Basilan folks endorse Assemblyman Hassan's ARMM gubernatorial bid

Basilan residents, including a senior leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) and a group of Ulama, have endorsed Assemblyman Hatimil Hassan's gubernatorial bid in the upcoming August 11 ARMM elections.

"We are humbled and gratified to have earned the respect, the trust and support of our fellow Basileños," Abdurahman Tanjil, executive assistant and spokesperson of Assemblyman Hassan, said in an exlusive interview.

"The people of Basilan have endorsed Assemblyman Hassan not because he is a Yakan or native of Basilan, but they know that he will work with them to bring peace and progress in the ARMM," Tanjil added.

Brigadier General Unsong Ogong, chairman of MNLF Basilan State Revolutionary Committee, said in a letter to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that he is strongly endorsing Hassan for ARMM governor and as administration candidate.

Ogong furthered that they believed the MNLF vice chairman was the best choice to support the Arroyo administration as far as the regional security and socio economic development in the autonomous region are concerned.

"Hoping that Basilan could also give chance to run the ARMM because Madam President our teachers under the present administration (Governor Zaldy Ampatuan) are suffering from rendering service without salary from June to December," he said.

For Board Member Candu Muarip of Basilan, in a resolution, said they are earnestly requesting President Arroyo to anoint Assemblyman Hassan to be the administration candidate for regional governor in the forthcoming ARMM election.

He said they firmly believe that the former Speaker of the autonomous region, with his vast experience and support of other concern stakeholders both in the local and international communities will make a difference in the helm of the ARMM.

"In the interest of justice, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members are appealing that the claimor of the people of Basilan to head the regional government be heard and given utmost consideration," the resolution said.

They emphasized that different ethnic tribal groups that compose the cities and provinces in the autonomous region have already given the chance and opportunity to serve in the highest post of the regional government, except the Yakans of Basilan.

Meanwhile, the officers and members of the Ulama group based in Basilan have expressed support to the gubernatorial bid of Assemblyman Hassan, who is the most senior official of the Central Committee and vice chairman of the MNLF.

"We believe it is high time that a representative constituency of Basilan be given a chance to seat as the governor of ARMM. His (Hassan) qualification, dedication and integrity and track record may very well speak for itself."

Kapihan de Zamboanga
By Hader Glang

On a call for Muslim unity in Mindanao

"And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it, thus does Allah make clear to you His communications that you may follow the right way." Holy Qur'an (3:103)

I'm sure that my brothers and sisters in Islam would agree that the verse above teaches a beautiful and valuable lesson that could benefit all of humankind if followed wholeheartedly. But sad to say there is a serious lack of unity in the Muslim community here in Mindanao. Whether it's about Moros versus Moros, or Tausugs versus Taususgs, these are problems that need to be addressed in our communities.

However, the division that ensues the Muslims is not the only issue that needs to be examined, but also the way they treat their fellow Muslims in their own communities. Misunderstandings are never solved through violence, slandering, condemning, or hating one another; they are solved when there is mutual respect and acceptance of one another.

I wonder if Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) were alive today, would he recognize the Muslim Ummah in Mindanao that we've become? The Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front remain divided since they broke up in the late 1970s while some ARMM leaders are discriminating against one another for domination in the autonomous region.

Would the Prophet allow fellow Muslims dividing one another because of political differences? Would he tolerate the way the leaders of Bangsamoro, the Tausugs, Maguindanaos, Maranaos, Yakans, Samals, and other Muslim ethnic tribes are leading their communities? Would he remain silent whenever Muslims engage in clan wars or hostilities or extremism?

The disturbing truth is that there are individuals out there who really believe that engaging conflict is actually what the Prophet would do. Their arguments are based on the fact that the Prophet engaged in battles, but the reason why this argument is weak is because they ignore how fighting in Islam is only permitted out of self-defense and for the cause of Allah, The Almighty.

I cannot help but feel like this is completely contradictory to the peaceful teachings of Islam. Is it really about who is better and who is not? Is it really about competition? Is it really about supremacy? This kind of division distracts us from larger issues that concern our community, such as improving our relationships and from learning about Islam, ourselves, and from each other.

We need to eliminate the divide that exists between Muslims - whether it's about who is the "better" Muslim or who hails from a "better" culture or civilization. It doesn't matter in the eyes of Allah, The Almighty.

God is not going to judge you differently just because you descend from a group of people who belong to royal families or rule your community; He's going to look at you as the individual. I also believe that we should speak to our fellow Muslims (and ultimately, all human beings) in a respectful and mature manner. Who are we to say that we are better when no one can ever possibly be better than Allah? Who are we to judge when that power only belongs to Allah?

I learned that member states of the influential Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) were calling at the MNLF and MILF to unite in the name of Bangsamoro people. They really wanted the two Moro political fronts "to combine their efforts to work for peace and development of the Bangsamoro people."

So why not focus on unity? Why always about political ideology when Islam is the religion that lays a great emphasis on unity? As in his farewell sermon, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) declared:

"All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, and that Muslims constitute one brotherhood."

