Mindanao Examiner Newspaper

Mindanao Daily

Founded 2006

mindanaoexaminer.com

President Benigno Aquino

RP economy improves The Philippines announced a fourmonth low for the consumer price index compared to last year, saying the headline inflation rate for October eased further to 3.1% from 3.6% in September and 3.8% in August this year.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said annual inflation in the National Capital Region also improved to 2.9% in October from 3.5% in September.

Ten regions have also registered slower annual rates.

The National Statistics Office attributes the slowdown to “the deceleration in the annual increases recorded in the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index and recreation and culture index.”

Among Southeast Asian nations which have reported their inflation rates thus far, the Philippines registered the lowest inflation for October compared to 7% in Vietnam, 4.61% in Indonesia, and 3.32% in Thailand.

October ’s inflation rate is well within

ARMM

the range of 3-5% as set in the Philippine Development Plan for 2011-2016 and comes at the heels of upbeat consumer confidence and another all-time high in the Philippine Stock Exchange Index.

Valte said the Aquino administration has consistently pursued equitable and inclusive economic growth. Ensuring a manageable inflation rate is part of this effort. This is reflected in the third quarter Pulse Asia Ulat ng Bayan survey that indicated an 11point improvement in the performance rating of the administration in controlling inflation, she said.

“We have always maintained that good governance results in good economics. The effects of our reforms have already manifested in the lives of our countrymen. This is reflected in the exceptional public trust, satisfaction, and support for the President and his administration,” Valte said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

NO TO DEATH PENALTY: AI P10/RM1

Zamboanga City, Philippines

Nov. 12-18, 2012

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - The Nobel Peace awardee Amnesty International said Wednesday that amending the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 - as contained in House Bill 4510 - now being pushed by two lawmakers will only “open the door for the state to kill again”.

The HB 4510 being bers of the legislature not to pushed by Cagayan de Oro lend their support for this City Reps. Rufus Rodriguez bill,” Parong said.

(2nd District, CDP) and his younger brother, Maximo Rodriguez Jr. (Abante Mindanao party list) will amend the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and add the clause: “If the violator of any of the provisions of this act is an alien, the penalty to be imposed shall be the penalty prescribed by their national law.”

Dr. Aurora Parong, Amnesty International Philippines director, said what the Parong warned that AmRodriguez brothers are pro- nesty International Philipposing is dangerous as this pines is ready to lead massive will allow the imposition of public actions against the bill capital punishment if the con- if it remains in Congress as victed foreigner is from a she noted that there is a glocountry that allows death bal trend towards abolition of penalty. the death penalty.

“When we abolished the Amnesty International death penalty in the Philip- said that there were less pines we have directed the people executed in 2011. An Philippine state to respect the overwhelming majority of right to life of everyone, not countries did not use the just Filipinos. The Rodriguez death penalty in 2011. Only brothers are opening up the 21 out of 198 countries cardoor for the state to kill again ried out executions – a big and we are not allowing that. decrease from that of the last We call on our legislators to decade. stand fast on their commitParong also urged the elment to human life and with- der Rodriguez, who claims to draw House Bill 4510 from be pro-life, not to waver from Congress. We call all mem- his opposition to the death

penalty following his reported saying that “human life is sacred.”

“Human life is indeed sacred as you said; there are no ifs or buts. Please don’t waver from your anti-death penalty stand Congressmen Rodriguez,” she said.

Parong said that Amnesty’s position for all cases, regardless of crimes, remains the same: “No to death penalty.”

She said that death penalty is not a deterrent to crime and it violates the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Philippines abolished the death penalty in 2006 and President Aquino has rejected calls for the return of the death penalty.

“We have all worked hard to abolish the death penalty in the Philippines and Amnesty International is still campaigning to protect everyone around the world from state sanctioned killings.

Working for ‘equity and reciprocity’ with regard to death penalty should not mean that we should execute foreigners just because Filipinos are being punished by death penalty abroad.

Instead, we should all work persistently to abolish death penalty from each and every country that still sanctions state killings,” she said.

In pushing for HB 4510, the elder Rodriguez cited the cases of Filipinos who faced death penalty sentences abroad, like in China, as his reason for doing the same to foreigners in the Philippines, invoking “the rule of equity and reciprocity.”

“While there is no reason to question the laws of foreign countries, we must however ensure that our countrymen do not suffer the short end of the stick. As such, there is a need to amend our laws to ensure that foreign nationals caught violating our laws on drugs be also convicted on the harshest penalties that their national law imposes,” he said.

Amnesty International supports the UN Moratorium on Executions and is campaigning towards the abolition of the death penalty. Amnesty International Philippines has been actively campaigning against the executions in China and other parts of the world. (Bong Fabe)

and used a jacket to cover his handcuff, the group said.

“The wife of Naogsan called his cell phone and he said that he was already out of Baguio and was allegedly being brought to Camp Crame. His arresting officers, one of them is a certain Joey, sternly said that he cannot use his cellphone. Naogsan’s wife last heard of him in the morning of November 6. He has been out of reach since then,” Karapatan said.

Naogsan’s wife, who sought assistance from the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance and the Karapatan National office, is currently searching for her missing husband in various military and police camps in Metro Manila.

It has been 48 hours since Naogsan was arrested and held incommunicado. He has yet to be surfaced, Karapatan said.

Naogsan’s wife, accompanied by Karapatan membersm went to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Complaints Referral Action Center office in Camp Crame on November 5 and 6 and both offices said that they had no knowledge of operations conducted to arrest Naogsan and that they did not have Naogsan in their custody.

