LTO to distribute vehicle plates starting July 5

PAGADIAN CITY – The Good News! Starting on July 5, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) said it will begin to release vehicle license plates nationwide.

LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante said the circulation of the plates is already finished, with distributions to the regional offices are ongoing.

“We are done with the circulation, distribution is ongoing. Release will be done simultaneously on July 5. We will do this by batches. As soon as a new batch becomes available, LTO will deliver to the regional offices.”

“This is a long pending issue that we are settling now. I am happy that with the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte and DOTr Secretary Art Tugade, we are able to deliver our promise to give to our motorists the plates that they have long been waiting for,” Galvante said.

DOTr stands for Department of Transportation.

Galvante said with LTO’s new plate-making facility, the DOTr and LTO will continue to make improvements to develop plate production capacity to completely address the backlog of vehicle license plates.

“As the DOTr and LTO continuously find ways to enhance our plate production capacity, we seek more patience from our citizens. Konting-konti na lang po. Asahan po ninyo hindi namin kayo bibiguin,” he said.

This was also confirmed by lawyer Aminola Abaton, the LTO regional director for Western Mindanao. He said vehicle owners will now have their plates soon. “This is a good development and we are doing our best to completely address the backlog in the distribution of these plates to the motorists,” Abaton told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

Abaton, who is based here, is largely hailed by the public for the many reforms he introduced in LTO offices under his command. He is also behind the eradication of fixers and efficient services in all LTO offices in Western Mindanao, including new edifice that houses various departments of the agency. (Mindanao Examiner)

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OFWs assail delay in peace talks with rebels

FILIPINO WORKERS in Hong Kong and Macau in China who are members of the patriotic group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan o BAYAN assailed the Duterte government for delaying the resumption of the peace talks with communist rebels.

They also strongly criticized Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza for his proposal to use Filipino workers abroad as so-called “peace ambassadors.” Dureza was quoted by Bayan as saying: “We have a concept and a way of how we can involve our OFWs and we call these the ‘Peace Ambassadors’.”

“OFWs will not be made as pawns for the dirty game to further delay the resumption of the peace talks. For what purpose is the government’s plan to make OFWs as peace ambassadors? To legitimise their bankrupt justifications for the delay if not, later on, outright cancellation of the peace talks?” asked Eman Villanueva, BAYAN chairman for Hong Kong and Macau.

In a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner, Villanueva said that just and lasting peace is what the Filipino people want.

“No ordinary Filipino will reject a just resolution of armed conflict rooted in abject poverty, landlessness, unemployment and massive inequality that deprive millions of Filipino people of a decent life and force them to work overseas. Only those who benefit from the tyrannical rule of the Duterte government - the warmongers, the oligarchs and the US imperialist - will oppose a just and lasting peace,” he said.

“We have much at stake in the talks for socio-economic reforms as such play a major part in the continuing forced migration and labor exportation of our people. We, overseas Filipinos, will not permit ourselves to be used to stall, or worse, abort the process just so Duterte can continue his bullish and tyrannical ways,” Villanueva added.

Duterte has temporarily suspended peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines or NDFP, the political wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed group, the New People’s Army, and sought the position of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other stake holders; and to hold consultations across the country to ensure the provisions of the peace accord will not violate the Constitution.

Villanueva said Dureza was behind and the cause of the delay in the resumption of the peace talks. “The proposal of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza to conduct a public consultation about the on-going peace negotiation between the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) and NDFP is a way of delaying if not completely derailing the peace talks.”

“If the Duterte government is truly concerned in getting the public involved in the whole process why only now? They should have started it long before the start of the back-channel talks focusing on the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-economic Reforms or CASER, which will root out the very reasons of the armed conflict between the government and the NDFP-CPP-NPA,” he said.

“The peace-loving Filipinos overseas cannot be deceived. We understand that the root cause of poverty, unemployment, low wages and the possible solutions on why, in the first place, we are forced to work abroad are embodied in the CASER. The economic backwardness that put millions of Filipinos in lamentable situations can be addressed if genuine agrarian reform and national industrialisation will be implemented in our country,” he added.

Villanueva said the public consultation only exposes the dubious agenda of the Duterte government on the peace negotiation. “We see here a scenario of over-delaying or cancellation of the peace talk and making the Filipino people, including OFWs, as scapegoats in this hullabaloo The OFWs will not take the bait of the Duterte government in advancing his tyrannical and dictatorial manoeuvring at the expense of Filipino peoples’ desire for a just and lasting peace,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Proposed coal-fired power plant, coal mine project shelved!

THE CLIMATE REALITY Project Philippines has commended Ozamiz City and South Cotabato province in Mindanao for leading the way towards a healthy and sustainable future.

This, after the City Council of Ozamiz revoked recently its previous resolution favorably endorsing the proposal of Ozamiz Power Generation, Inc. to build a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant.

Another resolution was also adopted and approved requesting civil society organizations and residents to look for sources and prospect investors of a cleaner and affordable renewable energy in the city.

