Kapihan de Zamboanga
By Hader Glang

Voting unworthy candidates a major sin in Islam

Election fever can be felt now everywhere you go. That's because of the campaign period, which will run from October 19, 2007 until October 27, 2007. But what I observe right now, many candidates both for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) are violating election policies.

In the urban barangays in the City of Flowers, not Asia's Latin City, it is observed that many candidates seeking re-election have not spared a single electric post with their campaign posters illegally hung, and believe it or not, other election propaganda are put up outside the Comelec-designated common poster areas.

The question now: what the Comelec officials are doing about these posters hung and pasted illegally? Will they just tolerate it? What about doing their job and start disqualifying the violators? I think they should not just ask candidates to minimize litter but they should take down all these illegal posters now and punish those unscrupulous politicians.

It's very sad to note that aside from illegal postings, most of the Barangay and SK candidates at the present time are subservient or beholden to incumbent influential politicians. Worse is that they receive bribery from these corrupted leaders, who style themselves as pro-poor and pro-people but in reality these are deception for favors later and for their own political future.

In my column recently, I said that corruption in politics is truly widespread that often the person elected to office is not the most qualified. I, therefore, urge the electorates to know and reflect upon the qualities or traits of candidates that deserve our votes. We should realize that each and every one of us has its own share of responsibilities toward our community.

We don't need these personality-oriented politicians anymore whose motivations and activities are directed towards the benefit of their persons and who are only seeking public office for the interest of their friends, masters and relatives.

What we need today are leaders who have their stand on barangay issues, as well as their competence. We should select honest and generous those who pass resolutions beneficial for the whole and use barangay resources for the good of the people.

Don't join these personality-oriented politicians. You know who the deserving candidates are. Vote accordingly and choose candidates, who attend to basic services like collection of garbage, etc., and disregard projects that are short term but give more focus on important projects like improvement of barangay roads.

But most we should support candidates who have integrity, ability and competence to hold public office and most importantly, a platform or political agenda that would tell us what direction he wants to lead our barangay towards.

In Islam, voting in favor of a candidate that one knows is not worthy will be unlawful and a major sin. Allah, Most High, says: "Surely Allah commands you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due and that when you judge between people you judge with justice; surely Allah admonishes you with what is excellent; surely Allah is Seeing, Hearing." (Qur'an, Surah An-Nisa, 58).

One Muslim, Muhammad ibn Adam, Darul Iftah, explains: "In a situation where there is no worthy candidate (as in non-Muslim countries, where at least the ideologies and beliefs of the relevant parties are contrary to the teachings of Islam), then the vote should be given to the one who is the better and more trustworthy than the other candidates."

Therefore, he said, to give a vote on the purely basis of personal connections, family relationship, and the like (when one is aware that the one given the vote is not worthy) will be considered impermissible. Vote should be given to the candidate that one believes will give people their rights, prevent oppression, and so on.

If we really want development in our respective barangays then we should vote those who possess a holistic character – those who have the capacity, knowledge, and the heart to serve, not those who keep on promoting themselves in the media and always lifting their own chairs. We should vote for a candidate based on the qualifications, platform of government and track record – not based on selfish and myopic considerations.

For your comments and suggestions, please e-mail at hader.glang@gmail.com or contact/text at mobile phone # 09203145750

3 NPA rebels killed in Zamboanga del Sur encounter with gov't troops

Three suspected communist rebels were killed in a clash with government troops in Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur on Friday, the military reported Monday.

A delayed report said a combined elements from the 53rd Infantry Battalion and 5th Infantry Battalion backed by militiamen while on combat patrol encountered with the group of a certain Guzman and Pardillo at barangay Lucuan.

The firefight lasted for about 10 minutes, leaving three New People's Army (NPA) rebels dead. Government troops recovered two M16 armalite rifles and various personal belongings from the encounter site after the rebels fled to unknown direction.

