By Ronron
October 20, 2007
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is seeking the help of the religious sector in solving the bombing last Friday at Glorietta 2 in Makati City that killed nine people and wounded about a hundred others.
In the National Security Council (NSC) and Anti-Terrorism Task Force (ATTF) meeting at Camp Crame, Quezon City yesterday, Arroyo directed Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo to coordinate with church leaders for the identification of the suspect in the incident.
“As additional instructions, can you coordinate with the church leaders so that we can get their support in extorting the people to help identify the perpetrators or at least cooperate with the authorities,” Arroyo told Saludo.
Also, she directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) “to closely supervise and reinforce the civilian security guards in both the public and private establishments” as preventive measure to another bombing.
To this, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said: “I have just given our Chief PNP a guidance to coordinate with the Peace and Order Councils throughout the country to do three things.”
First is for the coordination of “all security agencies with the PNP so there will be seamless security.” Second is the “coordination between the security cameras of the malls and buildings” in Metro Manila with the National Capital Region Police Office’s (NCRPO) security camera system. And finally, “we are going to request that the PNP roving patrols throughout the country will be coordinated with the Peace and Order Council, with the village watchmen, and civilian security volunteers.”
In her opening speech at the meeting addressed to the public, Arroyo appealed for “unity in staying vigilant against threats and other hindrance to” national development.
“My fellow countrymen, we are faced now with new hindrances into the strengthening of our economy – terrorism, oil price hike in the international market, and the continuing political instability. To fight them, we need to embolden our spirit, join hands together, strive and sacrifice, and not be influenced by those pushing for violence, fear and divisiveness,” Arroyo said in Filipino.
“It is in unity and striving hard that we will win as a Filipino nation,” she added.
The chief executive noted that members of the US-ASEAN Business Council with whom she had dined with on Friday night have not “changed any of their plans” in holding a business mission in the country.
But even with this positive feedback, she asked Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos to convey to the international community the latest developments in the investigation of the bombing.
“We hope that you will inform your constituencies about the developments in the investigation so that appropriate advisories can be made available. So this means that you will inform the diplomatic corps in the country as well as the Philippine embassies abroad,” Arroyo said.
Authorities have already called the bombing as a terrorist act but they have yet to identify the group or individuals behind it./DMS
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Trillanes blames government for Glorietta 2 bombing
By Ronron
October 20, 2007
Opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV blamed the Arroyo government for the deadly blast at the Glorietta 2 Mall in Makati City last Friday that killed nine people and wounded about a hundred others.
In a press statement released late Friday, Trillanes said he “believes” the incident “is the handiwork of Malacanang Particulary, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon,” Jr.
“This blast is most likely another tactic of the administration to divert public attention away from the controversies hounding GMA,” Trillanes said, referring to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is currently facing allegations of bribery of local executives, irregular deal with ZTE Corporation, and the unresolved 2004 electoral fraud.
“It very looks like a repeat of Oplan Greenbase perpetrated by the administration in 2003 in Mindanao, where a series of bombings rocked the island, killing innocent people and destroying property. Those bombings remain unexplained to this day,” the former Navy officer went ont.
“Like Oplan Greenbase, this blast is a pretext for assorted measures GMA may again concoct, like exercise of emergency powers, possibly even Martial Law, to justify repressive actions against the people to clamp down on peaceful protests and subdue the rising public clamor for her to resign,” said Trillanes.
But the government took offense of Trillanes’ allegations.
“It’s about time we stop allowing people to make irresponsible statements so the statements of Senator Trillanes will be investigated formally,” Gonzales said Saturday.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will take the statements of Trillanes from his detention cell at the Philippine Marine Brig in Taguig City.
“In politics, there is fair game, and there is unfair game. The tragedy that befalls people like this is not fair game. So I would implore our political opposition to please exclude this tragedy from their laundry list of issues that they’re going to fire at the administration. This is demeaning of our political system. It is demeaning of the political environment. And I think it demeans themselves. So, if they can remain on a more Statesman-like level so that this unfortunate tragedy will not be exploited for their personal gains, it will do them well,” Puno said.
Esperon said he is supporting the government’s move to take Trillanes’ statements, calling the incident as a “very serious matter” to be “played around” by the Senator.
“Formal statements should be taken from people who make allegations,” Esperon said.
But while Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol called Trillanes’ action as “seditious,” he said they do not intend to prosecute the lawmaker.
“There is no intention to prosecute him. There is intention to get the necessary evidence so that we can properly investigate… We’ll just leave him that way. We will not file any criminal case. This is just for investigation,” Apostol said.
Gonzales pointed out that the Oplan Greenbase, which is being mentioned by Trillanes, has long been denied by its authors.
“Those who spread that rumor already apologized in public… They’re saying it’s a fake document. And I don’t understand why a Senator would keep on using a fake document as basis for his actions,” Gonzales said./DMS
October 20, 2007
Opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV blamed the Arroyo government for the deadly blast at the Glorietta 2 Mall in Makati City last Friday that killed nine people and wounded about a hundred others.
In a press statement released late Friday, Trillanes said he “believes” the incident “is the handiwork of Malacanang Particulary, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon,” Jr.
“This blast is most likely another tactic of the administration to divert public attention away from the controversies hounding GMA,” Trillanes said, referring to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is currently facing allegations of bribery of local executives, irregular deal with ZTE Corporation, and the unresolved 2004 electoral fraud.
“It very looks like a repeat of Oplan Greenbase perpetrated by the administration in 2003 in Mindanao, where a series of bombings rocked the island, killing innocent people and destroying property. Those bombings remain unexplained to this day,” the former Navy officer went ont.
“Like Oplan Greenbase, this blast is a pretext for assorted measures GMA may again concoct, like exercise of emergency powers, possibly even Martial Law, to justify repressive actions against the people to clamp down on peaceful protests and subdue the rising public clamor for her to resign,” said Trillanes.
But the government took offense of Trillanes’ allegations.
“It’s about time we stop allowing people to make irresponsible statements so the statements of Senator Trillanes will be investigated formally,” Gonzales said Saturday.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will take the statements of Trillanes from his detention cell at the Philippine Marine Brig in Taguig City.
“In politics, there is fair game, and there is unfair game. The tragedy that befalls people like this is not fair game. So I would implore our political opposition to please exclude this tragedy from their laundry list of issues that they’re going to fire at the administration. This is demeaning of our political system. It is demeaning of the political environment. And I think it demeans themselves. So, if they can remain on a more Statesman-like level so that this unfortunate tragedy will not be exploited for their personal gains, it will do them well,” Puno said.
Esperon said he is supporting the government’s move to take Trillanes’ statements, calling the incident as a “very serious matter” to be “played around” by the Senator.
“Formal statements should be taken from people who make allegations,” Esperon said.
But while Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol called Trillanes’ action as “seditious,” he said they do not intend to prosecute the lawmaker.
“There is no intention to prosecute him. There is intention to get the necessary evidence so that we can properly investigate… We’ll just leave him that way. We will not file any criminal case. This is just for investigation,” Apostol said.
Gonzales pointed out that the Oplan Greenbase, which is being mentioned by Trillanes, has long been denied by its authors.
“Those who spread that rumor already apologized in public… They’re saying it’s a fake document. And I don’t understand why a Senator would keep on using a fake document as basis for his actions,” Gonzales said./DMS
Glorietta 2 bombing death toll rises to nine
By Ronron
October 20, 2007
The death toll in Friday’s bombing at Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City rose to nine on Saturday after one more body was retrieved from the rubbles of the blast site.
The ninth fatality was a man whose remains were unearthed by rescue team led by the Philippine National Red Cross at around 12:30 am yesterday, said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias.
The wounded victims, on the other hand, that reached around 100, have mostly been discharged already from the two hospitals that provided them medical treatment.
At the Makati Medical Center, only 17 remain confined, while only six are at the Ospital ng Makati. All suffered from blast injuries.
The government and the Ayala Corporation, which owns Glorietta 2, have sponsored the funeral expenses for the dead, and hospital expenses for the wounded./DMS
October 20, 2007
The death toll in Friday’s bombing at Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City rose to nine on Saturday after one more body was retrieved from the rubbles of the blast site.
The ninth fatality was a man whose remains were unearthed by rescue team led by the Philippine National Red Cross at around 12:30 am yesterday, said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias.
The wounded victims, on the other hand, that reached around 100, have mostly been discharged already from the two hospitals that provided them medical treatment.
At the Makati Medical Center, only 17 remain confined, while only six are at the Ospital ng Makati. All suffered from blast injuries.
The government and the Ayala Corporation, which owns Glorietta 2, have sponsored the funeral expenses for the dead, and hospital expenses for the wounded./DMS
C4 component detected from Makati blast site
By Ronron
October 20, 2007
Chemical experts from the Philippine National Police (PNP) have detected RDX or Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine from the blast site in Makati City, said to be the main component of C4 explosives.
But authorities would not immediately conclude that the bomb used during Friday’s deadly explosion at the Glorietta 2 Mall was a C4 or TNT (trinitrotoluene) or dynamite, which also contains RDX.
“Early this morning, we have completed the initial screening and color testing (on the swabs) and the result was RDX was possibly used,” PNP Crime Laboratory Director Chief Supt. Arturo Cacdac said during Saturday morning’s National Security Council and Anti-Terrorism Task Force meeting at Camp Crame, Quezon City, presided over by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Chief Insp. Grace Eustaquio, head of the Crime Laboratory’s Chemistry Division who was also at the meeting, described RDX as the main component of C4.
“It’s a high explosive and as such, the extent of the damage it can cause is really tremendous,” she said, bolstering the dismissal of the PNP of the LPG tank explosion angle that was floated as a possibility immediately after the blast.
Philippine Bomb Data Center (PBDC) chief Sr. Supt. Alberto Ferro said at the meeting that based on their 2005 and 2006 data, “we could presume that those (RDX and C4) are military ordnance components.”
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. admitted that the RDX and C4 are “controlled items” but was quick to appeal that people should not immediately conclude the bomb used last Friday came from the military.
