While memoirs and other published materiel can offer one a deeper understanding, they should always be supplemented, and if possible corroborated, by other source materiel. This entry involves some excerpts from the Philippine Division of the American Military, and the Division's Annual Report to the powers that be in the War Department. Because Major General Davis relieved his predecessor, the Annual Report for 1902 was never filed. Because of summary documents furnished up until September of 1902 this report then covers the period between October of 1902 and July of 1903.
While I am excerpting summaries of a counterinsurgency nature, the report covers a myriad of disparate subjects; from the evolution of the "Native Scouts" programme, the struggles for opcon (operational control) of the PC, or Philippine Constabulary, and even Spanish reports on Filipino Muslim culture, of course post-translation into English, amongst other informative subjects.
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pp5 through 7: On March 23rd, 1903, a chief named Concepcion, who was an escaped convict, at the head of a band of forty of his kind entered into Surigao (SURIGAO CITY), province of the same name, killed an American Constabulary officer , captured the remainder of the party of Constabulary and disarmed them, thus securing about 148 firearms, several thousand rounds of ammunition, all the Constabulary supplies, and the sum of about 7,000 Pesos. The inhabitants of the place were either neutral or favored the robbers. When the facts were known to the Civil Governor, he requested the Division Commander to take charge of the disaffected region and ordered the Constabulary serving there to act under order of the military officer in command, who was Brigadier General Jesse M.Lee, U.S.A. He at once sent troops to the scene and personaly organized and directed operations, until the arrival of Colonel Myer, of the Infantry, who carried on the work. Five Companies of white troops, two of Scouts, and about one hundred and sixty Constabulary took part in these operations.
The Civil Governor intimated that the Writ of Habeus Corpus might be suspended in this province if the necessity for doing so existed, but as criminal judicial proceedings could promptly be had in every case of those who were charged with participation in law breaking, it was not necessary to invoke the more summary methods of military law. Almost all the participants in the attacks were arrested and tried; four are under death sentence, twenty for life, most of the others received sentences reaching to twenty years of hard labor. The leader Concepcion has not been caught, but an unconfirmed report that says he was wounded and has died while his band are all in jail as are many of his confederates. The American troops were withdrawn in early July (1903), and peace and quiet in the province has been restored, but two Companies of native troops still remain for moral effect.
It is a noteworthy fact that since American occupation in March of 1900, there had been no trouble in the province, neither did the Filipino Republicans (INSURRECTOS) forces resist the American troops when they landed in Surigao in 1899 (THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT ON BOTH COUNTS).
On April 1st of 1903 there was an incident in Misamis under a leader named Flores, with a following of one or two hundred very ignorant people, armed with a few rifles and many bolos and spears, this outlaw was able to raid the pueblos (TOWNS) and rob the inhabitants of their property and set the province in a turmoil. The Provincial Governor, who is a Filipino, described the uprising as an insurrection, and Governor Taft, having given directions that all military operations in Misamis be under the orders of the military commander, General Lee, and afterwards General Wint, was placed in charge of the restoration of order.
About April 1st (1903), a Company of native troops was sent to Cagayan del Misamis (CAGAYAN DEL ORO CITY) and on the 13th of this same month the command encountered the insurgents at Agusan, causing them damage.
On May 11th there was an outbreak on the island of Camaguin (CAMAGUIN PROVINCE) which pertains to the province of Misamis when before this for four years there had been absolute peace. The Provincial Governor asked for help and a Company of native troops arrived at the scene of the trouble the next day. A sharp fight ensued and the trouble was ended immediately.
About May 1st, a troop of the 15th Calvary from Iligan (ILIGAN CITY) had been sent into Misamis Province. With the hope that the moral effect of its presence would be beneficial. On May 16th, the troop commander with a small detachment arrested and disarmed a number of Flores' adherants in Suclutan (UNKNOWN LOCATION). But in some manner the natives recovered their bolos, set upon the detachment and killed Captain Overton and one man of the 15th Calvary and wounded another soldier.
The uprisings in this province were ended by the 1st of July (1903), the chief Flores was a prisoner, and the white troops returned to their former stations.
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Thursday, July 21, 2011
History of Mindanao, Part XVI: The Lake Lanao Expedition, Spring of 1902
In previous "History" entries, numbers I, part 1 and 2, I discussed the American arrival on Mainland Mindanao with the 23rd Infantry Regiment landing at Cagayan del Misamis, today's Cagayan del Oro City in Misamis Oriental Province, in March of 1900. In that entry I included excerpts from two different Insurrecto, or Filipino Independence fighters, who told of their own unsuccessful expedition to Lake Lanao, in today's Lanao del Sur Province. Under orders from the Philippine Junta, ensconced in Hong Kong, Isurrecto General Rufino Delfino set out from the Isurrecto capital on Mindanao, Oroquieta, today's Oroquieta City. Paying the Maranaw (Maranao) leaders a fortune in gold to buy at least their neutrality, they ended up borrowing much of it back and having to leave Captain Isidro Rillas as hostage to boot.
Though in the end Isidro was freed, and both he and Rufino lived to surrender to the Americans, the Maranaw of the Lake Region remained just as aloof as they ever had, guarding their own petty self interests far above the concern of their constituencies and certainly far above that of any johnny come lately colonial power like the Americans. As had been the case throughout Muslim-dominated Mindanao, the leadership was initially happy to be rid of the Spanish. Aside from the Spaniards unceasing attempts at political and cultural domination they also stifled economic growth. Keeping the island under a "Bamboo Curtain" the Spaniards limited inbound and outbound shipments and investment and so the Americans, at least initially, were a breath of fresh air.
While Cagayan de Misamis became the American capital in non-Muslim Mindanao, Parang, in what is today Maguindanao Province, served in the same capacity with regard to Muslim-dominated areas. In only a couple of months however that administrative capital was moved to Malabang, in what is today Lanao del Sur Province and with it came a close proximity to the Maranaw Tribe. Much has been said about the Maranaw political structure and its unique approximation of the Sultunate system. A confederation of 4 tribal blocs, each with several lesser duchys, and yet unable to forge a unified direction in any pursuit. The confederation merely attempted to keep the dozens of territories from incessantly warring with one another and more often than not failed miserably. As soon as a strong external force appeared, like the Americans, any semblance of unity or shared destiny evaporated and disappeared.
On the northern end of Lake Lanao the petty rulers were at worst aloof, unemotional and calculating spectators waiting to see which way the wind blew. On the southern periphery of the Lake it was a tad bit different with the petty leaders there always jockying for an advantage and not at all hesitating to play a fellow petty leader against another, or against the external force, in this case the Americans. Indeed, it was the southern end of Lake Lanao that we saw in the aforementioned entries about General Rufino and Captain Rillas. In fact, it was Kota Pandapatan, the Bayan Fort that sits at the centre of both the Insurrecto AND American expeditions to the Lake.
The following excerpt is taken from the book, "The Battle of Bayan and other Battles" by the journalist James Edgar Allen and John J.Reidy (Manila:E.C.McCullogh) (1903). Allen, the primary author, was a war reporter who was embedded with US Forces on the expedition and who sat down months later to write this book.
The expedition was under the command of Colonel Frank Baldwin. A career officer Baldwin is one of the few men in American Military History who have won not only one Medal of Honor, but a second one as well. That he lived through both experiences is amazing. The first incident took place in the American Civil War while the second one was during the Cheyenne Campaign during the (American) Indian Wars. The first two battalions of the 27th Infantry Regiment, the 1st and the 3rd, arrived on Mindanao in mid-February of 1902 and ensconsed themselves in the administrative capital of the Muslim-dominated portion of Mainland Mindanao, what is now the town of Parang in Maguindanao Province. On March 30th the 2nd Battalion arrived at Malabang in what is today Lanao del Sur Province. The next day, March 31st, 1902, the administrative capital was moved to Malabang.
On March 9th, Private Frank P.Lewis was waylaid 1.5 kilometers from the Parang encampment. Chopping his body into pieces his attackers stole his Krag rifle, an extremely valuable firearm in that place and time. Then, on March 30th, the same day that the 2nd Battalion arrived at Malabang, Privates Lester J.Lewis and Joseph I.Whittemore were attacked nearly 2 kilometers away from the Malabang encampment, even as the camp was still being erected, for the move to Malabang. 6 local men chopped Lewis to death and badly disfigured Whittemore. Interestingly, Allen and Redidy list the second fatality as a "Private Mooris." Both fatalities were surnamed Lewis.
Then, on April 15th, a Lieutenant Forsyth of the 15th Calvary, with 17 mounted calvarymen, was out on reconaissance, appraising a foot path known as the "Ganassi Trail." The primary Hearts and Minds objective at Malabang was to clear and widen the path to create a wagon road that would allow farmers in the Lake Region to get their produce and livestock to a wider customer base, an archaic version of today's "Farm to Market Roads." As night fell Forsyth's detachment was attacked by 200 Maranaw Tribesmen. One calvaryman was killed but several horses had to be abandoned and they became just as much of a sticking point as the three dead American soldiers.
The "Lake Lanao Expedition" was not, as some claim, a punative action. Indeed no less than the commander of the Philippine Division, Major General Anda R.Chaffee personally appealed to the Maranaw leaders at the southern edge of Lake Lanao to surrender the American horses, the two stolen rifles, and the killers of US servicemen. Chaffee did so in Bahasa Malaya, the lingua franca of all Filipino Muslim tribes in that era, written in the phonetic Arabic script utilised by all Filipino Muslim leaders. His requests were first ignored, and then replied to with insults and direct challenges.
Colonel Baldwin led a Provisional Battalion composed of the 27 Infantry Regiment's A, B, and D Companies, under subordinate command of Captain Moore, two troops from the 15th Calvary, and 4 small mountain gun batteries from the 25th Mountain Gun Field Artillery Regiment under command of Captain W.S.McNair, leaving Malabang on April 19th, 1902.
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Chapter I: It does not seem that several months have elapsed since General Chaffee issued an ultimatum to the Sultan of Bayan and other leading Moros of the Lake Region, demanding the surrender of several Moro Tribesmen for the murder of Privates Lewis and Mooris of the 27th Infantry, in March last (1902) and for the return of several horses which had been deliberately stolen from Lieutenant Forsyth, 15th Calvary at Buldoon (BULDON,MAGUINDANAO PROVINCE), a small village in the mountains along the south coast of Mindanao.
When General Chaffee visited the little town of Malabang in the early part of April (1902), and inviting the Sultans and Dattos of the Lake Region to come in and hold a friendly conference with him, little did he dream that he was taking the first step in what was to be the most aggressive campaigns ever inagurated. But when instead of complying with the terms of the ultimatum the Moros indolently replied to it and defied the Americans to come and fight, General Chaffee realized that the situation was grave indeed and accordingly telegraphed Washington immediately for permission to proceed ro the Lake Region and administer a lesson to the recalcitrant Sultans and Datus.
But it was not until after much delay that the War Department reluctantly gave permission to proceed against the Moros, and General Chaffee was cautioned not to go to the extreme of warfare until every peaceful method had been exhausted.
"The First Advance": Preparations were at once began; an expedition was formed and got in readiness and on April 17th, 1902, six companies of the 27th Infantry, two troops of the 15th Calvary, and the 25th battery of field artillery started for the interior of Mindanao, which had, as yet, never been explored by white men. The troops constituting that column were, for the most part, raw materiel, having been organized but a short time previous to the time of which I write, and had as yet seen but little of active service. But it must not be imagined that they were all inexperienced in warfare, for in its ranks were many who had either transferred from other organizations, or who had voluntarily enlisted in these organizations, and who had seen service in more than one war.
It is needless to narrarate how the column marched over the first great mountain range which follows along the southern coast in a parallel line and then to the enemy infested region about Lake Dapao (NEAR PUALAS,LANAO DEL SUR) which is but a forerunner of a more impregnable region and which is now gradually resuming its former peaceful aspect and which in time will develop into one of the most productive regions in the Philippine Archipelago.
"The Enemy Encountered": Suffice it to say that after three days of hardships and privation, those troops, constituting what was known as the "Lake Lanao Expedition" encountered the enemy on a bit of rising ground at a place known as Gadungan and after two engagements fought, one there and one at a place known as Fort Pulaos, a camp was established in the vicinity and negotiations with the Moros were renewed. These were but preliminary engagements and were merely forerunners of what was to come. After a useless delay and fruitless attempts to restore peace, the column again advanced, this time for the Bayan Forts.
On May 1st (1902) the little army of American troops arrived at a point on the southeast shore of the Lake Lanao, overlooking the Lake and in sight of the enemy's stronghold. At this juncture Brigadier General George W.Davis, commanding the 7th Separate Brigade and who had been designated by General Chaffee to personally accompany the expedition, arrived from Malabang after making a flying trip (MOVING RAPIDLY) across the mountains.
A temporary camp was established and General Davis prepared messages in Arabic writing, which were immediately sent to the Sultan of Bayan demanding bhis surrender by noon of May 2nd, or suffer the consequences.
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I will continue in a future "History" entry, labeled "XVI, part 2."
Though in the end Isidro was freed, and both he and Rufino lived to surrender to the Americans, the Maranaw of the Lake Region remained just as aloof as they ever had, guarding their own petty self interests far above the concern of their constituencies and certainly far above that of any johnny come lately colonial power like the Americans. As had been the case throughout Muslim-dominated Mindanao, the leadership was initially happy to be rid of the Spanish. Aside from the Spaniards unceasing attempts at political and cultural domination they also stifled economic growth. Keeping the island under a "Bamboo Curtain" the Spaniards limited inbound and outbound shipments and investment and so the Americans, at least initially, were a breath of fresh air.
While Cagayan de Misamis became the American capital in non-Muslim Mindanao, Parang, in what is today Maguindanao Province, served in the same capacity with regard to Muslim-dominated areas. In only a couple of months however that administrative capital was moved to Malabang, in what is today Lanao del Sur Province and with it came a close proximity to the Maranaw Tribe. Much has been said about the Maranaw political structure and its unique approximation of the Sultunate system. A confederation of 4 tribal blocs, each with several lesser duchys, and yet unable to forge a unified direction in any pursuit. The confederation merely attempted to keep the dozens of territories from incessantly warring with one another and more often than not failed miserably. As soon as a strong external force appeared, like the Americans, any semblance of unity or shared destiny evaporated and disappeared.
On the northern end of Lake Lanao the petty rulers were at worst aloof, unemotional and calculating spectators waiting to see which way the wind blew. On the southern periphery of the Lake it was a tad bit different with the petty leaders there always jockying for an advantage and not at all hesitating to play a fellow petty leader against another, or against the external force, in this case the Americans. Indeed, it was the southern end of Lake Lanao that we saw in the aforementioned entries about General Rufino and Captain Rillas. In fact, it was Kota Pandapatan, the Bayan Fort that sits at the centre of both the Insurrecto AND American expeditions to the Lake.
The following excerpt is taken from the book, "The Battle of Bayan and other Battles" by the journalist James Edgar Allen and John J.Reidy (Manila:E.C.McCullogh) (1903). Allen, the primary author, was a war reporter who was embedded with US Forces on the expedition and who sat down months later to write this book.
The expedition was under the command of Colonel Frank Baldwin. A career officer Baldwin is one of the few men in American Military History who have won not only one Medal of Honor, but a second one as well. That he lived through both experiences is amazing. The first incident took place in the American Civil War while the second one was during the Cheyenne Campaign during the (American) Indian Wars. The first two battalions of the 27th Infantry Regiment, the 1st and the 3rd, arrived on Mindanao in mid-February of 1902 and ensconsed themselves in the administrative capital of the Muslim-dominated portion of Mainland Mindanao, what is now the town of Parang in Maguindanao Province. On March 30th the 2nd Battalion arrived at Malabang in what is today Lanao del Sur Province. The next day, March 31st, 1902, the administrative capital was moved to Malabang.
On March 9th, Private Frank P.Lewis was waylaid 1.5 kilometers from the Parang encampment. Chopping his body into pieces his attackers stole his Krag rifle, an extremely valuable firearm in that place and time. Then, on March 30th, the same day that the 2nd Battalion arrived at Malabang, Privates Lester J.Lewis and Joseph I.Whittemore were attacked nearly 2 kilometers away from the Malabang encampment, even as the camp was still being erected, for the move to Malabang. 6 local men chopped Lewis to death and badly disfigured Whittemore. Interestingly, Allen and Redidy list the second fatality as a "Private Mooris." Both fatalities were surnamed Lewis.
Then, on April 15th, a Lieutenant Forsyth of the 15th Calvary, with 17 mounted calvarymen, was out on reconaissance, appraising a foot path known as the "Ganassi Trail." The primary Hearts and Minds objective at Malabang was to clear and widen the path to create a wagon road that would allow farmers in the Lake Region to get their produce and livestock to a wider customer base, an archaic version of today's "Farm to Market Roads." As night fell Forsyth's detachment was attacked by 200 Maranaw Tribesmen. One calvaryman was killed but several horses had to be abandoned and they became just as much of a sticking point as the three dead American soldiers.
The "Lake Lanao Expedition" was not, as some claim, a punative action. Indeed no less than the commander of the Philippine Division, Major General Anda R.Chaffee personally appealed to the Maranaw leaders at the southern edge of Lake Lanao to surrender the American horses, the two stolen rifles, and the killers of US servicemen. Chaffee did so in Bahasa Malaya, the lingua franca of all Filipino Muslim tribes in that era, written in the phonetic Arabic script utilised by all Filipino Muslim leaders. His requests were first ignored, and then replied to with insults and direct challenges.
Colonel Baldwin led a Provisional Battalion composed of the 27 Infantry Regiment's A, B, and D Companies, under subordinate command of Captain Moore, two troops from the 15th Calvary, and 4 small mountain gun batteries from the 25th Mountain Gun Field Artillery Regiment under command of Captain W.S.McNair, leaving Malabang on April 19th, 1902.
