No Money, No Polls For Recall Petitions, Says Poll Body

Philanthropist Sulu Governor Sakur Tan.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 23, 2009) – The Commission on Elections on Friday denied a news report that it gave a go signal for the conduct of recall petitions to six of 28 cases now pending with the poll body due to the lack of funding.

Comelec officials said they were surprised over the news report published Friday that alleged the poll body approved the recall petitions.

Mat Din, the spokesman of Comelec chairman Jose Melo, said he was surprised by the report, saying, it was misleading.

“I was surprised by the report that the Comelec has approved the recall petitions of six cases. The report is misleading. Right now, the Comelec en banc resolution suspending all the recall petitions stays,” Din told the Mindanao Examiner.

Din was referring to an en banc resolution dated November 13, which ordered the suspension of the recall petitions.

“Whereas, the request of the Commission for the release of additional funds for recall elections was not favorably considered due to funding constraints; Now, therefore, the Commission resolved, as it hereby resolves, to suspend action on all petitions filed and pending before the Commission until funds are made available for the purpose,” the en banc resolution said.

Din expressed pessimism that the recall petitions may not push through at all unless Congress approves its request for more funding. “The only way we can pursue these recall petitions is for Congress to give us funding, but I doubt it because there is no more time and we may not be able to get the needed appropriation,” he said.

The report said the Comelec approved the recall petitions only for Pampanga Gov. Eddie T. Panlilio, Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, Mayor Isidro L. Hemedes Jr., of Cabuyao, Laguna; Mayor Rexito P. Bantayan, Mauban, Quezon; Mayor Gervasio A. Basbas, of Matag-Ob, Leyte; and Vice Mayor Rossman Carry E. Uera, of Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija province.

It was unknown why only the six politicians out of 28 also facing recall petitions were singled out in the report.

In the same report published Friday, Melo allegedly wrote a letter to Rep. Junie E. Evangelista Cua, chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, asking Congress to appropriate at least P93 million needed for the holding of the six recall elections.

Melo said the Comelec cannot hold the recall elections because the amount appropriated in the 2008 national budget for the conduct of that elections is only P5 million.

The Local Government Code prohibits the holding of recall elections one year immediately preceding regular elections. The Philippines is to hold presidential and national elections in May 2010.

James Jimenez, Comelec spokesman, said all recall elections remain suspended for lack of money. “As of now, all recall petitions are suspended. I don’t know anything about orders approving the recall petitions and as far as we are concerned there is no move to pursue any of the cases,” Jimenez said in a separate interview.

In Sulu, Sonny Abing, Tan’s spokesman, said the recall petition against the governor is without basis. “Governor Tan is a hardworking man; he is well-loved by his constituents,” he said by phone from his office at the Provincial Capitol.

The recall petition against Tan started after he and other provincial lawmakers rejected last year proposals by some politicians, who are now in their last term, to divide Sulu into two provinces so they can again run in 2010 elections.

The Comelec said 62,631 voters from Sulu's 19 towns had signed the recall papers on August 29, but lawyer Vidzfar Julie, the deputy regional chief, claimed they rejected thousands of spurious signatures from the petition.

And these were on top of more than 10,000 others, who denied they signed the recall petition, three of them poll officials, including a broadcaster of the state-run Radyo ng bayan in Sulu.

Tan won by a landslide with more than 60,000 votes against the incumbent governor Benjamin Loong and former rebel leader Nur Misuari. After his election, Tan immediately ordered police and military authorities to put a stop to the smuggling of contraband and illegal weapons into the province, many of which fall into the hands of rebels and armed goons of politicians.

He also introduced drastic reforms to fight corruption and ordered the Commission on Audit to regularly examine records or financial accounts of government projects to check their accuracy.

Muslim and Christian religious organizations and various civil society groups, including the business groups and chambers in Sulu have thrown their support behind Tan, a known philanthropist in Mindanao. They also signed petitions and manifestos supporting Tan's administration. (Mindanao Examiner)

New Jolo Island Governor Promises Transparency In Governance, Hard Work!

