years ago at PTV-8 which is the Television Station Branch of PTV-4 right in Cotabato City. That coincided when the Maute Group started to take control of Marawi City. That started also the use of the term “lockdown” since Cotabato City under

Mayor Cynthia GuianiSayadi started to impose lockdown in the city wherein all vehicles coming in and out are carefully monitored. Now when COVID19 was announced in March 2020, I heard again the term lockdown since the people in our barangay here at Bacoor City, Cavite were also monitored since the village was declared under lockdown Thus their freedom of movement considering it is under lockdown were likewise monitored and only those with “quarantine” passes can pass through check points manned by Barangay Tanod.. So there you are another term had cropped up the word “quarantine.” Although this word

SHOULD PRESIDENT DUTERTE BE IMPEACHED AND CONVICTED FOR CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS? (2)

lar Parliament (the Batasang Pambansa), I filed, headed and orchestrated the filing of an impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand E. Marcos. It was sent directly to the floor of the Parliament for debate as I was able to secure forty-six signatures of Parliament Members. Before I filed the complaint I asked permission from our Majority Floor Leader, former House Speaker Jose “Pepito” Laurel, Jr who told me, “Bono, don’t waste your time on that. You know we’ll lose as we don’t have the numbers.” “I know that, Mr. Speaker. Impeachment is not just a game of numbers but it is a fight for the hearts and minds of men. Surely, we’ll lose the vote but we will win the argument, “I replied. As expected, we lost the vote but we won the argument.

Batanes to Tawi-Tawi

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

is very familiar to me since the word quarantine has been used since time immemorial by a government agency like the Bureau of Immigration & Deportation (BID). Then the Tagalog word tulong that means help or relief is seldom use nowadays but what we can hear is the word “ayuda” from the Spanish term “ayudar” or that means to help. Hence, due to the policy of quarantine and lockdown many have been arrested and detained. In one instance last year it had resulted in one death when a former Army soldier who was having a war shock defied a police check point and a “trigger happy officer” instead of arresting the former soldier who was having a shoulder bag tried to fatally shoot the

Why did we win the argument? Months after the scintillating debate on the impeachment, Marcos was deposed by the people of Metro Manila with the help of then PC Chief General Fidel Valdez Ramos and Defense Chief Juan Ponce Enrile. As confirmation of the importance of winning the hearts and minds of men in crucial issues, First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos just after her return from exile in Hawaii while attending the book launching of Joe Lad Santos, publisher and editor of a magazine, The Reporter, said to me as I was sitting by her side, “You know, Homobono, were it not for your mouth in Parliament, we will still be in power today. My consoling thought is that we are out of power and so are you.” Diplomatically, I replied with a smile, “Ma’am that is the law of life and that is part of

the game.” Imelda smiled back. One thing about Imelda, she is cordial and civil even to the men and women of the political Opposition. She is a consummate politician. What do all these prove? That words properly and passionately used are mightier than a thousand swords. As they say, the pen is mightier than the sword – so is the word. Another precedent: President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, a very popular President just like Rodrigo “Digong” Roa Duterte, was impeached by the House of Representatives. In a colorful trial by the Senate, it was clear that Erap committed impeachable offenses. When the opposition in the Senate knew that Erap would not be convicted as he had the numbers, the opposition senators walked out. The people of Metro Manila did the rest.

Erap was deposed as President with the able handling by Chief of Staff General Angelo “Angie” Reyes, inspired by Generals Edgardo “Abe” Abenina and Fortunato “Tony” Abat with the help of a University of the Philippines intellectual lawyer who they conscripted because, in their view, he could convince General Reyes having done a year’s study in Harvard University who was also an intellectual. The fact of the matter Erap was removed by the people of Metro Manila with the help of General Angie Reyes and his troops. Why should that be if Erap was popular in the country? The reason is very simple – where Metro Manila goes, so goes the nation. How do you kill a snake? You cut the head. And the head of the snake that is our country is Metro Manila. Is it not that simple? ADAZA | A16

Pandemic vocabularies are now enriched with additional words soldier that caused his instant death. Just recently here in Gen. Trias, Cavite there is another victim of this quarantine and lockdown where the police are imposing the curfew hour that starts as early as 6:00 p.m. A 28-yeard old man that the police tagged as curfew violator from and identified as Darren Peñaredondo went out to get water past curfew hours last April 1. When he was arrested by police enforcers he was punished and was ordered to perform 300 pushups. The routine exercise was accordingly strenuous, which resulted in his seizures, and was rushed to the hospital, where he eventually died. Peñaredondo death was ruled to be caused by a stroke triggered by hypertension, “physical activities may have

been a factor,” according to health professionals. It also stressed that “police abuse over quarantine violations are not new,” and that more than 100,000 people had already been arrested from March to September 2020 alone. Hence, due to the death of Peñaredondo, there will be no apprehension for curfew violators in the province of Cavite as part of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases guidelines, which means that no community service or physical activities will be slapped on curfew offenders. Aside from terms lockdown, quarantine, ayuda which are now parts of pandemic vocabularies, a new term that I heard recently is the term bobble or “NCR bobble.” This is in addition to the terms like

bobble, often we can hear the word “essential” that means important. Essential became viral lately when a motor rider who was delivering “lugaw” or arroz caldo past the 6:00 p.m. curfew hour was stopped by a female barangay tanod in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and not permitted to pass through with her argument that “lugaw” is not part of an essential goods since after all people can exist even without “lugaw.” This has nevertheless became viral to the netizens in the Internet world. For your Comments or Suggestions, please send your email to addresses: munir1845media@ gmail.com and managingeditor@philmusli m.today Mobile Phone: +639778430218.

Opinion

Punchline

n medical parlance, patients theoretically know best the particular painful parts of their bodies that physicians ought to examine and diagnose with corresponding types of therapies. While drawing hundreds of greetings and well-wishes on my birthday and that of my grandson, Hanad on April 4 in simple thanksgiving sidelined or made quite pompous by the wedding of my daughter Anisa, bad news greeted me the next day. The sad news: Mr. Crispulo “Jun” Iban Jr., Manila Bulletin editor-inchief for 18 years and publisher for about a year, and Ms. Evelyn Estorquia, administrative finance head of the Bangsamoro government’s Rapid Emergen-

cy Action on Disaster Incidence (READI) unit, died on April 5. The first government official to convey condolences to Icban’s family was former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo, who once appointed the deceased as Press Secretary and was celebrating her birthday on April 5. On the death of Ms. Evelyn, her immediate boss, Bangsamoro Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo was also among the earliest local dignitaries to express sympathy with a sentimental tribute via Facebook. I am saddened by the deaths of the duo because they formed part of my over four decades of stint in the media. I served the Manila Bulletin for 26 years when Mr. Icban was

Don’t die on COVID-19 time

news editor and editorin-chief. He was like an elder brother or father to me. On three occasions, I lobbied for the use of my stories on the front page. Instead, he used all my articles as banner stories in separate editions, one of which partly saved me from the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. On Nov. 22, the eve of the infamous massacre of 57 people including 32 journalists, Mr. Icban published my story on a Manilahosted international forum on halal development. One of the event facilitators, the DOST Region 12 office, bought over 1,000 hard copies of the Bulletin made as part of reference materials in the forum set on November 23.

Suara from the Gulf GAMSON JR MAWALLIL QUIJANO

ecently, during the current Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, the story of “lugaw is essential” becomes viral on social media. Filipino netizens worldwide reacted in many different ways to this trending topic. For this reason, I am exhilarated to share my own story related to this matter. “Lugaw” or “mistang” to us in Tausug is always present on our table during the breaking of fasting in the month of Ramadhān. Since, I started to fast, this is what my family used to eat to break our more than ten hours of fasting. It’s a long day on an empty stomach, so this comfort food is light on the stomach and it helps us feel a bit warmer inside, as well. It is worth remembering during

my college days at the Universidad de Zamboanga, almost every day except weekends, we loved to cook this food during Ramadhān inside the premises of our university. Of course, with the permission of the university administration because we had a safe and open space where we could conveniently and safely cook this food. Around 1 p.m., my MSAean friends would go to the market to buy all the needed ingredients. On their return, we would begin to prepare everything. During those days, we had to cook this food enough to feed 500-1000 fasting Muslim students, who, at sunset would break their fast inside the campus. Before sunset, this food has to be ready, thus everybody helps one another to finish it

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

swiftly. Well, the bonding while cooking became a great chance for everyone of us to strengthen the brotherhood between

I flew to Manila on Nov. 20 to cover the post-violent demolition by police-backed civilian workers of the mosque in Baclaran, Parñaque because then Congressman Mujiv Hataman and former journalist Samira Gutoc told me by phone that three Maranaos were killed in the demotion. I called up then PNP Chief Jess Versoza, my frat brother, and condemned him. Gen. Versoza denied any fatality in the incident and invited me to come and know the truth. In Baclaran, I called up Gen. Versoza and apologized for my bad words after learning there was indeed no death in the demolition, and pleaded to him to refrain the cops from pursuing the demolition. I called up then Press Secretary Cerge Remonde to ask then

my media coverage. I cancelled my early morning flight I was supposed to take to catch up in the travel of 57 people from Buluan to Shariff Aguak for Mangudadatu’s gubernatorial candidacy’s filing – and met my brother. At about 11a.m. of Nov. 23, I received calls from Mindanao informing me about what happened to the 57 people. I almost fainted and could only praise Allah (s.w.t.) from saving. I realized later that Mr. Icban’s use of my story and the false reports of Rep. Hataman and Sa, Gutoc were blessing in disguise. On March 30, I presided over a meeting in Cotabato for a briefing in prelude to the formation of a Bangsamoro Press Corps at the READI conference MACABALANG | A16

“LUGAW”, a comfort food for everyone! fasting students began to come out of class and arrive to the venue which is just outside of MSA center, 15 minutes before sunset. In fact, even some Muslim fac-

LUGAW DURING RAMADAN? Fitting and comfortable for everyone. and among the Muslim students who were mainly from Zamboanga, Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. Moreover, once it is cooked, we let it cool for a while. Afterwards, we pl aced it in a cup and properly arranged it on the table along with dates, juice, water and some bread, ready to serve at iftār time. To prepare for iftār,

President GMA to stop the demotion and possibly chip out funds for the damages on the mosque’s surrounding shanties. The Palace heeded my plea and donated P5-million. Lawyer Ali Diampuan and Mrs. Sorayda Tamano, widow of the late Senator Mamintal Tamano, were witnesses on how I went out of journalistic limits by acting as mediator. I accompanied dozens of Maranao traders to the Paranaque City Hall, which informed us that PGMA ordered a stop in the demotion. Back to halal forum concern, Mr. Icban’s use of my story as front page banner article prompted our eldest brother, now retired BFAR regional director, who was his agency’s focal person on halal development, to summon me to the event for

ulty members were also there to join their students. To see everyone simultane ously breaks their fasting is indeed blissful. With the primary objective of helping Muslim students conveniently break their fasting, Muslim Students Association (MSA), a widely recognized group of Muslim students, had this custom-

arily campus-based program during Ramadhān. As most of students were still on classes, naturally they do not have anymore time to go anywhere outside the campus and look for something to eat during iftār. So this humble program greatly helps them in a such a way no need for them to worry about where and what to eat during iftār as they have something to eat even just this. The best thing about this food are both inexpensive and can be served to many people, especially during the time of the iftār. That’s why we considered it as our food choice because it’s proportionate to the budget of most students. The expenses we spent on this came from a contribution of some members of 5 pesos each or sometimes there were charitable organizations that spon-

sored it for us. Sick people reinvigorate by eating this food. When there are calamities, it is also the choice of food served by various groups during the feeding program for evacuees at the evacuation center because it is economical and can be easily served to feed many starving people; of course, along with water and some fruits. This is indeed a survival food for indigent Filipino families.I remember when there are times when we don’t have extra money to buy other food, my loving mother would cook this for us and she used to say: “Mga anak ku, misan da kuman mistang in makaun natu’, bangman kitaniyu nag aagadagad mag kaun, makūg na aku.” (My dear children, it is fine, even if we only have this to eat. It’s all about us eating together that matters, and that’s what makes me happy.)

