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Vol. II, No. 19 | October 22-28, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 15-21, 1443) Muslims amid political titans in Gen San Judge Bing Mimbisa - Page A4

8 Pages / P20

www.philmuslim.today

Presidential Clashes in 2022

Leaders’ pride over people’s welfare

Homobono A. Adaza - Page A5

Ali G. Macabalang - Page A6

2022 Elections

year.

Politics and principles Moy Alonto Lucman - Page A6

Editorial >> A4

Opposition groups in Lanao Norte join ranks under Partido Federal for 2022 polls

LIGAN CITY, Lanao del Norte – Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) has formed a united Christian and Muslim political opposition alliance in Lanao del Norte and fielded common candidates for provincial and municipal elective positions for the 2022 national elections, according to the office of the PFP provincial chairman for Lanao del Norte. Official candidates of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) for provincial elective positions in Lanao del Norte pose for a souvenir photo after filing their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) on October 7, 2021 for the 2022 OPPOSITION | A2 elections.

Ulama in the Polls? Whatever Happens, the Ship Must Not Sink The city of General Santos is at the southernmost tip of the Philippine archipelago. It is even farther in distance coming from Manila than going to Hongkong but it is nearer to Manago Indonesia with which it maintains sporadic trade partnership. It used to be part of the so-called Cotabato Empire before its subdivision into fine provinces, now six after the creation of the new province of Maguindanao Oriental. EDITORIAL | A4

Lasureco’s odds, P14.9-B debts gain BARMM attention BY ALI G. MACABALANG

as a main guest and provided instant reassuring reactions. The two officials corroborated persistent suggestions that the only way to settle the spiking arrears, which began from about P2-billion over a decade ago, is for authorities or the national government to condone the debts. Panondiongan said the LASURECO has been given an average of 38 megawatt to a maximum of 50MW supply and could

OTABATO CITY – The Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (Lasureco) management has disclosed its actual debts compounded to P14.9-billion in decades and heralded its related operational woes, gaining “priority” attention from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) governance. Of the total debts, roughly P12.6-billion is owed to the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Man-

agement Corporation (PSALM) while P2.3-billion is payable to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), according to Kince Panondiongan, Laureco executive assistant. Panondiongan revealed the compounded debts and other Lasureco pressing concerns at the October 9 episode of the Tapatan Forum of the Bangsamoro Press Corps (BPC), during which BARMM Spokesman Naguib Sinarimbo served

MinDA pushes aggie productivity for genuine economic recovery

BARMM legislators file bill to put up hospital in Tawi-Tawi named after the MILF founder

As communities directly suffer from the current global crisis, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has asserted that further boosting agricultural productivity could be a possible way to economic recovery. MINDA | A3

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL COTABATO CITY — Several members of the Bangsamoro Parliament filed a bill to establish a general hospital in the province of Tawi-Tawi to be known as Sheikh Salamat Hashim Memorial Hospital, in memory of the founding chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). BARMM | A2

Official logo of Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (Lasureco).

not seek additional wattage for ample energy in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur because of its ballooning debts to PSALM and NGCP. He said the problem is aggravated by Lasureco’s high system loss and low collection efficiency due to varied causes ranging from technical to nontechnical origins, including consumer-residents’ “mindset” in asserting BANGSAMORO | A2

Inside > A3: WestMinCom Chief meets BARMM Chief Minister to promote better relationship. > A3: MAFAR to set up a P4.8 million worth of seaweeds buying station project in Tawi-Tawi. > A6: MOH urges LGUs to spare health strides from adversarial politics. > A7: Cotabato indigent patients benefit from P19-M plus BARMM medical aid. > A7: Bangsamoro Halal Dish With Maria Fhebie Ortil.

A Muslim Senator must be well qualified: PFP By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL MAKATI CITY — The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the political party that endorsed the presidential candidacy of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., has agreed that it is about time that a Muslim Senator should have won in the Senate in the coming May 9, 2021 national elections. It can be recalled that the last Muslim Senators were Senator Mamintal A.J. Tamano who held his last term of office on June 30, 1992; and Senator Santanina Rasul who was also the first Muslim woman Senator whose last term of office was on June 30, 1995. After them there was no sinMUSLIM | A3

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News

Vol. II, No. 19 | October 22-28, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 15-21, 1443)

Bangsamoro | from Page A1

OPPOSITION | from Page A1

Lasureco’s odds, P14.9-B debts gain BARMM attention Opposition groups in Lanao... Maranaos own Lake Lanao, the source of energy, and should therefore not pay power bills. To address the adversarial “mindset,” Lasureco has programmed a series of village and town-level dialogs in all of 41 municipalities in Lanao del Sur and in Marawi City, Panondiongan said as he asked for media campaign support. The problem is also aggravated by cases of power interruptions in areas with dilapidated lines that never underwent rehabilitation for 40 years until the current leadership of General Manager Nordjiana DipatuanDucol initiated efforts to repair the lines and convert them from single-pace to three-pace gradually, he said. He said the Lasureco has crafted a three-year rehabilitation campaign called CAPEX projects for 2022-2024 costing P1.458billion to install KWH meters and meters and instrument transformers in 41 towns, feeder metering to power substations and switch power capacitors; acquire engineering software and tools, service vehicles (4 x 4 pick-up),

and line protectors; and construct 20MVA additional power substations, 69KV Sub-transmission lines,

Agreement on the Bangsamoro in 2014. When the BARMM governance was created in

Screenshot photos of the Lasureco and BARMM officialdiscussants at the weekly Tapatan forum of the Bangsamoro Press Corps on October 9 episode. among others. Panondiongan said the Lasureco has strongly sought possible assistance from the BARMM governance not only in the acquisition of funds for the rehabilitation efforts but also in its prayer for the national government to condone the ballooning debts. BARMM ‘priority’ attention In instant response, Sinarimbo recalled that the issues on spiking debts of Lasureco and other power cooperatives in the autonomous region were discussed in Kuala Lumpur between peace panels of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front before the signing of the Comprehensive

2019, Sinarimbo said Japanese government officials and counterparts in the Philippines met at the Clark Air Base to tackle pressing concerns in the autonomous region, including problems on energy. He said the Philippine officials led by Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez pronounced an “open” position on the call for the writing off of existing power cooperatives’ standing debts. However, he said, no follow-up meeting on the issue was held since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, to which the government time and resources have been focused. Sinarimbo said that

from the BPC Tapatan forum discussion, he would take up in the BARMM cabinet meeting soon the Lasureco prayer for debt condoning for possible inclusion in the upcoming table conference with the IGRB led for the national government by Sec. Dominguez and cochaired by Minister Mohagher Iqbal for the regional bureaucracy. He said Sec. Dominguez has been “very supportive” to the call for writing off of BARMMbased power cooperatives’ debts as a precondition for the autonomous region to industrialize regional agricultural activities. He recalled Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim having told him once that the problem of ballooning debts of power cooperatives in the region would for part of “priority” agenda that they would discuss in upcoming meetings of the InterGovernmental Relations Body (IGRD), a bilateral group of regional and national officials tasked to craft all possible remedies to government-related setbacks in the autonomous region. (AGM)

Partido Federal ng Pilipinas Lanao del Norte gubernatorial candidate for 2022 elections.

Former Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is PFP presidential standard bearer.. Mike Mulituba, representative and spokesperson of Lacson Lantud, the Lanao del Norte provincial head, told reporters the PFP official candidates led by Sultan Amer Nagamura T. Moner, Sr. have already filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) since October 7, 2021. Mulituba said the PFP provincial leadership has assured of his all-out support to the party candidates. “Chairman Lantud,” he said, “has already received assurances from his colleagues in the party of their unwavering support for their candidates to win.”

