The Mindanao Cross | January 9, 2021

Vol. LXXII| No. 48| Cotabato City | Saturday, January 9, 2021 |8 Pages | P10.00

SECOND PAGE CHURCH BACK PAGE

Big time drug peddlers fall, yield P8.5-M meth /P2 Pope Francis: ‘If we do not worship God, we will worship idols’/P4 Navy seals Sulu seas to avoid new COVID-19 variant/P8

BARMM LOOKS INTO IP LAND GRABBING SIDEBAR

THE Bangsamoro government assured Thursday to address the security issues besetting South Upi, Maguindanao.

Toto calls for quick solution

Teduray residents of South Upi are complaining about what they perceive as a seeming scheme to drive them out of their ancestral lands they call "fusaka enged" in their native language.

Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, local government minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said Monday efforts to forestall a repeat of incursions by gunmen into farming enclaves in South Upi are underway.

“This is being looked into now. We shall do our best to fix the problem,” Sinarimbo, BARMM’s regional spokesperson, said.

MAGUINDANAO 2nd District Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu has urged police and military authorities in the Bangsamoro Region to seriously look into the recent rash of violence in Maguindanao.

Mangudadatu aired the appeal “to form a joint effort to reduce the mounting level of violence in Maguindanao” a day after Mayor Reynalbert Insular of South Upi,

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FLEEING TEDURAY RESIDENTS. Thousands of residents (mostly members of Teduray tribe) in Barangay Itaw, South Upi, Maguindanao were displaced after the ambush of Mayor Reynalbert Insular on Sunday, who was unhurt, and attacks launched by the Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters starting on the eve of New Year’s Day.

Ferdinandh Cabrera

PAL brings home Dacera’s remains

Bagaforo prays for COVID-19-free PH

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, DD had prayed fervently that “God smiles on us parishioners this 2021.”

Bagaforo, currently national director of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)NASSA/Caritas Philippines, aired his request during the New Year’s Eve mass at Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace cathedral here.

“Despite several challenges we experienced in 2020, may in 2021, we will be more blessed by God,” The bishop said.

Bagaforo also shared his four hopes in 2021 that include the successful, colorful and meaningful celebration of the 500-year anniversary of the Christianism in the Philippines t h a t t h e

Church has preparing for at least nine long years.

He also prayed for honest, pro-people and pro-God Filipino community, especially the government with high hopes that basic services will equally be delivered to all Filipino even in the far-flung communities of the country.

The bishop also renewed his call not to support the Death laws which he described to destroy the sanctity of life from God. He was referring to divorce, euthanasia, abortion and same sex marriage.

He fervently prayed the pandemic will end this year.

“I prayed that in 2021, we will have a COVID-free Philippines,” B i s h o p Bagaforo stressed.

Williamor Magbanua

COVID-19-FREE PH. Caritas Philippines’ national director Bishop Jose Colin M. Bagaforo.

Photo from Caritas Philippines

TUTORING THE IPs. Fr. Danilo Pacete, OMI conducts tutorial for the Indigenous Peoples in Langgal, Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat. The program aims to assist IP students in their modular learning.

OMI PHILIPPINES

OMI conducts tutorial for IPs

THE Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) Indigenous Peoples (IP) Ministry in the Philippine province is a vast and important ministry of the OMI congregation catering and working with the different tribal groups in the country, namely: the Tedurays in Maguindanao, the Dulangan-Manobo in Sultan Kudarat and the Sama of Sulu and Tawitawi.

In Langgal, Senator Ninoy Aquino (SNA), Sultan Kudarat, Fr. Danilo “Danny” Pacate, OMI is the IP director among the Dulangan-Manobo. This tribal group is among the poorest in Sultan Kudarat.

While many of these people are still nomads, tiling forested lands from one area to another, foraging food from the deep forests, some of them are already settled in communities in different areas together with other Christian settlers, mostly in the deep mountains of Sultan Kudarat.

Fr. Pacate is from Kisante, Makilala, North Cotabato. He entered the seminary as a young

professional. He used to work with PLDT for many years before deciding to join the congregation of the Oblates.

The IP ministry in Langgal, SNA, Sultan Kudarat is helping the Manobos for many years now in different ways such as in land conflict, the Ancestral Domain, health and education.

Before the pandemic, selected IP students were living in the OMI dormitory located in Barangay Langgal. They were offered with free meals and accommodation while assisting them in their school needs.

In July 15, 2020, Fr. Pacate introduced the tutorial program for the IP students due to the changes in education system, from face-to-face to modular classes. The tutorial program aims to assist the students in their modules since most of their parents are illiterate.

“If we will not assist them through this program (tutorial), most of the students will not be able to cope with their studies because

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KORONADAL CITY — The remains of Christine Angelica Dacera, the 23-year-old PAL flight attendant and allegedly a gang rape victim found dead in a Makati City hotel, arrived at the General Santos City airport shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday amid a tight security provided by the police.

Her remains were contained in a sealed wooden box and immediately and brought home by Philippine Air Lines was whisked to a waiting van and brought to the St. Peter Chapels in GenSan, where family members and close friends clad in white shirts were waiting.

Dacera, the second of four siblings, was found unconscious at the bathtub of a hotel room in Makati on January 1, after partying with friends on New Year’s Eve. She was rushed to a hospital where physicians pronounced her dead.

The police tagged 11 males, with some admitting they're gays, as suspects in the death of Dacera, who graduated cum laude with a communications degree at the University of the Philippines – Mindanao in Davao City.

The Southern Police District C r i m e

Laboratory Office said that Dacera “died of a natural cause, specifically ruptured aortic aneurysm,” which her family disputed.

Media persons were barred from getting close to her family.

The van carrying Dacera’s remains left the airport about 25 minutes elite police force as escorts.

Lawyer Rene Jumilla, a close friend of the Dacera family, appealed to the public to refrain from “victim-blaming” “Christine is a victim here. Please stop blaming her for what happened.

We don’t believe she died of natural death,” Jumilla, city government administrator of Koronadal, said in a radio interview.

Jumilla also urged the suspects who are still at large to yield to authorities and reveal what they know.

“If you are innocent, show up and go to the police and tell the truth. By doing this, you’re protecting yourself,” Jumilla said.

On Wednesday evening, the Makati police released three suspects in custody after state prosecutors ordered them freed, as the evidence was considered “insufficient.”

Bong S. Sarmiento

JUSTICE DEMANDED. Christine Angelica Dacera.

Photo from Christine Dacera’s Instagram

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January 9, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Big time drug peddlers fall, yield P8.5-M meth

More NPAs yield to 6ID

Anti-narcotics operatives arrested in Maguindanao Wednesday two men and seized about P8.5 million worth of shabu in separate anti-drug buy bust operations.

Two bigtime drug peddlers were arrested in Barangay Dalican, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao at past 11 a.m. Wednesday after they handed over P1.7 million worth of shabu to a poseur buyer.

Agent Anthony Naïve of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-Maguindanao), said the two were quickly arrested after the transaction along the

national highway was completed.

Also seized from the suspects, identified as Sabir Tahir Omar and Inar Bulilo, both of Barangay Dalican, was a motorbike, mobile phones, marked money and various identification cards.

“We have been tailing these two men for more than a month and we had a successful drug deals in the past prior to their

arrest,” Agent Naïve said.

In separate operation, PDEA agents backed by police and Marines failed to arrest a drug dealer during drug buy bust operation in front of a public school in Barangay Dalomangcob, Sultan Kudarat Wednesday afternoon.

But authorities seized a kilo of suspected shabu with estimated market value of P6.8 million.

Agent Naïve said

the suspect, identified as “Alias Saddam” sensed he was dealing with an undercover agent so he fled after turning over a plastic bag that contained the shabu.

“He quickly fled and mingled with the people and eventually vanished,” Agent Naïve said.

The two suspects arrested in separate buy bust are now detained at PDEA-BARMM detention cell. Edwin O. Fernandez

Authorities are now identifying the leaders of the gunmen behind the South Upi attacks for prosecution, in response to a request

by Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim.

