ZAMBOANGA SOUTHWALL

2012-02-14T09:02:00.005+08:00

HATAMAN LAUNCHES ARMM RUBBER NURSERY,

DISTRIBUTES AGRI-FISHERY INPUTS IN BASILAN

ARMM OIC Governor Mujiv Hataman delivers a speech during the launching of ARMM Central Rubber Nursery and Turn-Over of Agri Fishery Inputs at DAF - Basilan Provincial Office in Sta. Clara, Lamitan City, Basilan on Saturday, February 11, 2012 as ARMM Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Prof. Sangkula Tindick and Joint Task Force-Basilan Commander Col. Ricardo Visaya look on.

Regional Governor Hataman launches the ARMM Central Rubber Nursery and distributed various Agri Fishery Inputs in Barangay Sta. Clara, Lamitan City, Basilan.

RG Hataman performs a turnover of gill net fishing inputs together with Basilan Vice Governor Alrasheed Sakkalahul and ARMM Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Prof. Sangkula Tindick.

The 10-hectare rubber nursery project, the first of its kind in ARMM, located at Sta. Clara Breeding Station in Lamitan City, will enhance rubber seedlings and production with an expected output of 1,220,000 propagated rubber seedlings of 7 different clones.

"Its duration: March 2012 onwards; area; expected output: 1,220,000 propagated rubber Seedlings of 7 different clones; area to be planted: 2,440 hectares; proponent/implementor: DAF-ARMM, Basilan," said ARMM DAF Secretary Prof. Sangkula Tindick.

According to Tindick, the nursery project will benefit rubber farmers or growers in the island province and provide them livelihood "besides could augment the incomes of the rural folks and boosting the province's rubber industry."

DA-Central, DA-RFU IX, Philippine Rubber Board, USM, Office of the Congressman Lone District Basilan Jim Salliman, PLGU, MLGUs, NGOs, and POs of Basilan are the project coordinating agencies.

Budgetary requirement is P9.5 million (project cost - P6,750,000, administrative cost - P2,750,000) that is source from the ARMM Local Fund Office of the Regional Governor Mujiv S. Hataman.

"Expected: First year operation March, 2012 to February 2013 (seedlings produced: 610,000 hills, seedlings distributed: 604,000 hills, and rubbery clones propagated: 7 clones)," Tindick said.

Hataman also launched a 3.5 hectares coconut project as well as a 2 hectares mango-durian project and .5 hectares rambutan project.Likewise, the agro forest area with a total rubber area of 12 hectares and productive area of 6 hectares and the "Binhi Para sa Kapayapaan" nursery (10 hectares) as well as the future area for rubber production and research purposes.

Hataman's undertaking is the ARMM government's response to enhancing peace in the region by increasing agricultural productivity and the agriculture department's goal of opening new agri-business lands.

He stressed the need to transform the many unproductive and idle lands of the province into agri-business lands to help generate more jobs for the locals. The ARMM OIC Governor lauded Secretary Tindick for his sensitivity and responsiveness in improving the welfare of the people of Basilan. -- HG

2012-02-13T10:50:00.003+08:00

Hataman meets Basilan LGU, AFP, PNP officials

for peace & development multi-sectoral forum

ARMM OIC Regional Governor Mujiv S. Hataman is escorted by Col. Ricardo Visaya, Joint Task Force-Basilan commander, during the arrival ceremony at the 104th Brigade Headquarters in Barangay Tabiawan, Isabela City, Basilan Province before the Peace and Development Multi-Sectoral Forum on Saturday, February 11, 2012.

ARMM OIC Governor Mujiv Hataman shakes hand with the local police officials of Basilan headed by PNP Provincial Director of Basilan Sr. Supt. Alex Lineses at the Peace and Development Multi-Sectoral Forum

ARMM OIC Governor Mujiv Hataman presides the Peace and Development Multi-Sectoral Forum held at Headquarters of Joint Task Force Basilan, Camp Luis R. Biel II, Barangay Tabiawan, Isabela City in Basilan Province on Saturday, February 11, 2012. With him are Basilan Governor Jum Akbar, Vice Governor Alrasheed Sakkalahul, Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad, Western Mindanao Command Chief Maj. Gen. Noel Coballes, 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division Commander Brig. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, DIPO Commander for Western Mindanao Director Felicisimo Khu Jr., Joint Task Force-Basilan Commander Col. Ricardo Visaya, Police Regional Office 9 Regional Director Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles and Police Provincial Director of Basilan Sr. Supt. Alex Lineses. All sides vow to further cooperation and strengthen unity for the peace and development in Basilan.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman met on Saturday with local government leaders of Basilan, Western Mindanao-based top military and police officials in Isabela City for peace and development multi-sectoral forum.

The ARMM OIC Governor discussed to Gov. Jum Akbar, Vice Gov. Alrasheed Sakkalahul, mayors, police and military officials the implementation and importance of reform thrusts for the ARMM bureaucracy, intended for Basilan's socio economic development, good governance, and improving peace and security.

Responding to the presentation of so-called "Comprehensive Development Plan - Executive & Legislative Agenda" by the Provincial Government of Basilan, Hataman stressed to local government leaders the convergence of effort and funding for development as the key to achieving the 3-year plan.

"We must have convergence to put the projects and programs in the proper perspective," Hataman said. "We won't allow anymore projects that have no significant impact in the community."

In terms of peace and security, the ARMM OIC Governor agreed with applying the tactics in counterinsurgency where 80 percent political and only 20 percent military.

"This is true. In our peace and security frame, our concept is human security where the big factor is the local government units," Hataman said.

In fact, he said they had discussions with President Benigno Aquino III and Secretary of Budget and Management Florencio Abad regarding the suspension of Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of the local government unit in ARMM if it will not properly function.

According to Hataman, he and ARMM's Police Regional Office under Director, Police Superintendent Bienvenido Latag, had organized "Task Force Monitoring" for Lanao and other areas in the autonomous region.

"We have a lot of funding in ARMM but the problem really is the improper and poor implementation of projects where the funds are wasted," said Hataman.

As this developed, Hataman pledged to give strategic basic infrastructures to the mayors who are serving in remote towns in Basilan and who do not have the benefit of Internal Revenue Allocation (IRA) provided they will hold office regularly in their respective municipal seat of government.

"We will establish the quality. We will give you municipal hall, public market, water system, your basic needs, and other basic infrastructures but we have to agree where to put up you government center and not to politicize this...let's think of the future of our place," Hataman said.

Stressing his aim for good governance, the ARMM OIC Governor said he wanted that before his term ends all the local government units will properly function. "You should regularly hold office or else you will be punished, although there is a transitional period to be considered."

Hataman ended with an appeal: "I live here (Basilan) I studied here I want to develop our place I want Basilan to become model in the future and I want all local government units here functional. It's our responsibility that we should bring peace and development into our province. All of the people of Basilan should take part."

Saturday's peace and development multi-sectoral forum saw the presence of Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad, Western Mindanao Command Chief Maj. Gen. Noel Coballes, 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division Commander Brig. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, DIPO Commander for Western Mindanao Director Felicisimo Khu Jr., Joint Task Force-Basilan Commander Col. Ricardo Visaya, Police Regional Office 9 Regional Director Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles and Police Provincial Director of Basilan Sr. Supt. Alex Lineses. All sides vowed to further, enhance cooperation and strengthen unity for the peace and development in Basilan. -- Hader Glang

2012-02-05T22:52:00.001+08:00

Advocacy to President Aquino's reform agenda in Mindanao has grown among different groups in southern Philippines.

2012-01-26T11:23:00.003+08:00

Inviting MILF, ASG to harmony, peace
dialogue a big challenge, says Silsilah

Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra, Silsilah Dialogue Movement founder.

Inviting the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front, Abu Sayyaf, New Peoples Army and other insurgent groups to interfaith harmony and peace dialogue will be a big challenge, the Zamboanga City-based local organizers of the World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIFHW) 2012 celebration said.

"It's an idea, a crazy idea, but this great idea can also to my mind on some other occasion. I think no matter how the things they (rebels) do they probably can tell us us why they are doing this," Silsilah Dialogue Movement founder Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra said during a press conference with local media on Monday.

But D'Ambra doubts if they can easily achieve a harmony with the said rebel and militant groups "because that will be a miracle, only in the Philippines, this miracle can happen." He said in spite of this a reflection of something can be done together.

"Of course, no promises of any but just a kind of sincere sharing with some. If their real leaders can not come because they're afraid they can send somebody to tell us that this is their (of Abu Sayyaf, MILF and others) voice. We will see what will happen. That's a great challenge to us," he said.

For Professor Ali Yacub, Muslim convener of the Inter-Religious Solidarity Movement for Peace (IRSMP), the challenge to invite the Abu Sayyaf, MILF and other groups can be done but the challenge not to be arrested them especially those wanted and with warrant of arrest is a very impossible thing.

"We can guarantee the invitation but by not arresting, we can't guarantee," said Prof. Yacub, also the president of Golden Crescent Consortium of Peace Builders and Affiliates (GCCPBA).

The United Nation General Assembly encourages all States to support, on a voluntary basis, the spread of the message of interfaith harmony and goodwill in the world's churches, synagogues, temples and other places of worship during the week long celebration.

It is based on love of God and love of one's neighbor or on love of the good and love of one's neighbor, each according to their own religious traditions or convictions.

Former school superintendent Dr. Abdurrahman Keno of the Department Education explained that the purpose of celebrating WIFHW is to create awareness on all people of the world that there is such harmony through interfaith dialogue.

"I can say without any contradictions that if there are hundreds of Abu Sayyaf, there are 10 or 20 more of them who are real Muslims that subscribe to harmony and dialogue through interfaith dialogue," he said.

Prof. Alzad Sattar, another organizer of WIFHW, said the idea of inviting the rebels and others to interfaith harmony and peace is possible but in a different level. "This is a challenge for us. We should not stop until we die insha-Allah (in God's will)."

But a local human rights and peace advocate who specializes international humanitarian law and rules of engagement opposed the idea of inviting Abu Sayyaf and NPA to interfaith dialogue, saying that terrorists will not respond to the invitation and do not want to be recognized as a group.

He instead challenged the media to reaching out to rebels through radio, television and newspapers.

"We can not invite a group purely Abu Sayyaf, NPA or international terrorists under Bin Laden, although we can conduct a forum in a particular barangay, where they will join the masses, the group of people, without identifying themselves," he said. -- Hader Glang

2012-01-18T22:46:00.006+08:00

ASFP, DSWD meet in Zambo to review

World Bank funded projects in ARMM

ARMM Social Fund Project (ASFP) Project Manager Nasser Sinarimbo (sitting extreme right) convenes his staff and their DSWD implementing project partners from provinces of Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi at Garden Orchid hotel in Zamboanga City. HG

Officials and project staffs of the ARMM Social Fund Project (ASFP)and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) ARMM gathered here for a three-day catch up-planning workshop on Program Implementation Agreement No. 009-AF.

ASFP Project Manager Nasser Sinarimbo convened their project implementing partners from provinces of Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi headed by DSWD Secretary Hja. Pombaen Karon-Kader of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

"We are meeting our main project implementing partners to review the implementation plan of additional financing for ASFP under the Community Development Assistance (CDA) and to also make sure that the projects are implemented as per planned and completed on time," said Sinarimbo.

The ASFP has been carrying out community-based infrastructure projects and services through its two components, the CDA and the Institutional Strengthening and Governance (ISG).

"These are community-based infra like warehouses, dryers, water system, health stations and many others being implemented in partnership with DSWD ARMM Secretary Kader, where those targeted villages based on criteria and through the people's organization, are given the opportunities to implement the projects," he added.

To date, the project manager further said "Right now, ASFP is covering 240 barangays plus the 213 under the Phase 2... we also had project staffs recruitment in Lanao del Sur after the qualifying examination and we have more examinations for Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi."

Over a year ago, the World Bank approved a $30 million additional financing package for peace and development projects aimed at enhancing access to social and economic infrastructure and livelihood opportunities, improve local governance and institutional capacity in ARMM.

In the additional financing, five hundred ninety-six (596) barangays in 108 municipalities of ARMM such as Maguindanao, Lanao Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan shall be provided assistance which will be equitably allocated based on population.

ASFP has been consistently acknowledged by the World Bank for performing well and adopting the policies and guidelines set forth in project implementation. Its project life will be extended to May 31, 2013, with the additional financing. HG

2012-01-13T12:41:00.003+08:00

2nd Week - January 11, 2012

AN OPEN LETTER FROM FR. SEBASTIANO D’AMBRA TO MUJIV HATAMAN, THE NEW OIC OF ARMM, AND A SILSILAH ALUMNUS 1997

Dear Mujiv,

Allow me to share my joy to know that you, one of the alumni of the Silsilah Summer Course, has reached this position as head of the ARMM. It is not the first time that a Muslim or Christian alumnus of Silsilah has occupied an important position in Philippine society in one of the institutions or universities. I wish to share with you in this open letter not only my joy but also my hope. Allow me to share as a father or a mentor to one alumnus and friend who is dear to me, and can help to move efforts in the same direction of dialogue and peace.

The last time we met was in Harmony Village few years ago and you reminded me that you are one of the Silsilah alumni. We are proud of this. You are now in one of the most difficult and challenging positions in the country. It is a position that can facilitate the peace process or continue the situation of violence and corruption in Mindanao. You can legitimately take pride in the notable achievements which are part of your “heritage” as a Muslim and a Mindanawon but this same heritage also has negative elements which includes violence that reached its highest level on the occasion of the Maguindanao Massacre.

Observing your first moves in your position as ARMM OIC I sense that you are doing your best. “Padayon!” (Move on!) This is the word of encouragement that you still remember for sure from the Silsilah experience.

Most of the time people believe that if we have more security structures and more money we can solve the problem of peace in Mindanao. This is only partially right. You know how much money has been given to ARMM over the years and how many thousands of soldiers have been assigned in Mindanao. But what have been the results? It is commonly believed that the National Government and the ARMM have to improve the “truth and sincerity” in their relations and make it the real foundation of peace and development.

We will support you in all the wise moves you will make to help the central government realize that only a real and genuine autonomy, or a similar form of governance, can be made as an example in Mindanao and hopefully applied in other regions as an appropriate form of “federalism” or similar system in the Philippines. You have the challenge to convince the people of ARMM to claim what is right, but with a realistic attitude that considers the real development of Mindanao , where the indigenous people and others who have reached Mindanao from other areas have rights too.

Dear Mujiv, you know better than I how complicated is the situation, but I know also that you have courage and determination. Use all your gifts and talents to become a model of a leader who is in the front line for the “common good” and not the “common corruption and violence “ that bring more poverty.

Remember the Silsilah commitment to promote the Culture of Dialogue, Path to Peace based on personal and social transformation. People around you have to learn how to be good Muslims or good Christians, living and promoting love and compassion. How many times we find hypocritical leaders who act as though they are good Muslims or good Christians, but their hearts are still full of hatred, violence and corruption. We need righteous people in society starting with the leaders. I hope and pray that you will be one model in Mindanao.

Dear Mujiv, I need not add more points in this open letter. You know what is best and I am sure you will continue to do the best.

Allow me to end this open letter with a suggestion. From 1977, the year I arrived in Mindanao, up to now I have seen the struggle of many good Muslims and Christians to overcome historical conflicts, new prejudices and forms of mistrust, among the two faith communities, including the lumads in Mindanao. But so far the results have been limited because many of them are part of the “silent majority” who are afraid to share their feelings on anomalies carried out by some leaders of sectors of society; illegal businesses; corruption, etc. Doing it in this way violence allows more violence and fear , which continue to perpetuate the “culture of silence and fear” . We have to overcome this critical situation in all possible ways.

One way to start can be to follow the encouragement coming from the United Nations to celebrate the first week of February every year as the “World Interfaith Harmony Week”. This move of the United Nations was inspired by the open letter of 138 Muslim scholars of the world to Pope Benedict XVI and other Christians leaders of the world to work together for peace, starting from the message of the love of God and the love of neighbor in Islam and Christianity as it is found in the teaching of the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur’an.

We in Zamboanga City and in the ZAMBASULTA sub-region are moving in this direction in partnership with the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines which is the lead group of this special Interfaith Harmony Week Celebration. I hope you will spread this celebration in the ARMM region as a good starting point to celebrate Harmony as the answer to the future peace of Mindanao.

Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME (Sgd.)

2012-01-09T22:12:00.009+08:00

Hataman to political rivals: 'Forget politics

first and help me fix ARMM problems'

ARMM officer-in-charge-Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman stresses a point at a Thanksgiving or Duwa'a held in Tabiawan, Isabela City, Basilan Province last Saturday. Behind him is Basilan Vice Governor Al Rasheed Sakkalahul. Hader Glang

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman has asked his political rivals to forget politics first and help him to fix the problems hounding in the autonomous region.

Speaking at a Dua’a (Thanksgiving) held in Barangay Tabiawan, Isabela City, Basilan Province on Saturday morning, Hataman told the crowd that ARMM is a broken region because of too much politicking.

"This is the challenge that must be fixed within 17 months, so I plead to you. We will only succeed in our quest for reform in ARMM if you are there and if there is cooperation from all sides," Hataman said.

He stressed that there is no room in his heart and thoughts for revenge on his political rivals because it will only divide the people and does not benefit anyone.

Citing the effect of excessive politicking which operates in DepEd ARMM, Hataman said it had greatly destroyed on the educational system in the region.

“DepEd is broken not because of teachers and educators but due to politics. All the projects are not properly implemented...no justice in our towns because of too much politicking," he added.

For this very reason, the ARMM chief caretaker said until now, he has not appointed regional secretary to the DepEd ARMM. “I do not need a doctor of education, though it’s needed later.

"What I need is a daring person and fearless who has a strong heart to change the system and trends within the DepEd,” he stressed.

Hataman further said he is determined to eliminate corruption prevalent in DepEd within 100 days of his administration and to do significantly to improve the quality in education in 17 months.

He noted that good governance, socio-economic development, and peace and security are the main thrusts of his administration under the “matuwid na daan” or right path campaign of President Benigno Aquino III.

“We will not disarm that is not the solution, but the question is how to regulate the firearms which is the solution,” Hataman said, referring to his proposed general amnesty on loose firearms.

“This is what we will do. I will ask our President to have a general amnesty on firearms within ARMM,” he added.

On the first marching order from President Aquino to stop illegal loggers operating in the region, Hataman said the investigation involving the shutting down of seven sawmills in Kapai town, Lanao de Sur is ongoing.

He said he poured in enough funds to the newly reinforced Task Force Ranao headed by Brig. General Daniel Lucero to engage in an all-out offensive against illegal logging in the province.

He expressed confidence that many positive things will happen in the region. He continued saying that he just wanted to lead by example in ARMM, where a completely peaceful and prosperous region, was his dream.

“But I’m not dreaming this much, simply just wanted to regain the honor and dignity of Muslims," he said. “If we can't change the structure of ARMM, at least, we can change the perception from outside ARMM. I promised you that I am determined to reform ARMM. Join me to achieve this goal,” he concluded. HG

2012-01-08T13:33:00.007+08:00

Thanksgiving Day in Basilan

Former Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Partylist Representative Mujiv S. Hataman's appointment as officer-in-charge (OIC) regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) gave hope and a feeling of optimism to the people of Basilan Province. On Saturday, thousands of people from all walks of life including religious leaders, local government officials, civil society members and teachers of Basilan and its towns flocked to Tabiawan in Isabela City to hold Thanksgiving or Dua for the newly installed ARMM chief caretaker. Hader Glang

2011-12-25T23:03:00.005+08:00

Mujiv Hataman assumes ARMM's OIC Governorship
Promises reforms in 17 months

A determined newly appointed officer-in-charge (OIC) regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Mujiv Hataman has been installed and promised during his tenure to put an end to wrongdoing and bad practices within the autonomous region in 21 months.

During last Thursday’s turnover ceremony inside a conference room at ARMM Regional Governor Complex in Cotabato City in front of more than 100 local officials including governors, assemblymen and mayors, Hataman used his speech to send a strong message to people who tried to unseat him.

"I know that while many are glad of my appointment, others are raged. I see one reason of this anger because they know this is the end of their happy days, their wrong practices in the past," he stressed.

The new chief executive of ARMM thanked those who rejoiced his appointment, saying that he will sincerely struggle. He vowed not to fail them.

To others, Hataman said “if indeed our objective is to serve the people for the sake of the majority and prosperity of the region, then we are not enemies we are allies and we should work together.”

He warned those who will create trouble and enrich themselves through plunder “I will make sure they have placement because this is the mandate of our president."

As the audience applauded, Hataman said he accepted the mandate, the challenge and dictate of President Aquino, stressing that he does not consider the position of ARMM OIC regional as license to be king as it is a position to serve the local people.

Hataman continued "we will create a new culture in the ARMM, a good governance based on transparency and accountability, a culture of management that the foundation is anchored on democracy, citizens' participation and broad empowering our people and pragmatic but principled leadership."

He further said that ARMM had passed in the darkness "when you say ARMM, immediately the adjacent term is corruption, chaos, and continued poverty of the people. It seems very impossible to erase this impression for a long time now, almost never the sunsets of prosperity and peace in the ARMM.”

The new ARMM governor proclaimed "this time the challenge for us all is how to address the reform of the ARMM in a short time. How to give sense to the two decades existence of ARMM in just seventeen months? Is this simple? I strongly believe that if we are all together, united and act on real change and we trust our own strength and abilities, a new and progressive ARMM is possible."

Admitting the critics comment that it is very impossible to achieve reform in ARMM in a short span of period, he said it is true that "not we all desired reforms in the ARMM will be completely or achieved in a moment. We are not magician that in just a moment we instantly change something. We are not also politicians who always flatter people and even promise us the moon and the stars."

Using a classic story of an old man, who walked very far away amid the warm and heat of the day to seek shelter in the a shade of a tree because he thought the planting of trees in the wide field, ridiculed by people because how he could take shelter in the shade of the trees he planted when he is already dead by that time.

"But the old man did no matter it because what matters to him even he is already not there it would be the shelter of another next to him or new generation. This is the basis that we wil do. This is our desire if we will not totally achieve the reform, our goal, at least within seventeen months we will ensure reform, lay down the foundation of good governance, pure culture for serving our countrymen. We do this for the masses we are serving that put us in power and truly public service."

"Today this signal the opening of a new page in the history of ARMM. Today starts the first step to pursue our course for significant reform and change in ARMM. We will not not let allow this only a turnover ceremony we will give this meaning and life right now because we owe this to the people who offered their life and the generations yet to come."

"We will begin the reform by clearing first the bureaucracy and its management. In our administration, influence peddling is prohibited, the applicants must be all qualified, and we will reduce the violence to have an encouraging state of peace and stability."

That's is why, Hataman, said they agreed with DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo the convening of the regional peace and order council with the respective governors of five provinces in the ARMM next year of January.

"And above all, delivering to the people and carrying out the basic services and programs for their development," he said. "We also know that there is P8.5 million stimulus fund which was given by the government and we will ensure that this fund will reach on our people."