BTA | from Page A1

BARMM legislators file bill to put up hospital in Tawi-Tawi named after the MILF founder Member of Parliament (MP) Eddie Alih, of the principal authors of the bill, on Friday said that the proposed Parliament Bill 135 seeks to establish a level 1 general hospital with a 25-bed capacity in the municipality of South Ubian, which is envisioned to provide comprehensive and integrated health care services to its constituents and neighboring towns. South Ubian is a third-

class coastal municipality in the province of TawiTawi, with a population of approximately 29,583. The closest medical services are currently available at a Rural Health Clinic in the neighboring municipality of Tandubas, which is 22.8kilometer away. “However, the doctor of that Rural Health Clinic has retired, and it is now only run by nurses and

midwives,” MP Alih said. He explained that those who need to avail proper medical services have to travel to Bongao for 8-10 hours. “There were many instances of fatalities while in transit and upon arrival in Bongao because of hardly accessible health services,” he said, noting that the creation of a hospital in South Ubian will reach the region’s most

remote communities. If passed into law, the establishment of Sheikh Salamat Hashim Memorial Hospital will be under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Health, while the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Management will provide annual funding for the plantilla positions and the maintenance and other operations for the hospital. (JIJ)

MUSLIM | from Page A1

A Muslim Senator must be well qualified: PFP gle Muslim candidate who won in the Senatorial elections. Hence, Prof. Hamid Ladjakahal, the president of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas for Tawi-Tawi Province said he is very much in favor of having a Muslim candidate be elected into the Senate in 2022. “Yes na yes for a Muslim Senator, but he or she should be the qualified one para hindi tayo mapahiya,” Ladjakahal said. (So that we will not be ashamed of.) Ladjakahal said we are

expecting that whoever a Muslim candidate got elected has the ability to legislate in the Upper House laws that will benefit all constituents whether Muslim or Non-Muslim as well as the indigenous people. In view of this, one of the Muslim senatorial candidates in the forthcoming national elections is Shariff Ibrahim Albani from Mindanao who hails from Tawi -Tawi. Albani who is the chairman of 1Maharlika with thousands of card bearing

members is very articulate and well versed on the history of Filipino Muslims. Likewise he is also the chairman of the World Philosophical Forum (WPF) of the Philippines and also with several members throughout the Philippines. Aside from being active in the non -government organizations, Albani line of expertise is his being a financial analyst and serving as consultant to international finance institutions in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Albani is an official candidate of the Labor Party of the Philippines (LPP), another political party supporting the candidacy of Bongbong Marcos. His supporters not only in Mindanao but also in Luzon and Visayas are very much optimistic that Albani as a full blooded Muslim is a plus factor in the Senatorial slate of Bongbong Marcos. His supporters said Albani being in the line of BBM can be a symbol of unity or solidarity among Muslims, Christians, and

PFP Lanao del Norte provincial spokesman Mike Mulituba. Sultan Moner, a former judge and academician, said he was reluctant at first to accept the party offer to be the provincial gubernatorial candidate. “But when I realize the need for true change in the political scenario, for the sake of our people, I have to accept it,” he added. Moner, also a Maranao civic leader, hails from the municipalities of Munai, Kauswagan and Bacolod in Lanao del Norte; and Bayang and Piagapo in Lanao del Sur. Other PFP candidates aside from Moner as governor for Lanao del Norte are: Vice Governor – Mohammad Harrison C. Pasandalan; Sangguniang Panlalawigan (First District): SOLER M. GARLAN, ALI T. BATALO, SHUKRY MUTIA, SILVESTRE L. DELA TORRE, and NAGAMURA S. MONER, Jr. Sangguniang Panlalawigan (2nd District): LUCILO D. OMANDAM, CARIDAD A. TATOY, CRISTINO S. ENRICOSO, Jr., MELCHOR M. ZARAGOZA, HADJI OMAR AZIZ Ist District Representative: Atty. Dr. Joe Abbas; and 2nd District representative: Elias I. Rinibatan. (MNY)

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MinDA pushes aggie productivity for genuine economic recovery By Ali G. Macabalang DAVAO CITY – As communities directly suffer from the current global crisis, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has asserted that further boosting agricultural productivity could be a possible way to economic recovery. MinDA Deputy Executive Director and Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro made the assertion during the Kusog Mindanaw Virtual Conference Series’ episode on Wednesday, citing data that six out of 10 jobs in Mindanao are related to the agricultural value chain. “So if we wanted to bring back jobs that were lost and create more jobs in the rural areas in moving forward, our direction should be value-adding expanding our agriculture development in Mindanao,” Dr. Adrian Tamayo, chief of the MinDA communications department, quoted Montenegro as telling virtual conference. Montenegro presented the facts and figures of Mindanao’s thriving economic landscape amid the health pandemic, with agriculture and other related industries as growth drivers. “These prove that despite the global crisis’ shocks and disruptions, the island region can attribute its resilience to agriculture being the only sector that poses a positive growth in this challenging time,” he stressed. Montenegro also batted for Mindanao’s equitable budget share and pushed for the prioritization of vital

Vol. II, No. 19 | October 22-28, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 15-21, 1443)

WestMinCom Chief meets BARMM Chief Minister promoting better relationship By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

units in the western and central parts of Mindanao, COTABATO CITY — Maj. Gen. Alfredo Rosario, which includes the BARMM, Maj. Gen. Rosario, Jr. Jr., commander of Western Mindanao Command aims to establish a good relationship with all the lo(WestMinCom) paid a courtesy call on the Chief Mincal chief executives and stakeholders within the arister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in ea. MinDA Executive Director Assis- Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on October 14. tant Secretary Romeo MonteAs the newly installed commander of the military negro Chief Minister Ahod “Alinfrastructures and indushajj Murad” Ebrahim weltries development, which comed the WestMinCom are needed to usher in an Commander at his office inclusive and sustainable socio-economic develop- located at the Office of the Chief Minister Bldg. proper, ment in the island region. “An example of how we BARMM Compound in Cowould want several other tabato City, MaguindaLGUs to look at in terms of nao. During their meeting, approach is on a business they discussed matters case we are now developconcerning peace and oring in Taraka, Lanao del der and the development Sur,” he said. Taraka, a fourth class of the BARMM. Chief Minister Ebrahim town, has availed of thanked Maj. Gen. RoPHP200 million loan from sario, Jr. for the military’s the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) for efforts to keep the commuthe construction of six solar nities safe and secured -powered irrigation system and for risking their lives to (SPIS) and water supply preempt the terror ploys of ONE ON ONE: Maj. Gen. Alfredo Rosario, Jr., (left) newly-installed commander of the Westsystem to value add agri- the malefactors. He also ern Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) holds a one-on-one meeting on his courtesy call culture productivity, Monte- vowed to strengthen col- with Chief Minister Ahod “Al Hajj Murad” Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in negro said, citing MinDA’s laboration with the military Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for establishing good relationship with the regional chief execuhelp in the grant of the in fighting terrorism and tive and other stakeholders. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO neutralizing lawless eleloan. Traka’s is the first SPIS ments in the provinces un- lasting peace and sustain- strengthening our collabo- goal,” Maj. Gen. Rosario, Jr. further stated. able development in the ration and cooperation imestablished under the Min- der his jurisdiction. bued with our commitment In his call to Chief Minregion. Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. danao Water Supply Proto serving the people, we ister Murad, Maj. Gen. “Let us sustain this gram launched by MinDA, Rosario, Jr. expressed his will be able to stimulate Rosario, Jr. was accompathe Department of the Inte- gratitude to the Chief Min- good relationship for our tangible and invaluable nied by the Command rior and Local Government, ister for the unwavering fellow Filipinos and our country. By outcomes in our common Staff. (JIJ) and DBP, the agencies support to the quest for beloved involved in crafting the MinDAWater Program. Currently, rice farmers of Taraka, an old town beside the 34,000-hectare Lake Lanao, will plant a second crop in one year with the opening of the first -ever local governmentfunded SPIS, Dr. Tamayo said. (AGM)