Major Eugene Batara, information officer of the Western Mindanao Command, said the communist terrorists are frequently sighted in the said area foraging and extorting residents and farmers.

"They use the barrel of the gun to force our innocent farmers to give a portion of their products as tax. With the poor situation of the people in the countryside, they are really making the economic situation and livelihood of the people miserable," he said.

"They also pose a great danger to the civilians in instances when the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) troops chance upon them putting the civilians in cross fire."

He reminded the people in the area, saying they must be aware of the communists are engaged and must cooperate in their own little way to help government troops get rid of them.

"They are considered hindrance to peace and prosperity because basic services could not be delivered for fear of their presence. Peace and security is also greatly affected which causes investors to shy away from Communist Terrorists affected areas."

Troops killed 1 pirate, seized 2 boats in Tawi-Tawi

Government troops raided Sunday night a suspected lair of local pirates, killing one suspect and seizing two watercrafts with personal belongings in Batu Pantan, Tawi-Tawi, the military reported Monday.

The report said troopers from joint Naval Task Force (NFT62) and Marine Battalion Landing Team 2 (MBLT2) raided an hideout of pirates following persistent reports from local residence on the presence of gunmen at Lagayas.

Major Eugene Batara, Western Mindanao Command public information officer, said the troops took advantage of the cover of darness but were fired upon by the suspected pirates upon detection.

"After two brief encounters, the enemy fled leaving their slain companion, assorted personal belongings and two junkong watercrafts believed to be used in their illegal activities," Batara said.

Authorities monitored local pirates operating in the seawaters of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and victimizing traders and fishermen in the area. These lawless elements are heavily armed and are reported to be wreaking fear to the populace where they decide to harbor or stay.

The people in the area are secretly passing information to the AFP troops and the police which prompted the WesMinCom troops to conduct the raid, according to Batara.

With this operation, he said the government troops assures the residents in the area that the military remains steadfast in its mandate to protect the people against lawless elements.

"This operation is also expected to serve as a warning to all lawless elements and organized crime syndicates, who are doing illegal activities to stop harassing and taking undue advantage of innocent civilians," he said.

Adding that, "the WesMinCom through its various operating units is calling out to all law-abiding citizens to report such kinds of individual and organizations."

"We can only do so much without your help. Be also extra aware of the Abu Sayyaf who have allied themselves with these lawless elements. Let us all cooperate in order to make a psychologically secured and peaceful environment conducive to development."

Misuari's close aide with buddy killed In Sulu

Unidentified armed men shot dead a close aide of jailed Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari in an ambush in Indanan, Sulu on Friday morning.

Reports reaching Zamboanga Southwall said Abdurahman Jamasali, a spokesperson of Misuari, together with an unidentified companion were shot at Barangay Buanza around 6:30 a.m.

It was not clear how the crime committed. But one report said that Jamasali and his companion were walking along Buanza road when ambushed. Another information said the two were riding when attacked by gunmen.

Sulu provincial police chief Ahiron Ajirim was quoted by national media as saying that they are still investigating the incident and who is behind the ambush. "We have yet determine the motive for the attack."

Indanan, where the killing of Jamasali occured, is a known stronghold of the MNLF.

Philippine Marine Corps commandant Major General Mohammand Dolorfino said the death of Jamasali was a big lost to the peace efforts with MNLF in Sulu.

"He is a big lost to our peace efforts in Sulu but I'm sure somebody will replace him," Dolorfino said in an interview over a Zamboanga-based regional television station.

Jamasali helped in the negotiation for the release of General Dolorfino and a top Defense official who were held hostage by a group of rogue MNLF rebels led by Habier Malik early this year in Sulu.

In the last May elections this year, Jamasali, also a former Interior Local Government secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), ran for congress of the 1st District of Sulu but lost in his bid.

He had frequently defended Misuari's actions and had assailed the peace agreement signed between the Philippine Govenment and the MNLF in Septemebr 2, 1996. He had also actively helped in negotiations to free 21 hostages seized by Abu Sayyaf from the Sipadan island in Malaysia and taken to Sulu sometime in 2000.

