Alkalde Ng Zamboanga Del Sur, Isinabit Sa Maling Paratang

IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 30, 2007) – Itinanggi ng pulisya kanina ang balitang 74 mga teenager na umano’y nasa educational tour ang dinetene ng isang alkalde sa lalawigan ng Zamboanga del Sur.

Naunang nabalita na nahaharap sa kaso si Mayor Nestor Loquias ng bayan ng San Miguel matapos na magreklamo ang ilang magulang ng mga bata sa pulisya nuong Biyernes.

Ito rin ang naging laman ng mga pahayagan ditto ngayon, ngunit mismong si Supt. Angelito Casimiro, intelligence chief ng pulisya sa Western Mindanao, ang nagsabing pawing mga tagasunod ng alkalde ang mga teenager.

“Mga followers ni Mayor ang mga yun. Hindi totoo na dinetene niya ang mga teenagers,” ani pa ni Casimiro sa Mindanao Examiner.

Hindi naman mabatid kung sino ang mga kandidato ng alkalde sa Barangay at SK polls.

Ayon pa sa ulat ay nailigtas umano ng mga parak at miyembro ng Department of Social Welfare and Development ang mga teenager matapos na magreklamo ng tatlong magulang ng mga bata na sina Leonardo Balbatro, Emiliano Alcurin Mondido at Leonides Dagaan. Sa bahay umano ni Loquias sa Barangay Tuburan sa Pagadian city natagpuan ang mga teenager.

Hindi naman natagpuan doon ang alkalde ngunit walo umano sa mga tauhan at kasama nito sa bahay ang diumano’y inaresto – sina Bonifacia Urro, Carlos Urro, Rolando Paragas, Leny Rosa Vergas, Ronald Pregino, Analiza Martinez, Alien Sumiling at Leonilo Calinaol – ayon pa sa ulat.

Nagtungo naman sa pulisya sa Pagadian City ang alkalde kasama ang kanyang abogado upang itanggi ang lahat ng paratang. Posibleng pakana lamang umano ng mga katunggali sa pulitika ang nasa likod ng ulat na pinigil nito ang mga teenager. (Mindanao Examiner)

Coco Funds Still Far From Reach Of Poor Pinoy Farmers

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 25 Feb) – Militant groups criticized President Gloria Arroyo for failing to support the House Bill 3728 that will render as public the Coconut Levy Fund.

President Arroyo said during the 1st National Coconut Farmers Convention held at the weekend in Davao City, that the projected sale of the 26 million shares of the San Miguel Corp. will be used to set up a foundation to "oversee" the distribution of the proceeds to farmers.

The SMC shares were 27% of the entire coco levy fund that went to the bottling company during the Estrada administration.

"If the Arroyo administration has the real intention of handing over the fund to the farmers, why set up a coco foundation and give farmers only 25% of what is rightly theirs?

“Why does she not support House Bill 3728 that seeks to render as public funds the coconut levy fund?" asked Editha Duterte, of the Anakpawis Party list group.

Duterte said the HB 3728 and is awaiting approval in the House of Representatives since 2005.

Anakpawis is the main proponent of HB 3728.She said the misleading promises Arroyo made were old news for hopefulfarmers who have been waiting for the coco levy fund for 20 years now.

Duterte said the farmers had been waiting too long and had heard too much lip service about the fund that they can see through the real agenda of Arroyo's premature declarations.

"Many of our farmers confessed to being confused after Arroyo's speech. For 20 years, they have been put off from their rightful claim to the fund. They have been hauled from all over Mindanao merely to be told that the waiting is far from over."

"It is evident that Arroyo and her desperate camp are drooling over the coco levy fund which was now reached P130 billion. It has already lost the confidence and support of the masses,” Duterte said. (Mindanao Examiner)