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Chapter I: It does not seem that several months have elapsed since General Chaffee issued an ultimatum to the Sultan of Bayan and other leading Moros of the Lake Region, demanding the surrender of several Moro Tribesmen for the murder of Privates Lewis and Mooris of the 27th Infantry, in March last (1902) and for the return of several horses which had been deliberately stolen from Lieutenant Forsyth, 15th Calvary at Buldoon (BULDON,MAGUINDANAO PROVINCE), a small village in the mountains along the south coast of Mindanao.
When General Chaffee visited the little town of Malabang in the early part of April (1902), and inviting the Sultans and Dattos of the Lake Region to come in and hold a friendly conference with him, little did he dream that he was taking the first step in what was to be the most aggressive campaigns ever inagurated. But when instead of complying with the terms of the ultimatum the Moros indolently replied to it and defied the Americans to come and fight, General Chaffee realized that the situation was grave indeed and accordingly telegraphed Washington immediately for permission to proceed ro the Lake Region and administer a lesson to the recalcitrant Sultans and Datus.
But it was not until after much delay that the War Department reluctantly gave permission to proceed against the Moros, and General Chaffee was cautioned not to go to the extreme of warfare until every peaceful method had been exhausted.
"The First Advance": Preparations were at once began; an expedition was formed and got in readiness and on April 17th, 1902, six companies of the 27th Infantry, two troops of the 15th Calvary, and the 25th battery of field artillery started for the interior of Mindanao, which had, as yet, never been explored by white men. The troops constituting that column were, for the most part, raw materiel, having been organized but a short time previous to the time of which I write, and had as yet seen but little of active service. But it must not be imagined that they were all inexperienced in warfare, for in its ranks were many who had either transferred from other organizations, or who had voluntarily enlisted in these organizations, and who had seen service in more than one war.
It is needless to narrarate how the column marched over the first great mountain range which follows along the southern coast in a parallel line and then to the enemy infested region about Lake Dapao (NEAR PUALAS,LANAO DEL SUR) which is but a forerunner of a more impregnable region and which is now gradually resuming its former peaceful aspect and which in time will develop into one of the most productive regions in the Philippine Archipelago.
"The Enemy Encountered": Suffice it to say that after three days of hardships and privation, those troops, constituting what was known as the "Lake Lanao Expedition" encountered the enemy on a bit of rising ground at a place known as Gadungan and after two engagements fought, one there and one at a place known as Fort Pulaos, a camp was established in the vicinity and negotiations with the Moros were renewed. These were but preliminary engagements and were merely forerunners of what was to come. After a useless delay and fruitless attempts to restore peace, the column again advanced, this time for the Bayan Forts.
On May 1st (1902) the little army of American troops arrived at a point on the southeast shore of the Lake Lanao, overlooking the Lake and in sight of the enemy's stronghold. At this juncture Brigadier General George W.Davis, commanding the 7th Separate Brigade and who had been designated by General Chaffee to personally accompany the expedition, arrived from Malabang after making a flying trip (MOVING RAPIDLY) across the mountains.
A temporary camp was established and General Davis prepared messages in Arabic writing, which were immediately sent to the Sultan of Bayan demanding bhis surrender by noon of May 2nd, or suffer the consequences.
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I will continue in a future "History" entry, labeled "XVI, part 2."
Monday, July 18, 2011
History of Mindanao, Part XV: The Americans Try to Disarm Moro Province in 1911
In my entry "History of Mindanao, Part XIII" I discussed the withdrawal of the last Spanish soldiers in 1899. Unlike most Spanish withdrawals the last one took place in an orderly fashion with a handoff of power that was achieved in an absolutely orderly fashion. From 1899 to 1902, while the rest of the Philippines was at war with the Americans the Sultunate of Sulu had managed to come to an accomadation with the Americans with a few notable exceptions. From 1906 onwards though, Jolo Island, the main island in the Sulu Archipelago (which includes both Basilan and Tawi Tawi) was as peaceful as peaceful gets.
In 1911 this would change after a sinle, particularly attack by a "Juramentado," the era's equivalent to a Suicide Bomber. A properspective Juramentado fasts, prays, shaves every hair on his body including his eyebrows, and then attempts to kill as many non-Muslims as possible. The initial Juramentado attack in 1911, against a First Lieutenant, Walter H.Rodney is discussed in the following excerpt culled from the book, "Moroland, 1899 to 1906: America's First Attempt to Transform an Islamic Society," by Robert A.Fulton (Bend,Oregon:2009) which was written by a veteran of the American Diplomatic Service who served in the Philippines during the 1960s.
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Sunday, April 16th, 1911, 1Lt.Walter H.Rodney, a recently arrived officer of the 6th US Calvary, was out for a stroll with his 5 year old daughter on a wide boulevard outside the walls of the Jolo garrison. As the pair walked by a coxkpit (STADIUM FOR COCK FIGHTING) thronged with excited, screaming spectators watching a cockfight, a lone young male Tausug approached from the opposite direction. As they passed one another, the Tausug suddenly pulled a barong (INDIGENOUS FORM OF SWORD) from his shirt and whirled about, and repeatedly slashed the hapless officer about the head and shoulders. Rodney staggered to the side of the road, mortally wounded. His daughter, though traumatized, was left unharmed as the man quickly discarded his weapon and attempted to hide in the nearby crowd. Cries of "Juramentado" went up from the cockpit and hundreds ran for the safety of the guarded village gate. The commanding officer of the garrison by chance only a few yards (METERS) away in a passing carriage yelled for the gate sentries, who, assisted by the crowd, confronted the assailant and shot him to death. Three days later, at the Asturias guardhouse at the opposite end of the road, the Seargant of the Guard began to search two young Moros for weapons, when both suddenly drew barongs from hiding and killed him instantly. Another guard shot both men, killing one and mortally wounding the other.
This was the first such incident in Jolo, and General Pershing concluded that, whilr Rodney's death was infortunate, the real blame lay with the newly arrived garrison commander who had failed to enforce a long standing order that no officers or men were permitted to go outside the garrison walls unless armed. Not only Rodney, but the commanding officer himself and several others nearby officers had been unarmed and might have been able to intervene. But to their dismay, in reporting on the incident the American press faulted Pershing and Bell, claiming that they had been too "soft and weak" on the Moros. It turned out that a few Americans in the Philippines had anonymously written Rodney's father, a retired Army General, falsely claiming that the real reason Rodney and the others had been unar$ed was due to a direct order from Pershing forbidding them to carry weapons. The letters further claimed that Pershing had caved into pressure from the datus. In his grief, Rodney's father had written angry letters to the Taft Administration and members of Congress over the "supidity" and the "calumny" of the "civil government" of Moroland. Uncharacteristically and for reasons unclear, Pershing panicked and reacted to outside pressure even though his superiors fully supported him and knew the accusations to be false. Over the astonished objections of the Constabulary and Scouts, the vert people he relied upon to maintain public order,, on September 8th, 1911 Pershing issued Executive Order #24 ordering the total and immediate disarming of Moro Province, an action he had strongly opposed only a few weeks before.
Nearly all army officers who had previously served in Moroland thought Pershing was out of his mind, particularly since it specified not just a total ban on firearms but the carrying of any and all edged weapons of more than six inches in length. This struck at the very heart of Moro warrior culture and the reality that despite a formal American system of law and policing the average still looked upon his or her datu for protection, redress, and justice, not the Government. How ccould a datu enforce the traditional communal beliefs of right and wrong and preserve stability without arms? Even hardline Leonard Wood, now Army Chief of Staff, felt Pershing had bitten off more than he could chew. Holding out both a carrot and a stick, Pershing offered cash bounties on all proscribed weapons turned in before the end of 1911, but wuth the threat of heavy fines and incarceration for those caught with contraband weapons after that date. Those arrested were held indefinitely until relatives were able to raise money to pay the fines.
As expected the Moros were outraged and in many cases took out their anger at what they saw as the impotency of their headmen by switching allegiances to younger vocal, firebrands who nursed a growing sense of shame and outrage that the older generation of leaders had so willingly acquiesced to a long period of control by foreigners. Particularly restive were the Maranaos (MARANAW) of Lake lanao and the Tausugs of Jolo. Violent incidents between Americans and Moros multiplied resulting in a steady stream of small skirmishes in Lanao between the Constabulary and the Maranaos and the Second Battle of Bud Dajo on Jolo during Christmas week of 1911. Random shots fired at night into the Jolo garrison. Became so common that the wives and the dependents of the garrison were evacuated to Zamboanga (ZAMBOANGA CITY).
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In 1911 this would change after a sinle, particularly attack by a "Juramentado," the era's equivalent to a Suicide Bomber. A properspective Juramentado fasts, prays, shaves every hair on his body including his eyebrows, and then attempts to kill as many non-Muslims as possible. The initial Juramentado attack in 1911, against a First Lieutenant, Walter H.Rodney is discussed in the following excerpt culled from the book, "Moroland, 1899 to 1906: America's First Attempt to Transform an Islamic Society," by Robert A.Fulton (Bend,Oregon:2009) which was written by a veteran of the American Diplomatic Service who served in the Philippines during the 1960s.
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Sunday, April 16th, 1911, 1Lt.Walter H.Rodney, a recently arrived officer of the 6th US Calvary, was out for a stroll with his 5 year old daughter on a wide boulevard outside the walls of the Jolo garrison. As the pair walked by a coxkpit (STADIUM FOR COCK FIGHTING) thronged with excited, screaming spectators watching a cockfight, a lone young male Tausug approached from the opposite direction. As they passed one another, the Tausug suddenly pulled a barong (INDIGENOUS FORM OF SWORD) from his shirt and whirled about, and repeatedly slashed the hapless officer about the head and shoulders. Rodney staggered to the side of the road, mortally wounded. His daughter, though traumatized, was left unharmed as the man quickly discarded his weapon and attempted to hide in the nearby crowd. Cries of "Juramentado" went up from the cockpit and hundreds ran for the safety of the guarded village gate. The commanding officer of the garrison by chance only a few yards (METERS) away in a passing carriage yelled for the gate sentries, who, assisted by the crowd, confronted the assailant and shot him to death. Three days later, at the Asturias guardhouse at the opposite end of the road, the Seargant of the Guard began to search two young Moros for weapons, when both suddenly drew barongs from hiding and killed him instantly. Another guard shot both men, killing one and mortally wounding the other.
This was the first such incident in Jolo, and General Pershing concluded that, whilr Rodney's death was infortunate, the real blame lay with the newly arrived garrison commander who had failed to enforce a long standing order that no officers or men were permitted to go outside the garrison walls unless armed. Not only Rodney, but the commanding officer himself and several others nearby officers had been unarmed and might have been able to intervene. But to their dismay, in reporting on the incident the American press faulted Pershing and Bell, claiming that they had been too "soft and weak" on the Moros. It turned out that a few Americans in the Philippines had anonymously written Rodney's father, a retired Army General, falsely claiming that the real reason Rodney and the others had been unar$ed was due to a direct order from Pershing forbidding them to carry weapons. The letters further claimed that Pershing had caved into pressure from the datus. In his grief, Rodney's father had written angry letters to the Taft Administration and members of Congress over the "supidity" and the "calumny" of the "civil government" of Moroland. Uncharacteristically and for reasons unclear, Pershing panicked and reacted to outside pressure even though his superiors fully supported him and knew the accusations to be false. Over the astonished objections of the Constabulary and Scouts, the vert people he relied upon to maintain public order,, on September 8th, 1911 Pershing issued Executive Order #24 ordering the total and immediate disarming of Moro Province, an action he had strongly opposed only a few weeks before.
Nearly all army officers who had previously served in Moroland thought Pershing was out of his mind, particularly since it specified not just a total ban on firearms but the carrying of any and all edged weapons of more than six inches in length. This struck at the very heart of Moro warrior culture and the reality that despite a formal American system of law and policing the average still looked upon his or her datu for protection, redress, and justice, not the Government. How ccould a datu enforce the traditional communal beliefs of right and wrong and preserve stability without arms? Even hardline Leonard Wood, now Army Chief of Staff, felt Pershing had bitten off more than he could chew. Holding out both a carrot and a stick, Pershing offered cash bounties on all proscribed weapons turned in before the end of 1911, but wuth the threat of heavy fines and incarceration for those caught with contraband weapons after that date. Those arrested were held indefinitely until relatives were able to raise money to pay the fines.
As expected the Moros were outraged and in many cases took out their anger at what they saw as the impotency of their headmen by switching allegiances to younger vocal, firebrands who nursed a growing sense of shame and outrage that the older generation of leaders had so willingly acquiesced to a long period of control by foreigners. Particularly restive were the Maranaos (MARANAW) of Lake lanao and the Tausugs of Jolo. Violent incidents between Americans and Moros multiplied resulting in a steady stream of small skirmishes in Lanao between the Constabulary and the Maranaos and the Second Battle of Bud Dajo on Jolo during Christmas week of 1911. Random shots fired at night into the Jolo garrison. Became so common that the wives and the dependents of the garrison were evacuated to Zamboanga (ZAMBOANGA CITY).
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Kidnap for Ransom, Third Quarter of 2011, Part IV: Jose "Joe" Batronel, Rosely Mondejar Villadore, and Julie Latorre
Jose "Joe" Batronel and his live in love Rosely Mondejar Villadore combine business with pleasure. The 57 year old Batronel, of San Jose in Batangas Province on Southern Luzon almost always has his 37 year old lover by his side as he embarks on extended sales trips throughout the Southern Philippines. Rosely helps with more than just emotional support, often serving as a translator for her Tagalog-speaking common law husband. A native of Magallanes, a municipality in Mindanao's Agusan del Norte Province, she is conversant in both Cebuano and Butuanon. The former is the lingua franca of most non-Muslims in Mindanao while the latter is spoken only in a small area of the Agusan del Norte coast. Closely related to Cebuano it is a near match for Tausug, the lingua franca of Muslims on Jolo Island (Tausugs are actually Islamicised Butuanons who migrated south 500 to 600 years ago).
Indeed, it was Jolo Island where the couple found themselves on Wednesday, July 13th, 2011. On this trip they had taken their newly hired maid, 21 year old Julie Latorre, also of Batangas Province, needing extra help to carry the household goods they sold as travelling peddlers. All three were readying themselves for sleep in the rooming house they had lodged in, in Jolo City's Sitio Militar in Barangay Busbus, close to where the city wall used to stand. Located next to the city's NAPOCOR (National Power Corporation) facility the rooms were not quiet but that only helped to keep the prices reasonable, an attraction as far as Mr.Batronel was concerned. Unfortunately for Mr.Batronel, it also meant that the surrounding area was rather desolate and free of large crowds.
At just after 830PM five young men burst into the rooming house and made their way directly to Batronel's room. Waving pistols and assault rifles they loudly kicked in the room's door and literally dragged their three screaming captives out into the street before roughly tossing them into the rear of an idling red Toyota Tamaraw jitney (modern jeepney). A sixth guerilla, standing guard as a lookout ran and jumped onto the back of the jitney as it peeled out and took off at a high rate of speed. Caught up in the moment the sixth guerilla, hanging off of the back of the vehicle, fired his 45 caliber pistol into the night air as if to challenge any would be do gooders.
Just after the gunshot was fired, and just before the jitney managed to make its way onto Gandasuli Road, a quick thinking Ms.Latorre managed to jump off of the rapidly moving vehicle and run quickly down a side street. Either not noticing the escape or else unwilling to risk everything when they already held two captives, the jitney entered Gandasuli Road and took the couple with it into incognito.
Ms.Latorre immediately reported the incident to the Jolo City CPO, or City Police Office. Not the wisest thing to do of course but being young and in a highly stressful situation far from home it is entirely understandable.
On Saturday, July 17th, 2011, Mr.Batronel was released in Barangay San Reymundo, in the municipality of Patikul after convincing his captors that unless he was set free there would be no way to extract a ransom. He was given the chance to try and obtain the ridiculous sum of P20 Million ($450,000) which of course is merely the opening gambit in negotiations. Upon his release he was picked up by an Armed Forces of the Philippines Marine patrol. Due to severe dehydration Mr.Batronel was hospitalised in the Sulu Integrated Provincial Hospital, as his poor wife remained alone with her Abu Sayyaf captors. While still in the hospital receiving treatment, Mr.Batronel contacted family members in Batangas trying to accumulate a decent enough cachet with which to negotiate his wife's release. Just after midnite Jose Batronel checked himself out of the hospital and contacted Abu Sayyaf to try and come to an agreement on a lower ransom amount. By daybreak, an agreement having been reached for P100,000 ($1,900), a decent enough profit for 2 days work, Batronel had the ransom amount deposited into a bank account provided to him by his captors. By Sunday morning, July 18th Ms. Batronel was released in the municipality of Patikul, taking a jeepney (public transportation) into Jolo City where she was reunited with her husband.
Together, going to the Sulu Police Provincial Office, or PPO-Sulu, as Mr.Batronel had reluctantly agreed to do when rejecting PNP, or Philippine National Police "assistance" at the hospital, they underwent a meaningless "de-briefing." Suffering through the usual dog and pony propaganda...I mean publicity...I mean propaganda cum publicity nonsense the couple were taken to Zamboanga City via a naval frigate and from there took a commercial flight to Manila and their home in San Jose, Batangas.
Indeed, it was Jolo Island where the couple found themselves on Wednesday, July 13th, 2011. On this trip they had taken their newly hired maid, 21 year old Julie Latorre, also of Batangas Province, needing extra help to carry the household goods they sold as travelling peddlers. All three were readying themselves for sleep in the rooming house they had lodged in, in Jolo City's Sitio Militar in Barangay Busbus, close to where the city wall used to stand. Located next to the city's NAPOCOR (National Power Corporation) facility the rooms were not quiet but that only helped to keep the prices reasonable, an attraction as far as Mr.Batronel was concerned. Unfortunately for Mr.Batronel, it also meant that the surrounding area was rather desolate and free of large crowds.
