Sultan Kudarat Province News January 2012

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Gov't Aid Benefits R-12, Marawi

by ALI G. MACABALANG


COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The national government has released a total of P1.075 billion in cash grants in 2011 to 145,421 beneficiaries of its continuing conditional cash transfer program in Region 12, and 10,719 others in Marawi City, a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official disclosed recently.

DSWD Region-12 Director Zorahayda Taha said the funds were released directly to some 148,660 “poorest of the poor” households in the area covered by her office last year under the anti-poverty initiative Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

In Region-12, she said, the program has served 145,421 households in 32 municipalities and five cities as prescribed by the national government’s anti-poverty convergence strategy.

Region-12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and North Cotabato, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Cotabato, Kidapawan, and Tacurong.

Taha said her office also served last year some 10,719 household-beneficiaries in Marawi City, a component of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Taha said they will pursue the program’s expansion in the said areas this year based on an earlier commitment made by President Aquino, targeting to enlist 96,695 more households in 15 identified expansion areas.

Earlier, Taha said the DSWD has delisted 11,367 households from the beneficiary database of 4Ps in Region-12 due to registry errors, fraud, and other eligibility problems.

She said the delisting “is a continuing process” of “verifying” complaints regarding questions on the status or qualification of 4Ps beneficiaries in the country.

Taha said their verifications found a number of unqualified beneficiaries such as teachers, barangay (village) officials, and other government workers, among others, had been “erroneously” listed up in previous processing.

In another development, there should be a government-sanctioned multi-sector body that will monitor the operations of the Agus and Pulangi hydroelectric plants and similar entities in Mindanao, and safeguard them from undue tinkering.

This was the gist of a consensus reached lately by electric co-operatives in Mindanao in calling on President Aquino to form a participative committee to check on the plight of the two major hydropower plants amid talks that they would be sold to private corporations.

“Our position is not to sell Agus and Pulangi,” stressed Sergio Dagooc, president of the Mindanao Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (Amreco).

Dagooc said the proposed multi-sector committee should validate the claim of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) that the hydropower plants are generating power below their capacity.

Amreco has proposed the creation of the Mindanao Power Corporation to operate Agus and Pulangi.

The Agus complex has seven facilities in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, while the Pulangi facility is in Bukidnon.

According to a published report, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson Lualhati Antonino had personally checked the power-generation status of both Agus and Pulangi plants, and found out that it could generate more power.

Antonino said the two hydropower plants could generate up to 230 megawatts for Mindanao.

Mindanao’s power supply relies largely on hydroelectric power, according to the NGCP’s 2010 Transmission Development Plan.

At least 53 percent or 902 megawatts of the total 1,697-megawatt power needs of Mindanao are from hydro resources, it said.

Shabu, assorted firearms seized

by goldstardailynews.com


ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat-A joint police operatives here seized at least forty (40) grams of shabu and assorted firearms and ammunitions along the National Highway at Barangay Kenram, Sultan Kudarat on January 21. The joint police operation of Tacurong City Police and the Police Sultan Kudarat led to the arrest of P01 Morsheed Abbas Manibpel, assigned with Marista at Cotabato City and one alias Pamanay while on board at a multi-cab driven by Manibpel with plate number KEN 417. Tacurong City police led by SP04 Miguel Biadoma deployed along the highway at Barangay San Pablo observe suspicious action of the people ridding the multi cab much more when it tried to escape but the police coordinated with Isulan PNP under Senior Inspector Eugenio Mallilin, where they were able to trap the suspects in a checkpoint of the said barangay.

Biadoma had further revealed that shabu were taken tied on the legs of Manibpel while one (1) M-16 Armalite Rifle with 2 long magazine, 3 short magazines, two (2) caliber .45 pistols with mags and ammos, ATM cards from BDO, cash money amounting to 6,610 pesos, "bluebook" and cellphones were found inside the multi cab. Thorough investigation of the case was conducted, while the suspects were presently detained at Isulan PNP Headquarters where charges against them were readied for fi ling in court.





