Freemedia Philippines 2010

LP bandwagon ‘weeping’ in Zambosur

2010-05-11T19:04:00.001-07:00

BY MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR

DESPITE of the winning streak of their standard bearer Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III as the country’s new president, the Liberals in Zamboanga del Sur all suffered defeat against the incumbents from the ruling party and its coalition.

It seems that both the black and white propaganda from the brightest spin doctors of the provincial LP headed by last-termed Vice-Gov. Roseller “Roy” Ariosa failed to convince people to vote them into their desired positions.

Ariosa is a former Cerilles ally before he had a falling out after his boss, 2nd District Rep. Antonio Cerilles, accordingly reneged on his promise to let him run for the May 2010 polls as governor because Cerilles himself will be running.

Hobbled with limited campaign funds and odd running mates, who are previously his political adversaries, Ariosa and his team of liberals ran against Cerilles and his powerful lineup of state politicians while keeping his fingers crossed but eventually lost, ending his not-so-colorful political career.

In his Facebook wall, the vice-governor wrote: “The people of the Republic of the Philippines and Zamboanga del Sur needs and want change, but that CHANGES when money is involved,” alluding to the reported rampant vote-buying activity during last Monday’s elections.

Ariosa and other LP candidates have been complaining of vote-buying in the province where money is enclosed in folded and stapled sample ballots and usually left for distribution in the houses of barangay officials.

Ariosa had hoped that if he won the polls and if the other liberals were successful in there campaign, Zambosur will have transformation and they will bring in the needed replacements of people in the Capitol.

But the people’s voice is more deafening and they chose to place their confidence to Cerilles’ slate after claims cropped up that Ariosa has sided with controversial politicians and the so-called hunted men of the government who are suspected drug lords and gun-runners.

Based on the tally of the Provincial Board of Canvassers as of Tuesday, Ariosa got 115,505 against Cerilles’ 229,307. For vice-governorship, Lakewood mayor Domingo Mirar settled only with 73,194 while outgoing board member Juan Regala got 233,350.

For the congressional race, incumbent 1st District Rep. Victor Yu is a high pointer with 154,452 as against Romeo Vera Cruz’s 50,719 while Gov. Aurora Cerilles got a wide margin of 107,884 votes in contrast to Tirsendo Poloyapoy’s 23,029.

Auring blitzes her way into Congress

2010-05-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

BY MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR
(FOR ZAMPENEWS)

AT last, Gov. Aurora “Auring” Cerilles will be crossing the bridge towards the hallowed halls of Congress after Zambosurians gave her the landslide victory instead of her contender, lawyer Tirsendo Poloyapoy.

Cerilles, as of Tuesday, garnered 107,884 votes compared to Poloyapoy’s 23, 029 with only 12 percent of the election returns still left to be tabulated.

Referred to by her constituents as a champion in public service because of her success in implementing her 7-Point Executive Agenda especially in improved road networks and other important infrastructure projects, Cerilles will represent the 375,761 residents of Zambosur’s second district when the 15th Congress opens.

Cerilles, in one interview, once said that after being elected she will concentrate on improving and rehabilitating farm-to-market road projects in her district because these are essential components for agricultural development.

She added that since Zambosur dominantly produces agricultural products such as rice, corn, coconut and other high-value fruits, mobility and transport of these should be taken into consideration.

Cerilles is not new to her position having had served as a representative of the second district for one term in the 11th Congress, from 1998 to 2001, under the leadership of then Speaker Manny Villar Jr. where she held the tourism committee as vice chairperson and as deputy speaker of the appropriations committee.

In her term, Cerilles filed 28 local measures and seven were acted into law, which included those that established the national high schools in Dimataling, Dinas, Vincenzo Sagun, and the law converting the JH Cerilles Polytechnic College in San Miguel into a state college and that which created a separate engineering district in the second district.

Auring’s vacated position will be taken by husband, Rep. Antonio “Tony” Cerilles, who was elected as this province’s new governor.

Auring ran under the Lakas-Kampi CMD coalition while Tony is from the Nationalists People’s Coalition of Danding Cojuangco, chairman of San Miguel Corp. and NPC's chairman emeritus.

Meanwhile, Tony Cerilles said there will be a continuation of honest and conscientious service to Zambosurians in his term where he will continue to provide the needed access to support infrastructures to remote villages and maintain the established linkage with other government and non-government groups for smooth implementation of projects in the province.

As an environmentalist and former secretary of the DENR, the congressman added that he will strongly support the national government’s programs on agriculture and provide livelihood projects and employment opportunities for young professionals.

Zambosur’s provincial board of canvassers is yet to declare the Cerilles couple as official winners of the just-concluded congressional and gubernatorial race in the province.

Fist-fight staged to ease voter queues

2010-05-11T03:59:00.000-07:00

BY RYAN ROSAURO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

MARAWI CITY—A family here whose members were lining for ballots on May 10 amid the sweltering heat found an odd way of getting through the situation: stage a fist-fight.

According to Gabriel, volunteer for a local poll monitoring group who is their neighbor, one family elder instructed his two nephews to slug it out in the grounds of the Marawi Pilot Laboratory School where hundreds were waiting their turn inside clustered precincts.

As the fist-fight turned supposedly violent and uncontrollable, the people left the voters line to avoid being dragged into the scene.

This gave the family opportunity to line closest their assigned precinct and have the chance to vote early.

Gabriel said his neighbors numbered some 50 who were seeking to prop up the vote tallies of candidate-relatives.

Voters have been bedeviled by the long queues before having the chance at casting their votes during Monday’s first elections under an automated vote-counting system.

Fr. Joey Evangelista of the Missionary of Jesus, a member of the Peoples International Observer Mission (PIOM), said a number of violent incidents that attended Monday’s balloting exercise in many Lanao del Sur towns appear to be staged to disrupt the process, or direct public attention away from ongoing fraud maneuvers.

The PIOM delegates were in Tugaya Elementary School when shooting broke out just outside the polling centers that sent people scampering away for safety.

Evangelista noted that the gunshots were aimed up, which means there was no definite target.

When the incident subsided, Evangelista said they saw a PCOS machine being hauled away from the clustered precinct along with the ballots.

He said this could be the one used in an alleged balloting which occurred inside a house as related to them by a number of people.

Evangelista related further that several more witnesses told the mission that amid the bursts of gunfire, ballots are being filled in another room by only a few people.

Sometime later, someone drove by the school and strafed the line of voters, injuring three, one of whom later died.

It was just unfortunate that several persons have to suffer physical injuries or even get killed in these games, Evangelista lamented.

Maj. Ferdinand Cacas, head of the Philippine Army’s 103rd Brigade Election Monitoring and Action Center (BEMAC), said the attack appeared to be meant to disrupt the balloting process.

Voting in the area was immediately stopped after the incident, although it was later resumed.

SERIOUS DISRUPTIONS

But seemingly more serious games attended to the balloting exercise on Monday in Marawi.

Improvised explosive devices (IED) were blown near the Mindanao State University Gym around 7:45am just as people were waiting for precincts to accommodate voters.

The heavily guarded gym supposedly hosts several clustered precincts covering six barangays in the city.

But after the succession of explosions, the balloting was transferred to classrooms in a nearby school where operators identified with a local politician had the comfort to dominate the running of the poll centers.

By mid-day, another IED exploded under a car parked near the Saduc Elementary School. At least two sources from the area told the Inquirer it seemed meant to scare away voters who come from communities known to be bailiwicks of a mayoral bet.

But balloting continued unimpeded amid the scare show.

It was also in this school where poll monitors observed a number of alleged flying voters who came in droves aboard air-conditioned private vans.

Also in the same school, voting in a clustered precinct for voters in Lilud-Saduc was stopped after its ballots were spoiled by ink.

According to Ahmad Matao, a PPCRV volunteer, the precinct officials failed to catch and identify the person who splashed ink on the ballots amid the crowding inside the polling center towards noontime.

A low turnout happened also with only 26 of some 800 voters casting their ballots in the said precinct.

Mothers protecting Mother Gaia

2010-05-11T03:23:00.000-07:00

BY LEONARDO VICENTE CORRALES, NEWS CONTRIBUTOR

"Nothing can drown out a voice, not even the bursts of gunfire, if the voice speaks the truth." Nicole Kidman in the motion picture "The Interpreter"

WOMEN—mothers mostly—are etching their place in history by taking the cudgels for Mother Nature, who has nurtured their families in a quaint albeit serene agricultural community they have called their home—Anislagan of Placer town in the province of Surigao del Norte.

Nine years ago, however, a dark cloud threatened their piece of Eden. Anglo American Plc., one of the largest mining conglomerates in the world, entered their community with plans of exploring it for minerals.

The mothers in the community, courageously with their arms linked held a 24-hour picket line.

Last Sunday—Mothers' Day—they displayed true grit as they remind a corporate mining behemoth, Kalayaan Copper Gold Resource (KCGR)—a joint venture between Great Britain's Anglo American and Manila Mining Company (a subsidiary of Lepanto Group of Companies)—their community is free from plunder.

They hoisted a 15-foot "mother" scarecrow to symbolize their opposition to mining on the same land they have cultivated, sowed and harvested corn, rice and a variety of vegetables, with their own hands. It will pair up with the “father” scarecrow they installed in December 2008.

"Pila man ka beses namo ingnan kinging mga tawhana nga hiniusa namong desisyon nga among komunidad magpabilin nga para sa uma? Pero, magpadayon gihapon kami, among panalipdan ug magpadayon pakigbisogan ang among katungod nga protektahan ang yutang nagabuhi kanamo sa dugay ng panahan. Neneth Gamus, a mother of two and one of the very first mothers' who, in 2001, held the lines to keep the mining exploration at bay said while looking intently over the other side of their picket fence.

Gamus said the pair of giant scarecrows they installed serve as their “manifesto” that they do not want any form of mineral extraction, especially in their village—Anislagan.

Aside from being a productive agricultural land, Anislagan also hosts a large spring water aquifers where neighboring communities fetch their water.

Now, all these are endangered yet again with the encroachment of large-scale mining corporations. Recently, Philex Mining—which is currently operating in Tubod, just adjacent to Anislagan, Silangan Mindanao Mining Corp (SMMC)—bought Anglo American’s shares in KCGR. SMMC bought a land within Anislagan, a stones-throw away from Abakataf’s picket base, inexplicably intended for a "livelihood training center" for the people in the community and other neighboring villages.

"Kabalo mi nga mao kining gitawag nila nga ‘bahinon arun harian.’ Ang uban namo nga silinga basin mangasilaw sa ilang mga pasikat apan makaya namo kini. Ang among mga panginabuhian maoy nagabuhi kanamo diri. Ila unta i-tukod kanang ilang center didto sa mga lugar nga ilang gimina na kay nangaguba naman nila to. Wala nay panginabuhian ang mga tao didto nga mga erya. Tanang ilang masudlan, ilang gub-on," a fuming Rizalina T. Lisbos—a long time member of Abakataf—averred.

Collectively calling themselves as members of Anislagan Bantay Kalikasan Task Force (Abakataf)—a multi-sectoral environmental watchdog organization that includes women, village councilors, peasants, youth and laity of different local churches—they have struggled for their town to be free from the disastrous effects of mining.

"Among ginapanalipdan ang among kaugmaon ug mao kana ang kamatuoran. Wala’y laing butang o salapi ang mahimong bugti niining among komunidad, nga among langit diri sa yuta. Andam kami sa unsay kapadulngan niini," said Mrs. Lisbos citing what she claims of large-scale mining corporations’ propensity to employ coercive brute force when their "carrot-approach" fails.

Comelec proclaims Ozamiz City poll winners

2010-05-10T22:01:00.000-07:00

BY MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR

THE city office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headed by city election officer Atty. Anna Liza Barredo has proclaimed all the local slate winners of the May 10 elections, Tuesday morning.

First councilor Nova Princess Echavez won the mayoralty race with a total of 29,153 votes against fellow councilwoman Ma. Constancia Lim of the Liberal Party (LP) who got 22,948 votes, Barredo announced.

Echavez, who led other Lakas-CMD bets, dominated the elections in the city level with only one candidate from the LP in the ninth slot, in the person of former councilor Mario Ferraren.

But the LP-Ozamiz City candidates led by Lim garnered the vice mayoralty seat with ex-councilor and incumbent board member Roland Romero getting 27,748 votes against Taryn Mecaros’ 14,844 of Lakas-Kampi.

In the order of their position, those who actually secured places in the council are Tinago punong barangay Michael Tagal, Simplicia Neri, Cecilia Mabanag, Irene Embuscado, Rico Auman, Roberto Cantago Jr., July Go, Fortunato Saquin, Mario Ferraren and Romeo Jimenez Sr.

Neri, Mabanag, Saquin and Jimenez are incumbent councilors while Embuscado is the former SK federated chair.

Ozamiz City has a total of 71, 735 voters in 51 barangays and 48 polling centers. Some 55,574 or about 55 percent voted in last Monday’s national and local automated elections.

Barredo, in a huddle at the Comelec’s makeshift desk inside this city’s Legislative Hall, said that the election and canvassing was quick, peaceful and already completed by early Tuesday morning that they have no recourse but to proclaim the local winners amid an expectant crowd outside the hall.

A source from the LP camp, however, informed this paper that an election protest will be filed in the coming days against the Lakas-Kampi camp for alleged poll cheating.

As of press time, counting of votes for the congressional seat in the second district is still on-going with scores between incumbent Gov. Loreto Leo Ocampos and Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. in close fight.

It was learned that Parojinog’s ally, incumbent Rep. Herminia Ramiro has prevailed in the poll race for governorship against incumbents Vice mayor Carlos Patricio Bernad and Vice governor Francisco Paylaga Jr.

For the Provincial Board in the second district, incumbent Ricardo Parojinog is first, followed by Ozamiz councilors Matronillo Catajenas and Irene Girlet Luansing, Christopher Ramayrat and former board member Morpheus Agot.

Last Monday’s common sight in the polling precincts were long lines of irritated voters waiting for hours for their turns to get inside their respective precincts to cast their votes, including confusions regarding the voting procedures and complaints concerning names of voters de-listed from the masterlist and some of the PCOS machines conking out.

Lanao del Sur polls delayed after PCOS show glitches

2010-05-10T19:17:00.000-07:00

BY RYAN ROSAURO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

MARAWI CITY—The PCOS machines deployed in at least three towns in Lanao del Sur experienced errors as members of the board of election inspectors (BEIs) were preparing the polling centers, hindering the timely start or even dooming its being pushed through today

According to poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), as of 10am, their monitors reported that balloting has not yet kicked off in the towns of Lumba-Bayabao, Lumbaca-Unayan, and Madalum because of non-functional PCOs machines.

In Lumbaca-Unayan, no testing was done on the machines prior to the opening of the precincts this morning. Amid the defective machines, the BEIs packed their bags, along with the election officer.

There is also 50 percent odd of starting the balloting in Bayang town; as of Sunday evening, the PCOS machines deployed there continue to be non-functional.

In the areas where PCOS machines were in good condition, voting has not started because of security and administrative concerns.

In Marawi’s Banggolo district, only two of six clusters were able to accommodate voters as of 9:30am because of undelivered election paraphernalia which were still being dispatched from the City Hall.

Some precincts also took more time to do the PCOS machine initializing, delaying the actual start of balloting.

In Tubaran town, mayoral bets quarreled over who should be assigned as BEIs in precinct clusters, alleging that some of them are partial to particular candidates.

The confrontation threatens to slide into a formal declaration of a failure of election in the town.

In Masiu, the BEIs have failed to mobilize because of the non-appearance of the election officer as of 8:45am.

Voting proceeded in the towns of Ramain at 8:25am, 3 of 4 clusters in Poona-Bayabao at 8:25am, Binidayan at 9:30am, Malabang at 7:45am, Marawi’s Saduc cluster at 8:50am, Balabagan at 9:29am.

Poor techs

In Ramain town, one technician is overseeing an average of three PCOS machines when supposedly it is one personnel for every machine because many technicians never reported to work.

Apart from personnel lack, there is also observed lack of competence among the technicians manning each PCOS machine.

In one district of Marawi, technicians are not able to take care of some PCOS machine concerns, hence, voting had to wait.

During the testing and sealing activities in Bayang town on Sunday, poll monitors said the assigned technicians are having a hard time going through the process they have to dig through their notes again.

The precincts clustering created longer queues of people waiting for their turn inside the polling center. Those who were able to line up for ballots as early as 7am were done by 10am.

Security

The Philippine Army has deployed troops and two armored vehicles to patrol around Marawi city to keep peace and order. Based on a Comelec resolution, the entire Lanao del Sur is placed under its direct control.

In Saguiaran town, which is on the border of Lanao del Sur with Lanao del Norte, the Philippine Army’s 64th Infantry Battalion set up a lock-up cell “for flying voters” marked as such..

With a hammock inside, the cell is located along the road which is very visible to passersby.

On Saturday, two buses and a jeepney full of passengers coming from Cagayan de Oro was temporarily held by Army troopers on suspicion of being flying voters.

When asked, the passengers said they were bound for Marawi where jobs awaited them.

But Brigadier Gen. Rey Ardo, commander of the Army’s 103rd brigade, said they have to eventually let the travelers pass because there was no reason to block or to disallow them into Lanao del Sur.

Ardo explained that the suspicion is only rendered speculative because there was never any proof of them being flying voters.

But the passengers were all asked to write their names and were each taken photographs.

“We were up to advocating to them against being flying voters,” said Ardo.

VOTER GUIDANCE

Even as balloting officially started 7am, many voters appear clueless about the way voting is done under the automated election system.

A radio in Iligan city has been providing voters guidance on how to vote, as well as entertaining a host of questions sent in through text messages relating to very basic information like over-voting, under-voting, what happens when not voting for any bet in a contested position.

‘Mindanaoan vote’ tested on May 10

2010-05-10T19:14:00.001-07:00

BY RYAN ROSAURO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

The low winning chances of Mindanawon bets in the senatorial race is raising questions about whether a ‘Mindanao vote’ is political myth or reality.

The latest Social Weather Station (SWS) survey on the senatorial race showed only two Mindanawons, lawyer Gwendolyn Pimentel and outgoing Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III, as having a fighting chance for a berth in the top 12.

Even as both are within the winning circle, not one of them belonged to the top 11 bets who consistently showed very high ratings.

Based on the May 2-3 survey, Pimentel and Guingona have to contend with six other bets for the 12th slot. If ever they are able to improve further their respective chances, and the ratings of the top 11 bets remain, there would be a possible repeat of the 2007 race when two Mindanawons—Pimentel’s brother Koko and now Senator Miguel Zubiri battled for the 12th berth.

Of the current crop of 61 senatorial candidates, eight are born in Mindanao, although not all are residents in Mindanao at this time.

The result of the latest SWS survey on the senatorial race reflects almost mirrored a survey done by the Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) last March on the choice of Mindanawons for senator.

Seventeen of the 19 senatorial bets SWS found to be in the running for the 12 Senate seats up for grabs on Monday comprise the Mindanawons; senatorial choice.

The RMN survey was conducted in the 12 Mindanao cities where it has stations, with 120 respondents per area. The sampling areas are Cagayan de oro, Cotabato, Dipolog, Pagadian, General Santos, Iligan, Zamboanga, Davao, Butuan, Koronadal, Malaybalay, and Surigao.

In the survey, Guingona ranked 11th while Pimentel ranked 15th. No other Mindanawon entered the top 20 bets which showed statistical chances of winning Senate seats.

In the recent SWS survey, Guingona is 12th while Pimentel is 19th.

The Mindanawons’ choice for senators, in the order of priority, are: Jinggoy Estrada, Pia Cayetano, Bong Revilla, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Franklin Drilon, Juan Ponce Enrile, Tito Sotto, Ralph Recto, Lito Lapid, Serge Osmeña, TG Guingona, Ruffy Biazon, Bongbong Marcos, Joey De Venecia, Gwen Pimentel, Gilbert Remulla, Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Alexander Lacson, Lito Osmeña, and Satur Ocampo.

For the May 10 political exercise, Mindanao has about 11.35 million voters, accounting for some 24 percent of the national total of which some 56 percent are in Luzon, and the rest in the Visayas.

The idea of a Mindanao vote largely hinged on the assertion of the island’s peoples getting a fair share of the resources, and participation and voice in the decision-making of the national government.

Oft-cited premises are statistics on the share of Mindanao in the wealth-creation process of the country, its being the food basket, and its contribution to the needs for extractive resources amid the crumbs its localities are getting in terms of development funds.

Although highly based on such issues, its shape-up is loosely understood by ordinary folks in the fashion as Marcos’ ‘Solid North’ which is highly based on ethnic and regionalistic sympathies.

Still, this ‘Mindanao consciousness’ is able to catapult Mindanawons into national political importance. In the post-EDSA 1 Revolt, four elected senators were Mindanawons, although it was a phenomenon that also owed to the backing of the widely popular Corazon Aquino.

But the numbers have seen fallen. The reason for being of a Mindanao vote seemed to have faded through time. The shape-up of the Mindanao vote among Mindanawons for the past nine years was not given impetus by the existing political discourse attendant to the four elections within the period.

The discourse of the past three elections plus the present one is largely a plebiscite on the legitimacy and public acceptability of current power-holders.

The 2001 mid-term and 2004 general elections was an unfinished tussle between EDSA Dos and pro-Estrada forces.

The 2007 mid-term polls and the 2010 general elections are a referendum on the leadership of President Macapagal-Arroyo who has been suffering very low public trust ratings because of numerous scandals hounding her administration.

Also, beyond the common sentiment of neglect by the central govt, there has not been a consistently articulated common agenda encompassing the varying interests of Mindanao’s peoples.

Because of gracious multi-lateral development aid and loans, Mindanao has been awash with funds for jump-starting local economic development. Hence, simply crying national government neglect no longer holds water.

Another potential consolidating element is the tri-people perspective which has been a very common discourse among civil society groups. But it appears to have failed to seethe into the consciousness of the common folks.

This could be mirrored in the deep divisions arising from the controversial MOA-AD and the assertions of the indigenous peoples over their ancestral domain and cultural integrity.

While this may be the hindering factor for now, but this may well provide a roadmap for consolidating a Mindanao polity based on the concrete needs and social interests of its various peoples which also come from the various regions of the country.

International observers in RP for Monday’s polls

2010-05-10T19:11:00.001-07:00

BY RYAN ROSAURO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

AS the country holds its first election using an automated system of vote-counting, international interest in its conduct is high as seen from several multinational missions seeking to observe the May 10 political exercise.

At least two of the missions will have delegations visiting Mindanao many of which provinces have been rocked by conflict between the national government and a Moro secessionist group.

One mission, the Kapamagompong 2010, will focus on Lanao del Sur, which has earned the moniker ‘cheating capital’ of the country because of a history of rigged poll results.

Another mission will have a delegation visit Maguindanao where the infamous massacre of 57 people, including 32 journalists, happened November 29 last year in what was the country’s worst election-related violence.

In a news release, the Network of Social Democracy in Asia said it is sending five delegates to join other international observers for the upcoming general elections in which some 48 million voters will choose officials who will fill seats from the local legislative council up to the president of the republic.

“There has been serious concern of electoral fraud, violence and intimidation of voters,” said Steven Sim Chee Keong, the Network’s executive secretary.

Chee Keong added that the international observers “will be deployed to hotspots or areas with history of political violence, entrenched political families and election cheating.”

These are Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pasig City, Maguindanao and Negros Occidental.

“The presence of the International Observers is hoped to be a strong deterrent against the use of violence and fraud,” Chee Keong stressed.

He said the Network’s delegation is comprised of individuals “experienced in election campaigning and monitoring.”

They are the Hon. Charles Santiago, a member of the Malaysian parliament; David Marshel, also from Malaysia; Erna Andriyani, Indonesia; Billy Franata, Indonesia; and Luduvina Gomes Pinto Fernandes, Timor Leste.

The delegates from the Network will be joining 21 other delegates from Europe, USA and other delegations from Asia, said Chee Keong.

In its website, the Network describes itself as “a group of political parties, pre-party formations, progressive politicians, scholars and activists in the region who share social democratic values and perspectives.”

The Kapamagompong 2010 seeks to bring to the attention of the interfaith communities, both locally and internationally, the extent of election-related fraud and violence in Lanao del Sur in order to combat what a Peoples International Observer Mission in 2007 saw as “a culture of indifference” on practices that degrade the “value of the ballot.”

The mission also seeks to “muster pressures on the candidates against committing fraud and violence and support people’s efforts to protect their votes.”

The mission team is composed of some 10 international observers from Australia, Canada, US, Malaysia and Japan, along with local participants coming from various faith-based groups such as the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Sisters Association in Mindanao, Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Ethnic Groups Development Resource Center, Moro-Christian People’s Alliance, and Ecumenical Bishop’s Forum.

They are expected to visiting polling places and interview various people in a five-day monitoring that starts Sunday.

Pols rediscover old cheating tricks amid automated vote counting process

2010-05-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

BY RYAN ROSAURO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

BARRING ANY OPPORTUNITY for wholesale fraud through the machine-generated vote-tallies, the electoral exercise on May 10 promises to be a “Goodbye Garci” moment for the country by making the ‘vote-shaving, vote-padding’ scheme, more known as dagdag-bawas, a thing of the past.

By eliminating this chance for massive cheating inherent in a manual system of vote counting, experienced poll monitors predict that the political contests especially for local seats will be, at the very least, a saber-rattling show among competing camps.

Garci is the disgraced former Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano of the infamous “Hello, Garci” scandal whereby President Macapagal-Arroyo was wiretapped conversing with him about rigging the 2004 presidential vote to her favor.

Believed to be presided by Garcillano, the rigging employed dagdag-bawas during the canvassing of votes at the provincial level.

The vote total for Arroyo’s opponent was reduced and the same figure was added to hers. The new results appear clean as the transfer of vote counts did not affect the overall total of votes cast.

Although still hounded by a host of technical questions, the automated election system (AES) adopted for the current election shifts the space for viable poll machination to the upstream of the electoral process-voter registration and voting, explained Hadji Abdullah Dalidig, chair of the Islamic Movement for Electoral Reform and Good Government (IMERGG).

Dalidig observes that the various political camps have tailored their strategies along this thinking.

In Lanao del Sur for one, the electorate is allegedly oversized by more than 100,000 registered voters.

In the run-up to Monday when the country’s more than 48 million voters troop to the polling centers, another set of machinations are being unleashed by politicians in a last-ditch effort to sway the outcome of the balloting exercise.

Dalidig warns that poll machinations in the election upstream are the ones highly fraught with head-on confrontations against opposing camps, hence the likelihood of more violent scuffle among political rivals looms.

“Marami talaga ang nagka-girian, pero wala pa o konti lang ang umabot sa banatan,” he related, describing the current political weather in Lanao del Sur.

IMERGG have noted various incidents of harassments in almost all towns of the province since the start of campaigning. These were meant to drive away opponents from areas they compete for establishing foothold or developing bailiwicks. These are expected to turn more violent as political camps prepare their respective bases to turn candidacy support into actual votes on balloting day.

HISTORIC FIGHT
The change in ballot design and voting mechanism has made passé the methods of checking the actual preference of paid voters, hence vote-buying operators will compensate this with greater intimidating presence in the precincts to ensure compliance.

Another likely area of confrontation among opposing camps concerns the entry of flying voters in a locality.

Dalidig said poll monitors in Lanao del Sur will be particularly guarding against the influx of flying voters into the province, “which will constitute the single biggest fraud operation” in the upcoming election.

“We hope to make May 10 a historic fight against poll fraud, and of using our province to manipulate results in national level votes,” said an emotional Dalidig, who was whistle-blower of the 2004 operation to rig the presidential vote.

Together with several non-government groups, IMERGG convened the Ranao Task Force HOPE (honest, orderly and peaceful election) with some 500 volunteers throughout Lanao del Sur to document and report about irregularities in the poll conduct.

This will boost existing efforts by groups like the Citizens Coalition for Electoral Reform in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (C-CARE).

Dalidig said the volunteers would be in the position to identify flying voters “because they come from the place and knows who the real residents are.”

“We are emboldened to do this because the military is with us,” he stressed.

The Task Force is hoping the constant Army patrols in various towns where political rivalry is intense would bring down tension among groups and prevent the outbreak of violence.

Poll monitors are also hoping the peace covenant executed last February by close to 200 of some 471 candidates for various provincial-level and mayoral and vice-mayoral posts will hold amid continuing interest over the Maranaos’ electoral behavior.

FRAUD METHODS
Fraud can be instituted during voter registration, balloting, and vote counting and canvassing. Apart from fat bribes, threat of or actual physical harm is a principal component in effectively carrying out or deterring these.

VOTER LIST-UP
During voter list-up, individuals who are not eligible to vote in a certain locality are able to register, usually upon behest of politicians to whom they committed political support. They could be non-residents, minors, or voters already registered in other precincts.

In Lanao del Sur in 2007, the flying voters are a mix of Maranaos and non-Maranaos who came nearby localities like Iligan City and Misamis Oriental towns, and as far as Ozamiz City. Their politician-sponsors paid each P1,000 to register in Lanao del Sur, and another P50 for each of them to the local Election Registration Boards (ERB) for facilitating the list-up, according to poll monitors.

In October 2009, a grenade exploded near a line of would-be voter registrants in Marawi City, killing at least one and injuring more than 10 people. Many of the victims were from Lanao del Norte attempting to become registered voters in Lanao del Sur; some were still minors. Each person was reportedly brought into Marawi by a political camp and promised a four-digit sum.

Comprising some 459,012 registered voters, the size of the Lanao del Sur electorate is estimated to be padded by more than 100,000, according to some estimates.

VOTING
Payoff has become a general requirement for priming voters to translate their political loyalty into actual votes during balloting day. Those who are identified and listed as a candidate’s supporter receive cash payouts.

The process of coming up with the list, which is drawn per purok or sub-village, starts when campaigning began, and is checked and revalidated towards the homestretch. The initial list-up, therefore, constitutes an offer to buy one’s vote; the seller’s nod obtained by confirming one’s inclusion in the list; and the cash delivery a perfection of the sale transaction.

To further ensure vote conversion, voters are herded into precincts and guarded from the vote-buying operations of opponents. Mechanisms are also developed to validate that one’s choice in the ballot is the candidate who gave the payoff.

Vote buying ‘ambuscades’ are meant to convince undecided voters into one side, or to sway voters away from an opponent. For the latter goal, the price offer must be a sum larger than the basic payoff.

Oftentimes, ambuscade buys are done whereby one is given down payment and the balance paid after showing proof of voting for the paying bet.

Election Day is field day for multiple and flying voters. Cooperation of members of the board of election inspectors (BEIs) is a key element in having multiple voters operate. This includes not marking with indelible ink the right point-finger of a person who just voted, or if at all, a non-indelible ink is used; or more brazenly, simply allowing those who are known to have voted, to vote as many times as they would like to.