At just after 830PM five young men burst into the rooming house and made their way directly to Batronel's room. Waving pistols and assault rifles they loudly kicked in the room's door and literally dragged their three screaming captives out into the street before roughly tossing them into the rear of an idling red Toyota Tamaraw jitney (modern jeepney). A sixth guerilla, standing guard as a lookout ran and jumped onto the back of the jitney as it peeled out and took off at a high rate of speed. Caught up in the moment the sixth guerilla, hanging off of the back of the vehicle, fired his 45 caliber pistol into the night air as if to challenge any would be do gooders.
Just after the gunshot was fired, and just before the jitney managed to make its way onto Gandasuli Road, a quick thinking Ms.Latorre managed to jump off of the rapidly moving vehicle and run quickly down a side street. Either not noticing the escape or else unwilling to risk everything when they already held two captives, the jitney entered Gandasuli Road and took the couple with it into incognito.
Ms.Latorre immediately reported the incident to the Jolo City CPO, or City Police Office. Not the wisest thing to do of course but being young and in a highly stressful situation far from home it is entirely understandable.
On Saturday, July 17th, 2011, Mr.Batronel was released in Barangay San Reymundo, in the municipality of Patikul after convincing his captors that unless he was set free there would be no way to extract a ransom. He was given the chance to try and obtain the ridiculous sum of P20 Million ($450,000) which of course is merely the opening gambit in negotiations. Upon his release he was picked up by an Armed Forces of the Philippines Marine patrol. Due to severe dehydration Mr.Batronel was hospitalised in the Sulu Integrated Provincial Hospital, as his poor wife remained alone with her Abu Sayyaf captors. While still in the hospital receiving treatment, Mr.Batronel contacted family members in Batangas trying to accumulate a decent enough cachet with which to negotiate his wife's release. Just after midnite Jose Batronel checked himself out of the hospital and contacted Abu Sayyaf to try and come to an agreement on a lower ransom amount. By daybreak, an agreement having been reached for P100,000 ($1,900), a decent enough profit for 2 days work, Batronel had the ransom amount deposited into a bank account provided to him by his captors. By Sunday morning, July 18th Ms. Batronel was released in the municipality of Patikul, taking a jeepney (public transportation) into Jolo City where she was reunited with her husband.
Together, going to the Sulu Police Provincial Office, or PPO-Sulu, as Mr.Batronel had reluctantly agreed to do when rejecting PNP, or Philippine National Police "assistance" at the hospital, they underwent a meaningless "de-briefing." Suffering through the usual dog and pony propaganda...I mean publicity...I mean propaganda cum publicity nonsense the couple were taken to Zamboanga City via a naval frigate and from there took a commercial flight to Manila and their home in San Jose, Batangas.
Kidnap for Ransom, Third Quarter of 2011, Part III: The Release of Jonald Oscimar and Nico Sebastian
In a KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom, entry for the First Quarter of 2011 I detailed the case of the sardine boat M/V Mega 8, out of Zamboanga City. Crewed mostly by men from Negros Island in the Visayas Region (Central Philippines), and owned by the Mega Fishing Corporation, they had been moored off of Menes Island which is itself part of the tiny Panglima Tahil Island group off of Jolo Island, the largest island in the Sulu Archipelago. Panglima Tahil is generally considered to be a safe mooring in Sulu because it is controlled by an MNLF faction that fully committed itself to the 1996 Jakarta Agreement between the Government and the MNLF. On the evening of March 19th, 2011 however, that changed.
As the crew was busying itself with evening chores when they were suprised by a boatload of ASG, or Abu Sayyaf Group, gunmen carrying assault rifles who brusquely demanded the ship's "officers." Three men stepped forward:
1) Renato "Rennie" Panisales, Captain
2) Wennie Ferrer, Engineer
3) Jonald Oscimar, Quartermaster
The three men were herded over the side of their craft and into an idling pumpboat (a local term used to describe small motorised skiffs) which then set a course for Jolo Island. Aside from some quick Proof of Life phone calls to their wives, and some papers found in a jungle clearing after a heavy firefight that killed three ASG guerillas on Jolo Island little had been known about the men and their fate. Initially ASG had aimed to extort the owner of Mega Fishing but he refused to play ball, taking it to the extreme of even refusing to meet with the wife of Jonald Oscimar, Maria Victoria, or Marivic Oscimar, who had been chosen by the other two wives to act as their liason with both Mega Fishing AND the ASG. Undaunted, Marivic was able to finally negotiate what is euphamistically known as a "Room and Lodging Fee." From the initial demand of P4 Million per fisherman ($85,000) the Abu Sayyaf then re-packaged the three men at a higher group rate at P20 Million ($450,000), but all that was before they realised that Mega wouldn't be paying a single centavo. A "Room and Lodging Fee" allows the guerillas to generate a very modest profit while saving face. The alternative would of course involve the decapitation of the three captives.
On Tuesday, July 12th, 2011 Oscimar's relatives arrived in Barangay Kaunayan, in the municipality of Patikul where they handed over P300,000 ($6,500), which although a whole lot less than the previously demanded sums still represents a virtual fortune to people like the Oscimar family. The next evening, just after sunset, in Patikul's Barangay Buhanginan, a small band of guerillas delivered a happy Jonald Oscimar to his very relieved family. Mr.Oscimar is now back home on Negros enjoying his freedom.
However, his two mates, Renato Panisales and Wennie Ferrer remain in captivity as their impovershed families struggle against all odds to raise their own "Room and Lodging Fees."
Another happy reunion took place on Wednesday, July 13th, 2011 when 16 year old Nico Sebastian of Basilan Island was released. Young Nico had recently run into a close friend who he hadn't see in a year. His pal, Nadzmir "Marvin" Abubakar, had seemingly fallen off of the face of the earth. As I described in yet another of my Kidnap for Ransom entries, this one having been in the Second Quarter, Abubakar, who also goes by the moniker "Totoh" had recommended that he and Nico catch up on old times and invited him to drop by his home. Nico, whose mother supports the family by slash and burn farming, breezily informed his mother of his plans and left for Abubakar's home. When he failed to return his family reported him missing but it wasn't until they had received a ransom demand for P2.5 Million ($55,000) that the authorities were willing to conceed that a KFR had indeed taken place.
It became clear after a summary investigation that Nico's friend, Abubakar, had disappeared for a year because he had joined the 114 Base Command of the BIAF, or Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the armed component of the MILF. Abubakar's conduit into the BIAF was a young man named Arasad Jion, or as his good friends usually call him, "sub-Kumander Jion." When the 114 Base Command realised that poor Nico was the son of a struggling landless peasant they sold him to the ASG, specifically to sub-Kumander Hadjarun Jamiri who has been making a name for himself in KFR activities as of late. Hardly turning a profit on Nico they accepted a "Room and Lodging Fee" of P175,000 ($3,250), and released the teenager on the border of Tuburan and al Barka municipalities, on Basilan.
As the crew was busying itself with evening chores when they were suprised by a boatload of ASG, or Abu Sayyaf Group, gunmen carrying assault rifles who brusquely demanded the ship's "officers." Three men stepped forward:
1) Renato "Rennie" Panisales, Captain
2) Wennie Ferrer, Engineer
3) Jonald Oscimar, Quartermaster
The three men were herded over the side of their craft and into an idling pumpboat (a local term used to describe small motorised skiffs) which then set a course for Jolo Island. Aside from some quick Proof of Life phone calls to their wives, and some papers found in a jungle clearing after a heavy firefight that killed three ASG guerillas on Jolo Island little had been known about the men and their fate. Initially ASG had aimed to extort the owner of Mega Fishing but he refused to play ball, taking it to the extreme of even refusing to meet with the wife of Jonald Oscimar, Maria Victoria, or Marivic Oscimar, who had been chosen by the other two wives to act as their liason with both Mega Fishing AND the ASG. Undaunted, Marivic was able to finally negotiate what is euphamistically known as a "Room and Lodging Fee." From the initial demand of P4 Million per fisherman ($85,000) the Abu Sayyaf then re-packaged the three men at a higher group rate at P20 Million ($450,000), but all that was before they realised that Mega wouldn't be paying a single centavo. A "Room and Lodging Fee" allows the guerillas to generate a very modest profit while saving face. The alternative would of course involve the decapitation of the three captives.
On Tuesday, July 12th, 2011 Oscimar's relatives arrived in Barangay Kaunayan, in the municipality of Patikul where they handed over P300,000 ($6,500), which although a whole lot less than the previously demanded sums still represents a virtual fortune to people like the Oscimar family. The next evening, just after sunset, in Patikul's Barangay Buhanginan, a small band of guerillas delivered a happy Jonald Oscimar to his very relieved family. Mr.Oscimar is now back home on Negros enjoying his freedom.
However, his two mates, Renato Panisales and Wennie Ferrer remain in captivity as their impovershed families struggle against all odds to raise their own "Room and Lodging Fees."
Another happy reunion took place on Wednesday, July 13th, 2011 when 16 year old Nico Sebastian of Basilan Island was released. Young Nico had recently run into a close friend who he hadn't see in a year. His pal, Nadzmir "Marvin" Abubakar, had seemingly fallen off of the face of the earth. As I described in yet another of my Kidnap for Ransom entries, this one having been in the Second Quarter, Abubakar, who also goes by the moniker "Totoh" had recommended that he and Nico catch up on old times and invited him to drop by his home. Nico, whose mother supports the family by slash and burn farming, breezily informed his mother of his plans and left for Abubakar's home. When he failed to return his family reported him missing but it wasn't until they had received a ransom demand for P2.5 Million ($55,000) that the authorities were willing to conceed that a KFR had indeed taken place.
It became clear after a summary investigation that Nico's friend, Abubakar, had disappeared for a year because he had joined the 114 Base Command of the BIAF, or Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the armed component of the MILF. Abubakar's conduit into the BIAF was a young man named Arasad Jion, or as his good friends usually call him, "sub-Kumander Jion." When the 114 Base Command realised that poor Nico was the son of a struggling landless peasant they sold him to the ASG, specifically to sub-Kumander Hadjarun Jamiri who has been making a name for himself in KFR activities as of late. Hardly turning a profit on Nico they accepted a "Room and Lodging Fee" of P175,000 ($3,250), and released the teenager on the border of Tuburan and al Barka municipalities, on Basilan.
History of Mindanao, Part XIV: America Enters Cotabato, Summer of 1904
Though the Americans were able to take direct control of Jolo from the Spaniards with no lapse in authority, the handoff was usually non-existent in other parts of Muslim dominated Mindanao. Cotabato had finally come under Spanish control in 1846, though upriver, in the so called "Sultanate of Buayan," a self styled ruler popularly known as Datu Utto, the Rajah of Buayan, was able to foster the last bit of rebellion against Spanish control all the way up until 1888, but then he too finally came to heel as well. The key to the Spaniard's success had finally been a combination of advanced, small bore cannonry in combination with the simple, but heretofore unthought of, innovation of a shallow draught keel on their now mechanised gunboats. The low profile keel allowed a previously unimaginable advance up the cataracts of the Pulangi, or as the Spaniards, and later the Americans, called it, the Rio Grande de Mindanao (Big River of Mindanao).
Utto was a Buayanan, a Maguindanowan-speaking tribe that inhabited the plateau on the border of what is now North Cotabato and Bukidnon Provinces. In 1892, just four years after acquiescesing to Spain, Utto died. After a short jockying for power a nephew known as Datu Ali seized power and so it was Ali whom the Americans faced when they arrived at empty Spanish forts along that famed river in 1899. Not bothering to wait as did the garrison on Jolo Island, the Spanish fled as soon soon as they received confirmation that the Insurrectos, or Filipino Independence Forces, had folded under American pressure in Cagayan del Misamis, today's Cagayan del Oro City. At first Datu Ali was amenable to the Americans, trying to gauge them for some possible accomodation. By 1902 though things had turned ugly and Ali threw in his chips and went for broke.
The following excerpt is taken from Chapter 27 from the memoir of Colonel John White, "Bullets and Bolos: Fifteen Years in the Philippine Islands," by John White (New York/London) (1928). Mr.White, an American Colonel in the nascent PC, or Philippine Constabulary, spent 15 years in the Philippines engaging in Counterinsurgency, with nearly 10 of those years on Mindanao.
Factually correct in terms of his recall, his historical context, and so on. He shows a very curious ignorance of the most basic facts of life on Mindanao. For example, despite spending nearly 10 years in Mindanao, most of which was spent commanding Moro Units (as they were known), he obviously believes the Maranaw (Maranao) to be a Maguindanowan Tribe. The Maranaw and Maguindanaw (Maguindanao) DO both descend from the Iranun (Illanun) Tribe, and therefore their languages are very strongly mutually intelligible, their customs, even their form of government was very different.
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Chapter 27: Early in June, 1904, General Wood called upon Colonel Harbord to organize a Constabulary in the District of Cotabato, the largest and perhaps least known division of the Moro Province, where a prominent Moro chief named Datu Ali had recently started on the warpath. Colonel Harbord relieved me as Adjuant for assignment as Senior Inspector of the Constabulary of Cotabato with instructions to recruit as rapidly as possible among the tribes of friendly Moros and organize a force that could be used as Scouts accompanying expeditions of United States troops against the hostiles scattered throughout the length and breadth of the valley of the Rio Grande of Mindanao. Cotabato District consisted of this valley of this broad, deep, muddy stream, a valley some two hundred miles (230KM) long and some ten to fifty miles (13 TO 18KM) broad. This watershed contained large areas of swamp and lakes, with villages of Maguindanowan Moros scattered along the banks of the river and its tributaries or amid the almost trackless and impassable swamps. Back of the valley rose forbidding ranges of mountains, culminating in Mount Apo, eleven thousand feet in height (NEARLY 4,000 METERS). In the jungles of these mountains were legendary pagan tribes rejoicing in the names of Tirurayes (TEDURAYS), Manobos, Bagobos, Bilanes (B'LAANS), and many more such.
The Maguindanowans were the largest tribe of Moros. They controlled practically the whole of the mainland of Mindanao. Although more agricultural and less piratical [SIC] than their cousins in Sulu, they held almost as tightly to their ancient privilege of slavery and control of the pagan tribes, while the situation of their bamboo villages and earthen cottas (forts) (KOTAS) on the shores of the mountain lakes, as in Lanao, or amid the swamps, as in Cotabato, made campaigning against these chiefs who refused to recognise the authority of the United States both difficult and costly.
The Spaniards had sent many an expedition up the Rio Grande, and with shallow-draft [SIC] gunboats had shot their way into the heart of Cotabato District. They obtained concessions from Datu Utu [SIC], the Maguindanowan chief who then ruled that swampy land. But the control exercised by the Spaniards extended little if any further than the range of cannon shot from the toy men of war ("MAN OF WAR"BEING A WAR SHIP,"TOY"REFERRING TO SHALLOW DRAUGHT BOATS), while the price they paid in men and blood for even such a victory was heavy. Futhermore, every inch of ground wrested from the Maguindanowan must be controlled by stone fort or blockhouse. When, in 1899, the Spaniards withdrew before the advancing Americans from the north, anarchy reigned in Cotabato. Datu Utu had gone to the voluptuous reward of good fighting Moros and his nephew, Datu Ali, ruled in his stead.
The American troops came to Cotabato. A wise officer, Colonel Febiger, was appointed Governor of the District. Datu Ali paid his respects to Colonel Febiger and for awhile all went pleasantly along the Rio Grande. The Military Government was busy subduing Aguinaldo's Insurrection in the northern islands and was quite willing to leave the Moro hornets alone as long as they refrained from stinging American soldiers. Colonel Febiger cemented friendship with Datu Ali and at one time even made tenative arrangements to send him on an educational tour in the United States. The cautious Governor shut the other eye at such exhibitions of Moro customs, such as slavery, an occasional raid on the pagan hillmen (LUMAD), or a little inter-tribal bloodshed by way of keeping the young braves fit (USE OF NATIVE AMERICANISMS LIKE "BRAVES" WAS RIFE AMONGST THE AMERICANS IN THE PHILIPPINES).
It is likely that had Colonel Febiger remained at Cotabato, gradually enlarging his influence and control of the Maguindanowan (MAGUINDANOAN) and especially their fighting chief Datu Ali, the bloody chapter of our campaign in Cotabato of which I shall sketch but the highlights, might never have been written. It is safe to say that nine tenths of the trouble in Mindanao has been due to the impermanence of officials; no sooner did an officer like Febiger get to know his Moro men and manners than military orders carried him off to some other sphere of usefulness; and his successor came with no fund of stored up experience upon which to draw. Of course, it was not to be expected that the feudal conditions of Moro misgovernment in Mindanao and Sulu could be replaced by an administration modeled on American ideas of the rights of man without a certain amount of friction and even bloodshed. But the amount of each might have been reduced by a policy which used personal influence rather than the Krag (A RIFLE) to enforce necessary and wholesome changes.
General Wood recognized this. He soon appointed civilian understudies and District Secretaries under Army Governors, but before many years the General himself was , after having become skilled in Moro administration, spirited away to another command. Colonel Febiger left Cotabato. Datu Ali heard of the new laws passed by the legislative council of the Moro Province, which prescribed penalties for slave holding, together with new and altogether hateful restrictions on the authority of proud Moro chieftains.
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Of course the next step is Datu Ali entering into alliances with other datus chafing under American rule and finally, entering into open rebellion. In the end Ali was shot dead on the porch of his home after being ferreted out by both a right hand of Datu Piang, the half Chinese, half Buayan man who although of non-royal blood himself, would become the most powerful Maguindanowan/Buayuan Tribesman of the 20th Century, and the richest man on Mainland Mindanao to boot. The right hand man, the giant- even by Western standards- Datu Ituk, had been waiting to take a swipe at Ali for a number of years, after the love of his life, his wife, had run away with Ali. The other man aiding the Americans was a mestiso of Bisaya parentage who did it solely for self-enrichment. With Ali's death Piang rose to unchallenged heighys.
