Philippine Muslim Today

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

12 Pages / P20

www.philmuslim.today

To run or not to run

Presidential Clashes in 2022

The 1972 Martial Law

Bing Mimbisa - Page A4

Bono Adaza - Page A5

JP Enrile - Page A6

Inside

BTA Extension

PRRD assures bill on BARMM transition already a law

>> A3: AFP, PNP, LGU officials vow support to peace agreement in Zamboanga Sibugay.

COTABATO CITY — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has assured key proponents for an extended Bangsamoro government transitional period that the bill is already a law after they met the chief executive on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, in Malacañang Palace.

In the meeting, the President said the enabling bill is already a law which means, according to BARMM officials, that he already signed it or he will certainly sign it to be announced in due time. .

Full Story on Page A2

>> A4: Needed: Official home for PH vice president. >> A7: DITO Telco to set up 166 cell towers in BARMM — MOTC. Bangsamoro interim chief Minister Ahod “Hj. Murad” Ebrahim and President Rodrigo Duterte.

PRRD brokers political pact for Maguindanao, Cotabato City

BY ALI G. MACABALANG

Photos of the UBJP leaders and Rep. Mangudadatu with PRRD, and rival camps of Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi and Gov. Mariam SangkiMangudadatu at the Palace on Tuesday night.

P

resident Rodrigo Duterte has brokered an electoral covenant among rival political camps in the Bangsamoro region, prescribing for peaceful, free and honest voting next year particularly in Maguindanao and this city amid perceived pre-election tension.

Shariff Ibrahim Albani running for Senator under BBM?

The covenant also prods the police and military establishments to strictly observe neutrality at all times here and in the province, according to Philippine Muslim Today (PMT) news sources Full Story on Page A2

Sen. Bong Go receives plaque of appreciation from the Muslim Filipino community

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

The One Maharlika Movement has urged presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos, Jr. to include the group’s chairman in the latter’s senatorial slate for the Philippine 2022 elections.

Full Story on Page A3

Commissioner Yusoph J. Mando of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) personally awarded a Plaque of Appreciation to Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go during the 50th birthday celebration of PATROL Party-list Congressman Jose Antonio Bustos, who like Senator Go has also been helping the Muslim communities.

The awarding ceremony was held at Camp Tomas J. Pepito in Angeles City, Pampanga. Commissioner Mando emphasized that the plaque of appreciation for Senator Go was made possible for his dedication and passion for public service particularly to the undeserved and underprivileged Muslim Filipinos.

SEN. BONG | A8

>> A7: BARMM to advance water, sanitation and hygiene in the region. >> A8: 176 including 8 Muslims vie for senator in 2022 polls. > A8: A Muslim lawyer cum physician runs in Lanao Norte for Congress.

>> A8: Bangsamoro Halal Dish With Maria Fhebie Ortil. >> A6: MOH urges LGUs to spare health strides from adversarial politics. >> A7: Cotabato indigent patients benefit from P19-M plus BARMM medical aid.

97 including Maranao vie for president, 28 for VP NINETY SEVEN (97) personalities, including one from Lanao region, have filed candidacies for president and 28 for vice president, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Full Story on Page A3

MUSLIM FILIPINOS APPRECIATE FOR GO: Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (right) shows his Plaque of Appreciation that he received from the Ummah or Muslim Filipinos as represented by Commissioner Yusoph J. Mando (left) of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

PMT on its

2nd year.

A2

News

PRRD assures bill on BARMM transition already a law

By ALI G. MACABALANG Senior Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua said the President assured them BTA extension is already a law. to ang exact word ni Presidente.

“BTA extension is already a law” tagalog pa “BTA extension ay batas naman yan eh” Macacua said, “Dalawa lang ibig sabihin niyan; 1. Napirmahan na pero hindi doon sa meeting na yon last night.

2. Pipirmahan niya within 4 days simula ngayon o kung hindi maging batas sa October 31.

“Lapse into law “ sabi ng mga abogado.”

Duterte also desired for a peaceful election.

MILG Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said the President joined them Tuesday night and told them this is democracy and part of the Covenant is for parties to commit to a free, peaceful and orderly elections.

“The AFP and the PNP will remain neutral and that he will not side with anybody,” Sinarimbo quoted the President as saying.

Last Oct. 20, the lawmaker alongside Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim, Ebrahim and is cabinet key members meet the President in Malacañang amid rumors about dissenters’ campaign for Presidential veto of ratified Senate Bill 2214 and House Bill 10121.

Interim Bangsamoro government Spokesman Naguib Sinarimbo, in a post shortly after the Oct. 20 audience, said the Chief Executive was “enlightened” about the proponent officials’ briefing for a couple of hours.

Sinarimbo thanked the President “for listening carefully for nearly two hours to those who have always taken the road to peace, albeit long and winding, and journeyed with you in ensuring that one of your greatest legacies continues way beyond your term.”

On Sunday, Mangudadatu said the President will neither veto nor let the bill to lapse into law after certifying it urgent.

“Hindi niya pababayaan iyong pinermahan niyang urgent bill…na hayan niya maglapse into law dahil sa kagustohan ng iilang nag-oopose…

The President is very prudent (in deciding). Hindi

niya hahayaan ng maglapse into law ang House Bill 10121,” he averred.

The Senate-House bicameral conference on Sept. 21 to harmonize SB 2214 and HB 10121, adopting substantially a lower chamber’s provision that gives President Duterte the discretion to retain present members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) or appoint new members.

The 80-seat BTA is the interim ruling body of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). It is presently composed of members appointed by President Duterte for a term ending on June 230, 2022.

But Mangudadatu explained that the next President may revamp the BTA composition based on performance results.

At Sunday’s interview in the “Tapatan” with the BPC, Mangudadatu said he would also take time in today’s meeting to inform the President about his perceived escalation of political tension in Maguindanao where the ruling United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) fielded as gubernatorial candidate in reciprocation to his vital role in the passage of the Senate and House bills.

He cited as examples the explosion along the highway of Guindulongan, Maguindanao while his convoy was passing through on Saturday (Oct. 23) night, a failed attempt on his life by an alleged political henchman, dismal attention from the provincial police and other related concerns. (Read a separate story by the Philippine Muslim Today news.)

Meanwhile, according to supporters of incumbent Maguindanao Gov. Mariam SangkiMangudadatu and husband Gov. Sukarto “Teng” Mangudadatu, the couple would attend Today’s Palace meeting.

The UBJP, official political party of reigning BARMM and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) officials, had pointed to the duo as among political quarters allegedly involved in “discrete” maneuvers first to block the deliberation of the Senate and House bills and later for a Presidential veto.

The couple has yet to comment on the UBJP’s claim, even as persistent efforts by the PMT and the BPC to get their official reactions proved in vain so far. (With Masiding N. Yahya)

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

PRRD brokers political pact for Maguindanao, Cotabato City

By ALI G. MACABALANG

C

OTABATO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte has brokered an electoral covenant among rival political camps in the Bangsamoro region, prescribing for peaceful, free and honest voting next year particularly in Maguindanao and this city amid In an interview by the PMT over the phone Wednesday morning, Maguindanao Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu said he personally asked the President to broker the covenant for presentation to and signature by candidates for provincial, Congressional and mayoral positions in the province and here during a Palace meeting on Tuesday.

Apart from Rep. Mangudadatu, the Palace meeting was attended by top Bangsamoro government officials led by Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim, Maguindanao Gov. Mariam SangkiMangudadatu and husband-Gov. Suharto “Teng” Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani -Sayadi alongside city, provincial, and Congressional slates.

Bangsamoro Senior Minister Abdulraof Macacua, in his Facebook post Wednesday morning, said the “covenant for honest, peaceful and orderly election will be soon signed.”

He was present at the meeting and was still in Manila waiting for the covenant signing as of press time Wednesday night.

The United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), led by Ebrahim and Macacua as chairman and secretary general, respectively, has fielded Rep. Mangudadatu as its standard bearer in Maguindanao and former councilor Bruce Matabalao for the city mayoralty race.

Ebrahim and Macacua had earlier said they were compelled to field UBJP full slate-candidates in the province and city because of the dissent of Gov. Sangki-Mangudadatu and Mayor Sayadi against the proposal for extension in the Bangsamoro government’s transitional period to 2025 via the deferment of the 2022 regional election.

The Senate and the House of Representatives

have endorsed the proposal through separate bills they legislated and ratified last month. The UBJP leadership said it fielded Rep. Mangudadatu as gubernatorial bet in reciprocation to his all-out support in the legislative process as principal author of the House version.

‘Already a law’ Thousands of supporters expressed jubilation through social media channels since Tuesday night over information from attendees of the Palace meeting that the President has already signed the bill into law.

Senior Minister Macacua and Rep. Mangudadatu clarified later that the President actually announced at the meeting that the proposed “BTA (Bangsamoro Transition Authority) extension is already a law.”

Macacua said the Presidential remark carried two meanings: The bill was signed before the Tuesday night meeting; and it would be signed in four days or else it would lapse into law by October 31.

But in another phone interview Wednesday night, Rep. Mangudadatu said the President assured him of his signing of the bill without lapsing into law.

End of ‘veto’ lobby Macacua said their audience with the Presidential was very essential because it certainly ended their apprehension that the bill would be vetoed as desired by a minority opposing quarters among Bangsamoro political leaders.

He said the unprecedented Presidential brokering of electoral covenant among rival political camps and the certainty of the extension of the BTA lifespan signified double significance to the fledgling Bangsamoro governance.

“These two (Palace imprimaturs) are all beneficial to the Bangsamoro people and the Filipino

perceived pre-election tension.

The covenant also prods the police and military establishments to strictly observe neutrality at all times here and in the province, according to Philippine Muslim Today (PMT) news sources. people,” Macacua said.

