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Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442) | 2 Sections | 14 Pages

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BARMM assures journalists of protection, assistance

By ALI G. MACABALANG

THE SABAH CLAIM IS VALID ABRAHAM IBIL DALAGAN Member, Ruma Bichara Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (Sabah) EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is in response to an article recently featured in the South China Morning Post written by one Bunn Nagara of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, entitled, “Why the Philippines has no justifiable claim to Sabah and never had.”

O

NE, it is actually for the Sultanate of Sulu to lay claim on Sabah, not the Philippine government. The latter was only for political exigency given authority by then Sultan Esmail Kiram I to claim Sabah on behalf of the sultanate. And it is to be noted that not all in Sulu – for example, the House of Patikul, has approved of the Sultan’s initiative.

[There is also no written document that says that the Sultanate of Sulu had already ‘permanently’ surrend ered itself to Philippine sovereignty].

And these truths shall endure even up to the next 100 or two hundred years.

At any time and henceforth, by any means necessary and available, the Sultanate of Sulu, itself, still has the option to secede from the rest of the country (Philippines) and become a federated [if not independent] state; and to claim, own and rule Sabah.

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edia practitioners working in or covering the Bangsamoro region have been assured of security from work work--related threats and of prompt monetary assistance, in time with the

PH ‘biggest mover,’ out of Top 5 worst countries for journalists

recent commemoration of International Day to End Impunity for crimes against journalists.

Full Story on Page A2

7 Abu Sayyaf Group members killed in Sulu

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL, Managing Editor

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ALACANANG PALACE, Manila: The Philippines is finally out of the top five worst countries for journalists and was declared the “biggest mover” in the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CP J) Global Impunity Index (GII) released on October 28, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has reported.

In a statement, the Palace Task Force welcomed the report as an incontrovertible demonstration and validation of the government’s unfeigned dedication to safeguarding press freedom and protecting

the life, liberty and security of media workers in the country amid huge challenges.

“The Philippines is the biggest mover in this year’s rankings, improving from the fifth worst country worldwide to the seventh worst… The Philippines has 11 unsolved murders in the current 10year index period, compared with 41 for last year’s index,” the global media watchdog said.

PTFoMs Chairman and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that this achievement marks the beginning of bigger goals and greater success.

PH | A4

The Philippine Navy troops aboard the 3rd Boat Attack Division BA491 spotted the Jungkong boat being used by the Abu Sayyaf Group/Kidnap For Ransom Group (ASG/ KFR) off Sulare Island in Lugus, Sulu, where they rammed the jungkong and shot the ASG members killing 7 of them on Tuesday morning, November 3.

(Full Story on Page A3)

(Full S

(Full

Across Mindanao

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Inside Bangsamoro Region

MBHTE assumes admin of TESDA programs in BARMM

By DANILO E. DOGUILES

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ORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato: The Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) is taking charge of the technical education and skills development (TESD) programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña and BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim signed a memorandum of agreement on Friday leading to the transfer of control and supervision of TESDA programs and projects to BARMM, particularly the MBHTE. "This is a momentous moment event -- I would even say a historic event -- for TESDA because this is now the official transfer of the responsibilities of technical education and skills development from TESDA to BARMM....Today signals a closer collaboration between TESDA and BARMM in the field of skills education training," Sec. Lapeña said.

MBHTE | B4

BIFF deputy chief of staff surrenders in Maguindanao

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL, Managing Editor

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AMP NAVARRO, Calarian, Zamboanga City: Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., the Western Mindanao Command Chief said that the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters-Karialan Faction yielded to the military in the afternoon of October 30.

“Abdulgani Dimalen submitted himself to the 33rd Infantry Battalion Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Elmer Boongaling at around 2:30 p.m. yesterday,” Lt. Gen. Vinluan said.

According to Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr., Dimalen heard about the livelihood assistance that he may receive once he surface and this convinced him to lay down his weapon.

In local dialect, Dimalen said, “I realized that the soldiers are not our enemies, they are just doing their job”.

Dimalen brought along with him his M14 rifle and was subsequently presented to Col. Ferdinand Lacadin, the Officer-In-Charge of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade.

“The said activity held at the 1Mech Bde headquarters in Barangay Kamasi, Ampatuan, Maguindanao was witnessed

by Shariff Aguak Mayor Marop Ampatuan and some relatives of Dimalen,” said Lt. Col. Boongaling.

In his message, Col. Lacadin praised Dimalen for his decision to come out and return to the fold of the law.

Col. Lacadin further addressed Dimalen by saying, “You made the right decision. There are better ways to live than to fight with the government and be with the outlawed group”.

The BIFF-Karialan Faction is involved in numerous atrocities in Central Mindanao.

“The influx of surrenders reflects the positive response of the people and the adversaries in our peaceful mechanisms,” said Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, JTF Central Commander.

Likewise, Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. lauded the troops of the Joint Task Force Central and the intelligence units for sustaining the efforts to end terrorism and to bring about peace and progress in Central Mindanao.

(JIJ)

Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

BARMM assures journalists of protection, assistance

By ALI G. MACABALANG COTABATO City – Media practitioners working in or covering the Bangsamoro region have been assured of security from work-related threats and of prompt monetary assistance, in time with the recent commemoration of International Day to End Impunity for crimes against journalists.

Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, Bagnsamoro government spokesman and Local Governments minister, made the assurance in a press briefing here on Nov. 2 at a time the International Day to End Impunity for crimes against journalists was observed globally.

Minister Sinarimo said the regional government would not want a repeat of the dark part of history, particularly that of the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre that claimed the lives of 58 persons - including 32 media workers - in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao, a component province of the Bangsamoro autonomous reion.

"We made this commitment earlier and we are reaffirming it today that your government would ensure that impunity for the crimes against journalists do not happen in the region," Sinarimbo pointed out at the press conference.

Sinarimbo, known locally for his cordiality in service, acknowledged the vital role of free press in society, where some powerful forces sometimes wanted to curb or curtail truth via extrajudicial means.

The current autonomous region replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) via R.A.

11054 that was enacted in July 2017. One of the founding elected officials of the defunct ARMM was being suspected of his role in the disappearance of a media practitioner and the near-fatal ambush of another.

Sinarimbo said the Bangsamoro government is willing to assist journalists under threat to seek refuge in it or be given security escorts or legal services.

He said informal assistance will be offered and, if needed, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) may be called on for interventions in journalists’ field coverage.

"If you feel threatened or in any way receive threats from anyone, please feel free to call us or communicate with us by any means and we will make sure that we provide the necessary assistance for you, that (is) the commitment from the chief minister and Bangsamoro government," Sinarimbo assured.

The MILF and the Bangsamoro government are both headed by Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim.

The BARMM government has reportedly allocated a trust fund for medical assistance, burial or calamity assistance for members of the media.

"While we are assisting the journalists on their welfare it doesn’t mean that they will report all praise on us. We are still open to criticism, to report or look on the gaps that we have not seen," Sinarimbo said.

The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, celebrated every 2nd of November, highlights the low global conviction rate for violent crimes against journalists and media workers, estimated at only one in every ten cases.

Based on the United Nations’ website information from 2006 to 2019, close to 1,200 journalists have been killed for reporting the news and bringing information to the public. In nine out of ten cases the killers go unpunished.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed November 2 as the ‘International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists’ in General Assembly Resolution that urged member States to implement definite measures to counter the present culture of impunity.

The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on 2 November 2013. (AGM)

Pacquiao rallies farmers' clamor for review of RTL

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ong ignored by the Duterte cabinet people, clamors for a review of the controversial Rice Tariffication Law (R.A. 11203) have finally gained potential relief in the Senate, particularly Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro autonomous government, according to its spokesman lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, has allocated at least P500-million to help cushion the ill effects of RTL on farmers by buying palay or rice directly from farms.

In a recent virtual press conference participated in by the Philippine Muslim Today, spokesman Sinarombo, who is concurrent regional Local Government minister, announced the allocation in apparent corroboration of farmers’ cry about their sufferings in the RTL implementation.

The provincial board of North Cotabato is also rallying the farmers' clamor, fol-

Sen. Manny Pacquiao and MinDA Chair Manny Piñol in a huddle on Oct. 30 in Gen. Santos City over the former’s move for a review of the controversial Rice Tariffication Law. (Photo supplied) lowing its passage of a reso- the MinDA chief, to push for a lution authored by Board review and amendment of the Member Maria Krista Piñol- controversial law.

Solis, one of PACQUIAO | B4 two physician daughters of

Across Mindanao

Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

6ID destroys 242 more loose guns from Maguindanao

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Inside Bangsamoro Region

7 Abu Sayyaf Group members killed in Sulu, war materiel recovered too

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL, Managing Editor

By ALI G. MACABALANG COTABATO CITY – The Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) has staged another leg of ceremonial destruction of loose firearms mustered from its area of jurisdiction, destroying this time 242 undocumented guns from Maguindanao.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax R. Uy, incumbent 6ID commander, used one unit of giant road roller from the 549th Engineering Batallion to “demilitarize” or destroy the mostly home-made firearms in public ceremony on Oct. 24 at the open area of his command headquarters in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

The flattened remains of the firearms “were then cut by the personnel from the 12th Forward Service Support Unit using circular saws and subsequently burned to ensure that no part of the firearms would be re-used or recycled,” the Western Mindanao Command (WMC) said in a statement emailed to the Philippine Muslim Today.

The spectacular ceremony was witnessed by peace stakeholders and local media practitioners alongside WMC Chief Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr. and Philippine Army Chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana.

“To the people of Central Mindanao, you are the key to inclusive and genuine peace.

Terrorism cannot be defeated solely by the Army. We need your active involvement,” Gen. Sobejana said in his ceremonial message.

LOOSE GUNS DESTROYED. A military road roller running over 242 loose guns in symbolic rite at the Army’s 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Maguindanao.(WMC Photo) The ceremony was the third episode of symbolic road roller-running over of loose firearms collected or captured from Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato and parts of Lanao del Sur by personnel of the 6ID. Close to 1,500 loose firearms were destroyed in two similar “demilitarization” processes by past 6ID commanders, according to accounts by the Kampilan Press Corps. This writer has presided over the press corps for six years.