I therefore call. Let's start building unity in our communities. Let's stop separating ourselves. Get to know our fellow brothers and sisters in Islam. In truth, we are born with different cultures, in different provinces, but we all come from the same place, and that is from Allah, The Almighty. Is that really so hard to see?

Sulu mayors back ARMM gov re-election bid

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan received endorsements Thursday from mayors of the Province of Sulu, officials said on Saturday.

The Bureau of Public Information-ARMM (BPI-ARMM) reported that an overwhelming majority of Sulu mayors have expressed their unwavering and full support to the re-election bid of Ampatuan.

Quoting Maimbung town Mayor Mohammad Najib Maldisa of Sulu, the BPI-ARMM said the mayors' decision to support Ampatuan is sealed by their commitment to keep up with ongoing socio-economic development in the ARMM.

On Thursday, Sulu mayors attended the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in Cotabato City between the autonomous government and LGUs to facilitate the implementation of priority infrastructure projects.

Mayor Maldisa made it clear that even when the 'big if' cited by Isnaji happens, the mayors would still be solidly behind Ampatuan, according to BPI-ARMM report.

The source also said that the mayors made their announcement even after Indanan Mayor Isnaji Alvarez divulged that the central committee of the MNLF endorses his candidacy as the next Governor of ARMM.

The mayor of Indanan is currently the president of the League of Sulu Municipalities and a former interim chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) following the arrest of Nur Misuari in Malaysia.

Along with the election of Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema as its new Chairman, the MNLF has also chosen Isnaji as its official bet should the ARMM polls proceed this year in a meeting held earlier in Pagadian City.

Isnaji, however, stressed that there is a 'big if' to his candidacy, referring to the would be outcome of the ongoing OIC-GRP-MNLF tripartite talks, the BPI-ARMM report said.

He said that he still fully support Ampatuan's re-election pending the result of the tripartite meeting. "The tripartite meeting would determine if the MNLF will have its own candidate in the ARMM elections," the report said.

However, the group of Sulu mayors have voiced out their unwavering support to Ampatuan in spite of the MNLF's decision, it said.

World religionists hold dialogue with MILF

The World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP)-Asian chapter met leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Central Mindanao on Sunday, and asked the Moro rebels on what conditions which will lead to resumption of peace talks.

Reports here said that world religionists have held a dialogue with leaders of the MILF led by Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and his chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal at Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Shariff Kabunsuan that began at around 3:30 p.m. up to almost nightfall.

The WCRP delegation of seventeen or more so was led by Rev. Kyoichi Sugino, Asst. Secretary General, Religions for Peace based in New York, USA; Rev. Tea Sung Kim, Asst. Secretary General, Religions for Peace Asia/ACRP in South Korea.

Two other Asian foreign visitors were identified as Rev. Koichi Matsumoto, Special Advisor to the Secretary General for Youth Affairs, and Yoshinori Shinohara, member of the Asian Inter-religious Youth Network.

Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, convenor of the Bishop-Ulama Conference, Bishop Hilario Gomez Jr. from the Protestant Church and Dr. Hammid Barra from Ulama Council of the Philippines led the Filipino delegation.

In the meeting, the WCRP had taken up with the MILF about the Asian Summit of Religious Youth Leaders in Mindanao on Oct. 2008 and possibilities of how they can help in the peace process and the conflict transformation, peace-building and sustainable development.

According to reports, Murad told WCRP visitors that technically the talks is on track but it is the government that is causing the delay by assembling another group of lawyers who will study the draft of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on ancestral domain.

The MILF chairman also told them that the conflict in Mindanao is not religious in essence but political that requires a political solution, which the parties to the talks have not yet started after more than a decade of talks.

Lawyer Michael Mastura, a member of the MILF peace panel, backed Murad's statement, citing among things, the burning of mosques, copies of the Qur'an, and madrasahs by soldiers that introduced the religious spectrum into the conflict.

Dr. Estrella Babano, directress of Department of Education (DepEd) Region 10, informed the group that she, in cooperation with Churchmen and political leaders in Lanao del Norte, is offering to host the youth conference this year in Tubod town.

Archbishop Capalla, once victim of a deadly bomb explosion few years ago in Davao City, told the group that he thinks that there are groups who do not want the problem in Mindanao solved.

WCRP is an affiliate of the United Nation (UN) and an umbrella organization where all world religious are represented, especially Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism, Buddhism, Zoroastrian, Jain, Hinduism, Shintoism, Sikh and many others from over 16 countries Asia and the Pacific.

It had taken active role in the resolution of world conflict situations from Bosnia-Hercegovina, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and many more. Its first act of concern for the conflict in Mindanao started as early as 1977 during Martial Law when the group made a detailed report and circulated globally.

Among the more prominent Muslim personalities involved in the WCRP are Dr. Ahmad Mohammad Shariff of Libya, Dr. Omar Naseef, former Secretary General of the World Muslim League in Mecca, Saudi Arabia; Prince Rashid Bin El Hassan of Jordan, chairman of Jordanian Hashemoite Charity, and Ayatollah Seyed Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad of Iran.

In its official website, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the late Pope John Paul II had expressed support to the WCRP, believing that the conference could help in the promotion of dialog thereby creating bonds of friendship among peoples.

