Bomb scare hits Zamboanga City Hall

Zamboanga City Hall. (Mindanao Examiner)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / January 16, 2010) – Police and military authorities have evacuated the Zamboanga City hall after receiving threats that a bomb had been planted and would explode at any time.

More than 1,000 civil employees were forced to abandon their posts Friday because of the threats, but soldiers and policemen who searched the building in downtown Zamboanga found no explosives.

Security and local officials blamed pranksters for the undue alarm. Zamboanga City had been previously bombed many times by the al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf group.

"There was no bomb. It was a hoax. This is the handiwork of pranksters, but nonetheless we have seen how ready our security forces and paramedics in handling this kind of situation. The whole evacuation of civil workers was orderly and the area was immediately secured and the city hall searched thoroughly," said Army Colonel Santiago Baluyot, commander of an anti-terror task force.

He said police and military authorities have stepped security in Zamboanga City.

The Abu Sayyaf group was also implicated in many kidnappings-for-ransom in Zamboanga City and other parts of Mindanao, including a cross-border raid in 2001 in Malaysia’s state of Sabah near the Filipino province of Tawi-Tawi.

The US Embassy has warned its citizens not to travel to Sabah because of threats of attacks by the Abu Sayyaf and in the past also told Americans not to travel to Zamboanga City and in many parts of Mindanao, including Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi provinces. (Mindanao Examiner)

Zamboanga City Hall At Night

Colourful lights adorn the century-old Spanish fort now the seat of government of Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. Zamboanga, which was formally called Jambangan, was invaded by Spain, the United States and Japan. It was originally home to indigenous tribe called the Subanon. It is popularly known in the Philippines as the City of Flowers. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Aquino leads presidential race; Dalipe ahead of Zamboanga mayoralty race in poll survey

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / November 8, 2009) – A pre-election survey held secretly among local government employees showed Senator Benigno Aquino III leading in the presidential race against three others and Zamboanga City vice mayor Jose Manuel Dalipe also ahead against incumbent Celso Lobregat in the mayoralty race.

The survey was conducted on 1,000 city government officials and employees from October 25 to November 7 and whose results were made public on Sunday by a group called the Concerned City Government Employees.

“This survey was done by concerned city government officials and employees. We cannot divulge our identity due to serious repercussions. We expect many politicians to question the result of this survey, especially those who got low scores.”

“Some of us might even be forced to discredit this survey in public. But we hope you will allow the people of Zamboanga to know the sentiments of those working in the City Government of Zamboanga, and let them rate for themselves the credibility of this survey,” the group said in a statement sent to the independent regional newspaper The Mindanao Examiner.

One of the poll questions asked the city employees who they will vote if elections were held today?

The pollsters said Aquino, son of former President Corazon Aquino, topped the survey among presidential candidates with 299 votes against ex-President Joseph Estrada who got 154 votes; Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, 192; and Senator Manuel Villar, 226.

They said 129 respondents were still undecided who to vote for in the May 2010 national elections.

For the vice presidential candidates, Makati City mayor Jejomar Binay leads the survey with 70 votes, while Senator Francis Escudero got 203 votes; Senator Loren Legarda with 131; Senator Mar Roxas with 273 votes and 323 respondents still undecided who to choose among the four.

In the local front, Zamboanga City vice mayor Jose Manuel Dalipe was way ahead of Celso Lobregat, the incumbent mayor. Dalipe, a favorite among the locals, got 688 votes and Lobregat only with 247 votes. The Concerned City Government Employees said 65 respondents were undecided whether to vote for Dalipe or Lobregat.

Former Catholic priest and now Presidential assistant for Mindanao, Crisanto dela Cruz, was also leading in the vice mayoralty race in Zamboanga City with 412 votes against incumbent councilors Juan Elago, 328; Cesar Itturalde, 72; and Roel Natividad, 84. It said 10 percent of the 1,000 respondents were still undecided who to vote for.

