Morong 43 photos surface on the Net

Purported photos of the so-called Morong 43 which surfaced on the Internet.

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 20, 2010) – Purported photos of members of the so-called Morong 43, who were captured and accused by the military as communist rebels, but ordered freed by President Benigno Aquino III, have surfaced on the Internet.

The pictures posted on the social networking site Facebook showed some of them conducting first aid training with members of the communist rebel group New People’s Army. It can be accessed on this URL: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001726909033

Along with the photos was a statement saying that five of the Morong 43 admitted to be members of the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines which is waging a bloody secessionist war for decades now.

It also linked Filipino-American Melissa Roxas who was allegedly abducted and tortured by government soldiers into admitting she is a communist rebel. Roxas, who denied all accusations against her, was eventually freed. The military denied abducting her and security officials accused the New People’s Army as behind the abduction.

“They Morong 43 should renounce violence if truly they are not New People’s Army rebels. The Morong 43 should be grateful because their rights are protected by the same democratic government they wanted to overthrow in exchange for an autocratic system using the Marxist, Leninist and Maoist thinking,” said one senior army official, who declined to be identified, because he is not authorize to speak for the military.
“Communist leaders have been using the revolutionary front to collect illegal taxation in the country and enrich themselves abroad while rebel forces are fighting an unjust cause and unnecessary wars. The New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front are all front of the nefarious activities of communist leaders who are blinded by greed,” he said.

Members of the Morong 43 were captured by soldiers in February 6 in the town of Morong in Rizal province allegedly while manufacturing improvised explosives, an accusation they strongly denied, saying, they were only conducting health training and seminar on a village when security forces arrested them.

The release of the Morong 43 came after rebels demanded Aquino to free the health workers before Manila can resume stalled peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines. Aquino said he would also free political prisoners. Many soldiers and military officers said they were disgusted over the release of the Morong 43.

Last week, military forces also arrested a senior member of the New People’s Army Pedro Codaste and four others in Agusan del Sur province and rebel leaders have demanded for their immediate release.

Rebel leader Jorge Madlos said the arrest of the five were illegal. “The illegal arrest of Codaste and four others clearly constitute a breach and shows the the utter lack of sincerity on the part of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Armed Forces of ther Philippines towards its declared 18-day mutual truce with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines,” Madlos said. “Their continued incarceration gravely undermines not only their declared current ceasefire but also gives glitches to the very future of the talks as well.”

Peace talks collapsed in 2004 after rebels accused then President Gloria Arroyo of reneging on several agreements, among them the release of all political prisoners in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

Police capture gunman who shot civilian in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner/ Dec. 20, 2010) – Police have captured a gunman who shot and wounded a civilian in a daring attack Monday outside the Zamboanga City Hall in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said the gunman was captured as he tried to escape pursuing policemen after the shooting. Policemen also seized a pistol from the assailant, who was believed working with other suspects who managed to escape.

Witnesses said they heard at least five shots allegedly fired by the gunman on the victim who was hit in the face. The victim’s background is not immediately known and so was the motive of the attack. But radio reports said the man's 18-year old son was also shot and killed by the gunman.

“The suspect has been arrested and is being interrogated,” the local police chief Edwin de Ocampo told reporters.

Gun attacks are not uncommon in Zamboanga City where dozens of people had been either killed or wounded in the spate of violence largely blamed to family feud and contract murder. (Mindanao Examiner)

10 houses burn in Kidapawan fire

The aftermath of the fire that swept through a neighborhood in Kidapawan City in Mindanao on Sunday, December 19, 2010. (Mindanao Examiner Photo – Geo Solmerano)

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 19, 2010) – A pre-dawn fire on Sunday swept through a neighborhood in Kidapawan City in Mindanao and authorities were investigating reports that firecrackers triggered the blaze that left dozens of people homeless.

Fire officials said the blaze started in a house along Datu Ingkal Street and then spread to other houses. Ismael Sarif said he saved none of his things. And so was Evangeline Maway. “I got nothing, but I was able to save our child,” she said.

Other villagers blamed firefighters for failing to save prevent the fire from spreading to other houses. “They are not prepared. The firemen lacked water supply,” said Jun dela Pena.

