Political Developments for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part I: Governor Mangudadatu Survives Assasination Attempt

August 15th, 2011 marked Governor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu's 43rd birthday. Because it took place during the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, where adherants fast during daylight hours the Governor held a low key gift giving celebration that afternoon at his residential compound in the Mangudadatu Clan stronghold of Bualan, in Maguindanao Province, the municipality that now serves as the provincial capital. The main celebration though was set to be held after sundown at the Governor's Genalin Forest Garden Resort just across the provincial border, in Sultan Kudarat Province's Tacurong City, seat of clan patriarch, ex-Congressman Pax S.Mangudadatu.

The Governor was in great spirits having just that morning received word from his attorneys that the Department of Justice, or DOJ had just trashed the most pressing of three murder charges against him. The case in question revolves around the February 11th, 2010 shooting death of 41 year old Tomano Kagi Kamendan, a resident of Shariff Aguak, the former capital of Maguindanao Province. Kamendan, an Ampatuan Clansman had spent the afternoon at Gaisano South Citiland Mall [sic] on Ilustre Street in Davao City shopping with his wife Natividad de Arce Kamendan. The couple had made their way up to the mall's fourth floor in search of a dress for their 5 year old daughter. Mrs. Kamendan was four months pregnant and the day was wearing on fast her so that they agreed that they would leave after buying the dress.

Finally picking out a sundress the tired couple walked to counter #80 and prepared to pay for their purchase. Examining the dress Mrs. Kamendan only looked up when her usually talkative husband stopped abruptly in mid-sentence. Directly in front of them stood Esmael Mangudadatu, waiting to purchase clothes for his two daughters who together with him stood enveloped by four bodyguards, two of whom were uniformed policemen carrying sidearms. Tomano Kamendan had good reason to be nervous. Afterall, his uncle Andal Ampatuan Sr. And several other clan members were currently in jail for having killed Mangudadatu's wife Genalin along with his sister and other assorted family members less than 90 days earlier. As Mrs. Kamendan first noticed Mangudadatu he turned around slowly and locked eyes with her husband.

Mangudadatu, not missing a beat, asked Kamendan how his uncle Andal Sr. was adjusting to life on Luzon, an obvious dig at the clan patriatch's having been incarcerated over the killings. Kamendan nervously offered that he hadn't spoken to his uncle since December. Mrs. Kamendan tried to help her husband out of an extremely uncomfortable situation by interjecting light heartedly that they were exhausted having been shopping all afternoon. Being a convert to Islam Mrs. Kamendan had spoken in Tagalog, and not Maguindanowan, the tribal language of both her husband and Esmael Mangudadatu. Mangudadatu ignored her attempt at polite diversion and turned his back on the couple. None the wiser his bodyguards pretty much ignored the entire exchange.

Having finished his purchase Mangudadatu began moving away from the counter as the Kamendans gingerly approached. All of a sudden though, Mangudadatu stopped. The cashier, caught unawares, asked Mangudadatu if the Kamendans were with him. To that Mangudadatu repeated her question rhetorically before launching into a tirade about how degenerate and perverted each and every member of the Ampatuan Clan really was. Mrs. Kamendan grabbed her husband's elbow and steered him away from the counter, afraid he might respond and add fuel to the growing fire. She began walking with her husband, away from the embarrasing confrontation but suddenly her husband bolted and began running. It was then that she heard Mangudadatu order his bodyguards to, "Ten bak nu den!" Perhaps thinking that noone would understand Maguindanowan, after all Mrs. Kamendan had spoken in Tagalog, he had just ordered his men to shoot her husband. Now fearing for her own life and the life of her unborn child Mrs. Kamendan rushed towards the nearest door and begged a salesgirl to help her. The quick thinking store employee sheparded the distressed woman into a stockroom where Mrs. Kamendan hid in blind fear.

As Mangudadatu gave the order the two uniformed policemen turned and ran full speed after Tamano Kamendan before one officer, PO1 (Police Officer First Grade) Surab Lintukan Bantas cornered the fleeing man in the kitchenware section. As the police officer drew his 45 caliber pistol Kamendan grabbed the officer's wrist. As the two men wrestled for the pistol they shattered a glass display case spraying glass shards everywhere. As the second officer, PO1 Ibrahim Langalen came upon the melee Kamendan managed to extricate himself and once again tried to flee for his life. Both officers drew down. Musa's 9MM pistol fired three rounds, all failing to connect and all miraculously failing to harm any of the store's hundreds of customers. However Officer Bantas managed to connect with every one of his five rounds, four of which landed in Tamano Kamendan's back.

Naturally the case was reported with hundreds of eyewitnesses having seen it transpire, not to mention the store's CCTV (closed circuit television) having recorded it for posterity so that there was no way to avoid calling it in. The Davao City CPO, or City Police Office registered a report at 730PM. Not long after that then Mayor Duterte himself arrived on the scene. Even in non-election seasons malls are offlimits for weaponry. Guards armed with pump shotguns stand watch s their colleagues frisk each and every patron entering the mall (all malls) while a third guard uses a wand metal detector for redundancy. The only exceptions are uniformed police officers and soldiers who must show proper ID and then sign a special form, or logbook. Moreover, in election seasons COMELEC, the national electoral authority implements nation wide gun bans in which only uniformed personnel who are on duty may carry any manner of weaponry in an attempt to mitigate election related violence. Ergo, Mangudadatu's two civilian bodyguards:

1) James Musa

2) Arnell Alangkat

were unarmed, as mandated by law. The two police officers, attached to Mangudadatu's security detail were deployed out of the ARMM PRO, or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao Police Regional Office, were legally permitted to bear arms. Still, Mayor Duterte questioned just why the two police officers had felt it necessary to retain their sidearms inside the mall.

Mangudadatu and his four bodyguards reported that while they were at counter #80 they heard Mangudadatu's youngest daughter, age 11, scream. They turned and saw Tamano Kagi Kamendan with his arm wrapped around the girl's neck apprently trying to abduct her. Though Mangudadatu never said a word, much less instruct anyone to shoot, both police officers ran after Kamendan who after realising his attempted abduction would fail did his best to escape by running full speed for the escalator. PO1 Bantas reached Kamendan first, at the kitchenwares section immediately adjacent to the escalator. Kamendan, realising that the gig was up lunged for Bantas' sidearm, a 45 caliber pistol. As they wrestled for the weapon they smashed a display case. Kamendan was able to grab a large shard of glass and attempted to wrest the pistol away from his opponent by repeatedly stabbing the officer's wrist with the shard. Only when PO1 Langalen arrived on scene did Kamendan stop struggling and once again begin running for the escalator. Both officers drew down and fired on the fleeing assailant.

As one easily sees, there is quite a bit of discrepancy between the version supplied by Mangudadatu and his security detail and that offered by the widow and store sales people. Even if we forget that the store personnel have absolutely no vested interest in the outcome of the case we have to admit that the Mangudadatu version is just preposterous. If Tomano Kamendan planned to abduct Mangudadatu's daughter, why bring his pregnant wife? Why choose the fourth floor of an incredibly busy mall, the interior of which is monitored by CCTV and whose exterior entrances are all guarded by men holding pump shotguns? IF it was a crime of passion or an opportunistic crime why pick THAT moment? While the party is directly in front of a cashier? Why do it as the 4 bodyguards are with the girl? It is just too silly to fathom but this was Mangudadatu's response after the Davao City Prosecutor charged the two police officers, and later Mangudadatu himself with murder.

