Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010,Part III:The June 3rd Re-Balloting in Lanao del Sur Province
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Thursday, June 24, 2010
Political Developments for the Second Quarter of 2010, Part II: 2010 Election and Election Related Violence in Lanao del Sur Province
Lanao, both de Sur and de Norte Provinces are the traditional lands of the Maranao (Maranaw) Tribe and their myriad of principalities, the equivalent of "Sultunates." To most non-Muslim Filipinos however the two provinces are known as being a hotbed of insurgency and violence. In fact, they are downright famous for Election Related Violence along with political dishonesty, typified by the Hello Garci scandal (in 2004 President Arroyo was audio taped during an NBI, or National Bureau of Investigation, voice recording as she made a phone call to a COMELEC Commissioner in which the two discussed padding and shaving votes). Sadly, Election Day 2010 was no different with seven communities in Lanao del Sur being declared "Failed Elections" by the national electoral authority, COMELEC. As I mentioned in an earlier entry there was a re-balloting on June 3rd but even at this late date (June 24th at posting), only one of the seven towns given a re-balloting on June 3rd have even come close to having a final tally.
On Sunday, June 20th, the son of COMELEC Commissioner Elias Yusoph , 22 year old Nuralden Yusoph, was kidnapped in Lanao del Sur's Marawi City. On his third day in town, killing time as he awaits a visa to take additional religious studies in Saudi Arabia, he was grabbed, just as he left Bato Ali Mosque at Fourth Prayer. The kidnappers of the younger Yusoph then contacted his family at 10PM with their demands. Instead of a large amount of money, the usual demand, the kidnappers instead are asking for a nullification of the voting tallies in four Lanao del Sur communities:
1) Masiu
2) Taraka
3) Malabang
4) Pikong
The NBI deployed a top investigative team from Manila to its regional office in Iligan City (Lanao del Norte Province). The four investigators arrived on Tuesday, June 22nd. The Marawi City Council of Elders under Sheikh Guru are also attempting to mediate a settlement but already the PNP (Philippine National Police) is telling the press that it is "probablly" due to "Rido" (Clan Feud). Of course noone has even wasted time asking the PNP why a Rido would involve the nullification of votes but...
The Election Season starts the spring before, when people begin testing the waters with grand proclamations to the media, and to the communities whom they hope to "serve." It really heats up when "Declarations of Candidacy" are filed at Regional COMELEC offices. In Lanao the first notable case of violence took place on October 29th, 2009, about a week before COMELEC even began accepting Declarations. On the day in question, at Marawi City Hall in Barangay Fort Bag-ong, a large group of "Flying Voters" (illegaly registered in a community not their own so as to be able to vote for a candidate who pays them) from Iligan City in the adjacent province of Lanao del Norte were lined up awaiting registration when two men casually walked over and tossed a hand grenade into the line. Three people died but only 22 year old Jeffrey Navarro from Iligan City had his name released. Twenty-one others were wounded, six critically.
The group in question had received a P100 down payment (less than 2 Euros), a snack and a jeepney (public transportation) ride to and from the city hall. If they had proven to have voted for the candidate who pays them they were to get P1,000 which is a very small amount considering some people can make P10,000 (per family). The price increases considerably as Election Day approaches.
On Election Day, Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 930AM, on Anai Pakpak Avenue, in Marawi City, three rifle grenades landed at a poll site situated at Amai Pakpak Elementary School (which is popularly known as the "Pilot School"). The nineteen clustered barangays that the school was servicing were unable to vote. Polls open at 7 AM, when possible, so the residents of those nineteen barangays had all of 2.5 hours to get their voices heard. Disenfranchisement is a huge and terrible problem in the Philippines and the problems becomes much worse the further you get from Manila.
With all the problems one faces in Mindanao, having had just since the end of November 2009, Martial Law, State of Emergency (ongoing) and State of Calamity, one might offer that Voter Disenfranchisement is a lesser problem, to say the least. For those of us well versed in insurgency however the story is much different. Lack of access to the democratic process is a driving force in illicit violence and terrorism as well (Dr. Abadi from the Kennedy School has done some great work and with regard to the Southern Philippines. Abadi served here with the US Special Forces so he has alot of insights to offer on other levels as well, but I will save that for a later entry).
Also in Marawi City on that same day, an IED (Improvised Explosive Device, as in "bomb") packed inside of a navy blue Isuzu SUV sitting 70 meters away from the polling site at Saduc Elementary School, in Barangay Saduc Proper, also in Marawi City, detonated. No casulaties reported but again, that poll site was closed as a result leading to more Voter Disenfranchisement. Car/Truckbombs, technically known as VBIEDS, or Vehicle Borne IEDs, are rare on Mindanao so that this particular detonation is especially worth noting.
Also on Election Day, at 1245PM in Barangay Parao, in the municipality of Kapai, in Lanao del Sur Povince, Kobaib Gauraki shot his cousin and political opponent Mamak Sangco to death with an M16.Gauraki is the son of mayoral candidate Kimal Gauraki and shot Sangco as he neared the polling site.
During polling at Tugaya Central Elementary School in the town of Tugaya in Lanao del Sur Province, an M16 sprayed waiting voters and wounded a 12 year old boy and 19 year old woman. Both were brought to Amai Pakpak Provincial Hospital in Marawi City. Sadly,the woman, Asila Panda, died on the operating table at 4PM that day, May 10, 2010.
The June 3rd re-balloting was free of notable violence but not of underhanded dealing. PNP, or the Philippine National Police from PRO-13, or Police Regional Office for Region #13, also known as PRO-Caraga (Region 13, in Northeast Mindanao is also known as Caraga) as well as PNP trainees from throughout the island were deployed as extra security in the 7 affected towns. To avoid the lack of BEIs (Board of Election Inspectors, the personnel who manually verify tallies and supervise the overall process, almost always performed by public school teachers who are compelled by law to do this for a very nominal fee), which is what caused six of the seven towns to fail on May 10th had COMELEC attorneys who were used instead of the usual local public school teachers. The PNP, via individual officers speaking unofficially, reports open cheating including offers of up to P300,000 (US6,500) for selling the remaining empty ballots. That amounts to roughly 1.5 years salary for a PO2, a medium level officer). To give one an even better idea, that is nearly two years salary for the public school teachers who usually fufill that role.
Finally, on July 2nd, 2010 the kidnappers of Nuralden Yusoph changed their demands and added P25 Million to their previous demand for nullification of votes in four Lanao del Sur municipalities. Shortly after that new demand the Kidnap Crisis Team launched a raid on a three story building in Marawi City, searching for the young man only to come away empty handed.
On July 19th, 2010 at 510PM in Barangay Carmen in Cagayan del Oro City, in the neighbouring province of Misamis Occidental, COMELEC Commissioner Yusoph's son Nuralden was finally released in good health. Officials are saying that the kidnappers delivered the young man by automobile from the location in Lanao del Sur where he was being secuestered. Hampered by heavy Monsoon rains that happened a bit later than planned, the authorities were unable to capture the automobile or its other occupants...COUGH.
Less than an hour after Yusoph was dropped off near the intersections of Macanhan and Masterson, the newly elected governor of Lanao del Sur made a televised appearance to applaud his own initiatives.This despite travelling time taking approximately 2.5 hours during dry season. The jist? Some have remarked that the "release" of the young man was entirely staged, as opposed to "stage managed," and that the governor might have had a connection to the incident.
Needless to say this is an extremely serious charge but as of late many serious accusations have been flying back and forth.
Nuralden himself remarked on how happy he was to be free, and that several times during his ordeal he was convinced that he would never see his 3 month old son again. The happy young man also said that he had been kept blindfolded the entire time and fed merely a single meal per day (nobody thought to inform him, at the press conference, that a single meal a day is just about what 90% of Mindanao gets to eat, and some get less than that. He also told the media that he had been threatened with imminent execution at least nine times during his captivity.
The leader of the group who had kidnapped and held Nuralden Yusoph was a Muslim paramilitary leader by the name of Dimaporo "Kumander Delta" Dimasacal, who happens to be the 1st cousin to ex-Congresswoman Bai Faiza Biston Maniri Dumarpa, whose husband Salic Dumarpa just ran for his wife's former Congressional seat, the 1st District of Lanao del Sur. Salic Dumarpa lost that race to Hussein Pangandaman, son of ex-DAR (Department of Agricultural Reform) Secretary Nasser Pangandaman by a margin of 3,401 votes.
The reason why this information is relevant is because it is now generally believed that Commissioner Yusoph was paid a series of bribes by candidates in Lanao del Sur. Some, like Salic Dumarpa, are less than happy about their having lost (some, unlike in Dumarpa's case, "massively lost") and are in the process of exacting refunds, money Yusoph reportedly has lost or is otherwise refusing to surrender. It turns out, according to "observers," that Salic was simply outbid by Hussein Pangandaman who paid Yusoph a much larger sum, ensuring his win in the Election.
In a recent edition of an online botique journal dedicated to armed conflict (NOT mine), Brigadier General Rey Ardo of the AFP's 103rd Brigade, which is Headquartered in Marawi City and has Operational Control (OPCON) of the entire Lanao del Sur Province, has added fuel to the flames of suggestion by openly declaring that the kidnapping was payback for people who bribed Commissioner Yusoph and then lost. Commissioner Yusoph is understandably livid and has threatened the General with civil action. Not suprisingly the general then went on the defencive denying that he had ever made those comments.
Prior to his appointment to COMELEC Elias Yusoph was a government Prosecutor for 32 years, most of which he spent working in Marawi City.
On Sunday, June 20th, the son of COMELEC Commissioner Elias Yusoph , 22 year old Nuralden Yusoph, was kidnapped in Lanao del Sur's Marawi City. On his third day in town, killing time as he awaits a visa to take additional religious studies in Saudi Arabia, he was grabbed, just as he left Bato Ali Mosque at Fourth Prayer. The kidnappers of the younger Yusoph then contacted his family at 10PM with their demands. Instead of a large amount of money, the usual demand, the kidnappers instead are asking for a nullification of the voting tallies in four Lanao del Sur communities:
1) Masiu
2) Taraka
3) Malabang
4) Pikong
The NBI deployed a top investigative team from Manila to its regional office in Iligan City (Lanao del Norte Province). The four investigators arrived on Tuesday, June 22nd. The Marawi City Council of Elders under Sheikh Guru are also attempting to mediate a settlement but already the PNP (Philippine National Police) is telling the press that it is "probablly" due to "Rido" (Clan Feud). Of course noone has even wasted time asking the PNP why a Rido would involve the nullification of votes but...
The Election Season starts the spring before, when people begin testing the waters with grand proclamations to the media, and to the communities whom they hope to "serve." It really heats up when "Declarations of Candidacy" are filed at Regional COMELEC offices. In Lanao the first notable case of violence took place on October 29th, 2009, about a week before COMELEC even began accepting Declarations. On the day in question, at Marawi City Hall in Barangay Fort Bag-ong, a large group of "Flying Voters" (illegaly registered in a community not their own so as to be able to vote for a candidate who pays them) from Iligan City in the adjacent province of Lanao del Norte were lined up awaiting registration when two men casually walked over and tossed a hand grenade into the line. Three people died but only 22 year old Jeffrey Navarro from Iligan City had his name released. Twenty-one others were wounded, six critically.
The group in question had received a P100 down payment (less than 2 Euros), a snack and a jeepney (public transportation) ride to and from the city hall. If they had proven to have voted for the candidate who pays them they were to get P1,000 which is a very small amount considering some people can make P10,000 (per family). The price increases considerably as Election Day approaches.
On Election Day, Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 930AM, on Anai Pakpak Avenue, in Marawi City, three rifle grenades landed at a poll site situated at Amai Pakpak Elementary School (which is popularly known as the "Pilot School"). The nineteen clustered barangays that the school was servicing were unable to vote. Polls open at 7 AM, when possible, so the residents of those nineteen barangays had all of 2.5 hours to get their voices heard. Disenfranchisement is a huge and terrible problem in the Philippines and the problems becomes much worse the further you get from Manila.
With all the problems one faces in Mindanao, having had just since the end of November 2009, Martial Law, State of Emergency (ongoing) and State of Calamity, one might offer that Voter Disenfranchisement is a lesser problem, to say the least. For those of us well versed in insurgency however the story is much different. Lack of access to the democratic process is a driving force in illicit violence and terrorism as well (Dr. Abadi from the Kennedy School has done some great work and with regard to the Southern Philippines. Abadi served here with the US Special Forces so he has alot of insights to offer on other levels as well, but I will save that for a later entry).
Also in Marawi City on that same day, an IED (Improvised Explosive Device, as in "bomb") packed inside of a navy blue Isuzu SUV sitting 70 meters away from the polling site at Saduc Elementary School, in Barangay Saduc Proper, also in Marawi City, detonated. No casulaties reported but again, that poll site was closed as a result leading to more Voter Disenfranchisement. Car/Truckbombs, technically known as VBIEDS, or Vehicle Borne IEDs, are rare on Mindanao so that this particular detonation is especially worth noting.
Also on Election Day, at 1245PM in Barangay Parao, in the municipality of Kapai, in Lanao del Sur Povince, Kobaib Gauraki shot his cousin and political opponent Mamak Sangco to death with an M16.Gauraki is the son of mayoral candidate Kimal Gauraki and shot Sangco as he neared the polling site.
During polling at Tugaya Central Elementary School in the town of Tugaya in Lanao del Sur Province, an M16 sprayed waiting voters and wounded a 12 year old boy and 19 year old woman. Both were brought to Amai Pakpak Provincial Hospital in Marawi City. Sadly,the woman, Asila Panda, died on the operating table at 4PM that day, May 10, 2010.