But Fire Marshal Darwin Costudio denied the allegations. “We did the best we could to save more houses from burning and we did it.” (Geo Solmerano)

Philippines in uproar over error-filled peso bills

MANILA – Geographically-challenged Philippine maps and a rare parrot with the wrong-colored beak have perturbed the country after the central bank rolled out error-filled new editions of its peso bills.

The new-generation banknotes, rolled out earlier this month and containing the signature of President Benigno Aquino who took office this year, bombed spectacularly in the graphics department, critics say.

The reverse side of the new 500-peso bill features a rare native bird, the blue-naped parrot, with its red beak incorrectly rendered in yellow and the tail feathers underneath colored green instead of yellow.

A map on the bill, which also carries portraits of Aquino's late parents – mislocates Saint Paul's, a subterranean river that is designated as a UNESCO world heritage site.

"Yes, they have made a very big booboo on the parrot," said Jon Villasper, a cartographer who is also a member of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines.

"Aside from that, they misplaced Tubbataha reef by around 400 kilometers and Batanes is not on the map. I believe they also misplaced Saint Paul’s subterranean river," he told AFP by email.

Printed on the 1,000-peso bill is a map locating the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, another prized Philippine UNESCO world heritage site, on or near Malaysian territorial waters.

The map of the Philippines which features on six different bills re-draws the country's territory to place its northern limit 150 kilometers south of the actual line and exclude the Batanes island group.

Ghelynne Avril del Rosario, a Manila lawyer, said the mistakes echoed a re-branding campaign by the tourism ministry that was withdrawn last month amid charges that its slogan was forgettable, it plagiarised Poland's campaign and the URL of its website was close to that of a pornographic site.

Like the campaign, the bills are now fodder for ridicule on Internet social networking sites, Rosario told AFP.

"Just like scrapping the 'Pilipinas Kay Ganda (Philippines What a Beauty) slogan, let's scrap the new peso notes as well!" she said.

Central bank spokeswoman Fe de la Cruz acknowledged the criticism, but said space constraints limited the artist's room for manoeuvre.

"In choosing the design..., we are always guided by our commitment to enrich the appreciation and knowledge of the Filipinos we honor on our banknotes, as well as the unique sites and species our country should be proud of," she said.

"For our banknotes we used an artist's rendition of the Philippine map that by virtue of space and aesthetics does not reflect all of our islands and the precise coordinates of each site," she told AFP.

"Nevetheless, we appreciate constructive comments and we will take these into account moving forward."

It was not the first time the central bank has been left red-faced over currency design. It was forced in 2005 to withdraw bills that misspelled the name of Gloria Arroyo, Aquino's predecessor as president. (Agence France-Presse)

NPA rebels seize village chieftain's weapons in Davao Oriental

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 19, 2010) – Communist rebels have seized assorted weapons from a village chieftain they briefly held in Davao Oriental province in the southern Philippines, a spokesman said Sunday.

Dyomabuk Kadyawan, of the New People’s Army’s Antonio Nerio Antao Command, said rebel forces have confiscated two automatic rifles, two automatic shotguns and a .45-caliber pistol from Romeo Antuling, of the village called Old Macopa in the town of Manay.

“The Red fighters’ successfully confiscated two M16 high-powered rifles, two automatic shotguns and one .45 caliber pistol,” said Kadyawan, who branded the village leader as “despotic reactionary official.”

“He used his influence to amass high powered armaments and build himself a private group of armed goons. He is a noted human rights violator in the town of Manay who deploys his armed thugs to intimidate and harass civilians,” Kadyawan said. “The disarming of Antuling was a dispensation of revolutionary justice against his coddling a private armed group and the use of such to perpetrate human rights violations.”

He said the village official was not harmed and eventually released. “This latest military action of the Red Army serves as a stern warning to all reactionary officials of the GRP, big landlords and capitalists who maintain private armies and terrorize the masses for their interests,” he said.

The rebel spokesman also criticized President Benigno Aquino III, who promised but failed to dismantle private armies in the country following last year’s gruesome massacre of 57 people, including at least 32 journalists, by followers of a powerful political clan in Mindanao.