The conference has been involved in reconciling communities divided by conflicts and wars in recent years. It was first convened in Kyoto in 1970. It hopes that world religionists join the conference to share their goals and contribute to world peace.

In 1994, the WCRP established six commissions in the areas of conflict transformation and reconciliation; human rights and responsibilities; the child and the family; development and ecology; disarmament and security; and peace education.

SWS survey shows Muslims in Mindanao want Islamic government for ARMM

A latest survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) on the Muslim population in at least four cities and nine provinces in Mindanao showed the majority of Muslims do want an Islamic government for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The SWS survey revealed that of the 700 Muslim respondents from the autonomous region and 600 from the non-ARMM areas who were asked in random if they think the region should have an Islamic government, 79 percent agreed.

The Muslims polled were also asked about if they are satisfied with the way democracy works in the Philippines. According to the result, "71 percent of the respondents say they are contented. Three out of 5 also agree that they can say anything they want even if it is against the government."

About 64 percent of the respondents perceive that "Islamic Government" is a government that respects the values and morals of Islam, while 35 percent believe it is a government run by Islamic leaders, and 83 percent think that Ulamas (Muslim religious leaders) will become more influential in the next ARMM elections.

The survey, sponsored by The Asia Foundation, was conducted from February 1 to 7, 2008 in the cities of Zamboanga, Cotabato, Isabela, Marawi, and the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, North Coatabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Lanao del Norte. It was aimed to determine the Muslim Mindanao attitudes towards democracy and elections.

Mohammad Muntassir, chairperson of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Da'wah committee in charge of Islamic teachings and propagation, commented on this development, saying that the result of the survey showed how desperate the Muslims are on the prevailing governance in their localities in particular.

Citing the lack of transparency and accountability in the way governmental functions are conducted in this country, Muntassir said these contributed directly to the frustration of the population. "Accountability should not only be to people but to the Almighty Who reward the good and punishes the evil-doer in the day hereafter."

He claimed, "In Moro areas, many of those who run the government are belonging to traditional elites who, with some exceptions, consider government properties as theirs and the people their chattel. There is no real democracy at work but what they say is the law and must be followed. Worse, the government in power does not try to correct this, because in times of elections these leaders deliver votes."

However, Prof. Shariff M. Julabbi, chairman of the MILF/Bangsamoro Mujahidden Alliance and senior official of the Ulama-Bishop Council of the Philippines, welcomed this development, saying "this indicates that more and more Muslims in the largely Catholic Philippine country are aspiring for Islamic government to run their homeland."

Julabbi believes that Muslims in the ARMM will succeed if they have a true Islamic government and followed it properly. Citing Muslims who have prospered in the past because they had pure Islamic systems, he says there's no doubt in his mind that Moro people can still prosper if they apply and follow true Islamic laws and system of government.

"Islamic government is really best for ARMM, but I feel that continuing this present government in the autonomous region will not work it will only divide further the Moros as we see in the present, where constant internal battles and conflicts among them within their communities."

"If you take the example of Saudi Arabia, which has an Islamic government, there it appears to be working. Why? Simply because it applies and follows the true Islamic laws and system of government and its people follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah (Prophet Muhammad's sayings, peace be upon him)."

Julabbi said that Islam is a unique way of life and it has its own political system, where people can participate in the decision-making of their government and the rights and privileges of non- Muslims are well protected, respected and taken care of. Most of all everyone is treated equally. "So can we have an Islamic government for ARMM?" he asked.

Muslims make up nearly 8 percent of the total populace in the country. The mineral-rich Mindanao, Islam's birthplace in the Philippines, is home to an estimated population of 8 to 9 million-Muslims. Islam reached the Philippines in the 13th century, about 200 years before Christianity.

Currently Mindanao has a Christian-majority population while, the ARMM, has a population that is evenly split between Muslims and Christians. The ARMM covers about 40 percent of the southern Philippines and is a region with special autonomy, administrated by a Muslim authority.

OIC calls on MNLF, MILF to unite efforts for Bangsamoro people

The influential Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has urged both the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)) to put their acts together for the good and welfare of the Muslims in Southern Philippines.

In a resolution passed during the 11th summit in Senegal's capital, Dakar from March 13-14, 2008, the OIC has called for the MNLF and MILF to combine their efforts to work together for peace and development of the Bangsamoro people.

“This is the 14th of the 16-item resolutions of this year summit that dealt with the ‘Question of Muslims in Southern Philippines’, specifically on the issue of unity,” says a report posted on the Luwaran.com, the MILF’s official website.

Based on reports from Middle East press, at least 33 heads of state, and nearly 5,500 delegates from 57 member countries and international organizations representing more than 1.3 billion Muslims all over the world, have attended the summit.

They highlighted the summit's significance and hope it will strengthen Muslim unity. The OIC summit also took notes of the ongoing peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the MILF, which it “hopes to arrive at positive outcomes.”

It was learned from Luwaran.com, the MILF sent a three-man delegation, composed of a member of the Front Central Committee, a provincial chairman from Southern Sulu, and a member of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA).