Coaching and dictation on who to vote for while already inside the polling center are fairly common practice. With a new voting system to follow, it is expected that voter ‘coaches’ will be there for vote ‘guidance.’

In precincts were voter turnout is low, several persons are allowed to stand-in or substitute for others. This is largely true in precincts which disenfranchised voters were not able to locate.

In a larger scale, substitution takes the form of home-worked ballots whereby only one to five persons do the voting for the entire list of voters, or the targeted turnout, in a given precinct. This can still happen under the AES.

If rivalry is so intense whereby every vote is crucial for victory, deterrence tactics are employed to prevent supporters of opponents from casting their ballots. One is the pay-to-boycott offer which is usually targeted on blocs of voters like a family, or a specific group or community. This operation requires more intense intimidation on the targets.

Other means of preventing voting is to disenfranchise voters by removing their names in the official lists in their assigned precincts, transfer their names to other precincts without their knowledge, and not distributing the Voter Information Sheet (VIS) which official details one’s precinct assignment.

For political camps wanting to buy time for fraud maneuvers or for consolidating supporters, display of violence is resorted, usually stage-managed, to create a situation for a declaration of failure of election.

Raps filed against mother, son in Bayog

2010-05-06T17:11:00.000-07:00

BY THE PROVINCIAL PRESS BUREAU, POSTED AS IS

Mother and son were arrested for alleged violation of Presidential Decree 1866 (PD 1866) in an operation conducted last April 27, 2010 around 6:30 pm at the Municipality of Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur.

PD 1866 entitled “Codifying the Laws on Illega/Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, Dealing In, Acquisition or Disposition of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives” is further amended by Republic Act 8294

The joint operation was performed by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation – Pagadian District Office (NBI – PAGDO), Philippine National Police – Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Service Command (PNP – ZSPPSC), and 5th Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army (5th IB PA).

The suspects, identified as Lydia Elumbaring and her son Arnel Elumbaring, were said to possess and store several firearms and ammunitions based on an intelligence report received by NBI – PAGDO. Surveillance was then conducted by Investigator Edgardo Kawada and confirmed the said allegation.

The Philippine National Police – Firearms and Explosives Division (PNP – FED) verified that the said suspects had “no license to possess or had permit to carry firearms.”

Search warrants were applied and then were granted by Presiding Judge Alandrex Betoya of Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC), 9th Judicial Region, Branch 01 in Pagadian City.

In the search and operation done at the premises of the suspects, a .38 revolver was found at the office of the mother and obtained inside the room of her son were a .45 caliber pistol, assorted cartridges, assorted ammos, and three pieces of M203 High Explosive Grenades.

The son admitted that he owned the .45 caliber pistol. However, he was not able to present any certification or license when the authorities asked him.

Proper disposition and filing of appropriate charges are now being readied by the authorities.

PCOS machines arriving today in Zambosur

2010-05-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

BY MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR & JONG CADION, SENIOR WRITER

WE’RE all set and ready to go, Provincial Comelec Supervisor Ignacio Baya said of the 924 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines being deployed for Zamboanga del Sur and halted by the national office after glitches in local configuration for various positions showed up in testing procedures.

Some 11 vans containing the PCOS machines for Zambosur were parked outside the Argo Forwarder warehouse in Ozamiz last Sunday ready for distribution when its pertinent travel papers were canceled for no apparent reason.

Pending further instructions, Baya said he, along with several policemen and media personalities from Pagadian City, postponed the deployment and returned Tuesday, May 4, to continue.

But the Comelec finally deferred the deployment of PCOS machines nationwide as well as the testing and sealing of ballots on Tuesday after the machines met several glitches in its testing due to the wrong configuration of the compact flash (CF) cards.

The Comelec also hinted that testing and sealing of the PCOS will likely be postponed to May 8 to ensure a fully functional and operational voting machines.

To recall, last March, Baya has already confided to this paper his fear that the PCOS machines will not be delivered on time for the synchronized testing and sealing on May 7.

Accordingly, the much vaunted malfunction of PCOS machines has been happening nationwide since Tuesday where hundreds of PCOS machines were already delivered.

The 924 PCOS machines intended for Zambosur should have been arriving in Pagadian City last May 2 had Baya been given clearance to proceed where it will be distributed to the different selected sub-hubs.

Ten sub-hubs have been designated by Comelec in Zambosur: one in Molave, which will be the starting point for PCOS distribution for Mahayag, Dumingag, Josefina and Tambulig; two in Ramon Magsaysay for Aurora distribution; three in Sominot for distribution in Midsalip, and four in Pagadian, which will allocate the PCOS to Labangan, Tukuran and the rest of the towns.

The PCOS machines stored in a warehouse along Don Anselmo Bernad Avenue is for Lanao del Norte and Sur, Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Occidental and the cities of Pagadian and Ozamiz.

As of today, Baya has said that the CF cards have arrived and the PCOS will be delivered sometime this afternoon.

“We have already established our revised plans for the distribution of PCOS so we need not to worry because we are trying our best for everything to be in place before Monday,” Baya assured.

Zambosur PNP now ready for May 10: Ochotorena

2010-05-03T23:55:00.000-07:00

BY MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR

THE Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO) said it is now primed up for next Monday’s polls and all the more prepared to ensure an Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Election (HOPE).

In a conversation inside his office, Police Provincial Director P/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena explained he has met with local chiefs of police in the province and instructed them to be wary and monitor all instruments of election violence through their respective mobile checkpoints .

It is a guarantee that Zambosur will have HOPE, said the police director, as he revealed that he was one of the 489 top PNP leaders from Mindanao that Director General Jesus Verzosa summoned in Camp Crame early this month in a command conference which discussed the latest directive regarding the May 10 elections.

Ochotorena relayed to this paper that Versoza wanted to level out the necessary security preparations for all police stations including the handouts of the PNP’s 10-point guidelines.

Matters discussed in Camp Crame include intelligence briefings on the election watch list areas (EWAs) and updates on PNP matters. Likewise, a National Prayer for HOPE 2010 was held at the beginning of the activity at the Heritage Park in Camp Crame, he said.

Ochotorena added that part of Versoza’s reminder was for policemen to stay non-partisan and neutral while ensuring the holding of clean and credible elections this May 10 and pave the way for a smooth and orderly transition of power to the next administration.

The police official added that ensuring the success of PNP operations is the support and cooperation of the public in their campaign, stressing this as important in dealing with probable and untoward incidents that may happen next week.

Asked on his own response, Ochotorena said he also instructed his local chiefs of police to lead police operations on the ground for election duties and monitor domestic threats like local insurgents and partisan armed groups.

He added that all throughout the province, the PNP will establish a Joint Security Control Centers (JSCC) or assistance desks outside all polling centers on Monday.

Two policemen will be assigned in each JSCC, which will be identified with a signage and who will assist board of election inspectors and voters in their security concerns.

According to the PNP and Comelec, there are 181 so-called consistent election hotspots in the country and eight of these are in Zamboanga Peninsula Region.

Half of the eight are in Zamboanga del Sur: Dimataling, Josefina, Kumalarang and Tabina. Ochotorena informed this paper that he has already augmented police manpower in these areas while continuously monitoring others in his list.

In concluding, Ochotorena expressed optimism May 10 polls will go on smoothly, orderly and peacefully.

“The elections will go as scheduled. It was emphasized that the PNP. AFP and Comelec will maximize the deployment of their personnel and come out with a tight security plan so that there will be no disruption on May 10,” he said.

‘Panaw Alang sa Kalinaw 2’ successful

2010-05-03T23:14:00.001-07:00

BY JONG CADION, SENIOR WRITER

THE second “Panaw alang sa Kalinaw” organized by the Inter-religious Solidarity for Peace (ISP) came successful with so many advocates participating for an honest, orderly and peaceful elections (HOPE).

Held last Sunday, April 25, some 5,000 residents assembled in front of athe Hangop Kabataan grounds along Aquino and Urro streets and toured around the city streets.

This second “Panaw” was participated by the tri-people of Zambosur, known as the Muslims, Christians and Lumads.

Other religious groups like the Seventh-day Adventist and other organizations including the members of Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO) and the Armys’ 53rd IB likewise participated.

After the “Panaw,” a program was held at the Taklobo stage of Plaza Luz where ecumenical prayers were conducted by the different religious congregations.

The highlight of the activity was when Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar led the “Panumpa” which specified the promise of “No to Vote Selling” and “Vote with Dignity.”

Cabajar also said that the second “Panaw” is “a pilgrimage towards Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful and Peaceful Elections (CHAMP) on May 10.”

The first “Panaw” was held last March 26 where more or less 4,000 people from various religious organization and civic society groups participated.

The “Panaw” came about after Cabajar expressed his concern on the daily gatherings inside City Hall, called as “Operation Hakot,” where people are hauled in groups, supposedly upon orders of Mayor Samuel Co and meant for voter’s education.

Later, Co stopped the “hakot” after receiving Cabajar’s letter last April 11 requesting them to stop the said activity.

OCD announces ‘Gawad KALASAG’ search

2010-05-03T23:01:00.001-07:00

BY NOEMI EDAGA, PIA-9

THE annual search for excellence on Disaster Risk Management (DDR) and Humanitarian Assistance dubbed as “Gawad KALASAG” is now open, Office of the Civil Defense-9 regional director Adriano Fuego announced.

KALASAG stands for KAlamidad at Sakuna LAbanan SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan, an award given to individuals, NGOs, private sector and government organizations, in recognition of their initiative in helping the Filipino government uplift the standard of disaster management in the country.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) through OCD and in partnership with the DILG compose “Gawad KALASAG”’s National Selection Committee (NSC) that will evaluate nominees from all regions in the country.

The NSC validating team will visit the nominee areas and check performance and output in management and preparedness in responding calamities and disaster that may occur as well as best practices, efficient management and functionality of the council before, during and after the onset of disaster.

The NSC will evaluate the nominees from all the regions and after selecting the top three in all categories, field validation will be conducted to come up with the best in each category.

The awarding ceremony will be in Malacañang with the President as guest of honor who will personally do the presentation.

Interested individuals and groups in Zamboanga del Sur and Pagadian City who are active in disaster risk management (DRR) and human assistance undertakings and are interested to join the search are invited to submit their entries by calling OCD-9’s office at Telephone No. (062) 9916361.

Last year, the province of Albay bagged the “Gawad Kalasag” Award for Best Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council while Legazpi City won the “Gawad Kalasag” Award for Indpendent or Component city category along with the cities of Dagupan, Bayawan and Tagum.

One of Albay's successful programs in the field of disaster risk management is the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO), the first of its kind in the country.

Zamsureco-I collects 9 NEA-EC Lumens awards

2010-05-03T22:46:00.001-07:00

BY JONG CADION, SENIOR WRITER & MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR

THE Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperative (Zamsureco-I) unfolds its own historic annals as one of the most awarded electric cooperatives in the country by bagging nine major awards during the NEA-EC Lumens Awarding Ceremony last April 9, Jose Raul Saniel, general manager said.

Among Zamsureco-I’s awards were Electric Cooperative (EC) of the year Award (Mega Large), Best in Collections Performance Award, Special Citation for ECs with Best Financial Performance in Year 2009, Special Citation for Excellent Rating in SCORECARD on EC Corporate Governance, Secretary Francisco G. Silva Award for Best Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Grant People’s Development Academy (PDA) Champion and Special Citation for undertaking Live Line Maintenance Program.

Saniel, himself, received two awards: General Manager of the Year Award (Mega Large EC) and Secretary Francisco G. Silva Grand Leadership Award.

The first award recognized the general manager’s “outstanding performance in managing Zamsureco-I’s affairs, prudent leadership an undisputable competence that led to the Cooperative’s ascension to the roster of elite ECs” while the second one acclaimed his “consistent manifestation of a seasoned manager-leader; and for his relentless efforts in sharing his talents, learning and experiences to other ECs wanting improvement in their operations.”

As EC of the year, Zamsureco is cited for its outstanding performance in all areas of its operations. As Best in Collections Performance, the said power coop was able to attain 100 percent collection efficiency, thereby, sustaining its financial viability.

It’s Special Citation for ECs with Best Financial Performance last year, Zamsureco’s effort in having sustained its financial performance for the past year, manifesting sound financial management decisions and strategies and its financial viability in anticipation to new challenges of the electric power industry was recognized.

The fourth award dealt with balanced management of all aspects of Zamsureco’s operation, as in financial, technical, institutional and information technology that redound to its viability.

Also, the Secretary Francisco G. Silva Award for Best Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was given to the electric cooperative “for having embarked in a modern information and communication technology that connects the EC to its counterparts in the electric distribution industry, thus, keeping abreast of the most recent developments that may affect [its] operation.”

The Grant People’s Development Academy (PDA) Champion recognized Zamsureco “for having sent most number of graduates to the People’s Development Academy (PDA) from year 2005 to 2009.”

“This is testimony of the Coop’s faithful partnership with the office of the Presidential Adviser on Rural Electrification (OPARE) in its vision of developing leader-advocates who are honest, efficient and in total solidarity with the ideas of rural electrification as the country’s most successful revolutionary for progress,” a Zamsureco press release said.

Lastly, the Special Citation for undertaking Live Line Maintenance Program acknowledged Zamsureco’s investments in a program considered as a new innovation in the power industry that prompts interruption free maintenance of power lines, thereby, increasing the quality and reliability of service.

Saniel received all the awards along with the members of the board of directors in Taal Vista Hotel, Tagaytay City, witnessed by NEA officials and delegates from the 119 electric cooperatives nationwide.

He then presented the awards to the general workforce during its regular employee’s assembly last April 12, at ZAMSURECO-1 Heroes’ Hall.

In his message, Saniel thanked the BODs and the entire employees for their extraordinary efforts and their solidarity rendered to the cooperative, which is the key element for its exemplary performance in 2009.

He said that without the strong commitment and unified support of the Board of Directors and employees, these awards would have not been possible.

The general manager added that awards received by Zamsureco-I marks a significant milestone in the electric cooperative’s history, considering that it is a first for the cooperative to receive numerous awards for its performance.

He further said that he was delighted over the awards considering that they came at a time when Zamsureco-I is facing tremendous operational challenges and uncertainties brought about by the Mindanao power crisis.

For four years, Zamsureco-I has been a recipient of the Best in Collection Performance Award conferred by the NEA, attributed by Saniel to the general membership for their untiring support to the electric coop through their prompt payment of their bills.

“With the same level of commitment, innovativeness, and determination towards service excellence, there is no doubt that the cooperative will be able to sustain its remarkable achievements this year,” Saniel said.

At present, Zamsureco-I has already achieved 100 percent on-grid barangay electrification level.

The Lumens Awarding Ceremony is an annual activity of the NEA, which recognizes performance of the 119 electric cooperatives nationwide in the field of rural electrification.

Recipients of Lumens Awards are chosen based on strict performance measures that are benchmarked against the standards in the industry, such as the Distribution Code, focusing on five different areas namely, Service Excellence; Operational Performance; Corporate Social Responsibility; Sustainability and Best Practices.

Freedom and Accountability: NUJP on World Press Freedom Day

2010-05-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY

03 May 2010

Today, World Press Freedom Day, we the members of the Philippine press call to account this administration whose sins of omission and commission over the past nine years have resulted in the most murderous period for the media, not only in our country’s history but the world’s.

Since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was borne to power by the people, we have seen media practitioners murdered in record numbers – 100 of the 137 killed since 1987 were slain under her watch – capped by the unprecedented slaughter of 32 journalists and media staff last November 23, the worst single attack on journalists ever.

If anyone should bear responsibility for this outrage, aside from the accused members and armed retainers of a clan that counts among Arroyo’s staunchest allies, it is Arroyo herself.

She whose apathy and even outright hostility towards that bulwark of democracy, a free press, has led to inaction on past killings, thereby emboldening those who would suppress freedom of expression and the people’s right to know into doing so with impunity.

She who nurtured warlords, allowing them to build up massive arsenals and armies and obscene wealth in their invariably poverty- and war-ridden fiefdoms, in exchange for ensuring the survival of an administration whose legitimacy had always been under question. If we are to go by the conviction record of those responsible for the murder of our colleagues – six gunmen, and no masterminds – it would not need genius to conclude that many of those who ordered these killings count among her warlord allies.

She who, the only one since the dictator Ferdinand Marcos, attempted a wholesale clampdown on the media in 2006, when she declared a state of national emergency that former allies disillusioned with her misrule confirmed was mainly intended to silence an increasingly critical press rather than contain any supposed threat to government.

She whose glaring silence as her husband brazenly abused the influence he wielded as her spouse embarked on what has aptly been described as a litigious spree of libel suits against more than 40 journalists, a silence that cannot be interpreted any other way but as tacit approval.

Yes, today, World Press Freedom Day, we call to account this president who has proven herself to be a true enemy of press freedom.

Yet today, we also call to account those who seek to govern this country after her, they who spout promises of a better future but whose voices were hardly heard in the immediate aftermath of the Ampatuan massacre or, truth to tell, the scores of other media murders over the past nine years, and who have, till now, remain deafeningly silent on the life and death issues of human rights and civil liberties, including press freedom.

We serve notice that whoever ascends to the presidency after May 10 will be held as equally accountable as the current president for ensuring that justice is done, not only for the Ampatuan massacre but for all the media murders of the past. For, lest they forget or refuse to remember, these crimes are not a matter of one administration’s accountability but of the State.

But today, even as we continue to rage against the continued efforts to suppress the freedom of the press and the people’s right to know, we also celebrate the Philippine media community, who remain fiercely independent because they choose to be so despite all efforts to stifle them.

Time and again, the Philippine media have proven that, notwithstanding the often raucous nature of professional competition, they are truly united in defense of our freedoms and liberties, and those of the people they serve.

And today, World Press Freedom Day, we, the independent Philippine press vow to remain so, in the service of the people and of the nation.

Ozamiz prelate issues pastoral for May 10

2010-05-03T18:54:00.001-07:00

BY MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR

OZAMIZ CITY—Archbishop Jesus Dosado issued his pastoral for the May 10 polls calling on candidates, peacekeepers and voters to be vigilant for the country and vote wisely for God-fearing and honest people as leaders.

Dosado began his note on the sorry state of election campaigns happening at present where “campaign advertisements, debates and political killings fill the media.”

“Outrageous political violence has awakened us to the reality that if we do not keep watch together as a nation our electoral processes can drag us down. The existence of private armies, proliferation of loose firearms, and political dynasties are obstacles to the growth of a genuine, democratic system,” Dosado said.

“In this situation I remind once again the Catholic laity that it is their right and duty to support candidates that are qualified and have a record of striving for the common good. They should not hesitate to engage in principled partisan politics,” the bishop added.

To the candidates, Dosado urged them to start showing honesty by sincerely educating the people of the situation of the country in their campaign and refrain from manipulating people’s perception but rather help the electorate make good choices, present the platforms and conviction than attacking others.

To soldiers and the police, Dosado appealed for “extra vigilance” and not allowing themselves to be used by politicians or ideological groups but that “they should be vigorous in disarming illegally armed groups and elements.”

To the voters, the prelate said: “Ultimately the leaders that our country shall have will depend on your wise choice of candidates. Do not be swayed by survey results or political advertisements.”

“Follow the dictates of your conscience after a prayerful and collective period of discernment. ‘Winnability,’ is not at all a criterion for voting! The vote you cast will be a vote for the good of our country and your children’s future. Serve the common good with your precious vote!” the bishop concluded.

SSS-Pagadian outdo first quarter goals

2010-05-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

BY JONG CADION, SENIOR WRITER & MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR

THE Social Security System (SSS)’s actual collection for current contributions reached P27,449,221.35 as of the first quarter of 2010, beating their target of P24,600,048.88, said Pagadian Branch Godofredo Martinez.

Martinez explained that compared to their actual collections for the same period last year, their present accomplishment is way above by P1,606,954.89.

A collection monitoring chart showed by the manager listed a total of P28,849,059.95 for both current and delinquency collections. Again, this is a 12.12 percent increase from SSS’ over-all target for the first quarter.

Including current member loans and Real Estate Loans (REL), January collections totaled P12,457,780.38 while February is P10,052,455.13 and March at P10,504,392.16, summing up at P33,014,627.67 for the first three months.

Current member loans totaled P4,129,181.74 as REL is P36,385.98.

The collection monitoring chart itemized actual contribution collections to a total of P16,952,510.65 for the first three months under current ER; P1,399,838.60 for delinquency ER; P10,496,710.70 for self-employed, voluntary members and OFW.

“SSS is in the right course,” said Martinez, stirred in the right direction by its officials in the upper level.

He added that their accomplishment has been achieved even with the power outage and rotation of brownouts which affected businesses, reduce their workdays and income thus, affecting the premium contributions of employers.

He said that present collections showed a “total reverse” from the past in which SSS experienced low collections.

Meanwhile, Martinez included the SSS condonation program which waives penalties on delinquent contributions fully settled prior to Feb. 1, 2010 or paid in cash or through an approved installment proposal until July 31, this year.

Employers who are delinquent in their payment of their contributions including those with pending cases involving collection of contributions and or penalties before the Social Security Commission or the courts may avail of the condonation program.

The employer must pay or remit the full amount of the delinquent contributions or submit a proposal to pay the same in installment within six months from Feb. 1 or not later than the deadline.

“Ang atong mga employers nga nagkalisud dili nila makas-a ang bayad sa ilang delinquencies kay nag-accumulate na man ang uban pero they’re given the chance to pay on installment,” Martinez said.

Envoy vows US support to justice-seekers in Maguindanao murders

2010-05-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

BY RYAN ROSAURO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

OZAMIZ CITY—US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas Jr. has vowed to help enliven the effort to bring perpetrators of the Maguindanao massacre before the bar of justice.

“We will continue to urge that the Philippine government aggressively and thoroughly pursue and bring to justice those responsible for the killings,” read a statement by Thomas in relation to Monday’s observance of World Press Freedom Day.

Accused for responsibility in carrying out the country’s worst election-related violence are members of the Ampatuan clan, two of which—Zaldy and Akmad—are being cleared by Justice Secretary Alberto Agra of involvement in what has become a controversy up to now.

In his message, Thomas sought to “honor the vital work of journalists who inform the public and report hidden truths.”

He said that for this year’s commemoration of World Press Freedom Day, “we remember and mourn the tragic deaths of the 57 Filipino civilians who lost their lives November 23, 2009 in Maguindanao.”

He noted that “the United States condemned that atrocity in the strongest possible terms.”

The Philippines, along with the United States, was among the nations that adopted the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948.

Thomas recalled that the Declaration “included among those rights the fundamental principle that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

“History has shown, however, that journalists continue to find themselves at risk,” said Thomas, pointing to the Maguindanao massacre as an example.

The massacre claimed 57 people, 32 of whom were journalists “carrying out their crucial role in Philippine democracy.”

Thomas emphasize that the role of a free press “is just as much a pillar of democracy as elections are.”

He assured that “Americans stand together with Filipinos in support of the members of the press, who labor every day to expose truth and enhance accountability.”

PCOS delivery for Zambosur sees delay

2010-05-03T18:41:00.003-07:00

BY JONG CADION, SENIOR WRITER

OZAMIZ CITY—The whole shipment of the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines to be used in next Monday’s elections and intended for Zamboanga del Sur is already stored in its hub here but clearance for its delivery has not yet been given despite the scheduled May 2 release.

Perhaps this will confirm, on one aspect, Provincial Comelec Supervisor Ignacio Baya’s fear that the PCOS machines will not be delivered on time for the synchronized testing and sealing on May 7.

Baya, when confronted last Sunday about the delay of the release of the PCOS machines, only said that it will be out in due time before May 4 after the approval of some pertinent papers and permit to transport.

Accordingly, the much vaunted malfunction of PCOS machines has been happening in some areas in Luzon where hundreds of PCOS machines were already delivered.

Baya did not say it but again, perhaps the delay of the clearance of the release of the PCOS machines could be linked to a new Comelec order to postpone the tests on the malfunctioned voting machines in order to give Smartmatic-TIM to study the problem and fix it before the May 7 deadline.

Some 924 PCOS machines intended for Zambosur should have been arriving there last Sunday, May 2, where it will be distributed to the different selected sub-hubs.

Ten sub-hubs have been designated by Comelec in Zambosur: one in Molave, which will be the starting point for PCOS distribution for Mahayag, Dumingag, Josefina and Tambulig; two in Ramon Magsaysay for Aurora distribution; three in Sominot for distribution in Midsalip, and four in Pagadian, which will allocate the PCOS to Labangan, Tukuran and the rest of the towns.

The Comelec has said that 35,279 PCOS machines were shipped to the Visayas and Mindanao since last week and that majority of the machines are being delivered in far-flung places first because of geographical considerations.

Baya, in an earlier huddle, has disclosed to this paper that the official ballots have already been delivered to the municipalities in Zambosur and this time, they are only waiting for the PCOS machines.

It was learned that the in-charge of the official ballots delivery is the Air21 and Fedex while those of the PCOS is Argo forwarder.

A supervisor assigned in the warehouse refused to give any detail on why the PCOS machines for Zambosur has been held in abeyance but he later assured the machines will be completely released today, May 4.

Police escorts deputized by P/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena and some military men along with media personalities have been staying here for two days already, waiting for the release order of the PCOS machines.

The PCOS machines stored in a warehouse along Don Anselmo Bernad Avenue is for Lanao del Norte and del Sur, Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Occidental and the cities of Pagadian and Ozamiz.

Concepcion mayor wants Comelec to place town under its control

2010-05-03T18:09:00.001-07:00

BY RYAN ROSAURO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

OZAMIZ CITY—A Nacionalista Party (NP) candidate for mayor in Concepcion, this province has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place the town under its direct control.

Reelectionist mayor Benjamin Pilota, a retired Army colonel, said his camp has been worried over persistent reports from their community leaders about the activities of a group of armed men roaming from village to village intimidating people.

Pilota’s request came a week before the balloting day on May 10 as he asserts the villages usually visited by these armed men are his known bailiwicks, and their activities have become more frequent as the political campaign is now at the homestretch.

“As local chief executive, I can say that these incidents bode ill for the upcoming May 10 exercise. But I would like the poll body to take the necessary security steps in order not to muddle the situation because I am a candidate,” he said.

He added that deployment of additional security forces in the town, whether Army or police, would be “highly welcome.”

But he suggested that the government forces refrain from posing a conspicuous armed presence but stay in strategic posts near villages which security situation are deemed critical.

Pilota mentioned at least “four disturbing incidents which portend to more violence” on election day unless checked.

The most recent was the killing of Barangay Layaan kagawad Dario Eleonor last April 28 as he was heading home with his wife around 4pm.

The local NP slate in Concepcion has blamed Eleonor’s killing to politics as he was “our strong supporter and campaigner in his own village.”

Another incident is the “harassment operation” done by armed men in Marugang village at daybreak of April 23.

“The men opened fire at the houses; although no one was killed, many children suffered various injuries in the rush to seek safety,” Pilota related.

Still another was the alleged attempt on the life of Barangay Upper Dapitan chair Danny Elianic last April 16. Elianic escaped death by rolling down a hillside while being shot at by men who supposedly asked him to stop campaigning for Pilota.

Elianic has filed charges against a certain Roldan Tinae for the incident.

The first known political killing in Concepcion town occurred on December 5, 2009 that claimed the life of a village chair. The suspected killer was nabbed in Oroquieta city last March and is now facing formal charges.

Pilota is presently gunning for a third and final term as mayor against incumbent vice-mayor Juanidy Viña of the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Last month, Pilota filed disqualification charges against Viña for allegedly violating the rules limiting the number of security escorts allowed to candidates.

Peace activists closed ranks behind peace process

2010-05-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

BY RYAN ROSAURO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

ILIGAN CITY—Peace activists in Mindanao have closed ranks to defend the ongoing negotiations for a political settlement between government and the rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) amid widely held suspicions there are fresh attempts to subvert it.

“(We) call upon all peace loving Mindanaoans to unite and remain steadfast in our peace efforts…,” read a statement of grassroots-based Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC).

This call was issued after North Cotabato vice-governor Manny Piñol petitioned the Supreme Court last April 29 to compel government to reveal to the public a draft peace pact it is supposedly bent on signing with the Moro rebel group.

In the petition, Piñol is also asking the High Court to stop government from inking any peace deal unless this is first disclosed to the public and that consultations are duly conducted regarding its contents.

“Who is public and who should be consulted are questions that continue to bedevil the peace movement considering the thousands of community consultations and dialogues that were already conducted by the Bishops-Ulama Conference and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) since the Supreme Court struck (down) the MOA-AD in 2008 as unconstitutional,” the MPC statement said.

“In each of these consultations, the overwhelming recommendation of the Mindanaoans is ‘to continue the peace talks.’ That is exactly what government and the MILF is heeding now--to continue with the talks and find ways and means of resolving the armed conflict through peaceful means,” it added.

The MPC consider the Supreme Court petition as a “renewed attempt by the Piñol brothers of North Cotabato to sabotage the peace negotiations.”

Manny was among the key personalities involved in blocking the controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) from being signed in August 2008 even if it was earlier initialed by the heads of the negotiating panels.

“Instead of running to the Supreme Court, the Piñols could have easily sought audience with the peace panels to get updates and briefings on the progress of the negotiations instead of dragging the Supreme Court into what is clearly a premature controversy,” the MPC observed.

Even then, the group also called on the government peace panel to “intensify its information and advocacy drive so that people will no longer be misled and swayed by black propaganda.”

The aborted signing of the MOA-AD led to renewed outbreak of violence between government forces and Moro guerrillas the effects of which continue to be seen in more than 100,000 evacuees still languishing in cramped evacuation sites in Central Mindanao. At its height, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) was estimated at some 600,000.

The MPC notes that “more compelling” for the upcoming May meeting between the panels is the agenda on facilitating the safe return of the IDPs, conduct clearance operation for Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in once battle zones, and approval of the Terms of Reference of the Civilian Protection Component of the IMT.

“These, cannot be sacrificed… by another Temporary Restraining Order,” the peace group stressed.

MPC executive director Mary Ann Arnado revealed that on May 3, Mindanao peace advocates will hold ‘Peace Power Day’ at the Provincial Capitol of North Cotabato in Kidapawan City and hold a ‘State of the Peace Talks’ rally to inform the public of the real score of the negotiations between government and the MILF.

“Let us not be dissuaded by black propaganda and emotional persuasion. Together let us find out the truth,” appealed Arnado whose work earned her the 2009 Peacemaking Award of World Vision International Peace Prize.

Arnado said organizers have invited no less than Secretary Annabelle Abaya, presidential adviser on the peace process, and members of the government peace panel to join “to provide an accurate update on the peace process… and clarify the misconceptions perpetrated by known spoilers…”

Peace activists from other Mindanao areas like Davao will hold a caravan towards Kidapawan city where thousands of “community peace movers and prayer brigades” are expected to participate, said organizers.

The MPC is worried the attacks on the peace process could be “another electoral ploy to capitalize so called anti-Moro sentiments in the run through for the May 2010 election.”