In South Cotabato, the Provincial Council rejected June 25 the proposed Lake Sebu large-scale coal mining project of Daguma Agro Minerals, Inc., a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation. It was argued that the project violates the environment code of South Cotabato which bans open-pit mining.

Together with other provinces and communities like Masbate, Leyte, Guimaras, Bohol, Ilocos Norte, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental and Romblon, Climate Reality Project Philippines said it cannot deny that solutions to the climate crisis are at hand.

It said coal is a dirty fuel - from start to finish – and the process of mining coal also blasts away mountaintops and leaves all kinds of toxic slurry ponds behind. Worldwide, more carbon pollution comes from the burning of coal than any other fuel.

The Climate Reality Project Philippines said it agrees with the report released by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) saying that "the Philippine’s financial sector is massively exposed to the imminent stranding of proposed coal plants in the country, which amount to over 10,000 megawatts or $21 billion (P1.05 trillion at P50 to $1)".

“Prudent reform is required to level the playing field in the energy sector and to hold investors accountable for their own investment errors. The Philippines is heavily but needlessly over-dependent on coal, which is a losing gamble. The entire nation could be locked into two decades of paying for coal power it may not end up using,” said IEEFA energy finance analyst Sara Jane Ahmed, co-author with ICSC energy policy advisor Jose Logarta Jr. of “Carving out Coal in the Philippines: Stranded Coal Plant Assets and the Energy Transition.”

Climate action with genuine political will is an effective tool to level-up, to leave dirty old coal and embrace indigenous renewables. “We recognize their commitment to catalyse a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every level of society in the spirit of fair share and climate justice,” Climate Reality Project Philippines said.

“The Philippines has abundant sources of sustainable energy: geothermal, solar, wind and hydro – in which Filipino resourcefulness, creativity, and intelligence will guarantee a reliable and sustainable smart grid for everyone. It is, indeed, commendable that local governments and communities are acting on the Paris Agreement and sustainable development, as a whole,” it added.

Environmental groups are also monitoring the proposed coal-fired power plant in Zamboanga City by the San Ramon Power, Inc. or SRPI of Alsons Power Group in Talisayan village where locals had previously protested its entry.

They urged the Zamboanga City Council to revoke its permission for SRPI to build the power plant, saying, it will only cause pollution and damage the clean environment and pose health hazards not only to humans, but animals as well.

In other countries, including China and the United States, coal-fired power plants are now being replaced by renewable energy sources, such as sun, wind, ocean waves and other “green” technology that leave no carbon footprints in the environment. (Mindanao Examiner)

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China mulling poverty alleviation projects in Philippines

CHINA IS conducting feasibility studies since last yeat for poverty alleviation projects that its government will set up in the Philippines, but according to the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) this would be in the form of grant.

“It would be part of the assistance package the Chinese government will provide to the Philippines,” NAPC Lead Convenor Secretary Liza Maza said. “They (Chinese) want to see what possible areas they want to put up the poverty alleviation projects.” She said the projects are expected to be set up in rural areas with high incidence of poverty.

“They said they can offer their poverty alleviation expertise in the rural areas. They can share their knowledge to us,” Maza said.

The Chinese experts, she said, have so far visited several rural and urban poor communities in Bulacan and some parts of Metro Manila. She said the Philippines can learn a lot from China’s successful poverty alleviation program which lifted over 700 million Chinese people out over poverty for the last 30 years.

“We’ve learned that their case of development was really anchored in land reform and industrialization. That is the lesson we can learn from them,” Maza said. Acting Director General Tan Weiping, of the International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC), said they are happy to share its experiences in poverty reduction.

“We are still in the discussion of the project but we are happy to share our experiences in poverty reduction,” Tan said. Maza said the memorandum of agreement on the implementation of the poverty reduction projects is expected to be signed within the year.

She said the Philippines can also learn from experiences and best practices of its Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) neighbors’ poverty reduction programs. Aside from the Philippines, ASEAN members include: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Cambodia. (Jelly Musico)

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Slain cops’ families cry for justice

CEBU – Families of policemen killed by friendly fire during a security patrol in Samar province in central Philippines were crying for justice as both the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines investigate the deadly incident.

Army soldiers killed the policemen and wounded 9 more after they mistook the unit as members of the communist rebel group New People’s Army in Rosal village in Santa Rita town. The soldiers, all from Charlie Company of the 87th Infantry Battalion, attacked the group of policemen who were tracking down the rebels.

The policemen had no chance on the battle-hardened soldiers, although they managed to hold on fighting the infantrymen for about 20 minutes until reinforcements arrived. At the end of the fighting, six policemen laid dead – many of them with gunshot wounds in the head, believed to have been taken down by army snipers.

The soldiers were also in the same area and hunting down NPA insurgents. There was no report military casualties and the Armed Forces of the Philippines called the incident as “misencounter.” Police said Lieutenant Orlando M. Casipit Jr. was the commander of the army squad, comprising of 16 soldiers, who attacked the policemen.

