Philippine Muslim Today

The Muslim National Digital Newspaper | Bearer of Glad Tidings.

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442) | 12 Pages | Online Issue

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

Ustadz Ahmad Javier dies of cardiac arrest (FULL STORY ON PAGE A6)

A8 MINDANAO

MinDA, DBP bid to reopen Maguindanao banana farms

COTABATO CITY – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is heading efforts to reopen two huge banana plantations in Maguindanao province that used to employ some 4,000 workers, including former Moro rebels, MinDA Chairman Manny Piñol announced this week.

A6 NATIONAL NBP must tighten policies following riot: DOJ

MANILA – The New Bilibid Prison (NBP) must review possible changes in its policies after the recent riot that killed an inmate and injured 64 others.

Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Thursday he does not have the full report yet on the Tuesday violence at the maximum security compound during an “Oplan Galugad”.

A5 ABROAD

A10 FEATURE

NoKor Kim Jong Un gets new second-in-command

Tawi-Tawi in the Era of Pandemic

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has a new second-in-command, according to excerpts of a government document seen by CNN. The position was created in January as part of a revision to the rules of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the communist political organ that rules the secretive country.

The province of Tawi-Tawi and its 11 remote municipalities are not exempted from the onslaught of the novel coronavirus (Covid19) that started last year. However, it is remarkable to note that despite the population of almost half a million, Tawi-Tawi is still considered as the least affected area in the BARMM region with less than 221 total cases, 13 deaths, 29 active cases and 179 recoveries as of May 25-30 2021.

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Opinion Philippine Muslim Today Inc. Co. Reg. No. 2021030008913-02

Netanyahu’s Netanyahus take charge in Israel

DATU YUSOPH B. MAMA Chairman, Board of Directors MASIDING NOOR YAHYA 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 AMANODING ESMAIL Chairman, Special Committee on Administration & Finance

PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Editor-In-Chief and Publisher JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor Bureau Chief for NCR & CALABARZON Regions ALI G. MACABALANG News Editor Bureau Chief for Bangsamoro & Central Mindanao Regions ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL Bureau Chief for Northern Mindanao & CARAGA Regions JOHNNY R. LEE Bureau Chief for Western Mindanao Region FATIMA ORTIL-JANNARAL Advertising Sales Director for NCR NUR-ALI A. MACABALANG Correspondent AMIR HUSSEIN ABBAS Correspondent COLUMNISTS | WRITERS: ATTY. HOMOBONO A. ADAZA IMADODIN BASAR DIMAO ATTY. JUAN PONCE ENRILE JOHNNY R. LEE, Ph.D ATTY. MEHOL K. SADAIN MA. FHEBIE ORTIL DISCLAIMER: Opinion of the writer expressed herein is not necessarily the opinion of Philippine Muslim Today nor of its management.

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Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

I

By MARWAN BISHARA Senior political analyst at Al Jazeera

srael’s prospective “change government” is a coalition of unlikely partners with only one goal in mind – changing the country’s prime minister. But will ousting Benjamin Netanyahu from power lead to positive change in Israel, or for that matter Palestine?

The long journey that led to the formation of this motley coalition, including four national elections and tough protracted negotiations, has demonstrated that in a confident and prosperous Israel, personal ambition trumps politics, and politicking outweighs ideology.

In fact, it was Netanyahu who first revealed unrestrained willingness to pursue any and all paths to further his personal ambitions and interests. It was he, after demonising any cooperation attempt with Palestinian Arab parties as un-Zionist, who pursued a coalition agreement with the United Arab List to preserve his premiership. And it was he who helped organise and legitimise the most openly racist elements in the Israeli society, ensuring they pass the threshold and enter the Knesset.

But Netanyahu “the magician” seems to have lost his magic. He has gone too far, lied too much, and stepped over too many associates to stay on top.

Indeed, nothing explains the formation of this new coalition of political extremes better than animosity – the animosity of political leaders exacting revenge against the man who once and again deceived or outright burned them.

Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman, the prospective prime minister and finance minister, respectively, have both previously served as Netanyahu’s chiefs of staff.

Gideon Sa’ar, the prospective justice minister, was once his cabinet secretary.

Even Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, who are spearheading the coalition effort to oust Netanyahu from office, have both been ministers in his cabinet in the past.

But the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. After years of feeding on his minions like a scorpion, Netanyahu’s offspring are out to devour him in a twisted ritual of political Matriphagy.

Once Netanyahu is neutralised and unable to mount a comeback, the “change government” will, for all practical purposes, lose its raison d’etre.

The coalition partners have merely agreed to disagree on the big issues, and are unlikely to agree to any consequential policy change, let alone a new national agenda, transformative or even transitional.

Expect instead lots of political wrangling on major changes to the welfare state, for example.

Lieberman, the prospective hardcore secular nationalist finance minister, may insist on shifting budgets away from the religious parties’ associated schools and institutions.

Whether Prime Minister Bennett, himself a religious orthodox Jew, will opt to block any such moves or encourage them in order to weaken his competitors among the

other religious parties, remains to be seen.

But Bennett won’t be able to make any sudden or extreme moves on more consequential issues, such as settlement expansion or annexation, without risking a coalition implosion.

With a majority of no more than 61 out of 120 parliament seats, any defection by any displeased eccentric could lead to the undoing of the “change government”.

It is therefore anyone’s guess how this evolves or rather devolves in the coming days and weeks. But if you thought it couldn’t get any worse than Netanyahu, think again.

Bennett, the former leader of a prominent settler group and a fanatic whack who prides himself on killing Arabs, has even fewer scruples than Netanyahu.

Paradoxically, his party failed even to cross the threshold necessary to have any seats in the Knesset in the April 2019 elections.

Now he is destined to become prime minister.

Go figure.

True to form, the political establishment spiders and scorpions will soon be at it again, if or when Likud decides to depose the criminally indicted Netanyahu from the party leadership, especially now that he is officially on trial on serious charges of corruption and fraud and could very well end up in prison.

Such development is sure to open the way for different, more coherent coalition possibilities for the right and far-right parties that make up the majority in the Knesset.

The first thing these parties will do is to throw the “overly pragmatic” United Arab List under the bus.

The United Arab List hopes that its support for the government, which oppresses its own people on the other side of the Green Line, may win it some financial crumbs, but once Netanyahu is gone, the Israeli right is sure to coalesce once again without it.

Despite its preoccupation with personal political vendettas and its media’s preoccupation with the political circus, Israel has in fact been consistently moving further to the right for years.

Today, the hardcore right-wing Likud party maintains some 30 seats in parliament while the presumably “centrist” Labor party, which governed Israel over three decades, is a mere political footnote.

For the past several decades, both establishment parties have given birth to a variety of extremist parties that support illegal settlement expansion and annexation, and fundamentally oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state.

These parties are indispensable for any future coalition government – without them, no major political party can govern.

In short, don’t expect the “change government” to lead to much change in an already dreadful state of affairs. But expect the inevitable changing of the “change government” to produce more of the same, but worse.

Netanyahu may be finished, but short of a miracle, Netanyahu’s Netanyahus are here to stay.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

Opinion

Diliman Way

nfortunately for us in the Philippines, we have had a number of Presidents who are perfect examples of the statement of Kissinger – Corazon Aquino, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Benigno Simeon Aquino III and Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

As Roman Catholic, I often wondered – what have we done to deserve this kind of punishment? As a believer though, I blame myself and others like me – and we number millions – for our current state of affairs. We are a bunch of cowards with moronic orientation to tolerate this state of affairs.

Consultation: I was not a bit surprised to hear President Digong calling for a meeting of former Presidents to discuss with them the issue of the West Philippine (WPS). This is a natural

for President D whenever he is beleaguered by public responses to his irrational position on the issue. Obviously, this is a grope in the dark idea.

What will he learn from these former Presidents except ignorance and more ignorance on the issue?