In this framework, we build a strong pillar of our office with sensible management, good governance, peace security, socio-economic development, all these are guided by principles to strengthen the foundations of democracy, and empowerment of citizens.

"We will restore the trust of the people to the ARMM, we will show to the whole world that the Muslim 'ummah', the Bangsamoro, has the ability to lead and run the government and set its future," Hataman vowed.

"Now do we have the capability to change ARMM within seventeen months?" he asked. "This is my my answer. If you want, then there is a way; if you don't there is always reason. Let's do the rigth thing because we can do this and because we believe in our only strength to build a new, progressive and peaceful ARMM," he concluded. – Hader Glang

2010-11-29T17:01:00.004+08:00

Philippines' first peace monument unveiled in Zamboanga City, Mindanao

Individuals, groups and institutions led by Peace Advocates Zamboanga (PAZ) and Interreligious Solidarity Movement for Peace (IRSMP) gathered yesterday infront of Edwin Andrews Air Base in Barangay Sta. Maria, in this city, to unveil a peace monument.

Fr. Angel Calvo, PAZ president, accompanied by Dr. Grace Rebollos, president of Western Mindanao State University (WMSU), and Prof. Ali Yacub, chairman of Golden Crescent Consortium of Peace Builders and Affiliates (GCCPBA) officially unveiled the first ever peace monument in the country.

An indigenous offerings and ceremonial ritual with smoke and incense as well as thanksgiving, flowers offering, and a prayer for peace were also held. Organizers said the offerings were giving themselves to Almighty God as the over all Peace Weaver of our time.

"As we cleanse ourselves, we commit to live in a new space for peace, peace within ourselves, peace among our neighbors, peace with nature and peace with our Great Provider," one of the organizers, Ms. Pangilinan, said in a prepared statement.

The statement further states, "In this symbolic gathering, we share flowers among ourselves to show love and respect of the individual; the smoke and the incense is the symbol of cleansing and driving away negative forces...and salt as it spread around the area drive away negative forces that may cause indiferrence or misunderstanding...let all symbols remind us to preserve and promote peace to all mankind."

Father Calvo told a crowd which included Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPPAP) Secretary Teresita Deles who graced the peace monument unveiling ceremony, Councilors Al Jihan Edding, Myra Paz Abubakar, as well as high ranking military and police officials and PAZ/IRSMP members: "This (monument) is reminder for all of us and the future generation of our aspiration of harmony among the people of Zamboanga."

Calvo said: "This is anchoring the reality of our hands. We proclaim peace in our hands...the mosaic represents the Muslims, Lumads and other tribes of Christians in the area that is our symbol to be a reminder to preserve and a symbol for all for us living in Zamboanga, coming to Zamboanga together or nearby the airbase with our aspiration of peace anchoring with the reality. We hope that the monument will be a monument to remind us all of our common commitment to peace."

The "First Peace Monument" was created by Tausug artist Rameer Tawasil. It is shaped like a peace dove and hand extending peace.

Secretary Deles congratulated and thanked Tawasil for contributing his talent in creating the peace monument that they have unveiled. "I will wish to return to this monument everytime I am in Zamboanga."

She said: "We build monuments and markers of remembrance to maintain to a past that we want future generations remember...we build monuments because remembering is a part of healing and a necessary step for moving on and forward."

She mentioned the "Social Contract with the Filipino People" of President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III. "It is not called a promise. Of the 16 provisions in the contract, number 14 focuses on the issue of peace in Mindanao. It said from a disjointed, short-sighted Mindanao policy that merely reacts to events and incidents to one that seeks a broadly supported just peace and will redress decades of neglect of the Moro and other peoples of Mindanao." - HG

2010-11-27T08:52:00.003+08:00

Maguindanao massacre victims' kin urge for speedy prosecution of Ampatuans

Prayers, offering of flowers, lighting of candles, and demonstrations in remembering the 57 victims of Maguindanao massacre were held Tuesday in the remote town of Ampatuan to mark the first anniversary of the carnage.

A huge crowd, including local journalists from the different regions and foreign countries as well as multi-sectoral group leaders and non governmental organizations, gathered in a remote hill at Barangay Salman, where the slaughter occured Nov. 23, 2009.

Tuesday's ceremony in Ampatuan town began at 8:00 a.m., the country’s worst political massacre that shocked the world and gained media international and United Nation attention.

Military and police security forces backed by combat vehicles along the road towards the hilly site, where the massacre took place, had a very sizable size presence to secure the area.

The families and relatives of massacre victims led by Maguindanao Governor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu, whose wife Jenalyn was among those killed in the slaughter, called for a speedy prosecution of the accused.

"A year has passed but justice still remains unserved. I have mixed emotions as I stand before you today. I wish I could tell you that after one year, the case is about to be concluded," Mangudadatu said in a prepared statement.

The Ampatuans, their conspirators and accomplices shall in no time be convicted. However, that is not the case here. It pains me to think that despite the evidence presented by the prosecution, the major suspects in the case are yet to be arraigned."

Considering that the number of victims involved in the masssacre, Mangudadatu said its negative impact to the country and the media attention it received internationally as well as the slow progress of the case is to say disappointing.

Despite having been put behind bars, the Ampatuans remain influential through their allies who are powered by their ill-gotten wealth and weapons, according to Mangudadatu.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who was present at the commemoration, vowed to focus her attention on the prosecution of those implicated in the massacre.

Reading the statement of President Benigno Aquino III, De Lima says: "Today the wheels of justice grind on. 57 cases are pending before the Regional Trial Court 221 of Quezon City. 49 of the 196 accused in the case have been arraigned and 81 have been arrested. One alleged victim remains missing. His body was never found."

The President's statement furthers, "The resolution of these cases has become the litmus test of our justice system. It in one of the top priorities of the Justice Department. We will not rest until justice has been served. Today we agai offer our condolences to the families of the victims and vow to do everything in our power to achieve a timely resolution of this case and esnure that this does not happen again."

Relatives of the victims also made emotional appeals for justice.

Journalists placed flowers and lit candles on the area, where many of the media colleagues were dugged up. They also released white doves and white baloons in memory of the victims.

A foreign journalist Deborah Muir, who is senior member of the Australia-based International Federation of Journalists, called for a speedy and comprehensive justice for all the Maguindanao massacre victims.

Meanwhile, Governor Mangudadatu asked the people to be cautious against the influences of the Ampatuans.

"Let us be vigilant so that we may restore not only peace and order in the province of Maguindanao but also the wealth ill gotten by them from the people. We should remain hopeful despite the slow progress of the case. Let us pray that justice shall be served in an inexpensive and expeditious manner. Let us pray that such event, one of the darkest moments in 21st century will never be repeated."

The Mindanao Human Rights Action Center, Inc. also issued statament wishing to express its solidarity with the families of the victims and support for their unwavering determination to seek justice.

"The quest for justice and peace must continue...justice is sought. Justice must be delivered. No ifs,not buts...our calls for justice for the victims of the November 23 massacre is ther same call we make for ALL victims of human rights violations throughout the conflict affected areas of Mindanao," the statement said.

Let our commemoration of the martyrdom of the November 23 victims be a moment for all of us to: reflect of the nexus between the conflict and human rights violations; strengthen our resolve to seek a just and negotiated end to the conflict; and strengthen our commitment to pursue justice for all victims of human rights violations. No peace without human rights. No human rights without peace."

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2010-10-24T10:28:00.002+08:00

Tragic incident in Zamboanga: 3 killed, 6 injured

Fate intervened in the cruelest way possible, a Muslim public school teacher was stabbed to death by an ex-convict few days before she was to get married.

One witness, a 12-year old girl who was in a state of trauma, recounted the stabbing spree inside their classroom at Talisayan Elementary School in the city's westcoast.

It was Friday afternoon, October 22, 2010, a knife-wielding ex-convict who ran amok barged into the classroom and stabbed teachers and students one by one.

Six other people were also wounded in the attack that occurred at 1:45 in the afternoon inside the classrooms, where teachers were holding their classes.

The suspect, who was identified as Feli Mateo, was also killed after angry villagers, overpowered, mauled and beat him to death with stones.

The motive of the attack was unknown, but village officials confirmed that the attacker was an ex-convict.

It was learned from police officials, the suspect was the caretaker of a fighting cock farm owned by Leonito Narvaez.

The suspect was convicted for rape in 1981 and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, his sentence was commuted and later released in 2008.

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2010-10-17T20:21:00.009+08:00

ASFP, JICA perform groundbreaking/turnover of over P25 million projects in Lamitan, Basilan

The ARMM seeks to improve the current socio-economic condition of Lamitan, Basilan in support of its current developmental thrusts that include among others the establishment of vital transport infrastructure facilities (roads, bridges, ports and other support facilities).

ARMM Social Fund Project Manager Nasser Sinarimbo on Friday, October 15, 2010, perfomed the groundbreaking of the improvement of Lamitan Port (construction of passenger terminal building) and concreting of Parangbasak- Bolehebong road in Lamitan, Basilan Province.

Japan International Cooperation Agency expert Tito Oria Sr. who represented JICA Chief Representative Norio Matsuda and Lamitan Mayor Roderick Furigay accompanied Engr. Sinarimbo in the two groundbreaking of ASFP projects in Barangay Kulay Bato and Barangay Parangbasak, as well as turnover of completed health and multi-purpose centers in Barangay Baungos.

In an interview, Sinarimbo said the local government of Basilan identified the projects through Lamitan Mayor Furigay whose effort was approved by ARMM Social Fund's Regional Economic Development Planning Board, and positively reciprocated by the administration of ARMM Regional Governor Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong with fundings from JICA.

According to Sinarimbo, the cost of the improvement of Lamitan port project is estimated at P15,808,302.39 million and the concreting of Parangbasak and the cost of Bolehebong road project is estimated at P9.791,229.07 million.

The said projects are also in line with the socio-economic-political agenda of the national government.

The officials believe the projects will bring progress to Lamitan benefits as far as socio-economic development, revenue, and all maritime interests and easy accessibility, reduce travel time, as well as peace and order stability, respectively, are concerned.

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2010-10-13T14:29:00.009+08:00

A MUST WATCH VIDEOS: MNLF-MILF CONFLICT PART 1 & 2

Posted at Youtube. Please click or copy and phase URL below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbv2litE_8k&playnext=1&videos=t3S3o67z410&feature=mfu_in_order

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCnDDqkMVxU&playnext=1&videos=Ibq0n3Sc5BM&feature=mfu_in_order

2010-08-09T20:57:00.002+08:00

Police show CCTV video on airport bombing in Zamboanga

Local authorities here on Sunday showed to media a video taken from CCTV security camera footage that justifies the linkages of suspected bombers in Thursday's bombing near the arrival area of Zamboanga City International Airport.

In a press conference at City Hall, the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) chaired by Mayor Celso Lobregat presented pieces of evidence captured from the CCTV video footage establishing the linkages of Reynaldo Apilado and Hatimil Yacub Harun.

The authorities also showed a CCTV video footage of some scenes, including Apilado and Harun who were waiting near the arrival area when the explosion occurred.

Based on the CCTV footage, Saipudin together with a companion checked at Imperial Hotel on July 27, 20010 and the next day Apilado, Harun and a companion took over the said hotel room and continued until July 31, 2010.

The video footage showed that on August 1, 2010, the three persons transferred to a bigger room at the same floor in room 203 and until August 5, 2010, the day of the bomb explosion at the city airport.

It furthered that at about 3:15 in the afternoon on August 5, Apilado together with Harun and other companions left the Imperial Hotel. It showed Apilado returning a hotel key in the counter.

It also showed the suspects suspect were in the stairway going down and walking away outside the hotel.

Police Regional Office 9 (PRO 9) chief Edwin Corvera told reporters that in their investigation those finger prints taken from the hotel and the identification cards match with the finger prints of Apilado.

Meanwhile, Directorate for Integrated Police Operations Western Mindanao (DIPO WesMin) director Angelo Sunglao said they are looking into on whether a backbag was given to Apilado at the airport.

"Because based on the CCTV footage, when they (suspects) checked out from the hotel apparently they had no carried a bag...so we are investigating who carried the bag that was used," he added.

Sunglao said they are open to all the possible motives, one of which is the political, but said they are not discounting other motives.

But he said that, "with the development linking the pieces of evidence is leading to that point (more or less political)."

Earlier, during questioning by Philippine National Police chief Jesus Versoza with Governor Sakur Tan of Sulu, the latter told authorities that the the bomb attack was intended for him.

Tan also told General Versoza that Cocoy Tulawie, the main suspect in the first bomb attack on the Sulu governor a year ago in Patikul, was behind the Zamboanga City airport bombing last Thursday.

Tulawie, a former councilor of Jolo, Sulu and a leader of Bangsamoro Consortium of Civil Society, is facing warrant of arrest together with three companions for the first bomb attack on Governor Tan's convoy in Sulu.

He remains at large as of this report and he is now the subject of manhunt operation by police and military authorities.

Meanwhile, Mayor Lobregat clarified certain publication about the identification of the mastermind of the bombing who attempted on the life of Governor Tan of Sulu.

He said the authorities are looking at past attempts on the life of Governor Tan, wherein there were several suspects who have warrants of arrest.

"So the instructions of the PNP chief (General Jesus Versoza) is to make sure that there is a manhunt for those that have warrants of arrest," the mayor explained.

He said: "It does not necessarily mean that those suspects are the masterminds that cannot be more or less made very definite at this point in time."

2010-08-06T21:14:00.007+08:00

Authorities identify suspected bomber at Zamboanga City international airport

Chief Supt. Edwin Corvera, director of the Police Region Office 9 (PRO 9), shows to journalists the photo of Reynaldo Apilado, whom the authorities suspected as the bomb carrier who blew himself Thursday night at the Zamboanga City International Airport. Also in photo are PNP chief Jesus Verzosa (left) and Mayor Celso Lobregat.

Police and military authorities announced the identity of a suspected suicide bomber who blew himself up targeting a governor of Sulu on the Zamboanga City international airport on Thursday night.

Security sources said that authorities are still conducting thorough investigation of the alleged suicide bombing which if confirmed could be the first of such attack carried out by a Filipino.

A police investigator described the video footage from a surveillance camera at the airport saying that they have seen the suspect (Reynaldo Apilado) who was standing infront of the arrival area and stayed there for almost four minutes."

"Then the passengers started to come out from the airplane. Perhaps, 3 to 4 passengers until such time the escort (vehicle) of Governor Sakur Tan passed when the explosion occured...the suspect has a bagpack at his back," he said.

The suspected bomber was identified as Reynaldo Apilado of Barangay Maasin, Zamboanga City. He was in his 30s and had been living at a local housing project for the past 3-4 years.

Authorities are investigating reports that Reynaldo Apilado came from Siocon town in Zamboanga del Norte and had stayed in Cotabato City sometime ago.

Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat said that a surveillance footage at the airport showed that the alleged bomber made no move to detonate the bomb that he was carrying in his backpack.

"So I would be very very hesitant to use the word suicide bomber because first of all there is no evidence that Reynaldo Apilado was the one who triggered the bomb. There was no triggering mechanism that was found within the vicinity."

Lobregat added that it is very possible that there was a remote triggering device that was triggered by somebody else. Aside from that, he said there is another angle that Reynaldo Apilado did not know that what he was carrying.

"Perhaps, somebody just asked him to carry the bag and to meet somebody in the airport. So all these angles are being looked into and we really should refrain from using the word suicide bomber because it is not verified," he said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Versoza, in a press conference in Zamboanga City, told reporters that the motive of the bombing incident appears to be a "politically motivated terrorist act."

"That is a possible attack on Governor Tan by a person through the used of bomb," Versoza said.

He said they are now looking also on previous incidents that might have some relations with the attack on Governor Tan before because there was an attempt on his life before also through the used of bomb.

"Our investigators are assessing and interfacing the other terror attacks which are polically motivated. In the initial finding, the bomb carrier itself that was a victim in the bomb blast," the PNP chief said.

2010-08-06T20:41:00.006+08:00

Bombing at Zamboanga City airport

Two persons including a suspected bomber were killed and twenty two others wounded in a bombing Thursday evening outside the arrival area of Zamboanga International Airport in Mindanao.

2 people killed, 22 others injured

Suspected bomber blew himself

At least five people including a suspected bomber were killed and 22 others injured when a bomb exploded outside the arrival area of the Zamboanga City International Airport on Thursday evening.

Mayor Celso Lobregat told local reporters the explosion occurred at about 6:15 p.m. outside the city airport's arrival area.

"It appears that the person holding the explosive device (was the bomber). We can not determine yet what the explosive device used in the attack. The body (suspected bomber) was mangled," he said.

The mayor said one of those injured victims was Sulu Governor Sakur Tan who was among the passengers of a Philippine Airlines flight from Manila that landed in Zamboanga at 6:10 p.m.

"I was able to talk with Governor Sakur Tan of Sulu...he went inside the arrival area. He was there with his son (Mayor Tan)...the governor had a slight wound because he was outside the airport when the incident happened," he said.

Governor Tan was one of the passengers going out of the airport when the bomb exploded.

When asked if the bomb was intended for the Sulu governor, Lobregat replied. "He (Governor Tan) told me that the bomb was intended for him. He thinks so."

According to Mayor Lobregat, the Sulu governor told him that the bomb exploded a few feet away from him. "In fact, he showed me his shirt was full of blood stains and the t-shirt of his son Mayor Tan was also full of blood stain."

Tan's spokesman, Sonny Abing, said the governor suffered a scratch at the right abdomen, but the injury did not require Tan to be confined at the hospital. As of posting, Tan was in his residence in Zamboanga City near the airport.

Mayor Lobregat considered the bomb attack as a terrorist act, saying that "definitely, this is a terrorist act. How else can you describe it? This is an act of terrorist."

Also asked whether the attack was a suicide attack, he said the person who carried the bomb could have exploded prematurely or it could have been that the person did not know that he was carrying the bomb and somebody had a triggering device.

The mayor confirmed that one of the injured blast victims is a British national. "He is in the operating room. He is 69 years old I think he was just waiting a passenger."

Lobregat also said that US ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas canceled his trip to Zamboanga City due to the bombing incident at the airport.

"I was just informed by General Dolorfino that the trip or visit of the US ambassador has been cancelled definitely because of the incident."

Thomas was scheduled to fly to Zamboanga on Friday to inspect local projects funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The US military has had about 500 soldiers stationed in the southern Philippines since early 2002 to train local troops in how to combat Al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf militants.

Mayor Lobregat convened the city's Crisis Management Committee to assess the situation. He said the measures they adopted to address the incident include a much higher police and military visibility.

"We have also raised the level of alertness. We have asked augmentation of troops both from the regional police and the military’s WesMinCom. The police and military top officials here assured that they will put all the possible resources that they can put to secure the City of Zamboanga," Lobregat said.

2010-08-02T12:12:00.002+08:00

Escalation of Sultan Kudarat hostilities

between 2 MNL-MILF faction leaders feared

Abandoned houses of the civilians in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat that are affected by the armed conflict of two Moro commanders Randy Karon of MNLF vs. Jing Caludtiag of MILF.

An armed conflict between a top commander of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) against a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat province is feared to escalate as hostilities between the two camps continue to claim lives.

Muslim leaders of Mindanao have tried but failed to pacify Datu Randy Karon, a top MNLF commander, and Jing Caludtiag, commander of the 104th Base Command of the MILF in the town of Lebak.Karon is a close ally and one of the trusted men of Chairman Nur Misuari during the MNLF-led armed struggle during the 70s and 80s in Central Mindanao.

When Misuari became the regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in 1996 and until 2001, Karon was appointed as the regional secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

After the failure of the traditional leaders, local government units and non governmental organizations to bring peace to Lebak, the International Monitoring Team (IMT) overseeing the cessation of hostilities between the government and the MILF has stepped in with the hope of ending the armed feud between two commanders.

Battle of supremacy

The said feud started last year and has already claimed several lives and displaced thousands of civilians who fled their homes to safer grounds in the towns of Datu Blah Sinsuat and Lebak in Sultan Kudarat, and its adjacent towns in Maguindanao.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the ARMM headed by Acting Secretary Pombaen Karon-Kadir reported that the displaced families have around 17,000 individuals affected by the MNLF-MILF commanders’ armed conflict.

They are temporarily housed in nearby villages and village halls while some of the evacuees are taking refuge at the houses of their relatives in neigh-boring villages.

A source of The Manila Times noted that the root cause of the armed conflict between the two Moro commanders was a reported “battle of supremacy” on who should control the strategic patches of lands along the coasts connecting the towns of Datu Blah Sinsuat and Lebak in Sultan Kudarat.

The two commanders, with their own armed followers in tow, engaged in gun battles several times last year, causing the dislocation of thousands of villagers who rely mainly on fishing and farming for their livelihood.

Protecting civiliansKaron told the members of the media that visited his lair that the MNLF forces loyal to him were just out to defend the civilian populace of Lebak who were reportedly harassed by the men of Caludtiag.

Karon claimed that the town of Lebak became a peaceful coastal municipality after the MNLF and the government signed the Final Peace Agreement in 1996.

He said the MNLF forces in the area including him have already reverted to their civilian lives after the signing of the peace accord that was brokered also by the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

According to Karon, after the failed signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the government and the MILF peace panel, some MILF commanders attacked certain towns in Mindanao to get the attention of both the local and international communities. Karon accused the MILF forces headed by Caludtiag, which according to him attacked also civilian installations.

“They attacked the power plant situated in Calamansig, Sultan Kudarat that included a power barge situated in the commercial port of Calamansig that eventually brought havocs into our civilian populace,” Karon complained.

Karon said because of the atrocity of the MILF forces under the control of Caludtiag, he was forced to recall his former MNLF combatants and regroup themselves into one fighting army.“I came to the point of recalling my old troops and regroup ourselves to counter act the terrorist activities of Caludtiag and his men,” Karon said.

Not sanctioned

Meanwhile, the MILF admitted that Caludtiag is one of their commanders, but claimed that he was not taking orders from the MILF central command. The group maintained that Caludtiag’s acts were not sanctioned by the MILF.

Ghazali Jaafar, the MILF chairman for political affairs, in a statement, said that while the trouble in Sultan Kudarat province involves an MILF commander, the MILF as an organization is not involved at all.

Jaafar also said that the armed conflict between the two commanders is an isolated case and should not affect the resumption of the peace talks between the government and the MILF scheduled after the observance of the Muslims’ holy month of Ramadan.

“Caludtiag’s involvement in the fighting is not sanctioned by the MILF. So it does not affect the peace talks between the GRP [Government of the Republic of the Philippines] and the MILF. This has nothing to do with it,” Jaafar said.

Appeal for peaceJaafar had sent a message addressed to both Karon and Ca-ludtiag, whom he advised to amicably settle their differences in order to bring back normalcy and peace and order in the towns of Lebak and nearby towns in Sultan Kudarat.

“I believe brother Karon, being a Muslim, and brother Caludtiag, being a Muslim too, must stop fighting because this is un-Islamic. You know, when one Muslim fights against his brother and the intention is to kill him, this is forbidden in Islam. Our hope is that both of them will agree to the proposed settlement initiated now by the IMT because many of their Muslim relatives and brothers are affected by their fighting,” Jaafar further said.