Human rights group, Cordillera Human Rights Alliance expressed its outrage regarding the incident.

“We strongly condemn his arrest and that he remains missing to this day. His family is deeply worried and in distress that they do not know his whereabouts and his condition.” Jude Baggo, secretary general of CHRA, said.

Baggo related that prior to his arrest, two men who identified themselves as CIDG personnel asked for in-

formation about him around their neighborhood and implied that there was an amount of P500,000 bounty for any information that can be given to them.

Baggo reiterated that the longer he is detained in an unknown location worsens the violation of his rights. “We demand for the surfacing of Naogsan and that his family and his counsel be given access to where he is.”

He stressed that in Aquino’s counterinsurgency program, Oplan Bayanihan, which uses the slogan “peace and development”, civilian kin of known revolutionaries are targets for attack. “Such act is a living proof of the Aquino government’s desperation to win its brand of peace and continuing state terror under his ‘daang matuwid’ premise.”

Son of CPDF spokesperson missing

MANILA - Grayson Naogsan, son of Cordillera Peoples Democratic Front (CPDF) Simon “Ka Filiw” Naogsan was arrested by men who introduced themselves as policemen and is now missing, human rights group Karapatan told the Mindanao Examiner.

It said the young Naogsan was arrested last week while having coffee with a friend in SM Baguio (City) by five men who introduced themselves as policemen.

The policemen showed Naogsan and his companion a warrant of arrest that indicated his name while handguns were poked at their sides discreetly. They handcuffed and separated him from his companion. They told his companion that they will take Naogsan to “Camp Crame”.

Naogsan was led out of the mall through the backstairs by three of the men

Northern Mindanao

Davao

Manila

Zamboanga Peninsula

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The Mindanao Examiner

Nov. 12-18, 2012

2 notorious kidnappers captured in Pagadian City

PAGADIAN CITY – Security forces captured 2 notorious bandits tagged as behind the series of kidnappings for ransom and murder of six people in the southern Philippines, an army spokesman said.

Captain Alberto Caber, of the 1st Infantry Division, said soldiers and policemen raided a hideout of bandit leader Amie Andi at a village in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur and captured Montasser Ratarta and Rachmodin Andi.

“Their leader was not in the hideout when security forces stormed the place, but

the operation is continuing for the capture of Amie Andi,” he told the Mindanao Examiner.

Caber said Andi’s group was behind the kidnappings of Filipino traders and foreigners in Zamboanga Peninsula and was implicated in the murder of 6 people, including three children, in the town of Lapuyan in February.

Caber did not say whether Andi was involved in the kidnapping of Irish missionary Michael Sinnott, seized in October 12, 2009 in Pagadian City.

Aside from Sinnott, kid-

nappers also seized Italian Catholic priest Giancarlo Bossi in Zamboanga del Sur’s Payao town in June 10, 2007.

And in 1998, gunmen kidnapped Italian missioners Luciano Benedetti in Zamboanga del Norte province and in 1998 and Giuseppe Pierantoni in Dimataling town in Zamboanga del Sur. Regional army chief Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III said he ordered soldiers to hunt down Andi who is believed to be hiding in Zamboanga del Sur province.

“There shall be no let-up of pursuit operations against those responsible in the series of killings and kidnappings in Western Mindanao,” he said.

Cruz appealed to the public to help military and police authorities by providing information about Andi’s group. “The public must realize that their role in peace and security in the region is vital to the success of the security operations,” he said.

He said the two bandits are currently being interrogated in Pagadian City.

(Mindanao Examiner)

More foreign investments for Mindanao seen LAOS – More investments are expected for the Philippines particularly Mindanao - from the European Union, Norway and Switzerland, following bilateral talks between President Benigno Aquino, and representatives of said foreign governments, officials said.

Philippine Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said the President was also commended on the development in the peace process, particularly on the recent signing of the framework agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The bilateral talks were

held shortly before the formal opening of the 9th Asia-Europe Summit, with the President “in an upbeat and optimistic mood” following the talks, especially the one with Swiss Confederation President Eveline WidmerSchlumpf.

During the talk with the Swiss leader, Aquino thanked the government of Switzerland for the offer to assist in disaster and risk reduction management, according to Coloma.

EU Council President Herman von Rompuy and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, on the other

MILF warns public over police recruitment for Bangsamoro ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Philippines’ largest Muslim rebel group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, has warned Muslims in Mindanao to report to authorities anybody who is recruiting members for the so-called Bangsamoro Police Force.

The warning came out following reports that several groups have been recruiting and collecting money from Muslims who are being lured to join the security force.

The groups were reported to be operating in Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and have been using the MILF Framework Agreement in luring their victims.

The accord, which

signed recently by the MILF and the Aquino government, would create the Bangsamoro autonomous region that would replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which is composed of the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and cities of Marawi and Lamitan.

The syndicates were collecting P2,500 from each applicant to the police force.

It was not immediately known how many people were duped by the groups or who were behind them.

The MILF is fighting for self-determination and is currently negotiating peace with Manila. (Mindanao Examiner)

hand, expressed their concerns on enhancing maritime security and Philippine compliance on international civil aviation standards.

“The EU has a higher stake in the quality of seafaring and the Philippines is the biggest supplier of world-class seafarers and maritime workers. The EU has high interests on our compliance to maritime and aviation role because we account for one out of three seafarers,” Coloma said.

Some of these seafarers hail from Mindanao and have been trained from Mindanaobased maritime training schools in Davao,

Zamboanga, and Cagayan de Oro Cities. Meanwhile, Norway Prime Minister Jon Soltenberg gave assurance for Norwegian support in efforts to land migrant workers particularly those classified under the health care industry, on better jobs.