The Army’s 6th Infantry Division mobilized more soldiers to run after the local terror group behind the burning of 13 houses and the ambush of a convoy of relief workers in South Upi, Maguindanao last week.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, 6th ID chief, told reporters Wednesday the gunmen who attacked Barangay Itaw on New Year’s Eve and ambushed three days later a group of local officials and municipal relief workers on their way to the town center from the area were members of the Dawlah Islamiya.

The Dawlah Islamiya is also known as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters that has been trying to sabotage

the peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“Our operation to hunt them down has not stopped even as the situation in South Upi has started returning to normal,” Uy said.

About a thousand families were displaced by the hostilities in the adjoining Barangays Itaw and Pandan.

A villager was killed while three others were badly wounded when gunmen shot vehicles carrying local officials, led by South Upi Mayor Reynalbert Insular, while motoring through a farm-to-market road in Barangay Pandan from Barangay Itaw.

Uy, also in-charge of the Army-led antiterror Joint Task Force Central, said personnel of units under their 603rd Brigade have since been running after the culprits in the arson attacks in Barangay Itaw and in the ambush incident that also

sent villagers running for their lives.

Uy said their intelligence units and the police are now identifying the gunmen behind the South Upi atrocities for prosecution.

the region’s social welfare ministry will cooperate in addressing the needs of hundreds of conflictstricken families in South Upi’s adjoining Barangays Itaw and Pandan.

Armed men had earlier harassed repeatedly helpless residents of South Upi’s remote Barangays Kuya and Lamud in attacks that displaced hundreds of families, many still reluctant to return to their homes, worried of a repeat of the incidents.

The office of Sinarimbo, the local government unit of South Upi, the 6th ID and the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region are now cooperating in restoring peace in the municipality.

The Bangsamoro regional police tapped the help of barangay leaders in identifying the leaders of the gunmen who plundered the barangays in South Upi. John Felix

Agencies address South Upi security woes

BARMM relief operations The Bangsamoro government facilitated initial relief support Monday for hundreds of residents in South Upi displaced by attacks by armed groups last week.

Personnel from Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (READI) distributed food packs and non-food items.

The READI, which has a pool of quick deployment rescuers and emergency responders, is operating under the supervision of lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, who is BARMM’s local government minister.

Sinarimbo, also BARMM regional spokesperson said READI personnel and

Unson

TASK FORCE KUTAWATO IS BACK. Members of the anti-terror Joint Task Group Kutawato of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and policemen guard a strategic intersection in Cotabato City. The 6th ID reactivated the task John Felix Unson force, disbanded early this year, to help secure residents from lawless groups and criminals.

Polluted H2O likely cause of diarrhea in DavOcc town

KORONADAL CITY — The diarrhea outbreak that killed an elderly and downed at least 35 people in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental may have been caused by a water-borne bacteria, a volunteer doctor said.

Dr. Roel Cagape, founder of the non-profit Hearts and Brains, Inc. based in Malapatan, Sarangani who responded to Jose Abad Santos on Sunday to help the victims, said the outbreak has been put under control.

“When I arrived there, personnel from the PHO (Provincial Health

Office) were already at the hospital attending to the needs of the victims,” he said in a phone interview.

A person was reported dead, but Cagape said it could not be due to diarrhea but “because of bleeding from peptic ulcer.”

Cagape, who went to Barangay Butuan where the victims reside, found out that the water system of the village bogged down, forcing the villagers to drink water from a manual water pump that is near a septic tank.

He called for the conduct of a

water analysis to determine if the water coming out of the pump is safe for drinking, considering that it’s near a toilet.

While the village’s water system was restored and the septic tank was condemned, a diarrhea outbreak could happen again if the water coming out of the pump is not deemed safe for drinking, he said, reiterating the need for a water analysis.

This was not the first time that a diarrhea outbreak occurred in the municipality, Cagape said.

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A number of New People’s Army guerillas have surrendered to the 6th Infantry Division after officials appealed last month to NPAs to return to the fold of law while there is time yet.

Local executives in central Mindanao placed at no fewer than 40 the number of NPAs killed in clashes with units of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6th ID) in Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, North Cotabato and Sarangani from July to December 2019.

North Cotabato Gov. Nancy Catamco told reporters her administration is ready to help facilitate the return to mainstream society of reforming former NPAs. More than 20 NPAs have surrendered to Army units in North Cotabato since January, now being jointly reintroduced into the local communities

by Catamco and local executives in their respective hometowns.

“The provincial capitol is open to you or your emissaries. Send us surrender feelers now and we shall do our best to hasten your return to the fold of law,” Catamco said.

South Cotabato situation Brig. Gen. Roy Galido of the Army’s 601st Brigade said military and local officials in the province have intensified their backdoor dialogues with rebels for them to realize the benefits of renouncing their NPA membership.

Galido optimistic more rebels in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat will come out in 2021.

Galido said two NPAs in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato surrendered last week to the Army’s 5th Special Forces Battalion following the death of 19 companions in encounters before Christmas Day at Mt. Lumuton in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of 6th ID, and local executives from Palimbang, Kalamansig and Lebak, all in Sultan Kudarat hoisted the Philippine flag at Mt. Lumuton Christmas Day after a spate of Army-NPA skirmishes that forced about a hundred rebels to scamper away, leaving their dead comrades behind.

Galido said he is grateful to South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo for his socio-economic and psycho-social interventions for NPAs who have surrendered in recent months.

“The 601st Infantry Brigade is calling on NPAs to ponder on the goodness of reuniting with their families and thriving in peace without fear of being neutralized by the military,” Galido said.

Galido said just like Catamco, Tamayo, a first-termer South Cotabato governor, is also active in reaching out to rebels to assure them of his administration’s rehabilitation support if they wish to surrender.

“Hard and soft approaches” Uy, who assumed as 6th ID commander only last September, said the

601st, 602nd and 603rd Infantry Brigades shall continue to run after NPAs in central Mindanao while dialogues with those who have sent surrender feelers are underway.

“We have two approaches, one focused on securing their surrender and the other the use of force against recalcitrant NPAs to ensure the safety of helpless people they compel to pay revolutionary taxes and feed them at gunpoint,” Uy said.

Records obtained from the three brigades under 6th ID indicated that 236 NPAs have surrendered to the division since 2017.

“Life is much better in a non-hostile environment,” Uy said. He said the 6th ID is sincere in dealing with NPAs wishing to pledge allegiance to the government.

Uy cited as an example how 6th ID personnel provided medical assistance to a wounded NPA found Thursday in a secluded area in Palimbang, abandoned by his comrades.

Elmer Lasib, also known as Ka Bodo, was one of 13 guerillas wounded in a spate of gunfights with soldiers near Mt. Lumuton in Palimbang.

Lasib, who has a gunshot wound in his right leg, was immediately brought to the headquarters of the Army’s 37th Infantry Battalion and provided him first aid.

“The way our men treated Ka Bodo proved once again that the 6th ID is treating injured enemies humanely,” Uy said.Also, two other senior NPAs pledged allegiance to the government at the 7th IB headquarters in Isulan.

They promised to help urge active comrades to surrender.

Jonathan Saliling and Michael Lugko peacefully surrendered and turned in their rifles to the Army after learning that local executives in Sultan Kudarat’s adjoining Senator Ninoy Aquino, Isulan and Esperanza towns are now helping the military identify NPAs operating in barangays under their jurisdiction.

They turned over an M14 assault rifle each to Lt. Col. Romel Valencia, 7th IB’s commanding officer.

Sultan Kudarat’s provincial police director, Col. Noel Kinazo, and senior members of different municipal peace and order councils in the province said Saliling and Lugko are ranking henchmen of Arturo Arsigan, an official of the NPA’s self-styled East Daguma Front.

Their job was to recruit new members for the movement operating in the towns of Surallah and Lake Sebu in South Cotabato.

Uy said credit for the surrender of Saliling and Lugko has to go to the local government unit of Senator Ninoy Aquino and officials of 7th IB. “They surrendered less than a week after two other NPAs voluntarily yielded to one of our units, the 5th Special Forces Battalion, in Lake Sebu,” Uy said. John Felix Unson

January 9, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

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January 9, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Pope Francis:

‘If we do not worship God,we will worship idols’ VATICAN— As he celebrated Mass on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Wednesday, Pope Francis urged Catholics to devote more time to worshiping God.