The Community

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

Cotabato City lifts ‘No Movement Sunday’ during Ramadan

NCMF holds dialogue with Muslim residents and the police in Cavite on illegal search and seizure By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

By Amir Hussein Abbas

OTABATO CITY — The local government unit of Cotabato has lifted the ‘No Movement Sunday’ during Ramadan which may start on Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

On April 7, 2021, Cotabato City Mayor Frances Cynthia J. Guiani-Sayadi issued Executive Order No. 395 providing for the lifting of the ‘No Movement Sunday’ during the duration of the coming Ramadan. The order said during the Holy Month of Ramadan, Muslims are obliged to fast and abstain from drinking and eating as well as all those prohibited by Allah, and performance of all obligatory and voluntary good deeds are strongly encouraged. “Compliance with such obligations will likewise bolster certain health protocols such as reduction of mass gathering, social distancing and non-essential

Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi. (File photo)

movements which aid in controlling the spread of Covid-19 diseases,” the mayor said. The ‘No Movement Sunday’ imposed in Cotabato City shall be lifted on the following dates: April 18, 2021; April 25, 2021; May 2, 2021; and May 9, 2021. In Marawi City, La-

Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal A. Adiong

nao del Sur Gov. Mamintal A. Adiong Jr., Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) chairman, suspends the implementation of the No Movement Day on 11 April 2021 to give the good people of Lanao del Sur enough opportunity to welcome and prepare for the Holy

Month of Ramadan, and in performance and preparation for the Moon -Sighting Activity on 11 April 2021. In a statement, Adiong said ‘No Movement Sunday’ shall be implemented on Sunday, 18 April 2021 onwards unless further revoked. PMT

MoH explains delay in salaries of HRH nurses in BARMM By Ali G. Macabalang the vernacular. Dr. Usman said his ministry and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government do not have control of the inflow and outflow of RHR nurses.

Dr. Amirel S. Usman, OIC-Health Minister of BARMM. COTABATO CITY — Salaries of nurses in Lanao del Sur under the Human Resources for Health (HRH) program that have been delayed this year were downloaded to their Marawi City-based Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) last week, Bangsamoro OIC-Health Minister Amirel Usman announced Tuesday, April 6. “As far as I know, the salaries covering January to March this year for HRH nurses across the Bangsamoro

region have been downloaded last week to their respective IPHOs. In fact, those in Maguindanao ay nagsweldo na,” Dr. Usman told the Philippine Muslim Today (PMT) news over the phone. Asked how many nurses are involved in the salary delay in Lanao del Sur alone, Dr. Usman said there are more or less 800 in the province alone. The PMT reached out to Dr. Usman shortly after receiving a tip from one Hadji Mustapha

Mohammad Naif asking for assistance concerning the delay of nurses’ salaries in Lanao del Sur this year. “Salam, sir. I hope you can expose the delay in the salaries of nurses in rural health units (RHU) in LDS (Lanao del Sur)….The delay involves three months among nurses in Lanao. Nurses in other provinces already received their salaries. We pity our nurses. The Ramadan fasting is nearing and they are penniless,” Naif said in

Salaries of HRH nurses are coming from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) through the Department of Health (DoH), which subsequently downloads the funds to the BARMM’s Ministry of Health (MoH), he said. The payroll of HRH nurses expires every three months, requiring the DoH to ask for a quarterly fund from the DBM, Dr. Usman said, adding that the request is subject to Presidential approval. Such type of salary differs from other government agencies’ compensation schedules that Congress appropriates on a yearly basis, he said. Dr. Usman suggested that strong representation in local and national levels be made for Congress to appropriate the HRH nurses’ salaries on an annual basis to prevent the delayprone mode of their compensation. AGM

NCMF Commissioner Yusoph Mando (left) holds a peaceful dialogue with Lt. Col. Abraham Abayare, chief of police of Dasmariñas City, Cavite regarding the complaints of Muslim residents of Barangay Datu Ismael on the illegal arrest and seizure conducted by PNP against them. (Contributed Photo)

DASMARINAS CITY, Cavite — Commissioner Yusoph Mando of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) and the Peace and Conflict Resolution Bayanihan Team conducted consultation with distraught Muslim residents and dialogue with the Director of Dasmariñas City police office on issue of illegal search and seizure recently. Commissioner Mando said the dialogue was in response to numerous complaints and grievances of Muslim populace in Brgy Datu Ismael, Dasmariñas City, Cavite, which eventually reached NCMF. He said he conducted a fruitful dialogue with Lt. Col. Abraham Abayare, the Chief of Police of Dasmariñas City and with the presence also of Police Chief of Intelligence Balando. The Muslim residents of Barangay Datu Ismael as well as the Jamaa of the Royal Mosque in the said barangay thanked the NCMF through Commissioner Mando for taking the cudgel on the problem of the Muslims who according to them they complained against the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who subjected the Muslim residents to illegal search and seizure. The fruitful dialogue called by Commissioner Mando was also attended by his staff Shojie Serenas and others like Ibrahim Yusoph, Fahad Tambara, and Wilson Baunto aside from the Muslim residents and Jamaa of the Royal Mosque of Dasmariñas City. In the said dialogue both the PNP and the Muslim residents arrived at a possible solution so as not to repeat the same incidents in the future. JIJ

Commissioner Yusoph Mando (foreground) holds dialogue with leaders of Barangay Datu Ismael on their specific complaints against the members of the PNP in Dasmariñas City. (Contributed Photo)

Across Mindanao

PMT initiates formation of Bangsamoro Press Corps By Nur-Ali A. Macabalang COTABATO CITY — The Philippine Muslim Today (PMT) news has taken the cudgel of initiating the formation of a press corps among local journalists to professionalize their ranks, promote their economy and security welfare, and at the same time harmonize their coverage of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). PMT News Editor Ali Macabalang in coordination with BARMM spokesman and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo convened an initial meeting here on Tuesday, March 30 to present the rationale and concept for forming a media organization tentatively called Bangsamoro Press Corps (BPC). The meeting was held at the conference hall of the Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (READI), a unit of the BARMM government under the direct supervision of Minister Sinarimbo. Sinarimbo, in a huddle with early arriving media workers desiring for harmonized thrust, lauded the initiative, even as he tasked READI Administrator Evelyn Estorque to assist in the meeting and tasked her staff Valerie Lambo to serve momentarily the meeting secretariat requirements. There are estimated over 60 Central Mindanao -based media practitioners covering the BARMM activities, but only 16 of them were able to attend Tuesday’s conceptual meeting as majority colleagues covered on the same day other events, including a Department of Agriculture-sponsored occasion in Koronadal City.

AD HOC BANGSAMORO PRESS COMMITTEE: Photo shows Philippine Muslim Today news editor Ali G. Macabalang presiding over a meeting on Tuesday, March 30 in Cotabato City that led to the creation of an ad hoc body for the creation of a Press Corps to professionalize the ranks of local journalists and harmonize their coverage of the Bangsamoro autonomous region. (Photo by Nur-Ali A. Macabalang) In his briefing remarks, Macabalang underscored the essence of professionalized media practice amid challenges in insufficiency of income alongside risks in exposing malfeasances in various endeavors of public interest. Macabalang, a journalist for more than four uninterrupted decades of work for local, national and international media entities, cited his own experiences and survival by attempts on his life by quarters adversely affected by exposes of ills in civilian, police and military activities in Mindanao. Charlie Señase, a fellow journalist for over five decades, shared also experiences in media works, recalling the time when Cotabato region used to have only three journalists chronicling vital events via national networks such as the ABSCBN, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Malaya and Philippine Star amid lack of digital and internet links now enjoyed by the current generation of media workers. At Tuesday’s meeting, media workers in attendance decided to form an ad hoc committee of seven to work out next steps for the formation of the Bangsamoro Press Corps. Midsayap, North Cotabato-based journalist Benny Queman, GMA-17 stringer and MindaNews reported Ferdinandh Cabrera and five others were named members of the ad hoc body. Queman chairs the committee. PMT| A12

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

MILF camp to pilot Bangsamoro halal beef production By Ali G. Macabalang

OTABATO CITY — From a rebellion enclave for self-determination, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is now converting its central headquarters in Maguindanao

into a pilot site for modern cattle farming to produce halal beef meat initially in the Bangsamoro autonomous region, according to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).

Images show a webinar with MinDA and foreign entities committed to support the pilot Cattle Fattening Program in Mindanao. ((MinDA-supplied photo) The prospect has even brightened with the expressed support from the government of Australia, a nation known for successful massive cattle farming, and the European Union (EU), MinDA Chairman Manny F. Piñol announced in his Facebook posts in the past few days. Sec. Piñol coupled his post on Tuesday, April 6 with a perspective of the “Pilot Cattle Fattening Feedlot” he described as a prerequisite for starting and sustaining ideals in raising cows and bulls. Camp Darapan, the MILF main enclave located in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, straddles several hectares of fertile yet less harnessed lands. While MILF Chairman Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim serves as interim BARMM chief minister, he regularly hosts in the camp weekend meetings with many of his front’s 40,000 members for consultation, notably about gaining livelihoods pending the full implementation of the Normalization Track to transform them into peaceful and productive civilian life. One hectare of land inside Camp Darapanan can house 1,000 heads of cows and bulls and amply fed them silages envisioned in a “Pilot Cattle Fattening Feedlot” agreed upon jointly by the MinDA, the BARMM Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) and the Bangasmoro Development Agency (BDA).