Aquino was here last week for the two-day 9th ASEM Summit which comes every two years as an effort to enhance friendship and cooperation between and among 48 countries in Asia and Europe. He met the Filipino community in the capital city of Vientiane. (Frencie Carreon)

JUST SAY

NO! NPA rebels attack troops, militias in Davao City DAVAO CITY – Communist rebels said they attacked a group of army soldiers and pro-government militias in the southern Filipino city of Davao and wounding 8 of them.

Rigoberto Sanchez, a spokesman for the New People’s Army-Merardo Arce Command, said rebel forces used command-detonated explosives in the attack in Paquibato District. He said two soldiers and 6 militias were wounded in the offensive.

He said the soldiers and militias were terrorizing peasants and tribesmen in Paquibato and that the attack was a “punitive measures against the 10th Infantry Division to counter its atrocious

methods of terrorizing the peasant and Lumad masses in Paquibato District.”

“The explosive is meant to warn the Lumad bandits and 10th Infantry Division from further exploiting and abusing the indigenous Manobos of Paquibato for its reign of terror and counterrevolutionary operations,” Sanchez said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

There was no immediate statement from the 10th Infantry Division about the attack nor the abuses of soldiers and militias in Davao City.

The NPA has been fighting for decades now for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country.

(Mindanao Examiner)

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Nov. 12-18, 2012

NPA rebels own up killings of army soldiers in Davao City DAVAO CITY – The New People’s Army owned up to the killing of 4 government soldiers in an attack in Davao City in the southern Philippines.

Rebel leader Leoncio Pitao said they also seized the soldiers’ weapons following a fire fight at a checkpoint in the village of Mapula in Paquibato District. He said one rebel was also wounded in the clash.

The military said the soldiers, who belonged to the 69th Infantry Battalion, were unarmed and off-duty when rebels attacked them.

“The four armed AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) regulars were killed, one of them died several meters away from the scene, while an NPA member was wounded in the ensuing troops engagement which the AFP ridiculously painted as a brutal murder of its - unarmed, off-duty soldiers,” Pitao said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

He said the clashes can hardly be described as massacre or abduction, “for it was a fitting retribution

against a notorious Army unit feared and hated by the peasant masses in Paquibato.”

Pitao said those killed were members of the army’s special operations team responsible for the summary execution of Mires Esdang, a hemp farmer in Paquibato, on October 18, and other grave abuses ranging from psychological warfare against peasants, intimidation of families of NPA rebels.

He said the soldiers also forced many to villagers to surrender and coerced civilians to act as military guides, and other human rights violations in Paquibato.

Pitao also urged government soldiers to resign from the military service and join the struggle against state tyranny. “In the face of the AFP atrocities, its poor and also exploited regular men and women on the field should instead leave their criminal and corrupt masters.”

“The NPA exhorts them to join the people’s struggle against imperialism, feudalism and state tyranny. As fascism and exploitation continues, the people and the revolutionary forces aspire to

raise the level of armed resistance, wage agrarian revolution and strengthen themselves to advance the people’s war and defeat the enemy,” he said.

In March 2009, Pitao’s daughter Rebelyn, was abducted in Davao City and her naked body was found floating in a shallow creek in the village of San Isidro in Davao del Norte’s Carmen town.

Her body bore torture marks and was believed raped before she was stabbed in the chest and Pitao later tagged 11 military agents as behind the murder.

The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been fighting for decades for the establishment of a separate state in the country.

The rebels broke off peace talks with Manila in 2004 after the United States listed the communist groups, including its political wing, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, as foreign terrorist organizations and froze their assets abroad on government’s prodding. (Mindanao Examiner)

Dakbayan sa Dipolog ika-7 sa mga top performing cities sa 2011 PAGADIAN CITY Laing na usab nga kadungganan ang naangkon karon sa dakbayan sa Dipolog human kini ang nahimong ikapito nga dakbayan nga giilang mga “Top Performing Cities” ilawom sa Component Cities cate g o r y, b a g - o h a y p a lang.

Kining maong kalamboan ang gikompirmar sa nasudnong buhatan sa DILG ilawom sa pagdumala ni kalihim Mar R oxas. Sumala pa nga mokabat sa katloan ka mga dakbayan ug kalungsoran dinhi sa

nasud ang mitumaw isip mga consistent top performers dinha sa lokal nga pangagamhanan sulod sa nakalabay’ng tulo ka mga katuigan.

Matud pa nga ang maong pag-ranking ang gipasikad ilawom sa Local Governance Performance Management System nga giilang usa ka kahimanan alang sa pagdumala ug paglambo nga maoy mo-ila sa kapabilidad ug mga limitasyon sa mga lokal nga kagamhanan dinha sa paglugway ug serbisyo ngadto sa publiko, nga

nagahatag usab sa mga tukmang impormasyon kalabot na sa nahimong agi sa mga kagamhanang lokal dinha sa pagpangalagad niini.

Subay ning maong kalamboan, nasayran nga ang dakbayan sa Dipolog ang nakadawat sa performance area index nga 4.83 ilawom sa component city category, uban sa dakbayan sa Laoag, nga mao’y una, uban sa performance rating nga 4.99; Naga, 4 . 9 3 ; Vi g a n , 4 . 9 2 1 ; Ligao, 4.917; Ta g a y t a y, 4 . 8 7 u g Cabanatuan, 4.86.