“We could not pinpoint at anybody yet. It’s only the ingredients we have. I don’t think its proper this time to pinpoint to any person,” Esperon said.
Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza, a former PNP chief, shared during the meeting that the bombs used in the Superferry 14 and Davao incidents a few years back may be “high explosives” but the perpetrators were not from the military.
Mendoza said miners also use C4 in their operations.
“It’s available not only to the military but it can be availed of also commercially. Just because it is of military grade does not mean that only the military has access to it,” National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said for his part.
Ferro’s deputy, Chief Insp. Reynold Rosero, had earlier said that they will also seek to gather other pieces of evidence from the blast site, such as switching materials and wirings, if any.
PNP chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. and Gonzales said determining the type of bomb used could help authorities in determining those responsible for the explosion.
At the same time, they are reviewing the video footage from Glorietta 2, particularly those taken near the blast site, to check on the person who could have brought in the explosive.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias had said that the seat of the explosion is the stockroom of Luk Yuen noodle house, shared also by three other restaurants, located at the ground floor of Glorietta 2, along West Drive Street.
Razon said the police is offering P2 million in reward to any person who can help identify the perpetrators. Makati City Councilor Jejomar Binay, Jr. said the Makati City government is also willing to offer another P1 million.
But he said they are now conducting counter-checking on the existing list of terrorists in the country for their possible entry and activity in Metro Manila.
“We have heightened our intelligence sharing and monitoring together with our foreign counterparts, and increased police visibility… And the (PNP’s Anti-Terrorism Unit) Task Force Sanlahi is directed to be on the lookout for possible arrest of suspects,” Razon said.
The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), in an interview on radio DZMM of one of its self-proclaimed commander in Basilan, denied involvement in the latest bombing, saying they are too hot to be able to escape from the military operations there.
“It is not true that we have placed bombs in the different parts of the country, especially the bomb there where the suspect allegedly is the ASG. We are very hot here in Basilan so we are just hiding in the mountains. We have not mobilized some members to go there,” a certain Commander Not told DZMM in Filipino in a phone interview yesterday afternoon.
He also said they have no members currently in Metro Manila.
“We are preoccupied in defending our territory here… We are just in the mountains, and are very far. And there are too many Marines here so we can not just roam around, much more go to Manila,” Not said.
Gonzales said that while the incident is a “terrorist act,” he could not categorically say that it is a “terrorist attack” because no one has claimed or been blamed for it yet. As such, they are not yet sure now if the anti-terrorism law can be applied.
“We cannot say it’s a terrorist attack. One of the requirements is that there has to be clear demand from government of the perpetrator. And we haven’t received anything like that yet,” he said.
Razon said the police in Metro Manila will maintain to be on full alert status, as the National Capital Region Command of the AFP, while the rest in the country will be on heightened level to thwart any possible repeat of said incident.
Around 6,000 police and military forces are now spread all over Metro Manila to secure the public, said Razon. On top of that, the military has just accepted the 48th Infantry Battalion from Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija to augment the existing forces at present.
“We are maintaining the highest alert in the NCR because I think we have to assume that the threat of another bombing is possible. I hope we are not unnecessarily alarming our public but the alert level is such that it’s still very high,” Gonzales said, referring to the EXTREME-HIGH terrorism threat level./DMS
October 20, 2007
Chemical experts from the Philippine National Police (PNP) have detected RDX or Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine from the blast site in Makati City, said to be the main component of C4 explosives.
But authorities would not immediately conclude that the bomb used during Friday’s deadly explosion at the Glorietta 2 Mall was a C4 or TNT (trinitrotoluene) or dynamite, which also contains RDX.
“Early this morning, we have completed the initial screening and color testing (on the swabs) and the result was RDX was possibly used,” PNP Crime Laboratory Director Chief Supt. Arturo Cacdac said during Saturday morning’s National Security Council and Anti-Terrorism Task Force meeting at Camp Crame, Quezon City, presided over by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Chief Insp. Grace Eustaquio, head of the Crime Laboratory’s Chemistry Division who was also at the meeting, described RDX as the main component of C4.
“It’s a high explosive and as such, the extent of the damage it can cause is really tremendous,” she said, bolstering the dismissal of the PNP of the LPG tank explosion angle that was floated as a possibility immediately after the blast.
Philippine Bomb Data Center (PBDC) chief Sr. Supt. Alberto Ferro said at the meeting that based on their 2005 and 2006 data, “we could presume that those (RDX and C4) are military ordnance components.”
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. admitted that the RDX and C4 are “controlled items” but was quick to appeal that people should not immediately conclude the bomb used last Friday came from the military.
“We could not pinpoint at anybody yet. It’s only the ingredients we have. I don’t think its proper this time to pinpoint to any person,” Esperon said.
Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza, a former PNP chief, shared during the meeting that the bombs used in the Superferry 14 and Davao incidents a few years back may be “high explosives” but the perpetrators were not from the military.
Mendoza said miners also use C4 in their operations.
“It’s available not only to the military but it can be availed of also commercially. Just because it is of military grade does not mean that only the military has access to it,” National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said for his part.
Ferro’s deputy, Chief Insp. Reynold Rosero, had earlier said that they will also seek to gather other pieces of evidence from the blast site, such as switching materials and wirings, if any.
PNP chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. and Gonzales said determining the type of bomb used could help authorities in determining those responsible for the explosion.
At the same time, they are reviewing the video footage from Glorietta 2, particularly those taken near the blast site, to check on the person who could have brought in the explosive.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias had said that the seat of the explosion is the stockroom of Luk Yuen noodle house, shared also by three other restaurants, located at the ground floor of Glorietta 2, along West Drive Street.
Razon said the police is offering P2 million in reward to any person who can help identify the perpetrators. Makati City Councilor Jejomar Binay, Jr. said the Makati City government is also willing to offer another P1 million.
But he said they are now conducting counter-checking on the existing list of terrorists in the country for their possible entry and activity in Metro Manila.
“We have heightened our intelligence sharing and monitoring together with our foreign counterparts, and increased police visibility… And the (PNP’s Anti-Terrorism Unit) Task Force Sanlahi is directed to be on the lookout for possible arrest of suspects,” Razon said.
The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), in an interview on radio DZMM of one of its self-proclaimed commander in Basilan, denied involvement in the latest bombing, saying they are too hot to be able to escape from the military operations there.
“It is not true that we have placed bombs in the different parts of the country, especially the bomb there where the suspect allegedly is the ASG. We are very hot here in Basilan so we are just hiding in the mountains. We have not mobilized some members to go there,” a certain Commander Not told DZMM in Filipino in a phone interview yesterday afternoon.
He also said they have no members currently in Metro Manila.
“We are preoccupied in defending our territory here… We are just in the mountains, and are very far. And there are too many Marines here so we can not just roam around, much more go to Manila,” Not said.
Gonzales said that while the incident is a “terrorist act,” he could not categorically say that it is a “terrorist attack” because no one has claimed or been blamed for it yet. As such, they are not yet sure now if the anti-terrorism law can be applied.
“We cannot say it’s a terrorist attack. One of the requirements is that there has to be clear demand from government of the perpetrator. And we haven’t received anything like that yet,” he said.
Razon said the police in Metro Manila will maintain to be on full alert status, as the National Capital Region Command of the AFP, while the rest in the country will be on heightened level to thwart any possible repeat of said incident.
Around 6,000 police and military forces are now spread all over Metro Manila to secure the public, said Razon. On top of that, the military has just accepted the 48th Infantry Battalion from Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija to augment the existing forces at present.
“We are maintaining the highest alert in the NCR because I think we have to assume that the threat of another bombing is possible. I hope we are not unnecessarily alarming our public but the alert level is such that it’s still very high,” Gonzales said, referring to the EXTREME-HIGH terrorism threat level./DMS
Friday, October 19, 2007
Razon tasks CIDG to take over Akiyoshi killing case in Pampanga
By Ronron
October 18, 2007
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. on Thursday tasked the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to take over the investigation of the Akiyoshi killing case in Angeles City, Pampanga last July after the local police failed to make any progress in its probe.
Razon issued the order after meeting some Japanese guests at his office yesterday afternoon at Camp Crame, Quezon City who have expressed concern over the stalling of the case investigation.
“The CIDG will be taking the lead role (in the investigation),” Razon said.
Reisuke Akiyoshi, an engineer working for a Japanese funded project in Central Luzon, was found dead inside his rented apartment in Angeles City last July.
SPO2 Dickson Tolentino, officer-on-case from the Angeles City Police Station 4, told Manila Shimbun yesterday that there is no development in their investigation due to lack of witnesses.
“Up to now, we have no lead as to the motive and the suspect because there are no witnesses… The wife and co-workers of Akiyoshi could not also say who could have the motive to carry out the crime,” Tolentino said in Filipino in a phone interview.
He said that they thought they would already pin down a relative of Akiyoshi’s wife, but no one would officially make a statement against that person.
During Razon’s meeting with the Japanese guests, CIDG chief Director Edgardo Doromal, who was present in the meeting, called up CIDG Region III Director Sr. Supt. Guillermo Eleazar and directed him to take over the investigation of the case from the Angeles City Police.
Doromal said he directed Eleazar to create a “dedicated team” for the investigation of the case.
Asked on how important it is for the police to solve the Akiyoshi killing, Razon said: “It is very important because we want our locators, Japanese investors to feel safe so their business will prosper and continue. If it is not solved, it will affect the feeling of security of the Japanese investors in the Philippines.”
But Doromal said it is hard to set a deadline for the local CIDG to solve the particular case.
“If we don’t have witnesses, we can’t identify the suspects. That’s why we are trying to maintain good relationship with our community so that other witnesses will come out,” he said.
Tolentino said even if they have all the technical evidence like fingerprints lifted from the crime scene, it will really be difficult to solve the case unless there is a witness./DMS
October 18, 2007
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. on Thursday tasked the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to take over the investigation of the Akiyoshi killing case in Angeles City, Pampanga last July after the local police failed to make any progress in its probe.