None of them are lawyers. None of them are students of the Constitution. None of them are students of international law. None of them is an authority on international relations.

All of them though are authority on relations other than international relations. So that will be a conclave of the blind – the blind leading the ranks of blind men and women even if once upon a time they have been Presidents of the Philippines.

Explanation: You

may ask me – why do I say that the meeting is useless and unproductive? Useless because all of them will agree with the irrational and unpatriotic position of President D on the issue considering they are not experts on the subject neither are they interested in the welfare of the people of our country as shown by their behavior when they were Presidents.

Let us examine each one of them starting with PRESIDENT ERAP. This man does not know the Constitution and the governing law. He is a master though on the issue of relations with women but that is not the issue on the WPS. He is also an expert on gambling that is why he was convicted for plunder. All of his expertise is of no use to Duterte, if he wants intelligent guid-

Southern Frontier

After the plenary debates of the Senate Committee on Local Government Reports on the proposed Deferment of the Election of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), there seems to be a consensus among the Senators that the election will be deferred and the current members of the BTA be retained on holdover capacity but it must be without prejudice to the appointing power of the President to appoint new deserving and competent members of the BTA. In other words, the non-performer government nominees must be replaced.

If the intention of the

law to make the BTA deliver on its mandates, while the 41 MILF slots are solely the prerogative of the MILF, consistent with the spirit of the law that stated that the BTA must be MILF-led.

However, in order to have equitable representation and effective performance, I strongly suggest that the MNLF must be given fixed number of at least 12 to 15 seats.

The MILF and MNLF are peace partners.

MILF Chairman Hadji Murad Ahod Ebrahim and MNLF Chairman Muslimin Sema signed a peace covenant for convergence, where they agreed to work as

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DUTERTE, FORMER PRESIDENTS AND THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA

“Anyone who does not know how to be President on his first day of office will never learn till the end of his term.”

-Henry Kissinger, one of USA’s best Secretary of State

U

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

ance.

What about PRESIDENT GLORIA, popularly known as GMA? Her expertise is the manipulation of the electoral process as demonstrated in the Hello Garci Tape; similar to President Erap where in a televised interview beamed from Baguio City when asked about her love life, she said, she had plenty; and her experience in foreign relations could be best remembered with her rumored encounter with Bill Clinton when they were students at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where Bill supposedly taught Gloria how to drink fluid from a bamboo tube.. She has nothing to contribute by way of fixing the problem at the WPS. And PRESIDENT NOYNOY, President Digong’s Siamese twin, what can he contribute to resolving the issue on the WPS? He can contribute nothing since his experience is limited to the following – losing to his nephew, Joshua,

every time he plays computer games with him; charge of treason in his relationship with the MILF; and as great interpreter of silahis – which means his by day and sila by night.

So the only possible motive of President D to hold a meeting with exPresidents is to have all the blind men and woman agree with his irrational and unpatriotic stand on the WPS issue. This is the best example of the usual search by President D for solutions to national problems.

Desperation: President D is pushed into a corner by the people who totally disagree with him on his handling of the WPS problem.

He needs authoritative support so the past Presidents, in a sense, come in handy to legitimize his position. No way can this approach do it as his position is indefensible. The mistakes of other Presidents cannot validate an irrational, erroneous and unpatriotic position.

His current stand can

only be validated by junking the UN Arbitral Tribunal decision or for him to negotiate with corona virus Xi Jinping for the Philippines to become a communist China province with President D as permanent governor and the position to be inherited by his children.

The validation is too grim to contemplate. It does not help the country and the Filipino people. It only helps President D, his fanatics, corona virus Xi Jinping, Communist China and the Communist Party and the Chinese communists as well as the overseas Chinese in our midst who would be jumping with joy in the fulfillment of making legal their long desired dream of treating Filipinos like slaves in their own country as what they are doing now. The only difference is that as of now, the situation is de facto. If we become a province of China, the enslavement will become de jure.

ADAZA | A11

MNLF must be given 15 fixed seats in the BTA for equitable representation

peace partners.

Hence, with the 15 seats to be allotted to the MNLF the seats in all for the government side to include the MNLF will be 39 seats.

Thus the MILF as I have mentioned earlier has 41 slots making them as still the majority in the BTA. While we support the holdover of the BTA Members, however it must be qualified, without prejudice for the President to appoint new deserving and competent government nominees to replace the few ‘nonperformers.’ The law must not only legislate to extend the term of the Transition Authority,

but must also authorizes the President to appoint new members in order to strengthen the performance of the BTA. The job at the Senate is almost done.

They already managed to consolidate the three bills on the BTA into one bill, which the Senate Committee on Local Government had reported in the plenary and was the subject of debate on the floor.

But on the part of the House of Representatives, there are five bills filed by five different authors. The bill that calls for deferment of the election of the BTA was authored by Maguindanao 2nd Dist.

Representative Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu.

Another bill, which is in contrast to the spirit of the Mangudadatu bill is the bill filed by House Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman that calls for a congressional review of the performance and expenditures of the BARMM. As such, the House Committee on Electoral Reforms cannot wrap up its committee reports until they have calendared for discussion in the Committee level the bill filed by House Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman.

For as long as the House cannot consolidate and harmonize all the 5 bills and report to the plenary for debate, the

Senate counterpart measure will have to wait. Congress is now on recess and will resume session on July 25, 2021 for the last SONA of the President.

By October 1-6, 2021 will be the Filing of Candidacy for the synchronized national and local elections.

Congress must be able to pass the deferment of election for the BTA not later than the last week of July to allow the COMELEC to make necessary preparation if assuming the election in the BARMM will be held simultaneously.

The author, ABDULGHANI “Gerry” A. SALAPUDDIN is the Administrator/CEO of Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA).

A4

Opinion

Batanes to Tawi-Tawi

A

lhamdulillah with one more issue to go, the Philippine Muslim Today as I call it PMT-19 will be celebrating its 1st Anniversary after the Editorin-Chief and this Columnist launched it on June 19, 2020 in about the same time when COVID-19 started to create havoc on the normal lives of the Filipino people.

Be that as it may, I came across at a Facebook post of my friend and former school mate from Indanan, Sulu during our elementary days and until college for a few years at the then MSU-SCTO in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

What I am referring to is Mahaduni “Alhabsi” Hassan. In the 70s of which I think 1972-73 he left us in College and did not continue his studies. We, as his school mates were not aware where did he go.

But we were told that he joined the Moro Nation-

al Liberation Front (MNLF) the mother of the Moro unified revolutionary movement under Chairman Nur Misuari.

This was confirmed when we tuned in to a transistor radio from Tawi-Tawi where we can easily get the signal or broadcast from nearby Sabah, Malaysia. Then as we listened to the radio announcer on-board it was our school mate and board mate at the same time Mahaduni or Adung. But this time he was using his nom’d guerra “Alhabsi Hassan“ as the anchorman or announcer of “Suara Malaysia” or Voice of Malaysia that discussed about the MNLF as a revolutionary movement.

Then when a Final Peace Agreement was signed on September 2, 1996 between the MNLF and GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philip-

pines), Alhabsi became one of the Assemblymen in the 1st District of Sulu at the Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) of the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

But now as a civilian but still identified himself with the MNLF, he wrote an article and posted in his Facebook account with the title “Who is to blame?“ Alhabsi said and I quote, “In our desire to provide the public especially our Bangsamoro constituents the true picture behind the decision of the MNLF under Datu Muslimin Sema to participate in the formulation of Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) under the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB) concluded by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Philippine government (GPH) in 2014, we find it imperative to delve

igh hopes for the passage of bills deferring the 2022 election of members of the Bangsamoro Parliament have, I should say, died in the second regular sessions of the 18th Congress.

For its part, the Senate declared past 7p.m.