Matud pa nga dugang gikalipay ni City Mayor Evelyn Uy ug giisip niini nga mas nahimo pa gayung dakong dungog alang sa atong dakbayan, nga sa pito ka nga dakbayan ilawom sa “component cities category” nga giila sa nasudnong buhatan sa D I L G i s i p m g a To p Performing Cities, sulod sa nakalabay’ng tulo ka mga tuig, bugtong ang Dipolog City lamang ang nahilakip ning maong pasidungog nga nagagikan dinhi sa isla sa Mindanao, diin ang unom ka mga kauban niining mga dakbayan ang pulos nagagikan sa isla sa Luzon.

Fake Chanel sandals are being sold under P500 a paid at a popular mall in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. Aside from Chanel sandals, other signature products are also being sold in many stores in Zamboanga. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Chanel anyone?

Imitation, fake signature brands flood Zamboanga City ZAMBOANGA CITY – Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines is fast becoming a trading hub for fake products – from a pair of French Chanel sandals to a bottle of lotion down to pirated movies.

Many shopping malls sell fake products, including Levis denim pants, and wrist watches and sunglasses, but shoppers who take advantage of the cheap commodities do not care as long as it carries a popular brand.

One pair of Chanel ladies sandals being sold in a mall only cost a little under

P500 and imitated brands of imported goods – bags, shoes and even an iPhone unit made in China sells for about P6,000.

In one mall in the east coast, pirated DVD movies and imitation of facial cream and moisturizing lotions and even computer software and karaoke discs sell like hot cakes and despite being illegal continue to draw regular customers. And they do not issue official receipts.

“It’s cheap. I don’t care whether they are not genuine as long as I can use that’s fine with me,” said Brian,

who bought a copy of Windows XP and several DVD movies from a stall in the mall.

A sales lady said most of their counterfeit software and DVD movies come from Manila, others from the neighboring Malaysian state of Sabah, but she declined to name their suppliers for fear of losing her P90-a-day job.

Despite the illegal trade in Zamboanga, government and law enforcement agencies do not take actions to stop the nefarious activities.

(Mindanao Examiner)

Laing proyektong farm to market road pagatukoron DIPLOG CITY Mokabat ngadto sa P13.5 milyones ka pesos ang gialokar nga pondo alang sa proyektong Farm to Market Road didto sa barangay Miputak ngadto sa Barangay Santa Isabel ning dakbayan sa Dipolog nga nagagikan sa Department of Agriculture pinaagi ni Regional Director Eduardo Holoyohoy.

Nasayran ning buhatan sa impormasyon gikan sa City Agriculture Office pinaagi ni Engr.

Kerr Porlas, nga ang naasoyng proyekto maoy usa ka access nga dalan nga mao’y maga-abri sa agi-anan nga mas du-ol padulong sa merkado ug sa ubang kabaranggayan nga dili na maglisod ang mga mangingisda alang sa pagtumod sa ilang mga abot.

Nasayran usab nga ang nahisgutang proyekto ang ubos kini sa programa sa rehiyonal nga buhatan sa DA mahitungod sa AgroFishery Industry.

Matud pa ni Porlas nga duna’y mga dagkung kalambo-an ang

maangkon sa maong mga barangay gumikan kay himu-on naman nga usa ka Fish Landing Site ang dapit sa Surf gumikan kay daku ang lona diin mahimo usab kining bularanan sa isda ug paglama sa ginamos.

Gikatakda nga idown load ang nasangpit nga pondo pagkahuman sa pagpirmahanay sa Memorandum of Agree-

ment (MOA) tali na sa City Government pinaagi ni Mayor Evelyn T. Uy ug sa rehiyonal nga buhatan sa DA pinaagi usab ni RD Holoyohoy.

Nalipay ang inahan ning dakbayan gumikan kay usa kini ka dugang na usab nga kalamboan nga ibubo sa dakbayan alang sa mga katawhang Dipolognon ug sa kinabag-ang katawhan.

Radioman killed MANILA – A Filipino radio broadcaster was shot and killed in a daring broad daylight attack in the Philippines, police said.

It said the 51-year old Julius Cauzo, who worked for radio station dwJJ, was shot from behind by one of two motorcycle gunman while driving to work in Cabanatuan City.

The motive of the attack remains unclear, but police said it launched an investigation into the killing to determine whether the murder was connected to Cauzo’s work or not, or who was behind it.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and other media

watchdogs condemned the murder.

Police said Cauzo was driving his motorcycle when he was shot several times and the bullets exited from his chest. He was rushed to hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival by doctors.

No individual or group claimed responsibility for the latest killings.

The Philippines is considered as one of the most dangerous places for journalists in the world because of dozens of attacks and murders of journalists and media workers over the last three decades.

(Mindanao Examiner)

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Nov. 12-18, 2012

PICE celebrates ‘Civil Engineering’ month

DAVAO CITY - The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) celebrates the month of November as Civil Engineering Month which also coincided with the 75th year anniversary of PICE. “The chapter will con- recipient school in Davao. duct various activities and “The past ten months of shall also look back on its the year for the chapter has humble achievements during really gone very inspiring bethe year and the past years,” yond expectations. PICE Engr. Erdsan Rene Suero, lo- Davao City is humbly proud cal chapter president, said in to have some milestones for a statement sent to the re- being first,” Suero said. gional newspaper Mindanao He said PICE Davao City Examiner. is the first accredited profesHe said the month-long sional organization in the activities will include a country to forge a memoranthanksgiving mass, motor- dum of agreement with the cade around the city, courtesy Construction Industry Authorcalls, site visits to various ity of the Philippines through projects, visit to homes for the one of its implementing aged and orphanage, tree boards, the Philippine Domesplanting, mathematics quiz, tic Construction Board to essay writing contest of civil jointly implement the Conengineering students, sports struction Performance Evaluand games, exhibits and the ation System. conduct of the 8th PICE PGEP “PICE Davao City is one – Greening existing school or of the first accredited profesthe giving of one rainwater sional organizations to be a tank and ten trash bins to a founding member of the Con-

struction Industry Tripartite Council in Davao Region and has signed a social accord for Industrial Peace and Stability and a Regional Inter-Agency MOA on Strengthening Coordination and Linkages to promote the Welfare of the Construction Workers and the Growth of the Construction Industry in the region.”