Razon issued the order after meeting some Japanese guests at his office yesterday afternoon at Camp Crame, Quezon City who have expressed concern over the stalling of the case investigation.
“The CIDG will be taking the lead role (in the investigation),” Razon said.
Reisuke Akiyoshi, an engineer working for a Japanese funded project in Central Luzon, was found dead inside his rented apartment in Angeles City last July.
SPO2 Dickson Tolentino, officer-on-case from the Angeles City Police Station 4, told Manila Shimbun yesterday that there is no development in their investigation due to lack of witnesses.
“Up to now, we have no lead as to the motive and the suspect because there are no witnesses… The wife and co-workers of Akiyoshi could not also say who could have the motive to carry out the crime,” Tolentino said in Filipino in a phone interview.
He said that they thought they would already pin down a relative of Akiyoshi’s wife, but no one would officially make a statement against that person.
During Razon’s meeting with the Japanese guests, CIDG chief Director Edgardo Doromal, who was present in the meeting, called up CIDG Region III Director Sr. Supt. Guillermo Eleazar and directed him to take over the investigation of the case from the Angeles City Police.
Doromal said he directed Eleazar to create a “dedicated team” for the investigation of the case.
Asked on how important it is for the police to solve the Akiyoshi killing, Razon said: “It is very important because we want our locators, Japanese investors to feel safe so their business will prosper and continue. If it is not solved, it will affect the feeling of security of the Japanese investors in the Philippines.”
But Doromal said it is hard to set a deadline for the local CIDG to solve the particular case.
“If we don’t have witnesses, we can’t identify the suspects. That’s why we are trying to maintain good relationship with our community so that other witnesses will come out,” he said.
Tolentino said even if they have all the technical evidence like fingerprints lifted from the crime scene, it will really be difficult to solve the case unless there is a witness./DMS
Crimes in MM down by 7.14 percent from Jan – Sept 2007
By Ronron
October 18, 2007
Crimes in Metro Manila went down by 7.14 percent for the period January to September this year, compared to the same period last year, a police official said Thursday.
According to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias, the decrease from 6,371 incidents last year to 5,972 this year is attributed to their “crime prevention operations,” particularly their night-watch operations and increased police visibility during daytime.
“The NCR is the most peaceful (region) in the entire country,” Barias claimed after citing the figure.
Among the specific crimes that Barias cited are theft, which went down from 2,302 incidents to 2,064; robbery, from 2,110 to 1,939; murder, from 366 to 330; homicide, from 308, to 218; rape, from 217 to 203; and, carnapping, from 850 to 516.
On the other hand, Barias admitted that cases of slight physical injuries increased during the same period, although he was not immediately prepared to cite the statistics.
“Because we have downloaded (some policemen to the districts), we hope we can sustain this trend,” Barias said, referring to last week’s assignment of over 500 cops to the five police districts in Metro Manila for street patrolling.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. had earlier promised to assign 90 percent of the entire police force to the field and retain the remaining 10 percent to offices in line with the PNP’s duty of “serving and protecting the community.”
In a related development, Barias disclosed their plan to merge next month the security cameras of the NCRPO with those of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to further strengthen their anti-criminality campaign.
Barias said MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando had already agreed in principle the integration of the NCRPO’s 56 cameras with the 200 cameras of the MMDA.
“Chairman Fernando is okay with the integration of their system with ours. We can use their system for our crime prevention campaign too,” Barias said.
The NCRPO installed its 56 cameras last August in various areas in Metro Manila as part of the security measure for the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting in the country./DMS
October 18, 2007
Crimes in Metro Manila went down by 7.14 percent for the period January to September this year, compared to the same period last year, a police official said Thursday.
According to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias, the decrease from 6,371 incidents last year to 5,972 this year is attributed to their “crime prevention operations,” particularly their night-watch operations and increased police visibility during daytime.
“The NCR is the most peaceful (region) in the entire country,” Barias claimed after citing the figure.
Among the specific crimes that Barias cited are theft, which went down from 2,302 incidents to 2,064; robbery, from 2,110 to 1,939; murder, from 366 to 330; homicide, from 308, to 218; rape, from 217 to 203; and, carnapping, from 850 to 516.
On the other hand, Barias admitted that cases of slight physical injuries increased during the same period, although he was not immediately prepared to cite the statistics.
“Because we have downloaded (some policemen to the districts), we hope we can sustain this trend,” Barias said, referring to last week’s assignment of over 500 cops to the five police districts in Metro Manila for street patrolling.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. had earlier promised to assign 90 percent of the entire police force to the field and retain the remaining 10 percent to offices in line with the PNP’s duty of “serving and protecting the community.”
In a related development, Barias disclosed their plan to merge next month the security cameras of the NCRPO with those of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to further strengthen their anti-criminality campaign.
Barias said MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando had already agreed in principle the integration of the NCRPO’s 56 cameras with the 200 cameras of the MMDA.
“Chairman Fernando is okay with the integration of their system with ours. We can use their system for our crime prevention campaign too,” Barias said.
The NCRPO installed its 56 cameras last August in various areas in Metro Manila as part of the security measure for the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting in the country./DMS
Defense chief assures AFP loyalty to Arroyo
By Ronron
October 18, 2007
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. assured on Thursday the loyalty of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo amid allegations that Malacañang are offering bribes to local officials purportedly to dissuade them from supporting impeachment moves against the chief executive.
Interviewed in Cebu, Teodoro said: “I can say categorically that the Armed Forces is solid and united behind the chain of command.”
“She (Arroyo) is the duly constituted President of the Republic and the Armed Forces will stand behind the duly constituted authority, stand behind the President,” he added.
Teodoro said he does not even have to give any piece of advice to government troops about staying loyal to their commander-in-chief. “They know their duties, I don’t need to remind them about it,” he said.
Philippine Marines commandant Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ben Dolorfino had earlier admitted that the bribery allegations against Malacañang is affecting the soldiers “in one way or another” but not seriously that it could translate to adventurist actions.
“Political issues like this will not affect their duties and responsibilities,” the Defense Secretary echoed Dolorfino’s view.
“The Armed Forces is focused on its task, which is to counter the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) and the CPP/NPA/NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front), plus the reforms in the Armed Forces. Political issues are not the focus of the AFP,” he continued.
The military has admitted being a target of destabilization efforts against the government because an armed component is required to effect a successful regime change, as it did in the 1986 and 2001 bloodless revolts.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has already tasked the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission to look into the giving of cash gifts at Malacañang last week to some governors, congressmen and other local executives after receiving criticisms from the opposition, religious groups and other sectors./DMS
October 18, 2007
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. assured on Thursday the loyalty of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo amid allegations that Malacañang are offering bribes to local officials purportedly to dissuade them from supporting impeachment moves against the chief executive.
Interviewed in Cebu, Teodoro said: “I can say categorically that the Armed Forces is solid and united behind the chain of command.”
“She (Arroyo) is the duly constituted President of the Republic and the Armed Forces will stand behind the duly constituted authority, stand behind the President,” he added.
Teodoro said he does not even have to give any piece of advice to government troops about staying loyal to their commander-in-chief. “They know their duties, I don’t need to remind them about it,” he said.
Philippine Marines commandant Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ben Dolorfino had earlier admitted that the bribery allegations against Malacañang is affecting the soldiers “in one way or another” but not seriously that it could translate to adventurist actions.
“Political issues like this will not affect their duties and responsibilities,” the Defense Secretary echoed Dolorfino’s view.
“The Armed Forces is focused on its task, which is to counter the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) and the CPP/NPA/NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front), plus the reforms in the Armed Forces. Political issues are not the focus of the AFP,” he continued.
The military has admitted being a target of destabilization efforts against the government because an armed component is required to effect a successful regime change, as it did in the 1986 and 2001 bloodless revolts.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has already tasked the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission to look into the giving of cash gifts at Malacañang last week to some governors, congressmen and other local executives after receiving criticisms from the opposition, religious groups and other sectors./DMS
Two NPA captives in Compostela Valley break away
By Ronron
October 18, 2007
Two of the three captives of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Compostela Valley province were able to break away and are now in the hands of the military unit in the area, an official there said Thursday.
According to Brig. Gen. Carlos Holganza, commander of the Philippine Army’s 1001st Infantry Brigade that is based in Mawab town of said province, Glorieto Mahumas and Rudy Villaflor were received by his command Thursday morning.
The two, Holganza said, claimed to have escaped from their captors last Sunday in Barangay Banglasan in Montevista, same province. He said the two claimed they were not brought outside of Montevista since they were abducted last October 7 in Barangay Kanidkid, together with Sgt. Raul Reyes.
Reyes is the commander of the 72nd Infantry Battalion detachment in Barangay Kanidkid, while Mahumas and Villaflor are CAFGU members of said detachment.
At the same time, Mahumas is the chairman of Barangay Kanidkid while Villaflor also serves as a barangay kagawad.
Holganza said the two claimed that since their escape, they walked, ran and hitchhiked until they arrived Wednesday night, at around 7 o’clock, at the residence of Compostela Valley 1st District Congressman Manuel Zamora in Monkayo town.
It was Zamora who turned them over to Holganza yesterday morning at the latter’s headquarters.
“The pressure from military operations set the stage for the two’s escape because their captors have formed into splinter groups already,” Holganza said in a phone interview.
“The rebels thought they have the support of the people of Banglasan. They did not realize that the local residents there were cooperating with us,” he added. The military had earlier claimed that they conducted non-stop operations against the perpetrators.
Holganza said the two claimed there were around 50 who held them since October 7 although only at most 30 took them from Mahumas’ residence.
Asked to describe the condition of the two, Holganza said they looked “okay” and claimed they were not hurt or maltreated.
The NPA had owned up the abduction of the three, who, they said, will be made to face preliminary investigations “for the complaints filed against them that may constitute war crimes and violations of International Humanitarian Law and against civilians in Montevista.”
