Thursday, March 31, 2011
Transport strikes paralyze Philippine provinces, cities
3 teeners brutally killed in Zamboanga City
Operasyon kontra Sayyaf patuloy
ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 31, 2011) – Walang tigil ang operasyon ng militar sa lalawigan ng Sulu na kung saan ay tatlong Abu Sayyaf umano ang napatay ng mga sundalo sa bayan ng Patikul.
Sinabi kahapon sa Abante ni Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, ang spokesman ng Western Mindanao Command, ay target umano ng mga tropa na madakip ang mga lider ng teroristang grupo sa naturang lalawigan.
Bagamat walang nabawing bangkay sa labanan na naganap kamakalawa sa Patikul ay sinabi ni Cabangbang na tatlo ang nasawi sa sagupaan. Nakasagupa ng mga marines ang grupo ni Abu Sayyaf commander Jamiri Jawari na pinaniniwalaang siyang may bihag sa tatlong mangingisdang dinukot sa karagatan ng Sulu Archipelago nuong Marso 19.
Nabawi kasi umano ng mga sundalo ang seaman book ni Renato Panisales, isa sa mga dinukot na mangingisda. Ngunit wala pa rin balita sa mga bihag maliban lamang na direktang nakikipagnegosasyon umano ang mga kidnappers sa pamilya at empleyado ng tatlo.
Nabatid na P10 milyon ransom ang hinihingi ng Abu Sayyaf kapalit ng buhay ng mga bihag. (Mindanao Examiner)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Troops kill 3 Sayyaf gunmen in Philippine clash
Kilabot na JI bomber, nakatakas sa Pinas pero huli sa Pakistan!
Hindi naman mabatid agad ang lugar na kung saan nadakip si Patek, subalit Kinumpirma naman ito ng mga intelligence officials sa Indonesia na kung saan ay sabit ito sa madugong pambobomba sa Bali nuong 2002 na ikinamatay ng 202 katao, karamihan ay mga dayuhan mula sa Australia.
Huling nakita sa Tawi-Tawi province si Patek, 40, nuong nakaraang Nobyembre lamang at sa kabila ng matinding paghahanap sa kanya ay nakatakas pa ito Patungong Pakistan at hinihinalang sa Malaysia pa ito nagdaan sa kanyang pagpuga.
May reward na $1 milyon si Patek mula Estados Unidos mahuli man buhay o patay at ito rin ang umano’y nagtutulak sa maraming Muslim sa Tawi-Tawi - sibilyan man o militar o pulis – sa paghahanap sa kanya.
Ayon sa mga ulat ay isang video ang ipinasa ng Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research sa television giant ABS-CBN at doon makikita si Umar Patek, 40, na may bitbit na armas.
Wanted rin si Patek ng pamahalaan dahil sa mga kinasasangkutan nitong mga kaso at pinaghahanap rin ng Estados Unidos at Australia. Naunang inulat ng militar na napatay nito si Patek, alias Umar Kecil, nuong 2006, ngunit binawi rin ito at sinabing ang dayuhan ang siyang nagtuturo sa Abu Sayyaf na gumawa ng mga bomba.
Ang Abu Sayyaf ang pinaniniwalaang nagbibigay ng proteksyon sa terorista.
Maging ang Australia ay nagsabing nasa pangangalaga ng Abu Sayyaf si Patek na tauhan ng napatay na Indonesian bomber na si Dulmatin – parehong tumakas patungo sa Mindanao ang dalawa matapos ng Bali bombing at ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit nagbuhos ng maraming puwersa ng Estados Unidos sa Sulu at Tawi-Tawi.
Sinabi pa ng Australia na may collusion sa pagitan ng Abu Sayyaf at Moro Islamic Liberation Front at Jemaah Islamiya base na rin sa mga nakuwang dokumento sa kampo ng Abu Sayyaf sa katimugan. Nagtuturo umano ang mga Jemaah Islamiya ng paggawa ng bomba sa dalawang rebeldeng grupo kapalit ng armas at proteksyon.
Naunang itinanggi ng MILF, na nakikibaka para sa kapakalan ng mga Muslim, na may koneksyon ito sa Abu Sayyaf at Jemaah Islamiya.