US forces rotation in Mindanao next month

The Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) announced Wednesday that a number of US troops assigned in Central and Western Mindanao will be transitioning over the next month as part of the standard rotation of US military personnel deployed in the Southern Philippines.

Major General Nelso Allaga, WesMinCom chief, said the transitioning is part of the standard rotation of US military personnel deployed in Mindanao and it is necessary due to the temporary nature of the US presence in Mindanao, confirming the fact that the US does not maintain any permanent bases in the Philippines.

He said during this time there will be a temporary increase in the number of US military aircraft flying in and out of the airports specifically in Cotabato and Zamboanga City. "This rotation however will not affect the overall number of US troops in the Philippines as the rotation will be on 'ONE on ONE' basis," the general added.

US forces in the Philippines are here at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines to provide advice and assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines which is currently conducting operations against terrorist organizations in the Southern Philippines.

The United States had been supporting the Armed Forces of the Philippines to defeat the Terrorist Organizations in this part of the country and they had been constantly involved in Humanitarian Assistance and Civic Action programs of the government in order to deliver basic services to our less privileged brothers in Mindanao, be it Christians and Muslims alike.

"We just want our people to know about these things so that they will not be alarmed about so many US military aircrafts landing and taking off our airports in the above mentioned places. Let us therefore welcome it so that we could avail of the help that our American brothers are extending to us," Allaga said.

Kapihan de Zamboanga
By Hader Glang

So that the people may know: A statement on
"Zamboanga City as Asia's Latin City" moniker issue

The Independent Press of Zamboanga (IPZ) collectively manifests its objection to the branding of Zamboanga City as "Asia's Latin City" for the following reasons:

1. Zamboanga was never colonized by the Roman Empire whose citizens were predominantly composed of the Latins, the original inhabitants of the ancient place known historically as Latium, in Central Italy (not Latin America).

2. The dialect Chabacano is not Latin. Latin was the language of the ancient inhabitants of Latium which later on became the language of the Roman Empire and subsequently the liturgical language of the Catholic Church. While Chabacano, according to a published research project, is composed of about 70% Spanish and the rest, a combination of several native dialects. It is a term given to Spanish without grammar and other qualifying characteristics of a language. Spanish and the other languages which evolved from Latin such as, Italian, French, Romanian, Catalan, Rhaeto-Romanic, Sardinian, Provencal and Portuguese are classified as Romance Languages not Latin although they evolved from this Italic language.

3. As stated above, Chabacano which is about 70% Spanish is not linguistically classified Spanish or Latin and should not be used as the primary justification for the branding of Zamboanga City as "Asia's Latin City." Chabacano is just like a dialect not a language and therefore, can't be raised to the linguistic status of Latin for purposes of systematic comparison and analysis.

4. Latin can't be generally applied linguistically to the multi-cultural and multi-sectarian inhabitants of Zamboanga City who are composed of the native Sama, Subanen, Tausug, and others ethnic inhabitants and migrants coming from different parts of our country. Latin although, linguistically considered dead, remains to be the official language of the Holy See and still used as scientific names in Biology and Astronomy at present.

5. The Latins were not the native inhabitants of Latin America which was discovered by Italian voyager Christopher Columbus for the Crown of Spain. The Latins were a tribe of people who settled on the hilltops above the banks of the Tiber River in the land now called Italy, specifically Latium known today as modern Lazio. The indigenous inhabitants of Latin America, on the other hand, are the Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs who are very different and distinct from the native Zamboangueños in terms of dialects, culture, and history.

6. Chabacano is not only spoken in Zamboanga City, but also in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay, Pagadian City, Cotabato City, Basilan, Dipolog City, and even in Cavite City in Luzon, debunking the claim that Chabacano is unique to Zamboanga City.