2010-08-02T00:04:00.003+08:00

MNLF commander airs sentiment
over Misuari's unilateral decision

Datu Randy Karon (right), leader of Moro National Liberation Front’s Bangsamoro warriors in Central Mindanao, shows one of his high-powered firearms at Camp Watamama Silongan-II in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat. Joseph Zosobrado, Net 25

A top moro leader based in Central Mindanao said Prof. Nur Misuari cannot make a unilateral decision for the destiny of the Bangsamoro people.

Datu Randy Karon, leader the Moro National Liberation Front forces in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, made the pronouncement early this week.

Commander Karon has been in conflict with Jing Caludtiag, also a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front since March 2009.

The conflict has already claimed several lives on both sides and displaced thousands of people in the towns in Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao.

"He (Misuari) should involve us. After all, we are freedom fighters. We fought for this cause, we fought for the aspiration of the Bangsamoro people," he said.

Now we have the peace agreement with the government and then he (Misuari) will just decide for the destiny of the Bangsamoro people alone, no! That can't happen, we will always oppose him but we still recognize him as the chairman of the MNLF," he pointed.

Karon, however, said Nur Misuari is still considered as their leader in the organization, stressing that they do not disown the MNLF founder.

"In fact, we have that high respect on him, but you know in an organization like us, you can't evade some sort of mental conflict, belief. I think that's the only thing we differ now."

He further said that there is no personal conflict between him and the old man, as it is only a matter of technical problem.

Dismissing a report that he already split from the MNLF and he formed his own group, Commander Karon sai he is still an MNLF and that MNLF is Nur Misuari.

"You can't prevent some circumstances that the group has also this internal problem but this is a problem within our organization. We will settle this once and for all but you know because of my problem can't see and talk to the old man (Misuari)," he added.

According to him, there are moments that they have opposed Misuari's idea because he is not a perfect man.

In fact, Karon said they have been doing some initiative and effort with the group to reconcile all their differences between them.

"We have already started moving but you know, this is hampered by this problem (conflict with Caludtiag). So I have to stay with my boys here. So how would I work with my MNLF brothers and sisters in other provinces?"

Karon explained they have initiated move under that unified MNLF hard cores, but not to abandon Nur Misuari or destroy the MNLF and make another organization.

"No...our intention here is to unite the MNLF to pursue the peace agreement that we have signed with the Philippine government. That is our final and ultimate goal for reorganizing the MNLF again."

When asked if still take orders from Chairman Misuari, Karon replied: "At the moment I don't. As I have said this is not a company. This is an organization. This is not own by Nur Misuari. we will see what kind of orders he is going to give us. If it is advantageous or favorable for the Bangsamoro people, we still abide him. But if his order is going to be erroneous to the organization, so why abide it?" -- HG

2010-07-31T07:19:00.001+08:00

Solution to conflict between 2 MNLF-MILF

faction commanders in SK remains elusive

A definitive solution to the armed conflict between Datu Randy Karon, leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) forces in Lebak town in Sultan Kudarat, and Jing Caludtiag, also commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF’s) 104th Base Command, remains elusive.

Based on media reports, despite attempts from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) traditional leaders and local government officials and the latest from the International Monitoring Team (IMT) to resolve the conflicthe two armed feuding groups continue their dispute in the area.

The armed conflict which started sometime in March of 2009 has already claimed several lives and displaced thousands of civilians who fled their homes to safer grounds in the towns of Datu Blah Sinsuat (DBS), Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, and its adjacent towns in Maguindanao.

The DWSD-ARMM regional office reported that the displaced families in the Karon-Caludtiag conflict are temporarily housed in nearby villages and village halls while some of the evacuees are taking refuge at the houses of their relatives' houses in neighboring villages.

A local official in Lebak told this reporter that eight barangays, including Sadam, Miti, Senapak, Laguitan in Datu Blah Sinsuat in Maguindanao as well as Tran, Calamansig, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat have been affected with an estimated of 15,000 to 17,000 individuals.

The official said the sector most affected by the conflict is the business and the education sector. “I refer to the business community of Lebak and Calamansig. This situation has greatly affected the people in the community, putting them in high alert, and fear that this trouble will escalate to its fullest. Yes (on education)…you just imagine how many people have been displaced from the various barangays from DBS (Datu Blah Sinsuat) and Lebak.”

Karon, who was former regional secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) when MNLF chairman Nur Misuari was ARMM governor from 1996 to 2001, is reportedly battling against Caludtiag over control of strategic patches of lands along the coasts connecting the towns of Datu Blah and Lebak in Sultan Kudarat.

The two contending factions fought several times last year, causing the dislocation of thousands of villagers that rely mainly on fishing and farming of short-term crops such as corn, rice and bananas, as their source of income.

In an interview at his lair called "Camp Watamama-II" in Lebak, Commander Karon said that the problem started after the collapse of peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"This group, the MILF, it's very clear. It's not just a suspect. This Caludtiag family," the MNLF commander said, blaming the MILF faction command as the one who started the conflict.

But MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar refuted this, saying that the conflict is a misunderstanding between two relatives because Karon and Caludtiag are relatives.

"I can’t give details the misunderstanding between the two of them because it’s a long story but the fight between them is not an organizational conflict between the MILF and the MNLF. It is a family. But sometime it is misunderstood. Sometime people are saying that the fight is between the MILF and the MNLF but that is not correct."

Jaafar said the MILF is not siding Caludtiag, although he is an MILF commander. Admitting that Caludtiag is being reinforced by hi MILF relatives, but the decision of his relatives who are identified with the MILF in helping him is family matter and is not sanction by the MILF as an organization.

Meanwhile, evacuees who have been affected by the armed conflict between Commander Karon and Commander Caludtiag in the coastal sitio of Lebak are longing for an end to the feud in their village.

An evacuee identified as a certain Basio, 60, who has four children said that his house and corn farm were totally damaged when the armed fighting between the two feuding groups erupted in their barangay recently.

"The conflict really affected our lives. We don't have livelihood here and we are afraid to return to our home," he said.

A woman evacuee, who is suffering from tuberculosis, said they have practically no medicine and the conditions in the area where they temporarily stay for months now are completely unsanitary.

"We don't have any medical assistance here and our home and farm were destroyed. We hope they will already settle their differences and stop the fighting," the woman added

Women, children and the elderly in Lebak, some with weeping sores on their feet, make up the majority of the refugees. Many were asking for fishing net from concerned local government agencies for their livelihood.

"When this conflict is over, I must return to my house because it is there where we born," said a teenager whose one leg was hit by a crossfire during the armed fighting between the men of the two moro feuding groups.

The coastal village of Lebak and its adjacent coastal areas are left with destroyed shanty houses and just a tiny fraction of fishermen as residents move away from the area. Now, only armed men remain in the camp of MNLF or peace zone with a Philippine flag hoisted near seashore.

Asked if they still want to settle the conflict, Commander Karon said:: "Of course, I want to have our people, our civilian, our community healthy and stable because after all that's the reason why we agreed to the peace offered by the government."

Karon said the truth of the matter he is just waiting the decision of the MILF for this problem and that he already yielded the problem to the MNLF chairman.

"I told him (MNLF chairman) to decide for us. While it's true that there is an offer of the MNLF to settle this problem but I see some biases on their decision because they only talked the local issue between our family and and then forget that big issue that involves many people who died here," he stressed.

He asked: "How would you agree with that kind of proposition disregarding that big issues surrounding this problem?"

The MNLF commander explained that the problem could had not been reached this extent had it not the support of the MILF to the other side that instead of making the effort to resolve the problem, they send more their forces to support this group (Caludtiag).

"So that's the cause why there is no resolution that had taken place. After all those initiatives from people and different people from all walks of life. Now comes the intervention of the International Monitoring Team (IMT). I don't know what's going to happen next."

"Up to now I am still awaiting for whatever peaceful resolution to the problem because you know it's my family that suffers the consequence of this problem. It's my relatives and my people from this place. It's not the people coming from the different areas. It's not them that suffer the consequence of this trouble. It's our relatives, our family and friends and all the people in this place."

Also asked to comment on the unity covenant between by the MNLF and the MILF signed by Prof. Nur Misuari and MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ibrahim, he said they are not privy to it and they don't recognize that agreement.

This agreement could probably be a personal agreement between them (Misuari and Murad), otherwise they should have consulted us before signing with any party...there was no consultation ever made whatsoever between us and Nur Misuari.

"This is people's organization that needs proper consultation on matters related to the shaping of the destiny of the organization and the people itself."

Speaking in behalf of Commander Caludtiag, MILF vice chairman Jaafar said the International Monitoring Team (IMT) together with the ceasefire committees of MILF and GRP CCCH is right now handling the problem.

"The purpose is to reconcile the two groups. Until now, they are still in the process of trying to resolve the problem, the issue. I don’t know whether they will succeed or they will fail, but we can only pray that the effort of the IMT will succeed because as of now, there are civilians in the area in Tran and neighboring areas directly affected by the troubles. They were forced to abandon their homes for fear that they might be caught in the crossfire, and so decided to stay in safer areas temporarily."

Jaafar said that what is happening between Karon and Caludtiag is not good because he believe the Bangsamoro people must remain united in facing their problems. Jaafar also believes that at this point in time there is no room for disunity and infighting between and among Bangsamoro.

"I believe that Bangsamoro leaders at this point in time must be able to arise above the 'box' (MNLF box, tribal box, MILF box)…what I mean here the Bangsamoro leaders must think as one people as Bangsamoro people, not as tribal leaders, not as Tausug leaders, not as Maguindanao leaders, Maranao leaders but as one…I think there is no time in a Bangsamoro people such as now that the Bangsamoro must act as one people, united," he concluded. HG

2010-04-05T18:00:00.003+08:00

Business community shocked at

latest kidnapping in Zamboanga

Charlie Reith, 72, the latest kidnap victim in Zamboanga City.

Vice moralty candidate Crisanto "Monsi" Dela Cruz said the City's business community was "shocked" by the abduction of a Swiss-born businessman in the city on Easter Sunday.

"The business community here is shocked by the latest kidnapping of a good friend and a neighbor," said Dela Cruz, the former presidential assistant for Western Mindanao.

On Sunday, undetermined gunmen sneaked onto the resthouse of victim Charlie Reith, 72, at Sitio Parkampo, Barangay Patalon, west of Zamboanga City at around 6 p.m.

Reith was married to a Filipina and had been living in the Philippines for decades. He owns a sand and gravel business in the same village, but previously managed a large piece of land.

A caretaker told local reporters Reith was drinking liquor with a German friend when the abductors arrived. He said the German was left behind after he passed out.

The military said Reith was forced to board a pumpboat, which sped off with the gunmen to a still unknown direction.

The caretaker said the kidnappers also took the victims' cell phones, wallet, car keys and jewelry.

It was learned from media reports that the gunmen who abducted Reith were seen speeding away in the direction of Basilan island, a well-known Abu Sayyaf and kidnappers lair.

Monsi Dela Cruz said they are saddened by the kidnapping of Reith, who is a well-respected member of the local community in Zamboanga City.

"We're are praying for the fast and safe recovery of Mr. Reith," the former priest and government official said.

"I also ask the people of Zamboanga to stay calm but vigilant amid all the incidents taking place in the city," Dela Cruz added.

According to Dela Cruz, City Hall should properly use the intelligence fund to address and put a stop to the kidnapping menace.

He said the kidnapping problem stands as a critical stumbling block to Zamboanga City's and growth and progress.

"If there is more kidnapping then we will continue to lose business confidence from local and foreign investors," Dela Cruz further said.

"It is time for the present administration to set aside politics and solve this kidnapping problem once and for all," he ended. HG

2009-12-08T07:31:00.005+08:00

Maguindanao under martial law

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo handed over power to military authorities in Maguindanao on Saturday in a bid to restore order and to speed up the arrest without warrants of other members of the Ampatuan family and their private armies who have been linked to the November 23 massacre.

In a media report, the President through Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced Proclamation No. 1959 proclaiming a state of martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Maguindanao province, except for certain areas.

“Based on Proclamation 1959, we are here to formally take over the provincial capitol. By this time, all municipal halls have been secured by the armed forces and police forces in order to ensure that these facilities will be secure,” Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Eastern Mindanao Command, announced yesterday at a press conference hours after the martial law declaration.

The martial law will continue indefinitely. The declaration came after a large cache of firearms and ammunition was unearthed near the mansions of the Ampatuans in Shariff Aguak, the capital town of Maguindanao.

Reports said soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade found different types of high-powered firearms and ammunition buried in the ground in a vacant lot in Poblacion 3 in the said town.

At least 4,000 troops have been deployed to Maguindanao for a purpose of implementing President Arroyo’s proclamation of martial law in the province and to conduct warrantless searches on residences of politicians, mostly members of the powerful political clan of the Ampatuans.

While martial law is in effect, Lieutenant General Ferrer will take over from Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., one of the suspects in the massacre, as the provincial military governor.
Security forces have arrested members of the Ampatuan clan: Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Jr., Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, ARMM Vice-Governor Akmad Ampatuan Sr., Shariff Aguak Mayor Anwar Ampatuan, and Cahoner Amatuan, a Sangguniang Bayan member of Shariff Aguak.

The other local officials arrested were Paisal Sulaik, a Sangguniang Member of Shariff Aguak; Keise Usman, regional secretary of agriculture and of the ARMM; and Kabuntalan Emblawa, regional environment secretary of the ARMM.

A total of six Ampatuans have been arrested, including another son of the Maguindanao governor, Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., who has been charged with 25 counts of murder for the massacre.

Ampatuan Jr. is currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila. Ampatuan Sr. and Zaldy have been brought to Davao City and General City, respectively.

Two other Ampatuans were detained at the Maguindanao police provincial office, as of posting time.

The November 23 Maguindanao massacre, where 57 innocent civilians were killed, drew both local and international condemnation. It was allegedly led by the governor’s son.

There was immediate condemnation about the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao from a moro group called Suara Bangsamoro.

In a text message, Amirah Lidasan, the group’s leader, said: “Salam, kinokondena ng suara bangsamoro ang martial law sa maguindanao (greetings of peace, the suara bangsamoro condemns the martial in Maguindanao).”

Lidasan said the martial law might be used against the people in Maguindanao. She added that “we fear this will set a trend for other province and be used as a pretext for a no election scenario.”

However, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) condemned the Maguindanao massacre and blamed the Ampatuans for the carnage. The rebel group said many people in the province are rejoicing over the downfall of Ampatuan.

Earlier, Mayor Ampatuan alleged that MILF commander Umbra Kato staged the deadly massacre and was behind the deaths of 57 people including mediamen. The MILF denied the allegations. (Hader Glang)

2009-11-12T20:50:00.003+08:00

Kidnapped Irish missionary priest freed

Freed Irish missionary priest. Fr. Michael Sinnott reveals his ordeal before local journalists at the Philippine Air Force's (PAF's) Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) in Zamboanga City. HADER GLANG

A kidnapped Catholic Irish priest has been freed unharmed early Thursday morning in Zamboanga City after one month in captivity, officials said.

Father Michael Sinnott was turned over to government peace panel chairman Rafael Seguis by a unit of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front unit, which was ordered earlier by its leadership top help in the release effort, at around 4:22 a.m. at the costal village of Sangali, this city.

“I am very happy to inform everyone that after 30 days of captivity, Fr. Michael Sinnott has finally been released. He is a bit exhausted at this time, but otherwise, he is in good physical and emotional health. More importantly, he is with us once more,” Seguis said in statement issued to the local reporters by Major General Benjamin Dolorfino, chief of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, at Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB).

Personally, Seguis added: “Since Fr. Sinnot’s abduction…,ensuring his safe release has been our overriding concern. We have accomplished this goal. Personally, I am very relieved to see Fr. Mick early this morning when I received him from our joint CCCH.”

Seguis commended GRP-CCCH chairman Major General Reynaldo Sealana, his counterpart, MILF-CCCH chairman Toks Ebrahim, the CCCH secretariat heads Major Jun Sol and Rashid Ladiasan, and the other members of their team.

“I also wish to thank and congratulate our counterparts in the MILF peace panel, especially it chairman Mohagher Iqbal, for working and cooperating with us through the peace process mechanism,” he said.

Iqbal, in a phone interview, said they are very happy with the recovery of Father Sinnott, but admitted it was a delicate operation. We exerted great pressure to the group holding the priest and so was the family and relatives of those who held Father Sinnott.”

Iqbal said no ransom was paid for the kidnapped Irish priest’s release, invoking that kidnapping is forbidden in Islam and Father Sinnott’s recovery did not involve any money.

The kidnappers originally demanded $2 million for the release of the missionary, but authorities said it would not pay ransom.

Sinnott was taken by six gunmen on October 11 from his Columban missionary house in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province and brought to Lanao province.

Top military officials from the WesMinCom headquarters said Dolorfino said the priest is frail, but is okay. “He is okay and was examined by our doctors,” Dolorfino said.

Dolorfino said the priest told him that it took them 9 hours by boat to Zamboanga City. “Before Father Sinnott was freed, the kidnappers brought him to a mountain hideout and later transferred him at a mangrove area, probably in Lanao, for 10 days until he was released."

He said the MILF played a vital role in the recovery of the priest. “This will have a big impact in the peace talks between the MILF and the government. This is confidence-building measure and we are happy that Father Sinnott is finally a free man,” Dolorfino said.

Revealing his ordeal to the local reporters in Zamboanga City before leaving to Manila, Father Sinnott said he was treated well by his captors, who he identified as members of a “lost command” headed by Kikay.

“They said they were the Lost Command and the one in-charge is Kikay. The first group in the swamp they were 7 of them and the second group – only two had guarded me,” Sinnott said.

“They treated me very well, conditions were very primitive and we were living in the open under vinyl and they did their best to make things as easy as possible for me those who were guarding me. On the first 10 days, we were in the swampy area. It was a small area and you cannot walk – it’s difficult. Just slept on the hammock, there was nothing else. When we got to the forest, the one in-charge caused a pathway of about 10 meters and I walked up and down there. The first 10 days there was no place for walking around,” he said.

The Irish priest said he was supposed to be freed last week, but bad weather prevented his captors from releasing him.

“On the 4th of November, we were supposed to be released and after about 20 minutes hiking we were told that there is a typhoon on the way and it’s too high for the boat so we came back. Then last Monday, they said they were just waiting for the signal, so Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday the signal came so we came out. The first time we changed from the swampy area to forest area, they told me that I was going out free so when I got there so I said now I will not leave until I am free, but they were actually going out, but even last night I was not sure,” he further said.

The priest continued that his captors told him that he was kidnapped because of ransom. “They said they want to get money, to get ransom and I do not know if they got money.”

Sinnott said he wanted to return to his missionary home in Pagadian City, but would discuss this with the Missionary Society of St. Columban. He also thanked those who helped secure his freedom.

“I hope I will be going back to Pagadian, I do not know, but that has to be discussed with many people besides my self,” he said. “I would like to thank everybody who helped to get me free and every one of my friends that I know prayed for me while I was in captivity.” (HG)

2009-08-23T20:38:00.005+08:00

Salapuddin: Senator Pimentel’s call to tap Pacquiao as peace negotiator “a big joke”

Former House deputy speaker for Mindanao Gerry Salapuddin called Senator Aquilino Pimentel’s proposal to tap Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao as peace negotiator amidst the renewed conflict in Basilan “a big joke” that will only make an already difficult situation worse.

In a press statement, Salapuddin said the proposal of Senator Pimentel to send Filipino boxing icon Pacquiao being designated Ambassador of Peace and Unity by Malacañang must have been proposed in jest, not in all seriousness, neither was it a well thought of recommendation.

“This proposal by Senator Pimentel is really quite a joke. While it is true that every boxing match of Pacquiao, even enemies sit together to cheer for him,” said Salapuddin, also former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebel commander based in Basilan turned politician.

Salapuddin defended the administration of President Gloria Arroyo, saying that she must not be faulted for it because the proposal was not coming from the Palace but from Senate Minorty Leader, who is an opposition senator.

“Personally, I don’t encourage sending Pacquiao to negotiate for a complex and intricate issue as the Moro issue. Most of all, I also fear for his safety. He is not just an international boxing icon, but also a Filipino pride who proudly raised the Philippine banner in the boxing ring.”

Salapuddin continued that most of all, Pacquiao is undeniably a billionaire now, and God forbids if he might be held hostage for ransom by unscrupulous armed elements.

He recalled that Vice President Noli de Castro and Actor Robin Padilla together with dozens of journalists were held hostage by Abu Sayyaf in Basilan. Likewise, he said even Major General Benjamin Dolorfino and top OPAPP officials were once held against their will in Sulu.

“Recently, the last of the International Committee of the Red Cross volunteer was held hostage and only released recently even if he belongs to a non-government charitable and humanitarian organization. There are many other unfortunate stories that we can learn from the past.”

Earlier, Senator Rodolfo Biazon questioned the competence of the boxing champ to handle an intricate and complex political subject as the Moro issue while Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago called the proposal as an act of desperation.

Even instant celebrity, mother of the Filipino boxing icon is simply not in favor of sending his son as a negotiator, Salapuddin said adding that just like the most prayerful Filipino President Corazon Aquino, Aling Dionisia Pacquiao instead calls on the nation to pray for guidance.

“As a Mindanaoan, I firmly believe that the key to the Mindanao problem is for the GRP and MILF and MNLF Panels to go to the negotiating table equipped with firmness and sincerity, prepared with sensible proposals and options, galvanized by the sole objective of formulating and achieving a comprehensive political settlement of the Moro issue.”

Since the MNLF and the MILF are both fighting for the same people and the same homeland, and since the present ARMM is the product of the GRP-MNLF FPA, it is only right that the MNLF must be consulted and made to participate in the peace process, according to Salapuddin.

Affected by recent violence and bloodshed in Basilan, where several people including soldiers and rebels were killed, the former lawmaker said that it is unfortunate that one after another incidents of bloody encounters in his province have always been the banner story these days.

“The right thing to do is for both the GRP and the United Moro Front, through their respective negotiating panels to notify the Orgnaization of Islamic Conference thru its Secretary-General to facilitate the resumption of the stalled talks,” Salapuddin suggested.

Since the Moro issue was a result of wrong colonial approach, Salapuddin said that it is likewise suggested that the United State and United Kingdom, be invited as co-facilitators and co-guarantors of the peace talks.”

He ended with the statement: “As we have experienced in the GRP-MNLF FPA, the economic component of the political settlement is indispensable. We need the political muscle and economic resources of the US and UK in achieving a comprehensive peace settlement of the Moro issue.”

2009-08-05T08:18:00.005+08:00

Zamboanga leaders enjoin people to pray for eternal repose of President Cory Aquino soul Hundreds of Zamboangueños join the memorial mass for the late former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino at Fort Pilar shrine. Photos By HADER GLANG

Local leaders of the City of Zamboanga on Saturday enjoined the people to pray for the eternal repose of soul of former President Corazon Aquino.

Mrs Aquino, the ‘People Power’ icon, passed away at 3:18 a.m. Saturday, August 1, 2009, after battling colon cancer for more than a year. She was 76.

