Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao News May 2015

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Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao Archived News
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Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

Grand welcome for Ampatuan son out on bail

By Jeoffrey Maitem (Rappler.com)

The youngest son of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. is greeted with a hero's welcome after returning home from 5 years in prison

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – After 5 years in an overcrowded prison facility in Manila, Sajid Islam Ampatuan, one of the suspects in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, returned home to a hero's welcome organized by his supporters.

Family members, supporters, and local officials greeted Sajid, the youngest son of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., when he arrived at the gathering, after staying at a local Muslim politician's home.

Sajid was granted bail on January this year by Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes. The court allowed the temporary release of Sajid after he posted a surety bond of P11.6 million for the 58 cases against him.

Sajid is the first of the major suspects in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre to be granted temporary release. The November 23, 2009 event saw 58 people – including 32 media practitioners – killed in Ampatuan town. Sajid has maintained that his conscience is clean.

The bail petitions of his father Andal Sr, primary suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr., and Zaldy Ampatuan, former governor of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), remain pending in court.

Food like fried chicken, chicken curry, mixed vegetables, fruit salad, noodles, and beef steak were prepared for Sajid.

Visitors and local officials from the towns of Datu Unsay, Datu Hoffer, Shariff Aguak, Ampatuan, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Mamasapano, Rajah Buayan, Datu Anggal and Talayan also greeted the younger Ampatuan.

“It’s mixed emotions. I’m happy now, but I’m sad because my dad and siblings are still in prison. But because of the love and support of the people who welcomed me, I feel loved,” he told reporters.

“Life inside the jail was so difficult. It’s hot in there, and crowded inside. But because of the help of Allah, I managed to survive,” Ampatuan said.

His wife, children, mother and relatives were his source of strength while locked up in prison, he said.

The youngest among Andal Sr's children said the door is open for reconciliation with the Mangudadatu clan – the prime target of the deadly massacre.

“I am saddened because you know it’s not easy to have your loved ones gone forever. However, it’s also disappointing to pay for something and you will be jail for a crime you have not committed. It’s painful for me to see my wife and kids growing while I’m not with them,” he said.

Ampatuan recalled that before he left jail, his father and his eldest brother both advised him to take care of himself and look after their clan and constituents.

“If the people and my relatives wanted to me run for office next year, I will give in to their call,” he said.

When asked for his message for his dad and siblings, Ampatuan said he wanted them to be strong and courageous. “There is a saying, if you can bear with the difficulties in life, Allah is with you,” he said.

He thanked President Benigno Aquino III for being fair, and said Aquino did not use his power to influence the case.

For the general public that is still angry to them, he is hoping that they will respect the law.

“It’s not only me who was allowed to post bail. There were 42 police who were also allowed by the court [to post bail] before,” he said.

In total, around 60 suspects, including members of the Ampatuan clan, have asked the court to allow them to post bail.

Australian group to promote good governance in ARMM

By John Unson (philstar.com)

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - An Australian-assisted peace advocacy outfit will formally launch on Sunday a political intervention program promoting “good governance culture” among sectors in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG), which is involved in various peace-building activities in Mindanao, started organizing the “Promoting Political Climate and Stability for Peace (Pro PolitiCS for Peace) program as early as January this year.

Lawyer Benidicto Bacani, director of IAG, said Sunday’s launching of the Pro PolitiCS for Peace will be attended by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and representatives from the Australian embassy.

The government’s chief negotiator with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Miriam Coronel Ferrer, officials of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, provincial governors and mayors from ARMM are also to grace the symbolic kickoff rite for Pro PolitiCS for Peace.

The program is being bankrolled by the Australian Agency for International Development, now a partner of the IAG, which is also being assisted by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung of Germany.

“This program aims to promote a good political climate and stability and cooperation among Muslims, Christians and lumad sectors in the Bangsamoro area,” Bacani said.

He said Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, presiding chair of the 75-member House committee handling the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law, will also participate in Sunday’s event.

The non-stock, non-profit IAG has been implementing for more than a decade now various projects helping propagate good governance and political harmony among Mindanao’s tri-people - the indigenous non-Muslim hinterland groups, Moro people and Christian communities.

Bacani said prominent analysts will also speak on Mindanao political issues during Sunday’s activity, to be held in Davao City.

Stronger ARMM, not BBL, key to peace in South

(ORVRivera-PIA12)

THE non-government Philippine Council of Management (Philcoman), through its director and spokesman, Bernard Karganilla, has asked if discussion of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is not an “exercise in futility” given that a protagonist, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) “does not renounce terrorism and other acts of violence, surrender its armaments, pledge allegiance to the Philippine Constitution, shed off its belligerency and refrain from seeking intervention from foreign powers.”