7. The most objectionable part of this act of branding Zamboanga City as "Asia's Latin City," was the fact that it was launched first and later on legalized by the passage of Resolution No. 760, without barangay-to-barangay or sectoral public consultation and serious scholarly discussion as to its appropriateness and relevance to our culture and history. Idiomatically, it was a classic legislative case of "putting the cart before the horse."

In view of these foregoing reasons, the IPZ respectfully request the Honorable Members of the City Council of Zamboanga to conduct a legislative review of Resolution No. 760, to determine the historical and cultural relevance and appropriateness of this new moniker for Zamboanga City as "Asia's Latin City."

The IPZ look forward to the favorable consideration of the request by the Honorable Councilors of Zamboanga City, traditionally and endearingly called since time immemorial as the "City of Flowers," derived from the Malayan word "Jambangan" according to noted historians.

For comments and suggestions, please e-mail at hader.glang@gmail.com or contact/text at mobile phone # 09203145750

Muslims celebrate Eid'l Fitr

Muslims around the world celebrate today Eid'l Fitr, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

In the Philippines, especially in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the observance of Eid'l Fitr, October 12, Friday, has been declared as a regular holiday through Presidential Proclamation 1397 issued on October 1, 2007.

Muslim scholars and faithfuls call the end of Ramadan as "the day of the prize and compassion" after a 30-day fast, spiritual development and worship of Allah (God), as well as the doing of good deeds, and development of positive relations with all.

In Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia and Palestine, it is customary in `Eid to eat dates or kahk (Arabic for "cookies") and then visit families, relatives, and friends. During these visits, people exchange greetings that differ from one country to another.

The observance of Ramadan, a time when Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, having sex and talking nonsense and backfighting from sunrise to sunset, is considered one of the main religious obligations for Muslims or one of the five pillars of Islam.

According to Islam tradition, Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) received the Holy Qur'an during the month of Ramadan. And the Qur'an says: "O you who believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you so you can learn taqwa (God consciousness, fear of Allah, righteousness).

"Shortly after sunrise on the morning on the first day of Shawwal, Muslims go to mosque to perform the congregational `Eid Prayer, gathering the rich and poor, the young and old, in a state of unity and harmony," said an Ustadz at Barangay Sta. Barbara mosque.

Another Muslim scholar asked: "Now Ramadan has passed on. We should all seriously ask ourselves, 'Have we accomplished our spiritual objectives this Ramadan?'"

He said: "Eid is an occasion to increase in good deeds. Each `Eid marks the conclusion of an important worship, and the determination to continue in obedience and submission to Allah. Yes, blessed Ramadan has ended. However, its passing should not witness the end of our exertion in worship."

"We should continue our Night Prayers, and we should fast voluntarily, at least three days each month, after the six days of Shawwal. This religion is the embodiment of all virtue, the epitome of all goodness. Don't let your share of this good be that it begins and ends with Ramadan."

New Lamitan City Hall in Basilan inaugurated

Former House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Gerry Salapuddin (in suit) led the inauguration and blessing Monday, October 8, 2007, of the new four-storey Lamitan City Hall worth P20 million in the island province of Basilan.

The former Basilan solon was assisted by Mayor Roderick Furigay (left) and other top Lamitan government officials in the ribbon cutting and blessing ceremonies of the new building located in Barangay Fayugan.

Salapuddin allocated P16 million from Country Development Funds (CDF) and P4 million counterpart of Lamitan City government for the construction of the new city hall building which was completed last month.

The beautiful edifice stands on a 2-hectare lot donated by Ret. Court Justice Regino Hermosisima Jr. Its construction started late last year following the ratification of the law converting Lamitan into a city.

Mayor Furigay, in his welcome remarks, said that with all humility, the new city hall is a milestone in the history governance, not only in their locality but in the entire province of Basilan.

“We showed our enduring commitment to finish this city hall for the people of Lamitan,” said Furigay.

