The Mindanao Cross | November 13, 2021

7

Vol. LXXIII| No. 40| Cotabato City | Saturday, November 13, 2021 |8 Pages | P10.00

P2

“Whole of nation approach” gaining ground in 6th ID AOR

CHURCH / P4

Let Yolanda’s lessons of hope, solidarity carry us through this pandemic’ — bishop

P8

GPH, MILF start third phase of decommissioning

The Mindanao Cross issuu.com/mindanaocross mindanao.cross@gmail.com

IATF WARNS PUBLIC VS. FAKE VACCINATION CARDS

THE Cotabato City government is now working with the Cotabato City police office and other security agencies in search for whoever was behind the manufacture, distribution and selling of fake and fabricated vaccination cards.

The city inter-agency task force (IATF) is working with the City PNP, National Bureau of Investigation and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in searching for unscrupulous person or persons making money out of manufacture and distribution of invented vaccination cards that were copied from the city health issued vaccination card.

“Remember, these cards are only temporary and the national government will be issuing our permanent vaccination cards,” the city IATF said in a statement.

“Whoever has received this card without getting vaccinated must immediately report to our Office on Health Services or to our law enforcement authorities,” the advisory read.

“Faking vaccination cards is a crime,” the city IAFT said.

In a statement issued Monday, the Office of Health Services said the signatures of vaccinators and doctors in fake vaccination cards were all forged.

It was found out that those holding fake cards were not listed in the city ehalth database of duly vaccinated

P3

6-M more vax doses up for BARMM

By John Felix Unson SIX million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines will be delivered soon to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The Mindanao Cross learned this from a press statement from Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr., who confirmed the delivery soon of the vaccines in television interviews and via an official statement from his office.

He cited low vaccination turnout in the region due to hesitancy among residents as one reason for providing BARMM with more supplies.

Galvez said 4.5 million doses are expected to arrive this month.

“We tend to deploy it to different areas of BARMM. It’s very advantageous that J&J is a single-shot,” he said.

Nearly 500,000 members of the eligible population in the BARMM have been vaccinated against COVID-19 as of last month.

BARMM’s local government minister, Naguib Sinarimbo, said this week they were elated with the assurance

P3

DECOMMISSIONED. A lady social worker places a slilng ID card to elderly Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) former combatant at the start of the decommissioning process of combatants in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.

Photo courtesy of OPAPP

Muslims, Christians mourn Dig’s demise

Mlang under state of calamity due to ASF infection

By Nash B. Maulana MUSLIMS and Christians was educated in private in Maguindanao and C a t h o l i c s c h o o l s .

Cotabato City mourn Dilangalen succumbed to the passing of former a lingering ailment at his Congressman Didagen modest house in Barangay Piang Dilangalen. He Shariff, Cotabato City on was 67.

November 7, friends and Born in Balong, Datu members of his immediate Piang, Maguindanao, family have confirmed.

Digs, as he was As a lawyer, affectionately called, D i l a n g a l e n

P3

By Williamor A. Magbanua KIDAPAWAN CITY — The local government of Mlang, North Cotabato has unanimously approved a resolution putting the entire town under state of calamity following the outbreak of African Swine Fever in at least five villages.

Vice Mayor Joselito Piñol, said the resolution will authorize Mayor Russel Abonado to utilize the 39 percent of the Quick Response Funds amounting to P4.1 million as assistance to the affected hog raisers.

"We will give them financial assistance depending on the numbers of hogs culled due to

P3

42

BARMM, Comelec ink MOA for teachers’ protection

By Edwin O. Fernandez EDUCATION and poll BARMM Ministry of Basic, officials in the Bangsamoro Higher and Technical R e g i o n i n M u s l i m Education (MBHTE) Mindanao (BARMM) have signed the MOA during signed a Memorandum of online signing attended by Agreement (MOA) that will COMELEC Commissioners ensure protection of rights of Marlon Cascuejo, Antonio teachers serving next year’s Kho, and Aimee Ferolino, polls.

Executive Director On Tuesday, Minister Bartolome Sinocruz, Mohaqher Iqbal of the J r . , D i r e c t o r

DID YOU KNOW?

November is Filipino Values Month

ANTI-COVID-19 INITIATIVE. Personnel of the Navy’s 5th Marine Battalion are telling passersby in this roadside checkpoint in Barangay Rebuken in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao to have anti-COVID-19 jabs if there are rollouts in their hometowns. Their effort is in support of the Bangsamoro government’s anticoronavirus vaccination campaign.

John Felix Unson

November is Filipino Values Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 479 signed on Oct. 7, 1994 by then President Fidel Ramos. According to the proclamation, the celebration of Filipino Values Month is a desirable and effective measure to create moral awakening and national consciousness on human values that are unique, genuine and positively Filipino.

P3

2

November 13, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

“Whole of nation approach” gaining ground in 6th ID AOR

THE military here announced Friday that the “whole of nation approach” has been gaining headway under the 6th Infantry Division area of operation.

This after four more communist rebels have showed up and laid down their arms to the military and abandon their armed struggle against the government.

On Wednesday, the four formally turned their backs on the communist movement and the New Peoples’ Army during surrender rites at the headquarters of 37th Infantry Battalion (37th IB) in Barangay Tibpuan, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.

Lieutenant Colonel Allen Van Estrera, 37th IB commander, said the rebels belonged to the West Daguma Front, Far South Mindanao Region.

They turned over a Cal .22 rifle, a 12-gauge pistol, a Cal .45 pistol COLT M1911 and one rifle grenade.

Lt. Colonel Estrera said the Army’s Community

Support Program (CSP) conducted with other government and private organizations made the former combatants to lay down their firearms and return to the folds of the law.

“These former rebels decided to surrender because they want to have peaceful and normal lives. They are now tired of hiding and now want to live peacefully with their families,” Lt. Colonel Estrera added.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, 6th ID commander, said two NPA rebels also surrendered in Maasim, Sarangani and in Banga, South Cotabato.

Major General Uy, also commander of the Joint Task Force Central, commended the efforts of both the JTFC troops and the Local Government Units of Sultan Kudarat,

P3

FIRST IN BARMM. The first Pop-up Molecular Laboratory in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was built and inaugurated in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. Along with it is the containerized cold room storage facility located inside the IPHO-Maguindanao compound.

Photo courtesy of MOH-BARMM

Phone signal boosters banned in Lanao Sur

MARAWI CITY — Authorities have cracked the whip on peddlers and users here and in nearby Lanao del Sur towns of mobile phone electronic signal enhancers.

The 1st Marine Brigade committed support to the campaign on Wednesday, according to senior Marine officials.

There is a battalion of Marines based in a number of towns in the second district of Lanao del Sur. The office of Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong, Jr. announced Tuesday it has tapped the support of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade to its effort to address the massive sale and use of mobile phone signal boosters and repeaters in the province, which is against regulations of the National Telecommunications Communication.

“We will not tolerate this,” Adiong said in a statement Tuesday.

Adiong said their basis for the crackdown is the February 26, 2013 NTC memorandum order stating that there is a law - the Republic Act 7925 - that bans the sale and use of mobile phone signal boosters, repeaters and portable cellular sites anywhere in the country.

The provincial government’s move is premised on clamors by various sectors for authorities to address the wanton use of such devices that can be used for criminal activities.

Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Tuesday they will help the Adiong administration enforce the RA 7925 in Marawi City and nearby towns.

Lanao del Sur, whose capital is Marawi City, is one of the five provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. John Felix Unson

Catamco wants NTF-ELCAC to stay KIDAPAWAN CITY — North Cotabato Gov. Nancy Catamco has maintained her consistent and pro-active stance in the implementation of the national government’s pro-development, anticommunist program to the grassroots.

Describe as “a whole of nation approached,” is a government program dubbed as National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) by regularly and repeatedly bringing government basic services to the local like never before.

Gov. Catamco, in taking the right stance on pro-people program, also expressed gratitude to military for the support she is getting from the security sector in ensuring the province is cleared of communist rebels’ influence and in her advocacy for lasting peace.

"I believed that ELCAC is far more sustainable program in pursuit of peace.

Assistance (ayuda) are temporary thing and only intends to address emergency needs,” Gov. Catamco said even as she expressed opposition to calls by Vice Pres.

Leni Robredo to abolish a successful antiinsurgency program.

Catamco said as far as the province of North Cotabato is concerned there was no reported human rights violation or military abuses in the implementation of ELCAC. “In fact, the program (ELCAC) has paved the way for the surrender of many communist rebels who realized there was no grounds to fight the government,” she said of the former rebels who are now living with their loved ones.

The former NPAs of North Cotabato have availed of scholarship program from TESDA and are now running their own livelihood projects.

Catamco said since the program was “whole of nation approach,” the government has also opened its arms for rebels who wished to peacefully surrender and avail of government’s program for them.

“My life has changed for good, I am free now, I availed of government basic services,” said a former NPA in Arakan, North Cotabato told reporters in an interview last July.

Catamco said the ELCAC also paved the way for the provincial government under her leadership to really bring government services to the masses.

“We are bringing basic government services to the people in communities formerly influenced by communist rebels, and we are happy serving them,” Catamco said in a statement on Wednesday.

The governor regularly leads the “Serbisyo Caravan,” that goes around remote communities and former NPA influenced barangays to bring basic government services like health, services from Phil. Statistics office, including distribution of farm inputs through the Department of Agriculture.

“The caravan visits remote areas where many villagers say it was their first time to feel government presence in their communities,” Catamco said, adding that removing a successful government program is wrong policy. Edwin O.