“This is likewise another slap in the face of the Aquino regime that froths in the mouth about being serious in disbanding private armies yet is doing hardly anything to discourage the mercenary and fascist culture of warlordism. The Filipino people are coming to terms with the fact that the revolutionary government and its People's Army are their lone hope to curtail the proliferation of private armies,” Kadyawan said.

The New People’s Army is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines which is waging a secessionist war for decades now. (Mindanao Examiner)

Transparency sa militar sa Mindanao, iniutos!

Si Heneral Raymundo Ferrer habang kausap ang isang dayuhang manunulat mula Australia. (Mindanao Examiner)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 19, 2010) – Sinigurado kahapon ng militar sa Mindanao na magiging transparent ito sa media sa lahat ng aspeto, partikular sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon sa katimugan.

Sinabi mismo ni General Raymundo Ferrer, commander ng Western Mindanao Command, na ipinag-utos nito sa mga commanders na maging tapat sa lahat ng kanilang gawain.

“Wala tayong itatago dito at kailangan ay transparent ang lahat sa media. Ang media ay ating katuwang upang sa gayun ay malaman ng publiko ang ating mga ginagawang mabubuti,” ani Ferrer.

Malayo sa kanyang mga pinalitan si Ferrer sa pakikitungo sa media. Ilang beses na rin nireklamo ng media ang maraming mga commanders ng militar dahil sa pagtatago ng mga impormasyon may kinalaman sa operasyong kontra bandido at rebeldeng grupo sa katimugan.

Si Ferrer ay kilalang peace advocate sa Mindanao at isa sa mga respetadong henaral sa bansa. (Mindanao Examiner)

Toyota Innova For Sale

Toyota Innova 2009 J. Grey, manual gas transmission, all-new tires, matting, carpet, all-lights with garnishing, step boards, roof rails, roof carrier, 8 aircon vents, very low mileage. Way better than diesel engine, less maintenance, very good acceleration, less smoke emission, less pollution, less engine noise than diesel, economical. OR & CR.

P720,000 slightly negotiable

Call: 0915 2756606
Zamboanga Trade Online Ad Broker

Bagobo dancers

A young Bagobo tribe member cheerfully imitates her elders as they perform a ritual dance. This is one traditional way of transferring knowledge from one generation to the next. The different Indigenous Peoples’ groups attended the “DAYAW FESTIVAL 2010: Buwan ng Katutubong Pilipino” which is yearly celebrated in the month of October. The beautiful girl symbolizes the preservation of cultural traditions and yet ensuring all opportunities for a bright future in mainstream society for all indigenous peoples. The event jumpstarted at the Concert at the Park with a parade around Rizal Park in Manila City followed by different cultural performances in different venues like malls and television stations on October 20-23, 2010. As Director Malou Jacob promised, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, extended extra effort to make the indigenous peoples’ stay in the city enjoyable and memorable. Previous celebrations of “Indigenous Peoples’ Month” were held in Davao, Isabela in Cagayan Valley province and Capiz. (Photo: Marvin Alcaraz, NCCA-PAIO Cultural Awareness / Text: Noli S. Dumlao)

Security forces rescue kidnapped girl in Mindanao

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 17, 2010) – Security forces rescued Friday a kidnapped girl and captured one of his captors in North Cotabato province in Mindanao, officials said.

Officials said soldiers and policemen rescued Kazie Tamayo in the village of South Manuangan in Pigkawayan town. “One of the kidnappers identified as Jomar Ulangkaya was also captured during the (rescue) operation,” said Major Marlowe Patria, a spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

“The victim immediately underwent medical check-up and eventually turned-over to her relatives,” he added.

Gunmen had kidnapped the girl Thursday after killing his father who tried to fight off the attackers in Pigkawayan.

The military tagged members of the so-called Pentagon Gang, blamed by authorities for the spate of kidnappings and terrorism in Mindanao, as behind the attack. (Mindanao Examiner)

The Asia Foundation, Del Monte Foundation distribute books in Southern Philippines

BUKIDNON, Philippines (Midnanao Examiner / Dec. 17, 2010) – The Del Monte Foundation Incorporated inaugurated its partnership with The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program to improve educational opportunities in the island of Mindanao.