OBITUARY GANDAWALI CASAMINA DIMAOCOR, 66 The immediate family of GANDAWALI CASAMINA DIMAOCOR of Kialilidan, Binidayan, Lanao del Sur, expresses their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to their relatives, friends and all those who condoled with them at the time of their bereavement and sorrow for the loss of their loved one GANDAWALI CASAMINA DIMAOCOR who passed away on August 30, 2021, at Kialilidan, Binidayan, Lanao del Sur, at the age of 66. The death certificate issued by the Local Civil Registrar of Binidayan, Lanao del Sur as furnished to the Philippine Muslim Today, revealed that the Immediate Cause of his death was Cardiac Arrest, the Antecedent Cause was Hypertension, and the Underlying Cause was Kidney Disease. As a Muslim practitioner whose religion is Islam, the decease’ remains was buried in accordance with Islamic Ritees at a Muslim cemetery in Kialilidan, Binidayan, Lanao del Sur PMT: Oct. 15, 2021; Oct. 22, 2021; Oct. 29, 2021.

MAFAR to set up a P4.8 million worth of seaweeds buying station project in Tawi-Tawi By Julmunir I. Jannaral BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi — The Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), through its provincial office in this capital town, is going to set up of a P4.8 million worth of Seaweeds Buying Station at Barangay Butun in Sapa -Sapa Municipality in TawiTawi. Provincial Director Aidarus Nami of MAFAR Tawi-Tawi said they have allocated the said amount for the project that covers the construction of a warehouse building and procurement of other equipment needed to operate the buying station for seaweeds which is one of the sources of economic livelihood of Sama natives of Tawi-Tawi. Nami also said the project aimed at boosting economic gains of the seaweeds farmers of SapaSapa and the nearby mu-

Municipal project engineers inspect the construction of seaweeds buying station in the island municipality of Tawi-Tawi. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO nicipalities. He also emphasized that the project will also extricate the travel cost of transporting the produce to Bongao Municipality, the province’s business center, as the seaweeds buying station in Sapasapa will purchase seaweeds products equal to

the standard price in Bongao. He stressed that the project will encourage the seaweeds

producers

increase production and

boost their income. The

groundbreaking

ceremony were attended by

MAFAR Engineering

Division Head Engr. Abdulhag

Gayak,

Department

OIC

Fishery Chief

Evelyn Martinez, Agriculture

Department

Chief

Aida Jumli, and local government officials of SapaSapa. (JIJ)

Opinion

A4 Philippine Muslim Today Inc. Co. Reg. No. 2021030008913-02

Editorial

Ulama in the Polls? Whatever Happens, the Ship Must Not Sink

ADMINISTRATION DATU YUSOPH B. MAMA Chairman, Board of Directors MASIDING NOOR YAHYA President/Publisher JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Vice President for Internal Affairs

ALI G. MACABALANG Vice President for External Affairs ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL Treasurer MACOD D. RASCAL Secretary CASAN C. CANA Auditor AMANODING D. ESMAIL Chairman, Special Committee on Administration & Finance

EDITORIAL

PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Editor-In-Chief JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor ALI G. MACABALANG News Editor Bureau Chief for Bangsamoro Region JAHARA A. SOLAIMAN Contributing Editor

BUREAUX FATIMA ORTIL-JANNARAL Bureau Chief for NCR-Plus

JOHNNY R. LEE Bureau Chief for Western Mindanao Region & BaSulTa ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL Bureau Chief for Northern Mindanao & CARAGA Regions PANAMBULAN MIMBISA Bureau Chief for Central Mindanao Region

Vol. II, No. 17 | October 8-14, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 1-7, 1443)

uilding government centers in towns and villages where governance is less felt is the best priority measure towards development. While providing food relief assistance is badly needed during these hard times, such program is aimed for a short period to immediately placate hunger and the most basic needs. But it is temporary. It does not guarantee the sustainable upliftment of the socio-economic welfare of the constituents which only a meaningful and active governance can provide. That is why those towns and villages engulfed with poverty within the Bangsamoro region, or elsewhere, do not usually have suitable government centers to implement effective governance. As the region gears up for next year’s national polls, an issue has cropped up yet again that needs to be given the Bangsamoro’s attention: Ulama running for elective posts. While there is not a problem regarding their right to run for elective office in a secular, non-Muslim majority country, as it is one of their rights to do so, the subject of religious personalities vying for posts in the local and regional government presents something that the Bangsamoro voters should ponder on. Ulama are seen as unifying forces in a community which professes Islam as their creed. In fact, alongside traditional leaders,

they are seen as leaders of the faithful in the community, providing spiritual support and a moral compass that guides the community in their everyday living. Now what happens if this moral and spiritual compass is upturned because the ones directing it decided to loosen their hold on the steering wheel and sail another ship at the same time? Will they still hold the same credibility and moral ascendancy should fate grant them the mandate to serve the people (and be on a payroll and everything that goes—and should not go—with it)? Will power corrupt them, human as they are? At this point in the rush to file COC’s, will they resort to the usual electioneering rituals of their fellow candidates and engage in mudslinging wars with other contenders, or will they offer voters a breathe of fresh air? With their present disunity deeply rooted on so many religious issues and stances, including personal interests, will elected ulama serve to unite the people in striving to assert their right to live as righteous Muslims, or will they, too, get eaten alive by a system that has been largely blamed for so much of society’s present ills? So many questions, and not many ready answers. However, one thing remains: elected or not, the movers of society’s moral compass should still stay the course so as not to sink the ship. (PMT)

JOHNNY R. LEE Bureau Chief for Western Mindanao Region & BaSulTa MARIA FHEBIE ORTIL Head of Accounts Executives for NCR Plus

The Muslims in the Crossroad of the Clash of Political Titans in General Santos City

DISCLAIMER Opinion of the writer expressed herein is not necessarily the opinion of Philippine Muslim Today nor of its management. BUSINESS OFFICE:

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Front page of PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY previous issue.

he city of General Santos is at the southernmost tip of the Philippine archipelago. It is even farther in distance coming from Manila than going to Hongkong but it is nearer to Manago Indonesia with which it maintains sporadic trade partnership. It used to be part of the so-called Cotabato Empire before its subdivision into fine provinces, now six after the creation of the new province of Maguindanao Oriental. The city is host to one of the royal houses of the province, Rajah Buyaan and its principalities which constitute a major and respected component of the cultural structure and heritage of Maguindanao. There is a wealth of prognosis that given the right policy direction and development programs, General Santos is ready to take a major pivotal role in the over-all efforts to catapult the country in the ranks of industrialized nations of the world similar to Singapore as the next destination hub of foreign and local business and capitalist. In this growing, metropoles there are about ten to fifteen percent Muslims of its total population of 700,000 more or less. Consequently, they, constitute as much a percentage in its number of electorates. These Muslims are now caught in the crossroad of the clash of the political bigwigs in General Santos City. For years, politics in General Santos had been dominated by such political stalwarts as the Antoninos and the Acharons. There was only one brief time in their fabled dominance which was interjected by the election of the first lady mayor and political neophyte, Rosalita Nunez in 1988 to 1992. Of late, however, some names would emerge to seriously challenge and possibly change the political landscape as

the Riveras under the tutelage of their patriarch business tycoon Don Rodrigo Rivera and son now Mayor of the city Ronel C. Rivera. There is also the Banasis

of South Cotabato following the demise of her father Dodo and uncle lawyer Rufino Banas. The Riveras are under the comfort of Mayor Ronel C.