Fernandez

Cops file charges vs. triggerman in Dinoy murder KIDAPAWAN CITY — Police in Davao del Sur have already identified the triggerman in Orlando "Dondon" Dinoy murder in Bansalan town.

Police based its initial theory on the testimonies and confirmation from several witnesses.

Police Colonel Giusseppe Geralde, provincial police director, said Dinoy's killer was identified based on the facial composite that matched with the police file photos of rogue personalities.

Col. Geralde said their witnesses claimed that they are in the area when the suspect barged at the apartment of Dinoy and shot him in close range killing the journalist

instantly.

Geraldo said the gunman was a hired killer who was also linked to the murder of a police officer in Davao del Sur recently. The driver of a motorbike they used as getaway vehicle was a suspected gun for hire.

Geralde did not name the suspects and the witnesses as investigation is still going on. The police officials refused to answer media queries whether the triggerman was identified with a local politician.

He hinted two possible angles and motive in the murder of Dinoy, a broadcaster for DXND and reporter for Newsline Philippines.

Geralde admitted that Dinoy was involved in an

illegal gambling activities particularly in the towns of Matan-ao and Bansalan.

Col. Geralde said that Dinoy is allegedly collecting money from the operators of "tari-tari" in these towns so the cockfight without him alerting the police about the gambling.

"He (Dinoy) sent emissary in the cockfight operators to collect money," Geralde told dxND Radyo Bida in a phone patch interview.

Police was to file charges before the prosecutor’s office Thursday.

Dinoy was buried at the Bansalan Public Cemetery on Wednesday.

The Dinoy family refused to comment on police initial findings.

FARMERS in some parts of Lanao del Sur are expected to be more productive with the turnover and operation of the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) solar powered irrigation system (SPIS).

Kagi Romar, a farmer in Butig, Lanao del Sur was teary eyed while patiently waiting for the completion of the turnover rites for his town’s first ever solar powered water system for rice farmers.

The BARMM Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), through the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), turned over the first SPIS for rice farmers in upland communities in Lanao Del Sur. The SPIS, which was funded under MAFARTFBM—amounting to P10,000,000.00, aimed to alleviate the problem of farmers on water shortage.

MAFAR Minister

Mohammad S. Yacob said Tuesday that the project has solar panels and 20 Horse Power (HP) generation capacity, capable of accumulating 3.5 cubic meters of water per minute with 660-cubic meters that can supply water for 50-70 hectares of paddy fields.

Primary beneficiaries of this project are rice farmers in Barangays Cabasaran and Sumalindaw in the town of Butig, and Barangay Malalis in the town of Sultan Dumalundong, all in Lanao del Sur. "We are here in the most remote barangay of Butig despite the distance and difficulty of the road to show our sincerity to reach you and deliver quality service to the Bangsamoro people,” Yacob said during turn over program.

"We hope that this project will succeed and become a model for uplifting the livelihood of farmers

in Butig, Lanao Del Sur, as well as in the whole Bangsamoro region," he added.

Farmer Romar said he never thought government services for farmers, like irrigation, would reach his village.

“We rely on rains, if there’s no rain no opportunity for planting,” Romar said in the vernacular.

For several years, water shortage has been the main issues besetting farmers in upland and isolated Lanao del Sur towns.

Lawyer Dimnatang L. Pansar, Butig mayor, was so grateful to MAFAR and TFBM for prioritizing his town inthis project for it gives new lease of life in their communities.

"I hope that the municipality of Butig will be able to produce more rice and in the future, we will become one of the major producers

Williamor Magbanua

Lanao Sur rice production seen to rise with SPIS

P3

November 13, 2021

IATF warns public vs. fake vaccination cards...from P1

individuals.

“Many of those found using fake vacci-cards were non-city residents,” the city IATF said in a statement posted on its official Facebook page.

The vaccination cards issued by the city health were temporary

and the national government will issue the Unified Vaccination Certificate based on the city health list that cannot be faked.

Criminal charges await those found to be in possession of fabricated vaccination cards, the

IATF said.

Vaccination is not yet required as entry pass in entering Cotabato City but some local government units outside the city require vaccination card in border checkpoints.

statement from City IATF/ Health services office

Muslims, Christians mourn Dig’s demise...from P1

championed the cause of Cotabato City’s urban poor community of Muslims and Christians as well as the rights of students to quality education.

Engineer Nasser Sinarimbo recalled that prior to becoming a congressman, Dilangalen had lawyered for him and his fellow government scholars then, facing possible dismissal from school as student activists then.

Dilangalen graduated valedictorian of the Notre Dame of Dulawan high school in Datu Piang, Maguindanao in 1970. He completed his pre-law bachelor’s degree at the Notre Dame University in 1973.

He finished his law degree Juris Doctor at the Ateneo de Manila University and took the bar examination in 1977 and emerged top 17th with a rating of 87.7 percent. Dilangalen, then still a bachelor, was the youngest elected Board Member of Maguindanao in 1978. He was first elected in 1992 (according to the records of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal).

Family of Legislators Dilangalen’s family is no stranger to the long history of Philippine Legislature: Indeed, Digs was a fourth generation member of the Philippine Legislature since 1934. Datu Piang Tan, his great grandfather, was a transition assemblyman and later a senator of the Philippine Commonwealth.

His granduncle Datu Minandang Piang, the first Philippine Muslim lawyer, also served the first Commonwealth legislature, and was succeeded by another uncle, Congressman Ugalingan Piang in 1940.

Over a span of three decades, Dilangalen succeeded another uncle, Congressman Gumbay Piang, an educator

and first elected congressman of Cotabato in 1946 in the First Congress of the Philippine Republic.

Dilangalen became known for his rhetoric speeches interjecting the 2004 Presidential Canvassing proceedings for incumbent President Gloria MacapagalArroyo and actor Fernando Poe Jr., with a repeated loud utterance of “Shut up!

Mr. Speaker” (pointing to a piece of paper on which was written the phrase ““Shut up!”, before Ilioilo Rep. Raul M. Gonzalez, who as then acting presiding officer of the House of Representatives).

He also became a spokesman for then jailed President Joseph Estrada’s signing of acceptance of the Presidential Clemency granted by Macapagal-Arroyo and the former president’s admission that he and Jose Vilarde were one.

In 2001, the Maguindanao representation in Congress was split with Dilangalen opposing impeachment complaint against Estrada at the House Committee on Justice, and his wedding godfather, then opposition Maguindanao Rep. Simeon A. Datumanong pushing for the impeachment, along with then Makati Rep. Joker Arroyo, Ilocos Sur Rep. Salacnib Baterina, Datumanong’s law school classmate at UP, and Cebu Rep. Clavel Martinez, among others. They by-passed the House Justice Committee with an avalanche of affirmative votes in favor of the impeachment.

The two former Maguindanao congressmen, however, had remained best of friends in and out of work, both in kinship and as godson and godfather to each other.

Former Cotabato City Councilor Linda Untal Ampatuan also passed away this week.

Koronadal City killer rookie cop arrested...from P8

hour, returned already armed with a rifle and opened fire at the victims.

He managed to escape before responding policemen and barangay officials could reach the scene.

Teams from the Koronadal City police

3

THE MINDANAO CROSS

located him in Barangay Titulok, a secluded area in Bagumbayan, about 60 kilometers from this city, after a six-hour chase.

The arrest of Lopez came about four hours after Brig. Gen. Alexander Tagum, director of PRO-12,

offered a P100,000 reward for any information that could lead pursuing police teams to his location.

Tagum said he has directed the Koronadal City police to build an airtight criminal case against Lopez. John Felix

Unson

Execs thankful for Japan’s rice donation...from P8 1,778 metric tons of rice.

The supply is earmarked for 9,877 farming and fishing households or approximately 49,385 individuals in Lanao del Sur and in Maguindanao.

Among the BARMM officials who

had expressed gratitude to Japan and the WFP were Andrew Alonto, director of the Bangsamoro Information Office and the physician Amirel Usman, director-general of the region’s Ministry of Health. John Felix Unson

of rice not only in Lanao Del Sur but also in the entire Bangsamoro Region,” Pansar said in a statement.

In July this year, former Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, along with Mayor

Nashiba Sumagayan and Vice Mayor Odin Sumagayan of Taraka municipality led the opening of the water pipes from the SPIS units designed to irrigate between 600 to 1,000 hectares of farmlands in town. Edwin

Lanao Sur rice production seen...from P2

O. Fernandez

GPH, MILF start third phase of...from P8 “Normalization, including the process of decommissioning, is and has always been a joint effort between the government of the Philippines and the MILF. Thus, we are grateful to all our joint mechanisms, our partners, and all our stakeholders,” Diciano added.

It will be recalled that in 2015, the first phase of decommissioning took place in which 145 MILFBIAF members and 75 of their weapons were withdrawn.

This was followed by the second phase in 2019 for the decommissioning of some 12,000 MILF-BIAF members with some 2,100 of their weapons.

Ahmet Idem Akay, Turkey Ambassador to the Philippines said: “Third Phase of the Decommissioning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament of the parties’ continuing sincerity to attain just and lasting peace.” “ T h e c o n t i n u e d

implementation of the Decommissioning Process is an integral part of the Normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro,” said Diciano Ariel Hernandez, Joint Normalization Committee (JNC) co-chairperson, also said in the same press conference that the implementation of the normalization track’s socioeconomic component is quite “complex” considering the issues that have to be addressed on the ground.

Hernandez said this is the importance of having a GPHMILF Joint Communications Committee whose role is “to go down to the ground to explain the final package that will be agreed with full support from the national government and hopefully with the BARMM government.” Nash

B. Maulana

6-M more vax doses up for BARMM...from P1

of more vaccine supply for the region.