“PICE Davao City emerged as first place in the Green Engineered School Building Design Competition – PICE Mindanao Chapters under the auspices of the PICE’s Project Green Engineering Philippines,” he said.

Suero said PICE Davao City is the first chapter to launch the construction of a PICE Training Center to cater to its expanding services in the conduct of seminars, workshops and technical programs for its members. It is also the first PICE chapter in the country to conduct 7

Intellectual property seminar up in Zamboanga City ZAMBOANGA CITY – the Intellectual Property Office Philippines (IPOPHIL) is set to hold a two-day seminarworkshop on intellectual property in Zamboanga City.

The seminar on Novem-

ber 15 and 16 is free and intended to orient and equip applicants on matters related to the registration process as well as the protection of intellectual properties, to include copyright, patents,

The Mindanao Examiner Media, Film and Television Productions Maritess Fernandez Publisher/Executive Producer (On Leave) Al Jacinto Editor-in-Chief/Producer (OIC) Gregorri Leaño Joanna Valerie Wee Video Editor Mindanao Examiner Productions Web Master REGIONAL PARTNERS Mindanao Daily Business Week NEWS/ADVERTISING OFFICES Mark Navales ARMM

Giovanni Solmerano Eastern Mindanao

Merlyn Manos Iligan City

Geonarri Solmerano Southern Mindanao

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Asa Madale Lanao Provinces Ely Dumaboc Zamboanga Sibugay/Zamboanga del Sur/Zamboanga del Norte John Shinn III California The Mindanao Examiner Newspaper/Business Week/Mindanao Daily is published weekly/daily in Zamboanga City and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao, Philippines.

The Mindanao Examiner Television is broadcast in Skycable 54 in Zamboanga; Lupah Sug Cable in Sulu province and Basilan Cable in Basilan province.

Our business and editorial offices are located at Units 15, 3rd Floor, Fair Land Bldg., Nuñez St., Zamboanga City Phone & fax: +63 62 9925480 Mobile: +63 9152756606 URL: mindanaoexaminer.com E-mail: mindanaoexaminer@gmail.com

trademarks, and industrial design.

Inventors, researchers, small and medium enterprises, academicians as well as those in the tourismrelated businesses such as hotels and restaurant managers are invited to attend the event.

The first day of the seminar will be held at the Department of Science and Technology and will cater to the local inventors and members of the academe who want to register their inventions, researches, theses, and scientific works under patents, utility model, or copyright with the IPOPHIL. And the second day – at the National Economic and Business Assistance Center - will cater to the local small and medium enterprises that have applications-in-process on trademark and industrial design.

The seminar - in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Science and Technology, and the Department of Tourism - will include one-on-one consultations and miniworkshops to be facilitated by experts from IPOPHIL. Organizers said those interested to join the seminar may visit the NERBAC-9 Office located at the 3rd Floor of VHW Building in Veterans Avenue or may call Hermie Cuevas at telephone number (062) 9902177.

“PGEP Greening Existing School” project or the giving of one rainwater collector tank and ten garbage bins to various recipient schools in seven consecutive months from April – October.

PICE Davao City is the first chapter in Mindanao to conduct the ground breaking of the PICE PhilGreen School at New Carmen Elementary School on July 20, 2012, now on its construction stage. It conducted successfully its first “Mindanao Construction Show and Conference.”

The chapter is in the forefront of various initiatives, programs and projects of the government in Davao City and Davao Region. It actively commits itself to the Regional Development Council – Infrastructure Development Committee, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Construction Industry Tripartite Coun-

cil, the Davao City Task Force Drainage and the Local Housing Board.

PICE is in working partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry, Construction Manpower Development Foundation, Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board, the Department of Labor and Employment, the Professional Regulation Commission, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the City Government of Davao – Office of the Building Official on various construction safety and health, industrial peace and development of construction industry initiatives and advocacy in Davao region.

It has regularly conducting the Course on Construction Safety and Health for Site Safety Officers.

Recently, it forged a

memorandum of agreement with Davao City Water District for the “adopt a site” project in Mt. TalomoLipadas watershed in support to its rehabilitation to ensure continuous water supply in the city for present and future generations.

“And the PICE Davao City has a lot more to do for its members, the city and the country.

“As it is said, far and away, the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing,” Suero said.

The Civil Engineering Month also timed with the 38th National Convention on November 22-24 at the Cebu International Center in Mandaue City. Public works Undersecretary Romeo Momo is currently the PICE national president.

Nov. 12-18, 2012

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Philippine Indig enous Tribes Indigenous Issue Own Dec lar ation Declar lara Midsayap Declaration of Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao WE, the eighty (80) Tribal Leaders coming from the B’laan, Dulangan Manobo, Erumanen ne Menuvu, Higaonon, Kulamanen, Lambangian, Manobo, Langilan Manobo, Mangguangan, Matigsalog, Monuvu, Pulangiyen Manobo, T’boli, Tagakaolo, Teduray and Tinananon Monuvu tribes gathered here in the “Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on the Peace Processes in Mindanao” in Midsayap, Cotabato on November 3-6, 2012, strongly assert our inherent, inalienable and non-negotiable right to self-determination and commit to engage all Mindanao peace processes.