4Ps cash grants in Region 12 reach P1.075-B in 2011

by abs-cbnNEWS.com


GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The national government has released a total of P1.075 billion in cash grants last year to beneficiaries of its continuing conditional cash transfer program in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen region and portions of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Bai Zorahayda Taha, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 12 director, said Wednesday the funds were released directly to 148,660 “poorest of the poor” households in the area that were covered by the government’s flagship anti-poverty initiative Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. In Region 12, she said the program has so far served 145,421 households in 32 municipalities and two cities as part of the national government’s anti-poverty convergence strategy. Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Cotabato, Kidapawan and Tacurong. It also covers 10,719 households in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur, which is part of the ARMM, Taha noted. Taha said they will continue with the program’s expansion in the area this year based on an earlier commitment made by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. “We’re currently targeting to enlist 96,695 more household-beneficiaries in 15 identified expansion areas,” she cited in their 2011 annual report. Taha said the enlistment of new beneficiaries is presently ongoing in Tacurong City and and Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat; Koronadal City, Tupi, Tantangan, Tampakan, Surallah, Polomolok and Norala in South Cotabato; and, Kidapawan City, Kabacan, M’lang, Libungan, Makilala and Midsayap in North Cotabato. Additional beneficiaries were also being enrolled in Alabel town in Sarangani and Palimbang in Sultan Kudarat, she said. From last year year’s target of 2.34 million households, the national government has set the expansion of 4Ps to 3.04 million households this year as part the fifth phase of its implementation. The national government earlier increased the program’s budget from P21.19 billion this year to P39.5 billion next year to cope with its planned expansion. 4Ps is a poverty reduction and social development strategy of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to “poorest of the poor” households to improve their health, nutrition and education particularly of children aged 0-14 years. The program provides beneficiaries cash grants of P500 a month for health and nutrition expenses and P300 a month per child for educational expenses. A household with three qualified children could get P1,400 monthly. In his visit to the Philippines late last year, World Bank Group president Robert Zoellick backed proposals to expand the government’s food subsidy program for the lowest-income households, saying the country’s economic growth should also benefit the poor. He described the 4Ps as a “prudent safety net” for poor families, especially in tough economic times. The World Bank has supported the nationwide rollout of the 4Ps since its launching in 2008 as a primary poverty reduction initiative of the national government. (PNA) FFC/AVE




Pinay maid accused of killing her ward in Saudi

by abs-cbnNEWS.com

SAUDI ARABIA – A Filipina maid who has been working for the same family in Riyadh for almost two decades now has been accused of killing her 17-year-old ward.

The 17-year-old victim was declared dead on arrival at the hospital on December 31, 2011. The suspect was identified as their Filipina maid, Warda Mandang.

Mandang had been working for the same family since 1993, but she was only able to visit her hometown in Sultan Kudarat only once.

Advocacy group “Patnubay” was able to talk to the suspect’s uncle, who also works as a driver for the family. He said his niece had been looking after her ward since the victim was only in grade school.

But Mandang’s cousin in Riyadh believes that the suspect was not in her right mind.

“Makahingi kami ng tulong sa mahal na presidente na malaman talaga kung anuman talagang naging problema. Pero sa akin talaga ang ano, nasisiraan na talaga ng ulo yun," said “Tumbai”, Mandang’s cousin.

Five months ago, the suspect had told Tumbai that she wanted to come home but was not allowed to by her employer.

The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has yet to receive the official report from authorities.

“Sa ngayon po ay minamanmanan namin ang kaso niya at we have been in contact with lawyers, Saudi lawyers, who could represent her in her case,” said Consul Roussel Reyes, head of the Assistant to Nationals Section.

The suspect is currently detained at the Al-Nissa Central Jail in Riyadh. -- Report from Roland Blanco, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau

Gunmen strafe house of land program beneficiary

by Malu Cadeliña Manar


KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Unidentified gunmen strafed the house of an agrarian reform beneficiary in a village in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, wounding a 38-year-old woman at around 1 a.m. Tuesday.

Wounded was Mary Jean Hiso, wife of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) beneficiary Allan Hiso, who is a land guard in one of the areas of the 909-hectare palm oil plantation, located in Barangay EJC Montilla, Tacurong City.

Tacurong City police director, Superintendent Gualberto Tuzon, said the victim was hit in the different parts of her body and was rushed at the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Hospital in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

Tuzon and his men recovered from the crime scene more than 10 empty shells of automatic rifles.

The Hisos were asleep when the incident happened. Their house is located about 50 meters away from the detachment of the Army's 33rd Infantry Battalion.