“This augurs well for our regional campaign against COVID-19,” Sinarimbo said.

Physician Amirel Usman, directorgeneral of the Ministry of Health-BARMM, said they are as grateful to the national government for the committing more vaccine supply for the autonomous region.

“We need it for residents of the five provinces of BARMM,” Usman said.

Local chief executives in BARMM have urged their constituents to ignore rumors being spread on social media against COVID vaccines.

Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman said members of the Islamic religious community are helping correct wrong information about COVID-19 vaccines.

Salliman, chairperson of the Basilan inter-agency provincial disaster risk reduction and management council, said Saturday the Islamic religious community in the province is helping correct wrong notions about COVID-19 vaccines.

Salliman said he is optimistic that the BARMM government will provide Basilan with some doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccines that Galvez committed to supply to the Bangsamoro region.

He said the BARMM health ministry and his office are closely working together in addressing pandemic issues besetting the island province of Basilan.

Aside from vaccines, the BARMM will receive a multimillion rice support package from Japan through the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

Japan donated 1,778 metric tons of rice worth P162 million.

“We are thankful to Japan and the World Food Program for this initiative,” BARMM Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said.

The rice support program was formalized in an agreement signed

by Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko and Brenda Barton, WFP representative to the Philippines.

Mlang under state of calamity due to ASF...from P1

ASF," Piñol said.

To date, a total of 45 hogs were depopulated after these were confirmed to have the vjirus.

Severely affected are the villages of New Antique and New Lawaan, described as “ground zero,” while the villages of Lika and Dalipe were placed under strict monitoring after ASF symptoms were noted in these areas.

Another village was cleared after a series of

testing.

Meantime, Arlene Encarnacion, acting Municipal Agriculturist, said despite strict border security, some hog raisers managed to sneak in meat products or sent them outside town.

"We confiscated it because all meat that did not pass through our slaughterhouse are considered hot meat," Encarnacion said.

She said "no movement"

of hogs from ground zero is strictly being imposed with corresponding penalties ranging from P100,000 to as high as P1 million awaiting violators.

Mayor Russel Abonado urged his constituents to report to authorities any illegal butchering of hogs, offering reward for informants.

"Let us help one another.

Let us give our share to stop ASF in our town," Abonado said.

BARMM, Comelec ink MOA for teachers’...from P1 Margaret Ching, Comleec BARMM Regional Election Director Atty. Monalisa Mamukid and other MBHTE personnel.

“At least we will become confident while performing our duties during political exercises,” teacher Salem Akmad of Maguindanao schools division, said. “This is unprecedented, we have no like this in the past,” he added.

This shall protect the rights of teachers and other personnel who shall serve in the 2022 National and Local Elections (NLE), Iqbal said in a statement.

Under the MOA, the MBHTE will submit to COMELEC a Certified List of Public-School Teachers who are qualified, willing and available to render electionrelated service giving preference to those with permanent appointments and those who have served in previous automated elections pursuant to Section 5 of COMELEC Resolution No. 10194.

The MOA also stated that preference shall also be given to those who are without co-morbidities and are below sixty (60) years of age.

Iqbal said the MOA also stated that MBHTE shall bear the cost of capacity training to be conducted by the COMELEC such as Sensitivity Trainings, Polling Place

Management and Basic Health and Safety (COVID-19) Protocols.

“Truly, when two organizations unite together and support each other, better results can be achieved for the betterment of the public,” he said.

“I want the best protection for the teachers who will serve as members of the Electoral Boards, MBHTE Supervising Officer and Support Staff. With this partnership, we will be capacitating them with the right knowledge in order to deter or counter abuses and any form of security threats that may occur before, during or after the 2022 National and Local Elections,” Iqbal added.

He said BARMM chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim’s advocacy for moral governance will be the foundation of teachers in performing their duties.

Iqbal added that BARMM will ensure to the best of its ability that resources of the government will not be used for purposes of election and teachers and non-teaching personnel of the MBHTE should remain non-partisan.

“As a government who postulates Moral Governance in the running of our day-to-day affair, we envisioned a fair, orderly, and honest election,” Iqbal said.

“Whole of nation approach” gaining ground...from P2

Sarangani Province and South Cotabato.

“The waves of surrender of the communist terrorist group is the result of the Community Support Program (CSP) of the Joint

Task Force Central. Some of their leaders and several members have surrendered.

They are now awakened and have realized that the CTG ideologies are only based on deception,” Maj. Gen. Uy

said.

He added that the JTFC and the 6ID remain open for communist rebels who wish to come down and live normal and peaceful lives.

Edwin O. Fernandez

“NO MOVEMENT SUNDAY” LIFTED. Flow of traffic in thoroughfares in Cotabato City was back to normal last Sunday, November 7, as a result of the lifting by the city government of the “No Movement Sunday,” enforced for almost two years as a COVID-19 containment measure.

John Felix Unson

4

November 13, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Let Yolanda’s lessons of hope, solidarity carry us through this pandemic’ — bishop

EIGHT years after typhoon “Yolanda” devastated several areas, a Catholic bishop exhorted the people to let its lessons of resiliency carry them through amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan wishes that the anniversary would be a commemoration of hope and solidarity among the communities as they continue to grapple with the health crisis.

“Let the lessons of resiliency, hope and solidarity carry us through in these challenging times,” Varquez said.

Saying that many of the calamities are related to climate change as pointed out by experts, he also asked the public “to hear the cry of our planet for common action to save our common home”.

For this to happen, the bishop urged the public to heed Pope Francis’ call for “ecological conversion”.

“We must move away from the sins of environmental abuse and neglect to show that we are truly returning

to the Lord and we truly care for one another,” Varquez said.

Yolanda left more than 6,000 people dead and still thousands more remain missing and displaced more than five million people after it struck central Philippines on Nov. 8, 2013.

The prelate asked the faithful to be thankful to the Lord “that we have risen from the horrible destruction” that the typhoon had brought.

“We have seen God’s saving acts at work in our own history,” he said.

“We thank individuals, groups, and organizations who helped us rise and recover, and never forget them in our prayers.”

He also urged the faithful to pray for the people who died from the typhoon and from deliverance from all calamities. CBCP News/Catholic

News Agency

Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan

THE Catholic Church has welcomed Senate Presiident Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson’s retraction of support for death penalty.

The Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care of the Philippine bishops’ conference, in a statement, said that the lawmakers’ recent change of heart will help the Church’s pro-life advocacy.

“Coming from two prominent and

veteran legislators, this will boost the Church’s advocacy against any moves to reintroduce capital punishment in our statute books,” its chairman, Bishop Joel Baylon, said.

Lacson and Sotto – who are running for the top posts in the 2022 elections, earlier said that they are now against death penalty after years of seeking its reimposition as legislators.

The bishop of Legazpi reiterated

that capital punishment “is not and will never be a solution to crime”.

“It is punitive and disregards the dignity, which is inherent in every human person,” Baylon said.

“We maintain that it is not the severity of punishment, but the certainty that a person, who commits a crime, will be held accountable for his acts and omissions, is what will deter crime,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Borongan Cathedral

Church welcomes Lacson-Sotto’s withdrawal of support for death penalty

Instead, the prelate added that the penal system needed by the country is one that allows individuals to be reformed.

“A reform-based corrections program and sanctions, which promote rehabilitation and accept that every human being has the capacity to reform no matter how heinous his or her crime, is, to our mind, what true justice should be,” he said. CBCP News

Pope Francis: ‘Free the sacred from its ties with money’ VATICAN— The sacred things of our Catholic faith must be freed from their ties with money, Pope Francis said on Sunday.

In a reflection on the Gospel of the “widow’s mite” Nov. 7, the pope praised the woman for giving everything she had, without concern for how it would look to others.

Francis also criticized the hypocrisy of the scribes, who “devour the houses of widows” while appearing to be holy.

“The Lord denounces the exploitation of this woman, who, in making her offering, must return home without even the little she had to live on,” he said.

“How important it is to free the sacred from its ties with money.”

Pope Francis spoke about the

P

widow and the scribes during his weekly Angelus speech, which he delivered from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

In the message, he said Jesus praises the widow’s tithe to the treasury of the temple, because “she has nothing left, but finds her everything in God.” “She is not afraid of losing the little she has because she trusts in God’s abundance, who multiplies the joy of those who give,” Francis added.

Jesus proposes this woman as a teacher of the faith, instead of the scribes, because “she does not go to the Temple to clear her conscience, she does not pray to make herself seen, she does not show off her faith, but she gives from her heart generously and

freely.”

The pope urged people to not be hypocrites like the scribes, who “covered their vainglory with the name of God and, worse still, used religion to run their business, abusing their authority and exploiting the poor.”

Do not base your life on “the cult of appearances, externals, and the exaggerated care of one’s own image,” he advised. “In what we say and do, do we want to be appreciated and gratified or to render a service to God and to our neighbor, especially the weakest?”

“We must watch out for falsehood of the heart, against hypocrisy, which is a dangerous illness of the soul,” he said.

According to Pope Francis, the attitude of the scribes in

the Gospel endures today in the form of clericalism, which he described as “being above the poor, exploiting them, ‘beating them,’ feeling perfect.”

“This is the evil of clericalism,” he said. “This is a warning for all time and for everyone, Church and society: never to take advantage of a specific role to crush others, never to make money off the backs of the weakest.”

We have to be vigilant in order to not fall into vanity, fixating on appearances and living superficially, Francis stated.

Jesus, by telling the story of the poor widow, shows us the path to healing from clericalism and hypocrisy, he said.