By March however, the Davao City Prosecutor had appointed a three person investigative panel to examine the case a lot more closely and render a recommendation on actual prosecution. The charge against Mangudadatu was then dropped with the Prosecutor's Office remarking that Natividad de Arce Kamendan's original affadavit made no mention of Mangudadatu having ordered his guards to shoot Mr. Kamendan. It was only after she had conferred with her own counsel that she chose to revise her affadavit. Furthermore, her choice in counsel happened to be none other than Philip Pantojan, house counsel for the Ampatuan Clan in local matters. Ergo her revised affadavit was suspect.

Mrs. Kamendan then filed a Motion for Partial Reconsideration with regard to Mangudadatu having been dropped from the case but was unsuccessful in this endeavour having had it denied at the end of April. Still, the case against the police officers remained as is. It wasn't until May of 2011 that Mrs. Kamendan finally submitted a formal withdrawal of her complaint against Mangudadatu, having received a generous "donation" from Mangudadatu, by then sitting as Governor, in her dear departed husband's name. It took the DOJ until August 15th to formally drop all initiatives against Governor Mangudadatu with regard to the murder case. It is assured that both police officers will also beat the case but that in the interim will have to go through the rigamorole of a trial. Philippine Law allows for Self Defense, which is what the two officers are utilising as their defence, but doesn't allow for prosecutorial latitude in such matters. In other words, in the American System after which the Philippine System was fashioned, a prosecutor can make a judgement call if Self Defense is tenable and decline to even present the case to a Grand Jury for indictment. The Philippine System is markedly different not least of all because of its lack of Grand Jury and Indictments. Because the Philippine System also lacks Trial by Jury Self Defense must be judged entirely by the trial judge. In this case the two officers will get their days in Regional Trial Court, or RTC #16, Davao City.

Returning to August 15th, at 330PM the guests at Governor Mangudadatu's compound piled into vehichles for the short ride across the provincial border to his resort in Tacurong City. Leaving in a convoy of 7 vehicles the Governor naturally rode at the head of the line in his armoured van. Entering Tacurong City along Tacurong -Koronadal National Hiway, generaly known as Alunan Hiway, the convoy had just passed Fitmart Department Store, the scene of a bombing just 3 weeks prior when a white Kia Avellana parked in front of the Cherubim Methodist Learning Center, next to the Land Bank of the Philippines and packed with a powerful IED, or Improvised Explosive Device (as in "bomb") fashioned from multiple 105MM Howitzer shells detonated. All that remained of the Kia was its front axle and a partial front quarter, the rest had simply disintegrated.

The explosion took place 7 seconds after the Governor's lead vehicle passed the parked Kia. The third vehicle in the convoy, a black Toyota Fortuner owned by Maguindanao Provincial Board Member Datu Russman "Russ" Sinsuat Sr. took the brunt of the explosion. In fact it was Sinsuat himself who was the most seriously injured of the 5 people in that truck, all of whom sustained moderate to serious wounds. In addition, a triksiad (motorised tricycle used as a taxi) driver, Raffy Parenas of Tacurong City's Purok #9 was killed instantly. A sixth person was wounded as well while riding in the convoy's fourth vehicle. All six of the wounded were rushed to Tacurong City Doctor's Hospital. Sinsuat's son, Datu Russ Jr. had to have his right leg amputated. As the operation was being performed his father was being declared dead, having expired at 1217AM.

Just before the detonation an idling triksiad driver had witnessed a man leaving the Kia and running across the road at full speed. Just after the blast the witness informed a police officer on scene that a man had just gotten out of the Kia and run across the street. A dragnet was quickly thrown up and officers from the CPO, or City Police Office were able to quickly apprehend Datu Karim "Alibara" Masdal, a resident of Guindulungan in Maguindanao Province. After taking him into custody he was rapidly transferred to the custody of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group- Region 12, or CIDG-12. CDIG-12 then immediately implemented a news blackout until today, August 18th, on the arrest citing National Security concerns, hence my not being able to post on the event until today.

A second man, Jay R. Reyes of Cotabato City is listed on the Kia's bill of sale as having purchased the SUV from its previous owner, Maureen Ella Macasindil, of Davao City, a resident of Barangay Datu Luho in Maa District. Ms.Macasandil claims that two of her employees actually handled the transaction for her so that she never actually saw the person in question. CIDG is currently interrogating both employees while remaining cognisant that Ms. Macasindil spent a number of years living in Maguindanao Province. A warrant has been taken out on "Mr. Reyes" but the name is an alias. Searches at the LTO, or Land Transportation Office, Civil Registry, COMELEC Voter Registries, and the Social Security rolls have all failed to turn up anyone with that name or any variation on the name. Masdal, the man fingered as the man who had been sitting in the Kia meanwhile, denies any involvement and hasn't provided a shred of intelligence. Knowing the type of interrogation he would be subjected to I reckon he is merely a patsy hired to drive the Kia to Tacurong. The IED was triggered by cellphone so that the fact that Masdal ran across the hiway just before the detonation doesn't neccessarily relate to his having fore knowledge of the bombing. Co-incidentally, perhaps, an IED was recovered in Guindulungan this past Saturday, August 13th though its signature doesn't match the carbomb in Tacurong City.


For most people considering the matter the obvious culprit would be the Ampatuan Clan. Afterall, the Governor's late wife Genalin, namesake of that aforementioned resort in Tacurong City, was but one of 58 people murdered by the Ampatuans on November 23rd, 2009 when another Mangudadatu convoy was waylaid en route to the previous provincial capital, Shariff Aguak. That infamous act of violence, the so called "Maguindanao Massacre" is what caused then President Gloria M.Arroyo to declare the still extant State of Emergency (with nearly a week of actual Martial Law just after the incident). Though this latest act of violence IS related to the now two year old blood feud between the two clans it is NOT directly related to the Maguindanao Massacre.

The Massacre it should be recalled, took place because of Ampatuan paranoia in the face of Mangudadatu's insistence on fielding his candidacy in the May 2010 Gubneratorial Race in Maguindanao Province. The two clans had been firmly allied since the 18th Century when together they led a victorious raid on the Spanish Fort in the Cotabato Basin. Slaughtering all survivors the clans' alliance was literally sealed in blood. Since that time they have heavily intermarried with one another and rarely have not been in full agreement. Though rooted in the same province, Maguindanao, the Mangudadatus wisely chose to build their powerbase in the adjacent province of Sultan Kudarat and so avoided direct competition. At the beginning of 2009 Esmael, the current Governor, but then merely the Vice Mayor of Buluan convinced patriarch Pax, his paternal uncle, to back his run for Governor of Maguindanao.