Thursday its adjournment sine die, adopting beforehand Resolution No. 15 for a threemember team of senators to formally inform Malacañang and the House of Representative about the upper chamber’s session recess. Sine die is a Latin term that means “without day.”

The Senate adjourned session one short of the June 4

much-heralded schedule, setting aside its earlier announced intention to pass on second reading Senate Bill 2214 before the adjournment.

Senate Bill 2213, introduced by Senator Francis Tolentino, seeks to reset the 2022 election of regional parliament members to 2025 in order to extend the lifespan of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) for three more years.

It substituted and harmonized the similar bill earlier authored by Senators Dick Gordon and Koko Pimentel, who both proposed for the same regional polls postponement and BTA interim operational

The MNLF info officer asks, ‘Who is to blame?’ into the historical backgrounds which prompted the MNLF leadership to response to the call to join this peace wagon. This was despite of the fact that the (CAB) was not the product of MNLF revolutionary struggle.”

Alhabsi added, “another argumentative reason was that the MNLF is the mother of all revolutionary organizations in the Bangsamoro homeland. As such, according to some critics no reason to justify why MNLF leadership under Datu Muslimin Sema should have decided to be a part of a peace journey of which the MNLF was not a part of.”

He also pointed out on the argument that the MNLF as a mainstream revolutionary organization in the Bangsamoro homeland was already deviating from its original status and objectives by involving itself in MILF led peace process with the government of

which it should have to reject and avoid to be a part of.

Alhabsi who is now the Information Officer of this MNLF group, also said “indeed the decision of MNLF's leadership under the late Chairman Yusop Jikiri and his successor, Datu Muslimin Sema to participate in the present BARMM's governance was done not out of personal motivation or interest, but it was indeed to follow the call of the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad bin Amin Madani for the MNLF and the MILF to have a single peace road map and find a common understanding since they share the same political clamor and aspiration.

In the communique issued during the 5th Session of the Tripartite Meeting between the GPH, the MNLF, the OIC in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on January 25-26, 2016, it fully recognized the vital

role and participation of MNLF in any transitional authority that will be set up by the new autonomy law.

In the same vein, the then Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Jesus Dureza was appealing to the MNLF leadership to support the peace process between our brothers in the MILF and the Philippine government for the sake of peace in the Bangsamoro homeland, Alhabsi said.

He emphasized that the participation of MNLF in the present BARMM's governance is not for personal gains but to reinforce the peace initiative to possibly succeed.

“Because to our thoughts, peace is the demand of time. Our Bangsamoro constituents badly need peace to rebuild their lives out of long sufferings and sacrifices from our more than five decades of revolutionary struggle.”

JANNARAL | A11

18th Congress adjourns regular sessions sine die

Punchline

H

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

period.

Sen. Tolentino, who has been backed up by legal minds from the BARMM, exerted every possible effort to fulfill the Senate leadership’s earlier plan to pass the bill on second reading before the adjournment.

But the enthusiastic trend was overwhelmed by reports reaching Senators that the counterpart House bill has been “stalled” at committee level.

Senator Ping Lacson, who was the last to engage Sen Tolentino in the interpellation period, prominently mentioned about the absence of a categorical “go signal” from President Duterte for Congress to legislate

the poll-postponing measure with dispatch.

Thousands of people have been mobilized to campaign for a Presidential certification of the bill as an urgent measure, even as a multi-sector group had painstakingly staged a campaign to muster one million signatures to persuade the Chief Executive.

The campaign has even exceeded the one million mark by 200,000 more signatures from supporters, who were of high hope that the President would make the usual urgent push in keeping with a public notion that the creation of BARMM forms part of his administration’s top legacies.

Earlier reports said the House and Senate

leaderships have a standing commitment to pass their bills in their special sessions once the President gives a categorical signal.

The 18th Congress will resume regular sessions tentatively on the third week of July in time for the delivery of the last State of the National Address (SONA) of President Duterte.

PRRD’s final SONA would be more meaningful had he signaled Congress to extend the BTA lifespan, and dramatize more his unfulfilled commitment to “correct historical injustices” in the Bangsamoro community.

Nonetheless, proponents and supporters for longer BTA interim operations are still hopeful that the

18th Congress will pass the regional polldeferring measures before the filing of candidacies on October 1 to 8 this year for the May 2022 synchronized local and national elections.

Meanwhile, Sen. Tolentino maintained that regardless of Congress decision, it will be “impossible” for the BARMM to have its first election of 80 regular Parliament members due to some legal deficiencies.

He cited at least three reasons elections would be impossible next year. One, the BTA parliament has yet to enact an electoral code.

Two, the BARMM’s parliamentary districts have yet to be apportioned yet. And three, the region has yet to create a registry of voters.

AGM

World News

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

Kim Jong Un gets new second-in-command in major changes to North Korea's ruling party

S

eoul, South Korea (CNN) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has a new second-in-command, according to excerpts of a government document seen by CNN. It is unclear who has filled it.

Experts believe it could be vacant or occupied by Jo Yong Won or Kim Tok Hun, two of the most powerful men in North Korea's government. Jo, who is in his 60s and believed to be one of Kim Jong Un's longest-tenured and most-trusted aides, serves as the secretary of the WPK's central committee. He is often photographed alongside the young North Korean leader. Kim Tok Hun is the premier of North Korea's government.

Jo and Kim have, according to North Korean state media, chaired meetings or conducted official visits across the country this year that previously would have likely been handled by Kim Jong Un. Some analysts believe that only members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the upper-most echelon of the WPK, would be eligible for the new role. That means Kim's powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, is probably not the person tapped for the role, according to Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Graduate School of North Korean Studies.

Though Kim has in-

Blind Chinese man climbs Mount Everest

The position was created in January as part of a revision to the rules of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the communist political organ that rules the secretive country.

Zhang Hong Kim Jong Un gets new second-in-command in North Korea. (Contributed photo) fluence "comparable to the second-most powerful person in North Korea," she does not occupy a high rank in the WPK, Lim noted.

However, former Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok said it's possible Kim Yo Jong could fill the role in the event of an emergency.

There is nothing to indicate the position's creation has anything to do with Kim Jong Un's health, which was the subject of intense speculation last year after he disappeared from state media for several weeks.

It's also unlikely whoever occupies the new position, officially the first secretary of the WPK, would take power from Kim Jong Un if he were to die or become

incapacitated.

Some analysts believe it would be difficult for Kim to install a successor outside his immediate family, who have ruled North Korea since its inception. Others believe that, as a man in his 30s, he is simply too young to be thinking about a succession plan.

Kim may simply be delegating some of his official duties to ease his workload. He kept a grueling schedule filled with public appearances until last year, when he reportedly asked Kim Yo Jong to oversee "general state affairs" as part of his burdensharing initiatives.

Cheong Seongchang, the director of the center for North Korean Studies at the

Sejong Institute, said Kim may be comfortable doling out more duties to others because he is confident of his "grip on power."

"It is clearly distinct from the policy-making style of his father, Kim Jong Il, who failed to communicate well with party members and the public because he reviewed numerous documents one by one," Cheong said.

Kim Jong Un once held the title of first secretary, but in January named himself general secretary of the party, a title previously held by his father. Kim Jong Il was designated "eternal general secretary" after his death in 2011.

KIM JONG UN | A11

Xi Jinping wants China to make friends with the world but can’t remove its wolf warrior habits Speaking at a study session for the Communist Party's top leadership on Monday, the Chinese President said it was important for the country to tell its story in a positive way, presenting the image of a "credible, lovable, and respectable China," according to state-run news agency Xinhua.

He added that the Party's propaganda organizations need to make it clear to the world that Beijing wants "nothing but the Chinese people's wellbeing."

Xi's vision makes

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sense. Since taking power in 2012, he has pushed for China to take a bigger role in global affairs, but aside from Russia and Pakistan, China has few strong diplomatic relationships with major world powers.