“The sound of her few coins is more beautiful than the grandiose

eople my age can identify Kingdom, in partnership with the title as belonging to Italy. The summit is bringing a song, “Don’t they know together more than 190 world it’s the end of the world, ‘cause leaders along with thousands you don’t love me anymore.” of negotiators, government Do you ever think about the representatives, businesses end of the world? Did you ever and citizens to take actions experience an event where on slowing down or even Rev. Fr. Antonio P. Pueyo, DCC you thought the world was reversing climate change. If tonypoy_dcc0@yahoo.com about to end? A few years ago, no substantial actions are we experienced recurring earthquakes in the Cotabato taken, then we human beings will be causing our own and Davao Regions. Many buildings were toppled over, demise and that of our beloved home, planet earth. So landslides covered homes and fields, and people had to serious is climate change that Pope Francis issued the evacuate from danger zones for months. None of these Encyclical “Laudato Si” (2015) on care for our earthly tremors can compare with the earthquake of August home.

1976 which measured Intensity 8 and flattened the city of The gospel this Sunday reminds us of the reality of the Cotabato, brought down a portion of Quirino Bridge and end times. In the style of apocalyptic literature prevalent caused tsunamis that killed hundreds along the coastal at that time, just like that of the prophet Daniel in the areas of Illana Bay from Cotabato to Pagadian. first reading, the end of the world is described in terms of The earthquake woke me up at around midnight and signs portents such us “the sun will grow dark, the moon as I ran to the dormitory to check on the seminarians, I will not give its light, the stars will fall out of the sky and could hardly stand. We clung to the pine trees along the the whole universe will be shaken” (Mk. 13:24 ff). Will the sidewalk. I looked at the full moon and it was bloody red. end of the world come literally like this? Or will it come in I was expecting angels with trumpets announcing the another manner? We do not have to believe every person end of the world and the Lord coming as Judge from the who claims to know when and how the end will come. heavens. That was 45 years ago and the experience is Even Jesus will not give a specific date for the end-times. still vivid in my memory. I have to admit that I was not The purpose of apocalyptic literature (revelation) is not caught up in the joyful and hopeful experience of rapture to frighten the readers but to give hope to the people who because the Lord was coming; rather I was fearful. Since were persecuted for their faith, such as the Jews during the then, there were many other experiences of disasters time of Daniel, and the Christian disciples during the time such as wars, accidents, floods, serious illnesses, and of Mark. No matter what the difficulties and persecutions lately the Covid Pandemic. All of these confront us with due to holding on to their faith, God will prevail at the end. the undeniable truth that life is fragile. Everything has Tribulations are passing. God’s kingdom is forever. The an end. Even this planet will end, whether by a natural disciple must remain faithful to the end. phenomenon or man-made conflagration, or even by the Everything ends, even our own life is limited. Thanks silent onslaught of diseases. be to God for the gift of life, ours and that of our loved This week , the twenty-sixth session of the ones. The best we can do is not so much to worry about Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the UNFCCC the future, but to live daily in a way that we can say we (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate have given life to our loved ones, our communities, and Change) is being hosted in Glasgow by the United our planet. The end is the beginning of new life. MC

The End of the World REFLECTIONS

offerings of the rich, since they express a life sincerely dedicated to God, a faith that does not live by appearances but by unconditional trust. Let us learn from her: a faith without external frills, but interiorly sincere; a faith composed of humble love for God and for our brothers and sisters.”

After praying the Angelus, Pope Francis noted his concern for conflict in the region of the Horn of Africa, especially in Ethiopia. “I invite everyone to pray for those peoples who are so severely tried, and I renew my appeal that fraternal harmony and the peaceful way of dialogue prevail,” he said.

The pope also said he is praying for the victims of a Nov. 5 fuel explosion on

P7

Meditation Fr. Rock Saniel, OMI rocksaniel@gmail.com

33nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings:

Daniel 12.1-3; Hebrews 10.11-14, 18; Mark 13.24-32 Everything will pass away. No one knows when the time will come when this world will end. But only God knows when this will happen. And the gospel reminds us of keeping the words God, of living the ways of the Lord.

For truly, we are often so concerned about what we have today, what we eat what we wear. Often, we try to keep them as much as we can. We try to immortalize everything that we love and touch. And yet, everything we have will pass. May we rather focus on what will come, the life that we will all share with God. Let us not be content of what the world brings but what awaits all of us - eternal life.

Prayer：Lord, keep my mind and my heart long for you always.

5

THE MINDANAO CROSS

November 13, 2021 EDITORIAL

Tracing the Economic Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

D

uring the first quarter of 2021, Economist Rajiv Biswas made a study of the Impact of the COVID pandemic on the Philippine economy. His study showed that due to control measures imposed by the government to stem the spread of COVID 19 which has recently surged upward during the first quarter, it has stopped the hoped for improvement in the economy. The new extreme measures were needed because new cases caused by variants of the virus, has moved back the promising outlook/ recovery that everyone was hoping for at the close of the year 2020.

Everyone is now aware of the more stringent measures to combat the spread of the disease. These measures have further dampened the economy which has been suffering from the Pandemic in the year 2020. According to the author, “the Philippines economy suffered a deep recession in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with GDP contracting by 9.6% year-on-year. This was the largest annual decline ever recorded since National Accounts data series for the Philippines commenced in 1946.

Household final consumption expenditure fell by 7.9% y/y in calendar 2020, while gross capital formation contracted by 34.4% y/y. Some sectors of the economy recorded severe declines in output, with the transport and storage sector recording a 30.9% y/y decline in output in 2020, while accommodation and food services output slumped by 45.4%.”

Compared to other countries, the Philippines did not really fare badly because the pandemic affected almost all countries the world over. There was a general slump in global trade, causing a every weak export sector and a slump in imports.

Not only domestic demand has slumped, but also a demand worldwide. This is reflected in the increase in the prices of diesel, gasoline, and kerosene which is on- going at present and is affecting the transport sector, and the labor sector as well.

A bright light on the horizon has been overseas worker remittances by Filipinos working abroad, which remained quite stable during 2020, down only 0.8% y/y, and equivalent to around 10% of GDP. However, this is not as bright as it seems because an estimated 400,000 Filipino workers were repatriated during 2020 as a result of job losses in their host countries.

Looking forward, the government is ill prepared for this Pandemic. Knowing how dependent the economy is on imported oil, there has been no new project for import substitution of oil despite the fact that several sources have been discovered locally. The government has not prepared a better program for the OFWs and instead saddled them with the quarantine restrictions that dampened their joy of being with their families. Is this how we treat our new heroes?

The general observation is that the government really has no plan prepared and is only on reactive mode to the negative effects of the Pandemic. Is this because the top officials are ex military men who are actually trained for war, and not for peace? Let this be a learning experience for all of us. MC +

is published every Saturday by the Mindanao Cross Publishers, Inc., Sinsuat cor Quezon Avenues, Cotabato City. Tel Nos. (064) 4217161 and E-mail Address: mindanao.cross@gmail.com | mincross101@yahoo.com.ph

Fr. Rogelio Tabuada, OMI, Chief-Executive-Officer Eva Kimpo - Tan, Editor-in-Chief Edwin O. Fernandez, News Editor Gemma A. Peñaflor, Administration and Marketing Executive Julito P. Torres, Circulation Officer Karl John B. Daniel, Graphic-Layout Artist COTABATO CITY / ARMM CORRESPONDENTS

John M. Unson Ferdinandh B. Cabrera Charlie C. Señase Nash B. Maulana

NORTH / SOUTH COTABATO CORRESPONDENTS Williamor Magbanua, Romer “Bong” Sarmiento, Roel Osano & Drema Quitayen Bravo CARTOONIST Lourd Jim Diazon

Member: PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Entered as Second Class Mail at Cotabato City Post Office under Permit No. 91-01 Dated August 15, 1991.

R

eports of a steady reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases, especially in the national capital region and environs, are bringing a whiff of fresh air. The average number of new cases in Quezon City are down, according to the latest update from OCTA Research Group; some quarantine facilities in Pasig have closed down as cases have dropped; most regions in other parts of the country are said to be already out of critical status.

In the face of this development, the Department of Health is said to be gearing up for “endemic COVID-19” status, saying that it is better to expect that COVID is not going away soon, and is most probably here to stay. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define endemic as the constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a specific area.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III says when COVID-19 becomes endemic, it is necessary for both the government and the people to enhance the response against the illness.

One response, he said, is to continue increasing the number of fully vaccinated individuals.

Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force against COVID-19, believes that mandatory vaccination is needed to protect the majority of the Filipino population against the deadly disease, citing the government’s constitutional mandate to protect the health and welfare of the people. Galvez said that unvaccinated individuals pose a major health risk to the general population and should therefore be compelled to get the COVID jab. He said making vaccination mandatory is “timely” as the Philippines’ vaccine inventory has significantly increased.

On Saturday, the Philippines received an additional 866,970 doses of government-procured Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. Around 50 to 60 million COVID-19 vaccine doses are expected to arrive in the country until the end of the year, according to Galvez. The government started its vaccination program against COVID-19 on March 1 and has already administered a total of 62,474,334 jabs nationwide. Total number of fully vaccinated individuals as of November 4, Thursday, has reached 28,718,856 or 37.23% of the target population. In a move meant to boost the number of vaccinated Filipinos, a 3-day nationwide vaccination has been set from November 29 to December 1, with the aim of administering at least five million doses.