“We… appeal into the hearts of the Piñol brothers to give peace a chance in Mindanao and especially in North Cotabato whose people have been victimized over and over again by this lingering armed conflict the peace process of which has also been spoiled over and over again by politicians like them,” MPC said.

WESMINCOM chief urges soldiers to be non-partisan

2010-05-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

GIDEON CORGUE, PIA-9, NEWS POSTED AS IS

‘We should not get involved in politics.’

This was disclosed by Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, chief Armed Forces, Western Mindanao Command (WEMINCOM) in his brief visit at the headquarters of the 1st Infantry (Tabak) Divisio, Philippine Army, Camp Major Cesar Sang-an, Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur on April 22.

Speaking at the 2-day workshop on Internal Secuirty Operations, Dolorfino said, he is spreading the command guidance of Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Delfín N. Bangit to have an honest, orderly and peaceful election on May 10, 2010, the first automated election in our country.

“We will be non-partisan. Le tus remain firm and desolute that we will never involve in partisan political acitivty,” Dolorfino said quoting Bangit’s statement.

“Be proud to perform your election duties in a respectable and upright way. Let us never do irregularity so that the trust and confidence accorded to us by the people will remain unchanged,” he added.

“With the upcoming first automated nacional election next week, we have a gargantuan task given to us by the government, to maintain peace and order in the polling places and safeguard the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines,” he stressed.

Dolorfino also encouraged the Tabak troopers to be ‘transparent in the performance of their election duties since this has been the appeal of Atty.. Helen A. Flores, Regional Election Director-IX to them.

He said, that they (soldiers), must be knowledgeable of the pertinent provisions of the election code and get hold of a copy of the Ómnibus election code, other pertinent Comelec resolutions and policies, for all these will serve as their guide so as not to violate any provisions of the election laws.

He urged them to instill in their hearts and mind on their oath that as Filipino soldiers, they should always ‘uphold and defend the constitution of the Republic of the Philippines’

He called on the Tabak troops to strctly adhere to the order.

“Follow the legal order, and if the order is illegal, do not adhere to it.”

“Let us be constitucional. We will be non-partisan, instead we will exert our best efforts in order to have a successful, and credible election,” he finally concluded.

On the election day, the AFP will perform their duties together with their partner agencies: Comelec, PNP, Debed, SMARTMATIC, Caro Forwarder, and including the Civil Society Observers.

Zamsureco swears ample power supply on May 10

2010-05-02T20:29:00.001-07:00

BY MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR & JONG CADION, SENIOR WRITER
(FOR ZAMPENEWS)

DEFINITELY, there will be continuous electricity on next Monday’s national and local elections, Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperative-I (Zamsureco) general manager Jose Raul Saniel said.

In an interview inside his office, Saniel clarified that Zamsureco-I will guarantee ample supply of power from May 9 to 11, a declaration that is in relation to the recent memo sent by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to all electric cooperatives (ECs) in the country.

The NEA memo has advised all ECs to “undertake the necessary measures to ensure adequate electric power supply before, during and after the May 10 national and local polls.”

Among the measures recommended by NEA are the preparation of rehabilitation and maintenance programs of distribution assets, conduct routine checks of distribution networks from substations to power line ends, organize skeletal force on a 24-our basis as quick response team and coordinate with DepEd regarding the checking, inspection and upgrading of wirings of polling centers.

“It is our commitment. As much as possible brownout free gyod ta,” Saniel mused, adding the necessary load requirement will be achieved since there will be less electricity consumption for there are no classes on the said days.

“It happened during the Pacquiao fight, probably it could be replicated in again in those three days,” he said.

The Zamsureco official added that the electric cooperative has contingency plans to ensure that in case of power shortage, they would be able to immediately restore power.

As to the measures, they’re all in place and he has dispersed team assignments in all area offices of Zamsureco-I and has given a deadline this week for the submission of comprehensive reports from field offices regarding inspections in schools used as polling centers.

“We are making sure on our part dili kami ang ma-blame if ever there are grievances from the people. We are all well-prepared, materials-wise, manpower, communications equipment and the needed logistics,” Saniel stressed.

Other measures that Zamsureco adopted, according to the general manager, was the purchase of power generators and urging for voluntary load dropping of energy-intensive industries in Pagadian City.

“Our preparation is not only one day before, during and after but three days before and three days after, and we are continuously monitoring,” he said.

As this developed, a Department of Energy report said that the three-day power consumption reduction scheme will be able to generate a saving of 150 to 162 Megawatts.

Minda Tan runs in behalf of hubby

2010-05-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA, ONLINE EDITOR

THE wife of the late Romeo Tan is making a political power in her own right and is taking the fight for the vice-mayorship of Pagadian by declaring her running in her husband’s stead as an independent.

To win, Luzminda Tan said she is banking on the people primarily loyal to her husband since he first become a politician and the support of the young electorate who trust her capability.

“Maoy pangandoy sa akong bana nga ipadayon ang iyang mga plano ug tinguha sa pagserbisyo sa katawhan,” she said over the radio.

In an earlier huddle with her daughter, Marissa, she said that her mother’s running was considered by their family as a promise to keep the dying wish of the councilor, known as a consistent winner in every election he participated in the past.

Tan was rushed to Cebu City last March 4 for a medical check up after he complained of back pains and cough.

He is into his bid for the vice mayoralty seat and in the height of the hectic campaign sortie when doctors who examined him declared that he had lung cancer at its late stage.

Accompanied by their children, the Tan couple went home last April 3 where the councilor died four days later.

Tan was formerly listed as a member of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party in 2007 but opted to run as an independent against incumbent Vice mayor Romeo Pulmones.

Section 77 of the Omnibus Election Code allows for a substitute candidate in case an official candidate “dies, withdraws, or is disqualified for any cause” even until mid-day of election day."

The Comelec has earlier said the vote for the substituted candidate will be a vote for the substitute; in this case, Romy’s will be counted in favor of Luzminda.

“Ako walay laing plataporma kondili ang pagpadayon sa nasugdan nga programa sa akong bana sama sa pagtabang sa mga kabus nga estudyante pinaagi sa educational assistance, ang patas na pagdala ug pagtagad sa nangihanglan sa atong serbisyo, ang pagkamatinud-anon ug ang paggahin sa pundo sa medisina para sa labing ubos nga mga kaigsoonan nga labing nanginahanglan ug alang sa ginagmay nila nga proyekto sa kabatan-unan,” Tan said.

“Nanghinaot ko nga ipadayon ninyo ang inyong gugma ug pagsalig ni Romy pinaagi kanako na iyang gitahasan niini karon,” she added.

Pulmones, when told about this development, only said that he welcome Luzminda in the race while he will still continue to campaign fairly and squarely to win the hearts of the people.

ZSPPO conducts supplemental feeding in Labangan

2010-04-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

LABANGAN, ZAMBOSUR—The Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO) recently conducted its supplementary feeding outreach to Barangay Tapodok, this town.

Led by Labangan Police Chief S/Insp. Severino Laluan Jr., the activity was attended by ZSPPO representatives and officers of the Labangan Municipal Police Station, barangay officials, residents and their children.

“We also extended our thanks to the mother of children in helping our police women in the preparation of the arroz caldo for feeding,” Laluan said.

Some 150 children savored the supplementary feeding, also said S/Insp. Teresita Paclibar of ZSPPO’s Police Community Relations (PCR).

Police Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena, in a huddle inside his office, disclosed the activity is part of the PCR, which evolves the doctrine of partnership between the PNP and the community as well as in coordination with the health program on children.

Ustadz Sarip Macsa, community organizer based in the area, likewise helped supervise in the preparation of the feeding.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

First Cebu Pacific flight touches down in Pagadian

2010-04-29T17:19:00.001-07:00

FINALLY, Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) opened its 33rd domestic route from Mactan Cebu International Airport to Pagadian City National Airport last Tuesday, April 27, with its inaugural flight using the ATR 72-500.

CEB is the first airline to fly to the regional center of Western Mindanao since the city airport was renovated in 2008.

CEB’s scheduled flights for Cebu will be four times a week—on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday—departing from Cebu at 11:30 a.m. and arriving in Pagadian at 12:30 noon. The return flight from Pagadian is at 12:50 p.m. and will arrive in Cebu an hour after.

“It’s been a long journey for us and we’ve been planning this route for a long time already. It’s wonderful to be finally here and be able to provide the unique service that we can give,” CEB VP for Commercial Planning Alex Reyes said during a program tendered by city officials at the airport.

The Gokongwei-owned airline is also set to open its Manila-Pagadian route this coming June 9 using its Airbus A319 aircraft. Tentative flight schedule given for this flight is at 11:30 a.m. departing from Manila and its return flight leaving at 1:40 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Reyes said CEB prides itself with 92% of all its flights departing on time while providing the lowest fares available.

“That’s something Filipinos appreciate very much. We hope to spur both trade and commerce throughout the archipelago,” he added.

In his message, Mayor Samuel Co declared that Cebu Pacific Air’s inclusion of Pagadian as one of its domestic routes is a historic phenomenon.

“We are back again for business and this time the airport is more than prepared to cater flights, having met the international standards set by Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines,” Co said.

“The opening of our airport further strengthens our dent for a brighter future for Pagadian coupled with the right development that we have been implementing, which also include the tourism industry. It is also considered to attract visitors as well as international investors,” the mayor added.

For her part, Gov. Aurora Cerilles said: “With the opening of this airport and the servicing of Cebu Pacific, we hope to stimulate more advances in tourism industry and the economy in the entire region, with Pagadian being the gateway to Zamboanga del Sur—the largest province in Western Mindanao and as an alternative point of entry to the provinces of Misamis and Cotabato.”

“Travelers can now take their trips to Pagadian freely and more accessibly. Thank you Cebu Pacific for adding Pagadian City as one of your extensive networks and,” the governor ended her speech.

Meanwhile, CEB-Pagadian station officer Christy Joy Rafanan told this paper that their company presently offers its year-round “Go Lite” fare of P1088 for the Cebu-Pagadian flight. Call or text 0922-891-2689 for inquiries and or bookings.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION

4 Agusan miners hurt after tunnel collapses

2010-04-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

BUTUAN CITY—Four miners were seriously injured after being trapped inside a 250-meter deep tunnel owned by the Jose Cuyos (JCT) Mining Company which is extracting gold minerals in the mountain ranges of Bayugan 3, Rosario, Agusan del Sur last Saturday.

The Caraga Police Regional Office identified the victims as Fred Abayong Managbanag, Cirilo Dela Rama Bastatas, Mark Recoplacion Cadiz and Generoso Booc Moreno.

The four miners rescued are now being treated at D.O. Plaza Memorial Hospital in Patin-ay, Prosperidad, this province.

A small-scale mining permit holder, JCT’s Cuyos is a mayoralty bet of Rosario running under the Lakas-Kampi. It is said that his mining business is planning to expand to large–scale.

Residents in the area where the incident happened composed mostly of indigenous people who claimed that small-scale gold miners use explosives in their extraction operations, an act prohibited under RA 7076, the People's Small Scale Mining Act.

A source from the police office also claimed that a nearby gold mining workers owned by a certain Vivencio Ocite conducted blasting operations hours before the incident, which residents believed could have been the reason of the collapse of the other deep tunnels in the JCT area, burying alive its workers.

REPORT BY BEN SERRANO

Poll exec sees nothing wrong with ‘hakot’

2010-04-27T18:51:00.001-07:00

THERE’S nothing wrong with the daily gatherings in City Hall, or the so-called “hakot” activities initiated by the City Government intended for voter’s education, Provincial Comelec Supervisor Atty. Ignacio Baya said over the weekend.

“Sa akoang kaugalingong opinyon, kining hakot nga gihimo sa LGU aron ilang i-edukar ang tawo bahin sa automated election, wala koy basis nga pahunongon ni siya ug gani, nalipay ang Comelec niini nga adunay mga tawo nga mitabang pa sa Comelec pag-edukar sa mga tawo unsaon pagboto,” Baya told this paper in an exclusive interview.

This was Baya’s reaction after he was asked for his thoughts on the letter sent to him by Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar, convenor of the Inter-religious Solidarity for Peace, which requested the Comelec official to stop the daily “hakot” activity at the City Hall.

Dated April 11, Cabajar’s letter was also sent in duplicate to the City Comelec Office, Gov. Aurora Cerilles and Mayor Samuel Co, where the bishop signified his opposition and called for the hakot’s discontinuance after reading a letter forwarded to him by the Vicariate of PLDTSP, which detailed several concerns about the activity.

The PLDTSP Vicariate, in its press statement, called the activity “[Not] a true education or teaching but rather reflected many negative values of control, manipulation and threat.”

“We believe this is another lost opportunity to educate the people in the sacredness of the vote. We encourage and support the people not to be controlled by fear, and to continue to reflect and to judge who the right candidates ought to be elected, and having chosen their candidates, they should follow their conscience in freedom,” the PLDSTP stressed.

When asked if he replied or acted accordingly to Cabajar’s request, Baya confided: “Dili nako ma-concretize akong reply kay ang sulat niya mismo dili explicit.”

The poll official cited, for example, about the mention of the purported master list, where participants who would mark the names of candidates of other parties in the sample ballots are threatened of getting erased.

There was even an unconfirmed report that said trainers “spank the hands and head” of the participants when they do not follow the instructions to vote straight in the sample ballot.

It was learned that the City Government’s daily voters' education program likewise invited provincial and local candidates from Lakas-Kampi and Nationalist Peoples Coalition city and barangay officials and members of various socio-civic groups.

The mayor has already denied having forced voters to mark only the names of the candidates under the Lakas-Kampi party and Nationalist Peoples Coalition where both the Cerilleses and the mayor’s lineup belong.

“Wala man mi master list sa Comelec, voters’ list man nang amoa,” corrected Baya, “Kung master list, nag-refer na sa private organization siguro. Kana ganing pagwala sa ngalan from the voters’ list dili mi pwede nga mga Comelec officials kondili ang taga-Manila ra gyod ana.”

He added that on the issue of the funding of the “hakot” activity, it is not Comelec’s but the Commission on Audit (COA)’s concern.

“Didto sila mangutana ana sa COA kung allowable expenses ba na siya kay kung dili na allowable, siguro pwede silang makasuhan og malversation or ipa-refund na sa ilaha sa COA,” he explained.

On the issue also of straight voting, the Comelec official said it falls on the LGU since “Ilaha man na—that is the strategy of the political party.”

“Alang-alang motudlo sila nga ayaw mo pag-straight? Absurd pod paminawon. Unsa may gusto sa simbahan, gusto nila nga tudloan ang mga tawo dili na mao ang buhaton? Dili pod siguro, kinsa may buang-buang nga partido mohimo niana?” Baya asked.

“Kung disadvantage man sa ilaha sa ilang gidapigan unya gusto nilang ipahunong through Comelec, wala man mi basehanan god. Kung naa lang mi basehanan o kung pakit-on mi nila og balaod, ipahunong nato na,” he assured.

“Pero moingon sila nga illegal na og immoral na, dili na concern namo. Naa man gihapon kay freedom, gitudloan raman ka!” he added.

Before concluding, Baya left this message to Cabajar: “Akoa lang ipahibalo sa kadaghanan, dili lang sa nagsulat, nga kining gihimo nga paghakot or pagtabang sa Comelec aron ma-edukar ang mga tawo sa bag-ong systema sa pagbotar nalipay mi niini ug among gi-encourage ang ubang grupo ug partido to do the same thing kay dako kaayo ning tabang para sa tanan,” he said.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

ZSMC limits visiting hours to patients

2010-04-27T18:50:00.001-07:00

THE Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center (ZSMC) announced it has limited visitation time effective Monday, April 26, in a move to maximize therapeutic periods for their admitted patients, Helen Arao, chief nurse, said.

Arao explained the new policy does not totally restrict quick visits or appointments between family relatives and their patients but only regulate the length of daily schedule of visits from 10:00 in the morning to 12:00 noon and from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

“The reason for this is to give time for hospital sanitation and housecleaning during mornings and for nurses and doctors to make their rounds to give medications and treatment,” she said.

For this, Arao said ZSMC need to decongest its wards in order not to disturb the medical staff in their work.

“In the afternoons until 8:00 p.m. we want our patients to get early rest to restore their health. Kinahanglan kaayo nila makapahulay og sayo without the noise,” she said.

The new policy likewise prohibit entry of children below 10 years to come and visit patients in the medical facility “because they are prone to contagious diseases and children have less resistance to diseases they might contract while loitering in hospital premises,” the chief nurse explained.

As for watchers, ZSMC only allow 3-4 persons at most for every patient while strictly limiting this to two when there’s numerous admissions.

“We do not allow them also to roam around the hospital and we have a watcher’s class to educate them on this policy,” Arao stressed.

When asked why there are patients sleeping along the lobby of the hospital, Arao clarified that ZSMC is only equipped with 100 beds but they opted “to accommodate everybody who comes for medical attention, especially the poor.”

And since the ward spaces are constricted, they temporarily allow some of the patients with negligible case admissions to sleep in the lobby but transfer them once there are discharges from the ones sleeping inside.

Before ending her interview with this paper, Arao requested to communicate her appeal to Philhealth holders and their dependents who will be admitted to ZSMC to bring along their MDR and other requirements for fast processing.

“Ato silang gihangyo nga i-comply lang nila ang requirements aron dili malangay ang pag-discharge nila,” she said.

REPORT BY JONG CADION & MICHAEL MEDINA

Ozamiz prelate calls on pol bets ‘to end offensives’

2010-04-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—With the campaign period drawing to its highest point and political tactics getting dirty and boisterous, candidates suddenly pick up their share of censure from Archbishop Jesus Dosado who urged them to desist from employing violence and illegal means before this comes to worse.

Dosado, in a letter dated April 21 and addressed to all political rivals, their kinsfolk and supporters appealed for the “exercise of fair play and in square manner, according to the laws of our land and most of all refraining from violence, force and coercion.”

And when victory comes to the fortunate bet, the prelate urged winners to be magnanimous in defeat “so that we may be spared the long, tedious and sometimes contentious wait to the impairment of our civil structures.”

The bishop’s letter of appeal was actually a consequence of the suggestion forwarded by the provincial chapter of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to enjoin Dosado in one meeting with the candidates in an effort to ease the tensions over the campaign hullabaloo employed by the different parties.

NUJP-Misoc president Ryan Rosauro, in one meeting held two weeks ago, said the media is taking the necessary step to implore Comelec and Dosado “to get involved” and resolve the issues before violence wrap the province and ruin the May 10 polls.

Rosauro observed that the media have been caught in the middle of mudslinging between the rival camps of Gov. Loreto Leo Ocampos of the Liberal Party and Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. of Lakas-Kampi where several unfortunate incidents involved some media personalities.

The media union chair narrated the unpleasant incident where a DxSY broadcaster, said to be a paid spokesman for the Lakas-Kampi camp, was harassed inside the station and forcefully arrested by police alleged for oral defamation while he was on-board his morning program.

Another incident involved a heated exchange of words between a television crew and a councilor candidate of the LP when the former tried to cover a controversial raid on the candidate’s residence who’s brother is running for vice mayor in the city, Rosauro added.

Lately, the chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group slapped and berated a DxDD reporter while accusing the media man of being biased in his reports and called him a henchman of the governor.

Rosauro added that even with these incidents involving media personalities, some of its colleagues involved or working for either camp should also try to tone down their messages in their radio and television programs and focus more on the platforms and not on the personalities of the candidates.

The NUJP, as a whole, also called on candidates to restrain their supporters from removing or destroying their opponent’s propaganda posters and tarpaulins, allow community meetings in villages and go into voters’ education to tell the people of their intentions when elected into office.

“We recognized that some of our colleagues may have treaded beyond the bounds of professional practice by being employed as subordinates to politicians. NUJP is calling their attention on this matter to mend or regulate their selves so that independent media content is not sacrificed,” Rosauro said.

Back to Dosado, he declared that candidates are welcome to confer with him since he is always available, citing the old Filipino way of settling differences by sitting down together in a dialogue but he clarified that for the mean time his letter to the candidates will suffice.

This letter drafted by the bishop is being coursed to parish priests in their respective towns and cities of the province to be delivered to the candidates for governor, mayors and congressman.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Misoc, Zambosur murders tie at 12

2010-04-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—As of April 24, both Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga del Sur tied murder statistics at 12, a coincidental record happening during one of the bloodiest elections in the decade.

From Misamis Occidental, the figures alone started from March, culled from the Misamis Occidental Provincial Police Office (MOCPPO) in Oroquieta City, which stated that eight people were murdered for the said month alone.

March 6, Oroquieta City police reported one unidentified victim shot to death. This was followed two days later with the shooting of a punong barangay from Macalibre Bajo, Lopez Jaena by two assassins.

March 13, a cellphone technician from Molicay, Ozamiz was shot to death in Valconcha Street while another resident from Banadero was killed on March 17.

March 20, a meter reader was shot at close range while a 38-year old from Barangay Diguan in Ozamiz was felled by a bullet the next day.

March 22, a quarrel between two neighbors resulted to the shooting of a woman in Oroquieta City while a CAFGU member was shot and killed inside his house the next day in Sapang Dalaga.

April 13, a Lakas-Kampi worker in Plaridel was killed. This was followed by the shooting of a Liberal Party supporter residing in Barangay Bacolod, Ozamiz City, whose alleged shooter is the punong barangay who has gone into hiding.

April 14, a village councilor and a Nacionalista Party worker in San Antonio, Ozamiz was shot in broad daylight while riding his jeep along the Catadman-Manabay highway.

Another kagawad who is a Lakas-Kampi worker, this time, was killed by unknown assailants, April 16, in San Isidro, Calamba.

Prior to these incidents, three punong barangays and one kagawad were already killed since October last year in the province as MOCPPO said the killings are remote cases whose motives appeared to be personal grudges and has nothing to do with the political season.

This same statement was also relayed by the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZPPO) the other week when it explained the recent killings happening in the province, which also capped at 12 as of last reckon.

LP President and vice-presidential frontrunner Senator Mar Roxas, in an email to this paper last Friday, urged the ZSPPO to expedite the solution of the murders happening in Zambosur since January, which he claimed involved their political workers.

“Dapat nang matigil ang pagpatay sa aming mga miyembro,” Roxas said in his email, which also carried the list of names of those killed, including the place and date of the shootings.

According to LP, their supporters or workers killed since January include: Rascal Afdal (Jan. 4, Pagadian), Hadja Anira Abdulah Agcong (Jan. 16, Pagadian), Mohaliden Pacman Tapondoc (Jan. 17, Pagadian), Joel Autida (Feb. 9, Molave), Jay Durangparang (March 9, Aurora), Edilberto Monticillo (March 9, Aurora), Habib Andi Maulana (April 1, Pagadian), Jun Olila (April 3, Sominot), Bernardo Aying (April 11, Midsalip), Alfredo Labor Dalingding (March 14, Dumalinao), Tuaher Dakula (March 15, Kumalarang) and Rolando Mayormita (April 12, Pagadian City).

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

DTI warns public anew of impostors

2010-04-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

THE provincial office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reiterated its admonition to the public and the business sector against unscrupulous individuals who pretend that they are from the DTI and gain monetary favor from the unsuspecting.

In a press release dated April 22 and emailed to this paper, DTI Prov. Dir. Maria Socorro Atay warned against persons claiming to be DTI employees who make rounds on hardware stores and undertaking monitoring activities.

This same modus operandi was noticed by the DTI last June wherein reports reached Atay’s ears that individuals posing as DTI workers demand money from business owners.

Atay said these people are not authorized by DTI and urged the public to check with their office before committing any deals and or giving money to these people.

“This act of misrepresentation is punishable by law,” she added.

“For the information of the public, legitimate DTI employees who go on monitoring and enforcement activities are properly identified by wearing the prescribed uniform and official identification cards,” she said.

“These employees bring with them a copy of an office order directing them to undertake monitoring and enforcement activities for a certain date. DTI employees are not allowed and never demands from any business establishments without issuing official receipts,” she added.

For the public’s information, DTI’s only authorized monitoring personnel is Maynard Bernardo.

Saying such a warning is a preventive measure and necessary to discourage said reprehensible practices, Atay then adviced businessmen to ascertain the true identity of persons posing to be DTI employees by contacting the DTI Provincial Office through telephone numbers 2143326 and 2142516 or call the local police.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Controversial logging firm told to get out of Misor

2010-04-23T20:04:00.001-07:00

(PHOTO FROM saveminalwang.blogspot.com)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—They will only stay for a decade and leave, a local environmental activist foresees the decision of the controversial Southwood Timber Corporation (STC), alleged to have operated a logging concession in the hinterlands of Misamis Oriental without consent from indigenous peoples (IPs) in the area.

Carl Cesar Rebuta of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC), said this stance by STC is “very disturbing” amid continuing allegations it was operating in violation of its Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) with the national government.

The environment and natural resources department has said STC’s 25-year lease contract provides that it adopts selective logging in harvesting of the mature and over-mature naturally growing trees within the IFMA area.

Rebuta revealed that STC’s intention to stay on was expressed by a company emissary in a meeting with Archbishop Antonio Ledesma sometime in March, this year.

“That exchange acquired new meaning now given the continuing silence of environment authorities on alleged breaches of STC,” Rebuta said over phone.

An investigation against STC was called for after a complaint was lodged by the IPs living within the logging area pushing for the immediate cancellation of the IFMA permit issued to STC by the DENR.

Church based groups like EcoCare, Ecology Desk of the CDO Archdiocese and LRC supported the call for a probe on STC.

Until today, no initial report was forwarded about the outcome of the said investigation done by independent forestry experts commissioned by DENR to look into the allegations.

Because of this, residents in Gingoog City and Claveria town launched a new signature campaign to petition authorities to cancel the STC operation.

Fr. Roger Almonia of the Anakan Parish in Gingoog, his parishioners continue to report illegal logging activities as shown by the cutting and transporting of freshly cut logs coming from inside the IFMA area.

Amid widespread accusations of IFMA violations against STC, the Gingoog city council backtracked on its December 2009 consent to the project, although it has also reopened discussion and possible reversal of it recently.

STC holds an IFMA covering more than 11,000 hectares spanning across Eureka of Gingoog City and Minalwang in Claveria.

Rebuta said it becomes clear now that STC may just be interested on harvesting the existing forest trees still found within its IFMA area.

“If they are serious with their IFMA, 10 years is not yet enough to harvest the trees they are supposed to plant? So, if we allow them 10 years, that means deforestation of existing cover which defeats the IFMA,” he explained.

Primarily, local people accused STC of harvesting old-growth trees from identified protection forest inside the firm’s concession area, and of operating in Minalwang upon sanction of DENR even if it never acquired the consent of indigenous Higaonon tribe in the area.

Some 8,000 hectares of STC’s concession area is located in Minalwang while 3,000 hectares are in Eureka whose residents issued consent for its activities.

Based on existing forestry policy, trees in 1,000-meter above-sea-level elevations automatically form part of protection forests hence prohibited from being harvested together with those in watershed areas.

Earlier, the DENR said STC’s 25-year lease contract provides that it adopts selective logging in harvesting of the mature and over-mature naturally growing trees within the IFMA area.

“Minus consent, the logging permit issued to STC is invalid, and that their existing operation in Barangay Minalwang is illegal,” stressed Rebuta.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

Let justice be done!

2010-04-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

In memory of our slain colleagues and other victims of the Ampatuan Massacre of November 23, 2009, media workers of Davao City along with civil society groups will stage a die-in and rally at 5 p.m. today at the Centennial Park.

We urge everyone to join us. If you can’t, we ask you to please wear black, tie black ribbons, display black flags to show that we have had enough of this travesty of justice.

Today, April 25, is the fifth month since 58 persons, 32 of them from the media, were killed in a manner described by Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo as “unprecedented in its ferocity, brutality and brazenness.”

Five months. And Acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra now wants two Ampatuans – Zaldy and Akmad -- cleared of multiple murder charges for alleged lack of probable cause.

Agra might as well have ruled that what happened at noon of 23 November was no massacre but a mass suicide; that the 58 victims of the Ampatuan Massacre killed themselves.

In contrast, the Morong 43 (43 health workers), arrested in Morong, Rizal on February 6, 2010, were handcuffed, blindfolded, isolated for days, interrogated, tortured, on mere suspicion they were members of the New People’s Army.

Five months after the massacre, no one has been punished for the crime; no one has been punished for helping build the Ampatuans’ armory of government-issued weapons and ammunition; the Commission on Audit has yet to release to the public a report on the special audit it did on Maguindanao’s public funds, including the alleged misuse of its P84.4 million monthly internal revenue allotment; and the Office of the Ombudsman has yet to report its lifestyle investigation findings to the public.

We are outraged! We are outraged by the impunity which allows government officials to circumvent the law. We are outraged by the shameless abuse of public monies for personal use. We are outraged about the government arms cache placed in the hands of the President's political allies.

We hold the government accountable for everything that has brought about this level of impunity to steal, to kill, to get away with mass murder with nothing more than an alibi.

We call for Acting Justice Secretary Agra's immediate resignation!

We will not rest until justice is done.

POOLED EDITORIAL

PANALIPDAN ANG MGA TIGBALITA, PANALIPDAN ANG DEMOKRASYA

2010-04-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Mga Igsoon,

Tangkod lima ka bulan ang milabay, dili momenos 58 ka tawo ang gimasaker sa Ampatuan, Maguindanao; 32 sa nabiktima mga tigbalita ug trabahante sa media.

Panagsangka sa pulitika ang hinungdan sa linuog nga krimen. Busa, misaka ang kabalaka sa seguridad sa mga tigbalita nga naningkamot mohatod kaninyo og mahinungdanong impormasyon may kalabutan ang eleksyon, apil na ang pagbantay sa proseso sa piliay.

Ang kagawasan sa pagpili kauban sa kagawasan sa pagpadayag isip mga hulagway sa nagtunhay nga demokrasya. Sa atong kasaysayan isip nasud, dako ang papel sa prensa sa pagpahagsa sa diktadora niadtong 1986, ug busa nahibalik kanato ang katungod sa pagbotar. Apan karon, padayon kining nahiagum sa mga pagpangatake.

Gatusan ka tigbalita sa tibuok nasud ang nakasinati sa pagpang-harass. Sa pagtak-op sa tuig 2009, 136 na ka tigbalita ang gipatay sukad 1986!

Bisan paman sa mga kahuyangon sa media isip institusyon, importante kining kabahin sa atong katilingban. Ang propesyon sa pagbalita dili lamang mahitungod sa mga tigbalita; ang kinauyokan niini mao ang pagprotektar sa interes sa katawhan.

Tungod niini, among gitugyan kaninyo—mga mabuot nga katawhan—ang hingpit nga pagsalig nga kamo mobarog sa pagpanalipod sa mga tigbalita, sama sa inyong pagbarog pagpanalipod sa demokrasya ug kagawasan.

Isip paghandum sa among mga kauban, ug sa sakripisyo sa mga tigbalita, amo kamong giawhag nga mouban kanamo sa usa ka minutong kahilom.