With a bit of internal debate Uncle Pax gave his blessing and Esmael, accompanied by a few dozen well armed members of the clan paramilitary, known as the "Buayan sa Ranao," or Crocodiles of the Lake (their hometown Bualan sits on a lake of the same name), paid a visit to the residential compound of the Ampatuan Clan patriarch, Andal Ampatuan Sr., currently incarcerated at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, on Luzon, for the Massacre, but who at that point had just resigned as Governor of Maguindanao after the Supreme Court dissolved the province he had created out of a Maguindanowan Congressional District in 2008, the province of Shariff Kabansuan citing Constitutional issues. Though obstensibly out of office, he had son Zaldy Uy Ampatuan, then Governor of ARMM, or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao but now jailed along with his father, appoint youngest son Sajid Islam Ampatuan as OIC, or Officer in Charge Governor of Maguindanao.

Andal Sr.'s endgame was to keep the seat warm for the May of 2010 Election when he would have his other son, and namesake, Andal Jr.run for election. The verb "run" is not quite apt since the clan controlled most municipalities in the province and so dictated who ran, and therefore who won. Andal Sr. wasn't so bothered that Esmael Mangudadatu dared to run for the Governor's seat as much as he was angered, neigh infuriated that he would dare to appear at his doorstep with dozens of men carrying long arms. THIS was the impetus for the Massacre.

Though in stir the clan's hold on the province, though surely not as firm as it had been prior to the Massacre was still strong. Under Andal Sr.'s direction clan members ran for key posts. One post retained was the mayoralty of the municipality of Datu Unsay. Named for Andal Jr.'s nickname, the town was specifically created for him by his father, Andal Sr. With Jr. in jail one of his wives, Bai Reshal Santiago Ampatuan ran in his stead. Not suprisingly she emerged victoriously. Almost from the start she dealt with a very small but vocal dissident faction backed by the Mangudadatus. With the shakeup in the local powerbase all PNP, or Philippine National Police serving in Maguindanao Province were transferred far and wide. Though most of the rank and file ultimately returned to their original positions the command structure was permanently disassembled. With new commanders Governor Mangudadatu was able to groom his own loyal following. One such commander who planted himself firmly in the Governor's camp was Director Senior Superintendent of the Maguindanao PPO, or Police Provincial Office, Marcelo Pintac.

On Janurary 10th, 2010 Director Pintac jotted off an official memorandum to the ARMM PRO, or Police Regional of the ARMM, is under the ARMM PRO AOR, or Area of Responsibility (as in "jurisdiction"). In this memorandum the Director accused Mayor Reshall Ampatuan of dereliction of duty for rank absenteeism. According to the Director the Mayor had not shown up for a single day's work since July 15th, 2010. The memorandum is extremely note worthy because such matterss are no concern at all of any police official though technically, any civil servant can formally complain about any other civil servant. Still, it was so unusual that the Director of ARMM PRO simply filed it away and did nothing more.

Curiously, two members of Datu Unsay's dissident faction:

1) Pata Usman, age 52

2) Abdulhamid Lumena, age 32

chose Janurary 13th as the day to make a stand, knowing that in doing so they would provoke a serious confrontation with either the Mayor or her supporters. The two men hung banners on the outside walls of the municipal compound on which they appealed to not only Governor Mangudadatu but President Aquino himself to intervene in the face of what they maintained was rank corruption in the October of 2010 Barangay and SK (Sangguniang Kabataan, or Youth Council) Elections. Mayor Ampatuan, who contrary to PPO Director Marcelo Pintac's claim WAS working quickly had municipal workers tear down the banners.

Having choreographed their actions with Mangudadatu's camp the two protestors immediately entered the compound and once inside the MPO, or Municipal Police Office reported the incident so that it would be officialy recorded. Having been notified before the protestors had even raised their banners PPO Director Pintac had already deployed two of his senior men:

1) Senior Inspector Greg Soliba, Commanding Officer of the PPO's PSCs, or Public Safety Companies (formerly known as PMGs, or Police Mobile Groups)

2) Senior Inspector Lino Capellan

who rendevouzed with a small detachment from the 45IB (Infantry Battalion), to use as armed backup. Speeding from Shariff Aguak, the former provincial capital which still houses most provincial government offices. Arriving at the municipal compound the two Inspectors and they military backup conferred with the two protestors. According to Senior Inspector Soliba they were then surrounded by eight well armed men and their commander, members of the Mayor's security detail.

According to Soliba he defused the tense situation by convincing the commander, Mayoral Aide Tungko Zakala, to accompany him inside the MPO so as to verify the eight armed guards' permits to carry weapons. Once inside the MPO Soliba claims that he was able to verify that in fact, the eight guards were all employed by SWAT (Saviour Weapons and Tactics) Security Agency in Cotabato City. Moreover Soliba says, he ascertained that the company's Temporary Liscence to Operate had expired exactly one week previously on Janurary 6th, 2011. At that point Soliba says, he had the soldiers from the 45IB confiscate two M653s (mini-M16s) and six MP5s. The eight guards, all local Maguindanowan Tribesmen under the employ of SWAT were then released to the town's Information Officer, Paisal Sulaik.
At the same time, the Ampatuans aren't the only group on the Governor's dancecard, the Mangudadatu paramilitary has entered into a conflict with the MILF and its military arm, the BIAF, otr the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces in the clan stronghold of Buluan. I covered this flare up in my entry, "MILF Armed Contacts for the Second Quarter of 2011

Mayor Reshal Santiago Ampatuan did not just roll over. On Janurary 20th she went to the media and complained of dirty politicking on the part of PPO Director Marcelo Pintac. When her guards were forcibly disarmed, at gunpoint she added, she formally submitted a request to Director Pintac to provide her with two uniformed and armed police officers. Pintac ignored her request. Mayor Ampatuan correctly noted that by law she is entitled to the two officers and that Pintac's actions, and conversely his lack of action thereafter prove that the Director is operating with a political agenda. Pintac's response? "Para sa akin pantay ako sa lahat. Sanay kasi yan sila na lahat ng gusto nila masusunod. Nung sila ba ang namahala sa Maguindanao naisip ba nila ang mga ginigawa sa tao di na maganda? Idiomatically translated, Director Pintac denied any unfair treatment saying that he treats all people fairly BUT then immediately followed with, "They (the Ampatuan Clan) are so used to getting what they want but when they were in power here in Maguindanao, what did they ever do for anyone?" Nah, no bias there, right?

Then Pintac promptly filed a formal complaint with Magiuindanao Provincial Board in which he charged the Mayor with Illegal Possesion of Weapons, Illegal Possesion of Ammunition, and Absenteeism. The Provincial Board, or Sangguniang Panlalawigan tossed the complaint in the trash and derided Pintac for wasting their time with it. Co-incidentally this move was the first open indication that the Mangudadatu alliance with Vice Governor Ibrahim "Dustin" Veloso Mastura had fractured, with Vice Governor Mastura steering the Board on that issue. At the birthday party on August 15th Mastura was not in attendance signalling that the rift is major.

I will continue with the conclusion of this entry in a subsequent post utilising the same title, with the addition, "Part 2."

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

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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

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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.

Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, BIFF: Islamo-fascism's New Degenerate Stepchild

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Kidnap for Ransom,First Quarter of 2011,Part VII:Rene Drapiza,Habib Sacaria and Nora Dicay

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Political Developmemts,Second Quarter of 2010,Part V:Election Related Violence in Sultan Kudarat Province

Sultan Kudarat Province is one of the 2 provinces placed under Martial Law on December 5th,2009,in response to the "Maguindanao Massacre"in the neighbouring province of Maguindanao.Unlike Maguindanao,Sultan Kudarat has a significant majority of non-Muslims,mainly northerners from Luzon who were resettled here in a counter-insuregency programme of the mid-1950s under Magsaysay.Towns like President Quirino owe their entire existince to this very successful effort (successful with regard to stopping,or rather stalling the Huk Communist Insurgency on Luzon).

Unfortunately this resettlement would create even bigger problems down the road but that is perhaps a problem of less concern since it significantly weakened what was then a very real threat to the nation's capitol,Manila. Mindanao after all might as well be another nation as far as most of Manila is concerned,save the royalties and profits that come from raking in the islands extremely rich natural resources.

I have mentioned,in a previous post,the trouble on the Maguindanao/Sultan Kudarat provincial border between the MNLF-MMSC (Moro National Liberation Front-Mainland Mindanao State Committee) and the MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,the latter being the armed wing of the organisation) 104 Base Command ("Base Commands"being unconventional military structure aking to the conventional"brigade") has broken out once again but lest you imagine that Sultan Kudarat Province might have somehow been immune to the Election Related Violence,I offer the following...

On Monday,April 26th,2010 at the Narciso Farm in Sitio Crossing Salaam,Barangay Katiki in the municipality of President Quirino a recon patrol made up of a composite force of different Infantry elements (38 Infantry Battalion, CAFGU 9CAA and the 65th Explosive Ordnance Detachment) discovered 2 IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices,as in"bombs") under a Bajar tree slightly off the main road.One of the devices was made from an 81MM mortar shell and the other from an RPG MEUG APERS (Rocket Propelled Grenade),both wrapped in cellophane and primed to detonate.The 65th EOD detonated both on site given the danger presented in the transporting either one.

On Election Day,Monday,May 10th,2010 in Sitio Kolomno,Barangay Villamonte in the town of Lebak in Sultan Kudarat Province,the Ampatuan Paramilitary,now a rogue force since going into the bush after committing the"Maguindano Massacre"as I have discussed in other recent"Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010"entries,deployed 100 gunmen under Kumander Tammy Maliga and raided the sitio for supplies,kidnapping a Bisayan (non-Muslim) family (30 year old Francisco Javier,his 26 year old wife Joy,their 2 year old son and 4 year old daughter) to use as Human Shields upon withdrawal.They also took the entire family fortune in the form of 2 cows and 8 goats as they moved back into Maguindano Province where they now have a static camp in Barangay San Jose's Sitio Kasam.No word on the fate of the family.

On Wednesday,May 13th,2010,Provincial Board (aka Sangguniang Panlalawigan) candidate for the NPC (Nationalist People's Coallition) Peter Peralta was in his car,allowing his teenaged son Feljavar Peralta to drive and just pulling up to the Capitol Complex in Isulan when 3 men on a single motorcycle pulled up next to them and began shooting.Feljavar was hit first and then Peter,who was killed instantly.

Feljavar was able to drive his car towards the PNP (Philippine National Police) PMG in neighbouring Tacurong City (Police Mobile Group,a PNP detachment sublimated to the PPO,or Provincial Police Office,designed as a re-inforcing unit) but died before crossing the city limit, his car rolling to a standstill.His father's race had not been declared one way or another.

The sub-conflict I have been talking about,between the MNLF and MILF/BIAF on the provincial borders of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao has flared up again on Friday,July 2nd, 2010.The MILF/BIAF is calling foul saying that Datu Faisal"Randy"Karon's MNLF faction (Mainland Mindanao State Committe, 1 of 5 MNLF factions currently and the newest one) has employed the AFP to do battle.

The AFP's 6IB (Infantry Battalion) which had been deployed on the provincial line as a sort of Observer Force has entered the fray,as the MILF/BIAF has told the world and has in fact attacked BIAF positions in the town of Datu Blah Sinsuat's Barangays Laguitan and Meti.The 6IB had managed to effect a Ceasefire on June 13th as I mentioned in an earlier entry,with both sides withdrawing from Barangay Tran in Lebak in the adjacent province of Sultan Kudarat ("Lebak"is the same town that I spoke about earlier in thie entry,that the Ampatuan Paramilitary had attacked in late April).

The MNLF has NOT been involved in the latest flare up,it has been the 6IB using mortars and 105MM howitzers in trying to dislodge BIAF 104 Kumander Jud Caludtiag's faction of the 104 Base Command.Most of the population in both towns have become IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,i.e."Refugees") once again.

Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010,Part V:Election Related Violence in Cotabato City

As I continue my wrap up of the 2010 Election Season one might ask just why I even bother since thus far,all areas mentioned have managed to live up to their nefarious reputations.I suppose that it might be a fair question but apart from simply noting the causes of unrest,i.e."insurgency,"people familiar with Mindanao are well aware of how such events go woefully under reported.People who have never been here or alternatively may have only been here in passing would usually have to rely strictly upon media reportage in trying to gain a clear picture of what took place this past Election Season.Obviously that would be problematic.Before a problem can be solved it has to be first identified and then discussed.

The government has its reasons for claiming that this was one of the safest Election Seasons in memory,but their rationale is self serving and will not do anything for the people of Mindanao or those trying to help them.The National figures for Election Related Violence,or"EVR,"and more to the point the figures relating to EVR Deaths does not even exceed the number of deaths from a single Mindanowan Region (Region IX, Zamoboanga Peninsula for example) so there definitely needs to be a record made of what happened this year,and what happens here day in and day out. Pretending it does not happen is not going to help a single person on this island,save a precious few deeply tied into the national government either politically or economically (which in the Philippines,like most nations,happens to be one and the same).

All things considered,Cotabato's 2 provinces (North and South,with North's infamous city, Cotabato City) are the historical epicenter of the Mindanowan insurgency.Originally the capital of the Maguindanowan Sultante,and the seat of Spanish administration of the island until Zamoboanga"s"La Caldera"was developed,the city has seen it share of hard times.A metropolis with a strong Christian population (mostly Ilonggons and to a lesser degree Cebuanos) it sits in the middle of a mostly Islamic region.

The night before Election Day,Sunday,May 9th at 7PM,just as the Islamic 4th Prayer finished,a man tossed a hand grenade into the entrance of a village mosque in Sitio Tinibtikan,Barangay Batulawan,in the town of Pikit,North Cotabato Province killing 1 man,Manuel Tautin and wounding 9 others.Although the town is the historical epicenter of the Ilaga-Barakuda paramilitary war (Christian versus Muslim) of the late 1960s/early 1970s (with the Ilaga re-emerging there in the early mid-1980s) this killing is not believed to be sectarian related and is instead believed to be Election related.

On Election Day itself,Monday,May 10th, 2010 at 105AM in Kidipawan City,South Cotabato Province,supporters of local cable television magnate Nancy Catamco were out plastering campaign posters near Catamco's home when they ran across supporters of Cotabato Christian (as in the ethnic sense) icon Congressman Bernardo"Bernie"Pinol,of the Pinol political dyansty.As these things usually do,it quickly devolved into gunfire causing the death of Pinol supporter Johnny Magbanua,aged 28.Interestingly,instead of simply denying any level of culpability,Ms.Catamco blamed the killing on another Pinol supporter,Efren Albaera Rivera.A 2nd man,Leo Laquinadanum,was badly wounded.