The June 3rd re-balloting was free of notable violence but not of underhanded dealing. PNP, or the Philippine National Police from PRO-13, or Police Regional Office for Region #13, also known as PRO-Caraga (Region 13, in Northeast Mindanao is also known as Caraga) as well as PNP trainees from throughout the island were deployed as extra security in the 7 affected towns. To avoid the lack of BEIs (Board of Election Inspectors, the personnel who manually verify tallies and supervise the overall process, almost always performed by public school teachers who are compelled by law to do this for a very nominal fee), which is what caused six of the seven towns to fail on May 10th had COMELEC attorneys who were used instead of the usual local public school teachers. The PNP, via individual officers speaking unofficially, reports open cheating including offers of up to P300,000 (US6,500) for selling the remaining empty ballots. That amounts to roughly 1.5 years salary for a PO2, a medium level officer). To give one an even better idea, that is nearly two years salary for the public school teachers who usually fufill that role.
Finally, on July 2nd, 2010 the kidnappers of Nuralden Yusoph changed their demands and added P25 Million to their previous demand for nullification of votes in four Lanao del Sur municipalities. Shortly after that new demand the Kidnap Crisis Team launched a raid on a three story building in Marawi City, searching for the young man only to come away empty handed.
On July 19th, 2010 at 510PM in Barangay Carmen in Cagayan del Oro City, in the neighbouring province of Misamis Occidental, COMELEC Commissioner Yusoph's son Nuralden was finally released in good health. Officials are saying that the kidnappers delivered the young man by automobile from the location in Lanao del Sur where he was being secuestered. Hampered by heavy Monsoon rains that happened a bit later than planned, the authorities were unable to capture the automobile or its other occupants...COUGH.
Less than an hour after Yusoph was dropped off near the intersections of Macanhan and Masterson, the newly elected governor of Lanao del Sur made a televised appearance to applaud his own initiatives.This despite travelling time taking approximately 2.5 hours during dry season. The jist? Some have remarked that the "release" of the young man was entirely staged, as opposed to "stage managed," and that the governor might have had a connection to the incident.
Needless to say this is an extremely serious charge but as of late many serious accusations have been flying back and forth.
Nuralden himself remarked on how happy he was to be free, and that several times during his ordeal he was convinced that he would never see his 3 month old son again. The happy young man also said that he had been kept blindfolded the entire time and fed merely a single meal per day (nobody thought to inform him, at the press conference, that a single meal a day is just about what 90% of Mindanao gets to eat, and some get less than that. He also told the media that he had been threatened with imminent execution at least nine times during his captivity.
The leader of the group who had kidnapped and held Nuralden Yusoph was a Muslim paramilitary leader by the name of Dimaporo "Kumander Delta" Dimasacal, who happens to be the 1st cousin to ex-Congresswoman Bai Faiza Biston Maniri Dumarpa, whose husband Salic Dumarpa just ran for his wife's former Congressional seat, the 1st District of Lanao del Sur. Salic Dumarpa lost that race to Hussein Pangandaman, son of ex-DAR (Department of Agricultural Reform) Secretary Nasser Pangandaman by a margin of 3,401 votes.
The reason why this information is relevant is because it is now generally believed that Commissioner Yusoph was paid a series of bribes by candidates in Lanao del Sur. Some, like Salic Dumarpa, are less than happy about their having lost (some, unlike in Dumarpa's case, "massively lost") and are in the process of exacting refunds, money Yusoph reportedly has lost or is otherwise refusing to surrender. It turns out, according to "observers," that Salic was simply outbid by Hussein Pangandaman who paid Yusoph a much larger sum, ensuring his win in the Election.
In a recent edition of an online botique journal dedicated to armed conflict (NOT mine), Brigadier General Rey Ardo of the AFP's 103rd Brigade, which is Headquartered in Marawi City and has Operational Control (OPCON) of the entire Lanao del Sur Province, has added fuel to the flames of suggestion by openly declaring that the kidnapping was payback for people who bribed Commissioner Yusoph and then lost. Commissioner Yusoph is understandably livid and has threatened the General with civil action. Not suprisingly the general then went on the defencive denying that he had ever made those comments.
Prior to his appointment to COMELEC Elias Yusoph was a government Prosecutor for 32 years, most of which he spent working in Marawi City.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010:Election Related Violence
Since I was discussing Maguindanao Province in my last entry I thought that I might just pick up right where I left off and concentrate on the region at large.At the most basic unit of governance is the"Barangay."Named after the ocean going outriggers ("Balangays") with which the Austronesian Peoples,of whom all Filipinos (except for Negritos) are part of.Traditionally Filipinos believe that each pre-Hispanic village consisted of a single outrigger,or"Barangay"and that this is how most of the islands were populated before the coming of Magellan in the 16th Century.
There are smaller units,known as"Sitios"(Sites) as well as another lesser unit in rural areas known as a"Purok" (Zone) but there is no level of governance below the Barangay.Above the Barangay is the Municipality.The Municipality can be either a"Town,"a"City"or a"Chartered City."Each Municipality consists of a collection of Barangays.A Municipality's classification as a Town or City depends upon its generated income and the size of its population.Originally the financial watermark was P20 Million (US460,000) in income generated anually without taking allotments from the national government into consideration.After intense lobbying from the"League of Cities"who feared that their own allotments would lessen if enough towns converted into cities,this watermark was raised to P100 Million (US2.5 Million),a huge sum in Philippine terms.Population requirements were also raised to 150,000 residents),though that is far less of an onus.
For purposes of clarification I must add that contrary to popular belief,not all cities are"Chartered Cities."The term"Chartered City"specifically refers to cities which,by an Act of Congress,have been granted specific,special powers not regularly granted to other cities.I also...hey!wake up!...need to point out that rare cities also contain"Districts."Districts are like"Regions,"they don't play a role in Governance,only in the distribution of services.Likewise,certain cities are granted the status of"Metropolitan Areas,"again relating only to infrastructure,delivery of services.On Mindanao only Cagayan del Oro City in Misamis Oriental Province and Davao City in Davao del Sur Province have been granted"Metropolitan Area"status.Likewise,only Davao City has"Districts"though Pagadian City on the Zamboanga Peninsula seems rto be moving in that direction with city officials sometimes referring to certain areas as"Districts."WAKE UP!!!
Municipalities are grouped together into"Provinces."Depending upon the size of the island a province can encompass an entire island,as is the case with Basilan Island/Basilan Province or a single island can hold dozens of provinces as is the case with Mainland Mindanao.Additionally,a province can be spread out over dozens of islands,as is the case with Sulu Province.As if this isn't confusing enough for the uninitiated,smaller islands are almost always linked administratively to larger islands despite an"Island"serving no purpose in terms of Governance.For example,both Basilan and Sulu Provinces are administratively attached to Mindanao,they ARE provinces of Mindanao.Because"Islands"aren't a cog in Governance the term"Administrative"refers to infrastructural logistics.
Above the Provincial Level is the"Region."Above the Region only stands the"National Government."
Simple thus far,right?Hahahaha.Suuuuuuuure...
As I have said,the lowest level of Governance is the Barangay.Each Barangay has a"Chairman,"or as they are popularly known,"Captain."The Chairman/Captain sits above a"Barangay Council"which has 7"Barangay Councillors,"or as they are more popularly known,"Barangay Kagawads."Each Councillor/Kagawad deals with 1 of 7 areas of Governance:
1) Finances/Treasury
2) Health
3) Education
4) Tourism
5) Development/Infrastructure
6) Peace and Order (local term for"Law and Order"/Security
7) Agriculture
each of these areas have 3 person committees composed of appointed members of the barangay with the respective Councillor/Kagawads serving as the Chairperson of that committee.In addition there is an 8th Councillor/Kagawad who sits as an ex-officio member of the Council by virtue of his or her position as Chairperson of the"Sangguiniang Kabataan,"or"SK" (Youth Council).Aged 15 to 18 this Councillor/Kagawad represents Youth Interests as well as Chairing the Barangay Council's"Sports"committee.
At the Municipal Level there is a"Mayor,"a"Vice Mayor"and then just as at the Barangay Level there is a"Municipal Council"which is formatted exactly like the Barangay Councils.Each Councillow handles a specific area of Governance and chairs a committee mandated for that respective subject.Above the Municipal Level is the Provincial Level.The"Governor"and"Vice Governor"fufill the same roles as the Mayor and Vice Mayor.Likewise the Provincial"Governor"and"Vice Governor"sit above a"Provincial Council"which is formatted exactly like the Barangay and Municipal Councils,each Provincial Councillor tasked with just 1 area of Governance but having an equal vote on provincial issues.
Regionally,except for the nation's 2"Autonomous Regions"(ARMM,or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao on Mindanao and"CAR,"or Cordilleran Autonomous Region" on Luzon) there is no system of Governance.Regions serve an infrastructural and logistical role in the distribution of services from the National Level.In many ways though it merely serves to create confusing redundancies.I will relegate this entry to a basic explanation of the overall structure and leave the critiques for a later,more in depth entry.
In addition,there is a parallel system of Governance that is itself a redundamcy;Each Municipality has an"ABC,"or"Association of Barangay Chairmen/Captains."All Barangay Chairmen/Captains belong and amongst themselves elect their own"Chairman/Captain."Then,each Municipal ABC Chairman/Captain sits in the"Provincial ABC,"which again elects its own"Chairman"or"Captain."All Provincial ABC Chairmen/Captains sit in a National ABC which itself elects a single"Chairman"or"Captain."The idea is to provide plurality of view of not an actual check or balance but in reality it is an entirely worthless endeavour.
The synchronised National and 0local Elections ("Local"as in Province and Municipality) took place on May,10,2010.The Barangay and SK Elections are set to take place in October of 2010.Regional Elections are set to take place in August of 2011.
On Wednesday March 19th,2010 Bai Mona Ampatuan, the principal of Shariff Aguak National High School in the provincial capitol of Maguindanao,Shariff Aguak had her home hit by 2 grenades thrown by 2 men riding tandem on a motorcycle wounding a 30 year old woman and her 2 kids who just happened to be walking by.Although Ms.Ampatuan IS a member of THE Ampatuan Clan (as in the"Maguindanao Massacre") it is believed that THIS attack is unrelated to that event and is instead due to recent extortion attempts made against public educational institutions in Maguindanao Province.Unfortunately most Filipino Muslims have little respect for secular education and find public institutions fair game since they are of course a product of the Philippine Government.Then their intellectuals bemoan the lack of government services in Muslim Communities.Gee,I wonder why...
On Sunday March 21st, 2010 at 11 AM a jeepney (form of public transportation) pulled into the Philippines Phoenix Petroleum gas station located on National Hiway in Barangay Poblacion,Ampatuan,Maguindanao Province.The attendant noticed after the jeepney had left that it had left behind a cardboard box.Walking over to it he was disturbed by the threatening writing on top of the package in that it threatened to kill the station owner.The young man stupidly-but bravely-pushed the box to the side of the hiway and immediately told his supervisor.The supervisor,the station manager,then called the authorities who discovered that the box contained an IED (Improvised Explosive Device,as in"bomb").
Later that day,just after sunset,the home of the station's owner was hit by at least 10 60MM mortar shells wounding 3 familiy members.Who is this beleagured atation owner you ask?None other than Zacarias Sangki,the OIC (Officer in Charge,meaning Govt.appointed,not elected) Mayor of Ampatuan (the municipality,not the Clan).Mr.Sangki gained his current political position after the Elected Mayor,Andal Ampatuan Sr.,was jailed over the aforementioned"Maguindanao Massacre"which took place on November 23rd,2009.For those unfamiliar with that sordid event Andal Sr.allegedly ordered his son Andal Jr.,the Mayor of another Maguindanowan municipality,Datu Unsay,to murder members of a rival Clan,the Mangudadatus.Unfortunately for Andal Sr.his son was a few arrows short of a quiver and he ALSO ended up killing nearly 3 dozen journalists and a handful of attorneys.The event marks the single worst case of directed violence towards journalists that the world has ever seen.The irony is that had Andal Jr.been intelligent enough to follow daddy's orders there wouldn't have been much more than couple of 3 sentence articles devoted to yet another case of Mindanowan blood letting.The Mangudadatus are no better than the Ampatuans and have just as many gory killings to their credit...just no journalists.
On Janurary 17th,2010,OIC Mayor Sangki had his 20 hectare farm ruined when gunmen burned down all buildings,including 11 houses,along with a crop nearly ready to harvest.The farm,located in Sitio Najib,Barangay Salman,also in Ampatuan is within a stone's throw of the barren field where the"Massacre"took place.Why is Zaraia Sangki so hated?Is it just aggravation that the former Vice Mayor now gets to sit in the hot seat while his former boss sits in stir?Of course not.Sangki almost immediately turned State's Witness against Andal Sr.and nearly 200 other individuals currently charged in the atrocity.Adding insult to injury Sangki,a member of a related Clan,wad ALSO a willing participant in the atrocity.
Only one day after the attack on the Sangki farm,Janurary 18th,2010,Dok Uling Salahuddin,a Barangay Captain in Barangay Kalkul in the municipality of Ampatuan,and a cousin of Zacarias Sangki was shot to death at 6PM by a single gunman.
On Tuesday April 6th,2010,51 year old Mohamadisa"Datu Haris"Sangki,brother of the OIC Mayor of Ampatuan,Zacarias Sangki,was riding his motorcycle past Cotabato City Plaza when 2 young men riding tandem on another motorcycle flagged him down at the corner of Sinsuat and S.K.Pendatun Streets in Barangay Poblacion #5.
Mr. Sangki pulled over and engaged the men in conversation when 1 of them suddenly stabbed him in the chest causing him to fall face down.The second man,later indentified as Kenny Osmena,walked over to the prostrate man and calmly shot him in the back with a 45 caliber pistol,killing him instantly.Both men then got onto their motorcycle and rode off towards the main town market.Though 5PM in the afternoon,and in full view of possibly thousands of people,not one person tried to intervene,or even pursue the gunmen.