Pre-election tension The pre-election tension in this city and Maguindanao, according to local political and security analysts, has stemmed largely from the involvement of the regional autonomous government leadership in the city and provincial politics.

The camps of Mayor Sayadi and Gov. SangkiMangudadatu have lamented that while the Bangsamoro leadership has painstakingly sought deferment in the 2022 regional parliament poll, it intervened in the city and provincial intramurals by putting up rival candidates with massive support.

But Macacua argued that the UBJP as a political party of Moro Islamic Liberation Front leaders ruling nowadays the Bangsamoro region would want to ensure that the upcoming local and national polls will produce officials supporting or cooperating with the autonomous government.

He assured that the regional bureaucracy’s fiscal resources will not be spent for the campaign of UBJP candidates in Maguindanao and here.

“We (in the regional bureaucracy) will not spend a single cent for our candidate. He has his own resources,” Macacua said, referring to Rep. Mangudadatu, who was governor of Maguindanao from 2010 to 2019.

Plea for sober politics On Sunday, Oct. 24, Rep. Mangudadatu pleaded to political supporters not to sow hatred between him and Gov. Mariam and her husband Gov. Teng Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat, pointing out that they are relatives not deserving of any third partyinstigated harmful rivalry.

“Please do not feed us exaggerate information that will provoke our camps,” the lawmak-

er urged fanatic supporters in Manguindanaon vernacular at the online live Tapatan forum of the Bangsamoro Press Corps (BPC).

He pointed out that after the May 9, 2022 election being a momentary segment of democracy, he will reach out to the lady governor and her husband to forge reconciliation. He is second cousin to the Sultan Kudarat governor.

The lawmaker said he has been ignoring exaggerated supporters’ feedbacks, and his relativerivals should likewise shun evil-whispers.

Security threats On Monday, PNP chief General Guillermo Eleazar ordered a thorough investigation into the blast at around 6:30 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 23) along the highway of Guindulongan, Maguindanao while the lawmaker’s 20-vehicle convoy was passing through.

Initial reports from Col. Jibin Bongcayao, provincial police director, said motorcycle-riding men backed by a four-wheel car lobbed an improvised grenade in front of a paramilitary checkpoint along the highway purportedly to avenge the death on Oct. 16 of one “Kumander S.S.” of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

But like the PNP chief’s theory, Col. Bongcayao and military investigators did not discount the possibility that the lawmaker’s convoy was a target.

Rep. Mangudadatu said he would not take incident lightly because a strong bomb ripped through his convoy on Aug. 16, 2011 in Tacurong City, leaving then Board Member Russ man Sinsuat Sr. killed and his namesake son maimed. The Sinsuats’ car was tailing the lead vehicle of Mangudadatu, then a governor.

PRRD| A10

News

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

AFP, PNP, LGU officials vow support to peace agreement in Zamboanga Sibugay

A3

Shariff Ibrahim Albani running for Senator under BBM?

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

C

OTABATO CITY: The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) together with local government officials of Zamboanga Sibugay Province signed affirmation of support to the peace agreement in a simple ceremony held at the 102nd Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Sanito, Ipil on Saturday, October 23.

Maj. Gen. Alfredo Rosario, Jr., commander of Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom); Brig. Gen. Leonel Nicolas, commander of 102nd Infantry Brigade; Police Col. Albert Larubis, director of Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Police Office; Zamboanga Sibugay 1st District Representative Wilter Palma II; Zamboanga Sibugay 2nd District Representative Dulce Ann Hofer; 113th BIAF-MILF Base Commander Suaib Edris; and other military, police, and MILF officials vowed to continuously generate goodwill and trust in the peace agreement between the Government of the Philippines and the MILF. Major Andrew Linao, WestMinCom spokesman on Monday said they also

T

PEACE FELLOWSHIP: The AFP, PNP, and MILF together with LGU officials signed affirmation of support to the peace agreement between the government and MILF held at the 102nd Infantry Brigade in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. Attending the peace fellowship is Maj. Gen. Alfredo Rosario, Jr., commander of WestMinCom (4th from left); Rep. Dulce Ann Hofer (3rd from left); and Rep. Wilter Palma, 2nd. (5th from left) and representatives of LGU and PNP. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

pledged to actively promote an inclusive peaceful environment conducive for sustainable development in the region.

It can be recalled that last October 12, a Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST) was activated and deployed in the municipality of Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay Province.

The team is composed of 30 members, of whom seven are Army troops, eight are police personnel, and 15 are members of the MILF. According to Major

Linao, the JPSTs have been tasked to support the maintenance of peace and order and stability in areas that will undergo the decommissioning process under the normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which aims to help MILF combatants make the transition to peaceful civilian life, while their communities will be transformed into peaceful, progressive, and resilient communities.

In his message, Maj. Gen. Rosario, Jr. said,

"On behalf of the officers, enlisted personnel, and civilian human resources of the Western Mindanao Command, I give my full support to this endeavor.

This is a great stride towards the attainment of our coveted peace not only in the Bangsamoro but the entire Mindanao region".

Highlight of the activity was the fun shoot and fellowship participated by the representatives from the security sector and the MILF key leaders in Zamboanga Peninsula.

(JIJ)

97 including Maranao vie for president, 28 for VP NINETY SEVEN (97) personalities, including one from Lanao region, have filed candidacies for president and 28 for vice president, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Interviewed over radio dzBB on Oct. 17, Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body will release the final list of candidates for the 2022 elections in December, hinting a possible exclusion from the list of 95 percent that may be considered nuisance candidates.

“We expect the final list’s release around December… Screening process is underway until that time,” Jimenez said in Filipino.

Not all who filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) will be included in the official list, he said,

adding that 95% may be considered nuisance candidates by the Comelec and removed from the list.

“Unang tingin mo pa lang alam mong makakatanggal ka ng mga 95% (sa) mga nagfile. Siguro matitira sa atin hindi lalampas ng sampu,” he added, referring to the 97 Presidential wannabes.

Of the 97 Presidential aspirants, the Wikipedia cited top nine names – Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Ronaldo “Bato” Dela Rosa, and Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., former Palace spokesman Ernesto Abella, former Defense Sec. Norberto Gonzales, and

labor leader Leody de Guzman.

Lanao region’s Faisal Mangondato filed his COC for president under Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi on Oct. 4.

He obtained 1,973,374 votes in the 2019 senatorial race, earning him a 33rd place.

In the roster of 28 VP aspirants, the Wikipedia mentioned top six names – Senators Christopher

Lawrence “Bong” Go, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Tito Sotto, former Manila Mayor and Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza, and media physician personality Willie Ong, and former Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello.

Others who filed COCs for VP post included another aspirant from the Lanao region – Abdullatief Pumbaya. ALI G. MACABALANG

he One Maharlika Movement as a political group has urged presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bong Bong” to include the group’s chairmant in the latter’s senatorial slate for the Philippine 2022 elections.

In a resolution of its National Coordinating Council issued recently, the One Maharlika Movement calls on Marcos to include Shariff Ibrahim Albani to represent the voice of the people of Bangsa Moro in Muslim Mindanao.

The resolution said it is unfortunate that Bangsa Moro in Muslim Mindanao is not represented in the present composition of the Philippine Senate.

The whole text of the resolution is as follows: A RESOLUTION CALLING ON PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FERDINAND “BONGBONG” MARCOS JR. TO INCLUDE ONE MAHARLIKA CHAIRMAN, SHARIFF IBRAHIM ALBANI, IN HIS SENATORIAL SLATE FOR THE FORTHCOMING 2022 ELECTIONS WHEREAS, MAHARLIKA IS AN ANCIENT POLITICAL TERM ORIGINATING FROM PHILIPPINE HISTORY, HERITAGE AND CULTURE WHICH SIGNIFIES STRENGTH, NOBILITY AND ROYALTY. WHEREAS, BASED ON THIS HISTORICAL BACKDROP, THEN PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS WANTED TO REVIVE THE GLORIOUS PAST OF MAHARLIKA INTO THE PHILIPPINE SOCIETY AND“MAKE THIS NATION GREAT AGAIN”.

WHEREAS, IN THE ADVENT OF THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS, ONE PROMINENT POLITICAL LEADER FROM THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES HAS ORGANIZED A POLITICAL AGGRUPATION KNOWN AS ONE MAHARLIKA TO SPEARHEAD AND REVIVE THE PRINCIPLES OF PEACE AND UNITY TRHOUGH DIVERSITY. WHEREAS, THE ONE MAHARLIKA AS A POLITICAL GROUP HAS MANIFESTED ITS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPO RT FOR THE CANDIDACY OF FERDINAND “BONGBONG” MARCOS TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES. WHEREAS, IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT BANGSA MORO IN MUSLIM MINDANAO IS NOT REPRESENTED IN THE PRESENT COMPOSITION OF THE PHILIPPINE SENATE. WHEREAS, OUR COUNTRY NEEDS A BREED OF STRONG LEADERS WITH UNQUESTIONABLE INTEGRITY AND COMPETENCE TO SIT IN THE PHILIPPINE SENATE. NOW THEREFORE, THE NATIONAL COORDINATING COUNCIL OF ONE MAHARLIKA IS URGING, RECOMMENDING AND CALLING ON PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FERDINAND “BONGBONG” MARCOS TO INCLUDE IN HIS SENATORIAL SLATE THE CHAIRMAN OF ONE MAHARLIKA, SHARIFF IBRAHIM ALBANI TO REPRESENT THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE OF BANGSA MORO IN MUSLIM MINDANAO. SIGNED THIS 27TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2021 IN MAKATI CITY, METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES. JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

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opinion Philippine Muslim Today, Inc. Co. Reg. No. 2021030008913-02 BUSINESS OFFICE:

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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

ADOPTED OPINION

Needed: Official home for PH vice president

By SEVERINO SAMONTE

M

ANILA – As the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is busy preparing for next year's national and local elections, there is a lingering question with apparent national significance, but has never been asked.