After the dust had cleared,and Ms.Catamco won a stunning upset against Pinol in the election that day,the soon to be ex-Governor Pinol went to the media with his version of events,which do not seem that removed from reality considering all reports thus far.Pinol claims that Catamco's armed supporters were at one of her cable stations,just meters away from the shooting site and that as Magbanua turned to leave,seeing that he was greatly outnumbered,these men shot him in the back (also supported by autopsy reports).It has to be noted that the CIDG (Criminal Investigations and Detection Group of the PNP) has failed to connect any Catamco supporters but then again they have failed to solidly connect anyone to the shooting).Indeed,the CIDG Report seems to actually point a finger at the aforementioned Pinol supporter,Efren Albaera Rivera,showing the PNP to truly epitomise political whoredom.After buttering their bread off of the Pinol Clan's collective backside the local PNP stooges took all of 9 hours to completely burn a decades long bridge.

Congresswoman Elect Catamco's version has the campaign workers out plastering posters when they notice a group of 4 men on 4 motorcycles trailing them.This almost always signals deadly trouble in Mindanao,all the more so when the men,like these men are wearing skimasks,or as they are called locally,"bonnets."Seeing they were had,the men on motorcycles allegedly took some pistol shots at the Catamco campaign workers,who were themselves then able to speed away towards Catamco's residence and flagship cable station (the 2 buildings are adjacent to one another).Reaching the front of that station,the groups collided and 1 man died in the subsequent firefight.The Catamco group IDd the shooters as Magbanua,Laquindanum,Rivera and a man named Syl Aranas Aninon.

Rivera is listed as a suspect because 18 people from both sides,said to have been present,were parrafin tested for gunshot residue and only Rivera tested positive.A big problem with that type of claim is that when one wears gloves, as most people do when riding motorcycles...or shooting people, they will test negative for gunshot residue.Basing culpability upon residue is a bit ridiculous in a place where the majority of men handle weapons.

That same morning,Election Day,May 10th,a cousin of former Congressman Pinol was shot to death while riding his motorcycle,also in Kidapawan City,South Cotabato Province.His passenger,another man,was seriously wounded.The gunman using a 45 pistol,the weapon of choice for motorcycle borne assassins here,has not been IDd but the conventional wisdom is that it is a supporter of Emmylou Talino Mendoza,a candidate for Vice Governor of North Cotabato Province. Aside from being the cousin of ex-Congressman Pinol,the unidentified dead cousin was also the cousin of incumbent Vice Governor Emmanuel"Manny"Pinol.

On Thursday,May 13th,2010,Abdulrakman Mero,a principal at Litain Elemntary School on Bongo Island,an offshore part of the municipality of Parang in Manguindanao Province was driving down Cotabato City's Bonifacio Avenue with his wife and 2 young children having arrived the evening before.Sitting next to him in his white VW were the results of the Parang Municipal Elections being delivered to the regional COMELEC (Electoral Authority) office in Cotabato City.

As the car crawled along in traffic,reaching the corner of Jose Lim Avenue,2 men riding tandem on a single motorcycle got off of their bike and casually walked over to the diver's side of the Mero auto.Looking over Mero's wife,they then walked around the back of the car and as they approached the driver's side window one of them pulled a 45 caliber pistol from his waistband and shot Mero in the head, killing him instantly.Then they slowly walked back to their motorcycle,calmly started it and rode off towards People's Plaza,the city hall of Cotabato City.

In a very suprising turn of events,on Wednesday,June 6th,2010,the 2 hired guns were arrested, a rare occurrence indeed.30 year old Malik Alano of Cotabato City's Barangay Campo Muslim and 31 year old Mandi Karublian of Bongo Island in the aforementioned town of Paranag in Maguindanao Province (the same locale as Mero) were taken without incident as they ate their lunch in a cafe near the Cotabato City town market.Alano had a loaded 45 in his waistband.

There is no word as to whether or not the Ballots had even been taken during the killing,let alone whether or not they had been recovered.

Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010:Election Related Violence

Since I was discussing Maguindanao Province in my last entry I thought that I might just pick up right where I left off and concentrate on the region at large.At the most basic unit of governance is the"Barangay."Named after the ocean going outriggers ("Balangays") with which the Austronesian Peoples,of whom all Filipinos (except for Negritos) are part of.Traditionally Filipinos believe that each pre-Hispanic village consisted of a single outrigger,or"Barangay"and that this is how most of the islands were populated before the coming of Magellan in the 16th Century.

There are smaller units,known as"Sitios"(Sites) as well as another lesser unit in rural areas known as a"Purok" (Zone) but there is no level of governance below the Barangay.Above the Barangay is the Municipality.The Municipality can be either a"Town,"a"City"or a"Chartered City."Each Municipality consists of a collection of Barangays.A Municipality's classification as a Town or City depends upon its generated income and the size of its population.Originally the financial watermark was P20 Million (US460,000) in income generated anually without taking allotments from the national government into consideration.After intense lobbying from the"League of Cities"who feared that their own allotments would lessen if enough towns converted into cities,this watermark was raised to P100 Million (US2.5 Million),a huge sum in Philippine terms.Population requirements were also raised to 150,000 residents),though that is far less of an onus.

For purposes of clarification I must add that contrary to popular belief,not all cities are"Chartered Cities."The term"Chartered City"specifically refers to cities which,by an Act of Congress,have been granted specific,special powers not regularly granted to other cities.I also...hey!wake up!...need to point out that rare cities also contain"Districts."Districts are like"Regions,"they don't play a role in Governance,only in the distribution of services.Likewise,certain cities are granted the status of"Metropolitan Areas,"again relating only to infrastructure,delivery of services.On Mindanao only Cagayan del Oro City in Misamis Oriental Province and Davao City in Davao del Sur Province have been granted"Metropolitan Area"status.Likewise,only Davao City has"Districts"though Pagadian City on the Zamboanga Peninsula seems rto be moving in that direction with city officials sometimes referring to certain areas as"Districts."WAKE UP!!!


Municipalities are grouped together into"Provinces."Depending upon the size of the island a province can encompass an entire island,as is the case with Basilan Island/Basilan Province or a single island can hold dozens of provinces as is the case with Mainland Mindanao.Additionally,a province can be spread out over dozens of islands,as is the case with Sulu Province.As if this isn't confusing enough for the uninitiated,smaller islands are almost always linked administratively to larger islands despite an"Island"serving no purpose in terms of Governance.For example,both Basilan and Sulu Provinces are administratively attached to Mindanao,they ARE provinces of Mindanao.Because"Islands"aren't a cog in Governance the term"Administrative"refers to infrastructural logistics.

Above the Provincial Level is the"Region."Above the Region only stands the"National Government."

Simple thus far,right?Hahahaha.Suuuuuuuure...