Hajji Abdusakur Tan takes his oath as duly elected governor of Jolo island while the province's First Lady, Hajja Indah, looks on. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

JOLO ISLAND (Mindanao Examiner / 02 Jul) – A huge crowd of mostly provincial workers welcomed Monday the new governor of Jolo island, Sakur Tan, who promised transparency and hard work in the next three years of his rule.

The employees, some of them previously worked with Tan when he was governor six years ago, chanted his name. Some even cried when they saw the man returning after long years of silent.

“There were many people. They hugged the governor and kissed him and embraced him. The respect for the humble man is overflowing,” one supporter, Abdurasad Baih, told the regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner, by phone from Jolo island.

He said Tan also met with different department heads and discussed with them his policies.
Tan took his oath of office over the weekend before some 3,000 people near the Sulu Provincial Capitol.

The text below was Tan’s inaugural speech.

Bismillahir Rahman Neeraheem! Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Taala Wabarakatuhu!
I stand before you today humbled and profoundly touched by the trust and confidence you have again bestowed me, once more giving me the chance to lead as steward of out beloved island province for the next three years.

Dahun ku in family ku, tumukbal sin pagsarang sukol ha pangandul dilhil niyo duma sin pagtawmaas sin Lupag Sug ha laum sin tu tahun. Insha Allah, tuyuan sin taymanghud ataw maas niyu ini, hinangun in hika hidjatul sin hulah ta niyu iban sin raayat sin Lupah Sug.
We are fully aware that with this trust comes a huge responsibility. Admittedly, the task before us as your duly elected officials may seem daunting. However, we are confident that with your support and cooperation, we can work together to bring our province to greater heights and success, Insha Allah!

We all know how truly abundant and rich our island province is. We are blessed with rich aquatic resources; our land is so fertile that we can grow any plant or tree we so desire to cultivate.
We are located in a part of the country that is virtually free from the ravages of natural disasters and calamities. And yet, I cannot help but ask my self, why despite all these, are we still in a state of abject underdevelopment?

Our assessment of this situation has led as to conclude that the primary cause for our present state of affairs is the lack of commitment from both the local governments and our constituents.
Allow me to expound on this further – it is unfortunate that in the past, many of our local executives spent more time away from their respective stations, thus immensely contributing to the instability in our areas and the deterioration of the peace and order situation around us.
This absence further made it more difficult for the constituents to have a sustained, regular avenue to seek guidance or assistance anent their concerns and issues.

Today, let us rekindle in our hearts collection resolve by vowing to do everything that we can to make Sulu truly a better province to live in.

To achieve this vision, let us be reminded by some of the basic tenets and concepts of leadership in Islam, and these are follows: That leadership is not only a public trust or mere political authority; but it is a divine trust imbued with moral responsibility.

Pa katan pangabay ko, dana in hakatan opis sin parinta local iban national, kahakan kita niyo sin raayat bang ta dih mapasampay in amanat dihil katoh ta niyo bukon sadja ha mata sin parinta malaingkan ha aturan sin agama ta niyo.

Today, we commit that we shall endeavor to give emphasis on the promotion of security and peace; to promote agricultural development; provide support to educational advancement; and to afford our constituents universal access to basic services, such as water, electricity, health and socialized housing.

At this juncture, allow me to extend our deepest gratitude to all the development agencies of the national government headed by Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who has exhibited her continuing commitment to the development of our province by pouring in several millions worth of projects, but most of which apparently have not been properly implemented, and which we intend to look into.

We also would like to express the same gratitude to the regional line agencies of the ARMM headed by Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Ampatuan, who can be a strong partner of the Sulu Provincial Government in the delivery of basic social services to our people, with our assurances that we shall maintain a close working relationship with them.

We shall likewise endeavor to work with all development partners, both local and foreign groups like USAid, CIDA, AusAid, JICA, UNDP, UNICEF, European Union, CHD, the government of Sweden, the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and of the other OIC member countries, World Food Program, International Committee of the Red Cross, and others who have been continuously assisting us in our development needs.

To achieve this, there is a need to meet with all sectors, like the LGUs, AFP, PNP, and even the MNLF, the diffirent NGOs and development partners and agencies and hopefully we can sustain a regular dialogue with them on pushing our peace and development agenda forward.