Sec. Piñol signed on March 26 the enabling memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MAFAR Minister Mohammad Yacob in the presence of an Australian envoy, who earlier assured support to MinDA’s Cattle Development Program. The following day, Piñol led BDA Chairman Mangontawar Macacuna and MAFAR technical people to a tour around the Cattle Fattening Facility in Polomolok, South Cotabato administered by MinDA consultant Arnel Corpuz, a former OWF who had worked in a 50,000-head Wagyu Feedlot in Australia for 11 years. Sec. Piñol had originally planned to introduce the cattle fattening venture, a banner program of MinDA on agriculture and food security campaigns in Mindanao, individually to each of the five component provinces of the BARMM. Thus, last February 10, Lanao del Sur Gov. Bombit Adiong and his brother Rep. Hooky Adiong were exposed first to the same Polomolok farm by Piñol. And instantly, Gov. Adiong expressed keen interest in piloting the cattle raising venture in Wao, Lanao del Sur where his family maintains agricultural investments, MinDA staffers said. Three-pronged regional approach For a swifter implementation with greater impact in the autonomous region, MinDA media relations Director

Adrian Tamayo said, Piñol opted to carry out the program across the BARMM in partnership with MAFAR Minister Yacob, who signed the MoU with intention to pilot the venture inside the MILF camp for three-pronged potential benefits. Tamayo said Sec. Pinol, Minister Yacop and BDA Chair Macacuna were upbeat about three venture impacts: First, to make it as a BARMM’s regional banner project on agro-industrial development; second, to harness the cattle farming processes as immediate source of employment or income for hundreds of MILF members; and third, to enable the autonomous region’s participation in the multi-billion dollar halal global markets. He said the trio agreed to form a technical working group composed of their knowledgeable representatives that will prepare a feasibility paper to be presented to Chief Minister Ebrahim after the Holy Week. Fleshing out legacy Earlier, Sec. Piñol had written an article describing the creation of the BARMM as a “legacy” of the Duterte regime. As a Presidential “point man” for the BARMM, Piñol said, he would see to it that such “legacy” is followed up with an array of enabling ventures that will redound to more stability in social security and economic uplift of the Bangsamoro people. He shared the

MAFAR and BDA officials’ enthusiasm that the cattle fattening program “will be a symbolic start of the conversion of the former MILF camps into food production and agroindustrial sites to benefit former combatants and their families.” The “Pilot Cattle Fattening Feedlot” proposed inside Camp Darapanan will entail planting of corn or sorghum, which silages would serve as feeds for quality cows and bulls, Piñol said, adding that the corn and sorghum fruits may also be sold by farming MILF members or serve as feeds for chicken in complimentary raising ventures. The proposed facility designed by MinDA staff and consultants under the Mindanao Livestock Development Program will hold 1,000 heads of cows and bulls derivable initially from the Polomolok farm for fattening and breeding, he said. The facility will be built-in with sheds made of Solar panels to generate power for a solar-powered system supplying potable water for families living inside the camp and for the cattle as well, he said. Sec. Pinol enthused: “The ‘Smart’ Cattle Feedlot will be the first of its kind in the country and will be one of at least 10 units which will be established in the five provinces of the Bangsamoro Region.” MILF | A12

Across Mindanao

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

BARMM opens P108-M vital bridge, builds municipal hall in once IRA-less town By Ali G. Macabalang

OTABATO CITY — Once saddled by lack of internal revenue allotment (IRA) for over a decade, Datu Blah Sinsuat town in Maguindanao is now comfortably linked by a freshly completed P108-million bridge to this autonomy capital city, even as regional officials broke the ground to build a modern municipal hall to make the coastal community a full-blown local government unit. Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim officiated on Saturday, April 3 the two enabling rites, joining host officials and residents in an atmosphere of jubilation, according to regional officials present in the events. The events were “immense with praises to God in apparent joy” over the bridge opening that links all 13 host villages’ residents to this regional capital city, and the start of construction works for their decent town hall, said Ministers Naguib Sinarimbo (local government) and Eduardo Guerra (public works), who accompanied Chief Minister Ebrahim. The construction of the bridge over Matuber River began in 2019 as earlier designed under the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and was pursued by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at a total cost of P108million, Minister Guerra said. The BARMM replaced the 29-year old ARMM under R.A. 11054, which was enacted in July 2018 in pursuit of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) forged by the government with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Officials of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which inked with Malacañang the 1973 Tripoli Agreement and the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) that led to the creation of two autonomous regions in Mindanao in 1978 and the ARMM in 1990 as expanded in 2001, have also hailed the completion and inauguration of the concrete

An aerial view of the just inaugurated P108-million bridge in Datu Blah town in Maguindanao. (Photo supplied) bridge. MNLF Secretary General Muslimin Sema, an ex-mayor of this city, and BARMM Labor Minister Romeo Sema, also an MNLF representative to the BARMM Parliament, attended the bridge’s ceremonial opening. They told reporters the host coastal villages used to be among their enclaves during their rebellion in the 1970s. The bridge, spanning 75-meter long and 7.32-meter wide with 1.10-meter pedestrian paths on both, stands as the first vital infrastructure completed under BARMM and is expected to spur investments in local economic and labor sectors. Host town Mayor Marshall Sinsuat praised the BARMM officialdom for pursuing the bridge construction with priority, saying “this is so important for us, for the business sector and all residents in our 13 coastal barangays.” The 13 host barangays were carved out of mother Upi town to constitute Datu Blah Sinsuat town via legislation in 2007 by the defunct Regional Legislative Assembly of ARMM. The same legislature created 10 other towns in other ARMM component provinces. But all 11 ARMM-created towns were disqualified by the central govern-

ment from entitlement to regular IRA because of their deficiencies to meet national standards. BARMM remedies The 11 towns had since been subsisting on special fund assistance by Malacanang, the regional and their provincial governments until Congress crafted and passed in 2018 R.A. 11054, known more as the Bangsamoro Organic Law or BOL). Minister Sinarimbo, a lawyer and former ARMM executive secretary (2009-2011) who later served as legal adviser to Senator Juan Miguel “Midz” Zubiri, recalled on Saturday how the BOL was painstakingly fashioned to remedy all grey areas in the ARMM governance, particularly on the being IRA-less of the 11 towns. “I remember very (vividly) when Sen. Migz directed me as his legal adviser on the BOL to re-language the provision of the BOL converting the then 11 municipalities created by the defunct RLA into regular municipalities that will be entitled to IRA,” Sinarimbo said. “I hesitated at first, but he insisted that we provide a clearer language for it (to entitle them) to IRA allocation. We faced difficulty in the bicameral confer-

ence committee as the House panel Chair was initially opposed to this provision. We spent long hours in the debate but after several attempts, and at around 2a.m. in one of the bicam sessions, Senator Migz succeeded in convincing the house to agree. We should forever be grateful to this good Senator,” he added. In December 2019, Chief Minister Ebrahim, Sinarimbo and Regional Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua met the mayors of the ARMM-created 11 towns, and conveyed to them the “good news” that their over decade state of being IRA-less ended at the end of that month because by the first month of 2020, the national government would start releasing to them monthly IRA under the BARMM administration. Town halls and other infra supports After salvation from lack of IRA, the 11 towns have been earmarked with vital infrastructure support by the BARMM government, through the Ministry of Public Works (MWPH) under Minister Guerra, an architect, and the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) under Minister Sinarimbo. BARMM | A12

IPHO-LDS confirms HRH nurses 3-month salaries available

OTABATO CITY — The Integrated Provincial Health Office in Lanao del Sur (IPHO-LDS) has confirmed availability funds for the delayed three month (January to March) salaries of 389 nurses under the Human Resource for Health (HRH) program in the province. “Yes. The funds have been downloaded to us last week and we have readied the procedural release of the salaries to individual nurses,” Dr. Alinadir “Allen” Minalang, IPHO-LDS chief, told the Philippine Muslim Today news over the phone Tuesday, April 6. Dr. Minalang urged the individual claimants to submit their daily time records and monthly accomplishment reports corresponding to the three months covered before” they could receive corresponding salaries.” He said the 39 towns of Lanao del Sur are assigned with 389 nurses, correcting the figure of over 800 earlier given by Dr. Amirel Usman, health OIC-minister in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Dr. Usman’s figure applied to the whole BARMM, not for Lanao del Sur alone, he said. Minalang said each HRH nurse is entitled to P32,000 monthly salary plus P8,000 monthly hazard pay, but all of them are required to submit daily time records and accomplishment reports prior to receipt of the remunerations. Based on available reports on Tuesday, only nurses from 10 of the 39 tons have complied with the requirements, Dr. Minalang said. “We are fighting for the rights of the nurses who are our frontline workers in the countryside, but also protect our own accountability to government rules and regulations,” he pointed out. On Tuesday morning, one Hadji Mustapha Mohammad Naif asked via messenger the Philippine Muslim Today to intervene in the clamour of HRH nurses about the delayed salaries for January, February and March. “The nurses in Lanao del Sur are pitiful. Their counterparts in other provinces received salaries already. Ramadan fasting is coming and they are penniless,” Naif said in the vernacular. Sought for reaction, Dr. Usman said his ministry and the BARMM government do not have control of the inflow and outflow of RHR nurses’ salaries.

Lanao del Sur integrated provincial health office chief Dr. Alinadir “Allen” Minalang. (Online photo) He said the corresponding funds are coming from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) through the Department of Health (DoH), which subsequently make the downloads to the BARMM’s Ministry of Health (MoH). The payroll of HRH nurses expires every three months, requiring the DoH to ask for a quarterly fund from the DBM, Usman said, adding that the request is subject to Presidential approval. Such type of salary differs from other government agencies’ compensation schedules that Congress appropriates on a yearly basis, he said. Dr. Usman suggested that strong representation in local and national levels be made for Congress to appropriate the HRH nurses’ salaries on an annual basis to prevent the delay-prone mode of their compensation. ALI G. MACABALANG

Across Philippines

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

Sec. Piñol, MinDA support BARMM transition extension By Ali G. Macabalang

OTABATO CITY – Once deemed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and its allies as enemy, Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol today, April 8, declared that he personally and officially is backing the call for a three-year extension in the lifespan of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) for it to fully flesh out the “legacy” attained by the Duterte government’s establishment of a more promising autonomous region in the south. In a video clip crafted at the foreground an MILF camp in Maguing, Lanao del Sur, Sec. Piñol urged Filipinos to “give peace a chance” by helping persuade Congress to pass a bill to postpone the 2022 regional polls and extend the BTA term to 2025. The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and I, in both my official and personal capacities, support the move to extend the transition period of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for another three years,” he said. Piñol, a veteranjournalist-turned politician and bureaucrat, is the incumbent chairperson of the MinDA. The President installed him MinDA chief in August 2019 after he resigned as Agriculture secretary in protest of some provisions in the Race Tarrification Law he had deemed as anti-farmers and pro-oligarchs or cartels. “I know that this (declaration of support for BTA extension) which I had taken would come as a surprise to many observers given my reputation as one of the fiercest critics (of the MILF) in the past,” Piñol said, hinting at his 2008 initiation of a petition that led the Supreme Court to nullify the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MoA-AD). Six bills – two in the Senate and four in the House of Representatives – have been filed for the similar purpose, as leaders from the Muslim, Christian and indigenous people’s sectors have taken turns in justify the campaign rationale that a three-year lifespan for the BTA is “too short” for it to fulfill its mandates under R.A. 11054 and two major state peace deals with the MILF.