Casipit and his men were all relieved from duty while the investigation is going on. The slain policemen – members of the 805th Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion – have been identified as Phil Rey Mendigo, Edwin Ebrado, Wyndell Noromor, Rowel Reyes, Julie Escalo and Julius Suarez – all with the rank of Police Officer 1.

And the wounded as Romulo Cordero, Elmer Pan, Chris Angelo Pialago, Jaime Galoy, Rey Barbosa, Jonel Gonzaga, Rommel Bagunas, Janmark Adones, and Roden Goden, also Police Officers 1. It was not immediately known whether the policemen, who were all clad in camouflage uniform, were fresh recruits and on a test mission. (Cebu Examiner) of inefficiency in the office,” Buenafe said. (Luel Galarpe)

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DOLE launches ‘Serbisyo, Now Na!’

CEBU CITY - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Central Visayas launched its “Serbisyo, Now Na!” campaign that aims to provide the public on-time and quality services.

DOLE Regional Director Alvin Villamor said they initiated the campaign to encourage everyone in the department to help one another to be able to respond to the concerns and needs of their clients immediately.

“There’s a lot of work to be done and what is essential is that no concern or issue is left neglected. It has to be acted upon immediately, even if the desired results are not achieved right away. Dapat asikasuhin kaagad,” Villamor said.

With “Serbisyo, Now Na!”, DOLE demonstrates its support for the government’s campaign against red tape, Villamor said, adding, the campaign would instil a sense of moral responsibility among civil employees, along with the value of giving due attention to the concerns or issues of their clients.

He said the campaign also seeks to provide immediate action on concerns raised by the department’s employees. “The concerns of our employees are definitely of equal importance. So, I am directing the Internal Management Support Division, particularly the Human Resource Department, to be proactive and look into the needs and concerns of the employees,” he said.

Villamor also challenged all field offices, divisions and units to implement the systems that have already been put in place and work. “You can all watch me work and I will also watch you work. I am not running away from this responsibility, which I have already embraced wholeheartedly. So, let us be in this together,” he said.

DOLE Assistant Regional Director Roy Buenafe also urged civil workers to actively incorporate the initiative of “Serbisyo, Now Na!” in their daily work. “In any transaction, the imposition of additional irrelevant items other than those listed in the documentary requirements for instance, is already red tape and that must be stopped. This is only one of the many things that we want clearly defined and we will not tolerate anybody practicing this kind of inefficiency in the office,” Buenafe said. (Luel Galarpe)

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Police tighten security after rebels threaten to launch attacks

DAVAO CITY – Police have ordered a tightened security across the country after communist leader Jose Maria Sison threatened to launch attacks following President Rodrigo Duterte’s refusal to free over 500 imprisoned rebels as a condition for the formal resumption of the peace talks.

Sison said there will be no more peace talks and it is now better for the New People’s Army to oust Duterte.

Senior Superintendent Benigno Durana, the national police spokesman, said they have intensified security measures in all police facilities and installations in the country. He said police forces were told to “observe extra precautionary measures in their movements from their residences to their places of work.”

“This alert notice is treated with most preferential attention to pre-empt any attack or abduction of our personnel,” he said.

He said Police Director General Oscar Albayalde ordered regional commanders to stay alert and vigilant in anticipation of possible increased armed activity, violent action, and show of force by the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Durana said all police regional offices were directed to implement so-called Enhanced Managing Police Operations by conducting regular law enforcement activities, security measures, among others.
“Based on historical data, the local communist movement is known to launch high-profile raids, ambuscades, and attacks on isolated government posts and soft targets to project an image of strength and influence to prop-up its bargaining stand in negotiations,” he said.

Duterte delayed the resumption of the peace talks to allow more public consultations. But the military has opposed the release of rebels, one of several demands by the communist peace negotiators, to re-start the talks.

The rebels have been fighting for a separate state for many decades now, and Duterte said he is ready to engage the insurgents in war. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Letters from Davao: ‘Leaving the Church and revisiting Boracay’ By Jun Ledesma

WE ARE SO enmeshed in the unearthing and concealing the skeletons of the Church (which now includes that of kibitzing Bro. Eddie Villanueva’s JIL) we forgot what’s happening in the cesspool of Boracay.

What is the score? The simple targets which President Duterte wants to be achieved can be weaved in simple questions, thus: 1. Is the 25+5 easement from the shoreline been observed as bases of which establishment has to be demolished? If so how many establishments had been demolished? 2. Is the main road that cuts across the 1,000-hectare Boracay islet widened based on DPWH specs? If so, were there establishments that were demolished? 3. Was there a case or cases filed against local government officials and individuals who converted the national wetlands into commercial establishments? 4. Who profited from the conversion?  

And 5. There are two water concessionaires in Boracay charging rates that appears to be the highest in Asia. Have they established a modicum of a sewerage system or at least a septage treatment plant? 6. Why should Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) be investing P300-million in sewerage system when this is supposed to be done by the water concessionaires and big hotel establishments? 7. Who set West Cove on fire? There are security details in the area. Why are they so quiet? 8. With millions of domestic and foreign tourists going in and out of Boracay, we could surmise that collections of various fees, among them entry and the use of beachfront as extension of resto establishments, would amount to billions of pesos. Have these been accounted for? Have they any preliminary reports?