This is the question, which concerns the next vice president and all future ones: "Why the Philippine government seems to have no plan to put up an official and permanent residence where the country's second highest official-in-waiting can stay and meet his or her official visitors, or even the common people needing help?"

That question has a follow-up one: "Why is there a need for such official residence for the vice president?"

While it is not constitutionally mandated, unlike in the case of the president, the vice president also needs a presentable residence for being the second highest elected official of the land.

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 JOHNNY R. LEE Bureau Chief for Western Mindanao Region & BaSulTa

MARIA FHEBIE ORTIL Head of Accounts Executives for NCR Plus

BUREAUX NCR PLUS SATELLITE OFFICE:

CENTRAL MINDANAO BUREAU:

9052 Viscarra Compound, Molino 3, Bacoor City 4102 Cavite Province Phone: +63 9778430218 | +63 9353138549

Blk. 8, Lot 19, Molave St., Brgy. Lagao General Santos City, South Cotabato Phone: +63 9157922846 | +63 9472359113

Front page of PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY previous issue.

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

Section 6, Article VII (Executive Department) of the 1987 Constitution partially provides that: "The president shall have an official residence." At present, this is Malacañang Palace located near the Pasig River in Manila's San Miguel district.

The same provision was contained in Section 9, also Article VII of the 1935 Constitution which ceased functioning in January 1973.

The 1973 Constitution, which shifted the form of government into parliamentary, abolished the office of the vice president and transferred the executive power to the prime minister, with the assistance of the Cabinet. The president, in turn, became the symbolic head of state.

The position of vice president was restored with the abolition of the parliamentary system and the return of the executive power to the president and the legislative function to a bicameral Congress under the ADOPTED | A9 1987 Constitution promulgat-

To Run or Not to Run

I

t is only a week from this writing before this anxiety of whether or not Mayor Sara will make a bid for the Presidency is put to rest, but the beating of the drum is louder than it has even been before to urge the mayor to accept the challenge. The agitation has never waned and it seems that it gets stronger and stronger. There is a sense of mysticism in this growing euphoria precisely because the energy comes from all corners of the country and from all walks of society. However, all of these seemingly unending clamors maybe put down the drain once the mayor speaks out her mind.

And she did when she filed her candidacy for the Mayor of Davao City to complete her third and final term as chief executive of the city.

There had been an unmistakable silence from the camps of other political parties and presidential aspirants weighing on the action of the mayor. Of course, this decision of the mayor exerts a tremendous implication on the forth coming national elections mainly due to the recognition that the mayor cast a giant shadow on the victory or defeat of the other presidential pretenders.

It surprises our people to no end that despite her open pronouncement and her having filed her certificate of candidacy for the mayorship of Davao City, the guessing game continues and the sound of trumpets seems to be louder and louder. The hope that the mayor will ultimately substitute one of the candidates in the waiting has not died down, in fact, it has even risen to higher tone or pitch. The show of public support has doubled in terms of the crowds in the streets, the street bantings and posters and in the social media. This is unprecedented in the county’s political history.

This expression of love, endearment, and support of the mayor is definitely not because she happens to be the daughter of the president but of her own unusual personal charisma, her exuberance of how the public service is delivered and her known character of honesty and kindness and humility.

The greater mass of our people are enamored with Mayor Sara because they can easily identify with the principles and ideals she stood for.

It maybe that mayor Sara will finally yield to the public wish for her to run for president. If

she does, she would have eased the tension that is now brewing among the candidates for president who will have to put down their game plans to vie for the votes that will go for the mayor. But, if the mayor sticks to her word to complete her third term as Mayor of Davao

The Outside View Judge Panambulan M. Mimbisa (ret) City, this will open a wider battle ground and a revised tactical plans to woe the millions of votes who are intending to support the candidacy of the mayor for president, considered.

It is my view that if mayor Sara changes her mind, on or before November 15,2021 and instead run for president, this her prerogative in the exercise of her perfect legal and lawful right under the Omnibus Election Code. And she should not be blamed, bashed or criticized for responding to an incessant public clamor or public wish or collective desire that she leads the government as president. In accepting the challenge, the mayor recognizes that the public interest is supreme in the hierarchy of priorities in our ladder of governance.

Upon the other hand, if she declines, this will be an act of great sacrifice and in giving honor to her word. This will make her the best presidential candidate that we can ever ask or wish in all forthcoming presidential elections.

This makes her stateswoman par execellence!

The mayor will pass into history as the epitome of the best qualities and character that the Filipinos can offer to the world.

She has the stature of a statesman and indeed, believing that she is, and given her sense of wisdom and maturity, whatever her decision should be her own. She maybe bidding for time or may have decided already of what road to take, this issue has runned through her mind for the longest time and I submit that the mayor should be given the space that she needs to make her decision. Her supporters have spoken an =d still continue to speak and they should be allowed to speak up to the last minute, after all hope springs eternal.

(PMM)

Opinion

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

BTA Extension Bill confirmed, not yet signed

PRESIDENTIAL CLASHES IN 2022 – Part 11 (B)

P

acquiao-Honasan tandem: This pairing is something new but these are not new names. Gregorio Honasan is a familiar name.

He headed the Reform Armed Forces Movement, popularly known as the RAM during the tailend of the Marcos years.

During those years, his lord and master was Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile fondly known as Johnny and I suspect Enrile is still his lord and master.

Honasan: Colonel Gregorio “Greg or Gringo” Honasan is a charismatic military officer, handsome, erect, macho, attractive and at one look has all the qualities that any girl can dream of, though in the whispering and gossiping circles, his being macho is resoundingly disputed just like that of his classmate in the military academy, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson He is an instrumentalist just like his lord and master – meaning, you could find him in almost every administration, from Marcos to Duterte.

In my assessment of Honasan, he has never stood seriously for anything by way of a vision or principle or ideal. Just like any traditional politician or military officer whose main concerns are career, drink, women and family – he has a genius for making motherhood statements which the crowd view to be believable like those of President Duterte. And the intelligent ones who once believed in him find him repulsive. It is unfortunate to happen to asomeone so gifted as Secretary and former Senator Honasan .But that’s life – you define yourself for what you do and what you say.

There is an incident in Honasan’s life which shows defects of character, integrity and discipline. During the failed coup d’etat of 1989, Honasan was one of three military officers who were members of the sevenman National Governing Council (NGC) which was to govern the country in the event the coup would be successful.

Each military officer chose their respective civilian component – Maj. General Jose Maria “Jimmy” Zumel chose

Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, Colonel Gregorio Honasan had Former Defense Minister Juan “Johnny” Ponce Ernile and this writer representing Brigadier General Edgardo “Abe or Ed” Abenina who chose his lawyer, this writer, as his nominee. Since General Abenina was the Chairman of the coup group and the NGC, I recommended to him VicePresident Salvador “Doy” Laurel as the seventh member for two reasons – since he was VicePresident it would be easy to gain recognition from the international community for the new government and in the Council voting there always will be no tie.

Danding, Doy and Enrile had no personal presence in the military planning.. It was unanimously agreed by the coup leaders that the coup be pulled on December 7, 1989. It was also agreed that if the military staff felt the schedule be changed - there must be seventytwo hours notice to the NGC Chairman and the other military component members of the NGC. Honasan, without observing the seventy-two hours notice, pulled the coup on December 1, 1989 leading to disaster and consequent failure.

Why did he do it? He has a number of excuses that do not jell. One or two suspect that he pulled the coup earlier in violation of previous agreements for only two reasons – Honasan wanted to install Enrile as President of the country and he feared that he and Enrile would always be outvoted in the NGC of seven considering that Danding and the rest of us will not go along with the Honasan and Enrile’s agenda, whatever it was.

Pacquiao: I once wrote a glowing article once on this fabulous eight division boxing champion – Manny Pacquiao. But the way he has been behaving after he declared he was running for President leaves so much to be desired.

He has not sufficiently explained why he is running for President. Like any traditional politician he has been spouting motherhood statements.

He has not informed the public what he abhors about Duterte and his

administration.

Having been a Duterte loyalist in the Senate with canine devotion to his master, why did he part ways with President Duterte?

He has no vision of what the Philippines should be if he becomes President.

Diliman Way

HOMOBONO A. ADAZA Unsolicited advice: Pacquiao is still young and so unprepared to become President. He should read more books about how to be a good President and while learning, he should run for governor of Saranggani and maybe in some future time when he is prepared, make an attempt to run for President His running mate Honasan should stop ambitioning to run for higher office for the moment.

Honasan, with his qualities, has potential.

He should devote time to self-examination and self -criticism, learn and adopt the right values and principles, read more books on leadership and the humanities. Not until then should he attempt to run for high public office.

He, the rest of the pack, our leaders, the voters and the rest of us can learn from these lines of one of the greatest unacknowledged legislators of the world, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in his A Psalm of Life: “Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each tomorrow Find us farther than today.

In the world’s broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act,- act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o’erhead! “ (HAA)

A5

Confirmed Sources from Malacanang said that the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Extension Bill is confirmed not yet signed

by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD).

This is despite of the fact PRRD has convened recently all the big personalities to Malacañang Palace recently thinking that they were there to witness the historic signing by the President of the much awaited BTA Extension Bill.

But many were dismayed that the signing did not happen despite the highest expectations.

In fact the PMT-19 Editor -in-Chief was all set to make the BTA signing ceremony in Malacanang as our banner headline considering that it is the talk of the town and much awaited news report to happen this month of October.

But Malacanang

sources said while PRRD will not veto the bill but he was asking some sorts of concessions from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) officials. However, as to what specific concessions that the Chief Executive wanted to realize were not clearly specified. But it has something to do with the conduct of elections in the Bangsamoro region on May 9, 2022.