Three factions of the MNLF sent a larger group, composed of ARMM Assemblyman Hatimil Hassan, Mayor Isnaji Alvarez, former Muslim Affairs chief Habib Mujahab, a nephew of Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema and Sharif Zain Jali, spiritual adviser of MNLF chairman Nur Misuari.

“This is the second summit conference of the OIC in Senegal that the MILF sent representatives. The first was on December 9-12, 1990. The MILF sent Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of its information committee, and Sheikh Abdulfatah Delna,” the source said.

It will be recalled that in January this year, MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim visited the headquarters of the OIC in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and briefed the OIC Secretary General of the progress of the GRP-MILF Peace Talks.

He told the OIC officials that the MILF, in its talks with the government, does not intend to set aside what the MNLF and the Bangsamoro people have achieved, but to complement the GRP-MNLF Final Agreement of September 2, 1996.

“We are willing to fuse the best of the FPA and what we sign with the government,” he also told the OIC officials.

The MILF, which claimed to have two million members, split away from the MNLF in the late 1970, but the former continued to wage war to reclaim the Bangsamoro homeland in Mindanao, the birthplace of Islam in the Philippines.

The peace negotiation with the government has been suspended since December 15, 2007 when the MILF’s panel pulled out of the negotiating table in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to protest the alleged unauthorized insertion made by government negotiators in the draft agreement on territory.

The MILF has been demanding the inclusion of about 1,000 villages in the so-called Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) without precondition but the government rejected it, stressing the establishment of any entity should only be considered within the ambit of the Constitution.

On the other hand, the MNLF which has been holding an observer status in the pan-Islamic body for three decades now, remains discontented with the implementation of the peace pact citing the government's unfulfilled promises and failure to address the issue on land.

Muslims in Mindanao divided over Congress' proposal for new Muslim commission

While some Muslims in Western Mindanao welcome the proposed creation of National Commission for Muslims, others are not, such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which branded it as an antidote to the realization of genuine self-governance for the Bangsamoro people.

Muslim leaders and scholars in Zamboanga Peninsula, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, who attended the hearing jointly conducted by the House of Representatives’ Committees on Government Reorganization and Muslim Affairs at the Western Mindanao State University last week, generally expressed support to the bill.

They welcomed the proposal because this would be of great help to the Muslim populace in the country, especially in terms of settling the different issues the Muslims are facing, and giving full representation of all the Muslim ethnic tribes as well as sectors in the country, “thus ensuring equal services for all.”

But Khaled Musa, MILF information deputy chairman, said that while he has all the respects for the proponents of the bill, the bill will only serve as the vehicle for further integrating the Moro into the national body politics, and that the creation of offices is not guarantee that the rights and interests of the Bangsamoro people are guaranteed, protected, and promoted.

Proponents of the new bill said the office will have seven commissioners — five commissioners representing different Muslim tribes in the country, and two commissioners from Muslim women and Ulama (religious leaders and scholars).

The bill is a consolidation of house bills numbers 823, 2347, and 2379 that would establish an agency and abolish OMA. The proposed commission for Muslims will be under the Office of the President. It also spells out the different services of the proposed commission such as administrative, finance and management, planning, and legal.

The commission will have its Hajj Attache and Amirul Hajj, who will help Filipino Muslim pilgrims. It will also have seven commissioners; five representing different Muslim tribes in the country. It will also have its different bureaus, particularly focusing on economic affairs, Muslim cultural affairs, Muslim settlement, and pilgrimage and endowment. The committees are also adopting the inclusion of Bureau on Halal Certification. (HG)

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Salapuddin: "There is no warrant for my arrest"

Former House deputy speaker for Mindanao Gerry Salapuddin has declared that no arrest warrant had been issued against him and described the news about the order of a court to apprehend him as "part of demolition job of his political rivals."

Some national mediamen on Wednesday reported that a Quezon City judge ordered Salapuddin's arrest and three other people for the bombing at the Batasan Pambansa on November 13, 2007 that killed five people, including Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar.

The report said that Judge Ralph Lee of the Regional Trial Court Branch 83 ordered Salapuddin, Hajarun Jamiri, Benjamin Hataman, and PO1 Bayan Judda arrested after they failed to attend Wednesday's arraignment on the case.

Prosecutors had added the four as suspects to the charge sheet, but they ignored the summonses sent to them, according to the media report.

"The news about the alleged release of MTC Branch 83 warrant for my arrest is not true…there is no warrant for my arrest…the truth of the matter, Judge Lee hasn't issued any order to that effect," Salapuddin said in a statement."

The former Basilan congressman deplored the information spread by certain "irresponsible" mediamen without validating the facts of the case and called on them to practice responsible journalism, saying never to allow themselves to be instrument of disinformation.

"While they have press freedom as their shield coupled with the right of the public to know, however, they must not forget that it is not a right to wrong others. They must not use the bar of public opinion to persecute anyone."

"I call for balance and fair reporting. I firmly believe, the reason why my political opponents are moving heaven and earth to pin me down has something to do with my election protest at the Comelec."