On April 13th, 2010,in Sitio Masalay,Barangay Salman in the municipality of Ampatuan in Maguindanao Province,a CVO post (Civilian Volunteer Organisation,1 of 4 entities known collectively as"CAA,"or"Citizens Active Auxiliaries,"the cornerstone of the Government's Counterinsurgency Force Multiplication Programme.The CVO are sublimated to the PNP,or Philippine National Police and cannot bear arms unless their element has specifically been granted that right be the Secreatary of DILG,Department of the Interior and Local Government) was struck by eight M79 grenades without causing a single casualty.The attackers,Ampatuan Clan Paramilitary guerillas,were positioned in a nearby banana grove.Ironically perhaps,Barangay Salman is the same barangay where the"Massacre"took place.Not far away in Barangay Labulabu a 2nd CVO detachment was also attacked by M79 grenades and also managed to come out of it unscathed.Perhaps even more ironically,the Ampatuan Paramilitary is primarily composed of ex-CVO soldiers from that very same post!When President Arroyo first declared a State of Emergency over the Massacre most CVO personnel took to the hills knowing that they had no chance of living a law abiding life after being tarnished by their membership as Ampatuan Municipal (as well as Maguindanao Provincial) CVO.
The Ampatuan Paramilitary has been launching large scale assaults on the town since shortly after the"Massacre"took place.Despite a massive PNP and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) presence vis a vis the dedicated joint element known as"Task Force Alpha"the paramilitary has shelled the town with 60 MM mortars just about every night in March and April of 2010 with the attacks escalating as Election Day,May 10th draws near.It is not only the government that is suffering from the attacks as one can see with the repeated assaults on the Sangki family.Zacarias Sangki isn't even the Sangki to turn on the Ampatuans.The Vice Mayor of Shariff Aguak,the provincial capital of Maguindanao,is Rasul Sangki.In case his name is not familiar to you,he was the chief witness against Andal Ampatuan Jr.I will explore all that in a series of entries on the"Massacre"and all its just as bloody aftermath.It is worth noting here that the perennial enemies of the Ampatuan Clan,the MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces),have also not been sitting idly by through all this drama heaped atop drama.
On Janurary 12th,2010 the BIAF's 105 Base Command under Kumander Usatadz Ameril Ombra Kato,almost always known simply by the moniker"Kumander Kato,"along with allied MNLF/BMA (Moro National Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Army) the parent organisation from which the MILF/BIAF broke away) guerillas engaged the Ampatuan Paramilitary in a 24 hour firefight in Sitio Balutukan,Barangay Kitapok in the town of Datu Saudi Ampatuan (a different town than the town of "Ampatuan" proper,also created by Andal Ampatuan Sr.when he sat as Governor of Maguindanao Province,for his family to rule).Several deaths resulted but both sides handled it quietly so no exact number is forthcoming.
On April 15th at the Hillside Resort in Datu Odin Sinsuat,also in Maguindanao Province,the owner of the resort and mayoral candidate for Datu Odin Sinsuat,Motasser Sabal and his brother and running mate for Vice Mayor, Abdulwahab "Abraham "Sabal were engaged in a campaign strategising session with a group of close supporters when a grenade was thrown into the room.A supporter,Kagi Ketong,of that same town was killed but the brothers were unhurt.
On Thursday April 22nd,2010 in Barangay Bako,Shariff Aguak,roughly 100 guerillas from the BIAF's 105th Base Command, which was at that time still under Kumander Kato (more about his being re-deployed in a subsequent entry),crossed the GPH (Govt.of the Philippines)-MILF/BIAF permimeter (the DMZ line) by about 1 kilometer and then managed to cross paths with 2 platoons from the 45IB (Infantry Battalion),which is itself based in Shariff Aguak's Barangay Poblacion.The predictable result was a 2 hour long firefight with no reported casulaties.
On Friday,April 30th, 2010 on the town of Ampatuan's 1st Street,in Purok 1,Barangay Kauran,an IED 20 meters away from National Hiway detonated just as gubneratorial candidate Esmael"Toto"Mangudadatu's convoy was passing en route to a political rally in the town's Barangay Poblacion.Luckily noone was injured or killed in the explosion.
On Saturday,May 8th,2010 OIC Mayor Zacarias Sangki's Phoenix petrol station was once again faced with an IED.This time the device was left by 2 men riding tandem on a motorcycle who rode non-chalantly over to the gas pumps and left it in a plastic bag.This time however the IED detonated but for an unkown reason failed to set off the petrol underneath it.No casualties.
On Election Day,Monday,May 10th,2010 at 1040AM,in Barangay Kapimpilan,North Kabuntalan,in that same province of Maguindanao,Sukarno Paglas was shot to death in the neck and chest,dying just 100 meters from a polling site as he tried to run into Barangay Bagungdang.The firefight that killed him was between the camps of 2 prospective vice Mayors,Bhernie Mamolintao Bagungdang (PMP) and Muslimin Guiama Baliwan (party unknown though initially it was said that it was with the camap of the Lakas-KAMPI-CMD candidate for Vice Mayor,Raul Vidal,a Bisayan).
That same day,May 10th,in Barangay Poblacion in Shariff Aguak,a poll site at Sasez Elementary School was hit by a grenade thrown by 2 men on a motorcycle.
Also on election Day,in the town of Datu Salibo,also in Maguindanao Province,voting was suspended after an RPG (BM2) attack near a PNP station.The road and bridge into the adjacent municipality of Datu Piang were closed down stranding many residents of both towns as fighting was heavy in Datu Piang as well.It began when BIAF snipers from the 105 Base Command,positioned in Barangay Pagatin,began firing on AFP soldiers in Barangay Dapiawan.The AFP in turn positioned snipers with 50 caliber Barrets in 3 positions along the Barangay's main road,and they continued firing into Barangay Pagatin for most of the day.
Also on Election Day,in S.K.Pendatun,another town in Maguindanao Province,50 meters from the poll site in Barangay Lao Lao,three IEDS were disarmed after being discovered throughout the day.The goal of course being to disrupt the elections and keeping people from voting at that site.The last device was found at 247PM.
Meanwhile,at 1145Am that morning in Barangay Datu Saligop,in the municipality of Datu Unsay,also in Maguindanao Province,the Ampatuan Paramilitary clashed with the 39IB shortly after three IEDs detonated in that barangay.As the firefight took place a 4th IED detonated as well with the government claiming no casualties,a point which I will address at the end of all my Election Day wrap up entries.
That evening at the 4th Call to Prayer (Islamic) 2 guerillas from the aforementioned Ampatuan Paramilitary were killed in a firefight with the 45th IB,just outside Barangay Poblacion in Ampatuan.
At 11AM Tuesday, May 25th, 2010,in Barangay Dansalan,in the town of Rajah Buayan in Maguindanao Province,Barangay Captain Datu Norodin Utto and his paramilitary came under attack from the Ampatuan Paramilitary.
Datu Utto's men,numbering roughly 50 gunmen were assaulted by 57MM and 90MM recoiless rifle and 60MM mortar volleys before being approached from different directions by approximately 200 guerillas being personally led by the new leader of the force,Bahnarin Ampatuan,a grandson of Andal Sr.,and like his grandfather and almost 70 other clansmen, under indictment for the massacre.No word on paramilitary casulaties but 2 civlians were killed.
Again on Thursday May 27th,from 7AM to 3PM an 8 hour long firefight took place after mortar volleys.In this last attack the Ampatuan Paramilitary were led by 2 underlings,Kagi Nasser and Kagi Sangatin.The 2,500 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,i.e."Refugees") that resulted from this clash are camping along the Sultan Buayan to Sultan sa Barougis National Hiway.
On June 2nd,2010,at 9AM,in Barangay Balunan in the town of Datu Odin Sinsuat,the 6IB engaged 25 BIAF guerillas in from the 105th Base Command in a 1 hour firefight before the guerillas withdrew into the Liguasan Marsh.The BIAF had been on the National Hiway laying IEDs.AFP snipers manned 50 caliber Barrets and artillery batteries of 105 MM Howitzers pounded the marsh afterwards.It is worth noting that in early May leadership of the 105th Base Command,at least on paper,passed to an underling of Kumander Kato,sub-Kumander Zacaria Goma.Goma is a long time MILF/BIAF vet who is known for a more moderate outlook despite his having worked directly under Kato for nearly 2 decades. "Moderate"in this case is certainly a relative term.As I noted earlier,I will hash that out in a subsequent entry.
On June 8th,2010 in Sultan sa Barongis,in Maguindanao Province,the BIAF's 105th Base Command fighting under sub-Kumander Bedai Mosayden battled with a CVO formed out of a demobilised MNLF (Moror National Liberation Front) Brigade,under Kumander Abu Samin Sampalo,causing 2,500 people to become IDPs.The 33IB was on site but refused to get involved,as always citing its obligations under the GPH-MILF Peace Process.The fighting continued sporadically until Saturday,June 12th when it intensified causing even more IDPs and even spilled over into the municipality of Montawal and threatened to ignite an even wider sub-conflict with Kumander Urao's BIAF element.As of this posting, June 21st,2010,things have calmed down to an even simmer with sporadic clashes taking place and almost all of the IDPs still homeless.
There are smaller units,known as"Sitios"(Sites) as well as another lesser unit in rural areas known as a"Purok" (Zone) but there is no level of governance below the Barangay.Above the Barangay is the Municipality.The Municipality can be either a"Town,"a"City"or a"Chartered City."Each Municipality consists of a collection of Barangays.A Municipality's classification as a Town or City depends upon its generated income and the size of its population.Originally the financial watermark was P20 Million (US460,000) in income generated anually without taking allotments from the national government into consideration.After intense lobbying from the"League of Cities"who feared that their own allotments would lessen if enough towns converted into cities,this watermark was raised to P100 Million (US2.5 Million),a huge sum in Philippine terms.Population requirements were also raised to 150,000 residents),though that is far less of an onus.
For purposes of clarification I must add that contrary to popular belief,not all cities are"Chartered Cities."The term"Chartered City"specifically refers to cities which,by an Act of Congress,have been granted specific,special powers not regularly granted to other cities.I also...hey!wake up!...need to point out that rare cities also contain"Districts."Districts are like"Regions,"they don't play a role in Governance,only in the distribution of services.Likewise,certain cities are granted the status of"Metropolitan Areas,"again relating only to infrastructure,delivery of services.On Mindanao only Cagayan del Oro City in Misamis Oriental Province and Davao City in Davao del Sur Province have been granted"Metropolitan Area"status.Likewise,only Davao City has"Districts"though Pagadian City on the Zamboanga Peninsula seems rto be moving in that direction with city officials sometimes referring to certain areas as"Districts."WAKE UP!!!
Municipalities are grouped together into"Provinces."Depending upon the size of the island a province can encompass an entire island,as is the case with Basilan Island/Basilan Province or a single island can hold dozens of provinces as is the case with Mainland Mindanao.Additionally,a province can be spread out over dozens of islands,as is the case with Sulu Province.As if this isn't confusing enough for the uninitiated,smaller islands are almost always linked administratively to larger islands despite an"Island"serving no purpose in terms of Governance.For example,both Basilan and Sulu Provinces are administratively attached to Mindanao,they ARE provinces of Mindanao.Because"Islands"aren't a cog in Governance the term"Administrative"refers to infrastructural logistics.
Above the Provincial Level is the"Region."Above the Region only stands the"National Government."
Simple thus far,right?Hahahaha.Suuuuuuuure...
As I have said,the lowest level of Governance is the Barangay.Each Barangay has a"Chairman,"or as they are popularly known,"Captain."The Chairman/Captain sits above a"Barangay Council"which has 7"Barangay Councillors,"or as they are more popularly known,"Barangay Kagawads."Each Councillor/Kagawad deals with 1 of 7 areas of Governance:
1) Finances/Treasury
2) Health
3) Education
4) Tourism
5) Development/Infrastructure
6) Peace and Order (local term for"Law and Order"/Security
7) Agriculture
each of these areas have 3 person committees composed of appointed members of the barangay with the respective Councillor/Kagawads serving as the Chairperson of that committee.In addition there is an 8th Councillor/Kagawad who sits as an ex-officio member of the Council by virtue of his or her position as Chairperson of the"Sangguiniang Kabataan,"or"SK" (Youth Council).Aged 15 to 18 this Councillor/Kagawad represents Youth Interests as well as Chairing the Barangay Council's"Sports"committee.
At the Municipal Level there is a"Mayor,"a"Vice Mayor"and then just as at the Barangay Level there is a"Municipal Council"which is formatted exactly like the Barangay Councils.Each Councillow handles a specific area of Governance and chairs a committee mandated for that respective subject.Above the Municipal Level is the Provincial Level.The"Governor"and"Vice Governor"fufill the same roles as the Mayor and Vice Mayor.Likewise the Provincial"Governor"and"Vice Governor"sit above a"Provincial Council"which is formatted exactly like the Barangay and Municipal Councils,each Provincial Councillor tasked with just 1 area of Governance but having an equal vote on provincial issues.
Regionally,except for the nation's 2"Autonomous Regions"(ARMM,or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao on Mindanao and"CAR,"or Cordilleran Autonomous Region" on Luzon) there is no system of Governance.Regions serve an infrastructural and logistical role in the distribution of services from the National Level.In many ways though it merely serves to create confusing redundancies.I will relegate this entry to a basic explanation of the overall structure and leave the critiques for a later,more in depth entry.