One thing sure, Presidente Duterte invited many of the BARMM high officials to Malacañang Palace because the Chief Executive wanted to have the Project HOPE (Honest, Peaceful Elections) in the Bangsamoro region by next year.

Hence, it is also expected that there will be a signing of Peace Covenant by all the candidates for the 2022 elections in compliance with the directive of PRRD.

Notably among the elected officials who went to Malacañang Palace were Maguindanao Governor Bai Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu and her husband Sultan Kudarat Governor Suharto

Batanes to Tawi-Tawi

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Mangudadatu; Sulu Gov. Abdusakur M. Tan; Basilan Congressman Mujiv Hataman; 2nd District Maguindanao Congressman Toto Mangudadatu and Cotabato City Mayor Atty. Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi.

For your Comments/ Suggestions, please send an email to: julmunir1845@gmail.com

We must address urgent institutional reforms now!

By MACAPADO A. MUSLIM, Ph.D. University Professor (Ret,) and Former President Mindanao State University

O

ur current miserable national situation is a glaring result of the DEBACLE IN PUBLIC GOVERNANCE IN THE PHILIPPINES in the past seventy-five (75) years!

There must be something terribly wrong with our foundational political institutions, aside from having many prebendalistic and bad leaders. Right political institutions are producers and enablers of good leaders and citizens, and they also impede bad ones.

For administrative reengineering or reinvention efforts to be more effective, our bureaucracy needs urgent refounding or refoundationing works first. We now have to consider seriously the proposal for shifting from presidential to parliamentary and from unitary to federal system. These proposed changes are deemed by many scholars to be more effective in divided societies like the Philippines. Another reform is the strengthening

of our electoral and political party systems.

The country’s archipelagic nature, ethnocultural diversity, huge regional imbalances and inequities, and the need for more effective local autonomy and empowerment and fast delivery of services to the entire archipelago suggest an ecosystem warranting federalism.

The political institutional reforms (which should be customized to our country’s context) should be facilitative of the election of good leaders; the determination of right directions of growth and development of the country and the formulation of right policies, programs and services; and the efficient implementation of the above items.

The debates in the upcoming election campaign must address the above political institutional reforms. Candidates

and political parties should craft reform packages or platforms beyond short-term Covid-19 recovery and poverty alleviation initiatives and symptoms-focused anticorruption and anti-crime campaigns, and emphasize fundamental state capacity building interventions which are crucial to making the Philippines prosperous, peaceful, respectable and resilient in the 21st century.

In the case of the parliamentary system, illustrative of its efficacy is the fact that nine of the world’s Top Ten countries in terms of quality of life index are all parliamentary. These are Denmark (ranked 1st), Finland, Australia, Netherlands, Austria, Iceland, New Zealand, Germany and Estonia. USA and the Philippines which are presidential ranked 15th and 78th respectively.

(MAM)

Write to Philippine Muslim Today At: muslimtoday2020@gmail.com

A6

opinion

The 1972 Martial Law

I

gnorance is bliss. That exactly was the attitude of the Liberals on 19 September 1972. September 19 was a Tuesday. President Marcos, in the morning of that day, invited the Liberals once more, and for the last time, to meet him in the Palace. But they ignored him. They refused to attend. They had no idea that his patience was nearly gone. Days later, he signed the edicts that would place the country under martial law. They themselves were the midwives of the Marital Law regime.

Their attitude validated in the mind of President Marcos that, indeed, they had an alliance with Joma’s NDFCPP-NPA. The military operation was, however, held back.

He wanted and waited Congress to adjourn sine die. It was in session to pass the national budget for the fiscal year 19721973. At that time our fiscal year, unlike today, was from July of a prior year to June of the following year.

In 1972, the budget was already overly delayed. The majority Liberals in the Senate were in no mood to rush the 1972 -1973 budget. They wanted to derail President Marcos’s program for the country.

Congress was scheduled to finish the budget and to adjourn sine die that weekend. But it did not. It only recessed. It failed to pass the budget.

The Senators and Congressmen were in a hurry to go abroad. This situation created a problem for President Marcos.

In late afternoon of that Tuesday, September 19, President Marcos met the military leaders in the Palace.

He informed them that he wanted the military operation for martial law to be carried out in the evening of Friday, September 22, right after Congress adjourned sine die. He ordered them to start deploying the troops quietly. In that same conference, the President instructed me to take charge of the operation in his behalf.

That Friday, September 22, all was prepared and ready. The only thing lacking was the President’s go signal. Every military unit that had an assigned task waited fretfully for the President to

make up his mind.

It was almost five o’clock in the afternoon, but there was still no word from the President.

Brig. Gen. Mario Espina – my senior military assistant – saw me. He whispered to me that news reporters were asking questions about troop movements in the metropolis. He was worried.

He warned that the plan might be spilled in the press.

I called the President.

I told him what Mario Espina said. I asked for his instruction.

President Marcos said a problem cropped up. Congress did not adjourn sine die.

It extended its special session.

I was alarmed. I told the President the situation had turned risky for us. We could no longer wait. The soldiers were restless. There was a distinct danger that the plan might be discovered if we waited for more days. It would place the regime in a dangerous political situation.

The President asked me, “What do you think?”

I said, “Mr. President, either we proceed with the operation or we dismantle it. There is no other option available to us.

If we dismantle it, that will be the end of it.”

I told the President candidly: “There are no ifs and buts about it Mr. President,” I added. “It is your call. Time is the essence. And it is against us.”

There was a long pause. The President was silent. I waited anxiously for him to say something. Time was ticking off.

Finally he said, “Wait for Roland Pattugalan. I will send him to you now.” When he said that, I breathed a very deep sigh of relief. He repeated in Ilocano what he said in English: “Urayem ni Roland. Umay kenca dita.”

Roland Pattugalan, an Ibanag, was one of his two most trusted and loyal military Aide-deCamps. The other was Arturo Aruiza who stayed with him all the way to the very end. He wrote the book Ferdinand E. Marcos Malacañang to Makiki.

Roland Pattugalan arrived in my office a little before sundown. He was

an army Major. He brought three large sealed brown envelops. I opened the envelops in his presence.

Commentary

JUAN PONCE ENRILE The first envelop contained Proclamation No. 1081 – the document that would proclaim martial law in the country. The second envelop contained seven General Orders or (GOs). The third envelop contained seven Letters of Instructions or (LOIs). The documents were all signed by the President and dated September 21, 1972.

The documents were familiar to me. They were the very same documents I prepared in 1970, when he instructed me to study his commander-inchief powers under the 1935 Constitution. I kept those documents in my vault in Urdaneta Village where I had my house then. I gave them back to the President in December 1971 after I lost my Senate bid in the national election held that year. I issued a receipt to Roland for the documents.

Maj. Pattugalan said, “The President wants you to convene the Chief of Staff and his J-Staff with the commanders of the armed services and tell them that the military operation shall proceed as scheduled by the President and that starting tonight at nine o’clock the country shall be under martial law. The President wants you to take charge of the operation tonight in his behalf. He will be in the Palace and available for consultation when needed.”

Then Maj. Pattugalan left. I called up General Romeo Espino. I informed him that the President sent me the martial law documents. I asked him to convene the service commanders and his J-Staff. “I want to meet them immediately before I leave the Camp,” I said.

After awhile, I drove to the nearby headquarters of the AFP in Camp

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

My choice of next President

T

here are 97 aspirants for President and 28 for vice president who have filed candidacies with the Commission on Elections, which has announced intent to trim down to just 10 or so in each bracket.

Nationally known aspirants for Presidents are Vice President Leni Robredo, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Senators Ping Lacson, Bato Dela Rosa, and Manny Pacquiao, former Senator Bongbong Marcos, former Palace spokesman Ernesto Abella, former Defense Sec. Norberto Gonzales, and labor leader Leody de Guzman.

Popular among VP aspirants are Senators Bong Go, Kiko Pangilinan and Tito Sotto, former Manila Mayor and Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza, and media physician personality Willie Ong, and former Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello.

Each of the candidates naturally has pools of supporters across the country. All of them harp about their prospective remedies to the ills gripping the country and the Filipino masses.

Supporters vary in different ways and de-

grees of appreciating the qualities of the candidates. For me, an ideal choice is one who has strong faith in God, unblemished record in office, experience in public administration, and no history of biases against specific religion, tribe, culture and community with utmost concern for the poor.

Foremost of the qualities of a candidate would be his promise and ability to end Mindanao’s disproportionate share from the national budget and attention from the executive, legislative and judicial branches.

I will promise in return my full support to any candidate who has the political will to provide Mindanao at least 35% share from the total budget to finally end the absence of bridges in several rivers in rural areas while multi-billion-funded skyways (bridges without rivers) continue to mushroom in metropolitan centers.

My candidate is the one who can truly carry out the “balik probinsya” program fully to decongest urban centers and lessen expenditures on building skyways just to ease traffic jams.

I will continue praising till death any President who can end vote-buying by exemplifying prompt prosecution and convic-

Aguinaldo. All the commanders of the armed services and the J-Staff members were there.

They were waiting for me.

I opened the envelops again one by one in their presence. I delivered the documents to General Espino and told everyone to proceed with the military operation right away.

I informed them of the orders and instructions of the President as relayed to me by Maj. Pattugalan.

I told them that I would be at home where they could reach me anytime.

When I finished, I drove home. While I was inside Wack-Wack subdivision my convoy was fired upon by a speeding car. My official car was riddled with bullet holes. Luckily, I was not inside my car. I was in my security car behind my official car. The only ones in my official car were my driver and my military aide, PC Captain Tirso Gador, baron of his class in the Philippine Military Academy. Both were unhurt.

After Edsa Uno – es-

pecially when I was no longer with the Cory regime – my political enemies and critics used the Wack-Wack incident to vilify me. They accused me of faking my ambush to justify the declaration of martial law.