Few questions to ask. If there are answers to these then we can rest our case. But as I can see from afar and heard from print and social media, the departments task to do President Dutere’s directive have barely scratch the problems beseting the prime tourist destination in the country - Boracay. So DILG Asec. Epimaco Densing announced he will before the Ombudsman a case of grave neglect of duty against 10 local officials. 

My gosh he even refused to name them! The punishment, if any, will be a tender rap in the knuckles of whoever are the sacrificial animals in this case.  So far no one is held responsible and if the scandals in the Church and in the house of Eddie continue, the cesspool and stinking corruption in the islet of Boracay will just be relegated to the catacombs of oblivion. (Jun Ledesma)

ARMM Village Exhibit Shows Culture, Traditions and Rich History of Bangsamoro People

COTABATO CITY – To enlighten many Filipinos who are still unfamiliar with Bangsamoro’s rich cultural heritage, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) opened to the public its grandest mock village exhibit that showcases the variety of cultures, traditions, history, and unity of the Bangsamoro people.

The exhibit aims at bringing a lifelike presentation of unity amidst diversity of the culture and people of the Bangsamoro so that individuals – Moro and non-Moro alike – can learn from, appreciate, and experience such cultural event. The exhibit, located in this city, features a village representing each of the ARMM’s five provinces namely: Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

“Ang mga villages ay hindi lamang itinayo para magsaya, itinayo ito upang mas maunawaan ng ibang mga tao ang kulturang meron tayo dito sa ARMM,” said Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman. “Lalo kaming na-engganyo na ituloy ito (pagtatayo ng cultural village) dahil noong proseso ng Bangsamoro Basic Law, marami talaga sa mga policy makers natin ang hindi nakakaunawa sa ating mga kwento at kasaysayan.”

Among the mock cultural villages in the exhibit is that of the beautiful province of Maguindanao. Literally means “people of the flood plain”, Maguindanao is one of the many Moro ethnic groups in the country.

A gigantic Kampilan will welcome visitors as they enter the Maguindanao village. The kampilan or sword, is one of the well-preserved artifacts featured in the village. Historical documents noted the kampilan was widely used as weapon during warfare and as a headhunting sword.

Built as the main attraction inside the Maguindanao village is a replica of Tulugan, or the House of Sultan, which symbolizes the government of the Maguindanaons. In the early 15^th century, Sharif Muhammad Kabungsuan from the Royal House of Malacca, arrived in Mindanao and introduced the Islamic faith, customs, and the Sultanate system of governance.

Found inside the Tulugan is a set of the most important musical instruments of the Maguindanaon tribe – the Kulintang ensemble.  The ensemble consists of five instruments, these are the kulintang (a series of eight graduated gongs), agong (wide-rimmed gong), dabakan (goblet-shaped drum), gandingan (set of four thin-rimmed gongs), and the babandir (small thin-rimmed gong).

The Tulugan is adorned with colorful Maguindanaon traditional weaves such as the Inaul, Tudung,
and Galang. Also featured inside the Tulugan are Muslim brassware like the lutuan (silver-inlaid betel box), gadur (food containers with minaret-like tops), and panalagudan (pot holders). These objects usually decorate the affluent Maguindanao home, indicating wealth and status.

The rich culture of Maguindanao is just one of the many things ARMM’s exhibit offers. Through the village exhibit, people – especially those outside of the region – will get to experience what it is like to be part of a diverse yet united community that is the Bangsamoro. (Bureau of Public Information)

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Philippines holds 3 foreign missionaries

DAVAO CITY – Three foreign missionaries who took part in a fact-finding investigation of alleged human rights abuses in southern Philippines had been detained by authorities, according to the United Methodist Church.

It said the trio - Tawanda Chandiwana, Miracle Osman and Adam Shaw – have been arrested in Mindanao and brought to a detention center in Taguig City, just outside the Philippine capital, Manila.

Chandiwana, from Zimbabwe, was arrested on May 9 in Davao City. He was initially charged with overstaying his missionary visa and the charge was expanded when his name was found on a “watch list” of alleged subversives. He denied any wrongdoing and faults a delay in filing visa paperwork.

Osman, a citizen of Malawi, was in the process of renewing her missionary visa, according to the United Methodist Church, when her passport was confiscated by government officials. And Shaw, an American citizen, has been informed that an order to leave is imminent, but it has not been served.  

“All three missionaries, assigned to ministries in Davao City, took part in an international fact-finding investigation of human rights concerns in General Santos City last February and apparently came under government surveillance at that time,” the United Methodist Church said.

It said the missionaries pose no threat to the peace and tranquillity of the Philippines.

“Our request is that Chandiwana be released from detention, granted an exit visa, and be allowed to leave the country as expeditiously as possible. We ask that Osman’s passport be returned and she be granted an exit visa, and that Shaw be allowed to depart safely,” it added, saying, “We have placed young adult missionaries in Mindanao since 2006. We hope to continue to work productively with Filipino partners.”