What Xi didn't say was that his country currently has a big image problem in many parts of the world. A Pew Research report from late 2020 found that of 14 countries surveyed across Europe, North America and East Asia, every one had a majority neg-

ative view of China.

Part of Beijing's image problem comes from the Covid-19 pandemic, and allegations the government covered up the original outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019, potentially worsening the global spread of the virus.

But opinions of China were worsening even before the pandemic -- and part of that is down to the country's embrace of "wolf warrior" diplomacy.

Named after a series of nationalistic Chinese action films, this jingoistic foreign policy

first began to take shape in 2019 when top diplomats began aggressively calling out alleged slights against China in press conferences or on social media.

In July 2019, Zhao Lijian, then a counselor at the Chinese embassy in Pakistan, began to condemn what he saw as the United States' hypocrisy over human rights, pointing out Washington's own problems with racism, income inequality and gun violence.

XI JINPING | A11

The 46-year old Chinese Zhang Hong has scaled the tallest peak in the world from the Nepal side, becoming the first blind man in Asia and the third in the world to climb Mount Everest.

"No matter if you're disabled or normal, whether you have lost your eyesight or you have no legs or hands, it doesn't matter as long as you have a strong mind, you can always complete a thing that other people say you can't," Zhang told Reuters.

Zhang completed the 8,849 metre-high Himalayan feat on May 24 along with three high altitude guides, and returned to the base camp on Thursday, May 27.

Born in southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing, Zhang lost his sight at the age of 21 due to glaucoma.

He was inspired by Erik Weihenmayer, a blind American mountaineer who scaled Everest in 2001, and began training under the guidance of his mountain guide friend Qiang Zi. Nepal reopened Mount Everest in April for foreigners after it was shut last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic "I was still very scared, because I couldn't see where I was walking, and I couldn't find my centre of gravity, so sometimes I would fall," said Zhang.

"But I kept thinking because even though it was hard, I had to face those difficulties, this is one component of climbing, there are difficulties and dangers and this is the meaning of climbing."

REUTERS

Malaysia scrambles fighter jets after 16 Chinese military aircraft fly toward Borneo Kuala Lumpur (CNN) - The Foreign Ministry of Malaysia on Tuesday said it would summon China's envoy to explain an "intrusion" by 16 People's Liberation Army Air Force planes into its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), after Malaysia's military detected "suspicious" activity over the South China Sea. Malaysia's air force said it scrambled jets on Monday to conduct visual confirmation after the planes flew within 60 nautical miles off Sarawak state of Malaysian Borneo.

It described the incident as a "serious threat to national sovereignty and flight safety."

The Chinese planes did not contact regional air traffic control despite being instructed several times, the air force said.

Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Malaysia will issue a note of diplomatic protest and ask China's ambassador to Malaysia to explain the "breach of the Malaysian airspace and sovereignty."

MALAYSIA | A11

A6 NBP must tighten policies following riot: DOJ MANILA – The New Bilibid Prison (NBP) must review possible changes in its policies after the recent riot that killed an inmate and injured 64 others.

Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Thursday he does not have the full report yet on the Tuesday violence at the maximum security compound during an “Oplan Galugad”.

The riot allegedly started when two inmates engaged in a scuffle.

"We’ll act after we have read the full report," Guevarra told newsmen.

One of the measures is the removal of tattoos of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) so that their affiliations or gangs will not be identified.

"We already directed the BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) months ago to take the appropriate measures to prevent these violent incidents. One of the things that the bureau did was to order the PDLs to remove body tattoos showing their gang affiliation," Guevarra said.

He said Oplan Galugad will continue as prison officials must make sure prohibited items, particularly weapons and illegal drugs, are confiscated.

“But it seems that the proliferation of improvised weapons has not abated," he added.

In October last year, a riot claimed the lives of nine PDLs, followed by another one in November where four died.

Benjamin Pulta/PNA

QC gives volunteer medical workers daily allowance MANILA – The Quezon City government has issued an ordinance that will grant daily allowance to volunteer health workers in various coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccination sites.

The city shall pay food, travel, and subsistence daily allowance to the city’s volunteer medical staff serving at Covid-19 vaccination sites, Ordinance 3204 signed by Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday said.

The amount is a maximum PHP2,500 per day, but will be lower depending on the professional qualifications of the volunteer.

In a statement, Belmonte said they must properly compensate medical professionals who augment the limited medical workforce of the city.

The city is targeting to inoculate at least 1.6 million of its estimated 2.9 million residents.

“Malaking tulong na ang serbisyong binibigay nila sa ating lungsod lalo na’t kulang tayo sa mga medical staff gaya ng mga duktor at nars na kwalipikadong magbakuna (The services they are giving to the city is a big help especially since we are lacking medical staff that include doctors and nurses who are qualified to vaccinate),” Belmonte said.

She added that with the daily allowance, the volunteers will have money for transportation and food.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the city government called for volunteers to facilitate a more efficient and faster vaccination process.

Volunteers sought are nurses who will serve as inoculators, doctors, and post-graduate interns to serve as screeners.

Since June 1, anyone who signed up as a volunteer will be remunerated per day based on the following categories: PHP2,500 for medical doctors, PHP1,400 for dentists and nurses, PHP1,300 for post-graduate interns, PHP1,000 for other allied medical professionals, and PHP800 for midwives.

The budget may be sourced from any appropriate and available funds of the city.

Marita Moaje PNA

Across the nation

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

Islamic vlogger Ustadz Javier dies of cardiac arrest after his daily bike routine

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

A

n Ustadz or Islamic preacher who propagate Islamic religion through the platform of his blog died on Sunday morning after he succumbed to cardiac arrest after conducting his daily bike routine in Quezon City.

Ustadz Ahmad Javier, 42, married, and a Ustadz Javier whose real name is Ceazar Quilalan Javier, Jr. embraced Islam when he was 14 years old yet and made further learning on Islamic studies until he became well versed with the Qur’an and became an Ustadz.

He left behind his wife Juhainah Donasales Javier from Caloocan City but they hail from Siniloan, Laguna Province.

Then he used the social media in his Da’wah (Islamic propagation) better known as “Digital Da’wah” using the YouTube. Thus he gained thousands of followers of Islam especially non-Muslims who were convinced of his explanations about the teachings of Islam.

Notable among the Balik Islam or revert who embraced Islam and were convinced by Ustadz Javier are the Rizalitas of Antipolo City who are now Muslims.

Before they embraced Islam they believed in Jose P. Rizal as their God. He was brought to Rosario Maclang Bautista General Hospital along IBP Road in Batasan Hills, Quezon City

popular blogger on YouTube whose blog can be viewed at Facebook that propagated the Islamic teachings have acquired so many followers both Muslims and non-Muslims due to his comprehensive explanations about Islam.

FINAL PRAYER: Muslim Filipinos gathered in the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila for the Ṣalāt al-Janāzah of Ustadz Ahmad Javier. It is the Islamic funeral prayer and a part of the Islamic funeral ritual done for the deceased by the congregation to seek pardon from Allah for the dead Muslims. Present was National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Commissioner Yusoph Mando (sitting in blue coat) who represented the Commission. (Contributed Photos)

for the emergency medication. However, just the same he succumbed to the cardiac arrest where his attending physician Dr. Orloz Ignacio pronounced him

dead as of 9:00 a.m. on Sunday.

National Commission on Muslim Filipin (NCMF) Commissioner Yusoph Mando and a friend of Ustadz Javier

has mourned the untimely demise of the Islamic preacher saying that he was a great loss to the Muslim Ummah (community).

Commissioner Mando said the contribution to the Muslim community of Ustadz Javier will never be forgotten specially his Da’wah works both here and abroad.

“You dedicated your life in promoting and presenting the real message and teachings of Islam,” the NCMF commissioner said.