Philippine Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Jr. said the admission of the NPA is “clearly an open admission of an extra judicial means of settling things.”
Holganza said that with Mahumas and Villaflor now in their custody, they are “hoping” they could rescue Reyes soon.
The two are undergoing debriefing at the 1001st Brigade headquarters as of press time, Holganza said./DMS
October 18, 2007
Two of the three captives of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Compostela Valley province were able to break away and are now in the hands of the military unit in the area, an official there said Thursday.
According to Brig. Gen. Carlos Holganza, commander of the Philippine Army’s 1001st Infantry Brigade that is based in Mawab town of said province, Glorieto Mahumas and Rudy Villaflor were received by his command Thursday morning.
The two, Holganza said, claimed to have escaped from their captors last Sunday in Barangay Banglasan in Montevista, same province. He said the two claimed they were not brought outside of Montevista since they were abducted last October 7 in Barangay Kanidkid, together with Sgt. Raul Reyes.
Reyes is the commander of the 72nd Infantry Battalion detachment in Barangay Kanidkid, while Mahumas and Villaflor are CAFGU members of said detachment.
At the same time, Mahumas is the chairman of Barangay Kanidkid while Villaflor also serves as a barangay kagawad.
Holganza said the two claimed that since their escape, they walked, ran and hitchhiked until they arrived Wednesday night, at around 7 o’clock, at the residence of Compostela Valley 1st District Congressman Manuel Zamora in Monkayo town.
It was Zamora who turned them over to Holganza yesterday morning at the latter’s headquarters.
“The pressure from military operations set the stage for the two’s escape because their captors have formed into splinter groups already,” Holganza said in a phone interview.
“The rebels thought they have the support of the people of Banglasan. They did not realize that the local residents there were cooperating with us,” he added. The military had earlier claimed that they conducted non-stop operations against the perpetrators.
Holganza said the two claimed there were around 50 who held them since October 7 although only at most 30 took them from Mahumas’ residence.
Asked to describe the condition of the two, Holganza said they looked “okay” and claimed they were not hurt or maltreated.
The NPA had owned up the abduction of the three, who, they said, will be made to face preliminary investigations “for the complaints filed against them that may constitute war crimes and violations of International Humanitarian Law and against civilians in Montevista.”
Philippine Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Jr. said the admission of the NPA is “clearly an open admission of an extra judicial means of settling things.”
Holganza said that with Mahumas and Villaflor now in their custody, they are “hoping” they could rescue Reyes soon.
The two are undergoing debriefing at the 1001st Brigade headquarters as of press time, Holganza said./DMS
Thursday, October 18, 2007
PNP to guard against big politicians’ infiltration on Oct. 29 polls
By Ronron
October 17, 2007
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will be guarding against the infiltration of big politicians during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 29.
PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr. said Wednesday that under the law, elected officials from the municipal level upwards are not allowed to express support to the barangay and sangguniang bayan election candidates because this is supposed to be an apolitical and non-partisan activity.
Pagdilao cited as example the presence of elected officials during campaign activities and their appearance in the campaign poster materials of the candidates.
“We look at this as a prelude to the 2010 elections. So, even if this is supposed to be apolitical and non-partisan, there could be partisan influence working here,” Pagdilao said.
Thus, as the deputized agency of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the PNP, Pagdilao said, will have to make sure that this provision is not violated.
He said he expects the Comelec to come up with “clear cut marching orders” about the campaign policies when the campaign starts on October 19 so every PNP personnel would know what should they do and should not.
Pagdilao said it is really likely that elected officials will work their way during the upcoming elections “to control the mass base or ground level” for the 2010 elections.
Meanwhile, Pagdilao expressed confidence that the upcoming elections will be peaceful based on the current trend of election-related incidents.
Without giving details, Pagdilao said there have so far been eight election-related violent incidents reported to the PNP since the start of the election period last September 29.
“This is smaller compared to the 159 incidents recorded during the 2002 barangay elections… So, the figures won’t support any fears of a violent barangay elections this year,” he said.
He also noted that for this year, only more than 4,000 barangays are being considered as “hotspots” compared to the almost 7,000 in the 2002 elections.
Asked why these foreseen peaceful scenario, Pagdilao said: “I think it’s the maturity of the electorate, which was also reflected in the May 14 elections where there were less violence. The electorate has become matured and more responsible. Also, the help of all stakeholders, the PNP, the Comelec, and other security forces. I think these are all factors to a better situation.”/DMS
October 17, 2007
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will be guarding against the infiltration of big politicians during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 29.
PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr. said Wednesday that under the law, elected officials from the municipal level upwards are not allowed to express support to the barangay and sangguniang bayan election candidates because this is supposed to be an apolitical and non-partisan activity.
Pagdilao cited as example the presence of elected officials during campaign activities and their appearance in the campaign poster materials of the candidates.
“We look at this as a prelude to the 2010 elections. So, even if this is supposed to be apolitical and non-partisan, there could be partisan influence working here,” Pagdilao said.
Thus, as the deputized agency of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the PNP, Pagdilao said, will have to make sure that this provision is not violated.
He said he expects the Comelec to come up with “clear cut marching orders” about the campaign policies when the campaign starts on October 19 so every PNP personnel would know what should they do and should not.
Pagdilao said it is really likely that elected officials will work their way during the upcoming elections “to control the mass base or ground level” for the 2010 elections.
Meanwhile, Pagdilao expressed confidence that the upcoming elections will be peaceful based on the current trend of election-related incidents.
Without giving details, Pagdilao said there have so far been eight election-related violent incidents reported to the PNP since the start of the election period last September 29.
“This is smaller compared to the 159 incidents recorded during the 2002 barangay elections… So, the figures won’t support any fears of a violent barangay elections this year,” he said.
He also noted that for this year, only more than 4,000 barangays are being considered as “hotspots” compared to the almost 7,000 in the 2002 elections.
Asked why these foreseen peaceful scenario, Pagdilao said: “I think it’s the maturity of the electorate, which was also reflected in the May 14 elections where there were less violence. The electorate has become matured and more responsible. Also, the help of all stakeholders, the PNP, the Comelec, and other security forces. I think these are all factors to a better situation.”/DMS
NPA admits holding Army personnel and barangay official in Compostela Valley as prisoners of war
By Ronron
October 17, 2007
The communist New People’s Army (NPA) has admitted taking a barangay official and two Army personnel last October 7 in Compostela Valley province, saying the three are being investigated for violating International Humanitarian Law.
“Army detachment commander Sgt. Raul Reyes, and para-military members Glorieto Mahumas (the barangay captain of Kanidkid in Montevista, Compostela Valley) and Rudy Villaflor are being held as prisoners of war,” the NPA’s Alejandro Lanaja Command in Southern Mindanao said in a press statement dated October 14, 2007.
“As part of the Philippine government’s war machinery, they are facing preliminary investigations for the complaints filed against them that may constitute war crimes and violations against International Humanitarian Law and against civilians in Montevista, Compostela Valley provoince,” it added.
At around 9am last October 7, some 20 to 30 NPA members posed themselves as soldiers and went first to Mahumas’ residence. Immediately when they held him hostage, they asked him to summon Reyes and Villaflor to his house. The two were later held hostage too.
The NPA statement said the perpetrators were able to seize 16 high-powered firearms from the detachment, consisting of six M14, eight Garand rifles, one M16, and one .357 caliber pistol, and several rounds of ammunition and military equipment.
The statement said Mahumas and Villaflor were being investigated for being “thoroughly active in local para-military recruitment” and being “instrumental in putting up military detachments in the Montevista villages.”
It also alleged the military units in the area, particularly the 72nd and 60th Infantry Battalions, to be “notorious in committing grave human rights abuses and violations.”
Col. Benito de Leon, spokesman of the Davao-based 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, said they are already preparing the charges against the perpetrators of the abduction incident.
“There is an ongoing operation to track and retrieve the abducted personnel,” de Leon said in a text message to Manila Shimbun.
But the NPA claims it is according Mahumas, Reyes and Villaflor “their rights to humane treatment and due process while in detention.”
“This is in accordance to their status as a Prisoner of War under the war protocols, the GRP-NDFP Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, and the 1996 NDFP Unilateral Declaration of Undertaking to Apply the Provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Protocol 1 of 1977,” it said./DMS
October 17, 2007
The communist New People’s Army (NPA) has admitted taking a barangay official and two Army personnel last October 7 in Compostela Valley province, saying the three are being investigated for violating International Humanitarian Law.
“Army detachment commander Sgt. Raul Reyes, and para-military members Glorieto Mahumas (the barangay captain of Kanidkid in Montevista, Compostela Valley) and Rudy Villaflor are being held as prisoners of war,” the NPA’s Alejandro Lanaja Command in Southern Mindanao said in a press statement dated October 14, 2007.
“As part of the Philippine government’s war machinery, they are facing preliminary investigations for the complaints filed against them that may constitute war crimes and violations against International Humanitarian Law and against civilians in Montevista, Compostela Valley provoince,” it added.
At around 9am last October 7, some 20 to 30 NPA members posed themselves as soldiers and went first to Mahumas’ residence. Immediately when they held him hostage, they asked him to summon Reyes and Villaflor to his house. The two were later held hostage too.
The NPA statement said the perpetrators were able to seize 16 high-powered firearms from the detachment, consisting of six M14, eight Garand rifles, one M16, and one .357 caliber pistol, and several rounds of ammunition and military equipment.
The statement said Mahumas and Villaflor were being investigated for being “thoroughly active in local para-military recruitment” and being “instrumental in putting up military detachments in the Montevista villages.”
It also alleged the military units in the area, particularly the 72nd and 60th Infantry Battalions, to be “notorious in committing grave human rights abuses and violations.”
Col. Benito de Leon, spokesman of the Davao-based 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, said they are already preparing the charges against the perpetrators of the abduction incident.
“There is an ongoing operation to track and retrieve the abducted personnel,” de Leon said in a text message to Manila Shimbun.
But the NPA claims it is according Mahumas, Reyes and Villaflor “their rights to humane treatment and due process while in detention.”
