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Volume VIII, No. 226
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Tuesday, February 19, 2019
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SHOOTING AFTERMATH
MNLF leader warns members By JIGGER JERUSALEM, PNA
CAGAYAN de Oro City--A subgroup leader of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) based in this region warned Sunday that the organization will not tolerate any wrongdoing from its own members. Datu Didilusan Arroyo issued the warning after confirming that one if its members has been tagged
in shooting to death a carpenter in Barangay Puerto on Friday (February 15). Police identified the suspect as Devie Moralde, 41, married, a resident of Fatima West Plain Subdivision here. The victim was identified as Ruben Bacalso, 45. Moralde’s membership with the MNLF was confirmed from the identification card taken from his possession, which showed that
he holds the rank of “lieutenant colonel.” The green-colored card bears the signatures of Arroyo and Nur Misuari, who is the group’s founder. Arroyo said the MNLF has washed its hands from the case, and that Moralde must face whatever charges filed against him. Senior Police Officer 3 Vladimer Tumada said Bacalso was with a group of men drinking in
front of Moralde’s house when the incident happened at about 3 a.m. Tumada said Bacalso succumbed to two gunshot wounds on his neck, causing his immediate death. A .38-caliber handgun was used in the shooting, Tumada said, although they are still searching for the weapon. He said that based on witnesses’ testimonies, Moralde and Tumada
had a longstanding grudge that stemmed from the suspect’s dissatisfaction with Bacalso’s job as a carpenter when he hired the latter to do some repairs on his house. Following the shooting, Moralde went to Dologon, Maramag town in Bukidnon, and hid in an MNLF camp, reportedly under Arroyo’s command. With the help of local media
ARMM to BARMM turnover on Feb.25
Spain commits $50m for Marawi
By CAROLYN O. ARGUILLAS MindaNews
DAVAO City--The 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) will take their oath of office on February 20 in Malacanang on the same day of the “ceremonial confirmation” of the canvass results of the January 21 and February 6 plebiscite on RA 11054 or the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Malacanang has yet to announce the names of the 80 members of the BTA who will take their oath. The nominees have been vetted but “we do not know yet the final 80 members of the BTA,” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez told MindaNews late Saturday night. Galvez had earlier told MindaNews they were eyeing February 21 as the date but according to the invitation sent out by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), the oathtaking will be on February 20, at 4 p.m. at the Heroes Hall in Malacanang. The OPAPP has not formally announced the date of the oathtaking but Gerry Salapuddin, See TURNOVER, page 11
See LEADER, page 5
NEW CHAPTER. Thousands of supporters for the ratification of RA 11054 or the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao gather in the compound of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on January 18, 2019 while President Rodrigo Duterte, who graced the Peace Assembly inside the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex, said a ‘yes’ to ratify the Bangsamoro law ends the 50-year armed struggle and marks a “new chapter in our history.” MindaNews photo by Manman Dejeto
THE Spanish government has committed to provide some $50 million or roughly P2.617 billion to the planned rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) public relations head Adrian Tamayo announced on Monday. Tamayo said Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Moragas made this announcement during his courtesy call on MinDA secretary Abul Khayr D. Alonto on Monday. Aside from aid, Tamayo said Moragas discussed the various development efforts of the Spanish See COMMITS, page 11
Christians in politics: A right and a responsibility local leaders of the Church echoed this same sentiment in their pastoral statement, “Seek the Common Good.” “Politics, though often denigrated, “Pope Indeed in an earlier assembly, the bishops Francis reminds us,” remains a lofty vocahad set several guidelines for Catholics in tion and one of the highest forms of charity, political life. inasmuch as it seeks the common good.” These are: pursuit of the common good; (Evangelii Gaudium, 205) promotion of justice; a spirit of service; option for the poor; and the IN THE RECENT Plenary Asempowerment of people. (Second sembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference Plenary Council of the Philippines, 351) of the Philippines on January 28, 2019, the It is in this light that the bishops have By ANTONIO J. LEDESMA, SJ Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro
Advocacy
pointed out three challenges for the Catholic laity to be actively involved during the election campaign period. The first call is to form circles of discernment. This may be actualized through Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC’S), clusters of household heads among religious lay organizations, or any grouping of concerned citizens. Group discernment should be more enriching and enlightening instead of relying on one’s solitary perceptions. The pooling of See POLITICS, page 5
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