That was a silly. Why would I fake my ambush to justify the declaration of martial law? I prepared Proclamation No. 1081. It contained all the incidents, events, grounds, and reasons that led President Marcos to declare martial law. No one ever doubted or disputed them to this day.

Not by the rabid ideologues. Not by the CPP. Not by the NPA. Not the NDF. Not by their fellow travellers. And not by the Yellow hordes.

They were the perpetrators of the troubles in the country. They were rebels. They were the bomb throwers, ambushers, and killers of our soldiers and policemen, and other law enforcers. They were the rallyists, the demonstrators, and the

transport strikers that created the violence, bloodshed, and traffic paralysis in our streets. They were the indoctrinators that poisoned the minds and hearts of our young in schools, colleges, and universities. And they were the importers of guns, bullets and war materials and supplies for the overthrow of our legitimate democratic government.

They could not deny those incidents, events, grounds and reasons because to deny them would be tantamount to denying their own very existence, They were working together to subjugate the country, to topple its legitimate democratic government, and to capture the innocent, unknowing, helpless Filipino people so that they could convert them into serfs and slaves of the NDF-CPP-NPA under the yoke of the “Dictatorship of the Proletariat.”

Punchline

ALI G. MACABALANG tion of any offenders.

I will do the same for a President who will condone the compounded debts of electric cooperatives in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and fully modernize electricity in Lanao del Sur where residents of many component towns are tired of blinking lights similar to those of cabarets.

My choice of next President is the one who will not burn the entire house in search of a rat, and will prosecute till conviction any persons or groups involved in the sluggish rehabilitation of Marawi City, especially those involved in pocketing reparation funds.

(AGM)

ENRILE | A9

News

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

DITO Telco to set up 166 cell towers in BARMM — MOTC

A7

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

By Ali G. Macabalang

C

OTABATO CITY: The Bangsamoro government’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and the DITO Telecommunity Corporation (Telco) are currently in talks for On Oct. 21, MOTC Minister Dickson Hermoso and Bangsamoro Telecommunications Commission (BTC) Officer-inCharge Engr. Omar Marzoc met with DITO’s Chief Technology Officer Rodolfo Santiago and Chief Administrative and Legal Officer Adel Tamano in Davao City to discuss DITO’s roll-out plan of setting up 166 cell sites in the BARMM from 2021 to 2023.

It was mentioned in the meeting that some cell-cites DITO targeted for 2021 are already operational even though not yet launched officially.

While the issuances of licenses for new cell cites is still with the National Telecommunications Commission, their renewal would already be with the BTC — one of the sectoral offices under the MOTC. MOTC and DITO discussed possible areas of cooperation which will be formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding later this year.

Furthermore, a more detailed Memorandum of Agreement will follow

providing a much improved telecommunications services especially the perennial Internet poor signal in the region.

MOTC WELCOMES DITO: Minister Dickson Hermoso of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) extends his warm welcome to the officials of the Dito Telecommunity to discuss different ways on how to solve the perennial problem of very poor Internet signal at homes or offices. They held their serious meetings in Davao City recently to iron out how Dito can solve the poor or weak Internet signal. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO once the technical and legal aspects are all finalized.

DITO is also studying additional means, such as the use of submarine cables, to better serve the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

In an exclusive interview with Bangsamoro Press Corps on Oct. 23, Engr. Marzoc explained

how BARMM can help DITO’s operation in the region.

“If they will be able to partner with us and we will be able to assist them in securing their permits and licenses, we might be able to hasten their intention to build more towers and invest in the BARMM,” said Marzoc.

“Actually we don’t

have any control over them… pwede po tayo magsuggest ng mga locations na pwede nilang i -prioritize na paglalagyan ng kanilang mga towers,” he further explained.(We can suggest locations to them to prioritize the sites of their towers.)

According to Marzoc, DITO have already constructed 13 cell sites in Maguindanao, including Cotabato City, and 2 sites in Lanao del Sur. These are part of the Phase 1 for this year.

“For next year which is the Phase 2, they will be increasing the number of sites both for Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, and for Phase 3, they will be entering the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and TawiTawi,” Marzoc further explained.

DITO Telecommunity Corporation, formerly known as Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company, Inc. or Mislatel, is the third major telecommunications provider allowed by the Philippine government to compete with the existing service providers. (JIJ)

BARMM to advance water, sanitation and hygiene in the region COTABATO CITY — The Development Administrative Committee (DACom) of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) under the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC) adopted the resolution creating the Bangsamoro SubCommittee on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (BSCW) on Thursday October 21 held at BPDA Conference Room, BGC, here in this city, Director Khalid Dumagay of Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG), on Tuesday who presided the meeting, stressed the significance of creating

the BSCW. “I think the issue of potable water in the BARMM is more problematic compared to other regions in the country, and that is why we need to come up with firm stand to create this subcommittee to oversee the water, sanitation and hygiene situation in our region”, Director Dumagay added.

This action is part of the Bangsamoro government’s move in strengthening its policies to take into utmost consideration the delivery of necessary projects, programs, and services that are beneficial to the social welfare of its people.

As per Ministry of Health’s (MOH) data, although the Philippines has vast areas of water resources, the problem on drinking water still exists with 455 municipalities, where more or less 16 million populations in the country have no access to potable and safe drinking water.

MOH Director General Dr. Ameril Usman challenged every member of BSCW to take an active part in these undertakings.

During this first regular meeting, internal rules and procedures for BSCW was drafted and the detailed functions of each member ministries, offic-

es, and agencies were clearly defined and enumerated but still subject for refinement.

“Our people really need a safe and a potable drinking water, we should participate and share our expertise, our specialtise, our talent, our passion etc., because BARMM need it very much to craft brilliant ideas to solve the WASH problems in our society”, Dr. Usman said in his closing message.

The BSCW shall serve as the coordinating and Monitoring body that will oversee the implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene projects in the BARMM.

R

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 Party-list 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

Meanwhile, BSCW is expected to have 17 focal members from the different ministries, offices or agencies of BARMM, including the MILG, MOH, Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE), Ministry of Public Works (MPW), Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD), Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources

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 naforecast 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)

and Energy (MENRE), Office of the Senior Minister (OSM)-OCM, Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency in Action on Disaster Incidence (BARMM-READI), Ministry of Human Settlement and Development (MHSD), Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO), Ministry of Finance, Budget and Management (MFBM), Office of the Cabinet Secretary (OCS)OCM, and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) as ex-officio member.

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

Read PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

A8

News

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

Pulled Beef Brisket Taco

176 including 8 Muslims vie for senator in 2022 polls

BANGSAMORO HALAL DISH

By ALI G. MACABALANG The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has listed 176 aspirants for senator in the May 9, 2022 synchronized polls, including eight Muslim personalities.

The list published by the Wikipedia showed reelection-seeking or returning senators like Dick Gordon, JV Ejercito, Chiz Escudero, Sonny Trillanes, Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Jinggoy Estrada, Leila Delima, Gringgo Honasan, Joel Villanueva, Migz Zubiri, Win Gatchalian, and Alan Peter Cayetano.

Newscaster and former Vice President Noli de Castro had filed his senatorial candidacy but withdrawn it a week later, the Wikipedia said.

The list also includes former Vice Pres. Jojo Binay, former Secretaries Manny Piñol, Bebot Bello, Salvador Panelo, Mark Villar, John Castriciones, and Gibo Teodoro, former

With Maria Fhebie Ortil

The poll body is reportedly screening the list of 176 senatorial aspirants and would release the final official list before the end of this year.

Among the Muslim candidates for Senator comes 2022 rlrctions is a Maranao civic leader Ms. Samira Gutoc. (FB photo) Palace graft-buster Greco Belgica, Reps. Rodante Marcoleta and Neri Colmenares, lawyer Chel Diokno, and celebritypoliticos Herbert Bautista and Monsour del Rosario.

Popular broadcasters

Raffy Tulfo and Rey Langit joined the senatorial contest alongside famous movie actor Robin Padilla.

Padilla, who embraced Islam, leads eight other Muslim senatorial aspir-

ants: Samira Gutoc, who placed 25th in the 2019 polls; Nur-Anna Sahidula, Princess Kiram, Ibrahim Albani, Bai Maylanie Esmael, Najar “Jinggoy Adang” Salih, Ashleah Ebad and Bilgadil Albani.

A Muslim lawyer cum physician runs in Lanao Norte for Congress

A

t the Volume 2, Number 20 Issue of the Philippine Muslim Today that falls on the date October 29 - November 4, 2021 ((Rabi AlAwwal 23-28, 1443), another variation of beef recipe is hereby presented with easy to find ingredients and easy to follow instructions. This is the Pulled Beef Brisket Taco.

It is the easiest homemade brief brisket Taco with mango.

The beef briskets are slow-cooked, smoked for 8-10 hours in real smokers, hand-pulled, and slathered in a sweet, smoky BBQ sauce.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 package (16 oz. / 450 g) Farm Rich Smokehouse Pulled Beef Brisket, thawed • 1 1/2 tablespoons oil • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 packet 18 corn tortillas • 1 ripe mango, cut into small cubes • 1 lime, cut into wedges • 1 bunch cilantro leaves INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Thaw the beef brisket at room temperature. Heat up a skillet with the oil, saute the garlic until aromatic before adding the beef brisket.

2. Warm-up and cook the beef brisket for a few minutes.

3. Assemble the tacos by adding some beef brisket onto a tortilla.

4. Topped with some mango cubes, cilantro leaves and served with lime wedges.

(MFO)

ILIGAN CITY — A lawyer cum physician is seeking for election as Lanao del Norte representative to the House of Representatives comes next year elections.

Lawyer Joe Abbas, also a medical doctor, filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) on October 7, 2021 as congressman representing the 2nd congressional district of Lanao del Norte.