Idinagdag rin ng Australia na nasa pangangalaga rin ng Abu Sayyaf ang isa pang Jemaah Islamiya bomber na si Marwan na nagtago sa Pilipinas nuong 2007. At sina Patek at Marwan ay may kabuuang rewards $6 milyon.
Buko sa dalawa ay inamin rin ng Western Mindanao Command na nasa rehiyon rin sina Jemaah Islamiya militants Mauiya at Quayem at nasa grupo ng Abu Sayyaf. Sabit rin si Mauiya sa pagdukot sa tatlong international Red Cross members sa bansa nuong nakaraang taon. (Mindanao Examiner)
A ‘gentleman farmer’ visits Canatuan in Zamboanga del Norte
He has made a name in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Southern Philippines for the success of his farm projects, particularly the Sayao Farms in Kumalarang town where, together with his wife Merlou, they developed a model sustainable farm.
The couple likewise operates the “Kainan sa Balsa”, literally a floating restaurant that also serves as a showcase of their farm produce. They grow vegetables, fruits and fish in their farm situated along the Zamboanga del Sur-Zamboanga Sibugay national highway. This is why they rarely find a need to go to the market and buy ingredients for the dishes they serve in their restaurant.
Aside from being entrepreneurs, the couple also shares a mission of encouraging other people, especially those referred to as “marginalized”, to improve their lives through agribusiness. And this is what they intend to share with the Subanon indigenous people of Canatuan, hosts of TVI Resource Development Phils. Inc. (TVIRD)’s copper-zinc mine in the mountains of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.
The Quisumbings recently visited the Canatuan mine to meet with tribal leaders and to discuss the feasibility of developing coffee plantations in the Subanon ancestral domain. During the visit, they met with Timuay Jose “Boy” Anoy, the tribal chieftain and administrator of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) of Siocon.
“I am so happy that my dream of developing a coffee plantation in our ancestral land will finally be realized. I have long wanted to start this project but our tribe lacks the technical capabilities,” an elated Timuay Anoy said after meeting with the couple. “This coffee project will be a good addition to the existing agricultural development projects that our tribe has started with the help of the company’s (TVIRD) Sustainable Development Management Program (SDMP),” he added, referring to the rubber and abaca plantations the Subanons have already started in the area.
Rey shared to the Subanon chief and to the TVIRD agriculturists who joined the meeting the income opportunities in coffee farming. He said that the Philippines’ annual demand for coffee has reached 62,000 metric tons while production in the county is pegged at only 24,000 metric tons. “The demand gap for coffee, amounting to 38,000 metric tons, is right now being imported from other countries such as Thailand and Vietnam,” Rey explained. “These countries learned coffee farming from the Philippine. There is a big opportunity for the Subanons of Canatuan to share a big chunk of this supply gap by intercropping coffee with other suitable plants in the area.”
Carlos Tuerco, a TVIRD senior agriculturist, said that the company will assist the farmers in the CADT and in neighboring impact communities by enabling them to acquire the new coffee farming technology. “We would like to start training our farmers belonging to the four farming clusters inside the ancestral domain and eventually include those from the company’s impact communities,” Tuerco added. “Our objective is to provide these people with the technology and knowledge that will enable them to sustain the development of the area even after we close the mine in the near future.”
After the visit, a series of training programs will be scheduled this year to benefit the various farmer groups in the area. Timuay Anoy has expressed interest in immediately starting the development of coffee plantations in areas he personally identified. “I would like our tribe to plant coffee near the forested areas and near the river,” he averred. I” believe that if we do these, we will not only be realizing sustainable income from coffee farming but will likewise protect our forests and river which are both very important elements of our life as Subanons.”
The introduction of coffee farming technology has been identified as one of the key capacity building activities under the company’s SDMP for 2011. The program, administered by the company through its Community Relations and Development Office will, on a quarterly basis, train a farmer cluster to plant coffee and develop nurseries of coffee seedlings as a source of steady supply for at least 16 hectares of land aside from those identified by the Subanon tribe. (Ernie Rojo)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
NPA hails founding anniversary
Domino Man!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Quake hits Mindanao
Dapitan Folks Doing 'Miracles'
DAPITAN CITY, Philippines - The people of Dapitan City and Zamboanga del Norte provinces are performing a miracle! This was the pronouncement made by Department of Education Secretary Armin Luistro in front of a throng of well-wishers, led by Governor Rolando Yebes and Palaro Executive Committee Chairman Romeo “Nonong” Jalosjos, during his arrival here for an ocular inspection of the facilities for the May 8-14 Palarong Pambansa.