Preaching in St. Peter’s Basilica Jan. 6, the pope said that worshiping the Lord was not easy and required spiritual maturity.

“Worshiping God is not something we do spontaneously. True, human beings have a need to worship, but we can risk missing the goal. Indeed, if we do not worship God, we will worship idols — there is no middle way, it is either God or idols,” he said.

He continued: “In our day, it is particularly necessary for us, both as individuals and as communities, to devote more time to worship. We need to learn ever better how to contemplate the Lord. We have somewhat lost the meaning of the prayer of adoration, so we

must take it up again, both in our communities and in our own spiritual life.”

The pope celebrated the Mass, which commemorates the Magi’s visit to the Christ Child, at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, only a few members of the public were present.

They sat spaced apart and wearing masks to prevent the spread of the virus.

Before the pope preached, a cantor solemnly proclaimed the date of Easter, as well as other major occasions in the Church calendar, in 2021.

Easter Sunday will fall on April 4 this year. Lent will begin on Feb. 17. The Ascension will be marked on May 13 (Sunday, May 16 in Italy) and Pentecost on

May 23. The First Sunday of Advent falls on Nov. 28.

The Epiphany of the Lord was celebrated on Sunday, Jan. 3 in the United States.

In his homily, the pope reflected on “a few useful lessons from the Magi,” the wise men from the East who traveled to see the newborn Jesus.

He said that the lessons could be summed up in three phrases from the day’s readings: “to lift up our eyes”, “to set out on a journey” and “to see”.

The first phrase is found in the day’s first reading, Isaiah 60:1-6.

“To worship the Lord, we first have to ‘lift up our eyes,'” the pope said. “Not to let ourselves be imprisoned by those imaginary specters

The Catholic Church’s social action arm has renewed its appeal for the government to hasten the process of vaccine selection and approval.

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, Caritas Philippines’ national director, echoed the global call to make the Covid-19 vaccine “available for all”.

The bishop issued the remarks after the controversial vaccination of President Rodrigo Duterte’s security men and Cabinet officials despite the absence of an approved vaccine in the country.

He said that “it was irresponsible to allow the breach of the regulatory process” and lamented that “our government is actually tolerating such imprudent and unauthorized action, even if PSG is saying the vaccines were donated.”

Duterte earlier said

that his goal was to provide a free vaccine to all 113 million Filipinos.

However, the Department of Finance said that they are still to source out 73.2 billion pesos to pay for the vaccination of 60 million population.

Fr. Antonio Labiao Jr., Caritas Philippines’ executive secretary, urged the authorities “to speed up all regulatory processes so that vaccines will be available to us soonest.”

He also stressed that “while we agree on the list of priority sectors to be vaccinated first, it is imperative for the government to ensure that majority of the Filipinos will have access to the vaccines when its already available for mass use.”

“In this time of pandemic, we must strive to do away with selfish interests,” Labiao said.

Caritas Philippines, he also said, will also exert all efforts available to assist the government in easing the burden being experienced, especially in the most marginalized communities.

Since March, the country’s social action network has been able to provide more than 1 billion pesos worth of assistance through its national partners, and Caritas Internationalis.

“Our goal has always been to prioritize aid corresponding to the needs of the vulnerable Filipinos,” Bagaforo said.

“We will continue to be vigilant, especially of government actions, to ensure that the rights, welfare and dignity of the Filipino people prevail over political machinations, vested interests, and greed for power,” he added.CBCP

Caritas PH calls for vaccine ‘for all’

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News

that stifle hope, and not to make our problems and difficulties the center of our lives.”

“This does not mean denying reality, or deluding ourselves into thinking that all is well. No. Rather, it is a matter of viewing problems and anxieties in a new way, knowing that the Lord is aware of our troubles, attentive to our prayers and not indifferent to the tears we shed.”

But if we turn our eyes away from God, he said, we become overwhelmed by our problems, leading to “anger, bewilderment, anxiety, and depression.”

It then requires courage to “break out of the circle of our foregone conclusions” and worship God with fresh dedication.

REFLECTIONS

us. Instead, by humbly acknowledging them, we should make them opportunities to progress towards the Lord Jesus.”

He emphasized that all the events of our life, including our sins, could help us to experience interior growth, provided that we show contrition and repentance.

“Those who let themselves be shaped by grace usually improve with time,” he commented.

The third phrase highlighted by Pope Francis — “to see” — is also found in St Matthew’s Gospel.

He said: “Worshiping was an act of homage reserved for sovereigns and high dignitaries. The Magi, in fact, worshiped the One they knew was the

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Pope Francis celebrates Mass on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord in St. Peter’s Basilica Jan. 6, 2021.

VATICAN MEDIA

esus began his a year acceptable to the public ministry Lord” (Lk. 4:18-19). He by his baptism in claimed this mission for the river Jordan. As Himself by saying, “Today this Sundays’s gospel this scripture passage is proclaims, during his fulfilled in your hearing.” baptism the heavens Do we know our opened and the Spirit, own identity as Christ’s like a dove descended disciples? Do we know our upon Him. A voice then mission? Our identity as a Rev. Fr. Antonio P. Pueyo, DCC Christian began with our came from the heavens tonypoy_dcc0@yahoo.com own baptism. We were saying, “You are my beloved Son; with you I baptized “In the name of am well pleased” (Mk 1:10-11). The feast following the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” the Epiphany may be called a second epiphany. The waters of baptism cleansed us from our Jesus is revealed as God’s own Son. The event also inherited and actual sins and incorporated us into introduced us to God as a triune God; Father, Son, Christ’s body which is the Church. We are not just and Holy Spirit. members of our own families but we become part of Jesus was not in need of John’s baptism which the universal family of God. By baptism we become was a baptism of repentance. Rather, his baptism God’s own children, brother and sister of Christ, and was an act of solidarity with sinful humanity. Jesus temple of the Holy Spirit. is like us in all things, except sin. Just as the Lord The logo of 500YOC or Five Hundred Years joined the human race by being born of the Virgin of Christianity shows the first baptism in our Mary, so He began his public ministry by joining Philippine shores. It is taken from Amorsolo’s frail and weak human beings. Just as the angels famous painting. This was the beginning of announced Christ’s birth to the shepherds, John the Christianity in the Philippines. Baptism identifies Baptist pointed him out to the crowd as the Messiah. us as a Christian. Although many of us were In the second reading, taken from the Acts of the baptized as little children, yet as we grow up we apostles, Peter introduced Jesus as one anointed by are made aware of the nobility of our identity. As God with the Holy Spirit and power and who went a baptized Christian one becomes a member of the about doing good (Acts 10:38). As the prophet Isaiah church and the dwelling place of the Trinity. What prophesied in the first reading, the Messiah would a noble identity. Some may claim to be a son or be a light for the nations who would free those who daughter belonging to the royal family or a wealthy live in darkness (cf. 42:6-7). clan, but nothing can beat the claim, “I am God’s Jesus knows who He is and his mission. His son or daughter. I belong to God’s family.” identity is revealed to the world during his baptism, What then is our mission? Like Jesus, we are God’s own Son. His mission is expressed as doing to go about doing good. We are to bring God’s love good and proclaiming light in darkness. In his first to the unloved. We are to lead those in darkness to preaching in his own synagogue in Nazareth, he the light. We are to become channels of peace and read from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the justice. There are so many challenges of the mission.

Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to One answers these challenges, inspired by Jesus and bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to according to one’s capacities. As the 500YOC theme proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to proclaims, we have been gifted with the faith and the blind, to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim so we also give and share this gift. MC

Christian Identity and Mission

Those who worship discover true joy, the pope said, which unlike worldly joy is not based on wealth or success.

“The joy of Christ’s disciple, on the other hand, is based on the fidelity of God, whose promises never fail, whatever the crises we may face,” he said.

The second phrase — “to set out on a journey” — comes from the day’s Gospel reading, Matthew 2:1-12, describing the Magi’s journey to Bethlehem.

“Like the Magi, we too must allow ourselves to learn from the journey of life, marked by the inevitable inconveniences of travel,” the pope said.