On Monday, Salapuddin counsels filed an Omnibus Motion before the Sala of Judge Lee to counter the filing of the alleged defective information by the Prosecution Panel of the Department of Justice (DOJ) last Thursday, February 28.

The motion sought for the judicial determination of the probable cause of the case. It asks as well for the dismissal of the case because the information filed before the court is defective and has many loopholes.

It also beseeched the court not to issue any warrant of arrest against Salapuddin and three others co-suspects PO1 Judda, former Tuburan Mayor Jamiri and Ben Hataman pending the judicial determination of the probable cause of the case.

The DOJ as part of the executive branch of government has executive power to determine the probable cause of any case submitted to it. But the court has also it judicial power to determine the probable cause of the case.

According to Salapuddin, surprisingly, the two brothers Anak Mindanao Party List Rep. Mujiv Hataman and Hadjiman Salliman were exonerated by the Prosecution Panel of the DOJ at the last minute presumably due to political pressure.

Also last Wednesday, Akbar counsels filed a motion before the sala of Judge Lee for the issuance of arrest warrant against four main accused in the Batasan Pambansa blast. They also questioned the hasty exoneration of the Hataman Brothers.

"This is the issue being blown out of proportion by the media. They thought that the mere filing is automatically the decision of the court. In fact, the honorable court was displeased because they must have felt that they were being preempted," Salapuddin explained.

"However, Judge Lee has ruled to hear the matter concerning the motions of all sides concerned on March 14, 2008. That's why, there is no warrant of arrest to speak about," he stressed.

It was learned that Salapuddin counsels would be filing before the justice secretary a petition for review of the case. This is why, he said the court set the hearing on March 14 to allow the justice secretary to rule on it, wherein whatever its ruling would affect the court's decision.

Salapuddin lost to Jum Akbar, the wife of the late Rep. Akbar, by a slim margin of more than 3,000 votes in 11 barangays in the last elections but he protested. He believes that he won that election and was allegedly cheated of his victory.

Hopefully, the former Basilan lawmaker said that as soon as his lead counsel in the protest against Akbar, Attorney George Erwin Garcia will be over with the ongoing recount of Batangas vice gubernatorial contest, his protest can start rolling.

"I am protesting because I want to restore the sovereign rights of our people to freely choose their leaders. I also want to bring back decency and good governance to the people of Basilan because they deserve no less," he concluded.

MILF accuses WesMinCom of backtracking findings on Sulu massacre

Moro rebels fighting for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao accused the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) of back-tracking its findings on the February 4 massacre of eight Muslims including a pregnant woman and two children in Maimbung, Sulu.

“Finding itself isolated for clearly easily absolving soldiers involved in the Maimbung massacre, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had backtracked that it is not yet done with their investigation on the massacre…” according to a report from Luwaran.com.

But Lieutenant General Nelson Allaga, the AFP WesMinCom commander, refuted the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF’s) claim saying that the findings only covered the initial investigation and that the military had never cleared those involved.

The WesMinCom commanding general said that what they issued were initial findings of the WesMinCom’s Inspector General that the operation was legitimate.

“However, this pronouncement is a complete retraction of what was previously announced. On February 27 the same Army officer cleared the government troops of any accountability on the deaths of the civilians,” an MILF source said.

The military findings, it said, showed that the houses bore no bullet holes from the operating troops’ firing direction but the hails of bullets came from the mangrove where the gunmen were believed to have positioned.

Reacting to statement by Allaga that the soldiers could not have done the killing since they were well trained, Khaled Musa, deputy chairman of the MILF committee on information, said the issue is not whether or not the soldiers are well trained or not.

The issue, he said, is whether they did it or not, adding that killers can be more harmful if they are well-trained. He urged the AFP to allow an third neutral body, preferably by the United Nations Human Rights body, to probe the massacre in order to give credibility to whatever findings being made.

The MILF senior leader claimed that the AFP has a very poor record as far as human rights are concerned, citing so many massacres done to the Moro people in the past.

The military’s Inspector General had earlier reported that the operation conducted by the Navy’s special forces and the US-trained Light Reaction Co. in Maimbung was legitimate. But this report triggered outrage among moro groups and an NGO.

The findings are sanitized aimed at lessening the burden of responsibility to members of the elite troops. Acting as judge for itself will lead to nowhere and no justice is expected forthcoming,” the MILF said.

“Pure lies,” said the Suara Bangsamoro party-list. For the Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC), “They (military) disregard the damage to lives, limbs and property. They even disregard the findings of investigations by human rights groups and even the Commission on Human Rights.”

Kapihan de Zamboanga
By Hader Glang

On the NBN-ZTE broadband scandal

The past few weeks we have witnessed another scandal that has gripped our country, this time the alleged anomalies in the government's National Broadband Network (NBN) with China's Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) Corp., wherein First Gentleman Jose "Mike" Arroyo and ex-Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos were linked to it.

In this political hullabaloo, the former election official with the alleged blessings of the First Gentleman was said to have asked for a commission of US$130 million in exchange for influencing the government's decision to award the broadband deal to the Chinese telecommunications company.