I should add, the MILF Peace Panelist, Datu Michael O.Mastura? The ex-Congressman who now fashions himself an uber-patriot to the MILF's cause? It was his own grandfather who joined with Piang to support the Americans against their own people. Interesting, but what would be even more interesting is to have someone call him on it next time he segues into another one of his hate filled rants.
Utto was a Buayanan, a Maguindanowan-speaking tribe that inhabited the plateau on the border of what is now North Cotabato and Bukidnon Provinces. In 1892, just four years after acquiescesing to Spain, Utto died. After a short jockying for power a nephew known as Datu Ali seized power and so it was Ali whom the Americans faced when they arrived at empty Spanish forts along that famed river in 1899. Not bothering to wait as did the garrison on Jolo Island, the Spanish fled as soon soon as they received confirmation that the Insurrectos, or Filipino Independence Forces, had folded under American pressure in Cagayan del Misamis, today's Cagayan del Oro City. At first Datu Ali was amenable to the Americans, trying to gauge them for some possible accomodation. By 1902 though things had turned ugly and Ali threw in his chips and went for broke.
The following excerpt is taken from Chapter 27 from the memoir of Colonel John White, "Bullets and Bolos: Fifteen Years in the Philippine Islands," by John White (New York/London) (1928). Mr.White, an American Colonel in the nascent PC, or Philippine Constabulary, spent 15 years in the Philippines engaging in Counterinsurgency, with nearly 10 of those years on Mindanao.
Factually correct in terms of his recall, his historical context, and so on. He shows a very curious ignorance of the most basic facts of life on Mindanao. For example, despite spending nearly 10 years in Mindanao, most of which was spent commanding Moro Units (as they were known), he obviously believes the Maranaw (Maranao) to be a Maguindanowan Tribe. The Maranaw and Maguindanaw (Maguindanao) DO both descend from the Iranun (Illanun) Tribe, and therefore their languages are very strongly mutually intelligible, their customs, even their form of government was very different.
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Chapter 27: Early in June, 1904, General Wood called upon Colonel Harbord to organize a Constabulary in the District of Cotabato, the largest and perhaps least known division of the Moro Province, where a prominent Moro chief named Datu Ali had recently started on the warpath. Colonel Harbord relieved me as Adjuant for assignment as Senior Inspector of the Constabulary of Cotabato with instructions to recruit as rapidly as possible among the tribes of friendly Moros and organize a force that could be used as Scouts accompanying expeditions of United States troops against the hostiles scattered throughout the length and breadth of the valley of the Rio Grande of Mindanao. Cotabato District consisted of this valley of this broad, deep, muddy stream, a valley some two hundred miles (230KM) long and some ten to fifty miles (13 TO 18KM) broad. This watershed contained large areas of swamp and lakes, with villages of Maguindanowan Moros scattered along the banks of the river and its tributaries or amid the almost trackless and impassable swamps. Back of the valley rose forbidding ranges of mountains, culminating in Mount Apo, eleven thousand feet in height (NEARLY 4,000 METERS). In the jungles of these mountains were legendary pagan tribes rejoicing in the names of Tirurayes (TEDURAYS), Manobos, Bagobos, Bilanes (B'LAANS), and many more such.
The Maguindanowans were the largest tribe of Moros. They controlled practically the whole of the mainland of Mindanao. Although more agricultural and less piratical [SIC] than their cousins in Sulu, they held almost as tightly to their ancient privilege of slavery and control of the pagan tribes, while the situation of their bamboo villages and earthen cottas (forts) (KOTAS) on the shores of the mountain lakes, as in Lanao, or amid the swamps, as in Cotabato, made campaigning against these chiefs who refused to recognise the authority of the United States both difficult and costly.
The Spaniards had sent many an expedition up the Rio Grande, and with shallow-draft [SIC] gunboats had shot their way into the heart of Cotabato District. They obtained concessions from Datu Utu [SIC], the Maguindanowan chief who then ruled that swampy land. But the control exercised by the Spaniards extended little if any further than the range of cannon shot from the toy men of war ("MAN OF WAR"BEING A WAR SHIP,"TOY"REFERRING TO SHALLOW DRAUGHT BOATS), while the price they paid in men and blood for even such a victory was heavy. Futhermore, every inch of ground wrested from the Maguindanowan must be controlled by stone fort or blockhouse. When, in 1899, the Spaniards withdrew before the advancing Americans from the north, anarchy reigned in Cotabato. Datu Utu had gone to the voluptuous reward of good fighting Moros and his nephew, Datu Ali, ruled in his stead.
The American troops came to Cotabato. A wise officer, Colonel Febiger, was appointed Governor of the District. Datu Ali paid his respects to Colonel Febiger and for awhile all went pleasantly along the Rio Grande. The Military Government was busy subduing Aguinaldo's Insurrection in the northern islands and was quite willing to leave the Moro hornets alone as long as they refrained from stinging American soldiers. Colonel Febiger cemented friendship with Datu Ali and at one time even made tenative arrangements to send him on an educational tour in the United States. The cautious Governor shut the other eye at such exhibitions of Moro customs, such as slavery, an occasional raid on the pagan hillmen (LUMAD), or a little inter-tribal bloodshed by way of keeping the young braves fit (USE OF NATIVE AMERICANISMS LIKE "BRAVES" WAS RIFE AMONGST THE AMERICANS IN THE PHILIPPINES).
It is likely that had Colonel Febiger remained at Cotabato, gradually enlarging his influence and control of the Maguindanowan (MAGUINDANOAN) and especially their fighting chief Datu Ali, the bloody chapter of our campaign in Cotabato of which I shall sketch but the highlights, might never have been written. It is safe to say that nine tenths of the trouble in Mindanao has been due to the impermanence of officials; no sooner did an officer like Febiger get to know his Moro men and manners than military orders carried him off to some other sphere of usefulness; and his successor came with no fund of stored up experience upon which to draw. Of course, it was not to be expected that the feudal conditions of Moro misgovernment in Mindanao and Sulu could be replaced by an administration modeled on American ideas of the rights of man without a certain amount of friction and even bloodshed. But the amount of each might have been reduced by a policy which used personal influence rather than the Krag (A RIFLE) to enforce necessary and wholesome changes.
General Wood recognized this. He soon appointed civilian understudies and District Secretaries under Army Governors, but before many years the General himself was , after having become skilled in Moro administration, spirited away to another command. Colonel Febiger left Cotabato. Datu Ali heard of the new laws passed by the legislative council of the Moro Province, which prescribed penalties for slave holding, together with new and altogether hateful restrictions on the authority of proud Moro chieftains.
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Of course the next step is Datu Ali entering into alliances with other datus chafing under American rule and finally, entering into open rebellion. In the end Ali was shot dead on the porch of his home after being ferreted out by both a right hand of Datu Piang, the half Chinese, half Buayan man who although of non-royal blood himself, would become the most powerful Maguindanowan/Buayuan Tribesman of the 20th Century, and the richest man on Mainland Mindanao to boot. The right hand man, the giant- even by Western standards- Datu Ituk, had been waiting to take a swipe at Ali for a number of years, after the love of his life, his wife, had run away with Ali. The other man aiding the Americans was a mestiso of Bisaya parentage who did it solely for self-enrichment. With Ali's death Piang rose to unchallenged heighys.
I should add, the MILF Peace Panelist, Datu Michael O.Mastura? The ex-Congressman who now fashions himself an uber-patriot to the MILF's cause? It was his own grandfather who joined with Piang to support the Americans against their own people. Interesting, but what would be even more interesting is to have someone call him on it next time he segues into another one of his hate filled rants.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Political Developments, First Quarter of 2011, Part V: Arbison vs. Tan, Basilan Special Election, and Lagbas' Bodyguards Gone Wild
Former Congressman Munir Arbison, who represented the Second District of Sulu, took another potshot at his arch nemesis, Sulu's Governor Abdusakur "Sakur" Mahail Tan when he filed yet another petition with the Ombudsman on January 27th, 2011. In the Philippine system of governance the Ombudsman functions in the capacity of a prosecutor in a specialised court system. Known as the Sandiganbayan, or "Guardian of the People," the court functions on par with the Court of Appeals so that any appeal within the special court automatically finds itself elevated to the Supreme Court. Ergo, any petition to the Ombudsman is in effect the filing of a criminal charge.
The complaint in this case involves two APCs, or Armored Personnel Carriers. The two MX-8 Barakos, by the Philippine-based Steelcraft Military Land Defense Vehicles Corporation entered Governor Tan's life after he survived two serious assassination attempts within the previous twenty months, both involving massive IEDs, or Improvised Explosive Devices (as in "bombs"). To protect himself the Governor obtained two of the recently developed APCs. On par with the V150 Simbas currently in use by the Philippine Military, in terms of armored capability, they resemble US-made Hummers with a bulky turret atop the roof that packs a 50 caliber gun. According to Tan they were a "present" from his daughter after the failed first attempt, a bombing against his motorcade in Patikul, on Jolo Island, or at least that was his final story.
At the time of Tan's acquisition Arbison was still sitting in Congress but facing the end of his term limit he had also jumped into the race for Governor. Pitted head to head against his former protoge, Arbison suffered a humiliating defeat in the May of 2010 balloting. He then decided to vent his pent up aggression against Governor Tan and continue a vindictive campaign that began with a flurry of letters to people higher up the foodchain. Most notably perhaps, he wrote to then Director General of Logistics for the Philippine National Police, Luizo Ticman, seeking verification of a PNP, or Philippine National Police, purchase order for the APCs, as is required by Philippine Law. The law is an attempt to check the formation of paramilitaries though in reality it is quite easy to circumvent the stricture.
In his letter to Ticman, dated February 15th, 2010 then Congressman Arbison complained that the purchase(s) were illegal, and requested any and all PNP paperwork related to the vehicles. General Ticman never replied and instead the letter made its way to General Victor Ibrado of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or AFP. Ibrado already had received a similar letter from Arbison dated January 4th, 2010 but hadn't considered involving himself in the petty feuds that dominate the Philippine political landscape. Ibrado had in fact had an intimediary broach the subject with Governor Tan, banking a favor by warning him that Arbison was on the warpath.
In turn, Tan had the two APCs "donated" to the Sulu Provincial Government, for dedicated use by the Governor, though the papers said otherwise and dated the transaction January 14th, 2010 so that Arbison's "inquiries" to the PNP turned out to be "after the fact." Now badly frustrated, Arbison finally turned to the Ombudsman, bypassing the pre-requisite of "evidence" and going directly for the jugular. In his complaint to the Ombudsman Arbison cited four reasons for his petition:
1) Civilians, including Elected Officials are not allowed to purchase military hardware for personal use
2) Provincial funds were used to purchase the APCs
3) The MX-8's 50 caliber guns are for Tan's own personal use, another misuse of military hardware since 50 caliber rifles are illegal as personal weaponry
4) Tan uses the vehicles to intimidate the public, creating fear wherever he goes
The Ombudsman's routine correspondence with the PNP over the matter resulted in the Director of Sulu's PPO, or Police Provincial Office, Senior Superintendent Joseph Tabago Remac composing a routine report on the two vehicle's chain of paperwork. Ramac's findings cleared Tan though in the end it may have created more problems in manufacturing an entirely fictitious pedigree for the transaction. According to Sr. Supt. Ramac, one of the various self-appointed Sultans of Sulu, Akidjal Ingkang Attih, donated both APCs to Ramac's predecessor, the late Sr. Supt. Julasrim Ahadin Kassim who very soon after was killed in an ambush by the ASG, or the Abu Sayyaf Group. The donation mandated that the vehicles only be used by the PPO in the engagement of official duties. Interestingly, Ramac took the time to note that the 50 caliber guns were the property of the PNP. Seeing as how the APCs were already declared as such it seems superfluous to make that point. Of course the truth of the matter is that this was stated to cover Governor Tan's absolutely illegal acquisition of those two rifles, in case he was cleared with regard to the APCs themselves with the rifles handled as a separate issue.
Arbison's long time ally, Provincial Councilor Alganarham Adam noted that the Sultan, who is anything but wealthy, could not have donated anything to Sr. Supt. Kassim since Kassim was long dead and buried by January 14th, 2010, the official date on the paperwork covering the PNP's receipt of the APCs. Moreover, Tan was listed as the donor and the Sultan's name was nowhere to be found.
To date, in that I am composing this entry in the Third Quarter of 2011, the case has fallen by the wayside after the massive shakeup at the Ombudsman's Office in the wake of the Major General Carlos F.Garcia Scandal and its ever widening implications for the AFP and the Government in general.
On March 11th, 2011 a bodyguard for the Lagbas Clan was shot to death by a security guard after trying to divest another security guard of his weapon after first smashing him in the face. 35 year old Edwin O.Paler and his brother Francis O.Paler of Sitio Zone #8 in Cagayan del Oro City's Barangay Carmen rode tandem on a Honda XRM motorcyle to the Oro Homes Furnishing Canter on Kauswagan National Hiway, also in Cagayan del Oro City, in Misamis Oriental Province. As the two brothers rushed a sleeping security guard, 29 year old Sem Vismanos, breaking his arm with a brick, a second security guard, 21 year old Rogelio Tangcay working at a private residence next door rushed to fight off the attackers. The Paler brothers had already robbed Vismanos of his 38 caliber revolver.
The second security guard, Tangcay, was able to rush to his comrade's aid and quickly fired off three rounds from his 45 caliber pistol. Of the three bullets, two met their mark striking Edwin in the elbow and chest, killing him almost immediately. Before escaping on the motorcycle though, Francis was able to stab Dangcay five times in the back. Tangcay, employed by Rober Eagle Security Agency, and Vismanos, employed by Sagittarius Security Agency, were then transported to an area hospital for treatment. Vismanos admits he was sleeping on duty but defends his laxity by saying that he had had a toothache. Cagayan del Oro City CPO (City Police Office) personnel were able to quickly locate Francis O.Paler by simply following the address listed on Edwin's identification and captured both him and Vismanos' stolen revolver. Both brothers are ex-AFP soldiers who had been discharged for various transgressions making them the prototypical "bodyguards" on Mindanao.
On March 12th, 2011 the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province held a special election for Mayor that quickly evolved into open warfare between supporters of candidate Haber Asarul (Lakas-KAMPI-CMD) and Gulam "Boy" Salliman Hataman (Liberal) at Sapah Langay Elementary School in the town's Barangay Lower Cabengbeng. The school was housing five clustered precincts, more for security reasons than anything else, with a mere 927 potential voters able to cast ballots. In the original election, held on May 10th, 2011, Arasul had emerged victorious only to have his rival, Hataman, successfully contest that victory with COMELEC, the national electoral authority. COMELEC then nullified the election result in October of 2010, citing statistical improbability as the main raison d'etre; Barangay Cabengbeng proper tallied all of its 874 votes in favor of Arasul, despite that being the barangay where Hataman himself voted, not to mention his family to boot.
The special election retained the tallies from the original election in all but the five precincts, all located in that same barangay of Cabengbeng proper. This time Hataman scored 202 votes, bringing his overall tally to 8,393 votes versus 8,182 for Arasul, despite the latter candidate tallying 363 votes in the special election. Notably, only 581 of the 927 registered voters in those 5 precincts (16 of the votes cast were disqualified for various reasons) even bothered to vote.
After Hataman was declared the winner Arasul's gunmen attacked Hataman's friends and family, sparking an intense firefight. Luckily a brigade strength (1,500 men) composite force of PNP/AFP (Philippine National Police/Armed Forces of the Philippines) was on site though after the composite force intervened both Hataman and Arasul's men turned on the PNP/AFP, before finally withdrawing to their respective sections of the municipality. The Arasul/Hataman feud is a long running and very violent dispute. Hataman had succeeded his brother Hadjiman "Jim" Salliman Hataman as Mayor of Sumisip in 2004. In 2007 though, Arasul wrested control of the town. As Hataman set his sights on re-claiming the Mayoralty in the May of 2010 Election both camps began attacking one another.
Hataman's brother Jim, now the Congressman for the Lone District of Basilan, along with another brother, ANAK Mindanao Partylist Congressman Mujiv Salliman Hataman are the men behind the spectacular IED that killed Jim's predecessor, former-Governor Wahab Akbar, whom I discussed in my entry "Portrait of a Warlord, Part I: Wahab Akbar." The Hataman Clan, along with politician and former BMA, or Bangsamoro Army (the military wing of the MNLF) Commanding Officer for Basilan, Abdulgani "Gerry" A. Salapuddin and allied politicians had the assassination take place in the Batasang Pambasa, or Congressional Building, in Metro Manila's Quezon City. The 2007 bombing left the Lone District seat open after Jim Hataman filed a petition with Congress to bar any interim appointments. In 2010 he easily slid into the seat after forming tacit alliances with Akbar's two wives, current Governor Jum Akbar and Mayor of Isabela City, Cherry Santiago Akbar.
Arasul is himself brother to Nasser Arasul, a legislator in the ARMM, or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. Just three weeks after this Special Election in Sumisip, Nasser's 7 year old son Amir Nasser Arasul would be kidnapped while walking in his Isabela City neighborhood. The reason? Haber Arasul, the unsuccessful candidate in that Special Election, had failed to re-pay a P300,000 ($6,500) loan floated by Ronnie Keseng of Tuburan, who chairs that municipality's Association of Barangay Chairman, or ABC. The boy was released after two and a half days when the Director of the Police Provincial Office of Basilan, Senior Superintendent Abubakar Tulawie escorted Nasser Arasul to Tuburan where Tulawie and Vice Mayor of Tuburan, Durie Kalahal successfully negotiated a loan re-payment, plus interest (despite Islam forbidding interest), plus a 10% commission for the Director, another for Vice Mayor Kalahal, and an additional gratuity for young Amir's "room and board" as it is euphamistically known here in the Southern Philippines.