Vaccine hesitancy among many Filipinos remains a problem, according to National Task Force against COVID-19 spokesperson Restituto Padilla, citing several reasons for such. One is a group’s culture or norms, with people saying their culture prohibits vaccination. Second are the false news that anti-vaxxers are propagating, and

F

ORMER Congressman Datu Didagen Piang Dilangalen defended the rights of Muslims and Christians. We mourn his demise at 67.

Digs, as he was to many of his friends, got intertwined much into political complicities because he valued friendship more than politics. As a lawyer, he walked flamboyantly with flying colors.

Amid post-polling controversies stirred by the 2004 presidential elections, he wanted his native Datu Piang (Maguindanao) probed for FPJ’s zero-vote there. This was a hot copy in Manila news desks. But there seemed a “hotter” copy a “political feed” (fake news by today’s lingo) that he might be declared a “persona non-grata” back home if he did! Call it politics. Worse, the whole thing was credited to me. But we had talked since then in several incidental meetings. In fact, we talked about dissuading a Zamboanga del Sur politician from pushing through with a libel case against The Mindanao Cross, with the late editor in-chief Boy Hagad and me as principals. Still, my profound apologies to his Families… May he find his well-deserved place in the Heavenly Care of the Almighty….

I have since featured the construction of the Cotabato Grand Mosque that is much credited to him and to the family of Brunei Sultan Hasanal Bolkiah, and which appeared on Inquirer’s Page One. Born in Balong, Datu Piang, Maguindanao, Digs, as he was affectionately called, was educated in private Catholic schools. Dilangalen succumbed to a lingering ailment at his modest house in Barangay Shariff, Cotabato City on November 7, friends and members of his immediate family have confirmed.

As a lawyer, Dilangalen championed the cause of Cotabato City’s urban poor community of Muslims and Christians as well as the rights of students to quality education. Engineer Nasser Sinarimbo recalled that prior to becoming a congressman, Dilangalen had lawyered for him and his fellow government scholars then, facing possible dismissal from school as student activists then.

Dilangalen graduated valedictorian of the Notre Dame of Dulawan highschool in Datu Piang, Maguindanao in 1970. He completed his pre-law bachelor’s degree at the Notre Dame University in 1973.He finished his law degree

Incentives for COVID vaccinations

Thinking Aloud Carlos C. Bautista caloyb@gmail.com

third, events related to vaccination in the past such as the Dengvaxia controversy.

For vice President Leni Robredo, providing incentives to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is the way to go. Asked if she favored mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for the eligible population, Robredo said: “Instead of penalizing, I am for incentivizing.” According to the Vice President, this is based on their experience with the Swab Cab, a free COVID-19 mobile testing service for areas with high COVID-19 transmissions. They discovered during the program that people refused to get tested over fears of a positive result and losing income during the twoweek quarantine period. What they did together with their partners was provide rice for those who will get tested.

That is exactly what the Kidapawan City government is doing. During the recent round of vaccinations conducted by the city government, two kilos of rice and a whole dressed chicken were given to each individual who got the vaccine.

According to Kidapawan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Psalmer Bernalte, fear of income loss while waiting for their turn to receive the jab is the primary reason for the hesitancy. To address their problem, the city government used available local funds to provide such “ayuda” of rice and chicken to those who would get vaccinated.

Kidapawan City, according to Bernalte, has been chosen by DOH 12 as one of the recipients in the region of more than 110 thousand vaccine doses in the next two months to achieve 70% immunization by the end of the year. Achieving the 110 thousand vaccination target would enable Kidapawan City to receive additional vaccines for the third dose, Bernalte added. As of November 3, Kidapawan City already has a total of 64,088 individuals who have received the vaccine. 38,133 are fully vaccinated. The city has a population of 140,200 as of 2015, and a population estimate of 160,199 for 2021.

We saw firsthand the long queue at vaccination sites over the past days. Indeed, providing incentives for COVID vaccinations is, in our view, the right way to go.

Padayon, Kidapawan! MC

Congressman Datu Didagen ‘Digs’ Piang Dilangalen (1954- 2021)

Penlight Nash B. Maulana

nash.penlight@gmail.com

Juris Doctor at the Ateneo de ManilaUniversity and took the bar examination in 1977 and emerged top 17th with a rating of 87.74 percent.

Dilangalen, then still a bachelor, was the youngest elected Board Member of Maguindanao in 1978. He was first elected congressman representing Magindanao’s First District and Cotabato City in 1992 (according to the records of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal).

Dilangalen’s family is no stranger to the long history of Philippine Legislature: Indeed, Digs was a fourth generation member of the Philippine Legislature in his family since 1934.

Datu Piang Tan, his great grandfather, was a transition assemblyman and later a senator of the Philippine Commonwealth. His granduncle Datu Minandang Piang, the first Philippine Muslim lawyer, also served the first Commonwealth legislature as congressman, and was succeeded by another uncle, Congressman Ugalingan Piang in 1940.

The late congressman’s paternal uncles Datu manteek and Datu Midpantao Dilangalen, as guerilla leaders, liberated Midsayap from the invading foreign forces in World War II. Over a span of three decades, Dilangalen succeeded another uncle, Congressman Gumbay Piang, an educator and first elected congressman of Cotabato for the Liberation and First Congress of the Philippine Republic in 1946.

Digs’ wife Bai Zeny became two-term congresswoman of the same congressional district 2004-2207; 2007-2010.

Daughter Bai Donna went to San Beda Law School and has also become a lawyer, like her father. MC

6

Zacaria Candao, to become an elected city councilor for three consecutive terms (nine straight years).

And God’s favor manifests success when Ampatuan was appointed Civil Service Commission-12 regional director following Charlie Señase csenase@yahoo.com C o t a b a t o C i t y - b a s e d lawyer Cesar Buenaflor’s EOPLE in the news and people assumption as civil service who make the news come and go, commissioner. but good and not-so-good memories Cases of flaws and other pitfalls are linger on among the living. expected due to human imperfection may Recent spotlight this week focused it be deliberate or incidental. on the demise of prominent political and What government authorities must media personalities of Mindanao. probe into are the real and true motives As the living mourns the passing away behind the death of Orlando Dinoy and the of former Maguindanao Congressman non-arrest from a PDEA drug-related raid Didagen Dilangalen and three-termer in Mabini, Davao de Oro of Jeffrey Tupas, Cotabato City Councilor Linda Untal- a former information officer of Davao City Ampatuan their departure brings us back Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio. Both Dinoy down memory lane. and Tupas are former Philippine Daily Both NDU graduates, Dilangalen- Inquirer Mindanao-based correspondents. turned lawyer and House member was Learned and considered true-blooded instrumental in the construction of the journalists to uphold truth and fair play, “Golden Mosque” in Cotabato City which inquisitive colleagues in the profession is the second largest in Southeast Asia asked: Why out of the so many participants funded by Brunei’s Sultan Bolkia at the in the alleged pot-session party only cost of 48 million US dollars.

17 were arrested by PDEA operatives The Islamic temple at Barangay and one of those freed was Tupas? And Kalanganan rests in the donated property another suspicion raised was the absence of the Dilangalen clan where the lawmaker of policemen in the drug-raid? was laid to rest on Saturday (Nov.6) same Tupas’ close associates said before day he died of lingering illness. turning transgender he was a prolific The three-year construction has made scribe to have merited a European Union it the city’s main tourist attraction next to Journalism Award as PDI correspondent.

Indonesia’s largest mosque in SEA. Almost Indeed, sad to condole for the loss of exactly 10 years after its completion in lives while others grieve for the tarnished December 2011, Dilangalen, who also had name and integrity. a hand in the formal organization of the The Nov. 7 incident prompted Tupas Moro Islamic Liberation Front, rested in to formally tender his resignation and peace. the mayor’s acceptance for his outright The late Linda Untal, on the other termination. hand, was the better-half of Hussien All things happen for a Divine reason Ampatuan, older brother of Ali Sangki. for us and the world to ponder. Why are Hussien, who passed away shortly these things happening, including the after the creation of the National Food global health menace that have taken lives Authority, was the first regional director of by the million? the defunct Rice and Corn Administration It’s time to reconcile with the Creator (RCA) that later evolved to National Grains who made all things. Our obedience to Authority (NGA) which he continued to His precepts manifest our love and fear of lead only to be replaced by Johnny Cabalu His wrath that the world has to challenge when the agency was named NFA during “Climate Change” by mitigating its impact the Marcos dispensation. on food security and livelihood.

Hessien’s diligence and hard work as God-fearing people are law-abiding public servant were carried out by his wife citizens that the LORD assured to bless from being a student radio announcer along those who bless them and curse those who with former and first ARMM Governor curse them (Genesis 12:3). MC

Human Imperfection

True to Form

P

of the Earth.