The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church has appealed to the Duterte government for the release of the missionaries, who are part of the Global Mission Fellows program who give 20 months of mission service in countries different from their own.

The program’s placements are coordinated with the United Methodist Church in the Philippines, which is an organic part of our international denomination, represented by three episcopal areas, Manila, Davao and Baguio. “We call on United Methodists worldwide to observe daily prayer beginning at noon on June 27 for the missionaries’ safety and for government permission to return to their homes,” it said.

There was no immediate statement from the Bureau of Immigration and government leaders on the arrest and detention of the missionaries. Two Catholic priests - Father Marcelito Paez and Father Mark Ventura, had been murdered and another wounded in a gun attack, Father Rey Urmeneta, in the Philippines since December last year. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Sayyaf militant captured in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Local police have captured an Abu Sayyaf fighter, who allegedly took part in mass abductions and brutal murders of civilians in the southern Filipino province of Basilan over a decade ago.

Police said Wahab Salapuddin, alias Abu Damdam, was tracked down in his hideout in the coastal village of Sangali late Thursday afternoon. Salapuddin is also wanted by authorities in Basilan and had a string of criminal charges filed in court against him in connection to the Abu Sayyaf attack at a coconut plantation in Lantawan town.

More than a dozen, mostly farm workers, had been taken hostage in the town and eventually beheaded by the militant group tied to the Islamic State.

There were no other details on Salapuddin’s capture or how police managed to track down the militant, or if he was alone here or whether his group was planning to carry out attacks in Zamboanga. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Search for Muslim girl’s abductors continues

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Security forces were searching for a seven-year old daughter of a Muslim merchant abducted by suspected Abu Sayyaf militants in the remote Tawi-Tawi province in southern Philippines, officials said Thursday.

The gunmen seized the victim and shot her mother during the abduction in the village of Himba in the island-town of Tandubas on Monday. Authorities said the militants arrived on a motorboat in the village and seized the girl from their store.

The victim’s father took his gun, opened fire on militants and sparking a firefight that left his wife wounded after being shot by one of the abductors. The gunmen escaped along with the girl, whose surname is Astah.

Tawi-Tawi, which is near the Malaysian state of Sabah, is one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.

No individual or group claimed responsibility for the daring abduction and officials did not say whether the gunmen had contacted the victim’s family.

While the hunt for the gunmen continues, police said it is holding an Abu Sayyaf fighter who was captured recently in the neighboring province of Sulu where security forces are battling the militant group tied to the Islamic State.

Police said Suaid Hayudini is currently being investigated here, but details of the interrogation were not immediately available. Hayudini was said to have participated in cross-border raid in Sabah in 2000 where the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped 21 mostly European holidaymakers and Asian resort workers.
It was unknown whether police seized weapons from Hayudini.

The Abu Sayyaf is still holding about a dozen hostages, mostly foreign sailors, in the restive region. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Letters from Davao: ‘Reviving the grand inquisition’ By Jun Ledesma

IN THE FEUD between the Roman Catholic Church and President Rodrigo R. Duterte, the biggest loser is the former. Duterte for all the years that he had served as Vice Mayor, City Mayor, and Congressman in Davao City and early in his term as President, never ever stepped into the realm of the religious. The few instances that he spoke about his faith in God are when he guested in the program “Give Us This Day’ of his friend, Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy. I participated in most of these interviews where the Mayor would briefly expound on his personal experience with God. Early on, I knew that Duterte’s faith on the Supreme Being is not founded on catechism, dogmas and doctrines but something that is a lot deeper than what some bishops and priests portray him.

Let me take you back in time. When the Mindanao political leaders re-launch Federalism they sought out Mayor Duterte to spearhead a national campaign to revive and assess the impact of a Federal form of government. I was witness to many of these fora. What really struck me most was when Duterte spoke before an assembly of Chief Executives of Asia in a hotel at the heartland of Makati City, the turf of Vice President Jojo Binay. During the open forum, Federalism took the backseat as the captains and owners of industries urged him instead to run for President! Duterte repeatedly declined the calls and offer of support saying there are a number of aspirants to the Presidency and that they are all qualified. For his part, he’d say it’s a matter of God’s will, the One who designs everybody’s destiny.

I have seen Duterte grappling with the pressure on him to run but he abhors the enormity of the power of the Presidency. The survey had him inching towards the top even as he was not a declared candidate. When the time to file the certificates of candidacy came he was nowhere to be found and the day lapsed without Duterte in the list of presidential bets. Confronted later by friends and the media why he refused to vie for the post, Duterte curt reply was that God defines his destiny.

Lawyer Duterte ultimate dream was to become a city fiscal. He became one and was happy and contented. Alas he was! He landed in the political arena which was never in his bucket list. His mother, the late Soledad “Nanay Soleng” Duterte, a pillar in the “Yellow Friday” protest march against Marcos, was appointed Vice Mayor of Davao City by President Cory Aquino. She refused. What happened next was her named was merely crossed out and in lieu the name “Rodrigo” was written over her’s. When the first regular elections were held even the political opposition led by the late Sen. Alejandro Almendras solidly supported him. The hand of the Lord must have indeed defined his destiny.