After Boy Hataman won that Special Election in Sumisip his first course of action was to file for an audit of the municipality's finances. It seems that just before that new election the town had received its IRA, or Internal Revenue Alottment, of P3 Million ($63,000). Co-incidentally that sum then vanished, having been withdrawn from the town's bank account. Considering how Haber Arasul defaulted on that P300,000 loan from Ronnie Keseng that isn't entirely shocking.
The complaint in this case involves two APCs, or Armored Personnel Carriers. The two MX-8 Barakos, by the Philippine-based Steelcraft Military Land Defense Vehicles Corporation entered Governor Tan's life after he survived two serious assassination attempts within the previous twenty months, both involving massive IEDs, or Improvised Explosive Devices (as in "bombs"). To protect himself the Governor obtained two of the recently developed APCs. On par with the V150 Simbas currently in use by the Philippine Military, in terms of armored capability, they resemble US-made Hummers with a bulky turret atop the roof that packs a 50 caliber gun. According to Tan they were a "present" from his daughter after the failed first attempt, a bombing against his motorcade in Patikul, on Jolo Island, or at least that was his final story.
At the time of Tan's acquisition Arbison was still sitting in Congress but facing the end of his term limit he had also jumped into the race for Governor. Pitted head to head against his former protoge, Arbison suffered a humiliating defeat in the May of 2010 balloting. He then decided to vent his pent up aggression against Governor Tan and continue a vindictive campaign that began with a flurry of letters to people higher up the foodchain. Most notably perhaps, he wrote to then Director General of Logistics for the Philippine National Police, Luizo Ticman, seeking verification of a PNP, or Philippine National Police, purchase order for the APCs, as is required by Philippine Law. The law is an attempt to check the formation of paramilitaries though in reality it is quite easy to circumvent the stricture.
In his letter to Ticman, dated February 15th, 2010 then Congressman Arbison complained that the purchase(s) were illegal, and requested any and all PNP paperwork related to the vehicles. General Ticman never replied and instead the letter made its way to General Victor Ibrado of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or AFP. Ibrado already had received a similar letter from Arbison dated January 4th, 2010 but hadn't considered involving himself in the petty feuds that dominate the Philippine political landscape. Ibrado had in fact had an intimediary broach the subject with Governor Tan, banking a favor by warning him that Arbison was on the warpath.
In turn, Tan had the two APCs "donated" to the Sulu Provincial Government, for dedicated use by the Governor, though the papers said otherwise and dated the transaction January 14th, 2010 so that Arbison's "inquiries" to the PNP turned out to be "after the fact." Now badly frustrated, Arbison finally turned to the Ombudsman, bypassing the pre-requisite of "evidence" and going directly for the jugular. In his complaint to the Ombudsman Arbison cited four reasons for his petition:
1) Civilians, including Elected Officials are not allowed to purchase military hardware for personal use
2) Provincial funds were used to purchase the APCs
3) The MX-8's 50 caliber guns are for Tan's own personal use, another misuse of military hardware since 50 caliber rifles are illegal as personal weaponry
4) Tan uses the vehicles to intimidate the public, creating fear wherever he goes
The Ombudsman's routine correspondence with the PNP over the matter resulted in the Director of Sulu's PPO, or Police Provincial Office, Senior Superintendent Joseph Tabago Remac composing a routine report on the two vehicle's chain of paperwork. Ramac's findings cleared Tan though in the end it may have created more problems in manufacturing an entirely fictitious pedigree for the transaction. According to Sr. Supt. Ramac, one of the various self-appointed Sultans of Sulu, Akidjal Ingkang Attih, donated both APCs to Ramac's predecessor, the late Sr. Supt. Julasrim Ahadin Kassim who very soon after was killed in an ambush by the ASG, or the Abu Sayyaf Group. The donation mandated that the vehicles only be used by the PPO in the engagement of official duties. Interestingly, Ramac took the time to note that the 50 caliber guns were the property of the PNP. Seeing as how the APCs were already declared as such it seems superfluous to make that point. Of course the truth of the matter is that this was stated to cover Governor Tan's absolutely illegal acquisition of those two rifles, in case he was cleared with regard to the APCs themselves with the rifles handled as a separate issue.
Arbison's long time ally, Provincial Councilor Alganarham Adam noted that the Sultan, who is anything but wealthy, could not have donated anything to Sr. Supt. Kassim since Kassim was long dead and buried by January 14th, 2010, the official date on the paperwork covering the PNP's receipt of the APCs. Moreover, Tan was listed as the donor and the Sultan's name was nowhere to be found.
To date, in that I am composing this entry in the Third Quarter of 2011, the case has fallen by the wayside after the massive shakeup at the Ombudsman's Office in the wake of the Major General Carlos F.Garcia Scandal and its ever widening implications for the AFP and the Government in general.
On March 11th, 2011 a bodyguard for the Lagbas Clan was shot to death by a security guard after trying to divest another security guard of his weapon after first smashing him in the face. 35 year old Edwin O.Paler and his brother Francis O.Paler of Sitio Zone #8 in Cagayan del Oro City's Barangay Carmen rode tandem on a Honda XRM motorcyle to the Oro Homes Furnishing Canter on Kauswagan National Hiway, also in Cagayan del Oro City, in Misamis Oriental Province. As the two brothers rushed a sleeping security guard, 29 year old Sem Vismanos, breaking his arm with a brick, a second security guard, 21 year old Rogelio Tangcay working at a private residence next door rushed to fight off the attackers. The Paler brothers had already robbed Vismanos of his 38 caliber revolver.
The second security guard, Tangcay, was able to rush to his comrade's aid and quickly fired off three rounds from his 45 caliber pistol. Of the three bullets, two met their mark striking Edwin in the elbow and chest, killing him almost immediately. Before escaping on the motorcycle though, Francis was able to stab Dangcay five times in the back. Tangcay, employed by Rober Eagle Security Agency, and Vismanos, employed by Sagittarius Security Agency, were then transported to an area hospital for treatment. Vismanos admits he was sleeping on duty but defends his laxity by saying that he had had a toothache. Cagayan del Oro City CPO (City Police Office) personnel were able to quickly locate Francis O.Paler by simply following the address listed on Edwin's identification and captured both him and Vismanos' stolen revolver. Both brothers are ex-AFP soldiers who had been discharged for various transgressions making them the prototypical "bodyguards" on Mindanao.
On March 12th, 2011 the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province held a special election for Mayor that quickly evolved into open warfare between supporters of candidate Haber Asarul (Lakas-KAMPI-CMD) and Gulam "Boy" Salliman Hataman (Liberal) at Sapah Langay Elementary School in the town's Barangay Lower Cabengbeng. The school was housing five clustered precincts, more for security reasons than anything else, with a mere 927 potential voters able to cast ballots. In the original election, held on May 10th, 2011, Arasul had emerged victorious only to have his rival, Hataman, successfully contest that victory with COMELEC, the national electoral authority. COMELEC then nullified the election result in October of 2010, citing statistical improbability as the main raison d'etre; Barangay Cabengbeng proper tallied all of its 874 votes in favor of Arasul, despite that being the barangay where Hataman himself voted, not to mention his family to boot.
The special election retained the tallies from the original election in all but the five precincts, all located in that same barangay of Cabengbeng proper. This time Hataman scored 202 votes, bringing his overall tally to 8,393 votes versus 8,182 for Arasul, despite the latter candidate tallying 363 votes in the special election. Notably, only 581 of the 927 registered voters in those 5 precincts (16 of the votes cast were disqualified for various reasons) even bothered to vote.
After Hataman was declared the winner Arasul's gunmen attacked Hataman's friends and family, sparking an intense firefight. Luckily a brigade strength (1,500 men) composite force of PNP/AFP (Philippine National Police/Armed Forces of the Philippines) was on site though after the composite force intervened both Hataman and Arasul's men turned on the PNP/AFP, before finally withdrawing to their respective sections of the municipality. The Arasul/Hataman feud is a long running and very violent dispute. Hataman had succeeded his brother Hadjiman "Jim" Salliman Hataman as Mayor of Sumisip in 2004. In 2007 though, Arasul wrested control of the town. As Hataman set his sights on re-claiming the Mayoralty in the May of 2010 Election both camps began attacking one another.
Hataman's brother Jim, now the Congressman for the Lone District of Basilan, along with another brother, ANAK Mindanao Partylist Congressman Mujiv Salliman Hataman are the men behind the spectacular IED that killed Jim's predecessor, former-Governor Wahab Akbar, whom I discussed in my entry "Portrait of a Warlord, Part I: Wahab Akbar." The Hataman Clan, along with politician and former BMA, or Bangsamoro Army (the military wing of the MNLF) Commanding Officer for Basilan, Abdulgani "Gerry" A. Salapuddin and allied politicians had the assassination take place in the Batasang Pambasa, or Congressional Building, in Metro Manila's Quezon City. The 2007 bombing left the Lone District seat open after Jim Hataman filed a petition with Congress to bar any interim appointments. In 2010 he easily slid into the seat after forming tacit alliances with Akbar's two wives, current Governor Jum Akbar and Mayor of Isabela City, Cherry Santiago Akbar.
Arasul is himself brother to Nasser Arasul, a legislator in the ARMM, or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. Just three weeks after this Special Election in Sumisip, Nasser's 7 year old son Amir Nasser Arasul would be kidnapped while walking in his Isabela City neighborhood. The reason? Haber Arasul, the unsuccessful candidate in that Special Election, had failed to re-pay a P300,000 ($6,500) loan floated by Ronnie Keseng of Tuburan, who chairs that municipality's Association of Barangay Chairman, or ABC. The boy was released after two and a half days when the Director of the Police Provincial Office of Basilan, Senior Superintendent Abubakar Tulawie escorted Nasser Arasul to Tuburan where Tulawie and Vice Mayor of Tuburan, Durie Kalahal successfully negotiated a loan re-payment, plus interest (despite Islam forbidding interest), plus a 10% commission for the Director, another for Vice Mayor Kalahal, and an additional gratuity for young Amir's "room and board" as it is euphamistically known here in the Southern Philippines.
After Boy Hataman won that Special Election in Sumisip his first course of action was to file for an audit of the municipality's finances. It seems that just before that new election the town had received its IRA, or Internal Revenue Alottment, of P3 Million ($63,000). Co-incidentally that sum then vanished, having been withdrawn from the town's bank account. Considering how Haber Arasul defaulted on that P300,000 loan from Ronnie Keseng that isn't entirely shocking.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Ampatuan Files, Part I: List of Massacre Victims
Operating under the assumption that most anyone reading this entry will have at least a cursory understanding of the Maguindanao Massacre, as it is popularly known, I will simply segue directly into a list of that tragedy's 58 victims, categorised as to whether or not a victim was a member of the Mangudadatu Clan, the intended target of this gross violence, an attorney, a media representative, or simply a hapless motorist. That was victimised simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The word "Bai" is an honorific given to Maguindanowan women of status, the female equivalent of "Datu." All Clan and kin are from the Clan stronghold, Buluan, in Maguindanao Province, abutting Sultan Kudarat Province.
Mangudadatu Clan and Kin
1) Bai Genalin Tiamzon Mangudadatu, 36 year old wife of the intended victim, Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu, currently Governor of Maguindanao Province
2) Bai Eden Gaguil Mangudadatu, 45 years old, sister of "Toto" and a politician in her own right, serving as Mayor of the municipality of Mangudadatu, in Maguindanao Province at the time of her death
3) Bai Farinah Mangudadatu Hassan, age 24, the youngest sister of "Toto"
4) Rowena Ante Mangudadatu, age 33, a paternal aunt of "Toto"
5) Surayyda Gaguil Bernan, a maternal aunt of "Toto," 36 years of age
6) Wahida Ali Kaliman, Clan member of "Toto," age 39
7) Mamotabai Mangudadatu, another Clan member of "Toto," 40 years old
8) Raida Abdul Sapalon, another Clan member, age 41
9) Faridah Sabdullah Gaguil, a maternal family member, 33 years old
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Attorney for "Toto"
10) Cynthia Oquendo Ayon, age 35, of Cotabato City, a resident of Pomolok, South Cotabato Province
11) Catalino Oquendo, the 75 year old father of Ms. Ayon, along for the ride. He was the retired Municipal Treasurer for the municipality of Pomolok in South Cotabato Province
12) Concepcion Brizuela Jayme, of Kidapawan City, North Cotabato Province
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Supporters of "Toto"
13) Pinky Balayman, of Buluan, Maguindanao Province, 35 years old
14) Lailani "Ella" Balayman, age 25 and also of Buluan
15) Eugene Demillo Pamansag, 35 years old and also of Buluan
16) Abdillah Ayada, also of Buluan
17) Rahima P.Palawan, also of Buluan, 43 years old
18) Meriam Calimbol, also of Buluan
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Media (I will include their employer after their name)
19) Gina de la Cruz Carpenteros, Saksi
20) Marife Montano Cordova, Saksi, Balita, (radio station) DXCP, age 44
21) Jephon Cadagdagon, Saksi & Balita
22) Andres M.Teodoro, Inquirer (columnist) & People's Forum, age 59, Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Province
23) Marites Cablitas, publisher of News Focus (in General Santos City in Sarangani Province), and (radio station) DXDX, age 38
24) Rosell Morales Vivas, News Focus, age 34
25) Bienvenido Legarta, publisher of Prontiera News (Koronadal City)
26) Joel V.Parcon, Prontiera News (Koronadal City)
27) Francisco "Ian" Subang Jr., publisher of Periodica Ini
28) Arturo Betia, Peridico Ini
29) John Caniban, Periodico Ini
30) Rey V.Marisco, Peridico Ini, South Cotabato Province, age 34
31) Fernando "Ranny" P.Razon, Periodico Ini (sales manager), South Cotabato Province, age 44
32) Jose "Joy" Duhay, Goldstar, Sultan Kudarat Province
33) Ronnie L.Perante, Goldstar, Sultan Kudarat Province, 43 years old
34) Rubello R.Bataluna, Golstar, General Santos City, age 44
35) Benjie H.Adolfo, DZRH (radio station), General Santos City, 20 years old
36) Henry H.Araneta, DZRH, age 44
37) Victor O.Nunez, UNTV (TV station), General Santos City, age 24
38) Jolito Evardo, UNTV, General Santos City (cameraman)
39) Daniel Tiamzon, UNTV, Genral Santos City (driver)
40) Mac "Macmac" Delbert Areola, UNTV, General Santos City, (cameraman), 20 years old
41) Ernesto "Bombo Bart" S.Maravilla Jr., Bombo Radyo, Koronadal City
42) Santos "Junpee" Gatchalian Jr., Mindanao Daily Gazettw
43) Romeo "Palak" Kimmy Cabillo, Midland Review, Koronadal City
44) Reynaldo "Bebot" Momay, Midland Review (photographer) BODY NEVER FOUND, EXCEPT FOR DENTURES
45) Hannibal D.Cachuelo, Star (Mindanao Bureau Chief), age 51
46) Noel Decena, Penafrancia, Midsayap, North Cotabato Province, age 25
47) Napoleon Salaysay, Clearview Gazette (publisher), age 57
48) Lindo Lupogan, Mindanao Daily Gazette, Davao City
49) Eleanor "Leah" Dalmacio, Socsargen News TodayN General Santos City (publisher & editor), 38 years old
50) Alejandro M.Reblando, Freelancer, General Santos City, age 54
**************************************************************************************************************
Passenger Van Drivers (form of public transportation, in this case chartered) for the Mangudadatu Clan, family, and supporters
51) Norton "Sedick" Edza Ebus, age 33, Buluan in Maguindanao Province
52) Razul Daud Bulilo, the personal driver of former Governor and Congressman of Sultan Kudarat Province, Datu Pax Mangudadatu, uncle to "Toto" and currently the Clan patriarch, he was 35 years old
**************************************************************************************************************
Hapless motorists who just happened to have gotten to the PNP, or Philippine National Police, checkpoint at exactly the same time as the targetted convoy
53) Wilhelm S.Palabrica, a 43 year old city employee in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Province. He was driving his co-worker, Eduardo D.Lichonsito, and their wives to Cotabato Regional Medical Center. Earlier Mr.Lichonsito had suffered a moderate stroke and was heading into Cotabato City to receive it. Their red Toyota Vios van was inside one of the open pits, filled with bodies and pummeled by an excavator bucket to try and flatten it so that they could use more of the pit.
54) Eduardo D.Lichonsito, 53 year old city employee of Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Province
55) Cecille Lichonsito, 52 year old wife of Eduardo
56) Mercy Catalino Palabrica, 32 year old wife of Wilhelm and a co-worker of Eduardo Lichonsito in Tacurong City
57) Daryll Vincent de los Reyes, 28 year old co-worker of Eduardo D.Lichonsito and along for the ride into Cotabato City
58) Anthony A.Ridao, a city employee of Cotabato City, driving alone in his Toyota sedan when he passed a vehicle and cut into the Mangudadatu convoy, causing him to be mistaken as a participant in the convoy.