Of the two houses that stood within the 270-hectare palm plantation, one of the areas occupied by at least 300 Carp beneficiaries, only Hiso's house was attacked, reports said.

The house owned by the Besonias was spared. The Besonias, however, panicked when they heard the gunshots, according to one of the members of the family identified as Genevieve.

Immediately after the attack, Tuzon and his men scoured the area and confiscated from the security guards their issued firearms for inspection.

They also invited the guards assigned at the area for investigation. Tuzon said they wanted to know if the empty shells they recovered from Hiso's house matched the bullets of the confiscated firearms of the plantation guards.

At least 10 security guards of the plantation were invited for questioning, Tuzon said.

He added the incident at the plantation was the second this January. The first bloody incident was last January 10 when a group of Carp beneficiaries, led by a certain Eleazar Gallardo, reportedly attacked the plantation that led to the killing of two guards and the wounding of two others.

Land disputes as to the ownership of the plantation was one of the motives in the bloody incident, Tuzon said.

The 909-hectare plantation, owned by the Montilla family of Tacurong City, was already distributed among hundreds of plantation workers through compulsory acquisition under the Carp years ago.

The Montillas, however, questioned the distribution and filed charges against the beneficiaries for occupying the land, which they believed was illegal.





2 dead, 3 hurt in Sultan Kudarat land dispute

by abs-cbnNEWS.com


MANILA, Philippines – A land dispute in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat has left 2 people dead and 3 others injured.

Two security guards have already been killed because of the tension over the ownership of the 900-hectare African Palm Oil plantation in Tacurong City.

Authorities said that 2 more guards were injured last January 3.

The latest outbreak of violence occurred on Tuesday when a woman was wounded in a shooting incident.

The plantation was awarded by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Sultan Kudarat to 300 beneficiaries of the Mindanao Pioneers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative in 2011.

However, the Montilla family of Tacurong City protested the decision and filed a case against the DAR for forced entry.

The Sultan Kudarat provincial police have deployed a peace action group to the disputed land to prevent any untoward incident.

Sultan Kudarat Governor Suharto “Teng” Mangudadatu has also expressed alarm over the dispute and urged Tacurong City Mayor Lina Montilla to resolve the issue.

The mayor is reportedly related to the Montillas who are involved in the dispute. -- Report from Anne Santos, ABS-CBN News SOKSARGEN

Brigade chief

by Ali Macabalang


January 17, 2012, 3:06pm MANILA, Philippines — With an apparently lackluster in the 24th Round of Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last December 9 to 11, a senior Mindanao leader said Tuesday the peace process between the Philippine government and Muslim rebels has now entered a “make or break” phase.

Jesus Dureza, a former government panel peace negotiator, noted the two parties’ Joint Statement released after the latest negotiations, saying though it sounded “positive,” it was couched in “general terms with motherhood statements.” (Edd Usman)

Brigade chief

TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat – The Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade, locally known for its relentless efforts in helping unify people and groups in minor conflicts, underwent a leadership turnover in simple yet well-attended ceremonies here Sunday.

“After steering the Brigade’s successful Internal Security Operation (ISO) campaign, outgoing Brigade head Colonel Dece M. Yabo, turned over the baton of command to Colonel Edmundo R. Pangilinan, the former Commander of Task Force North Cotabato” at Sunday’s rites, Brigade Executive Officer Lt. Col. Noel Solas said.