The Outside View JUDGE PANAMBULAN “BING” MIMBISA (RET) then jonnily under the wings of brothers Dodo and Rufino Banas and the Pacquiao clan of course under the baton of the eight divisions world champion, Senator Emmanuel M. Pacquiao. Except for the Antoninos who decided to temporarily take a break from actively participating in politics, all the other families are well politically entrenched with each of them holding positions of power and influence in government. The Acharons are represented by Lawyer Loreto Acharon who is the present vice-mayor of the city and before him is former congressman Jun or Pedro Acharon Jr. The Banas family are now carried on her shoulder by congresswoman Shirlyn BanasNograles of the 1st District

Rivera of General Santos City and the Pacquiaos at the helm of which is Senator Manny Pacquiao. In this coming May 9, 2022 elections, the Antoninos are fielding Broadcaster and Pharmaceutical magnate Elmer Catulpos for the mayoral post. He will square off with incumbent South Cotabato 1st District Congresswoman Shirlyn Banas-Nograles and Kagawad Lorelei Pacquiao. As for the congressional seat incumbent Mayor Ronel C. Rivera will face the incumbent Vice Mayor Lawyer Ton-ton Acharon. This will be exciting. These candidates will vie for the vote of the 320,000 registered electorates of the city a measly MIMBISA | A7

Opinion

Vol. II, No. 19 | October 22-28, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 15-21, 1443)

DO NOT PUSH IT MANNY PACQUIAO!

PRESIDENTIAL CLASHES IN 2022 – Part 11 “If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too: If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;” - From IF by Rudyard Kipling.

F by Rudyard Kipling is one of my anchor points in life. This is so as it helps develop integrity, character and discipline which are the main components of being a good person and an equally good leader. This is possibly so as this is the kind of poetry that legislates laws or guideposts in your life. After all, as the great poet, William Blake, has written – poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world. And I absolutely agree! Developments: With every passing day, as the filing of certificate of candidacy approaches, there are new stirrings in the political scene. Though this really is nothing new but it has been driven into the background when Mayor Sara Duterte of Davao City declared that she is not running for any national office since her father, President Rodrigo Duterte is running for VicePresident – which shows character and a very Filipino trait, a daughter giving way to the wishes of a father. Knowing Mayor Sara through newspapers and television, I believe she is serious – she will not run for President despite the fact that surveys announced that she is leading the pack by a mile among those rumored and declared to be running for President. So the possibility is not dead that she may yet run for President eventually. But this is an iffy situation subject to unforeseen developments - if President Digong is ordered arrested by the International Court (ICC) and this is not only a possibility, it is an eminent probability; if President Digong is incapacitated by serious accident or serious illness that he cannot perform the duties of President; if, God forbid, he dies; or, if he is ousted from power and the elections will proceed anyway. If any of these possibilities ensue, I believe Mayor Sara will run for President in the 2022 election. The titillating question is – who would be her VicePresident? Sara-Imee or Bongbong Marcos tandem:

Mayor Sara has political savvy, so has Imee. The best possible team mate for Mayor Sara is Senator Imee Marcos. That will make woman the determinative element in the May 2022 election. Many will say – it’s about time after the Cory Aquino and Gloria Arroyo debacles. First, Sara is no Cory or Gloria. Second, she has more character than both. Third, she has more experience in hands own governance than Cory. I should know. As Opposition Provincial Governor and Member of Parliament and as an unrelenting student of politics, I have studied the three of them in words and action. In the case of Cory and Gloria, I have seen them at close range and at a distance. In the case of Mayor Sara, I have seen her only from a distance and from the statements of some of her friends. My judgment on them is based one my readings and studies plus forty-five years of experience as a trial lawyer. Mayor Sara and the Marcos kids come from deeply rooted political families – Sara from the South and Marcos from the Solid North. That’s a very powerful tandem despite the views of some academicians and public relations practitioners that the North-South balance no long counts – it does! They all come from billionaire families. They have fanatics everywhere. Sara has a father who is a current President with control over police, military, teachers and Comelec – the elements in winning Philippine elections, national or local. The Marcos family has many powerful friends in government, in the military and the police as well as many powerful oligarchs. These are no joking matters. To defeat them, you need serious students of Sun Tzu’s Art of War. Invincibility: In politics or war, the word invincible does not exist. No one is unbeatable in war or politics. History is replete with examples - Marcos, Hitler, Mussolini, Khaddafi, Estrada, Trump, among many others. As they say, if there’s a will, there’s a

way. Sara is afflicted by the record of the administration of her father, President Digong – of mindless murders, constitutional violations, human rights violations, giving away the West Philippine Sea to Communist China; inability to solve the problems of graft and corruption, illegal drugs; failure

Diliman Way

HOMOBONO A. ADAZA to deliver promises like giving Filipinos better life; calling the Christian God stupid and denouncing the Pope; asking everyone to kill and rob Catholic bishops; calling Christian saints idiots and denouncing Catholic Church ceremonies; belittling women by calling them mere biology and saying women are unfit to be President; and many more deranged observations. These are indefensible. Even the best lawyers cannot defend these words and actions. To free herself from the despicable and scandalous words and actions of her father, she should renounce and denounce them. She probably should make this edited version of what President Manuel Luis Quezon once said – “My loyalty to my father ends where my loyalty to our country and our people begins.” If she cannot do it, she might as well not run for President and kiss the presidency goodbye for now, considering she is still young. The same holds true with the Marcos kids. The violations of the Constitution; the murders, rapes, tortures, disappearance, human rights violations, graft and corruption and electoral manipulations which all happened during the Ferdinand Marcos presidency are also indefensible. Considering the behavior of the Marcos kids, I have my serious doubts that they can renounce and denounce the record of their father’s administration. They are equally doomed. And this may bring closure to the continuing presence of the Marcos family in the political scene. (TO BE CONTINUED)

“

Yes do not push it Manny Pacquiao.” These are not my own words but the words of one netizen named Tina A. Astorga. Tina eventually became my Facebook friend and just a friend in the social media and I have not met her in person. She identified herself as a full professor, moral theologian, and social ethicist. Now I just want to make it clear that my main topic in my Batanes To Tawi-Tawi is about Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao as everyone knows he is now one of the presidential candidates in the 2022 national elections. Though he is my main topic but I have nothing against the “Pambansang Kamao” or People’s Champ and sometimes also called as Pacman. I just would like to share to my readers to what Prof. Astorga wrote in the social media which I think it is worth sharing. The crux of the matter is that Tina or the good professor is giving an unsolicited advice to Pacquiao in so far as his presidential ambition is concerned. She told Manny “you are going beyond the bounds of what you could reach.” And she also told the boxing icon further, “ambition can kill the soul.” And it can make you lose money. The money you would waste on a fatal run for presidency, fatal for both of you and the country. Instead she further advised Manny to build a foundation dedicated to developing amelioration programs for the poor.” This is just like the SAP (Social amelioration Program) of the government in this time of Pandemic. Then you would leave a legacy of true compassion and generosity, to be remembered, and be passed on. She added “help the poor through a foundation not through the presidency for which you are not intellectually prepared.” It is widely publicized in a social media that Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao has already his Baccalaureate degree but allegedly bought from the University of Makati. Therefore since it was not earned through sleepless night of hard study, it is therefore a “Fake Diploma.” Prof. Astorga also touched on the boxing