Most of the “demilitarized” guns came from Maguindanao, the known haven of the outlawed Bangdamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The military tags Magu-

indanao as one of Bangsamoro provinces still reeling from presence of terrorist elements.

The other provinces are Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, where guerillas of the terrorbound Abu Sayyaf operate.

The firearms that were “demilitarized” on Oct. 24 were “recovered through the concerted efforts and dedication of the Joint Task Force Central troopers, the local government units, and communities altogether fighting against terrorism and criminalities in Central Mindanao,” the WMC statement said.

Gen. Vinluan commended the JTF Central for its “unwavering support and service to ensure the peace and safety of the people in the region.” (AGM)

178 infected cop trainees in BARMM end quarantine

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OTABATO CITY – At least 178 trainees for police enlistment and three for regular officers in the Police Regional Office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-BARMM) would end today, Friday after they were found positive of the COVID-19 virus.

In a virtual press briefing on Wednesday, BARMM Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) spokesperson Mohammad Asnin Pendatun explained that 181 applicanttrainees has to undergo the quarantine in prelude to proper training and eventual entry to the police force.

“Part po nung kanilang requirements ay RT-PCR test at doon po nalaman na sila ay positibo sa Covid-19,” Pendatun was quoted as saying in a statement from the BARMM’s Bureau of Public Information (BPI).

“Hindi po affected ang operations sa PRO-BARMM, although may changes, because of the health protocols and other guidelines na kailangan sundin in view of Covid-19 situation,” he added.

The BARMM’s Ministry of Health, on order of its OICMinister Dr. Ameril Usman, would look further into the cases, the BPI said.

The Maguindanao Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) will also do separate round of health assessment and intensive contact tracing to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 in regards to the discovered infection among trainees.

Meanwhile, the BPI said, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Lamitan City had recorded no new Covid-19 case as of Tuesday, November 3, while rest of the provinces in the Bangsamoro region registered 33.

As approved by the President effective November 130, 2020, the National IATF placed Lanao del Sur under

General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and rest of BARMM to Modified General Community Quarantine, the BPI said.

In spite of the upsurge earlier, BIATF sees decreasing trend on the daily Covid19 case monitoring.

In pursuit of the global watch on Covid-19, the BARMM government launched a behavior change drive dubbed “BIDA Solusyon sa Covid-19,” which compels constituents to comply with minimum public health standards, the BPI said.

A total of 540 active cases, with 1,487 recoveries and 72 related deaths were recorded in BARMM as of Nov. 3, the regional media outfit said.

ALI G. MACABALANG

CUT-OFF JUNGKONG: Philippine Navy troopers of the 3rd Boat Attack Division BA491 try to retrieve the firearms and war materiel from the sunk Abu Sayyaf Group vessel known as Jungkong that was rammed by the steel hulled navy boat that divided the ASG vessel into two. A total of 7 ASG terrorists died during the brief gunfight off Sulare Island in Lugus, Sulu. (Photo by BA491 Navy troopers) CAMP NAVARRO, Calarian, Zamboanga City: The Philippine Navy troops aboard the 3rd Boat Attack Division BA491 spotted the Jungkong boat being used by the Abu Sayyaf Group/Kidnap For Ransom Group (ASG/KFR) off Sulare Island in Lugus, Sulu, where they rammed the jungkong and shot the ASG members killing 7 of them on Tuesday morning, November 3.

In an official report submitted by the acting commander of the Navy boat BA491 to Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), he said upon spotting the group of ASG members, the BA491 chased the Jungkong where they rammed the terrorist vessel cutting the hull into two and at the same time fired upon at the terrorists killing the 7 members on-board.

ABU | B4

Disgruntled Abu Sayyaf Group members surrender to the military in Sulu CAMP BUD DATU, Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu: A known Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) group member and two others yielded in Sulu on Friday, October 30, Lt. Gen Corleto Vinluan, Jr., the WestMinCom Commander said.

Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. said that a.k.a. Dexter who was involved in the kidnapping of Indonesian seafarers submitted himself to the 6th Special Forces Battalion (6SFBN) along with Albasir Salim, a.k.a., Abu Sadad, a group member of late ASG Sub-leader Sibih Pisih and Edwin Panduga Abdulmain, a.k.a. Splakang, a group member of ASG Subleader Ekoh Udjaman.

According to a.k.a. Dexter, he was not aware that the group he was in was set to conduct a kidnapping activity. He felt that he was lied to because he treated his comrades as friends but it turned out that he was just used. He was forced to execute kidnap-for-ransom activities for fear of being killed if he will not do so.

Lt. Col. Rafael Caido, the Acting Commanding Officer of the 6SFBN said that the most recent involvement of a.k.a.

Dexter was the abduction of the five Indonesian seafarers fishing in the Malaysian waters on January 16, 2020.

“He was also present during the group’s encounter with the troops of the 3rd Light Reaction Company, 4th Special Forces Company, and the Navy and Air Force troops in Sulare Island, used to be under Parang municipality but now under Lugus, Sulu on January 18.

The surrendered personalities were subsequently presented to 1102nd Infantry Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio at the unit’s headquarters in Camp Bud Datu, Barangay Tagbak, Indanan Sulu.

“I would like to commend the troops of the 6th Special Forces Battalion for a job well done. Your humanitarian projects have paid off,” Brig. Gen. Patrimonio said.

The trio handed over one M1 Carbine, one G1 battle rifle, one M1 Garand rifle, and assorted ammunition.

DISGRUNTLED| B5

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The Nation

PH | from Page A1

PH ‘biggest mover,’ out of Top 5 worst countries for journalists

Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

Signal No. 3 likely as 'Siony' nears Batanes

By MA. CRISTINA ARAYATA

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ANILA – Areas along the projected track of Severe Tropical Storm Siony may likely be placed under Tropical cyclone warning signal (TCWS) no. 3.

In its 8 p.m. weather bulletin Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said "Siony" was last spotted at 255 km. east of Basco, Batanes.

“We shall remain steadfast in our commitment to protect and promote media security by all means legally possible, relentless in the face of adversity”, Guevarra stressed, adding that the latest GII ranking is a clear manifestation of the country’s working justice system.

For his part, PTFoMS Co-Chair and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin M. Andanar said that despite the recent accomplishments of the Task Force which have drawn international attention, the body will continue to safeguard press freedom in the Philippines.

“This is a testament to the relentless efforts of the government in protecting our media workers from threats and violence. Rest assured that the Duterte Administration will always uphold freedom of speech and expression. There is no other way to interpret this great improvement but to think that we are on the right track and, at the same time, that we should do more,” Andanar said.

“Congratulations are in order for all stakeholders in this effective campaign in ending impunity against our fellow media workers. But the PTFoMS must not rest on its laurels.

There is more to be done,” the PCOO chief added.

The CPJ’s report for 2020 explained that the country’s remarkable jump from fifth to seventh place “reflects the fact that the November 2009 Ampatuan, Maguindanao, massacre of 58 people, including 30 journalists and two media workers, no longer falls into the 10-year time frame for calculating the index.”

“Landmark convictions late last year led CPJ to adjust the status of the Ampatuan cases to ‘partial impunity’ from ‘full impunity’ previously – meaning that they would no longer have figured into the index calculation regardless of the time frame,” CPJ added.

On December 19, 2019, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court that heard the massacre case for a full decade handed down the guilty verdict against the masterminds and their accomplices in the gruesome crime and sentenced them to long years in prison.

Meanwhile, PTFoMS Executive Director and Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, said he was immensely elated by the big improvement in the country’s ranking even as he vowed to work harder to finally remove the Philippines from the top 10 list.

“In spite of the many challenges our media workers are facing right now due to the pandemic, the country has a reason to be happy for this very welcome development. However, we will not rest until we are completely out of this list and until the day that no more media worker had to be killed in the name of his sacred duty and regardless of motive,” Palace official said.

Egco further said PTFoMS will have to clarify the 11 unsolved cases since most of these are now undergoing trial in various courts all over the country. He vowed that the government will not let any killer of media worker go unpunished.

Aside from addressing the unsolved media killings, Egco pointed out that the task force has so far helped hundreds of journalists from its creation in 2016, including victims of online harassment. The Presidential Task Force relentlessly pursues and keeps track of all cases of media violence in the country and provides the public up-to-date information on the progress of these cases.

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

"Siony" is expected to further intensify into a typhoon before making a landfall or passing near Batanes early Friday.

It presently packs maximum sustained winds of up to 100 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 125 kph.

"Siony" is forecast to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday afternoon or evening and is expected to turn towards the southwest on Saturday morning and accelerate over the West Philippine Sea towards southern Vietnam.

Tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) no. 2 is hoisted over Batanes and Babuyan Islands while TCWS no. 1 is in effect over the northern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, LalLo, Allacapan, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes), the northern portion of Apayao (Santa Marcela, Luna, Calanasan), and the northern

portion of Ilocos Norte (Adams, Pagudpud, Bangui, Dumalneg, Burgos, Vintar, Pasuquin, Bacarra) Flooding and rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall, especially in areas susceptible to these hazards, Rough to high seas will continue in areas where TCWS no. 2 and no. 1 were hoisted while rough to very rough seas will be experienced over the eastern seaboard of Luzon, western seaboard of northern Luzon, and western seaboard of southern Luzon.

Meanwhile, moderate to

rough seas (1.5 to 2.5 m) will be experienced over the western seaboard of Central Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao.

PAGASA advised fishing boats and other small seacraft not to venture to the sea.

Moderate to rough seas may prevail over the western seaboard of central Luzon, and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao.

PAGASA advised mariners of small seacraft to take precautionary measures when venturing onto the sea. (PNA)

MinDA assists Misamis Oriental in digitalizing agri data CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Government call for digitalization of agriculture data gained foothold in Misamis Oriental, with its elected officials putting up the “Mindanao’s “First Digitalized” agriculture-based information.