There is also the established mechanism called Area Coordinating Center, which is representative of the different government offices and the private sectors in the province, and which I intend to expend and strengthen as our center of coordinative and collaborative work for the promotion of public welfare.

We cannot overemphasize how vital it is that we all work together, that we merge our efforts and build up our capabilities, both as individuals and as a community.Our success lies in our being united for peace, progress and the development of our beloved province of Sulu.

Panawagtawag namoh iban panaabbiti, in kahalan pagtawmaas sin hulah ta niyo Lupah Sug, subay niyo sadja lamuran iban tabangan magpapanaw sin hikajidjatul sin hulah.

Once again, we ask all of you to join hands with us and work together in this incredible journey of realizing a self-reliant, progressive and peaceful Sulu. For all the differences in our beliefs and priorities, I would like us to unite ourselves to shape our destinty, celebrate our traditions and see the winds of change sweep the islands of Sulu.

Awn hi kissa ko kaniyo…Awn hambuuk tawmass, nakaasawa siya batah bahgo saranglingkat babae, saltah lia,awan-lawan niya sadja, naabot in wakto miyatay in babae ini.

Landoh nasusa in nakurah sambil kiapasaran niya na in hinang niya. Damik yan nasusa ra isab in kawman karnah in nakurah dih na makaalop sin kahalan sin kawman.

Jari niya, awn hangkatao, miyadto kaniya nangasubu bang in altah malugay na kiasandah kaniya subay ra niya hi ulih pa pagka, lukatun na. In agi sin nakurah, subay mu hi ulihg bat sabab biyos sadja yan, kawaun na sin tagdapo ulian na.

Na in agoi sin tao yadto, tuan subay kaw dih makalandoh in susa mo ha asawa mo sabab kiawa na isab siya sin tagdapo kanya. Na, kamo na in maingat tumapsil sin kissa yadto.

In closing, let me quote American Justice Robert H. Jackson, which ruins, thus: “It is not the function of our government to keep the citizens from falling into error; it is the function of the citizens to keep the government from falling into error.”

Thank you and good day!

Wassalam Alaikum Warah Matullahi Taala Warbarakatuhuu!

Gobernador Ng Sulu, Naglatag Ng Agenda!

Sulu Governor Sakur Tan. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

SULU (Mindanao Examiner / 24 Jun) Inilatag kahapon ni Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan ang mga priority projects nito sa lalawigan bilang paghahanda sa kanyang panunungkulan bilang bagong halal na opisyal.

Nais umanong palakasin ni Tan ang ekonomiya at ang peace and order ng Sulu at pupulungin umano nito ang mga lider ng ibat-ibangbayan, religious and business sectors, gayun rin ang militar at pulisya.

Nangunguna sa agenda nito ang kahirapan sa Sulu na sinabi ni Tan na siyang ugat sa lahat ng karahasan sa lalawigan.

“Maraming gagawin ngayon dahil talagang napabayaan itong Sulu ng mga naunang mga opisyal. Kahirapan, ekonomiya at peace and order an gating pangunhin dapat ay pagtuunan ng kaukulang pansin,” ani Tan sa panayam ng pahayagang Midnanao Examiner.

Nagpasalamat rin agad si Tan sa mga Kano dahil sa kanilang pagtulong sa mga Muslim dito at paglalaan ng mga development at humanitarian projects.

“Welcome itong ganito ginagawang tulong ng US government sa Sulu at sana ay madagdagan pa ang kanilang mga proyekto para sa ating mga mahihirap. Hindi lamang ang US, pati na rin ang Japan at ibang mga bansa na tumutulong sa Sulu at ang pamunuan ng Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM),” wika pa ni Tan.

Nagbanta rin si Tan kahapon na kakasuhan at ipakukulong ang lahat ng mga opisyal na sabit sa anomalya sa Sulu.

“Magpapa-audit ako sa Sulu upang malaman natin kung mga katiwaliaang naganap at pangako ko ito na talagang ipakukulong ko sinuman mapatunayang nagkasala ng pagnanakaw,” dagdag nito. (Mindanao Examiner)