“This is in accordance to their status as a Prisoner of War under the war protocols, the GRP-NDFP Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, and the 1996 NDFP Unilateral Declaration of Undertaking to Apply the Provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Protocol 1 of 1977,” it said./DMS
Communist spokesman says he’s alive, but AFP demands for his recent video
By Ronron
October 17, 2007
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal said Wednesday he is “alive and fighting,” dismissing speculations that he already passed away due to illness.
In an e-mail statement from the CPP Information Bureau, Rosal said “the statements by the government armed forces and police suggesting that I am dead are meant to lure me to call up our media friends so that the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) intelligence units can revive their electronic surveillance to pinpoint my location.”
Rosal recounted that when he used to make himself available to the media in the past until middle of last year, he found out he was being closely monitored by the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP).
“Up to the middle of last year, before we finally stopped relying on cellphones to get in touch with the media and other friends, our counter-intelligence units and the masses noticed the suspicious presence of four vans constantly prowling the fringes of what the military believed was our office. We later found out that the vans were fully equipped with cellphone tracking and scanning equipment,” Rosal said.
Rosal said he “will not fall for that bait” of the government.
But AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, who has earlier suggested that Rosal has no significance to the communist movement, challenged Rosal yesterday to prove that he is alive by showing himself in a video footage holding a recent newspaper issue.
“To put substance to this e-mail statement, he should show himself to the public,” Bacarro said. “So that if he is really alive, then we will no longer have to exert effort to locate him or find out if he is alive or not.”
Bacarro belied Rosal’s allegation that the AFP is monitoring mobile phone calls, such as his, saying that already requires high-technology equipment that the AFP does not have.
But he admitted that there are continuous efforts to locate Rosal and other leaders of the CPP and New People’s Army in order to apprehend them.
Bacarro said the military is not to blame for the spread of speculations that Rosal is already dead because it is his long silence and absence from public view that served as indications of that, even if they are not really conclusive.
In his statement, Rosal also alleged that military troops have been forcing people from Tagkawayan, Quezon and nearby towns to disclose his whereabouts, violating their basic rights.
“We have received reports that several barrio folk have been arbitrarily taken from their homes and brought to military camps or secluded places and tortured to force them to reveal any information leading to our whereabouts,” Rosal said.
He urged the media, human rights advocates and democratic organizations to look into these.
Bacarro said this may just be part of Rosal’s propaganda to taint the image of the AFP but to allay the fears of the public, he said the AFP is prepared to investigate troops that could be involved in such activities.
“If there is an element of truth in what they are saying here, we are willing to conduct an investigation. However, this is a general and sweeping statement. We can see again that there is an interest that this statement would favor them. But to allay fears of the people, we are willing to subject to investigation soldiers whom we will be able to identify as being involved,” Bacarro said.
In the meantime, Rosal said he will continue to issue statements to the public through the CPP’s Information Bureau and the use of internet.
“The AFP and PNP mistakenly believe that by issuing statements about my supposed demise, they can entice me to let down my guard and draw them out,” he said./DMS
October 17, 2007
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal said Wednesday he is “alive and fighting,” dismissing speculations that he already passed away due to illness.
In an e-mail statement from the CPP Information Bureau, Rosal said “the statements by the government armed forces and police suggesting that I am dead are meant to lure me to call up our media friends so that the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) intelligence units can revive their electronic surveillance to pinpoint my location.”
Rosal recounted that when he used to make himself available to the media in the past until middle of last year, he found out he was being closely monitored by the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP).
“Up to the middle of last year, before we finally stopped relying on cellphones to get in touch with the media and other friends, our counter-intelligence units and the masses noticed the suspicious presence of four vans constantly prowling the fringes of what the military believed was our office. We later found out that the vans were fully equipped with cellphone tracking and scanning equipment,” Rosal said.
Rosal said he “will not fall for that bait” of the government.
But AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, who has earlier suggested that Rosal has no significance to the communist movement, challenged Rosal yesterday to prove that he is alive by showing himself in a video footage holding a recent newspaper issue.
“To put substance to this e-mail statement, he should show himself to the public,” Bacarro said. “So that if he is really alive, then we will no longer have to exert effort to locate him or find out if he is alive or not.”
Bacarro belied Rosal’s allegation that the AFP is monitoring mobile phone calls, such as his, saying that already requires high-technology equipment that the AFP does not have.
But he admitted that there are continuous efforts to locate Rosal and other leaders of the CPP and New People’s Army in order to apprehend them.
Bacarro said the military is not to blame for the spread of speculations that Rosal is already dead because it is his long silence and absence from public view that served as indications of that, even if they are not really conclusive.
In his statement, Rosal also alleged that military troops have been forcing people from Tagkawayan, Quezon and nearby towns to disclose his whereabouts, violating their basic rights.
“We have received reports that several barrio folk have been arbitrarily taken from their homes and brought to military camps or secluded places and tortured to force them to reveal any information leading to our whereabouts,” Rosal said.
He urged the media, human rights advocates and democratic organizations to look into these.
Bacarro said this may just be part of Rosal’s propaganda to taint the image of the AFP but to allay the fears of the public, he said the AFP is prepared to investigate troops that could be involved in such activities.
“If there is an element of truth in what they are saying here, we are willing to conduct an investigation. However, this is a general and sweeping statement. We can see again that there is an interest that this statement would favor them. But to allay fears of the people, we are willing to subject to investigation soldiers whom we will be able to identify as being involved,” Bacarro said.
In the meantime, Rosal said he will continue to issue statements to the public through the CPP’s Information Bureau and the use of internet.
“The AFP and PNP mistakenly believe that by issuing statements about my supposed demise, they can entice me to let down my guard and draw them out,” he said./DMS
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Soldiers bothered by bribery allegations against Malacañang
By Ronron
October 16, 2007
Allegations of bribery against Malacañang people is bothering soldiers, although the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) leadership maintains that this will not translate to adventurism.
Marines commandant Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ben Dolorfino said Tuesday that the AFP remains professional in dealing with recent allegations that Malacañang has been giving out huge amounts of cash to local executives in exchange for their junking of calls and moves to impeach President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“In one way or another, we are affected but our professionalism should reign over our respective personal and political interests,” Dolorfino said when asked how are soldiers taking the bribe allegations.
Dolorfino refused to say, however, in what way are they affected.
But he expressed certainty that this issue will not agitate soldiers into doing something tragic or would cause the shaking of the Arroyo government.
“I don’t think there are (rumblings within the AFP) because we have been very vocal to our men. I have been making rounds, telling the officers and men that the Armed Forces of the Philippines should be apolitical at all times, we should be neutral, because we are the only institution that is entrusted by the society to maintain peace and order,” Dolorfino said.
He said he tells them that the AFP should be “a solid wall” on which the people could rest on when violence erupts among different groups in the country.
“If the AFP joins in these political squabbles, no one will benefit from it except the enemies of the State like the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army), the rebel groups, terrorist groups, and organized crime groups. And it will not be far that a civil war could erupt. That is the main reason why we should remain solid and neutral at all times,” Dolorfino said.
“Let us not gamble anymore because next time, there could already be civil war. And it’s really hard to involve people with arms,” he continued.
Told that apparently, Malacañang easily releases money for its anti-impeachment campaign and not for soldiers’ welfare like for combat pay, Dolorfino said: “The additional combat pay already now has a guideline for its release, and the Armed Forces is very appreciative that the government is sensitive to the needs, the morale and welfare of our soldiers.”/DMS
October 16, 2007
Allegations of bribery against Malacañang people is bothering soldiers, although the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) leadership maintains that this will not translate to adventurism.
Marines commandant Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ben Dolorfino said Tuesday that the AFP remains professional in dealing with recent allegations that Malacañang has been giving out huge amounts of cash to local executives in exchange for their junking of calls and moves to impeach President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“In one way or another, we are affected but our professionalism should reign over our respective personal and political interests,” Dolorfino said when asked how are soldiers taking the bribe allegations.
Dolorfino refused to say, however, in what way are they affected.
But he expressed certainty that this issue will not agitate soldiers into doing something tragic or would cause the shaking of the Arroyo government.
“I don’t think there are (rumblings within the AFP) because we have been very vocal to our men. I have been making rounds, telling the officers and men that the Armed Forces of the Philippines should be apolitical at all times, we should be neutral, because we are the only institution that is entrusted by the society to maintain peace and order,” Dolorfino said.
He said he tells them that the AFP should be “a solid wall” on which the people could rest on when violence erupts among different groups in the country.
“If the AFP joins in these political squabbles, no one will benefit from it except the enemies of the State like the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army), the rebel groups, terrorist groups, and organized crime groups. And it will not be far that a civil war could erupt. That is the main reason why we should remain solid and neutral at all times,” Dolorfino said.
“Let us not gamble anymore because next time, there could already be civil war. And it’s really hard to involve people with arms,” he continued.
Told that apparently, Malacañang easily releases money for its anti-impeachment campaign and not for soldiers’ welfare like for combat pay, Dolorfino said: “The additional combat pay already now has a guideline for its release, and the Armed Forces is very appreciative that the government is sensitive to the needs, the morale and welfare of our soldiers.”/DMS
AFP checking if communist spokesman is still alive or already dead
By Ronron
October 16, 2007
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is exerting efforts to verify rumors that Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal is already dead.
As of yesterday, the AFP said it has no confirmed reports about the death of Rosal as some raw reports say.
“There are reports coming out and I just got in touch with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and as of now, they have not gotten any report confirming the said report,” Bacarro told reporters on Tuesday at Camp Aguinaldo.
“So right now, ISAFP and other intelligence units are trying to validate the report,” he added.
Bacarro said the AFP has heard of the rumor from locals of Bicol.
He acknowledged that Rosal’s silence from the broadcast media “could be an indicator” of his death, although it is not conclusive. Over the last few months, Rosal has only been issuing statements to the public through e-mail statements.
Bacarro, however, belittled Rosal’s significance to the communist movement, saying his death, if indeed true, will only mean “one man less” for the CPP.