The two organizations jointly donated 12,600 new children’s books to nearly 250 public elementary schools in Baungon, Manolo Fortich, Sumilao, Impasug-ong, Maramag, Quezon, Kalilangan, and Malaybalay.

“This is a perfect holiday gift for children and their teachers, many of whom don’t have libraries or even a reading corner in their school. We look forward to continuing this partnership so that more and more communities may benefit from our synergy,” said Bella G. Quimpo, Executive Director of Del Monte Foundation Incorporated.

“Key to an organization’s success is to have productive and complementary linkages with other organizations. Much more can be achieved by sharing resources and expertise than by doing things solitarily. For its Education and School Development Program, Del Monte Foundation is grateful to have partnered with The Asia Foundation. Together we are able to give support to the educational needs of schools and pupils in rural areas in Bukidnon,” ashe said.

Bukidnon is a largely rural province of Mindanao, an island plagued by endemic poverty and sectarian violence. Outside of the main cities, educational resources are extremely scarce. Some of the people in the province continue to live the traditional life. Some of them live remotely in lowlands, in the forest, and along watersheds of rivers which makes education not easy for the children.

“The Asia Foundation is proud to work with committed organizations like Del Monte Foundation in strengthening educational opportunities in these communities and the rest of the Philippines. Through this donation of books, we hope to inspire children and teachers to build a peaceful, competent, and a healthy society,” said Ky Johnson, Deputy Country Representative of The Asia Foundation.

“This is a very timely blessing to our pupils most especially to the remotest schools in our province. The donation will surely increase our resources to improve our poor performance last year in the National Achievement Test,” said Dr. Florante Corpuz, Schools Division Superintendent of Malaybalay City.

The books turnover ceremony was attended by Quimpo, Corpuz, school principals, and other officials from Del Monte Foundation.

Johnson and Efren Balajadia, Director of the Books for Asia Program helped present the donated texts to representatives of the schools.

In behalf of the province of Bukidnon, Governor Alex Calingasan shared that the books have their own way of providing data to the reader. He said that books are the only source of information and the best hope for education in many rural areas like Bukidnon.

The colorful science, math, and English-language elementary school books and reference materials were generously provided by American publishers such as Pearson Education and McGraw-Hill Companies.

Books for Asia is The Asia Foundation’s longest running program and regularly distributes books and other reading materials for all educational levels in over 18 countries. Since its inception in September 1954, Books for Asia has distributed nearly 45 million books and journals to more than 50,000 academic and non-academic institutions throughout Asia.

The Philippines alone has been a recipient of 14 million books and journals to public and private institutions across the country. More than 95 percent of Books for Asia’s donations are new textbooks, donated by U.S. publishers.

The reading materials range from the elementary level to professional level, covering such fields as government, business, health, environment, information technology, social science, and international relations.

Kidnapped woman found dead in Mindanao

PAGADIAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 1, 2010) – A Filipino woman kidnapped along with her son was killed by her captors and that her decomposing body was recovered in the southern Philippine province of Lanao del Norte, officials said Friday.

Her family said the corpse of Babet Gomonit was discovered in the town of Sultan Naga Dimaporo. The body was discovered after kidnappers sent text messages to the woman’s family saying they dumped the corpse in the province.

“The body was recovered and that the family has already identified the remains of the kidnapped victim,” said Army Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, a regional military spokesman.

He said the fate of the woman’s son Cekim remains unknown. Both mother and son were kidnapped late in October in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province. The family car used by the kidnappers to escape was also recovered on a village in the town of Tukuan also in Zamboanga del Sur.

No individual or group claimed responsibility for the latest abduction. But there were suspicions that Moro rebels could be involved in the abduction.

Last year, rebels also kidnapped an Italian missionary Father Michael Sinnot inside his house in Pagadian City and freed him a month later in Zamboanga City after private negotiators paid huge ransom.

Kidnappings-for-ransom has become a lucrative business for rebels in Mindanao with most of the collected monies used to purchase weapons in the troubled region in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner)

Gunmen seize Basilan trader

BASILAN, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 16, 2010) – Gunmen abducted a Filipino-Chinese businessman late Thursday in the restive province of Basilan in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said the assailants seized Larry Tam Delos Santos in his farm resort in Isabela City. “Police and military forces are in hot pursuit operations to recover the victim,” the provincial deputy governor Al Rasheed Sakalahul told the regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.