Mangudadatu Clan and Kin
1) Bai Genalin Tiamzon Mangudadatu, 36 year old wife of the intended victim, Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu, currently Governor of Maguindanao Province
2) Bai Eden Gaguil Mangudadatu, 45 years old, sister of "Toto" and a politician in her own right, serving as Mayor of the municipality of Mangudadatu, in Maguindanao Province at the time of her death
3) Bai Farinah Mangudadatu Hassan, age 24, the youngest sister of "Toto"
4) Rowena Ante Mangudadatu, age 33, a paternal aunt of "Toto"
5) Surayyda Gaguil Bernan, a maternal aunt of "Toto," 36 years of age
6) Wahida Ali Kaliman, Clan member of "Toto," age 39
7) Mamotabai Mangudadatu, another Clan member of "Toto," 40 years old
8) Raida Abdul Sapalon, another Clan member, age 41
9) Faridah Sabdullah Gaguil, a maternal family member, 33 years old
**************************************************************************************************************
Attorney for "Toto"
10) Cynthia Oquendo Ayon, age 35, of Cotabato City, a resident of Pomolok, South Cotabato Province
11) Catalino Oquendo, the 75 year old father of Ms. Ayon, along for the ride. He was the retired Municipal Treasurer for the municipality of Pomolok in South Cotabato Province
12) Concepcion Brizuela Jayme, of Kidapawan City, North Cotabato Province
***************************************************************************************************************
Supporters of "Toto"
13) Pinky Balayman, of Buluan, Maguindanao Province, 35 years old
14) Lailani "Ella" Balayman, age 25 and also of Buluan
15) Eugene Demillo Pamansag, 35 years old and also of Buluan
16) Abdillah Ayada, also of Buluan
17) Rahima P.Palawan, also of Buluan, 43 years old
18) Meriam Calimbol, also of Buluan
*************************************************************************************************************
Media (I will include their employer after their name)
19) Gina de la Cruz Carpenteros, Saksi
20) Marife Montano Cordova, Saksi, Balita, (radio station) DXCP, age 44
21) Jephon Cadagdagon, Saksi & Balita
22) Andres M.Teodoro, Inquirer (columnist) & People's Forum, age 59, Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Province
23) Marites Cablitas, publisher of News Focus (in General Santos City in Sarangani Province), and (radio station) DXDX, age 38
24) Rosell Morales Vivas, News Focus, age 34
25) Bienvenido Legarta, publisher of Prontiera News (Koronadal City)
26) Joel V.Parcon, Prontiera News (Koronadal City)
27) Francisco "Ian" Subang Jr., publisher of Periodica Ini
28) Arturo Betia, Peridico Ini
29) John Caniban, Periodico Ini
30) Rey V.Marisco, Peridico Ini, South Cotabato Province, age 34
31) Fernando "Ranny" P.Razon, Periodico Ini (sales manager), South Cotabato Province, age 44
32) Jose "Joy" Duhay, Goldstar, Sultan Kudarat Province
33) Ronnie L.Perante, Goldstar, Sultan Kudarat Province, 43 years old
34) Rubello R.Bataluna, Golstar, General Santos City, age 44
35) Benjie H.Adolfo, DZRH (radio station), General Santos City, 20 years old
36) Henry H.Araneta, DZRH, age 44
37) Victor O.Nunez, UNTV (TV station), General Santos City, age 24
38) Jolito Evardo, UNTV, General Santos City (cameraman)
39) Daniel Tiamzon, UNTV, Genral Santos City (driver)
40) Mac "Macmac" Delbert Areola, UNTV, General Santos City, (cameraman), 20 years old
41) Ernesto "Bombo Bart" S.Maravilla Jr., Bombo Radyo, Koronadal City
42) Santos "Junpee" Gatchalian Jr., Mindanao Daily Gazettw
43) Romeo "Palak" Kimmy Cabillo, Midland Review, Koronadal City
44) Reynaldo "Bebot" Momay, Midland Review (photographer) BODY NEVER FOUND, EXCEPT FOR DENTURES
45) Hannibal D.Cachuelo, Star (Mindanao Bureau Chief), age 51
46) Noel Decena, Penafrancia, Midsayap, North Cotabato Province, age 25
47) Napoleon Salaysay, Clearview Gazette (publisher), age 57
48) Lindo Lupogan, Mindanao Daily Gazette, Davao City
49) Eleanor "Leah" Dalmacio, Socsargen News TodayN General Santos City (publisher & editor), 38 years old
50) Alejandro M.Reblando, Freelancer, General Santos City, age 54
**************************************************************************************************************
Passenger Van Drivers (form of public transportation, in this case chartered) for the Mangudadatu Clan, family, and supporters
51) Norton "Sedick" Edza Ebus, age 33, Buluan in Maguindanao Province
52) Razul Daud Bulilo, the personal driver of former Governor and Congressman of Sultan Kudarat Province, Datu Pax Mangudadatu, uncle to "Toto" and currently the Clan patriarch, he was 35 years old
**************************************************************************************************************
Hapless motorists who just happened to have gotten to the PNP, or Philippine National Police, checkpoint at exactly the same time as the targetted convoy
53) Wilhelm S.Palabrica, a 43 year old city employee in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Province. He was driving his co-worker, Eduardo D.Lichonsito, and their wives to Cotabato Regional Medical Center. Earlier Mr.Lichonsito had suffered a moderate stroke and was heading into Cotabato City to receive it. Their red Toyota Vios van was inside one of the open pits, filled with bodies and pummeled by an excavator bucket to try and flatten it so that they could use more of the pit.
54) Eduardo D.Lichonsito, 53 year old city employee of Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Province
55) Cecille Lichonsito, 52 year old wife of Eduardo
56) Mercy Catalino Palabrica, 32 year old wife of Wilhelm and a co-worker of Eduardo Lichonsito in Tacurong City
57) Daryll Vincent de los Reyes, 28 year old co-worker of Eduardo D.Lichonsito and along for the ride into Cotabato City
58) Anthony A.Ridao, a city employee of Cotabato City, driving alone in his Toyota sedan when he passed a vehicle and cut into the Mangudadatu convoy, causing him to be mistaken as a participant in the convoy.
Kidnap for Ransom, Third Quarter of 2011, Part II: Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, American Citizen
Pangapuyan is really just a cluster of mangroves sitting off of Sacol Island, itself a farflung part of Zamboanga City. Folks living in the tiny barangay lead incredibly simple lives. As Sama (Samal) Tribesmen their lives are entwined with the seas, living much as the Sama have since time immemorial. In 1980 a 9 year old girl named Jerpa Usman suddenly got a chance for much different life. An American couple gave little Jerpa's family the chance to hope for more. They offered to bring the girl to the United States where she could gain an education and perhaps, even better the lives of her family in Zamboanga.
Moving to America must have been an extreme shock for the young girl but by all accounts she handled it very well and soon adjusted to life as an American girl. Formally adopted by the Yeatts, Jerpa changed her first name to the phonetically spelled "Gerfa," or Gerfa Yeatts. Eventually Ms.Yeatts married a fellow immigrant to America, Hiko Lunsmann, a man she had met at her job in hospital administration. Together the couple bought a suburban tract home in Campbell County Virginia's Willis Drive, just outside the small city of Lynchburg. Though both were devoted to their careers at Lynchburg's Central Health, a healthcare corporation that manages a chain of hospitals, they still found time to make a family. In 1997 their son Kevin Eric was born.
Unlike most adoptees Ms.Lunsmann retained close ties to her large family in Mindanao. On vacations the Lunsmanns would visit, though her husband Hiko tried to limit his own trips out of safety concerns for the rest of the family, as well as for himself. A European appearance endangers everyone around a person and so he felt that while Gerfa should maintain close family ties with her loved ones, it was better for everyone if she travelled to Mindanao without him. Eventually the family bought land on another small outlying islet in the city, Tigtabon. Buying three beachfront lots on Tigtabon Island they had a vacation home built for themselves and built two other, larger homes for Gerfa's extended family. Around the three adjoining properties they had a large concrete wall for security, though the rear of the compound was opened, so that the beach behind the homes was the only insecure approach to the family's settlement.
It was that compound in Barangay Tigtabon that Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann and her 14 year old son Kevin Eric visited on June 29th, 2011 for a two week beachfront vacation with her family. As in past visits, clan members kept watch, albeit without anything more powerful than 45 caliber pistols, patrolling around the compound at all hours. On Tuesday, July 12th, at 330AM, just hours before the 41 year old woman and her son were scheduled to depart for Manila and their flight home to America, two motorboats moored offshore and 12 BIAF guerillas (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, armed wing of the MILF) of the 113 Base Command, under Kumander Waning Abdusalam, waded ashore armed with M16s and M14s. The family members who had vowed to remain vigilant had gone to sleep, self-assured that their family members would be safe in their last few hours at the compound. Therefore the BIAF guerillas were able to infiltrate the compound without firing a shot.
Bypassing the other structures the gunmen made a beeline for the Lunsmann's vacation home where they loudly kicked in the door. Shouting commands they dragged the terrified woman, her shocked teenaged son and a 19 year old nephew, Romnick Jakaria, and forced them out into the cool night air. Frog marching the trio to the water and out into the surf, the. BIAF then secured them aboard the two idling motorboats. By now there were at least 15 people standing on the beach, watching the kidnapping transpire, but luckily noone interfered as the two boats pushed off, revving their inboard engines as they set a course for nearby Basilan Island.
Arriving in Basilan the BIAF guerillas were met by comrades from the island's 114 Base Command who took custody of the three captives and delivered them to a 114 Base Command compound in the municipality of Tuburan. As day broke Romnick's distraught mother, Alma Jakaria, received a series of miscalls on her cellphone from an unfamiliar number. Dialing back frantically she heard heavy breathing before someone in the background shouted in Sama, "Go to sleep!" After that all her calls were met with that same heavy breathing. Ms.Jakaria is especially distraught because she had pushed her son Romnick to come to Tigtabon with her. When she was leaving their home on the island of Malamawi, off of Basilan's capital, Isabela City, Romnick had argued that he had previously made plans with his friends. Now he was being held in Tuburan.
Late in the afternoon, that same day, July 12th, Director General of the PNP, or Philippine National Police, Rene Bacalzo arrived in Zamboanga City. He is personally directing the initial stages of the PNP's response. It is amazing that he would do so given the fact that he doesn't do a thing concerning the many dozens of Filipinos who are victimised by KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom, each year. An American life seems to be worth so much more than a Filipino life and that is sad, though not at all suprising considering the money ponied up by the Americans.
Moving to America must have been an extreme shock for the young girl but by all accounts she handled it very well and soon adjusted to life as an American girl. Formally adopted by the Yeatts, Jerpa changed her first name to the phonetically spelled "Gerfa," or Gerfa Yeatts. Eventually Ms.Yeatts married a fellow immigrant to America, Hiko Lunsmann, a man she had met at her job in hospital administration. Together the couple bought a suburban tract home in Campbell County Virginia's Willis Drive, just outside the small city of Lynchburg. Though both were devoted to their careers at Lynchburg's Central Health, a healthcare corporation that manages a chain of hospitals, they still found time to make a family. In 1997 their son Kevin Eric was born.
Unlike most adoptees Ms.Lunsmann retained close ties to her large family in Mindanao. On vacations the Lunsmanns would visit, though her husband Hiko tried to limit his own trips out of safety concerns for the rest of the family, as well as for himself. A European appearance endangers everyone around a person and so he felt that while Gerfa should maintain close family ties with her loved ones, it was better for everyone if she travelled to Mindanao without him. Eventually the family bought land on another small outlying islet in the city, Tigtabon. Buying three beachfront lots on Tigtabon Island they had a vacation home built for themselves and built two other, larger homes for Gerfa's extended family. Around the three adjoining properties they had a large concrete wall for security, though the rear of the compound was opened, so that the beach behind the homes was the only insecure approach to the family's settlement.
It was that compound in Barangay Tigtabon that Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann and her 14 year old son Kevin Eric visited on June 29th, 2011 for a two week beachfront vacation with her family. As in past visits, clan members kept watch, albeit without anything more powerful than 45 caliber pistols, patrolling around the compound at all hours. On Tuesday, July 12th, at 330AM, just hours before the 41 year old woman and her son were scheduled to depart for Manila and their flight home to America, two motorboats moored offshore and 12 BIAF guerillas (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, armed wing of the MILF) of the 113 Base Command, under Kumander Waning Abdusalam, waded ashore armed with M16s and M14s. The family members who had vowed to remain vigilant had gone to sleep, self-assured that their family members would be safe in their last few hours at the compound. Therefore the BIAF guerillas were able to infiltrate the compound without firing a shot.
Bypassing the other structures the gunmen made a beeline for the Lunsmann's vacation home where they loudly kicked in the door. Shouting commands they dragged the terrified woman, her shocked teenaged son and a 19 year old nephew, Romnick Jakaria, and forced them out into the cool night air. Frog marching the trio to the water and out into the surf, the. BIAF then secured them aboard the two idling motorboats. By now there were at least 15 people standing on the beach, watching the kidnapping transpire, but luckily noone interfered as the two boats pushed off, revving their inboard engines as they set a course for nearby Basilan Island.
Arriving in Basilan the BIAF guerillas were met by comrades from the island's 114 Base Command who took custody of the three captives and delivered them to a 114 Base Command compound in the municipality of Tuburan. As day broke Romnick's distraught mother, Alma Jakaria, received a series of miscalls on her cellphone from an unfamiliar number. Dialing back frantically she heard heavy breathing before someone in the background shouted in Sama, "Go to sleep!" After that all her calls were met with that same heavy breathing. Ms.Jakaria is especially distraught because she had pushed her son Romnick to come to Tigtabon with her. When she was leaving their home on the island of Malamawi, off of Basilan's capital, Isabela City, Romnick had argued that he had previously made plans with his friends. Now he was being held in Tuburan.
Late in the afternoon, that same day, July 12th, Director General of the PNP, or Philippine National Police, Rene Bacalzo arrived in Zamboanga City. He is personally directing the initial stages of the PNP's response. It is amazing that he would do so given the fact that he doesn't do a thing concerning the many dozens of Filipinos who are victimised by KFR, or Kidnap for Ransom, each year. An American life seems to be worth so much more than a Filipino life and that is sad, though not at all suprising considering the money ponied up by the Americans.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Political Developments, Second Quarter of 2011, Part III: Iligan City Nastiness, ex-President Ramos in Sabah, and a Yet Another Sultan for Sulu
I would very much like to call the incident I am about to discuss an "Abuse of the law," but the truth of the matter is that it was absolutely BY the letter of the law and that means that the Philippines judicial system has enshrined abuse as a virtue. Why not? In a nation that sees nepotism as admirable, bribery as anything but note worthy, and discusses Extra-Judicial Killings the way other nations discuss sports scores, the abuse I am about to describe will barely raise an eyebrow on Mindanao, indeed even most of the nation.
On January 13th, 2010 radio disc jockey Albert Loyola was doing his "Radio Patrol" morning segment on station DXRJ, in the province of Lanao del Norte's Iligan City. The 27 year old was discussing very troubling discrepancies in the city's 2009 Budget Appropriations process and singled out City Councilor Chonilo Ruiz for attention. In fact, Loyola informed his audience that he was currently working on an investigative segment about the issue and inferred that he had found some more than troubling facts about Councilor Ruiz. Chonilo Ruiz, in charge of the P14 Million ($300,000) Committee Services Budget, maintains that the entire sum of 14 Million Pesos was spent on providing SNACKS at Committee Hearings. Loyola quipped that he attends nearly every Hearing and has yet to see a single snack provided to anyone, and summed up the observation by calling Ruiz a liar.
As Loyola segued into some commercials, and then into another unrelated segment, Councilor Ruiz barged into the studio, angrily threw open the door to the disc jockey's booth while screaming and cursing at the top of his lungs live on the air, began beating the crap about of the hapless radio jock. Loyola, after being taken to the hospital, filed a criminal complaint, or "blotter" as they are called here, charging the out of control politician with Attempted Murder.
The charge was eventually downgraded by the Prosecutor to the much less worrisome, "Assault with Slight Physical Injury" and while Loyola felt victimised by the system AS WELL AS by the thuggish city councilor, he did his best to put it behind him. Then, on April 18th, 2011 while on the air, Mr.Loyola was "captured" by a composite force of the PNP, or Philippine National Police's PRO RID-10 (Police Regional Office Regional Intelligence Division, Region 10) and the CPO-IDM (City Police Office Investigation and Detection Management unit). What did our hapless radion announcer do? Was it a bombing? A firefight with the army? Maybe he was leading a secret life as an insurgent, investigating city budget snafus by day but praising Mao and his poodle Professor Sison by night...In fact, Albert Loyola's only despicable crime was...are you ready? LIBEL.
Because Mr.Loyola dared to suggest that a City Councilor who sits upon the Council's Budget Appropriations Committee MIGHT have been partially responsible for the subsequent budget shortfall, he was jailed in the city's jail in Barangay Tipanoy on P12,000 (~$300) bail. Ruiz was subsequently bailed out by a journalists organisation (the bail is akin to the bail charged to armed robbers and is a significant amount of money in the Philippines. Had he not been the recipient of such largesse he more than likely would have spent more than a year or more languishing as the case slowly made its way through the nation's notoriously corrupt and slow justice system).
I am no fan of the Philippine Media. Most are as unprofessional as the day is long but that only adds to my distaste since professional journalists in any nation are manipulative, heavily biased and lacking in common sense for the most part. I think it is safe to say that anyone with more than an iota of military experience feels the same. As one of my first Commanding Officers once told me, "The Media is the Devil." However, a third rate politician in a backwater burg using his political weight to batter someone who is merely doing their job? Well if made to choose I will definitely favor the man speaking his mind. The Philippines isn't the only nation with semi-retarded libel laws. Heck, England is only a shade or two better (forget the "or two"). Yet, when you juxtapose the Philippine Law against Councilor Ruiz's brutal assault, witnessed by several onlookers and heard by tens of thousands of stunned listeners, and THEN realise that the Councilor gets a pass and the victim gets a stint with robbers, rapists, and murderers...