Meanwhile, several hundreds of Muslim Filipinos gathered in the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila to attend the Ṣalāt alJanāzah of Ustadz Ahmad Javier. It is the Islamic funeral prayer and a part of the Islamic funeral ritual done for the deceased by Muslims in congregation to seek forgiveness for him from Allah.

Finally he was laid to rest on Sunday afternoon at his final resting place in Norzagaray, Bulacan where he was buried at the Islamic cemetery put up by actor Robin Abdul Aziz Padilla at Himlayan ng Kapayapaan. JIJ

'Dante' decelerates, to bring scattered rains over parts of Luzon

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ANILA – Tropical Storm (TS) Dante slightly decelerated and will continue to bring rains over parts of Luzon, the weather bureau said Thursday afternoon.

"Dante" now moves northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour. It was last seen 255 km. west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. The TS has maintained its strength, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 90

By MA. CRISTINA ARAYATA kph.

Scattered rain showers and thunderstorms are forecast over Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, and northern Palawan.

Flash floods or landslides due to scattered light to moderate and at times heavy rains are still possible, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.

Gale warning remains in effect over the northern and western seaboards of northern Luzon. Sea travel is risky for small seacraft over these waters.

PAGASA said moderate to rough seas will prevail over the western seaboard of northern

Luzon and mariners of small seacraft are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to the sea.

Meanwhile, weather forecaster Ariel Rojas said the low pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) was last seen 820 km. east of Virac, Catanduanes.

"It (LPA) has a slim chance of developing into a tropical cyclone, and may possibly dissipate in the next 24 to 48 hours," he said.

PNA

Across Mindanao

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

Marines receive medals, P2-M for rescuing kidnapped Indons, neutralizing ASG leader in Tawi-Tawi

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22-year-old ASG member surrenders firearms, explosive in Basilan

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

C

AMP NAVARRO, Calarian, Zamboanga City: Medals and P2 million monetary reward were given to the military officers responsible for the rescue of Indo-

nesian kidnap victims, and the neutralization of notorious Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) Sub-leader in Tawi-Tawi.

DISTINGUISHED NAVY CROSS AWARD: AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana (left) pins the Distinguished Navy Cross Medal on Col. Nestor Narag, Jr., deputy commander of Joint Task Tawi-Tawi for his successful rescue of 4 Indonesian kidnap victims in Kalupag Island, Languyan, Tawi-Tawi from ASG captivity. The awarding ceremony was held at the 2nd Marine Brigade Headquarters in Barangay Sanga-Sanga, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. (Contributed Photo) President Rodrigo Duterte as Commander in Chief was represented by Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Cirilito Sobejana in conferring the medals and monetary reward on Philippine Marines troops who are behind the success of the rescue operations of Indonesian kidnap victims and offensives against their abductors in Tawi-Tawi earlier this year.

According to Col. Alaric delos Santos, Gen. Sobejana awarded the Distinguished Navy Cross to Col. Nestor Narag, Jr. for the latter’s extraordinary achievement as the Deputy Commander of Joint Task TawiTawi during the successful rescue of 4 Indonesian kidnap victims in Kalupag Island, Languyan, Tawi-Tawi on March 21, 2021.

Delos Santos said Col. Narag orchestrated a comprehensive Fleet-Marine operation and provided command and control to the operating sailors and marines who engaged the enemies which resulted in the neutralization or killing of ASG leader Majan Sahidjuan, a.k.a.

Apo Mike, and two of his followers.

Meanwhile, Silver Cross Medal was also awarded to the Special Intelligence Team un-

der the 2nd Marine Brigade who provided timely intelligence information that led to the successful conduct of focused military and combat clearing operations in Kalupag Island, Languyan and Tandungan Island, Tandubas, all of Tawi-Tawi.

In his message.

Gen. Sobejana congratulated the awardees and lauded the hard work and dedication of the marine troops in accomplishing their mission.

“We have to make ourselves happy all the time so that we become more productive. I always translate happiness into productivity regardless of where we are,” said Gen. Sobejana.

“To the commanders, let us always strike a good balance on mission accomplishment and the morale and welfare of our soldiers,” Gen. Sobejana added.

During the activity, Gen. Sobejana handed over President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s monetary reward amounting to Two Million Pesos (P2 million) intended for the units in-

volved in the successful neutralization of Apo Mike.

The awarding and handing over of monetary reward were held at the Covered Court inside the 2nd Marine Brigade headquarters in Barangay SangaSanga, Bongao, TawiTawi on Sunday.

Said activity was graced by WestMinCom Commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., Naval Forces Western Mindanao Commander Rear Ad-

miral Toribio Adaci, Jr., Joint Task Force TawiTawi Commander Brig.

Gen. Arturo Rojas, and other military officers.

After the activity, Gen. Sobejana together with Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr., and other military officers paid a courtesy call on TawiTawi Gov. Yshmael “Mang” Sali purposely to discuss the projects and programs of the national government and AFP for the province.

JIJ

TOO YOUNG TO BE A REBEL: The 22-year-old Ajid, a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Basilan surrenders to the military forces. He also turned over as shown in this photo his M-203 grenade launcher, Cal. 45 pistol, and a fragmentation grenade.

(Contributed Photo)

L

AMITAN CITY, Basilan — A 22-year-old Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) member in Basilan turned over his firearms and explosives to the military during his surrender last Sunday.

“The 22-year old identified only as Ajid and a resident of Lamitan City submitted himself to the military troops,” said Western Mindanao Comand (WestMinCom) Chief Lt. Gen, Corleto Vinluan, Jr. The said personality was subsequently presented to 4th Special Forces Battalion Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Alex Ampati at the unit’s headquarters in Barangay Kabbon Bata, Isabela City, Basilan.

According to Lt. Col. Ampati, Ajid turned over one cal. 45mm with four rounds of ammunition, one cal. 40mm M203 Grenade Launcher, and one fragmentation hand grenade.

Ajid and his surrendered items are currently under the custody of 4SFBn for proper disposition.

“Our sustained campaign against terrorism prompted the Abu Sayyaf Group member to surrender,” said Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, commander Joint Task Force Basilan.

Brig. Gen. Gobway expressed his commitment to the attainment of lasting peace in Basilan.

Since January 2021, a total of 19 ASG personalities were killed in Basilan and nine firearms were gained by the military.

“JTF Basilan continues to achieve substantial gains in our bid to end terrorism and win peace and development here in Mindanao,” said Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. “My congratulations to all the members of JTF Basilan for the continued vigor and dedication,” the commander added.

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

THE RANAO STAR ACCEPTS PUBLICATION OF COURT ORDERS, LEGAL NOTICES, OBITUARIES AND OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS.

CONTACT ROXETTE YAHYA AT 063 2290965 | 09481514695

A8

Across Mindanao

MOH assigns 8 ambulances to Maguindanao

By ALI G. MACABALANG

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

MinDA, DBP bid to reopen Maguindanao banana farms

By ALI G. MACABALANG

C

OTABATO CITY – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is heading efforts to reopen two huge banana plantations in Maguindanao province that used to employ

some 4,000 workers, including former Moro rebels, MinDA Chairman Manny Piñol announced this week.

Above is a supplied photo of some of the eight brand new ambulance vehicles turned over by the Bangsamoro Health Ministry to rural health units in Maguindanao on June 2.

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government through its Ministry of Health (MoH) has assigned eight new ambulance vehicles to Maguindanao, a component province with incidence of flood and armed atrocities spawning sporadic human displacements.

Local officials form the recipient rural health units (RHUs) symbolically received the ambulance cars from Dr. Bashary Latiph, newly installed MoH minister, in a ceremony here on June 2, according to the Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO).

Dr. Latiph has urged the recipient RHUs officials and their elected community leaders to use the ambulance vehicles exclusively for health and medical-related emergencies, citing persistent public complaints against unabated use of government-supplied for whimsical purposes.