Actually the controversy started all last year, when Rep. Jose "Joey" de Venecia III, co-founder of Amsterdam Holdings Inc. (AHI), exposed the irregularities after he lost the bid, which offered to build the NBN at no cost to the government against the ZTE deal that required the government to secure a US$329 million loan from China.

JDV3 claimed that the government tried its darn best to cover the deal by pressuring him to stop talking about it in the Senate and in public, but he didn't want to cover up the truth, thus Malacañang led by congressman sons of President Arroyo spearheaded a revolt at the House which ousted his dad, then Speaker Jose de Venecia.

Until Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada, head of the Philippine Forest Corporation, surfaced amid the investigation and told the Senate that he was forced to come forward and tell the truth after a former Malacañang official allegedly instructed him to lie, but his testimony was an outright lie for the pro-administration.

The star witness initially didn't want to go to the Senate and take part in the investigation because as he said, if he ends up in the Senate, he will be forced to say the truth. But this led to his alleged kidnapping as soon as he arrived at the Ninoy International Airport from Hong Kong where he hid for a few days.

He testified that two men picked up him as soon as he got out of the plane and brought him around Metro Manila and even to Laguna against his will. This is really disgusting, if that can happen to Lozada who is a ranking government official that can happen to every Filipino citizen in this country.

In Lozada's words, when he was picked up against his will, he already thought about the late PR man Bobby Dacer who at the height of then President Joseph Estrada impeachment was also picked up by unidentified men and after weeks of looking for him, they finally found his body along with the body of his driver.

As he further said in his testimony, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in our country now is that every government contract is overpriced by 20%, which goes to the pockets of our government officials who helped in pushing the deal. It's not surprising why the ZTE contract was greatly overpriced.

This is indeed disappointing since the P6 billion money can help build so many classrooms for our public school students, it can provide so many college scholarships to deserving students, it can help build public hospitals so people can receive proper health care and it can provide adequate housing to thousands of homeless families.

But in this case, the money will just end up in the pockets of one or maybe a few families and we will all have to pay for their greed. I wouldn't be surprised if another scandal comes out within the next few months because it seems that they are used to scandal, as they know they will eventually get away with it.

If you have watched the TV talk show dubbed: "HARAPAN, The Jun Lozada Exposé," aired over ABS-CBN on Saturday evening, February 16, you would really notice who is telling the truth. At the end of the show, the hosts bared that 92% of the viewers (texters) voted yes on the question "Do you believe Lozada" compared to no votes with only 8%.

It's so shame and depressing that our country has turned out to be the world's capital of scandals. The culture of corruption since Hispanic era up to the present has been here and worse, what our national leaders did was to add more problem than solution.

Our country might have had beaten other countries in terms of political and economic progress during the regimes of Marcos and the present if they (government officials) have implemented what was best for the entire nation and not for the sake of the few and their pockets.

What a sad state our country has become, but I know there is a solution to eradicate this mess if well not just sit idly, we must all work together and join forces against these evils of society who continue to corrupt and destroy our future. Wake up Mindanao!!!

ARMM Gov welcomes Balikatan conduct but…

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Datu Zaldy Ampatuan on Wednesday thanked the US government for the holding of Balikatan exercises in the areas of the region, which will take place on February 18 until March 3.

“The entire autonomous region is thankful to the US government for their persistent conduct of humanitarian services especially to poor and remote areas of the region. But with proper consultation, we want respect," the ARMM governor said in a press release.

The provinces of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are among the areas which the Philippine and US governments agreed to hold Balikatan 2008 simultaneously on Monday.

"I declare today that the leadership of the autonomous region is not against the presence of the Balikatan forces but I stress that they (US officials) should first conduct consultation on the stakeholders from the area,” Ampatuan said.

"It is fair and right that we will discuss these things to our constituents before its conduct so that the people will not be blinded aggrieved,” the ARMM governor emphasized.

A week ago, the Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) of the autonomous region released a resolution stating opposition on the holding of Balikatan exercises in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City.

RLA speaker Paislain P. Tago, Al Haj, pointed that ‘there was no consultation made in the regional, provincial, municipal and city leaders before the final conduct of Balikatan.’

The Resolution No. 353 adopted on February 05, 2008 also underlined that the people of Lanao del Sur and Marawi city strictly adhere to their Islamic faith, culture and tradition thus they defy the conduct of the military exercise.

Ampatuan is hopeful that the national government would review the necessary protocol before the conduct of the Balikatan exercises for the welfare of the Bangsamoro people in the autonomous region.

Protests in Mindanao were staged by Muslims since early this month denouncing US President George Bush Jr. for sending US troops to their areas for a joint RP-US Balikatan military exercises.

The demonstrators symbolically ‘executed’ Bush effigy on stage and called on the US president to stop sending troops to Mindanao and Sulu.

They warned of more rallies are to be launched if they wont be heard by the government.

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USAID-GEM funded road project inaugurated in Basilan

US Ambassador Kenney (left) leads the riboon cutting ceremony of the newly-finished USAID-GEM funded road project in Basilan. She is assisted by Vice Governor Al Rasheed Sakkalahul (right) and Tuburan school pupils.