“We cannot let our weariness, our falls, and our failings discourage

B adaliyya Fr. Jun Mercado, OMI

Short Reflection on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Readings:

Isaiah 55: 1-11; 1 John 5: 1-9; Mark 1: 7-11Selected Passage: “I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mk. 1: 8)

Reflection:

In our lives, we always try to discover the meaning being baptized by the Holy Spirit. In our own Baptism, this reality is better understood in our being anointed by the Spirit as PRIEST, PROPHET and KING. Priest symbolizes the worship of God in our lives; Prophet tells of our commitment to Justice and Truth; and King speaks of our life of service to others, especially those in need.

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps: 1. Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2. Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips.

3. Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

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THE MINDANAO CROSS

January 9, 2021

EDITORIAL

A woman like no other

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he rise of women power (subtly called gender equality) during the closing of the previous millennium focused on the status of women all over the world. It is not a secret that women are treated lower than men in many societies, and this has been a bone of contention for many.

This has been the subject of analysis on several aspects — economic, social, health, education.

Thankfully, the wide publicity given to the rise of women champions, and the laws and policy that many countries adopted, particularly those on the western world, have contributed to the change in the status of women. More women are now pushing for equality with men at home and in the workplace, and have entered the world of politics which was exclusively the domain of men.

But in history, very few women were recognized as contributory to the growth of the Christian faith.

Except for women like Sarah, Ruth, Rachel, Esther, Deborah (of the old testament), and Elizabeth, Mary Magdalene, Martha, Veronica (of the new testament) who were credited for their role in the social and political events of the time, the rest were mentioned only as wives and mothers of the great men in biblical history. This attitude towards women , I believe, was influenced by the attitude of the writers of the old and the new testament towards the women of their time.

It is therefore not surprising if the writers have had difficulty in describing the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom Christians believe is the mother of Jesus Christ. For a teenager to be told that she will be the mother of God, Mary was brave enough to accept despite knowing the turmoil that lay ahead.

Mary of Nazareth was a first century Jewish woman, the daughter of Joachim and Anne of Galilee. The gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke mentioned Mary in their writings; and description of her can also be found in the Koran. She raised Jesus in a carpenters household until He was ready for His public life. Being a mother, she followed Jesus in His preaching, and was there when He was crucified and died on the cross. One can only imagine the grief she had to go through to watch His Son suffer and die.

After the resurrection of Jesus, Mary was said to have died, and the tradition and doctrine is for her body to have been carried to heaven. This is called the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

There are many recorded Marian apparition, the most famous ones are in Fatima before the three children, and in Lourdes before St. Bernadette.

European countries did not have a monopoly of Marian apparition. In Guadalupe, Mexico, the Virgin also appeared before a poor farmer. In almost all the apparitions, she asked the world to pray for world peace.

For a woman who have to overcome the prejudices and biases of her time, the Virgin Mary has contributed a lot to improving the welfare of women. We can only say that she deserves the veneration of people for the things she has done, and unfortunately, we cannot say that the world will produce another woman comparable to her. +

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his is supposed to be a new year, but nothing seems new; not in the sense of security for the non-Moro indigenous people, the Tedurays, of Sitio Manguda in Barangay Itaw, South Upi, Maguindanao.

On the afternoon of December 3, no less than 258 Teduray families of Sitio Manguda hastily left their homes and belongings after seeing a heavily armed group approaching their community. In their haste, the residents were hardly able to take supplies with them. They left their crops and farm animals behind.

According to Timuay Justice and Governance, the Indigenous Political Structure of Teduray and Lambangian Indigenous Peoples in South Central Mindanao, an encounter took place at around twelve midnight that day between members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Bandang and what was later identified as a group of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters led by Kumander Bungos and Kumander King. The exchange of fire lasted for more than half an hour, according to TJG. It also said Sitio Geti, Seley, and Purok 2 Lovers of Barangay Itaw were affected.

Fr. Juram Sacil, OMI, of the IP Ministry of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate said seven houses were razed to the ground. “Imagine the pains and struggles of these people searching for justice and peace,” he posted on Facebook.

Indeed, what fault do these Tedurays have that such should happen to them time and again? Is it wrong to seek to live peacefully in a land which has been theirs since the time of their ancestors? It is part of their ancestral domain, their Fusaka Inged.

On a Facebook post in June last year, Member of Parliament Romeo Saliga said “Armed conflicts has been a long pain in the neck for Non-Moro Indigenous People (NMIP) communities, as they had to endure years of violence, terror, fear and bloodshed. It was also a long sufferance of survival that they went through. People transferred from one place to another, hopeful to find a peaceful destination. But countless of lives have been taken away, yet peace still seem invisible.”

In a piece we wrote for this same column in August last year, we recounted how other Teduray and Lambangian communities in South Upi, Sitio Bahar

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Until when?

Thinking Aloud Caloy Bautista

caloyb@gmail.com

and Sitio Femegoyon in Barangay Pandan, have been sites of several armed confrontations related to conflicting land claims, only one of several such places in highland communities occupied by non-Moro indigenous tribes in the Bangsamoro. Members and leaders of the Teduray and Lambangian have died there, shedding blood in defense of their ancestral domain rights which up to now remain under threat.

Members of the community has been displaced several times, forced to live evacuation centers away from their meager means of livelihood, tilling the land.

MP Saliga told this writer only this week that he has already written to Bangsamoro Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim about the plight of the NMIPs in the region. The Bangsamoro regional government has a Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs under Minister Melanio Ulama, who is himself a Teduray. Both MP Saliga and Minister Ulama sit as members of the Bangsamoro Parliament ensuring IP representation in the regional legislative body.

To date, various assistance has been provided to the Teduray IDPs from Barangay Itaw from the municipal government of South Upi, the BARMM’s aid agency BARMM-READI, the OMI’s IP Ministry, and others. There is no doubt that this can respond to immediate needs. There is also no doubt that the response to the persistent problem of insecurity of the non-Moro indigenous people in South Upi and other conflict-affected ancestral lands in Maguindanao should go beyond this. A deeper, more comprehensive, and long-lasting solution is required from all agencies and institutions concerned to bring into fruition that long-cherished dream of the non-Moro indigenous people in the region: peace and a better life in their Fusaka Inged. MC

he Philippine Libel Law made simple in a book written by lawyer Berteni Cataluña Causing.

Atty. Toto Causing is a former sports writer, beat reporter and copy editor. His family hails from South Cotabato.

Reading over the window chapters of his book is like going through updated review of the old good semester of Legal Journalism: the Laws on Publication and Broadcast that brings journalism classes closer to the provisions of the Revised Penal Code on libel law.

The book, “Simplified Libel Law in the Philippines” timely provides guidance not only to journalists, Nash B. Maulana reporters, bloggers and vloggers, but also to subscribers nash.penlight@gmail.com of online-based emailing and social media accounts and pages on FB, Twitter, as well as to individuals the Inquirer in 1996. An editorial probe found that the linked by short-messaging (texting), to be more aware subject of the libel case did not emanate from my raw of the facts about libel; the law pertaining to it and the copy. The Inquirer provided us with lawyers. But later, Supreme Court interpretation and definition of libel and I was advised on the phone to “just look for locally-based its elements, from decided cases or jurisprudence that lawyers (for the two of us) and the company would bear have become part of the laws of the land. all legal expenses.” The second case was apparently a Toto writes in such a popular style that effectively spontaneous reaction in 2002, but in which the element reduces the language of the law into lay terms easily of malice and the issue on territorial jurisdiction (with understood by non-lawyers like most journalists, writers respect to the regional circulation of the local weekly and social media subscribers are. that carried the story cited in the case) were not I met Toto when he was copy editor, occasionally established. covering the so-called Manila Waterfront Beat for a The Libel Law runs from Article 353 to Article 361 night edition of a daily newspaper published by the of the Revised Penal Code. Libel is defined under Article Philippines Journal Publication, Inc., in 2001.

353 as “public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of But what touches me most in Toto’s endeavor this a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, time, is that he is publishing and selling online (at a condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause the very low price-tag) this (second) edition of his book to dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural or juridical help raise fund for a cancer patient, his sister, who is person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead.” undergoing sessions of chemotherapy.