“The ambulance service will be the first point of care for the patients from home, from RHU, from accident sites sometimes, to the referral hospitals.

They are tasked to provide first aid,” Dr. Latiph was quoted as saying.

All the ambulance unit have been equipped with vital emergency medical gadgets including oxygen cylinders, heavy duty stethoscopes, folding stretchers, scoop stretchers, automatic external defibrillators, nebulizers, portable suction machines, examining lights, and aneroid sphygmomanometers, among others, the BIO said.

The eight recipient-RHUs included those of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Buluan, South Upi, Datu Paglas, Shariff Aguak Rajah Buayan, Talayan, and Buldon, it was learned.

The number brought to 20 ambulance units already turned over to the region’s four other provinces — eight units for Lanao del Sur, three units for Basilan, six for Sulu, and three units for TawiTawi, the MoH and BIO said.

The ambulance units were procured under the Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP) 2019, and the MoH has already distributed a total of 27 ambulances and one sea ambulance across the region, both agencies said.

The MOH has reportedly turned over on May 18 several ambulances, medical equipment, and financial assistance to various recipients under the Bangsamoro Transition Authority’s (BTA) Transition Development Impact Fund (TDIF) project cohesively prioritized by interim Parliament members.

The MoH-procured ambulance units are distinct from similar emergency vehicles acquired recently by the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) for assignment to selected areas in BARMM, including the 63 barangays in North Cotabato now forming part of the regional autonomy.

AGM

Above are supplied photos showing a former Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatant planting banana seedling in 2015 at one of two plantations that closed down two years ago due to oddities, and of DBP President Emmanuel Herbosa and MinDA Chairman Manny Pinol holding a meeting on Wednesday.

Sec. Piñol’s announcement came with a reported warning from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) about a potential adversity in the continued displacement of workers from the closure of Al Sahar and La Fruttera plantations in Talayan and Datu Paglas, respectively.

The banana plantations, owned by FilipinoAmerican John Perrine, ceased operations two years ago following economic difficulties and lack of operational

funds, both critical factors spawned reportedly by intermittent intrusion of ISIS-inspired armed groups, it was learned.

During his visit to Maguindanao’s 6th Infantry Division Headquarters on May 11, following a brief siege of Datu Paglas town market building by Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) combatants on May 8, President Rody Duterte directed MinDA to work on the reopening of the plantations, Piñol recalled.

The President also tasked MinDA to coordi-

nate with other agencies, including the social welfare agencies in Region XII and the Bangsamoro region, to ensure that the displaced farm workers are given “food assistance until they are back to work.”

MinDA, Piñol said, has identified a new investor willing to take over the two plantations from the Perrine Group and reopen the farms.

On Wednesday, Pinol added, he met with Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) President Emmanuel Herbosa to thresh out the details of the finan-

cial loan package which the bank would grant to revive the banana farms with a total area of over 1,500 hectares.

MinDA would organize the next day a virtual conference between DBP officials, the new investors group and other stakeholders to finally resolve the minor issues.

When this is done, MinDA will make a final report and recommendations to the President within the month of June, Pinol said in a Facebook post without elaboration.

AGM

BARMM hires 148 field midwives, 7 doctors for Lanao Sur COTABATO CITY – The Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has hired 148 midwives and seven (7) physicians to serve communities in Lanao del Sur including this city that have no midwives and doctors.

Dr. Bashary Latiph, BARMM’s newly installed health minister, administered the oathtaking rites for the new recruits on May 21 in Marawi City, with Lanao del Sur Integrated Provincial Health Officer Alinader Minalang and City Health Officer Ali Dalidig in attendance, the BARMM’s Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO) said.

The event was also attended by Lanao del Sur’s interim Parliaments member-

By ALI G. MACABALANG

Some of the newly employed 48 midwives and seven doctors, left, taking oath on May 21 in Marawi City before BARMM’s new Health Minister Dr. Bashary Latiph, right. (Photos supplied.) representatives Marjanie Macasalong and Mohammad Bato alongside BARMM Deputy Chief Minister Ali Solaiman, the BIO said.

The 148 midwives were hired under the Midwife in Every Community in BARMM (MECBA) project, while the doctors were employed under the Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program. The

government has established both programs to ensure presence of basic health services in villages or communities without midwives and doctors.

“I’m very confident and have the highest faith that you will deliver your responsibilities as midwives and doctors with minimal supervision,” Minister Latiph was quoted as telling

the new recruits after their oath-taking.

“Napakahirap ng pinagdadaanan nating mga doctors, nurses, midwives, and other alike medical professions. Kayo ang isa mga sa inaasahan namin to address the health problems at this time of pandemic,” Latiph added.

BARMM | A11

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

2 warring clans in Sulu town settle dispute

A9

Bangsamoro Cultural heritage commissioners installed

By NOROLAIN M. GUNDUL

By TEOFILO GARCIA, JR.

Z

AMBOANGA CITY – Government and military officials are optimistic that progress and development will now take place as they successfully settled a The feud involving the family of Latip and Muallam w as a mica b ly s e ttled Wednesday through the efforts of the Army’s 2nd Special Forces Battalion (2SFBn), police, and municipal government of Talipao.

Lt. Col. Jooney Jay Busiños, 2SFBn commander, said Thursday that the dispute between the Latip and Muallam families was triggered by “an unfortunate event” in Barangay Upper Binuang, Talipao on March 27.

Busiños, in a statement, said the incident led to a gun battle that resulted in the death of three persons, including the barangay chairperson of Upper Binuang and his brother.

The feud, he said, halted the construction of a road network connecting Upper and Lower Binuang.

Initial talks were made to contain the conflict on May 24 at Barangay Upper Binuang, Talipao with elements of the 2SFBn and Sulu Provincial Police Office, and Talipao municipal government.

“As the father of this municipality, we will, by any means, resolve conflict in the most peaceful way in accordance with the teachings of Islam. Violence has no place in Islam,” the 2SFBn quoted

family feud in a remote barangay in the town of Talipao, Sulu.

The newly installed commissioners of the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (BCPCH) unveiled the new seal on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. (BIO)

M

CLAN FEUD SETTLED. Hadji Yusop Latip, patriach of the two Latip brothers who died in the armed confrontation on March 27, signs the amicable settlement to prevent conflict in their community on June 2, 2021. The military, police, and municipal government of Talipao, Sulu successfully settled the dispute of two warring clans of Latip and Muallam. (Photo courtesy of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion) Talipao Mayor Nivocadnezar Tulawie to have said when they settled the dispute Wednesday at the town hall.

“With the successful settlement, the road network project will resume, taking the municipality a step further in development,” Busiños said, adding that settlement as a welcome development.

He added: “As we move

towards progress and development, let us not use force and violence to spoil our hardearned peace. Let us allow harmony and understanding to reign.”

Brig. Gen. Antonio Bautista Jr., 1101st Infantry Brigade commander, said the peaceful resolution of the conflict is a “step in the right direction.”

“Walang ibang naghahan-

gad ng kapayapaan kundi ang ating kasundaluhan at kapulisan. Walang magandang maidudulot sa atin ang karahasan, lalo na't nasa isang pamayanan lang tayo. Lahat tayo dito ay Pilipino - lahat tayo magkakapatid (Our soldiers’ and police’s only hope is peace. Violence brings nothing good. We are all brothers and sisters as Filpinos),” Bautista said. PNA

ARAWI CITY — The Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (BCPCH) has installed commissioners for the provinces of the Bangsamoro autonomous region, according to the region’s information arm.

The Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO) reported in the official website of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Thursday that BCPCH officially presented on Wednesday, May 26, its newly installed commissioners for the BARMM provinces.

The newly installed commissioners are BCPCH Chairperson Dr. Salem Y. Lingasa for Maguindanao, Robert Maulana Alonto for Lanao del Sur, Ardan D. Sali for Sulu, Elmasia L. Madjilon for Tawi-Tawi, and Guiamal B. Abdulrahman, representing Indigenous Peoples (as ex-officio), said the BIO. Representative for settler communities and the commissioner for the province of Basilan are yet to be identified, the BIO added.