Manifesto of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
(NUJP) Ozamiz City-Misamis Occidental

DA distributes swine

2010-04-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

The Swine Restocking Program under the Livestock industry of the Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed boars and gilts in the region. A total of 55 swine were dispersed from the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zambaonga Sibugay and Zamboanga City.

Swine Restocking Program intends to increase the genetic, productive and reproductive capacity of breeders and provide income generation of the LGU’s through the Artificial Insemination (A.I.) services of their Satellite Swine A.I. and Breeding Centers; provide and increase the market and economic opportunity of small-hold farmer producing fatteners or slaughter animals through access to good genetic materials from the A.I. centers and provide incentive to Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) accredited breeder farms, the DA through its GMA-Livestock Program, implements the restocking program of the existing Swine A.I. and Breeding Centers and other swine breeding stations/stock farms with certified purebred animals.

The beneficiaries of the swine from Zamboanga del Sur are the LGU Swine Satellite A.I. Centers in Pagadian City, Mahayag, Josefina, Dinas, Guipos, Dimataling, Bayog, Margosatubig and Dumalinao. Each recipient received one boar and gilt totalled to 18 swine dispersed in Zamboanga del Sur.

In Zamboanga del Norte, a total of 13 swine were received by the recipients from the municipality of Sibutad, Sergio Osmena, Labason, Katipunan, Rizal, Siayan, Polanco, Salug, Tampilisan, Liloy and the Provincial Veterinary Office.

On the other hand, Zamboanga Sibugay distributed 12 swine to five municipalities namely Ipil, Alicia, Buug, Payao R.T. Lim and WESMIARC. While in Zamboanga City 12 hogs were given to barangays Ayala, Tumaga, Curuan and Vitali.

The swine being delivered and dispersed in Zamboanga Peninsula came from the V-4 Swine and Poultry Farms Inc. in Valladolid, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. The breeds composed of large white and land race swine. The superior quality purebred parent stock gilts and boars are already complete with pedigree, performance, health and other record, according to specifications of: 70-80 kg LW and 4-5 months old, duly identified with ear notch or ear tag and vaccinated against diseases such as Hog Cholera and others as based on the farm’s animal health program prior to delivery to LGU Satellite A.I. and Breeding Centers.

According to Dr. Victorino Guillermo, DA GMA Livestock Banner Coordinator, they extend technical expertise and assist in swine Artificial Insemination, breeding and fattening and disease management to the LGU beneficiaries as well as conduct constant visitation and monitoring the health and performance of the swine.

The LGU beneficiaries’ counterpart on the implementation of its swine breeding program must meet the maximum requirement for swine artificial breeding centers such as building; artificial insemination (A.I.) equipment and paraphernalia and regularly employed livestock technician designated as A.I. technician trained by International Training for Pig Husbandry (ITCPH) or WESMIARC; light, water, drugs, biologics, vaccines and equipment; and the accreditation by the DA-RFUIX with the capacity to comply other requirements.

Thus, they must also replace and repay the DA-RFUIX with two gilts and two boars of similar age, size and potential from the first farrowing of the gilt which will serve as its source of stocks for distribution to subsequent dispersal programs of the LGU recipient within two years.

Recipients must also take care and extend technical support and logistics (antibiotics, feed, subsidy, etc.) to the pigs which shall be subject to periodic inspection by the DA-RFU IX and respond immediately in case the animal gets sick for examination and treatment.

REPORT BY DARREN ABENES, DA-9, POSTED AS IS

753 farmers complete rice and corn IPM-FFS

2010-04-21T19:56:00.001-07:00

At least 753 farmers in Zamboanga del Sur recently finished the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Farmers’ Field School (FFS) on rice and corn held at the Amusement and Events Center (AEC) Capitol Grounds in Pagadian City.

Graduates were from the municipalities of Guipos, Tigbao, Dumingag, Mahayag, Dumalinao, San Miguel, Ramon Magsaysay and Molave.

Gomer Balat, a rice participant from Dumalinao said, “As I already completed studying on Integrated Pest Management, I am very much grateful along with my colleagues in the municipality of Dumalinao to the Department of Agriculture (DA) in their program. As farmers, we are already equipped and knowledgeable enough on the diverse pests in the ricefield and this program imparted us on how to improve and prosper our farming techniques as a part of our daily living.”

Trinidad Camahalan, a corn participant, said the training gave her the knowledge on the different pests and the right action on how to mitigate them. She added, “This program of the Department of Agriculture is created solely for the welfare of the farmers. This gave more ideas and awareness for farmers on how to manage the farm effectively by knowing and identifying the harmful and good pests that’s why I’m deeply appreciative towards DA’s efforts.”

Governor Aurora Cerilles, in her inspirational message said, “Indeed the program of the Department of Agriculture is an effective way of helping the farmers in Zamboanga del Sur advance their farming strategies, thus increasing their yield. I am certain that FFS-IPM is a helpful means for farmers in improving and progressing their way of life which simply shows by the large number of graduates. Simply, this proves that farmers are interested and eager to learn on the new ways, techniques and technologies on farming,” she added.

In behalf of Regional Executive Director Oscar Parawan, Mr. Alex Pulmano, Assitant Operations Chief urged farmers to plant certified seeds and feed the soil with organic fertilizer. “Feed the soil with organic fertilizer and feed the nation with healthy and safe agricultural products by conserving mother earth,” Pulmano said. He also added that DA will always be their partner and support in the pursuit of farmers productivity and profitability.

Folk media was presented by the eight municipalities depicting folk songs and dances relating to their learning experiences during the FFS-IPM.

The municipality of San Miguel was proclaimed winner for the folk media presentation. A trophy and fertilizers were given to their farmers. The municipalities of Ramon Magsaysay and Dumalinao were 2nd and 3rd places, respectively.

Judges were Lito Larubis, Max de Jose and Arleene Ordiz, all from the DA-RFU-IX.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a method of integrating insecticide, biological, cultural, chemical methods to manage pest population. Farmers Field School (FFS) is a four-month season-long training designed for farmers and is focused on IPM. Participatory discussions on rice and corn are hands-on weekly field exercises were conducted as well as letting farmers familiarize and identify the different pest species and recommend appropriate management actions.

Also present during the ceremony were OIC Provincial Agriculture Officer, Marilyn Bersales, Provincial rice and corn coordinators, FFS-IPM coordinators and the Municipal Agriculture Officers (MAO) of the eight municipalities. The DA distributed vegetable seedlings like cucumber, pechay, kangkong, onion and eggplant for each farmer graduate.

REPORT BY DARREN ABENES, DA-9, POSTED AS IS

DA, Prov’l Agri teach 855 farmers to produce more corn

2010-04-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

“When you sow a seed once, you will reap a single harvest; but when you teach the people, you will reap a hundred harvests.”

This Chinese proverb was quoted by Board Member Juan C. Regala as he welcomed the 855 graduates of the University-on-the-Air on Corn Production last April 14 at the Amusement and Events Center, Capitol Compound this city.

Thus, the Department of Agriculture (DA) through its information division and the Provincial Agriculture Office used this principle in coaching the farmers in Zamboanga del Sur to produce more corn not only for human consumption but for livestock as well through the radio broadcast over Radyo Bagting from June to December 2009.

Regala said this principle is best upon educating the farmers on innovative and concrete step to ensuring plentiful harvest for Zamboanga del Sur in the next hundred years. “Each of our 855 graduates now becomes the proverbial seed that will be sown, spread, and bear fruit which their respective families and communities will reap and enjoy,” he said.

DA Regional Executive Director Oscar O. Parawan confirmed the graduates who have completed the 6-month training on Corn Production over the radio. He expressed appreciation for their support to the government’s program on food security. He noted that of the 1,560 farmers who enrolled, only 54 percent made it.

Parawan said that corn, the second stable of Filipinos is also used as important ingredient for animal feeds. It is also a source of ethanol, an organic compound which the Department of Energy is promoting as a blend for gasoline in support of government’s energy independence agenda.

He cited research that corn is a source of poly lactic acid (PLA), a compound for manufacturing biodegradable plastic for packaging and containers that when disposed can be returned to the earth as fertilizer. Producing PLA generates only 68 percent fewer greenhouse gases and contains no toxins.

As DA urges the farmers to plant more for abundant harvest, Ginintuang Masaganang Ani-Corn Program procured corn seeds for its Seed Exchange project. All the 855 graduates received 5.0 kilos each of an open pollinated variety registered seeds. The Provincial Agriculture Office, headed by Marilyn Bersales is tasked to collect a total of 4,275 kilos as their payment for others to avail of the project.

“Don’t be afraid to plant corn,” Parawan said, since DA in cooperation with local government units had established Corn Postharvest Processing and Trading Centers (CPPTC) in Ramon Magsaysay for Zamboanga del Sur and in Liloy and Osmeña for Zamboanga del Norte. These facilities are ready to buy all your corn, produce premium quality grains at 14 percent moisture content and reduce drying and processing costs by 50 percent. One facility needs 200 tons of corn on cobs at least every three days from the harvest of 15-50 hectares. There will be more village type postharvest processing centers to be installed in the region, one of which is in San Miguel, this province.

Significantly, San Miguel municipality had the biggest number of graduates with 157. But their valedictorian was a lady farmer Elsa Bao-as from Dinas. She was awarded with Gold medal, a radio-cassette recorder, trophy and a mug.

Farmcasters Charles Arbas and Noel Peñalosa chose Top 10 and Topnotchers from Pagadian City and 13 other municipalities with participants more than 10. They also received awards similar to what Bao-as had. Other municipalities with graduates were Labanga, Mahayag, Sominot, Dumingag, Aurora, Ramon Magsaysay, Midsalip, Molave, Tukuran, Bayog, Dumalinao, Tigbao, Dimataling, Guipos, San Pablo and Tabina.

The UOA graduation ceremony was graced by Agricultural Training Institute national director Asterio Saliot, Governor Aurora E. Cerilles, Congressmen Victor Yu and Antonio Cerilles. Municipal Agriculturists and Technicians were there as too.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO, POSTED AS IS

Dimaporos still powerful in Lanao del Norte

2010-04-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

TRAVELING from Linamon to Kapatagan in Lanao del Norte, one could not help but notice the Dimaporo posters that advertise Angging for congresswoman in the first district, daughter Aliah for the second district, and brother, incumbent Gov. Mohammad Khalid for re-election.

Angging, or Imelda Quibranza, is the wife of Rep. Abdullah “Bobby” Dimaporo—scion of the famous Mohammad Ali Dimaporo—one of the most powerful Mindanao politicians during the Marcos regime, then known for his warlord exploits.

The candidacy of the Dimaporo siblings: newcomer Aliah and the indefatigable Khalid—represent the infusion of fresh blood into the political dynasty that serves to deepen it a generation further.

Aliah is seeking to replace his father while Khalid seeks a second term as governor since winning it in the last 2007 polls.

Facing no rich, formidable Maranao opponents, the Dimaporos are expected to get their goal in a breeze.

The May 10, election, therefore, brings the Dimaporo dynasty into a new era, marked by a much aggressive passing on of the torch to third generation scions, and greater power and wider foothold over a province comprising more than 530,000 people.

Except for a brief two-year period following the 1986 EDSA uprising, the Dimaporos has been in power for the last 50 years.

Had he lived to see this feat, the Dimaporo patriarch would be celebrating triumph for having successfully built a political dynasty that stayed this long and is still going strong.

In An Anarchy of Families, which described political dynasties in the country, G. Carter Bentley notes that at the time of his reign, Ali’s “was a political dynasty only one generation deep, but he is already laying the groundwork to extend it into the future."

Born from modest origins, Ali is the eldest in a brood of eight of couple Datu Marahom Dimaporo and Potri-Maamor Borngao. His father was sultan of Binidayan, a minor principality based in a small town of the same name in the southern shores of Lake Lanao.

Ali’s leadership among the Maranaos was first honed as a guerrilla fighter against the Japanese occupation forces in the Philippines during World War II.

After the war, he was among the few Muslim leaders who embraced electoral politics, joining the Liberal Party, amid their general discontent over the United States’ decision to lump the Moros into the Philippine polity at the grant of independence in the late 40s.

In several manifestos prior to 1946, the Muslim leaders have expressed strong reservations on the thought of being governed by Filipinos.

In 1949, Ali became congressman representing the undivided Lanao Province. He contested the result of the 1953 polls for the same seat and won his case a few months before his term expired. He suffered a rout in 1957, and has since withdrawn from politics.

Ali probably realized at that time that his influence was no match with the Alonto-Lucman royalty.

However, his political break came when Lanao was divided into two provinces in 1959: predominantly Maranao and Muslim Lanao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte which has a fair mix of Christian and Muslim inhabitants.

Iligan City’s political bigwig Salvador Lluch was the first governor of the newly subdivided Lanao del Norte. Ali snatched this post in 1960 with only a very slim margin of several hundred votes. He was reelected and held the post until 1965 when he had to abdicate it in favor of Vice-Gov. Arsenio Quibranza, a staunch political foe, after earning a congressional seat.

The political rivalry between Arsenio and Ali heightened Muslim-Christian tension in the province that also defined the latter’s warlord image. Bentley, then describing Ali, said:“…guns, goons and gold, swirl around him with manic abandon."

The Dimaporo-Quibranza rift only ended when Malacañang-brokered a settlement of the two warring clans capped by the marriage of their respective scions Angging and Bobby.

Both Arsenio and Ali are Marcos fans, thus Angging’s first name was Imelda while Ali named one of his sons Marcos.

Ali was deft in handling rivals as shown in his shift from the gubernatorial to a congressional post in 1965 for which he was reelected in 1969.

Despite widespread stirring among Muslims following the Jabidah massacre in 1968, Ali stood by Marcos. This display of loyalty made him the closest among the Muslim allies of Marcos, from which relations he derived immense power and influence especially during the period of martial rule.

In 1976, Marcos appointed Ali as governor of his home province, Lanao del Sur, a post he was not able to earn through election. He was also made concurrent president of the state-owned Mindanao State University (MSU). His long stint in MSU is marked by improvements in the school’s physical facilities.

It was not until 1984 that Ali’s son Bobby, a US trained economist, followed his political footsteps by being elected assemblyman of the unicameral Batasang Pambansa representing Lanao del Norte.

Although closely allied with Marcos, the Dimaporos survived the post-EDSA 1 political era seemingly unshaken, except that they lost power in Lanao del Sur.

Bobby was quick to regain elective office in 1987 as Congressional representative of Lanao del Norte’s second district although Angging was defeated by her relative, Francisco Abalos, in the gubernatorial race.

In handling rivals or potential rivals, Bobby probably learned from his father: he struck a truce with the Lluch-Badelles clan, Ali’s formidable opponent when he was starting off in Lanao del Norte in 1959. This held for 20 years since 1987.

This also made it a breeze for Mariano and later, Alipio Cirilo, to lord over the race as first district congressman.

Bobby was also relatively successful in cultivating the concept of a politics of Christian-Muslim understanding that almost mythically featured him and Angging as living symbols of the aspiration.

In 1992, Bobby captured the gubernatorial seat and finished two terms before handing it over to Angging in 1998 while he took a three-year furlough from politics. In 2001, he returned as congressman and is set to bow out of office this June 30.

Angging, meanwhile, completed her three terms in 2007 then ran for Congress in the first district against Iligan City businessman-turned councilor Vicente Belmonte and lost.

In that race, she also clashed with Alipio’s daughter, Angelique, which signaled the collapse of their respective family’s political truce.

In that contest, much of campaign discourse, especially in Iligan, was calculated to evoke anti-Muslim bias among Christians, which could have worked well because of Angging’s rout.

Now that Iligan City became a lone Congressional district and separated from Lanao del Norte’s first district, Angging sees this development as a chance for a comeback.

Previously, Iligan accounts for more than half of the total congressional voters while the remaining seven towns of the first district, added with five more municipalities to comprise the new district, are the bailiwicks of the Dimaporo.

In 2007, Khalid handily took his mother’s post. At present, it will be Aliah’s turn to shine. The future of the Dimaporos political clout in Lanao del Norte continues—the outcome the late Ali Dimaporo intended it to become.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

Lessons, regrets and hope on shelved Ampatuan murder case

2010-04-21T18:54:00.002-07:00

THE DISMISSAL of the murder charges against Zaldy and Akmad Ampatuan could be a “piece of good fortune” not on the part of the two accused officials but on the family of the slain victims and the media community following the controversial case for four months now.

This was how a former provincial and city prosecutor assessed the Ampatuan case, saying this underwent into a lot of stages before it resulted in the sack.

Lawyer and Board Member Baldomero “Baleleng” Fernandez, in a huddle inside his office, began his explanation by saying he is not conversant of the facts and evidence of the Ampatuan case and then lectured on the set-up of the country’s justice system wherein he said that the prosecutor, as a quasi-judicial officer, “acts like a judge” during the initial investigation of the case.

“The police should be the one to build up the case and present evidence to convince the prosecutor that the crime has been committed and there is a probability that the accused is the one guilty of the crime,” he said.

According to Fernandez, it is not the prosecutor who will build up the case against the suspects but the investigating agencies of the government like the Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation.

“Mao na adunay misunderstanding usahay sa police kay gilabay ang ilang kaso sa fiscal. Adunay dako nga possibility mahitabo na tungod kay kulang ang ebidensiya,” he added.

“But once the prosecutor determines that there is a probable cause and files the case in court, i-check pa gyod na sa court whether there is a probable cause to issue a warrant of arrest,” he said.

Once the court issues a warrant of arrest, the prosecutor aligns with the police who will now be obligated to arrest the suspects and protect the witnesses.

“And if the prosecutor throws the case out of court, it does not mean that it cannot be re-filed if the police will be able to get hold of more evidences,” he stressed.

Fernandez, sharing his own viewpoint on the Ampatuan’s multiple murder case, further said had the DOJ insisted on filing the case and arraignment went on and the case was dismissed, no more legal action can be filed against the Ampatuans because of the principle of double jeopardy.

“Kini kay gilabay naman sa prosecutor, may chance pa if they can present additional evidence to support. Most likely kining kasoha man gud, wala may direct evidence nga the two accused were there and then adunay mi-implicate nila how they conspired and planned to kill their enemies.”

“A good prosecutor can, more or less, project nga ang kaso ug ebidensiya weak kaayo kay ang quantum of proof required in a criminal prosecution is sufficient to overthrow the presumption of innocence because the accused is always presumed innocent until the contrary is proved,” Fernandez said.

He added that it has been proven through his own experience as a prosecutor, that if this will be not be followed, “daghan kaayong false accusation nga mo-prosper.”

“Sakit man ang nahitabo, whatever, I cannot say nga husto ang Department of Justice (DOJ) but I know that they are doing their best because they know that this is a very sensitive case and they will not dismiss that for something or without strong basis,” he said.

It may be recalled that just last Saturday, DOJ Secretary Alberto Agra announced his decision to drop the names of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and Mamasapano Mayor Akmad Ampatuan among the accused in the mass murder in Maguindanao last November 23.

Zaldy and Akmad and 25 other members of their family, including principal suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr., were charged of 57 counts of murder last Feb. 9, along with 65 soldiers and police officers, and 106 members of a civilian militia force.

Press groups in the country and abroad denounced Agra’s expeditious resolution and voiced out their suspicions that government is bent on acquitting the Ampatuans because of their connections with Agra, who was said to be the election lawyer for the Ampatuans, President Gloria Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro.

Fernandez said that sometimes a layman’s understanding on such case is different to the viewpoint of a prosecutor therefore perceptive mind is needed in knowing how such a case was dismissed.

“Personally, akong tan-aw, morag dili gyod na kusog kaayo ang ebidensiya. The government will only spend so much for the prosecution of the case only to see the accused go scot-free for good,” he concluded his opinion.

In an email to this paper last Wednesday, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar assured that Arroyo wanted to ensure justice for victims and families of the Maguindanao massacre.

“It's obscene to attribute to the President any personal or political reasons for interfering in the legal adjudication of a heinous crime like this,” Olivar said.

“Speculation is cheap but proof is expensive,” he added. “We're free to debate this or take to the streets as some are doing already. Let's confine ourselves to questions of law and fact only, however.”

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

855 farmers finish UOA Corn Program

2010-04-21T18:54:00.001-07:00

Out of the 1,890 enrollees, 855 farmers from the 19 municipalities in Zamboanga del Sur commenced the University–on–the–Air Corn Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA – IX) Region IX in coordination with the Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Sur last April 14, 2010 at the Amusement and Events Center, Capitol Compound, Pagadian City.

The 19 participating municipalities were Labangan, Mahayag, Sominot, Dumingag, Aurora, Ramon Magsaysay, Midsalip, Molave, Tukuran, Pagadian City, Tigbao, Bayog, Dumalinao, Dimataling, Dinas, Guipos, San Miguel, San Pablo, and Tabina.

The University-on-the-Air is a non-formal education, wherein a preferred agricultural topic will be comprehensively aired over DXBZ Rdyo Bagting every day at 4:30 in the morning.

The officially enrolled farmers – students will listen to the lectures and a quiz will be given every month, which the students will take and will submit their answers afterwards at the Provincial Agriculture Office. A long examination will serve as their finals.

The program, which started last 2008, had the topic on Palay Check System in its first airing. This school year, their lesson was all about Hybrid Corn and for the next school year which will start next month, the discussion will be on Palayamanan Rice Duck.

The graduates were awarded a certificate and 5 kilos of white corn each. Proficiency Awards were also given to outstanding farmers in each municipality.

The top 3 most participating local government units (LGUs) were: San Miguel (3rd), Guipos (2nd) and San Miguel (1st), which had 157 graduates.

Elsa Bao-as of Dinas topped the list of graduates as she was recognized as class valedictorian.

Governor Auring Enerio – Cerilles expressed her gratitude to the UOA program for helping the farmers avoid wastage on their crops and in increasing their yield.

She recognized the importance of farmers in the society. “Ang atong mga mag-uuma, nga giisip nga ‘backbone of the nation’, dako ug bililhon kaayo’g gikatampo sa ekonomikanhong pagtuo sa nasud ug sa pagtuboy sa maayong panglawas ug kabulahanan sa publikong konsumante,” she said.

Cerilles added that her administration has been focusing on poverty alleviation and food security. It continues to support the Agriculture Modernization Programs of the government, including the High Value Commercial Crops (HVCC), which comprises the production of cassava, sweet potato, and other crops that have considerable demand in the market. Also among the supported programs were the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani and the Hybrid Corn Technology.

In her last note, the governor raised her hopes in producing more graduates and in curbing poverty in the province. “Consolidating our efforts, wisdom and resources, would certainly empower us to defeat poverty and insufficiency,” she said.

Also present in the event were 2nd District Congressman Antonio Cerilles, 1st District Congressman Victor Yu, Board Member John Regala, National Director Asterio Saliot of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Regional Executive Director Oscar Parawan of the Department of Agriculture – IX, and Provincial Irrigation Officer Engr. Joel Atay.

REPORT BY ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU, POSTED AS IS

Pagadian’s ‘Panaw sa Kalinaw Part 2’ for HOPE

2010-04-21T18:53:00.001-07:00

THE Inter-religious Solidarity for Peace (ISP) is once again in force against people who will make a mockery of the coming May 10 elections, banding together for an honest, orderly and peaceful elections (HOPE).

In short, a new “Panaw sa Kalinaw” activity will happen this coming Sunday, April 25, at 5:00 in the morning.

Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar, convenor of the (ISP), said he is urging for another “Panaw alang sa Kalinaw” which will dare for wider people participation to discuss and address pressing poll issues.

This new “Panaw” will have the participation of other religious groups like the Seventh-Day Adventist and other organizations that are not ISP members.

Last March 26, the Inter-religious Solidarity for Peace initiated the first “Panaw alang sa Kalinaw” where more or less 4,000 people from various religious organization, tri-people groups and civic society groups participated.

Objectives of the “Panaw sa Kalinaw” are stated as: Pagpalawum sa kaamguhan sa pagpalig-on sa Baruganan ug pagtahan sa mga tigpanaw, ilabina niadtong makapanumpa na nga dili mobaligya sa ilang bolota; Pagmantala sa dayag kayo nga pamaagi sa maong baruganan alang sa kalinaw ug katarong aron makatabang sa pagpukaw tanlag sa uban; and Pagdasig sa katawhan sa paghatag ug bili ug pagpanalipud sa ilang balaang katungod pagtuman sa kaugalingong tanlag.

To reach out these objectives through “Panaw,” participants will be praying, sharing, show signs and symbols through streamers, light candles and or play musical instruments.

Parishes and groups which signified their intention to participate are those from Danlugan, Fatima Parish in Balangasan, San Pedro, San Jose and from Dumalinao.

“Everybody is invited to attend, even politicians or poll candidates from different political party but they (poll candidates) will not be allowed to speak during the program, Cabajar said.

“Finally, as we appeal to our fellow citizens and voters to exercise our right to vote wisely and cherish the sacredness of our human dignity, let us pray for the strengthening of our moral sense so that instead of selling our votes we would rather follow the dictates of our conscience.”

“Let us bear in mind that the kind of leaders we will have in the future depends on the choice candidates we make today. Vote for leaders with integrity, who are honest and God-fearing,” he added.

The bishop’s appeal calls to mind his pastoral letter dated Feb. 21, when he urged the electorate “not to be deceived by the campaign slogans and the unsupported claims of candidate that he or she is the most popular and will therefore win!”

“You will be damned for selling your very soul! Do not forget the quality of the leaders of tomorrow depends on the sincerity of your vote now! Follow the votes of your conscience! That is a sign of your victorious respect for your owned human dignity,” the bishop said then.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Mayor blinks, halts ‘Hakot’ rush

2010-04-21T18:52:00.001-07:00

THE City Government finally gave in to criticisms from concerned citizens and stopped its the daily gatherings inside City Hall, where people come in groups, purportedly upon orders of Mayor Samuel Co and meant for voter’s education.

Actually, the move came after Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar, convenor of the Inter-religious Solidarity for Peace, sent a letter, April 11, to the provincial and city Comelec offices and furnished the same to Gov. Aurora Enerio Cerilles and the mayor requesting them to stop the daily “hakot” activity at the City Hall.

Cabajar said he signified his opposition and was moved to request for its discontinuance after reading the letter forwarded to him by the Vicariate of PLDTSP, which detailed several concerns about the “hakot” activity.

Led by Fr. Felix Tigoy, the PLDTSP Vicariate, which comprise the parishes and sub-parishes of Pagadian, Labangan, Dumalinao, Tigbao, Tukuran and San Pablo, said in its press statement dated April 5 that the “hakot” activity “Could not be called true education or teaching but rather reflected many negative values of control, manipulation and threat.”

“We believe this is another lost opportunity to educate the people in the sacredness of the vote. We encourage and support the people not to be controlled by fear, and to continue to reflect and to judge who the right candidates ought to be elected, and having chosen their candidates, they should follow their conscience in freedom,” the PLDSTP added.

Cabajar, after reading the concerns raised in the PLDTSP statement, said he was saddened. “I also find it most disturbing and alarming! Who in one’s right mind would not?”

“At the time when people are aspiring for change and moral ascendancy and are hoping for an end to corrupt and manipulative practices, they are unexpectedly confronted with the “hakot” activity, which is plainly immoral because it encroaches on their basic right and duty to freely follow their conscience as well as their right to free self-determination,” he said.

“To allow this undue pressure on the ordinary people to continue is dehumanizing, to say the least. Would one be so surprised to see self-disrespect, anger and cynicism among the victims as a result?” Cabajar then asked.

The church official continued his letter by asking that if such an activity initiated by the mayor is done openly, “[is it] not an affront and an insult to the religious sensitivity and the moral sense of the citizens of Pagadian, whether they may be Muslims, Christians or the Subanen people?”

“Moreover, are public funds are being used to defray the expenses of the ‘hakot’ activity? It must be noted that many are posing that question,” he asked.

Reports about the “hakot” activity has been the subject of several media attack over the airwaves questioning its intention where lately participants were said to have been forced or bullied if they do not follow the instructions to vote straight in the sample ballot.

A few weeks ago, Co has told the press that both the city and provincial governments funded the “hakot” in part but he denied having forced voters to mark only the names of the candidates under the Lakas-Kampi party and Nationalist Peoples Coalition where both the Cerilleses and the mayor’s lineup belong.

Co likewise denied reports that said city employees acting as trainers threatened or bullied those who participated, even to the point of “spanking their hands and head” when they marked names of candidates of other parties in the sample ballots.

“We strongly protest against the ‘hakot’ activity. We are not going to stop our manifestation against it until it is effectively put to an end,” Cabajar went on saying.

The bishop ended in his letter with an appeal “to address the issue immediately.”

“As the governing institution in whose primary duty and responsibility peace and just ordering of society fall, you have the obligation to address this most urgent issue soonest. You have both the authority and the means to do so,” he urged.

REPORT BY JONG CADION & MICHAEL MEDINA

Sammy to sue unwilling RDs

2010-04-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

MAYOR Samuel Co’s word of warning that he will file civil, criminal and administrative charges against non-compliant regional directors who still refuse to transfer to Pagadian despite a long-standing order mandating them to do so is finally taking place.

Last March 2, the City Council passed six resolutions authorizing the mayor to institute and file appropriate civil, criminal and administrative charges against the regional directors of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Budget Management (DBM), National Statistics Office (NSO), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and National Police Commission (Napolcom) “for their continued defiance to effect the transfer of their regional offices to Pagadian.”

Executive Order No. 429, issued by the late President Corazon Aquino last Oct. 12, 1990, which provided for the reorganization of the administrative regions in Mindanao, named Pagadian City as the new the regional center while Zamboanga City shall remain the commercial and industrial center of Zamboanga Peninsula.

Aquino, in penning such an order, then said that “there is an urgent need to reorganize the administrative regions in Mindanao to guarantee the effective delivery of the field services of government agencies…”

In 2004, Pres. Gloria Arroyo issued Memorandum Circular 75 to effect the full transfer of the said offices.

Ten years after and the policy on the transfer of the regional center from Zamboanga to Pagadian is still moving in introverted paces as dialogue after dialogue have emboldened some regional offices have partially transferred or establish satellite offices in deference to the order.

In 2008, Arroyo allocated P200 million as bridging fund for the implementation of the said transfer. By then, only 28 regional offices were already in Pagadian while some promised to follow the gradual mode of transfer.

In the same year, a court remedy was sought by some employees of the DENR, which requested for a temporary restraining order but was later denied for lack of merit.

The same group of employees also filed a Writ of Preliminary Mandatory/Prohibiting Injunction of the said transfer at the RTC Branch 12 of Zamboanga City but was also denied last June 22, 2009 due to lack of sufficient basis.

To lure them, the City Government purchased a 10 hectare lot in Brgy. Balintawak to house more than 40 regional offices as some at present were also holding temporary offices in private buildings and apartments at the city proper.

However, the regional transfer move is still met with vigorous objection from regional directors and their employees based in Zamboanga City.