Four elements may constitute a libel: DIMP 1) D—for He says the proceeds of online sale “will finance defamation; 2) I—for Identification; 3) M—for Malice; the medication of Arlene Priscilla ‘Ging’ Cataluña and 4) P—for Publication, Causing says.

Causing the sister of the author undergoing sessions of In the landmark case Dionisio Lopez y Aberasturi chemotherapy and Herceptin at the time of the finishing vs People of the Philippines, the Supreme Court stated touches of this book (Christmas Day of 2020).” that not all insulting words are libel. Words which are Toto also intends to put anything in excess of the merely insulting are not actionable as libel or slander proceeds (in any case) into his health concerns, “(and) per se, and mere words of general abuse however to all others who have no money for medical needs and opprobrious, ill-natured, or vexatious, whether written to all who need to fight libel and cyber libel cases.” or spoken, do not constitute bases for an action for I have had my share of libel suits. The first was defamation in the absence of an allegation for special based on a pooled report that landed on page one of damages. (GR No. 172203, February 14, 2011) MC

A journo-lawyer’s noble cause: Libel Law simplified

PENLIGHT

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 Valérie Ann P. Lambo, Reporter 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 Orlando Dinoy 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.

6

Peace is love TRUE TO FORM

parent and accountable at all times. His official mouthpiece and concurrent Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo has even encouraged media Charlie Señase practitioners to be open csenase@yahoo.com in their reportage of regional events without AWS and standard protocols are fear or favor. meant to instill orderliness and Sinarimbo, who also heads sobriety. And yet, more often than BARMM’s Rapid Emergency Action on not ignored or taken for granted to cre- Disaster Incidence has reported to have ate chaos and confusion on the universal delivered food packs to South Upi in axiom that “No one is above the law.”

Maguindanao following recent atrociEarly this week, legislative council ties by BIFF terror group that displaced members of Cotabato City unanimously some 599 residents. The December 31 approved a resolution that would finally and January 3 BIFF offensive included resolve the controversial issue on the the ambush of the town mayor’s convoy true status of the city government fol- that killed one and injured three others. lowing recent turn-over rites of its local Government troops from nearby Camp governance from Region-12 to BARMM. Siongco of the 6th Infantry Division Such unexpected development was are in pursuit operation hoping to end initiated by the national government such atrocities against the indigenous despite pending Supreme Court resolu- Teduray natives. tion questioning the authenticity of the With all the threats and life’s uncerJanuary 2019 plebiscite. tainties, let’s hold on to what’s right and In that political exercise only the pleasing to God, who said: No weapons island province of Sulu came out with formed against His God-fearing children a “No vote” but such win was set aside will prosper and tongues that berate because of its being originally part of them are condemned.

Muslim Mindanao. While the case of Learn to love our enemies in spirit Cotabato City, though the “Yes vote” for we don’t wrestle in flesh and blood won, it has yet to be resolved by the high but the powers of darkness which are tribunal which promised to lay down in them. its verdict supposedly in December last A reminder to the ungodly rich and year. famous: No amount of gold or affluIt has been underscored that mem- ence will save them from God’s wrath bership in the BARMM is embodied in (Zephaniah 1:8). the approved Bangsamoro Organic Law In righteousness, you shall be estabbut the question lies on a pending SC lished, fearless and far from oppression; decision on allegation raised by lawyer terror and any threat shall not come and incumbent City Mayor Cynthia near you.

Guiani-Sayadi.

Wounded for our transgressions, If the Vatican in Rome is a city bruised for our iniquities, chastised for within a city, and so was Cotabato City our peace, but by His stripes, we are that used to be for decades the regional healed. capital of Central and Muslim MindThe ironic proof of good and evil anao, so peculiar for a small delta city is damned if we do and damned if we surrounded by tributaries of the largest don’t. It’s a non-stop conflict of interest river in Mindanao. on whom to serve – God or Satan?

BARMM officials led by Chief MinisChrist’s gospel which is the basis of ter Murad Ebrahim has been reminding our salvation has dos and don’ts. Beware colleagues to be consistent with its mor- of deliberate defiance for He said: “I and al mandate to look after the oppressed My Father are One, but My Father is and the down-trodden by being trans- greater than I.” MC

L

and blessing of a new A tribute to a special grace life. Recalling the moment of fertilization, when out of thousands of sperms, one doctor, Annabelle the sperm meets the egg—if God

does not will it, no science can force a new life to be created.

By coincidence, I came across the homily of Fr. Dave Concepcion as to whether Victoria R. Franco, RPh, MS Pharmacy artificial insemination is franco1573victoria@gmail.com a sin or not. The example is that, in the process of he number of Filipinos infected with COVID-19 continues to escalate fertilization, only a pair of fertilized egg even as we are threatened by the is chosen for the in vitro process. What COVID-19 variant. Vaccine manufacturers happens to the rest? Discarded, resulting race to provide the needs of a world in multiple deaths of the other fertilized eggs. Technically, it is abortion. He left desperate to escape the viral infection.

We watch the daily statistics for rising the audience to answer their own question.

COVID-19 infections, cheer at the number Furthermore, if the fertilized egg is of recoveries, praise and pray for the loyal implanted on the womb of a surrogate front liners and regret those who died due mother, new challenges, psychological or to pandemic. For sometime, the numbers otherwise could arise. Cesar and Annabelle are but statistics, until,someone close to us, are one of the couples who go daily to mass, a dear friend, dies because of the infection say the rosary together, living their faith in their daily lives. and its complications.

Throughout the years, Annabelle was Our family friend, Dr. Teresita Mansilla called early morning to tell us of writing a journal about the ways God the demise of pediatrician Dr. Annabelle manifested his presence in her life. She had Buenaflor, after battling COVID-19 at completed it before she got sick and had the hospital where she was confined, printed them in a pamphlet . It was to be a and where she was also looking after her Christmas present to her friends. Entitled: husband, Atty. Cesar. It is one thing to look Touched by God, who are the lucky ones to at the numbers and another to find one receive such a precious copy?

Rest in Peace Annabelle, your mission of our very own as part of it. We feel the struggles, the pains, the challenges of our is done. Good work child, enter our final beloved Annabelle, as much as now, when home. *** her 3 children face the realities of losing a In the US, as well as some countries in mother, even as their father is fighting for Europe, the end of the Christmas Season is his own survival as well.

There is no question about the respect, when all the tinsels and decor are put away admiration and affection Annabelle has in boxes, thus it is called boxing day, and inspired in her colleagues, the people she has nothing to,do with the sport boxing. deals with both at work, at home, in church Over the years, Boxing day has become and in the community. She has set herself a holiday that is spent w ito friends and apart by being professional in her dealings family. Many use the day to eat leftovers , with her patients. I know that, she was my binge-watch Christmas films and generally daughter’s ob-gyn-pediatrician rolled into continue the festivities. Boxing Day was one. Her life is richly influenced by her originally the day that servants and lower long stay as an “interna” at the Theresian class would get a day off since they work on Christmas day.

Dormitory run by nuns.

The name comes from a time when the Of the many conversations we had in the past, she acknowledged that the greatest rich used to box up gifts to give to the poor. miracle she ever had was the “birthing of In parts of Europe, the 26th of December is a baby”. For her, as an obstetrician, every celebrated as a second Christmas Day. The baby delivered by her hand is a miracle tradition may come from a custom in the from God. Miracles take place in her late Roman/early Christian era wherein hands many times each day. The wailing alms boxes placed in churches where used baby spanked on the butt is like replaying to collect special offerings tied to the feast the bells of the angelus announcing God’ of St. Stephen. MC

THE STUFF OF LIFE

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January 9, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Constipation in the elderly

food intake. We will also encourage increase mobility and increase in the daily intake of fluids and dietary fiber.