expertise of Manny by telling him, “throwing a good punch does not mean you can envision an economic program for the country. You are a boxer, not an economist, like I am not a plumber, I am a professor.” Each to his or her own. Kanya kaniyang galing.” This is what Pacquiao estranged friend Mayor Luis “Chavit” Singson of Narvacan Municipality in Ilocos Sur gave an unsolicited advice to Pacquiao. Singson used to be one of the closest friends of Pacquiao in which the Narvacan mayor was always with Manny inside the boxing ring just before the fight of Manny and immediately jumped into the boxing ring when the referee proclaimed Pacquiao or Pacman as the winner just to share the honor with the boxing icon. However their friendship became sour when according to confirmed sources that Pacquiao as a Senator was insisting on trying to pass a law on the excise tax for tobacco which Singson does not like the plan of Pacquiao since the Singson family business will be affected since time immemorial the tobacco industry is the family business. Recently, Singson in a radio interview had attacked Pacquiao saying that the latter will be wasting his money by running for President. Singson said Pacquiao has the tendency to become poor again due to his presidential ambition. The Ilocos mayor even gave an unsolicited advice to Pacquiao by just keeping his money for the future of his family particularly the future of his children. He said Pacquiao who lacks experience in governance will just end up a sure loser. However, in the last hurrah of Pacquiao in his fight with the 35-year old Cuban Yordines Ugas, Pacquiao was defeated by unanimous decision to retain his World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title in what some observers speculated could be the Philippine Senator’s final fight, ending a legendary boxing career. The speculation became true when Pacquiao himself announced and aired over a national television just before he filed his Certificate of Candida-

cy (COC) for President with the COMELEC on the first day of filing on October 1, 2021 that he is retiring from boxing and about time to hang his boxing glove. This Columnist has now observed that running for public office entails lots of problems aside from the financial constraints; your

Batanes to Tawi-Tawi

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL “skeleton in the closet” are being exposed also by your political rival. The mudslinging cannot be avoided but already part of one being in politics. Just recently Pacquiao another friend has spilled the beans on the boxing Champ. He is Jayke Joson, the friend of Pacman for 17 years which Cristy Fermin of TV5 calls him as “Pambansang Anino” to “Pambansang Kamao.” Joson in all the boxing bouts of Pacman was always behind the Boxing Champ. He divulged that Pacquiao ran away with P165 million. The P100 million is an advance payment of Paradigm Sports Management (PSM) firm aligned with UFC star Conor McGregor. The P65 million is from his pocket, according to Joson. He said Pacquiao as an eight-division world champion did not honor his commitment with PSM leading to a falling out or misunderstanding between him and Pacman. Finally, Prof. Astorga told Pacquiao, “do not dare the heavens. The presidency is not in your stars. Do not live on an illusion of grandeur. It will bring you down to your end. Live simply, love simply. Cut deep into your soul, and ask who you truly are. There you will hear, rising from your wordless depths. Your name shall continue to shine and you shall be loved for whom you dedicate your life. Do not push it Manny Pacquiao!” For your Comments/ Suggestions, please send an email to: julmunir1845@gmail. com

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Opinion/News

Leaders’ pride over people’s welfare

n my last column, I enumerated some wishes I harbor in 2021 and beyond. And this segment’s title is another wish I want to see vanishing in the litany of wayward characters among some Filipino political leaders. This wish is particularly dedicated to incumbent elected executives in Cotabato City who, in their persistent refusal to recognize being covered by the territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro region, have continued to prevent inflow of services and other forms of support from the regional autonomous government. I am certain that amid the gripping effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, majority city residents, especially the poor, are willing to accept relief assistance from outside sources including the BARMM government in addition to what they get from the city hall. But some of them were discretely accepting BARMM services and material assistance, while others would refuse to follow suit for fear of adverse sanctions from the city mayor’s office. Humanitarian quarters believed that for City Mayor Cynthia GuianiSayadi to soften her hardened stance toward the regional government would not erode the loyalty to her of city residents if allowed to receive BARMM support. On the contrary, their loyalty may even grow higher, local

political pundits said. oo0oo I also wish that the people of Mindanao, particularly those in the Bangsamoro region will elect in the 2022 polls more senatorial candidates from southern Philippines who can echo in the halls of Congress their often unheeded clamors for fair attention from the central government and proportionate share from the national pie of development funds. Of the nation’s 24 senators, at least six or more representatives from Mindanao should be elected. For the estimated 11 million Muslim Filipinos, electing one or more senators from their flock could a great relief in the over twodecade absence of direct representation of their community to the Senate. The last Muslim senator was Nena Rasul. Publicly known so far a Muslim senatorial candidate is Lanao del Sur’s Samira Gutoc, who deserves winning votes in her second attempt. The Mindanao people and Muslim Filipinos should take cues from their Bicolano brethren, who in one term, made it to elect four senators from their tribe, including Joker Arroyo, Kit Tatad and Raul Rocco. Incumbent senators include at least four from Mindanao – Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and

Koko Pimentel. Dela Rosa and Go run for president and vice president in the 2022 elections, but can return to the Senate seats if defeated. Zubiri is seeking reelection. Another highly potential Mindanao voice to the Senate is former Agriculture and Mindanao Development Authority Secre-

Punchline

ALI G. MACABALANG tary Manny Piñol. He can harness his journalismshaped eloquence and real time experience as a rural farmer in voicing out the woes of farms and crafting the corresponding legislative remedies. Sec. Piñol, if elected, would be an effective chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture. This will be a relief in the irony of a real estate developer senator chosen to head the committee. There were anecdotes that a real estate developer has a higher degree of inkling to convert farms into communities of profitable housing units for affluent people. I wish for Sec. Pinol’s election to the Senate. Ameen (AGM) (AGM)

Politics and principles Somebody texted me that some close kins support a candidate your family long disdains. I told him, in biblical times, there is Abel and Cain. It’s human nature I guess. Even among families, there is no unanimity in politics in terms of choosing presidential candidates. More than looking at it as the primacy of democratic spirit, to me, it has much to do with the degeneration of principled politics. The multi-party system in our electoral laws obscures principle based criteria in the selection of party candidates. Winnability and popularity become the golden

rule instead of Competence and good track record in the selection. Dolphy, in his lifetime, could have become President hands down if he chose to run. Thank God he Did not. Because of the Multi-party system, Dolphy could have no problem finding a party to adopt him. Much like Sen. Manny party hopping from PDP Laban to Promdi to suit his presidential aspirations. The scenario could have been different if it is like in the old days where we only had a two party system. The selection process would have been more stringent and competitive, and more likely, based on

Hammerhead

MOY ALONTO LUCMAN party principles and loyalty. Turncoatism will also have its bygone days. As it is now, Philippine politics is in its worst shape. No wonder our economy is 11 Trillion pesos deep in the shit hole, and, yet, some are so endeared to Tatay Digong. But Don’t me.

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Vol. II, No. 19 | October 22-28, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 15-21, 1443)

MOH urges LGUs to spare health strides from adversarial politics By Ali G. Macabalang COTABATO CITY – Health authorities of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have urged local leaders to spare medical and health services from political rivalries for the upcoming 2022 polls, pointing out that promoting healthy national and saving life must be beyond political borders. Regional Health Minister Bashary Latiph and Director General Amirel Usman aired the plea at the Oct. 16 episode of the “Tapatan” Forum of the Bangsamoro Press Corps (BPC), during which they belied claims by adversarial political that the BARMM government has been into partisan politics while rendering dismal performance to its constituencies. They reacted to recent online videos of Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani -Sayadi and Maguindanao Gov. Mariam SangkiMangudadatu. The mayor asserted that her turf was under BARMM administrative supervision and the city hall would reject support from the regional government. The latter accused the BARMM officialdom of having dismal performance yet active in playing local politics. Physicians Latiph and Usman argued, saying the Ministry of Health alone is constructing six to eight barangay health stations in Cotabato City and ten in Maguindanao this year and more in 2022. BARMM-funded RTPCR laboratories have been built at the Cotabato Regional Medical Center here, and in district and provincial hospitals in Maguindanao, Usman said. He said that a quarantine facility is under construction at the CRMC compound here while two were already built in the province, with BARMMhired health and medical workers running such facilities. He said the Office of the Chief Minister via its Ayudang Medikal mula sa Bangsamoro Government (AMBAG) has so far served 8,552 indigent constituents across the region, including this city and Maguindanao, whose extra hospital bills amounting to as high as P50,000 for one patient were covered. “What we have provided are undeniable be-