Like Dalipe, the former priest, a known philanthropist in Zamboanga City, is also a favorite among the local voters. Dela Cruz previously said he is likely to run as an independent candidate for vice mayor.

Local congressman Erico Fabian also bested Samuel Enesando with 920 votes as against 41 in Zamboanga’s 2nd congressional district and 39 were still undecided.

While in the 1st congressional district, congresswoman Maria Isabelle Climaco leads the survey with 798 votes as against 144 votes for James Jimenez, but 58 respondents were also undecided who to vote for in the elections.

Another poll question asked the respondents: “Among the following incumbent Councilors, who do you think deserve another term if they are allowed to run again?”

For the 1st congressional district, the frontrunners were: Rogelio Valesco, with 910 votes; Cezar Jimenez, 902; Melchor Rey Sadain, 893; Luis Biel, 611; Ethelinda Abarro, 553; Charlie Mariano, 501; Jaime Cabato, 412; and Rudy Lim, 269 votes.

In the 2nd congressional district, councilor Lilia Nuno topped the survey with 892 votes and followed by Juan Elago, 868; Cesar Itturalde, 561; Roel Natividad, 522; Eduardo Saavedra, 506; Benjamin Guingona, 404; Rey Candido, 389; and Eduardo Rodriguez with 211 votes.

The pollster also asked the city hall employees who they think should run for Councilor in the coming elections. And the top 5 were: Roseller Natividad, with 785 votes; Rommel Agan, 658; Antonio Orendain Jr., 460; Rodelyn Agbulos, 435; and Vic Solis, 426.

Most of the incumbent councilors are allies of Lobregat.

The group said in the 2007 elections, no formal survey was conducted with the city government officials and employees because some politicians thought their opinion was not important.

“In the 2010 elections, we will not allow that to happen again. This is why several officials and employees of the local government already took the lead and conducted an honest to goodness survey amongst those serving in the city government of Zamboanga. “

“Please help us make our voices heard. We cannot do so ourselves because of serious consequences from our bosses who are involved in this survey. This is the sentiment of those working in the local government and we want the outside world to hear us,” the Concerned City Government Employees said. (Mindanao Examiner)

Photo: Zamboanga City Hall

Colorful lights and Christmas display adorn this century-old building, which now serves as the City Hall of Zamboanga. The construction of this Hispanic building started in 1905 and was completed in 1907 by the Federal Government of the United States for the American Governors of the area, which included Leonard O. Wood, Tasker H. Bliss, Ralph W. Hoyt, Charles Hagedorn and John Pershing. Zamboanga, formerly named Jambangan, was the capital of the Moro province. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Photo: Zamboanga City Hall Vehicle Used As School Bus

This Zamboanga City Hall vehicle picks-up students late Friday afternoon, July 25, 2008 at the back of Ateneo de Zamboanga University. The same vehicle was also photographed (top image) July 17 at the same spot fetching students. Its driver and an unidentified woman, believed employees of the Zamboanga City Government, pick up students almost everyday unmindful of what the public would say despite a strict order from the Civil Service Commission that prohibits government cars to be used in personal or private affairs. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Photo: Zamboanga City Hall Vehicle...For Family Use Also!

A Zamboanga City Hall vehicle with markings "For Official Use Only" picks up civilians at the back exit of the Ateneo De Zamboanga University late Wednesday, July 2, 2008. The same vehicle and people were also spotted June 27 fetching students. The still unidentified driver of the vehicle and another woman both wear IDs and the same uniform that City Hall employees use. The presence of the government vehicle has caught the attention of many passers-by. Government vehicles are strictly for "official use only". (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Photo: Is Zamboanga City Hall Vehicle For Family Use Also?

A Zamboanga City Hall vehicle with markings "For Official Use Only" picks up civilians at the back exit of the Ateneo De Zamboanga University late Friday afternoon, June 27, 2008. Government vehicles are strictly for official use only. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)