Our defining moments: Millions gather to honor the Head of the Catholic Church from the Vatican, Pope Paul VI in 1970; Pope John Paul II, in 1981 and returned Victoria R. Franco, RPh, MS Pharmacy in 1995 for the 10th World franco1573victoria@gmail.com Youth Day which drew a crowd of over 4 million , one rom Jerusalem to Greece, to of the largest ever at a papal Cyprus, to Malta, to Rome, to event; Pope Francis in 2015 where his Spain, to the Philippines. final mass at the Luneta, he amassed an On the 16th of March 1521 the fleet estimated crowd of six million people, of Ferdinand Magellan landed on the breaking Pope John Paul’s record, to shores of Homonhon. On March 29, become what organizers called the 1521, or two days before the iconic scene largest papal gathering in history. of Easter Sunday Mass, the “Kasi-Kasi” Many Filipino Catholics have was conducted between Magellan and special devotions whereby they go on Rajah Kolambu, king of Limasawa. Kasi pilgrimages to Cebu to visit the Sto. -kasi meant blood compact signifying Nino de Cebu and the Cross erected brotherhood .(Wiki) On March 31, 1521, by Magellan; thousands participate in the first Holy Mass and planting of the the procession called Translacion to Cross was held. honor the Black Nazarene. Before the The first recorded conversion in the pandemic, these devotees walk barefoot, Philippines took place in this island, oftentimes for as long as 36 hours nonon Sunday, April 14, 1521. the King stop. and Queen of Cebu and their subjects Millions of Filipinos from all walks embraced the Catholic faith . On that of life gathered at Edsa upon the call of same day, according to accounts , no Cardinal Sin to form what is popularly less than 800 Cebuanos were baptized. known here and all over the world as the 500 years later, I count my family 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. and myself among the 80% Catholics or The purpose of which was to end the 80,304,061Catholics of the 110+million dictatorship of President Ferdinand E. Filipinos Marcos and begin a new era marked by 500 years later, there are 15 true freedom and democracy.

Basilicas, 40 Cathedrals, 16 Archdiocese, For all these passion and fervor for 72 Dioceses, 7 apostolic, 2127 Parishes devotion to our faith and beliefs, where and Churches nationwide. are our voices and stand against the 500 years later, Catholic Education manipulations, corruption, extra judicial and Services in the Philippines are killings, drugs, human trafficking, composed of 1118 preparatory and abuses?

Elementary Schools; 1070 High Schools We Filipinos are not only blessed, and 341 Universities. we are very much favored. We can light The Philippines is the 3rd largest all the candles, pray on bended knees Roman Catholic nation in the world. all day and night and shout to the world It is the 5th largest Christian majority that “God is good, God will provide” but country on earth as of 2010; and proudly “God helps those who help themselves”. boasts as the only Christian nation in The changes we want and aspire for Asia. are in our hands, it is up to us to make Our heartfelt gratitude to Spain things work. for this gift of faith and religion. Note: Even if word is around that the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan did not pandemic is “under control” and face shields actually look for our islands, they were may be taken off, I will still put on my mask, in search of spices and gold like any of use a face shield, wash my hands, rinse with the rest of the explorers. He is however alcohol and observe social distancing, and credited for the first circumnavigation stay safe at home. MC

Proud Catholic Here

The Stuff of Life

F

November 13, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

What to Know About COVID-19 and Pneumonia

• shortness of breath • chest pain that happens when you breathe deeply or cough • fatigue Most cases of COVID-19 involve mild to moderate symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, mild pneumonia may be present in some of these individuals.

However, sometimes COVID-19 is more serious. A large studyTrusted Source from China found that about 14 percent of cases were severe, while 5 percent were classified as critical.

Individuals with severe cases of COVID-19 may experience more serious bouts of pneumonia. Symptoms may include trouble breathing and low oxygen levels. In critical cases, pneumonia can progress to ARDS. When to seek emergency care Be sure to seek emergency care immediately if you or someone else experiences: • difficulty breathing • rapid, shallow breathing • persistent feelings of pressure or pain in the chest • a rapid heartbeat • confusion • a bluish color of the lips, face, or fingernails • trouble staying awake or difficulty waking Who’s most at risk for developing COVID-19 pneumonia?

Some people are at a higher risk for developing serious complications — like pneumonia and ARDS — due to COVID-19.

Older adults Underlying health conditions Individuals of any age who have underlying health conditions are at a higher risk for serious COVID-19 illness, including pneumonia. Health conditions that can put you at higher risk include: • chronic lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) • asthma • diabetes • heart conditions • liver disease • chronic kidney disease • obesity MC

HEALTH CORNER

P

a reprint from Health Line

neumonia is an infection of the lungs. Viruses, bacteria, and fungi can cause it. Pneumonia can cause the small air sacs in your lungs, known as alveoli, to fill with fluid. Pneumonia can be a complication of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2.

In this article we’ll take a closer look at COVID-19 pneumonia, what makes it different, symptoms to watch out for, and how it’s treated.

What’s the connection between the new coronavirus and pneumonia?

Infection with SARS-CoV-2 begins when respiratory droplets containing the virus enter your upper respiratory tract.

As the virus multiplies, the infection can progress to your lungs. When this happens, it’s possible to develop pneumonia.

But how does this actually happen?

Typically, the oxygen you breathe into your lungs crosses into your bloodstream inside the alveoli, the small air sacs in your lungs.

However, infection with SARS-CoV-2 can damage the alveoli and surrounding tissues.

Further, as your immune system fights the virus, inflammation can cause fluid and dead cells to build up in your lungs.

These factors interfere with the transfer of oxygen, leading to symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath.

People with COVID-19 pneumonia can also go on to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a progressive type of respiratory failure that occurs when the air sacs in the lungs fill up with fluid.

This can make it hard to breathe.

Many people with ARDS need mechanical ventilation to help them breathe.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of COVID-19 pneumonia are similar to the symptoms of other types of pneumonia and can include: • fever • chills • cough, which may or may not be productive

in preparing the industry Setting Up Industry development road map and Development Organizations…. oversee the formulation

of policies, programs.

Projects, and activities leading to the development off the industry. This is Danny Buenbrazo danny_buenbrazo@yahoo.com consistent with the saying that “too many cooks in the his is a follow through to the article kitchen will spoil the broth.” last week on the causes of failures The core group would be responsible of industry development plans. for coming up with the initial assessment In last Saturday’s writeup, I stressed of the industry (perhaps also using the the importance of agriculture-based Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat industries due to the many benefits they or SWOT model) to determine what are provide, particularly in the countryside the strong points and potentials that or the location of the basic production can be the basis for the direction of the activities. industry and to recognize the challenges Developing an agriculture-based the industry faces (weaknesses and industry involves improving production at threats). the farm level, improving the movement They would also decide on and draw (faster and at lower cost) of raw materials the organizational setup that could to areas of manufacturing/processing, be used to unify the industry players and taking good quality processed goods and key supporters as well as serve to domestic and international markets as the vehicle for holding meetings or at competitive prices. These, among congresses to discuss and decide on other promotional and developmental issues and concerns facing the industry. tasks had to be performed by committed There are industry associations that public and private sector supporters and are created by government agencies or stakeholers. local government units but a private, I mentioned that the absence of non-stock and non-profit corporation industry “champions” from the public and could be the better setup since it is private sectors is one of the main causes more insulated from political control or for the failure of industry development interference. Registration with the SEC plans. Having industry champions and recognition from government agency/ should not be limited to identifying these ies with jurisdiction over the industry persons (individuals and organizations) could be hekpful. and persuading them to work for the When all the above had been promotion and development of the resolved, the core group can now be industry. expanded to constitute the initial industry H o w d o w e e n s u r e t h a t t h e development council (or an equivalent), identification and involvement of key decide on how to come up with the individuals and organizations would industry promotion and development generate the best result on our aspiration plan, and raise funds needed to sustain for a particular industry? the activities of the industry association Engaging the participation of Industry promotion and development industry champions cannot be done at organizations will thrive and the industry one go, meaning we need to identify which would be moving forward when the personality or organization in the private components of the development plan are and public sectors have the highest carried out religiously. There should be stake, knowledge, resources, influence, regular meetings to track the progress interest, and resources needed to move of the plan implementation by the the industry forward. The proponent leadership of the association and regular of the idea to develop an industry must events to update the industry players and choose the first 5 o 7 people or institution stakeholders as well as to hear of their that would serve as the core group issues and concerns. MC

Market Driven

T

Pope Francis: ‘Free the sacred from its ties with money’...from P4 the outskirts of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone.

According to Reuters, local authorities have

reported that at least 99 people were killed and more than 100 injured when a fuel tanker exploded after

NOTICE

VGM PAWNSHOP INC. BRANCH I AND BRANCH II will hold a public auction sale of all unredeemed and unrenewed items pawned from May 1 to June 30, 2021 on December 13, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at VGM PAWNSHOP INC. BRANCH I, Dayao St., and VGM PAWNSHOP INC. II, Jose Abad Santos St., Kidapawan City

SUBASTA

Be There, Management

Ang VGM PAWNSHOP INC. BRANCH I ug BRANCH II magsubasta sa tanan nga wala lukata ug wala tubui gikan sa bulan sa May 1 hangtud sa bulan sa Hunyo 30, 2021 sa alas 9:00 sa buntag karung Disyember 13, 2021 sa VGM PAWNSHOP INC. BRANCH I, Dayao St., ug sa VGM PAWNSHOP BRANCH II, Jose Abad Santos St., Kidapawan City.

Ang Nagdumala

MC: Nov 13, 20 & 27, 2021

Notice for Auction

Agencia de Oro Pawnshop Inc. Main, Agencia de Oro Pawnshop Inc. Roman Vilo Branch, SK Pendatun Branch, Mabini Branch, ORC Branch, Agencia de Oro Pawnshop Inc. Branch I, II, III, IV in Parang Branch, Carmen Branch, Pikit 1 and Pikit 2 Branch, Agencia de Oro Pawnshop Inc. Dalican 1, Dalican 2, Shariff Aguak Branch of Cotabato City, Parang North Cotabato, Datu Odin Sinsuat and Shariff Aguak announce the Auction Sale of all unredeemed pledges contracted November 2-28, 2020 at 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at Agencia de Oro Pawnshop Inc. Main 4J Bldg. Corner Jose Lim Sr., and Don Roman Vilo St. Cotabato City. Auction sale will be on November 24, 2021.