He is running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) for the 2022 elections whose presidential standard bearer is former Senator Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos, Jr. Abbas is a former elected mayor of the province’ municipality of Pantar. He has been a presiding judge in various courts.

Abbas told the media he is running with the vision to establish a just, free, healthy and prosperous society inspired by democratic ideals and principles.

“Tapusin ang Pandemya sa 2022” is his advocacy slogan.

MASIDING NOOR YAHYA SEN. BONG | from page A1

Sen. Bong Go receives... ”In behalf of the Muslim Communities in the Philippines this PLAQUE OF APPRECIATION is hereby presented to Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go for his selfless services for the Muslim Communities, for his exceptional commitment in providing support and for our sincere gratitude and in recognition of his contribution for the Muslims and the Filipinos in general.” reads the Plaque.

Initial accomplishments of Senator Go, who had recently filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) to run as candidate for vice-president of the Republic of the Philippines on May 9, 2022 national elections were also presented to the audience including his plans and accomplishments as a lawmaker.

Lawyer Joe Abbas, a physician aspires for congressman representing the 2nd district of Lanao del Norte.

That included also the progress of some of his priority legislative measures in the Upper House of the 18th Congress.

One of these is the Republic Act (RA) 11463, the new law that provides for the establishment of Malasakit Centers which are now established in 145 hospitals being run by the Department of Health (DOH) all over the country and in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila.

Go also shared his other priority bills, including Senate Bill (SB) No. 206 which seeks to amend RA 8972 or the Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000 to expand the discounts, benefits, exemptions and privileges that solo parents are entitled under the law.

SEN. BONG | A9

ADVERTISE WITH PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY. CALL 63 2290965 OR 09477201555

News ENRILE | from page A6

Martial Law Furthermore, as far as I was concerned, when I left Camp Aguinaldo that evening, martial law in he country was already a matter of fact. I already ordered the military to operate. The troops were already deployed.

Whether I was ambushed or not, whether I was alive or not martial law in the country was already imposed and irreversible. So, what for was the need, the necessity, to fake an ambush, mine or someone else’s, to justify the declaration of martial law?

That same evening of the ambush, Marita Manuel of the Philippine Daily Express met Ninoy. She interviewed him. Ninoy, as always, was bragging and lying.

Marita said Ninoy told her about his “celebrated series of meetings with Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile and Brig. Gen. Fidel Ramos, PC chief . . the circumstances behind these meetings, and how Enrile could have concluded that he (Aquino) met with Chairman Jose Ma. Sison of the Communist Party of the Philippines on the night of Sept. 7 (1972) in Dasmariñas Village, Makati.”

In the same interview, Marita said Ninoy bragged that he said to me: “I’ll never be around for martial law.

If you don’t get me in the first few hours, you’ll never get me.”

I never heard those words from Ninoy. I never had any “series of meetings” with him. I had only one meeting with that man. And that was in the evening of September 7 in the house of Ramon Siy Lay in the presence of his younger brother Paul Aquino.

As for Brig. Gen. Ramos, I doubt that there was ever a meeting between them. Ramos was too busy in those days to meet him or anyone else. Ninoy obviously fabricated those fake stories. He was lying again.

I stayed awake most of the time during that night. The military operation was precise. Thanks to the careful and skillful planning of the AFP. Everything went smoothly and efficiently.

The whole nation became suddenly quiet. Radios were silent. Television screens were blank. The only thing one could hear over radio or television was martial music. There was no traffic in the streets and on the

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

roadways in Metro-Manila.

Hardly any bloodshed occurred during military operation. The only exception was when a unit of the Philippine Constabulary went to the Iglesia ni Kristo compound in Quezon City to close a radio station there.

The security guards of the Iglesia ni Kristo resisted. A gun battle erupted. A constable was shot and killed.

This nearly led to a bigger and graver encounter.

Brig. Gen. Fidel Ramos called me up and asked my permission to use a recoilless rifle to hit the security guards in the compound of the Iglesia ni Kristo. I told him not to. I called Bishop Eraño “Ka Erdie” Manalo, head of the Iglesia ni Kristo. I asked him to allow the soldier to close his radio station temporarily. He agreed. The radio station was closed. And a bloody carnage was averted.

Thus, before daybreak everything was under military control. I was tired and exhausted. I fell asleep.

After an hour or so, my wife woke me up. My phone was ringing. It was past seven o’clock. Malacañang was calling. I lifted my phone. The one at the other end of the line said “Sir, the President wants you to come to the Palace.”

I closed the phone and rushed to my bathroom for a quick cold shower. I dressed up quickly and had a cup of coffee and bread for breakfast. Then I boarded my car and told my driver to take me to the Palace.

It was Saturday morning – September 23, 1972. It took me no more than fifteen minutes to reach the Palace. The roads were empty and the whole MetroManila was quiet. There were no vehicles and people in the streets. It was like a ghost town.

When I arrived in the Palace the first person to meet me was the First Lady. She said to me while I was climbing the stairway to the second floor of the Palace, “Ang dali pala nang martial law.”

I just smiled. She had no ides about the amount of work we did and the effort and time we spent to prepare the military operation for the declaration of martial law. All she knew was the ease with which the military operation was carried out.

I walked to the office of the President. When I entered, he was with Press Secretary Francisco “Kit” Tatad. He was preparing his public statement about the

A9

declaration of martial law.

The Palace was swamped with calls from Senators and Congressmen who were going abroad. They were stranded, along with others, in the airport. The military people controlling the airport refused to allow them to take their flights. All domestic and international flights were cancelled and disallowed.

The President asked me to handle the problems of the Senators and Congressmen. I ordered the military controlling the airport to allow international flights and to let the members of Congress to depart.

The President also asked me to remain in the Palace that day. He ordered me to attend to some matters of administration while he was preparing his public statement and attending to his other responsibilities.

He directed me to meet the other Cabinet members and inform them about the military operation and to acquaint them about the new martial law regime.

I met the Cabinet members at four o’clock in the afternoon at the Executive Building. During that meeting, some of the members of the Cabinet expressed their misgivings about the wisdom and validity of the declaration of martial law. Arturo “Bong” Tanco of the Department of Agriculture asked me bluntly, “How sure are we that the declaration of martial law was valid and lawful?”

Bong Tanco was not a lawyer. He was somewhat brash. I answered him tactfully. I said, “Bong, it is too late to ask that question. The decision was made. The act was done. It could not now be reversed. Whoever among us entertains doubt on the wisdom, validity, legality, propriety, or morality of the declaration of martial law is free to leave the Cabinet. Nobody is forced to stay. Everyone of us is free to decide for himself whether he wants to remain in the Cabinet or not. No one is obliged to remain.”

No one of the members of the Cabinet resigned. All stayed until they left the service, or until they were assigned to other posts in the martial law regime.

Such was the saga of the first day of martial law in the country. It was a tiring, exciting day for me. When I was done with President Marcos in the Palace, I went home and slept. I was so tired. I thought I would never wake up. After that day, my life and the life of my family was never the same again. And a national story began to unfold and its march to the future. (JPE)

OBITUARY GANDAWALI CASAMINA DIMAOCOR, 66

NEEDED | from page A8

Needed: Official home for PH vice president ed by President Corazon C. Aquino's administration.

The lack of an official residence for the vice president has been forcing the second highest official of the land to hold office in non-permanent sites.

For instance, the office of current Vice President Leonor G. Robredo is now located in a governmentowned building, called the QC Reception House, in Barangay Mariana Park, New Manila, Quezon City.

Her predecessor, former Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, used to hold office at the Coconut Palace, also called Tahanang Maharlika at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex along Roxas Blvd., Pasay City.

Meanwhile, whoever wins in the May 9, 2022 elections will be the country's 15th second highest official since the establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth government on Nov. 15, 1935.

The outgoing Vice President Robredo is among the

candidates for the presidency in the coming national polls.

Her 13 predecessors were: former Vice Presidents Sergio S. Osmena Sr. (Nov. 15, 1935-Aug. 1, 1944); Elpidio R. Quirino (May 28, 1946-April 17, 1948); Carlos P. Garcia (Dec. 30, 1953-March 1957); Diosdado P. Macapagal (Dec. 30,1957-Dec. 30, 1961); Emmanuel N. Pelaez (Dec. 30, 1961-Dec. 30, 1965); Fernando H. Lopez (Dec. 30, 1949-Dec. 30, 1953; Dec. 30, 1965-Dec. 30, 1969; Dec. 30, 1969-1972); Arturo M. Tolentino (Feb. 16-25, 1986); Salvador H. Laurel (Feb. 25, 1986-June 30, 1992); Joseph E. Estrada (June 30, 1992-June 30, 1998); Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (June 30, 1998-Jan. 20, 2001); Teofisto T. Guingona Jr. (Feb. 9, 2001-June 30, 2004); Noli L. De Castro (June 30, 2004-June 30, 2010); and Jejomar C. Binay (2010June 30, 2016).

(PNA)

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.

SEN. BONG | from page A8

Sen. Bong Go receives...

He also cited the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters as manifested by the eruption of Taal volcano and the series of earthquakes that hit Mindanao.

Hence, that made Senator Go proposed SB 205 which seek to reinforce the country’s disaster preparedness, management, and mitigation efforts.

In like manner, Senator Go also said he envisions the proposed executive department under the SB 205 to become “an empowered, highly specialized department with a clear unity of command and primarily responsible in ensuring safe, adaptive and disasterresilient communities.”

He is also pushing for the passage of SB 1228 or the “Mandatory Evacuation Center Act,” which mandates the establishment of safe, permanent and dedicated evacuation centers.

In congruence with the government’s fight against corruption, illegal drugs and criminality, Go also filed a bill seeking to re-impose capital punishment for certain heinous crimes involving dangerous drugs and plunder.