“Misamis Oriental makes history as the first Mindanao province to establish a digital database for its agriculture and fisheries sectors, including production maps and volume and market access,” Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Manny Pinol announced on Nov. 4.

Sec. Piñol and of Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny “Bambi” Emano signed a Memorandum of Agreement in simple ceremonies here Nov. 3 to mark the start of digitalized agri program in the province.

Gov. Emano described the program as the” final step to the agricultural and fisheries modernization” of his province.

The MinDA will assist the Provincial Government in the gathering of data and in the

establishment of the database which will later be linked to the MinDA Tienda program, Sec. Piñol said.

When completed, Misamis Oriental will be the first Mindanao province to have an accurate data- MinDA Chairman Manny Pinol and Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny “Bambi” Emano base for its farmers, flashing before media people copies of the fishermen, produc- memorandum of agreement on agriculture tion areas, geo- data digitalization they inked in Cagayan de maps and market Oro City on Nov. 3. (Photo supplied) information,” he pointed out.

MinDA prepares the digitaliEach and every individual zation of the whole region. farmer and fisherman will be During his stint at the Delisted up in the data-base in- partment of Agriculture, Sec. cluding their commodities, Sec. Piñol had pushed for their production areas, the digitalization of agricultural volumes, the assistance pro- data across the country. But vided by the government and unforeseen events, including the expected harvest date, he his unheeded arguments for said. the building-in of safety nets “With this, we will be able for farmers in the deliberation to determine our strengths of the Rice Tariffication Law, and our weaknesses and the derailed the campaign. interventions for our producMinDA Communication ers to access the market,” the Division Director Chief Dr. MinDA chief said.

Adrian Tamayo expressed He said the Misamis Ori- elation that Sec. Pinol in his ental model is expected to be new turf has begun to realize replicated in all the other his derailed thrust in the DA. provinces in Mindanao as ALI G MACABALANG

The Nation

Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

PRRD satisfied with government’s Rolly response – Palace M

ANILA: In the wake of the devastation left by supertyphoon Rolly in CALABARZON and the Bicol Region, Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr said that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who conducted an aerial inspection of affected areas, was satisfied with government's typhoon preparedness. “(T)he President is very happy to note that everyone did their job to warn people, to evacuate, to prepare evacuation centers, to preposition supplies, to preposition equipment para maprepare ang mga kalsada. Yan po ang importante, na pinaghandaan natin nang mabuti ang bagyong ito,” said Seretary Roque during a press briefing on November 3.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported 17 casualties (as of November 3) due to supertyphoon Rolly.

“Our aim is still zero casualty, but nakita naman natin bagama’t napakalakas nitong bagyong ito, nagbunga po yung ating disaster preparedness,” said the Palace spokesman.

These government preparations include stockpiles and standby funds worth P884 million from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, deployment of 155 Armed Forces of the Philippines’ officers and 3,013 enlisted personnel who helped in the evacuation of more than 300,000 individuals in 1,558 barangays, and deployment by the Philippine National Police of some 5,804 personnel for search and rescue and 1,556 personnel deployed in various evacuation centers.

Prior to typhoon Rolly’s entry in the country, the Department of Public Works and Highways has already mobilized 4,931 personnel and 1,295 equipment that enabled the faster clearing of affected roads. From 15 closed road sections yesterday because of the typhoon, there are now only 10 remaining closed roads that are undergoing clearing or are yet to be cleared.

Likewise, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Manila International Airport Authority, and Clark International Airport Authority have secured airports, runway equipment, and other facilities and have coordinated with local disaster offices as part of their typhoon disaster response. This is why airports in Manila, Clark, Subic, Sangley, Legazpi, Naga, and Virac are already back to their normal operations today.

Similarly, the LRT, MRT,

President Rodrigo R. Duterte (PIA Photo) PNR, and the EDSA Busway are also back in operations.

“Dito makikita natin ang kahandaan ng buong pamahalaan, at kahit nasa Davao ang Presidente ay namomonitor niya ang mga ito,” said Sec. Roque.

In yesterday’s briefing with the President, Department of Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado assured the availability of P3.622-Billion in calamity funds, a portion of which can be used to assist those who have been severely affected by super typhoon Rolly.

Meanwhile, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said that a price freeze will be in effect in areas that declared a state of calamity, while the Suggested Retail Price will be in effect in areas where there will be no price freeze implementation.

In another development, President Duterte designated National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr as Vaccine Czar who will be in charge of procurement, storage and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Simple lang po yan, because the vaccine operation will entail logistics. Kinakailangan po talaga may managerial skills at sanay sa ganitong management processes,” said Sec. Roque, adding that the management of the procurement, storage, and distribution of the vac-

cine will be more of a logistics challenge than a medical challenge.

For his part, Secretary Galvez said that a major activity of Phase III of the National Action Plan on COVID19 is making the vaccines available for Filipinos, which is part of the NTF’s mandate.

Galvez assured that his role as vaccine czar will be more of a gatekeeper, integrator or synchronizer following President Duterte’s instruction to unburden the Department of Health from administrative functions related to the vaccines so it can focus on the implementation of the nationwide vaccination.

Also in the said press briefing, Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Felix Fuentebella reported that several teams from various regions are on their way to provide service and assistance to the worst-hit areas affected by super typhoon Rolly. In particular, 13 teams from DOE Region 8 together with other personnel from other energy players are on their way to Albay now to restore power.

For the restoration and repair of damaged water facilities, Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Administrator Jeci Lapus said that pumping stations and transmission lines in Catanduanes were damaged and still need to be checked before it can be rehabilitated. OPS-PCOO

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ACT-CIS Party List vows continuous protection for Media workers BATASAN HILLS, Quezon City: ACT-CIS Partylist Representative Rowena Niña Taduran vows to continue protecting the rights of media workers in the country as she lauded the report released by the Committee to Protect Journalists declaring the Philippines as the “biggest mover” in the list of worst countries for journalists.

In the Global Impunity Index (GII) released by the New York-based group, the Philip- PTFoMS & ACT-CIS PARTY LIST pines moved from rank 5 to JOINT EFFORTS: Usec Joel Sy Egco, Executive Director of the Presidenrank 7 in the list of worst tial Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) in this file photo had countries for journalists. finished discussing This after the landmark just the passage of the Bill on Media decision convicting the prime Workers Welfare now authored suspects in the Maguindanao by ACT-CIS Partylist RepresentaRowena Niña Taduran. (Photo massacre wherein 58 people tive

by JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL) were killed including 32 journalists, was handed down by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

Taduran, author of the Bill on Media Workers Welfare said that this improvement speaks a lot about the government’s unwavering determination to safeguard journalists and bring to justice those who have done them wrong.

The solon also praised the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) for its tireless efforts in following up cases of violence against media men up to the rightful conclusion.

“We should not rest on this achievement. There are still journalists who die while performing their duties or abused by so-called influential people. The passage of the Bill on Media Workers Welfare will be a big contribution in protecting the rights of all who work in media, whether in front or behind the scenes,” says Taduran.

In the current GII, the Philippines has still 11 unsolved murders in the 10-year index period, compared with 41 for last year’s index.

Taduran believes that through the help of the PTFoMS headed by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the resolution to these heinous crimes against journalists will be achieved.

Executive Director of PTFoMS, Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, said that all eleven remaining cases of killed journalists are already in courts. The task force, since its inception in 2016, has also helped hundreds of journalists including those who are victims of online harassment.

In recent months, two journalists have been gunned down while the country is reeling from the Covid 19 pandemic. Cornelio Pepino, a radio broadcaster in Negros, was shot pointblank by 2 assailants last May while Jobert Bercasio, online broadcaster, was gunned down by 2 motorcycle riders in Sorsogon City last September. JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

Davao Chamber launches virtual agri trade expo DAVAO CITY: The Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCCII) thanks everyone who attended the launch of the first-ever virtual Davao Agri Trade Expo last October 30, 2020. The online expo currently has 41 virtual exhibitors from different cities and provinces across the Philippines, and more exhibitors are expected to join in the coming days since the exhibit will run until June 2021.

"This year’s DATE is really innovative since it creates a one-stop shop for all agribusiness needs and opportunities. It also brings our farmers and suppliers to a much larger market on the internet—something that we will need to push further to help local businesses recover and be resilient given today's realities," says DATE 2020 chair and DCCCII Vice President for Industry Cherrylin Casuga.

She reiterated that those who wish to exhibit or are seeking buyers can still participate by contacting the chamber secretariat to book an exhibit space.

"We will be holding more online activities for agricultural stakeholders, such as webinars via the DATE website https:// www.davaochamber.com/date,” Casuga added.

The launch, which was broadcasted live on Zoom and on the DCCCII Facebook page, was attended by over 900 viewers making it one of the more well attended events of the chamber.

Opinion

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Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

ASA Philippines grant 2.6-b humanitarian assistance to Filipinos DATU YUSOPH B. MAMA Chairman, Board of Trustees

By ABDUL HANNAN MAGARANG TAGO

AMANODING D. ESMAIL President MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Executive Vice President & CEO JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Vice President for Internal Affairs ALI G. MACABALANG Vice President for External Affairs ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL Treasurer MACOD D. RASCAL Secretary CASAN C. CANA Auditor

PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Editor-In-Chief and Publisher JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor ALI G. MACABALANG News Editor PHIL MUSLIM Layout Artist FATIMA ORTIL-JANNARAL Advertising Sales Director for NCR COLUMNISTS | WRITERS: ATTY. HOMOBONO A. ADAZA DR. BENJ BANGAHAN ATTY. JUAN PONCE ENRILE DR. JOHNNY R. LEE ATTY. NASSER A. MAROHOMSALIC DR. FILEMON G. ROMERO ATTY. MEHOL K. SADAIN DR. ABDUL HANNAN M. TAGO DISCLAIMER: Opinion of the writer expressed herein is not necessarily the opinion of Philippine Muslim Today.