Patalastas ng Subasta Agencia de Oro Pawnshop Inc. Main, Agencia de OroPawnshop Inc. Roman Vilo Branch, SK Pendatun Branch, Mabini Branch, ORC Branch, Agencia de Oro Pawnshop Inc. Branch I, II, III, IV sa Parang Branch, Carmen Branch, Pikit 1 and Pikit 2 Branch, Agencia de Oro Pawnshop Inc. Dalican 1, Dalican 2, Shariff Aguak Branch of Cotabato City, Parang North Cotabato, Datu Odin Sinsuat and Shariff Aguak ay nagpapatalastas na mayroon silang Subasta ng mga hindi natutubos na mga sangla.

Ang mga ito ay isinangla noong Nobyembre 2-28, 2020 sa alas 8:00 ng umaga hanggang alas 4:00 ng hapon sa Agencia de Oro - Jose Lim Branch, corner Jose Lim Sr, and Don Roman Vilo St., Cotabato City sa Nobyembre 24, 2021.

MC:Nov. 13 & 20, 2021

a collision late on Friday.

The accident has caused an even greater strain on the city’s health system, which was still suffering from underfunding and a lack of doctors following the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic.

Pope Francis also noted the Nov. 6 beatification of three Capuchin Friars Minor who were killed in Manresa, Spain, in 1936.

The friars Fr. Josep Domenech Bonet, Joseph Oriol, and Domènech de Sant Pere de Riudebitlles “were killed in the period of religious persecution of the last century in Spain, proving to be meek and courageous witnesses of Christ,” the pope said.

“May their example help Christians today to remain faithful to their Republic of the Philippines Midsayap, Cotabato LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICE

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION In compliance with Section 5 of RA 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that Rafael Carbonel Eduarte has filed with this office a petition for change of first name from Rafael Edcar to Rafael in the certificate of live birth of Rafael Edcar Carbonel Eduarte who was born on October 24, 1958 at Midsayap, Cotabato and whose parents are Wendelin M. Eduarte and Constancia C. Carbonel.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his/her written opposition with this office of Municipal Civil Registrar, Midsayap, Cotabato.

(Sgd.) NORA B. CABUGWASON Municipal Civil Registrar MC: Nov. 13 & 20, 2021

Republic of the Philippines BANGSAMORO AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO REGIONAL BOARD OF INVESTMENTS Cotabato City

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the application of LANAO DEL SUR CORN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION With address at Lamsan Industrial Complex, Barangay Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao Province for registration with the Regional Bangsamoro Board of Investments-BARMM under Book I of the Omnibus Investment Code of 1987, otherwise known as Executive Order No. 226 as amended by R.A. 11534 (CREATE Law), as Commercial Producer of Yellow Corn with capacity of 32,000 MT per annum on a Non-Pioneer Status is officially accepted on November 4, 2021, and is currently being processed.

Any person with valid objections to or pertinent comments on the abovementioned application may file his/her objection, in writing and under oath, with the Regional Bangsamoro Board of Investments-BARMM within one (1) week from the date of application.

MC: Nov. 13, 2021

7

THE MINDANAO CROSS

November 13, 2021

ATTY. ISHAK V. MASTURA Chairman

vocation, even in times of trial.” Hannah Brockhaus/

Catholic News Agency

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the estate of EDUARDO ORDIZ, who died intestate on April 14, 2007 in Buug, Zambuanga, Sibugay, a parcel of land Lot 2485-D-3-B-3 (LRC) Psd228372 in Bo. 5 Poblacion (formerly Katingawan), Midsayap, Cotabato, covered by TCT No. 1522021004476 with an area of 650 sq. mts., more or less is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of real estate with simultaneous deed of absolute sale before Notary Public Esmael M. Guro as per Doc No. 166; Page No. 34; Book No. 176; Series of 2021.

SULTAN PAWNSHOP

corner Bonifacio and Don Rufino Alonzo Sts., Cotabato City

Ang Sultan Pawnshop ay nagpapatalastas na mayroon silang Subasta ng mga hindi natutubos na mga sangla. Ang mga ito ay isinangla noong Abril 2021. Ang subasta ay sa Disyember 01, 2021 sa ganap na ika-8:00 ng mga umaga hanggang ika-4:30 ng hapon sa nasabing lugar.

MC: Nov. 13 & 20 2021

RANEN PAWNSHOP MAIN, BRANCH I, II & III

Don Rufino Alonzo & Don Tomas Martinez Sts, Cot. City

Notice for Auction All unredeemed articles pledged on April 2021 will be auctioned on December 1, 2021 at 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Please come before December 1, 2021 for renewal or redemption.

Patalastas ng Subasta Lahat ng sangla noong Abril 2021 ay ipagbibili ng Subasta sa Disyembre 1, 2021 sa ganap na ika-8:30 ng umaga hanggang ika-4:30 ng hapon. Kung maari ay pumunta bago ang Disyembre 1, 2021 para sa pagbayad ng tubo o pagtubos.

MC: Nov. 13, 20 & 27, 2021.

Republic of the Philippines Region XII Pikit, Cotabato OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

MC: Nov. 13 & 20 2021 Republic of the Philippines Region XII Pikit, Cotabato OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

In compliance with the publication requirements and pursuant to Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1, Guidelines in the Implementation of the Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), a notice is hereby served to the public that Gracia I. Alabado has filed with this office a petition for change of sex from Female to Male in the certificate of live birth of Benjie Ibesate Alabado, who was born 10 July 2003 at Ladtingan, Pikit, Cotabato to parents Vicente D. Alabado and Gracia B. Ibesate.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than November 20, 2021.

In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. 9048-10172, a notice is hereby served to the public that Edgardo D. Camacho has filed with this office a petition for change of first name from Mary Beverly to Beverly and the child’s middle name and mother’s surname from Destor to Distor in the certificate of live birth of Mary Beverly Destor Camacho who was born December 29, 1959 in Pikit, Cotabato to parents Rustico E. Camacho and Caridad D. Destor with Registry No. 3258.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than November 20, 2021.

(Sgd.) MICHAEL C. TOBIAS, MPA OIC- Municipal Civil Registrar

(Sgd.) MICHAEL C. TOBIAS, MPA OIC- Municipal Civil Registrar

MC: Nov. 13 & 20, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late RUPERTO PANZO and JULITA PACETEPANZO, who died on April 2, 1988 and September 15, 1982, respectively in Pigcawayan, Cotabato, parcels of land Lot No. 43, Pls-317, covered by OCT No. 37715 in New Panay, Pigcawayan, Cotabato and Lot B, Pcs-000086, covered

by TCT No. T-62747 in Manuangan, Pigcawayan, Cotabato with the total area of 131,889 sq. mts., more or less are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with special power of attorney before Notary Public Rene Jay A. Soriano as per Doc. No. 170; Page No. 34; Book No. XIII; Series of 2021.

MC: Oct. 30, Nov. 6 & 13, 2021

MC: Nov. 13 & 20, 2021

Republic of the Philippines Region XII City Government of Cotabato OFFICE OF THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR

Republic of the Philippines Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Upi, Maguindanao OFFICE OF THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1, Guidelines in the Implementation of Administrative Order No. 1 series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), notice is hereby served to the public that Gerald D. Dillera has filed with this office a petition for correction of entry in the child’s birthdate from July 7, 1963 to July 3, 1963 in the certificate of live birth bearing Registry No. 79 of Nelly Nita Padua Nuezca duly registered at the Local Civil Registry Office of Upi, Maguindanao and whose parents are Marcelino Mallare Nuezca and Trinidad Guey Padua.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than November 29, 2021.

(Sgd.) JEAN P. BACAS Municipal Civil Registrar

MC: Nov. 13 & 20, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

(Sgd.) TOHAMY M. LAUBAN City Civil Registrar

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late KADATUAN PALOT USOP, who died on April 27, 2021 in Manila, parcels of land covered

by TCT Nos. T-41613 and T-53937 situated in Bagua, Cotabato City and Bank Accounts at Philippine National Bank (PNB) under Account No. 188861035988 and Union Bank with Account Nos. 100291019382 and 109560456232 are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Atty.

Agnes R. De CastroJagunap as per Doc. No. 926; Page No. 926; Book No. XXVII; Series of 2021.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC In compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1 Guidelines in the Implementation of the Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), notice is hereby served to the public that R-June Punzalan Ong has filed with this office, a petition for correction of entry in sex/gender from Male to Female in the certificate of live birth of R-June Punzalan Ong who was born on June 1, 1992 in Cotabato City and whose parents are Robert Barrios Ong and Rowena Yuson Punzalan.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his/her written opposition with this office.