Once constipation or impaction is treated, steps should be taken to prevent recurrence. We have to encourage continuation Cheridine P. Oro- Josef, of exercise and increase in M.D., DFM, FPAFP, FPCGM dietary fiber. Help them cheridinemd@gmail.com regularize their bowel pattern. As patients t is not uncommon for an older person too, you should ask to complain of constipation or delayed your doctors of the possible side effects colon emptying. The regular bowel of the drugs they prescribe, to choose habits become an every other day or every a less- constipating alternative or by 3 days activity. This leaves the older adding a laxative. Caretakers should person anxious and they worry about the also be educated regarding constipation. possibility of infection and other colonic Caretakers should note refusal of food or problems that may arise from the apparent feedings because this is normal for patients ‘constipation’. who are unable to evacuate their bowels.

Constipation is defined as a change in When patients aspirate food or feedings bowel function consisting of diminished , this can be a result of caretakers’ wellfrequency of defecation and often increased intended attempts to nourish patients. If difficulty with defecation. Impaction, there is really fecal impaction it should be on the other hand, is the end result addressed within the first 48 hours of care. of prolonged exposure of accumulated Laxatives available in the market stool to the absorptive forces of the colon include bulk- forming agents ( high fiber and rectum. Several reasons why older supplements, psyllium and senna), osmotic people suffer from it include, decreased agents ( lactulose, sorbitol, glycerine physical mobility and low- fiber diets suppository), stimulants (castor oil and leading to prolonged colon transit time bisacodyl), emollients and salts (milk of and failure of the defecation mechanism magnesia and magnesium citrate. called dyschezia. Systemic diseases such as Take note though that your bowel hypothyroidism, uremia, hypercalcemia, movement habits from childhood will most depression, parkinsonism, cerebrovascular likely be the same in your old age, hence, accidents and diabetes may cause difficulty a change in this pattern warrants a visit in defecation. Some drugs too like the to your doctor. My simple advice: small anticholinergics, aluminium hydroxide, frequent eating and eat more green and calcium channel blockers, iron and leafy vegetables. MC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may cause delay in colonic emptying.

Older persons come to my clinic usually complaining of a change in the frequency of their bowel movement. Sometimes they refuse to eat or take their medication because of the feeling of fullness.

How do we manage constipation?

Doctors will more likely treat underlying systemic diseases especially depression.

They may replace potassium and magnesium and remove or replace all offending medication. Doctors may also give glycerine suppositories at certain intervals taking note of the normal gastrocolic reflex which comes after

GOLDEN THREADS

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What to do in 2021…

MARKET DRIVEN

for COVID-19 seemingly out of reach to common Filipinos until the middle of 2021, it is definitely a challenge for people on how to work with their money during this year.

Minus COVID-19, Danny Buenbrazo t h e c o n d i t i o n s f o r danny_buenbrazo@yahoo.com investing looks attractive to the more daring t the end of the previous year, it is investors: there are more commercial not an overstatement to say that spaces for lease, rental rates are down, everyone wished for all the bad interest rate for borrowing remains low, memories of 2020 to go away. Of course, among others. we cannot blame people for trying to do However, the COVID-19 situation away with the traumatic experiences could turn worse at any given moment, they went through in 2020. thus, access of your goods or services With the onset of the pandemic, to the public could be challenging. The the freedom of people to travel to other supply chain can also be disrupted from places was restricted. Thereafter, even time to time as various localities adopt the movement within local communities stricter quarantine protocols, depending was also curtailed and people cannot on the prevalence of infections in their even go to work, school and other places jurisdictions. they usually visit.

If one decides to go into the business Eventually, millions lost their of offering goods and/or services to employment either temporarily or the public, he or she must take into permanently as offices and business consideration contingency measures firms were forced to shut down or cut to cope with logistical and marketing down on operations due to the restrictive challenges. The more basic the goods and/ lockdown rules. or services marketed, the less susceptible Although the travel restrictions were to the loss or decline in demand from eventually eased and most businesses consumers. were allowed to resume operations, Alternative investments to the albeit with strict protocols for COVID-19 traditional businesses are mutual prevention and control, the situation funds, stocks, Treasury Bills, and remains anything but normal. Majority similar instruments. However, with of business firms are unable to operate the prevailing low-interest regime, at their formal level and with expenses investments that depend on interests remaining at the old rates and much are not exactly expected to provide lower sales, many are operating at break- yields higher than the inflation rate. even or at a loss.

Any return below the rate of inflation Given this current situation, how is not a positive gain as the supposed do we handle our finances in 2021? Is it profit is watered down by the decline in time to invest or should we hold on to our purchasing power. money first?

Stocks would offer the highest Variants of COVID-19 had been potential returns but the investor must coming out, initially from the United carefully choose which companies are Kingdom and then later from countries able to contend with the difficult situation belonging to different continents. under this pandemic, as well as, those The local health authorities had been that could have good rebound when allaying the fears of the public with the things go back to normal. new COVID-19 strains, however, the We should all try to keep expenses detection of an infected traveler from to the minimum and save as much as Manila to Hong Kong is not comforting. possible to increase the investible funds With public access to the vaccines at our disposal. MC

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THE MINDANAO CROSS

January 9, 2021

BARMM looks into ip land grabbing...From page 1 Armed groups have been harassing villagers in South Upi since 2019, causing dislocation of Lumad families, many still so reluctant to return to their villagers fearing the culprits can return and attack them again.

Sinarimbo appealed to South Upi residents

to remain calm and cooperate with efforts of the BARMM government, the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and the 6th Infantry Division to address the security issues besetting the municipality.

South Upi is a

predominantly Teduray area, where tribal communities depend mainly on farming in their ancestral lands as means of livelihood.

Sinarimbo said the South Upi local government unit and the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government-

BARMM are together in formulating solutions to the security problems besetting the upland municipality.

Sinarimbo is chairperson of the multisector Regional Advisory Council of the Bangsamoro regional police under Brig.

Gen. Samuel Rodriguez.

BARMM’s Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence, or the READI outfit operating under Sinarimbo’s supervision, is now helping provide relief support for the South Upi residents displaced by two attacks by gunmen last week. John Felix Unson

Maguindanao survived an ambush in Barangay Pandan.

“I am appealing to the provincial authorities and the AFP to join forces for the immediate reduction, if not eradication, of violence in Maguindanao so that our province will gain stability and safeguards for our constituents,” Mangudadatu said in a

statement.

He said a spike of violence rocked the province and has intensified in recent months.

Mangudadatu said the latest of which was the botched assassination attempt against Mayor Insular and several relief workers last Sunday.

Mayor Insular, along

with members of the South Upi Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC), had just concluded relief operation to displaced families in Barangay Itaw when gunmen opened fire on their vehicles following twin roadside explosions.

The displaced families whom Insular and his team

Based on his interviews with the villagers, the latest outbreak started on December 31, or last Thursday, with the patients admitted to the hospital until Sunday, Cagape said.

Cagape turned over boxes of donated bottled waters to the locality Jose Abad Santos Mayor Jason John Joyce said that as of Sunday, 31

victims have been confined at the Tomas Lachica District Hospital, while four others have been discharged.

Joyce said that the local government established Sunday a command center at the municipal gymnasium to address concerns related to the diarrhea outbreak.

The mayor said that he’s set to convene Monday

the various department heads to discuss measures to avoid another diarrhea outbreak in the village.

Joyce said the Department of HealthDavao, headed by Dr. Annabelle Yumang, sent water containers and intravenous fluids to the town in response to the diarrhea outbreak. Bong S.

were helping belonged to the Teduray Tribe who were forced to flee after gunmen opened-fire and burned their houses on New Year’s Day. “We have seen a big increase in the number of deadly incidences against civilians who have lost lives, limbs, livelihood and their houses in the process,” he said.

“Now is the time to seriously look into these violent incidents, especially the reported harassment of Indigenous Peoples in South Upi,” said Mangudadatu who served as Maguindanao

provincial governor for nine years.

He also called on the Bangsamoro government to look into the issue and create a swift solution that has been negatively affecting the plight of the IPs in the province.

"The peace and order situation in Maguindanao is a far-cry from what it used to be years ago.

It has now become a bedrock of insurgencies, deaths and terroristic acts. The constituents of the province need to be protected now more than ever," Mangudadatu said.

king of the Jews.”

“But what did they actually see? They saw a poor child and his mother.

Yet these wise men from far-off lands were able to look beyond those lowly surroundings and recognize in that Child a royal presence. They were able to ‘see’ beyond appearances.”