“Ka Roger is not a tactical (person). He did not rise in prominence because of his tactical exploits. Basically, he came out as their spokesperson, as their propagandist. But relative to direct combat operations, I think it (his death) will have no impact,” Bacarro said.
Nonetheless, he said it is important for the AFP to confirm his death “for the purpose of knowing and for the purpose of informing the public.”/DMS
October 16, 2007
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is exerting efforts to verify rumors that Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal is already dead.
As of yesterday, the AFP said it has no confirmed reports about the death of Rosal as some raw reports say.
“There are reports coming out and I just got in touch with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and as of now, they have not gotten any report confirming the said report,” Bacarro told reporters on Tuesday at Camp Aguinaldo.
“So right now, ISAFP and other intelligence units are trying to validate the report,” he added.
Bacarro said the AFP has heard of the rumor from locals of Bicol.
He acknowledged that Rosal’s silence from the broadcast media “could be an indicator” of his death, although it is not conclusive. Over the last few months, Rosal has only been issuing statements to the public through e-mail statements.
Bacarro, however, belittled Rosal’s significance to the communist movement, saying his death, if indeed true, will only mean “one man less” for the CPP.
“Ka Roger is not a tactical (person). He did not rise in prominence because of his tactical exploits. Basically, he came out as their spokesperson, as their propagandist. But relative to direct combat operations, I think it (his death) will have no impact,” Bacarro said.
Nonetheless, he said it is important for the AFP to confirm his death “for the purpose of knowing and for the purpose of informing the public.”/DMS
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Police asks public to report vehicles illegally using siren through text messaging
By Ronron
October 15, 2007
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday asked the public to report to them vehicles that they find are illegally using sirens.
PNP Traffic Management Group (TMG) Director Chief Supt. Perfecto Palad said the public can report to the police by texting 09283982873.
“Please text the location of the vehicle, its type and other details so we can immediately respond and apprehend the owner of that vehicle,” Palad told reporters yesterday at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Under Presidential Decree 96, only uniform police and military cars, ambulance, fire vehicles, the Presidential car, and the cars of the Senate President and the House Speaker are allowed to use sirens and blinkers, said TMG National Capital Region (NCR) chief Sr. Supt. Arnold Gunnacao.
Violators of said law may be imprisoned for six years and fined with P600.00, he said.
Palad bared that during the trial period last week, the TMG received 280 reports from the public that resulted in the apprehension of two vehicles, one of which was being driven by an alleged Filipina wife of a a Japanese national.
An initial report identified the suspect as a certain Johnalyn Ogushi, a resident of Las Pinas Royale Estate in Las Pinas City. Ogushi was caught last October 9 along Nacam Road in Pulang Lupa II, Las Pinas City driving an unspecified vehicle with plate number ZHD-771.
Gunnacao said police just confiscated the siren and booster from Ogushi’s car, being a first-time violator.
Gunnacao explained that illegal users of sirens have to be apprehended because they deceive other motorists into believing that they are officials or are in an emergency situation.
“We are doing this in compliance with the directive of our chief PNP, Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr., to step up our campaign against illegal users of sirens and boosters,” Palad said.
He only appealed that the people do not abuse or misuse the said text messaging program so that their operations will not be bungled or affected./DMS
October 15, 2007
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday asked the public to report to them vehicles that they find are illegally using sirens.
PNP Traffic Management Group (TMG) Director Chief Supt. Perfecto Palad said the public can report to the police by texting 09283982873.
“Please text the location of the vehicle, its type and other details so we can immediately respond and apprehend the owner of that vehicle,” Palad told reporters yesterday at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Under Presidential Decree 96, only uniform police and military cars, ambulance, fire vehicles, the Presidential car, and the cars of the Senate President and the House Speaker are allowed to use sirens and blinkers, said TMG National Capital Region (NCR) chief Sr. Supt. Arnold Gunnacao.
Violators of said law may be imprisoned for six years and fined with P600.00, he said.
Palad bared that during the trial period last week, the TMG received 280 reports from the public that resulted in the apprehension of two vehicles, one of which was being driven by an alleged Filipina wife of a a Japanese national.
An initial report identified the suspect as a certain Johnalyn Ogushi, a resident of Las Pinas Royale Estate in Las Pinas City. Ogushi was caught last October 9 along Nacam Road in Pulang Lupa II, Las Pinas City driving an unspecified vehicle with plate number ZHD-771.
Gunnacao said police just confiscated the siren and booster from Ogushi’s car, being a first-time violator.
Gunnacao explained that illegal users of sirens have to be apprehended because they deceive other motorists into believing that they are officials or are in an emergency situation.
“We are doing this in compliance with the directive of our chief PNP, Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr., to step up our campaign against illegal users of sirens and boosters,” Palad said.
He only appealed that the people do not abuse or misuse the said text messaging program so that their operations will not be bungled or affected./DMS
Cebu-based company confirms issuing warning against gang killings
By Ronron
October 15, 2007
A company based in Cebu confirmed on Monday that it has issued a warning to its employees about the alleged existence of a gang that kills motorists who flash headlights at its new members.
Jeoffrey Escala, Senior Manager of the Human Resources Department of Celestica manufacturing firm, affirmed that indeed, he issued the October 8, 2007 memorandum for all of its employees regarding the alleged existence of “Bloods” gang.
“I affirm that the e-mail that is circulating now is the one I issued last October 8. It is supposed to be an internal memorandum, not to be spread outside the company,” Escala told Manila Shimbun in Cebuano in a phone interview yesterday afternoon.
Manila Shimbun received a copy of said e-mail on Sunday, a day after the Philippine National Police (PNP) downplayed the contents of the memorandum and dismissed it as mere “urban legend.”
The memorandum warns people not to flash their headlights to oncoming vehicles that have switched off headlights, otherwise they could be killed. It says that this is the task given to new members of the so-called “Bloods gang.”
Escala said he issued the memorandum after receiving an email about it last October 5 from a distant relative who is an ex-seminarian.
“After reading that e-mail and recounting some local news reports that are synonymous to what is written there, I thought it would be wise to share it with our employees, particularly our drivers, so they can also be forewarned and can take extra caution when driving,” Escala said.
He said it was never meant to alarm the reader of the memorandum, nor for it to be spread outside their company, which is based at the Mactan Economic Processing Zone in Lapu-lapu City.
Told that the police has already regarded the report as “patently false” and an “urban legend,” Escala said: “It’s possible. But based on my research, there were news reports about said incident in 1990, 1993, and 1998 in the US. And I found some credence in that email because my distant relative who forwarded it to me was an ex-seminarian.”
He acknowledged, though, that the origin of the e-mail is a locale of Pennsylvania in the United States.
But he maintained that the e-mail is relevant in Cebu, and maybe not in other cities in the country, because there were prior local news reports similar to that.
He cited the local newspaper, Freeman, which has reported about the alleged existence and violent activities of “Bloods” gang, “Crips” gang, and Akhro Fraternity. The reports, he said, came out on September 21, 29, and October 4, and called the incident as “drive-by shooting.”
Escala said he is now preparing to submit a reply to the PNP, which has asked for his statement regarding the issuance of the memorandum.
But he said they will no longer conduct an investigation to determine the employee who leaked the memorandum outside of the company. “Besides, he or she may have leaked that outside out of good faith because he also want to warn his or her relatives and loved ones,” Escala said./DMS
October 15, 2007
A company based in Cebu confirmed on Monday that it has issued a warning to its employees about the alleged existence of a gang that kills motorists who flash headlights at its new members.
Jeoffrey Escala, Senior Manager of the Human Resources Department of Celestica manufacturing firm, affirmed that indeed, he issued the October 8, 2007 memorandum for all of its employees regarding the alleged existence of “Bloods” gang.
“I affirm that the e-mail that is circulating now is the one I issued last October 8. It is supposed to be an internal memorandum, not to be spread outside the company,” Escala told Manila Shimbun in Cebuano in a phone interview yesterday afternoon.
Manila Shimbun received a copy of said e-mail on Sunday, a day after the Philippine National Police (PNP) downplayed the contents of the memorandum and dismissed it as mere “urban legend.”
The memorandum warns people not to flash their headlights to oncoming vehicles that have switched off headlights, otherwise they could be killed. It says that this is the task given to new members of the so-called “Bloods gang.”
Escala said he issued the memorandum after receiving an email about it last October 5 from a distant relative who is an ex-seminarian.
“After reading that e-mail and recounting some local news reports that are synonymous to what is written there, I thought it would be wise to share it with our employees, particularly our drivers, so they can also be forewarned and can take extra caution when driving,” Escala said.
He said it was never meant to alarm the reader of the memorandum, nor for it to be spread outside their company, which is based at the Mactan Economic Processing Zone in Lapu-lapu City.
Told that the police has already regarded the report as “patently false” and an “urban legend,” Escala said: “It’s possible. But based on my research, there were news reports about said incident in 1990, 1993, and 1998 in the US. And I found some credence in that email because my distant relative who forwarded it to me was an ex-seminarian.”
He acknowledged, though, that the origin of the e-mail is a locale of Pennsylvania in the United States.
But he maintained that the e-mail is relevant in Cebu, and maybe not in other cities in the country, because there were prior local news reports similar to that.
He cited the local newspaper, Freeman, which has reported about the alleged existence and violent activities of “Bloods” gang, “Crips” gang, and Akhro Fraternity. The reports, he said, came out on September 21, 29, and October 4, and called the incident as “drive-by shooting.”
Escala said he is now preparing to submit a reply to the PNP, which has asked for his statement regarding the issuance of the memorandum.
But he said they will no longer conduct an investigation to determine the employee who leaked the memorandum outside of the company. “Besides, he or she may have leaked that outside out of good faith because he also want to warn his or her relatives and loved ones,” Escala said./DMS
RP and Australian Navies conduct maritime training in Cebu
By Ronron
October 15, 2007
Simultaneous with the RP-US military exercises in Luzon, Navy forces of the Philippines and Australia will also conduct starting Wednesday a four-day maritime training that is table-top in nature in Cebu, spokesmen of the Philippine Navy said Monday.