He said no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction. But security officials suspect the Abu Sayyaf rebels could be behind the latest abduction.

Delos Santos' family owns a resort and a restaurant in Basilan. There was no immediate statement from the family.

The abduction came two days after Abu Sayyaf rebels freed a kidnapped school principal Cecilia Sosas, who was seized on November 15. The gang is still holding another kidnapped trader, Rose Baranda, and demanded P3 million ransoms for her safe release.

Both Sosas and Baranda were kidnapped separately by rebels under Nur Hassan Jamiri. Authorities had linked Jamiri’s group to terrorism in Basilan and is on the list of the government’s order of battle.

Kidnappings-for-ransom are not uncommon in Basilan where dozens of people had been seized over the years and most of them freed in exchange for huge ransoms. (Mindanao Examiner)

Gunmen kill pa, kidnap son in Noth Cotabato

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 16, 2010) – Gunmen kidnapped a Filipino boy and shot dead his father who tried to fight off the attackers in the troubled region of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, officials said Thursday.
Officials said one of the kidnappers was captured by pursuing troops in the town of Pigkawayan in North Cotabato province, but his companions had escaped with the boy, Kazie Tamayo.

“The father of the victim was shot by the perpetrators and died. Pursuing troops were able to capture one of the kidnappers who is now in the custody of the police,” said Major Marlowe Patria, a spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

He said troops were tracking down the kidnappers who are believed to be members of the so-called Pentagon Gang, blamed by authorities for the spate of kidnappings and terrorism in Mindanao.

“Pursuit operations are still going on against the perpetrators,” Patria said, adding the boy is a student at the local Montessori school.

He said a ransom demand which bore the signature of the Pantagon Gang was also recovered by soldiers.

On Tuesday, a gang of kidnappers also killed a grand father who tried to rescue his nephew Mary Cuartocruz in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines.

The gunmen barged inside their house in the village of Manicahan. The attackers forcibly took Cuartocruz, 21, and escaped.

The motive of the abduction is still unknown. But it was the second abduction in the area since February after gunmen also seized a former army soldier. (Mindanao Examiner)

Journalist killed in Mindanao

Children of slain journalist Edison Flamenia Sr look at the coffin of their father who was shot dead by unidentified gunman in the town of Labangan in Zamboanga del Sur province in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner Photo - Mark Navales).

ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 15, 2010) – A Filipino journalist was shot dead in an attack in the troubled southern region of Mindanao.

The victim, Edison Flamenia Sr, was shot as he was walking home in the village of Tabudok in Labangan town. Flamenia was writing for the Mindanao Inquirer.

The motive of the weekend attack is still unknown and his family has appealed to authorities to search and arrest the killer.

Dozens of journalists had been killed in the Philippines in recent years and international media organizations branded the country as one of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists.

Last year, at least 32 journalists were among 57 people murdered in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province in the country's worst political killings blamed on a powerful Muslim clan. (With a report from Mark Navales)

Kidnapped trader freed in Lanao Sur

MARAWI CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 15, 2010) – Kidnappers have freed a businesswoman they seized in the southern Filipino city of Iligan in Mindanao, authorities said Wednesday.

It said Eufemia Trocio, 53, who was kidnapped on November 22, had been released late Tuesday in the town of Piagapo in the restive province of Lanao del Sur.

Her captors originally demanded P300,000, but it was not immediately known if the victim’s family paid money or not.

Authorities said Trocio’s kidnapping had something to do with the family debts. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Gunmen seize woman; shoots grand pa in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 15, 2010) – Gunmen seized a young woman and fatally shot her grand father who tried to rescue her in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines.

The old man was shot as he tried to fight off the gunmen who barged inside their house late Tuesday in the village called Manicahan. The attackers forcibly took Mary Cuartocruz, 21, and escaped.

The local police chief, Edwin de Ocampo, did not give details of the abduction and would not answer phone calls from journalists.