Also, on May 25 to 26, the BCPCH conducted its first en banc meeting to review its mandates, powers, and functions as newly created commission.

“We found out that this mandate is quite huge […] the primary mandate is to write the Bangsamoro history, its preservation and promotion of culture,” BIO quoted Chairperson Salem as saying.

With the enormous task the Commission will be undertaking, the BCPCH will be partnering with other agencies, particularly with the Development Academy of Bangsamoro (DAB) to conduct series of trainings.

During the two-day meeting, presentation of budget proposal for this year and the new seal were also presented.

BIO said the commissioners shall take their oath before the month of May ends. NMG

Sara seeks nat’l IATF to place Davao City under MECQ DAVAO CITY – Mayor Sara Z. Duterte has requested the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on Wednesday to place this city under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) status from June 5 to 30, 2021 due to the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the city.

In a statement, the City Information Office (CIO) said the letter was addressed to Undersecretary Epimaco V. Densing III of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and chairman of the IATF-EID Screening and Validation Committee.

“As of May 31, 2021, we have a total of 1,665 active cases currently admitted at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) and our Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities and Isolation Facilities (TTMFs),” Duterte said in the letter.

Data from the Department of Health (DOH) 11 (Davao region) for the month of May showed the surge was evident due to the clustering of cases where people usually convened like workplace and gatherings.

For the first week of May, there are 783 cases in the Davao region, 754 (second week), 961 (third week) and, 1,772 (fourth week).

The city government, through its official social media platforms, also announced on Wednesday the city’s request to declare an MECQ in Davao City to allow a circuit breaker in the surge of patients inside hospitals.

It said all those affected by MECQ zero operational capacity under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Memorandum Circular 21-19 can coordinate with the “Trabaho Dabawenyo” employment assistance at the City Mayors Office Special Project Office located in Magsaysay Park.

MECQ guidelines While waiting for the approval of the request, the city government urged Dabawenyos to review the IATF

Omnibus Guidelines dated May 20, 2021 Section 3 or guidelines for areas placed under MECQ. Based on the guidelines, minimum public health standards shall be complied with at all times for the duration of the MECQ and the movement of all persons shall be limited to accessing goods and services from permitted establishments, for work in establishments, or other activities allowed in this section (as amended

by Paragraph C of IATF Resolution 110, April 15, 2021).

Any person below 18 years old, those who are more than 65 years old, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except for obtaining essential goods and services, or for work in industries and offices.

All establishments, persons, or activities not permitted to operate, work, or be undertaken during ECQ shall be allowed to operate at 50 percent on-site capacity while encouraging work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements, where applicable.

Among the establishments, persons, or activities that are not permitted to operate, work, or be undertaken during MECQ are entertainment and recreational venues, amusement parks or theme parks, outdoor sports courts or venues for contact sports, indoor sports courts or venues, fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centers or facilities, and swimming pools, casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments except for the draws conducted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Also not permitted to operate are indoor visitor or tourist attractions, libraries, archives, museums, galleries, and cultural shows and exhibits, outdoor tourist attractions, venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions, and personal care services.

Indoor dine-in services of food preparation establish-

ments, such as commissaries, restaurants, and eateries while agencies and instrumentalities of the government shall be fully operational, with a skeleton workforce onsite.

Gatherings outside of residences shall be prohibited and gatherings at residences with any person outside of one’s immediate household shall likewise be prohibited.

However, gatherings that are essential for the provision of health services, government services, or humanitarian activities authorized by the appropriate government agency or instrumentality shall be allowed. Religious gatherings shall be allowed up to 10 percent of the venue capacity. Provided, that, there is no objection from the local government unit where the religious gathering may take place.

Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, funerals for those who died of causes other than Covid-19 shall be allowed, provided that the same shall be limited to immediate family members, upon satisfactory proof of their relationship with the deceased and with full compliance with the prescribed minimum public health standards for the duration of the activity.

The movement of cargo/delivery vehicles, as well as vehicles used by public utility companies, shall be unhampered.

Individual outdoor exercises, such as outdoor walks, jogging, running or biking, are allowed within the general area of their residence, e.g. within the barangay, purok, subdivision, and/or village. Provided, that the minimum public health standards and precautions, such as the wearing of face masks, and the maintenance of social distancing protocols are observed.

The city government assured that all public transportation shall be permitted to operate during MECQ. (PNA)

A10

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

BAWLU (Tausug egg cake)

Tawi-Tawi in the Era of Pandemic

By JOHNNY R. LEE, Ph.D.

BANGSAMORO HALAL DISH With Maria Fhebie Ortil

W

HAT IS REALLY BAWLU? Bawlu is a traditional Tausug egg cake.

They are dainty, sweet, eggy and must-have for festive seasons. Easy and fail-proof Bawlu recipe for home bakers.

A favorite among many Bangsamoro people of all tribes and ages, Bawlu is usually baked during the festive seasons of Hari Raya or during weddings.

These sweet and eggy cakes go well with coffee. They are always a crowd-pleaser during the festive seasons.

A few bawlu and a cup of coffee is a surefire way to greet your guests during festivities.

BAWLU RECIPE Bawlu comes in different shapes, but the popular ones are flower shaped. They are made using a traditional mold.

The mold comes in different sizes: big and small.

The small flower mold are delicious and beautiful.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS RECIPE? If you wish to try making Bawlu at home, I recommend the following recipes.

As I have said Bawlu is a traditional Bangsamoro egg cake especially for the Tausug in Sulu. They are dainty, sweet, eggy and must-have for festive seasons.

PREP TIME:10 minutes; COOK TIME:15 minutes; TOTAL: 25 MINUTES INGREDIENTS 3 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 3 tablespoons cooking oil or unsalted butter (melted) INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven at 375°F (190°C). Grease the Bawlu mold with some oil. Preheat the mold in the oven. Remove from the oven, keep warm before using.

Beat the eggs with an electric hand-mixer until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the sugar is well dissolved and the mixture becomes sticky.

Add in the vanilla extract and fold in the flour gradually. Add the cooking oil or butter. Continue to beat the batter with the hand-mixer until well-blended.

Fill the mold with the batter, about 90% full. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove the cake from the mold and cool on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

NOTES; Traditional Bawlu recipe doesn’t call for cooking oil or butter, but I find them too dry. Adding the cooking oil or butter makes them come off the mold easily.

BAWLU, a traditional egg cake usually a mainstay in most celebrations in the Province of Sulu.

MFO

T

he province of Tawi-Tawi and its 11 remote municipalities are not exempted from the onslaught of the novel coronavirus (Covid19) that started last year.

However, it is remarkable to note that despite the population of almost half a million, Tawi-Tawi is still considered as the least affected area in the BARMM region with less than 221 total cases, 13 deaths, 29 active cases and 179 recoveries as of May 25-30 2021. The Municipality of Bongao, the center and capital of the Province of Tawi-Tawi, registered the highest number of cases with 173, Panglima Sugala at 13, Sitangkai 9, Turtle Island 6, Sibutu 6, Sapa-Sapa 5, Mapun 4, Simunul 2 and the remaining 3 municipalities with 1 case each. This is less than 0.05% of total cases as against the total population.

This low number of cases could be attributed to the resiliency and tough outdoor lifestyle of the people especially in the island municipalities. It has been wellpublished in scientific studies that exposure to sunlight, sand and sea are some of the best natural prevention against the virulent Covid19 that has brought millions of deaths around the world.