18 guns seized inside Tacurong oil palm plantation

by Malu Cadelina-Manar


KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/11 January) – Police and Army operatives in Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat province recovered 18 high-powered firearms in a raid on a 900-hectare oil palm plantation in Tacurong City past 10 a.m. Monday, a police official said. Senior Supt. Danilo Peralta, provincial police director of Sultan Kudarat, said of the items they confiscated, 12 were 12-gauge shotguns, 3were M1 carbines, a 9mm pistol and 2 caliber .38 revolvers. Peralta said they raided the plantation a week after two groups of security guards manning the place exchanged gunfire that lasted for more than an hour. Two guards, one from each group, were killed and two others were wounded. The raiding team composed of operatives from the provincial and Tacurong police offices, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and the 3rd Infantry Battalion, were armed with at least four search warrants issued last Monday by Judge Jordan Reyes of the Regional Trial Court Branch 19 in Isulan town, Sultan Kudarat. Arrested during the raid were Eleazar Gallardo, former chairman of the Mindanao Pioneer Plantation Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (MinPARBenCo), and Rey Aranas of the Exodus Security Agency, where the guns were seized. Allegedly confiscated from Gallardo were two carbine rifles, one Armscor shotgun, one 12-gauge shotgun, and ammunition for these firearms. The raiding team also reportedly recovered seven shotguns, one bandolier and ammunitions for shotguns at the premises of a certain Anthony Montilla at Barrio-Dos, Barangay EJC Montilla in Tacurong, which is part of the plantation. Montilla owns the Queen Bee Security Agency, according to reports from Tacurong police. Peralta said charges of violation of Presidential Decree 1866 or illegal possession of firearms are being readied against Gallardo and Aranas while investigations are still ongoing. “We have yet to know which among these firearms were used during the armed fighting that killed two people and injured two others. Land dispute is believed to be the primary motive in the encounter,” said Peralta. The plantation has been awarded to at least 300 beneficiaries, mostly former plantation workers, through compulsory acquisition under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, according to Sultan Kudarat provincial agrarian reform officer Aaron Arumpac. The acquisition, however, was questioned by the Montillas in Tacurong City. (Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)

Arms cache seized in palm oil plantation

by Malu Cadelina Manar


KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Authorities in Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat recovered 18 high-powered firearms when they raided a 900-hectare palm oil plantation in Tacurong City around 10 a.m. Tuesday, a police official said.

Senior Superintendent Danilo Peralta, provincial police director of Sultan Kudarat, said among the firearms they confiscated were 12 12-gauge shotguns; three M1 carbines; one 9mm pistol; and two caliber 38 revolvers.

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Peralta said they raided the plantation a week after two groups of security guards manning the place exchanged fires that lasted for more than an hour.

Two guards, each belonging to the warring groups, were killed during last week's armed fighting while two others were wounded.

The raiding teams -- composed of the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police Office, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Tacurong City Police, and 3rd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army -- were armed with at least four search warrants issued last Monday by Judge Jordan Reyes of the Regional Trial Court branch 19 in Isulan town, also in Sultan Kudarat province.

Authorities also arrested Eleazar Gallardo, former chair of the Mindanao Pioneer Plantation Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (Minparbenco), and Rey Aranas of the Exodus Security Agency, where they recovered the items inside their premises.

Authorities confiscated from Gallardo two Carbine rifles; one Armscor shotgun; one 12-gauge shotgun; and several ammunitions for Carbines and shotguns.

Taken from the premises of a certain Anthony Montilla at Barrio-Dos, Barangay EJC Montilla in Tacurong City, also part of the 900-hectare plantation, were seven Armscor 12-gauge shotguns; one bandolier; and several ammunitions for shotguns.

Montilla owns the Queen Bee Security Agency, according to reports from Tacurong City police.

Peralta said charges of violation of Presidential Decree 1866 or illegal possession of firearms are being readied against Gallardo and Aranas while investigations are still ongoing.

“We have yet to know which among these firearms were used during the armed fighting that killed two people and injured two others. Land dispute is believed to be the primary motive in the encounter,” Peralta said.

The 900-hectare plantation is already given to at least 300 beneficiaries, mostly former plantation workers, through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program under the compulsory acquisition, according to Sultan Kudarat provincial agrarian reform officer Aaron Arumpac.

The acquisition, however, was questioned by the Montillas in Tacurong City.