TEMPORARY BUSINESS OFFICE: Purok 4, Lower Kaplag, C3 Road Ubaldo Laya, Iligan City, Philippines Phone: 09152184388 | +63 2283454 Email: muslimtoday2020@gmail.com Https://philmuslim.today NCR SATELLITE OFFICE: 9052 Viscarra Compound, Molino 3, Bacoor City 4102 Cavite Province PHONE: +639778430218 | +639353138549 Email: munir1845media@gmail.com

Front page of PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY previous issue.

I

n 2010 while on leave here in the Philippines I was introduced to Mr. Kamrul Trafder, a fellow Muslim from Bangladesh, who the head of the ASA Philippines Foundation.

I visited his simple office at Ortigas Complex where I was briefed how the microfinance non-governmental organization works here.

It was quite interesting to see a Bangladesh as Chief Executive Officer and President of a Manila-based vibrant organization.

Mr. Trafder was an UN-DP official before joining ASA. I met hundreds of Bangladesh nationals in Saudi Arabia where I worked before.

ASA Foundation headquarter in the capital has expanded hugely with nearly 10,000 staff making it one of the largest NGO in the Philippines and Asia.

The interesting part of the story is the huge success of the organization

that benefited millions of Filipinos in terms of employment and the beneficiaries who were able to sustain their small businesses through an easy and trust-based loan.

The success of this organization reflects the extraordinary leadership, business expertise and the Islamic-based financial theory of its CEO coupled with his humanitarian and social responsibility activities. He is a soft-spoken person who keeps Mr. Kamrul Trafder utmost discipline among his staff while treat them as spiritual father.

Recently. the foundation has received the first tranche of the credit facility from the Asian TAGO | B4

SABAH | from Page A1

THE SABAH CLAIM IS VALID And these truths shall endure even up to the next 100 or two hundred years. At any time and henceforth, by any means necessary and available, the Sultanate of Sulu, itself, still has the option to secede from the rest of the country (Philippines) and become a federated [if not independent] state; and to claim, own and rule Sabah.

TWO, the denial by Kuala Lumpur today of the right of the Sultanate of Sulu to claim Sabah [Mahathir has said it loud that “there is no claim”] is nothing but new. It is sheer arrogance and ignorance. Peninsular Malaysians were not that audacious before [in the 60s or 70s] were it not for the stand then of Tun Mustapha Harun, who favored ‘Muslim’ Kuala Lumpur, rather than ‘Christian’ Manila. The Tun was a known Islamist who wanted to make Sabah an Islamic state. Only for him to realize later that Kuala Lumpur had other plans.

THREE, this one Bunn Nagara of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia is pretentiously but baldfacely drumbeating the persistent Malaysian stand on the Sabah issue. But not necessarily Brunei's - because Brunei, itself, also claims the right to at least half of North Borneo [as can be proven by Sultan AbdulMobin’s signing of a lease on North Borneo in favor of Baron de Overbeck and his company in 1877, or just two weeks before Overbeck [and Alfred Dent] negotiated for and obtained a similar document from Sultan Jamalul-A’lam of Sulu]. Nagara is at his best a journalist, not a historian and certainly not a lawyer.

FOUR, it is a fact that from the 17th to the 19th centuries (or before 1962) neither Britain (the colonial master of what is now Malaysia) nor any foreign entity (political, military or commercial) has ever questioned the sovereignty and or proprietary right of the Sultanate of Sulu over North Borneo.

And this is the reason why Dent and Overbeck in 1878 must have to get the lease document from the Sultan of Sulu in

order for them to have concrete legal basis and authority in governing the vast and rich estate, conduct commerce and put industries therein. And it was also for fear of the Spaniards in Manila annexing Sabah as part of their colony [to be sold later by Spain to the Americans in the Treaty of Paris) that tempted Sultan Jamalul-A’lam of Sulu to lease Sabah to the British company.

[And, by the way, the then Sultan of Sulu (Sultan Badaruddin II) was not a party to the 1885 Madrid Protocol [which is a mere lootsharing modus operandi between and among shameless, disgraceful colonists].

FIVE, as to historical accounts, the ISIS fellow is also in no position to belie what is already written in history books, reflected and implied in the 1878 Sabah lease, and what is already enshrined in the hearts and minds of generations of Orang Suluk and Orang Badjao.

[Mat Salleh, who fought against the British North Borneo Chartered Company in Sabah from 1894 to 1900, was of Tausug-Sama blood, Mr. Nagara]. Now, this Nagara is an ultra-nationalist Malaysian propagandist and he has yet to present a research finding or a clear citation from reputable historians to support his non-scholarly 'interpretation'[that there is no history to talk about Sabah as having been given by Sultan Muhyiddin of Brunei to Sultan Salahuddin Bakhtiyar of Sulu in the 16th century as a token (in fulfillment of a promise) for helping the former defeat his opponent in that Brunei civil war].

SIX, the late Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino, Jr. in his offer to support Kuala Lumpur against then President Ferdinand Marcos (who was initially bent on helping the Sultanate of Sulu claim Sabah, even through force) did not speak on behalf of any Sultan of Sulu. Aquino was not that time or in any way representing the best interest of the Philippine government regarding Sabah, but rather his own (Aquino's) political agenda (of dreaming to become Philippine President) and personal interest only (which made him a traitor in the eyes of the Sultanate of Sulu and its peoSABAH | B5 ple).

Opinion

Ijtihad MEHOL K. SADAIN

“

Phobia” is defined as an extreme or irrational fear of, or aversion to, something, even if it is unlikely to cause harm. Medically, it is considered a type of anxiety disorder. According to the internet link Healthline, a phobic person experiences intense fear of a certain object or situation. The fear is different from regular fears because it causes significant distress that can interfere with one’s life.

This mental and psychological phenomenon has given rise to as many references as there are things to be afraid of. Thus, we have “claustrophobia” or fear of confined or constricted places; “agoraphobia” or fear of huge open spaces and crowds; “acrophobia” or fear of heights; “hydrophobia” or fear of water; “aerophobia” or fear of flying; “arachnophobia” or fear of spiders, and many more.

Recently, the West coined

a word that signifies aversion to a religion: “Islamophobia”.

As far as I know, this aversion has not yet been categorized as a mental illness that needs treatment, but it has given an identity to a longstanding enmity between the West and Islam. This enmity dates back to the Muslim conquest of the Byzantine Empire and the ensuing crusades, that have reincarnated into the protracted violence in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, metamorphosing in contemporary times into a militant extremism that has recently been called “Islamophobia”.

This inordinate “fear of Islam and Muslims” reeks of prejudice, which the questionable activities of some radical quarters calling themselves Muslim have abetted.

It is in this light, that I recently posted in social media a call to my Muslim brothers and sisters to take things calmly if

Batanes to Tawi-Tawi JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

T

his Columnist for Batanes To Tawi -Tawi is not a Medical Doctor, but there is a felt need that we should discuss as to whether COVID-19 is a hoax or legitimate pandemic that has affected everyone throughout the World.

It can be noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to defeating the Coronavirus pandemic with science and public health measures.

A top government official based in Mindanao told me that COVID-19 is a hoax, a scripted conspiracy of the New World Order (NWO) implemented by the WHO that direct all governments to implement the NWO agenda for depopulation.

Then I argued if COVID19 is really a hoax why there are many People afflicted with the Virus especially those who were tested positive of the Coronavirus?

Then his rebuttal was that “they get sick from common sickness diagnosed as

COVID-19.”

Well his argument might have truth in it. In fact in the province of Sulu there is a COVID-19 scare going on.

An informed sources told this Columnist that people in the hinterland are really scared nowadays. In fact when a member of the family got sick they don’t care anymore to bring the sick one for medication at the hospital because they are afraid that the findings would be a COVID-19 positive. When the patient dies they can no longer bring home the cadaver and give him the usual Islamic rites.

Hence, the said government official from Mindanao added by saying “they get sick from common sickness diagnosed as Covid.”

So I said why don’t we inform the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) to stop already the Health Protocols and let us Go back to Normal Lives?

But he said the problem is the Department of Health (DOH) is the direct link of the WHO to our government.

Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

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ISLAMOPHOBIA the attacks on Islam and Muslims are merely confined to malicious imputations and errant allegations that are not even popularly supported: like the baseless recycled criticisms and imputations against our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

In that post, I wrote that the attacks against our Holy Prophet (SAW) should not agitate us. Instead, we should just focus on becoming good Muslims. Do you think the Prophet can be destroyed by mere insults and humiliations, now that Islam has over 1.7 billion adherents globally, and is considered as the world's fastest growing religion, when the Prophet's early detractors did not even succeed in stopping him from preaching when there was only a handful of Muslims in Mecca? Do you think those insults and humiliations can change the minds of the Prophet's followers and prod them to leave Islam en masse?

These detractors will eventually perish, just like the

Quraish of the early days of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did; but the esteemed personality of the Prophet will remain, and his followers will continue to love and honor him, and ALLAH will still lift the Prophet’s light to light a world darkened by the prejudices and bigotry of misguided people.

We should, therefore, continue to live contented as good Muslims, and just let the ones who hate Islam and the Prophet wallow in the quagmire of their hatred, and probably die from the hate in their hearts. We let them be, as there is much to appreciate around us, and there is much to do with the life ALLAH gave us. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) will always be the Final Prophet, and the Message he was tasked to relay will still be relayed by Muslims like us who remain unperturbed by the useless talks against us.

One of the comments in the post mentioned the physical violence being inflicted on

our brother Muslims in other parts of the world, like Myanmar and Palestine. I say that being peaceful does not always mean that we should be silent at all times, especially when Muslims are being oppressed. As ALLAH (SWT) in the Qur’an says: “Wa l-fitnatu akbaru mina l-qatli,” or “Tumult and oppression are worse than killing.” [2:217] This means that there are times when Muslims should fight for their rights when they fear that fitnah is about to engulf their ummah or community.