Various civil society organizations across the country have collectively launched a signature campaign to persuade President Duterte to certify one of the bills as “urgent” to cause its swift legislation before Congress adjourns sine die on June 4. The campaign originally sought one million online signatures, but it actually mustered 1.2 million, it was learned. According to MILF and BARMM officials, Senate President Tito Sotto and House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco had recently assured to hold even special sessions to pass a harmonized bill postponing the 2022 election of parliament members and extend the BTA operational term to 2025. “Indeed, the performance of the current officials of the BARMM is far from excellent but they are evidently trying their best. We must give them a little leeway and understanding given the fact that they are former rebels who are thrust into a new task of governing a huge political territory for the first time,” Piñol said. “From using guns to impose and pursue a dream, they (MILF) now utilize the law and government instrumentalities to provide their people a better life. Their capabilities in running a huge government bureaucracy still leave a lot of room for improvement,” he said. He said the MILFled regional governance is “sometimes slow and too cautious

in their decision-making but I would personally rate their performance as ‘better than most’ with no intent to denigrate the previous leaders of the region.” “Some of them are still afflicted with ‘this-is -ours’ syndrome where they claim exclusive right to govern the BARMM since they fought for it. This is something which must be corrected because they must work with other stakeholders in the region to succeed,” Piñol said. “From the outside, I see a group of former rebels working hard to deliver the dreams that they shared with their people, including the former combatants who lost loved ones in their half-century struggle. Operating and moving inside the Autonomous Region, I could smell the fresh air of hope for peace, tranquility and progress,” he said. Pñol averred: “While I was considered as Public Enemy No. 1 of the MILF when I was Governor of North Cotabato, I could now freely travel even at night in formerly perilous areas within the region in the performance of my job as MinDA Chairman.” “Outside of the BARMM, people, especially in my home province of North Cotabato,

enjoy new-found stability and a sense of security. Gone are the ambuscades, the attacks on villages, the kidnappings, the bombings and other forms atrocity in the past which were part of the realities of a revolutionary struggle,” he said. “So, instead of questioning their capability to govern, let us support them. Rather than despise the slow-paced and cautious implementation of projects, let us help empower them,” he added. “The gains of peace are simply too clear and the effects so comforting to ignore. The peace (shaped by the BARMM establishment) under the Duterte government is a defining moment in our history as a nation. We must not squander this chance of enjoying blessings of peace in Mindanao,” the outspoken Piñol said. “This is the best legacy that our generation could bequeath to the Filipinos of tomorrow. Let us give peace a chance,” Sec. Piñol said in concluding his video message. A couple of weeks ago, the MinDA led by Piñol has formalized with the BARMM Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform, and the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) a joint partnership piloting a banner cattle raising program at the MILF’s Camp Darapanan to help MILF former combatants earn livelihood, enable the BARMM active participation in the trillion dollar global halal development markets, and make life better in the Bangsamoro AGM

For Reliable Info, Read Philippine Muslim Today

Task force vs. corruption seeks NBI help in case buildups MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ)led Task Force Against Corruption (TFAC) has referred some complaints it received to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Some cases, meanwhile, have been elevated to the Office of the Ombudsman. “Some major complaints are quietly being investigated by the NBI for case buildup,” DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra said, referring to 69 of the 240 complaints received by TFAC. DOJ Undersecretary Emmeline Villar said out of the 240 complaints, some have duplicate subjects. “The accurate number of complaints actually filed with the TFAC is down to 180,” she said. “Some are being evaluated by the Complaints Evaluation Committee (CEC). Those which have already been evaluated have been referred to the Assistant Secretaries, to the Undersecretaries, or to the Secretary for review or further action.” Some cases require the further collection of information from concerned government agencies. Two complaints were found to be sufficient in form and substance and were endorsed to the Ombudsman – a town’s alleged irregular purchase of land and a congressman and the Department of Public Works and Highways’ alleged bias on certain contractors. Another complaint evaluated by the CEC has been sent to the National Prosecution Service for preliminary investigation, involving employees with Salary Grade 27 (about PHP126,000) and lower. Benjamin Pulta/PNA

Fate of ECQ in NCR Plus to be discussed on April 10: Palace MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will discuss on Saturday the implementation of quarantine classification in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces after April 11, Malacañang said on Thursday. This developed after some members of the Cabinet met Thursday to tackle the government’s response efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement. “The Inter-Agency Task Force shall meet on Saturday, April 10, 2021, to discuss the quarantine classification of the National Capital Region Plus,” Roque said. Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, or the so-called “NCR Plus,” have been placed under the most restrictive enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) since March 29. President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the release of PHP23 billion worth of emergency subsidy to around 22.9 million beneficiaries affected by the implementation of ECQ. Each recipient can avail of either in-kind or cash assistance amounting to PHP1,000 per person or PHP4,000 per family. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has provided the local government units (LGUs) with a list of qualified beneficiaries for the latest round of financial aid following the reimposition of ECQ in NCR Plus. During the meeting, Cabinet officials also agreed to let the LGUs “at the barangay level” handle the prepositioning of goods, including the distribution of wellness kits to those who tested positive for Covid-19, Roque said. Roque added that the government is also exhausting all efforts to address the issue of hazard pay of healthcare workers. Last week, Malacañang floated the possible shift to a more relaxed modified ECQ (MECQ), in case the government’s Prevent-Detect-IsolateTreat-Reintegrate strategies turn out to be effective in lowering daily Covid-19 infections. Medical front-liners from the Visayas have volunteered to be sent to Metro Manila, the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic, to help beat the coronavirus. Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos /PNA

Education News

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

Over 4,200 vie for 400 teacher-items in Lanao Sur, Maguindanao

UNDP, US-based academe link up with MSU-GSC By Ali G. Macabalang

By Ali G. Macabalang

OTABATO CITY — Over 4,200 eligible graduates are vying for only 400 teacher item-slots for Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao provinces alone in what was described as tedious process posing as “one of challenges” facing the infant Bangsamoro autonomous government’s stride to institute administrative and organizational reforms to produce quality education. In Lanao del Sur, over 2,200 applicants are being screened for appointment in 200 available teacher itemposition, some 2,000 counterparts from Maguindanao compete for 200 item-positions, Minister of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) Mohagher Iqbal told the Philippine Muslim Today new last week. Maguindanao and Lanao del Sue are the two biggest component provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), with two schools divisions each. The three other component provinces – Basilan, Sulu and TawiTawi have single schools division each with a relatively smaller number of teacheritems being allotted. Minister Iqbal hinted that his ministry faces greater pressures from the two big provinces because of the wide gap in ratio of applicants, all passers of licensure exam for teachers (LET), and the very few item-position available. Other sources in the MBHTE said the disparity in number of LET passers and available teacher-items had been a big problem also in the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The wide disparity-caused stiff trend of recruitment had provided “room for the so-called positions

MSU-GSC Chancellor Dr. Anshari Ali signing an MoU with Bangsamoro Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo in the presence of UNDP-Philippines’ Dr. Chetan Kumar on March 27,

MBHTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal was interviewed by PMT News Editor Ali G. Macabalang on March 20 at his office in Cotabato City. (Photo by Nur-Ali A. Macabalang) for sale” allegedly involving cash ranging from P1,500 to P200,00 each. “That (position for sale) will never happen under our watch. The screening and recruitment will be done religiously,” said Iqbal, who admitted that one of his relatives was a victim of failure to get appointed because of lack of money to pay off. Provisional teachers Another issue that beset the MBHTE is the case of several “provisional” teachers accommodated by the past ARMM administration, notably the defunct regional Department of Education (DepEd), Iqbal said. Invoking the rule of law that “provisional” teachers will be laid off when there are eligible mentors, he said, his officer terminated the services of temporary teachers in his early months in office. As a consequence, some of the laid-off temporary teachers filed two

administrative cases against him, but the court has already dismissed one of the suits for lack of merit, Minister Iqbal said. “But because we have to take into the humanitarian consideration of the plight of those poor temporary teachers or with children, we hired them on a case-to-cases basis with a monthly pay of P15,000,” he said. Baffling school building construction Minister Iqbal said his ministry has equally been concerned about the failure of the national government to provide funds for the construction of school buildings in the defunct ARMM for four years – 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020. In 2018, he said, the DepEd-Manila allotted the ARMM 199 school buildings with the construction works supposedly commenced in 2019. Sources from the MBHTE’s project management office said

each building was worth P5-million. But Iqbal revealed that out of 44 buildings units allotted for TawiTawi, only 26 have been completed; 10 of 20 in Sulu were turned over; two of 23 in Basilan attained completion; three of 56 in Lanao del Sur reached turnover; and two of 56 in Maguindanao went through inauguration. “One of the two completed school buildings in Maguindanao is located in my own village of Barangay Bugawas, Datu Odin Sinsuat town,” Iqbal said, hinting at his own personal pressure at a factor in the project completion. He said those uncompleted or still to be constructed units involved disputes among land donors and town officials. The fund for the continued construction of such units will have to be made only with a guarantee for continuous and smooth process, he said. AGM

For Reliable Info, Read Philippine Muslim Today

OTABATO CITY — The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and a United States-based school have linked up with the Mindanao State University-General Santos City (MSU-GSC) campus to further advance common strides in helping build peace and resilience in conflict-affected communities, notably in southern Philippines. Dr. Anshari P. Ali, MSU-GSC chancellor, inked first a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last March 26 with Dr. Chetan P. Kumar, UNDPPhilippines lead representative on peace-building, in rites here graced by lawyer Naguib G. Sinarimbo, local government minister in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). In a virtual ceremony on March 31, Dr. Ali signed at the MSU-GSC campus the MoU with Dr. David J. Fike, president of the US-based Golden Gate University (GGU), who countersigned at his office in San Francisco, California, said a statement sent to the Philippine Muslim Today (PMT) news. The office of Chancellor Ali coupled the statement with some photos of the two events, one of which showed Minister Sinarimbo countersigning the March 26 MoU as both concurrent consultant of the UNDP-Philippines and head of the BARMM’s Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG). “The MoU outlines the commitment of (MSUGSC and UNDP-Philippines) in enhancing development activities in promoting engagements and building community resilience in the BARMM. It signifies the intents of (both institutions) in fostering coordinated actions towards peace-building and development in the region,” Ali said. The partnership seeks to plan and carry out collective civic measures addressing socioeconomic disturbances such as armed conflicts in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces and the cities of Marawi, Cotabato and Lamitan as well as 63 villages in North Cotabato – all BARMM component areas, it was learned. “There is an imperative need for cohesive civic and development measures as military actions alone do not solve armed conflicts, especially those involving complex tribal cultures and violent extremism, ” Sinarimbo told the PMT news. Soldiers have neutralized many extremist combatants of the Abu Sayyaf in the Sulu region and counterparts from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) or Dawla Islamiya in Central Mindanao. But the fatalities have rather been creating more enemies among relatives in a vicious cycle of recruitment fanned by adversarial narratives about poverty, injustice, discrimination and other perceived government lapses in the countryside, Sinarimbo hinted. For his part, Dr. Ali said: “Only ideology in the true context of faith can erode violent ideology… And a genuine Islamic ideological propagation must come with tangible actions addressing poverty, socio-economic injustices and absence of moral governance in a community and its peripheries.” Ali is a doctorate graduate in Islamic studies. UNDP | A12

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Business News

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

PEZA online job fair continues amid pandemic

ANILA – To fulfill its mandate of generating jobs and other economic opportunities, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has partnered with WorkBank Philippines Inc. to make job vacancies easily accessible to Filipinos seeking employment with PEZA-registered companies. This initiative is in line with the Development Outreach for Labor, Livelihood, and Advancement (DOLLAR) program which was launched by the PEZA Director General Charito Plaza July last year with the support of the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Labor and Employment, and the Office of Senator Bong Go. Even with the recent surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid19) cases and the resulting community quarantine, Plaza reiterated that “PEZA is strongly committed and unrelenting in its efforts to promote investment and employment that will benefit Filipinos despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic." PEZA's DOLLAR program initiative of conducting a virtual job fair aims to inform the public of thousands of jobs available in different types of industries in various ecozones. he program is also in support of the Administrative Order No. 18, otherwise known as “Accelerating Rural Progress Through Robust Development of Special Economic Zones in the Countryside” and Executive Order No. 114, also known as the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program”.