In addition,there is a parallel system of Governance that is itself a redundamcy;Each Municipality has an"ABC,"or"Association of Barangay Chairmen/Captains."All Barangay Chairmen/Captains belong and amongst themselves elect their own"Chairman/Captain."Then,each Municipal ABC Chairman/Captain sits in the"Provincial ABC,"which again elects its own"Chairman"or"Captain."All Provincial ABC Chairmen/Captains sit in a National ABC which itself elects a single"Chairman"or"Captain."The idea is to provide plurality of view of not an actual check or balance but in reality it is an entirely worthless endeavour.
The synchronised National and 0local Elections ("Local"as in Province and Municipality) took place on May,10,2010.The Barangay and SK Elections are set to take place in October of 2010.Regional Elections are set to take place in August of 2011.
On Wednesday March 19th,2010 Bai Mona Ampatuan, the principal of Shariff Aguak National High School in the provincial capitol of Maguindanao,Shariff Aguak had her home hit by 2 grenades thrown by 2 men riding tandem on a motorcycle wounding a 30 year old woman and her 2 kids who just happened to be walking by.Although Ms.Ampatuan IS a member of THE Ampatuan Clan (as in the"Maguindanao Massacre") it is believed that THIS attack is unrelated to that event and is instead due to recent extortion attempts made against public educational institutions in Maguindanao Province.Unfortunately most Filipino Muslims have little respect for secular education and find public institutions fair game since they are of course a product of the Philippine Government.Then their intellectuals bemoan the lack of government services in Muslim Communities.Gee,I wonder why...
On Sunday March 21st, 2010 at 11 AM a jeepney (form of public transportation) pulled into the Philippines Phoenix Petroleum gas station located on National Hiway in Barangay Poblacion,Ampatuan,Maguindanao Province.The attendant noticed after the jeepney had left that it had left behind a cardboard box.Walking over to it he was disturbed by the threatening writing on top of the package in that it threatened to kill the station owner.The young man stupidly-but bravely-pushed the box to the side of the hiway and immediately told his supervisor.The supervisor,the station manager,then called the authorities who discovered that the box contained an IED (Improvised Explosive Device,as in"bomb").
Later that day,just after sunset,the home of the station's owner was hit by at least 10 60MM mortar shells wounding 3 familiy members.Who is this beleagured atation owner you ask?None other than Zacarias Sangki,the OIC (Officer in Charge,meaning Govt.appointed,not elected) Mayor of Ampatuan (the municipality,not the Clan).Mr.Sangki gained his current political position after the Elected Mayor,Andal Ampatuan Sr.,was jailed over the aforementioned"Maguindanao Massacre"which took place on November 23rd,2009.For those unfamiliar with that sordid event Andal Sr.allegedly ordered his son Andal Jr.,the Mayor of another Maguindanowan municipality,Datu Unsay,to murder members of a rival Clan,the Mangudadatus.Unfortunately for Andal Sr.his son was a few arrows short of a quiver and he ALSO ended up killing nearly 3 dozen journalists and a handful of attorneys.The event marks the single worst case of directed violence towards journalists that the world has ever seen.The irony is that had Andal Jr.been intelligent enough to follow daddy's orders there wouldn't have been much more than couple of 3 sentence articles devoted to yet another case of Mindanowan blood letting.The Mangudadatus are no better than the Ampatuans and have just as many gory killings to their credit...just no journalists.
On Janurary 17th,2010,OIC Mayor Sangki had his 20 hectare farm ruined when gunmen burned down all buildings,including 11 houses,along with a crop nearly ready to harvest.The farm,located in Sitio Najib,Barangay Salman,also in Ampatuan is within a stone's throw of the barren field where the"Massacre"took place.Why is Zaraia Sangki so hated?Is it just aggravation that the former Vice Mayor now gets to sit in the hot seat while his former boss sits in stir?Of course not.Sangki almost immediately turned State's Witness against Andal Sr.and nearly 200 other individuals currently charged in the atrocity.Adding insult to injury Sangki,a member of a related Clan,wad ALSO a willing participant in the atrocity.
Only one day after the attack on the Sangki farm,Janurary 18th,2010,Dok Uling Salahuddin,a Barangay Captain in Barangay Kalkul in the municipality of Ampatuan,and a cousin of Zacarias Sangki was shot to death at 6PM by a single gunman.
On Tuesday April 6th,2010,51 year old Mohamadisa"Datu Haris"Sangki,brother of the OIC Mayor of Ampatuan,Zacarias Sangki,was riding his motorcycle past Cotabato City Plaza when 2 young men riding tandem on another motorcycle flagged him down at the corner of Sinsuat and S.K.Pendatun Streets in Barangay Poblacion #5.
Mr. Sangki pulled over and engaged the men in conversation when 1 of them suddenly stabbed him in the chest causing him to fall face down.The second man,later indentified as Kenny Osmena,walked over to the prostrate man and calmly shot him in the back with a 45 caliber pistol,killing him instantly.Both men then got onto their motorcycle and rode off towards the main town market.Though 5PM in the afternoon,and in full view of possibly thousands of people,not one person tried to intervene,or even pursue the gunmen.
On April 13th, 2010,in Sitio Masalay,Barangay Salman in the municipality of Ampatuan in Maguindanao Province,a CVO post (Civilian Volunteer Organisation,1 of 4 entities known collectively as"CAA,"or"Citizens Active Auxiliaries,"the cornerstone of the Government's Counterinsurgency Force Multiplication Programme.The CVO are sublimated to the PNP,or Philippine National Police and cannot bear arms unless their element has specifically been granted that right be the Secreatary of DILG,Department of the Interior and Local Government) was struck by eight M79 grenades without causing a single casualty.The attackers,Ampatuan Clan Paramilitary guerillas,were positioned in a nearby banana grove.Ironically perhaps,Barangay Salman is the same barangay where the"Massacre"took place.Not far away in Barangay Labulabu a 2nd CVO detachment was also attacked by M79 grenades and also managed to come out of it unscathed.Perhaps even more ironically,the Ampatuan Paramilitary is primarily composed of ex-CVO soldiers from that very same post!When President Arroyo first declared a State of Emergency over the Massacre most CVO personnel took to the hills knowing that they had no chance of living a law abiding life after being tarnished by their membership as Ampatuan Municipal (as well as Maguindanao Provincial) CVO.
The Ampatuan Paramilitary has been launching large scale assaults on the town since shortly after the"Massacre"took place.Despite a massive PNP and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) presence vis a vis the dedicated joint element known as"Task Force Alpha"the paramilitary has shelled the town with 60 MM mortars just about every night in March and April of 2010 with the attacks escalating as Election Day,May 10th draws near.It is not only the government that is suffering from the attacks as one can see with the repeated assaults on the Sangki family.Zacarias Sangki isn't even the Sangki to turn on the Ampatuans.The Vice Mayor of Shariff Aguak,the provincial capital of Maguindanao,is Rasul Sangki.In case his name is not familiar to you,he was the chief witness against Andal Ampatuan Jr.I will explore all that in a series of entries on the"Massacre"and all its just as bloody aftermath.It is worth noting here that the perennial enemies of the Ampatuan Clan,the MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces),have also not been sitting idly by through all this drama heaped atop drama.
On Janurary 12th,2010 the BIAF's 105 Base Command under Kumander Usatadz Ameril Ombra Kato,almost always known simply by the moniker"Kumander Kato,"along with allied MNLF/BMA (Moro National Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Army) the parent organisation from which the MILF/BIAF broke away) guerillas engaged the Ampatuan Paramilitary in a 24 hour firefight in Sitio Balutukan,Barangay Kitapok in the town of Datu Saudi Ampatuan (a different town than the town of "Ampatuan" proper,also created by Andal Ampatuan Sr.when he sat as Governor of Maguindanao Province,for his family to rule).Several deaths resulted but both sides handled it quietly so no exact number is forthcoming.
On April 15th at the Hillside Resort in Datu Odin Sinsuat,also in Maguindanao Province,the owner of the resort and mayoral candidate for Datu Odin Sinsuat,Motasser Sabal and his brother and running mate for Vice Mayor, Abdulwahab "Abraham "Sabal were engaged in a campaign strategising session with a group of close supporters when a grenade was thrown into the room.A supporter,Kagi Ketong,of that same town was killed but the brothers were unhurt.
On Thursday April 22nd,2010 in Barangay Bako,Shariff Aguak,roughly 100 guerillas from the BIAF's 105th Base Command, which was at that time still under Kumander Kato (more about his being re-deployed in a subsequent entry),crossed the GPH (Govt.of the Philippines)-MILF/BIAF permimeter (the DMZ line) by about 1 kilometer and then managed to cross paths with 2 platoons from the 45IB (Infantry Battalion),which is itself based in Shariff Aguak's Barangay Poblacion.The predictable result was a 2 hour long firefight with no reported casulaties.
On Friday,April 30th, 2010 on the town of Ampatuan's 1st Street,in Purok 1,Barangay Kauran,an IED 20 meters away from National Hiway detonated just as gubneratorial candidate Esmael"Toto"Mangudadatu's convoy was passing en route to a political rally in the town's Barangay Poblacion.Luckily noone was injured or killed in the explosion.
On Saturday,May 8th,2010 OIC Mayor Zacarias Sangki's Phoenix petrol station was once again faced with an IED.This time the device was left by 2 men riding tandem on a motorcycle who rode non-chalantly over to the gas pumps and left it in a plastic bag.This time however the IED detonated but for an unkown reason failed to set off the petrol underneath it.No casualties.
On Election Day,Monday,May 10th,2010 at 1040AM,in Barangay Kapimpilan,North Kabuntalan,in that same province of Maguindanao,Sukarno Paglas was shot to death in the neck and chest,dying just 100 meters from a polling site as he tried to run into Barangay Bagungdang.The firefight that killed him was between the camps of 2 prospective vice Mayors,Bhernie Mamolintao Bagungdang (PMP) and Muslimin Guiama Baliwan (party unknown though initially it was said that it was with the camap of the Lakas-KAMPI-CMD candidate for Vice Mayor,Raul Vidal,a Bisayan).
That same day,May 10th,in Barangay Poblacion in Shariff Aguak,a poll site at Sasez Elementary School was hit by a grenade thrown by 2 men on a motorcycle.
Also on election Day,in the town of Datu Salibo,also in Maguindanao Province,voting was suspended after an RPG (BM2) attack near a PNP station.The road and bridge into the adjacent municipality of Datu Piang were closed down stranding many residents of both towns as fighting was heavy in Datu Piang as well.It began when BIAF snipers from the 105 Base Command,positioned in Barangay Pagatin,began firing on AFP soldiers in Barangay Dapiawan.The AFP in turn positioned snipers with 50 caliber Barrets in 3 positions along the Barangay's main road,and they continued firing into Barangay Pagatin for most of the day.
Also on Election Day,in S.K.Pendatun,another town in Maguindanao Province,50 meters from the poll site in Barangay Lao Lao,three IEDS were disarmed after being discovered throughout the day.The goal of course being to disrupt the elections and keeping people from voting at that site.The last device was found at 247PM.
Meanwhile,at 1145Am that morning in Barangay Datu Saligop,in the municipality of Datu Unsay,also in Maguindanao Province,the Ampatuan Paramilitary clashed with the 39IB shortly after three IEDs detonated in that barangay.As the firefight took place a 4th IED detonated as well with the government claiming no casualties,a point which I will address at the end of all my Election Day wrap up entries.
That evening at the 4th Call to Prayer (Islamic) 2 guerillas from the aforementioned Ampatuan Paramilitary were killed in a firefight with the 45th IB,just outside Barangay Poblacion in Ampatuan.
At 11AM Tuesday, May 25th, 2010,in Barangay Dansalan,in the town of Rajah Buayan in Maguindanao Province,Barangay Captain Datu Norodin Utto and his paramilitary came under attack from the Ampatuan Paramilitary.
Datu Utto's men,numbering roughly 50 gunmen were assaulted by 57MM and 90MM recoiless rifle and 60MM mortar volleys before being approached from different directions by approximately 200 guerillas being personally led by the new leader of the force,Bahnarin Ampatuan,a grandson of Andal Sr.,and like his grandfather and almost 70 other clansmen, under indictment for the massacre.No word on paramilitary casulaties but 2 civlians were killed.
Again on Thursday May 27th,from 7AM to 3PM an 8 hour long firefight took place after mortar volleys.In this last attack the Ampatuan Paramilitary were led by 2 underlings,Kagi Nasser and Kagi Sangatin.The 2,500 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,i.e."Refugees") that resulted from this clash are camping along the Sultan Buayan to Sultan sa Barougis National Hiway.
On June 2nd,2010,at 9AM,in Barangay Balunan in the town of Datu Odin Sinsuat,the 6IB engaged 25 BIAF guerillas in from the 105th Base Command in a 1 hour firefight before the guerillas withdrew into the Liguasan Marsh.The BIAF had been on the National Hiway laying IEDs.AFP snipers manned 50 caliber Barrets and artillery batteries of 105 MM Howitzers pounded the marsh afterwards.It is worth noting that in early May leadership of the 105th Base Command,at least on paper,passed to an underling of Kumander Kato,sub-Kumander Zacaria Goma.Goma is a long time MILF/BIAF vet who is known for a more moderate outlook despite his having worked directly under Kato for nearly 2 decades. "Moderate"in this case is certainly a relative term.As I noted earlier,I will hash that out in a subsequent entry.
On June 8th,2010 in Sultan sa Barongis,in Maguindanao Province,the BIAF's 105th Base Command fighting under sub-Kumander Bedai Mosayden battled with a CVO formed out of a demobilised MNLF (Moror National Liberation Front) Brigade,under Kumander Abu Samin Sampalo,causing 2,500 people to become IDPs.The 33IB was on site but refused to get involved,as always citing its obligations under the GPH-MILF Peace Process.The fighting continued sporadically until Saturday,June 12th when it intensified causing even more IDPs and even spilled over into the municipality of Montawal and threatened to ignite an even wider sub-conflict with Kumander Urao's BIAF element.As of this posting, June 21st,2010,things have calmed down to an even simmer with sporadic clashes taking place and almost all of the IDPs still homeless.