The warrant served was for a single count, issued by Regional Trial Court #5 but there is an additional count coming down the line from Regional Trial Court #3, both in Iligan City so that our intrepid Mr.Loyola can look forward to another P12,000 Bail. In addition, the snack-obsessed Councilor Ruiz has ALSO filed Libel charges against the station's parent corporation, Rajah Broadcasting Network Incorporated, Station Manager Rolito Saquilabom, and the station itself, DXRJ. Ruiz also has filed a Civil Rights case and is suing for damages in excess of P3 Million from each of the four defendants. Disgusting.
In the first and second quarters former President Fidel Ramos toured the region as he drummed up attention for BIMP-EAGA. The Brunei -Indonesia -Malaysia -Philippines -East Asia Growth Area was the crowning achievement of Ramos' otherwise lackluster performance as President. Of note was the ex-President's visit to Sabah. Sabah, a Malaysian state located on the large island of Borneo is a point of contention between Malaysia and the Philippines. Though the Philippines is involved in territorial disputes with just about every nation in Southeast Asia (except Mynammar/Burma, Cambodia, and Laos), Sabah came close to plunging the nation into open, protracted war. For the sake of brevity I will simply note that I offered an in depth explanation of that fateful period in the late 1960s, over the course of three entries, "Operation Merdeka," Parts I, II, and III.
Likewise Sabah played a pivotal role in the Mindanowan Insurgency with the nascent militant organisation that would become the MNLF, or Moro National Liberation Front, finding succor and training there until 1976. Since then the territory has continued to play a part in local geopolitics because of the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos living there, albeit illegaly for most, as well as the perrenial drumbeats raised over the desired restoration of the Sultanate of Sulu. Originally controlled by the related Sultanate of Brunei, Sabah was given to the Sultan of Sulu, along with Palawan, in 1658 for assistance rendered to Brunei during a troublesome civil war.
Not wanting to miss an opportunity to further muck things up, Ramos could not resist bad mouthing one of the contenders for the title Sultan of Sulu. When asked his opinion about the claims of these contenders Ramos, referring to Mohammad Akjan Ali, offered that he believes the man to be a printer. Yes, as in "printer of books." Asked to elaborate he said the following, " He has all sorts of beautiful documents, including printed upon on old parchments like 150 years old...very impressive logo and nice pictures of him. Like some TV advertisements, but with due respect [sic]." Suuuuuure.
No word about a response from the would be Sultan who had himself crowned at his house on February 2nd, 2011. Billing himself as "Sultan Shariful Hisham II, the 33rd Sultan of Sulu," he was forced to do some furious backpedaling when local politicians began screaming that he be charged with Sedition, punishable by death. He clarified that the ceremony at his home in Kampung Lokas in Sabah had actually been a feast of thanksgiving for having been "chosen" to be Sultan. Aaaah, you can take the man out of the Philippines, but never the Philippines out of the man.
On January 13th, 2010 radio disc jockey Albert Loyola was doing his "Radio Patrol" morning segment on station DXRJ, in the province of Lanao del Norte's Iligan City. The 27 year old was discussing very troubling discrepancies in the city's 2009 Budget Appropriations process and singled out City Councilor Chonilo Ruiz for attention. In fact, Loyola informed his audience that he was currently working on an investigative segment about the issue and inferred that he had found some more than troubling facts about Councilor Ruiz. Chonilo Ruiz, in charge of the P14 Million ($300,000) Committee Services Budget, maintains that the entire sum of 14 Million Pesos was spent on providing SNACKS at Committee Hearings. Loyola quipped that he attends nearly every Hearing and has yet to see a single snack provided to anyone, and summed up the observation by calling Ruiz a liar.
As Loyola segued into some commercials, and then into another unrelated segment, Councilor Ruiz barged into the studio, angrily threw open the door to the disc jockey's booth while screaming and cursing at the top of his lungs live on the air, began beating the crap about of the hapless radio jock. Loyola, after being taken to the hospital, filed a criminal complaint, or "blotter" as they are called here, charging the out of control politician with Attempted Murder.
The charge was eventually downgraded by the Prosecutor to the much less worrisome, "Assault with Slight Physical Injury" and while Loyola felt victimised by the system AS WELL AS by the thuggish city councilor, he did his best to put it behind him. Then, on April 18th, 2011 while on the air, Mr.Loyola was "captured" by a composite force of the PNP, or Philippine National Police's PRO RID-10 (Police Regional Office Regional Intelligence Division, Region 10) and the CPO-IDM (City Police Office Investigation and Detection Management unit). What did our hapless radion announcer do? Was it a bombing? A firefight with the army? Maybe he was leading a secret life as an insurgent, investigating city budget snafus by day but praising Mao and his poodle Professor Sison by night...In fact, Albert Loyola's only despicable crime was...are you ready? LIBEL.
Because Mr.Loyola dared to suggest that a City Councilor who sits upon the Council's Budget Appropriations Committee MIGHT have been partially responsible for the subsequent budget shortfall, he was jailed in the city's jail in Barangay Tipanoy on P12,000 (~$300) bail. Ruiz was subsequently bailed out by a journalists organisation (the bail is akin to the bail charged to armed robbers and is a significant amount of money in the Philippines. Had he not been the recipient of such largesse he more than likely would have spent more than a year or more languishing as the case slowly made its way through the nation's notoriously corrupt and slow justice system).
I am no fan of the Philippine Media. Most are as unprofessional as the day is long but that only adds to my distaste since professional journalists in any nation are manipulative, heavily biased and lacking in common sense for the most part. I think it is safe to say that anyone with more than an iota of military experience feels the same. As one of my first Commanding Officers once told me, "The Media is the Devil." However, a third rate politician in a backwater burg using his political weight to batter someone who is merely doing their job? Well if made to choose I will definitely favor the man speaking his mind. The Philippines isn't the only nation with semi-retarded libel laws. Heck, England is only a shade or two better (forget the "or two"). Yet, when you juxtapose the Philippine Law against Councilor Ruiz's brutal assault, witnessed by several onlookers and heard by tens of thousands of stunned listeners, and THEN realise that the Councilor gets a pass and the victim gets a stint with robbers, rapists, and murderers...
The warrant served was for a single count, issued by Regional Trial Court #5 but there is an additional count coming down the line from Regional Trial Court #3, both in Iligan City so that our intrepid Mr.Loyola can look forward to another P12,000 Bail. In addition, the snack-obsessed Councilor Ruiz has ALSO filed Libel charges against the station's parent corporation, Rajah Broadcasting Network Incorporated, Station Manager Rolito Saquilabom, and the station itself, DXRJ. Ruiz also has filed a Civil Rights case and is suing for damages in excess of P3 Million from each of the four defendants. Disgusting.
In the first and second quarters former President Fidel Ramos toured the region as he drummed up attention for BIMP-EAGA. The Brunei -Indonesia -Malaysia -Philippines -East Asia Growth Area was the crowning achievement of Ramos' otherwise lackluster performance as President. Of note was the ex-President's visit to Sabah. Sabah, a Malaysian state located on the large island of Borneo is a point of contention between Malaysia and the Philippines. Though the Philippines is involved in territorial disputes with just about every nation in Southeast Asia (except Mynammar/Burma, Cambodia, and Laos), Sabah came close to plunging the nation into open, protracted war. For the sake of brevity I will simply note that I offered an in depth explanation of that fateful period in the late 1960s, over the course of three entries, "Operation Merdeka," Parts I, II, and III.
Likewise Sabah played a pivotal role in the Mindanowan Insurgency with the nascent militant organisation that would become the MNLF, or Moro National Liberation Front, finding succor and training there until 1976. Since then the territory has continued to play a part in local geopolitics because of the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos living there, albeit illegaly for most, as well as the perrenial drumbeats raised over the desired restoration of the Sultanate of Sulu. Originally controlled by the related Sultanate of Brunei, Sabah was given to the Sultan of Sulu, along with Palawan, in 1658 for assistance rendered to Brunei during a troublesome civil war.
Not wanting to miss an opportunity to further muck things up, Ramos could not resist bad mouthing one of the contenders for the title Sultan of Sulu. When asked his opinion about the claims of these contenders Ramos, referring to Mohammad Akjan Ali, offered that he believes the man to be a printer. Yes, as in "printer of books." Asked to elaborate he said the following, " He has all sorts of beautiful documents, including printed upon on old parchments like 150 years old...very impressive logo and nice pictures of him. Like some TV advertisements, but with due respect [sic]." Suuuuuure.
No word about a response from the would be Sultan who had himself crowned at his house on February 2nd, 2011. Billing himself as "Sultan Shariful Hisham II, the 33rd Sultan of Sulu," he was forced to do some furious backpedaling when local politicians began screaming that he be charged with Sedition, punishable by death. He clarified that the ceremony at his home in Kampung Lokas in Sabah had actually been a feast of thanksgiving for having been "chosen" to be Sultan. Aaaah, you can take the man out of the Philippines, but never the Philippines out of the man.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Political Developments, First Quarter of 2011, Part IV: The Mangudadatu Clan and their latest Rapes and Murders
When I began this Blog in April of 2010 I strictly aimed to present an unemotional, almost sterile account of the Counterinsurgency in Mindanao. I felt, and certainly still feel, that there just isn't anyone or anything presenting the real picture about Mindanao. Most of the bloodshed here never gets reported and the iota that does is almost always chock full of embarassing errors. Yet, after a while I began to find some things just too disgusting to chronicle in that drab, unemotional monotone. Take the subject matter I am tackling in this entry; Most of the Philippines is very much aware that Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu, currently the Governor of Maguindanao Province, was the target of the mass murder generally referred to as the "Maguindanao Massacre."
Many know that on November 23rd, 2009, Mangudadatu sent his wife, a couple of sisters, a few supporters, a gaggle of attorneys and a slew of local media representatives to travel from the clan stronghold of Buluan, in Maguindanao Province, directly abutting the province of Sultan Kudarat, to the provincial capital, Shariff Aguak. The idea was to have his wife Genalin file his Certificate of Candidacy for the May of 2010 Election in which Mangudadatu hoped to win the Governor's seat in Maguindanao Province. It was believed that local tribal custom would keep his wife and sisters from being harmed. Of course it didn't work out that way in the end.
In the aftermath of that sad day, when Genalin Mangudadatu and 57 other victims lost their lives in brutal circumstances, Mangudadatu was portrayed, consciously or otherwise, as some kind of modern day Ghandi. He could do no wrong. The fact of the matter however is that Ebrahim "Toto" Mangudadatu had two open murder cases on the books that November day and by February he would have a third. Most of his close relatives were no better. In fact, brother Ibrahim "Diong" Mangudadatu, currently the Mayor of their hometown Buluan, caught an additional murder case this quarter though it is still in the preliminary stages due to his lack of co-operation despite his loudly proclaiming how he only wants his day in court.
On March 15th, 2011 Maguindanao Provincial Prosecutor Akilali Balt was in a black Isuzu pickup truck being driven by a member of his mother's clan, Dandan Balt Datu Dakula, who served both as his driver as well as his bodyguard. Heading home to Cotabato City they ran directly into a traffic jam on Sinsuat Avenue in Barangay Mother when a black and white Honda Wave motorcycle with two men riding tandem snaked through traffic to pull directly aside the small pickup truck. As both vehicles inched forward at the corner of Pansacala Street the rear passenger on the motorcycle shifted his body and raised a 45 caliber pistol shoulder level before firing through the window at Balt's face.
Struck in the lower right ear, right forearm, and lower right neck Balt was critically wounded. As his driver Dandan, himself moderately wounded by shards from the shattered window quickly jumped out of the truck and began running after the escaping motorcycle. As the shooters turned onto Pansacala Street Dandan stupidly fired 7 rounds from his own 45, oblivious to the danger posed in a bumper to bumper traffic jam. As luck would have it a rookie PNP (Philipine National Police) officer who had just joined the Cotabato City CPO, or City Police Office, gave chase. Finally catching up to the motorcyle when its driver dumped it on a deserted stretch of Pansacala Street and ran, he was able to take the shooter into custody. Under interrogation he revealed that his name was Acmad Makakena Maliga and that he had been hired directly by Mayor Ibrahim Mangudadatu.
Upon investigation it was learned that the driver was a man named Marcelino S. Raguinot who often uses the alternate identities James Tugaya and Noel Tugaya and had until that day been serving on Mayor Ibrahim Manudadatu's security detail. Until the present, July of 2011, he remains at large and has probably been killed by the Mangudadatus. The motorcycle it turns out was registered to Asma Samaon. Balt's daughter, Aminah Balt, contacted the Secreatary of the DOJ, or Department of Justice, Leila de Lima, to try and have both her father AND the suspect in custody, Mr.Maliga, transferred to secure facilities knowing all too well the danger posed by the Mangudadatus. On March 21st Secretary de Lima issued Departmental Order #200 which ordered Maliga transferred , pending concurrence by a court, to the NBI, or National Bureau of Investigation in their Manila Headquarters. Likewise, Prosecutor Balt, who had been transferred from a hospital in Cotabato City to Davao City, was to be transferred yet again to Cagayan del Oro City in Misamis Oriental Province.
Additionaly, Order #200 empaneled a three man investigatory task force led by Assistant State Prosecutor Vimar M.Barcellano
with Prosecutorial Attorneys
2) Mark Roland S.Estepa
and
3) Gerard E.Gaerlan
Secretary de Lima got her court concurrence courtesy of Cotabato City Regional Trial Court 14. Unfortunately, shortly afterward Mr.Balt slipped into a coma and on April 3rd, 2011 he passed away in his Cagayan del Oro City hospital bed, never having re-gained consciousness.
Clan patriarch Pax Mangudadatu, former Governor and Congressman in the adjacent province of Sultan Kudarat might not be facing any murder charges but has his own major issue to deal with as well. On July 21st, 2010, young son Datu Naga Mitra Mangudadatu was with a cousin, known only by the moniker "Puti," and a couple of bodyguards in Davao City. On the evening in question Naga had his bodyguard, known only as "Rambo," offer to buy a large bottle of beer for a party of three at a table across the room in a dormitory cafeteria on Padre Faura Street. The party, two young men and one young woman thanked "Rambo" and continued enjoying themselves.
Almost as soon as the bottle was polished off Naga invited himself to their table and began suggesting that the young ladt joing him for a night cap, offering that the cafeteria was much too hot but that his room wasn't nearly as cloying. Pressuring her, the woman said she felt had no choice but to comply and felt he would back off after she obliged him and had a drink or two. In Naga's room she felt akward and rose to leave several times, only to be pressured to sit back down. Finally, having had enough she forcefully stood up only to have Naga give his 2 body guards a pre-arranged signal after which they closed the blinds of the room, left, and locked the door. Naga then picked the young woman up and forced her onto his bed where he proceeded to repeatedly rape her. Having had enough he allowed his cousin Puti to re-enter the room and have his way with the young woman as well.
Later, after the woman was finally able to leave Naga's room, he and his party checked out of the dormitory. On August 2nd, after confessing her shame to her father, the young woman and a friend entered the Santa Ana CPO (Davao City City Police Office) and conferred with the Women and Childrens' Protection Desk Officer, SPO2 Ellen Templa who explained that since the complaint had been filed more than 36 hours after the rape, a warrant would be needed to arrest her attackers. To help obtain the warrant the young woman was advised to go to a hospital and get a full examination. With the examination corroborating the woman's accusation the City Prosecutor took her Affadavit and subpoened Naga and "Puti." With no reply or Counter-Affadavit the case moved forward. On February 21st, 2011 Davao City Regional Trial Couty 16, Judge Emmanuel Carpio, swore out an arrest warrant not only for the two rapists but for both bodyguards as well, the so called "Rambo," and the second guard, March C. Tadio. Unfortunately though Naga, whose address is in Barangay Tamnag, in the municipality of Lutayan in Sultan Kudarat Province, has gone underground and is having his family protect him. His father Pax though had the audacity to say, "We Muslims are law abiding citizens," as if a Muslim could never rape a woman. He also vowed to turn his son in IF he is found guilty. The arrogance is amazing, especially in light of the Philippine Justice System which doesn't try defendants in absentia. In other words, how can his son be found guilty IF he never allows a court to try him?. A Sheriff spent weeks trying to serve both the subpoena and now the warrant but Pax has prevented it. Thank God the ARMM Election was scrubbed. Pax had tendered his candidadcy in the race for the ARMM, or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao Governor's seat. The island does NOT need a man like that as the Governor of anything.
Many know that on November 23rd, 2009, Mangudadatu sent his wife, a couple of sisters, a few supporters, a gaggle of attorneys and a slew of local media representatives to travel from the clan stronghold of Buluan, in Maguindanao Province, directly abutting the province of Sultan Kudarat, to the provincial capital, Shariff Aguak. The idea was to have his wife Genalin file his Certificate of Candidacy for the May of 2010 Election in which Mangudadatu hoped to win the Governor's seat in Maguindanao Province. It was believed that local tribal custom would keep his wife and sisters from being harmed. Of course it didn't work out that way in the end.
In the aftermath of that sad day, when Genalin Mangudadatu and 57 other victims lost their lives in brutal circumstances, Mangudadatu was portrayed, consciously or otherwise, as some kind of modern day Ghandi. He could do no wrong. The fact of the matter however is that Ebrahim "Toto" Mangudadatu had two open murder cases on the books that November day and by February he would have a third. Most of his close relatives were no better. In fact, brother Ibrahim "Diong" Mangudadatu, currently the Mayor of their hometown Buluan, caught an additional murder case this quarter though it is still in the preliminary stages due to his lack of co-operation despite his loudly proclaiming how he only wants his day in court.
On March 15th, 2011 Maguindanao Provincial Prosecutor Akilali Balt was in a black Isuzu pickup truck being driven by a member of his mother's clan, Dandan Balt Datu Dakula, who served both as his driver as well as his bodyguard. Heading home to Cotabato City they ran directly into a traffic jam on Sinsuat Avenue in Barangay Mother when a black and white Honda Wave motorcycle with two men riding tandem snaked through traffic to pull directly aside the small pickup truck. As both vehicles inched forward at the corner of Pansacala Street the rear passenger on the motorcycle shifted his body and raised a 45 caliber pistol shoulder level before firing through the window at Balt's face.