The DOLLAR program’s job expo online job search platform is powered by WorkBank which was established on Nov. 28, 2018 by virtue of “malasakit” or compassion and care program, bridging businesses with qualified and primed talents. It is an online job site that primarily helps job seekers connect to various job opportunities locally and abroad. WorkBank reported a total of 17,500 job vacancies with 60 companies tagged under the special category for PEZA, 16 of which are currently active with jobs posted online. Of these 16 active companies, 62 percent are business process outsourcing (BPO) and call center companies followed by information technology (12 percent), manufacturing (12 percent), and transport and logistics (12 percent). In terms of applicants for PEZA-related

companies, there are over 22,500 applicants in the first three months of 2021. From August 2020 up to the present, WorkBank recorded over 40,000 applicants. However, WorkBank said it is quite challenging to obtain accurate data in determining how many of these applicants were hired since only a few companies are reporting back to their system regarding the number of their newly hired employees. Meanwhile, PEZA was also recently added to WorkBank’s “Live Programs” section. This section serves as an additional promotional field on the job search category to essentially highlight the ongoing job opportunities in various PEZAregistered companies. Likewise, WorkBank offered its discount to companies under PEZA at 65 percent to further boost the agen-

cy’s initiatives in generating employment in the Philippines. Of the 17,500 job vacancies, active companies under PEZA are Alorica, Teleperformance, Wells Fargo Philippines, VXI, iOPEX Technologies Philippines, Synchrony Global Services Philippines Inc., and Wideout Workforces Inc. There are also new companies that joined the online job search platform namely: Optum, Sykes, Accenture, Honda Philippines, Inc., HGS, and Ayala Land Premier. Repatriated OFWs, fresh graduates, unemployed Filipinos, those who are looking for work-from-home arrangements, and any interested applicants can access the online job portal 24/7 and create their own account for free through this link: www.workbank.co m/peza. PR

BPO remains pillar of PH real estate sector: APREA MANILA – The Asia Pacific Real Estate Association (APREA) sees the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry continue supporting real estate businesses in the Philippines, its chief executive officer Sigrid Zialcita said. “(The) BPO sector will remain a pillar of the real estate sector. Having a strong BPO sector will be a cata-

lyst for that industry,” Zialcita said in a virtual media briefing Tuesday. She said the BPO sector will also back real estate investment trust (REIT) investments in the country, with REITs portfolio mostly in the office market. She added that the bulk of the tenancy of the office space consists of the BPO sector. While outlook on REITs is bearish as Met-

ro Manila and nearby provinces are placed under enhanced community quarantine, Zialcita said they expect this phenomenon as temporary and the country could bounce back within a year. “We are expecting more (REIT licenses) to come in the next six to 12 months,” she said. Meanwhile, APREA said REITs and infrastructure investments have a crucial role in the economic recovery of

the Asia Pacific. It also cited the Philippine government’s USD180-billion Build, Build, Build program as one of the key infrastructure plans in Southeast Asia, along with Indonesia’s high-speed railway project connecting Jakarta and Bandung. “The reality is that Asean needs infrastructure development if it wants to sustain its economic growth,” Zialcita said. Kris Crismundo/PNA

Vegetable prices drop 50%, goods stable MANILA – Prices of vegetables have dropped significantly while prices of nonagricultural products remain stable, chiefs of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said. “Our (vegetable) prices are significantly lower at an average of 50 percent, much lower compared to February,” DA Secretary William Dar said in an online press briefing Wednesday. Dar said since it is already in season, the supply of vegetables is abundant and prices are low. For non-agricultural products, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said there have been no price increases for basic necessities and commodities since September 2019. “But notably, we are studying some requests given the increasing cost in the world market of their cost items,” Lopez said in the same briefing. Both officials vowed to monitor the movement of prices and supply of food products in the domestic market to ensure that Filipinos would not be burdened with higher food prices while struggling amid the pandemic. Inflation in March this year eased to 4.5 percent from the 26-month high of 4.7 percent in February. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) attributed the rising inflation rate to higher food prices since the start of the year. Supply deficiency on meat, particularly pork due to African swine fever, transitory impacts of the typhoons in the latter part of 2020, and the higher oil prices have contributed to the rising food prices in the past months. Kris Crismundo/PNA

Indoor restaurants may remain closed: DTI chief MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) might be sensitive in reopening indoor economic activities, including indoor dine-in services, due to new variants of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said on Thursday. “So if we really reopen, the indoor restaurants -unless they can really do the engineering controls -- they might be kept closed and only the outdoor activities will only be allowed,” Lopez said in a television interview. From nearly 2,000 daily cases at the start of the year, Covid-19 cases in the country in the past days even breached the 15,000-mark. The high number of Covid-19 cases made the IATF to place National Capital Region and provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from March 29 to April 11. “To us, this is already the all-time big-time lockdown,” Lopez said. “We also say that we cannot continue in ECQ for a long time. What we are looking at is a gradual movement, the reopening to (the) next level of sectors.” He added the current situation has hit hard entrepreneurs in tourism and food establishments, particularly indoor dine-in restaurants. “With the new restrictions, there are many businesses that will remain closed for the meantime, or will really slow down their operations,” he said. Citing a survey of DTI, Lopez said closed businesses at the onset of the pandemic reached 38 percent. “Over time when we were reopening, it went down to 6 percent then to 4.6 percent recently. Others have completely shut down or shifted to other business,” he added. (PNA) Kris Crismundo/PNA

Muslim World

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

Muslims fast for Ramadan still under pandemic

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US occupation forces transfer new batch of Daesh terrorists to Syria’s Dayr al-Zawr: SANA

By Julmunir I. Jannaral Managing Editor

ANILA — Aleem Said Ahmad Basher, a graduate of the College of Islamic Propagation

from the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, told the Philippine Muslim Today, of which he is a Consultant on Islamic Religious Affairs that the first day of Ramadan will most likely be on April 13 equivalent to Ramadan 1, 1442. Aleem Basher who is also the chairman of the Imam Council of the Philippines and the Integrated Movement Access on Moonsighting (IMAM) added that if they have glanced at the new moon that signals to Muslims all over the world that they can already start their first day of fasting. According to him, it is not absolutely necessary for each and every locality to sight its own moon; rather, if the moon is sighted in one region and the others have received the information in time for them to act upon the same, they can start fasting. He cited that Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was believed to have said: “Fast when the moon is sighted, and break your fast when the moon is sighted. If the skies are cloudy, and you are unable to sight it, then complete 30 days of Sha’ban and fast the next day.” Aleem Basher said members of the Muslim community should be united in this regard and imam of the masjid (mosque) should observe unity in the beginning and ending of the fasting. Hence, every Muslim should step forward toward unity even in some rituals and acts of worship. Hence, he said it is now very clear that April 13 is the 1st day of fasting in this month of Ramadan. He also said by April 11 moonset by 5:36 p.m. and sunset at 6:08 p.m. and new moon is at 10:30 a.m. April 12 moon will not be seen so “we have to complete the month of Sha’ban 30 days as according to ‘Hadith’ Prophet Muhammad, said ‘if the New Moon is not seen, then complete it to 30 days” In most Arab coun-

In this file picture, a US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter supports American occupation troops during a mission in the oil-rich northeastern Syria. (Photo by the Combined Joint Task Force — Operation Inherent Resolve. (PressTV)

S occupation forces have airlifted dozens of members of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group from a base in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah to a major oil field in the neighboring province of Dayr al-Zawr. USTADZ ABDULBAKI ABUBAKAR and ALEEM SAID AHMAD BASHER. (File) tries and other Muslim nations in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia and Malaysia, including the Philippines, which has a Muslim minority, the first day of the fast takes place while the faithful are still under a state of pandemic because of the COVID-19 or Coronavirus pandemic. “Ramadan, which is the 9th month of the Muslim calendar is a golden chance to purify our hearts and unite our efforts,” Aleem Basher said. According to him, it is not absolutely necessary for each and every locality to sight its own moon; rather, if the moon is sighted in one region and the others have received the information in time for them to act upon the same, they can start fasting. Aleem Basher said members of the Muslim community should be united in this regard and Imam of the masjid (mosque) should observe unity in the beginning and ending of the fasting. The Al-Azhar scholar explained that proper fasting means more than abstinence from food and drink and sexual activity from dawn to sunset but it also means abstinence from slander, backbiting and ill conduct. This explains why the reward God gives for proper fasting is so generous, he said, also citing the hadith qudsi (divine hadith), Prophet

Muhammad quotes God as saying: “All actions done by a human being are his own except fasting, which belongs to Me and I reward it accordingly.” “Perfection of fasting can be achieved through restraint of one’s feelings and emotions,” Aleem Basher added. “This high standard of self-restraint fits in well with fasting, which is, in essence, an act of self-discipline. Islam requires Muslims to couple patience with voluntary abstention from indulgence in physical desire. This is indeed the purpose of fasting,” he said. Grand Mufti of Region 9 & Palawan Ustadz Abdulbaki Abubakar, the grand mufti of Region 9 and Palawan and also head of Darul Ifta, the Juris Consult being highest religious authority in the Philippines, has also announced that the first day of fasting on the month of Ramadan starts April 13 and ending at sundown on May 11. He said they are all set to conduct the moon sighting on April 12. Hence, as fasting officially began on April 13, and the one-month period for Muslims to observe fasting will end on May 11, Ustadz Abdulbaki also concurred. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the 5 Pillars of Islam and obligatory for Muslims all over the world who are physical-

ly fit. Holy month For Muslims, Ramadan is the month in which the first verses of the Qur’an, Islam’s holy book, were revealed to Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago. Thus during the holy month, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to sunset. The fast is intended to bring the faithful closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of the less fortunate. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayer, charity, and performing the Hajj (pilgrimage) to Makkah (Mecca) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ramadan and Covid-19 The age-old advice given more than 1,400 years ago by Islam’s Prophet Muhammad has gone viral in 2020, as the world wrestles with the corona virus outbreak. Hence, Muslim Filipinos are set to still observe fasting during the whole month even under the corona virus pandemic. As this developed, disinfection activities are conducted outside the Hassanal Bolkiah Grand Masjid in Barangay Kalanangan 2 in Cotabato City as well as at the Golden Mosque MUSLIMS | A12

Syria’s official news agency SANA, citing local sources, reported that US military helicopters transferred 50 Daesh extremists from their base in the town of al-Shaddadi to the alOmar oil field in eastern Syria on Thursday. The sources added that the Takfiris had undergone training by American forces in al-Shadadi base in order to be integrated into the so-called and US-sponsored Tribal Army militant group, which is reportedly under the command of a terrorist identified as Ahmad al-Khabil, but better known by the nom de guerre Abu Khaolah. The sources noted that the Daesh terrorists will be prepared to carry out various acts of terror across Syria. Back on March 31, SANA reported that the US military had airlifted 40 Daesh terrorists from a detention facility at the al-Hawl refugee camp to a base in al-Shadadi in the southern countryside of Hasakah province. “Three US military helicopters and three attack helicopters landed in al-Shadadi base,” the report said. Al-Hawl camp lies east of Hasakah city and is run by the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – an anti-Damascus alliance of predominantly Kurdish militants supported by Washington. Two Iraqi terrorists, identified as Ziyad Idris (aka Abu Saif al-Iraqi), and Najdat Masoud Rida (aka Abu Bakr al-Furati), were among those airlifted to al-Shadadi, SANA said. The US military has until recently been airlifting Daesh terrorists from one place in Syria to another in order to save them in the face of advancement and territorial gains by Syrian government forces. American occupation troops have also transferred to safe sanctuaries hundreds of Daesh terrorists and their relatives from Syrian territories to neighboring Iraq in a number of batches. Moreover, there have been several reports showing Washington's direct or indirect support through its regional allies for the terrorist group over the past years. Numerous accounts have emerged alleging airlifts, weapon airdrops and aerial support for the Takfiri militant outfit, especially as its strength diminished in Syria and Iraq. Daesh has already been driven out of all its urban bastions both in Iraq and Syria, but its remnants carry out sporadic terror attacks in both Arab countries. The US and its allies have also been conducting airstrikes against what they claim to be Daesh positions inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate.