cause many of these are infrastructures that can be seen,” Usman said. He, however, admitted difficulty in giving support health services to barangays here because of the dissenting policy of the city hall, citing an instance of a fire incident at Barangay Mother Bagua where BARMM health and relief teams sneaked in and hurriedly distributed relief aids to elude from physical confrontation with city officials and supporters. “Tumugon ang team natin, namigay ng mga relief assistance, kaya lang mabilisan ang ating kilos at baka makita tayo ng mga barangay officials (na tumututol) kasama ang city hall officials…May mga agam-agam tayo na mapektuhan ang ating seguridad,” Usman confessed. Last January, the Department of Health central office represented by Undersecretary Abdullah Dumama announced an eventual turnover of its facilities and functions to the MOH-BARMM. But the DOH-Region 12 leadership sought a grace period until the end of this year, Latiph and Usman said. They hoped the turnover would push through as promised. But they pointed out that pending such a process, health aids from the BARMM government for the people of this city should not be rejected because saving lives has no border in all dimensions like politics. Good health for good politics In fact, the two officials announced that the national policy in the midst of the health pandemic and preelection time prescribes for “good health for good politics.” Mayor Sayadi and Sulu Governor Sakur Tan had openly opposed the inclusion of their turfs in the BARMM territory but were outvoted in the 2019 plebiscite. Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman reportedly joined the mayor and governor in the proposed extension of the BARMM transition period from 2022 to 2025. The dissenting trio was joined

“discretely” by Maguindanao Gov. SangkiMangudadatu, the BARMM leadership disclosed. The lady governor alongside her husbandGovernor Suharto “Teng” Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat was among first political leaders to have signed manifestos supporting the BARMM transition extension. But the governor shifted into an opposing stance when Maguindanao Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu came into the picture, Member of Parliament Ali Sangki, father of the lady governor, hinted in a recent post. BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim has said the sustained opposition of the mayor and the governor prompted the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) to field its slates of candidates in this city and Maguindanao led as standard bearers, respectively, by former City Councilor Bruce Matabalao and Rep. Mangudadatu. The lawmaker was one of the main authors in the House bill on BARMM transition extension. UBJP sources said the dissenting quarters have allegedly campaigned also for President Duterte to veto the House-Senate ratified bills on 2022 poll postponement and transition extension in more intense fashion than they did in past efforts persuading the Chief Executive to stand “neutral” during the deliberation stage of the bills in Congress. The President issued an urgent certification after the Senate passed its version. In a recent report by the Philippine News Agency, Palace Spokesman Harry Roque hinted the possibility of the harmonized and ratified bills to lapse into law in case the President would meither veto or sign the measure. Ebrahim the UBJP, which he chairs, wanted to ensure that elected constituent-provincial and city officials are allied or partners with the BARMM officialdom in pushing for a “moral governance” agenda. (AGM)

Opinion

Vol. II, No. 19 | October 22-28, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 15-21, 1443)

Cotabato indigent patients benefit from P19-M plus BARMM medical aid

Bayaning Tsuper Party-list conducts consultation with TNVS drivers, operators

By Ali G. Macabalang

OTABATO CITY — Since October 6 last year, the regional autonomous government through the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) has already released P19,967,870.54 moneThe BIO said monetary aids were released under the MSSD’s Bangsamoro Critical Assistance for Indigents in Response to Emergency Situations or B -CARES program, which covers hospitalization expenses, cost of medicines, and other medical treatments or procedures such as laboratory fees, dialysis, chemotherapy, Computed tomography (CT) scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and antiretroviral therapy. B-CARES program has so far served 1,507 patients in CRMC, more than 50% of them were residents of this city, the BIO said on the heels continuing statements of city government’s desistance to BARMM supports. “Sa CRMC, mayroon tayong social worker na nasa Malasakit Center nakatalaga. So, lalapit lang sila (mga pasyente) sa lugar na ‘yon at pwede silang ma-assess ng ating social worker,” MSSD Minister Raissa Jajurie told the BIO in an interview on Wednesday, Oct. 20. As of August 2021, Jajurie said, MSSD has 11 partner hospitals in BARMM with a total of Php68,894,606.21 allotted funds to the following hos-

tary aids for indigent patients at the Cotabato Regional Medical Center (CRMC) in this city, the Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO) announced.

pitals: • Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao; • Maguindanao Integrated Provincial Hospital in Shariff Aguak Municipality; • Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City; • Community Health Service Cooperative Hospital (COHESCO) in MSSD Minister Raissa Jajurie. (BIO File) Midsayap, North 2021. Of the beneficiaries, Cotabato; • Dr. R.A.M. Albutra Gen- 60% were residents here. “Para naman sa Mereral Hospital in Kabacan, cury Drug na partnership North Cotabato; • Basilan General Hospital kung saan pwede pong ang isang in Isabela City; mabigyan • Lamitan District Hospital benipisyaryo ng tulong in Lamitan City,Basilan; para makabili ng medisina • Sulu Integrated Provin- for a maximum amount of cial Hospital in Jolo; 10,000 pesos, maaari si• Pangutaran District Hos- lang pumunta sa regional pital in Pangutaran, Sulu; office ng MSSD,” Jajurie said. and Patients requiring aids • Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital in Bongao, for medicine purchase may go to MSSD’s office Tawi-Tawi. She said the MSSD’s here and submit the pretie-up with Mercury Drug scription, which must instore in Cotabato City has clude the date of issuance already covered Php12.8- of the prescription, pamillion worth of medicines tient’s complete name, for 1,880 patients from and PRC license number May 19 to September 30, and signature of the at-

tending physician, she said. “Ginagawa ng Ministry at ng BARMM government ang lahat para maipaabot ang serbisyo at mga programa sa lahat nang walang naiiwan,” Jajurie stressed. Last Saturday, Health Minister Bashary Latiph and Director General Amirel Usman also enumerated at the “Tapatan” forum of the Bangsamoro Press Corps various health and medical supports to city residents amid difficulty allegedly caused by the city leadership’s refusal to recognize the BARMM government’s authority. (AGM)

oad safety advocate party-list Bayaning Tsuper met with the leaders of various transport network vehicle service (TNVS) alliances for the first time on Oct. 20, to better understand the status of the industry. The dialogue is part of a series of consultations with representatives from the different road transport industries to assess the legislative requirements of the sectors. The Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) is a pre-arranged transportation service provided by Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) for compensation using internet-based technology or digital applications to connect passengers with drivers who are using their own vehicles. Bayaning Tsuper Partylist first nominee Atty. Aminola "Alex" Abaton and second nominee Atty. Philip Vera Cruz conducted the dialogue with leaders of TNVS drivers/operators yesterday to discuss the industry's specific issues and concerns for possible collaborative works. According to Atty. Abaton, "We are conducting the dialogue to get inputs. Gusto naming malaman

kung ano ang mga challenges ng TNVS sector. Iba naman 'yung needs ng taxis, tricycle, iba din 'yung needs ng mga bus. Ang sa amin, we are employing a consensus-building strategy by engaging the leaders of the sectors. We want to listen to you. Gusto naming marinig mula sa inyo mismo kung anong mga concerns ang kinakaharap ninyo ngayon para mapagtulungan nating lutasin." For his part, Atty. Philip Vera Cruz explained that the current land transport laws are no longer reflective of and responsive to the needs of the times. "There is a need to revisit ang RA (Republic Act) 4136. Hindi na-forecast noong ginawa 'yang batas na may lalabas na ganitong sektor. Kapag nirevisit, isasaalang-alang natin ang mga concerns na nais nating ilagay sa batas para maproteksyonan din ang interes ng TNVS stakeholders," the Bayaning Tsuper 2nd nominee said. The topics discussed were the issuance of the certificate of public convenience (CPC), reconciliation/ integration of road transport laws and policies, and the modernization of land transport services, among others. (PR)