At one time, in 2007, then Office of the Presidential Adviser for New Government Centers (OPANGC) Sec. Silvestre Bello III said that there were “major constraints” that hinder regional directors in effecting their transfer to Pagadian.

Bello, in his report, mentioned the apprehensions raised by the employees unions on the “possible adverse impact of the transfer on their socioeconomic lives and their family members.”

Budgetary constraints too was considered by the employees aside from the perceived possible economic dislocation and social displacement, including the lack of infrastructure and facilities in Pagadian City that are essential to effective operation of relocating agencies.

“It is also believed that the illegal drug activities in Misamis Occidental province are spilling over in Pagadian, as evidenced by the proliferation of crimes against persons and property,” Bello then said in his report.

But as Co would always say in his public speeches, such grievances by regional directors and their employees were just unforgiving justifications to delay their transfer or show their repudiation.

“Ang angay ani nila kasohan gyod ni sila aron motoo ug mobalhin na ni sila dinhi,” he said.

Meanwhile, Engr. Leonila Sisona, executive director of the Pagadian Regional Center Management and Coordinating Office, told this paper that the 30-day reglamentary period has been elapsed and that no action has been initiated by the concerned agencies so far.

“Supposedly, naa na unta sila diri by February 20. After that, gihatagan pa nato sila og grace period pero wala pa gyod sila mo-comply that is why gi-file na ni mayor ang mga kaso against sa mga regional director,” she said.

Sisona disclosed that of the six regional offices mentioned, by now both the BFP and Napolcom have established their presence here early this month.

A source from the BIR has told this paper in a huddle that their regional official is still waiting for orders from the Commissioner for their transfer.

The source explained that BIR, unlike other offices which are sub-divided into 12 regions, has a different set-up. “So BIR needs to be exempted unta from this transfer,” he said.

“Mao gyod nay usual nilang tubag, pareha sa ubang opisina. Naa may EO, kana unta maoy ilang i-refer sa ilang head dayon mag-present sila og transfer plan. In the case of BIR, until ma-define gyod na sa korte, they have to follow the order to transfer,” Sisona replied.

“Kana ilahang mga excuse about the facilities, dili ko motoo ana, those are just minor, that is not their problem, that is the problem of the city government, and the city government can provide all that,” she added.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

BIR Pagadian Q1 collections up

2010-04-21T18:49:00.002-07:00

TAX collections for the first quarter of this year exceeded goals by almost 50 percent even surpassing last year’s collections for the same period, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said.

BIR-RD-92 Revenue District Officer Nasrollah Conding furnished this paper their collection performance report as of March, showing comparative figures for the first three months of 2009 and 2010.

The collection performance report for 2010 showed a total of P89,950,131.97, equivalent to about 15.95 percent increase from the previous year’s total collection of P77,579,059.81.

January collections summed up P31,859,313.43, a 45.36 percent increase from last year’s, while February collections registered P27,092,885.08, a 2.14 increase, and March with P30,997,933.46, a 6.40 percent improvement.

Meanwhile, a total of P12,371,072.10 difference was noted between last year’s and the present total collections as about P19,747,131.97 cumulative increase can also be seen from BIR’s appointed goal of P70,203.000 for this quarter.

Conding attributed the surplus performance to the active taxpayers’ participation to BIR’s intensive seminars on tax awareness and collections.

He likewise cited the favorable business climate Pagadian City is presently experiencing.

“Happy ang district pag ganito kasi nakukuha natin ang goal,” Conding said, adding RD-92 will surely receive commendation from the national office for the good performance attained.

“This is considered a big achievement for our district, hindi ito basta-basta,” he added.

The tax official also mentioned the Iboto Mo project of the BIR which is helping the raise their collections for the said period.

“We really considered this collaboration with the politicians a big help for this campaign, for those who registered with BIR and became our partners as withholding agents,” Conding stressed.

“With all these strategies that we have now, siguro pweding ma-improve pa natin yan, ita-tap lang natin ang mga taxpayers to really pay voluntarily and honestly,” he said, underscoring the need to work more in order to achieve or surpass the overall objective.

REPORT BY JONG CADION & MICHAEL MEDINA

Yllana Bay View College opens, offers two new courses

2010-04-21T18:49:00.001-07:00

MORE educational benefits and opportunities are seen with the recent inauguration, blessing and opening of new courses of the Yllana Bay View College (YBVC) located in CMS Enerio St., Balangasan District, this city.

YBVC president Grace Talpis led the inauguration rites with Dr. Hermesal Munoz, VP-Academy, SPO4 Willie Duran, training director of the Security Training Services, Englebert Maneja of the legal office and Fr. Reynante Jaectin, who officiated the blessing ceremony.

Lito Talpis, VP-Admin, Registrar, shared that YBVC passed the regional quality assessment and was granted government permit by the Commission on Higher Education to offer new programs in Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology aside from its existing TESDA programs Security Pre-Licensing Training Course (NCI) and Security Re-training Course (NC II).

YBVC is a center offering comprehensive review lessons for Criminology, Licensing Examination for Teachers, Napolcom and Civil Service with high passing rate among its students. It also has a SGSD program on Basic Supervisory Course.

YBVC has likewise produced two commissioned officers in entrance requirement for the PNP Lateral entry.

Its newly-inaugurated building is completely refurbished for their programs offered and easy student access, which include an administration office, library, extension building, chemical and crime laboratories, Student Affairs and Guidance offices.

One of its come-on policy is the “no enrolment fee, no entrance fee” which complements the school’s objective “to help the least fortunate students who are deprived of quality education.”

Talpis recalled that YBC started with a gathering of seven people who shared a common vision and decided to make an education institution.

Soon after registering the school with the Securities and Exchange Commission, YBVC started as a review center and later, TESDA and Camp Crame-recognized programs were added, like the basic security supervisory course which is found only in the said school all throughout Mindanao.

Talpis disclosed that they decided to open the BS Criminology course because of YBVC’s good passing rate in the said examination wherein more than half of their reviewers passed with flying colors.

“This day shows the product of the concerted effort of all of us who dreamed the kind of education which is excellence-based—a school which provides training of the higher standard which is not only affordable for the rich but of the poor,” also said Munoz in her introductory message.

“This is the beginning of YBVC’s history in the field of education, bringing our dreams to its full realization. But reaching to the peak of our dream will only take place if the vision will never be entertained, for courage and determination, if clouded with jealousy and envy, the things that we have today will die naturally,” she added.

“That is why anything that we endeavor must always be centered to our supreme source of love that our sacrifices will never be in vain but becomes a living witness to everyone’s dream, providing excellent education not only in our province but hopefully, in the future, the entire Philippines,” she ended.

The activity also included the oath-taking of the board of trustees, dinner and fellowship.

REPORT BY CHARNYL ALBARRACIN & MICHAEL MEDINA

NUJP STATEMENT ON THE AGRA ORDER TO DROP MURDER CHARGES AGAINST ZALDY AND AKMAD AMPATUAN

2010-04-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

Forget justice. Forget law. Forget democracy.

Acting justice secretary Alberto Agra’s order to drop multiple murder charges against Zaldy and Akmad Ampatuan is proof that these principles do not, nay, have never existed under the Arroyo government, that this is governance not through the rule of law but through political expediency.

It is proof of what we have suspected almost as soon as it became apparent that a clan known to be one of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s closest allies might be linked to the worst election-related violence in our country’s recent history AND the worst single attack on the media ever – that this administration would do everything within its power to assure they would not be held accountable.

It is not for us to proclaim the innocence or guilt of either Ampatuan for the November 23 massacre of 58 persons, 32 of them media workers.

But neither is it for Agra to do so.

Not after the charges have been formally filed in court. Not after the judge has issued a commitment order against them, for which the two, along with other members of their clan and several of the 197 accused have been transferred to the Camp Bagong Diwa detention center.

It should now be for the court to judge the innocence or guilt of the 197 persons accused of planning or carrying out the massacre.

By issuing the order, which incidentally Agra had already announced earlier he was inclined to do, the man supposedly sworn to uphold justice in this country has preempted that prerogative of the court. Agra has hijacked the judicial process and subverted the very justice he should be upholding.

It does not take legal expertise to know the alibi is the flimsiest defense in a criminal case. And yet Agra has practically pounced on this straw and used it to buttress his assertion that neither Zaldy nor Akmad Ampatuan should be charged because they were not there when the massacre took place.

But surely, this travesty is not Agra’s doing alone, for he could not have done this without the full knowledge and approval of his principal, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

We hold Agra and Arroyo, personally, and this administration accountable for this massacre of the principles that define us as a country and as a people – justice, the rule of law, our basic rights, democracy.

We call on the Filipino people to protest this outrage. More important, we call on the people to demand an accounting. We cannot let this pass. Or we might as well totally forget that we are one country, one people.

NUJP angry at dropped murder raps vs. Ampatuans

2010-04-18T00:25:00.001-07:00

(PHOTO COURTESY OF GMANEWS)

OZAMIZ CITY—The dropping of murder charges against the two alleged key planners of the so-called Maguindanao massacre last year is another “massacre of the principles that define us as a country and as a people–justice, the rule of law, basic rights and democracy,” said a latest statement from the country’s league of journalists.

The statement, released last Sunday by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), expressed dismay over the decision of acting justice secretary Alberto Agra to drop from the list Zaldy and Akmad Ampatuan from among those accused of the Nov. 23 mass murder.

Zaldy is then ARMM governor while Akmad was the acting vice-governor. The two were charged with rebellion for allegedly trying to resist government efforts to bring the killers to justice but was earlier dismissed.

Presently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, both and other members of the Ampatuan clan were charged with multiple murder for the ambush of a convoy of its political rivals and several media men in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

“Agra has hijacked the judicial process and subverted the very justice he should be upholding,” the NUJP said in its statement.

Vice-chair Nonoy Espina said it should have been for the courts to decide based on evidence available, the innocence or guilt of the persons accused in planning and carrying out the massacre.

“Dropping the murder raps against Zaldy and Akmad preempted a prerogative of the court. This is unthinkable for a judge being supposedly sworn to uphold justice,” Espina added.

Of the 58 casualties killed in the worst election-related violence in the country’s recent history, 32 are media practitioners based in various cities in southern Mindanao.

NUJP has considered the incident as the worst single attack on the media ever throughout the world.

Agra, in an interview after the decision to drop the charges, was quoted in one Manila paper as saying there was no proof or any document that shows Zaldy and Akmad were part of the planning of the murder and that the prosecution only had one witness against the accused.

He added that, after reviewing evidence, the initial decision to charge Zaldy and Akmad was flawed, citing airline tickets and cellphone records showing the two Ampatuan were not in Maguindanao during the massacre as reasons for dropping the charges.

“There was no proof of conspiracy and there was a proof of an alibi,” he was quoted to have said.

However, the NUJP said that the decision is not surprising since it confirms its suspicion that the Arroyo administration would do everything within its power to assure that members of the Ampatuan clan would not be held accountable for the crime.

“But surely, this travesty is not Agra’s doing alone, for he could not have done this without the full knowledge and approval of his principal, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” said the NUJP.

The Ampatuans are a powerful Muslim political clan and avid political supporters of President Gloria Arroyo, being former members of her ruling coalition who delivered the key votes that won her the 2004 presidential election.

“Not after the judge has issued a commitment order against them, for which the two, along with other members of their clan and several of the 197 accused have been transferred to the Camp Bagong Diwa detention center,” the media group further said.

“It is not for us to proclaim the innocence or guilt of either Ampatuans for the November 23 massacre but neither is it for Agra to do so,” NUJP asserts.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

A model farmer, seed grower and businessman

2010-04-17T23:03:00.000-07:00

self-made man, perseverant, a hard worker and determined to succeed in life, Elias G. Jamero can be fittingly called as an epitome of a successful seed grower in Zamboanga Peninsula.

Jamero, or Manong Boy, calls himself just an ordinary farmer from Maralag, Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur. In 1978, he started tilling his less than a hectare rice field his father gave him as a wedding gift.

Inspired by a good harvest, he tenanted two hectares of the late Dr. Pablo Lumapas who owned a vast tract of lands in Dumingag, then increased this to seven hectares after prodding of his uncle, Municipal Agriculturist Arsenio de Jose, who convinced him to venture into seed production and become a certified seed grower.

For more than 30 years since, Manong Boy has already cultivated 78 hectares for rice seed production and most of these paddies were pledged to him as collaterals by his neighbors.

He sets up shallow tube wells for each area and practices corn-after-rice planting during dry season, applying the technology he learned from the Department of Agriculture.

He profits per hectare at P70,000 on average, adapting DA’s program on balanced fertilization using more organic fertilizer and minimal application of chemical-based fertilizer, complementing this with traditional method of observing the lunar cycle.

“It pays to plant rice variety that suits to the season,–whether it is wet or dry season,” he said.

While he has adjusted to the changing times using power-driven equipment like hand tractors, mudboats, lofars and threshers, Manong Boy still maintains buffalos to plow and furrow his farm.

In 1997, he built a warehouse and a solar dryer worth P3-million and purchased three mechanical dryers and four hauling trucks. He also invested part of his earnings to buy a motorcycle as his service vehicle and assembled a truck to use in their buy and sell business which included rice, corn and copra.

He also bought motorcycles, Isuzu pick-up and a white Navara for the family’s service vehicles. Since his two sons are both married, he put up a pharmacy side by side a boutique and a general merchandise store for them to manage aside from the farms they will soon to inherit from him.

With their added income, the Jamero couple bought rice lands in New Basak, Upper Landing, Maralag, Libertad and Santa Cruz as extension of their rice seed production.

The Jamero family also an area in Mahayahay and is being developed for integrated farming, livestock and freshwater fish raising. The area’s expanse is complimented with a rest house he built within the vicinity, which will remind one of the cool breezes of Baguio City.

In Barangay Dulop, Manong Boy planted coconut, mango, durian, rambutan and other fruit trees abound. He also acquired a house and lot in Cagayan de Oro City and Ozamiz City.

Now 61-years old, Jamero is the President of the Federated Seed Growers Association in Zamboanga Peninsula (FSGAZP) and the vice-president of Zamboanga del Sur Seed Growers Association (ZSGA).

As certified seed growers in Salug Valley, their group contributed much to the quality seeds circulated throughout the region for optimum rice production that placed Zamboanga del Sur on the eighth pace in rice production all over the country.

Recently, the DA, with the International Fund for Agricultural Development project, needed 12,418 bags of certified seeds to be planted from September 2009 to March 2010. Manong Boy, readily augmented supply to his fellow seed growers in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay.

Jamero’s success could be attributed in part for his diligence, good rapport and compliance to instructions, says Provincial Agriculture Office rice specialist and seed inspector Noel Peñalosa, that is why Jamero was able to produce good quality seeds.

Manong Boy then shares the adaptable technologies learned from Peñalosa’s office to his fellow seed growers in the province. Under his watch, ZSGA generated P400,000 in savings from P3 share of every bag of seeds their association disposed. ZSGA prorates P1,200 per bag so that small seed growers can likewise participate.

Despite his daily activities, Manong Boy still gives time for community and church work, being a member of Dumingag Parish Pastoral Council, Balik Loob sa Dios.

Presently, he is the president of the Dumingag Jaycess, Dumingag Tennis Club and past president of the Dumingag Basketball Association.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO, DA-9, POSTED AS IS

CENRO, PNP seize hot timbers

2010-04-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

A composite team of the City Environment Natural Resources Office (CENRO), City Security Division, PNP and village officials of Brgy. Lourdes confiscated a total of 37.479 cubic meters of illegally-cut natural grown trees last April 10.

CENRO Officer Analyn Babayson disclosed in an interview at the City Mayor’s Office that the confiscation of the illegally-cut trees was effected after a concerned citizen reported the conduct of its cutting and transportation in the said barangay.

The team chanced upon the trees being loaded at the Rio JI Cargo type vehicle at 8:30 in the evening, Babayson added.

Mayor Samuel Co then ordered the CENRO to impound the confiscated round timbers, which is composed of different species of Tayotu, Pali, Bakan and Acacia at the city hall compound for proper disposition while the 4.6 cubic meters of Lawaan were deposited at the DENR compound for them also to file a separate case to the violator.

However, nothing can be taken from Babayson as to who are the ones responsible for the illegally-cut trees or who owns the vehicle used in transporting it.

Babayson only said that a cubic meter of tree is equivalent to 424 board feet.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

ZSPPO, RHS-9 hold ‘Operation Tuli’

2010-04-17T19:45:00.001-07:00

THE Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO) recently conducted its “Operation Tuli” inside Camp Abelon where some 115 children benefited in the activity.

Together, an eight-man medical team from the Regional Health Service (RHS-9) and the ZSPPO medical team performed the circumcision activity last April 14.

Police Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena said most of the children circumcised came from Tiguma, Lumbia, Pag-laum, Sta. Maria and Kawit.

“Operation Tuli” is an annual program conducted region-wide in coordination with the RD-PRO 9, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, PNP Rainbow Multi Purpose Cooperation, Junior Chamber International Jambayan and Lingkod Timog.

This year is the eighth since the program was implemented by RHS-9 headed by Police Superintendents Anita Almonical Mates, chief for Medical and Dental, and Deter Bubali, chief for Medical.

April 12, the same group conducted circumcision outreach in Ipil, Sibugay, and then hopped to Dipolog the next day before dropping by in Pagadian City and proceeded to its last stretch, April 15, in Isabela Basilan.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Pagadian puts up own Materials Testing Lab

2010-04-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

TALKING about construction quality control, field and laboratory testing for all civil engineering work on every project; one can now access it in Pagadian City with the opening of its own Materials Testing Laboratory (MTL).

The MTL, which is housed inside the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) compound, is the third universal testing machine in Western Mindanao, said City Engineer Felix Sabado in a visit inside his office last week.

The responsibilities of any contracting company in their civil projects lie in the maintenance of design, construction, materials handling, inspection, and testing—these should be thoroughly detailed in their report before they turn-over the projects to their clients, Sabado explains.

That is why the MTL was conceptualized by Mayor Samuel Co to determine quality control plans and procedures for each project, including technical specifications and testing procedures, especially in building edifices and road projects, he added.

The acquisition of this testing equipment by the city government was “a big advantage” in the implementation of the city’s various projects aside from deriving income from other contractors, Sabado stressed.

The engineer added that the MTL is accredited by the Department of Public Work and Highway-Bureau of Research and Standard to undertake materials testing for government infrastructure projects.

This state-of-the-art equipment testing costs about P4-million and its operation is being supervised by the City Economic Enterprise, Sabado disclosed.

The MTL can test soil and soil aggregate for the monitoring of grading wash loss, plastic liquid limit, unit weight, moisture content, compaction (MDR) field density, fractured face and soundness, Sabado explained its use.

It can also test on coarse and fine aggregates for the grading, wash loss, moisture content, unit weight, specific gravity, the fineness modulus, absorption, soundness and clay and clay lumps, including test on concrete for the comprehensive flexural and slump test, hollow blocks for the absorption, moisture content thickness and comprehensive strength and quality test of steel.

He added that these tests are required for the contractor to comply in the conduct of government infrastructure projects before they will be paid in their construction of projects.

Co, when asked about the MTL’s relevance and application, told this paper: “We are inviting other contractors to avail our service and conduct their materials testing at the CEO since we are implementing a minimal rate.”

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Kabalu’s suspension evokes Umbra Kato’s plight in 2005

2010-04-16T22:17:00.001-07:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said the suspension of its military spokesman Eid Kabalu is not the first that the group imposed in order to instill discipline among its ranks.

Before Kabalu, the MILF has meted a suspension to one of its ground commander, Sheikh Ameril Umbra Kato, but this was in 2005.

In August 2008, Kato, commander of MILF’s 105th Base Command, was said to be responsible for the takeover of several municipalities in North Cotabato and was tagged by the government with a P5 million bounty for his capture.

The MILF declared in its official website Kabalu’s suspension may be deemed appropriate but deciding on such a disciplinary action was handed over with a bit of difficulty knowing Kabalu’s service to the struggle “for so long… and in special ways.”

The chairperson of MILF’s Civil-Military Relations Department and concurrently military spokesman was temporarily stripped of his roles for six months starting last April 12 after being found to have engaged in activities related to the upcoming May 10 general elections.

The MILF has been waging an armed rebellion with government to demand Islamic self-governance over Moro-dominated areas in Mindanao. It has been engaged in peace negotiations with government for more than 12 years now.

As for the recalcitrant Kato, the rebel group said that the MILF leader was suspended for one year “for willfully and deliberately violating the ceasefire” by attacking Army positions in Mamasapano and Shariff Aguak towns in Maguindanao.

Kato’s objective of the attack then was to even the score of the killing of a subordinate commander in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, the MILF noted.

In the case of Kabalu, the MILF leadership said he “is not supposed to engage in above-ground activities, much more politicking and signing covenant with a political party.”

“Both his person, as a rebel, and his official tasks are underground in character,” the rebel group stressed.

It said that only its peace panel through the Malayasian facilitator, ceasefire committee, “and to a very limited extent, members of the local monitoring team, Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), and Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI)” are authorized to deal with the government.

The BDA was created to undertake rehabilitation and development projects in once war-torn communities while the BLMI seeks to develop future leaders who will competently take on governance roles.

The MILF said it is naming a temporary replacement for Kabalu in due time.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

‘Hakot’ gripes reach Bishop Cabajar's ear

2010-04-15T17:50:00.001-07:00

THE political season in Pagadian is full of publicity stunts and fun-fare but a thing or two is catching the church’s attention as going beyond ethics and decency.

Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar, in his letter to members of the Inter-religious Solidarity for Peace, said he is more concerned on the daily gatherings and goings-on inside City Hall, where people are hauled in groups, supposedly upon orders of Mayor Samuel Co and meant for voter’s education.

“This is very alarming. This is an affront to the dignity of the human being. This must be put to an end immediately,” the bishop said as he expressed his desire to terminate such misinformation where lately participants were said to have been forced or bullied if they do not follow the instructions to vote straight in the sample ballot.

“We are not deaf and blind to the very obvious fraudulent activities going on not only in Pagadian by all throughout the province, which is actually deceiving the voting public,” Cabajar said.

The religious leader cited the need to awaken again the people’s conscience and encourage them not to be intimidated into selling their votes this May 10 elections.

He added that the mayor’s new program “infringe on voters’ basic right and duty to freely follow their consciences as well as their right to free self-determination.”

The bishop also asked authorities to explore whether public funds are being used to these hauling activities, fittingly coined by the media as “Operation Hakot.”

Co, in an earlier meeting with the press admitted doing “hakot” and even confirmed that both the city and provincial governments funded it but denied having forced voters to mark only the names of the candidates under the Lakas-Kampi party of Gov. Aurora Cerilles and the Nationalist Peoples Coalition where Rep. Antonio Cerilles, his provincial lineup and that of the mayor belong.

Co likewise denied reports that said city employees acting as trainers threatened or bullied those who participated, even to the point of “spanking their hands and head” when they marked names of candidates of other parties in the sample ballots.

The Comelec has reminded that in the system being employed for this May election, over-votes will not be allowed and in case of one, only the vote for the over-voted position will be invalidated while the rest of the ballot will be counted normally.

“Mao ni nga bantayonon kayo ning eleksiyon kay sa akong naobserbahan, kadaghanan sa atong katawhan mabag-uhan gyod aning sistemaha. Nakabalaka sad ko mao nga gitinuod nato tanang barangay sa paghakot para matudloan tanan,” Co said.

The mayor reiterated that the city government—by virtue of its strategic position and resources to ensure a smooth poll exercise—is only helping Comelec educate voters on the automated polls by disseminating the needed information on how to cast their votes under an automated system.

“Akong nakita nga dili maapas sa Comelec kung ato silang pasagdahan nga maoy mo-edukar sa katawhan. Lisod sad kung hulaton pa nato ang mga nmagtutudlo nga maoy mohimo anis a katawhan,” he said.

“Mao ra ni paagi nga pinakadali, nga dili samok ang pagtudlo, nga dili masamok ang pagtuon busa diri na lang nato gitapok sa usa ka venue aron matudluan nga walay distorbo ug makapamati ang tanan ug dali makasabot,” he added.

Reflecting on these feedbacks and complaints, Cabajar said he is urging for another “Panaw alang sa Kalinaw” which will dare for wider people participation to discuss and address these pressing issues.

The second round of “Panaw alang sa Kalinaw” is set on April 25, 2010 at 5:00 in the morning, Cabajar announced.

Last March 26, the Inter-religious Solidarity for Peace initiated the first “Panaw alang sa Kalinaw” where more or less 4,000 people from various religious organization, tri-people groups and civic society groups participated.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Palace seeks probe on Mindanao bombings

2010-04-15T17:49:00.001-07:00

MALACAÑANG has finally given marching orders to the Philippine National Police to conduct a thorough investigation on the recent bombings in Mindanao, including that which happened during a campaign rally in Zamboanga Sibugay which injured two people.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar announced last Monday that President Gloria Arroyo wants the police to catch the perpetrators not only of the bombing but also other election-related violence in the island.

It can be recalled that four unidentified men tossed a grenade into a crowd attending the Lakas-CMD Kampi rally in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay last Sunday.

Police reports stated the suspects rode with two other men in two motorcycles, passed by in front of the Kabasalan gym where the rally is being held, and tossed the grenade.

Minutes later, a second improvised bomb exploded at the barangay hall of San Antonio, police said.

The Kabasalan bombing followed that of a previous incident where a homemade bomb was lodged into a radio station owned by the Hofers in Titay.

The bombings resulted to travel advisories being issued by foreign countries warning their nationals against traveling to anywhere in Mindanao.

So far, the countries which issued travel bans were Britain and Canada.

Also, on Tuesday, April 13, a cathedral in Isabela City, Basilan was bombed, killing five people and injuring several others.

As it happened, church leaders in the area issued statements urging people to “stay calm, cooperate and let authorities do their job in controlling the situation” while calling on the police and military to “neutralize the rebel groups responsible for the attack.”

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA, WITH PIA REPORTS

Kumalarang farmers learn Palay check system

2010-04-15T17:42:00.001-07:00

KUMALARANG, ZAMBOSUR—A total of 150 farmers from this town, specifically from Sominalum, Poblacion and Gawil, recently finished their 5-month study on rice production, profitability and environment safety through Palaycheck.

A Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRICE) primer describes Palay Check as a dynamic rice crop management system that presents the best seven key check technology and management practices, compare results of farmer practices with key checks and facilitates learning through farmers group to sustain improvements in productivity and environmental friendly.

During the graduation ceremonies, Department of Agriculture assistant operations chief Alex Pulmano, representing Regional Executive Director Oscar Parawan, encouraged farmers to go back to natural farming which is safe, healthy and environment friendly.

He advised farmers to reduce or stop using chemical residues and go organic which will result to safe produce and healthy food.

Board Member Miguelito Ocapan, who represented Rep. Antonio Cerilles, in his speech, focused on peace and order wherein he pointed out that peaceful initiative is important for development.

Mayor Allan Damas, for his part, expressed his gratitude to the DA for the projects received such as the multi-million Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector, the farm-to-market-roads, Support to Livelihood Assistance Program and the Mindanao Rural Development Program.

Also, ten people’s organizations under the Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) received P250,000 each as livelihood assistance while ten more will benefit the same for the CFAD Round 2.

Vice Mayor Eugenio Salva Jr., Agricultural Training Institute Planning Officer Nedy Jumawan, Provincial Agricultural Officer Marilyn IS Bersales and MAO Corazon Gomonit were likewise present in the activities.

REPORT BY MARK LARIDE, DA-9

Board member’s car figures in road mishap

2010-04-15T17:39:00.001-07:00

A motorcycle driver’s wrong turn that resulted to an unexpected collision along the national highway in Purok Palayan, San Isidro, Mahayag, this province, almost cost the life of board member Flaviano Fucoy Jr., including the erring motor driver and his back riders.

The near-death vehicular accident was recorded in the Mahayag Police Station last April 11, narrating both vehicles were cruising on the same direction and heading towards the town proper.

The police report went on to say that the motorcycle, with plate JA 5683 driven by a certain Larry Sumohid Ruiz and his back rider, a minor identified by his first name as Chris, suddenly turned left when Fucoy’s issued Toyota Hi-Lux honked its horn to overtake.

It was later learned that Ruiz himself had no driver’s license and that the motorcycles’ registration already expired.

Fucoy, on the other hand, was with his driver, Federico Castillo Fabro, and another passenger named Joy Sumibay.

The report narrated that the Hi-Lux tried to overtake while at full speed when the motorcycle driver, apparently startled, suddenly swerved to the left without gesturing which prompted Fabro to suddenly twist the wheel away from the motor.

Witnesses said Larry and Chris were dragged a few meters away from their motorcycle after its rear portion was bumped by the Hi-Lux.

The Hi-Lux, meanwhile, overshot to the shoulder of the road and leaped into the nearby rice field before ramming into the concrete fence of the Barangay Hall located near the accident zone.

Fucoy, in a visit at Mendero Hospital in Pagadian City, said he suffered a painful injury in his hip while his two companions only sustained contusions in their head and arms.

The Ruiz brothers were admitted also in Dao Medical Center and underwent CT scan to determine the extent of their injuries as the Fucoy family promised to help the poor victims in their hospital bills.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Village councilor-cum-reporter killed

2010-04-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—A barangay kagawad who sidelines as a reporter for two local radio station and plies his family-owned jeep for a living was murdered in the downtown area, Wednesday afternoon, information reaching this paper said.

The victim, identified as Edwin Sigue, San Antonio councilor and freelance reporter of DxSY and DxOC, was ambushed by two unidentified assassins along the PLDT junction road in Catadman- Manabay.

City Police Chief Superintendent Ramon Diones said Sigue was hit in his head which led to his instantaneous death. The police official refused to give more details of the shooting including the motive, saying they are still in the process of conducting follow-up investigations on all of the victim’s recent transactions and contacts.

Local reporters, when inquired about the outcome of the police’s probe, would only reply that the intention is still unknown although sources said Sigue works part-time as a coordinator of a provincial and city candidate in the province.

The victim’s family likewise insinuated the killing might have something to do with political rivalries in Ozamiz, which became intense lately, targeting even members of the media who work as spokespersons for local bets.

Media sources informed this paper that both the camps of Gov. Loreto Leo Ocampos of the Liberal Party and Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog of Lakas-CMD-Kampi have called for a thorough probe on Sigue’s death, to be sure if this is really politically motivated.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

MILF suspends Kabalu for 'politicking'

2010-04-14T18:52:00.001-07:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—For violating the rebel group’s policy of non-involvement in the elections, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) suspended last Monday, civil-military affairs chief Eid Kabalu.

The MILF announced Kabalu’s suspension in its website and justified the move as premised on his action of “arrogating unto himself powers that do not fall within his authority.”

Kabalu’s suspension will ran for a period of six months and the order was signed by Sammy Al-Mansoor, chief of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF).

Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the MILF committee on information, told this paper he will give his statements in due time.