Sultan Kudarat emerges as country’s top coffee producer

by mindanao.com


ISULAN, SULTAN KUDARAT—Few Filipino consumers are aware that the Mindanao region produces more than 70 percent of the country’s annual coffee output of approximately 98,000 metric tons. Sultan Kudarat Province alone produced more than 19,000 metric tons (MT) last year, according to data compiled by the Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The island’s main coffee production areas are in Central Mindanao, Davao City and Compostela Valley, as well as in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Coffee is an important global commodity and the Philippines is a coffee-drinking nation, with local demand growing about three percent annually. The industry has the potential for increasing livelihood opportunities for Mindanao’s farmers, including smallhold growers in conflict-affected areas. To boost the competitiveness of Mindanao’s coffee industry and to strengthen alliances between producers, processors and institutional buyers, Sultan Kudarat hosted the 1st Region 12 Coffee Congress last November, at the Provincial Capitol in Isulan. The event was a collaborative effort of the SK Coffee Industry Development Council, Sen. Ninoy Aquino Coffee Industry Development Council, provincial government of Sultan Kudarat, and Region 12 offices of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and Technical Education Skills Development Authority, with support from USAID’s GEM Program. USAID provides support to selected producer associations and other business support organizations in holding seminars, trade fairs, and other events that serve to strengthen Mindanao’s agricultural competitiveness and raise awareness of investment opportunities in the region. According to industry analysts, Robusta remains the dominant coffee variety in the Philippine market, accounting for 75 percent of total output. There is, however, an increasingly strong demand for Arabica, which serves as the base of specialty coffees for higher-end buyers, as well as a growing appreciation of other varieties such as Liberica and Excelsa. The country’s coffee output, however, has declined in recent years, due to outdated production practices, diversification into other crops, as well as a lack of post-harvest production and processing facilities, among other factors. Since 2006, the Philippines has had to import at least 20,000 metric tons of coffee beans annually, mainly from Vietnam and Indonesia Among the initiatives proposed at the congress in Isulan were the establishment of additional coffee clonal gardens and nurseries to produce planting materials of good quality, and the intensified promotion of good coffee-growing practices to improve productivity. These and other recommendations made at the congress are being consolidated by the coffee councils and will be submitted to the Department of Agriculture for implementation.

PNP-12 remains on high alert

by CT Apelacio


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Jan 9 (PIA) -- The police in Region 12 remains on high alert following the series of bomb threats in the region that started even before the New Year. Authorities here have successfully detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at 2:00P.M. Sunday (Jan 8) after a civilian reported to the police a package left unattended in Naranjita Street, this city. Police said the discovered IED is made of 81mm mortar. Police are continuously investigating the incident checking if it has any similarity with the IED found Wednesday (Jan 4) in Tantangan, South Cotabato. Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operation (DIPO) in Western Mindanao appealed to the public to be keen and watchful of their surroundings for any suspicious-looking individuals in their neighborhood. In Sarangani, a number of people panicked on Thursday (Jan 5) after a report reached them that two IEDs were to be brought to one of the towns of the province. The IEDs were believed to be coming from Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. To avoid any untoward incident, the police have immediately tightened security in the province especially in Alabel town by increasing police visibility and deploying additional police to man the highway checkpoints and other parameters within the area. Governor Migs Dominguez has ordered the provincial police to be vigilant and secure all possible entry and exit points in the province that may be served as gateway by the terrorists. He also urged the police to observe a “proactive measure” all the time and to keep monitoring the movement of possible criminal group that may be involved in terrorists’ activities. (CTA/PIA General Santos City)





Troops on full alert vs NPA movements in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat

by (PNA)

RMA/scs/AVE/AC


GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Jan. 2 (PNA) - Government troops in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces have intensified their security operations due to threats of renewed attacks by communist rebels on mining companies based in those areas.

Lt. Col. Alexis Noel Bravo, commander of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion, said Monday they received intelligence reports that local New People’s Army (NPA) units were plotting to launch attacks on facilities of mining companies, specifically those owned by Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) based in Tampakan, South Cotabato.

“They’ve been making some movements in the area, taking advantage of the ongoing suspension of military operations or SOMO,” he said.

Bravo said they initially deployed additional troops in Tampakan and in Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat to secure several villages that host some facilities of SMI.

On New Year’s Day in 2008, NPA guerrillas stormed the base camp of SMI in the mountain village of Tablu in Tampakan and burned some P12 million worth of the company equipment and facilities.

In January the following year, NPA rebels raided the Tampakan police station downtown, which resulted in the wounding of three policemen and a civilian.

Since then, the NPA rebels have warned future offensives against SMI if it would not pull out its venture also straddling the towns of Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, Kiblawan in Davao del Sur and Malungon in Sarangani.

SMI is controlled by Xstrata Copper, the world’s fourth largest copper producer, with Australian firm Indophil Resources NL as the junior equity partner.

Despite the threats, Bravo said they have not yet recorded any NPA-led harassment or attack in the area so far.

“Our intensified operations may have limited their movements. We’ll sustain our heightened alert status to ensure that no untoward incident will happen in the area,” he added.

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