He likewise assured the audience that he and President Rodrigo Duterte will continue to serve the welfare and interest of the people and the generations of Filipinos to come.

Go also vowed not to waste any opportunity to do good, particularly to those who are really in need of help.

Running for Vice-President, Go said he plans to continue the work of the current administration if he wins in the 2022 polls.

He said he envisions to become a “working vice

president,” and not merely a “spare tire” of the elected president. At the same time he vowed to still continue pushing for the priorities of the current administration if he got elected as the next vice president in the coming national elections.

“I intend to pursue and expand these efforts further towards overcoming this pandemic by achieving economic recovery, providing job opportunities, and addressing hunger and poverty,” Go stressed.

For his part, NCMF Commissioner Mando expresses his unequivocal support to all the activities of the good Senator and promised the continuance of these activities and be his guiding principles in the services of Muslim Filipinos.

(JIJ)

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News

Twitter posts $536-M loss in Q3 ANKARA – US-based microblogging and social networking service Twitter reported a net loss of USD536.7 million in the third quarter of 2021, according to its financial results released Tuesday.

The results showed a steep decline from net income of USD28.6 million in the same period of last year.

The firm's revenue, on the other hand, rose 37 percent to USD1.28 billion from USD936 million during that period.

Advertising revenue totaled USD1.14 billion, an increase of 41 percent year-on-year, the statement said.

The company said it estimates total revenue to come between USD1.5 billion to USD1.6 billion in the fourth quarter.

It said the net loss includes a one-time litiga-

tion-related net charge of USD809.5 million to settle a shareholder class action lawsuit.

Twitter announced on Sept. 20 that it will pay the amount to settle the lawsuit, which alleged that the firm misled investors about its user base growth and the number of users that interacted with the platform.

Average monetizable daily active usage came at 211 million in the third

quarter, compared to 187 million in the same period of the previous year, the statement said.

"We continue to expect total revenue to grow faster than expenses in 2021, excluding the litigation settlement announced in the third quarter," it added.

Twitter's stock price was down 1.1 percent in afterhours trading on the New York Stock Exchange. (Anadolu)

Anadolu photo.

Lebanon, Jordan, Syria agree on electric interconnection line AMMAN, Jordan — An agreement was reached Thursday between Lebanon, Jordan and the Syrian regime on the final version of a contract to supply Lebanon with Jordanian electricity through Syria.

The announcement came after the electricity ministers from the three nations met in the Jordanian capital of Amman.

Walid Fayad from Lebanon, Syria’s Ghassan Al-Zamil and Saleh Al-Kharabsheh

from Jordan discussed the developments in the project to help Lebanon secure its energy needs.

Kharabsheh said agreeing on quantities of electricity that will be supplied to Lebanon was the main outcome of the

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

Japan’s ex-minister accepts 3-year jail term over vote buying ISTANBUL – A ruling party member and former minister in Japan on Thursday accepted a three-year jail term for corruption during the 2019 elections.

The move by former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai comes as Japan goes to general elections at the end of this month where the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will seek a fresh term.

Kawai was convicted for buying votes for his wife in the 2019 upper house election, Tokyobased Kyodo News reported.

His wife, Anri Kawai, had won the seat in the election but was jailed for 16 months by a court in January. She was also suspended for five years from the elections.

He is the first minister in over 10 years to “have a prison term finalized”.

Although he had first pleaded not guilty in August last year he later retracted and admitted to most of the charges in March this year, seeking a suspended sentence.

“The responsibility is solely on me, and I am ready to accept it all,” Kawai said in a statement

after dropping appeal against his conviction. “I ask for leniency on the people who have accepted cash.”

His case triggered criticism and came as a jolt to the ruling LDP which is under intense pressure for its weak response to the Covid-19 pandemic which has battered the world’s thirdlargest economy.

Kawai was a minister in former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet.

Abe stepped down from premiership last year over health issues.

A Tokyo court early this June found that the former justice minister handed out money to 100 local assembly members in Anri's constituency in Hiroshima province to buy votes.

His party had provided Anri 150 million yen

(USD1.3 million) for the election and the opposition is seeking an investigation whether Kawai used the same money to buy votes for his wife.

The LDP has denied any wrongdoing.

Interestingly, the Japanese Public Prosecutor’s Office dropped the bribery case against 100 individuals who allegedly received cash from Kawai.

Japan, home to over 126 million people, will elect 465 lawmakers on Oct. 31 for the lower house of the country’s bicameral parliament where the LDP is still a favorite despite the pandemic stress.

The ruling party has dominated the political scene of the country for the most part since 1955 when it was founded. (Anadolu)

talks.

We “agreed to supply Lebanon with about 150 megawatts of electricity from midnight until 6 a.m., and 250 megawatts during the rest of the time," he said at a news conference after the meeting.

He said he expected work to be completed before the end of the year.

Fayad confirmed the approval of the World Bank to finance the project to supply Lebanon with electricity from the

Jordanian network.

"An environmentally and financially appropriate formula for the agreement and appropriate conditions for the cost of Jordanian electricity to Lebanon through Syria was reached," he said.

Al-Zamil said his country is “serious” about re-operating the electrical interconnection line with Jordan which he noted will cost $5.5 million and is set to convene at end of the year.

The men met in Amman in October to dis-

cuss a plan for reoperating an electric interconnection line between Jordan and Syria.

Jordan and Syria have been electricityinterconnected via a 400 kilovolt (kV) transmission line since 2001, but it has been out of service since 2012 due to technical reasons.

Syria has interconnection lines with Lebanon by transmission lines of 400 kV, 230 kV and 66 kV. (Anadolu)

PRRD | from page A2

PRRD brokers political pact for Maguindanao, Cotabato City Last Oct. 23, Datu Ali Mamison Camino, a former elected vice mayor of Datu Abdullah Sangki town and supporter of Rep. Mangudadatu, was ambushed in his town by five armed men. He and an escort were wounded while another companion was killed. He claimed the ambush did not draw police attention.

Biased police In the face of the escalating gubernatorial race, Rep. Mangudadatu said the provincial police forces have allegedly become biased for the lady governor’s camp, citing instances of his denied requests for police escorts in risky areas.

On Oct. 8, he said, he accompanied his mayoral candidate in Datu Unsay town to file candidacy. While addressing a crowd, a certain “Kagui” – believed to be

among wanted in the infamous 2009 “Maguindanao massacre” – shouted at him while trying to approach, but close-in escorts secured the lawmaker and later found the person tucking a gun.

Before his trip to Datu Unsay town, the lawmaker said he and Col. Bongcayao had agreed on the provision of police escorts. But no police team came even as Col. Congcayao’s phone was unattended, the lawmaker said.

In a separate phone interview, the police colonel said he had dispatched a team, which failed to meet the lawmaker’s group. He also denied being “biased” for the lady governor, whom he described as constant “team partner” in the provincial peace and order council.

Bongcayao said he the local police could not investigate the ambush of former Vice Mayor Camino because he has been hiding from standing arrest warrant for a 2004 murder case. Neither the ambush victims’ relatives would appear to post a blotter or complaint, he said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Mangudadatu said the Presidentbrokered election covenant, once signed, should make a difference in the stance of the provincial police.

The covenant would also mandate military neutrality in Maguindanao politics. But he said the military forces in the province have so far been fair, citing his access to soldier-escorts in risk field sorties in the absence of a police team.

(AGM)

Business

Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

Gradual reopening of Asean borders pushed

By MA. TERESA MONTEMAYOR MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is batting for saving vaccines.”

All members have the “common task” of acceleratthe gradual reopening of the Association of Southeast ing holistic recovery for all nations, he added.

Asian Nations (Asean) borders to trade and tourism as Peace and stability rising vaccination levels give their governments more Meanwhile, Duterte cited the need to enhance enconfidence in easing restrictions. gagement in priority areas “It is also time that we including under the Asean open our borders safely to Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, reinvigorate our trade and noting that one vital area is tourism sectors,” Duterte maritime security. said in a speech during the “As I have said time and 16th East Asia Summit again, the South China Sea (EAS) held via video confermust remain a sea of peace, ence on Oct. 27. security, stability, and prosHe emphasized the need perity,” he said. to revitalize economic exAll stakeholders, he added, changes within the region must adhere to freedom of through deeper integration.

President Rodrigo Duterte. (Presidential photo) navigation and overflight, “Let us then work swiftly towards the early entry into force of the Regional Com- exercise self-restraint and protect the marine environprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP),” ment as stipulated in United Nations Convention on the he said, vowing that the Philippines will do its part and Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“We must resolve disputes peacefully in accordance ratify the landmark agreement within the year. with international law, particularly UNCLOS and the RCEP is the trade pact among the 10 member states of Asean and the bloc’s five FTA partners – Aus- 2016 Arbitral Award. We thank our EAS partners that finally expressed support for the Award and have urged tralia, New Zealand, China, Japan, and South Korea. stakeholders to abide by the decision,” he added.

The deal was concluded on Nov. 15, 2020.

Global warming Duterte said there is a need to move together in uniCiting how the Philippines had to bear the brunt of ty and partnership to ensure the continued peace, stathe horrendous effects of climate change, Duterte also bility, and prosperity in the region.

He welcomed partnerships that offer decisive re- called on urgent and serious climate action.

“It is within the means and power of many of our sponses “to address challenges to public health sysEAS partners to avert an impending collective disastems, our economies, and the well-being of peoples.”

Duterte also thanked external partners for their con- ter,” he said, noting that UN Climate Change Confertribution to the Covid-19 Asean Response Fund, and for ence of the Parties (COP26) will convene in Glasgow their pledges of support for the Asean Center for Public on Oct. 31.

Like many in the developing world, he said the PhilHealth Emergencies and Emerging Diseases.

“Let me recognize as well our partners who support- ippines deserved a fighting chance at progress.