United States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney has inaugurated the newly-completed Campo Uno-Tuburan upgrading road project in Basilan, funded by the United States Agency for International Development-Growth With Equity in Mindanao (USAID-GEM).

The new 13.4 km. road provides a primary connecting route for local residents from their municipalities to the Basilan Circumferential road that reaches the rest of the province. Its first 1.3 section starting from Campo Uno (Lamitan) up to Mamboring (Tuburan) has been upgraded by the DPWH-ARMM Basilan District to a concrete-paved road.

The next 1.2 section has been prioritized for improvement (concrete-paving) and is presently maintained by DPWH-ARMM. The GEM-funded part of the road improvements begins in Barangay Mamboring in Tuburan and ends in Languyan, Mohammad Ajul.

The GEM-improved" section of 10.88 km is composed of a few short sections concrete pavement and the rest are gravel or earth roadway. The US government alloted at least P46 million for the road project.

The old road was severely damaged in many sections, which made it difficult foa passenger jeepneys and other vehicles to pass, especially during the rainy season. Poor road conditions increased the cost of transporting goods to market and inhibited passenger travel.

"I see things improving here...this is a good sign...the people are increasingly interested in development," Kenney told reporters in an interview at the project site after the inaugural ceremony.

Prior to USAID's involvement, Tuburan and Akbar Municipalities were quite isolated. The new road will bring about easier access to local markets as well as contribute to the overall peace and security of the area.

To help spur and augment regional economic growth, USAID financed the construction of 40 regional infrastructure projects and 830 smaller barangay infrastructure projects in the ARMM and neighboring conflict-affected areas of Mindanao.

In addition to supporting economic growth, these infrastructure facilities demonstrated the continuing commitment of both the Philippine and US governments to fostering peace and development in Mindanao.

Under the Regional Impact Program, GEM designs and constructs vital projects such as ports, roads, and bridge improvements in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao. These projects are undertaken in partnership with the regional and provincial government, local governments, and agencies.

Lamitan City and the municipalities of Akbar, Hadji Mohammad Ajul (two municipalities created out of tuburan in 2006) and Tuburan are located on the northeast quadrant of Basilan province southeast of Isabela City, the provincial capital.

The three municipalities are composed of thirty barangays with a total land area of 118 square kilometers and a total population of 42,550 (CY 2000 census). The majority of the residents are Yakans and Tausugs.

The difficulty of access contributed to slow economic growth, widespread overty and peace and order problems in the area. The municipalities witnessed multiple conflicts between the military and the Abu Sayyaf and rogue MILF elements in late 2001 and 2007.

Exclusive!

Tausugs march to demand independence of Sultanate of Sulu from Philippines
text & photos HADER GLANG


A contingent of United Tausug Citizens led by Datu Ladjamura Bin Datu Wasik (5th photo below, center) march through the main thoroughfares in the capital town of Jolo, Sulu to demand the independence of Sultanate of Sulu and its people from the Philippines.

About three thousand Tausugs, mostly dressed in their traditional attire, took part in a pro-independence march and rally in the capital town of Jolo, Sulu on Thursday as they vowed to restore the Sultanate of Sulu and to break away permanently from the Philippines.

The demonstration came few weeks after a group of Tausug international and local lawyers of North Borneo (Sabah), Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, Zamboanga Peninsula and Palawan submitted an international case demanding for independence of Sulu Sultanate and its citizens.

Waving the 1718th century flags of Sultanate of Sulu and carrying posters that read "Independence of Sultanate of Sulu", "We are Tausug not Filipino", the demonstrators marched through Jolo's main thoroughfares and gathered outside the capital town's mosque.

"Mabaya kami biyaun kumila in katan hulah kamuh. Mabaya kami mag independent na sin hulah," Datu Ladjamura Bin Datu Wasik, head of the United Tausug Citizens, told reporters in his vernacular, urging the international community to recognize the Tausugs and their sovereignty.

Datu Wasik, a legatee of the Sulu Sultanate's "Second Heir Apparent" Maharajah Adinda Raja Muda Bantilan, spearheaded the demonstration. He said although Tausugs respect the Philippine constitution, they still demand for full recognition of Sultanate of Sulu.

"We have created our flag to show to the whole world that we have government, territory, people and sovereignty. So we're not Filipinos neither Moros nor Malays, we are Tausugs, and our Sultanate is based on Islamic Shariah," he stressed.

Brazeem Bin Ladjaraji, senior member of United Tausug Citizens, explained that the red color in the Sultanate of Sulu flag symbolizes the heroism of Tausugs who depended their freedom while the blue, white, and yellow colors stand for progress, justice and unity, respectively.

The five stars symbolize, Sulu/Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, Zamboanga Peninsula, Palawan and North Borneo/Sabah. The Kalis sword symbolizes Al Marhom Sultan Alimuddin I - First Heir Apparent of Sultanate of Sulu while the Budjak sphere represents Al Marhom Sultan Maizzuddin - Second Heir Apparent of Sultanate of Sulu.