The mayor also thanked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former Congressman Salapuddin and Ret. Justice Hermosisima and the late Lamitan mayor Inocente Ramos for the completion of the new city hall.

In his inspirational message, Salapuddin said the inauguration and blessing of the new city hall is a symbol of the coming aid of the town from being a mere municipality to a component city of Basilan.

“I firmly believe that this cityhood of Lamitan is a long dream come true. I may not be in government service temporarily but I’m sure deep in your hearts, you treasure the memory of leadership and my representation in Congress,” he said.

The former deputy speaker for Mindanao and Basilan lawmaker authored both the cityhood of Isabela and Lamitan during his three terms in the House of Representatives.

He said the tale of the two cities will go down in their history and will be remembered as the new beginning for a brighter Basilan.

“I have always believed that the two cities will be the primary engines of economic growth. It will be the sparkplug that will ignite the economic advancement of our people. It will also be the magnate for tourism and investments,” Salapuddin said.

Kapihan de Zamboanga
By Hader Glang

On installing surveillance security cameras

Nothing is more important than having our city and its people safe. However, nowadays when you read newspapers, watch television and listen to the radio, you can observe news about bombings, violence and crimes happening everywhere.

Hence protecting our city has become increasingly important and installing surveillance cameras in strategic areas and places of the city that are frequently visited by people like parks, commercial centers, government offices, schools, and places of worship can ensure that our city is secure and safe.

I really agree with 1st District Councilor Jimmy Cabato when he said during the launching of “Kapihan de Zamboanga” that surveillance security camera system is one of the proper solutions to solve the problem of criminalities in the city of Zamboanga.

But the only problem is that the mayor is not in favor of the idea of putting up the said equipment within the city proper. So this is where I call on our leaders to have this thing subjected to public hearings whether the people will go for this or not. If the people go for it then by all means, the city government should allocate funds for that purpose.

It’s true that the setting up of surveillance security camera may cost millions of pesos, but then if the city government can appropriate P12 million simply for intelligence funds I don’t see any reason why the city government can not appropriate the same or even double the amount for the installation of the equipment.

I am really convinced that having surveillance security cameras at the city proper, especially in the major streets, commercial centers and other strategic areas downtown, is a smart move to keep the people safe. If we have surveillance cameras, where it can detect or record any motion and send the alert to police, our city is doubly secure.

As a highly urbanized city, such equipment is very necessary. That’s why, Iligan City, Davao City, Makati City and other key cities in the country have put up their surveillance security camera system. So why can’t we install this equipment in our city that would protect the people and their communities from threats of lawlessness and terrorism?

You see, according to the National Police Commission (NaPolCom), the ratio of a policeman to the population is 1 for every 500. In Zamboanga City, 1 is to 1,000. So this is where the idea of putting up surveillance security camera will come in to help authorities in catching the criminals if anything were to happen.

Right now, we have the traffic aides. They are well paid, they are paid the regular monthly minimum wage and they are given Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) benefits. So one thing also good is the idea to convert the traffic aides into special policemen to augment the forces of the City Police. According to Councilor Cabato, he has seen this system worked in Basilan in the early 1970s, during the time of then Mayor Leroy S. Brown.

The police was beefed by special police. Then the regular policemen were funded by the national government, and the local government funded the special police who were then given the authority to double their work after proper training. I believe these ideas should be supported by the city councilors rather than killing them down.

For your comments and suggestions, please email at hader.glang@gmail.com or contact/text at mobile phone # 09203145750.

10 killed, 2 wounded in Basilan fighting

Members of the Naval Special Operations Group clashed with suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan Tuesday, a day after US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney visited the island province and inaugurated two major USAID-funded infrastructure projects in towns of Maluso and Lantawan.

Initial reports said four elite members of the Philippine Navy and six armed bandits were killed in an early morning clash on the small island of Lanhil, Lamitan City, off the main island of Basilan.

The national media quoted Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan as saying that those killed on the government side were Navsog members who were deployed to Lanhil Island, along with marines from Marine Battalion Landing Team 7.