Struck in the lower right ear, right forearm, and lower right neck Balt was critically wounded. As his driver Dandan, himself moderately wounded by shards from the shattered window quickly jumped out of the truck and began running after the escaping motorcycle. As the shooters turned onto Pansacala Street Dandan stupidly fired 7 rounds from his own 45, oblivious to the danger posed in a bumper to bumper traffic jam. As luck would have it a rookie PNP (Philipine National Police) officer who had just joined the Cotabato City CPO, or City Police Office, gave chase. Finally catching up to the motorcyle when its driver dumped it on a deserted stretch of Pansacala Street and ran, he was able to take the shooter into custody. Under interrogation he revealed that his name was Acmad Makakena Maliga and that he had been hired directly by Mayor Ibrahim Mangudadatu.
Upon investigation it was learned that the driver was a man named Marcelino S. Raguinot who often uses the alternate identities James Tugaya and Noel Tugaya and had until that day been serving on Mayor Ibrahim Manudadatu's security detail. Until the present, July of 2011, he remains at large and has probably been killed by the Mangudadatus. The motorcycle it turns out was registered to Asma Samaon. Balt's daughter, Aminah Balt, contacted the Secreatary of the DOJ, or Department of Justice, Leila de Lima, to try and have both her father AND the suspect in custody, Mr.Maliga, transferred to secure facilities knowing all too well the danger posed by the Mangudadatus. On March 21st Secretary de Lima issued Departmental Order #200 which ordered Maliga transferred , pending concurrence by a court, to the NBI, or National Bureau of Investigation in their Manila Headquarters. Likewise, Prosecutor Balt, who had been transferred from a hospital in Cotabato City to Davao City, was to be transferred yet again to Cagayan del Oro City in Misamis Oriental Province.
Additionaly, Order #200 empaneled a three man investigatory task force led by Assistant State Prosecutor Vimar M.Barcellano
with Prosecutorial Attorneys
2) Mark Roland S.Estepa
and
3) Gerard E.Gaerlan
Secretary de Lima got her court concurrence courtesy of Cotabato City Regional Trial Court 14. Unfortunately, shortly afterward Mr.Balt slipped into a coma and on April 3rd, 2011 he passed away in his Cagayan del Oro City hospital bed, never having re-gained consciousness.
Clan patriarch Pax Mangudadatu, former Governor and Congressman in the adjacent province of Sultan Kudarat might not be facing any murder charges but has his own major issue to deal with as well. On July 21st, 2010, young son Datu Naga Mitra Mangudadatu was with a cousin, known only by the moniker "Puti," and a couple of bodyguards in Davao City. On the evening in question Naga had his bodyguard, known only as "Rambo," offer to buy a large bottle of beer for a party of three at a table across the room in a dormitory cafeteria on Padre Faura Street. The party, two young men and one young woman thanked "Rambo" and continued enjoying themselves.
Almost as soon as the bottle was polished off Naga invited himself to their table and began suggesting that the young ladt joing him for a night cap, offering that the cafeteria was much too hot but that his room wasn't nearly as cloying. Pressuring her, the woman said she felt had no choice but to comply and felt he would back off after she obliged him and had a drink or two. In Naga's room she felt akward and rose to leave several times, only to be pressured to sit back down. Finally, having had enough she forcefully stood up only to have Naga give his 2 body guards a pre-arranged signal after which they closed the blinds of the room, left, and locked the door. Naga then picked the young woman up and forced her onto his bed where he proceeded to repeatedly rape her. Having had enough he allowed his cousin Puti to re-enter the room and have his way with the young woman as well.
Later, after the woman was finally able to leave Naga's room, he and his party checked out of the dormitory. On August 2nd, after confessing her shame to her father, the young woman and a friend entered the Santa Ana CPO (Davao City City Police Office) and conferred with the Women and Childrens' Protection Desk Officer, SPO2 Ellen Templa who explained that since the complaint had been filed more than 36 hours after the rape, a warrant would be needed to arrest her attackers. To help obtain the warrant the young woman was advised to go to a hospital and get a full examination. With the examination corroborating the woman's accusation the City Prosecutor took her Affadavit and subpoened Naga and "Puti." With no reply or Counter-Affadavit the case moved forward. On February 21st, 2011 Davao City Regional Trial Couty 16, Judge Emmanuel Carpio, swore out an arrest warrant not only for the two rapists but for both bodyguards as well, the so called "Rambo," and the second guard, March C. Tadio. Unfortunately though Naga, whose address is in Barangay Tamnag, in the municipality of Lutayan in Sultan Kudarat Province, has gone underground and is having his family protect him. His father Pax though had the audacity to say, "We Muslims are law abiding citizens," as if a Muslim could never rape a woman. He also vowed to turn his son in IF he is found guilty. The arrogance is amazing, especially in light of the Philippine Justice System which doesn't try defendants in absentia. In other words, how can his son be found guilty IF he never allows a court to try him?. A Sheriff spent weeks trying to serve both the subpoena and now the warrant but Pax has prevented it. Thank God the ARMM Election was scrubbed. Pax had tendered his candidadcy in the race for the ARMM, or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao Governor's seat. The island does NOT need a man like that as the Governor of anything.
Political Developments, Second Quarter of 2011, Part II: Rodrigo Duterte Beats Graft Charges, then Slaps Hapless Motorist, More Mangudadatu Malfeasance
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Sunday, July 10, 2011
Political Developments, Second Quarter of 2011, Part I: More Setbacks for the Jalosjos Clan and the Push for a Third Congressional District in Zamboanga del Norte Province
In "Portrait of a Warlord, Part II: Romeo Jalosjos Sr." I chronicled the fascinatingly bizarre life of a cheesy television producer cum Congressman cum child rapist and the political dynasty he is trying to create on the Zamboanga Peninsula. The quinessential Mindanowan strongman, Jalosjos positioned his three children in the 2010 Election and must have felt on top of the world when they not only all emerged victoriously, but also decimated the clan of his arch nemesis, ex-Governor of Zamboanga Sibugay Province, George Hofer Sr. However, Jalosjos wasn't smiling for long as one petition after another was lodged with COMELEC, the Philippine electoral authority, trying to snatch each and every one of the clan's victories.
On Monday, April 4th, 2011 it was COMELEC's turn to file a petition when it asked the Supreme Court to uphold COMELEC's ruling that disqualified Romeo "Jon Jon" Jalosjos Jr.'s victory for the 2nd District Congressional seat in Zamboanga Sibugay Province. On June 3rd, 2010 COMELEC had ruled that Jalosjos shouldn't even have been permitted to enter the race, let alone win it. The sticking point was the prerequisite Residency Requirement which mandates that any potential candidate must have resided in the elected position's AOR, or Area of Responsibility, for 12 consecutive months prior to an election.
In filing his Certificate of Candidacy Jalosjos listed his address as Barangay Veteran's Village in the municipality of Ipil, the capital of Zamboanga Sibugay Province. After both he and his brother, who also emerged victoriously from that same May of 2010 Election, the Barangay Captain of Veteran's Village, Dan Erasmo Sr. filed two petitions with COMELEC in which he said he had never even seen either man visiting the barangay, let alone living in it. After gaining his Congressional seat Jalosjos thumbed his nose at COMELEC and its June 3rd ruling saying that since he had already been sworn into office it was out of the agency's hands. If anyone was to address the issue of Residency, or any other objectionable issue, they would have to do so via the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, or HRET. COMELEC responded that when Jalosjos had been sworn into office the issue of Residency had been pending with the agency and so the mandate clearly lies with COMELEC.
In fact, the controversy had begun as soon as the Jalosjos Clan's intentions became clear. Barangay Captain Erasmo had gotten Jalosjos removed from Ipil's List of Registered Voters on September 11th, 2010 in a Regional Trial Court Ruling in Pagadian City. Boosting the Residency issue was the fact that Jalosjos was then serving as Mayor of Tampilisan, in Zamboanga del Norte Province. Here he is insisting that he is living in Ipil, even though the barangay captain of his registered domicile has never even seen him! To boot, he is. Serving as the mayor of a municipality in another province! Either he lied about Tampilisan OR he lied about Ipil, you can't simultaneously live in 2 municipalities in 2 provinces. On September 30th Ipil's Election Registration Board issued a pointed Resolution that formally scrubbed Jalosjos from the race. Jalosjos of course didn't take that outcome lying down and so filed to have his name restored. On November 26th the Court of Appeals 22nd District sitting in Cagayan del Oro City in Misamis Oriental Province Ruled in Jalosjos favor. Here is the extremely interesting part: With the cut off for adding one's name to the Election Registration Board List being 5PM the next day, November 27th, the Sheriff in Cagayan del Oro City boarded a helicopter that landed in Ipil at 2PM on the 27th! At 4PM he handed the Court of Appeals Ruling directly to the Election Registration Board and when the books closed at 5PM Jalosjos' name was restored! Obviously a significant amount of cash was given for the Ruling, how else to explain the personalised messenger service provided by the Sheriff?
On November 28th Jalosjos filed his Certificate of Candidacy for the 2nd District of Zamboanga Sibugay Province. The incumbent, Dulce Ann Hofer, daughter of George Sr., opted to run for the Governor's seat being vacated by her father who had reached his 9 year term limit. Meanwhile, her brother, George "Jet" Hofer Jr. was running for Dulce Ann's vacated Congressional seat, with Jalosjos shouldering himself into the race as mentioned earlier.
In a recent "Political Developments" entry I had discussed clan patriarch Romeo Jalosjos Sr.'s push to reorganise Region 9, the Region comprised of the three Zamboangan Provinces:
1) Zamboanga del Norte
2) Zamboanga del Sur
3) Zamboanga Sibugay
The Jalosjos scheme involves adding Misamis Occidental Province, or rather re-adding it since it had in the past been joined with the region. The plan also called for the renaming of two of the Zamboangan Provinces and a couple of other less important facts. As if that isn't a radical enough face lift there is now a push for the addition of a third Congressional District within Zamboanga del Norte Province. The 3rd District would cover Za$boamga City.
Zamboanga City Councilors Rommel Agan, Melchor "Mel" Rey Sadain, and Cesar Jimenez Sr. along with former Councilor Al Jihan Edding and ex-Vice Mayor of Zamboanga City Manuel "Mannix" Jose Dalipe met with Congressman Erico "Erbie" Basilio Fabian of Zamboanga del Norte Province's 2nd District to try and strengthen their hand. Fabian is still on the fence and merely saying that he will keep an open mind. Ex-Vice Mayor Dalipe says that Congresswoman Maria Isabelle "Beng" Climaco Salazar of Zamboanga del Norte Province's 1st District has climbed aboard and has hosted at least one forum on the initiative. According to Dalipe, most attendees at that forum supported the plan.
Spokesman for the scheme is Councilor Rommel Agan, who is also an attorney as well as being the son of another former Vice Mayor of Zamboanga City, Vitaliano Agan. For all the support thus far, the province's most powerful politico, Mayor Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga City, is dead set against it. Lobregat argues that creating a Congressional District solely for Zamboanga City would end up dividing the municipality, given all the outlying barangays and offshore islands and islets within the city's borders. In fact, Lobregat firmly controls all but a 4 person clique in the City Council so that Councilor Agan doesn't have much of a chance of gaining more support within Zamboanga City. In fact, at a self-orchestrated press conference to disseminate this initiative Agan whined about Lobregat's political machine. According to Agan, anytime any one of the four Opposition Councilors table anything beneficial to their constituency, Lobregat and his allies soundly trounce it. Agan is no political neophyte, experienced on his own as well as being an insider during his father's stint as city Vice Mayor, so why the sob story? This is how the game is played, no suprises.
Currently, each of the two Congressional Districts in Zamboanga del Norte Province receive P70 Million ($1.4 Million), plus hundreds of millions of more Pesos in development and pork. The Local Government Code of 1991 mandates that any new Congressional District must have a minimum population of 250,000. The city now has 800,00.
On Monday, April 4th, 2011 it was COMELEC's turn to file a petition when it asked the Supreme Court to uphold COMELEC's ruling that disqualified Romeo "Jon Jon" Jalosjos Jr.'s victory for the 2nd District Congressional seat in Zamboanga Sibugay Province. On June 3rd, 2010 COMELEC had ruled that Jalosjos shouldn't even have been permitted to enter the race, let alone win it. The sticking point was the prerequisite Residency Requirement which mandates that any potential candidate must have resided in the elected position's AOR, or Area of Responsibility, for 12 consecutive months prior to an election.
In filing his Certificate of Candidacy Jalosjos listed his address as Barangay Veteran's Village in the municipality of Ipil, the capital of Zamboanga Sibugay Province. After both he and his brother, who also emerged victoriously from that same May of 2010 Election, the Barangay Captain of Veteran's Village, Dan Erasmo Sr. filed two petitions with COMELEC in which he said he had never even seen either man visiting the barangay, let alone living in it. After gaining his Congressional seat Jalosjos thumbed his nose at COMELEC and its June 3rd ruling saying that since he had already been sworn into office it was out of the agency's hands. If anyone was to address the issue of Residency, or any other objectionable issue, they would have to do so via the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, or HRET. COMELEC responded that when Jalosjos had been sworn into office the issue of Residency had been pending with the agency and so the mandate clearly lies with COMELEC.
In fact, the controversy had begun as soon as the Jalosjos Clan's intentions became clear. Barangay Captain Erasmo had gotten Jalosjos removed from Ipil's List of Registered Voters on September 11th, 2010 in a Regional Trial Court Ruling in Pagadian City. Boosting the Residency issue was the fact that Jalosjos was then serving as Mayor of Tampilisan, in Zamboanga del Norte Province. Here he is insisting that he is living in Ipil, even though the barangay captain of his registered domicile has never even seen him! To boot, he is. Serving as the mayor of a municipality in another province! Either he lied about Tampilisan OR he lied about Ipil, you can't simultaneously live in 2 municipalities in 2 provinces. On September 30th Ipil's Election Registration Board issued a pointed Resolution that formally scrubbed Jalosjos from the race. Jalosjos of course didn't take that outcome lying down and so filed to have his name restored. On November 26th the Court of Appeals 22nd District sitting in Cagayan del Oro City in Misamis Oriental Province Ruled in Jalosjos favor. Here is the extremely interesting part: With the cut off for adding one's name to the Election Registration Board List being 5PM the next day, November 27th, the Sheriff in Cagayan del Oro City boarded a helicopter that landed in Ipil at 2PM on the 27th! At 4PM he handed the Court of Appeals Ruling directly to the Election Registration Board and when the books closed at 5PM Jalosjos' name was restored! Obviously a significant amount of cash was given for the Ruling, how else to explain the personalised messenger service provided by the Sheriff?
On November 28th Jalosjos filed his Certificate of Candidacy for the 2nd District of Zamboanga Sibugay Province. The incumbent, Dulce Ann Hofer, daughter of George Sr., opted to run for the Governor's seat being vacated by her father who had reached his 9 year term limit. Meanwhile, her brother, George "Jet" Hofer Jr. was running for Dulce Ann's vacated Congressional seat, with Jalosjos shouldering himself into the race as mentioned earlier.
In a recent "Political Developments" entry I had discussed clan patriarch Romeo Jalosjos Sr.'s push to reorganise Region 9, the Region comprised of the three Zamboangan Provinces:
1) Zamboanga del Norte
2) Zamboanga del Sur
3) Zamboanga Sibugay
The Jalosjos scheme involves adding Misamis Occidental Province, or rather re-adding it since it had in the past been joined with the region. The plan also called for the renaming of two of the Zamboangan Provinces and a couple of other less important facts. As if that isn't a radical enough face lift there is now a push for the addition of a third Congressional District within Zamboanga del Norte Province. The 3rd District would cover Za$boamga City.
Zamboanga City Councilors Rommel Agan, Melchor "Mel" Rey Sadain, and Cesar Jimenez Sr. along with former Councilor Al Jihan Edding and ex-Vice Mayor of Zamboanga City Manuel "Mannix" Jose Dalipe met with Congressman Erico "Erbie" Basilio Fabian of Zamboanga del Norte Province's 2nd District to try and strengthen their hand. Fabian is still on the fence and merely saying that he will keep an open mind. Ex-Vice Mayor Dalipe says that Congresswoman Maria Isabelle "Beng" Climaco Salazar of Zamboanga del Norte Province's 1st District has climbed aboard and has hosted at least one forum on the initiative. According to Dalipe, most attendees at that forum supported the plan.
Spokesman for the scheme is Councilor Rommel Agan, who is also an attorney as well as being the son of another former Vice Mayor of Zamboanga City, Vitaliano Agan. For all the support thus far, the province's most powerful politico, Mayor Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga City, is dead set against it. Lobregat argues that creating a Congressional District solely for Zamboanga City would end up dividing the municipality, given all the outlying barangays and offshore islands and islets within the city's borders. In fact, Lobregat firmly controls all but a 4 person clique in the City Council so that Councilor Agan doesn't have much of a chance of gaining more support within Zamboanga City. In fact, at a self-orchestrated press conference to disseminate this initiative Agan whined about Lobregat's political machine. According to Agan, anytime any one of the four Opposition Councilors table anything beneficial to their constituency, Lobregat and his allies soundly trounce it. Agan is no political neophyte, experienced on his own as well as being an insider during his father's stint as city Vice Mayor, so why the sob story? This is how the game is played, no suprises.
Currently, each of the two Congressional Districts in Zamboanga del Norte Province receive P70 Million ($1.4 Million), plus hundreds of millions of more Pesos in development and pork. The Local Government Code of 1991 mandates that any new Congressional District must have a minimum population of 250,000. The city now has 800,00.
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