In a recent meeting, members of the Philcoman board of directors unanimously agreed that the solution to the problem in the South is not passage of the BBL but strengthening of the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and strict enforcement of the gun ban and prosecution of violators of the ban.

“Unless the government removes the guns from terrorists and criminal elements, there is no way you can achieve peace in Mindanao,” Dr. Cecilio Arillo, Philcoman president, said in a statement.

In doubting the sincerity of the MILF in helping the government in achieving lasting peace in southern Philippines, Philcoman, “dedicated to the development of management and improvement of its practices in all aspects of the Philippine society,” challenged the separatist front to dismantle the “mantiqi” (operating cells and networks) of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf and other terrorist organizations in Mindanao.

BIFF is a breakway group of the MILF.

Meanwhile, Philcoman said, “Right now, the government is negotiating with the MILF at the point of [the separatist organization’s] guns and is often threatened with war and terrorism if the BBL is not approved in its entirety.”

For many years now, according to the non-profit federation, “the MILF has been expanding its territories in Mindanao because the government failed to realize early on that a negotiating table to the MILF is just an extension of its battlefield as events have shown.”

Philcoman, founded in 1954 by 10 associations, is a non-profit federation of technological societies, academic institutions, business enterprises and professional managers.

Maguindanao OFWs embark on hair, make-up course

(ORVRivera-PIA12)

COTABATO CITY, May 7 (PIA) – Overseas Filipino Workers and dependents in Maguindanao are currently training on basic cosmetology as a livelihood courtsy of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-ARMM.

According to OWWA-ARMM officer-in-charge Uga Sulaiman, some 35 members of OFW Family Circles and OWWA IT scholars are undergoing intensive course in hairstyling and make-up from May 6-8, 2015 at Al Nor Hotel Convention Center.

Sulaiman said the training aims to arm the participants with new skills in order to enhance their capabilities so they may start their small businesses and generate additional income.

During the three-day course, the participants are taught on use of beauty tools, basic techniques on hair cutting styles for men and women, hair coloring, make-up, hot oil treatment, manicure/pedicure, hair perming and foot spa.

Free beauty and cosmetology kits will be given to the participants after their graduation so that they can use their newly acquired skills to immediatelt start their small business.

We will also conduct free trainings for OFWs in other provinces of the autonomous region within the year, Sulaiman added.

The training dubbed as “Ganda mo, kinabukasan ko,” is an initiative of OWWA regional welfare office ARMM which started last year.

This is carried out under OWWA’s reintegration program which aims to reintegrate the members to the mainstream Philippine society and to provide them access to the agency’s programs and services which includes community organizing, capability building trainings and livelihood loans.

Cebu, Tawi-Tawi to cooperate in fight against illegal fishing

By Oscar C. Pineda

“CEBU remains to be the prime destination for raw corals and shells because it continues to be the center of curio and shell trade.”

This was what the briefing prepared by a team from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Bureau of Fisheries stated.

Gov. Hilario Davide III yesterday met with his counterpart from Tawi-Tawi, Gov. Nurbert Sahali, and Nur Harun, ARMM Bureau of Fisheries consultant, to discuss cooperation between the two provinces in addressing the illicit trafficking of corals and shells.

Helping each other

Their meeting had three objectives: to discuss enforcement initiatives for both provinces against coral and shell trade, to develop an information-sharing scheme and to agree on a common course of action.

“Magtinabangay kita (Let’s help each other). We collaborate with them para ma-arrest ning problema karong mga violations sa (so we can put a stop to the violations against the) Fisheries Code (Republic Act 8550),” Davide said.

The governor admitted that many endangered shells from Tawi-Tawi are shipped here to be sold.

He cited an anti-illegal fishing task force operation last June, which intercepted a truckload of triton and helmet shells worth millions from Zamboanga.

“Cebu and Zamboanga are the transshipment points whether corals and rare shells are bound for local or foreign destination,” the briefing stated.

Sahali, who said their main source of livelihood comes from the sea, thanked Davide and Cebuanos for sharing with them best practices pertaining to marine law enforcement.

“I hope collaborative efforts and trainings will be realized,” he said.

Davide said Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office Chief Chad Estella and Harun will try to come up with a solution to stop the illegal transport of corals and shells.

Traced to Talisay

Meanwhile, Harun also revealed that fishermen from Cebu have been arrested in Tawi-Tawi for using a compressor.

Although the practice is not illegal nationwide, it is in Tawi-Tawi. Harun said they have local ordinances that ban the use of compressors and cyanide.

He said the fishermen were released after they paid a fine.