Apart from his role in civil-military relations, Kabalu is also military spokesman, speaking with the media in behalf of the BIAF which is the rebel group’s military wing.

Kabalu has been MILF spokesman from 2000 to 2008 when the position was abolished and its roles taken over by the rebel group’s committee on information.

The MILF has earlier said its leadership has adopted a hands-off policy in the elections, characterizing it as “divisive, partisan and corrupting.”

The rebel group added the decision to suspend Kabalu was reached by its central committee, which stemmed from his (Kabalu’s) meeting with and signing as witness to a covenant entered into by Bangon Pilipinas Party bets headed by presidential candidate Bro. Eddie Villanueva and vice-presidential hopeful Perfecto Yasay.

This action “has seriously violated the policy of the MILF on its leaders not to take part in the electoral processes of the Philippine government,” the MILF’s memorandum addressed to Kabalu read.

“More seriously, you have also breached the official position of the MILF not to subscribe to the Philippine Constitution to solve in its negotiations with the age-old Moro Question and armed conflict in Mindanao,” the document went on.

The rebel group also said that “all transactions and commitment, expressed or implied, in such covenant and other similar commitments with other political parties, groups or individuals are hereby considered null and void and have no bearing with the MILF.”

The MILF noted that Bangon Pilipinas covenant outlines, among others, that “the autonomy of Mindanao will be pursued giving Mindanao its right to self-determination within the framework of the constitution” which the party committed to be revised to restructure the current government setup into federal form.

Aside from meeting Villanueva and Yasay, the MILF also disclosed that Kabalu had also been meeting several candidates, which included North Cotabato Vice-Gov. Manny Piñol, Nacionalista Party senatoriable Bongbong Marcos, and accordingly, Rep. Cynthia Villar, the NP standard bearer’s wife.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

Tabak’s Lustestica reminds media of their power, burden

2010-04-14T18:40:00.002-07:00

MEMBERS of the fourth estate wield absolute power but along this exercise too is great responsibility, First Infantry “Tabak” Division chief Major General Romeo Lustestica reminded journalists.

Lustestica, who was the guest speaker during the induction of officers of the Tabak Defense Press Corps (TDPC) last Tuesday evening reminded journalists of their important role in delivering vital news to the community, additionally admonishing them to take into account the way they handle or convey the information, which could either make or break their subject matters.

“Media is powerful. It has great influence in the lives of our people but along this power lays also the great responsibility,” he began.

“Though the Constitution has already granted you freedom of the press, this does not give you the license to do things or report things as you wish,” he further said.

“Reporting should always be responsible and sensible because you have that responsibility to your listeners and to the viewers. To the Filipino people, your responsibility is to be the giver of accurate and credible news,” he said.

The Tabak official then cited as example media’s imposing influence to society, especially to children, at one instance when Kris Aquino’s son, Baby James, in one of the campaign sortie of the Liberal Party in the Visayas, uttered the name of Nationalista Party’s standard bearer Manny Villar instead of his uncle, Senator Noynoy Aquino.

The way he said it, Lustestica may have been referring to Villar’s campaign jingle constantly airing in both radio and television, which could have made some bearing on Baby James innocent mind.

With such an example of journalism’s impact to people, Lustestica then advised media to use this influence and spread it like a virus “to help us educate our people in our pursuit for honest, orderly, credible elections.”

“With the challenges ahead of us, especially with the elections this coming May, each and every Filipino has the power to turn the tide—the power to make that one big chance—not only for our lives but the lives of those we have brought into this world.”

“With your power enriching people through media, together let us all reach that dream of a better nation; let us set aside our differences and focus more on our commonalities as servants to the people to make this one necessary step for change.”

He then mentioned that during elections, the military is always non-partisan.

“We will not falter and we will be prepared to stand by our own to protect [people] from threats and [make certain] that peace and development reign. We will protect the interest of the Filipino people, uphold the sanctity of the ballot and protect human rights.”

“This coming election is not about candidates, it’s not about party affiliation and popularity—it’s about us, the Filipino nation, the future, our future, and more importantly, that of our children who are the reapers of the fruits of our sacrifices and the right and wrong decisions we make today, on May 10 elections.

In concluding, Lustestica reiterated his call: “I ask you to remain responsible and truthful in your journalistic writing pertaining to or about the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Other than that, you are all free to explore your creative space as long as it is within the limits of your comfort.”

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Sumilao farmers to receive titles to claimed land

2010-04-14T18:40:00.001-07:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—After two years of waiting for a promise to be fulfilled, Sumilao farmers will finally obtain title to portions of the 144-hectare land they claimed as theirs and will be awarded them under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

The turnover of two titles is scheduled tomorrow, April 16, in front of the gate of the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) property in San Vicente village, said Anthony Marzan, executive director of non-government Kaisahan tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Kanayunan at Repormang Pansakahan (Kaisahan).

The titles will cover 50 of the 144 hectares land the farmers originally claimed under CARP and which they already possessed since March 2008, and another 15 hectares outside of the disputed estate. The titles are in the name of the Panaw-Sumilao Multi-Purpose Cooperative.

The Sumilao farmers were awarded the 144-hectare estate September 1995 but it was revoked March 1997 after Malacañang approved its conversion from agricultural to agro-industrial use, hence, it escaped CARP coverage. The farmers have since fought to reverse this decision.

In 1999, the Supreme Court ruled with finality upholding the land use conversion order.

Seeing non-compliance in the supposed land use conversion plan five years after, the farmers sought in 2004 that the estate be covered again by CARP. It was this campaign that drove them to launch the 60-day “Walk for Land, Walk for Justice” in October 2007 from Sumilao to Manila covering 1,700 kilometers. At this time, SMC owned the estate and had put up a hog-raising and meat processing facility.

On December 2007, President Arroyo revoked the land use conversion order and placed the estate under CARP coverage again. This forced SMC to sit in the negotiating table with the farmers and Church officials to strike a settlement formula.

By March 2008, a compromise deal was struck that decreed the release of 50 of the 144 hectares to the claimant farmers; the balance of 94 hectares will be acquired by SMC outside of the disputed estate and distribute to the farmers.

Last month, seeing little progress in handling out the titles, the farmers set up camp near the gate of the San Miguel property in San Vicente, Sumilao to express their “anguish over the seeming lack of urgency on the part of DAR and SMC,” said Marzan.

The turnover ceremony will be marked by celebration of mass and a dialogue for setting a timetable for distributing the remaining 79 hectares of land still to be possessed by the farmers.

Malaybalay diocesan Bishop Honesto Pacana considers the initial titles distribution as “another landmark in the victory of the Sumilao farmers’ struggle.”

Pacana urged groups supporting the Sumilao farmers to join them in celebrating “the fruits of their perseverance, faith, hope and solidarity.”

Although welcoming this development, Marzan is dismayed at the piecemeal distribution of land which does not give justice to all their sacrifices.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

Env'l activists launch MisOr green agenda

2010-04-13T01:45:00.000-07:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Buoyed by their victory in stopping the construction of a bio-ethanol production plant in the city’s hinterlands, environmentalists are launching a recent campaign to popularize a ‘green agenda’ for Misamis Oriental.

Carl Cesar Rebuta, program officer of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC), said they are hoping that voters use the agenda as parameter in choosing who to vote for come May 10.

“And also for candidates to publicly commit to the agenda when they get elected into office,” he added.

Rebuta said the Misamis Oriental Green Agenda 2010 is being pushed by the same institutions that were behind the campaign against the bio-ethanol plant which includes the Catholic Church.

Generally, the agenda seeks to enact policies, mobilize resources, and set up mechanisms to ensure protection of the province’s coastal, freshwater, and forest resources from ruin because of “unsustainable use,” promote clean air, and address urban waste management woes.

It also seeks to empower communities in the protection and management of the ecosystems.

The environmental activists urged for the enactment of an environment code for Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro “that would provide the over-arching framework and guidelines for the protection of the city and province’s environment and natural resources.”

They sounded the alarm over the expansion of agricultural activities “in critical upland areas” which they want also to be shielded from extractive activities like mining and logging.

They also urged an expansion of existing forest cover to achieve the ideal rate of forestland comprising 30 percent of the province’s total land area.

Rebuta notes that the 2010 polls is “the most critical event… the outcome of which will impact our nation and our environment.”

“Good governance is necessary to resolve the environmental crisis. It is about the responsibility of government to advance environmental protection which must also entail active citizens’ participation…,” read the manifesto outlining the agenda.

The green agenda, crafted by a multi-sectoral group led by LRC and the Alternative Law Groups (ALG), lists 20 positions and demands on the most pressing environmental issues facing the province.

“It is always the poor who are vulnerable to the effects of environmental degradation,” Rebuta explained.

The agenda embodies recognition that “a healthy environment is a basic right that should be enjoyed by the present and future generations.”

Major points in the agenda include the call to help contain global warming by supporting transition from fossil fuel-fired power plants to renewable energy sources, and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the province.

The agenda also outlined the enactment of an ordinance instituting measures for harvesting rainwater to help arrest depletion of ground water resources which is the major source of potable water of the province’s urban areas.

The environmental activists want that setup of water harvesting measures be made obligatory by incorporating this provision in the local building code.

The green agenda also called for enhancing the practice of organic agriculture by working for “eliminating the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)” in farming.

It recommended that half of the city and province’s budget for agriculture should go to promoting and supporting organic farming, and set a specified number of hectares of its expanse of agricultural lands to be converted into farms employing sustainable agriculture methods.

Rebuta commended Rep. Rufus Rodriguez for committing to pursue the agenda. He notes that it was Rodriguez who filed House Bill 5888 which seeks to mobilize national government resources to reforest 3,000 hectares of denuded forestlands in the watershed of Cagayan de Oro.

Rebuta also said Rodriguez vowed to craft the legislation on rainwater harvesting.

REPORRT BY RYAN ROSAURO

Bongbong Marcos graces JHCSC commencement exercises

2010-04-12T19:50:00.001-07:00

Nacionalista Party senatorial bet Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos, Jr. graced the 11th Commencement Exercises of J.H. Cerilles State College (JHCSC) last April 7, 2010 at the Amusement and Events Complex, Capitol Compound, Pagadian City.

407 graduates from the following JHCSC campuses proved that hardwork and labor truly pay off in the end: JHCSC Main, JHCSC Pagadian, JHCSC Dumingag, JHCSC Tigbao, JHCSC San Pablo, JHCSC Tukuran, JHCSC Bayog, JHCSC Kumalarang, JHCSC Margosatubig, JHCSC Lapuyan, JHCSC Dimataling, JHCSC Josefina, JHCSC Mahayag, JHCSC Ramon Magsaysay, JHCSC Midsalip, and Canuto MS Enerio College of Arts and Trades.

In his speech, Marcos emphasized the importance and contribution of youth these days in forging the country’s progress.

“It is the energy of our young, working at home and abroad, that is driving the nation forward. It is their earnings and savings that are sustaining us during these times when exports are declining as a result of global recession. And it is their continued development through education and training and their deployments in domestic industry and overseas that have provide[d] vitality to our national economic life,” he said.

He displayed confidence that there’s nothing that can hinder a Filipino, especially the youth, in pursuing and achieving one’s dreams. Marcos used the courage and determination of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as examples for the youth to imitate in facing challenges.

“They (OFWs) do not waste their time in idol dreaming. I believe that this is a good attitude to cultivate amongst the young when the older generation may be inclined to saying that something can not be done. I suggest that you, young people, should readily say ‘Yes! We can!’” he said.

He further said, ‘You, as new graduates, will enter a situation there your skills and your education will be highly-priced. What will be your reward will entirely depend on what you give of yourself to the challenge. Your promise and potential will only become a reality if you redeem it yourself.”

Fulfilling Mindanao’s dream

Marcos said that in the 1930’s, Mindanao was dubbed as the “Land of the Promise.”

“The vision then is that by developing and unleashing the great potential of Mindanao, the Filipino nation would be able to achieve its dreams of economic development,” he said.

He added that this dream has not yet been redeemed because it has been “sidetracked by many conflicts and differences”. He believed that it’s about time that the people of Mindanao should struggle to “recapture the dream and finally to fulfill it.”

Marcos believed that the youth is a big part in redeeming the awaited promise in Mindanao, especially in building peace among Christians, Muslims and other cultural communities.

“…and as Mindanao begins to fulfill her destiny, so will you, her sons and daughters, find complete fulfillment and find your destiny,” he said.

“When peace and progress truly reign in all the communities and islands of the south, then can we say [that] the promise so long awaited has finally been redeemed,” he added.

Present in the graduation ceremony were 2nd District Congressman Antonio Cerilles, 1st District Congressman Victor Yu, JHCSC President Carlicita Saniel, administrators, academic heads, faculty and staff of the different JHCSC campuses.

REPORT BY ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU, POSTED AS IS

Ochotorena wants public to exercise right to vote

2010-04-12T19:47:00.001-07:00

SINCE it is the voting public who has to gain in this election, they should therefore exercise their right to suffrage as guaranteed by the Constitution, be knowledgeable of the new system of automated voting and help ensure and honest, orderly and peaceful voting process.

Written entirely in Cebuano, this is the gist of a statement released by the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO) and obtained by this paper, entitled “Awhag kampanya sa pagbotar isip tawhanong katungod,” which spell out the most needed suggestion for the electorate.

“Ang kamandoan sa nasudnong kapolisan sa Zamboanga del Sur ug Pagadian City kusganong misuporta sa kampanya alang sa pagbaton ug matinud-anon, hapsay ug malinawon nga eleksiyon,” the statement began.

The statement went on to urge voters to take part in the May 10 election since it is an exercise of one’s moral, non-discriminatory human right.

The ZSPPO added that with the first ever nationwide automated elections to take place next month, “kinahanglan nga kitang mga botante ang magpakabana og responsable sa atong tagsa-tagsa nga kaugalingon alang sa maayong resulta sa umaabot nga piniliay.”

Well said, the statement further said that the nation’s progress lay in the hands of the people who choose their leaders right.

As to the candidates, the ZSPPO statement exhorted them to respect the rights and choice of voters by abiding with the rules and regulations set by the poll body and to remember the peace agreement they signed last Feb. 6.

It can be recalled that during that stakeholders’ dialogue, politicians gunning for provincial and congressional seats signed a covenant for a peaceful and orderly conduct of the upcoming May 2010 polls in the province.

Among others, the covenant bind the candidates to the pledge “not employ force, threat and intimidation; protect human rights and put an end to political killings;” and to launch a campaign “based on moral values.”

The covenant was inked by some of the two groups of politicians, among them outgoing Gov. Aurora Cerilles who is seeking a congressional seat, husband Rep. Antonio Cerilles, who is running for governor as candidates of the administration party.

The Liberal Party was led by outgoing vice-governor Roseller Ariosa who is eyeing the governorship and lawyers Romeo Vera Cruz and Tersindo Poloyapoy who are both seeking the respective congressional seats in the province.
“Giawhag usab ang tanang katawhang mga botante sa paghiusa ug pagsuporta sa maong kampanya alang sa usa ka matinud-anon, hapsay ug malinawon nga eleksiyon,” the ZSPPO statement continued.

Police Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena, for his part, added his remarks on the statement during a visit in his office by this paper.

“Uban niini aduna kitay mga activities nga atong gihimo pinaagi sa pag-mando sa atoang mga chief of police nga sa tanang mga political activity nga ginahimo sa atong mga kandidato, mahatagan sila og igong seguridad aron masiguro nato nga luwas ang katawhan ug mga kandidato,” he said.

“We also reminded our policemen to be apolitical, neutral and avoid being supporters or followers of politicians,” the police director added.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Lanao Sur women leaders endorse bids of Legarda, Busran-Lao

2010-04-12T19:43:00.001-07:00

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte—Women leaders and activists in Lanao del Sur endorsed the respective bids of Yasmin Busran-Lao and senator Loren Legarda in the May 2010 general elections during a peace forum held at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City on Friday.

According to Moro youth leader Jamaleah Benito, one of the forum convenors, the endorsements are meant to strengthen the chances of women leaders occupying important posts especially in the national government.

Busran-Lao, a Liberal Party senatorial candidate, is a prominent Maranao civil society personality who has been active in the national peace movement.

Legarda is the lone woman contender for the vice-presidential seat.

Benito cited a National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) study showing men capturing more than 80 percent of elective posts during the 2007 elections.

“It means that most of the major policies, especially in the local government, are decided by men. Thus there is a need for women representation to ensure gender-sensitive policies, eliminate discriminatory practices and equalize opportunities,” she said.

Benito clarified the general perception that Islam treats women as secondary citizens and prohibits their participation in politics.

“In fact, Islam acknowledges the role and importance of women in community-building,” she stressed.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

Mayor’s nephew gets good whacking on-air

2010-04-12T19:30:00.001-07:00

IF a politician’s personality and attitude influence the electorate’s mind, so is the untamed mouth of the broadcast media, Alexander “Jun-Jun” Co Jr. should remember this from now on.

Surprisingly, Co, manager of Bay Plaza Hotel and the mayor’s nephew, became the target of tirades from a local radio station after he berated three of its reporters who visited him last week to solicit for a political advertisement.

Nestor Comendador, DxKV-FM anchorman, sent a text message to this paper narrating how Co yelled at him, Jojo Besandre and Ariel Basaya inside Bay Plaza Hotel last March 30.

“His office was open and we believed we were welcome but when we entered the door, he inquired and shooed at us in a strict tone,” Comendador said.

“Kinsa mo? Unsa nga grupo? Unsay inyong tuyo?” the broadcaster recalled, stressing Co’s voice was “pinasingka nga pagkasulti.”

“Gawas, gawas, didto ra mo sa gawas paghulat,” Comendador quoted Co to have spoken angrily at them after they told the businessman they were reporters.

“So we got out and left. An hour after we left, we received a text message from Co’s staff asking for apology but we decided to go on-air and reported our encounter with Alex,” Comendador continued.

The broadcaster defended that they wanted to teach Co a lesson and that such an episode should have been prevented if Co only exercised respect and mild social interaction.

Later, during a meeting with the press called by Mayor Samuel Co, Alex asked forgiveness to Comendador for the unpleasant incident.

“Sa akoa okay na kay nakita man nako nga seryoso siya sa iyang pagpangayo og pasaylo, Comendador told this paper when asked of his action after Co begged for pardon.

For Besandre, he once said on-air a day after the incident that he still wants Co to ask for forgiveness on live broadcast.

Co, in the said meeting with media at the City Mayor’s Office, said: “Miapil ko og politika wala man gyod ko nangita’g away. Kung ingon ana ang isulte sa media bahin nako, so be it.”

“Ang akoa lang, wala man koy gihimo’ng [dautan] sa ilaha. Nagtinarong man ko. I do not know unsay ilang basis sa pagsulti nga ingon ana ko kay sa akoa lang, those are malicious stories para lang maguba akong image sa publiko,” he added.

Several media members, when asked for their comments, told this paper that aspiring politicians should try to show an unassuming nature and be approachable, not arrogant and impertinent.

“They should leave their old, private selves and start getting comfortable with their new public image,” a lady reporter said.

“Dili maayo gibuhat ni Alex, mora siya’g gabugaw og langaw. Dili pod maayo ang DxKV, mi-birada dayon unya wala nila pasultiha si Alex,” a local club officer texted this paper.

“Dili maayo ang nahitabo kay confrontation man in an improper venue,” commented a newspaper editor.

“Dapat unta kalma lang sila. If they are moody, dapat dili usa nila i-expose ilang kaugalingon sa publiko because voters are very sensitive,” Comendador finally advised.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

News of LP workers’ deaths in Zambosur false—Ochotorena

2010-04-12T19:25:00.001-07:00

A high-ranking police official branded as false, misleading and “a product of irresponsible reporting” a published report which said that the series of killings happening around Zambosur in the past weeks involved political workers of the Liberal Party (LP) as victims and as such, are construed as political in nature.

Police Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena, in an interview inside his office at Camp Abelon last Monday, rebuffed the report published in one weekly, saying the string of more than a dozen murders has nothing to do with politics but these are “just shooting incidents.”

“This is not accurate,” Ochotorena pointed to the newspaper which carried the report, adding diverse motivations caused the killings and none of them involved politics.

He likewise belied part of the news report condemning police inaction on the murders explaining the PNP did not come out with hasty assumptions on the motives of the murders since police inquiries are ongoing.

“We just could not come out with an irresponsible report since our investigations will be the basis of the filing of cases against the suspects,” Ochotorena explained.

“If wala pa nato makuha ang mga ngalan sa suspects ug dili pa nato ma-establish ang mga motibo, we will not come up with some reports that will later on affect the outcome of our investigations,” he added.

He cited the recent killing in Sominot, whose victim was identified as Victoriano Olila Jr., who was strafed to death while riding his motorcycle.

The newspaper which carried the report of Olila’s killing mentioned the local LP group’s insistence that the victim’s murder was political in nature owing to his work as the local party’s coordinator in the said town.

But Ochotorena defended their investigation which showed Olila’s death is caused by a personal grudge, as he presented this paper several copies of police blotters from Sominot detailing prior complaints against Olila, who, on a number of occasions, was recognized as the suspect in several shooting incidents targeting his neighbors.

The police director likewise showed a paper reckoning the list of nine shooting incidents around Zambosur involving locally-known personalities as victims, but again, common motives are personal grudges, land disputes and family feud, he said.

“Based on our findings, our investigators in the field are trying to coordinate with the relatives of the victims so that they will be enlightened also and any information coming from them will be very helpful in the probe. Naninguha ta nga mosulabd kining mga butanga ug ma-file nato sa korte ang kaso batok sa mga suspek,” he said.

“In fact, sa entire province nato, wala pa ta’y election-related violence but we are closely monitoring political activities and I have directed police chiefs to keep an eye on these activities so that we can provide area security to all political parties conducting their respective affairs,” Ochotorena added.

Before he concluded the interview, Ochotorena challenged those who reported the 13 deaths to give him the names of the victims so that he can check and or verify the information.

“Akong hangyo nga if ever dunay information nga inyong makuha and you are not sure about its veracity, my office is open and you can get it here. You can ask us on any particular issue and we are willing to reply to your queries,” Ochotorena said.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Bongbong Marcos to leave Nacionalista if ‘Villarroyo’ is true

2010-04-10T01:01:00.001-07:00

TUBOD, LANAO DEL NORTE—Senatorial candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he would not hesitate to break away from the Nacionalista Party (NP) if the allegations of an “unholy alliance” between President Gloria Arroyo and Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. is indeed true.

Villar is NP’s standard bearer where Marcos is running as one of the senatoriables after NP forged a coalition with the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan.

“I can never be an ally of Arroyo,” Marcos declared in front of local government leaders in a meeting Thursday.

But he was quick to debunk the so-called “Villarroyo” as a political invention created to discredit the presidential candidacy of the senator.

“Villarroyo,” as the name suggests, insinuated that Villar is the secret candidate of Arroyo. It is said that with this partnership, a candidate linked with Arroyo would likely suffer negative acceptability by the electorate.

Marcos said he is not the only one who would make such a decision should the “Villarroyo” is confirmed true; although he said he would not name them.

Marcos shares NP’s senatorial slate with party list representatives Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna and Liza Maza of Gabriela—staunch critics of the Arroyo administration, along with lawyer Adel Tamano, Toots Ople, re-electionist Senators Pia Cayetano, Miriam Defensor Santiago and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., as guest candidate

At the height of competing claims of what political party comprises the real opposition, the NP has packaged itself as the one with its bets for national positions declaring so in a campaign advertisement.

The billionaire businessman and senator’s reputation has resulted to endorsements by local officials known to be allied with the administration party. Marcos said NP can “do nothing but welcome” the support.

During the meeting in Lanao del Norte last April 8, the Dimaporo family assured Marcos of a “super landslide victory” for the NP senatorial slate as well as Lakas presidential bet Gilbert Teodoro and NP’s vice-presidential candidate Loren Legarda.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

Sir Romy Tan writes 30

2010-04-09T19:55:00.001-07:00

(PHOTO BY MICHAEL MEDINA)

FIRST councilor Romeo B. Tan is dead, he is 74.

He is into his bid for the vice mayoralty seat and in the height of the hectic campaign sortie when taken to Cebu City last March 4 for a medical check up.

Tan’s wife, Luzminda, told this paper in a conversation that Tan complained of low back pains and has been persistently coughing for weeks.

Tan’s chronic coughing was a common symptom of lung cancer, which doctors said was already at its late stage. Accompanied by their children, the Tan couple went home last April 3 where the councilor died four days later.

The 69-year old wife described Romy as a caring, decent and good husband. “Akoang gikawilihan sa iyaha ang iyang pagkabuotan ug pagka-mapinanggaon nako ug sa among mga anak,” she said.

Luzminda added they are set to celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary this June 8 and for that she brought him a barong tagalog as an early present, but sadly, she didn’t think he would wear it too soon.

She recalls the time when Romy, laying in the hospital bed and in pain, would request his children to sing him few religious songs in order to sleep.

“As a father, he was very supportive to his children. He would always tell them to live in honesty, humility and be trustworthy wherever and whatever they become,” she said, adding her husband’s favorite scripture verse is Matthew 25:40—“Whatever you do the least of our brethren you do it unto me.”

As a politician, Romy was a modest one; also said son Rossel and his twin brother, Rommel. “He was such a loving and caring father to us who would always look after our needs and welfare,” they said.

For Rufino Amor, city administrator and the councilor’s former colleague in the City Council, Tan was a talented mentor, dedicated and diligent in his work.

“Sir Tan contributed much to what I am today. I learned from his dealing and advices. Maayong tawo siya. Sulod sa unom ka tuig nga nag-uban mi sa konseho, wala mi nagbikil even though for legislators like us, we always have debates,” Amor said.

Romy Tan was born in Gandara, Samar on March 9, 1936. He started his political career in 1972 and served Pagadian from 1985 to 1992 as vice mayor.

In 2001, he ran for city councilor and won, was re-elected in 2004 and was in his third and last term at present under the party of Mayor Samuel Co.

For the May 2010 polls, he opted to run as an independent against re-electionist Romeo Pulmones, who also said he was saddened by the loss of Tan, whom he fondly calls “Sir Tan.”

Tan authored several historic local laws during his lifetime; several of these are the establishment of the City Library, the creation of the Local Water District, now called the Pagadian City Water District, and the Pagadian City Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), among others.

Tan actively supported all budgetary requirements intended for livelihood, concreting of barangay roads and city streets, health, education, peace and order and agricultural programs of previous mayors and Co’s administration.

He was cited by the regional office of the Parole and Probation Administration when he attended as its speaker to the Therapeutic Community Basic Training for Volunteer Probation Aides/Clerks.

The Zamboanga del Sur-Pagadian City Press Club Inc. also awarded Tan as “Man of the Year 2003” during the club’s first year anniversary.

Known for his smiling and mild disposition, Tan is perhaps the only councilor in Pagadian City who travels and attends seminars alone, even walking to and from his residence every Tuesday’s council session.

His remains now lie at Funeraria Fatima and interment is set on April 16 at this city’s Memorial Garden.

“Mao kini ang nahitabo kang Konsehal Tan, kinsa nakahatag ug nagpadayon sa paghatag sa iyang kaugalingon, sa iyang kahibangka-agan, panahon ug unsa pa niyang kahimo-an ngadto sa katawhan nga nanginahanglan. Andam siya kanunay nga duolon sa iyang buhatan, ug sa iyang ka-mapaubsanon, siya nakulit sa kasingkasing sa mga Pagadianon,” Tan's campaign pamphlet reads.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO

Public Statement re Wendell Talibong in the Hands of Police Supt. Joie Yape

2010-04-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
Pagadian City – Zamboanga del Sur Chapter

MEN in uniform, like in the case the Philippine National Police must perform their sworn duties to the highest professional standard. When in doubt of an issue, they must resolve it in favor of the people of the community, for which they swore to depend and protect.

But the case of Police Superintendent Joie Pacito Yape is one dastardly act not appropriate for the standing for an academy trained professional officer. An act not palatable within the ranks of professional officers of the Philippine National Police.

Police Supt Yape maybe one of the scalawags that needs to be disciplined by the organization which his boss Police Director Jesus Verzosa must take action without setting down. Supt. Yape is a threat to the security of the media group. He needs to be separated.

What has happened to Wendell Talibong in the hands of Supt. Yape was uncalled and unacceptable by the journalists of Ozamis City and the whole journalists’ population throughout the land.

For trying to obstruct justice, Supt. Yape is a deterrent to peace and progress.

After inflicting harm to Wendell and ask for forgiveness with an intention to keep the incident under wraps for Supt. Yape’s interest, is an indication that Supt.Yape is rude, coward and undisciplined that deserves separation because he is a rotten tomato inside the basket.

What does he think of journalists? Cheap and contemptible? Anyone doing the same act against any journalist for that matter, today and in the future, like what have happened to Wendell Talibong, deserves to be thrown into the shark and crocodile infested ocean.

Hirohito “Jong” D. Cadion
Chairman Pagadian City-Zamboanga del Sur Chapter

Marcos advocates for BNPP reopening

2010-04-08T02:13:00.000-07:00

THE reopening of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) is yet the best decision the government could accomplish in solving the existing power crisis in the country, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said yesterday.

Marcos, a senatorial bet of the Nacionalista Party, declared during his visit to Pagadian that the BNPP offers the immediate solution to the need for new sources of power in Mindanao because it can be made operational within a year or even less.

The mothballed power facility was a project of Bongbong’s father, former President Ferdinand Marcos, which was built in 1976 in response to the oil crisis then. It was completed in 1984 at a cost of $2.3 billion.

Corazon Aquino, who succeeded Marcos in 1986, decided to close the plant located at Napot Point in Morong, Bataan, after citing 4,000 defects in its design and construction.

Once fueled, the BNPP can produce 621 megawatts of electricity, which is equivalent to the supply deficiency Luzon experienced last February.

Marcos disclosed that he recently toured and inspected the facility with some experts and was told that the nuclear plant “is still in very good condition.”

On January 29, 2008, the government embarked on BNPP’s rehabilitation prospects and took note of the recommendations from experts, which included a thorough technical inspection and economic evaluations as well as the infrastructure, safety standards and the cost to rehabilitate.

Marcos assured the nuclear technology used in the BNPP is of basically sound design and construction, most modern and a safe light water reactor, different than the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

He added that BNPP’s design was patterned after the power station reactors in Korea which saw no hitches for the past 20 years.

But Marcos urged the commissioning of the BNPP must be carefully examined in order to address other major attendant concerns like the so-called “nuclear scare” among Filipinos and the equally suggested political motivations.

At present, there is renewed discussion about the nuclear option in developing the country’s power generation capability and if the government decides to operate the BNPP, the next challenge is sourcing nuclear fuel, Marcos said.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

Bongbong sees formula for Mindanao peace in 1976 Tripoli pact

2010-04-08T01:42:00.001-07:00

(PHOTO BY REMAI ALEJADO)

FOR Nacionalista senatorial bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the Mindanao peace process should resume its talks using as basis the agreement that was inked between the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Marcos regime some 34 years ago.