Philippine Navy Public Information Officer Marine Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said the activity is called Lumbas 2007, the fifth since it started in 2003, which will be held from October 17 until the 20th.
“This year’s exercise edition will comprise off shore-based training and exchanges of defense expertise as well as a community outreach program organized by Naval Forces Central in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu,” Caculitan said in a statement.
He said the Staff Exercise and Command Post Exercise of the Philippine and Australian Navy forces will be aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational readiness, particularly in Humanitarian Assistance, Disaster Relief Operations, and Maritime Security Operations from the tri-border areas of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
A community relation activity – repainting of school buildings in Lapu-lapu City – will also be conducted, said Naval Forces Central Information Officer Lt. Junior Grade Alex Garso.
Caculitan said the exercises will also give both forces the opportunity to tour each other’s decks, aside from an actual exchange of subject matters of expertise.
According to Garso, the Royal Australian Navy will bring in HMAS Parramatta on Wednesday for the activity, while the Philippines will use two patrol gunboats (BRP Juan Magluyan and BRP Apollo tiano), an auxiliary ship (BRP Mangyan), and another vessel he has yet to ascertain.
He said there will be around 200 Australian forces and about a hundred Filipino counterparts that will participate in the training exercise.
Garso assured that the exercise is allowed under Philippine laws despite the absence of a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with Australia because “there is no movement of troops at sea.”
“This is not a major exercise. This is just like even a goodwill visit of the Australian Navy in the Philippines. The joint maritime training activity is table-top in nature, to be held at a conference room by the shore,” he said.
On Monday, the RP-US Talon Vision exercise kicked off, to be followed Tuesday by the RP-US Amphibious Landing Exercise. All activities, which will be participated by over 3,000 troops from both sides, will be formally opened today (Tuesday).
The exercise with the American troops is sanctioned by the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty./DMS
October 15, 2007
Simultaneous with the RP-US military exercises in Luzon, Navy forces of the Philippines and Australia will also conduct starting Wednesday a four-day maritime training that is table-top in nature in Cebu, spokesmen of the Philippine Navy said Monday.
Philippine Navy Public Information Officer Marine Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said the activity is called Lumbas 2007, the fifth since it started in 2003, which will be held from October 17 until the 20th.
“This year’s exercise edition will comprise off shore-based training and exchanges of defense expertise as well as a community outreach program organized by Naval Forces Central in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu,” Caculitan said in a statement.
He said the Staff Exercise and Command Post Exercise of the Philippine and Australian Navy forces will be aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational readiness, particularly in Humanitarian Assistance, Disaster Relief Operations, and Maritime Security Operations from the tri-border areas of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
A community relation activity – repainting of school buildings in Lapu-lapu City – will also be conducted, said Naval Forces Central Information Officer Lt. Junior Grade Alex Garso.
Caculitan said the exercises will also give both forces the opportunity to tour each other’s decks, aside from an actual exchange of subject matters of expertise.
According to Garso, the Royal Australian Navy will bring in HMAS Parramatta on Wednesday for the activity, while the Philippines will use two patrol gunboats (BRP Juan Magluyan and BRP Apollo tiano), an auxiliary ship (BRP Mangyan), and another vessel he has yet to ascertain.
He said there will be around 200 Australian forces and about a hundred Filipino counterparts that will participate in the training exercise.
Garso assured that the exercise is allowed under Philippine laws despite the absence of a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with Australia because “there is no movement of troops at sea.”
“This is not a major exercise. This is just like even a goodwill visit of the Australian Navy in the Philippines. The joint maritime training activity is table-top in nature, to be held at a conference room by the shore,” he said.
On Monday, the RP-US Talon Vision exercise kicked off, to be followed Tuesday by the RP-US Amphibious Landing Exercise. All activities, which will be participated by over 3,000 troops from both sides, will be formally opened today (Tuesday).
The exercise with the American troops is sanctioned by the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty./DMS
Monday, October 15, 2007
RP leader condoles with Myanmar people for leader’s death
By Ronron
October 14, 2007
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Sunday condoled with the family of Myanmar Prime Minister Soe Win and the people of his country over his death due to a long illness.
In a statement, Arroyo said “the Philippines is saddened to learn the death” of Win, and “the Government and people of the Philippines would like to convey deepest sympathies and condolences” to his family in this time of bereavement.
“Prime Minister Soe Win’s death comes during a most challenging time when Myanmar has to remain committed to the full implementation of its Roadmap to Democracy,” Arroyo said.
Myanmar has been under military rule for a few years now, and is facing pressure from the international community for the release of political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi.
“The Philippines hopes that despite Prime Minister Soe Win’s death, the Government of Myanmar seizes this opportunity to pursue its goals of national unity, reconciliation and democratization,” Arroyo said./DMS
October 14, 2007
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Sunday condoled with the family of Myanmar Prime Minister Soe Win and the people of his country over his death due to a long illness.
In a statement, Arroyo said “the Philippines is saddened to learn the death” of Win, and “the Government and people of the Philippines would like to convey deepest sympathies and condolences” to his family in this time of bereavement.
“Prime Minister Soe Win’s death comes during a most challenging time when Myanmar has to remain committed to the full implementation of its Roadmap to Democracy,” Arroyo said.
Myanmar has been under military rule for a few years now, and is facing pressure from the international community for the release of political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi.
“The Philippines hopes that despite Prime Minister Soe Win’s death, the Government of Myanmar seizes this opportunity to pursue its goals of national unity, reconciliation and democratization,” Arroyo said./DMS
AFP winning war vs. NPA and ASG – Esperon
By Ronron
October 14, 2007
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. is claiming victory in the government’s drive against communist insurgency and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
In a chance interview last Friday, Esperon said the military has already reduced the strength of the New People’s Army from 7,300 in December 2006 to 6,200 in June of this year.
The military has also neutralized 72 ASG personalities in the first semester of 2007, bringing down to 380 the estimated strength of the terrorist group, which is based in Sulu and Basilan, he said.
“We are indeed winning. We are on track… and we will continue to win,” Esperon said.
He expressed confidence that the AFP will be able to comply with the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to crush the insurgency movement by 2010 when she ends her term.
Translated into figures, Esperon said this means reducing the NPA strength to just about 3,500 by then.
“Once they hit 3,500, they will no longer be able to launch tactical offensives and they will become a police problem, peace and order problem,” he said.
Esperon boasted that the neutralization of 966 NPA personalities from January to June of this year was actually higher than the 500-per-semester target of the AFP.
He said that if they continue to meet their target on a yearly basis, then they will realize their goal of just having a 3,500-strong NPA by 2010. “We want to reduce them by 3,500 or half (of their strength in December 2006), or approximately 1,000 per year. If you go 1,000 in 2007; 1,000 in 2008; another thousand in 2009, and 500 by the middle of 2010, we will be hitting the target by decreasing them by one half or 3,500.”
Arroyo gave the order to make the NPA and other threat groups insignificant by 2010 in June last year. She followed it with the provision of P1 billion both for the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to boost their respective capabilities, and the consent for the PNP to actively engage the NPA.
The NPA has waging guerilla warfare in the countryside for almost four decades now./DMS
October 14, 2007
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. is claiming victory in the government’s drive against communist insurgency and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
In a chance interview last Friday, Esperon said the military has already reduced the strength of the New People’s Army from 7,300 in December 2006 to 6,200 in June of this year.
The military has also neutralized 72 ASG personalities in the first semester of 2007, bringing down to 380 the estimated strength of the terrorist group, which is based in Sulu and Basilan, he said.
“We are indeed winning. We are on track… and we will continue to win,” Esperon said.
He expressed confidence that the AFP will be able to comply with the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to crush the insurgency movement by 2010 when she ends her term.
Translated into figures, Esperon said this means reducing the NPA strength to just about 3,500 by then.
“Once they hit 3,500, they will no longer be able to launch tactical offensives and they will become a police problem, peace and order problem,” he said.
Esperon boasted that the neutralization of 966 NPA personalities from January to June of this year was actually higher than the 500-per-semester target of the AFP.
He said that if they continue to meet their target on a yearly basis, then they will realize their goal of just having a 3,500-strong NPA by 2010. “We want to reduce them by 3,500 or half (of their strength in December 2006), or approximately 1,000 per year. If you go 1,000 in 2007; 1,000 in 2008; another thousand in 2009, and 500 by the middle of 2010, we will be hitting the target by decreasing them by one half or 3,500.”
Arroyo gave the order to make the NPA and other threat groups insignificant by 2010 in June last year. She followed it with the provision of P1 billion both for the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to boost their respective capabilities, and the consent for the PNP to actively engage the NPA.
The NPA has waging guerilla warfare in the countryside for almost four decades now./DMS
Police downplay text and e-mail warnings about “Bloods” gang existence
By Ronron
October 14, 2007
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is downplaying reports about the existence of a certain “Bloods” gang that is supposedly engaged in killing motorists who flash lights at them.
In a statement last Saturday, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr. said the reports are contained in text messages and e-mail messages that are being circulated in the country.
Pagdilao disclosed that the source of report is a purported October 8, 2007 memorandum of the management of a manufacturing firm based in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu for its employees. A copy of the supposed Memorandum, entitled: “STATE POLICE WARNING – WHEN DRIVING,” was emailed to Manila Shimbun on Saturday.
The supposed memo, which was written on what appears to be a company stationary, reads: “If you are driving after dark and see and oncoming car with no headlights on, DO NOT FLASH YOUR LIGHTS AT THEM! This is a common “Bloods” member “initiation game.”
The game supposedly tasks a new gang member to drive a car with the headlights off, and then to shoot to death an oncoming motorist who flashes his headlights to signal the new gang member to switch on his own headlights.
“Police departments across the nation are being warned. Their (Bloods gang members) intent is to have all the new bloods nationwide drive around on Friday and Saturday nights with their headlights off. In order to be accepted into the gang, they have to shoot and kill all individuals in the first auto that does a courtesy flash to warn them that their lights are off,” said the supposed memo, which also bore signatures of supposed company personnel from its Human Resources Department.