The media quoted Cacullitan as further saying that two other Navsog personnel were wounded in the same clash.

A report from the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) headquaters said troops were dispatched to the scene after receiving intelligence information that armed bandits were hiding in the island.

Major Eugenio Batara, Western Mindanao Command (WesMincom) spokesman, said members of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao launched Monday evening an operation against lawless elements reported to be at the vicinity Lanjil Island, Lamitan City, Basilan.

"This resulted to an encounter with undetermined number of fully armed men under a certain Abduraja Sadikal and his brother Faisal Sadikal," said Batara. "Four troops and 10 bandits were killed while 2 other soldiers were wounded."

Sadikal, tagged by the military as a wanted criminal for murder whose brothers reportedly followers of a former Zamboanga-based Abu Sayyaf leader Anwar Abubakar, suspect for the kidnapping of Marilyn Chua in Alicia, Zamboanga del Sur some years back, was among those killed.

Batara said the remains of the slain soldiers have been airlifted to Zamboanga City while those wounded were brought to Camp Navarro Hospital. "It has been an observation that these lawless elements do not leave their dead and wounded comrades," he said.

In Sulu, soldiers also encountered with suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf group in Barangay Tiis, Talipao, killing one bandit and wounding a trooper.

Operating elements under 1st Lt. Suscano of the Army's 15th Infantry Battalion were on combat patrol when they clashed with 20 armed bandits. The firefight lasted for about 30 minutes.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney inaugurates 2 USAID-funded infra projects in Basilan

US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney on Monday inaugurated two completed major USAID-funded infrastructure projects in Basilan, where soldiers are hunting down Abu Sayyaf militants for the beheading of 10 marines two months ago.

Kenney together with senior USAID and provincial and local government officials inaugurated the Maluso Port and Matarling Bridge in Lantawan and bared more development projects for the island province.

The two inaugurated projects were among 40 regional Infrastructure Projects built by GEM - in partnership with local and provincial governments - across the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other conflict-affected areas in the island region.

The US official said the projects would support the economic growth in Mindanao and demonstrate the continuing commitment of both the Philippines and US governments to fostering peace and development in the region.

The Maluso Port sits on a natural harbor along the Gaunan Channel in the Municipality of Maluso, while the Matarling Bridge is located in Lantawan.

Maluso is the nearest point of

trade and commerce for people from the nearby Pilas group of islands, the Tapiantana group of islands, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

In the past, due to the absence of adequate facilities for handling larger vessels, commercial goods from Zamboanga had to go through the port of Isabela, and were then transported, via a 1½ hour land trip to the town.

The Matarling Bridge ensures the faster, more efficient and less expensive transport of people and goods traversing the Isabela City-Lantawan-Maluso route. The new facility replaced a 42-year old one–lane bridge.

It complements improvements being to the Lantawan Circumferential Road. Economic activity in the area has significantly increased with the completion and full utilization of the new road and bridge. The facility is also expected to help increase local and foreign investment in Basilan.

These two inaugurated projects were undertaken in partnership with the national, regional, provincial and municipal governments. They were under the Regional Impact Infrastructure Program (RIP) of Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM).

Each of the projects constructed by GEM is designed to spur economic development within a specific region of Mindanao.

In an interview, Kenney told reporters the US government through USAID's Growth with Equity (GEM) is working on another bridge, water system and schools in Basilan.

"The plans we have, they're short term concrete ones. We are building a bridge near Lamitan, and water system for Sumisip and the 14 schools, which we are putting praticall facilities, including science laboratories," she said.

"And next what we wanna do with our new agreement in Mindanao is work with the mayor, promote business and commerce and jobs," the lady ambassador added.

Earlier, Ambassador Kenney with British Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Beckingham visited Jolo, Sulu to unveil a huge package of development projects in the island province in an effort to help Philippine government bring peace and progress in Mindanao.