As I have said,the lowest level of Governance is the Barangay.Each Barangay has a"Chairman,"or as they are popularly known,"Captain."The Chairman/Captain sits above a"Barangay Council"which has 7"Barangay Councillors,"or as they are more popularly known,"Barangay Kagawads."Each Councillor/Kagawad deals with 1 of 7 areas of Governance:

1) Finances/Treasury

2) Health

3) Education

4) Tourism

5) Development/Infrastructure

6) Peace and Order (local term for"Law and Order"/Security

7) Agriculture

each of these areas have 3 person committees composed of appointed members of the barangay with the respective Councillor/Kagawads serving as the Chairperson of that committee.In addition there is an 8th Councillor/Kagawad who sits as an ex-officio member of the Council by virtue of his or her position as Chairperson of the"Sangguiniang Kabataan,"or"SK" (Youth Council).Aged 15 to 18 this Councillor/Kagawad represents Youth Interests as well as Chairing the Barangay Council's"Sports"committee.

At the Municipal Level there is a"Mayor,"a"Vice Mayor"and then just as at the Barangay Level there is a"Municipal Council"which is formatted exactly like the Barangay Councils.Each Councillow handles a specific area of Governance and chairs a committee mandated for that respective subject.Above the Municipal Level is the Provincial Level.The"Governor"and"Vice Governor"fufill the same roles as the Mayor and Vice Mayor.Likewise the Provincial"Governor"and"Vice Governor"sit above a"Provincial Council"which is formatted exactly like the Barangay and Municipal Councils,each Provincial Councillor tasked with just 1 area of Governance but having an equal vote on provincial issues.

Regionally,except for the nation's 2"Autonomous Regions"(ARMM,or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao on Mindanao and"CAR,"or Cordilleran Autonomous Region" on Luzon) there is no system of Governance.Regions serve an infrastructural and logistical role in the distribution of services from the National Level.In many ways though it merely serves to create confusing redundancies.I will relegate this entry to a basic explanation of the overall structure and leave the critiques for a later,more in depth entry.

In addition,there is a parallel system of Governance that is itself a redundamcy;Each Municipality has an"ABC,"or"Association of Barangay Chairmen/Captains."All Barangay Chairmen/Captains belong and amongst themselves elect their own"Chairman/Captain."Then,each Municipal ABC Chairman/Captain sits in the"Provincial ABC,"which again elects its own"Chairman"or"Captain."All Provincial ABC Chairmen/Captains sit in a National ABC which itself elects a single"Chairman"or"Captain."The idea is to provide plurality of view of not an actual check or balance but in reality it is an entirely worthless endeavour.

The synchronised National and 0local Elections ("Local"as in Province and Municipality) took place on May,10,2010.The Barangay and SK Elections are set to take place in October of 2010.Regional Elections are set to take place in August of 2011.

On Wednesday March 19th,2010 Bai Mona Ampatuan, the principal of Shariff Aguak National High School in the provincial capitol of Maguindanao,Shariff Aguak had her home hit by 2 grenades thrown by 2 men riding tandem on a motorcycle wounding a 30 year old woman and her 2 kids who just happened to be walking by.Although Ms.Ampatuan IS a member of THE Ampatuan Clan (as in the"Maguindanao Massacre") it is believed that THIS attack is unrelated to that event and is instead due to recent extortion attempts made against public educational institutions in Maguindanao Province.Unfortunately most Filipino Muslims have little respect for secular education and find public institutions fair game since they are of course a product of the Philippine Government.Then their intellectuals bemoan the lack of government services in Muslim Communities.Gee,I wonder why...


On Sunday March 21st, 2010 at 11 AM a jeepney (form of public transportation) pulled into the Philippines Phoenix Petroleum gas station located on National Hiway in Barangay Poblacion,Ampatuan,Maguindanao Province.The attendant noticed after the jeepney had left that it had left behind a cardboard box.Walking over to it he was disturbed by the threatening writing on top of the package in that it threatened to kill the station owner.The young man stupidly-but bravely-pushed the box to the side of the hiway and immediately told his supervisor.The supervisor,the station manager,then called the authorities who discovered that the box contained an IED (Improvised Explosive Device,as in"bomb").

Later that day,just after sunset,the home of the station's owner was hit by at least 10 60MM mortar shells wounding 3 familiy members.Who is this beleagured atation owner you ask?None other than Zacarias Sangki,the OIC (Officer in Charge,meaning Govt.appointed,not elected) Mayor of Ampatuan (the municipality,not the Clan).Mr.Sangki gained his current political position after the Elected Mayor,Andal Ampatuan Sr.,was jailed over the aforementioned"Maguindanao Massacre"which took place on November 23rd,2009.For those unfamiliar with that sordid event Andal Sr.allegedly ordered his son Andal Jr.,the Mayor of another Maguindanowan municipality,Datu Unsay,to murder members of a rival Clan,the Mangudadatus.Unfortunately for Andal Sr.his son was a few arrows short of a quiver and he ALSO ended up killing nearly 3 dozen journalists and a handful of attorneys.The event marks the single worst case of directed violence towards journalists that the world has ever seen.The irony is that had Andal Jr.been intelligent enough to follow daddy's orders there wouldn't have been much more than couple of 3 sentence articles devoted to yet another case of Mindanowan blood letting.The Mangudadatus are no better than the Ampatuans and have just as many gory killings to their credit...just no journalists.

On Janurary 17th,2010,OIC Mayor Sangki had his 20 hectare farm ruined when gunmen burned down all buildings,including 11 houses,along with a crop nearly ready to harvest.The farm,located in Sitio Najib,Barangay Salman,also in Ampatuan is within a stone's throw of the barren field where the"Massacre"took place.Why is Zaraia Sangki so hated?Is it just aggravation that the former Vice Mayor now gets to sit in the hot seat while his former boss sits in stir?Of course not.Sangki almost immediately turned State's Witness against Andal Sr.and nearly 200 other individuals currently charged in the atrocity.Adding insult to injury Sangki,a member of a related Clan,wad ALSO a willing participant in the atrocity.

Only one day after the attack on the Sangki farm,Janurary 18th,2010,Dok Uling Salahuddin,a Barangay Captain in Barangay Kalkul in the municipality of Ampatuan,and a cousin of Zacarias Sangki was shot to death at 6PM by a single gunman.

On Tuesday April 6th,2010,51 year old Mohamadisa"Datu Haris"Sangki,brother of the OIC Mayor of Ampatuan,Zacarias Sangki,was riding his motorcycle past Cotabato City Plaza when 2 young men riding tandem on another motorcycle flagged him down at the corner of Sinsuat and S.K.Pendatun Streets in Barangay Poblacion #5.
Mr. Sangki pulled over and engaged the men in conversation when 1 of them suddenly stabbed him in the chest causing him to fall face down.The second man,later indentified as Kenny Osmena,walked over to the prostrate man and calmly shot him in the back with a 45 caliber pistol,killing him instantly.Both men then got onto their motorcycle and rode off towards the main town market.Though 5PM in the afternoon,and in full view of possibly thousands of people,not one person tried to intervene,or even pursue the gunmen.