Congressman Erbie Fabian immediately extended his deepest condolonces to the Aquino family after knowing the news of the death of the first woman president in the country.

Fabian described Cory Aquino as a true example of a humble servant leader and an icon of democracy, whom “we owe it to her. Thank you President Cory.”

Presidential Assistant for Western Mindanao Monsi Dela Cruz said the nation has lost a great leader who had restored democracy and showed the true essence of servant leadership and humility.

“May I take this oppoturnity to condole with the grave family of President Aquino,” the former Catholic priest turned government official said.

“I am certain that the Almighty God would give President Aquino eternal reward for her goodness, compassion and love for the Filipino people.”

For his part, Vice Mayor Mannix Dalipe also described former President Aquino’s death “as a great loss to the Filipino people.”

“Her care and concern for the people made her a beloved leader,” said Dalipe. “Her tireless work for democracy is one of her greatest legacies. We will miss her.”

Fabian, Monsi and Dalipe did not give further statement, but they reiterated to Zamboangueños to pray for the eternal repose of soul of the late President Aquino.

The Philippine flag inside the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) headquarters was raised at half-mast as a sign of respect to the country’s former president.

Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, WesMinCom chief, said that in accordance with military tradition, full honors will be accorded to the late former President for 30 days in all military camps.

Dolorfino condoled with the beraved family of Aquino as he described the late ex-President Corazon Aquino as one of the nation’s icon of democracy.

“We wish her soul peace and her family peace of mind. President Cory will always be remembered as an integral part of the nation’s rich history,” he said.

Cannon shots were fired yesterday morning in the city. It will also be fired every thirty minutes until sundown at the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB).

A message from US Ambassador Kristie Kenney emailed to Zamboanga Today: “On behalf of the US Embassy, I would like to express our most heartfelt condolences to the Aquino family and to the people of the Philippines on the death of former President Corazon Aquino.”

Kenney said that after Cory’s husband was assassinated in 1983, President Aquino’s determined leadership of the peaceful ‘People Power’ revolution restored democracy to the Philippines.

“Her courage in the face of tragedy and the peaceful restoration of democracy made her an icon for freedom-loving people everywhere. President Aquino’s example and memory will inspire generations to come.”

For the past twenty years, President Cory worked closely with the U.S. Embassy in helping to select the annual recipients of the Ninoy Aquino Fellowships given for public service and journalism. We will deeply miss her personal warmth and her tireless zeal on behalf of talented Filipinos emerging as leaders in those fields, according to Kenney.

Also a statement from US Secretary Hilary Clinton emailed to Zamboanga Today: “I extend my deepest condolences to the Aquino family and all the people of the Philippines on the death of former President Corazon Aquino.”

Clinton said Cory Aquino was beloved by her nation and admired by the world for her extraordinary courage after the assassination of her husband, and later, during her service as president.

“She helped bring democracy back to the Philippines after many years of authoritarian rule with a faith in her country and its people that never wavered. Like millions of people worldwide, Bill and I were inspired by her quiet strength and her unshakable commitment to justice and freedom. We join the American and Filipino people in honoring her life and memory.”

Aquino’s husband was assassinated in 1983 upon his return to Manila from his exile in the United States. His death catapulted Aquino to the presidency after deposing President Ferdinand Marcos.

She ruled from 1986 to 1992 and survived several coup attempts by rightist soldiers, who accused Aquino as a leftist supporter. She was named by Time Magazine as the 1986 Woman of the Year.

2009-07-12T21:42:00.004+08:00

Kidnapped Italian Red Cross member freed in Sulu

Italian Eugenio Vagni, staff member of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), waves to journalists as he embarks on a private plane for Manila at the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) in Zamboanga City on Sunday, July 12, 2009. HADER GLANG

An Italian Red Cross official kidnapped in the southern Philippines’ island of Sulu was freed unharmed early Sunday dawn after nearly six months in captivity by the extremist Abu Sayyaf group, officials said.

Eugenio Vagni, 62, staff member of the International Committee of the Red Cross was kidnapped on January 15, 2009 with Swiss national Andres Notter and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba while they working on a humanitarian mission in Patikul, Sulu.

His fellow ICRC staff members – Ms. Lacaba and Mr. Notter – regained their freedom on April 2 and 18, respectively.

Vagni regained his freedom in the early hours of July 12. He is tired after 179 days in captivity, but given the circumstances is doing remarkably well, said Jean-Daniel Tauxe, the head of the ICRC’s delegation in the Philippines.

"The ICRC is relieved and happy that Mr. Vagni will soon be back with his family and friends, who have been living a painful nightmare for almost six months and cannot wait to see him return home," Tauxe said.

"We would like to express our profound gratitude to all those who have worked so hard in recent months to secure the release of Mary Jean, Andreas and Eugenio," he added.

The Philippine-based ICRC head thanked Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, Vice Governor Nur-Ana Sahidulla, Joint Task Force Comet Commander, Major General Juancho Sabban, the national and local authorities, especially the military and the police for the tremendous efforts that contributed greatly to the resolution of the long hostage crisis.

According to Mr. Tauxe, the ICRC remains concerned about other hostages still being held captive in the southern Philippines.

He said the ICRC has been working in the Philippines since 1982. It provides protection and assistance for those most in need, particularly internally displaced people (IDPs) in Mindanao. In addition, it visits detainees to assess their conditions of detention.

As of early Sunday, Vagni was already in the custody of Major General Sabban and Vice Governor Sahidula.

A press release from the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) headquarters disclosed that Vagni was recovered safely by Sahidulla and Sabban at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday in Barangay Pula Abu, Parang town.

Army Lieutenant Esteffani Cacho, WesMinCom spokesperson, said that Vagni appeared in good health condition but underwent a medical check up at the trauma hospital in Camp Bautista in Jolo town.

Vagni's release came after General Victor Ibrado's first visit as Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff to Sulu and Basilan, the two island provinces that have been beset by a rise in kidnapping and bombing incidents in the past few months.

Vagni was flown to Zamboanga City yesterday morning where he was met at the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) by outgoing WesMinCom chief Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, who will replace by Lt. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, the Philippine Marines commandant.

In an ambush interview at EAAB, Vagni who is thinner and clad with vest, jogging pants and black t-shirt told Zamboanga Southwall: “I feel very good. I Feel great.”

When asked how he feels now, he replied: “I feel free. Yes, a wonderful feeling.”

Earlier in Jolo, Vagni revealed to reporters that he lost 20 kilos and was also stricken with cholera. He thought he would die already but fortunately, medicines were brought for him.

The Italian also remarked that it was a miracle he was able to recover from cholera. He shared that he is very fit because he engages in various sports including taekwando.

He said that he wants to take a break from work so he can build up his muscle tone because of all the weight he lost. He added that his diet in captivity mostly consisted of rice and fish.

He was able to eat a hearty breakfast with eggs on Sunday, noting that it was one of the things he missed the most.

Meanwhile, the military said that the arrested two wives of Abu Sayyaf leader Albader Parad could be the key to the release of Vagni.

Parad’s two wives were arrested right after Tuesday's bombing in Jolo, where five people were killed and dozens more injured.

Sources from Jolo said that Parad’s two wives were exchanged for Vagni's freedom aside from a pledge for the implementation of development projects.

It was not known whether a ransom had been paid for the release of Vagni. Earlier reports said that Parad’s group had demanded $15 million ransom.

The ICRC had earlier issued an appeal for Vagni's release. It had also said it was not involved in negotiations or offering ransom for Vagni's freedom.

2009-03-30T22:05:00.003+08:00

RP-US “Balikatan 2009” emphasizes humanitarian assistance

Balikatan, an annual Republic of the Philippines-U.S. bilateral military humanitarian assistance and training exercise, will take place in the Philippines April 16-30, 2009. Preliminary work on community infrastructure projects will begin in early April.

Balikatan 2009 will focus on training both of our armed forces to provide relief and assistance together, in the event of natural disasters and other crises that endanger public health and safety.

In addition, Philippine and U.S. military service members will conduct humanitarian assistance projects in Bicol, Central and Southern Luzon, and Zamboanga. They will offer free medical, dental, and veterinary care and construct and repair schools and other community infrastructure in communities most in need of assistance.

Members from all military services of our countries will conduct combined staff exercises and field training in Luzon to improve interoperability and contingency planning.

“These humanitarian assistance and training activities enable our soldiers to get to know each other, train together, and provide assistance in communities where the need is greatest,” said U.S. Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney.

“True to the meaning of the word balikatan, this exercise entails Philippine and U.S. forces shouldering the load together to help the greatest possible number of people in need.”

Balikatan 2009 will be the 25th annual event of its kind held under the auspices of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). -- PR

2009-01-13T21:55:00.003+08:00

Spate of kidnappings, murders alarm Basilan ulamas

Some twenty-four Muslim ethnic religious leaders based in Basilan Province have voiced alarm over the spate of kidnappings and extra-judicial executions in the different parts of the island province.

The Basilan Ulama Council (BUC) condemned the wave of kidnappings and killings and urged all the local officials to immediately convene their respective peace and order council if only to faithfully address the current alarming situation in the province.

"We firmly believe that the immediate convening of the peace and order council would surely bring about proper venue for the ventilation of any burning issues that may be detrimental to the people and the province as a whole," members of the BUC said in a statement.

They believe that with serious approach and joint efforts of the different local officials as well as the military and police with the support of various stakeholders in the province, the current peace and order disturbances could be minimized and improved.

A spate of kidnappings in Basilan began July last year, where almost two dozens of people including children were abducted. This was followed by a series of killings of suspected members or sympathizers of Moro rebel and political groups.

Ustadz Abdulmuhmin Mujahid, BUC vice chairman for operations, alleged that the law and order situation in the province had collapsed, as incidents of killings are rampant in the different parts of the province.

"Residents were afraid of venturing out even in day time," Mujahid said. "Enough is enough in Basilan. No to kidnappings and killings!" Mujahid said.

But police and military authorities maintained that patrolling had been intensified in the province and special operations were being launched to arrest or neutralize criminals and lawless elements.

2008-12-27T21:15:00.005+08:00

Kidnapped Ateneo nursing student freed in Basilan

Freed Joed Anthony Pilangga reunites with his parents as Vice Governor Al-Rasheed Sakkalahul (left) looks on inside the Philippine Navy headquarters in Upper Calarian a day after the hostage's release on Christmas eve Wednesday in Basilan. Photo Courtesy WesMinCom PIO

Ateneo de Zamboanga University nursing student Joed Anthony Pilangga was freed on Christmas eve Wednesday by his kidnappers after more than two months of captivity in Basilan, a provincial government official said.

The 17-year old Pilangga was abandoned by his captors to the emissaries of Basilan Vice Governor Al-Rasheed Sakkalahul at around 9:20 p.m. at vicinity between the villages of Magkawa and Poblacion in Tipo-Tipo.

Sakkalahul, chairman of the Basilan's Crisis Management Committee (CMC) who negotiated for the release of Pilangga, said pressures from the military and police compelled the kidnappers to free the hostage.

He said following the release, his emissaries took Joed to his residence in Tipo-Tipo to rest overnight. The next day, he said he turned over the freed hostage to the 1st Marine Brigade in Tabiawan, Isabela City.

The vice governor did not give further details surrounding Pilangga's release, but hailed the combined military and police efforts that freed the kidnapped victim, and thanked his counterparts who helped him secure the release of the hostage.

It was not known whether any ransom was paid, although Pilangga's family earlier told media that they regularly turned over money to the kidnappers for Joed's "board and lodging" expenses.

The military said parents of Joed have declined a media presentation at the military's Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) headquarters.

"Please be informed that the parents of Joed have declined to be interviewed. I hope we can all symphatize with their plight. However, they have mentioned that the vice governor can speak on their behalf," said 1st Lt. Esteffani Caho, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command, in a text message.

Cacho issued the statement after some members of the WesMinCom's Defense Press Corps complained that they were prevented by navy officials at the Naval Forces Western Mindanao headquarters from taking footage and photos of Pilangga.

Pilangga, however, answered media phone interviews. He said his captors treated him well and fed him fish, vegetables and noodles during his 68-day ordeal in the hinsterlands, but had threatened to kill him if they did not get the ransom.

The young Pilangga was reported missing October 17 by the city police until his parents broke their silence to say that their son was kidnapped in Zamboanga City and brought by his captors to Basilan province.

Abu Sayyaf was tagged by authorities as behind the kidnapping. The group is still holding 9-year old April Nicole Raviche, who was kidnapped Nov. 26 in Lamitan City and demanded P4 million for her freedom.

2008-12-18T20:52:00.001+08:00

Twin bomb explosions in Iligan City kill 2 people, injure 47 others

Two bomb explosions rocked few minutes apart in Iligan City, killing two people and injuring at least thirty-five others Thursday afternoon in two shopping centers, authorities said.

The first explosion went off at around 1:25 p.m. at the Uni City Commercial Center and five minutes after another blast occurred at the Jerry Shoppers Plaza, military sources said.

Both shopping stores are located at Aguinaldo Street in Palao.

The bombs were left in the baggage counters of the two shopping centers, said Army 1st Lt. Esteffani Cacho, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command.

"The first explosion injured two people and damage of a van and the second blast killed two and injured four others," Cacho said.

However, Cacho's updated report (as of 4:00 p.m. Thursday) showed that the number of injured victims increased to 47 while the number of slain victims remain two.

She said the victims of the twin blasts were rushed to the different hospitals in Iligan City and their identities are not yet known.

A radio report said a baggage counter clerk at one of the stores was one of the fatalities.

Cacho said a team of bomb squads with K9 units of the 403rd Brigade were sent to the blast cites to help police authorities in the investigation.

Top military officials at the Western Mindanao Command headquarters would not comment about question on who may be responsible for the twin blasts.

Late August this year, two homemade bombs exploded almost simultaneously in two budget hotels in Iligan City, wounding at least four people.

Leaders of anti-homeland deal suspected rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels under Commander Bravo were responsible for the August two bomb attacks.

2008-12-17T20:56:00.001+08:00

Remote Lanao village gets water system, solar drier from World Bank

Safe drinking water has never been so abundant in a remote predominantly Maranaw barangay in the first district of Lanao del Sur until a foreign donor came in and intervened.

Residents of Barangay Talaguian, located at the border of Lanao del Sur's adjoining Poona-Bayabao and Masiu towns, in fact, got from World Bank not just a water system project, but a solar drier for the agricultural produce as well.

Hadja Leamen Laut, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer of the so-called Lanao Sur A, which groups all of the towns in the first district of the province, said there has been dramatic improvements in the lives of people in the once impoverished barangay as a result of the World Bank projects.

Both the World Bank and the Japan Bank on International Cooperation (JBIC) channels all of their assistance for poor areas in Southern Philippines through the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Social Fund Project (ASFP).

Health authorities in Lanao del Sur said there have been a sharp decline in cases of water-borne diseases, such as dysentery and gastro-enteritis, after the ASFP and local villagers have constructed, as a community venture, a water system Barangay Talaguian.

"People there now have access to clean, safe drinking water," Laut said.

The office of Laut, the local government unit which has jurisdiction over Barangay Talaguian, and various community organizations joined ranks and built the water system and the solar drier in their barangay.

About 80 percent of residents in the barangay rely on farming as a source of income and the solar drier, thus, improved their productivity.

People in the barangay had used portions of a concrete national highway traversing their villages as drier for the rice and corn grains, causing inconvenience to motorists.

"Now we have our solar drier we can use for drying our harvests. What is nice about the project is that it is community-constructed, community owned," Muntia Kasim, 34, said.

2008-12-15T20:46:00.001+08:00

Japan assists ARMM Social Fund Projects In Lanao

What once ranked eighth in the list of the 10 poorest barangays in Lanao del Sur is now one of the most progressive, virtually made progressive the "bayanihan" style by feuding Maranaw families that were so hostile to each other before.

It was only when residents in Barangay Micolabo in Picong, Lanao del Sur decided to unite and cohesively address underdevelopment, as a consequence of clan wars involving local families that peace and development started to spread in their villages.

It was Barangay Micolabo's being so poor and for having been previously dubbed "wild, wild west" of Picong town that enticed the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to intervene, through the conduit for its projects in the South, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Social Fund Project (ASFP).

Both JBIC and World Bank channel through the ASFP their assistance to impoverished communities in the South.

Bai Annie Ampuan, who monitors all Japanese-assisted projects of ASFP in Lanao del Sur, said it was for the mandatory involvement of local villagers in the construction of a barangay health station, a communal coconut dyer, and a multi-purpose center that virtually forced residents in Micolabo to forget about their bloody clan wars, come together and manage the three projects by themselves.

The ASFP is jointly managed by ARMM Gov. Datu Zaldy Ampatuan, lawyer Mustapha Sambolawan and the ASFP's finance director, Alejando Coscos.

The ARMM police have pegged to 2,300 the number of loose firearms in Micolabo just a year before the JBIC came in to intervene.

"Life was so miserable in Barangay Micolabo then. We lived in fear, in dire poverty and there was immense feeling of neglect by government," Maranaw farmer Gandasuri Mamacotao, 50, said in the vernacular.

Local officials said the construction by feuding Micolabo residents of a communal coconut dryer have ushered in dramatic improvements in the area's economy.

The ARMM's trade and industry, and agriculture departments have both recorded a sharp upswing in the production of copra from Barangay Micolabo in the past eight months.

"The copra coming from that area are now well-dried and, thus, have high commercial value," said the ARMM's agriculture secretary, Kesie Usman.

Corrine Tabua, who is the provincial social welfare officer of Lanao del Sur's Area B, which covers more than a dozen towns in the second district of the province, said credit also goes to the women of Barangay Micolabo, who provided extensive support to the construction of the three community-planned projects.

"You can even see the women in the area now attending peace dialogues at the newly-built multi-purpose center at the heart of Barangay Micolabo," Tabua said.

Tabua said people in Micolabo now no longer carry guns when they roam around, only farming tools. "Peace and development have set that barangay in sooner than we expected," he said.

2008-12-11T20:34:00.000+08:00

Defense chief tells marines to root out kidnappers in Basilan

National Defense Chief Gilbert Teodoro accompanied by Navy Commodore Alexander Pama of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao pins military merit medal to marine soldiers during his visit Thursday at the 1st Marine Brigade headquarters in Tabiawan, Isabela City in Basilan.

Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro met with top Philippine Marine officials in Basilan Thursday as military operations against the kidnap-for-ransom groups reportedly linked with the Abu Sayyaf and Moro rebels in the island province continues.

The defense chief held a closed-door talks with the Basilan-based military commanders led by Colonel Rustico Guerrero, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, at their headquarters in Tabiawan, Isabela City.

Secretary Teodoro was accompanied by Navy Commodore Alexander Pama of the Naval Forces South Western Mindanao and other military ranking officials from the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom).

He told marines that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave explicit instructions to him through an Administrative Order "to get to the root of these kidnapping activities and to flush and root them out.

"We can't allow the reign of terror through kidnapping or what not to disrupt lives not merely here in Basilan, but in Zamboanga or wherever that be," he said.

The defense chief pinned military merit medals to 15 marines soldiers who clashed with suspected Abu Sayyaf and rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front groups in Al Barka town.

He also joined a military's buddle fight before returning to Zamboanga City to visit the wounded soldiers confined at the Camp Navarro General Hospital in Upper Calarian.

Col. Guerrero presented to him some recovered long firearms, including an M-16 rifle, Garand, as well as ammunitions, subversive documents and identification cards believed to be from the kidnappers.

The defense chief's visit to Basilan came after a series of encounters in Al Barka on Sunday that left at least five marine soldiers dead, 25 others wounded while the rebels suffered three dead, including a commander, and six others wounded.

"Unang una nais kong ipaabot ang sinsero at napakalalim na pasasalamat ng ating mahal na Pangulo para sa mga sakripisyo ninyo," Teodoro said in a brief speech before a contingent of heavily armed marines.

"Nandito tayo hindi lamang para lumaban sa mga kriminal kung hindi magbigay ng leksyon sa buong bansa na hindi natin pababayaan na ang mga kriminal magtago sa likod ng kahit sino man."

"Gusto natin ipakita sa buong Pilipinas na hindi natin pababayaan na magkalat ang mga kriminal dito. Dapat natin patunayan na mayrong Republika ng Pilipinas na magtatanggol sa lahat ng ating mga kababayan sa ilalim ng batas."

"Kaya huwag natin pababayaan ang mga kriminal nag maghari dito. We will continue to fight criminality. We have to put down the carrying of arms, the resort to armed violence to settle disputes, and the resort to arms to earn a living."

"We will finish off the threat. All those who are involved or give safe harbor to kidnappers for ransom should be included in the operations. I think that's clear. Of course (punitive action) is beyond debate it's a necessity."

"There's only one language that these kidnappers for ransom understand and that is for the law to take catch up with them. We have to have a strong and credible deterrent action to prevent their activities from forming," he concluded.

2008-12-10T21:02:00.000+08:00

Arrested kidnapper in Zamboanga admits MILF link

Ajabirrin Hassan, one of the two kidnap suspects arrested in Mariki village by the military late Friday night, is confined at the Camp Navarro General Hospital in Calarian.

One of the two kidnappers, arrested in Mariki village by the military late Friday night, has admitted to have membership to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Ajabirrin Hassan who is confined at the Camp Navarro General Hospital for gunshot wounds told reporters Tuesday that he's a member of MILF recruited in Malaysia.

Hassan said he was enamored by the words of Musawari Abubakar who convinced him to join the group.

"Ako talaga ang membership ko sa MILF. Nakapunta si Musawari Abubakar sa Malaysia dahil 13 years ako doon. Ang alis ko dito 1996. Umuwi ako dito 2008 July," he said.

He further disclosed that the MILF is involved in kidnappings, although he denied being part of the actual kidnapping.

Hassan said he would be paid P50,000 for every delivery of kidnap victims through a pumpboat from Zamboanga City to Basilan.

Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, Armed Forces' Western Mindanao Command chief, together with local reporters visited Hassan who is confined at the military hospital in Upper Calarian.

Allaga allowed the media to interview Hassan, who suffered gunshot wounds in his right leg. He also gave some grocery items to the suspect.

Hassan along with Jay Hussin Alpad were arrested by elements of Task Force Zamboanga (TFZ) in an operation in Mariki.

The military said the suspects were planning to kidnap a businessman in the city.

Hassan denied they were targetting businessmen, saying that he does not know their target as he's only waiting in the pumpboat.

But 1st Lietenant Esteffani Cacho, spokesperson for WesMinCom headquarters, said the arrested two suspects were actually here to conduct another kidnapping.

"We believe a businessman here in Zamboanga City. Although Ajabarrin alleges that he does not know the identity of this person," Cacho told reporters.

Hassan claimed he has houses in Kasanyangan Village in Sta. Catalina and Lamitan City. He left to Malaysia in 1996 and stayed there for 13 years.

He returned to the city in July 2008. He also said he's the first cousin of Abubakar, an MILF, who recruited him in Malaysia.

The suspect said he's willing to help the government in pinning down his cohorts in kidnapping as he's already regretting for his actions.