PressTV

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Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

BARMM | from Page A7

BARMM opens P108-M vital bridge, builds municipal hall in once IRA-less town Sinarimbo once said his ministry has programmed the construction of new two-floor municipal halls worth P25-million each in BARMM’s 118 towns, especially those persevering with makeshift or dilapidated buildings. In January to March this year, the MILG launched the construction of municipal hall buildings in six towns, four in Lanao del Sur and two in Maguindanao, one of which is Pandag that belonged to the once 11 IRA-less municipalities. On Saturday, Chief

Minister Ebrahim and Sinarimbo broke the ground for the start of construction works for the town hall in Datu Blah Sinsuat, spawning further elation for the host Mayor Sinsuat and his 25,024 constituents. Once completed, the modern municipal halls “will hopefully foster better governance” in the host towns because such structures “are basic symbol of authority,” Ebrahim was quoted as saying on Saturday. Complementary to the Chief Minister’s campaign for “better or

moral governance,” Sinarimbo said his ministry has also recruited extensively trained local government operation officers (LGOOs) to guide municipal, city and provincial government units in BARMM. Those recruited LGOOs were trained by experts from the Local Government Academy and regional directors of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) across the country, Sinarimbo said. No more road gravelling For his part, Minister

Guerra told the Philippine Muslim Today news earlier that his ministry has P15-billion budget this year for construction of concrete of provincial, city, municipal and barangay roads and bridges this year alone. Last month, Minister Guerra launched the concreting of 63kilometer roads worth P1.8-billion in the six villages of North Cotabato that have opted for inclusion in the BARMM territory. Guerra pointed out that in the BARMM governance, there will be

“no more gravelling” projects, which he said have been an easy source of corruption. “When inspectors visited road gravelling sites after full payment of project funds, contractors would usually say the gravel had been eroded by heavy rain… The truth is, the money went to pockets,” Guerra said in jest. On March 21, Guerra signed memorandums of agreement with the governor and 40 mayors in Lanao del Sur to undertake the implementation by administration of infrastructure projects,

mostly road concreting, worth P3.7-billion. The MoA signing ceremony in Cagayan de Oro City was graced by the Chief Minister and witnessed also by Minister Sinarimbo. The three officials took turns in delivering fervent messages before Governor Bombit Adiong and his 40 mayors, whom they urged to rally the BARMM leadership’s stride for “moral governance” by avoiding undue slippages in projects management and shun corruption-tendencies that have long stunted growth in countryside areas. AGM

that the (proposed project) is the result of my years of experiences in poverty alleviation interventions which were sincere attempts …to lift up the poor but failed because the realities on the ground were not considered.” “Thousands of carabaos, cattle and goats had been given out by the government in decades of dispersal programs but the cattle population of the Philippines had remained at a pathetic 2.5-million heads and rural poverty is still a major challenge,” he lamented.

He said he rallied first the Animal Dispersal Program,” thinking that by giving out carabaos to farmers, they would be able to till their land and become productive.” “The success rate of the program, however, was less than 10% because the reality was in times of difficulties when the farmer could not pay for his child’s tuition fees or if a family member was hospitalized, the first property to be sacrificed was the carabao or the cow,” he explained. AGM

gion. In 1994, Macabalang serving as founding executive director of the defunct Bureau of Public Information of the 29-year old Autonomous Region in Mus-

lim Mindanao organized the ARMM Press Corps, with then dsMS reporter Sanmmy Gogo as president. The press corps ceased to exist later. NAM

demic and research contribution to development efforts in the Bangsamoro autonomous region,” Ali said, referring to the MoU with the US school.

Dr. Fike expressed his pleasure over the fresh partnership with MSU-GSC, and highlighted the expected benefits of the cooperation, Ali said. AGM

If the moon is not sighted in the afternoon of April 12, then in all probability, the First Day of Fasting should commence on April 14, 2021. Thus if by the time the moon cannot be seen by 10:30 a.m. of April 12, Muslims

have to complete the month of Sha’ban for 30 days according to the Hadith where Prophet Muhammad emphasized if still the moon cannot be seen. On April 13 the moon can be seen in almost the Whole World. PMT

MILF | from Page A6

MILF camp to pilot Bangsamoro halal beef production Former combatants and their families will be the stakeholders of the Cattle Fattening Feedlots, including the Cattle Breeding Facilities, he said. Halal Abattoirs will also be built in all of the areas to produce packed and processed beef to be sold locally and in other markets in the country, he said, adding that an expanded Camp Darapanan’s venture could later supply hall beef meat to Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and even Arab countries where such stuff are in high de-

mand The former combatants and other farmers in the camps and nearby communities will also be engaged in the planting and production of silage materials for cattle feeding, thereby giving them additional income, he said. Australia and EU supports Piñol said the Bangsamoro halal beef program received pledges of support last month from the Australia government and the European Union delegation to the Philippines. EU Delegation Am-

bassador to the Philippines Luc Veron, in a virtual conference with the MinDA last week, described the halal beef project befits into the priority advocacies of the Union for autonomous region, Piñol said. He quoted Ambassador Veron as saying that existing EU grant funds could be allocated to ensure the success of the Bangsamoro Halal Beef Production Program. Far better than usual cattle dispersal Piñol said the BARMM cattle industry venture will be far better

than the palliative state cattle dispersal. “It will be a departure from the traditional ‘cattle dispersal’ program of government which had ended in dismal failure,” he averred. “Instead, the BARMM cattle program, which aims to produce halal beef and create livelihood and small industries, will build community undertakings where everyone has a stake and ownership is common,” he said. Modesty aside, he said, “I have to state

PMT | from Page A6

PMT initiates formation of Bangsamoro Press Corps The committee set the organizational meeting of the proposed press corps on April 17 at the same venue starting at 10a.m.

Macabalang urged other Central Mindanao -based journalists to attend the organizational meeting, saying the event will “push

through” as an acid test among the fragmented states of local journalists, something he described as an “handicap” in profes-

sionalizing media works, promoting selfactualization and harmonizing reportage activities and concerns in the Bangsamoro re-

UNDP | from Page A9

UNDP, US-based academe link up with MSU-GSC Since his rise to the MSU field campus leadership in December 2019, Ali has drawn partnerships with academic and administrative institutions across

the country and in the international community, including Japan, Malaysia, Arab nations, the U.S. and Europe, PMT sources said. The latest forging of

MoU with the Californiabased GGC, Dr. Ali said, the bilateral cooperation focuses on intensified partnership in the field of exchange of faculty, students, re-

searchers and other research or administrative projects. “This is an added responsibility yet selfactualizing in our desire to fully harness aca-

MUSLIMS | from Page A11

Muslims fast for Ramadan still under pandemic compound in Quiapo, Manila and other masjids in the Philippines. Likewise, health protocols are strictly to be observed also where

physical distancing is also to be observed during the month-long Ramadan. 1st day of Ramadan April 13.

Ustadz Abdulbaki Abubakar said the first day of moon sighting should be held in the afternoon of April 12, 2021, few minutes after

sunset around 8:00 p.m. If the moon is sighted, First Day of Fasting can be started the following day, April 13.

Tourism

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

The Latest Tourists Attractions in Tawi-Tawi By JOHNNY R. LEE, Ph.D

Asian-Style Marinated Salmon

eeming with beautiful islands with white sandy beaches, quaint coastal towns, sacred mountains, appetizing cuisine, and historic mosques, made Tawi-Tawi a must-visit tourist destination in this southernmost tip of the country. Tourists, both local and international, will always savor the memories of having been to its iconic bucket list of the majestic Bud Bongao, the paradiselike island of Panampangan and the prehistoric Balobok Cave. But lately, new ‘hot spots’ have made a lot of attention that lured local tourists and adventure-seekers who have been weary from the ‘pandemic’ fatigue.These are the Sangay-Siapo Island Beach Resort and the Rubber Tree Forest Park at Barangay Lapid -Lapid in Bongao. The former is a ‘Maldives’patterned beach resort complete with beautifully-designed cottages on stilts with floating jetties; and the latter is a forest park that resembles that of a scenery seen in a Korean ‘tele-nobela’ with tall lanky (rubber) trees, filled with brown falling leaves spread across the park’s floor. Sangay-Siapo is a 45-minute ride by Lepadesigned boat from Bongao and the Rubber Tree Forest Park is a 20 -minute land trip also from Bongao poblacion. Of course, the throngs of visitors and guests still has to follow the usual health protocols imposed by the management of both establishment’s operators. JRL

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By Maria Fhebie Ortil

simple way to prepare Halal Dish Salmon, which is an Asian-Style Marinated Salmon while adding an exotic flavor can be done when the Salmon is marinated for 30 minutes. Indeed this Asian-Style Marinated Salmon is being presented here for the 43rd Issue of the Digital Online Format of Philippine Muslim Today. As soon as we have done with marinating it for 30 minutes, then the next to be done is to prepare the Salmon fish that would take just for 10 minutes. Cottages on the stilts at Sangay-Siyapo Island Resort.

A Badjao-style Lepa that ferries guests from Bongao to Sangay-Siyapo Island Resort.

Finally, it is now time to cook the Salmon where cooking time would last for 20 minutes. A) Ingredients: 1 green onions/scallions, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tbsp ginger root, grated 7 g 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce 23 mL 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce 16 g 1 tbsp olive oil 15 mL 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed 1/4 lemon ground pepper to taste [optional] 300 g Salmon fillet B) Method Marinate Finely chop the scallion, mince the garlic, then put them in a shallow dish. Add the grated ginger, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, oil, lemon juice, and pepper. Whisk using a fork to combine the ingredients. It is not necessary to add any salt since the soy and Hoisin sauces are already rather salty. Put the salmon in the dish and turn it to coat with the marinade. Cover and let stand either 30 min at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Bake Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF. Remove the salmon from the marinade, letting the excess marinade drip off, then transfer it to a baking sheet, skin side down. Bake in the middle of the oven about 20 min. alternatively, the salmon may be cooked on an outdoor grill.