“Our window for effective climate action is fast closed the COVAX facility—the alliance for life,” he said.

He said the Philippines’ 1 million US dollars contribu- ing. Those most responsible for the problem—past and tion is a “modest way of helping ensure that the nations present—must commit to our common goal of net zero with the least means will likewise have access to life- emissions or we are all doomed,” he added. (PNA)

CA turns down retail giant's suit on use of 'My Choice' mark MANILA – The Court of Appeals (CA) has turned down a petition filed by a subsidiary of retail giant Robinsons for the use of the "My Choice" food and beverage products in its Ministop convenience stores.

In a 13-page decision dated Oct. 20 written by Associate Justice Emily R. Aliño-Geluz, the CA's 15th Division dismissed the petition filed by Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc., (RCSI).

RCSI, the operator of the Ministop stores, had questioned before the CA the December 2019 decision of the Philippine Intellectual Property Office (IPO)'s Bureau of Trademarks which denied its application filed in March 2015 for the use of the "My Choice" mark on a number of its products sold in its stores.

The IPO examiner had ruled that the "My Choice" mark may not be registered as it is identical with a registered mark for the same goods belonging to a different entity, Central Food Retail Co. Ltd., which was registered on October 17, 2013.

In its appeal, RCSI said its goods with the "My Choice" mark were to be sold exclusively in Ministop convenience stores and that since the goods will belong to an "in house" brand, the channels of commerce through which the Ministop merchandise will pass are different from the goods of Central Food Retail and there cannot be any likelihood of confusion among customers as the said Central products are not sold by any of the Ministop stores.

RCSI also claimed that it had a prior registration of

the My Choice mark albeit for products falling under "Class 3" international classification which includes personal care cosmetics, health and beauty products and other related items.

The RCSI's denied application was for the use of My Choice mark for "Class 30" and "Class 32" items which include food products such as coffee, sugar, rice, salt, as well as water, fruit drinks and fruit juices.

Similarly, Central Food registered in 2013 the "My Choice" mark for its Class 30 products including ready -to-drink green team peanuts, coffee, and the like.

Ruling against RCSI's appeal, the CA said it "becomes clear that the goods are identical and competing products which may be found in the same channels of trade and appeal to the same purchasers...notwithstanding RCSI's claim that its goods shall only be sold in Ministop branches".

"It cannot be overly emphasized that RCSI's mark is not entitled to be registered as it will possibly raise instances of confusion or deception on the part of the public, and will likely result to infringing Central's “My Choice”. Thus, the mark of RCSI is not entitled to be registered as its usage will likely cause deception or confusion on the part of the purchasing public, and would also likely infringe the previously registered mark of Central," the CA said.

RCSI, is a part of the Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. group through the Robinsons Supermarket Corp. and Robinsons Inc. Benjamin Pulta /PNA

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PH Covid-19 recoveries reach 2,680,081

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor MANILA – The country’s total number of recovered coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases has reached 2,680,081 after 3,924 new recoveries were reported on Thursday.

In its 7 p.m. case bulletin, the Department of Health (DOH) noted that recoveries account for 96.7 percent of the total case count which has reached 2,772,491 since the start of the pandemic last year.

Meanwhile, some 3,694 new infections brought the total number of active cases nationwide to 49,835.

About 73.4 percent of these active cases are mild, 6.8 percent are asymptomatic, 2.6 percent are critical, 6.2 percent are severe, and 10.97 percent are moderate.

A total of 227 new deaths were reported, bringing the country's Covid-19 fatalities to 42,575.

According to DOH data on Oct. 26, about 8.6 percent of 50,755 who were tested turned out positive for Covid-19.

"About 52 duplicates were removed from the total case count, and of these, 34 are recoveries and one death. Moreover, 158 cases that were previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation,” it added.

All laboratories were operational on October 26 while one laboratory was not able to submit their data to the Covid-19 Document Repository System.

The DOH noted the one non-reporting laboratory contributes, on average, 0.2 percent of samples tested, and 0.1 percent of positive individuals based on data in the last 14 days.

To date, 50 percent of 4,200 intensive care unit beds, 38 percent of 20,900 isolation beds, 35 percent of 14,500 ward beds, and 34 percent of 3,300 ventilators are utilized by patients with Covid-19 nationwide.

Meanwhile, 41 percent of 1,400 intensive care unit beds, 32 percent of 4,900 isolation beds, 32 percent of 4,100 ward beds, and 30 percent of 1,100 ventilators dedicated to patients with Covid-19 are in use in the National Capital Region.

Ma. Teresa Montemayor PNA)

Comelec eyes limit on F2F poll campaign participants The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced that there will be changes in the conduct of campaign activities for next year's elections.

“The most prominent feature I see is that we would be regulating the number of people who can participate in inperson campaigns,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a television interview on Thursday.

The poll body official added that the number of individuals would also depend on the quarantine status of the area.

“It’s likely going to be determined in large part by the alert level in a particular place,” he said.

Jimenez added that the guidelines will determine on how many people will be able to participate in the campaign group.

“We are going to systematize that so that we have rules to apply all over the country that will define how many people can be in an in-person campaigning entourage at any given place,” he said.

The Comelec is currently in the process of crafting campaign guidelines for next year’s polls.

Candidates who are seeking for national positions have 90 days to campaign which will begin on February 8 and will run until May 7, 2022.

A total of 45 days of campaign are given to those running for local positions which are set to start on March 25 until May 7, 2022.

The election period for the May 2022 polls will be from January 9 to June 6, 2022.

Some parts of the country, including Metro Manila, are placed under the five-tier alert level system while other areas remain under old quarantine classification schemes amid the coronavirus pandemic. (PNA)

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Vol. II, No. 20 | Oct. 29—Nov. 4, 2021 (Rabiul Awwal 22-28, 1443)

15-below, 65-above can only go out for essential activities in Davao City DAVAO CITY — The Davao COVID-19 Task Force has reiterated anew that children 15 years old and below and seniors 65-above are still not allowed to go out of their homes unless accessing food and other essential activities only.

This, in the wake of the Alert Level 3 status in the city from October 2031, 2021.

Davao COVID-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser, during the Bida Bakunado program over 78.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR), said, “As long as nonessential activities, dili gihapon nato ginapagawas ang 15-below or 65above senior citizens (we still do not allow the 15below and 65-above to go out).”

In cases when those belonging to these age groups go to malls for a check-up in clinics or eat in restaurants, she said it is allowed as it concerns

their health and nurturing their bodies.

But Dr. Schlosser said if after eating or checkup, the minors and seniors enter the grocery, department store, or a toy store, that is no longer essential and therefore prohibited.

She urged mall police to be always on alert in monitoring such activities.

In a recent meeting between the task force and malls and restaurant representatives, the city health official said, “I think it was clarified to them that essential activity ra allowed sa mga bata og seniors (that only essential activities are allowed for children and seniors).”

She also said that with the Alert Level 3, cinemas, as well tourist attractions, amusement parks, internet cafes, and billiard halls, should have already been allowed.

But in Davao City, these are considered high -risk activities and are therefore, still not al-

lowed. If and when cinemas and internet cafes reopen, Dr. Schlosser said children and seniors can still not avail of them because these are nonessential activities. Only adults can avail of them, depending on the allowable limit of the venue as provided by DTI guidelines. “As of the moment, wala pa nato gina-allow (we still do not allow it),” she said.

Although the national government has allowed such activities under Alert Level 3 based on the Department of Health guidelines, the doctor said the local government unit (LGU) of Davao City deems it not applicable in the city so it will not be implemented yet.

Outdoor exercises are also allowed for 15-below and 65-above as long as they continue to adhere to minimum public health standards (MPHS) such as wearing of face mask and social distancing.

(CIO-DAVAO CITY)

Sarangani’s ‘Boracay of the South’ opens to vaxxed tourists

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GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Fully vaccinated tourists from outside Soccsksargen may now enjoy the famed whitesand beaches and other popular destinations in “tour town” Glan in Sarangani province.

Rhoa Wadingan, Glan tourism officer, said on Thursday the local government has decided to reopen its beach resorts and facilities to tourists from outside the region, especially those who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

She said the move is part of their continuing efforts to help the area’s tourism industry recover from the impact of the pandemic.

“This is an incentive to those who are already vaccinated and hopefully will encourage others to also get the vaccines,” she said in an interview.

Based on the guidelines earlier issued by Glan Mayor Vivien Yap, Wadingan said visitors need to present their con-

firmed bookings with a resort and register with the town’s contact tracing application Data Vault for Your Covid-19 Assistance Response Emergency System or “DVY Cares.”

She said unvaccinated tourists from other areas are still welcome, provided they can present negative Covid-19 antigen test results.

The municipality closed down its 35 beach resorts and hotels in midJune this year due to the surge in Covid-19 cases but reopen them a month later to tourists from Soccsksargen.

Wadingan said the number of tourists visiting the area has been increasing since August and they expect a further hike in arrivals as the recorded new infections in the region and other areas continued to decline.

She said the number of visitors in the province grew from 24,139 last August to 44,307 in September.

“Majority of our resort workers are already fully

vaccinated and we hope that this will encourage more tourists to come,” he said.

Glan, dubbed the “Boracay of the South” due to its pristine whitesand beaches, was one of the top tourist destinations in Soccsksargen before the pandemic.

The Sarangani Bay Festival, a three-day annual beach party last hosted by the town in 2019, attracts as many as over 100,000 tourists from various parts of the country.

Aside from its beaches, Glan, which celebrated its centennial year in 2014, also offers a glimpse of its historic past through its well-preserved century-old ancestral houses.

Early this week, the National Quincentennial Commission unveiled a historical landmark near the shores of Barangay Batulaki, Glan to commemorate the passage in the area 500 years ago of the surviving crew of the Magellan-Elcano expedition. (PNA)

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