MIMBISA | from Page A4

The Muslims in the Crossroad of the Clash of Political Titans in General Santos City 10 percent of which are Muslim voters. Very clearly, this is an insignificant number of votes which cannot determine the victory or defeat of anyone of these candidates, however, if we look at ourelectoral history where a single vote, in fact, even a toss of coin can spell the difference and catapult a candidate to the throne of power, and if we consider further the political acumen and prowess of the Muslim it is not impossible for them to make a candidate win or cause the defeat of the other. As of this writing and considering the distance of the actual election day, there is yet no clear path

where the Muslims votes will swing at the final hour. Suffice to mention that the Muslims are a vibrant and responsible members of society, who keep and uphold the law and contribute, however small, in the city’s economic growth and development. They have built several big and beautiful mosques and medaris or Arabic schools in almost all the 27 barangays in the city. This is of course understandable given that Dadiangas, the former name of the city, is part of the so-called Maguindanao sultanate and as said earlier in this piece, is the seat of Rajah Buayan, one of the pillars of the sultanate. The city also prides

itself of the fact that it is the second home to one of the most decorated Maraanao police officer, General Datu Willie Danggane (ret) who is running for the lone congressional seat of Sarangani province. Following him to the ladder of building a good name in the police establishments are P Colonel Abulkhayr S. Macalangcom regional chief of intelligence of the Philippine National Police 12 and P Major Basher Alinog. In the field of education, the Muslim atre honored by the installation of Dr. Anshari P. Ali as Chancellor of the Mindanao State University General

Santos City campus and of course Dean Maolawi Bong Calimba of the College of Social Science of same University. There are also the ustazes or Islamic teachers and the Ulemas or scholars who are actively engaged in theological dialogues or dawah and education. The city likewise abounds with Muslim businessmen starting off with the sidewalk vendors, the proprietors of used clothings or what we call Ukay-ukay to the big entrepreneurs. On the government and public service side, there is Paro Rusdie Mindalano, and the bunch of senior BIR examiners, ranking Bureau of customs and Bureau of

Immigration and deportation officials. All told, notwithstanding their politically insignificant number, which may not influence the result of a political exercise, an exception thereto maybe made for the Muslims in General Santos who, by their position and standing in the social community can still exert tremendous influence, on the conduct of elections and in determining the final outcome after, the counting of votes. Indeed, the Muslims may not be considered the swing vote, in the strict sense of the word, but each of them individually or taken as a collective group could exert ef-

fect in the result of election or to dictate the victory of one and defeat of the other. These Muslims have adopted General Santos City as their second home precisely because it is here where they have found peace of mind and tranquility and the potential to grow economically. There is a saying that once you see. General Santos City you will be enamored to come back and come back again.

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Vol. II, No. 19 | October 22-28, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 15-21, 1443)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF LANAO DEL SUR 12TH Judicial Region BRANCH 10 Marawi City

LEGAL NOTICES DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AND PARTITION OF ESTATE OF THE LATE SOUSES ALDEN RICARDO B. IMPERIAL & WENDYLIN M. IMPERIAL Know All Men By These Presents: This instrument is made and entered among the children and/or of the exclusive compulsory heirs of the late spouses Alden Ricardo B. Imperial and Wendylin M. Imperial, namely: DAX DENDYL M. IMPERIAL, of legal age, Filipino, single and resident of Purok Narra (Teacher’s Village), Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte; SUSHMITA MAY M. IMPERIAL, of legal age, Filipino, single and resident of Purok Narra (Teacher’s Village), Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte; EMMAN ALDWEN M. IMPERIAL, of legal age, Filipino, single and a resident of Purok Narra (Teacher’s Village), Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte; WITNESSETH: WHEREAS, spouses Alden Ricardo B. Imperial and Wendylin M. Imperial were civilly married in April 1992 at Metro Manila; WHEREAS, last March 14, 2000, Alden Ricardo B. Imperial died in Abaga, Lala, Lanao del Norte; WHEREAS, last July 27, 2017, Wendylin M. Imperial died in Purok Narra, Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte; WHEREAS, both spouses died intestate - no last will and estatement. And upon their deaths they left conjugal estates comprising of one(1) parcel of real property located in the barangay of Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte, Mindanao, Philippines, more particularly described as follows, to wit: 1st Real Property - a house and lot specifically located at Purok Narra (Teacher’s Village), Brgy. Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte with a total lot area of FIVE HUNDRED NINETY FOUR (594) SQUARE METERS, more or less. This is titled lot (with TCT No.) and registered in the name of WENDYLIN M. IMPERIAL. Personal Properties: 1. A dollar account in BDO - Ozamiz City branch; 2. A savings account in RCBC - Maranding branch; 3. A current account in Landbank - Tubod branch; 4. A savings account in ONB - Maranding branch;

WHEREAS, the above-named legitimate children are the exclusive and only compulsory heirs of the late spouses and they hereby agree to adjudicate and partition among themselves, as they have adjudicated to themselves the above-described one (1) parcel of land in accordance with Section 1, Rule 74 of the 1997 Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines. WHEREAS, by virtue of the above agreement among the only and exclusive heirs, the exclusive heirs hereby AGREE, by and among themselves, that the Property Regime that will govern them from now on in CO-OWNERSHIP. Thus, all three (3) compulsory heirs will own all the above -mentioned properties in EQUAL SHARES being the legitimate children of their parents; WHEREAS, the parties hereby undertake to comply and register the above-described property in accordance and in consonance with Act No. 496 as well as of the Land Registration Act, Articles No. 1621 and 1623 of the Civil Code of the Philippines and Rule 74 of the 1997 Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines and to publish the same in a newspaper of general circulation in accordance with the Rules of Court. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto affix our signatures this SEP 27 2018 at Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte, Philippines. (SGD) DAX DENDYL M. IMPERIAL Compulsory Heir T.I.N. 420-294-341-000 Issue Date: 03/27/2012 Issued by the BIR

(SGD) SUSHMITA MAY M. IMPERIAL Compulsory Heir Phil. Passport No. P2708847A Valid until 11 April 202 Issued by the DFA

(SGD) EMMAN ALDWEN M. IMPERIAL Compulsory Heir Passport No. P1918981A Valid until 13 Feb. 2022 Issued by the DFA Signed in the presence of the ff. Witnesses: ___________________ and Witness

___________________ Witness

Republic of the Philippines) Lanao del Norte ) Ss. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BEFORE ME, A NOTARY PUBLIC, this SEP 27 2018 in Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte, personally appeared the compulsory heirs with their respective Community Tax Certificates and/or Government Issued IDs, known to me and to me to be the same persons who executed the foregoing instrument. This document consist of TWO (2) PAGES including where this acknowledgement is written, and signed by the parties and their instrumental witnesses on each and every page thereof after the contents hereof been interpreted and translated into their own vernacular and signified that they understood the same and the same are their free and voluntary acts and deeds. WITNESS MY HAND AND SEAL. (SGD) ATTY. PEPITO G. CADAVOS Notary Public UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2018 PTR No. 3223950 (Lala) * for 2018 IBP No. 025984 (Lanao del Norte) * for 2018 Roll No; 49346 ; TIN: 196-73: -754 MCLE COMPLIANCE NO. V-0023066

Doc. No. 368; Page No. 74; Book No. 05; Series of 2018.