Friday, June 18, 2010
MILF Armed Contacts,Second Quarter of 2010:104 Base Command vs. MNLF-MMSC,BIAF vs.Paramilitary in Montawal and the 113 Base Command vs.the AFP on the Lanao/Zamboangan Border
As I had related in my previous post,the BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,the MILF armed wing) 104 Base Command is currently engaged in a sub-conflict on the borders of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat Provinces.The BMA (Bangsamoro Army,the armed wing of the MNLF,in this case a nascent faction known as the Mainland Mindanao State Committee which is aligned with the EC15 Faction),under Kumander Faizel"Randy"Karon and based in Barangay Tran, Lebak,Sultan Kudarat Province is battling the BIAF 104 Base Command under Kumander Jing Caludtiag.His faction is based in Barangay Laguitan,Datu Blah Sinsuat,Maguindanao Province,immediately bordering the MNLF's afore mentioned Barangay Tran.
The flare up began on Monday,June 7th,2010 and as usual centred on a crossing of the Declared Peace Zone that sits directly on the provincial border.On June 9th,2009 both sides had signed a Peace Agreement mediated by the UN's"Act for Peace Programme"and witnessed by the local Maguindanowan Datu of the Sinsuat Clan,the local Royal House that controls both sides of that particular border.Present as well were leading members of both the MILF/BIAF and the MNLF-EC15/BMA.The June agreement had been facilitated to end a"minor"conflict that had been flaring up on and off again since early 2007.
It had originally began in 2004 when the BMA had disarmed an BIAF contingent that had crossed into Barangay Tran in violation of a de facto agreement.Small skirmishes had taken place since that time but the March of 2009 flare up killed at least to 60 civlians as well as 1 BMA guerilla.
This month's engagement has caused 6,000 more civlians to become IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,a.k.a. REFUGEES).The AFP's (Armed Forces of the Philippines) 38th IB (Infantry Battalion) is partially deploying along the provincial border in a process that began on June 10th,after first refusing to get involved citing ongoing commitments to the GHP (Govt. of the Philippines)-MILF Peace Process.The AFP usually takes the position that commitments to the Peace Process preclude any armed action.As of this posting the AFP has not engaged either side and its presence seems to have kept both sides from engaging each other.
It is also worth noting that Kumander Karon was the ARMM's (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) Seceratary of Natural Resources under MNLF founder and now its main factional leader,Nur Misuari (when Misuari was ARMM Governor from 1996 to 2001).
This of course has not been the only MILF/BIAF action over the last couple of months.On Sunday,May 17th an MILF "Lost Command" (Rogue Element) under Kumander Kakem Urao has been involved in some post-election hijinx in its home village,Baranagay Bulod,in the town of Montawal in Maguindanao Province.Urao backed incumbent Mayor Ohto Montawal who won re-election.His main opponent,the defeated Datu Arkhan Matalam has accused Urao of barring his supporters from voting,by gunpoint.
On the date in question,at 8AM,3 sitios (small villages that are the equivalent to a Western"neighbourhood"in municipal terms) in Baranagy Bulod were burned to the ground.Lt.Jimson Dugenio,the CO (Commanding Officer) of the 7th IB's Charlie Company (Company C) suggests that it was Datu Matalam's right hand man,Abdul Karim who set the fires.Karim,Datu Matalam and many villagers however point the finger at the MILF/BIAF.
On Wednesday,May 12th,still angered over not being allowed to vote,Angka Sapi of Datu Matalam's camp physically attacked some of Mayor Montawal's men.The next day,May 13th,Mayor Montawal's man"Uzi"Ampatuan burned a good portion of Barangay Balatongcaya,the barangay next to Barangay Bulod.Balatongcaya is home to Matalam and many in his camp. Ampatuan was assisted by Manalao Guiamel who is actually not only a resident of Baranagay Balatongcaya but a Barangay Councilor as well (talking about"cutting off your nose to spite your face").It is also worth noting that he is a rival of his own Barangay Captain which probablly explains his burning his own barangay.Fast forward to May 17th and the burning of Barangay Bulod;Immediately after the 3 sitios were burned,Kumander Urao and his men had THEIR homes burned,as in an act of retaliation so it seems that the AFP is wrong on this one but that is not really suprising,and as usual the AFP is not getting involved citing"familiy politics"as its raison d'etre.
Meanwhile,yet another 500 villagers have become IDPs,camping along National Hiway and begging for rice.
On Saturday,April 17th in Barangay Payong,Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte Province,the 35IB was on patrol near Bundok Payong (Mt. Payong) when they inadvertantly crossed paths with an element of the BIAF's 113 Base Command whose main base of operations is on that mountain.The 113 Base Command is under Kumander Aloy al Ashree but the element involved in the fire fight was the 113th's 4th Brigade under Kumander Latip Jamaat whose AOR (Area of Responsibility) is the entire Zamboanga Peninsula.
It is Jamaat's Brigade that is often erroneously identified as a BIAF,or as most Filipinos call it,MILF"Lost Command."when the media discusses the MILF/BIAF's involvement in most of Zamboanga's KFRs (Kidnappings for Ransom) it automatically labels any MILF/BIAF element as a so called"Lost Command."In reality there are no such things.
The priests from Zamboanga?Father Sinott,the Irish Columban Order priest who was kidnapped from Pagadian City? He was held on Bundok Payong.The mountain actually sits on the borderof Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga.
The flare up began on Monday,June 7th,2010 and as usual centred on a crossing of the Declared Peace Zone that sits directly on the provincial border.On June 9th,2009 both sides had signed a Peace Agreement mediated by the UN's"Act for Peace Programme"and witnessed by the local Maguindanowan Datu of the Sinsuat Clan,the local Royal House that controls both sides of that particular border.Present as well were leading members of both the MILF/BIAF and the MNLF-EC15/BMA.The June agreement had been facilitated to end a"minor"conflict that had been flaring up on and off again since early 2007.
It had originally began in 2004 when the BMA had disarmed an BIAF contingent that had crossed into Barangay Tran in violation of a de facto agreement.Small skirmishes had taken place since that time but the March of 2009 flare up killed at least to 60 civlians as well as 1 BMA guerilla.
This month's engagement has caused 6,000 more civlians to become IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,a.k.a. REFUGEES).The AFP's (Armed Forces of the Philippines) 38th IB (Infantry Battalion) is partially deploying along the provincial border in a process that began on June 10th,after first refusing to get involved citing ongoing commitments to the GHP (Govt. of the Philippines)-MILF Peace Process.The AFP usually takes the position that commitments to the Peace Process preclude any armed action.As of this posting the AFP has not engaged either side and its presence seems to have kept both sides from engaging each other.
It is also worth noting that Kumander Karon was the ARMM's (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) Seceratary of Natural Resources under MNLF founder and now its main factional leader,Nur Misuari (when Misuari was ARMM Governor from 1996 to 2001).
This of course has not been the only MILF/BIAF action over the last couple of months.On Sunday,May 17th an MILF "Lost Command" (Rogue Element) under Kumander Kakem Urao has been involved in some post-election hijinx in its home village,Baranagay Bulod,in the town of Montawal in Maguindanao Province.Urao backed incumbent Mayor Ohto Montawal who won re-election.His main opponent,the defeated Datu Arkhan Matalam has accused Urao of barring his supporters from voting,by gunpoint.
On the date in question,at 8AM,3 sitios (small villages that are the equivalent to a Western"neighbourhood"in municipal terms) in Baranagy Bulod were burned to the ground.Lt.Jimson Dugenio,the CO (Commanding Officer) of the 7th IB's Charlie Company (Company C) suggests that it was Datu Matalam's right hand man,Abdul Karim who set the fires.Karim,Datu Matalam and many villagers however point the finger at the MILF/BIAF.
On Wednesday,May 12th,still angered over not being allowed to vote,Angka Sapi of Datu Matalam's camp physically attacked some of Mayor Montawal's men.The next day,May 13th,Mayor Montawal's man"Uzi"Ampatuan burned a good portion of Barangay Balatongcaya,the barangay next to Barangay Bulod.Balatongcaya is home to Matalam and many in his camp. Ampatuan was assisted by Manalao Guiamel who is actually not only a resident of Baranagay Balatongcaya but a Barangay Councilor as well (talking about"cutting off your nose to spite your face").It is also worth noting that he is a rival of his own Barangay Captain which probablly explains his burning his own barangay.Fast forward to May 17th and the burning of Barangay Bulod;Immediately after the 3 sitios were burned,Kumander Urao and his men had THEIR homes burned,as in an act of retaliation so it seems that the AFP is wrong on this one but that is not really suprising,and as usual the AFP is not getting involved citing"familiy politics"as its raison d'etre.
Meanwhile,yet another 500 villagers have become IDPs,camping along National Hiway and begging for rice.
On Saturday,April 17th in Barangay Payong,Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte Province,the 35IB was on patrol near Bundok Payong (Mt. Payong) when they inadvertantly crossed paths with an element of the BIAF's 113 Base Command whose main base of operations is on that mountain.The 113 Base Command is under Kumander Aloy al Ashree but the element involved in the fire fight was the 113th's 4th Brigade under Kumander Latip Jamaat whose AOR (Area of Responsibility) is the entire Zamboanga Peninsula.
It is Jamaat's Brigade that is often erroneously identified as a BIAF,or as most Filipinos call it,MILF"Lost Command."when the media discusses the MILF/BIAF's involvement in most of Zamboanga's KFRs (Kidnappings for Ransom) it automatically labels any MILF/BIAF element as a so called"Lost Command."In reality there are no such things.
The priests from Zamboanga?Father Sinott,the Irish Columban Order priest who was kidnapped from Pagadian City? He was held on Bundok Payong.The mountain actually sits on the borderof Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
GPH-MILF Peace Process,Second Quarter of 2010,Part II:A Bumpy Ride Out the Door for Soon to be EX-President Arroyo
What should be an easy winding down to a tumultuous decade in office took another turn for the worse as the government was lambasted over the"Declaration of Continuity"discussed in my previous entry,"GPH-MILF Peace Process,Second Quarter of 2010,Part I:A Rough Week."The 2 page document resulting from a 2 day meeting in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia was,as I said in the aforementioned entry,a"no brainer."The MILF though never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity as they say,and took a here to fore unheard of stance in demanding that the government show its good intentions by publishing a synopsis of the agreement in a leading Manila daily.
The following Sunday,June 6th,2010,the ad appeared in the"Philippine Star."Copacetic you say?The MILF immediately cried foul and accused the government of not keeping its word.It turns out that the ad only contained 5 of the 6 points contained there in.Interestingly,the point omitted was Point #2,the one which expresses that both parties will act in "good will."
The MILF of course was having a grand old time as it sent out a press release stressing that contrary to the document's wording,the government had"failed to act in good will,"drum roll,exit stage left.
To its credit the government admitted the error and patiently explained,sans the usual bombastic language that it was entirely due to"human error"and not a deliberate act as claimed by the MILF.It then promised to immediately resubmit for publication a copy with all points included.
The following Sunday,June 13th,the government kept its word and went one better,running a rather expensive ad in not one but two leading Manila dailies,the "Star"as well as the"Philippine Daily Inquirer."To put this in some perspective,each of the 3 ads cost in the area of P1 Million (roughly 20,000 Euros at the current exchange rate).
On May 27th and 28th President Arroyo was the guest of honor at a forum sponsored by the "Centre for Humanitarian dialogue,"held at Makati's New World Hotel.Definitely among her element she was surrounded by a host of C-List Peace Advocates.Among others,she was able to hobknob with Sinn Fein (as in the Irish Republican Army) peace negotiator Gerry Kelly,Palestinian attorney Omar Dajani,Free Aceh leader Irwandi Yusuf and former Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla (I would have loved to have heard the conversation between the last 2,if indeed any took place).
In her closing remarks President Arroyo vowed to continue her crusade to bring peace to Mindanao.She promised the enthralled crowd that one of her first acts as a Congresswoman representing Pampanga's 2nd District will be to sponsor a Bill granting ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) even more autonomy (I wonder if anyone took the time to remind her that this was exactly what caused her to almost plunge the nation into total civil war in 2008). As she told the crowd,"Mindanao stands poised for peace."While she may have got high marks for alliteration,her comments did NOT play well on the island which has been hearing those exact words for nearly 6 centuries now.
MILF Peace Panel Chairman Mohagher Iqbal wrly noted that since she was unable to bring peace to Mindanao during her decade in office AS PRESIDENT,what in the world would possess her now to imagine that she could so as a Kapampangan Congresswoman?As MILF Secretariat Chairman Muhammad Ameen offered, "(Ms. Arroyo) Its not your time anymore."
As if to pound that nail home,on 6/10/2010 an ongoing sub-conflict flared up on the borders of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao Provinces when the BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,the military wing of the MILF) and BMA (Bangsamoro Army,the armed wing of the MNLF) did battle for the 5th time in 15 months.The latest flare up took place exactly on the provincial border,between the towns of Lebak (S.Kudarat) and Datu Blah Sinsuat (Maguindanao).The BIAF's 104 Base Command has been going toe to toe with the BMA's Kumander Randy Karon who is aligned with the MNLF-EC15 (Executive Council of 15) faction against the Misuari Faction.
I will explore this sub-conflict in an upcoming post.
The following Sunday,June 6th,2010,the ad appeared in the"Philippine Star."Copacetic you say?The MILF immediately cried foul and accused the government of not keeping its word.It turns out that the ad only contained 5 of the 6 points contained there in.Interestingly,the point omitted was Point #2,the one which expresses that both parties will act in "good will."