Marcos, who is on a Mindanao swing since Wednesday, referred to the Tripoli Agreement of 1976, which was negotiated between government and the MNLF under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Conference, as the only real lasting solution to the Moro problem so far formulated and agreed upon with the rebels.

The negotiations came on the heels of a revolt launched by the rebel group in various areas which endangered government’s military control over Mindanao. But the negotiation also showed how the MNLF bowed to pressure from Muslim countries to forego its demand for independence for political autonomy.

But since its signing, the peace process was continually set back by differences with government on how to set the agreement in motion.

Marcos said the agreement’s provisions can be revised to suit current realities.

“There can be provisions that will be removed, new ones added, and existing ones modified,” he said.

“At least it must be the starting point” in formulating a comprehensive formula for peace in Mindanao, he added.

The 1976 Tripoli pact outlined a Moro autonomous region covering the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato and Palawan, and the cities of Iligan, Marawi, Cotabato, Dipolog, Dapitan, Zamboanga, Pagadian, General Santos, and Puerto Princesa.

Today, these have expanded by two more provinces: Sarangani which was carved from South Cotabato, and Zamboanga Sibugay from Zamboanga del Sur. There are also five more cities: Isabela and Lamitan in Basilan; Kidapawan in North Cotabato; Tacurong in Sultan Kudarat; and Koronadal in South Cotabato.

The pact was finally made operational with the 1996 Final Peace Agreement with the MNLF, some 20 years after it was crafted. By then, its break away, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has become a dominant Moro revolutionary group.

The territorial expanse of the current Muslim autonomy only covers five provinces.

“I believe it is not beyond our capability to forge in our time a truly workable peace in Mindanao; one that will gather Christians and Muslims and all the cultural communities under a common agenda of producing and sharing with one another,” Marcos said.

At present, peace negotiations between government and the MILF is deadlocked on the issue of politico-administrative setup; the former offering enhanced autonomy while the latter demanding a establishment of a Moro sub-state just like Sarawak.

Apart from earnestly pursing peace with rebels, Marcos pointed to the need to take care of the massive infrastructure requirements of Mindanao in order to underline sustained economic progress.

Sustainable economic development will ensure durable peace, he said.

“Mindanao should (also) have a stronger voice in the halls of (national government) power,” Marcos stressed.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

3 'big' robberies occurred in March

2010-04-08T01:30:00.001-07:00

OROQUIETA CITY—The month of March is full of rising incidence of robberies being listed in the police blotter where most can be considered big-time heist and are still subject to more follow-up investigations.

March 19, three unidentified men armed with a handgun robbed the LBC branch in the nearby town of Calamba, running away with P20,000 and two cell phones.

Just four days after it happened, still three armed men held up three employees of a contracting company who were about to deposit P4.5 million in a bank in downtown Ozamiz.

March 31, a ten-wheeler cargo truck from Bais City loaded with 450 sacks of refined sugar was stopped by four men in Sitio Pasil, Brgy. Bitibot, Sapang Dalaga who then forcibly took control of the wheel and sped away to an unknown direction taking along the driver and his truck man.

The driver, who later gave his name as Armando Suligan and truck man Andrelo Rodriguez told police they were blindfolded.

Suligan added he was freed in Pagadian while Rodriguez was told to disembark in Tudela, Misamis Occidental as police are still looking for the cargo truck until now.

REPORT BY ARCHIE AJIAS

The ugly face of media and elections

2010-04-07T02:24:00.000-07:00

MEDIA practitioners, especially those in the provinces, should ponder about their influential role and professional exercise during elections, like the forthcoming May 10 polls, for instance.

In this time of modern technology and the emergence of new means of information distribution and internet blogs, no doubt, community journalists by now have that wide-ranging skills and reporting elections is much like reporting anything else.

But recently, somewhere, if not in our provincial doorstep, while the election campaign season is well under way, we cannot help but notice that media demeanor, especially in inculcating adequate information about the policies of candidates and parties and the election process is somewhat out of order, full of reproach or inconvenient. Simply put: out of impact.

Really, there’s this abuse of the use of media, which have prompted news organizations like the KBP and the NUJP to call for a certain, significant degree of regulation.

Some media practitioners, moonlighting for political parties and candidates carry out unfair coverage and biased commentaries going below the belt. Hearing them on air crave for a serious concern for accurate, neutral and dispassionate information, where dirty and personal annotations should have been absent.

We admit that parties and candidates are entitled to use the media to get their messages across to the electorate. But it may be also apt to own up that media organizations, themselves, have failed in telling off their members about objectivity or that rules were just relaxed this time in allowing other people like block timers to just say anything they like without censure. It's a shame that the electorate will have to scrutinize the whole election process without the aid of media. At the end of the day, we cannot judge ourselves and say we were able to carry out our duties responsibly.

Eldred Cole, in her article entitled “The Blurring Lines Between Media and Politics,” explains that there is that huge responsibility of every media person to do what he could do to help change the political scenery in the country and that a media person’s job is nobler than that of the politicians. Why else are they shooting journalists than politicians? Media, therefore, should not let politicians overrule them. To be in the media is a privilege, Cole is right. Politics and politicians are just stories, not our lifeline.

EDITORIAL

16 kilometer FMRs open in Misoc

2010-04-07T01:38:00.001-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—Various farm to market roads (FMRs) were established in five municipalities in this province funded under the Mindanao North Coast Integrated Area Development Project (MNCIADP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA), a press statement obtained by this paper said.

The statement added that the opening of the route sections in Tudela, Sinacaban, Panaon, Aloran and Plaridel has a total length of 16 kilometers, amounting to P20,067,426.

Of the total project cost, P6,770,000 went to Aloran with a length of 5.7 kilometers; P3,807,426 to Plaridel with three kilometers while Sinacaban and Tudela have a total project cost of P3,250,000 each equivalent to 2.5 kilometers.

As for Panaon, a 2.3 kilometers road was rehabilitated amounting to P2,990,000. The local government counter parted a third of the total project cost while 70 percent was taken cared by DA.

“The roads in the hinter barangays provided the farmers access to transportation that could easily bring agricultural inputs to their farms and their produce down to the market. With these projects, agricultural production in the province is expected to boost in the coming years,” the DA said.

Regional Technical Director Engr. Roxanna Hojas, in her message, said she is thankful to the concerned LGUs for their support to the projects as she encouraged farmers, as owner of the project to work together for the maintenance of the road.

Hojas likewise emphasized that the opening of the route in the villages of the mentioned towns provided farmers the opportunity to produce more market-driven crops that will give them better income. She hoped that the road will stay as passable as it is now, in the coming years.

DA-RFU 10

2 ZaNorte towns implement KALAHI-CIDSS

2010-04-07T01:24:00.000-07:00

DIPOLOG CITY—Two municipalities from Zamboanga del Norte—Mutia and Leon Postigo—are added in the list of towns that will implement KALAHI-CIDSS, a poverty-alleviation program of the national government.

KALAHI-CIDSS is short for Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services.

The project was launched by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) where respective local officials of the said places showed their interest and gratitude for being selected to implement the said program, which is credited as one of the most effective tools against poverty in rural areas by World Bank, among others.

“We are very grateful to the national government for giving us this opportunity to experience KALAHI-CIDSS. We have already heard so many good things about the project, how it has transformed the common people, and how it has been very effective in addressing the urgent needs of the people,” said Mayor Melba Tenorio of Mutia.

“We have heard how unique it is, since decisions on projects come from the people themselves, and not just from us, the officials. This is something revolutionary,” she added.

“Our municipality is doing a lot to provide the basic services needed by our people, but now, with KALAHI-CIDSS, we know we will now travel with giant leaps in addressing their needs. We know it works, and we are confident that the Project will greatly impact our way of life,” likewise declared Mayor Rolando Tablezo of Leon Postigo.

Meanwhile, Regional Project Manager and DSWD Assistant Regional Director Zenaida Arevalo shared that KALAHI-CIDSS is not merely about bringing water systems, roads, school buildings and other infrastructure to communities.

She said that it is about bringing knowledge and confidence to people who have been thirsting for both in the past, mainly because of their settlement in far-flung areas.

“In KALAHI-CIDSS, there is no such thing as a far-flung area. Every barangay is included. Our workers have traveled risky terrain just to be able to reach these places. We realize that these people need intervention, and it has been proven in the past – people have a great capacity to achieve, if only they were given a chance,” said Arevalo.

Governor Rolando Yebes, in his response to the project, said such development projects are more than welcome in the province.

“We express our all-out support to any national government project, especially if these are to uplift the lives of the poor,” Yebes said.

Since 2003, KALAHI-CIDSS has already been implemented in 17 of the poorest towns in Zamboanga Peninsula’s three provinces.

As a result, 570 community sub-projects were completed, which included water systems, roads and schools. Sub-projects were decided by the community themselves, collectively based on their most pressing needs with the aide of several practical skills trainings conducted for this purpose.

The project utilized about P600 million in funding with 70 percent grant from World Bank and the remaining percent counterparted by the LGUs and beneficiary communities.

Late last year, President Gloria Arroyo visited North Cotabato, where she was impressed with the impact KALAHI-CIDSS to the lives of the poor.

It was during her visit there that she ordered for the project’s expansion to more municipalities all over the country.

PRESS RELEASE

Sotto's plan to amend ‘Shield Law’ gets cold shoulder from media

2010-04-06T21:50:00.000-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—The plan of senatorial candidate Vicente Castelo “Tito” Sotto III to amend the law protecting newsmen from revealing their sources is receiving little praise from media practitioners.

Republic Act 53, authored by the late Sen. Vicente Yap Sotto protects the publisher, editor or reporter of newspapers and magazines from revealing the source of published news or information obtained in confidence.

The late senator was a former journalist in Cebu who established the Visayan newspaper “Ang Suga,” on June 1901.

Sotto, in an email to this paper, said he wants to amend RA 53 to include other forms of media used in the present times, including all local publications and broadcast networks, even online news blogs.

The former Eat Bulaga show host, who served two terms in the Senate, from 1992 to 2004, authored or co-authored several landmark bills such as the Teachers and Students Government Assistance Act, RA 8750, also known as the Seat belts Use Act of 1999, and the creation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), among others.

“This is history in the making in the entire legislative records in the Philippines,” Sotto said.

However, a look in the journalism history books revealed that RA 1477, an amendatory law, also called “The Philippine Shield Law,” was passed on June 15, 1956, modifying RA 53.

A “shield law” is a law designed to shield journalists from forcible revelations of their sources of information obtained in confidence otherwise they will not be effective purveyors of truth because nobody would talk to them and give them information or starting leads for their stories out of fear of retribution.

Section 1 of RA 1477 states, “Without prejudice to his liability under the civil and criminal laws, the publisher, editor, columnist or duly accredited reporter of any newspaper, magazine or periodical of general circulation cannot be compelled to reveal the source of any news-report or information appearing in said publication which was related in confidence to such publisher, editor or reporter unless the court or a House or committee of Congress finds that such revelation is demanded by the security of the State.”

However, Sotto was right when he said the law still needs to point out the inclusion of other forms of new media.

A look at the Philippine Journalist's Code of Ethics commands the journalist to “scrupulously report and interpret the news, taking care not to suppress essential facts or to distort the truth by improper omission or emphasis.”

This tells members of the fourth estate that incompetent journalism and biased news management can create half truths. It is therefore the media man’s duty “to air the other side and to correct substantive errors promptly.”

And because media can identify underlying interests and impart solutions, more so correct misperceptions, reliable reporting and responsibly written editorials and opinion is the only thing needed.

“I think he should review the essence what was his grandfather’s stand to protect the news media in making that significant law,” Elmer Maghanoy, RMN-DxPR reporter and former president of the Zamboanga del Sur-Pagadian City Press Club Inc., commented of Sotto’s intention.

“Magpanday na lang siya og supplementary provisions covering radio, television and the internet. Amending the law is dangerous as they might tinker with its intentions,” thus said Ryan Rosauro of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“Sa kadaghan sa mga legislators ug ang uban mga media practitioners pa, wala gyod makahinumdum og panday og balaodnon ug huna-huna para sa kaayohan sa media, only Sotto. We will support his cause for the interest of the working media,” NUJP-Pagadian president Jong Cadion shares his separate view.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Sammy vows to give P2M to villages for landslide votes

2010-04-06T19:36:00.001-07:00

THE campaign for the mayoralty position for this May’s election is now heating up as Mayor Samuel “Sammy” Co, rising above ordinary gimmicks, promised P2 million worth of projects to village chieftains to assure his victory.

Co, who is in his second term as this city’s chief executive, is running against Chris Lagare, a self-acclaimed candidate of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino of former president Joseph Estrada, who is running again for president.

In a recent radio interview with the mayor, he admitted promising such a big amount of money to the barangays but clarified he is seeking landslide vote against Lagare in exchange for this.

“Kana sa tinud-anay nga storya, proposal na sa mga kapitan. Ilang gihangyo nako nga pwede ba daw tagaan sila’g premyo kay mingaw daw ang eleksiyon, walay lami,” Co said.

The village chieftains were serious enough to ask and Co said if these leaders can achieve and raise his votes to the mark, why not?

“Dili man pod kwarta ang ihatag, mga proyekto ang akong gisaad nila—kada purok, kada barangay,” he simplified.

“Sila may gahagit nako ana—ang mga kapitan moingon sa tapok-tapok—‘mayor naa man mi nimo morag klaro na man daog ka, og pananglit among i-zero imong kontra sa among barangay tagaan ba mi nimo og premyo?’” the mayor quoted the barangay officials as saying.

It was a gentleman’s agreement or a premonition of victory, Co wished to believe as he added: “Paminaw nato nga kung kaya nila buhaton sa ilang barangay, kana, that remains to be seen, kay kung ako’y hagiton nimo ma-zero akong kontra, imposible baya na, di ba?”

He later appealed to media not to construe the agreement as an attempt to buy off village leaders in exchange for political support.

“Kanang proyekto gipangayo dili na paingon sa kapitan, paingon na sa barangay. Inyoha nang discretion sa barangay unsa nga proyekto inyong gusto. Kinahanglan kada barangay mouyon sad mo gamay kay kung di mo mouyon, si sad ko mosugot. Kamo nay magsabot,” the mayor urged.

Co said the “financial assistance” will be given to the barangays for the construction and or repair of the recipients’ water systems, canals, sidewalks, alleys, stairways and not for the erection of barangay halls.

Pagadian has 54 barangays, multiplied by P2 million each, equals P108 million, the amount of which is more than half the Internal Revenue Allotment the city is receiving at present.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Dip in corn production traced to El Niño

2010-04-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

GOVERNMENT interventions enhancing the productivity of land planted with corn is showing results in Zamboanga Peninsula even in these times of the lingering dry spell.

Of the three provinces, only Zamboanga del Norte reached the biggest harvested area of 14,440 hectares out of the 15,749 hectares planted.

Zamboanga Sibugay, which planted 248 hectares, harvested 210, while Zamboanga del Sur has 11,297 hectares and harvested only 9,811.

However, the information from the agriculture department’s GMA Corn Program El Niño Assessment Paper as of Feb. 11 stated that Zanorte, especially in the third district, reported a dip of about 15 percent in corn production due to the dry season, naming Gutalac, Tampilisan, Liloy, Godod, Labason and Sergio Osmeña as among those affected.

Zamboanga del Sur, which is mainly a rice-producing province, only reported a reduction in areas planted as Sibugay listed Titay and Malangas as the affected areas since it is off season for corn planting.

Total estimated production loss from vegetative to maturity stage for the three provinces is P153,889,141.88 with 14,656 metric tons in estimated loss and 11,604 hectares of vulnerable and threatened areas.

Zanorte, again, posted the highest loss at P135,315,796.88 while Zambosur’s total loss is pegged at P17,365,425 and Sibugay at P314,212.50.

The El Niño Assessment Paper obtained from DA noted the big variance of values in production losses during the vegetative stage as compared to the reproductive and maturity stages.

DA’s action to mitigate these losses, added the paper, consists of operating shallow tube wells, facilitation of furrow irrigation from NIA canals and SWIP rehabilitation and utilization.

The production gap in corn and the rising demand for this commodity presents commodity presents an opportunity for Zanorte farmers to enhance their living conditions by increasing their farm productivity and incomes while contributing to food sustainability in the country reeling at the moment with the effect of Climate Change, a recent Regional Development Council issue paper stated.

Zanorte, for the record, was the country’s poorest province in 2003 and second poorest in 2006, the National Statistical Coordination Board said. Most of the farmers of this region are dependent on subsistence farming, mostly of corn.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project now online

2010-04-06T01:45:00.000-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—The Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP) is now online with its new website subtitled Pera Natin ‘To! (It’s Our Money!) at www.transparencyreporting.net, Rorie Fajardo, project coordinator, emailed this paper.

The PPTRP is a joint initiative of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), the Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD), the MindaNews and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

These organizations are the ones responsible for the Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project initiated in 2007, which aims to “root greater human rights awareness into society via the media” and delivered specialized training on human rights issues and organized events and outreach activities to promote understanding about human rights as the cornerstone of a free and fair society.

Fajardo said this PPTRP is in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for its funding and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative where its receives technical support.

“The PPTRP is built on the belief that corruption in public life will only ever be reduced when ordinary people are able to understand, monitor and ultimately have a say on where and how public money is spent,” Fajardo explains.

As it is linking media with civil society, government, and ordinary citizens towards better understanding, debate, reporting and action on public sector finances and spending, the PPTRP will embark on giving extensive media training and supporting journalists who wish to pursue stories and features on public sector finances and related issues, develop and support joint media-civil society initiatives to build better understanding, engagement and action over public spending, budgeting and procurement processes,” she added.

The Pera Natin ‘To! website will be a platform for ordinary people to report and share their stories and experiences of public corruption, secrecy, waste and mismanagement.

Two other campaigns recently launched by PPTRP pushed for public access of government officials’ Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Net worth (SALN) and stop politicians’ personification of public funds by claiming publicly funded projects as their gifts to the people.

Sample stories are already posted in the website such as “Best Practices in Promoting Public Transparency at the Local Level,” “Statements of Assets and Net Worth: A Critical Tool to Combat Public Sector Corruption,” and “The Media and Public Sector Corruption: Role, Challenges and Some Practical Steps Forward.”

Journalists and citizens who would wish to submit their stories may contact the PPTRP secretariat at iwprphilippines@yahoo.com or visit and sign up PPTRP’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Philippine-Public-Transparency-Reporting-Project-Pera-Natin-To/393755143454.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

One injured in Sibugay radio station blast

2010-04-05T22:04:00.001-07:00

IPIL, ZAMBO SIBUGAY—Two unidentified persons riding in tandem lobbed a grenade, Monday evening, at a radio station owned by Gov. George Hofer, information from the Ipil Municipal Police Station said.

Radio station Magic 103 FM, located in Brgy Kitabog, Titay, this province, is situated a block away from the governor’s residence.

Police identified one injured person of the blast as Nestor Abando, who was aboard a multi-cab passing by the area when the bomb exploded.

Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) said the grenade used by the perpetrators could either be an improvised explosive or a fragmentation grenade based on the ground impact of the blast.

Residents in the area said they saw two men riding an XRM Honda motorcycle before the blast, stopping in front of the station while one of the suspects got off, lobbed the grenade, and then sped off to an unknown direction.

Station Manager Kim Porras, who has just finished his radio program when the blast occurred, surmised the bombing could be political in nature and added the attack could be in relation to the severe commentaries of the station’s block timers.

April, last year, a homemade bomb exploded in front of the L & A Construction and Electrical Supplies damaging its façade, as police then said the bombing was an isolated case.

Presently, the PNP and army troops in the area have decided to alert its members against more bomb attacks in their areas of responsibility as the heat of the political period heightens.

It was learned that the three-termed Hofer is squaring off for the local chief executive’s post against incumbent mayor Eldwin Alibutdan in next month’s election.

Hofer’s daughter, 2nd District Rep. Ann Hofer, will take her father’s seat while Ann’s brother, Jet, is eyeing the congressional post.

Both the Hofer siblings are rivaled by Rommel and John-John, sons of former Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Romeo Jalosjos.

REPORT BY JOSEPH ARNEL DELIVERIO

Chamber pushes for bill payment incentive

2010-04-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—If the Misamis Occidental Electric Cooperative Inc. (MOELCI-II) charge late payment penalties to its consumers who pay after due date, it would be more appreciated if the electric cooperative offer a Prompt Payment Incentive (PPI) too.

This is what the Ozamiz City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (Ozamiz Chamber) and the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) had in mind when it came out with a joint resolution dated March 6 encouraging MOELCI-II to offer PPI for a change.

A source from the Ozamiz Chamber told this paper that the setting of PPI for utility bills is one of the concerns discussed by both chambers, which aims to persuade power consumers to make timely payments and avoid late payment penalties.

A PPI is a business approach given to a participating agency; a calculation designed to provide incentive based solely, for this instance, on electric consumers’ payment performance for each billing period.

“Whereas MOELCI-II charges penalties to consumers who fail to pay their bills on time, the board of directors feel that incentives be granted to consumers who pays their bill on or before due date,” the resolution reads in part.

“By giving incentives and penalties to consumers will be beneficial to both the cooperative and consumers,” the resolution, signed by presidents Dominador Elemento and Pershing Tan Queto, added.

In a telephone conversation, MOELCI-II general manager Jemilo Pelimer confirmed he has already received the resolution and explained that he still has to seek the concurrence of MOELCI's board of directors.

“The request has to go into proper procedure and will be presented to the board for assessment and determination what discount rate will be used in applying the PPI in this case,” Pelimer said.

He added that, personally for his part, the granting of the PPI scheme is most welcome “kay makatabang man ka sa mga konsumante pero if the amount is very big, like sa Gaisano, current payor man na sila, if given, for example, a 1% incentive, patay atong income, imbes makatabang ta sa atong cooperative.”

Pelimer added that per statistical information on MOELCI payment scheme in recent years for consumers classified as residential and business, they are all current payers, meaning they paid their bills on or before due date.

January, this year, Vice Mayor Carlos Patricio Bernad criticized MOELCI’s billing system problems and urged the need for the electric cooperative to prioritize and lick this trouble as soon as possible.

Bernad said it has come to the attention of the City Council about MOELCI’s glitches in its computerized billing system wherein arrears and outstanding amounts, accordingly, were not processed correctly and would still appear in the bill even if already paid.

Pelimer, who attended one of the sessions called by the City Council then, promised to make changes to the system as he appealed to the affected consumers to submit their paper or receipt claims to MOELCI so that their problems will be resolved.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Cerilles lauds Day Care workers

2010-04-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

Zamboanga del Sur Governor Auring Enerio – Cerilles commended the Day Care Workers in their dedication and commitment in shaping the future of children during the Day Care Workers’ Convention last March 29, 2010 at the Amusement and Events Center, Capitol Compound, Pagadian City.

With the theme “Day Care Workers: Kapit – Kamay sa Pagpapaunlad sa Murang Kaisipan ng mga Bata,” a total of 857 Day Care workers all around the province gathered “with the hope of strengthening our pursuits for the development and well-being of our children.”

Cerilles said that Day Care workers play a vital role in developing children and providing them their needs for them to grow morally and well, such as “necessary interventions that respond to the psycho-social development, promotion of health and nutrition and intellectual enhancement.”

“We should continually support the needs of our Day Care Workers as they also give their unfaltering commitment to the advancement of the Day Care Programs of the government that have proven beneficial in upholding the lives of children…” Cerilles said.

In these days when some parents don’t have the capacity to provide time and knowledge to their children, Day Care workers are to the rescue and are ready to take the responsibility. They (Day Care workers) should exude love and perseverance in doing their job in promoting the interests of children, the governor said.

“As you learn to love your work, you will realize that you have inscribed upon the hearts of our children a lasting legacy of moral and intellectual excellence,” she added.

The participants from the different municipalities showcased their talents in singing and dancing in their respective presentations and in the Dance Contest.

ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU, POSTED AS IS

AN OPEN LETTER TO MUSLIMS AND ALL LOVERS OF PEACE

2010-04-04T21:35:00.001-07:00

For several decades now, the Moro people are still deprived their God-given right to self-determination and be fully recognized for their distinct culture and identity. This is the root of the Moro conflict that spawned four decades of armed rebellion in Mindanao. An opportunity to resolve the conflict came forth when peace negotiators of both the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) formulated the historic Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) that sought to end ‘historical injustices’ against the Moro people.

But political vultures, led by Mar Roxas and Frank Drilon swooped down on the MOA-AD even before it could take its course, paving the way for renewed war in August 2008. Today, these people are presenting themselves as worthy of the public’s trust by running for political office. Joining them is the ever incorrigible war advocate, Erap Estrada. Well, Drilon and Estrada are long past their time of having hoodwinked the people for their trust. But what is disturbing is the unrepentant Roxas whose anti-Moro stance seems to grow even stronger as he sees political victory in May 10, 2010 as just around the corner. He deserves no less than political defeat to shake him off from apathy.

Several Muslim religious leaders have spoken about their worries regarding the candidacy of these people. In a March 9, 2010 fatwa (religious edict), Marawi City’s Grand Imam, Sheikh Jamil Datu Haron Yahya said:

“After studying the actions and policies of Mr. Erap Estrada before and after his election as president until this present time, we found out that he is really an enemy of Islam. Likewise, Mar Roxas and Franklin Drilon who were strongly opposed to the MOA-AD and filed a petition-intervention before the Supreme Court against the signing of the MOA-AD. Hence, up to the present, they are against the welfare of the Bangsamoro.

Also, due to their being anti-Muslim and anti-peace, we strongly call all Bangsamoro people not to vote for them (Roxas, Erap and Drilon.) Voting for them is Haram (Forbidden).”

Inspired by the example of Yahya, Islamic scholar Abu Thabit Saripad wrote the following opinion which supports the basic idea of the fatwa:

“Every Muslim should help in Philippine politics with a clean intention of achieving the prosperity of the people and the nation. It is an obligation of every Muslim in the Philippines to help not to let those candidates that are against the Muslims and Islam win, from the presidency and in every position, just like Erap. Those who have the least evil or those who are not against the Muslims and Islam should be supported. That is what Allah means in his verse: (Surah Al-Mumtahinah: 8-9).

Lessons learned from this verse:

1. Non-Muslims are of two kinds. First, those who fight against Muslims and his work is to destroy and oppress the Muslims. Second, those who treat Muslims in a good way and in justice, and not against the Muslims and Islam.

2. Those non-Muslims who are not against Islam should be treated fairly and justly. They should not aggrieve them because they could help for the betterment of the community and the nation. Just like voting a candidate who is not against the Muslims.

3. It is unlawful and forbidden to support the candidates who are against the Muslims, like Erap who killed many Muslims. It is also reported that they slaughtered a pig in a masjid in (Camp) Abu Bakr, and used the Qur-an as a tissue paper.

That is why we need to widen our mind and open our hearts to help the candidates who have the qualifications of loyalty, honesty and strength for (bringing about social) transformation.”

Let us remember: catapulting Roxas, Drilon and Estrada into power will only give them greater leverage to thwart any attempt to build lasting peace in Mindanao!

Sincerely,
Concerned Muslim Citizens of the Philippines

Misoc media censure CIDG chief’s stroke on colleague

2010-04-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—Members of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) denounced the conduct unbecoming of an officer of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) who rapped a radio reporter and threatening to arrest him in the midst of a heated argument.

A public statement released today expressed NUJP’s deep concern on the predicament of DxDD reporter Wendell Talibong over the finger pointing of Supt. Joie Pacito Yape, CIDG chief, accusing Talibong and the local media community of politics-motivated reporting and for taking sides.

The media practitioners group, in coming to the aid of Talibong, disapproved of Yape’s actions and said such is very regrettable for a police officer who could perpetuate an abuse against a helpless colleague.

NUJP officers, who met with Talibong last Thursday, cited the need to exert pressure on Yape to publicly apologize and declare that such an incident will not be repeated to any other member of the press.

“We are worried that having done this to Wendell, he can also do the same with other journalists if his act is just put to naught,” the group said in their statement.

According to Talibong, the CIDG officer called last March 30 and requested for an interview to air his side about the recent police search in the residence of board member Roland Romero, which elicited criticisms from Gov. Loreto Ocampos.

Ocampos, in a press conference later that day where Talibong also attended, said the raid was provoked by political motives and accused the Lakas-Kampi camp of instigating the raid, naming Yape as the one in-charge of the foray.

Yape, in a visit in his office, declined to have an interview about the incident but only stated he was in Cagayan de Oro City when it happened.

At one time during this paper’s conversation with him, he said he is hesitant in granting interviews with media because of their perceived affinity with political camps, especially that of the governor, naming several media men from Ozamiz, which included the DxDD reporter.

Back to Talibong, he said that he went to Yape’s office after the call and was provided accommodation by the policeman. There, he asked point-blank what made Yape harbor such an impression that the reporter belongs to the camp of the governor.

Annoyed by the question, Yape slapped Talibong’s shoulder at the same time hurled invectives and started blaming the media community as plotting to overthrow him again from his current post.

All these were recorded by Talibong with his voice recorder, and would have been the evidence of Yape's bad temper, if only the CIDG official did not discover it and threw the gadget into the floor. He then threatened to arrest Talibong for his act of recording what transpired with their supposed interview.

After a while, maybe realizing his mistake, Yape asked forgiveness from Talibong and requested that the incident be kept private, even offering Talibong lunch, which the radio reporter obliged and then hurriedly left.

The NUJP said that what happened was not only an abuse against Talibong but also to the news outfits where he works, and the news media community of Misamis Occidental.

“Yape’s request to just keep the incident between him and Wendell is a veiled gag order and it adds insult to the humiliation of Wendell’s ordeal.”

“We challenge Yape to be man enough to face the consequences of his own actions. Clearly, he was acting in childish fashion and this belies his being a government officer holding a significant public service responsibility for which he is expected to carry himself with a mature outlook,” the NUJP said.

The media organization also noted Yape’s “penchant for unfairly branding local journalists according to perceived affinity with political camps.”

“Maybe he is not able to contain his partisan inclinations given that his wife, Lovely Liezl, is running for board member in the first district under the administration party.”

Yape, who was relieved of his post late last year, was reappointed last March 8. He has been blaming political pressure for his relief before.

Now that he’s back, the NUJP surmised he is bent on settling scores with those he believed are the ones responsible, even venting his ire on the media, “when he himself knows that Gov. Ocampos and Vice-Gov. Francisco Paylaga were publicly known, and even widely reported in the media, to have spearheaded action for his relief.”

“Certainly, Wendell and other local journalists have nothing to do with it, and are not in the business of cooking up another similar action against him,” the NUJP statement concluded.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

NUJP-Ozamiz raises concern over police official's treatment of local journ

2010-04-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES
Ozamiz City Chapter
PUBLIC STATEMENT
April 5, 2010

We express very deep concern over what happened to our colleague, Wendell Talibong, in the hands of Supt. Joie Pacito Yape, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Misamis Occidental. It is very regrettable that a police officer of Yape’s stature could perpetuate an abuse against our helpless colleague.