PMT: Oct. 8, 2021; Oct. 15, 2021; Oct. 23, 2021.

HEIRS OF INIDAL SIMARONG NO. ML-716-2019 Represented by ALI AMBULO PAMLIAN, rection of Entry in the Petitioners, Certificate (OCT) No. P-941

CORNISH HEN SPL. PROC. FOR:

Cor-

BANGSAMORO HALAL DISH

Original

With Maria Fhebie Ortil

- versus THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Respondent. X- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - / ORDER A reading of thepetition shows that Petitioner prays for correction of entry in the Original Certificate of Title No. P-941covering a land located at Bacolod Chico, Marawi City with following technical description, thus: “Beginning at appoint marked “1” of Plan No. FPA. 123617-41, being S. 5707’W., 2,498.06m., from B.L.L.M. No. 1, Q-124, thence S. 36-46’W., 128.88m., to point 2; N. 39-17’W., 118.92m., to point 3; N.56-36’W., 111.58m., to point 4;N.35-15’E., 38.05m., topoint 5; S.76-52’E.,134.39m., to point 6; S.61-18’E., 105.75m.,to point 1; pointof beginning. Containing an area of Eighteen Thousand Nine Hundred and Sixteen (18,926) square Meters. All points referred to are indicated in the plan and marked on the ground by B. L. Cyl., Conc., Mons., 15 x 60 cms. Bounded on the Southeast., along line 1-2 by the property of Liling Miguel; on the Southwest., and Northwest., along lines 2-3-4-5 by the property of Salic Baute Maguindanao; and on the Northwest., and Northeast., alongline 5-6-1 by the Property of Sultan Asghar M. Sani. Bearing True. This lot was surveyed in accordance with law and existing regulations promulgated Thereunder, by Olomodin I. Amate, Geodetic Engineer on September 24, 1993 and Approved on February 10, 1995. Note: This lot is covered by F.P.A. No. 123617-41.” Petitioner Heirs if Inidal Simarong represented by ALI AMBULO PAMLIAN alleges that: 1. They are represented by Ali Ambulo Pamlian, a Filipino, of legal age, married, and resident of Brgy. Maguing Proper, Maguing, Lanao del Sur, as evidenced by the Special Power of Attorney executed by them on 27 May 2019 in the Municipality of Lala, Lanao del Norte, Philippines. A copy of said instrument is hereto attached as Annex “A” and is made an integral part of this petition. Alsoattached as Annex “A-1”, and is made an integral part of this petition is the Joint Affidavit of Consent, executed by Dauki Inidal, Pacula Inidal, Alioden Inidal and Ambulo Inidal, as the direct legal heirs of Inidal Simarong, granting authority unto Sultan Daud P. Batua-an to work for titling of their lands; 2. Respondent Register of Deeds can be served with summons, orders, resolutions, and other processes emanating from this Court at 2/F Veterans Bank Bldg., Mahayahay, Iligan City; 3. Petitioners are owners of a parcel of land located at Bacolod Chico, Marawi City, which is well within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court; 4. As proof of such ownership, respondent issued in favor of petitioners a Certificate of Title denominated as OCT No. P-941, a copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “B” and is made an integral part of this petition. Other proofs of plaintiffs’ ownership and possession are the following: 1) Declaration of Real Property, which is hereto attached as Annex”B-1”, and is made an integral part of this petition; and 2) Barangay Certification of Land Ownership, which is hereto attached as Annex “B-2”, and is made integral part of this petition; 5. In the above-mentioned Certificates of Title, the subject land has the following description, thus: “Beginning at appoint marked “1” of Plan No. FPA. 123617-41, being S. 57-07’W., 2,498.06m., from B.L.L.M. No. 1, Q-124, thence S. 3646’W., 128.88m., to point 2; N. 39-17’W., 118.92m., to point 3; N.5636’W., 111.58m., to point 4;N.35-15’E., 38.05m., to point 5; S.7652’E.,134.39m., to point 6; S.61-18’E., 105.75m.,to point 1; pointof beginning.” 6. However, based on the RE-SURVEY PLAN OF LAND of FPA123617-41, a copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “C”, and is made an integral part of this petition, the technical description is as follows: LINES BEARING BOUNDARY DISTANCE 1-2 S.36’ 46’ W 128.88m 2-3 N.39’ 17’ W 118.92m 3-4 N.56’ 36’ W 111.58m 4-5 N.35’ 15’ E 38.05m 5-6 S.76’ 52’ E 134.39m 6-1 S.61’ 18’ E 105.75m TIE LINE: S 67’ 03’ W, 2.206.79M.; From B.L.L.M No. 1. Q-124, Dansalan Cadastre to corner Marked “1”. 7. As can be observed, there is a difference in the tie line between that indicated in the tie line between that indicated in the Original Certificate of Title No. P-941 and that indicated in the Re-Survey Plan, to wit: OCT NO. P-941 RE-SURVEY PLAN S. 57’-07’ W.,2, 498.06m., S. 67’ 03’ W, 2.206.79M.; From B.L.L.M. No. 1, Q-124 From BLLM No. q-124 8.

Because of such difference, and to avoid conflicting claims, there is a need for correction of entry in said Certificate of Title. Thus, the instant petition is filed pursuant to Section 108 of P.D. 1529, otherwise known as the Property Registration Decree. With these allegations, Petitioner prays that after due notice, publication and hearing, an Order be issued directing respondent Register of Deeds of Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, to make the necessary correction of entry in the Original Certificate of Title No. P-941. The Petitioner is directed to publish this Order in a newspaper of general circulation for three consecutive weeks and to notify all adjoining owners, the Land Registration Authority and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Petitioner is also directed to post this Order in the Bulletin Boards of the City Hall of Marawi City, the Office of the Register of Deeds of Marawi City, the Office of the Barangay Chairman of Bacolod Chico, Marawi City and in the bulletin board of this Court for at least 15 days prior to the date of hearing. Respondent Registrar of Deeds of Marawi City or any person or party who has an interest in the petition, may file his or her opposition within 15 days from notice of this petition or from the last day of publication of this Order. Branch Clerk of Court, Atty. Analia S. Andam is directed to set thiscase for hearing after all the required publications; notices and postings are complied with. SO ORDERED. Marawi City, July 13, 2021. SGD) WENIDA B.M. PAPANDAYAN Presiding Judge

PMT: Oct. 8, 2021; Oct. 15, 2021; Oct. 23, 2021.

ssalamu Alaykum! Our Philippine Muslim Today (PMT-19) with the support of our benefactors and you our readers as well, who don’t get tired of reading our Online Newspaper and now we have a hard copy too. Hence for the PMT-19, Bangsamoro Halal Cuisine Vol. 2, No. 19 Digital Online Edition, October 22-28, 2021 (Rabi Al-Awwal 16-22, 1443), I would like to introduce to you another Halal Recipe which is the Baked Cornish Hen. Baked Cornish Hen is cooked in oven with marinade of garlic, honey and spices. It’s a type of small chicken, produced from a cross between the Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken breeds. INGREDIENTS: 1 cornish hen 4 cloves garlic, peeled 3 toothpicks 1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 tablespoon sambal oelek 1 teaspoon salt Lemon wedges, for serving INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Rinse and pat dry the cornish hen with paper towels. Make sure the cavity is dry. Add the garlic inside the cavity. Close the cavity by using 3 toothpicks. In a small bowl, add the olive oil (butter), honey, sambal oelek and salt together. Stir to mix well. Brush the mixture on the skin evenly. Place it on a roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the skin becomes crispy and nicely browned. You may cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil to avoid burning. Turn the hen over and bake the other side for another 30 minutes. You may brush the juice seeping out on the skin. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with lemon wedges. (MFO)