The Sultanate of Sulu was a Muslim state that ruled over many of the islands of the Sulu Sea in the southern Philippines. Shari'ful Hashem Syed Abu Bakr, an Arab born in Johore, arrived in Sulu from Malacca.

In 1457, he founded the Sultanate of Sulu; he then renamed himself "Paduka Maulana Mahasari Sharif Sultan Hashem Abu Bakr". Currently, the issue of who would be the legitimate Sultan of Sulu is disputed by several branches of the Royal Family.

Datu Wasik proposes that in order to resolve this issue, the Tausugs should restore first the Sultanate of Sulu and then the people would install later their Sultan.

"What we need now not the Sultan because right now, the Tausugs do not recognize the Sultanate, they must recognize it first. Then the people would decide later on who would be their Sultan after they have restored back their government," he said.

Attorney Meltino Jaujan Sibulan, who serves as lawyer for Sultanate of Sulu, its Court and people, said the march and rally spearheaded by the United Tausug Citizens signaled the start of its governance, which is dormant for 602 years.

Sibulan appealed to the governments of the Republic of the Philippines and the Federal States of Malaysia to talk or negotiate to the Sultanate of Sulu so that the issue of sovereignty would be resolved in perpetuity.

"We, the Tausug people of the Sultanate of Sulu are the same people, who like you during the British occupation of Malaysia, which like Filipinos during the occupation of Spain, America and Japan, who then wished for independence and national identity," he said.

"And now the Tausugs do the same, wish for independence and national identity. This is their sovereignty, which you exercise. We renounce war, denounce terrorism and adhere to the generally accepted principle of international law as part of the law of Sulu Sultanate," he said.

"We call on you and the international community, particularly the United Nation (UN), Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), European Union (EU) and all other bodies to help settle the issue on sovereignty with respect to the territory of the Sultanate of Sulu," he said.

Historically, according to him, the Tausug since November 17, 1405 started as a state, where no Moro and Filipino yet, and that the Sultanate of Sulu existed as an independent and sovereign state until 1578 when Spaniards attempted to conquer it.

As an independent, no country or other countries controlled this kingdom or empire. No Americans yet, no Spain yet, no Portugal yet, no British yet, no Holland yet, Netherland yet has ever conquered or controlled this empire of Sulu Sultanate, according to Sibulan.

He furthered "This is what we call historical right, the basis of the legal right of the Tausug and the evidence that is under the law; it is an established fact already. This is of judicial notice. The whole world knew that Sulu Sultanate existed 14th century ago and never been conquered."

Showing a birth certificate of Tausug citizen, Sibulan said the propriety or legality of issuing the document is recognition by the Tausug of their government and national identity that they are Tausug, not a Moro not Filipino or Sahabans of Sabah but a citizen of Sultanate of Sulu.

He explained: "This is an internal matter of the state which others states have no concerned or this is an internal matter which the Sultanate of Sulu has jurisdiction and the legality of this document is from the view point of internal law, the Sultanate of Sulu has never been vanished or lost."

"Because so long as there is a Tausug, this kingdom exists. The kingdom existed because there is still Tausug. If Tausug for instance, bringing this document to the State of Sabah, they could not be deported to the Philippines because they are not Filipino citizens," he said.

"So whether they will respect this or not it's up to them, but as far as the international law is concerned they should respect this legal document because this is not their citizens but people of the Sultanate of Sulu," he concluded. (HG)

Statement of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility on the Arrest of Members of the Media Covering the Peninsula Hotel Incident

Never in the turbulent recent history of the Philippines has any government, including that of Ferdinand Marcos, ever taken into custody members of the media who were on the scene to do their jobs.

But the arrest of the media people who were covering the take-over of the Peninsula Hotel by Senator Antonio Trillanes' Magdalo group is not only unprecedented. It is also an outrage, and a telling indication of the authoritarian depths into which the Arroyo regime has fallen in its obsession with political dominance. The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility condemns this latest attack on the Philippine press as an assault not only on its Constitutionally-protected freedom, but also on democracy itself.

The arrests took place when the crisis was over, and Trillanes and company were already in police custody. The arrests can only be interpreted as one more attempt, together with libel suits and other harassments, to intimidate the Philippine press into either minimal or less aggressive reporting of political events. Media practitioners will remember this incident well, and some are likely to be affected enough to soften future coverage.

The Defense Secretary's excuse that the police had to verify the identities of the media people covering the Peninsula Hotel crisis because there could be Magdalo members and sympathizers among them is totally unacceptable. Their identities were verifiable on-site, with some them being TV anchors well-known to millions of television viewers.

That members of the media, among them technical personnel and camerapersons as well as radio broadcasters and TV anchors, were being arrested at the very moment that Mrs. Arroyo was on the air describing her commitment to democracy was especially ironic. But it was also typical of the Arroyo regime's rhetorical and contrived adherence to democracy and the rule of law.

The regime's continuing assault on press freedom, free expression and freedom of assembly, of which this incident is only the latest, deserves condemnation. CMFR calls on all media, free expression and journalists' groups in this country as well as abroad to denounce this atrocity as a willful act to inflict collateral damage on the Philippine press for doing its mandated responsibility of providing the sovereign public the information it needs.