In the last Presidential elections, PDP-Laban candidate Martin Dino, withdrew following the move by the Commission on Elections declaring him a nuisance candidate. Who else would best qualify but Rodrigo Duterte, the reluctant candidate. The man saw the hand of God and he relented. It can only be his strong bondage with God solidly founded on his experience and encounters with Him that he yielded. The rest is history.

Duterte made it his covenant with God whom he believed in that he will address the drug problems that destroy the physical and moral fibers of the youth, eradicate corruption and all forms of criminal syndicates that bedevilled the nation. It was to be a bloody war. On the record there were about 3,000 who were killed in police operations and there were casualties which were the handiwork of drug lords in an attempt to silence those who they suspected might led to their identity. On the other hand close to a million drug pushers and users surrendered to the authorities for rehabilitation. The problem was the leaders of Catholic Bishops started to question Duterte’s drug war. In tandem with the political opposition they took to the streets and demonize him as if everything was wrong in his campaign against drug and other criminal syndicates. The critics never looked at the many that were saved but cried and wailed for those criminals who opted to fight it out with the law. As far as Duterte is concerned, the God that he knew protects the innocent and the helpless that is why he persisted to this day.

The Church condemned Duterte in every turn in what to me is an assertion that it holds sway and authority on the majority of Filipinos who are admittedly Catholics. Here, the Church is stepping beyond its boundaries. What do you think Duterte will do? Submit himself to flagellation and revive the evils of the grand inquisition? Duterte, I suspect, even holds his punches. He knew of the frailties of many of his accusers. He is well-read and is knowledgeable of the dark ages of the Church. So far he has not turn a page of the scandals in the Church which Pope Benedict had asked forgiveness for. Duterte has yet to quote Pope Francis who said that it is better for one to be an atheist than to be a hypocritical Catholic.

As for Bro. Eddie Villanueva joining the fray, just shut your mouth, stay away from politics, stick to your religion and absorb a lesson on why you failed twice in your attempt to become President. God is not crazy and neither is he stupid. He is good all the time. (Jun Ledesma)

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Sayyafs seized daughter of Muslim merchant in Tawi-Tawi

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Suspected Abu Sayyaf militants seized the seven-year old daughter of a Muslim merchant and shot his wife in the remote southern Filipino province of Tawi-Tawi before escaping out to the open sea, police and military said Thursday.

Authorities said the militants arrived on a motorboat in the village of Himba in Tandubas Island on Monday and seized the girl from the merchant’s store.

The victim’s father took his gun, opened fire on militants and sparking a firefight that left his wife wounded after being shot by one of the abductors.

The gunmen escaped along with the girl, whose surname is Astah. Tawi-Tawi, which is near the Malaysian state of Sabah, is one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.

Security forces launched an operation to track down the gunmen and rescue the victim. (Mindanao Examiner)

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DTI-ARMM launches ‘e-Presyo’; holds training on trade regulation and consumer protection

COTABATO CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DTI-ARMM) conducted a two-day training and workshop on trade regulation and consumer protection for its employees.

The training and workshop - which ended Wednesday - aim to enhance the technical know-how of employees, including those in the provincial offices, on the latest policies and laws on trade and industry.

DTI-ARMM seminar and workshop in Cotabato City.

One of the highlights during the opening day was the launching and orientation on the ARMM e-Presyo, the DTI's Online Price Monitoring System that allows consumers to check the suggested retail prices and prevailing prices of basic necessities and prime commodities.

DTI-ARMM Assistant Secretary Abubacar M. Datumanong said “the launching of e-Presyo is very important because it will enable the consumers to have an access on the information about existing products especially in ARMM.”

Datumanong said the e-Presyo does not include the monitoring of prices of agricultural and energy products such as rice and gasoline, which are under the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), the National Food Authority and the Department of Energy. But through the e-Presyo, he said, the consumers will be protected against unreasonable increases in prices, thus ensuring “value for money.”

Project e-Presyo is in accordance with Section 29 of RA No. 8792, otherwise known as the E-Commerce Act, which states that the DTI is empowered to promulgate rules and regulation in the area of electronic commerce to include the installation of online public information and price monitoring system aimed at protecting the interests of the consumers.

With e-Presyo, the collection and encoding of price data is done electronically. The system also automatically processes raw price data and generates price reports and graphs. These can be accessed through laptop, desktop, tablet, and mobile phone via DTI’s website (www.dti.gov.ph), direct URL (www.e-presyo.dti.gov.ph), or via mobile application (installed as ‘DTI e-Presyo’).

On the last day of the training, participants underwent an orientation and seminar on Intellectual Property Rights and Trademark and Brand Development. Representatives from the ARMM’s economic cluster – such as DAF, Department of Agrarian Reform and Regional Board of Investments – as well as from the private sector participated in the training workshop. (Bureau of Public Information)

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New heavy equipment to speed up infrastructure projects in ARMM

COTABATO CITY – To fast track the implementation of projects and sustain infrastructure development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the region’s district engineering offices received additional new heavy equipment on Wednesday.