Islam, after all, is still a moderate religion of submission to the Will of ALLAH. Unlike the “other side” which has converted their extreme reaction against Islam to the level of a deleterious “phobia”, we the Muslim majority, have remain grounded, and must be always alert and watchful over our Islamic communities, guarding them against those who wish to destroy Islam and the Muslim Ummah. (MKS)

Is COVID-19 a hoax?

And President Rodrigo Duterte is diligently following the DOH even if our economy is hurting and our people complaining as we are now on the 10th month under this “fake pandemic.”

The COVID-19 Genocide of 2020 Be that as it may somebody has forwarded to me a video wherein a woman named Claire Edwards is shown in the video sharing numerous conspiracies about the pandemic.

Edwards worked for the United Nations between 1999 and 2017.

According to Edwards, COVID-19 was long pre-planned in documents and simulation exercises emanating from Bill Gates and the Rockefeller Foundation.

She said earlier attempts were made to engineer pandemics but none succeeded.

This time, the World Health Organization changed its pandemic criteria in advance so that it could declare a pandemic on spurious grounds.

Edwards said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a terrorist and accused genocidist, was appointed to the World

Health Organization in order to orchestrate the pandemic and facilitate the totalitarian takeover.

The symptoms of COVID19 are virtually identical to the symptoms of exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR).

Edwards added that extensive military research over many decades was kept secret and regulatory agencies were co-opted in order to prevent the public learning about the extreme danger of electromagnetic radiation.

Doctors receive no training on the risk to health of exposure to EMR and therefore, misdiagnose EMR symptoms.

Hospitals are extensively equipped with 5G, putting patient’s lives at risk.

Edwards emphasized that EMR can be used to simulate pathogens and overwhelm the immune system and cell phones may be being used to simulate COVID-19 contagion among co-workers or family members.

There was no pandemic since “the curve” was flattening before the lockdown measures were put in place.

She said the PCR test, which was never designed as

a diagnostic test and gives up to 94% false positive results, is used by the oligarch and government-control mainstream and social media platform to terrorize populations for the purpose of obtaining obedience.

The illusion of pandemic is stoked by doctors being forced to attribute virtually every death to “Covid19”.

Medical staff and doctors are intimidated to prevent them from speaking the truth about the fake pandemic.

Tens of thousands of doctors have now come out to confirm that “Covid19” is a hoax.

There was no pandemic since “the curve” was flattening before the lockdown measures were put in place.

Social distance is a torture technique devised to traumatize and its purpose is to condition people to distance themselves from others so that they can be seen and targeted by the 5G weapon.

Autopsies that would reveal the true cause of death were not presented, according to Edwards.

For your suggestions or comments, please send it to this email: munir1845media@gmail.com

Opinion

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Diliman Way HOMOBONO A, ADAZA “Whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad.” – Euripides. Seneca. Greek Proverb

M

adness is everywhere in the world – from Crimea to Armenia, Azerbaijan to Yemen, Iran to Iraq, Syria to Libya, Brazil to Colombia, Nigeria to Sudan, Afghanistan to Pakistan, China to India, and United States of America to the Philippines. This madness is a product of political leadership or the absence of it. It is deplorable but it is a fact. It is beyond denial and it needs a solution.

Overwhelming: On the issue of madness, the most outstanding example is the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump. He occupies center stage in American and international media. Why? The man demonstrates the qualities of narcissists and strong men in our planet. Trump has one greatest love of his life – Donald Trump.

Anything is sacrificed at the altar of Donald Trump, even America, in the pursuit of personal adulation. Anyone that contradicts his opinion he calls disasters and idiots, including the famous doctor, Anthony Fauci, who is a member of his task force on the corona virus.

Trump’s demonstration of madness is overwhelming.

And the same is clearly shown in his words and behavior. If he were not the President of the United States of America, he would be a clown. As some individuals would have it – he looks like a clown, walks like a clown and talks like a clown, so he must be a clown. And I wholeheartedly agree with their accurate observation.

Racism: Trump is the most racist President the USA has ever had. He is endorsed by white supremacists, neo-Nazis, white nationalists like the Ku Klux Klan and Qanon. He said, he does not like them but there is nothing he can do if they like him. They like Trump and support his weird statements and un-presidential behavior.

They troop to his rallies like dumb driven cattle and applaud him when he insults his perceived enemies.

Trump calls Mexicans and citizens of other South American countries entering the United States of America through the back door rapists and criminals. He prohibits Muslims from entering America. Why should he do that

Punchline ALI G. MACABALANG

W

hen the Ministry of Public Information (under Francisco “Kit” Tatad) and the National Media Production Center (under Greg Cendana, a favorite of FL Imelda Marcos) were fully merged into Office of Media Affairs (OMA), I headed the agency’s provincial office in Marawi City-Lanao del Sur. My counterpart in Iligan CityLanao del Norte was the late Rizal “Toto” Tupaz.

Because OMA was a cash -strapped agency (not to mention my cold rapport with NMPC-12 Director Manolo “Noli” Cruz-turned OMA regional OIC), I solicited helps from friends to build the field outfit. Main donors of furniture were Provincial Board Mem-

ber Danny Dimaporo and Fraouk “Khalid” Macarambon.

My mini-office building was annexed to the edifice of DXSO station and its door was about two meters away from the door of Mindanao State University’s DAST (ROTC) office under then Col. Acod Mangudato.

Occasionally, I saw some ROTC officers (Rearguard members) tapping loudly their door of the DAST office (as a protocol) before entering.

Among those people were cadet officer Ronaldo “Burloloy” dela Rosa (to be known later as PNP Chief and now Senator Bato).

During my stewardship of the provincial office, I took

Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

President Donald Trump and Madness (1st part) when America is a nation of immigrants?

Immigrants built America.

White men stole America from the native Red Indians.

White men keep them in reservations in the same manner that American invaders isolated Vietnamese in hamlets to stem the tied of Vietnamese nationalists. But America failed and was shamelessly driven away defeated.

If to do all these is not racism, one cannot distinguish what racism is. Trump behaves like a racist, walks like a racist, and talks like a racist –so he must be a racist. His talk and behavior is so reminiscent of the famous quack duck line.

Quack: He is a businessman and the presidency is his business – just like monkey business. He is not a doctor but he believes he is better than doctors. Doctors and other front liners are dying because of their heroic efforts to help Americans survive the corona virus and to contain the pandemic. But Trump in his speeches in his last ditch efforts to get reelected is telling Americans not to believe in doctors because they are out there to make money.

What a chimp? He is probably trying to compete with the more known television comedians in America but doing something worse –

savaging his coach for not having delivered to him the best sound bites and punch lines. What a joke!

He also does not believe in science. His scientists are telling the people of America that to prevent corona virus from spreading all over the States, one must observe these protocols – wear a mask, observe social and physical distancing, wash your hands with soap or sanitize them every time you touch objects like door knobs, and to avoid parties and large gatherings.

So as an anti-science advocate, he does not wear a mask, ignores social distancing and huge gatherings like his huge rallies resulting to more than thirty thousand infections in his four rallies in swing states.

As a result of his tomfoolery, he got the corona virus together with his wife, one of his sons, several attendees in the White House lawn launching of his Supreme Court nominee, not to include some of his security men and campaign staffers. Of course, they all survived because they were attended to by a battalion of doctors and nurses plus the best medicines and treatments available.

What about the ordinary Americans who could not afford the medicines, medications and treatments and the

battalion of doctors and nurses who attend Donald J. Trump, his family and his band of fanatics?

Since the pandemic reached America and thanks but no thanks to presidential stupidity, more than 220,000 thousands Americans died from the corona virus and still rising on a daily basis as well more than 900 million Americans are currently infected with the virus with about a hundred thousand infected on a daily basis.

As early as February 2020, Trump said people in America would be celebrating Easter of 2020 in churches filled with people. It did not happen because the prediction came from a quack scientist – Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America.

Instead as true scientists predicted like Dr. Anthony Fauci, the pandemic swept all the states of America in exponential proportions.

Quack scientist Donald Trump does not even believe in climate change even as many states of America are devastated by abnormal wild fires on hundred of thousands of acres of forests, abnormal typhoons bringing death and destruction in their wakes and abnormal carbon emissions all over the place.

ADAZA | B5

Recollection (Part III): A repost time to study MPA and finished it 1985. I was motivated by desire to aspire for regional director. My lone staff – Rex Dumarpa, who I pirated from the Dansalan College’s communications office, were assigned with a vintage, sixcylindered Nissan Patrol vehicle.

Because the vehicle ate up a gallon of gasoline for every 10 kilometers, I established links with the MSU, PCI/INP and 103rd Infantry Brigade administrations to donate us gas. The gas donations from the police and military evolved from my representations of colonels in our MPA classes.

In the aftermath of the 1986 EDSA Revolt that catapulted Cory Aquino to the Presidency, I returned to Co-

tabato City and aspired for regional director. When the selection board chose OIC Cruz to remain as OIC, I resigned. I had a heavy heart because I realized that career and academic qualifications were not valued in the agency.

Bitter joblessness My resignation made me jobless for almost a year at a time when my family was rearing two infant kids. I fed my family with the proceeds of winnings in bowling games, earning for me at least P80 per game.

The darkest moment of my joblessness happened when bowling places in Cotabato City went on a holiday.

I went home penniless. My wife and I were in tears because we had no rice to cook

and milk for our two kids.

I performed ablution and prayed salatul tasbihi. I implored Allah (s.w.t.) to lead me to a way where I can find some money for our immediate needs.

After the prayer, I told my wife I would go out and seek assistance. Subhanallah! Just as I stepped out of our door step, I saw a car sounding its horn. When I approached the car, I saw then Customs Collector Dimapuno “Pangnal” Datu Ramos inside, and he told me he was looking for me as a recipient of his zakat.

I received the amount (I think it was P300), thanked Datu Ramos profusely and hurriedly returned to my wife.