On April 13th, 2010,in Sitio Masalay,Barangay Salman in the municipality of Ampatuan in Maguindanao Province,a CVO post (Civilian Volunteer Organisation,1 of 4 entities known collectively as"CAA,"or"Citizens Active Auxiliaries,"the cornerstone of the Government's Counterinsurgency Force Multiplication Programme.The CVO are sublimated to the PNP,or Philippine National Police and cannot bear arms unless their element has specifically been granted that right be the Secreatary of DILG,Department of the Interior and Local Government) was struck by eight M79 grenades without causing a single casualty.The attackers,Ampatuan Clan Paramilitary guerillas,were positioned in a nearby banana grove.Ironically perhaps,Barangay Salman is the same barangay where the"Massacre"took place.Not far away in Barangay Labulabu a 2nd CVO detachment was also attacked by M79 grenades and also managed to come out of it unscathed.Perhaps even more ironically,the Ampatuan Paramilitary is primarily composed of ex-CVO soldiers from that very same post!When President Arroyo first declared a State of Emergency over the Massacre most CVO personnel took to the hills knowing that they had no chance of living a law abiding life after being tarnished by their membership as Ampatuan Municipal (as well as Maguindanao Provincial) CVO.

The Ampatuan Paramilitary has been launching large scale assaults on the town since shortly after the"Massacre"took place.Despite a massive PNP and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) presence vis a vis the dedicated joint element known as"Task Force Alpha"the paramilitary has shelled the town with 60 MM mortars just about every night in March and April of 2010 with the attacks escalating as Election Day,May 10th draws near.It is not only the government that is suffering from the attacks as one can see with the repeated assaults on the Sangki family.Zacarias Sangki isn't even the Sangki to turn on the Ampatuans.The Vice Mayor of Shariff Aguak,the provincial capital of Maguindanao,is Rasul Sangki.In case his name is not familiar to you,he was the chief witness against Andal Ampatuan Jr.I will explore all that in a series of entries on the"Massacre"and all its just as bloody aftermath.It is worth noting here that the perennial enemies of the Ampatuan Clan,the MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces),have also not been sitting idly by through all this drama heaped atop drama.

On Janurary 12th,2010 the BIAF's 105 Base Command under Kumander Usatadz Ameril Ombra Kato,almost always known simply by the moniker"Kumander Kato,"along with allied MNLF/BMA (Moro National Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Army) the parent organisation from which the MILF/BIAF broke away) guerillas engaged the Ampatuan Paramilitary in a 24 hour firefight in Sitio Balutukan,Barangay Kitapok in the town of Datu Saudi Ampatuan (a different town than the town of "Ampatuan" proper,also created by Andal Ampatuan Sr.when he sat as Governor of Maguindanao Province,for his family to rule).Several deaths resulted but both sides handled it quietly so no exact number is forthcoming.

On April 15th at the Hillside Resort in Datu Odin Sinsuat,also in Maguindanao Province,the owner of the resort and mayoral candidate for Datu Odin Sinsuat,Motasser Sabal and his brother and running mate for Vice Mayor, Abdulwahab "Abraham "Sabal were engaged in a campaign strategising session with a group of close supporters when a grenade was thrown into the room.A supporter,Kagi Ketong,of that same town was killed but the brothers were unhurt.

On Thursday April 22nd,2010 in Barangay Bako,Shariff Aguak,roughly 100 guerillas from the BIAF's 105th Base Command, which was at that time still under Kumander Kato (more about his being re-deployed in a subsequent entry),crossed the GPH (Govt.of the Philippines)-MILF/BIAF permimeter (the DMZ line) by about 1 kilometer and then managed to cross paths with 2 platoons from the 45IB (Infantry Battalion),which is itself based in Shariff Aguak's Barangay Poblacion.The predictable result was a 2 hour long firefight with no reported casulaties.


On Friday,April 30th, 2010 on the town of Ampatuan's 1st Street,in Purok 1,Barangay Kauran,an IED 20 meters away from National Hiway detonated just as gubneratorial candidate Esmael"Toto"Mangudadatu's convoy was passing en route to a political rally in the town's Barangay Poblacion.Luckily noone was injured or killed in the explosion.

On Saturday,May 8th,2010 OIC Mayor Zacarias Sangki's Phoenix petrol station was once again faced with an IED.This time the device was left by 2 men riding tandem on a motorcycle who rode non-chalantly over to the gas pumps and left it in a plastic bag.This time however the IED detonated but for an unkown reason failed to set off the petrol underneath it.No casualties.

On Election Day,Monday,May 10th,2010 at 1040AM,in Barangay Kapimpilan,North Kabuntalan,in that same province of Maguindanao,Sukarno Paglas was shot to death in the neck and chest,dying just 100 meters from a polling site as he tried to run into Barangay Bagungdang.The firefight that killed him was between the camps of 2 prospective vice Mayors,Bhernie Mamolintao Bagungdang (PMP) and Muslimin Guiama Baliwan (party unknown though initially it was said that it was with the camap of the Lakas-KAMPI-CMD candidate for Vice Mayor,Raul Vidal,a Bisayan).

That same day,May 10th,in Barangay Poblacion in Shariff Aguak,a poll site at Sasez Elementary School was hit by a grenade thrown by 2 men on a motorcycle.

Also on election Day,in the town of Datu Salibo,also in Maguindanao Province,voting was suspended after an RPG (BM2) attack near a PNP station.The road and bridge into the adjacent municipality of Datu Piang were closed down stranding many residents of both towns as fighting was heavy in Datu Piang as well.It began when BIAF snipers from the 105 Base Command,positioned in Barangay Pagatin,began firing on AFP soldiers in Barangay Dapiawan.The AFP in turn positioned snipers with 50 caliber Barrets in 3 positions along the Barangay's main road,and they continued firing into Barangay Pagatin for most of the day.

Also on Election Day,in S.K.Pendatun,another town in Maguindanao Province,50 meters from the poll site in Barangay Lao Lao,three IEDS were disarmed after being discovered throughout the day.The goal of course being to disrupt the elections and keeping people from voting at that site.The last device was found at 247PM.

Meanwhile,at 1145Am that morning in Barangay Datu Saligop,in the municipality of Datu Unsay,also in Maguindanao Province,the Ampatuan Paramilitary clashed with the 39IB shortly after three IEDs detonated in that barangay.As the firefight took place a 4th IED detonated as well with the government claiming no casualties,a point which I will address at the end of all my Election Day wrap up entries.

That evening at the 4th Call to Prayer (Islamic) 2 guerillas from the aforementioned Ampatuan Paramilitary were killed in a firefight with the 45th IB,just outside Barangay Poblacion in Ampatuan.

At 11AM Tuesday, May 25th, 2010,in Barangay Dansalan,in the town of Rajah Buayan in Maguindanao Province,Barangay Captain Datu Norodin Utto and his paramilitary came under attack from the Ampatuan Paramilitary.
Datu Utto's men,numbering roughly 50 gunmen were assaulted by 57MM and 90MM recoiless rifle and 60MM mortar volleys before being approached from different directions by approximately 200 guerillas being personally led by the new leader of the force,Bahnarin Ampatuan,a grandson of Andal Sr.,and like his grandfather and almost 70 other clansmen, under indictment for the massacre.No word on paramilitary casulaties but 2 civlians were killed.