Three units of excavator were turned over by the regional government to Lanao del Sur and Tawi-Tawi engineering offices. The remaining 4 units of six-wheeler dump trucks and a unit of an amphibious excavator are also set to be delivered in the region's engineering district offices by the third week of July. These equipment cost P58 million.

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said the heavy equipment will augment the workforce as the region pours new infrastructure investments in the region.

For Engr. Luzvimin Sani of Lanao del Sur’s 1^st engineering district, the new equipment will help in the recovery and rehabilitation program for Marawi City and other towns in Lanao del Sur. “The region’s Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-ARMM) is now working to help on the timely completion of the development works in Marawi City (which suffered in) last year’s conflict,” Engr. Sani said.

In the 2nd engineering district of Lanao del Sur, Engr. Abib Arumpac said this is the first time the district office received an excavator. “This can help in the de-clogging of drainage and waterways since we experienced landslides in our areas,” Engr. Arumpac said, noting it can also prevent heavy damage to road networks.

With the number of infra projects in Tawi-Tawi, Engr. Tony Kamlani said the new equipment will help the province accomplish infrastructure projects on time.

The DPWH-ARMM will also grant new equipment to Maguindanao particularly in areas affected by flooding and to augment the dredging works in Rio Grande de Mindanao. Masses of water hyacinths have been identified as the major cause of flooding in some areas in the province.

“Kasama sa reporma na pinapatupad ng administrasyong Hataman ay hindi lang ang pagkakaroon ng magandang sistema at teknolohiya kundi pati ang pagbigay ng mga dekalidad na kagamitan sa mga district engineering offices na mapapakinabangan ng mga kababayan natin sa ARMM,” said DPWH-ARMM Secretary Don Mustapha Loong.
Sec. Loong said with more infrastructure projects, people in the region will have better access to tourism sites, will help boost the region’s economy as transport of goods and products will be cheaper, and will help uplift the peoples’ lives.

The ARMM has programmed this year a big number projects across the region. To date, the Hataman administration completed 1,468 kilometers of roads, 84 bridges, 188 water supply systems, 28 flood control structures, 55 drainage systems, 75 seaports, and 49 shore protection and other infra projects. (Bureau of Public Information)

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Troops kill 6 Samar cops mistaken for rebels, 9 more wounded

CEBU – Army soldiers killed 6 policemen and wounded 9 more after they mistook the unit as members of the communist rebel group New People’s Army in Samar province in central Philippines.

The soldiers, all from Charlie Company of the 87^th Infantry Battalion, attacked the group of policemen who were tracking down the rebels in Rosal village in Santa Rita town on Monday morning.

The policemen had no chance on the battle-hardened soldiers, although they managed to hold on fighting the infantrymen for about 20 minutes until reinforcements arrived.

At the end of the fighting, six policemen laid dead – many of them with gunshot wounds in the head, believed to have been taken down by army snipers. The soldiers were also in the same area and hunting down NPA insurgents.

There was no report military casualties and the Armed Forces of the Philippines called the incident as “misencounter” with both sides ordering an investigation into the deadly fighting to determine what went wrong or if protocols or rules of engagement were not followed.

Police said Lieutenant Orlando M. Casipit Jr. was the commander of the army squad, comprising of 16 soldiers, who attacked the policemen.

The slain policemen - members of the 805th Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion - have been identified as Phil Rey Mendigo, Edwin Ebrado, Wyndell Noromor, Rowel Reyes, Julie Escalo and Julius Suarez – all with the rank of Police Officer 1.

And the wounded as Romulo Cordero, Elmer Pan, Chris Angelo Pialago, Jaime  Galoy, Rey Barbosa, Jonel Gonzaga, Rommel Bagunas, Janmark Adones, and Roden Goden, also Police Officers 1.
It was not immediately known whether the policemen, who were all clad in camouflage uniform, were fresh recruits and on a test mission. (Mindanao Examiner-Cebu Examiner)

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Sulat gikan sa Davao: ‘Mano-Mano’ Ni Jun Ledesma

LAGMIT GRABE ang imong sayop pagpili og kalaban kun ang imong target pulos maayo og binuhatan. Kun ang sama ni Sen. Antonio Trillanes ningpunting kang Sec. Bong Go isip bag-ong target sa lain na sab nga yugto sa iyang pagbagdoy-bagdoy ug pagpamasin nga matarog ug maguba ang kadungganan ni Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte (PRRD), nagakombida siya og ataki batok sa iyang kaugalingon gikan sa mga tawong lawom og pagsalig kang Bong ug sa iyang boss nga si PRRD.

Ang prinsipal nga problema ni Trillanes kay grabe ang iyang pagbilib sa iyang sarili. Kahibudngan sab nga ang iyang kaluha sa ubos nga balay balaoranan, ang tawo nga ginganlan og Alejano, nagpakita sab og parehong kinaiya: in love sa kaugalingon  ug  mas mahangin pa sa paburot.