Today, we continuously and strongly assert our distinct identity as Indigenous Peoples forged by our history and legacy. We therefore demand that our identity be recognized and respected and not to be subsumed by other identities.

As ancestral domain is the seedbed of the Indigenous Peoples’ existence and destiny, we reiterate the affirmation of our territorial rights based on traditional territorial agreements forged by our ancestors through sacred peace

pacts known as “pakang”, “sapa”, “dyandi”, and “tampuda hu balagon” and the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (R.A.8371) and other international declarations. Further, we reiterate our rights to the management, development and control over our ancestral domains and the resources therein.

Furthermore, we invoke the primacy of our customary laws (adat te kukuman, pooviyan woy gontangan, tena menuwa), guiding our traditional governance and justice systems. Thus, we demand the sole autonomy to oversee our peoples and territories. All issues and concerns pertaining to indigenous peoples should be addressed in accordance to our traditional processes.

With these assertions, we generally call on the Government of Philippines and the revolutionary groups and other stakeholders in the peace processes: 1. To work for the full implementation of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (R.A. 8371); 2.To fully implement and establish the Autonomous Region of Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao; 3.To fast track the processing of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) and the issuance of Certificate

of Ancestral Domain/Land Title (CALT); 4.To spare the ancestral domains of the Indigenous Peoples from becoming battlegrounds and to support its declaration as Zones of Peace; 5.To stop the recruitment of Indigenous Peoples, women and children in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the other armed groups; 6.To recognize and correct the historical injustices committed against the Indigenous Peoples through just reparation and restoration of relationships.

7.To launch open and continuous multi stakeholders dialogues between the communities and the armed groups.

We specifically call for the GPH and MILF peace panels: 1.To recognize and respect the Bangsa-Mamalu autonomy and the tribal selfgovernance of the Teduray, Lambangian and Dulangan Manobo as enshrined in the customary laws; 2.To fully implement the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) in the proposed Bangsamoro Government; 3.To ensure the representation of IP leaders and IP women to the Transition Commission and the Bangsamoro Government

thereafter; 4.To institutionalize conflict resolution mechanisms in accordance to the customary laws of the Indigenous Peoples; 5.To implement broad, systematic and grassrootsbased information dissemination and awareness-building on the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

We also specifically call for the GPH and the CPP/ NDFP/NPA peace panels: 1.To immediately resume the formal peace negotiations; 2.To activate and localize the Joint Monitoring Committee and guarantee the representation of Indigenous Peoples; 3.To stop the harassments, threats and the summary and extra-judicial killings of indigenous leaders.

With the guiding spirit of Magbabaya and the wisdom and encouragement of our ancestors, we solemnly swear and commit to the abovementioned principles and proposals as Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao who are united to defend and advance our rights and self-determination.

Signed in the Southern Christian College Peace and Development Training Center, College Hill, Poblacion 8, Midsayap, Cotabato.

Freed Zambo mayor out of reach ZAMBOANGA CITY – Freed Salug town Mayor Jeffrey Lim remains out of reach by the media following his release in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines.

Kidnappers have freed Lim last week after his family reportedly paid over P 1 million in ransoms in exchange for his freedom.

Security officials also would not say anything about Lim’s

freedom.

Regional army commander Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III said Lim was believed taken to Basilan province, just several nautical miles from Zamboanga City. No other details were made available by the military.

Lim was kidnapped April 2 by at least 10 gunmen, disguised as policemen, while heading to the town’s bus

depot.

The military previously suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front members as behind the kidnapping and ordered a series of operation to rescue Lim in Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan, one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.

The MILF, which is negotiating a peace deal with Manila, has denied involvement in

Protests continue over dumping of US Navy toxic waste in the RP MANILA - Protests are continuing in the Philippines over the dumping of toxic waste by a tanker contracted by the US Navy in Subic Bay. The ship, owned by the Malaysian firm Glenn Defense Marine Asia, dumped drums and drums of chemicals and other waste into the sea, and insisted it was covered by the Visiting Forces Agreement.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority said it is investigating the dumping of hazardous waste from US navy ships by MT Glenn Guardian which occurred last month.

“The dumping of toxic waste of US contractors in Subic shows that the Visiting Forces Agreement is toxic for our nation's sovereignty and should be junked imm e d i a t e l y. T h e V FA allows US troops to get away with destruction of our natural resources, and dumping of American junk in our shores,” Anakbayan, a political group in the Philippines, said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

It said US government must be held liable for the dumping of toxic waste in Subic

and urged Manila not to allow any US ships and its contractors in the country.

“We urge the gove r n m e n t t o s t o p f u rther US military deployment in our country, stop US-RP exercises and investigate the abuses being done

by US personnel and contractors. Congress and Senate must move fast to junk the toxic VFA, the treaty detrimental to national int e r e s t . We m u s t n o t wait until further damage is done,” it said.

The US and Philippines regularly hold joint combat exercises in the c o u n t r y.

(Mindanao Examiner)

the kidnapping and warned that continued military operations in rebel areas could trigger clashes.

The rebel group is fighting for self-determination in the southern Philippines.

(Mindanao Examiner.