After making an inspection of all the sports facilities right at the main venue for this national sports tournament, Luistro officially declared that the Palarong Pambansa be held in Dapitan. His declaration met cheers among city and provincial officials.
“I think in your midst, I think I can make the quiet announcement that the Palarong Pambansa will be held in Dapitan City,” Luistro said.
Luistro said that this was his first visit to the would-be Palaro site and the second time for his Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali.
“In the car on our way back from visiting the site, I asked Assistant Secretary Tony what he saw today compared to when he arrived here at first months ago. And our consensus is that the City of Dapitan, with the help of the provincial government and the people of Zamboanga del Norte, created a miracle. The miracle is not yet for public viewing, because it is still in its maiden stage and it will only be unveiled during the Palaro,” Luistro said.
He said that what impressed him even more of the whole situation, and which has further galvanized his resolve to host the Palaro here, is the support given by the government, specifically the Dapitan City and Zamboanga del Norte government to the activity.
“I say that come hell or high water, the Palaro will be staged here because as far as I can see, I think we are confident that everything is put in place. What I think worked is that the support was overwhelming. This Palaro is not just a project of the governor, or the congressman, or the city mayor. This is a project, a source of pride and excitement for all the people of Zanorte,” Luistro said. (Franklin Gumapon)
Gunmen free kidnapped Muslim couple in Philippines
Officials said the duo was released over the weekend without ransom after military and police authorities sent warning of an impending operation to free the hostages - Akmad Sangka Datumanong, village chieftain of Dadu in Lanao del Sur’s Mulondo town; and his wife Baira.
The two were kidnapped on March 24 in the village of Kalanganan in Pantar town and the gunmen originally demanded P1.2 million from their family in exchange for their freedom.
Security forces have moved near the gang’s hideout when the kidnappers released the hostages and fled from the area.
“Reconnaissance team were given information by residents in the village of Mamaan in Piagapo town and revealed about the presence of the kidnapped victims, and we have warned the kidnappers to release the two hostages and they were freed unharmed,” said Colonel Daniel Lucero, commander of the 103rd Infantry Brigade.
Lucero said the duo was kidnapped to force them to pay their debts to the gang’s leader. “It was revealed that the victims have unpaid debts to their abductors,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
DENR slaps mining firm with sanction in Zambo town
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 22, 2011) – Philippine environment officials have ordered a mining firm to stop all its activities in Zamboanga del Sur after it failed to comply with government requirements.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Western Mindanao also issued a "cease and desist order" against the Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company Incorporated after it encroached in areas where other mining companies are operating.
Officials said the mining firm – which is claiming to represent Subanon indigenous people of Bayog town in Zamboanga del Sur province - was ordered to stop all its mineral exploration activities.
One mining firm, Bayog 9 Metals Corporation, also complained that Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company Incorporated encroached inside their mine property and had began drilling activities. And the firm’s security guards, mostly armed with AK-47 assault rifles, allegedly prevented Bayog 9 employees from entering its mining site.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau said a recent survey shows that permitted area issued to Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company Incorporated also falls within the following mining rights Peng Cheng Mining Corporation, Greater Asia Mining and Development Corporation, Richgate Realtty and Devlopment Corporation, Cherill Pastoriza, Omega 9 Mining Corporation, TVI Mineral Processing Incorporated, 168 Ferrum Pacific Mining Corporation and Mindanao Mining and Mineral Resources Corporation.
Bayog town is rich in iron ore and gold deposits.
Subanon villagers said the Lupa Pigigetawan Company also employs heavily armed security force whose agency is reportedly owned by former police and military generals.
Regional Director Alberto Johann Jacildo, of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, said Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company “failed to comply with other mandatory and procedural requirements in order to carry out lawful mining activities.”
Jacildo said that after careful verification, they found out that the mining company “did encroach and perform mining exploratory works on the area of Bayog 9.”