The motive of the abduction is still unknown. But it was the second abduction in the area since February after gunmen also seized a former army soldier.

Several kidnappings – largely blamed on rebel groups - had occurred in Zamboanga City over the years. Gun attacks are also common occurrence in Zamboanga. (Mindanao Examiner)

Notre Dame's children's party in Kidapawan City

Filipino children benefit from a recent party sponsored by the Notre Dame of Kidapawan College Community Extension Service and the Child-fund Japan which supports community projects through its Children Educational Welfare Assistance. (Mindanao Examiner Photo – Geo Solmerano)

Kidnapped Basilan school principal is freed

BASILAN, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 14, 2010) – A kidnapped Filipino school principal has been freed late Tuesday after six weeks in captivity in the troubled province of Basilan in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said Cecilia Sosas, who was kidnapped on November 15, had been reunited with her family. But the fate of another hostage, Rose Baranda, is still unknown.

It was not immediately known whether ransom was paid for the release of Sosas, who teaches at the Baas Elementary School in Lamitan town, but her captors had previously demanded one million pesos for her freedom. Her family said they could not afford to pay ransom.

Army Colonel Nicanor Dolojan, commander of the Special Operations Task Force-Basilan, said the woman was released near the village of Lagayas in Tipo-Tipo town.

“She is right now under the custody of the (provincial) vice governor (Al Rasheed Sakalahul),” he told the Mindanao Examiner.

Both Sosas and Baranda, who is a trader, were kidnapped separately by Abu Sayyaf rebels under Nur Hassan Jamiri. The kidnappers demanded three million pesos ransom for Baranda’s safe release.

Authorities had linked Jamiri’s group to terrorism in Basilan and is on the list of the government’s order of battle.

Earlier this month, schools in Basilan were shut down due to threats of Abu kidnappings. The rebels had threatened to take more teachers, Sakalahul said.

Kidnappings-for-ransom are not uncommon in Basilan where dozens of people had been seized over the years and most of them freed in exchange for huge ransoms and those who cannot afford to pay are killed, oftentimes beheaded by their captors.

Two other factions of kidnap gangs in Mindanao also freed three of their hostages – two students and a salesman – in separate areas on Tuesday.

Authorities said Shiela May Vidal, 18, and Alcger Baricuatro, 19, who were kidnapped December 7 inside the compound of the Mindanao State University in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province, were freed in the town of Piagapo.

The third victim, Edgar Cuajao, a 27-year old paint salesman, who was kidnapped in Cagayan de Oro City on December 7, was also released in Lanao del Sur. Ransoms were reported paid by private negotiators to their captors. (Mindanao Examiner)

Kidnapped salesman freed in Mindanao

MARAWI CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 14, 2010) – A kidnapped paint salesman was freed by his captors on Tuesday after three days being held hostage in the restive southern region of Mindanao in the Philippines, officials said.

Officials said a relative of the gang leader negotiated for the safe release of Edgar Cuajao who was kidnapped in Cagayan de Oro City last week. Cuajao, 27, was freed in Lanao del Sur province and is now in the custody of the police.

Authorities had tagged Ali Dagalangit as the alleged leader of the gang that held Cuajao, but it was unknown if ransom was paid for the release of the salesman.

Another gang also freed two students Shiela May Vidal, 18, and Alcger Baricuatro, 19, who were both kidnapped December 7 in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur, one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.

The victims were freed in the town of Piagapo also in Lanao del Sur.

The military previously said troops had located the hideout where the kidnappers were holding the hostages and that the leaders of the gang had been identified as Salik Muslimen and Machol Sabtulah. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)

Ex-senator's son, 5 others freed from Philippine prison

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 14, 2010) – The Philippines Supreme Court has acquitted Tuesday a son of a former lawmaker and 5 others convicted of murdering three members of an affluent Vizconde family in 1991 in Manila.

The High Court also ordered the release of Hubert Webb, son of ex-senator Freddie Webb; and Michael Gatchalian, Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Miguel Rodriguez and Peter Estrada. The six had served 15 years in prison.

A policeman who was also convicted as an accessory to the murders had been earlier released from prison. The High Court said the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of all the men. (Mindanao Examiner)