Ely Dumaboc)

OFW hangs self in Malaysia PAGADIAN CITY – Philippine authorities said a Filipina heading back home after running away from her employer was found dead and hanging inside a center for overseas Filipino workers in Malaysia.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said the Filipina, a native of central Philippines, had previously attempted to take her

own life, but was prevented.

Officials did not reveal the identity of the woman, but said she was single parent and had a child in the Philippines.

No other details were made available by the OWWA, saying it is communicating with the woman’s family about the tragedy. (Mindanao Examiner)

8

The Mindanao Examiner

Nov. 12-18, 2012

‘Akyat-Barko’ campaign successful in Portugal MANILA – The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon has concluded the Overseas Absentee Voting registration for some 6,171 seafarers who filed their application during the six-month long AkyatBarko campaign.

Inspired by the success of its first ship mobile registration onboard the cruise ship MS Crystal Symphony in May, the Embassy´s OAV team embarked on a series of visits to various ships which called on the ports of Lisbon and Porto in Northern

Portugal.

The team was able to visit 57 ships, among them the Costa Cruises, Aida Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, P&O Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd, Saga, Holland America Lines, Silver Cruises, MSC Cruises, Fred Olsen, Crystal, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, which had their brief stopovers in Lisbon and Porto.

Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Philippe Lhuillier, who assumed his post in Lisbon only on Oc-

tober 8, was the last to register on October 31, the last day of OAV registration.

With the opening of the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon in 2010, Filipinos living in Portugal no longer have to travel to Paris to avail of consular services and to register for OAV. Filipino seafarers, many of whom have not voted for more than 10 years because of their frequent absence from the Philippines during election time, were elated over the campaign.

ARMM forms own anti-human trafficking council ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has formally launched in Zamboanga City its own “Council against Trafficking” in an effort to address the worsening problems of human trafficking in the southern Philippines.

The anti-human trafficking council was launched recently following a two-day seminar and workshop in Zamboanga City attended by representatives of the United Nations and Philippine government agencies.

ARMM officials said many of those who were vic-

timized by human traffickers came from the Muslim region which is composed of the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, and Lanao del Sur, including the cities of Marawi and Lamitan.

Lawyer Anwar Malang, the ARMM Executive Secretary, said the establishment of the Council against Trafficking would prevent trafficking in persons and prosecute and penalize those behind the illegal activities. It also undertakes measures to rehabilitate and reintegrate victims of human trafficking, he said.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman said the anti-human trafficking body would help the Aquino government in fighting human trafficking in Mindanao.

“We should not be the victims. Our people should not be the victims and our areas should not be the exit points. We are expecting that our people going out of the country will be properly documented,” Hataman said, adding they would also put up a center in Tawi-Tawi province near the Sabah border. (With a report from Myrna Jo Henry)

Bag-ong Brigade Commander sa Zamboanga del Norte DIPOLOG CITY Mapasalamaton ug daku si Dipolog City Mayor Evelyn Uy ngadto kang Col. Amadio Azul, Jr. ang bag-ohay pa lamang gi-instalar nga Brigade Commander sa 101st Inf antry Brigade dinhi sa Zamboanga del Norte gumikan sa pagbisita niini isip pagtahod ngadto sa inahan ning dakbayan.

Nasayran sa Buhatan sa Impormasyon nga ang pagduaw ni Col. Azul maoy sumpay sa kasabutan nga nahauna nang na-oyunan sa 3 ka grupo, ang City Government of Dipolog, Armed Forces of the Philippines ug ang Philippine National Police. Matud pa nga buot sa maong grupo nga mapabilin niini ang kahapsay ug kalinaw sa siyudad.

Dugang pa niini, buot usab ni Col. Azul nga ipahibalo sa tanang katawhan dili lamang dinhi

sa dakbayan, kundili lakip na usab ang tibuok probinsiya sa Zamboanga del Norte, ang kasamtangang palisiya sa 101st Brigade Commander nga gitawag ug “Internal Peace and Security Plan: Bayanihan” diin tinguha sa grupo nga makahimo ug “harmonious relationship” ngadto sa mga residente dinhi.

Dugang pa nga prayoridad usab nila nga mapabilin sa seguridad sa “tri-boundary” o ang boundary sa Misamis Occidental, ang boundary sa Zamboanga del Norte ug Boundary sa Zamboanga del Sur. Nunot niining maong kalambuan, nagpasalamat usab si Col. Azul sa tanang lideres sa Moro Islamic Liberation Front tungod sa malampusong paglagda ug kasabutan tali sa nasudnong kagamhanan aron mahuman na ang kagubot sa Mindanao.

Gihangyo usab ni Col. Azul ang grupo sa Moro National Liberation Front nga mouyon usab sa nahimong kasabutan tali sa MILF ug nasudnong kagamhanan aron malikayan na usab ang pagusbong sa gubat dinhi diin daghanan na usab nga mga sibilyan ang ma-apektuhan.

Kini tungod kay matud pa ni Col. Azul, adunay mga miyembro sa MILF ug MNLF ang nagapuyo sa ilaha karong “area of responsibility.”

Dugang usab siyang nagpasalamat ngadto kang Mayor Uy gumikan sa maayong pag-abi-abi ngadto kaniya ug sa iyang tropa, ingon man sa pag-imposar ug maayong pangagamhanan dinhi sa dakbayan diin usa ang AFP sa gitugutan sa inahan ning dakbayan nga m a m a h i m o n g katambayayong dinha sa pagmintinar sa seguridad sa kahapsay ug kalinaw dinhi.