Harun also said they discovered that the blasting caps they confiscated in the province came from Talisay City.

Blasting caps are used as detonating devices in explosives used in dynamite fishing.

In 2005, it was reported that Talisay City was the hub of an underground explosives trade that supplies not only to illegal fishermen, but also to terror cells.

According to a report of Tess B. Bacalla of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, at least 50 households in Talisay were believed to be churning out cheap, deadly devices.

The same report said that authorities were able to trace to Talisay the bombs used during the Rizal Day blasts in 2000.

To stop these illegal activities, Davide said his administration need the support of the community, local government unit and law enforcement agencies.

Coast Guard: Minor, 2 adults nabbed in Tawi-Tawi for illegal fishing

By Joel Locsin / KG (GMA News)

A minor and two adults were arrested off Tawi-Tawi last weekend for illegal fishing, the Philippine Coast Guard said Monday.

The Coast Guard said its personnel caught the three—one of whom was a 12-year-old boy—using dynamite at Sitangkai Pier, 600 yards from the Coast Guard detachment.

It said the explosions prompted the Coast Guard at the detachment to deploy a team aboard an aluminum boat to the area.

The Coast Guard apprehended the motor banca and towed it to Sitangkai Pier.

It identified the arrested adults as Hussin Alih, 50; and Julie Dungog, 29. The three are residents of Barangay Poblacion in Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi.

Peace more attainable in Central Mindanao with Usman's death, says Catapang

By Priam F. Nepomuceno [(PNA), RMA/PFN]

MANILA, May 4 (PNA) -- With the neutralization of Basit Usman and five of his followers in Guindulungan town, Maguindanao Sunday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said that peace will be more attainable in Central Mindanao.

Usman and his followers were reportedly gunned down by his fellow terrorists due to differences.

He also said that more work needs to be done to make this a reality.

"(To win the peace), we will have to win progress and prosperity for the people of Mindanao, so now we are bringing in peace and developments, put up roads for peace, put up bridges for peace, hospital and school buildings for peace," Catapang said.

This is on top of neutralizing the peace spoilers and terrorists known to be operating in the area.

Catapang also downplays fear of possible retaliatory attacks from Usman's remaining followers, as the late terrorist has now run of followers and bodyguards.

He also said that the military will remain in the area to ensure the peace.

"We will stay in the area, as this the second phase of our Internal Peace and Security Peace 'Bayanihan' campaign, right after we win the peace, we will move forward for peace and development projects, we will stay there, in time for (the) projects to come in," he said.

Marawi mentors hit ‘discriminatory’ ARMM autonomy

By Ali G. Macabalang

Marawi City – Officials and teachers in the Marawi City Schools Division here yesterday renewed their call for justice in their raging tug-of-war with Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) officials and their local cohorts, asking higher authorities to save them from their superiors’ alleged “discriminatory” practice of autonomy.

Incumbent Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) Mona Macatanong said the alleged abuse of autonomous power by the ARMM leadership is “sending a bad signal” in the current government peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that seeks more autonomy for a proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) via a draft law now being deliberated upon in Congress.

According to Macatanong and her supporters, their sad plight is giving more reasons for opposing quarters to question and stunt the congressional passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which seeks to create the BJE in lieu of the 25-year-old ARMM.

They lamented that while harnessing autonomy for other schools divisions in Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao and Lamitan City, the ARMM’s Department of Education (DepED) has deprived Marawi City SDS office of its monthly Maintenance and Other Operating Expense (MOOE) funds because of Macatanong’s defiance of a regional order in May, 2014 compelling her to “retire retroactively” and designating officers-in-charge in her stead.

Macatanong said the Lanao del Sur Cooperative has already warned of cutting electricity supplies to the Marawi City SDS office for its failure to pay accumulated power bills since the stoppage of the MOOE in June 2014.

MILF, AFP in Maguindanao to have separate free viewings of Pacquiao-Mayweather bout

(Agence France-Presse)

COTABATO - In a rare common cause, both rebels and soldiers in the war-torn southern Philippines will watch local boxing icon Manny Pacquiao take on Floyd Mayweather, with hopes that Sunday's mega-bout will bring a brief respite from violence.

The Muslim rebels and government forces will have separate free viewings of the Las Vegas clash, as the nation waits to see whether Pacquiao will triumph during the epic fight.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country's largest Muslim armed group, will watch the fight on a widescreen TV at a compound in Maguindanao on Sunday, said MILF vice-chairman Ghadzali Jaafar.

"They asked me if they could show it outside my office. I told them okay, I see no problem with that," Jaafar told AFP.