The MILF of course was having a grand old time as it sent out a press release stressing that contrary to the document's wording,the government had"failed to act in good will,"drum roll,exit stage left.
To its credit the government admitted the error and patiently explained,sans the usual bombastic language that it was entirely due to"human error"and not a deliberate act as claimed by the MILF.It then promised to immediately resubmit for publication a copy with all points included.
The following Sunday,June 13th,the government kept its word and went one better,running a rather expensive ad in not one but two leading Manila dailies,the "Star"as well as the"Philippine Daily Inquirer."To put this in some perspective,each of the 3 ads cost in the area of P1 Million (roughly 20,000 Euros at the current exchange rate).
On May 27th and 28th President Arroyo was the guest of honor at a forum sponsored by the "Centre for Humanitarian dialogue,"held at Makati's New World Hotel.Definitely among her element she was surrounded by a host of C-List Peace Advocates.Among others,she was able to hobknob with Sinn Fein (as in the Irish Republican Army) peace negotiator Gerry Kelly,Palestinian attorney Omar Dajani,Free Aceh leader Irwandi Yusuf and former Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla (I would have loved to have heard the conversation between the last 2,if indeed any took place).
In her closing remarks President Arroyo vowed to continue her crusade to bring peace to Mindanao.She promised the enthralled crowd that one of her first acts as a Congresswoman representing Pampanga's 2nd District will be to sponsor a Bill granting ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) even more autonomy (I wonder if anyone took the time to remind her that this was exactly what caused her to almost plunge the nation into total civil war in 2008). As she told the crowd,"Mindanao stands poised for peace."While she may have got high marks for alliteration,her comments did NOT play well on the island which has been hearing those exact words for nearly 6 centuries now.
MILF Peace Panel Chairman Mohagher Iqbal wrly noted that since she was unable to bring peace to Mindanao during her decade in office AS PRESIDENT,what in the world would possess her now to imagine that she could so as a Kapampangan Congresswoman?As MILF Secretariat Chairman Muhammad Ameen offered, "(Ms. Arroyo) Its not your time anymore."
As if to pound that nail home,on 6/10/2010 an ongoing sub-conflict flared up on the borders of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao Provinces when the BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,the military wing of the MILF) and BMA (Bangsamoro Army,the armed wing of the MNLF) did battle for the 5th time in 15 months.The latest flare up took place exactly on the provincial border,between the towns of Lebak (S.Kudarat) and Datu Blah Sinsuat (Maguindanao).The BIAF's 104 Base Command has been going toe to toe with the BMA's Kumander Randy Karon who is aligned with the MNLF-EC15 (Executive Council of 15) faction against the Misuari Faction.
I will explore this sub-conflict in an upcoming post.
Monday, June 14, 2010
GPH-MILF Peace Process,Second Quarter of 2010:A Rough Week for Both Sides
June 3rd, 2010 marked the end of the last GHP (Government of the the Philippines) and MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) "sit down"under the Arroyo Administration,with President Benigno"Nonoy"Aquino III taking office on July 1st. The meeting which took place in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia was a 2 day"no brainer'"and yet what could go wrong did go wrong.
Even before leaving Manila the GHP Peace Panel Chairman,Undersecretary Rafael Seguis,announced to the media that the meeting was merely a formality to mark the end of President Arroyo's effort to achieve peace with at least 1 of the 3 Islamic insurgencies in the Philippines.Asked if he expected the meeting to produce any tangible results,Chairman Seguis offered that he expected the talks to produce a"Closure Statement,"whatever THAT may be.What he and his MILF counterpart,Peace Panel Chairman Moagher Iqbal ended up producing though was a 2 page document containing 6 points.
Entitled,"Declaration on Continuity for Peace Negotiations,"the document basically offered nothing substantiative except for the 6th and final point and even that is pure"fluff."The"Points"are as follows (paraphrased):
I) Both sides will continue to seek out new formulas that permanantly respond to the legitimate aspirations of the Bangsamoro (as the MILF refers to all Filipino Muslims) for a just peace,freedom built upon parity,esteem,equal treatment,ethos,civil and human rights and the right to exercise self determination,with consent,per the agreed upon framework created by both parties (GHP and MILF).
II) In good faith and building upon prior consensual points,negotiations will continue without imposition as a reflection of each parties ongoing commitment to peace (in layman's terms there will be no requirement upon either side to pay attention to past agreements and progress made).
III) The ultimate goal of these continued talks being a permanant cessation of hostilities while at the same time addressing Bangsamoro grievances and concerns.
IV) The issue of Ancestral Domain* will be reframed to take into consideration the rights and issues of effected Lumad (the generic term used to refer to all Animist Hill Tribes on Mindanao) in accordance with the UN "Declaration on the Roghts of Indigenous Peoples."
V) Rehashing of the deficiencies in Ancestral Domain with regard to Lumad,and vowing to remedy these failings (in layman's terms,both this and the preceeding point are basically admitting that in past talks neither side paid much attention to the Lumad,the indigenous animist tribes on Mindanao).
VI) All previous Agreements and Texts will be collated into a compendium for easy frame of reference in future negotiations (all this is saying is that they will spend alot of money to produce a nicely bounc collection of all past agreements and memorandums,things both sides should have each time they meet in any regard,but that is how it is played).
* "Ancestral Domain"is the phrase used to describe land rights for Lumad and Bangsamoro though crafted primarily to address Bangsamoro concerns.
Even before leaving Manila the GHP Peace Panel Chairman,Undersecretary Rafael Seguis,announced to the media that the meeting was merely a formality to mark the end of President Arroyo's effort to achieve peace with at least 1 of the 3 Islamic insurgencies in the Philippines.Asked if he expected the meeting to produce any tangible results,Chairman Seguis offered that he expected the talks to produce a"Closure Statement,"whatever THAT may be.What he and his MILF counterpart,Peace Panel Chairman Moagher Iqbal ended up producing though was a 2 page document containing 6 points.
Entitled,"Declaration on Continuity for Peace Negotiations,"the document basically offered nothing substantiative except for the 6th and final point and even that is pure"fluff."The"Points"are as follows (paraphrased):
I) Both sides will continue to seek out new formulas that permanantly respond to the legitimate aspirations of the Bangsamoro (as the MILF refers to all Filipino Muslims) for a just peace,freedom built upon parity,esteem,equal treatment,ethos,civil and human rights and the right to exercise self determination,with consent,per the agreed upon framework created by both parties (GHP and MILF).
II) In good faith and building upon prior consensual points,negotiations will continue without imposition as a reflection of each parties ongoing commitment to peace (in layman's terms there will be no requirement upon either side to pay attention to past agreements and progress made).
III) The ultimate goal of these continued talks being a permanant cessation of hostilities while at the same time addressing Bangsamoro grievances and concerns.
IV) The issue of Ancestral Domain* will be reframed to take into consideration the rights and issues of effected Lumad (the generic term used to refer to all Animist Hill Tribes on Mindanao) in accordance with the UN "Declaration on the Roghts of Indigenous Peoples."
V) Rehashing of the deficiencies in Ancestral Domain with regard to Lumad,and vowing to remedy these failings (in layman's terms,both this and the preceeding point are basically admitting that in past talks neither side paid much attention to the Lumad,the indigenous animist tribes on Mindanao).
VI) All previous Agreements and Texts will be collated into a compendium for easy frame of reference in future negotiations (all this is saying is that they will spend alot of money to produce a nicely bounc collection of all past agreements and memorandums,things both sides should have each time they meet in any regard,but that is how it is played).
* "Ancestral Domain"is the phrase used to describe land rights for Lumad and Bangsamoro though crafted primarily to address Bangsamoro concerns.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Politics,the Second Quarter of 2010:The Pacman Tries for Another TKO in Sarangani
On Monday, 4/26/2010, the day after the 5 Pacquiao campaign workers were arrested in the kidnapping attempt on Mayor Enrique Yap of G'laan,Sarangani Province,Provincial Governor Rene Miguel Dominguez travelled to visit his partymate and close ally,Mayor Yap. After all, with their close alliance,the attempt on Mayor Yap MIGHT have been a potshot at the Governor.Spending about an hour in G'laan,Governor Dominguez's convoy then began the return trip to GenSan (General Santos City) for a meeting with Presidential candidate Gilbert"Gibo"Teodoro who was scheduled to give a speech at Mindanao Polytechnic.
Governor Dominguez's SUV had just passed the foot of Lun Masla Bridge in Mapalatan when a powerful IED partially detonated.The device,centered upon a 105 MM Howitzer shell wired to a Motorola cellular phone was attached to an abandoned motorcycle parked near the shoulder of the road.Detonating at partial strength due to a problem with the shell, no casualties were reported and the convoy continued unscathed onto GenSan.
While things did manage to die down in G'laan, at least momentarily,the town was listed as an"Election Hotspot"by COMELEC (the governmental authority charged with overseeing all elections).On Election Day snafus resulted in a COMELEC decison to include G'laan on the list of municpalities to participate in the Re-balloting, yesterday, Thursday, June 3rd (re-edit: Mayor Enrique Yap is out of office and brother Victor James Yap has replaced him, while their sister Vivien is the Vice Mayor, noted on August 1, 2010). speaking of "Election Hotspots," most of the nation along with the very limited international coverage Mindanao receives have all focused on Maguindanao Province and the rest of the ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) because of the "Maguindanao Massacare"to be discussed in a subsequent entry. To a lesser degree Lanao del Sur Province has received attention as well but most people have not even considered that there may have been a much more violent section of the island that had managed to evade scrutiny.
Region IX, the Zamboanga Peninsula with its 3 provinces saw more than 32 deaths this election season (beginning in eary November when candidates begin registering with COMELEC to declare their candidacy up until 6/03/2010 when this election's Re-balloting took place. That number is pretty amazing when COMELEC is declaring that the entire island had only 27 deaths (of course not including the almost 60 deaths from the "Maguindanao Massacre").
Most deaths revolved around the mayoral race in Labangan in Zamboanga del Sur Province and most victims were members of the Liberal Party in that municipality. Vice Mayor Wilson "Kitty" Nandang, cousin of the current mayor, Abubakar Afdal was the central figure in all deaths in that area.
I) The first to die, on record at least, was Ensor Pakil, a Liberal Party organiser in Labangan. He was shot to death on 12/29/2010.
II) On 1/04/2010 "habal-habal" driver (motorised tricycle built from a motorcross "dirtbike") Rascal Afdal was letting his son drive, on National Hiway in Barangay Dao, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur Province. 48 year old Afdal was cut off by 2 men on a single motorcyle. Immediately the passenger on the rear of the motorcycle killed Afdal. Rascal Afdal is a supporter of Vice Mayor Wilson "Kitty" Nandang, as well as being his cousin and his personal driver (though by a stroke of co-incidence un-related to the mayor with whom he coincidentally shares a surname).
III) On 1/11/2010, Rosalinda "Rose" Pajente, an Operations Manager for the National Food Authority (Philippine equivalent to the American FDA) was on her way home and fast approaching a PNP (Police) checkpoint on National Hiway, in Barangay Tiguma, Pagadian City. 2 men on a motorcycle drove up on her left, the man on the rear shot her to death before fleeing. Rose was an organiser for the Liberal Party in neighbouring Labangan.
IV) On 1/16/2010, at 5PM, Hadja Anira Abdullah Agcong , a supporter Wilson "Kitty" Nandang and a major backer for his stab at the mayoralty was at Pagadian City's Gaisano Mall to purchase medicines for her ailing son, who waited in the SUV. As soon as Ms. Agcong stepped out of her vehicle she was shot in the chest and killed by an assailant holding a 45 caliber pistol. He then calmly walked away, hopped on the back of a motorcycle and drove off.
V) The next day, 1/17/2010, Motalliden "Steve" Pacman Tapodoc, a cadidate for Town Council in Labangan on the Liberal Party ticket was walking behind the Pagadian City Hall compound in Barangay Poblacion. As he neared the corner nearest the Philippine Independant Church 2 men on a motorcyle shot him to death with a 45 caliber pistol.
VI) On 2/09/2010, incumbernt Barangay Councilor and former Barangay Captain on the Liberal Party ticket, Joel Autida of Barangay Cabgan in Tambulig, a municipality adjoining Labangan was shot to death with a 45 caliber pistol.
VII) On 3/09/2010, Liberal Party Organiser, 32 year old Jay Durangparang of Purok Bayabas, Barangay Kalubi, Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur was shot to death by PNP (Police). 5 Police Officers and the chief of Aurora PNP have been arrested and charged with his murder.
VIII) On that same day, 3/09/2010, 42 year old Edilberto Monticillo was also killed, in Aurora. The Liberal Party campaign worker is believed to have been killed by the same officers charged in Mr. Durangparang's death but noone has been charged as of posting.
IX) On 3/14/2010 Liberal Party campaign worker Alfredo Labor Dalingding of Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur was killed by 45 caliber pistol.
X) The next day, 3/15/2010, Liberal Party campaign worker Tuaher Dakula was killed in his hometown of Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur.
XI) On 4/01/2010, 42 year old Habib "Andi" Maulana of Barangay Campo Islam, Labangan was taking his wife and young children for a ride in his "habal-habal" in Pagadian City"s Barangay Tiguma...when the Liberal Party organiser reached the intersection of National Hiway and the Access Road for the integrated Bus Terminal (IBT) his vehicle was cut off by 2 men on a motorcycle. The man on the rear calmly leaned over and shot Mr. Maulauna 5 times in the head with a 45 caliber pistol.
XII) On 4/03/2010, at 11AM, Victoriano "Jun" Olila of Somniot, Zamboanga del Sur Province and that town's Liberal Party coordinator was on his motorcycle when 2 men on a motorcycle pulled up next to him and shot him to death with a 45 caliber pistol.