We are worried that having done this to Wendell, he can also do the same with other journalists if his act is just put to naught.

According to Wendell, Yape called him up on March 30, 2010 to air his side about the controversial raid in the house of board member Roland Romero, which hogged local media attention. Prior to the call, Wendell had been trying to find such an opportunity, hence he obliged.

While both were seated and engaged in light banter in the run-up to the interview, Wendell said he clarified with Yape about the latter’s impression of him as belonging to the camp of outgoing governor Leo Ocampos who is running for congressional representative of the second legislative district. Earlier, colleagues have told Wendell that Yape has harbored this impression of him, just as he was branding other local journalists to be loyal to this or that political camp.

Angered by said discussion, Yape forcefully slapped Wendell’s shoulder at the same time hurling invectives. In the process, Yape accused Wendell and the local media community of plotting his overthrow again from his current post.

Later when he related the incident to colleagues, Wendell admitted to have secretly turned on his voice recorder as Yape began throwing tantrums so as to gather evidence of the hostile proceedings. When discovered, Wendell said Yape slammed the equipment into the floor. At one point, Yape and a police subordinate threatened to arrest Wendell for undertaking ‘unauthorized recording’ of what transpired with their supposed interview.

It took a while before Yape cooled down, asked forgiveness from Wendell, and requested that the incident be kept to themselves only. He even made the effort that Wendell shared lunch with him as if to seal their ‘agreement’ that everything will be kept in wraps.

After they parted ways, Wendell said he had mixed feelings about the incident. As colleagues who know him personally, we understand his personal disposition, grounded on being a deeply religious man.

But we also shared the view that beyond being personal, his ordeal was an abuse against his news organization, radio DxDD and weekly Malindang Herald; and the news media community.

We note Yape’s request for Wendell to just keep the incident to themselves. This is a veiled gag order; it adds insult to the humiliation of Wendell’s ordeal. We challenge Yape to be man enough to face the consequences of his own actions. Clearly, Yape was acting in childish fashion. This belies his being a government functionary holding a significant public service responsibility for which he is expected to carry himself with a mature outlook.

We also note his penchant for unfairly branding local journalists according to perceived affinity with political camps. Maybe he is not able to contain his partisan inclinations given that his wife, Lovely Liezl, is running for board member in the first legislative district under the administration party.

Yape was relieved of his post late last year. He returned to it early March this year. Yape has blamed political pressure for his relief before. Now that he’s back, he appears bent at settling scores and includes media among his targets when he himself knows that Gov. Ocampos and vice-governor Francisco Paylaga were publicly known, and even widely reported in the media, to have spearheaded action for his relief. Certainly, Wendell and other local journalists have nothing to do with it, and are not in the business of cooking up another similar action against him.

We demand that Yape issue a public apology and declare that such an incident will never happen again to any of our colleagues. This should test his sincerity in seeking Wendell’s forgiveness. We also ask the Philippine National Police leadership to thoroughly look into the matter, and apply the necessary disciplinary action on Yape.

(Sgd) RYAN D. ROSAURO
Chair

(Sgd) NEPTALIE BATOLENIO
Vice-chair

Ozamiz archbishop issues call for honest, orderly, peaceful polls

2010-04-02T05:14:00.000-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—Calls for honest orderly and peaceful elections in May is one of Archbishop Jesus Dosado’s desire too as he called on multi-sectoral groups to unite and achieve the said aspiration.

Dosado pointed out that the forthcoming elections should be free from violence and the usual dishonesties that cause detriment to the democratic exercise of the people.

He said that the faithful, as a congregation, should join in efforts of church leaders to “clean up and renew” Philippine politics from the way it is practiced at present.

The prelate explained that political affairs should be of true and humble public service and that participation in such relationship should be based on a democratic model.

“But sadly, it has degenerated into an arena where the interests of the powerful and rich few are pitted against those of the weak and poor many,” he said.

Dosado was putting forward the reality of the country’s politics wherein patron-client relationships, provincial clouts and labor-intensive political machines can be seen during elections.

“Political debts are paid with appointments of those whom elected officials are indebted, blind loyalty counting as the most important criterion in the selection of public officials.”

“The bureaucracy is packed with political protégés, many of whom do nothing except to collect their salaries in the middle and end of each month.”

“When it comes to elections, the electoral process has been systematically subverted with increasingly sophisticated methods of committing fraud with the result that elections are in danger of losing their credibility as a reliable means for effecting change,” the bishop said.

He added that structures for cheating during elections are planned well in advance joined together by a detailed and long-winded propaganda machine that aims to destroy the reputation of detractors, critics and political opponents.

Because of this reality, the constituents have become cynical of government including the government officials or the people’s representatives—and of the electoral process itself—that often, according to Dosado, people lose sight of the relevance of their vote to their life or future and sell it for momentary financial gain.

It can be recalled that in the last 2007 polls, Dosado issued a pastoral letter urging priests not to give communion to those who sell their votes to political bets, likewise telling candidates to refrain from vote-buying and giving of anything of value.

“If we are what we are today—a country with a great number of poor and powerless people—one reason is the way we have allowed politics to be debased and prostituted to the low level it is in now,” Dosado said.

“We need to have a closer look then at our political culture in order to be able to do something constructive with it by way of the renewal and conversion,” he concluded.

Last January, a pastoral statement of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), at an earlier time, has been calling for vigilance and involvement of all sectors for clean and honest national elections this May.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Ocampos tells PNP, CIDG to stay out of politics

2010-04-01T23:38:00.001-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—Governor Loreto Leo Ocampos has appealed to law enforcers, security troops and peacekeepers to remain neutral and not to be used by politicians who have vested interests by blindly obeying unlawful orders.

Ocampos, who is on his third and last term, is Liberal Party’s congressional candidate for the second district.

Like the rest of the politicians in the province, he said he is also calling for honest, orderly and peaceful elections, expecting this will only be achieved if policemen will remain apolitical and avoid partisan politics in the forthcoming May 10 polls.

The governor’s appeal came after a recent incident last March 27, wherein members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and about 40 Special Action Forces stormed the residence of board member and vice-mayoralty candidate Roland Romero on suspicion that a cache of ammunitions were kept inside his residence.

The search, accordingly, was done through a warrant issued by Judge Rio Concepcion Achas of RTC Branch 2.

The CIDG later found several firearms such as an M14, M16, garand, carbine and assorted bullets.

Ocampos, in a meeting with Ozamiz journalists at the Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park hours after the incident, called the raid an “excessive use of force” and an abuse of police powers.

“To all security apparatus, ayaw mo pagamit sa mga hiwi nga politiko ug ayaw mo pagtoo sa mga illegal orders. Kay ngano? Unya og pasakaan mo og kaso, mahuman na lang ang eleksiyon, ang inyong kaso naa pa gihapon. Sabit pa ang inyong careers and you will not have a happy retirement,” Ocampos said.

The governors’ league president said he believed there’s a political motive behind the raid, accusing the camp of Lakas-Kampi, for such a “systematic political oppression” done to other political parties in Misamis Occidental.

“This speaks the kind of character of these people. Ingon ani na ba kabarato ang atong leaders? They should be above board. Morag nakamenos sila sa mga tawo. Wala nila pasakiti ani ang mga politiko kondili ang katawhan, ang mga botante,” he said.

Ocampos, however, stressed he will not continue to ham it up on last Saturday’s incident but will stick to legal means as he challenged the raiding team “to attack also the camp of the Kuratong Baleleng.”

“Tan-awa na sila, its common knowledge and everybody knows asa ni dapit. Hulata ninyo ang among aksiyon. Gihagit nila ang hustisya sa Provincial Government, ang katawhan. Among i-emphasize nga aduna mi lakang bahin aning butanga,” he said.

The governor then assured residents not to be affected by the incident.

“Ayaw mo kahadlok kay ania kami manalipod kaninyo. This is a fight between good and evil and I will tell you that this is a fight where we in the good side will prevail against the evil,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, when told of Ocampos’ assertions, only said that the governor is just talking glib and grandstanding.

A source from the Ozamiz PNP Station, who requested anonymity since he lacked clearance to speak on the matter, also told this paper that the PNP does not allow itself to be used by politicians to advance their own political agenda in the approaching May elections.

“All orders from the court are legal orders, such as search warrants, which direct the PNP to search the house of so-and-so believed to be in suspicion of having firearms inside,” the source said.

Although he admitted that police leadership would have a hard time staying neutral because some members are beholden to politicians, he pointed to a PNP mission stating that it is mandated to enforce the law, arrest wanted persons, maintain peace and order and ensure public safety with the active support of the community.

“Mao nay amoang tasks, wala may nabutang dinha nga ‘to be used by politicians,’” he added.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Co admits teaching voters how, but not who to vote

2010-04-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

STRAIGHT from his mouth, Mayor Samuel Co has admitted gathering residents in groups at the City Hall on a daily basis as the city government’s move in educating voters, particularly centering on how to shade the ovals in the sample ballot.

Co’s admission, which was aired in one radio interview, corrected earlier media reports which said that aside from teaching voters on the rudiments of automated election voting, the mayor’s staff taught voters to shade only the mayor’s name and his lineup for the city council in the sample ballot.

“We are maximizing time and people here, teaching them only how to vote in May 10 wherein it will be for the first time Filipinos will get a taste of automated elections,” Co said in the vernacular.

In explaining his move, Co said he is only supporting the Comelec by providing a venue for the constituency to address a particular problem related to voting, wanting to make sure the electorate will not waste their sacred vote by over-voting.

The Comelec has always reminded that in the system being employed for this May election, over-votes will not be allowed and in case of one, only the vote for the over-voted position will be invalidated while the rest of the ballot will be counted normally.

“Mao ni nga bantayonon kayo ning eleksiyon kay sa akong naobserbahan, kadaghanan sa atong katawhan mabag-uhan gyod aning sistemaha. Nakabalaka sad ko mao nga gitinuod nato tanang barangay sa paghakot para matudloan tanan,” Co said.

The mayor reiterated that the city government—by virtue of its strategic position and resources to ensure a smooth poll exercise—is only helping Comelec educate voters on the automated polls by disseminating the needed information on how to cast their votes under an automated system.

“Akong nakita nga dili maapas sa Comelec kung ato silang pasagdahan nga maoy mo-edukar sa katawhan. Lisod sad kung hulaton pa nato ang mga nmagtutudlo nga maoy mohimo anis a katawhan,” he said.

“Mao ra ni paagi nga pinakadali, nga dili samok ang pagtudlo, nga dili masamok ang pagtuon busa diri na lang nato gitapok sa usa ka venue aron matudluan nga walay distorbo ug makapamati ang tanan ug dali makasabot,” he added.

In a separate radio interview, Comelec Provincial Supervisor lawyer Ignacio Baya said: “Nalipay mi nga naay political parties ug ang LGU mitabang sa pag-edukar sa mga botante.”

“Among gi-encourage ang pagtabang sa pag-edukar sa mga botante ug atong iawhag nga ang balota usa ra kada botante busa kinahanglan dili nato sayangan,” Baya added.

While he reaped praises for his action, the mayor also picked suspicion from several media pundits who told this paper that Co may have other things in mind.

“If it benefits the voter for his own sake, the better, but if the voter is dictated who to vote for, mora na siya’g itoy nga gidungoy,” one newspaper editor said.

“Makatarunganon man ang gihimo sa mayor kay nakatabang sa katawhan pero unsa man nga kwarta kaha gigamit para ana?” asked another reporter.

“Gina-census man nila ang tawo kinsa pilion nila. Kusog gyod daw Villar. Suya pod pikot kadaghanan gusto man Lagare,” a colleague butted in, laughing.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Bomb found inside bus bound for Pagadian

2010-04-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

OZAMIZ CITY—Authorities on Tuesday diffused an improvised explosive device (IED) found inside Rural Transit aircon bus No. 902 bound for Pagadian City while parked at this city’s terminal.

The said IED was discovered by a security guard during his routine check and immediately transferred the bomb away from the bus, then called the 1005th Police Mobile Group stationed within the Integrated Bus and Jeepney Terminal (IBJT).

The security guard, later identified as Serafin Maisa, works for Western Mindanao Security Agency (WMSA). His brave act was commended by passengers, drivers and the vendors who witnessed his sense of alertness.

SPO3 Wilfredo Pelare of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit said the bomb was enclosed in a mineral water container composed of one-half kilo of TNT, a blasting cap, and unknown substances sealed inside a plastic.

Pelare added that had the bomb blew inside the bus, it would have resulted in a physically powerful blast that may maim or kill most of the passengers.

So far, Tuesday’s bomb attempt was the first recorded by police happening within the election period, construed to have been timed during the heavy traffic of passengers coming home for the Holy Week.

Police said they are still investigating who are the ones behind the planting of the bomb.

Meanwhile, Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. rewarded Maisa with P10,000 cash “for his bravery and heroism in detecting and transferring the IED from inside the RTMI bus while stationed at IBJT.”

The mayor likewise bestowed citations on Pelare and the 1005th PMG as he slammed the planting of the bomb as another handiwork of “people who have nothing to do,” who just wanted to put the impression that Ozamiz City is a dangerous place and mar the otherwise peaceful observation of the Holy Week.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

El Niño damage doubles in ARMM

2010-03-31T19:36:00.000-07:00

FARMLANDS and livestock damaged in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) recorded a two-fold increase at P81,924,417.50, an El Niño Crop Damage Report prepared by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries-Autonomous Region for March stated.

Field Operations Director Dr. Salik Panalunsong said the province of Maguindanao was most affected by the dry spell with damages in rice, corn, high value commercial crops (HVCC) and livestock totaling P74,878,297.50.

This is followed by Basilan with P 5,026,100.00), Lanao del Sur with P1,673,250, and Marawi City with P346,770. No reports of damage were recorded in Tawi-Tawi and Sulu.

It was learned that some 13,216.65 total hectares of land planted with rice, corn and HVCC in these provinces were badly hit with a production loss of 26, 711.86 metric tons.

DAF-ARMM Sec. Lomala Balindong said that the department developed its El Niño Mitigation Plan to help the 9,481 affected farmers in the affected areas.

Balindong revealed that they have employed production support services like the provision of rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, root crops planting materials, insecticides, rodenticides and veterinary medicines; distribution of animals; developed irrigation and other post-harvest facilities; as well as propped up education and trainings tackling on El Niño measures.

The mitigation plan has been submitted to ARMM Gov. Ansaruddin Adiong and DA-Central Office with funding allocation worth more than P76 million.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

DAF-ARMMIARC welcomes new ROS head

2010-03-31T19:35:00.001-07:00

COTABATO CITY—The Department of Agriculture-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (DAF-ARMMIARC)–Research Outreach Station (ROS) based in MSU-Maguindanao receives its new superintendent in the person of Esmael Satol.

A press release sent by Salimbai Abdullah from the said office disclosed that Satol’s new post is in addition to his present function as station superintendent of ARMMIARC for hilly commercial crops situated in Limpongo, Datu Hoffer, Maguindanao.

Satol replaced Virgie Manuel who was designated DAF-ARMM’s Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council (RAFC) coordinator.

The press release continued that Satol is DA-Maguindanao’s provincial special project coordinator, issued by PAO Daud Lagasi, Al-haj of DA-Maguindanao.

According to Lagasi, the MSU-based research outreach station is a collaborative program under a 20-year renewable contract by and between DA-Maguindanao and MSU-Maguindanao.

The station is mandated to generate location-specific technologies to address agricultural problems encountered by the farmers and other stakeholders in the province, Lagasi added.

Recently, DA-Maguindanao officials led by its chief for operations Sidon Dumo met with the Dr. Tomanda Antok, MSU vice chancellor in Datu Odin Sinsuat, for courtesy and to officially turnover Satol as the station’s superintendent.

Antok welcomed Satol and the group. “If there is a word more than welcome, it would be it. I am thankful for an arrangement like this for this will strengthen our linkage and this is a big help in the university’s research, production, and extension sectors,” he said.

Antok said the MSU deans were enjoined to prepare research proposals and present these to DA-Maguindanao for evaluation and scrutiny. Moreover, the vice chancellor assured that MSU students and a pool of experts will always be of help to the station.

Satol, in his message, said he is planning to evaluate the station’s on-going activities for continuation and look into new programs for possible implementation.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Awhag kampanya sa pagbotar isip tawhanong katungod

2010-03-31T19:26:00.001-07:00

Pila ka adlaw na lang election na usab, ang kamandoan sa nasudnong kapulisan dinhi sa lalawigan sa Zamboanga del Sur og dakbayan sa Pagadian kusganong misuporta sa kampanya alang sa pagbaton ug matinud-anon, hapsay ug malinawon nga election.

Pinaagi niini, ang pamuno-an kapulisan sa Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office miawhag sa mga katawhan sa pag-gamit sa ilang tawhanong katungod sa pagbotar niining umaabot nga piniay Mayo 10.

Karong umaabot nga election ipahigayon ang unang higayon sa automated system nga pagbotar gamit ang computer mga makina sa pag-ihap. Busa kinahanglan nga kitang tanan mga botanti ang magpakabana og responsabli sa atong tagsa-tagsa nga kaugalingon alang maayong resulta sa umaabot nga piniliay.

Anaa sa atong mga kamot nag dependi ang maayong kaugmaon sa atong nasud pinaagi sa pagpakabana ug pag-apil sa election sa tukmang pamaagi aron dili masayang ang atong mga boto.

Sa maong pamaagi sa pagbotar pinaagi sa computerized system, Giawhag ang tanang katawhan hilabina ang mga botanti sa pag pakisayod sa tukmang pamaagi ug systema sa pagbotar.

Giawhag usab ang mga kandidato sa PAG RESPITAR SA TAWHANONG KATUNGOD pinaagi sa pagtuman sa mga balaudnon nga giawhag sa COMELEC.

Gawhag usab ang mga kandidato nga nahilambigit ug misupporta sa pinaagi sa pagperma sa gihimo nga PEACE COVENANT kaniadtong Febrero 6 sa pagtuman niining maong kasabutan aron mapahapsay ang ipahigayong election.
Giawhag usab ang tanang katawhang mga botanti sa paghiusa ug pag supporta sa maong kampanya alang sa usa ka matinud-anon, hapsay ug malinayon nga election.

Ang mga kapulisan dinhi sa Zamboanga del Sur andam usab nga motabang sa tanang higayon aron maklab-ot ug mabatonan natong tanan ang malampuson ug malinayon nga piniliay karong Mayo 10, 2010.

Daghang salamat ug hinaot nga ang ginoo magagiya unta kanatong tanan!

ZSPPO STATEMENT

Fugitive murder suspect finally arrested

2010-03-31T19:07:00.000-07:00

JOINT operatives of the Mobile Company Regional Public Safety Management Battalion (MC-RPSMB) of the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO) arrested a wanted person last March 29 at the national highway in Tiguma, this city, police said.

Senior Inspector Usman Julwadi Edding identified the arrested person as Arturo Libre, a.k.a. Baltero, a resident of Dimataling, this province, who is wanted for murder, robbery and another robbery case with intimidation.

Police said he eluded arrest since 2006 but finally fell in the hands of authorities through a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Fausto Imbing of the RTC Branch 29, San Miguel.

Police Chief Inspector Michael Palermo, Pagadian City police chief, said Baltero was also the prime suspect in the killing of the son of Rudy Tual, a retired policeman based in Dimataling.

Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena commented on the arrest of Baltero saying if not for the cooperation of a civilian informant, the effort to arrest the suspect would have been for naught.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

P4M lost to robbers in Ozamiz

2010-03-31T02:54:00.001-07:00

THREE employees of a contracting company based in Las Piñas City lost P4.5 million after two masked robbers ran away with their money supposedly to be deposited to a bank in downtown Ozamiz last March 23.

Case investigator SPO3 Jerry Llamas told journalists that the three workers of 3W Builders Inc. headed by its finance officer, Antonio Quinto, were about to disembark from their parked vehicle along Cebedo-Gallardo streets when two masked men approached Quinto, poked a gun and declared a holdup.

Quinto told police he withdrew the money from Landbank and was on his way to deposit it in Banco de Oro when the incident happened.

It was learned that 3W is the winning bidder for the design and construction of the controversial P20 million water project supply system of the Misamis Occidental Water District which was alleged to have been rigged with irregularities and partiality in the awarding of the winner.

Governor Loreto Leo Ocampos, in a meeting with media last Saturday, commented on the robbery as “under mysterious circumstances.”

Ocampos asked why the 3W employees chose to hand-carry such a large amount of money when they could have hired an armored van or use bank-to-bank transfer which is more safe and secure.

The governor added that he deplored the incident as he alluded to a big crime syndicate based in Ozamiz as the ones responsible for such a well-conspired heist.

“Dili ba kaha ni apil sa fundraising sa usa ka grupo para karong eleksiyon?” he asked.

Meanwhile, Police Inspector Raul Diones, city police chief, told this paper during a visit inside his office that the police are coming to an impression that the holdup was an inside job and that the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group handling the case are also exploring the same angle.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Green activists declare victory over bio-ethanol project

2010-03-31T02:33:00.000-07:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Local environmentalists have declared victory in the campaign to block construction of the controversial bioethanol production plant in the city’s hinterlands.

Early this week, Alsons Corporation announced that it is cancelling implementation of the project due to several uncertainties and “deterrents.”

“This is another victory for the communities of barangays Mambuaya and Bayanga,” said Carl Cesar Rebuta of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) which has taken the lead, along with the Catholic Church, in opposing the project by Alsons Corporation.

Residents of the two villages are expected to be directly affected by the project which is planned to be set up in a 25-hectare estate earlier reclassified by the local government from agricultural to agro-industrial use.

When operational, the plant is expected to produce some 100,000 liters of bioethanol from cassava in a day. To supply the raw materials for this, about 10,000 hectares of land need to be planted with cassava.

Environmentalists have assailed that the proposed plant site is located inside the watershed area of the city which is “a very critical source of the community’s domestic water needs and irrigation for the downstream farm lots.”

“The watershed must be a no-go-zone for this project that would affect the biodiversity in the area,” asserts Rebuta.

Meanwhile, environmentalists are noting increasing threats for the communities in the mining front.

Rebuta said that also this week, environment secretary Horacio Ramos has carried out reforms that make the regulatory regime governing mining more friendly for investments.

From the current 15 weeks, processing time for application of exploration permits is now within 10 weeks.

It will also take no more than 15 days to renew an exploration permit.

“This represents a hard-nosed tract of government to promote mining at all costs,” complained Rebuta.

“How much of such shortened time can be devoted to hearing the side of communities? Even when it was 15 weeks, the environment department is not so much keen on listening to them,” he added.

“This is how our government is selling our national patrimony to miners in the name of national development,” Rebuta said.

Apart from reducing the processing time, Ramos also decreed that mining contracts which were not started in the three-year development phase will be canceled.

Before commissioning, a mining project will first be subjected to field inspection. Operational mines will also be assigned each a resident inspector who will monitor compliance of the mining contract’s provisions.

Government has targeted to rake in over 13 billion dollars in mining investments within four years.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

Calvary of Sumilao farmers continues

2010-03-30T22:53:00.000-07:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Calvary of Sumilao farmers is still far from over as the Arroyo government continues to fail in its promise of giving them the titles to the land they fought for so long now.

During Biblical times, Calvary is a place near Jerusalem where Jesus Christ was crucified.

Although awarded some 144 hectares of prime agricultural land under government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), the farmers are still without title to these although they are already in actual possession of some portions. Their interests appear to be continually held hostage by more powerful interests.

Last March 29, exactly two years after San Miguel Corporation (SMC) agreed on a compromise deal, the farmers still clamor for its full implementation.

The deal was signed between representatives of the Sumilao farmers and SMC, represented no less by its president, Ramon Ang. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales served as witness.

The Sumilao farmers were awarded the 144-hectare estate September 1995 but it was revoked March 1997 after Malacañang approved its conversion from agricultural to agro-industrial use, hence, it escaped CARP coverage. The farmers have since fought to reverse this decision.

In October 1997, some 15 farmers staged a 28-day hunger strike in Quezon and Cagayan de Oro cities to dramatize their demand to reclaim the awarded land. This failed after the Supreme Court ruled with finality in 1999 upholding the land use conversion order.

Seeing non-compliance in the supposed land use conversion plan five years after, the farmers sought in 2004 that the estate be covered again by CARP. It was this campaign that drove them to launch the 60-day “Walk for Land, Walk for Justice” in October 2007.

Armed with sheer determination to reclaim the land—this time already owned by SMC—after a decade of wait, they went on to walk some 1,700 kilometers from Sumilao to Manila, overcoming the hunger and the fatigue, and endured the heat and the rains.

At this time, SMC had put up a hog-raising and meat processing facility inside the estate.

Towards Christmas that year, the Manila Archdiocese had taken the cudgels for the farmers. President Arroyo then revoked the land use conversion order and placed the estate under CARP coverage again.

This forced SMC to sit in the negotiating table with the farmers and Church officials to strike a settlement formula.

By March 2008, the compromise deal was inked. It decreed the release of 50 of the 144 hectares to the claimant farmers; the balance of 94 hectares will be acquired by SMC outside of the disputed estate and distribute to the farmers.

This development brought home the Sumilao farmers to occupy and began cultivating the 50 hectares ceded to them under the agreement.

But Peter Tuminhay, spokesman of the Sumilao farmers, complained that until today, “we have yet to receive the land titles of the 50 hectares within the contested property and the 94 hectares outside the 144-hectare disputed land.”

“We have met with the representatives of SMC and the DAR (Department of Agrarian Reform) and they have promised the land titles every time we met. Deadline after deadline came and went but the promised land titles failed to materialize. Even the title of 50 hectares we are now tilling remains an unfulfilled promise,” added Tuminhay.

Tuminhay explained that the lands offered to them by SMC have various problems; some are still leased to Del Monte, some have titles that were not surrendered by the landowners.

“We have patiently waited for two years, listened to numerous promises for several times. This will be the last deadline. Should they fail to distribute the titles today, as they have promised, we take it that San Miguel Corporation is not serious about fulfilling its commitments to us,” Tuminhay said.

“We can no longer wait for more promises. We are ready to return to our original claim should they fail to live up to their promise today,” he added.

Napoleon Merida Jr., one of the farmers on the 1,700-km pilgrimage, said that should they see more signs of insincerity, “we shall begin to occupy and cultivate portions of the original 144-hectare land.”

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

No link between climate change, earthquakes—Phivolcs

2010-03-29T20:34:00.001-07:00

THERE is no evidence which indicates that geological events like earthquakes have direct link to global warming, the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs–9) said last week.

In a consultation meeting of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) last March 25, Phivolcs-9 OIC Engr. Allan Labayog, however, confirmed a report by Greenpeace Southeast Asia that Zamboanga Peninsula is one of the Mindanao regions that will likely sink once a one-meter high tide occurs because of global warming.

The PDCC meeting with Philvolcs deals with issues, threats and effects of climate change, particularly earthquakes, tsunamis and the El Niño phenomenon.

Labayog stressed the possibility of earthquakes and tsunami in the province is high since more than half of the earthquakes in the Philippines occur in Mindanao.

On Aug. 17, 1976, an earthquake with a 7.9 magnitude occurred in the Moro Gulf and generated a 10–meter tsunami in the shores of Pagadian City killing more than 3,000 residents and destroyed properties worth millions of pesos.

Labayog likened the 1976 earthquake to the one that struck Haiti last Jan. 12, this year. He added that it’s better to have an earthquake everyday because of the tendency of so many years of stress accumulation in faults which could result to a more destructive and deadly earthquake.

An example of this is the 8.8 magnitude killer quake in Chile on February killing at least 708 people and destroyed 500,000 homes, cited Labayog, which had 50 years of stress accumulation.

And even though there is no direct link between global warming and geological activities, coastal effects of tsunami will be altered by sea–level rising, he said, like in Western Mindanao where big tsunamis occur with height ranging 8 to 10 meters.

After the discussions, the PDCC formulated initial plans of preparedness to address the existing threats of earthquakes and tsunamis, the effects of El Niño on the agriculture sector and on fire incidents as a result of intense heat.

Gov. Aurora Cerilles chairs the PDCC and PNP Regional Director C/Supt. Angelo Sunglao serves as the vice–chair while Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office Conchita San Diego is the secretariat.

Various PDCC committees include Intelligence Disaster Management Analysis and Damage Assessment, Plans and Operations, Resources, Health, Fire, Security and Police, Communication and Warning, Transportation, Evacuation and Relief, Rescue and Engineering and Rehabilitation.

REPORT BY ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU

RAFC objects to planned mining exploration in Zambo

2010-03-29T20:08:00.001-07:00

THE Regional Agricultural and Fisheries Council (RAFC) has voiced out its objection to the application of permit for mining operations in the west coast of Zamboanga City saying these parts are protected watershed areas.

RAFC is the policy-making body created by the Department of Agriculture and mandated under the Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997 to encourage people’s participation and empowerment in agriculture and fishery development through sectoral representation.

Zamboanga City AFC chairman Vicente Gregorio first raised this concern during RAFC’s first quarterly meeting held at Springland Resort, this city, and brought out the application of Rigid Aggregates Mining Corporation (RAMC) for a mining exploration in Ayala-Baluno area.

Aside from Ayala-Baluno areas, dwellers in other villages such as La Paz, Talisayan, Tulungatung, Cawit, Recodo, and Sinunuc runs the risk of potable water being contamination once the government issues a permit to RAMC to undertake mining activities in the area.

Last March 13, about 10,000 people representing various sectors, the academe, residents of the impacted barangays and anti-mining advocates held a march protest along seaside streets of Zamboanga City to voice their disapproval on RAMC’s entry into the Ayala Watershed.

In the past, environment experts have explained that toxic wastes from metallic and non-metallic mineral ores that will sip into the water basin of the watershed poses danger and risk to humans who might drink contaminated potable water.

Related to this, Provincial AFC chair Calvin Hamak of Zamboanga Sibugay, also sponsored a resolution inviting a representative from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to report in the next meeting on the alleged proliferation of manganese mining in Sibugay.

Hamak said that manganese mining is operating unchecked in Sibugay where a foreign vessel would dock every now and then in Malangas seas to transport mined manganese.

Hamak added that mining activities in the area resulted to numerous incidents of fish kills at Sibugay river due to rampant cyanide and mercury use and the DENR is said to be doing nothing about this.

A third resolution passed by RAFC tackled on Climate Change here officials from the interior and local government department were requested to present to the body its disaster preparedness program and orient the council’s participation in it.

Another resolution passed called on DA Sec. Bernie Fondevilla to furnish RAFC his priority programs on irrigation, farm-to-market roads and post-harvest facilities.

For her part, RAFC regional coordinator Buduriya Parawan emphasized that the council functions as an advisory, monitoring and evaluating body and will ensure the success of programs and projects undertaken by DA and other attached agencies for the good of the community.

REMAI ALEJADO, DA-9