My wife and I were in tears again, this time in sobs of joy for such a prompt Divine answer to my prayer. (AGM)

The World Today

Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi ’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

Phil Muslims, acting section editor

Iran’s Rouhani congratulates Muslim leaders on Prophet Mohammad’s birthday

By TEHRAN TIMES

T

EHRAN: President Hassan Rouhani has sent separate messages to the leaders of Islamic countries, congratulating them on the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

President Hassan Rouhani has sent separate messages to the leaders of Islamic countries, congratulating them on the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

The president emphasized that the life of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) has always been illuminating the path of mankind in the dark and guiding it to the high spiritual and luminous horizons of humanity, according to the official website of the president.

“Following the path and tradition of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the use of the Qur'an and his heavenly miracles, can be a way for human beings to face all kinds of problems, differences, and misfortunes in the world,”

Rouhani said in his congratulatory messages.

He added, “The Holy Prophet of Islam is a model of morality and mercy for the worlds, and insulting such a noble person is an insult to values, morality, and freedom, and support for the insulters, support for vileness and desecration will mean supporting extremism. The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns such an act, and we expect Islamic countries to condemn such foolish acts.”

President Rouhani also

expressed hope that thanks to this blessed birthday, “we would be able to accelerate the fight against COVID-19 and witness the eradication and treatment of coronavirus worldwide.”

“I am confident that with each other's help, the difficult days that this devastating disease has befallen the world will soon be over and the health and prosperity of life will return to all humanity, especially the people of Islamic countries,” the president noted.

TEHRAN TIMES

Davao Chamber launches virtual agri trade expo DAVAO CITY: The Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCCII) thanks everyone who attended the launch of the first-ever virtual Davao Agri Trade Expo last October 30, 2020. The online expo currently has 41 virtual exhibitors from different cities and provinces across the Philippines, and more exhibitors are expected to join in the coming days since the exhibit will run until June 2021.

"This year’s DATE is really innovative since it creates a one-stop shop for all agribusiness needs and opportunities. It also brings our farmers and suppliers to a much larger market on the internet—something that we will need to push further to help local businesses recover and be resilient given today's realities," says DATE 2020 chair and DCCCII Vice President for Industry Cherrylin

Casuga.

She reiterated that those who wish to exhibit or are seeking buyers can still participate by contacting the chamber secretariat to book an exhibit space.

"We will be holding more online activities for agricultural stakeholders, such as webinars via the DATE website https:// www.davaochamber.com/ date,” Casuga added.

The launch, which was broadcasted live on Zoom and on the DCCCII Facebook page, was attended by over 900 viewers making it one of the more well attended events of the chamber.

Meanwhile, the DCCCII has issued various advisories via its Facebook page reminding business owners and their employees to be mindful of the health protocols to prevent workplace infections (PR)

B1

Austria admits security failings over Vienna gunman

A

ustria acknowledged Wednesday there had been security failings leading up to the deadly gun rampage in Vienna by a convicted Islamic State sympathizer.

Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said intelligence services had received a warning from neighboring Slovakia that the assailant had tried to buy ammunition, but that "a failure of communication" had followed.

The gunman, identified as 20-year-old dual AustrianMacedonian national Kujtim Fejzulai, was killed by police after going on a shooting spree in Vienna on Monday evening that left four people dead.

Police detained 14 people in the wake of the shooting, the first major attack in Austria for decades and the first blamed on a militant.

They were "aged 18 to 28, from minority communities and some aren't Austrian citizens," Nehammer said. Police say "it's possible they supported" the gunman but their exact role remains unclear.

The authorities now say Fejzulai acted alone after initial fears more assailants could be at large.

Fejzulai had been convicted and sentenced to 22 months in prison in April last year for trying to travel to Syria and join the Islamic State (IS) group.

But he was released on probation in December and had been referred to organizations specializing in deradicalization programs.

IS --which has claimed numerous attacks in Europe - said Tuesday a "soldier of the caliphate" was responsible for the shooting.

The gunman opened fire indiscriminately in the historic center of the city just hours before Austria imposed a coronavirus lockdown, when people were out in bars and restaurants enjoying a final night of relative freedom.

Security has been tightened in the city. Flowers and candles were laid out at the scene of the attack, where chalk circles drawn on the ground by investigators to mark out shell casings were still visible.

But life was returning to normal - albeit under the new virus restrictions.

"We were scared by this terrorist act of course, but the city remains safe," said Peter Mensdorff Pouilly, an architect.

"We are not going to be brought down by terrorism." Nehammer told reporters that the BVT domestic intelligence agency had been warned by Slovakia that Fejzulai was attempting to buy ammunition.

"In the next steps there was clearly a failure of communication," Nehammer said.

He accused his far-right predecessor Herbert Kickl of being responsible for failings in the way the BVT operates during his one-and-a-half years in office until May 2019.

Nehammer said he wanted a commission set up to look at the functioning of the intelligence agencies.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has described the decision to release Fejzulai as "definitely wrong".

"If he had not been released then the terror attack would not have been possible," Kurz told public broadcaster ORF on Tuesday.

Austria's top security chief Franz Ruf told local media that at his last session of a publicly-funded de-radicalization program in late October, Fejzulai had condemned the recent militant attacks in France.

Nehammer has said the attacker successfully "fooled" the programs, and that raids at his home revealed plentiful evidence of his radical views.

He referred to a Facebook post in which Fejzulai posed with the Kalashnikov and the machete he used in the attack, together with IS slogans.

"Nobody would have thought him capable of something like this," Nikolaus Rast, the lawyer who represented Fejzulai last year, told AFP on Wednesday.

He also raised questions about possible oversights by the de-radicalization programs Fejzulai had attended.

AUSTRIA | B5

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World

Round-Up

US election: Key state recounts may decide presidency

Vol. I, No. 20 | Oct. 30-Nov. 5, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 13-19, 1442)

Biden wins more votes than any other presidential candidate in US

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NKARA: President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden seem to be in the home stretch of the fiercely fought presidential race, but vote recounts in some key swing states could still determine who captures the crown.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden. (PNA Photo)

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Former Vice President Biden has managed to flip three states Trump won in 2016 – Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona – but the president has vowed to have a recount in Wisconsin, and has filed lawsuits to stop vote counting in both Michigan and Pennsylvania, alleging irregularities and ''fraud.''

With Biden closing in on the 270 electoral votes needed to win, the Trump campaign filed lawsuits Wednesday in the key states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia. The lawsuits raised absentee ballot issues and requested observer access to ballot-counting locations.

In another hasty call on Wednesday, Trump's lawyer, ex-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, told a press conference in Philadelphia that Trump had won both Pennsylvania and the entire presidential election.

Eric Trump, the president’s second son, claimed that Democrats cheated by committing fraud and said the campaign will file a lawsuit to stop vote counting in the state.

As in Florida during the notorious 2000 election, which drew attention and derision worldwide, a recount can be sought in a US state to confirm that no errors were made during the initial vote count and to settle arguments of fraud and other irregularities.

In 2000, a recount had started in Florida, but the US Supreme Court ordered it halted, which handed the victory to Republican candidate George W. Bush over Democratic Vice President Al

Gore.

Different states, different laws Under Wisconsin state regulations, however, a recount cannot be requested until election results are verified on Dec. 1.

Confusingly for some foreign observers, in the US rules for voting are not set in Washington, DC, but at the state and sometimes local levels, requiring an examination of an array of different laws in cases of dispute.

Wisconsin state rules also dictate that a recount can be requested by a candidate if the race is separated by a margin of 1 percent or less.

As of early Thursday, Biden was leading Trump in the Badger State by 0.7 percent less than that margin.

In Michigan, the state conducts an automatic recount if candidates are separated by a margin of 2,000 total votes or less. As of early Thursday, Biden was leading Trump by more than 136,000 votes in the Wolverine State.

In Michigan, to get a recount by request, a campaign must submit a petition over alleged fraud or counting errors within 48 hours.

A recount in Pennsylvania currently looks unlikely since Trump leads Biden by 2.6

percent, and the state only provides an automatic recount if the race is separated by a margin of 0.5 percent or less, or if election officials find irregularities in the results.

However, there are still a large number of mail-in votes to count in the Keystone State, which have the possibility of tipping the race.

In other swing states, the Trump and Biden campaigns have not yet raised the possibility of seeking a recount.

Trump is ahead by 1.4 percent or 77,000 votes in North Carolina, another key state where it is possible for the president to still seek a recount since the margin is within 10,000 votes or 0.5 percent.

In Nevada, Biden is ahead by 0.6 percent, or 7,600 votes, where there is no automatic process but a candidate can seek a recount if he or she pays its estimated cost, but is reimbursed if the recount flips the election's outcome.

Trump leads in Georgia by 0.4 percent or 22,000 votes, and without an automatic recount, a candidate can request one if the race is separated by a margin of 0.5 percent or less.

ANADOLU

EW YORK – Democratic nominee Joe Biden has won more votes than any other presidential candidate in the US history, shattering a record set by former President Barack Obama, according to a media report.

As of Nov. 4, Biden had got over 70.7 million votes, more than anyone who has ever run for president, the National Public Radio (NPR) reported.

This count includes 300,000 more votes than what Obama got in 2008, which was the previous record. Biden surpassed the popular vote record of 69,498,516 set by Obama in 2008.

Biden, in a tight electoral vote fight to the White House against incumbent President Donald Trump, is 2.7 million votes ahead of the Republican leader in the popular vote. His lead is growing as counting picks pace in key battleground states.

NPR said millions of votes are still being tabulated across the country, including in California, which has reported 64 percent of the votes counted.

Trump was also nearing Obama's record with 67.32 million votes as of Wednesday. Given that over 100 million votes were received through early voting and mail-in ballots, NBC News reported that there were at least 23 million votes still to be tallied, giving Biden an opportunity to further increase his vote tally. (PTI)

Trump declares premature victory as vote counts ongoing

US President Donald Trump (Anadolu photo) WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump prematurely declared victory against Democratic nominee Joe Biden early Wednesday morning as results have yet to be called in several pivotal battleground states.