He said both MILF members and non-members were free to attend the showing in the tightly guarded compound barely a kilometer from the MILF's heavily armed main camp.

When asked whether he expects that there will be no trouble during the fight, he said: "We pray for that. That is our hope."

Army 6th Infantry Division spokeswoman Captain Joan Petinglay confirmed that the military forces in Maguindanao will also have their own showing of the fight in a gymnasium on Sunday.

The Philippines has been known to come to a standstill during its boxing hero's fights, with criminals and guerrillas of various stripes eagerly following his matches.

Pacquiao's long-awaited battle with Mayweather has gained even more attention, as it will finally settle which of the two is the best pound-for-pound fighter of their generation.

Maguindanao has been one of the hotspots of the four-decade separatist struggle that has claimed an estimated 120,000 lives.

The MILF's Jaafar denied that the group, which is negotiating peace with the government to end decades of a Muslim separatist war, was holding the screening as a sign of support for Pacquiao, who is regarded by many Filipinos as a national icon.

"We are supporting the sport [of boxing]. Whoever is involved in the sport, we will want to support both of them. We are not siding with anyone, as far as I am concerned," he said.

"There may be individual MILF who are siding with Pacquiao," he conceded.

PDEA-ARMM continues campaign vs illegal drugs despite filing of charges against its agents

(PNA), FFC/NYP/EOF

COTABATO CITY, May 1 (PNA) -- Despite the filing of charges against agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency here by suspected "high value drug" trafficker, PDEA agents in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM) continued its anti-narcotics operation and arrested a suspected pusher Thursday, PDEA-ARMM said Friday.

"The charges against us will not hamper the PDEA-ARMM campaign against persons engaged in illegal drug trade," Special Agent Marvin Mendoza told reporters.

Acting on a tip from concerned citizens about rampant illegal drug pushing near the Cotabato City's old slaughterhouse, PDEA-ARMM agents immediately conducted a drug buy bust operation using a poseur buyer.

Mendoza said the operation led to the arrest of suspected drug peddler Salidatu Salik Abas, 43 who was caught in the act of selling suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as "shabu" to a PDEA agent Thursday morning along Catalina St., Pansacala, Rosary Heights 10, Cotabato City.

Abas did not resist arrest as he was caught by surprise.

Seized from the suspect’s possession were small transparent sachets of suspected shabu worth PHP7,000, marked money worth PHP200, shabu paraphernalia and an unlicensed improvised 12-gauge pistol.

Mendoza said Abas has been charged for violation of Art. II, Sec. 5 and 11, of RA 9165, known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs of 2002 and RA 10591 for illegal possession of firearm.

He admitted selling and pushing of prohibited substance have become bolder and rampant in the city because of the presence of "high value targets" operating here.

Early this week, Mendoza and about 12 of his men were charged with evidence fabrication and robbery before the office of the Ombudsman by suspected drug trader Samera Canapia.

Canapia of Cotabato City and among the "high value target" in the list of PDEA-ARMM said the evidences of the charges hurled against her, her family and employees were "fabricated" and "planted."

Mendoza claimed his office has been expecting the charges to come after PDEA busted a suspected big time drug trafficker.

According to Canapia, she lost more than PHP2 million worth of valuables and properties when the PDEA agents raided her home on January 23 this year. Among the missing items were PHP500,000 cash.

Undetermined number of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride chloride, assorted firearms, electronic gadgets and shabu paraphernalia were taken from Canapia's house during the raid covered by a search warrant.

Canapia and several members of her family were detained but later released after posting bail.

Saying anti-narcotics agents have been in this situation before, Mendoza said PDEA-ARMM is ready and prepared to face the charges.

"We are ready, we expect this thing to happen, normally high value targets of PDEA get back at us by filing charges," Mendoza told reporters.

"This is not new to us anymore, we know the capability of Canapia that is why she was classified as high value target. Canapia has all the resources aside from the backing of syndicate, this is a normal move of the syndicates to discredit the agency," Mendoza said.

He also denied the charges hurled by Canapia, including the alleged use of expensive wrist watches and sun glasses by PDEA agents they posted on FB accounts.

"Are these items only exclusive to them? Are our agents can't afford to buy one? Are these limited edition that nobody can buy except them?" Mendoza asked.

Mendoza stressed that the raid was above board and conducted in the presence of village officials and local media.

"All the seized items were properly documented and the certificate of inventory was signed by Canapia and the village officials," Mendoza said.

The PDEA official said the filing of charges will not stop them from performing its duties and make the ARMM drug free.

He considered the filing of charges as "defense mechanism" on the part of the suspects and a harassment to the anti-narcotics agency.

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