theregions


Japan IMT to remain in Mindanao


THE Japanese government decided to extend the tour of duty of Japan’s In- ternational Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao to continue its partici- pation in the peace process in the re- gion, its embassy in Manila said. In a statement, the Japanese em-


bassy in Manila said that the deci- sion of Japan to continue sending troops to Mindanao is in response to the request of the Philippine gov- ernment for the IMT to stay for an- other three months from December 9 to early next year.


Japan joined the IMT as the first non-Muslim country in October 2006. Since then, Japan has been dispatching two experts on recon- struction and development of Mindanao as part of the socio-eco- nomic component of the IMT. The Malaysian-led IMT has played a key role in ensuring the imple- mentation of the ceasefire agree- ment between the government of the Philippines and the Moro Is- lamic Liberation Front (MILF). Monitoring peace has been vital in reducing clashes between the rebel group and government forces. Since its entry into force ending October this year, there have only been three armed encounters moni- tored by the IMT. The figure is a far cry from the 110 clashes that occurred from the same period in 2009. The decades-old territorial dispute


between the MILF and the govern- ment forces gained momentum and caused armed conflicts after the scrap- ping of the territorial agreement by the Supreme Court in mid-2008. Various governments have al- ready expressed their willingness to participate in ensuring lasting peace in Mindanao, Japan included. The Japanese Embassy in Manila has ear- lier said that peace in the region will not only be beneficial for the gov- ernment and the MILF, but for the Philippines in general, especially when it comes to the country’s rela- tionship with other Muslim coun- tries, as well as economic relations with its Asian neighbors. BERNICE CAMILLE V. BAUZON


The Manila Times THURSDAY BY ERNIE B. ESCONDE CORRESPONDENT


D e cember 9, 2010


A 7


AMAL, Bataan: The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Wednesday lifted the shellfish ban in Bataan imposed last November 5 on the gathering, selling, transporting and eating of shellfish.


Provincial Agriculturist Imelda Inieto made the announcement at the Samal Municipal Hall in Bataan after receiving the fax message from the bureau a few minutes before 12 noon. “The red tide toxin is no longer present in shellfish around Bataan. tahong [Philippine green mussels] and talaba [oysters] are now safe to


BFAR lifts shellfish ban in Bataan S


eat,” Inieto said in Filipino. With the lifting of the ban, the agriculturist said she was hopeful, the affected fishermen and those in the business of shellfish would be happy after their livelihood was greatly affected for a month and two days. The BFAR Shellfish Advisory dated


December 8 stated that the Bataan coastal waters in the towns of Limay, Pilar, Orion, Mariveles, Orani, Abucay and Samal and the City of Balanga are already negative for Paralytic Shellfish Poison after three consecutive weeks of sampling in the area. The last samples of water and shell- fish meat were taken Tuesday and sent to BFAR office in Quezon City. “Shellfishes harvested in the Bataan coastal waters are now safe for human consumption and likewise the gath- ering, harvesting and marketing of shellfishes in the area are now permit- ted,” the bureau advisory said. Mayor Gene de la Fuente of Samal


welcomed the news. “My people will be very pleased on this report. They have been waiting and wishing for this. Now they can have a better


Christmas,” the mayor of the town badly hit by red tide said in Filipino. Earlier, a few hours before the announcement of the lifting of the shellfish ban, a group of fishermen and their dependents rallied in front of the Samal Municipal Hall de- manding the lifting of the ban that affected their livelihood for more than a month.


De la Fuente said that the state of calamity imposed in Samal as a re- sult of the red tide would now be lifted. “But we will continue to pro- vide assistance to all of the families affected by the red tide, as they could not immediately recoup their losses,” the mayor said. Raul de la Rosa, a stallholder in the Samal Public Market thanked the lifting of the ban. “They should


TOP Botanist Leonard Co and two other companions were not killed in a crossfire when government troops and members of the New People’s Army (NPA) clashed in the forest of Kanaga town in Isabela province last month. This was the conclusion of the citizens’ fact-finding team mission, which was organized to conduct a separate probe regarding the death of Co and companions Sofronio Cortez, forest guard and farmer Julius Borromeo on November 15. Co and four other companions


were pursuing research work for the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) and were surveying an area in Manawan-Kanaga water shed in Leyte when members of the Amry’s 19th Infantry Battalion fired on them.