"You just look at all of these states that we’ve won tonight, and then you take a look at the kind of margins that we’ve won them by," Trump told supporters at the White House.

"This is a fraud on the American public. This is an embarrassment to our country. We were getting ready to win this election, frankly, we did win this election."

Several races have yet to be called, including in the key states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Alaska is too early to be called, but it and its 3 electoral votes are likely to go to the president.

Trump is currently trailing Biden 225-213 as the candidates seek to accrue at least 270 Electoral College votes. (ANADOLU)

Lifestyle

Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

Tawi-Tawi Adopts Modern Volleyball System

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JUNAY "The Best of Home-Cooked Halal Tausug-Filipino Dishes"

By JOHNNY R. LEE, Ph.D With MARIA FHEBIE ORTIL

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ONGAO, Tawi-Tawi: The sustainable development and coping-up with the modern games of volleyball in Tawi-Tawi are not without any external and internal factors that mould and shape their dominating presence in Mindanao region.

There is no doubt that Tawi-Tawi volleyball players and their teams are the best in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao (BARMM). There were no sports meets or athletic competitions in the region whereby it’s men’s and boy’s teams were placed only second fiddle to any other volleyball teams in their category.

There is a silent consensus among coaches, trainers and referees during competitions that other teams ‘could only vie for the second place or 1st runner-up’ because Tawi-Tawi is there looming high and hard to beat in the Finals! It has already become a ‘foregone conclusion’ that when Tawi-Tawi players are there to compete, others should just be content with the runner-ups trophies and medals.

The sport of volleyball is not all power, physical strength and ability to leap higher than an average individual player. As stated before, all of the above are already ‘incorporated’ and has become part of the natural ‘instinct’ of every Tawi-Tawi youngsters who chose volleyball as part of their daily routine in the islands up to the time they study and enter collegiate level.

But as modern volleyball progresses, especially in the national level, there ought to be radical adjustments in terms of training, techniques, team cohesion, specialized player’s positioning and the so-called ‘role playing’. Before it was only the setter and spikers who will carry the burden of the game.

Today, there are now six positions on a volleyball court, and each position serves a unique role in the success of the team. Just like other competitive teams, you need to depend on each player to not only do their job but do their job well. Volleyball is extremely fast-paced and requires serious athletic ability. Depending on one's skill-set and which aspect of the game one excels in the most, you can determine

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n the 21st Digital Online Edition of the Philippine Muslim Today with an inclusive days of November 6-12, 2020, still at this time of Pandemic where most of us prefer to Stay At Home, and to lessen our boredom, once again we are presenting herewith "The Best of Home-Cooked Halal Tausug-Filipino Dishes.": JUNAY authored by Tausug Chef Abdulaziz H. Hamsain.

Junay can be classified as another tasty dish and “Food To Go” just like the Pastil of Maguindanao Province it can be eaten when one is in a hurry or traveling along the road or even when one is on-board a vehicle.

Junay and Pastil have a similarity wherein both are made of rice. The former tastes differently from Pastil because of the ingredients like the “pipis itum” and the red hot chili.

In Pastil as a “Food To Go” it is stuffed with grated Chicken serving as a built-in viand. While Junay it is plain and simple there is no such built-in viand.

Thus one will enjoy eating the Junay especially if accompanied by hard boiled eggs.

Just like in the other Tausug food preparations, Junay can be easily prepared with the simple ingredients listed below like the “pipis itum,” which is akin to the “palapa” among the Maranao. Then of course one may include also the red hot chili.

Hence, the simple procedure that can be easily followed requires no further expertise in cooking.

JUNAY Serves 4-5 Ingredients:

Two highly seeded Tawi-Tawi facing-off during 2018 Masts Games in Tangub city.

- 3 cups of rice - 5 tbsp pipis itum - Red hot chili pepper - 1 tsp salt (depending on taste) - Banana leaves - Oil Procedure: 1. Mix the rice, pipis itum, salt, and red hot chili pepper, then add water and 1 tbsp oil.

2. Allow the mixture to be half cooked.

3. Place the mixture in a rectangular-shaped banana leaf as desired.

4. Then steam the Junay for 10-20 minutes. *Best served during any meal of the day.

MARIA FHEBIE ORTIL

The first all-Badjao Tram of Tawi-Tawi participating in an open volleyball tournament in Bongao. which of these six positions one will play.

(To be continued on the

next issue… Who’s Who Behind the Success of Volleyball in Tawi-Tawi.)

Read The Ranao Star ranaostar.net

JUNAY: A Food To Go of the Tausug of Sulu. It is similar to the Pastil of Maguindanao except the latter also considered as Food To Go it has its own grated Chicken or beef stuffed inside. Our JUNAY is merely cooked in a steam and ready to be eaten as a form of snacks or merienda and tastes palatable due to “Pipis Itum” used as spices. (Photo by Chef Abdulaziz H. Hamsain)

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Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

TAGO | from Page A6

ASA Philippines grant 2.6-B humanitarian assistance to Filipinos Development Bank (ADB) amounting to USD10 million, which it will extend as loans to over 25,000 womenentrepreneurs owning small businesses which suffer from the economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, according to a local newspaper.

Trafder said his organization is the first and only MFINGO to receive a nonguaranteed direct soft loan facility from ADB in Southeast Asia, in the Asian lender’s history. attended various events of this organization where I learned many strengths and

successes stories behind its prosperity including humanitarian services and scholarship.

In 2020 this year alone there are 2.1 million beneficiaries with an amount of Php703 million. The free services includes; burial assistance, hospitalization and scholarships.

The report said that since the start of the services there 4.6 million beneficiaries with a total amount of Php 2.6 billion.

Scholarship Privilege for Clients’ Deserving Children Part of foundation’longterm intervention to fight pov-

erty is the Scholarship Privilege for Clients’ Deserving Children. As what the title indicates, the service is designed exclusively for children of clients. The scholarship is a cash grant amounting to PhP7,500 and is offered for tertiary The same local news report said, the ADB granted the Foundation a USD30million credit facility for microentrepreneurs from economically-lagging, environmentally -impacted and conflictaffected provinces in the country.

Both ASA and ADB have agreed that beneficiaries of

the financing facility will be existing clients of the former from the provinces in Leyte; Masbate; Samar; Zamboanga Sibugay; and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which will receive the bulk of the allocation for the loans.

The women-entrepreneur clients must further be engaged in businesses considered essential during the pandemic, including sari-store operation; food production; and the sale of vegetables, fish, grain, and other basic household necessities Though not part of its agreement with the ADB, the

board of ASA has decided to offer part of this credit facility to be interest-free to help their clients recover from business losses brought about by the Covid-19 crisis.

The interest-free finance loans are for a maximum amount of PHP4,000 per borrower, and may be settled in 20 equal payments within a 26-week or six-month period.

Meanwhile, the business finance loans are for a maximum amount of PhP16,000 per borrower.

A single borrower may be able to receive a combination of both interest-free finance and business finance loans.

(AHMT)

MBHTE | from Page A2

MBHTE assumes admin of TESDA programs in BARMM The MOA stipulates that “during the transition period, all TESDA program and project allocated for or to be implemented in the BARMM, whether locallyfunded or foreign-assisted, including scholarships and grants, and assets with the corresponding budgetary support shall be transferred

to the Bangsamoro Government."

On its part, the Bangsamoro Government agrees to formulate regional rules and regulations in the implementation of TESDA programs and policies in accordance with the standards prescribed by TESDA without prejudice to RA 11054

(Bangsamoro Organic Law).

Sec. Lapeña emphasized that TESDA won't totally be out of the picture in the BARMM technical education programs.

"While there will be transfer, TESDA will be there. We will not let go until the implementation of programs [in the BARMM] shall have been

placed in order," he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ebrahim who joined the event virtually signed the MOA from his office at the BARMM Regional Center in Cotabato City. He said he is grateful to Sec. Lapeña and the TESDA management for the agreement.

"We have thousands of

Bangsamoro brothers and sisters who can truly benefit from this partnership," Ebrahim said.

"Inshallah, it's time to diversify the skill set of our dear Bangsamoro brothers and sisters to provide support to the region's growing manpower and hopefully allow them to seek livelihood opportunities in the process." (DED-PIA XII)

ABU | from Page A4

7 Abu Sayyaf Group members killed in Sulu, war materiel recovered too “The boat was cut in half with the only front portion remaining afloat while the rear must have sunk during the ramming by the Navy shipBA493,” said Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. Lt. Gen. Vinluan said that the navy troops searched the remaining half of the boat and

empty shells of m203 ammunition, and one Go Pro camera with a memory card.

Meanwhile, JTF Sulu Commander Maj. Gen. William Gonzales stated that the operation at dawn resulted in the deaths of the seven ASG members onboard the Jungkong including Madsmar

Sawadjaan, the brother of notorious bomber Mundi Sawadjaan and Mannul Sawadjaan, a.k.a. Abu Amara, believed to be the successor of Hajan Sawadjaan as the emir of the group.

“Our air, naval, and ground troops are continuously conducting retrieval

operation in the area,” Maj. Gen. Gonzales said.

Likewise, Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. said, “We will continue to conduct military operations, maximize intelligence monitoring, and exhaust all means to preempt the terroristic activities of the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu”. JIJ

Pacquiao rallies farmers' clamor for review of RTL

oversupply, the tariff could be increased to levels where importing rice would not be profitable.

3. The President should be given the power to increase rice import tariffs even when Congress is in session. The current RTL virtually ties the hands of the President.

4. The apportionment of the RCE Funds should be amended to prioritize the four most important factors to improve productivity - irrigation, fertilization, post-harvest facilities, especially dryers and hybrid or high yielding seeds.

5. The provision which emasculates the National Food Authority and turns it into a simple rice buffer stocking agency should be revisited.

The government must never surrender its regulatory powers over a very important commodity, rice.

The five recommendations “were the issues that I and other key officials of DA, the PCAF and farmer stakeholders raised

during the Senate deliberation on their version of the RT bill but our voices were drowned out,” Piñol said.