2008-12-09T20:23:00.000+08:00

Heavy fighting in Basilan leaves 5 Marine soldiers dead, 25 others wounded

Major General Benjamin Dolorfino, commandant of the Philippine Marines Corps, pins wounded personnel medal to Capt. Julie Palanca, one of the wounded soldiers in a clash with Moro rebels in Basilan on Sunday, as Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga looks on during their visit at the Camp Navarro General Hospital in Upper Calarian, Zamboanga City on Tuesday.

Heavy fighting between government troops and a combined Abu Sayyaf and Moro rebels raged in the island province of Basilan over the weekend as the military said they suffered at least five soldiers dead and 25 others wounded.

Army 1st Lt. Esteffani Cacho, spokesperson for the Western Mindanao Command, said undetermined armed men attacked the Marine Battalion Landing Team-8 based in Bohe Libong in Al Barka, triggering a series of clashes.

"During that series of encounterss which lasted until early morning, the government troops suffered five dead and 24 wounded on the marines side and for the Air Force, there was one pilot of the OV-10 that was wounded," Cacho told reporters.

She linked a combined forces of the Abu Sayyaf and rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) kidnap-for-ransom groups as the attackers who are responsible for many kidnappings of Basilan.

Eid Kabalu, senior MILF leader, confirmed their forces in Basilan suffered three dead, including Sattar Alih, head of the MILF ceasefire monitoring team in the island province, and six others injured in the fighting.

But he denied they were coddling the Abu Sayyaf and accused the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of violating the ceasefire agreement.

Sunday's fighting in Al Barka was the second major encounter since last year after marine soldiers searching for a kidnapped Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi, who was seized on June 10 in Zamboanga Sibugay, clashed with suspected Abu Sayyaf kidnappers.

The fighting left 14 marines dead, but ten of them were later beheaded by the terrorists led by Puruji Indama. Bossi was freed six weeks later in Zamboanga del Sur province in exchange for a huge ransom.

Government forces have now confined the kidnappers to parts of Al Barka and its adjacent areas, according to Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, chief of the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom).

He, however, declined to give further details on the ongoing military operations in Basilan.

Top military officials led by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, chief of the Philippine Marines Corps, and Gen. Allaga had pinned earlier wounded personnel medals to 25 Marine soldiers who clashed with the Abu Sayyaf and MILF in Al Barka.

The five slain soldiers were airlifted to Marine headquarters in Manila, where President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo would be visiting them on Wednesday as part of the tradition of Marines. They will be burried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Lieutenant Cacho also announced the release of seven quarry workers in Tuburan town who were abducted early December.

Freed were identified as Wagnerson Toledo, Tomas de Leon Jr., Albert Manolis, Rodel Fernando, Raffy Ragmak, Alfred Layam and Joebert Natividad. Three of them are from Labuan, Zamboanga City.

They were initially brought to the 1st Marine Brigade's headquarters in Tabiawan, Isabela City for debriefing and medical check up.

Lamitan Mayor Roderick Furigay on Monday night broke out the news of the seven quarry workers' release. Furigay, in a national media report, said the victims' release was phoned to him by the kidnappers around 9 p.m. Monday.

He said he called up Barangan Bulanting chairman Asdi Alki to fetch the victims in Tuburan.

Reports said local officials paid the kidnappers "board and lodging" in exchange of the quarry workers' release.

The seven workers were returning to their office on board a dump truck when they were stopped and taken by masked gunmen.

One of the freed workers told reporters that they were seized by about seven gunmen in fatigue uniforms and were tied while in captivity.

Asked if they were harmed by their captors while in captivity, De Leon said: "No hindi naman kami sinaktan. Pinakain kami tatlong beses sa isang araw."

Meanwhile, Cacho said the released seven quarry workers, which are three from Zamboanga City, one from Cagayan de Oro City, and three from Lamitan City, Basilan, were abducted by MILF.

It was learned they were abducted because the owner of the gravel company that they're working for has an offense with the MILF.

"They (7 workers) were taken in retaliation (by MILF). And in fact they further said that before they were released, their captors told them not to return to Basilan because they will be harmed," Cacho said.

2008-12-09T19:03:00.001+08:00

Turkish school distributes beef meats to indigent families in Zamboanga

Butchers divide cows during Monday's distribution of beef meats for thousands of people, mostly indigents, at the Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School in Sinunuc, Pitogo, this city.

The Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School slaughtered at least 700 heads of cattle and distributed its meat to thousands of people mostly needy people in the different villages in the city as part of the Muslim feast of Eid al-adha holiday.

Muslims sacrifice cows, sheep, goats and bulls during yesterday's Islamic religious holiday, a ritual commemorating the biblical account of Allah's provision of a ram for Prophet Abraham to sacrifice, as he was about to kill his son.

"This year, we planned to slaughter 700 cows within three days and this is an annual activity. We call it Qurban or Eid'l Adha," said Cihangir Arslan, the Turkish school high school director at Barangay Sinunuc, Pitogo in this city.

The budget used for the purchase of the cows came from donations of Turkey, Australia, Philippines and other parts in the world aimed at helping feed about 5,000 families in Manila and 25,000 families in Zamboanga City, Ipil, Basilan and Jolo, respectively.

The Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School was established in Zamboanga City in 1997 and since then has been actively involved in humanitarian activities, like the distribution of meat of beef to thousands of people, both Muslims and non-Muslims people.

"We give two kilos of beef for each beneficiary," Arslan said. "We have no expectation here. Those Muslims who can afford must do this charity. We are just distributing to make poor people happy at least once a year to taste beef."

He said the meat is intended for anyone as long as he or she is indigent. "This is not only for Muslims. We're not only sharing the meat for Muslims. We distribute also to our Christian brothers and sisters. The blessings are for everybody."

The estimated 1.5 billion-strong Muslim world called Ummah, including its Filipino members, paid tribute Monday to the patriarch Abraham's strong faith in God as they celebrated Eid'l Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice and one of Islam's biggest holidays.

This is told in the Qur'an, in Chapter 37, Verse 102:

"Then when (Abraham's son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him he said: 'O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now tell me what is thy view!' (The son) said: 'O my father! Do as thou art commanded. Thou will find me, if God so wills, among those who are patient in adversity!'

Muslims believe that God tested Abraham's faith by ordering him to sacrifice his son. Prophet Abraham obeyed but before he could slaughter his son, God at the last moment replaced his son with a ram for the sacrifice.

Thus, Eid'l Adha celebration through slaughtering an animal honors Abraham and his strong faith. The meat from the slaughtered goat, sheep or cow is divided in four equal parts: one quarter for the owner, a quarter for relatives, a quarter for friends, and the last quarter for the needy.

2008-12-05T19:53:00.001+08:00

Anti-Moro homeland deal politicians put down MILF's Commander Bravo

Filipinos who strongly opposed the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front lower an anti-homeland deal streamer, which reads "Yes to peace, NO to BJE" and "Let us be united in the fight to retain integrity and sovereignty of Zamboanga City," from the balcony of City Hall. Photo below shows Mayor Celso Lobregat (center), North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol (2nd from left), Senator Mar Roxas (in blue shirt) pose for posterity with the folded anti-streamer that will be kept at the museum.

Political leaders who strongly opposed the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front have put down a statement made by a rogue commander of the Moro rebel group responsible for a series of attacks in Lanao province.

At the same time, the anti-Bangsamoro homeland deal leaders downgraded the mass evacuation of thousands of people in the different parts of Mindanao as a result of the fighting between MILF rebels and government troops.

Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo of the MILF's l02nd base command has recently appeared on national television in full battle gear attire, flocked by his troops challenging government: "Ubusan ng lahi (blood feud)."

"It's easy to appear brave or even to sound brave but the question is can you really face off to the government forces and obviously they can't that's the reason why they're hiding," Piñol told reporters in a press conference at City Hall Wednesday.

Up to 500,000 people are displaced following weeks of fighting between government troops and MILF rebels in Central Mindanao. They are reportedly enduring poor health services and unsanitary conditions after fleeing the fighting.

But Piñol does not mind this. He said peace will only reign in this world if people stand up and say no. "If we say let's not put up a fight because people will go to the evacuation centers and people will die then we will be living in a world of cowards."

Piñol dared Commander Bravo's group: "If they're really brave as they claim they are, they would tell government 'okay I'm in this camp and get me. But when you issue brave statements and then hide under the skirt of your mother that's a different story."

For his part, Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat said a holistic approach and enforcement of the law not only focusing on social aspect are needed to attain peace in Mindanao.

"We're all for peace. You can't legislate peace. You can't force peace, but as long as there are kidnappers, there are terrorists there can be no peace," he said. "You have to make sure that the law is enforced. No one should be above the law."

Senator Mar Roxas depended the government and blamed MILF rebels for the evacuation of thousands of people in Mindanao, saying that it was not the government who started the problem.

"The fact that there are refugees, let us not use this so-called false argumentation that the reason there are refugees is the government's fault. That's false logic!" he said.

"These rebels, criminals are responsible for these evacuees and for the disruption of lives, deaths and casualties and these are the people responsible for the situation we have in today (in Mindanao)," he added.

MILF rebels, headed by Umbra Kato and Commandero Bravo, led their forces in a deadly rampage across several mostly Christian towns and villages in Lanao and other areas in Mindanao in August.

They claimed the attacks were in retaliation for a Supreme Court order freezing an MILF-government deal that would have given them control over an expanded autonomous region in the southern Philippines.

Meanwhile, Vice Governor Piñol suggested that the only way to bring peace to Mindanao is for the government to take the problem seriously by starting with the idea of enforcing the law.

He agreed with the statement made by Senator Roxas, which proposes the deployment of police and soldiers all over the areas in Mindanao to enforce and implement the law to its full force that nobody should be exempted.

"That's the only way we can earn the respect of the people and that's the only we can bring back peace and tranquility to Mindanao initially, but at the same time moving forward you have to address the problems that result into conflict," Piñol said.

2008-11-27T18:24:00.003+08:00

Thousands join peace walk, marking Mindanao Week of Peace celebration

Some youth who painted their faces and bodies while others with different colored flags as well as indigenous drums and streamers (with Arabic markings) are among the participants during the peace walk Thursday, which marked the start of weeklong celebration of Mindanao Week of Peace.

More than 10,000 people from all walks of life Thursday joined the “peace walk” in Zamboanga City, marking the start of the annual celebration of Mindanao Week of Peace from November 27 until December 3.

Youth, students, government employeesm, teachers, leaders of religious and inter-faith organizations as well as members from the multi-sectors took to the streets, carrying streamers with markings peace advocacy slogans.

Starting from the Petit Barracks, the crowd marched to the Joaquin F. Enriquez Sports Complex and gathered there to deliver a call for a peaceful solution to the conflict in the southern Philippines.

“It’s imperative on the communities of Christians, Muslims and Lumads to bring about durable and lasting peace through the integrity of mind and heart, humbly expressed in the reconciling process of repentance and forgiveness,” a joint statement of the Bishops-Ulama Conference said.

“Only this process, bolstered by socio-economic and political projects, can heal the wide wounds of the spirit. We urge all Mindanaoans, our fellow believers, to make this reconciliation process a top priority among our activities during the Mindanao Week of Peace 2008,” it concluded.

In an interview, Father Angel Calvo, president of the Peace Advocates of Zamboanga (PAZ), emphasized the need for the different communities, sectors and groups to engage positively in peace building and peace education.

“This is what we need. Learn about peace, learn how to build peace not only to dream and not only to complain against the officials for they’ve not done enough to maintain peace, but actively participating in peace campaign,” he said.

Atty. Manuel Mamauag, regional director of the Commission on Human Rights IX, on his part, called on the people to give peace a chance to change for a better.

“Why don’t we come out with an all out peace?” Mamauag asked.

He also advised the people to respect their neighbors and fellowmen since it is already an observance of respect for rights and rights to peace.

“Let the people be aware and have this consciousness, put in their minds and hearts,
peace is a result of respect for human rights,” he said.

“There is peace when you respect human rights and fundamental freedom,” the lawyer added.

"Integrity of Mind and Heart: A Way to Reconciliation and Peace" has become the theme of this year's Week of Peace celebration.

2008-11-25T18:48:00.000+08:00

Kenney doesn't expect changes in policy on US troops presence in south

US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney arrives in Zamboanga City to lead in the distribution of 250,000 books at the Book Fair organized by USAID's EQuALLS2.

US government officials based in the Philippines on Monday said they don't expect major changes in US policy toward the US military presence in the southern Philippines when US president-elect Barack Obama takes office on January.

Obama's perspective on the US-led global campaign against terrorism differs greatly from outgoing President George W. Bush. He calls for a complete withdrawal of American troops within 16 months.

"Let him takes office first on January. So we don't expect any changes. The exact things will continue both on the security side and development we're doing here," US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney told local reporters in an interview.

Kenney arrived here to lead the distribution of USAID's 250,000 books valued at US$10 million to over a 100 elementary schools in cities of Zamboanga, Isabela, and provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. She also graced the groundbreaking rites of the Zamboanga City Medical Center Birthing Clinic.

"Education is a future. Your children deserve of that. Here is a book represents of every kinds of learning and it's a great tool for your chindren. Use them, read them, read them and read them," she said.

When asked about the continued presence of US troops in Mindanao, she replied: "The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) determines whether we still have temporary support, and every indication that they still interested on that, so we'll continue."

Colonel William Coultrup, commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P), corroborated Ambassador Kenney's statement saying that he does not think there's an overall pullout from everywhere.

"I mean every new administration has the right to change policy, but there's always a re-evaluation that constantly goes on," said Coultrup. "I think they're going to re-evaluate case-by-case (basis) every location."

He said that they're not aware of anything right now, although he's certain that there are options. "I think it will happen…we'll start to get an idea after January, once the new president has sworn in to office."

But Filipino political analysts believe that the marked change in policy would be seen in the US global campaign against terrorism, wherein Obama will put more emphasis on economic development to deal with extremism.

Some Philippine government officials had earlier said with Obama's presidency they expect no major shift in US foreign policy toward the Philippines considering it has been set a long time ago.

Others are eager to see an end to a US military presence in Mindanao they consider intervention in domestic affairs. They believe the humanitarian mission by American troops was a cover for counterinsurgency operations.

2008-11-19T18:22:00.000+08:00

Tausugs restore Sultanate of Sulu Darul Islam

Head of Tausug state. Datu Ladjamura Bin Wasik Adinda Aranan Puyo salutes during his installation as ruler of the newly-restored Sultanate of Sulu.

The United Tausug Citizens (UTC) restored their long lost sovereign Sultanate of Sulu Darul Islam on Friday, installing Datu Ladjamura Bin Datu Wasik Adinda Aranan Puyo as head of state and interim government.

Thousands of ethnic Tausugs carrying their flags and streamers with markings "Philippines please out now from Sultanate of Sulu!" "Today colony, tomorrow a country" marched through the streets of Jolo town.

After marching, the Tausugs from as far as Sulu, Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Palawan, North Borneo (Sabah) gathered in Lupah Sug in the town of Indanan, the birthplace of the founding of Sultanate of Sulu in 1405.

At the gathering, they raised flag and saluted signaling the restoration of the Sultanate of Sulu and its government. Shortly after a flag ceremony, Datu Wasik was installed as head of state of the newly restored Sulu Sultanate.

A chief minister and ministers for defense, finance, foreign and interior as well as 15 mayors, 15 deputies, 150 village heads, 150 religious leaders, 120 police chiefs, and 5,000 police peacekeepers were also installed.

It was learned the rest part of Sultanate, its government structure will be restored soonest after the coronation of the rightful Sultan, to be held within forty-five days following last Friday’s 603rd Sulu Sultanate founding anniversary celebration.

The Tausugs' restoration of their sovereign state and governance was the first ever episode in the Philippines today, 62 years after the Filipinos illegally and militarily occupied the Sultanate of Sulu in 1946.

In a speech, Datu Wasik declared: "Ha adlaw ini, amo na ini in adlaw sin Tausug…nagbalik na kita niyo pa bangsa natu Tausug (today is the day of Tausugs and we have returned to Tausug state)."

"Ha adlaw ini Tausug na kita niyo…ha adlaw ini Sultanate of Sulu na kita niyo bukon na kita niyo Filipino (Today we are already Tausugs…today, we are already Sultanate of Sulu no longer Filipinos)," he further declared.

In an interview, Ibno Abdushahid Bin Ahmad Saudi, chief minister of North Borneo (Sabah), said that it was a legitimate move or right action for the Tausugs to choose the rightful leaders of the Sultanate of Sulu.

"This is the time for Tausugs all over the world to unite and support the Sultanate of Sulu. I hope and pray to Allah Subhana Wata'ala (the Almighty God) that what we have done so far would bare fruitfully," he said.

Stressing the existence of Sultanate of Sulu when there were no Americans, no Filipinos and Malaysians yet, he called on the Philippine government to “please, by all means, leave the sovereign Sultanate of Sulu peacefully!"

For his part, Atty. Meltino Jaujan Sibulan, lawyer of Tausug citizens, said that Datu Wasik, a legatee of “Second Heir Apparent” of Sultan Maharajah Adinda Rajamuda Bantilan, now functions as Sultan (ruler).

"Datu Wasik would be functioning the same local government or a regional government or a state government as before since the time of the first Sultanate of Sulu," Sibulan explained.

In November 17, 1405 A.D., Syed Abubakar Al-Marhom Shariful Hashim from Johore founded the Kingdom of Sulu Sultanate. He was enthroned by Tausug citizens as the first Sultan of Sulu Sultanate.

At the time of his arrival in Sulu, Islam was already anchored at Buansa village, having been introduced in 1380 to the Datus and their people by Sheikh Makhdum, an Arab missionary from Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Sibulan said the functions of Sultan can now be exercised by Datu Wasik, adding that “since the Sultanate' de jure government is now exercising the acts of sovereignity, it is time for the Philippines to abandon the territory of Tausugs.”

"The justice has long been held hostage by the Republic of the Philippines. They have hostage the peace, freedom, and the sovereignity of this state and Tausug people. It's time to give justice to the Tausug citizens!" HG

2008-11-08T17:04:00.000+08:00

Kidnapped Zamboangueña nurse freed in Basilan

Zamboangueña nurse Precious Feliciano, kidnapped more than four months ago, arrives at the Majini Pier, Naval Forces South Command in Zamboanga City, a day after she was released by her captors in Al Barka town, Basilan.

Kidnapped Zamboangueña nurse Precious Feliciano was finally released Friday evening by her Abu Sayyaf captors in the Municipality of Al Barka in Basilan, officials said on Saturday.

Ms. Feliciano was first reported missing by her family last July 7. A high school classmate of the nurse allegedly went to Feliciano's house and invited her to high school reunion.

Instead of a reunion, Feliciano was brought to Manicaan in Zamboanga City, where a motorboat had been waiting. She was reportedly taken to Basilan and turned over to the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers.

Basilan Vice Governor Alrasheed Sakalahul said Ms. Feliciano was freed at Bohe Kassa, Barangay Magcawa in Al-Barka at around 9:45 p.m. after 124 days in captivity.

Precious' parents joined Sakalahul in fetching the 24-year old nurse who personally gave P200,000 in cash to the kidnappers as payment for "board and lodging."

"We were instructed by the kidnappers to proceed in that area, the same place, where we were able to get SP (Esperencita Hupida)," he told reporters.

The vice governor said he was not authorized to bring security to get the nurse. "I was only with my driver, of course my wife and the father and mother of the hostage," he added.

During an interview at Majini Pier in Naval Forces South arranged by Navy authorities, Precious did not answer some important questions by the media.

She, however, said her captors treated her well, provided her foods and did not hurt her. "Ok lang ta dale sila comigo kome. Ok el de ila treatment comigo alya. Hindi sila ta ase sinte duele comigo."

Mr. Feliciano, Precious father, said they're very glad now that Precious is already free from the kidnappers. He confirmed the reported P1.5 million ransom, which they gave to the kidnappers.

"Ya dale tambien kami board and lodging of P200,000. Previously ya dale ya man kami P1.5 million ransom," he told reporters.

He also admitted that her daughter's kidnapping greatly affected their family. He did not elaborate, but asked the government to eradicate the kidnappings.

Ms. Feliciano's release came a week after Esperencita Hupida, a program director of the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFI), was released by her captors last October 30, Thursday.

Hupida was abducted along with Millet Mendoza, another humanitarian worker, by Abu Sayyaf bandits one and a half months ago in Tipo-Tipo.

Mendoza's fate remains uncertain and also that of another kidnap victim, Joed Anthony Pilangga, and the Abu Sayyaf was reportedly demanding P7 million for Mendoza and P20 million for Pilangga.

"In the case of Mendoza, we leave that to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. For the other remaining hostage, we don't have any information whether he's in Basilan or not," Sakalahul said.

He declined to identify the negotiator of the MILF who is taking the lead in the negotiation for the release of the remaining hostages in Basilan.

"I give way (the negotiations for Mendoza's release) to the MILF. Ayaw ko rin naman ma jeopardize iyong kanilang ginagawa," the vice governor said.

2008-11-07T21:47:00.000+08:00

Muslims in Tawi-Tawi celebrate founding of first & oldest mosque in the Philippines

Tubig Indangan (Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, Mindanao). In 1380, an Arab missionary from Saudi Arabia named Sheik Karimul Mackdum reached Tubig Indangan in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, Mindanao and supervised the construction of the mosque thus marking the introduction of Islam faith in the Philippines.

Thousands of Muslims from the different towns in Tawi-Tawi have gathered for two days in the island of Simunul participating in the celebrations on the founding of the first mosque in the Philippines.

The first Muslim mosque known as the Masjid Sheik Karimal Mackdum, which was built in Indangan village in the island of Simunul by the Arab Muslim missionary from Mecca 628 years ago, signaled the propagation of Islam in the Philippines.

Sometime in November 2006, the Senate approved a proposal to declare the Philippines' oldest Islamic landmark located in Simunul as a national shrine in recognition to the contribution of Islam in the development of culture and civilization in the country.

Since Thursday, people converged on an area close to Sheik Karimal Mackdum Mosque with a variety of activities dubbed as Ziarang Simunul or Visit Simunul, based on the spirituality and cultural integrity of peoples of Mindanao.

Local government officials said a fluvial parade of decorated Sama tribe bancas signaled the different activities leading to the Friday congregational prayer at the Sheik Karimal Mackdum Mosque.

"The heart of the campaign is a symbolic gesture that signifies unity on the various people of ARMM and affirms Islam as a religion of peace," the municipal officials of Simunul said in a statement issued to the media.

The campaign highlighted the social capital of Simunul, which included the national heritage of the Sheik Mackdum Mosque, the colorful dances and music of the Sama tribe, the food delicacies, and efforts to usher in socio-economic development in the island.

A food festival of local delicacies, participated in by 16 villages of Simunul, launching the compilation of selected verses from the Qur'an and Hadith which provide references for the imams in their sermons also highlighted the celebration.

The celebrations culminated with a community "big book" reading, said to strengthen the social cohesion through collective recollection of the history of the place and the people along with the cultural presentation on the history of arrival of Islam in the Philippines.