The military has been claiming that members of the 19th Infan- try Battalion were pursuing a group of communist rebels spot- ted in the area and eventually led in an encounter.


But the fact finding mission were able to established that there was no crossfire and based on the evidence gathered at the site, the gunshots


came only from one direction—and that is from the vantage point of where the military were positioned. Dr. Giovanni Tapang, chairman


surrender of the firearms of the said military officers.


of Advocates of Science and Tech- nology for the People (Agham) also added that the team did not observe any bullet marks that came from any other side except from area where the military troops are positioned. “The only consistent explanation for these key observations would be that the military was positioned on top of the ridge and firing towards Co’s group. There was no indication of any crossfire,” Tapang said dur- ing the press conference held at In- stitute of Biology at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City. Besides the findings the group also came up with recommendation to be able to help forge closure on the tragic incident and this include the calling of an investigation and filling of appropriate charges against those connected with the military command involve in the shooting. They also want the 19th Infantry Battalion to release the names of the members of the squad and platoon including their commanding offic- ers involve in the shooting and the


The liability of the military per- sonnel who failed to give the victim Borromeo immediate medical at- tention and evacuate him to a nearby hospital should also be in- vestigated and charges should be filed against them. It was learned that despite re- peated request of the survivors Ronino Gibe and Policarpio Balute, the soldiers even waiting for at least an hour before they decided to bring down the bodies and the survivors. Tapang presented the result of


the investigation to the families of the victims and will also be send- ing copies to the Department of Justice and the Commission on Human Rights.


Also the group formally launched the Movement for Justice for Leonard Co and companions which is comprised of supporters, family, friends and civil-society groups that aims to spearhead the campaign, monitor the developments of the case and pursue the issue until jus- tice has been served and the perpetuators are held accountable. JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA


Thousands of families displaced as floods hit Dipolog


COTABATO CITY: Thousands of families have been displaced as flashfloods triggered by heavy rains hit southern Philippines, officials said Tuesday. Over 6,000 families were dis- placed in the city of Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte province,


when floodwaters submerged their villages following heavy downpour that started on Monday, said Social Welfare and Development Informa- tion officer Lucilo Benerado. A river in that city overflowed, caus- ing flooding in the city’s 13 villages.


In the nearby city of Iligan, some 600 families were also affected by similar flooding. The local disaster control department is closely monitoring the situation and prepar-


Media workers under surveillance


ZAMBOANGA CITY: A group of suspicious-looking men have been spotted near the office of the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines and were believed con- ducting surveillance on staff workers. The unidentified men, who spoke in Tausug, a dialect widely used in the Muslim province of Sulu, were reported tailing staff members. Civil- ians claimed the men were using motorcycles and old cars to observe the media workers. One witness said he saw three suspicious men


on two different cars randomly observing staff members shortly after the village elections in October where its reporters covered the polls in Sulu, one of five provinces under the Muslim au- tonomous region.


Last week, one of its reporters in Cotabato was also threatened, along with other journalists based in the city for a still unknown reason. But the threats were unlikely connected to the activities of the men conducting surveillance of the firm’s staff workers in Zamboanga City. Last year, an unidentified assailant fired one shot from a pistol at the editorial office of the newspaper in Zamboanga City, but the bullet hit its steel door. Reports have been made to authori- ties about the matter and possible suspects. The Mindanao Examiner was founded in 2005, then called the Zamboanga Journal, and has also ventured into online news, cable television broadcast, video productions and offered photography services. AL JACINTO


ARMM teachers to get back wages


COTABATO CITY: Acting Regional Gov. Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) announced the re- lease Monday of P36.5-million fund for the pay- ment of ARMM teachers’ back wages, while at the same time citing the mentors’ vital role in emancipating the Moro communities from the shackle of illiteracy and poverty. Adiong made the announcement during his first State of the Region Address (SORA) deliv- ered here in Cotabato City on Monday, four days before his first anniversary in office. “I wish to inform the public that upon my in- struction, ARMM’s Education Secretary Baratucal Caudang released P36.5 million as another trance of fund for the payment of our teachers’ back wages,” Adiong said in his SORA, which drew a standing ovation and more than 100 applauses at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Center (SKCC) in- side the regional government compound here.