“Now that the farmers are crying, we hope they (lawmakers and cabinet people) will heed the proposal of Sen. Pacquiao for a review of the RTL. After all, laws are made for the welfare and wellbeing of the people,” he averred.

It was learned that Senator Cynthia Villar and Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez, among other supporters of the then proposed RTL, had figured in heated arguments with then Agriculture Sec. Piñol.

According to reports reaching the MPT, Sec. Pinol resigned as DA secretary after President Duterte sided with the camp of Villar and Dominguez in the deliberation of RTL. Sen. Pacquiao was among the RTL co-authors. But in his recent statement, he sounded a kind of regret. (AGM)

recovered the following: M4 rifles, M203, one M4A1 rifle, five backpacks with assorted items inside, two M14 long magazines, two M14 short magazines, four bandoliers, two jungle bolo, two sledgehammers, two boat paddle, two empty containers (plastic gallons), one power bank, two

PACQUIAO | from Page A2

Board member Piñol-Solis in her resolution explained that due to the flooding of local markets with imported rice, palay prices dived from P20/21 per kilo to as low as P11.

The RTL, enacted in February this year, removed the cap placed on imported rice entering the Philippines to stabilize purportedly the prices of the staple grain in local markets. It created the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), a P10-billion annual allocation to help farmers cope with the influx of imported rice during the first 6 years of its implementation.

The RCEF was supposed to be spent for: Rice farm machinery and equipment (50%); Mechanization program, rice seed development, propagation, and promotion (30%); Expanded rice credit assistance (10%); and Credit Program and rice extension services (10%).

Sen. Pacquiao has filed on

Oct. 26 a resolution urging the Senate to investigate the implementation of the RTL and its enabling P10-billion fund, saying farmers groups have been suffering from the "dramatic decline" of the price of palay (rice with husk).

He noted in Senate Resolution No. 554 that before the implementation of the law, "the farm gate price of palay was averaged at P21.39 per kilo; but after imported rice started flooding the market, it instantly dropped to P17.88 per kilo."

"When the measure was presented and explained to me, I was assured that our farmers will not be left behind…Pero kung papakinggan mo ang ating mga magsasaka, talagang halos umiiyak na sila dahil sa baba ng presyo ng palay," Pacquiao said in an earlier statement.

Some farmers from Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Sorsogon, Tarlac and Laguna even la-

mented the influx of unlimited rice imports forced them to sell their harvest for P7 to P10 per kilo, the senator said.

On Oct. 31, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Manny Piñol travelled at night to Gen. Santos City to meet Senator Pacquiao and provide him more inputs in support of his resolution.

“As the former Secretary of Agriculture and a farmer myself, I have a deep understanding of the flaws of the RTL and the improvements which could be made to ensure that our rice farmers are not injured,” Sec. Piñol said in a post.

Sec. Pinol enumerated in his Facebook post these five recommendations to Sen. Pacquiao: 1. Rice imports should only be at a volume needed to fill the supply shortfall; 2. An adjustable tariff schedule should be implemented so that when there is an

News

Vol. I, No. 21 | Nov. 6-12, 2020 (Rabi’ul Awwal 20-26, 1442)

B5

JOB OPENING Philippine Muslim Today is need of writers, provincial reporters/correspondents who are at least college level, with good command in oral and written English and with self-confidence to communicate officials and other reliable sources of information.

Please send resume to: muslimtoday2020gmail.com SABAH | from Page A5

The Sabah Claim is Valid SEVEN, the Manila Accord of 1963 is explicit and unrelenting on the clause "without prejudice to Manila continuing its claim" [that time by virtue of Sultan Esmail Kiram I giving authority to the Philippine government on claiming Sabah, so as not to be incorporated to the Federation of Malaya]. The Sultanate of Sulu today can even terminate that authority at once.

EIGHT, it was the nascent Federation of Malaya [a British plan] and using the 'rigged' result of the referendum conducted by the Cobbold Commission that incorporated (without bloodshed, but through bribery, trickery and betrayal) that incorporated Sabah into the federation. Only 0.6 percent of Sabahans were

polled. Kuala Lumpur went on violating the 1963 Manila Accord as it unilaterally proceeded in annexing Sabah, acting not through decisions made that is of “common consent” by the parties.

NINE, political leaders in peninsular Malaysia were so successful in their stratagem and enticement of even the late Tun Mustapha Harun (who was of Tausug-Sama blood) and Tun Fuad Stephens (who was of KadazanDusun ancestry) – both not peninsular Malaysians – for the two to entirely deny or ignore the claim of the Sultanate of Sulu over Sabah and to become ‘puppet’ ministers of Kuala Lumpur in administering the reso urce-rich state on its behalf

and for capitalist interest. Although, years later, the former (who died in 1995) pitiably fell into disfavor and removed from power by Kuala Lumpur, as they found him in the mid 70s working on a plan to let Sabah secede from the federation [and become independent].

They also found the latter (Jules Pavitt Stephens, Sr. in real life), who died in a mysterious plane crash in 1976, as equally sharing (in principle) the fervor with Tun Mustapha in wanting to make Sabah free. They were eventually replaced by pro Kuala Lumpur Malay-Chinese technocrats.

TEN, of what use or to what end is ASEAN solidarity if it continues to trample under its feet the historical, legal

and proprietary right of the Sultanate of Sulu over Sabah? To fill the purses and bellies of peninsular Malaysians, the Malay-Chinese settlers and the likes of Bunn Nagara who until the present are raping Sabah of its nature's bounties, agricultural produce and oil? Or, is it to exonerate the Philippine government for stealing or stripping the Sultanate of Sulu its sovereignty? The Sultanate of Sulu already existed when there was no ASEAN yet – when even most of the countries that now compose it were still settlements. [Sultan JamalulKiram II even refused to join or ally with Aguinaldo’s fight for Philippine independence].

ELEVEN, the eloquence of Nagara's article is equiva-

lent to its fallacy: International law on territorial claims has already become a geopolitical tool for imperialist powers (US, British and European powers as against China, for example), [with such as the ICJ] subject always to their manipulation or dictate, thus, resulting in biased and oppressive rulings. The Sultanate of Sulu owning Sabah is not an interpretation of history. It is a fact of history.

TWELVE, the Sultanate of Sulu now under its legitimate and ruling Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram is not defunct. By God's Grace and Wisdom, it has survived and still exists.

In Shaa Allah, it will endure. It continues to aspire for what is best for it.

please Atty. Atty. Adaza, get me out of here.”

That afternoon, after a well studied crossexamination of two hospital doctors, one of whom was the director of the hospital, the client was released. Before he was released, the Judge sent his interpreter to run after me when I left the courtroom as the Judge wanted to talk to me. In his chamber, the Judge told me, “You know Atty. Adaza, before you cross -examined the doctors I

thought your client is really insane. After your crossexamination, I am convinced that the doctors are the ones insane. I will order the immediate release of your client” Why am I relating this story in relation to President Trump? It is simple because Trump has been saying his diagnosis of the corona virus is correct as against that of the doctors and the scientist and they are idiots and insane. (to be continued)

ADAZA | from Page A8

President Donald Trump and Madness Despite convincing evidence, President Trump does not believe in climate change. Why? It is simple Trumpism – the climate in Trump’s mind hardly changes, if at all.

Psychological problem: The mental frame of President Trump reminds me of a case of my client sometime in the late 60’s. A retired school teacher was confined against his will at the Mandaluyong City Mental Hospital on the initiative of his wife

who found a young better functioning lover.

Our teacher client wanted out of the hospital telling me, “Atty. Adaza, you better get me out of the hospital in a week’s time, otherwise I will really become insane.”

“Why is that?” I asked him.

“You know, yesterday I told an inmate in the hospital that I will have a hearing this afternoon,” he replied.

“And what happened?” I asked him again.

“While the first who one was giving me an advice what to do, a second inmate who was listening said to me, ‘Don’t believe him because he is nothing. Believe me because I am Dr. Jose Rizal.’

Then, another inmate intervene saying, “Don’t believe him he is only Dr. Rizal. Believe me, I am Napoleon Bonaparte.” And finally, the fourth one shouted, “Don’t believe him, he is only Napoleon Bonaparte. Believe me, I am Jesus Christ.” So please,

DISGRUNTLED | from Page A3

Disgruntled Abu Sayyaf Group members surrender to the military in Sulu JTF Sulu Commander Brig. Gen. William Gonzales enjoined the remaining members of the ASG to peacefully surrender to authorities.

“The Western Mindanao

Command is tightening its security that's why the ASG opted to kidnap outside Philippine borders. On the other hand, all military battalions are focused on neutralizing the ASG and their logistics to

include KFR activities. Either members surrender or get killed in the armed engagement. I hope others can also come to their senses and give value to theirs and their families’ life,” he said.

The surrendered personalities are undergoing custodial debriefing at 6SFBn headquarters in Barangay Buhanginan, Patikul, Sulu.

“We welcome the surrender of the ASG members and

acknowledge the support of the local government and the people in our efforts to defeat the terrorists,” Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. said.

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

AUSTRIA | from Page A8

Austria admits security failings over Vienna gunman "Without wanting to put the blame on someone, if they are the experts, why didn't they notice anything?"

Rast said.

"They must have had the most - and the last - contact with him."

The organization running

the programs, DERAD, hit back at the criticism, insisting that it had never described Fejzulai as "de-radicalized".

The investigation is spanning several countries, with Switzerland making two arrests and North Macedonia, where Fejzulai has family

roots, cooperating with Austrian authorities.

Swiss prosecutors said the two young men arrested were already the target of criminal cases for terrorism offenses.

Kurz on Tuesday called for an EU response to

"political Islam", saying the ideology was "dangerous" for European freedoms and values.

A planned visit to Vienna

by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday to discuss the battle against terrorism and "political Islam"

was downgraded to a video conference, Macron's office said late Wednesday.

This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title "Austria admits security failings over Vienna gunman."

(Muslimedia.PH)