Development projects were also launched and presented on Friday by various donor-funded projects present in Simunul such as the ACT for Peace Program, Mindanao Rural Development Program, Growth with Equity in Mindanao and the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao.

2008-11-07T20:49:00.000+08:00

Kapihan de Zamboanga
By Hader Glang

Barack Obama's election a triumph for black Americans

The election of Democrat Senator Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States is an amazing moment in American history.

This is an incredible accomplishment considering that never before have the Americans chosen a black candidate with Muslim roots to be president.

Indeed, the election of Obama is a long awaited triumph for the black American people who suffered much from slavery and oppressions by the whites in the past.

But his victory clearly indicates that America has come a long way since the dark time of segration, where the black people were treated like animals.

Some Filipino analysts had earlier speculated that a victory by Obama could lead to a reduction of American troops in Mindanao or even end their presence in the region.

I think this is more likely to happen because Obama wants to alter the US-lead global war on terrorism and the fact that he's calling for an end of war in Iraq, which was launched by outgoing President George Bush Jr.

But would this be a good thing or a bad thing for us? I think again we have to ask ourselves if the presence of US military here is not detrimental to our interest.

We have been hearing government officials saying that the strategic importance of the Philippines in America's geopolitics should remain constant and not lost.

Others say the US troops presence here and their non-combat assistance have helped prevent terror attacks and training and have neutralized Abu Sayyaf leaders and their JI cohorts.

On the other hand, diverse activist groups including Moro organizations demanded American troops involved in counter-terrorism exercises to leave Mindanao.

They said the humanitarian mission by American troops was a cover for counterinsurgency operations and amounted to US intervention in domestic affairs.

In light of all these issues, What is the best way for us? Should we demand Obama for a change in RP-US relations? Should we tell him to withdraw all US troops from Mindanao?

2008-10-31T08:58:00.000+08:00

An Open Letter to His Holiness
Pope BENEDICT XVI
From the Office of Amina Rasul, Lead Convenor,
Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy

Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world's population in a well-interconnected world. Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians.

The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbour. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity.

Thus starts A Common Word, an enlightened document that honors mutual understanding and respect between the two religious traditions, and which has brought us here today.

It is with regards to peace and justice for Muslims and Christians that we from Mindanao, are writing you today. Justice has long been denied the minorities of the Philippines – both our Muslim brethren and our indigenous peoples' communities. Their oppression has led to armed ethnic conflict between the Muslim minorities and government. Peace processes and interfaith collaboration had successfully negotiated our differences which helped increase mutual understanding, re-establish trust, calm the situation for the sake of peace and preserve human dignity.

The war between the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) ended when government and the MNLF signed a peace accord in 1996. The war between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was on ceasefire, underway to a peaceful resolution when the MILF and government undertook a peace process immediately upon the signing of the peace agreement with the MNLF. Unfortunately, war has resumed after government withdrew from signing the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain in August.

Over the last two months, more than 100 have been killed and 600,000 have become refugees. While we believe that the MILF units that targeted the villages have engaged in serious violations of international law and should be held accountable, we are also seriously concerned about the formation of armed militia units with support from the Department of Interior and Local Government. The setting up of armed groups will not protect civilians as some local government officials believe. Rather, it will lead to more chaos, insecurity and division among local communities. The protection of civilians is the responsibility of the State and its security sector such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

We hope that Your Holiness could help us bring peace and justice to our brothers and sisters in Mindanao by expressing concern about the unfolding humanitarian crisis and appeal for restraint for the protection of all civilians, as well as for the opening of access for the provision of speedy humanitarian assistance to the affected population.

As a concrete manifestation of how our faiths move us to help restore the dignity of our people in Mindanao by granting them their most cherished life in peace, we are making this appeal to Your Holiness to help us convince the government of the Republic of the Philippines and MILF to go back to the peace negotiation table as soon as possible. We believe that it is imperative that both government and the MILF share the responsibility for moving the peace process towards a sincere dialogue that reflects heavily the hearts and minds of all people who are affected by the escalating war in Mindanao.

Submitted in all respect and love to Your Holiness and in the name of the One Almighty God.

2008-10-30T19:06:00.001+08:00

One of two kidnapped aid workers freed

Freed Abu Sayyaf kidnap victim Esperencita Hupida is greeted by Fr. Angel Calvo, president of the Peace Advocates of Zamboanga (PAZ) and head of the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFL), after a mass at a Marine chapel inside the Naval Forces South headquarters in Zamboanga City. HG

One of the two humanitarian workers who had been kidnapped one and a half month ago, apparently by Abu Sayyaf kidnap for ransom group, was released on Thursday in a remote area in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.

The aid worker, Esperencita Hupida, who worked as a program coordinator of the Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. (NFI), was released by her captors at around 2:15 a.m. after her family paid an undisclosed amount in ransom.

Initially, her captors had reportedly demanded P5 million for her release and threatened to cut her fingers if the ransom demand would not be paid before the end of this month.

"I was so afraid when they threatened to cut my fingers. The kidnappers are teenagers, but they treated me well," Hupida told reporters in an interview at the Naval Forces South headquarters chapel.

Wearing an orange t-shirt, Hupida together with family, friends and fellow peace advocates prayed upon arrival at a chapel in the Naval Forces South headquarters.

Father Angel Calvo, head of the NFI and president of the Peace Advocate Zamboanga (PAZ), and other Catholic priests led the prayer for Hupida's release.

"We're very happy and very glad...at least one of the victims has been released," Fr. Calvo told reporters in an interview after the mass.

"We would like to mention especially the marine brigade who has been very very helpful eversince from the beginning as part of the crisis management committee, as well as the vice governor of Basilan," he said.

The military said Hupida was released by her captors in Al Barka town to Vice Governor Al-Rasheed Sakalahul who turned to Col. Romeo Valdez of the 1st Marine Brigade.

"It was Vice Governor Sakalahul who turned over her to the brigade. After the turnover, she was given a medical attention before she was taken here (Zamboanga City)," said Maj. Eugene Batara Jr., Western Mindanao Command spokesman.

Batara added that members of the Crisis Management Committee in coordination with Sakalahul worked for the release of Hupida. He tagged Nur Hassan, an Abu Sayyaf group leader, as behind the kidnapping.

The kidnappers are still holding Millet Mendoza, a Manila-based freelance community development worker and former executive director of Tabang Mindanao, a non-government organization (NGO).

"Initial information that we received following the release of Hupida, the remaining hostage (Mendoza) was reportedly separated (taken to other area) by their kidnappers," Batara said.

Hupida and Mendoza were seized in the afternoon of September 15 in the village of Cabangalan, Ungkaya Pukan town. They were implementing humanitarian projects in Tipo-Tipo town when kidnapped. HG

2008-10-29T09:38:00.002+08:00

Kapihan de Zamboanga
By Hader Glang

On the creation of third district

For the past several weeks, this corner has been dormant. Sorry for the absence, but I've been exhausted for quite sometime now, and I needed a break. Having recovered from this exhaustion, I am now back at the keyboard.

Anyway, let's tackle this issue on the creation of an additional district in Zamboanga City, which is being pushed by some power-hungry politicians here, invoking the Constitution and the increase of the city's population as basis.

While I respect the opinion of those people who move heaven and earth to create the third district, personally I am skeptical of this proposal. Sorry to say this, but I haven't seen a good reason why we need to create a new district.

We just divided more than a year ago our city in two districts and so far nothing really new as far as development is concerned. Progress is not really felt by the people despite the two congressional districts.

If you look at what's happening in our city, I'll just mention some of them – most barangay and farm to market roads are not improved, no standard terminal for bus, lack of schools in every barangay, short of medicines and health centers.

There are also no investments that will allow graduates to work their field of expertise, and power and water services remain very poor, many people are jobless, and the price of basic commodities is very high. Name it, we have it all here.

So what can we expect from the proposed third district? I don't think so that if nothing will be done now (creation of third district), history will judge the present leaders whether or not they have done something for the benefit of the next generations.

The real rhetoric here is whether or not our present leaders, who have full of promises, have focused on programs and projects that will address the real state of the city and spur economic progress in the two districts.

Our congressmen – Hon. Maria Isabelle Climaco and Hon. Erbie Fabian – are more than enough to represent the people of Zamboanga in Congress, particularly for the inhabitants of their districts and greater economic advancement of the city.

It's not really a matter of quantity of representatives, it's a matter of quality of representatives who can take our city to greater heights and produce something big in Congress that will benefit their constituents.

Look at all the major cities in Mindanao who have many congressional districts, the quality of life is very poor. This only means that if our city creates an additional district, life-quality including income per person goes lower and the city's income divides too etc…

We really have to ask ourselves. Is creating a third district will do good for the city or is it only for those power-hungry politicians, who are just after the pork barrel and concerned about their personal interest than the people's interest?

Have we already felt the progress in the two districts, where there are many socio-economic development programs and other indicators that improve the quality of life of the people? If not then, this is the issue that we have to raise to our present leaders.

Finally, we should be particularly concerned about the fact that power-hungry politicians who want to establish dynasty in the city might be the only beneficiaries of a new district. I hope this factor would be taken into account when consulted on the matter.

2008-10-21T11:46:00.000+08:00

Activist groups conduct humanitarian mission in Cotabato, Lanao, Maguindanao

A joint team of activists in the country will travel to the conflict affected provinces of North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Lanao del Norte on October 22-25, 2008 to provide humanitarian response to Moro and Christian evacuees there.

Dubbed as "The National Interfaith Humanitarian Mission (NIHM),' this is the first time since the government's all out war against the so-called rogue MILF rebels that has already claimed 83 lives as of September 21, many of whom innocent civilians.

The mission focuses on communities without or with the least access to assistance in the said three provinces. It will also document the extent and impact of the war and investigate the human rights violations and international humanitarian law violations in the areas.

The mission to the three provinces includes relief, medical, and psychosocial assistance. But because of limited resources, the NIHM will focus its assistance to five towns in Lanao del Norte and two towns in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

Organizers said they have determined that these areas have received little or no assistance from government and non-government agencies, or have experienced discrimination in relief efforts. Many of these communities are remotely located and relief assistance is not easily accessible.

They said the mission will undertake its operation in the following areas with the corresponding number of IDPs. However, given limited resources, the Mission will have to focus on certain villages from these municipalities:

Lanao del Norte – Kauswagan (2,779 IDPs), Kolambugan (3,125 IDPs), Munai (2,012 IDPs, Poona Piagapo (619 IDPs), and Tangkal (1,503 IDPs); North Cotabato to Maguindanao – Pikit (7,938 IDPs), Datu Piang (5,739 IDPs).

Based on the NIHM data, it showed that some 528,053 individuals have been displaced by the raging all-out war in Mindanao. Children, women, and the elderly are the most vulnerable to the ongoing hostilities.

"They make up a majority of the 110,389 families in 354 villages mostly located in Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Basilan. They are cramped into a total of 123 evacuation centers in all affected provinces," said Marie Hilao Enriquez, NIHM lead convenor.

She said more evacuation centers are being opened by government as of this writing, but a greater number, some 253,255 persons, are finding shelter outside evacuation centers with relatives, away from the services of government agencies and non-government relief institutions.

According to her, measles, common chronic diseases, diarrhea, and other illnesses have been monitored. Mortality among evacuees has been attributed by the government to lack of resources and lack of access to particular communities.

"This, as children struggle to overcome trauma (with government providing limited psychosocial intervention) and lag behind because of disruption of classes as schools are converted into evacuation centers," she said.

"Aggravating their conditions is the lack of medical personnel, the small ratio of available toilets to evacuees, insufficient garbage disposal, and the intermittent security and safety threats to evacuees resulting from skirmishes."

Some 202 houses of civilians have been totally razed. More than 120 million pesos worth of public and private property has been damaged, including schools, livestock and crops. Hostilities--- which include aerial bombardments, shelling, and massive troop deployment-- have created this unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

The pursuit of MILF rebels allegedly responsible for criminal attacks against civilian populations has left a trail of massive internal displacement and has spawned more violations to human rights and international humanitarian law.

The impact of the one-tracked objective of the AFP to get at all cost MILF commanders Bravo and Ombra Kato--- alleged to have killed civilians, burned houses, and committed other atrocities--- has far cancelled out its purported aim of protecting civilian populations.

"This complex emergency is expected to turn for the worse as there seems to be no end to the fighting. Already, 50% of the combat capable forces of the AFP are deployed in Mindanao," Enriquez said.

The peace negotiations, where hostilities are governed by existing agreements, are in limbo with the dissolution of the government's peace panel and the government's transformation of its peace policy into Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR).

Leaders of Karapatan, Kawagib Moro Human Rights, Children's Rehabilitation Center – Southern Mindanao, Health Action for Human Rights, Bayan Muna Suara Bangsamoro, Kalinaw Mindanao, and Gabriela Women's Party have organized the humanitarian mission.

They will make a public presentation of the initial reports of the NIHM on October 24, 2008 in the morning at El Comedor Grille, Sinsuat Avenue in Cotabato City with panel of speakers and presenters from the different activist groups.

2008-10-17T20:12:00.003+08:00

Asian youth leaders call for peace in south

The four-day Asian Religious Youth Leaders Summit in Davao City concluded Friday with strong calls for peace, justice and development, and the resolution of the conflict in Mindanao between government forces and Moro rebels.

Youth leaders said, "We, the religious youth leaders in Asia, strongly appeal to pursue the Mindanao peace process, with honor and dignity, and call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Mindanao."

They also called for the return of all stakeholders to the negotiation table and to the path of peace, adding that the many years of painstaking efforts and progress between the government and various stakeholders should not been overlooked and abandoned.

They believe that the resumption of the peace negotiations between all parties at stake is imperative in truly attaining a just and lasting peace in Mindanao.

"We, bearing witness to the extreme conditions of the people of Mindanao, urge the government of the Philippines to intensify its efforts to care for the more than a half a million internally displaced persons (IDPs) as a humanitarian crisis looms in front of us."

They also urged the United Nations to review the situation and take relevant actions as the number of IDPs continues to grow and called on the security forces to respect international norms pertaining to existing evacuation centers and to allow free access to aid for the people in Mindanao.

"We, seeing the people in Mindanao, who are suffering as a result of the conflict and as a result of decades of neglect, call for justice for the marginalized Mindanao, which is lacking good education, jobs for youth, and are living in poverty. Without justice there can be no peace."

At least 90 Asian youth leaders from different faith-based and grassroots-based organizations in Asia made the statements during the four-day meeting at the Brokenshire Resort and Convention Center in Davao City on Thursday.

Participants to the summit came from New York - USA, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Australia, Nepal, and Philippines representing different faith traditions - Islam, Christians, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Shinto, Sikh, Zoroastrian and the indigenous.

They also vowed to find ways to be able to present the three documents during the forthcoming Asian Summit in Thailand on November this year.

Three historic documents were approved during the summit such as (1) Urgent Appeal for Mindanao (2) Statement of the Asian Youth Religious Leaders Summit and (3) Local, National, Asian and Global Action Plan.

The documents will be presented to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo by the participants in Manila this week.

2008-10-15T21:36:00.000+08:00

US launches airport, water projects in SuluUS Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney (2nd from right) and Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan (3rd from left) lead the groundbreaking for the Jolo runway improvement project. The airport project, a partnership among the Department of Transportation and Communications, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Sulu provincial government and USAID's Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, will replace and widen the asphalt runway, and extend it from 1,200 meters to 1,845 meters, to ensure safer airport operations and higher-capacity air linkages between Sulu and the rest of the country. Joining them for the ceremony on October 14 were (l-r): USAID Mission Director Jon Lindborg, Vice Governor Lady Ann Sahidula, Governor Abdusakur Tan, and Undersecretary Nabil Tan of the Office of the Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process.

The United States government has started implementing another projects in coordination with the Provincial Government of Sulu to improve the Jolo town airport's runway and provide potable running water to the people.

No less than, US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie A. Kenney and Sulu Provincial Governor Abdusakur Tan led the launching of the projects in Jolo airport on Tuesday, with top military officials.

The runway improvement project will replace and widen the existing asphalt runway and extend it from 1,200 meters to 1,845 meters to help ensure safer airport operations and higher-capacity air linkages.

"This will improve development and give the citizens of Jolo a chance to be connected to the rest of the Philippines," said Ambassador Kenney. "More importantly, it will give the rest of the country and the world a chance to discover Jolo."

Total air passenger traffic to Jolo grew 30 percent in 2006-2007, making it difficult at times to get seats on existing flight routes, while cargo movement more than quadrupled, according to data from the Air Transportation Office.

In addition, the water project will upgrade the current pumping system by constructing a 200-cubic meter concrete reservoir, installing transmission pipelines totaling 2.5 km, and replacing distribution pipelines and defective meters.

The project will enable the Jolo Mainland Water District to provide potable running water to approximately 70,000 residents of Jolo and adjacent barangays in Indanan and Patikul.

"This will answer a basic need of our people," said Governor Tan at the groundbreaking ceremony.

The airport improvement project is being completed in partnership with the Department of Transportation and Communications, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the provincial government and USAID's Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program.

The water project, meanwhile, will be undertaken through the joint efforts of Sulu's provincial government, Local Water Utilities Administration, Jolo Mainland Water District, and the GEM Program.

"America is proud to be among the many partners in this project," Kenney said, thanking all agencies involved.

The US Ambassador also visited the Mohammad Tulawie Central School, a beneficiary of USAID education and workforce preparation assistance.

She also met with 90 high school students from various locations in Jolo who are participating in a U.S. Embassy funded two-year English Access Microscholarship program, at the American Corner at the Notre Dame de Jolo University. Press Release

2008-10-11T21:12:00.000+08:00

Moro rallyists ask intervention of UN, OIC in Mindanao conflict

At least 2,000 people took to the streets in Marawi City in a rally last week to ask the immediate intervention of the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to stop the military offensive against the Moro rebels.

That same day, the rallyists spearheaded by the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) marched to the headquarters of the 103rd Infantry Brigade in the city demanding a halt of their operations against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Most of the rallyists in blue and green attire carried banners and placards against the arming of the civilians. They condemned the burning of houses in Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao, and North Cotabato allegedly by Army soldiers.

They appealed to the UN and OIC to make necessary steps to compel the Arroyo administration to honour agreements and sign the botched GRP-MILF Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) in Malaysia last August 5, 2008.

The rallyists chanted "Allahu Akbar!" (Allah is Great!) as they approached the Army outfit's headquarters.

During the rally, the demonstrators also distributed a manifesto saying that their "only remaining hope for immediate and just resolution of the Mindanao conflict is the joint intervention of the UN and the OIC."

They said they trust these international organizations because they're "sworn to maintain world peace and security by safeguarding human rights and people's rights and the promotion of conflict resolution through principled, just and peaceful means."

They appealed to the UN and the OIC to jointly intervene in this Mindanao conflict, to mediate for the cessation of the war and to institute the just resolution of the grievous injustices to the Bangsamoro and their right to self-determination.

2008-10-05T22:43:00.003+08:00

Non arrival of a batch of 400 deportees from Sabah cast doubts on migrant group

Some of the deportees from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia who arrived in Zamboanga City on Saturday.

The non-arrival of Filipino deportees from Malaysia to Zamboanga City on Saturday has cast doubts on a women’s and migrant groups’ fact-finding mission.

Migrante chairperson Connie Regalado said about 400 deportees from Sabah were scheduled to arrive in Zamboanga City, but for unknown reason this was canceled.

The group, which is looking into the plight of deportees from Sabah, was supposed to conduct an actual investigation with the deportees in the pier.

“We expected for their (deportees) arrival aboard Weesam fastcraft but there were conflicting statements of the RP-Malaysia inter-agencies committee officials,” said Regalado.

“It seems to me they are (inter-agencies committee officials) trying to mislead us so we can’t talk with the deportees,” she added.

With this, Regalado said the government has exposed further its insufficiency in terms of giving assistance or support to Sabah deportees.

“What happened on the supposed arrival of deportees It cast serious doubts on us that they directly transport the people to Bongao or other places,” she added.

The port of Zamboanga City serves as the transit point for deportees since Malaysian government began its crackdown in 2000.

Thousands of Filipinos who have illegally worked in Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Sandakan and other states in Malaysia were arrested and incarcerated.

But they are being deported every week from Sabah to Zamboanga City.

The first two fact-finding mission of Migrante held in 2002 and in 2005 found out that deportees suffered inhumane treatment while inside jam-packed detention centers.

Worst is that Filipinos deported to Philippines remained homeless and lacked livelihood support from the government.

Also women became victims of sexual harassment and sex trafficking and there were a high number of migrants’ children born without documents.

Migrant group urged the government to welcome non-government organizations to help the plight of deportees if it’s really committed addressing the plight of migrant workers.

“They’re the one saying that NGO’s are their partners but in this case they are hiding us the truth about the deportees from Sabah,” Regalado said.

Regalado said the government’s uncooperative stance with the fact-finding mission only showed that it’s not concerned with the plight of Filipino workers in Sabah.

Despite this, she vowed to pursue the fact-finding mission to give justice and relief to deportees who have been neglected by the government.

“We are united and determined to pressure the government to take appropriate action on the cases of deportees from Sabah,” she concluded. (HG)

2008-10-04T20:49:00.000+08:00

Migrante: RP-Malaysia migrant working group only on papers, not working

Migrante International chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado (center), Gabriela Party-List Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan (right) and Arleen Alonzo of the Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA) hold a press conference with local reporters in Zamboanga City.

The working group created bilaterally by the Philippines and Malaysian governments regarding the migration problems between the two countries is only on papers and it's not really working, women and migrant groups said here on Saturday.

In a press conference, Migrante International chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said officials of this inter-agency committee do not have coordination whatsoever with Malaysian government.

"Iyong itinayong RP-Malaysia working group on migrants failed to address the human rights violation committed against deportees in Sabah. Naglilista lang sila (inter-agency committee officials) ng dumarating na deportees," Regalado said.

She said they're only functioning based on what their agencies can do without coordinating them with the government that is supposed to be their partner, adding that representatives from the agencies involved in the said committee didn't even mention on how the RP-Malaysia working group is working.

The migrant leader also said member agencies of the inter-agency committee themselves are not coordinating their actions regarding the deportation of thousands of undocumented migrant Filipino workers in Sabah, Malaysia.

Citing the Department of Labor and Employment, which heads the committee, she said it's only concerned on how the deported undocumented Filipinos can go back to work in Sabah and the same goes with the DFA, whose job is to process working visas so that deportees can go back to Sabah.

"The government is putting band aid solutions to long standing problems regarding the issue. The problem is that Filipinos keep coming back to Sabah because they can't find jobs in the Philippines. They also seek refuge because of the historic and ongoing war in Mindanao," she said.

Regalado also scored the so called livelihood projects of government agencies for the deportees.

Migrante together with Grabriela Party-List Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, Engender Rights Inc. Executive Director Atty. Clara Rita Padilla and Arleen Alonzo of the Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA) is conducting a fact-finding on Sabah deportees in the city.

The fact-finding mission arrived here on Friday and conducted an ocular inspection of the Center for Displaced persons for deporteesin Barangay Mampang, this city that is run by the Department of Social Work and Development.