He explained that the gifts offered by the Magi to the Christ Child symbolized the offering of their hearts.

“To worship the Lord we need to ‘see’ beyond the veil of things visible, which often prove deceptive,” he said.

In contrast to King Herod and other worldly citizens of Jerusalem, the Magi showed what the pope called “theological realism.”

He defined this quality as the ability to perceive “the objective reality of things”

that “leads finally to the realization that God shuns all ostentation.”

Concluding his homily, the pope said: “May the Lord Jesus make us true worshipers, capable of showing by our lives his loving plan for all humanity.

Let us ask for the grace for each of us and for the whole Church, to learn to worship, to continue to worship, to exercise this prayer of adoration often, because only God is to be adored.”CNA

Toto calls for quick solution ...From page 1

Polluted H2O likely cause of...From page 2

Sarmiento

Navy seals Sulu seas to avoid...From page 8 experts, Tan said that the COVID-19 variant detected in Sabah "spreads faster but not deadlier."

“While alarming, it is not a phenomenon according to the community of medical experts. It is natural for viruses to mutate into strains,” the governor said in a statement.

The Sulu Task Force COVID-19 called on the public not to panic and to heed advisories only from official sources, Tan said.

Together with frontline partners, Tan assured that

the provincial government will intensify its monitoring and utilize all material and human resources at its disposal, urging their constituents to avoid speculations and from spreading fake and harmful information Tan said the lockdown can be lengthened, depending on the situation.

Vinluan commended the decision of Sulu to implement a lockdown as a measure to prevent the entry of the COVID-19 variant from Sabah.

According to him, personnel of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao will conduct maritime patrols not just in the borders of Sulu archipelago but also in the adjoining waters of Tawi-tawi province and the Zamboanga peninsula, also as part of security measures.

Sulu is a known lair of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group, which has been engaged in kidnapping activities in the Sulu Sea and the waters off Sabah.

most of their parents can’t provide them the necessary assistance,” Fr. Pacate said.

The tutorial program consists of two Manobo teachers who are college graduates living in the community. This program is designed for the students to have a better and effective mentoring since the teachers are using their native language.

Receiving only P4,000 a month as allowance, these teachers are painstakingly giving their time every day to assist IP students. For Fr. Pacate, hiring these teachers is the most viable opportunity since looking for available teachers in the area is quite difficult.

Ms. Lorna Labordo, a Manobo college graduate, a former scholar of MCJ

(Missionaries of Christ Jesus), a group of religious women who used to work with the Manobos in previous years, was working for IPs in Sitios Bagsing and Taliwa, both under Barangay Gapok, SNA. On the other hand, Ms. Salvie Watamama, also a Manobo college graduate was assigned in Sitio Benebol, also in Barangay Gapok.

Sitio Benebol has 28 IP student scholars while Sitio Bagsing and Taliwa have 29 IP students. In Sitio Kapayagan, Lagubang, eight IP students are under the OMI IP ministry.

The modular sessions are conducted daily in these areas. For several years, these students are under the scholarship of

the OMI from grades 6 to 12.

Aside from education, the OMI IP ministry is also involved in programs that helped the people in their basic needs. In Sitio Kapayagan, for example, Fr. Pacate is supporting the Abaca plantation of the IPs. The program will add extra income for the families living in the community to help them address their basic needs knowing that Abaca can be a good source of income for its high price and availability in the area.

The OMI IP ministry is still eyeing other projects that will provide decent livelihood income to Indigenous Peoples by helping them help themselves. Fr. Rockmoore

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late JULIA T. TAGBO who died intestate on July 15, 2020 at CRMC Hospital, Cotabato City, a Bank account with Cotabato-Makakua branch of Union Bank Inc., is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Atty. Asmira S. Diego as per Doc. No. 60; Page No. 12; Book No. IV; Series of 2020.

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Bong S. Sarmiento

OMI conducts tutorial for IPs...From page 1

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late DATU BLAH T. SINSUAT and ESTER PALILEO who died on December 11, 1984 at Quezon City and October 23, 1999 at Cotabato City respectively, a parcel of land Lot No. 52, situated in Municipal District of Dinaig, with an area of 146,750 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. (T24734), T-4084, is the subject of extrajudicial settlement with simultaneous sale before Notary Public Atty. Armando U. Lauban as per Doc. No. 265; Page No. 53; Book No. 03; Series of 2020.

MC: Dec. 26, 2020, Jan. 2 & 9, 2021

MC: Dec. 26, 2020, Jan. 2 & 9, 2021

Saniel, OMI

Notice is hereby given that the late DATU TALUTUCAN MATALAM who died intestate on September 8, 2012 at Poblacion, Pagalungan, Maguindanao, left parcel of land Lot 71, Ccs-12-000269, containing an area of 40,399 sq. mts., more or less, covered by OCT No. P70164, is the subject of extrajudicial settlement with waiver of rights before Notary Public Atty. Agnes R. De Castro-Jagunap as per Doc. No. 9273; Page No. 9273; Book No. XXV; Series of 2020.

MC: Jan. 9, 16 & 23, 2021

Edwin O. Fernandez

Pope Francis: ‘If...From page 4

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that the late Spouses DORFIN D. DOFELIZ and ELDELIZA DIESTO who died on January 7, 2007 and June 26, 2011, respectively, at Midsayap, Cotabato, left parcel of land Lot 6, Bsd-1240709001786-AR, situated in Poblacion 7, Midsayap, Cotabato, containing an area of 22,172 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. T-7038, is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with simultaneous deed of absolute sale before Notary Public Alberto T. Eramis as per Doc. No. 489; Page No. 98; Book No. CLXXXV; Series of 2020.

MC: Jan. 9, 16 & 23, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late BAI TANTO SUMAGKA SINSUAT who died on June 7, 2014, a parcel of land Lot 1-C-6-G, Psd-35681, situated at Bo. Matampay, Cotabato City, containing an area of 324 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. T-46409, is the subject of extrajudicial settlement with waiver and renunciation of rights before Notary Public Atty.

Hisham Nazz Ala Biruar, CPA as per Doc. No. 16; Page No. 4; Book No. VII; Series of 2020.

December 26, 2020, Jan. 2 & 9, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late PATRICIO B. DELOS REYES, SR. and MILAGROS T. DELOS REYES who died on May 17, 2001 and November 9, 1989 at Cotabato City, respectively left parcels of land situated in Cotabato City, covered

by Transfer Certificate of Title Nos. T-3123, T-3576, T-7138 and in North Cotabato, covered

by OCT Nos. P-51421, P-51445, T-14316 and T-14241; together with all the improvements and structures existing thereon, are the subject of extrajudicial settlement before Notary Public Atty.

Agnes R. De CastroJagunap as per Doc. No. 7001; Page No. 7001; Book No. XXV; Series of 2020.

MC: Jan. 9, 16 & 23, 2021

AFFIDAVIT OF LOSS

Know all men by these presents that THELMO B. BULQUERIN of legal age, Filipino, married and proprietor of THEL CONSTRUCTION AND SUPPLY, with business address at Poblacion 7, Midsayap, Cotabato, procured as principal from the People’s General Insurance Corporation (Surety) an advance payment Bond Policy with PGIC Bond numbered 013074. That the original copy of the said Policy could no longer be found and was declared lost before Notary Public Jessica Resurrecion L. Pader as per Doc. No. 115; Page No. 24; Book No. I; Series of 2020.

MC: Dec. 19, 2020, Jan 9 & 16, 2021

The above notice was inadvertently omitted on December 26, 2020 and January 2, 2021 issues. Our apologies.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 12th Judicial Region BRANCH 27 Cotabato City Special Proceeding No. 2020-1481

-for-

PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH RONALDO ALFARO MILLAMA,

Petitioner, versus RAMIL A. MILLAMA, RUBYLN M. CASIMIRO, RICHARD A. MILLAMA, VIRGINIA A. MILLAMA and the CIVIL REGISTRAR OF COTABATO CITY, Respondents. x--------------------------------------x ORDER A verified petition was filed by petitioner, assisted by counsel, praying that after due notice, publication and hearing, an order be issued directing the Local Civil Registrar of Cotabato City, to make the necessary correction in the Certificate of Live Birth of the Petitioner under Registry No. 1287 (F82) particularly his birth year instead of May 30, 1982 the true and correct is May 30, 1988.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, let this case be set for hearing on February 23, 2021 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning, at which place, date and time, any person who may have interest, if any, may show cause why the petition should not be granted.