Dapat ningtuhop sa utok ni Trillanes ang komentaryo ni Stephen Sackur sa British Broadcasting Corporation sa iyang interview sulod sa programang “HARD TALK”. Gipaninguha ni Sackur ang pagsilsil sa gahi nga alimpatakan sa senador nga ang kinabag-ang duot sa katawhang Pilipino nagasuporta sa mga ginahimo ni Duterte. Tataw nga ang anchorman nagpasabot sa resulta sa mga survey nga gidumala ug giimplementar sa Social Weather Station ug Pulse Asia. Sa laktod nga pagkasulti, dili na lang 16 milyones ka tawo nga ningboto kang Duterte ang nagasuporta sa iyaha. Buot ipasabot, duha ka tuig human sa eleksyon, kadtong wala moboto kang Duterte nahigmata na nga iya na nga ginadeliber ang ilang mga gipangandoy. Way matubag si Trillanes gawas lamang nga naglaum siya nga mokibra ang popularidad ni Duterte sa ngadto-ngadto dihang giiingnan siya ni Stephen Sackur nga wala siya sa tono.

Sa tuyo nga gub-on ang kredibilidad ni Bong Go pinaagi sa pasangil nga dunay motibong politikal ang iyang aktibong pagpursige sa pagdeliber sa nagkalainlaing programa sa Presidente sa pagserbisyo sa katawhan, nga molanding sa iyang pangalan sa tanang agianan sa impormasyon, lakip na ang social media, si Trillanes ug ang ubang kritiko ni Bong Go nagmalampuson na hinoon sa paghimo sa Special Assistant to the President nga popular kaayo.

Hilum nga trabhante ug apolitical si Bong ug nagahimo lamang sa mga gisugo kaniya ni Duterte isip Mayor sa Davao City ug karon Presidente sa Pilipinas. Pag-adto niya og dali-dali sa Sampaloc, Manila aron pagtantya sa kadaut nga nahimo sa kalayo ug pagbalik og dali-dali dala and mga hinabang nga kwarta ug epektos, way kisaw, way saba ug way seremonyas. Di niya sala kun ang media momantala ug mosibya sa nahitabo. Dili niya tuyo nga moapil sa linya sa mga tawo nga nagtulo-tulo ang laway para sa mga posisyon nga bugnoon sa eleksyon.

Sa mano-mano tali ni Go ug Trilllanes, di modaog ang navy ensign. Sa natad sa serbisyo publiko, wa gyuy ikapanghambog nga nahimo si Trillanes. Reklamador hinoon. Maoy akong mahinumdoman kaniya ang iyang pagreklamo sa mga bangag sa iyang mga botas ug di maayo nga mga helmet ug human niini ningmontar siya og aksyon pagrebelde kuno didto sa Oakwood sa 2003. Sa kulongan, ningdagan siya og ningdaog sa boto sa mga nalooy kaniya. Ninggarantiya si Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile aron siya kaapil sa deliberasyon sa hawanan sa senado. Bisag tua siya magpuyo sa prisohan, nalupig niya sa pagkagastador ang tanang miyembro sa senado. Subay sa iyang naandan ug pamatasan, ningbali ug ning-alkontra siya sa iyang padrino nga ningtawag kaniya og tawong grabe ka peligroso sa dihang wa niya tug-ani ang Senado bahin sa iyang pagpunay og adto sa China ug pagdumili sa paghatag og detalye sa iyang mga kinawat-kawat nga byahe.

Ang posisyon ni Bong Go nagsugod sa sulod sa ikaduhang termino ni kaniadto Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Gradweyt sa De La Salle University, nagserbisyo siya isip special assistant sa Mayor. Gisaligan siya og maayo kaniadto ug karon tungod sa iyang pagkamaunongon ug dili kaduha-duhaan nga integridad. Sistematiko siya sa pagtipig ug paghatag og mga datos nga gikinahanglan sa iyang boss. Workaholic ang iyang boss, aktibo ug way hunong sa pagtrabaho gikan sa alas nuwebe sa buntag hangtud sa alas tres sa kaadlawon sa sunod adlaw. Kun nagmata ang Mayor, segurado ka nga nagmata sab si Bong Go. Sa panahon lang nga mosekreto si Duterte og drayb og taxi aron pagpangita og mga criminal ang wala si Bong Go sa iyang kiliran. Way reklamo, bisag unsang sugo ni Duterte ang iyang ginahimo hangtud karon. Way kaya niini si Trillanes ug segurado ko nga kun isul-ob niya ang sapatos ni Bong Go, momontar dayon siya og rebelyon.

Modagan si Bong Go pagka Senador? Ang mga tawong nainpluwensahan ni Bong ang kahimtang sa ilang kinabuhi nangandoy nga iya kining himoon. Sa pagkakaron, wa pa ni sa iyang agenda, mao nga si Trilllanes ug ang iyang gang nga gustong modaut sa pangalan ni Bong dili angayng mapraning o matrililing. (Jun Ledesma)