Raul Calumpang, now the acting Mines and Geosciences Bureau, said they will form a team to investigate reports that Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company has violated the government's cease and desist order.
"We have received reports that despite the cease and desist order, the Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company continued on with their exploration activities in Bayog town," he said.
He said Jadilco is on an official leave and would report back to work soon. But he assured that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau would act on the complaints against Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company.
"They could lose their permit if the reports are true. We will investigate these reports," Calumpang said.
Village officials of Conacon, the host community where the Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company has been conducting illegal activities, also issued a resolution declaring the company’s security agency, A-Y 76 Security Specialists Inc., as "persona non grata."
The resolution alleged that the agency’s heavily armed security personnel have set up an illegal boom and barrier on a public road and prevented village officials from accessing the area.
The resolution added that the security guards, “with finger on the trigger of their AK-47 caliber guns,” have caused people in the community “to worry and be afraid”.
Other sources also said that even Bayog town Mayor Jun Babasa was, at one point, allegedly barred by the security guards and company officials from inspecting the area.
Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company insisted that its activities in Bayog town are authorized under a so-called Special Ore Extraction Permit signed by former Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose Atienza a few days before he vacated his post in 2009.
The Special Ore Extraction Permit, however, states that the “mining operation authorized under this Permit shall not be undertaken in areas covered by valid and existing mining contracts and permits of other parties concerned.”
“Mining, environmental, and other relevant rules and regulations shall be complied with. Failure to comply with the foregoing and/or with the terms and conditions of this Permit shall give cause for its revocation.”
Sources from the Environmental Management Bureau said that, apart from encroaching within Bayog 9’s exploration area, Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company has a standing violation for conducting mining activities without an Environmental Compliance Certificate, a critical pre-requisite for all legal mining operations.
In the Special Ore Extraction Permit, Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company claims to be a representative of the Subanons of Bayog. But other sources said the firm’s president, Absalon Alcorin, Jr., hails from Davao and that two signatory witnesses of the permit, Gualberto Padilla and Rosemary Garrido, are also from Cebu.
Securities and Exchange Commission records show that Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company was incorporated in Cebu, and that only two of its nine incorporators, Mitubusan Casiano Edal and Timuay Alfredo Dingal, are Subanons.
It was also discovered that several Chinese engineers are working for Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company in Bayog town, but they have failed to present any documents or permits allowing them to legally work there. One report said the foreigners were believed connected with Hua Qiao Mining Company and that one of them identified himself to environment officials as Ma Zhe Zheng.
Lawyer Deonhar Ceniza, Zamboanga del Sur’s Environment and Natural Resources Officer, said they have also received similar complaints against the mining firm and is closely working with police authorities to stop the illegal operation of the Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company.
“We are working closely with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the police authorities to implement the (cease and desist) order of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” he said.
He said the mining firm has no environmental compliance certificate to operate in Zamboanga del Sur. “There are a lot of reported violations and these have been well documented,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Cars for sale in Zamboanga City
CARS FOR SALE IN ZAMBOANGA CITY.
TOYOTA INNOVA. Manual unleaded gas engine (less engine maintenance and lesser smoke than diesel and very economical in the long run, faster than diesel engine), roof rails, roof carrier, step boards, spoiler, low mileage (18,000 kms), tint, seat covers, carpet, matting, all tires are new, reserved wheel is new, tools, key-less entry, central locking system, casa-maintained, under warranty. Sure buyer only. P690,000 fixed. Open for swapping with Toyota Super Grandia GL. (http://wahoy.com/detail2.php?siteid=123386)
ISUZU CROSSWIND XUVi. First owner. 2004 Model. Automatic diesel transmission. Excellent condition, very fast and economical. Bought it for more than P 1 million. Only 50,000 kilometers. P650,000. (http://wahoy.com/detail2.php?siteid=119393)
FORD RANGER XLT. Diesel, very good and clean engine. 2000 model, only 60,000 mileage, rarely used, office to house only. Metallic Midnight Blue, big tires, mug wheels, original paint, roof rails, step boards, extended front bumper. P 575,000. (http://wahoy.com/detail2.php?siteid=135347)
Sure buyer only. Call or text 0915-2756606