Check with a fork to see if the fish is cooked through. Separate and lift the salmon from the skin with a metal spatula and serve (discard skin). MFO

Rubber tree forest park resembling a Korean forest park.

Asian-Style Marinated Salmon

Culture

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Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

Official Resolution of Lanao Ulama Leaders’ Summit—2021

he Lanao Transformation Ulama 1st ULAMA LEADERS SUMMIT (1st ULS2021) held on Saturday, Sha’ban 21, 1442, April 03, 2021 at the International Convention Center, Mindanao State University (MSU) main campus, Marawi City, Philippines. The summit was hosted by MSU Main Campus, spearheaded by its System President, Dr. Habib W. Macaayong in collaboration with the Manila-based ASA Philippines Foundation represented by its Chief Executive Official (CEO) and President Md. Kamrul Hasan Tarafder. The King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic and Asian Studies (KFCIAAS), the Shari’ah Center and the Radio Telecommunication Office acted as the implementing and the executive organizing committee. Under the theme “PEACE, EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROMOTION” WITH SPECIAL FOCUSED ON SCHOLARS “ULAMA” MOST CONCERNS, CLAMORS AND OUTCRIES, the summit attended by selected and limited to only 100 senior religious leaders mainly from two Lanao; Del Sur and Del Norte — because of the current health situation — was highly regarded and considered as one of the most significant and high profile religious conference taking place in the region in the recent history with the participation of two top officials of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM); Deputy Chief Minister, Alim Ali P. Solaiman, Parliament Member Alim Mohammad Zainoden Bato and the Secretary General of the Organization of Muslim Scholars in the Philippines, Sheikh Abdulhadie Ibn AlShaheed Gumander. The participants have concluded their

By Abdul Hannan Magarang Tago

thorough and brotherly deliberation and discussion mainly on the main topics: 1) Understanding Madrasah and Its Role for Peace Building, 2) Principles and Characteristics of Vicegerent in Islam and Its Application in Moral Governance, 3) Transformative Education for Economic Prosperity and 4) Degeneration and its Remedy, the summit was concluded with the following collective and firm resolutions to wit: 1. Whereas, the summit reiterated and confirmed the great role and high level ranks of the Ulama to educate and reform the community, spiritually, socially, educationally as well as economic aspect (Shariah Compliance Transactions) while dealing with other citizens regardless of their (community) faith affiliation equally and respectfully as described by no less than by the Almighty Allah (S.W.T): “Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees” (Mujadalah 11) ‫“ير رفر ررريرررمرو مري رررر ررر رر‬ ‫رمرو رر‬ ‫رلر ر رمرر‬ ‫رمرو مري رر‬ ‫(رمرور ت ردرو رر ررير رر‬ ” ‫درفرت ر ر‬ ‫)ر (ررنر ررر ريرنر رر ريرر ر رر‬11 ‫عرارر ردعررمرو ر ر)ر‬ . 2 Whereas, Muslim scholars “Ulama” have been playing a pivotal role in shaping moral, peaceful and harmony society of a community and nation. They have a great influence on the youngsters and enjoy high respect of the people. 3. Whereas, Ulama are the heirs, substitutes or proxies of the prophets and the messengers of Allah S.W.T as role models not only for the youth but also for the entire communi-

ties. In this context, they should maintain and reflect a high level of their educational background and wisdom. 4. Whereas, the participants and in order to make a constant and close communication among themselves, a yearly Ulama Leaders with the collaboration of the Organization of Muslim Scholars in the Philippines (Hayatul Ulama) and other duly registered both non-governmental and governmental organizations should be conducted and organized. 5. Whereas, the Ulama leaders reiterate and reaffirm the importance of the Senior Ulama (Officials and recognized Muftis) as the official reference and guidance in any fatwa matter or relevant judicial cases taking place under the area of jurisdiction of BARMM. 6. Whereas, the Ulama appeal to their fellow especially the juniors or new graduates among them to refrain from heated debate, personal attacks and accusations of being apostasy and disbelief. 7. Whereas, the various representative of different educational institutions presented by their heads and decision makers are willing to unify their ranks in addressing peace and order by providing the true teachings of Islam in a moderate and compassionate manner. 8. Whereas, the Ulama and for them to perform and play their role effectively and independently without the influence of any power or political gain they should be empowered and equipped with necessary tools and equipment that BARMM coud provide and ad-

dress. 9. Whereas, new graduates among them are more vulnerable to the influence of today’s state as a result of scarcity of opportunities, while the mindset and market needs of the Philippines cater only to the Western education because of lack of understanding on the potential of Arabic -speaking graduates. 10. Whereas, both foreign and local graduates still considered less fortune and chance in terms of job opportunities that could open and encourage them to engage in activities while navigating and surfing in the sophisticated digital world making them vulnerable and soft target of the cybercrimes both ideology and worldly materials. 11. Whereas, the participants agree to create a special committee to communicate with targeted young graduates especially with those graduates using networks (Facebook and others) as platform for their discussion involving religious matters (fatwa). 12. Whereas, and because of vacuum and unemployment among them not only new graduates but also among seniors became great concern because of its increasing negative impact on these important sectors and players. 13. Whereas, the participants are strongly appealing to both national government and BARMM to look into this great concern and address it seriously by tapping experts from the ranks of Ulama with exposure and actual experience in this matter. 14. Whereas, Arabicspeaking nationals should be treated equally in all job-related rights and benefits including financial aspect and the same consideration with their fellow local graduates in the Western education by identifying their worth and potentials. Some of them already have extra and extensive exposure in the rich-oil countries where most of them gained their degrees. They may need necessary training with the local market working environment needs. OFFICIAL | C4

‘SAF 44 massacre’ film to portray sacrificial’ scheme By Ali G. Macabalang

Photo shows PMT News Editor Ali G. Macabalang interviewing actor-turned politician Ramon Ejercito III in Cagayan de Oro City on March 21. (Photo by Nur -Ali A. Macabalang) COTABATO CITY — The infamous 2015 “Mamasapano clash,” which left 67 people including 44 police commandos and five innocent civilians, will be cinematized to portray the sentiments of a surviving elite troopers on how his fallen comrades became “sacrificial” victims of an alleged fleeting scheme in government. Movie actor-turned-politician and former Laguna Governor Emilio Ramon Ejercito III, who will play the role of one of the Special Action Force (SAF) troopers who survived the bloody clash on Jan. 25, 2015, was interviewed briefly on March 21 in Cagayan de Oro City by the Philippine Muslim Today news. Ejercito, more known in his action movies as George Estregan Jr., and his producerdirector Dr. Lucio Ceniza along with their entourage were in their way back to Manila to start filming of the infamous incident after their courtesy visit to the Banggsamoro government seat here on March 7. Dr. Ceniza, past president of the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) and CEO of the Brown Font PR Agency, Ejercito and fellow FOE members donated 50 desktop computers to the Bangsamoro Transportation and Communication Minister Dickson Hermoso. After the courtesy visit and donation ceremony, Minister Hermoso tasked his Deputy Minister Abunawas ′′Von Alhaq ′′ Maslamama to guide Ejercito and his party in a tour to Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano, Maguindanao to have a glimpse of the terrain where the so-called “SAF 44 massacre” happened on Jan. 25, 2015. In the PMT brief interview, Ejercito said they intended to complete the filming of the movie in due time as an entry to the country’s annual film festival in Manila in December this year. Pressed for his specific role, Ejercito said he will portray the unnamed survivor SAF trooper at the Tukanalipao clash who purportedly revealed how his 44 fallen comrades were made “sacrificial” victims in an alleged scheme by the administration of former President NoyNoy Aquino. Ejercito was apparently swayed by the survivor’s revelation that he sarcastically mentioned the former President as “Abnoy” three times during the interview. He likewise hinted his disgust on how the alleged fleeting police operation also derailed the supposed passage by the 17th Congress of the bill on the Bangamoro Basic Law (BBL) due to public outrage over the 44 SAF troops’ deaths. The BBL was highly expected to pass Congressional final deliberation in March 2015 in pursuit of the government’s forging of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) in 2013 and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) in 2014 with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). In the Congressional inquiries, the MILF peace panel tried hard but failed to convince the lawmakers about the police hierarchy’s failure to observe needed coordination prescribed under the MILF Government existing truce mechanism prior to the bungled operation to capture Indonesian bombmaker Zulkifli “Marwan” Bin Hir dead or alive. Ground military officials had corroborated the MILF panel’s argument, saying the Army commands in nearby areas were equally caught unaware of the clandestine operation and that the lack of coordination prevented them from giving the SAF troops prompt artillery support. AGM

People, Places & Events

Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

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FEATURE

‘Princess Mayan’ crowned new ‘Bae a Labi a Gaus’ sa Balo-i (Highest Lady of Affluence of Balo-i) By Rocaya Sumndad Otical

ALOI, Lanao del Norte — A scion of royal families in the Pat a Phangampong a Ranao has just been crowned as Bai a Labi a Gaus of the Royal House of Greater Balo-i. Her Royal Highness Ramayana Diamond Alag Ali Pacasum Asum Balt Pangarungan-Basman was enthroned as the new “Bae a Labi a Gaus of Balo-i” in a magnificent ceremony held on Saturday, March 27, 2021, at the Balo-i town complex that seemingly replicated a Monarch’s Royal Court. Bae a Labi is a Maranao term which may mean ‘Great Lady’ or ‘Queen.’ Gaus may mean ‘Affluent.’ Literally, Bae a Labi a Gaus may mean ‘Affluent Great Lady’ or ‘Affluent Queen.’ But there is more to it than meet the eye in the rich Maranao language and culture. Called by friends and relatives as Mayan, she was enthroned together with other royalties (Baes and Datus) in the Royal House of Phangampong a Balo-i led by Datu Sumulong Maulana Alag Ali Ampang, the new Sultan of Balo-i. The grand enthronement was graced by thousands of well-wishers and prominent guests from all walks of life from far and near rarely

Bae a Labi Mayan flanked by her parents, NCMF Sec. Saidamen Pangarungan and Bae a Labi Princess Diamong Pangarungan. (TRS Photo) observed in previous enthronements. Pagana Mranaw In the Maranao traditional style of Paganao

OFFICIAL | from Page C3

Official Resolution... 15. Whereas, the foreign graduates in various courses and discipline including Arabic and Islamic courses should be automatically considered as passers or exempted from the civil services eligibility both national government and BARMM civil services eligibility so they will be able to work in the government agencies and BARMM without requiring them from the eligibility certificate. 16. Whereas, neighboring Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore and even Thailand have benefited positively from their nationals with Arabic background education in their Islamic finance and banking, halal industries and even halal tourism. Our country has huge advantages in all aspect by considering, identifying and making use of those Arabic-speaking who are bilinguals with exposure in the rich-oil and Islamic countries. 17. Whereas, Mindanao State University (MSU) under direct supervision of the System President is the ideal place to host such important conference (ULS) where modern knowledge, coexistence and tolerance are being in place and taught. 18. Whereas, the university where housing the King Faisal Islamic Arabic and Asia Studies is a neutral venue for such important event. MSU has been part of the global peace advocacy while teaching moderate discipline and curriculum meant to produce highly educated, moral and peace-loving generation as well as productivity citizens.