Late last year, a friend from one of the island municipalities confided to me that he could have been infected by Covid19 because of common symptoms like fever, loss of smell and taste. Working in a local government office, he confessed his unusual ‘illness’ to one of his office mates and it turned out that the latter is also experiencing the same condition. Further-

more, other officemates whom they have narrated their experiences opened up and admitted that they felt the same illness. Not to alarm the public, they agreed to just keep it among themselves and instead made a plan to go on regular visits to the beach for sun exposure and a dip in seawater. In a couple of weeks doing the routine, they were able to recover and regain their normal selves.

Perhaps these are the reasons why the spread of Covid19 is not as widespread com-

pared to other areas in the region. The death of Dr. Filemon Romero, a noted environmentalist and marine scientist could have been prevented had he stayed in Bongao, according to a prominent physician in Bongao. Although he was diagnosed as Covid19 positive, what aggravated his condition was the lack of oxygen supply, the prolonged time of sea transport (more than 24 hours) and the poor ventilation aboard the ship, the doctor added.

JRL

News

Vol. I, No. 51 | June 4-10, 2021 (Shawwal 23-29, 1442)

A11

ADAZA | from Page A3

DUTERTE, FORMER PRESIDENTS AND THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA The remedy: President D is in the habit of talking about destiny.

Immediately after his election, he credited destiny as the magic wand that propelled him to the presidency. It could be right to do that at the point in time. Thereafter, destiny has nothing to do with his performance. Everything is up to him. He

cannot fault destiny for his failures. He has only himself to blame.

His position on the WPS issue is not only treasonous – it is treason. It is also impeachable. While he has still time, he should reverse gear. He should not be afraid of corona virus Xi Jinping. He should be afraid of the Filipino people. He should be

terrified at the prospect of being ousted by the people like his idol Ferdinand Edralin Marcos.

True the opportunistic military, police and his fanatics are following him like his slaves for the moment. But you can never be sure about tomorrow. There is such a thing as a tipping point. That was true with Marcos. That was true

with Erap. That could be true with him.

On the other hand, if President D leads our people to fight Communist China and corona virus Xi Jinping in all fronts on the WPS issue – diplomatic, media and letting our meager military forces mount the proper positioning at the West Philippine Sea, we will not only

overcome, as Nobel Prize Winner William Faulkner would have it, we will prevail.

If that happens, he will not only get the support and approval of the international community. People will forget his errors in the past and of the present. As of now, he is heel and his journey to oblivion is at a break neck speed till the

end. There is no legacy to talk about. But if President D reverses himself and mount the offensive, he will end up as a hero in our time.

But is President D capable of reversing himself? Only time will tell. And he does not have much time.

HAA

to succeed in the Bangsamoro homeland with just a monopoly of a single group - meaning without the contribution and participation of other principal players in this

Bangsamoro struggle, Alhabsi concluded.

——————

Maguindanao under the MECBA, the BIO statement hinted.

Under the MECBA, the regional government through the MoH has been committed to hire and deploy 600 midwives across the autonomous region, which has five provinces, three

cities, 118 towns and 2,590 barangays.

Forthcoming recruitment will involve the MECBA’s remaining 282 midwife-slots will cater to the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, it was learned.

AGM

JANNARAL | from Page A4

The MNLF info officer asks,‘Who is to blame?’

Alhabsi also said the enate Bill No. 2214 is a setback to the peace endeavor in Mindanao. By downgrading or derecogniz-

ing the important role and contribution of MNLF in the present Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the sponsor of this Senate Bill is not

aware of the possible repercussion which may entail to already complicated status of the peace process in Mindanao.

Therefore Senator Francis Tolentino as the sponsor of Senate Bill No. 2214 must take cognizant or be reminded that no political entity

BARMM | from Page A8

BARMM hires 148 field midwives, 7 doctors...

Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim has issued a statement, congratulating and urging the new recruits to become “living ambassadors of our sealed vision for stable health care in

the (Bangsamoro) region.”

Of the 148 new midwives, 25 will be deployed to the Marawi City Health Office while the remaining 123 will be fielded to the differ-

ent Rural Health Units of Lanao del Sur, the BIO statement said.

All seven recruitphysicians, on the other hand, will be assigned to “doctorless” municipalities in Lanao del

Sur, which has 39 towns.

The recruitment and deployment of 148 new midwives for Lanao del Sur, followed an earlier hiring and assignment of 170 counterparts for

For your Comments/ Suggestions please send an email to: julmunir1845@gmail.com

KIM JONG UN | from Page A5

Kim Jong Un gets new second-in-command in major changes...

The addition of the new first secretary position was one of several changes the WPK made to its rules, the ninth time it has made such revisions.

Several of them emphasize Kim's stated desire to improve North Korea's economy. However, his plans to pull the country out of dire poverty have in large part failed due to pun-

ishing international sanctions and the draconian measures Pyongyang enacted to keep Covid-19 at bay.

The WPK officially changed its policy to "people first," formally abandoning the policy of prioritizing the military under Kim Jong Il. That strategy, known as Songun in Korean, has not been followed since the early days of Kim

Jong Un's regime.

The WPK also removed the word "revolution" from its stated strategy on how it hopes to unify the Korean Peninsula, which was divided by the USSR and United States in the aftermath of World War II. Some South Korean media interpreted the deletion as potential evidence that Pyongyang no

longer plans to reunify the two Koreas through revolution.

Relations between North Korea and its two main adversaries, South Korea and the United States, have remained frosty in recent years. In a series of statements released last month, Pyongyang warned the United States it will face a "crisis beyond control in the near future" and

accused South Korea of carrying out an "intolerable provocation" against Kim's regime.

North Korea and its nuclear weapons program have not been a majority priority for US President Joe Biden's administration in its early days, though South Korean President Moon Jae-in recently visited Washington to discuss

several matters of concern shared by Washington and Seoul.

The White House says it is open to diplomacy with Kim's regime and plans to pursue a "calibrated, practical approach" that differs from the Trump administration's strategy of trying to strike a grand bargain using made-forTV summits.

MFP

MALAYSIA | from Page A5

Malaysia scrambles fighter jets after 16 Chinese military aircraft fly toward Borneo "Malaysia's stand is clear -- having friendly diplomatic relations with any countries does not mean that we will compromise on our national security," Hishammuddin said in a statement.

China's embassy earlier said the planes conducted routine flight training and "strictly

abided by" international law without violating airspace of other countries.

"China and Malaysia are friendly neighbors, and China is willing to continue bilateral friendly consultations with Malaysia to jointly maintain regional peace and stability," a spokesper-

son said.

China has been pushing an expansive claim over the South China Sea, through which about $3 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes annually. It has also built military facilities on manmade islands.

Brunei, Malaysia, the

Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to various islands and features in the area and China's coast guard routinely warns foreign boats and aircraft to leave what it calls its territory.

Malaysia's air force said the planes, comprising Ilyushin il-76 and

Xian Y-20 strategic transporters, had traveled in an "in-trail" tactical formation at between 23,000 and 27,000 feet.

Last year, a Chinese survey ship held a month-long standoff with a Malaysian oil exploration vessel within Malaysia's EEZ.

Malaysia's move follows months of diplomatic protests by the Philippines over the presence of hundreds of Chinese fishing boats in its EEZ, which it says are manned by militia. China has largely ignored the complaints.

CNN

ton "does not have the qualification to speak to China," his catchphrase was quickly printed on T -shirts sold in Beijing and other cities.

Xi might want China to extend the hand of

friendship to the world, but with the wolf warriors of the Foreign Ministry howling at his back, many countries might be reticent to take the chance.

PMT

XI JINPING | from Page A5

Xi Jinping wants China to make friends with the world Zhao's full-throated defense of China was controversial. But it got him a promotion to Foreign Ministry spokesman and other Chinese

diplomats started to mirror him.

There have been reports of unease over the wolf warriors inside China's diplomatic

community, but for now, there is no sign that Zhao or his colleagues being reined in, especially not when their approach is so popular

with domestic audiences.

After top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi told his US counterparts in March that Washing-