L-R: Atty. Jesus Doque of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government, Fiscal Susan Dacanay of the Dept. of Justice, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Usec. Luisito Montalbo, National Security Council Usec. Zen Brosas, OPAPP Consultant Prof. Jennifer Oreta, senior military adviser Brig. Gen. Leo Ferrer, Lt. Col. Haroun Al-Rashid Jaji and Lt. Col. Francisco Felicidario III from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Peace negotiators resume talks in Malaysia COTABATO CITY Philippine and Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace negotiators resumed talks in Kuala Lumpur in a effort to further discuss issues on power-sharing and wealth-sharing in the proposed Muslim homeland.

Government chief negotiator Marvic Leonen underscored the overwhelming global acceptance of the signing of the accord in Malacanang.

President Benigno Aquino and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak witnessed the signing of the agreement.

“Truly, we have ushered in an era of hope, peace, recovery and hopefully a better trajectory to be able to realize genuine social justice in our country,” Leonen said.

Leonen said the work of the TWGs in threshing out the annexes on power-sharing, wealth-sharing and normal-

ization would be easier given the positive reception to the FAB. The annexes will be part of the GPH-MILF Comprehensive Peace Agreement both parties expect to forge before the end of the year.

“Our work on the annexes takes place within this umbrella of hope. I am certain that both of us will try to find solutions in order to complete the Comprehensive Agreement, preferably in this round.

All of us now are part of history, let us work together some more to make that history truly matter," he said.

MILF negotiating panel chair Mohagher Iqbal also expressed confidence that the task of threshing out the annexes “rests on the technical working groups.”

“The spirit of compromise is still very strong. I believe we can settle all the issues,” Iqbal said.

Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato’ Ghafar Tengku bin Mohamed, however, cautioned both panels that “the world is watching” as he echoed the observation of Leonen that the signing of the FAB generated massive popular support from the international community.

The Philippine government said the accord sets the principles, processes and mechanisms for the transition leading to the replacement of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with Bangsamoro.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles earlier said that the ongoing 33rd round of talks in Kuala Lumpur was expected to be “difficult as both parties will be fleshing out the annexes on power-sharing, wealth-sharing and normalization.”

9

The Mindanao Examiner

Nov. 12-18, 2012

Probe killings of environment defenders DAVAO - A Philippine environmental group Panalipdan Mindanao urged the Congress to look into the killings of 32 environment advocates and indigenous peoples in Mindanao since President Benigno Aquino presidency in 2010.

Panalipdan convener Sr. Stella Matutina presented this issue during the Committee Hearing of House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights held in Davao City’s Mindanao Training Resource Center.

She said among those killed were Italian missionary Fausto Tentorio in Arakan, North Cotabato; Blaan Juvy Kafeon in the boundaries of Tampakan, South Cotabato and Kiblawan, Davao del Sur; Matigsalug barangay captain Jimmy Liguyon of San Fernando, Bukidnon; small-scale miner Manrique Santos from Pantukan, Compostela Valley; Banwaon Jenesis Ambason from San Luis, Agusan del Sur.

She also noted that 24 of the victims were “Lumad leaders who have been defending their ancestral domains from land grabbing and encroachments.”

Matutina said the killings show the “far too obvious reality that largescale mining kills, and its twin face is militarization of communities.”

She also noted that militarization of indigenous communities have displaced 1,000 families and disrupted community learning schools thereby affecting children.

Matutina said these violations are frequent as Mindanao holds half of the country’s mineral wealth estimated at $12.6 billion, and has attracted the world’s biggest extractive industry players BHP Billiton, Xstrata, Anglo-American, Sumitomo, Rio Tinto, Unocal, Exxon-Mobile which have applied for open-pit mining operations here.

She said the killings

belie the Aquino government’s rhetoric of “peace and development” through Oplan Bayanihan. Human right violations “have become unmasked to mean unhampered aggression of mining and other extractive and destructive industry. Peace and development means silencing communities to pave the way for mining and other environmentally plunderous projects and operations.”

Panalipdan urged Congress to take to task the chain of command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police and Aquino “under the principle of command responsibility, to be accountable for all extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations for which its personnel and units have been accused of being the perpetrators.”

The group recommended to the House committee on human rights the prosecution of erring and criminal state security forces embroiled in cases of human rights violations. And effect the review and rescinding of the Internal Peace and Security Plan Oplan Bayanihan that has allowed the continuation of the regime of extrajudicial killings, enforced evacuations and other attacks.

Atty. Aminola Abaton Regional Director of the Land Transportation Office in Western Mindanao speaks during a Mindanao Examiner Tele-Radyo episode in Zamboanga City (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

LTO to go after overloaded jeepneys in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Land Transportation Office in Western Mindanao is set to launch a massive campaign against overloaded passenger vehicles in Zamboanga City in an effort to curb the rampant violations of the law and to protect the riding public from grave dangers.

Lawyer Aminola Abaton, LTO regional director, he would order a crackdown on erring drivers violating the law. "We have received many com-

plaints about this and I myself have witnessed how these jeepneys and buses violate the laws. Passengers who sit on the roof or hang by the rear of the jeep risk grave dangers and these (practice) must be stopped," he told the Mindanao Examiner.

Many transport vehicles plying the east coast villages take passengers more than the capacity of their jeepney, but nothing has been done by the traffic police and traf-

fic personnel from City Hall about this violation.

Abaton said they would also crackdown on unlicensed passenger jeepneys and tricycles in Zamboanga.

He also appealed to the public to report traffic violators to the LTO by simply calling their Hotline Number at (062) 9924110. "We are appealing to all to help us in our campaign and you can report traffic violators by calling our hotline n u m b e r, " h e s a i d .

(Mindanao Examiner)