Again on Thursday May 27th,from 7AM to 3PM an 8 hour long firefight took place after mortar volleys.In this last attack the Ampatuan Paramilitary were led by 2 underlings,Kagi Nasser and Kagi Sangatin.The 2,500 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,i.e."Refugees") that resulted from this clash are camping along the Sultan Buayan to Sultan sa Barougis National Hiway.

On June 2nd,2010,at 9AM,in Barangay Balunan in the town of Datu Odin Sinsuat,the 6IB engaged 25 BIAF guerillas in from the 105th Base Command in a 1 hour firefight before the guerillas withdrew into the Liguasan Marsh.The BIAF had been on the National Hiway laying IEDs.AFP snipers manned 50 caliber Barrets and artillery batteries of 105 MM Howitzers pounded the marsh afterwards.It is worth noting that in early May leadership of the 105th Base Command,at least on paper,passed to an underling of Kumander Kato,sub-Kumander Zacaria Goma.Goma is a long time MILF/BIAF vet who is known for a more moderate outlook despite his having worked directly under Kato for nearly 2 decades. "Moderate"in this case is certainly a relative term.As I noted earlier,I will hash that out in a subsequent entry.

On June 8th,2010 in Sultan sa Barongis,in Maguindanao Province,the BIAF's 105th Base Command fighting under sub-Kumander Bedai Mosayden battled with a CVO formed out of a demobilised MNLF (Moror National Liberation Front) Brigade,under Kumander Abu Samin Sampalo,causing 2,500 people to become IDPs.The 33IB was on site but refused to get involved,as always citing its obligations under the GPH-MILF Peace Process.The fighting continued sporadically until Saturday,June 12th when it intensified causing even more IDPs and even spilled over into the municipality of Montawal and threatened to ignite an even wider sub-conflict with Kumander Urao's BIAF element.As of this posting, June 21st,2010,things have calmed down to an even simmer with sporadic clashes taking place and almost all of the IDPs still homeless.

MILF Armed Contacts,Second Quarter of 2010:104 Base Command vs. MNLF-MMSC,BIAF vs.Paramilitary in Montawal and the 113 Base Command vs.the AFP on the Lanao/Zamboangan Border

As I had related in my previous post,the BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,the MILF armed wing) 104 Base Command is currently engaged in a sub-conflict on the borders of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat Provinces.The BMA (Bangsamoro Army,the armed wing of the MNLF,in this case a nascent faction known as the Mainland Mindanao State Committee which is aligned with the EC15 Faction),under Kumander Faizel"Randy"Karon and based in Barangay Tran, Lebak,Sultan Kudarat Province is battling the BIAF 104 Base Command under Kumander Jing Caludtiag.His faction is based in Barangay Laguitan,Datu Blah Sinsuat,Maguindanao Province,immediately bordering the MNLF's afore mentioned Barangay Tran.

The flare up began on Monday,June 7th,2010 and as usual centred on a crossing of the Declared Peace Zone that sits directly on the provincial border.On June 9th,2009 both sides had signed a Peace Agreement mediated by the UN's"Act for Peace Programme"and witnessed by the local Maguindanowan Datu of the Sinsuat Clan,the local Royal House that controls both sides of that particular border.Present as well were leading members of both the MILF/BIAF and the MNLF-EC15/BMA.The June agreement had been facilitated to end a"minor"conflict that had been flaring up on and off again since early 2007.

It had originally began in 2004 when the BMA had disarmed an BIAF contingent that had crossed into Barangay Tran in violation of a de facto agreement.Small skirmishes had taken place since that time but the March of 2009 flare up killed at least to 60 civlians as well as 1 BMA guerilla.

This month's engagement has caused 6,000 more civlians to become IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,a.k.a. REFUGEES).The AFP's (Armed Forces of the Philippines) 38th IB (Infantry Battalion) is partially deploying along the provincial border in a process that began on June 10th,after first refusing to get involved citing ongoing commitments to the GHP (Govt. of the Philippines)-MILF Peace Process.The AFP usually takes the position that commitments to the Peace Process preclude any armed action.As of this posting the AFP has not engaged either side and its presence seems to have kept both sides from engaging each other.

It is also worth noting that Kumander Karon was the ARMM's (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) Seceratary of Natural Resources under MNLF founder and now its main factional leader,Nur Misuari (when Misuari was ARMM Governor from 1996 to 2001).

This of course has not been the only MILF/BIAF action over the last couple of months.On Sunday,May 17th an MILF "Lost Command" (Rogue Element) under Kumander Kakem Urao has been involved in some post-election hijinx in its home village,Baranagay Bulod,in the town of Montawal in Maguindanao Province.Urao backed incumbent Mayor Ohto Montawal who won re-election.His main opponent,the defeated Datu Arkhan Matalam has accused Urao of barring his supporters from voting,by gunpoint.

On the date in question,at 8AM,3 sitios (small villages that are the equivalent to a Western"neighbourhood"in municipal terms) in Baranagy Bulod were burned to the ground.Lt.Jimson Dugenio,the CO (Commanding Officer) of the 7th IB's Charlie Company (Company C) suggests that it was Datu Matalam's right hand man,Abdul Karim who set the fires.Karim,Datu Matalam and many villagers however point the finger at the MILF/BIAF.

On Wednesday,May 12th,still angered over not being allowed to vote,Angka Sapi of Datu Matalam's camp physically attacked some of Mayor Montawal's men.The next day,May 13th,Mayor Montawal's man"Uzi"Ampatuan burned a good portion of Barangay Balatongcaya,the barangay next to Barangay Bulod.Balatongcaya is home to Matalam and many in his camp. Ampatuan was assisted by Manalao Guiamel who is actually not only a resident of Baranagay Balatongcaya but a Barangay Councilor as well (talking about"cutting off your nose to spite your face").It is also worth noting that he is a rival of his own Barangay Captain which probablly explains his burning his own barangay.Fast forward to May 17th and the burning of Barangay Bulod;Immediately after the 3 sitios were burned,Kumander Urao and his men had THEIR homes burned,as in an act of retaliation so it seems that the AFP is wrong on this one but that is not really suprising,and as usual the AFP is not getting involved citing"familiy politics"as its raison d'etre.

Meanwhile,yet another 500 villagers have become IDPs,camping along National Hiway and begging for rice.

On Saturday,April 17th in Barangay Payong,Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte Province,the 35IB was on patrol near Bundok Payong (Mt. Payong) when they inadvertantly crossed paths with an element of the BIAF's 113 Base Command whose main base of operations is on that mountain.The 113 Base Command is under Kumander Aloy al Ashree but the element involved in the fire fight was the 113th's 4th Brigade under Kumander Latip Jamaat whose AOR (Area of Responsibility) is the entire Zamboanga Peninsula.

It is Jamaat's Brigade that is often erroneously identified as a BIAF,or as most Filipinos call it,MILF"Lost Command."when the media discusses the MILF/BIAF's involvement in most of Zamboanga's KFRs (Kidnappings for Ransom) it automatically labels any MILF/BIAF element as a so called"Lost Command."In reality there are no such things.

The priests from Zamboanga?Father Sinott,the Irish Columban Order priest who was kidnapped from Pagadian City? He was held on Bundok Payong.The mountain actually sits on the borderof Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga.