Kidnap for Ransom for the Second Quarter of 2012, Part III: Jordanian Journalist Baker Abdullah Atyani, Part 2

The choice to use Mayor Alvarez Isnaji of Indanan as negotiator had not been made by sub-Kumander Sulayman "Abu Haris" Patta. Although Professor Octavio Dinampo, Philippine newsanchor Ces Orena Drilon and her two man crew were held in Abu Haris's camp, Haris himself served under Gafur Jumdail (his name is often mangled by the shoddy Philippine media hacks as "Gapur Jundain"), who had laid claim to the jungle covered badlands lying between the iconic Bud Daho and Matanding Hill, two extinct volcanos. This forbidding expanse, known to the AFP, or Armed Forces of the Philippines as the Karawan Complex, a sector in which five of the island's municipalities converge. Jumdail, in turn, served as the right hand man to his brother, Kumander Gumbahali "Dr. Abu Pula" Umbra Jumdail, the leader of a strong faction within the ASG, or Abu Sayyaf Group. It was Gumbahali Jumdail, a veteran of the MNLF, who opted to use his well respected superior in the MNLF, Alvarez Isnaji.

Mayor Isnaji's son, Haider "Jun" Isnaji was quite close to several members of ASG serving under Abu Haris, the ASG minion charged with actually capturing and holding Ces Drilon and her three companions. In fact three of his cousins were among the kidnappers. Initially Drilon saw Isnaji as an ally, even a savior when-from Drilon's perspective-Isnaji intervened to save Drilon's cameraman Angelo Valderrama from what she believed to be certain decapitation. Although Drilon has presented herself as having been incredibly stoic and firmly resolute during her ordeal, the truth of the matter is, she remained on the verge of hysteria throught most of her captivity. When, on June 11th, her captor's opening ransom demand quickly devolved into Abu Haris reeling in a murderous rage, it was Isnaji whom Drilon begged to intervene.

Drilon had been speaking with her family's chosen negotiator, the Vice Governor of Sulu Province, Lady Anne Sahidula, and per ASG insistence, had had the call on the phone's loudspeaker. Responding to ASG's opening gambit of P20Million ($400,000), Vice Governor Sahidula explained that Drilon's family could only afford P2 Million ($40,000). Abu Haris had been listening intently, struggling to follow the conversation in Tagalog, a language rarely spoken fluently south of Luzon. Upon hearing that Drilon, the captive he had hoped would provide the lionsshare of the colkective ransom, could only generate a paltry P2 Million, he ordered his men to drag Drilon's two man crew-Angelo Valderrama and Jimmy Encarnacion-through the mud before having them kneel back to back. While screaming that he was going to have all four captives killed, he had the two men tied to one another, by their wrists. Now much calmer, but much more menacingly, Abu Haris told Drilon quite matter of factly, that if the entire ransom of P20 Million ($40,000) was not received by 2PM the following day, June 12th, Angelo Valderrama would be decapitated. As Ces Drilon once again slipped into hysteria one of the guerillas standing next to crew member Jimmy Encarnacion looked leeringly at Drilon and advised her to do her makeup so that she would look her best when her loved ones opened up the box containing her severed head.

After several minutes the fourth captive, Professor Octavio Dinampo, himself a Tausug like their captors, warned Drilon that if they did not do something quickly, Angelo Valderrama would certainly die. He quickly explained that in Tausug culture consensus ranks all important so that, having made a definitive threat, Abu Haris could not renege even if he wanted to. Because a consensus had been reached on that issue, it was now entirely out of his hands. Dinampo recommended that they make an acceptable counter-offer along the lines of something much more attractive than the aforementioned P2 Million serving as an advance payment on the P20 Million total. Dinampo recommended offering P10 Million in exchange for the release of one of the captives, and barring the delivery of that amount, accepting P5 Million to extend the deadline. This would allow Abu Haris to save face if he called off the 2PM deadline.
Drilon quickly nodded in agreement and Dinampo approached Abu Haris. Returning to Drilon's side he informed her that Abu Haris had agreed to discuss the counter-offer with his men and if the managed to reach another consensus on the issue, he would let Dinampo know.

As the sun sank below the horizon both Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderrama were led to seperate hammocks with one arm tied to one of the supporting trees. Dinampo and Drilon could do nothing more, so both watched and waited. Just after 9PM Abu Haris approached the plastic tarp where Dinampo and Drilon were laying restlessly. Grinning from ear to ear, Abu Haris informed the two that a consensus had been reached. A minimum downpayment of P5 Million ($100,000) would forstall Valderrama's impending decapitation. Drilon was handed a cellphone and instructed to make the ransom arrangements. Afraid that Vice Govenor Sahidullah's involvement might cause Abu Haris to once again become enraged, Drilon adressed the Vice Governor as "sister" and stated in no uncetrtain terms that P5 Million needed to be delivered to Mayor Isnaji Alvarez by 2PM the following afternoon.

That evening, Drilon's brother Frank left Manila aboard a private jet carrying a duffel bag with P5 Million ($100,000). Landing in Jolo City at just after 2AM he was met by Vice Governor Sahidullah and Senior Superintendent (SSupt) Winnie Quidato, who presented himself as pointman for the DILG, or Department of the Interior and Local Government. Frank got a quick update and handed off the money before climbing back aboard the jet for his flight home to Manila. Vice Governor Sahidullah and SSupt.Quidato then made their way to the municipality of Indanan where the money was given to Mayor Isnaji. It took Isnaji several hours to communicate receipt of the money but when he did, he explained that of the P5 Million earmarked for ASG, P2 Million would be needed to pay off a host of important personalities, including Vice Governor Sahidullah. An additional P1 Million was being taken by Isnaji himself, as his "commission." After all, he had just begun a costly run for the Governorship of the ARMM, or Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. Factional leader Gumbahali Jumdail was in no position to argue, he had just received an effortless P1 Million for himself, and another to be divvied up by his brother Gafur and Abu Haris.

The next day, at 140PM, Abu Haris informed Drilon and Dinampo that Valderrama would not be dying. An hour later, barely able to contain himself, Haris again approached Dilon and informed her that the ransom was already with Mayor Isnaji and that he had been instructed to release Angelo Valderrama as a "present." That evening, as the guerillas celebrated their good fortune, Valderrama said his emotional goodbyes to his colleagues and Professor Dinampo. At just past midnite, June 13th, when Abu Haris and twelve of his men began escorting Valderrama out of the jungle. At 830PM that night, Valderrama was handed off to Mayor Isnaji's son Haider in the municipality of Talipao's Barangay Sinumaan. Taken to Isnaji's compound in Indanan, he was fed a good meal and then passed to the PPO-Sulu, or Police Provincial Office for Sulu Province for the requisite medical exam and debriefing.

Back in the Karawan Complex, the three remaining captives sat uneasily, the joy of Valderrama's release had quickly evaporated, if it had ever touched them at all. Still, with only ten guerrilas in the camp, and their leader gone, there was a more relaxing atmosphere, though "relaxing" is about as misplaced adjective as one could imagine. Whatever good cheer might have been had was hopelessly out of reach when, on the next day, June 14th, Abu Haris led his column of guerilas back into camp. When the group returned they joyfully passed out what amounted to six months wages there abouts, but even the guerillas' good cheer was fleeting as Abu Haris immediately gave the order to break camp.

As the guerillas began packing Abu Haris approached the three captives, now being kept together, and informed them that if at least half of the remaining P15 Million ($300,000) in outstanding ransom money was not delivered by June 16th, one of the three captives would be beheaded. Once again Ces Drilon segued from highly emotional into outright hysteria, causing a dismayed Abu Haris to add that Mayor Isnaji had requested, as a concession, that the deadline be extended until June 17th, and so it had been arranged.

As it turned out, the new encampment has a mere 30 minutes downhill, on the western slope of Matanding Hill, and after quickly settling in, Abu Harris rounded up the ten guerillas who had left behind when Angelo Valderrama had been released. They were now being given the same opportunity to quickly visit their home and distribute their share of the ransom to their loved ones.

The new camp consisted of "nipas," bamboo framed huts with palmleaf thatched walls. However, they lacked roofs and so once again, plastic tarps were spread over head to protect the captives from the elements. As if waiting for the new deadline of June 16th to pass was not difficult enough, on June 14th, the three captives had awoken to a lengthly mortar barrage as the AFP's 81MM mortar shells rained down upon an MNLF-EC15 (Executive Council of 15) came in the municipality of Indanan's Barangay Siyunugan. Of 25 rounds that dropped that morning in Sitio Timaho, four made direct hits on residential homes, wounding five civilians in addition to an undetermined number of MNLF guerillas:

1) Sitti Bia Bahara

2) Merna Abon

3) Wawan Ibni

4) Apa Atan

5) Ismael Idja

In addition, all of the nearly 200 families living in the sitio were made into "Bakwits," Philippine speak for "IDPs," or Internally Displaced Persons...refugees. MNLF-EC15 Kumander Sumimpal Khanain correctly noted that ASG stayed wel clear of his camp, and indeed, was rarely seen on that side of Bud Kapok, the dormant volcano upon which the camp sits. The AFP engaged in alot of double talk, claiming intermittingly that it was merely a drill...a long planned push for the year old OPlan Ultimatim...a surgical strike aiming to neutralize Jemayah Islamiyyah, or JI bombmaker Umar Patek...anything, as long as it wasnt the truth. In fact, it was a punative response aimed at Mayor Alvarez Isnaji, the highest ranking MNLF-EC15 figure in Sulu Province. The pointman for the DILG? SSupt.Winnie Quidato? He was actually a PNP, or Philippine National Police intelligence operative. During the delivery of the initial P5 Million,
Quidato had amassed enough circumstantial evidence to convince his superiors that Isnaji was neck deep in the Drilon KFR. The mortar volley on Bud Kapok was Isnaji's wakeup cal

As if a mortar attack isnt a miserable enough way to be woken up, after finally getting some much needed sleep later in the day, Drilon and her two companions were angrily woken up by screaming guerillas who accused them of mounting an escape attempt. Conditions worsened considerably when Drilon and her remaining crew member, Jimmy Encarnacion, each had their wrists tied together, with Encarnacion's wrists tied behind his back.

On June 16th the day began with the guerillas threatening to decapitate Jimmy Encarnacion and giving Drilon the phone, instructing her to contact her family for the next installment of the ransom. Instead Drilon called Senator Loren Legarda. The Senator, an opportunist if ever one existed, had obtained Drilon's cellphone number from Senator Franklin Drilon, related to Ces by her husband. Gaining the number, Legarda began texting Ces and so, just as she had with Mayor Alvarez Isnaji, Drilon began her over-reliance on yet another self-serving politician.

At just before noon Jimmy Encarnacion was prepared for beheading while Ces Drilon was once again instructed to pgone her family for an update on the ransom installment. Again Drilon sureptitiously phoned Senator Legarda and earned a hard slap in the face for her troubles. Drilon hit the floor hard, crying and moaning, she witnessed Jimmy being beaten with the stock of an M16. As Jimmy cried, begging for his life, the cellphone Drilon had just used began ringing. The guerilla that answered the call listened carefully, ended the call and began lauging joyously as he informed the shocked captives they were being released.

Unbeknownst to Ces Drilon and her fellow captives, while she had made her first phone call to Senator Legarda that motning, two duffel bags, each containing P7.5 Million ($175,000) had been leaving Manila aboard private jet. In Zamboanga City the bags were transferred to a chartered Southeast Asian Airlines (Seair) flight to Jolo City, in order to circumvent the extra-heavy media attention that could easily derail the ransom payoff. More to the point, Drilon's very high public profile had the Government extremely nervous over its "No Ransom Policy." Officialy, it is illegal to pay a ransom. Unofficialy, noone really cares EXCEPT when the media gets yet another golden opportunity to showcase Government hypocrisy. When the chartered plane landed in Jolo City the PNP Aviation Services Group was highly suscpicious seeing as how a charteted airline devoid of passengers had just landed and refiled a Flight Plan with almost no turn around time.

The PNP searched the plane and of course quickly discovered the two unaccompanied duffelbags full of cash. As the police prepared to steal...I mean "seize" the money, local attorney Nasser Inawat stepped forward inside the airport terminal with a written order from Vice Governor Sahidullah and was handed both bags. Inawat, a fomer member of the ARMM CLA (Consultative Regional Assembly) then delivered the money to Mayor Isnaji. Though he surely would have wished to do otherwise, Isnaji was now compelled by the ASG to turn over all the cash, his commision having been covered already.

Ces Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion, and Professor Octavio Dinampo ended their nine day sojourn with a five hour walk into the municipality of Talipao's Barangay Kagay. There, Vice Governor Sahidullah accompanied disheveled but ecstatic Drilon and her companions to the Isnaji compound in Indanan. Fed, bathed and given a bed to sleep in, the three along with their hosts, Alvarez Isnaji and his son Haider, were driven into Jolo City very early the next morning and from there took an AFP Huey (UH-1H helicopter) to Zamboanga City. Professor Dinampo left them there and Drilon and Encarnacion boarded a private jet bound for Manila with the Isnajis

The Isnajis were arrested after two days of interrogation at PNP Headquarters, Camp Crame. By October everyone of the eight young men who initially took custody of Ces Drilon and her companions had been arrested but so what? aged.14 through 21, the most educated among them had a fifth grade education. less than P1,000 ($20) each, their lives were ruined by those tasked with leading them...people like Mayor Alvarez Isnaji. Isnaji and his son just had their cases re-filed on Money Laundering charges, after escaping the more serious Kidnapping charges but alas, I will have to get to that sordid tale in a "Political Developments" entry.

The operative lesson here is that a journalist, Ces Drilon, thought herself entirely above the fray. Even after being warned not to do so by her superior Ms.Drilon still saw fit to endanger her crew in hopes of sticking another feather into her cap. Her employer, the Manila-based network, ABS-CBN, merely gave her a 90 day suspension...while milking her faux paux for all it was worth in the ratings. The scary thing? Ces Drilon was the THIRD case of an interview with the ASG turned into a big money KFR. Just this month, June of 2012, four years almost to the day, yet another journalist thought themselves above the fray. In "Part 3" I will discuss that ongoing abduction.

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.

Political Developments for the Second Quarter of 2010, Part V: Misamis Election Related Violence

Election 2010 (May 10, 2010) was violent countrywide, as Elections always are in the Philippines. Of course Mindanao always bears the brunt of this violence and Misamis Occidental was no exception, sadly. Though less volataile than other parts of the island it still gained no immunity from the bloodletting. Located in North-Central Mindanao, bordering Misamis Oriental Province, the Zamobanga Peninsula, and Lanao del Norte Province the low intensity conflict is unavoidable, geography being what it is.

The first incident took place on December 5th, 2009 in the municipality of Concepcion when a Barangay Captain from the Nacionalista Party was killed by a man armed with a 45 pistol. In an unusual turn of events however the killer was arrested in March of 2010 in the province's Oroquieta City. The sad and highly predictable news is that he remained mum as to who had contracted the killing and the circumstances surrounding it.

On December 20th, 2009 in Barangay Tabo-o in the town of Jimenez local political affairs journalist Daniel "Danny" Pilar was feeding his chickens at the back of his home when an unknown attacker threw an M79 fragmentation grenade over his roof in an attempt to kill him. The grenade landed on the rear portion of the roff before rolling down the highly inclined tarpaper and landed between two slots in a large jalousie window. Unfortunately, Mr. Pilar's father in law, Rodolfo Dulam, was sitting in a chair next to that window reading a newspaper when it detonated. Critically wounded he was rushed to the hospital as the entire family immediately entered the government's brand new Witness Protection Program [sic] which operates very differently from Western programmes of that sort in that one need not be involved in a court proceeding to take advantage of it. Journalists, a very vulnerable demographic in the Philippines have become a hot item on the political agenda with the new Task Force 211 having been created for the investigation of violent crimes against them, thus enabling them to also take advantage of the aforementioned programme.

Mr.Pilar had voluntarily put his local television programme, "Analysis" on a 1 year hiatus and had just restarted production 2 weeks prior to the attack. He had been working on a story targeting a local politician and the Election being what it is, voila. His show, on Misamis Cable Channel #6 focuses on misdeeds of local politicians and overall corruption.

March 6th, 2010 in Barangay Maca-libre Bajo in Oroquieta City, Barangay Captain Lopez Jaena was shot to death by two men who were both armed with 45 pistols. On Election Day votes were still openly bought even though the incumbent was dead, showing just how deeply entrenched these practices really are.

April 13th, 2010 in the municipality of Plaridel a Lakas-KAMPI-CMD campaign organiser was killed by an unknown gunman with a 45 caliber pistol.

That same day in Ozamiz City's Barangay Bacolod the Barangay Captain shot a Liberal Party campaign worker to death in a fight over the Liberal Party candidate, his rival for higher office (Barangay Elections are in October).

The next day, April 14th, 2010, at 4PM on Don Anselmo Bernard Avenue on the borders of Barangays Catadman and Manabay, in Ozamiz City, Barangay Councilor and ex-radio journalist Edwin Sigue (sometimes misspelled as "Segue") was shot to death as he drove his SUV. The killer, riding tandem on a motorcycle shot him three times with a 45 caliber pistol as Mr.Sigue was en route to Clarin in that same province.

Though Mr.Sigue had resigned from his jounalism position after winning his seat as a Barangay Councilor in the previous election (2007), his show had been concentrating on political issues and the station carrying it, FM-DXDB, based in Ozamiz City, reported that they had still been receiving death treats over the issues he had discussed. He was also working as a part time Election Co-ordinator for a candidate running in the 2010 Election for Vice Governor with the campaign being based in Ozamiz City. Shortly before he was killed he had been pressured and threatened to stop his work for that candidate so that it is believed he was killied because of that other candidate and/or his past journalism work and not neccessarily because of his own position as a Councilor.

On April 16th, 2010 in Barangay San Isidro in the town of Calamba, Barangay Councilor and Lakas-KAMPI-CMD party organiser Luciano Sayson was killed making him the 5th Barangay official to be killed in Calamba this Election (I cannot give details on the others since I was unable to find any corroborative information). Reportedly, his death makes 2 Barangay Councilors and 3 Barangay Captains killed just in that 1 small community.

That same day in Barangay Upper Dapitan in the town of Concepcion, Barangay Captain Danny Elianic, a supporter of incumbent Mayor Pilota, was approached by Roldan Tinae, a well known gunman for (then) Vice Mayor Juanidy Vina who was hoping to unseat Mayor Pilota. Sensing that Vina wanted to do more than talk, Elianic made a run for it. As he correctly surmised, Tinae began unloading shots from his 45 caliber pistol causing Elianic to jump off a roadside cliff and into a steep ravine. Hitting the bottom, he escaped death by rolling as Tinae furiously took pot shots, luckily missing him.

Also in Concepcion, on April 23rd, 2010 in Barangay Marugang, Vina's gunmen terrorised most of the barangay, a strong support base for Mayor Pilota. Reading off of a list of addresses they began strafing particular homes. Luckily noone was killed but several children were badly injured in the stampede of frightened residents trying to escape the mayhem.

In this same town, on April 28th, 2010 a Barangay Councilor who supports Mayor Pilota was walking with his wife, heading to their home in the cool of the evening when 2 men riding tandem on a motorcycle rushed by, the man on the rear shooting the Councilor, Dario Elonor to death. Luckily his wife was uninjured.

On May 03, 2010 in this same town, Concepcion, Mayor Benjamin Dequina Pilota Jr., a retired AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Colonel formally requested that COMELEC (Election Authority) place the town under its control so as to avoid predicted violence. Cognisant of the issues involved at Election Time Mayor Pilota specifically requested that any AFP detachments deployed be posted outside of affected barangays so as to avoid a uniformed presence that might intimidate prospective voters. His request also specifically mentioned Vice Mayor and rival for the Mayoralty, Juanidy Vina, and alleges that Vina is in violation of the COMELEC imposed maximum on number of Armed Men in a Security Detail.

His request was denied but the extra attention apparently ended up doing the trick because after the earlier bursts of violence Vina left well enough alone and refrained from acting out again.

Friday, May 7th, 2010 in the municipality of Sincaban, incumbent Mayoral candidate Dello Lood found himself the subject of a PNP SAF (Special Action Force) raid on his compound, supposedly for weapons related to a small paramilitary commanded by Lood.The Warrant, issed by Judge Rio Concepcion Anchas of Ozamis City in that same province was for a single residence, only for firearms but when the Warran was executed it was done so by a single PNP officer, Amazingly, this single officer was a PO1, the lowest rank in the PNP.

The PNP PO1 whose name was never released, as is often the case when such things are swept under the rug didnt pay more than a glance at Lood's own house but instead scoured the home of Lood's aunt who resides next to Lood, within that same compound. As the PNP officer exited the aunt's home Lood, who had been summoned by one of his servants who wasted no time in calling the Mayor, led a boisterous crowd who could fairly be described as a howling mob. They deamnded that the officer drop the bag he was carrying out of the aunt's home. The officer refused, made a dash for his official vehicle and quickly locked himself inside as the crowd nearly over-turned the auto.

The terrified officer summon allied municipal officials who managed to negotiate a deal with the crowd that allowed them to search the bag. Searching the bag they were stunned to find nearly 300,000 Pesos. Lood quickly checked his cash reserves of nearly 1 million Pesos (roughly 20,000 US) and found almost 700,000 missing. At that point the officer knew he'd been had and begged to be allowed to surrender with some semblance of safety. The municipal officials on site negotiated the issue and the officer was escorted to Governor Loreto Leo Ocampos and permitted to surrender to him.

It is worth noting that not only were no firearms found in either of the two homes searched, Lood's and his aunts, the Warrant was not executed properly, nor was it issued properly since the Judge in question, Rio Concepcion Anchas, did not have jurisdiction over Sinabacan. His powers of authority ended in the neighbouring municipality of Jimenez.

That weekend on Camiguin Island, off the coast of Misamis Oriental Province, some journalists ran into a very worrying situation. Long the bastion of the Romulado Clan it is extremely well known as being rife with political corruption though actual violence is rare owing to the vice like grip, almost dictatorial, exerted by that family. The journalists in question are all local stringers who sell footage and/or reports based upon predicted public interest. What better way to make some money then than to take a short ferry ride out to Camiguin?

It began with a mysterious SMS (text) message from Rolando Gono, a news jock on 106.3 FM in Cagayan de Oro City, in Misamis Oriental Province. The SMS, sent to friends and fellow journalists, father and son Herbert Hugo Dumaguing, 43, and Hubert Junior, in which Gono said that he was surrounded by Romulado paramilitary soldiers who were man handling him and he felt imminent danger was at hand. The Dumaguins who freelance video news footage with the father as anchor and Hubert on camera then rushed to their comrade's aid.

A truly news worthy issue in the province was the victory of a member of the famed Jalosjos Clan of Zamboanga del Sur Province who won the Mayoralty of Baliango, in Misamis Occidental Province. The Jalosjos are a political dynasty I had talked about when I did my entry on Zamboanga and its extra-heavy Election Related Violence. The Clan Patriarch Romeo (his actual name) fell from grace when convicted in 1995 of Statutory Rape against a 13 yearold girl. Sentenced to 2 Life Sentences his ally, former-President Gloria M. Arroyo commuted his sentence to Time Served, 13 years, 5 months and 5 days citing his "Good Time Allowance" (Hey! I thought he used THAT allowance in 1995!).

He was released in time to see two sons unseat the Hofer Dynasty, the Clan ruling neighbouring Zamboanga Sibugay Province, an upset most (including myself) did not see coming. More to the point, THIS Jalosjos, daughter Sveltana, caused alot of controversy since according to all but her closest supporters, she has never lived in Misamis Occidental. As expected people filed Grievances with COMELEC on this issue and on July 30th, 2010 COMELEC ruled that indeed she had failed to prove residency and so she has been unseated.