Mranaw which is the way of serving foods to guests and visitors, Dulangs were brought to the court for the distinguished guests and VIPs. A Dulang is lavish foods carefully arranged in tabak, a big round plate usually made of tin or bronze, placed in motifs, intended to serve distinguished guests and VIPs. It is given utmost significance because it fosters peace and unity. Balo-i a distinguished Lanao Royal House In the Maranao long-cherished Taritib and Igma, Balo-i is one of the four divisions of Lanao or what is called Pat a Phangampong a Ranao that may be interpreted as ‘Four Prefectures of Lanao.’ Balo-i is also one of the 26 odi na 27 a Panoroganan sa Ranao or ‘26 if not 27 Royal Houses of Lanao’ that has culturally and traditionally reigned in the heart and midst of the Maranao people for ages. In the present political and administrative subdivisions though, Balo-i belongs to the province of Lanao del Norte, and is headed by a town mayor with a Sangguniang Bayan system of governance. Amidst strong Western influence in the Philippines, this part of Maranao culture persistently has survived and remained silent dominant in Maranao’s way of life. The New Bai a Labi a Gaus Her father and mother gave her a unique name that reverberates all throughout the ages: Ramayana, a title from an Asian Indian epic story. Bae a Labi Mayan once told The Ranao Star, “The Ramayana is similar to the Maranao Darangen epic that has been presented in various art forms on stage, in which

lead actors always save the oppressed people of the time.” The new Bai a Labi a Gaus of Balo-i is the daughter of National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary and former Lanao del Sur Governor Saidamen Balt Pangarungan and former assemblywoman Princess Diamond PacasumPangarungan. Ramayana’s father is also the present Sulutan sa Madaya ko Phumagsopa sa Marawi (Sultan of Madaya of the Five Principalities of Marawi) while her mother is also the Bai a Labi a Gaus sa Ranao.

19. Whereas, the summit aims to identify the very cause of the subject matter. Strengthening and revisit the normal understanding among scholars with special focus on new graduates differences. 20. Whereas, the group would coordinate with relevant government agencies that would create training, job opportunities and livelihood for the youth and fresh graduates particularly Arabic-speaking graduates. 21. Whereas, on issue of BARMM’s term extension as suggested by two panelists, has triggered a serious

Ramayana inherited the royal title from the former assemblywoman’s blood lineage according to a written lineage pedigree. Bai a Labi a Gaus Mayan is a full-fledged lawyer and top-notch Shariah Counsellor. She is married to Datu Abdul Hakam “Tote” Macabando Maruhom Basman, son of the late Sheik Abbas Maruhom Basman and Bai Omilkhair Macabando-Basman, who had both been former Marawi city mayors. Mayan and Tote have three grown up children: Amayabil (24), Princess Rania (17) and Diamond II, (12). THE RANAO STAR

discussion among participants as result of the strong opposition of few participants mainly from the Moro Liberation Front (MNLF) side. 22. Whereas, the vast majority, have outnumbered the opposition as such the majority supported strongly the said BARMM extension to be inserted in this resolution after applying voting and “Shourah” procedure. 23. As result, BARMM term extension for another three years was voted and won the majority. AHMT

Special Birthday Greetings 72nd EID MILAD: Datu Hadji Ahiyal Ameer Sappayani, organizer of Tuboh Panabuan in a pose with his wife Hadja Murada Adjaluddin-Sappayani as he celebrated his 72nd birthday recently.. Datu Hadji Ahiyal is a retired Army Colonel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and also his wife a retired Military Nurse. Datu Hj. Ahiyal Ameer is a descendant of Datu Hambuyong, one of the two sons of Datu Sahid who was the cousin and trusted “Lieutenant” of Sultan Jamalul Ahlam II of the Sultanate of Sulu. Datu Sahid was one of the martyrs of Bud Daho Massacre that were mercilessly massacred by the U.S. American colonial forces in Bud Daho, a mountain crater in 1906. (Contributed Photo)

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Vol. I, No. 43 | April 9-15, 2021 (Shaban 27-Ramadan 3, 1442)

Ivermectin distribution still prohibited: FDA chief MANILA – Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo on Thursday clarified that the distribution of anti-parasitic Ivermectin remains illegal even though the medicine was granted a compassionate special permit. In a radio interview,

Domingo noted that the hospital which applied for and was granted the compassionate permit for the use of Ivermectin would be allowed to import it via a licensed importer. “Meron siyang licensed importer na magi-import para

sa kaniya nitong gamot na ito na rehistrado sa ibang bansa (The hospital has a licensed importer registered in other countries). The doctor takes full responsibility for the product," Domingo said. He added that the

concerned doctors would be obliged to list down the patients who will be taking the drug for treatment against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), monitor them, and report the drug’s effects to the FDA. In a Laging Handa

briefing, Domingo noted that Ivermectin is an “investigational product” and clinical trials on its use to prevent Covid-19 are ongoing. The Department of Health (DOH) earlier warned that the distribution and promotion of Ivermectin as a treat-

ment for coronavirus in humans is a violation of the law. The FDA had earlier approved Ivermectin only for animal use to prevent heartworm disease and treat parasite infestation and not for treatment of Covid-19. PNA

including those who consider themselves “unconquered” to subscribe to a conquistadores’ mentality. Likewise, it is not a situation of partnership where one treats the other as second rate, and expects him to be constantly ready and will-

ing the accommodate the whims and caprices of the former. Unity in diversity and partnership is something that grows from the seeds of sincere good intentions, inherent goodwill and equality among men. MKS

the poet John Milton who said, “They also serve who only stand and wait.” As a man of the law and as a citizen, I can wait until the elections of May 2022. Messiah: This country needs a Messiah. He can come in 2022 with the elections, if we all do our duty – elect and follow him to the Promised Land. As Edmund Burke, the English author, writer and philosopher once wrote, “The only reason for the triumph of the forces of evil is that good men do nothing.” The reckoning should come in 2022 because politics is a game of infinite patience. HAA

SADAIN | from Page A2

A “SULUAN” QUINCENTENNIAL MARKER? The quincentennial marker therefore is a product of either an absolutely ignorant brain or a tricky and wily predisposition. The first one insults; the second one injures, and the Tausugs will not tolerate such insult and injury.

If the purpose of the quincentennial committee was to unite the people of the Philippines, or to be more inclusive towards the Muslims in Sulu, the committee must be made to realize that unity is not achievable by conformity. It is ty-

rannical of the majority to expect conformity from the minority through the false expedience of sending and accepting markers for what it thinks should be a national commemoration. Neither is unity achievable through subservience. It is despotic

to impose a unity that is servile and subject solely to the will of those in power. Unity can only be achieved by recognizing diversity instead of conformity, and partnership instead of subservience. It is not diversity to expect everybody,

ADAZA| from Page A3

SHOULD PRESIDENT DUTERTE BE IMPEACHED... The problems: What are the problems in our current national situation in so far as the wanton violation of the Constitution is concerned? The first problem, of course, is President Duterte. He is the principal origin of the policies and the methods of implementation. In all these constitutional violations, it is apparent that like the powerful men of the Liberal Party in 1949, President Duterte Duterte and his boys will continue to behave as though we are in 1949 – saying the lines that the Constitution is mere scrap of paper and what are we in power for. The second problem is the Opposition. Its responses to the consti-

tutional violations are anemic, if not next to useless. The members of the Opposition must spruce up. As none of them are charismatic speakers nor armed with thorough knowledge of the Constitution and the impact of intense propaganda on the hearts and minds of men and women, they should hire someone to collaborate with them in the preparation of the impeachment complaint and sign it and orchestrate it in the debate in the Committee on Justice, in full view of domestic and international media accompanied by telling interviews that could electrify audiences here and abroad.

That is what it takes. The third problem is lawyers. Where are the lawyers on this issue? Where is the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and the Philippine Constitutional Association (PHILCONSA). The organizations and their members are supposed lovers and defenders of the Constitution? There is no concerted effort to resist these constitutional incursions. They all should read the contemporary history of Pakistan. They can learn a lesson or two on how to handle a government that makes the rule of law a farce – making it the rule of low and law of the lawless. And the fourth problem is the people. They

know nothing about the Constitution since our political leaders see to it that the people are not informed of their rights and responsibilities under the Constitution. But even if they do, they are preoccupied with the problem of survival – pandemic or no pandemic, Duterte or no Duterte, Xi Jin Ping or no Xi Jin Ping. That is the magnitude of our problem on the impeachment. What is to be done? This question was raised by Vladimir Ilyich Leniin in a book with that title when he and two others – Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky – were in the process of planning the Russian Revolution. Though we

are not Russian revolutionaries like the three men, the crisis in our country is so overwhelming that we cannot help asking ourselves that question. That same question was also asked in 1985 about this country when martial rule, in continuance of martial law, was at its height. It looked hopeless then, as it does now, that the leading light in the American Senate on foreign affairs, Senator William Fulbright described the Philippines as a “country with sixty-five million cowards with one son of a bitch.” The people of Metro Manila proved him wrong when they deposed Marcos in 1986 It must have been

she was positive of COVID-19. Her family believed she died of cardiac arrest prompted by an allergy. City health workers have cordoned the house of Evelyn and mandated her body’s cremation. In the case of Mr. Icban’s death at 85, the Manila Bulletin revealed no cause of his demise. But editorial officials of my former newspaper said in one of several related reports that Mr.

Icban’s body “would be cremated.” I could just suspect that health workers might have also conducted a swab test on his body. Death is an inevitable segment of humanity. It is just lamentable that many people dying during this viral pandemic always ended up branded as “positive” for COVID-19. My suspicion on some improprieties in the COVID-19 was once

bolstered by an earlier lamentation by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia about the death of one of her male domestic workers in a stabbing incident. She took her disgust to the online media via video message that local health workers diagnosed her demised helper as “positive.” In the video, the lady governor disclosed some instances how ordinary ailments were

MACABALANG | from Page A4

Don’t die on COVID-19 time room, which Minister Sinarimbo chose to be the venue with full assistance provided by the late Evelyn. Evelyn even booked me and my entourage in an executive room in one of Cotabato City’s best hotels for overnight sojourn. On April 3, or less than two days before she passed away, Evelyn and I had a long conversation over the phone. I thanked her for her usual utmost assis-

tance in my official concerns. I also informed her that my son will see her on Monday, April 5, for official concern. My son told me by phone early morning Monday that Evelyn was gone. Evelyn reportedly died inside her house early morning Monday, but her immediate kin brought her to a hospital. The hospital workers conducted a swab test on her cold body, and announced later

allegedly being deemed as COVID-19 cases “for the money of it.” Too sad that even a life-taking pandemic is being used as a moneymaking scam, which benefits not the victims but the vultures in government and private sector. For ordinary people, my advice is: Don’t die during this pandemic, lest you enrich more the greedy human demons. AGM