MC: Nov. 6 & 13, 2021

MC: Oct. 30, Nov. 6 & 13, 2021

AFFIDAVIT OF ADJUDICATION

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

AFFIDAVIT OF ADJUDICATION

EXTRAJUDICIAL PARTITION

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late JULIANITO JOBIANE who died on October 31, 2012 in Midsayap, Cotabato, a parcel of land Lot 640-C, Psd-12-013334 (VLT), situated at Sadaan, Midsayap, Cotabato, with an area of 17,637 sq. mts., more or less, covered

by TCT No. CT-315 is the subject of affidavit of adjudication by sole heir with simultaneous deed of absolute sale before Notary Public Alberto T. Eramis as per Doc. No. 399; Page No. 80; Book No. CCLIV; Series of 2021.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late MACARIA REMERATA and DANIEL REMERATA, who both died in Abaga, Libungan, Cotabato on October 23, 2014 and March 6, 2012, respectively, a parcel of land Lot No. 2605S, Psd-124703-020773 (AR) in Abaga, Libungan, Cotabato, covered by TCT No. T-9772 with an area of 13,969 sq. mts., more or less is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Teresita Carreon Llaban as per Doc. No. 48; Page No. 08; Book No. L; Series of 2021.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late Spouses ELIGIO GERTOS and NATIVIDAD ROQUERO-GERTOS, who died on December 21, 2004 and June 18, 2017, respectively in Pigcawayan, Cotabato, a parcel of land Lot No. 3142-E-9-A, Psd12-031685, covered by TCT No. 105928, situated in Capayuran, Pigcawayan, Cotabato with an area of 500 sq. mts., more or less is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with simultaneous deed of absolute sale before Notary Public Roland D. Jungco as per Doc. No. 134; Page No. 27; Book No. 76; Series of 2021.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late INANGCOB PA N D I TA , w h o d i e d in Carmen, Cotabato on October 17, 1993, a parcel of land Lot N o . 1 6 11 , P l s - 4 9 8 in Arakan, Matalam, Cotabato, covered by TCT No. P-23622 with an area of 77,692 sq. mts., more or less is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of real estate before Notary Public Atty. Alberto T. Eramis as per Doc. No. 348; Page No. 70; Book No. CLXXIX; Series of 2021.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late EVANGELINE C. DE SILVA, who died on January 4, 2017 at Midsayap, Cotabato, a parcel of land Lot 6-F-4-E, Psd-12-035918, situated in Sadaan, Midsayap, Cotabato, containing an area of 658 sq. mts., more or less is the subject of affidavit of adjudication of a sole heir with simultaneous deed of absolute sale before Notary Public Alberto T. Eramis as per Doc. No. 357; Page No. 72; Book No. CLVI; Series of 2020.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late Spouses TOMAS ETAO and ANASTACIA AMANONGSONG, who died intestate on December 31, 1936 and October 8, 1954, respectively at Midsayap, Cotabato, a parcel of land Lot 2154, Cad-107, covered by OCT No. 1188 situated in Bual Sur, Midsayap, Cotabato, containing an area of 7.3678 hectares is the subject of extrajudicial partition before Notary Public Abdul Hafiz Tan Adil, Jr. as per Doc. No. 199; Page No. 40; Book No. XVIII; Series of 2021.

MC: Nov. 6, 13 & 23, 2021

MC: Oct. 30, Nov. 6 & 13, 2021

MC: Oct. 30, Nov. 6 & 13, 2021

MC: Oct. 30, Nov. 6 & 13, 2021

MC: Oct. 30, Nov. 6 & 13, 2021

MC: Oct. 30, Nov. 6 & 13, 2021

8

November 13, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

GPH, MILF start third phase of decommissioning

THE third phase of the Decommissioning Process sets the direction for social rehabilitation of some 14,000 combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (MILF-BIAF).

Speaking for Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Al-Hadj Murad Ebrahim, Education Minister Mohaguer Iqbal, said: “Admittedly, the discussions over decommissioning were not easy because the stakes are very high and they are very emotional also. In addition to putting weapons beyond use, the combatants’ well-being, livelihood, and security, and families, and communities are paramount,” Iqbal, also a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament and chairperson of the MILF

Peace Implementing Panel, said the process of decommissioning is a “critical component of Normalization.”

Undersecretary David Diciano, chair of the GPH Peace Implementing Panel, said the decommissioning of MILF combatants helped strengthen and sustain the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process.

Lawyer Laisa Masuhud Alamia, also Member of Parliament and co-chair of the Task Force for Decommissioned Combatants and their Families (TFDCC), said that from rendering the firearms beyond use, the decommissioning of

combatants is a continuing process, including restoration of normal life into the mainstream society.

The Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) hosted the event for Philippine government and MILF officials, In a statement, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), said the decommissioning of former combatants are held in five Assembly and Processing Areas (APAs) in Mindanao, and that the old Maguindanao

Provincial Capitol in Sultan Kudarat will be the first APA for the entire phase three of the decommissioning process.

“We may know decommissioning as putting weapons beyond use, but at the core of it is the combatants’ well-being, livelihood, and security, their families, and communities,” Iqbal, said.

Iqbal said the decommissioning “is a testament to MILF’s commitment to the peace process and the strong partnership with GPH, addressing the underlying cause of the conflict, inequality, and poverty in the Bangsamoro

region,” Iqbal added.

Iqbal said following the approval of the Republic Act No. 11593, extending the term of the Bangsamoro Transitional Authority to up to May 2025, high hopes were seen in terms of advancement of objectives and reforms in the Bangsamoro Government for the next three years.

Diciano said government commitment on the implementation of all other components towards “full transformation of combatants, their communities, and the Bangsamoro” are in place.

P3

Koronadal City killer rookie cop arrested

2

ALL IS READY. This will be the sitting arrangement in one of the classrooms of Nelmida Elementary School in South Cotabato as part of the pilot run for limited face-to-face classes on Monday, Nov. 15.

Photo courtesy of Amiel M. Cagayan

3 BIFFs yield to Army in NoCot

MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato – Military authorities here announced Thursday it is winning the hearts of outlawed Moro gunmen operating in Maguindanao and North Cotabato.

Three members of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) armed with ultra-high powered firearms, voluntarily surrendered to the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade in Barangay Salunayan here on Wednesday afternoon.

“Gusto na nilang mamuhay ng mapayapa kasama ang aming pamilya at mahal sa buhay (We desire to live peacefully with our loved ones and families),” said one of the gunmen who introduced himself as “Alias Tongi.”

Alias Tongi and his companions identified only by the Army as “Alias Shocks” and “Alias Marco” turned over two Barret sniper’s rifles and

a 60 mm mortar to 602nd brigade commander Colonel Joven Gonzales.

Lt. Colonel Edardo Vilchez, 34th IB commander, initiated the negotiation for the trio’s surrender.

Colonel Gonzales and Lt. Colonel Vilchez presented the surrenderees to Midsayap Mayor Romeo Araña.

Lt. Colonel Vilchez lauded the participation of MILF field commander Abullah Dats in winning the hearts of the BIFF combatants.

Mayor Araña vowed to facilitate the reintegration process for former rebels.

The Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has livelihood assistance to former rebels who opted to surrender peacefully.

More than 100 BIFF have surrendered to the Army’s 6th Infantry Division under Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy. Edwin O.

Fernandez

KORONADAL CITY — Police agents cornered in Bagumbayan town in Sultan Kudarat, after a six-hour hunt, a rookie policeman who killed a woman and hurt two others in a rage here before dawn Thursday.

Senior officials of the Police Regional Office-12 have confirmed that Patrolman Roland Lopez had been arrested in Barangay Titulok in Bagumbayan, a highland town in Sultan Kudarat province.

He killed with an assault rifle Charmaine Rose Canlas and wounded two others, Debbie John Biñas and Joanna Saptula, in an attack at past 1:00 a.m. Thursday in Pantua Village in Barangay Zone 3 here.

Saptula is a girlfriend of Lopez, according to neighbors of the victims.

Lopez and Saptula had a loud argument before gunshots reverberated through the surroundings and caused panic in the neighborhood.

Canlas was declared dead on arrival by physicians in a hospital where she was rushed for treatment.

Probers from the Koronadal City Police said a drunken Lopez first harassed the victims and confronted them over circulating stories that Saptula was having an affair with another man.

The suspect left and, after an

P3

Wanted couple nabbed in Lanao Sur PNP ops

CAMP SK PENDATUN, Maguindanao — A couple wanted for various crimes were arrested in Lanao del Sur after several days of surveillance operations.

Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, police regional director for the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao, identified the couple as Dimatingki Masbod, wanted for rape charges and his wife Cayamona Diamla who was charged for kidnapping and illegal detention.

Ugale said the police backed by soldiers and armed with arrest warrant barged inside the house of the suspects in Masiu, Lanao del Sur at past 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The Warrant of Arrest against the duo was issued by the 12th Judicial Region, RTC Branch 9 in Marawi City and no bail bond was recommended.

Also seized from the couple’s house were one M14 rifle, an Uzi submachine gun, two pistols and

assorted ammunition.

Ugale said the police in the Bangsamoro region will continue its intensified preparation for a peaceful and orderly conduct of local and national elections next year.

Ugale also lauded all police officers involved and urged them to maintain the fire in serving every Bangsamoro against threat from criminals and terrorist groups.

Edwin O. Fernandez

Execs thankful for Japan’s rice donation

BANGSAMORO officials were elated with Japan’s having donated, via the World Food Programme of the United Nations, P162 million worth of rice for residents of the autonomous region.

The Mindanao Cross learned from a press statement from the WFP that Japan has donated P162 million worth of rice to the World Food Program for distribution to residents of two provinces in the Bangsamoro region.

The WFP, an agency of the United Nations, said last weekend rice donation is intended for farmers, fishermen and decomissioned Moro guerillas covered by the peace overture between Malacañang and the Bangsamoro Autonomous

Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“We can’t thank the WFP and the Japanese government for this,” Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said this week.

He is the spokesperson of the BARMM regional government.

The rice supply is intended for residents of BARMM’s adjoining Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao provinces, some to be allocated to former Moro guerillas now being reintegrated into mainstream society.

The chief minister of BARMM, Ahod Ebrahim, is the chairman of the central committee of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The WFP said Japan’s charitable initiative was formalized last week via an agreement forged by Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko and Brenda Barton, who is WFP’s representative to the Philippines.

The symbolic rite was held at the central office of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Metro Manila.

The event was witnessed by Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Acting DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and BARMM’s deputy agriculture minister, Ammal Solaiman.

Japan, through the donation agreement, will provide BARMM, through WFP,

P3