In its initial findings, the group found out that most of the deportees still staying at the center are from Mindanao and that cases of deaths, suicide and violations of human rights were left unrecorded especially if this occurred during detention in Malaysia.

For her part, Gabriela Rep.Ilagan expressed her support to file charges before the UN if the evidence gathered proves neglect on the part of the national government to protect the rights and welfare of deportees.

She said the national government up to now, has yet to present any concrete system to address the problem on why the deportees continue to go back to Malaysia to work. (HG)

2008-10-04T04:06:00.000+08:00

Anti-war coalition groups score LOVFA's findings that no US bases in Mindanao

A broad anti-war coalition uniting over sixty organizations around the country on Friday scored the LOVFA's pronouncement that the stay of American forces in the country is legal and that there are no US bases in the South.

"This is clearly a case of feigned ignorance at best or a deliberate cover-up at worst," said Mitzi Chan, one of the Stop the War Coalition-Philippines' spokespersons, in a press statement issued to this reporter via internet mail.

"The LOVFA members are either blinded by their ideological preference for US basing or by the Philippine military's dependence on US military aid, genuinely ignorant of the ways by which the forms of US basing have been transformed in recent years, or are deliberately attempting to cover-up the US bases in order to perpetuate their stay," Chan added.

"Senator Biazon could not be unaware that the US military has been transforming the form that US military bases take. They may no longer look like Subic and Clark, they may not fly American flags – but they are still US bases in essence and purpose regardless of the nomenclature that pro-US politicians prefer," Chan argued.

According to Chan, "What the US has in Zamboanga City – in the form of the JSOTFP's headquarters inside Camp Navarro – is exactly the kind of bases that the framers of the 1987 Constitution had in mind when they decided to ban the presence of foreign bases in the country."

Chan dismissed Biazon's statement that "American facilities are administrative in nature and not combat in nature" as particularly "lame."

Assailing Adan's efforts to sell US presence to the public, Chan said, "The VFA commissioner has an impossible job: On the one hand, he is mandated to go after Americans who commit any wrongdoing in the country. On the other hand, it also appears to be his task to tell the public that the Americans can't possibly do anything wrong."

Stop the War Coalition challenged other Senators and Congressmen to stand up for peace and for the constitution by seeing for themselves how it is violated by visiting the US facilities in the South.

It also supports calls for an independent investigation, saying the LOVFA's pronouncements at this stage indicate how compromised its conclusions may be, given that Biazon was one of the main proponents of the VFA. Press Release

2008-10-03T18:33:00.002+08:00

RP Congress probe finds no US military basing, permanent stay in Mindanao

Senator Rodolfo Biazon, co-chairman of the Legislative Oversight Committee on Visiting Forces Agreement, asks an American military officer during an ocular inspection of the US facilities in Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City.

The American facilities here are administrative in nature and not combat operational in nature. It is administrative in nature. These are our preliminary findings, Senator Rodolfo Biazon said Thursday.

Biazon, co-chairman of the Legislative Oversight Committee on the Visiting Forces Agreements, explained that all of these US government facilities constructed here are all inside the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) bases.

“So, as a former soldier, it is difficult for me to make a conclusion that the Americans have established their own military bases here,” said Biazon, who was a former AFP chief of staff during President Cory Aquino’s administration in 1991.

But he made clear that they would continue to evaluate their initial findings. “The sub-committee will provide a report to the mother committee and that will be discussed within that mother committee, subsequently.”

The fact-finding team was organized by the Senate and the House in respond to the allegations on the setting up of US military bases in Mindanao and the involvement of American troops in actual combat operations.

The team has inspected American facilities inside Edwin Andrews Air Base in Sta. Maria, Camp Arturo Enrile in Malagutay, the Western Mindanao Command in Upper Calarian district, and Naval Forces-Western Mindanao in Calarian.

Its initial findings contradict the members of Citizen’s Peace Watch’s findings from its fact-finding mission, which claimed to have seen with their own eyes and to have pictures of the US military structures inside camps in Zamboanga City.

The coalition group, formed by diverse non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Moro groups, political party-lists and leftists, to monitor what it fears as the growing and permanent US military presence in the Southern Philippines.

Meanwhile, Cebu (2nd District) Congressman Antonio Cuenco, who co-chairs the LOVFA in the House of Representatives, said they have not found any violations in so far the VFA agreement between the US and the Philippines is concerned.

“For example, the allegations that the US forces were engaged in espionage which is an act of war. We can’t find that as an act of war,” Cuenco told reporters at a press conference inside the Western Mindanao Command headquarters.

He said the US forces are providing Filipino soldiers with intelligence information regarding the activities of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the Abu Sayyaf, which has links to the Al Qaida militant group.

“Those are enemies of the Philippine Republic and we are happy to be able to get information from any source whatsoever so that we can attend our objective in demolishing these enemies of our state,” he added.

So far, according to him, they have not seen any veracity of the anti-US troops’ accusations against the Americans. “We are very careful of the facts (information) that we are getting from the fact-finding mission.”

For his part, Ret. Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan, now defense undersecretary and executive director of the Presidential Commission on VFA, said they have not found any basis for the allegations in previous hearings.

“Is not factual. The reports are not substantiated, however we would be continuously getting observations, comments and reports so that we can have a factual and good assessments on this probe,” he said.

Biazon, meantime, vowed that he would personally make a move in Congress through democratic process to abrogate the VFA if there is a finding that indeed the Americans violated the provisions of the agreement.

“Six months only, we can abrogate the agreement unilaterally in case we are convinced that there is a violation of the agreement that is specified for in one of the penultimate articles in the VFA, but there’s no violation yet,” Cuenco supported Biazon’s statement.

Zamboanga City Congressman (2nd District) Erbie Fabian lauded the American troops in Mindanao, saying they are doing a great help for the region in terms of helping the Philippine military and humanitarian services.

“However, what I have been telling you earlier that their (US forces) stay here should be within the confines of the provisions of the VFA. No overstaying and no other violations,” Fabian reiterated.

But the Citizen’s Peace Watch considered the US military's so-called humanitarian projects as mere cover for military operations, saying that it do not benefit the local population.

The coalition group said US basing and intervention in the country is contributing to insecurity and leading to an escalation in conflict. It also demands the suspension of US military deployment to the Philippines, specifically the stationing of the JSOTF-P as well as the military exercises. (HG)

2008-10-01T19:14:00.000+08:00

100 groups call for US troops’ withdrawal from Mindanao

Photo courtesy of Kawagib Moro Human Rights Organization.

As Congress investigates US military presence and actions in the Philippines, over one hundred organizations have come together to demand the “immediate withdrawal” of US military forces from Mindanao in the southern Philippines.

Saying that the US’ involvement in the war “can no longer be denied,” the groups said in a common statement that the US “further contributes to escalating and exacerbating the violence and insecurity in Mindanao, drawing parties towards all-out war, away from a just and peaceful resolution.”

Among the signatories were youth, students’, workers’, womens’, farmers’, artists’ and professional groups – including Christian and Muslim organizations. There were non-government organizations, human rights, relief and humanitarian groups, political parties, social movements, as well as networks and coalitions which bring together dozens of grassroots organizations coming from Mindanao but also beyond.

Disputing official explanations as untenable, the groups said: “In joining Filipino troops in their operations, providing them information, locating bombs, rescuing casualties, or giving technical assistance, the US military is clearly involved in actual combat in the Philippines. In stationing troops and equipment in various military facilities in the south, the US has established permanent basing in the country.”

To resolve the conflict in Mindanao, the groups call for an agreement “that would genuinely advance the Moro's and the indigenous people's right to self-determination -- as they themselves define it, free from others' imposition and intervention." Press Release

2008-10-01T18:17:00.001+08:00

House okays proposed P9.7 billion ARMM budget

The sub-committee of the committee on appropriations of the House of Representattives approved Wednesday the budget proposal of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for 2009.

The 9.7-Billion proposed budget is higher by at least 11% than the region’s FY-2008 budget. The allocation is expected to respond to the needs and demands for development in the area of autonomy.

The regional government placed emphasis on addressing priority areas such as health and basic education and infrastructure. However, the increase would barely make up for the urgent relief and rehabilitation needs of certain areas in the region.

The ongoing military pursuit against elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has displaced thousands of civilians and damaged properties including social infrastructures in the provinces of Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan.

ARMM Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan has already provided 3-Million pesos drawn from his special purpose fund to extend aid to families affected by the war.

Almost 70% of the proposed budget would go personnel services, only 12% will be used for capital outlay and the rest for maintenance and other operating expenses.

Members of the sub-committee, which is chaired by Tawi-Tawi Congressman Nur Jaafar, unanimously approved and endorsed the FY2009 proposed ARMM budget.

“We like to keep the pace of development we’ve introduced. The proposed budget is crucial in determining the kind and level of intervention that we can provide to address the pressing needs of the region,” Ampatuan said.(BPI-ARMM)

2008-09-26T19:58:00.000+08:00

Misuari: War in Mindanao unnecesary, unfortunate

Prof. Nur Misuari, founder and chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), in Zamboanga City.

Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chairman Nur Misuari expressed sadness yesterday to what is happening in some parts in the southern Philippines particularly in Central Mindanao, saying that the war is unnecessary and unfortunate.

"This war is unnecessary and unfortunate because we only expose our children, our women to this scourge of war and it seems nobody is benefiting from this war," Misuari said in an ambush interview at a mosque in Barangay (village) Sta. Barbara.

Misuari performed here the Jumu'ah (Friday) prayer. He arrived here Thursday to meet followers in Basilan as part of his peace caravan that he has been doing since he was temporarily freed from detention in connection with rebellion charges against him.

Although he understands the feelings of his brothers about the failure of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD), the MNLF chieftain said he believes that the peaceful means is more effective than the martial means.

"We should not be carried away by our emotion. You know in diplomacy, in a peace talks, in a negotiation, you must always expect for the worse. So when you get the reversal of your faith like that and then you react the way they did, you only add, augment or exacerbate your own problem," he said.

Misuari was referring to the incidents in North Cotabato, Lanao de Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces that were triggered by the frustrations and outraged of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commanders Umbra Kato, Abdullah Macapaar and Sulayman Pangalian.

At this point in time, according to him, the best way now is for them to continue to search for peace through the peaceful means to avoid any calamitous repercussion on their children on their women and civilians as a whole.

'Why do we have to fight when every time it's our own innocent civilians are the victims of this war?" he asked, adding that unlike before when they were just starting they had to fight for their rights, freedom, even decolonization and independence of their homeland.

But after the MNLF reached the peace agreement with the government in Sept. 6, 1996 when war-like means would no longer be necessary, Misuari said therefore they must not accept any provocation whatsoever.

"That's what I told our brothers in MNLF don't accept provocation, don't provoke and don't also play into the hands of those provocators who want to destroy the smooth transition from the present crisis situation into peaceful one," he continued.

The MNLF chairman furthered that in the case of the MNLF, the members have been so steadfast in following his advice to continue to uphold their peaceful way of achieving peace in Mindanao, hoping that there would be no more obstacles in the way of peace so that they can restore back their freedom.

Misuari's latest visit to Zamboanga was the second and the 4th leg of his peace journey, a sequel of his visit to Davao City, Central Mindanao, Lanao del Norte and Basilan. He intends to visit Zamboanga del Norte, Tawi-Tawi, Siasi, and Sulu in the next few days. HG

2008-09-22T05:34:00.000+08:00

Moro rebels website embarks survey on most hated Filipino politicians

The website of the Moro rebels in the southern Philippines will embark an on line poll with the question, "Who is the most hated Filipino leader?" to determine the sentiments or viewpoints of the Bangsamoro people.

In a report posted on Luwaran.com, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's official website, said the survey was conceived after the failed signing of the Memorandum on Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) in Malaysia on August 5, 2008.

The report said the failed signing between the Philippine government and the MILF peace panels infuriated Bangsamoro people and sent some Moro rebel commanders to hit military targets without sanctions from their superiors.

According to an insider of the Moro rebel website, who requested anonymity, the survey will be very objective, saying only Luwaran.com readers have the opportunity to vote on the issue.

"However, only Moro readers are urged to participate and vote," he said, without elaborating. "In a way the Arroyo administration will benefit from this online survey in many ways."

The name of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is number one in the list, followed by former Pres. Joseph Estrada, Exec. Sec. Eduardo Ermita, DILG Sec. Ronaldo Puno, National Security Sec. Norberto Gonzales, and Malacañang spokesman Jesus Dureza.

Seventh in the list is Senator Mar Roxas, followed by Senator Franklin Drilon, Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin, North Cotabato Gov. Jesus Sacdalan, North Cotabato Vice Gov. Emmanuel Pińol, and Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat.

The Luwaran.com reported that ousted President Estrada repeatedly criticized at the MILF with threat of "all-out war" even if he was already out of the office.

It said that entry no. 14 is Atty. Adel Tamano, a Moro who caught the ire of many Moros especially from his province of Lanao del Sur, for parroting the anti-Moro lines of Roxas and Drilon.

2008-09-17T14:07:00.000+08:00

Kapihan de Zamboanga
By Hader Glang

A petition statement against President Arroyo

Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID) Lead Convenor Amina Rasul e-mailed me a petition statement of Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO) of which she is a member being the former presidential adviser and concurrent National Youth Commission ((NYC) chair.

FSGO is a group of previous senior officials who had served at Cabinet and Sub-Cabinet levels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines under six presidential administrations over the past 40 years.

In their petition statement titled: “Moves For Extension Will Not Die: Filipino Citizens Should Prepare Fro Action,” FSGO members expressed alarmed over the current political developments.

They noted that in spite of various protestations by political leaders from the administration and the opposition, the talk of a brazen attempt to extend the term of Mrs. Arroyo simply will not die.

The following are further excerpts from a petition statement of the FSGO members against President Arroyo:

“Charter change to be initiated in Congress through a constituent assembly has seemingly been stopped in its tracks by the vocal opposition of many members of the Senate, whose two-thirds approval would logically seem necessary to convene a constituent assembly.

Yet the House of Representatives, through the Speaker, and the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, has announced that it will be holding "public consultations" to elicit public opinion on charter change, whether for federalism, shift to a parliamentary system or such other excuse/justification as may later dawn on the proponents.

Some legislators have been vocal in pushing their interpretation that "the Constitution requires only a two thirds vote of its members to propose amendments to the Constitution," an interpretation that would make the Senators' votes almost irrelevant in the process.

The current administration has swung violently on the matter of the conflict in Mindanao from rushing to sign the MOA on Ancestral Domain with the MILF to the abrupt cancellation of the peace talks, the dissolution of the peace panel and the attempt of Mrs. Arroyo to disown knowledge of the agreement; and now a relentless armed confrontation that is seemingly designed to goad the MILF and other groups into a combative reaction or a series of violent actions.

The inevitable armed confrontations and deaths that will follow could be a ready-made platform to suspend the writ of habeas corpus or, heaven forbid, even the declaration of Martial Law. The Constitution requires only a vote of a majority of the members of Congress, voting jointly, to approve and extend Martial Law.

We declare our commitment to a just and sustainable peace in Mindanao. We will initiate and support all possible actions that will bring about an inclusive process to begin with ceasefire and return to the peace table.

We declare our united opposition (1) to any moves that exploit the Mindanao situation to extend Mrs. Arroyo's stay in power, (2) to any attempt to amend the Constitution before 2010, (3) to any attempt to change the Constitution through a Constituent Assembly, and (4) to any step towards declaring Martial Law.

We call on all Filipinos to be vigilant, to inform themselves, to organize with like-minded fellow citizens, and to prepare to show our leaders and officials the true power of our democracy.

2008-09-11T18:46:00.000+08:00

US forces' promise aid for Zambo airport unfulfilled, says air transportation chief

Philippines (left) and United States of America flags.

Promises are meant to be broken. This seemed to be true when the local head of Air Transportation Office (ATO) here complained Thursday that the US forces have not fulfilled their promise to help improve the facilities at the Zamboanga City International Airport.

"They promised everything, but up to this point in time not a single nail was given," ATO chief for Western Mindanao Celso Bayabos told members of the City Council. He did not elaborate further.

Bayabos was invited by the City Council to find out the extent of damage of the runway at the international airport, which the local ATO chief has been complaining that needs an immediate and major repair.

The US Embassy spokesperson in Manila, Rebecca Thompson, has been insisting that the "US forces are here at the invitation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) under the Visiting Forces Agreement.

But Bayabos said he was puzzled because US forces were expanding the structure they had built inside the airport within the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB), though he said the expansion had the permission from the central office.

According to Bayabos, his office submitted a letter to the head of US forces here to do something about it, but instead of initiating actions like moving it (away), they even added some structures making it bigger now.

Meanwhile, local legislators here, during Thursday's regular session, questioned Bayabos why he is still allows huge US aircraft, such as C-17 military plane, to land despite the problem.

In response, Bayabos said they have issued advisories to all pilots to exercise extreme caution while landing in the international airport due to the presence of holes or craters in the runway.

Since 2002, US government have been deploying special forces to Zamboanga with a mission of training Filipino soldiers in fighting terrorists and implementing humanitarian projects on Sulu and Basilan.

American military aircraft have been using the city's international airport to transport personnel and equipment into the airport in support of the US mission to assist, train and advise Philippine military in its fight against the Abu Sayyaf and other domestic terrorist organizations.

There had also been frequent trips of huge US military aircraft, four times bigger than a C-130 cargo plane, using the Zamboanga international airport, aside from smaller military planes and helicopters.

2008-09-09T13:19:00.000+08:00

Coalition of 23 groups call for a suspension of US military deployment to Mindanao

The military base of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force - Philippines (JSOTF-P) inside Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City. Caption/Photo Release From Citizens' Peace Watch

Pending the conclusion of a fair and thorough probe by lawmakers surrounding the US military deployments to Mindanao, a broad coalition of NGOs, social movements, and political parties from the country on Tuesday called for its suspension.

In a press release, the Citizens' Peace Watch, a group formed to monitor what it fears as the growing and permanent US military presence in the South, reiterated its recommendations from a fact-finding mission.

Members of the mission who conducted in Zamboanga City and Sulu last February claimed to have seen with their own eyes – and to haver pictures of – the US' military structures inside Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City.

The members of the Citizens' Peace Watch are Akbayan! Party-list, Alyansa ng Kabataan sa Mindanao para sa Kapayapaan, Anak Mindanao Party List, Balay Rehabilitation Center, Bangsamoro Women's Foundation, Citizen's Coalition for Human Rights, Focus on the Global South, KaisaKa, Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya, Lanao Alliance of Human Rights Advocates, Mindanao Peoples Caucus, Mindanao Peoples Peace Movement, Mindanao Tri-People Women Forum, Moro Human Rights Center, Muslim Women's Organization, Peace Women Partners, Peacebuilders Community, Pinay Kilos, Resource Center for People's Development, STOP the War Coalition Philippines, Sumpay Mindanao, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, Tulong Lupah Sug, Inc..

"The information coming out today about the US military presence in the south confirm what we have been saying all along for many months now," said Corazon Fabros, one of the group's spokespersons.

"It is high time to look into them because the government's excuse is becoming more and more ludicrous while the situation is getting more and more dangerous," she added.

The group stressed the following findings from its fact-finding mission:

* that the US has established military basing in the Philippines;

* that the US is involved in actual combat operations in the country;

* that the US military has, in complicity with the Philippine military, committed human rights violations in the Philippines;

* that the US is conducting operations outside the control of the Philippine government and military;

* that the US military's so-called humanitarian projects are mere cover for military operations;

* that do not benefit the local population;

* US basing and intervention in the country is contributing to insecurity and leading to an escalation in conflict.

The coalition said in light of the constitutional violations and actual danger to lives and human rights, the Citizens' Peace Watch challenges elected representatives to take the initiative to demand and conduct Congressional and Senate inquiries into the issue.

It also demands the suspension of US military deployment to the Philippines, specifically the stationing of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines as well as the military exercises, pending fair and independent review of and investigations on their presence and intervention.

2008-09-05T20:33:00.000+08:00

GRP peace panel dissolution draws mixed reactions

Various leaders voiced mixed reactions Wednesday to the dissolution of the government’s peace panel. While the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said it is normal, others said the era of peace talks is over.

MindaNews website reported quoting Guiamel Alim, executive director of the Consortium for Bangsamoro Civil Society, saying that they made the panel pay for government’s weaknesses and insincerity.

“It also means the government is ready to run after the MILF. It also means the International Monitoring Team (IMT) should go home. Mechanism on the ground is dead. What a loss,” Alim said.

MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said that the dissolution of the peace panel is “normal” in any negotiating process and that it is the government’s privilege to do so.

“Well, that is normal in any negotiation, you can change your panel as you wish and it is internal to the government and that is their privilege, they can do that anytime they want,” Iqbal said.

Amina Rasul, executive director of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy, expressed disappointment and alarm at the dissolution of the GRP peace panel, saying that it is a move that destabilizes an already unstable situation in Mindanao.

“I fear that the MILF will take this as the final evidence of the Arroyo administration’s insincerity in the peace process. The hawks seem to have won and a military option will be this government’s strategic response. Peace is lost. I pray that I am wrong,” she said.

Abhoud Syed Lingga, executive director of the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, said government is “undoing what has been achieved in the 11 years of peace negotiations.”

Lawyer Mary Ann Arnado, secretary-general of the Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus, said “the issue here is not the composition of the peace panel. Whoever sits, they will surely fail if government itself has no clear position on how to resolve the Mindanao armed conflict.”

She said “the situation clearly demands a political settlement and the question is how ready are we to give way to viable political options and formula. change is inevitable — these politicians can only prolong the changes to protect their own interests — but they could never stop it.

Zamboanga City 1st District Rep. Maria Isabelle Climaco, in a report by ABS-CBN, said the dissolution of the government’s peace panel for the MILF is a welcome development.

Climaco said this kind of announcement would signal the start of a true peace process and negotiations with the people who are really affected in the areas, to really go down to the stakeholders.

“This would give us an opportunity to really get down to listening and consulting the people,” she said.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita formally announced Wednesday that the government would be forming a new government peace panel with the MILF.

He said the decision to dissolve the peace panel was arrived at during a national security cluster Cabinet meeting in Nueva Ecija on Tuesday.

The dissolution of the peace panel, headed by Ret. Gen. Rodolfo Rodolfo Garcia, was “effective immediately,” he said. “All mechanisms within the peace process are in place, the ceasefire agreement will be maintained.”

The new peace panel will pursue talks consistent with President Arroyo’s new peace policy where disarming, disbandment, and reintegration of armed rebel forces will be “front loaded” in the negotiations.

The new approach to the peace talks will be followed not just by the peace panel with the MILF but also the other government peace panels talking peace with Communist rebels and other armed groups.

President Arroyo has also ordered Presidential Peace Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. to review all existing peace initiatives of the government, including the stalled talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines.

The decision to scrap the peace panel and to adopt a new peace strategy was made in response to the legal opinion of the Office of the Solicitor General and the issues raised by Supreme Court justices in the hearings on the MOA-AD.

2008-08-30T21:55:00.001+08:00

Diverse women’s organizations and peace advocates in the Philippines send letter to United Nation Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on armed conflict between the government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels

Letter calls UN Secretary-General to bring the GRP and MILF back to the peace negotiation table as soon as possible. It also calls the UN to demand both parties to honour their obligation under Security Council Resolution 1325 which is to ensure women's equal and fair participation in peace processes and ensure the protection of women and children who are the most vulnerable in armed conflict

The women’s organizations and peace advocates issued the following letter to the UN Secretary-General about the armed conflict in Southern Philippines:

August 29, 2008

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
UN Headquarters
New York, USA
Tel: 212 963 5012; Fax: 212 963 4879
Email: sgcentral@un.org

Subject: armed conflict in Southern Philippines

Dear Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,

We would like to express utmost concern about the recent breakout of violence in Southern Philippines (parts of Mindanao island) following the issuance of a temporary restraining order against the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on August 4, 2008.

Fifty (50) people, most of whom are civilians, have been killed and some 220,000 have been displaced by the recent attacks in Lanao and North Cotabato provinces.

While we believe that MILF units that targeted villages have engaged in serious violations of international law and should be held accountable, we are also seriously concerned about the formation of armed militia units with support from the Department of Interior and Local Government.

The setting up of armed groups will not protect civilians as some local government officials believe. Rather, it will lead to more chaos, insecurity and division among local communities. The protection of civilians is the responsibility of the State and its security sector such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

We thank you for your statement of August 13th where you expressed concern about the unfolding humanitarian crisis and appealed for restraint, protection of all civilians as well as access for the provision of speedy humanitarian assistance to the affected population.

We now call on your office to bring the government of the Republic of the Philippines and MILF back to the peace negotiation table as soon as possible. We also call on you to demand both parties to honor their obligation under Security Council Resolution 1325 which is to ensure women's equal and fair participation in peace processes and ensure the protection of women and children who are the most vulnerable in armed conflict situations.

Yours sincerely,

Center for Peace Education, Miriam College
Katungod Han Samareña Foundation, Inc. (Rights of Samar Women)
Mindanao Commission on Women
Mindanao Peoples' Peace Movement
Mindanao Tri-People Women
Mindanao Young Women Leaders Forum
Mothers for Peace
Muslim Women Peace Advocates
Peace Education Network, Philippines
Philippine Action Network on Small Arms
Philippine Campaign against Cluster Munitions
Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy
Political Caucus of Women Leaders in Mindanao
Women's Crisis Center Manila

Individual signatories:
Abdulbasit R. Benito, Bangsamoro Center for Just Peace Inc., Philippines
Antoinette Brem, Switzerland
Barbara Lehner, Switzerland
Bianca Miglioretto, Switzerland
Chan lean heng, Science University of Malaysia
Dr. Jan Marie Fritz (USA)
Dr. Susana Salavador-Anayatin, Graduate Schools of Notre Dame University and Mindanao State
University, Philippines
Benedicto Q. Sánchez, Broad Initiatives for Negros Development, Philippines
Elvie Villarido-Manaytay, The Zamaboanga Sibugay Tribune, Philippines
Franciska Keller, Switzerland
Jane Prichard, Convenor Pacific Women's Watch, Inc, New Zealand
Katja Schurter, Switzerland
Lourdes Portus, University of the Philippines
Llili Bienz, Switzerland
Nathan Gilbert Quimpo, University of Tsukuba
Sebastian Becker, Germany

With endorsements from
AMARC Women's International Network
Asian Circle 1325
Boston Consortium on Gender, Security and Human Rights
Center for Women's Global Leadership
Central American Secretariat, Zurich, Switzerland
Comunica-ch, the Swiss Platform on the Information Society
Femlink Pacific
Hague Appeal for Peace
International Presentation Association Sisters of the Presentation (USA)
International Women's Tribune Centre
Isis International
JC International English School Nepal
Liberia Women Media Action Committee
Peace Boat US
Peace-communication.eu - Germany
Radio LoRa (Zurich, Switzerland)
Sri Lanka Women and Media Collective
Women Action for New Directions (USA)
Women for Justice in Africa (Kenya)
Women for Peace (Switzerland)

Cc:
· The president of the UN General Assembly
· Members of the UN Security Council; the Philippine mission to the UN; the following country missions to the UN: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan, Libya, Malaysia, Norway, Sweden, USA
· The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and the embassies of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan, Libya, Malaysia, Norway, Sweden, and USA in Manila
· World Bank - The World Bank and Civil Society; World Bank Philippines, Washington DC Office

2008-08-28T22:33:00.000+08:00

FEATURE

Fast So We Can be Full
By Samira Gutoc

There's a bigger battle coming. And it's a warzone without fences. Inside the hearts of millions of Muslim adults and teenagers the world over, this coming Holy Month of Fast, when they have to fight hunger and temptation, starting September 1.

Amidst all the chaos and uncertainty that the country is experiencing, there is no stopping the observance of the Holy Month of Ramadhan. Thirty days of no food, water, sex twelve hours in the daytime is mind-boggling to some. But to Muslims, it is made more meaningful this year, because they experience the suffering of thousands of evacuees in the South, Muslims and Christians alike, who are running away from armed hostilities since the imposition of a TRO on a territorial deal between Moro rebels and the government.

Fasting is one of the five pillars in Islam (aside from prayer, charity, pilgrimage to Mecca and Declaring There is One God but Allah but Muhammad is His Messanger) observed during Ramadhan. Ramadhan is the ninth month in the Islamic Lunar year and is the month when the Holy Q’uran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad and therefore is considered to be a period of spiritual glory. During this month, Muslims strive to be pure inside and out- in thoughts, words and in deeds- by fasting and conducting special rituals.

In the Philippines and even in other countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, Ramadhan is a time for merry-making and gift-giving. Just like in the Christmas season of the Christians, there are a lot of activities being conducted in light of the celebration. There are contests and festivities during the night (such that daytime is the time for fasting) which includes fireworks display and food feasts. At the end of the month, Muslims have to give charity to the poor.

Truly, Ramadhan is instrumental in forging peace between those who are in conflict. It provides a time to reflect upon our past and our present. It is the time when people from different walks of life - young, old, rich, poor, men and women - are gathered together in a moment of joy and happiness and spiritual realization. It is a time when understanding is given a chance to create trailblazers towards peace and prosperity.

This is a time to share cultures through art, music and drama. Performing groups can do shows and concerts for the public. One young Moro guy is performing tomorrow evening at the Music Museum to promote peace amidst the Southern crisis. Khomenei, a Maguindanao pop artist and look-alike of Rustom Padilla, is fast creating a niche as a performer in Muslim-majority circles, especially the young.

This Ramadhan, there can be cultural shows and exchanges that would showcase the colorful and exquisite art of dance and music of the Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausug, Yakan, Iranun and other Muslim cultural groups in the Philippines. Through this, we open the way to reminding the youth of today about their roots and their wonderful culture thereby countering strong Western pop influence. We make them appreciate the wonders and mystique of the Mindanao Muslim culture and we invite them to preserve this culture.

Moreover, concerts can be held to showcase Muslim-rooted artists like Bamboo and Jamer of Slapshock and all the local artists who are gaining ground in incorporating local Muslim dialects in modern music. Through this, we are creating inspiration for the youth, sending them a message that Muslims can be as great if not greater than the rest of the people in the world.

It is true that fasting is not the total solution to the problems that we face today. But it cannot be denied likewise that through sacrifice , we contribute to achieving our noble aspirations as part of a nation of believers in One Mighty God, by being governors of ourselves first. This one month of hunger eventually builds the path towards loving others , a society based on sharing, making a peace for a lifetime.

2008-08-26T18:57:00.002+08:00

Government agencies gear up for possible escalation of conflict in Zamboanga

Four faces of conflict in southern Philippines. Some of the 270,000 residents in Central Mindanao that were displaced by armed conflict between government and MILF forces.

Amidst a volatile situation in Central Mindanao brought about by armed conflict between government troops and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) IX has mapped up preparation and response for the possible upsurge of evacuees in the region.

Top officials of RDCC in Region 9 met in the city yesterday with thirty-five heads of the different government line agencies who are members of the council for a regional cluster preparedness and response planning workshop.

Disaster coordinating council Director Adriano Fuego of Region 9 said the RDCC is preparing for the rise of internally displaced persons due to the situation in Cotabato and Lanao that might escalate in Zamboanga Peninsula.

"So we are preparing what are their (IDPs) needs and more or less we're assessing, determining their needs because we have scenario on the basis of population of three provinces," he told reporters in an interview.

In the event of massive evacuation, disaster or other large-scale emergency, Fuego added that the RDCC and its members will provide a coordinated, comprehensive response and mount a swift and effective action for IDPs.

Asked how high the possibility that the conflict in Central Mindanao will escalate in Western Mindanao, he replied: "When we plan, we based on a worse case scenario and then the worse scenario is it could really come to Region 9."

According to Fuego, the reported sighting and presence of armed men in coastal villages of Zamboanga plus the persisting threats from other group (Abu Sayyaf) are indicators that the region is vulnerable to that kind of situation.

"We are more prone to human-made conflict than the natural disaster so it's hard to control and stop it," he said. "That's why we have the so-called cluster approach to response to it."

As of press time, the number of evacuees in Mindanao, particularly in North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, and Maguindanao displaced by fighting between government and MILF forces has reportedly reached to more than 270,000.

2008-08-25T13:17:00.000+08:00

MILF accuses AFP of imposing food blockade

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels on Monday accused the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of operating a food blockade and causing a man-made hunger and various diseases among thousands of evacuees in Central Mindanao.

Luwaran.com reported that tens of thousands of internally displaced persons continue to suffer for lack of food and medicines in the battle zones of Maguindanao and Sarangani as the AFP ordered a blockade of food and medicines since Sunday.

"People are hungry and children are suffering from various illnesses inside combat zones especially in Datu Saudi Ampatuan complex where fierce fighting has been taking place for days already," the MILF's official website said.

It said the AFP is using excessive military force including use of howitzers, OV-10 planes, helicopter gunships in an attempt to dislodge thousands of MILF mujahideens, who use telescopic single-shot .50 cal. rifle against soldiers.

Many of the government casualties died of shots in the forehead, even as one military helicopter was shot down and that the helicopter was burning above the fighting zone in Maasim and crashed few minutes later in the mountains near General Santos City.

Sources inside the war zones in Maguindanao and Sarangani said that even non-government organizations (NGOs) which were trying to bring food and medicines to thousands of families still inside war zones were not allowed by the military inside.

"There is a humanitarian crisis in Maguindanao now and people will die if no food and medicines reach these evacuees whose houses were either burnt or destroyed by indiscriminate shelling and bombings by military forces for days," the report also said.

"The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP), and other international aid agencies must intervene now or people will die of hunger or by government bombs or bullets," it added.

The food blockade is being clamped by the military along the Mindanao River and the Cotabato-General Santos City Highway and all roads leading to the Datu Saudi Ampatuan Complex in Maguindanao and Palimbang-General Santos City in Maasim in Sarangani.

The military want the MILF mujahideens starved but it is hitting the civilians instead, according to Luwaran.com website.

Eid Kabalu, headf of the MILF's military civil affairs, in a text message, confirmed that a restriction on the entry of NGO, civic and even society groups into the areas affected by the conflict is being imposed by government forces. He did not give further details.

Meanwhile, government troops clashed with the MILF Lanao del Sur Sunday morning, leaving at least two soldiers and 16 rebels dead, the military said.

Army Major Eugene Batara, Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said operating troops of the 35th Infantry Battalion encountered about 40 fully armed MILF rebels at Barangay Nunungan, Poona Piago town.

Batara said troops cleared with artillery and air strikes the camp of rebels who occupied four layers of defensive position. He added the rebels are believed to be the advance guard of Kumander Bravo.

According to Batara, the AFP and PNP had restored normalcy and confidence of the populace along the main highways and the coastal towns of Lanao del Norte after the rebels withdrew from their position.

"Ferry boat services and land transport operations had been restored. Majority of the evacuees from Kauswagan, Kolambugan and other towns of LDN have returned to their villages," he said.

As confirmed by signal and human intelligence, Batara said troops overran the satellite camps of 102nd Base Command under Commander Bravo, including that of Kumander Ismail Desumalong aka Ultimax of the MILF's 7th Brigade, in Barangay Nunungan, Poona Piago and Matunggao towns inflicting several casualties on the rebels.

2008-08-24T15:55:00.000+08:00

13 soldiers killed in Saranggani – MILF

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said on Sunday it had killed thirteen soldiers who attacked in a volatile area in Saranggani Province.

Luwaran.com reported 13 soldiers died after they attacked the 107th Base Command – Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) at Barangay Pananag, Maasim town.

The Armed Force of the Philippines (AFP) casualty figure was taken from a source privy to where the dead soldiers were brought, the MILF's official website said.

According to the MILF source of information, an ambulance was used to transport the slain and wounded soldiers.

"The soldiers thought that they were brought or deployed in Mindanao purposely to help in maintaining secured, orderly, honest and peaceful ARMM elections," it said.

"This was the mission the young soldiers told their families that they left and not for any combat operation against the MILF forces."

The past days AFP had been hunting down some elements of the 105th Base Command in the Province, who allegedly attacked the military in Maasim last week, the MILF said.

"Instead of engaging the elements of the 105th Base Command, the military attacked the forces of the 107th Base Command manning the Post 1 of their Camp Khalid Bin Walid at Pananag," it said.

Kumander Umbra Kato, who has a P5 million bounty on his head for leading the attack in 15 villages in North Cotabato early this month, heads the 105th Base Command of the MILF.

The military, on the other hand, denied that 13 of their troops were killed in the attack, according to a military report reaching here.

The report quoted Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres as saying that four soldiers were wounded in the offensive.

The MILF said Saturday's firefight forced hundreds of civilians from the villages of Pananag, Lumasal, Kanolo and Nomoh, all of Maasim town, to flee their homes.

It said the residents sought assistance from Gov. Miguel Dominguez who was reported to have fueled the military cleansing operations against the MILF.

As this developed, the MILF asked the United Nations to intervene and stop an "impending humanitarian disaster."

It said non-government and humanitarian organizations such as the International Community of Red Cross, Non-Violence Peace Force, Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, Bantay Ceasefire, United Bangsamoro Youth Organizations have made efforts to extricate the trapped civilians.

"This traumatic case is a serious infringement of human rights, International Humanitarian Law, Geneva Conventions Protocol II and can spur communal and ethnic conflicts between Muslims and Christians, a humanitarian crisis created by the state and government," the MILF said.

"A United Nations mandated intervention is sought to come in order to an impending humanitarian disaster," it added.

2008-08-21T13:42:00.001+08:00

9 people hurt in Zamboanga grenade attack

Bomb squad of the Task Force Zamboanga and the Zamboanga City Police Office look over the blast site near Marcian Business Hotel, along Climaco Avenue, Zamboanga City.

At least nine people were injured when a fragmentation grenade exploded near a hotel in downtown this city Wednesday night.

The grenade blast, just in front of Marcian Business Hotel along Climaco Avenue, came as fear of fresh rebel attack continued to grip in different parts of Mindanao.

Authorities said the grenade attack took place at around 6:30 p.m. in front of Marcian Business Hotel along Climaco Avenue.

The victims include passengers of a motorized tricycle and a motorcycle as well as passersby rushing home when the incident took place.

Police reported the explosion was apparently caused by an MK2 hand grenade, where its safety lever was recovered 20 meters away from the place of the incident.

Zamboanga City Police Office director Senior Supt. Lurimer Detran said that one of three men riding tandem in a motorcycle lobbed a hand grenade in front of the hotel.

Army Colonel Santiago Baluyot, commander of the Task Force Zamboanga, said two men riding in tandem on motorcycle tossed a grenade into a busy street.

The blast injured Roy Bornales, a security guard; and passersby Bernardo Bago; Geordani Ancheta, Christian Emperial, Halima Jumaani, and Shermaliim Abdulla.

No immediate names of four other casualties as of posting time. But authorities said the blast victims sustained minor injuries and have been declared out of danger.

Supt. Jose Bayani Gucela, police regional spokesman, said an MK2 fragmentation grenade was used in the attack.

"This kind of atrocity or act can be done by an organized criminal," he said.

Last week, the headquarters of the local police force was also attacked, although no one was hurt in the grenade blast.

But Gucela said the motive of last week's grenade blast was a grudge. He did not elaborate.

Police have also recovered August 15 a fragmentation grenade inside a local cinema after it failed to explode.

Mayor Celso Lobregat condemned the latest grenade attack, describing it as barbaric act done by people who want to create confusion, instill fear and sow terror.

The mayor, one of staunch critics of Moro Islamic Liberation Front, is opposed to the GRP-MILF Memorandum of Agreement, which seeks to expand the territory and powers of ARMM.

Under the agreement, some villages of Zamboanga City are proposed to be included in the expanded Muslim homeland.

Abu Sayyaf militants tied to al-Qaeda terror network have previously attacked Zamboanga City. It was not immediately known if the group was connected to the latest attack.

In May, a homemade bomb explosion ripped through a two-storey building near a military base in Zamboanga City killing three people and wounding more than a dozen others.

Authorities blamed the MILF for the bombing.

2008-08-20T23:53:00.000+08:00

Aftermath of MILF attack in Lanao del Norte

Photos show a police mobile vehicle, a single motorycle, two public school buildings and a truck that were damaged by the attack in Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte. Photos/Caption HADER GLANG

2008-08-20T23:27:00.000+08:00

Aftermath of MILF attack in Lanao del Norte

Soldiers step up security measures by inspecting passengers in the checkpoint after Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked Lanao del Norte.

2008-08-20T22:49:00.003+08:00

MILF attacks in Lanao del Norte spark Kolambugan non-Muslims anger

Aftermath of attack by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Kolambugan town in Lanao del Norte on Monday.

The incident in Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte and its neighboring municipalities last Monday sparked widespread anger and unease among residents there against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels.

"This (attack) is very hurting to us. We don't deserve this because if they're revolting against the government, they should not involved civilians," said a villager, displaced by fighting between soldiers and rebels in Kolambugan town.

The man, however, said he believes that "negotiation not war" can resolve the conflict in his place. "Our place will only become peaceful through negotiation and not war wherein, we, civilians are sacrificed."

Another villager expressed his sentiments, saying that they do not deserve what had happened in their peaceful community. "We have been living very well together with our Muslim brothers and sisters, but the rebels disturb this."

He called on the authorities for the increase of security measures in their village to deal the rebels. "They (rebels) are just hiding and can carry out another attack anytime," according to him.

For Kolambugan town mayor Beltran Lamague, the attack by suspected rebels on his municipality was so unfortunate and hurting because Muslims and Christians there coexist in harmony and live together in peace. He did not elaborate more.

But in the nearby area of his town, a wooden placard with markings "Christian Majority Rules No To Islamic Law' is displayed on the concrete fence.

Some non-Muslim residents in the area living near the highway denied they were behind the anti-Islam slogan.

Meanwhile, the MILF on Wednesday called for a stop in hostilities between the military and Moro rebels in Mindanao.

MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said he has ordered Abdurahman Macapaar alias Commander Bravo and Commander Ameril Umbra Kato to stop the attacks in several provinces in Mindanao.

"This is an unexpected situation. We have been very faithful in the peace process and we hold the supremacy of the peace process. We are very saddened by this situation," he said in an interview with ABS-CBN.

Murad said the attacks by Moro rebels in Lanao del Norte, Sarangani and North Cotabato provinces were the result of "frustration of MILF ground commanders."

He said the aborted signing of the MOA-AD and inflammatory statements "built up the outrage" of MILF ground commanders.

2008-08-15T21:30:00.000+08:00

MILF, Catholic bishops hold peace dialogue

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders held a peace dialogue with Catholic Bishops of Mindanao on Thursday to reiterate their commitment to pursue the realm of peace, justice, solidarity and development in Mindanao.

The peace dialogue was held at the Archbishop's Residence in Davao City. Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Dava, co-convenor of the Bishops-Ulama Conference, led the bishops while MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal led the MILF officials.

It was the first ever dialogue between the Catholic Bishops of Mindanao and the MILF which both sides described as epitomizing utmost sincerity, trust and cordiality, and a historic significant initiative as a way forward in advancing the common quest for genuine peace, unity and development in Mindanao.

Luwaran.com, the MILF's official website, reported that in the joint communiqué issued after the peace dialogue, the MILF and the bishops reiterated their unwavering moral commitment to pursue the path to peace, solidarity, justice and development in Mindanao, and the peaceful resolution of the Mindanao conflict and Bangsamoro problem through the ongoing peace process between the government and MILF.

Quoted by Luwaran, Archbishop Capalla, said they are indeed very happy to host the historic occasion. "This is the very first time that high officials of the MILF were able to come to the Bishop's House and we are very glad to be with."

Adding that His Eminence Cardinal Rosales, Cardinal Vidal and the Papal Nuncio in Manila were informed of the peace dialogue.

For his part, MILF peace panel chief Iqbal said "We went our way to be here with you in the hallowed name of peace with our strong appeal for strong cooperation from all sectors in our stride to achieve peace in Mindanao."

"We all know that peace is so precious for all of us and so in the spirit of openness and frankness, we shall move forward with the process in searching for truth and justice as paramount foundation towards peace in Mindanao ," Iqbal said.

Joining them for the dialogue were Archbishop Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato, Auxialiary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Cotabato, Bishop Honesto Pacana of Malaybalay, Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos of Butuan, Bishop Neri Ochimar of Tandag, Surigao del Sur, Bishop Edwin dela Pena of Marawi City, Bishop Anonieto Cabahug of Surigao City; MILF Senior Peace Panel Member Atty. Datu Michael Mastura, Ustaz Mohammad Montasir and Ustaz Mohammad Abdullah, both members of the MILF Central Committee, MILF AHJAG Chairman Atty. Abdul Dataya, MILF Peace Panel Head Secretariat Jun Mantawil, MILF Peace Panel Secretariat Member Mohajirin Ali, and MILF Ceasefire Committee Secretariat Head Rasid Ladiasan.

During the dialogue, the Bishops asked the MILF on its stand on the present status of the Memorandum of Agreement on the Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD), clashes in some towns of North Cotabato, concerns on the indigenous peoples' issues, and how can the Bishops be help to the GRP – MILF peace process.

Reverend Archbishops Quevedo, who in his recent write ups said the MOA-AD could bring lasting peace in Mindanao for all its people, said the "new information" shared by the MILF on the MOA-AD are very helpful in appreciating further the document.

However, Bishops Quevedo stressed the imperative of holding more dialogue and education campaign to avoid the negative repercussions that the MOA – AD could possibly unfold.

"The Bishops and representatives of the highest leadership of the MILF called on all sectors of the society for sobriety and calmness in confronting and resolving the issues besetting the forging of the GRP – MILF: MOA–AD," said the Joint Communique.

It also stated "Both Parties also manifested their strong appeal for an immediate declaration of ceasefire to the ongoing armed clashes in some towns of North Cotabato, and immediate delivery of relief assistance and rehabilitation programs for the affected communities by all concerned institutions, local and international."

Both parties resolved that dialogue and educational programs must be intensified, particularly by the religious leaders and academic institutions, relative to the ongoing peace process in Mindanao.