Adiong said that the ARMM with its more than 4 million constituents is the biggest stakeholder of peace and development in Mindanao, and that peace and order problems in the region are not just requiring police and military solutions but have “taken into the proportions of a social prob- lem” where teachers play significant role. “We need them most and my administration is not insensitive to their plight,” Adiong said of the more than 22,000 teachers in ARMM. According to previous reports from Caudang, the regional government owes P124 million to more than 26,000 teachers from the ARMM’s component prov- inces of Sulu, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi and the city of Marawi since 2006. Caudang, for his part, explained that one reason of the delays is the extensive counterchecking of the teachers’ records to root out “ghost” teachers and non-existent schools from the region’s roster. JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL


Mayor joins anti-gambling group


BAGUIO CITY: City Mayor Mauricio Domogan in an unprecedented move joined the Baguio Multisectoral Group (BMG) in opposing all forms of gambling in Baguio and nearby La Trini- dad town during a recent anti-gambling rally. The mayor was not part of the anti-gambling rally organized by the BMG purposely to denounce small town lottery (STL) and illegal gambling’s in Baguio but the mayor was allowed to speak his mind. “I’m one with you against gambling,” said Domogan, as he claimed that his stand would hopefully clear his name from allegations that


he was behind moves to dampen the spirits of those against all forms of gambling. Lead convenors of the multisectoral group like Bishop Carlito Cenzon, Imam Bedejim Abdullah, Rob Ocampo, retired senior pastor Simplicio Dang-awan Sr., and new members, former Mayor Braulio Yaranon and former Councilor Galo Weygan together with hundreds of parents and students were present when the mayor spoke. The anti-STL rally was originally set late last month but it was moved because of inclement weather.


HARLEY F. PALANGCHAO


ing for evacuation of the affected residents if the situation worsens. XINHUA


A FORMER mayor of the town famed for the picturesque Chocolate Hills in Bohol is facing charges before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly manifest- ing frauds against public treasury. Manuel Molino, then mayor of


Carmen, Bohol and Fulgencio Paña, a municipal treasurer, were slapped by complainant Raquel Rejas with illegal exaction charges, a violation of Article 213 of the Revised Penal Code. According to the complaint, both


Bohol officials allegedly conspired to exact an amount of P300 for every business permit application that aggregated to more or less P110,700. The P300 additional charge was purportedly for business plate fee. Rejas said that the debated amount has no legal basis for “there is no approved municipal ordinance authorizing [for its] collection” as can be gleaned from a certification issued by the Provincial Board of Bohol. In his defense, Molina said that “not a


single centavo was lost or used by him or any public officer” and that “all amount collected were properly recorded, audited and deposited to the coffers of Carmen.” He added that under the Local


Government Code, the function to charge additional fee does not fall under his function but under the


municipal treasurer. Paña said that he only collected


charges and fees from the revenue collectors and forwarded the business applications to the mayor’s office. However, “the Office of the Mayor


returned all the applications on the ground that an additional assessment of P300 for the business plate was required,” Paña said in the resolution prepared by the Office of the Ombudsman. Paña said that, as a result, he included in the official receipts of the municipality the P300 to be collected for business permit plates. “It is beyond his [Paña] office to question the wisdom or rationale of the mayor to require a business plate to all applications for a business permit,” the resolution quoted Paña. State auditor Pablita Abellana


confirmed that Molino’s office “collected business plated as additional taxes without authority or approved ordinance.” Abellana added that on March 2009,


the town of Carmen drew a cash advance of P110,700 for the refund of the taxes received but only P107,100 at P300 a taxpayer was paid. In May elections, Molina ran for


reelection under the Nacionalista Party but lost to Conchita de los Reyes. JOHN CONSTANTINE G. CORDON


have lifted that ban since the time the shelfish tested negative for red tide. . . so that those who are de- pendent on the selling and gather- ing of tahong and talaba should not had a hard time to compel people to stage rallies,” he said.


This sentiment was shared by Emiliano Samson, leader of the ral- lying fishermen. “I’m very happy with the report. Our sufferings that lasted for more than a month has finally ended.” the fisherman said. Vendors at the Orani Public Mar- ket expressed joy over the an- nouncement. “It’s good to hear that the red tide is finally gone, we can now recoup our losses,” sellers of shrimps and fish said. A vendor said she incurred losses of P10,000 because of the red tide.


Group says botanist not killed in crossfire Sandiganbayan files illegal exaction raps vs. ex-mayor


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