Let this Order be published in a newspaper edited and of general circulation in the City of Cotabato and Province of Maguindanao, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date of hearing at the expense of the petitioner.

SO ORDERED. Cotabato City, Philippines, this 24th day of December, 2020.

(Sgd.) KASAN K. ABDULRAKMAN

Presiding Judge

MC: Jan. 9, 16 & 23, 2021 Republic of the Philippines Pikit, Cotabato OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR

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), a notice is hereby served to the public that Ulambai S. Buisan has filed with this office a petition for the correction of clerical error in gender from Male to Female in the Certificate of Live Birth of Ulambai S, Buisan at Pikit, Cotabato and whose parents are Taha S. Buisan and Noraida Salikula..

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than January 11, 2021.

(Sgd.) EDITHA L. MONTERDE, MAEd Municipal Civil Registrar MC: Jan. 2 & 9, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late JOHN IRVING C. MANGULAMAS who died on February 19, 2020 at Cotabato City, left bank accounts at BDO-Cotabato City, SK Pendatun Branch with Account ID No. UITF169915, Confirmation of Participation No. 9901040858 and BDOMakakua Branch, under his name ITF SOPHIA EPHRAIM RESQUITES MANGULAMAS with Account ID No. EIP0045856 under Confirmation of Participation Nos. 9900887797, 9901074023, 9901425664 and 9901253595 are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Atty. Asmira S. Diego, as per Doc. No. 53; Page No. 11; Book No. IV; Series of 2020.

December 26, 2020, Jan. 2 & 9, 2021

8

January 9, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Navy troops seals Sulu seas to avoid new COVID-19 variant

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - The AFP’s Western Mindanao Mindanao Command (Westmincom) has deployed more maritime assets to Sulu Sea to implement a naval blockade of vessels travelling from Sabah, Malaysia, where a new variant of the highly contagious novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was recently detected.

Lt. General Corleto Vinluan, Jr, Westmincom commander, said the deployment of more troops and vessels was in response to the decision of the Sulu provincial government to close its borders for 14 days from Monday, January 4 to 17, as a drastic measure to avert the spread of the deadly disease in the southernmost part of the Philippines.

“We are maximizing our capabilities to keep the contagion offshore,” he said in a statement.

Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan earlier sought the help of President Duterte to help the provincial government prevent COVID-19 strain detected in Sabah to reach Sulu.

Duterte said that Tan requested for a naval blockade in the Sulu Sea with the discovery of the COVID-19 variant in Sabah, which is about 30 hours by boat from the Sulu archipelago.

“The provincial government of Sulu called the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management

of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEIF) for assistance following reports that the new strain of COVID-19 has been detected in Sabah, Malaysia,” said Duterte, overall chairperson of the IATF-MEID, last week.

For decades, Sulu and Sabah have been known to have close trading and inter-people relations due to their proximity and traditional practices.

Tan noted that Sulu province has porous coastlines with the vast Sulu Sea separating it from Sabah.

He stressed that only the national government is fully equipped with the capacity and logistics to prevent the COVID-19 variant in Sabah from spreading in the Sulu archipelago.

The Sulu provincial government views the development in Sabah seriously and will continue to liaise and make representations with the IATF-MEID on how best to handle the emerging situation, Tan said.

Citing medical

KIDAPAWAN CITY — City officials here have admitted a spike in COVID-19 has alarmed frontliners and medical practitioners.

Mayor Joseph Evangelista said as of Thursday, citing records from the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) said the city now has a total of 111 confirmed cases and 37 were active while six have died due to COVID-19 complications.

Evangelista said most of those have perished were elderly and senior citizens with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

Evangelista blamed the surge of COVID 19 cases to increased social gatherings last holiday season.

Citing report from CESU, he said a drinking spree was recorded involving males who drunk liquor using a

common glass shot and turned out positive of the virus.

Evangelista did not elaborate but said some of them are now inside two treatment and monitoring facilities – city hospital and Apo Summit hotel.

To cater to rising cases, Evangelista suggested to convert the Kidapawan City gymnasium beside the city hall into isolation facility to cater to residents suspected to have the virus.

The Kidapawan-IATF has approved a resolution banning Kidapaweños aged 65 years old and above and 15 years old and below to roam around the city and go malling or in densely populated public places.

“We don’t recommend for localized lockdown.

But if the cases of COVID 19 will spike up in the future, all options are open, including going back MGCQ or ECQ,”

KNOW YOUR WILDLIFE. The Sulu bleeding-heart, (Gallicolumba menagei), a critically endangered bird species, is January’s Wildlife of the Month by the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy in BARMM. These species belongs to the pigeon and dove family. It exists only in the Philippines, and are named such because of the vivid red patch on its breast that appears like a bleeding wound.

Photo courtesy of Peter van Zoest

P7

Mayor: “Kidapawan holiday gatherings trigger COVID-19”

Evangelista said.

Evangelista appealed to all who have comorbidities to stay and avoid gathering of people, even inside thier homes.

“Always bear in mind that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure,” he said.

New cases of COVID-19 in the city included medical workers of a private hospital.

They were all nurses of Kidapawan Doctor’s Hospital Inc. (KDHI) who are isolated and being attended to by the hospital management, according to Dr. Edwin Gantuangco, hospital president.

Gantuangco denied reports that the nurses attended a Christmas party at the hospital.

“There is no truth to that allegations. We properly observe protocols and follow the guidelines set by the DOH,” Gantuangco stressed.

Williamor Magbanua

COMFORT FOOD. Filipino desserts such as turon or banana fritter, camote cue and banana cue sold at the Public Market in Tboli, South Cotabato remains to be a great option not just for quick snack but also during rainy season.

Photo courtesy of Nanardz Navarro

Education restores peace in Basilan

THE Basilan provincial government constructed another school building for Al-Barka town, where widespread illiteracy is partly blamed for its past security woes that hit the news.

Al-Barka is known as Basilan’s former most hostile town where Abu Sayyaf terrorists killed no fewer than 50 Marine, Scout Ranger, and Special Forces servicemen in encounters prior to 2016 where they even beheaded many of the victims to show rage.

Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman led Al-Barka municipal officials in inaugurating Wednesday the two-classroom school buildings.

The building is located in the campus of the Linuan Primary School in Barangay Linuan, scene of what could be the fiercest clashes between state forces and Abu Sayyaf gunmen during the town’s most troubled years.

“What used to be a `warzone’ is now a learning hub for children in Al-Barka,” Salliman said during the symbolic launching of the new school building.

He told education officials that addressing illiteracy in areas once controlled by terrorists can help prevent resurgence of religious extremism that triggered the conflicts that ravaged Basilan before he was elected governor in 2016.

More than 200 Abu Sayyaf members in Basilan have surrendered in the past four years through a reconciliation program of the Salliman administration and the office of Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman, the lone congressional representative of the province.

Hataman, regional governor of the now defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao from 2012 to 2019, pioneered the

Program Against Violent Extremism (PAVE), for Basilan that covers 11 towns and Isabela and Lamitan Cities.

The provincial peace initiative paved the way for the restoration of law and order in many dangerous towns as a result of the return to mainstream society of reforming former Abu Sayyaf members.

S a l l i m a n acknowledged the support of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Region 9 and the Bangsamoro education ministry in constructing the facility.

Salliman, now in his second term as Basilan governor, said his office will construct more school buildings in areas now bouncing back from devastation wrought by conflicts instigated by the Abu Sayyaf before he first got to the helm of the provincial government during the 2016 elections.

John Felix Unson

COVID-19 LOGISTICS TURNOVER. Health officials of the Bangsamoro Government turned over 31,900 sets of COVID-19 logistics to seven hospitals and health offices in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato City and Marawi City on Thursday, January 7.

Photo courtesy of Bangsamoro Government