XIII) On 4/05/2010 in Purok African Daisy, Barangay Catibog in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay Province, a man on a motorcyle rode by the compound of radio station 103.1 FM, "Magic FM" and threw a hand grenade into the station's compound. The grenade hit a billboard and inadvertantly landed very near to the street where 1 hapless pedestrian was unluckily walking. The unidentified man was critically wounded. The station is owned by Zamboanga Sibugay's Governor, George Hofer, the patriarch of the Hofer political dynasty.
Prior to the attack the station had been receiving threatening text messages warning it to ease up against a comepeting political dynasty, the Jalosjos clan. the Jalosjos had been unseated by the Hofers roughly 10 years before but are running in this year's election despite their patriarch Romeo Jalosjos just being released from prison this past March (2010). Romeo Jalosjos, a former Congressman from Zambonga del Norte Province spent the past 16 years serving time for the rape of a child. His original sentence of Life was commuted by President Arroyo.
Governor George Hofer is reaching the end of his term limit and is now running for mayor of Ipil, the second major Christian* town in Region IX. Daughter Dulce Ann Hofer, who usually goes by her middle name (Ann) is running for her father's gubneratorial seat. Her brother Jet Hofer is running for the 2nd District Zambomga Sibugay congressional seat, vacated by sister Dulce Ann so that she might in turn fill their father's surrendered gubneratorial seat. "Musical Chairs."
*"Christian" in the South Philippines is an ethnicity as well as a religious label.
Running againt Jet Hofer is John John Jalosjos, son of former Congressman Romeo Jalosjos, and brother to Rommel Jalosjos who is himself running for Governor against Ducle Ann Hofer.
In 2/2010 Jet Hofer supported the allegations of the Barangay Captain* of Barangay Veterans, Dan Erasmo who filed a petition with COMELEC, the Philippine 's Election Authority, with regard to Rommel, accusing the older son of Romeo Jalosjo of lying on his COMELEC application when he claimed to be residing with his brother in Ipil.
XIV) On 4/08/2010 in Barangay Poblacion, Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay a senior PNP (Police) officer and campaign worker for the Lakas-KAMPI-CMD* Party had 2 grenades thrown at his house. Only 1 detonated but luckily, apart from shock there were no casualties.
*Lakas-KAMPI-CMD is the ruling party.
XV) On Sunday, 4/11/2010, Liberal Party Organiser Bernardo Aying of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur was shot to death with a 45 caliber pistol.
XVI) On Monday, 4/12/2010 Rolando Mayormita, a Liberal Party campaign worker in Labangan was shot to death, by 45 caliber pistol in adjoining Pagadian City.
XVII) That same day, 4/12/2010, also in Zamboanga Sibugay, a Liberal Party campaign rally a grenade attack left 4 people seriously wounded, 1 critically. 3 of those people were young children.
XVIII) On Tuesday, 4/13/2010, a convoy of Lakas-KAMPI-CMD workers in the hinterlands of Zamboanga Sibugay Province were strafed with automatic gunfire but luckily incurred no casualties.
XIX) That same day, 4/13/2010, in Zamboanga Sibugay Province a gathering of politicians at the barangay level were fired upon, wounding 1 of them moderately.
XX) At 8PM on Thursday, 4/15/2010, Mayoral candidate Gerge Castillo (Lakas-KAMPI-CMD), of Barangay Poblacion in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay found a primed IED at his doorstep. Luckily authorities sapped it prior to detonation.
XXI) That same day, 4/15/2010, at 830 PM a Lakas-KAMPI-CMD rally in the Barangay Hall of Titay's Barangay San Antonio was the scene of a stampeding mob after the PNP (Police) discovered an IED inside a plastic bag in the hall's phone booth. The bomb consisted of PVC and black powder (gun powder),i.e. a "pipe bomb."
XXII) That night, in the overnight hours between 4/15/2010 and 4/16/2010 fisherman Jun Borja of Olutanga on Olutanga Island in Zamboanga Sibugay was readying his gear when a gunman approached him and shot him to death with a 45 caliber pistol. Mr. Borja was an organiser for an Olutanga (Olutanga is also the name of 1 of 3 municipalities on the small island) candiate for mayor.
XXIII) On Sunday, 4/18/2010, at 730 PM in Barangay Poblacion, Kabansalan, Zamboanga Sibugay a Lakas-KAMPI-CMD rally in the town gymnasium was the scene of yet another hand grenade attack. The group of 4 young men gravely wounded woman and her young child were seriously wounded.
XXIV) At 8AM on Tuesday, 5/04/2010 Liberal Party Organisers and assistants were riding in 2 flatbed trucks owned by Mayoral candidate Wilson "Kitty" Nandang, en route to Labangan's isolated Barangay Langatod when they were forced to stop at an impromptu checkpoint by armed men. The gunmen made everyone dismount and walk home (roughly 20 kilometers through the bush). As the passnegers began walking the gunmen shot and killed both drivers (Bakel Samal, of Labangan and an employee of candidate Nandang, and an unidentified 2nd man) and then set both trucks and bodies on fire.
XXV) On Friday, 5/07/2010 , Purok Gin-awa, Barangay Tawagan Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, gunmen with M16s set upon a roup of habal-habal drivers who supported Wilson "Kitty" Nandang and killed 2 of them: Hashim Abang Maguindra and Hussain Maguindra Manarasol (no blood relation), and wounding a 3rd unidentifed driver.
XXVI) On Sunday, 5/09/2010, the night before election an IED detonated 3 meters from the mayoral office in Ipil's Barangay Poblacion, at the War Monument on Rizal Street. Because of the late overnight hour nobody was present . The Ipil Department of Education building was severely damaged.
XXVII) At just after midnite, 5/10/2010, Election Day, 2 men on a motorcycle shot and killed the brother of the provincial vice governor in Zamboanga City.
XXVIII) On Election Day, Monday, 5/10/2010 at 215 AM in Barangay Poblacion, R.T. Lim (town, a.k.a. Roseller Town) in Zamboanga Sibugay , a convoy of campaign workers and Organisers for mayoral candidate Rogelio Lopez refused to stop at a PNP/AFP (Police/Army) checkpoint. As the AFP went in pursuit the convoy began firing at the pursuing soldiers. Reaching Lopez's compound in Barangay Surabay the fleeing men piled out of their SUVs and began fanning out taking up defencive positions. As the AFP, and then the PNP quickly arrived a 3 hour firefight broke out. After the smoke cleared 3 of Lopez's men were killed and 8 people were wounded, 3 of whom were PNP officers.
Not suprisingly, the local and national media reported that it was a "peaceful election." an additional Liberal Party campaign worker, Toto Lagana of Labangan was shot to death by a 45 caliber pistol but scant information, including the date of his death are available.
Governor Dominguez's SUV had just passed the foot of Lun Masla Bridge in Mapalatan when a powerful IED partially detonated.The device,centered upon a 105 MM Howitzer shell wired to a Motorola cellular phone was attached to an abandoned motorcycle parked near the shoulder of the road.Detonating at partial strength due to a problem with the shell, no casualties were reported and the convoy continued unscathed onto GenSan.
While things did manage to die down in G'laan, at least momentarily,the town was listed as an"Election Hotspot"by COMELEC (the governmental authority charged with overseeing all elections).On Election Day snafus resulted in a COMELEC decison to include G'laan on the list of municpalities to participate in the Re-balloting, yesterday, Thursday, June 3rd (re-edit: Mayor Enrique Yap is out of office and brother Victor James Yap has replaced him, while their sister Vivien is the Vice Mayor, noted on August 1, 2010). speaking of "Election Hotspots," most of the nation along with the very limited international coverage Mindanao receives have all focused on Maguindanao Province and the rest of the ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) because of the "Maguindanao Massacare"to be discussed in a subsequent entry. To a lesser degree Lanao del Sur Province has received attention as well but most people have not even considered that there may have been a much more violent section of the island that had managed to evade scrutiny.
Region IX, the Zamboanga Peninsula with its 3 provinces saw more than 32 deaths this election season (beginning in eary November when candidates begin registering with COMELEC to declare their candidacy up until 6/03/2010 when this election's Re-balloting took place. That number is pretty amazing when COMELEC is declaring that the entire island had only 27 deaths (of course not including the almost 60 deaths from the "Maguindanao Massacre").
Most deaths revolved around the mayoral race in Labangan in Zamboanga del Sur Province and most victims were members of the Liberal Party in that municipality. Vice Mayor Wilson "Kitty" Nandang, cousin of the current mayor, Abubakar Afdal was the central figure in all deaths in that area.
I) The first to die, on record at least, was Ensor Pakil, a Liberal Party organiser in Labangan. He was shot to death on 12/29/2010.
II) On 1/04/2010 "habal-habal" driver (motorised tricycle built from a motorcross "dirtbike") Rascal Afdal was letting his son drive, on National Hiway in Barangay Dao, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur Province. 48 year old Afdal was cut off by 2 men on a single motorcyle. Immediately the passenger on the rear of the motorcycle killed Afdal. Rascal Afdal is a supporter of Vice Mayor Wilson "Kitty" Nandang, as well as being his cousin and his personal driver (though by a stroke of co-incidence un-related to the mayor with whom he coincidentally shares a surname).
III) On 1/11/2010, Rosalinda "Rose" Pajente, an Operations Manager for the National Food Authority (Philippine equivalent to the American FDA) was on her way home and fast approaching a PNP (Police) checkpoint on National Hiway, in Barangay Tiguma, Pagadian City. 2 men on a motorcycle drove up on her left, the man on the rear shot her to death before fleeing. Rose was an organiser for the Liberal Party in neighbouring Labangan.
IV) On 1/16/2010, at 5PM, Hadja Anira Abdullah Agcong , a supporter Wilson "Kitty" Nandang and a major backer for his stab at the mayoralty was at Pagadian City's Gaisano Mall to purchase medicines for her ailing son, who waited in the SUV. As soon as Ms. Agcong stepped out of her vehicle she was shot in the chest and killed by an assailant holding a 45 caliber pistol. He then calmly walked away, hopped on the back of a motorcycle and drove off.
V) The next day, 1/17/2010, Motalliden "Steve" Pacman Tapodoc, a cadidate for Town Council in Labangan on the Liberal Party ticket was walking behind the Pagadian City Hall compound in Barangay Poblacion. As he neared the corner nearest the Philippine Independant Church 2 men on a motorcyle shot him to death with a 45 caliber pistol.
VI) On 2/09/2010, incumbernt Barangay Councilor and former Barangay Captain on the Liberal Party ticket, Joel Autida of Barangay Cabgan in Tambulig, a municipality adjoining Labangan was shot to death with a 45 caliber pistol.
VII) On 3/09/2010, Liberal Party Organiser, 32 year old Jay Durangparang of Purok Bayabas, Barangay Kalubi, Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur was shot to death by PNP (Police). 5 Police Officers and the chief of Aurora PNP have been arrested and charged with his murder.
VIII) On that same day, 3/09/2010, 42 year old Edilberto Monticillo was also killed, in Aurora. The Liberal Party campaign worker is believed to have been killed by the same officers charged in Mr. Durangparang's death but noone has been charged as of posting.
IX) On 3/14/2010 Liberal Party campaign worker Alfredo Labor Dalingding of Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur was killed by 45 caliber pistol.
X) The next day, 3/15/2010, Liberal Party campaign worker Tuaher Dakula was killed in his hometown of Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur.
XI) On 4/01/2010, 42 year old Habib "Andi" Maulana of Barangay Campo Islam, Labangan was taking his wife and young children for a ride in his "habal-habal" in Pagadian City"s Barangay Tiguma...when the Liberal Party organiser reached the intersection of National Hiway and the Access Road for the integrated Bus Terminal (IBT) his vehicle was cut off by 2 men on a motorcycle. The man on the rear calmly leaned over and shot Mr. Maulauna 5 times in the head with a 45 caliber pistol.
XII) On 4/03/2010, at 11AM, Victoriano "Jun" Olila of Somniot, Zamboanga del Sur Province and that town's Liberal Party coordinator was on his motorcycle when 2 men on a motorcycle pulled up next to him and shot him to death with a 45 caliber pistol.
XIII) On 4/05/2010 in Purok African Daisy, Barangay Catibog in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay Province, a man on a motorcyle rode by the compound of radio station 103.1 FM, "Magic FM" and threw a hand grenade into the station's compound. The grenade hit a billboard and inadvertantly landed very near to the street where 1 hapless pedestrian was unluckily walking. The unidentified man was critically wounded. The station is owned by Zamboanga Sibugay's Governor, George Hofer, the patriarch of the Hofer political dynasty.
Prior to the attack the station had been receiving threatening text messages warning it to ease up against a comepeting political dynasty, the Jalosjos clan. the Jalosjos had been unseated by the Hofers roughly 10 years before but are running in this year's election despite their patriarch Romeo Jalosjos just being released from prison this past March (2010). Romeo Jalosjos, a former Congressman from Zambonga del Norte Province spent the past 16 years serving time for the rape of a child. His original sentence of Life was commuted by President Arroyo.
Governor George Hofer is reaching the end of his term limit and is now running for mayor of Ipil, the second major Christian* town in Region IX. Daughter Dulce Ann Hofer, who usually goes by her middle name (Ann) is running for her father's gubneratorial seat. Her brother Jet Hofer is running for the 2nd District Zambomga Sibugay congressional seat, vacated by sister Dulce Ann so that she might in turn fill their father's surrendered gubneratorial seat. "Musical Chairs."
*"Christian" in the South Philippines is an ethnicity as well as a religious label.
Running againt Jet Hofer is John John Jalosjos, son of former Congressman Romeo Jalosjos, and brother to Rommel Jalosjos who is himself running for Governor against Ducle Ann Hofer.
In 2/2010 Jet Hofer supported the allegations of the Barangay Captain* of Barangay Veterans, Dan Erasmo who filed a petition with COMELEC, the Philippine 's Election Authority, with regard to Rommel, accusing the older son of Romeo Jalosjo of lying on his COMELEC application when he claimed to be residing with his brother in Ipil.
XIV) On 4/08/2010 in Barangay Poblacion, Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay a senior PNP (Police) officer and campaign worker for the Lakas-KAMPI-CMD* Party had 2 grenades thrown at his house. Only 1 detonated but luckily, apart from shock there were no casualties.
*Lakas-KAMPI-CMD is the ruling party.
XV) On Sunday, 4/11/2010, Liberal Party Organiser Bernardo Aying of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur was shot to death with a 45 caliber pistol.
XVI) On Monday, 4/12/2010 Rolando Mayormita, a Liberal Party campaign worker in Labangan was shot to death, by 45 caliber pistol in adjoining Pagadian City.
XVII) That same day, 4/12/2010, also in Zamboanga Sibugay, a Liberal Party campaign rally a grenade attack left 4 people seriously wounded, 1 critically. 3 of those people were young children.
XVIII) On Tuesday, 4/13/2010, a convoy of Lakas-KAMPI-CMD workers in the hinterlands of Zamboanga Sibugay Province were strafed with automatic gunfire but luckily incurred no casualties.
XIX) That same day, 4/13/2010, in Zamboanga Sibugay Province a gathering of politicians at the barangay level were fired upon, wounding 1 of them moderately.
XX) At 8PM on Thursday, 4/15/2010, Mayoral candidate Gerge Castillo (Lakas-KAMPI-CMD), of Barangay Poblacion in Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay found a primed IED at his doorstep. Luckily authorities sapped it prior to detonation.
XXI) That same day, 4/15/2010, at 830 PM a Lakas-KAMPI-CMD rally in the Barangay Hall of Titay's Barangay San Antonio was the scene of a stampeding mob after the PNP (Police) discovered an IED inside a plastic bag in the hall's phone booth. The bomb consisted of PVC and black powder (gun powder),i.e. a "pipe bomb."
XXII) That night, in the overnight hours between 4/15/2010 and 4/16/2010 fisherman Jun Borja of Olutanga on Olutanga Island in Zamboanga Sibugay was readying his gear when a gunman approached him and shot him to death with a 45 caliber pistol. Mr. Borja was an organiser for an Olutanga (Olutanga is also the name of 1 of 3 municipalities on the small island) candiate for mayor.
XXIII) On Sunday, 4/18/2010, at 730 PM in Barangay Poblacion, Kabansalan, Zamboanga Sibugay a Lakas-KAMPI-CMD rally in the town gymnasium was the scene of yet another hand grenade attack. The group of 4 young men gravely wounded woman and her young child were seriously wounded.
XXIV) At 8AM on Tuesday, 5/04/2010 Liberal Party Organisers and assistants were riding in 2 flatbed trucks owned by Mayoral candidate Wilson "Kitty" Nandang, en route to Labangan's isolated Barangay Langatod when they were forced to stop at an impromptu checkpoint by armed men. The gunmen made everyone dismount and walk home (roughly 20 kilometers through the bush). As the passnegers began walking the gunmen shot and killed both drivers (Bakel Samal, of Labangan and an employee of candidate Nandang, and an unidentified 2nd man) and then set both trucks and bodies on fire.
XXV) On Friday, 5/07/2010 , Purok Gin-awa, Barangay Tawagan Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, gunmen with M16s set upon a roup of habal-habal drivers who supported Wilson "Kitty" Nandang and killed 2 of them: Hashim Abang Maguindra and Hussain Maguindra Manarasol (no blood relation), and wounding a 3rd unidentifed driver.
XXVI) On Sunday, 5/09/2010, the night before election an IED detonated 3 meters from the mayoral office in Ipil's Barangay Poblacion, at the War Monument on Rizal Street. Because of the late overnight hour nobody was present . The Ipil Department of Education building was severely damaged.
XXVII) At just after midnite, 5/10/2010, Election Day, 2 men on a motorcycle shot and killed the brother of the provincial vice governor in Zamboanga City.
XXVIII) On Election Day, Monday, 5/10/2010 at 215 AM in Barangay Poblacion, R.T. Lim (town, a.k.a. Roseller Town) in Zamboanga Sibugay , a convoy of campaign workers and Organisers for mayoral candidate Rogelio Lopez refused to stop at a PNP/AFP (Police/Army) checkpoint. As the AFP went in pursuit the convoy began firing at the pursuing soldiers. Reaching Lopez's compound in Barangay Surabay the fleeing men piled out of their SUVs and began fanning out taking up defencive positions. As the AFP, and then the PNP quickly arrived a 3 hour firefight broke out. After the smoke cleared 3 of Lopez's men were killed and 8 people were wounded, 3 of whom were PNP officers.
Not suprisingly, the local and national media reported that it was a "peaceful election." an additional Liberal Party campaign worker, Toto Lagana of Labangan was shot to death by a 45 caliber pistol but scant information, including the date of his death are available.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Politics,Second Quarter of 2010:the 2010 Election
As the 2010 election winds down with the last re-scheduled balloting on Mindanao taking place today, 6/03/2010,it is shaping up to be one of the most interesting races in recent memory.Aside from the requisite violence,intimidation and outright fraud the fact that both the Aquino AND the Marcos clans have been given yet another chance to run the country is fascinating in and of itself.
Though the tabulating continues it is assured that Benigno"Nonoy"Aquino III is the nation's next President.The Senator from Tarlac,in Central Luzon,is of course the son of the late Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. (the difference in speling in their monikers is deliberate),a noted Senator himself and a onetime Presidential hopeful before being murdered at Manila's International Airport that now bears his name as he returned from exile abroad,to challenge the Marcos dictatorship.His mother,the late Corazon Conjuangco Aquino instead became the 1st post-Marcos President.
As another Aquino assumes the Presidency,another Marcos becomes a freshman Congresswoman at the age of 80.Imelda Marcos,widow of the late dictator Ferdinand,has won election to Illocos Norte's 2nd District,a seat her family has controlled for most of the last 25 years.Indeed that slot was just vacated by son Ferdinand Jr.,better known as "Bong Bong,"who will himself ascend to the Senate.Bong Bong is a former Governor of Illocos Norte, the family stronghold.Now filling the Governor's seat is sister Imee Marcos who vacated the Senatorial seat Bong Bong is assuming, and so it goes,welcome to politics,Philippine style.
This is a country where nepotism is not only legal,it is something to be admired,.the Philippines is a nationn where cronyism is seen as normal and though there IS a Term Limit Law (3 Terms),there are no real Ethical Guidelines or Regulations in place.Nothing bars a politician reaching their Term Limit from running for an associated office,such as a govenor running for vice govenor.after winning an associated position and serving just a single term they are then free again to hold their former office for another 3 consecutive terms.Quite often a wife or child will hold the position to circumvent the Term Limit issue while ensuring familial control of the position.Illustrated simply: A mayor,upon reaching his limit runs for vice mayor while his wife simaltaneously runs for mayor.Both win,after 1 term the former mayor again runs for mayor and holds it for another 3 consecutive Terms.If such things are common in the Philippines,they are the rule of the day here on Mindanao where an almost feudal society prevails.
Such systems offer very little suprises. The biggest upset on Mindanao this election has been the loss of the Chingobian political dynasty to a political newcomer for the lone Congressional seat in Sarangani Province. More than a member of the Chingobians losing,it was the person who won that position that fueled most of the drama,.none other than famed boxer Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao had become the new congressman from Sarangani Province.His opponent,Roy Chingobian,was a political newcomer as well but in Mindanowan society,as I noted in my previous paragraphs,family is everything.The Chingobians,like almost all politicians on the national level,are fabulously wealthy.The bulk of their fortune rests with"Eastern Shipping Lines,"a Manila based,family owned company that specialises on shipping to Japan.
This was actually Congressman Pacman's second foray,having ran and lost against Congresswoman Nancy Antonio Custodio for the 1st District of South Cotabato Province and General Santos City (the latter being a municipality in the adjoining province of Saranagni) in the 2007 Election. Ms. Custodio is herself a member of yet another political dynasty, the Antonio family.Re-positioning himself in his wife Jinkee's home province of Sarangani,Pacquiao finally got his wish.
Of course Pacquiao's election was not without its own bumps and bruises;
On Sunday, 4/25/2010 at a little after 10PM, Mayor Enrique Yap of G'laan,Sarangani Province was en route to a meeting with local supporters when 2 vans suddenly swung into the middle of the road to form an impromptu roadblock in Barangay Pang-yah.As men holding weaons piled out of the vans the mayor's driver swung hard and circumvented the ambush. Quickly making his way to safety he notified the G'laan PNP (police) who rather quickly caught the 2 vans and 5 men.Finding an M16 and a single 45 pistol the men were jailed.Upon further investigation however it was discovered that at least 1 of the Toyota L300 vans is registered to Jinkee Pacquiao,wife of Manny.This is in addition to the garbage bags full of Pacquiao campaign related material also found inside both vans.
Pacquiao disavowed any connection to the men or the incident though he decried the"dirty tricks"being used against him,via his attorney Orlando Santandre.
That Friday, 4/30/2010 at their 1st court appearance,lo and behold all 5 were represented by none other than Mr. Santandre who managed to get the case thrown out based upon Section 5, Rule 113 of the Revised Rules Criminal Procedure (in layman terms,"a bad search").This time Pacquiao lauded the Philippine justice system that vindicated these "innocent" men.
Aaaah,what a tangeled web we weave...
Though the tabulating continues it is assured that Benigno"Nonoy"Aquino III is the nation's next President.The Senator from Tarlac,in Central Luzon,is of course the son of the late Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. (the difference in speling in their monikers is deliberate),a noted Senator himself and a onetime Presidential hopeful before being murdered at Manila's International Airport that now bears his name as he returned from exile abroad,to challenge the Marcos dictatorship.His mother,the late Corazon Conjuangco Aquino instead became the 1st post-Marcos President.
As another Aquino assumes the Presidency,another Marcos becomes a freshman Congresswoman at the age of 80.Imelda Marcos,widow of the late dictator Ferdinand,has won election to Illocos Norte's 2nd District,a seat her family has controlled for most of the last 25 years.Indeed that slot was just vacated by son Ferdinand Jr.,better known as "Bong Bong,"who will himself ascend to the Senate.Bong Bong is a former Governor of Illocos Norte, the family stronghold.Now filling the Governor's seat is sister Imee Marcos who vacated the Senatorial seat Bong Bong is assuming, and so it goes,welcome to politics,Philippine style.
This is a country where nepotism is not only legal,it is something to be admired,.the Philippines is a nationn where cronyism is seen as normal and though there IS a Term Limit Law (3 Terms),there are no real Ethical Guidelines or Regulations in place.Nothing bars a politician reaching their Term Limit from running for an associated office,such as a govenor running for vice govenor.after winning an associated position and serving just a single term they are then free again to hold their former office for another 3 consecutive terms.Quite often a wife or child will hold the position to circumvent the Term Limit issue while ensuring familial control of the position.Illustrated simply: A mayor,upon reaching his limit runs for vice mayor while his wife simaltaneously runs for mayor.Both win,after 1 term the former mayor again runs for mayor and holds it for another 3 consecutive Terms.If such things are common in the Philippines,they are the rule of the day here on Mindanao where an almost feudal society prevails.
Such systems offer very little suprises. The biggest upset on Mindanao this election has been the loss of the Chingobian political dynasty to a political newcomer for the lone Congressional seat in Sarangani Province. More than a member of the Chingobians losing,it was the person who won that position that fueled most of the drama,.none other than famed boxer Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao had become the new congressman from Sarangani Province.His opponent,Roy Chingobian,was a political newcomer as well but in Mindanowan society,as I noted in my previous paragraphs,family is everything.The Chingobians,like almost all politicians on the national level,are fabulously wealthy.The bulk of their fortune rests with"Eastern Shipping Lines,"a Manila based,family owned company that specialises on shipping to Japan.
This was actually Congressman Pacman's second foray,having ran and lost against Congresswoman Nancy Antonio Custodio for the 1st District of South Cotabato Province and General Santos City (the latter being a municipality in the adjoining province of Saranagni) in the 2007 Election. Ms. Custodio is herself a member of yet another political dynasty, the Antonio family.Re-positioning himself in his wife Jinkee's home province of Sarangani,Pacquiao finally got his wish.
Of course Pacquiao's election was not without its own bumps and bruises;
On Sunday, 4/25/2010 at a little after 10PM, Mayor Enrique Yap of G'laan,Sarangani Province was en route to a meeting with local supporters when 2 vans suddenly swung into the middle of the road to form an impromptu roadblock in Barangay Pang-yah.As men holding weaons piled out of the vans the mayor's driver swung hard and circumvented the ambush. Quickly making his way to safety he notified the G'laan PNP (police) who rather quickly caught the 2 vans and 5 men.Finding an M16 and a single 45 pistol the men were jailed.Upon further investigation however it was discovered that at least 1 of the Toyota L300 vans is registered to Jinkee Pacquiao,wife of Manny.This is in addition to the garbage bags full of Pacquiao campaign related material also found inside both vans.
Pacquiao disavowed any connection to the men or the incident though he decried the"dirty tricks"being used against him,via his attorney Orlando Santandre.
That Friday, 4/30/2010 at their 1st court appearance,lo and behold all 5 were represented by none other than Mr. Santandre who managed to get the case thrown out based upon Section 5, Rule 113 of the Revised Rules Criminal Procedure (in layman terms,"a bad search").This time Pacquiao lauded the Philippine justice system that vindicated these "innocent" men.
Aaaah,what a tangeled web we weave...
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