The memorandum ends with the following note: “Make sure you share this information with all the drivers in your family! Please forward this message to all your friends and family members to inform them about this initiation ritual. They are also known to drive with high beams on and will do the same as indicated above.”
A check yesterday by Manila Shimbun with the supposed issuing company, which is located at the Mactan Economic Zone in Lapu-lapu City, yielded negative feedback due to the absence of HR personnel who could competently answer the query.
While he admitted receiving the same e-mail information last Saturday afternoon, Lapu-lapu City Police director Supt. Louie Oppus said he has yet to verify the authenticity of said memorandum.
“I might call their security officers to ask on this, if they really issued this memorandum, and what was their basis for issuing such,” Oppus told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview yesterday afternoon.
But regardless of the authenticity of such warning or not, Oppus said the rumor should be taken positively by the people.
“There’s nothing wrong with that warning. Let us not be alarmed by that. Instead, let us just be extra-careful… I even appreciate the spread of this because we can forewarn the people,” Oppus said.
But without citing a basis, Pagdilao immediately called the supposed memorandum as “patently false,” noting that “a very similar hoax was circulated in the United States several years ago,” later dismissed to be an “urban legend.”/DMS
October 14, 2007
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is downplaying reports about the existence of a certain “Bloods” gang that is supposedly engaged in killing motorists who flash lights at them.
In a statement last Saturday, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr. said the reports are contained in text messages and e-mail messages that are being circulated in the country.
Pagdilao disclosed that the source of report is a purported October 8, 2007 memorandum of the management of a manufacturing firm based in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu for its employees. A copy of the supposed Memorandum, entitled: “STATE POLICE WARNING – WHEN DRIVING,” was emailed to Manila Shimbun on Saturday.
The supposed memo, which was written on what appears to be a company stationary, reads: “If you are driving after dark and see and oncoming car with no headlights on, DO NOT FLASH YOUR LIGHTS AT THEM! This is a common “Bloods” member “initiation game.”
The game supposedly tasks a new gang member to drive a car with the headlights off, and then to shoot to death an oncoming motorist who flashes his headlights to signal the new gang member to switch on his own headlights.
“Police departments across the nation are being warned. Their (Bloods gang members) intent is to have all the new bloods nationwide drive around on Friday and Saturday nights with their headlights off. In order to be accepted into the gang, they have to shoot and kill all individuals in the first auto that does a courtesy flash to warn them that their lights are off,” said the supposed memo, which also bore signatures of supposed company personnel from its Human Resources Department.
The memorandum ends with the following note: “Make sure you share this information with all the drivers in your family! Please forward this message to all your friends and family members to inform them about this initiation ritual. They are also known to drive with high beams on and will do the same as indicated above.”
A check yesterday by Manila Shimbun with the supposed issuing company, which is located at the Mactan Economic Zone in Lapu-lapu City, yielded negative feedback due to the absence of HR personnel who could competently answer the query.
While he admitted receiving the same e-mail information last Saturday afternoon, Lapu-lapu City Police director Supt. Louie Oppus said he has yet to verify the authenticity of said memorandum.
“I might call their security officers to ask on this, if they really issued this memorandum, and what was their basis for issuing such,” Oppus told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview yesterday afternoon.
But regardless of the authenticity of such warning or not, Oppus said the rumor should be taken positively by the people.
“There’s nothing wrong with that warning. Let us not be alarmed by that. Instead, let us just be extra-careful… I even appreciate the spread of this because we can forewarn the people,” Oppus said.
But without citing a basis, Pagdilao immediately called the supposed memorandum as “patently false,” noting that “a very similar hoax was circulated in the United States several years ago,” later dismissed to be an “urban legend.”/DMS
No need to revise MOA of Comelec and DND on military role during elections – Defense chief
By Ronron
October 14, 2007
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. does not see the need now to revise the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) of his department and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) even as he admitted that insurgency is indeed a bigger problem during elections compared to local political rivalry.
“The MOA is basically sound,” Teodoro told Camp Aguinaldo reporters last Thursday in reaction to Comelec acting Chairman Resurreccion Borra’s statement that he is open to revisiting the agreement because of the insurgency threat in the countryside that heightens during election period.
The MOA was entered into in October 2006 upon the initiative of then Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz, Jr. to shield the military from allegations of being engaged in political activities, particularly similar to what happened in the 2004 polls wherein military officers were implicated in the alleged electoral fraud to favor President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over close rival oppositionist Fernando Poe, Jr.
Under the MOA, soldiers are no longer allowed to go near the polling centers and will only provide security but not actually bring ballot boxes when it is transported from the polling center to canvassing centers.
Because of the restrictions on the part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Comelec deputized the Philippine National Police (PNP) to take the lead role as far as security is concerned during this year’s May 14 mid-term polls.
During last Wednesday’s command conference of the PNP and the Comelec for the October 29 village and youth elections, the PNP said there are more barangays that are under threat from insurgency as against those that are volatile due to intense political rivalry. Out of the more than 41,000 villages nationwide, the PNP said 10 percent are likely to be violent and disorderly due to insurgents, while only four percent will suffer the same fate due to political fued.
“Well, it is a natural target of the insurgency to take advantage of the local elections, with a potential of influencing the outcome of the elections. That’s an admitted fact,” Teodoro said in accord with the PNP’s assessment.
AFP chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. echoed the same view. “To a large extent, I agree with that. They are armed groups, the New People’s Army are in the barangays and so they could really influence.”
Esperon said NPA members “are not exactly the people who would uphold the democratic way of life… and only want to impose totalitarian system of governance, so (they) are really a big threat to the barangay elections.”
But when asked if he would advocate for are more active role of the military in securing the elections given this condition, he said he is submitting to the policy of the Comelec.
Teodoro, for his part, would rather that the present MOA be explored first as far as its “flexibility” for the military to address perceived threats, than revise it.
“We are subject to the authority of the Comelec and I think, the MOA has enough flexibility or enough safeguards on the other hand to allow us to respond in case there is any threat or potential or actual violent incident, with proper coordination with the Comelec and the PNP,” the Defense Secretary said.
But he said that if the Comelec initiates a modification of the MOA because of “things (that) were not there at the time the MOA was signed or entered into,” “we will certainly comply with whatever the Comelec tells us to do.”
“After all, we’ll just be deputies of the Comelec. The bottom line here is, because the barangay elections are very important, then whatever actions we can take, whatever resources we have, if these are harnessed to the good or towards an honest, orderly and peaceful elections, then why not,” Esperon, for his part, said.
“We would gladly contribute that to the exercise,” he added./DMS
October 14, 2007
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. does not see the need now to revise the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) of his department and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) even as he admitted that insurgency is indeed a bigger problem during elections compared to local political rivalry.
“The MOA is basically sound,” Teodoro told Camp Aguinaldo reporters last Thursday in reaction to Comelec acting Chairman Resurreccion Borra’s statement that he is open to revisiting the agreement because of the insurgency threat in the countryside that heightens during election period.
The MOA was entered into in October 2006 upon the initiative of then Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz, Jr. to shield the military from allegations of being engaged in political activities, particularly similar to what happened in the 2004 polls wherein military officers were implicated in the alleged electoral fraud to favor President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over close rival oppositionist Fernando Poe, Jr.
Under the MOA, soldiers are no longer allowed to go near the polling centers and will only provide security but not actually bring ballot boxes when it is transported from the polling center to canvassing centers.
Because of the restrictions on the part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Comelec deputized the Philippine National Police (PNP) to take the lead role as far as security is concerned during this year’s May 14 mid-term polls.
During last Wednesday’s command conference of the PNP and the Comelec for the October 29 village and youth elections, the PNP said there are more barangays that are under threat from insurgency as against those that are volatile due to intense political rivalry. Out of the more than 41,000 villages nationwide, the PNP said 10 percent are likely to be violent and disorderly due to insurgents, while only four percent will suffer the same fate due to political fued.
“Well, it is a natural target of the insurgency to take advantage of the local elections, with a potential of influencing the outcome of the elections. That’s an admitted fact,” Teodoro said in accord with the PNP’s assessment.
AFP chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. echoed the same view. “To a large extent, I agree with that. They are armed groups, the New People’s Army are in the barangays and so they could really influence.”
Esperon said NPA members “are not exactly the people who would uphold the democratic way of life… and only want to impose totalitarian system of governance, so (they) are really a big threat to the barangay elections.”
But when asked if he would advocate for are more active role of the military in securing the elections given this condition, he said he is submitting to the policy of the Comelec.
Teodoro, for his part, would rather that the present MOA be explored first as far as its “flexibility” for the military to address perceived threats, than revise it.
“We are subject to the authority of the Comelec and I think, the MOA has enough flexibility or enough safeguards on the other hand to allow us to respond in case there is any threat or potential or actual violent incident, with proper coordination with the Comelec and the PNP,” the Defense Secretary said.
But he said that if the Comelec initiates a modification of the MOA because of “things (that) were not there at the time the MOA was signed or entered into,” “we will certainly comply with whatever the Comelec tells us to do.”
“After all, we’ll just be deputies of the Comelec. The bottom line here is, because the barangay elections are very important, then whatever actions we can take, whatever resources we have, if these are harnessed to the good or towards an honest, orderly and peaceful elections, then why not,” Esperon, for his part, said.
“We would gladly contribute that to the exercise,” he added./DMS
RP-US military exercises kick off Monday
By Ronron
October 14, 2007
Over 3,000 forces from the United States and the Philippines will engage starting today (Monday) in different military exercises and humanitarian activities that will be held in various areas in Luzon to enhance the interoperability of both units.
Philippine Navy spokesman Marine Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said Sunday that the Talon Vision exercise will first start today, while the Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) will follow starting Tuesday. The exercises will end on October 31st.
“The objective of these is to enhance the interoperability of both forces in case time will come that they need to respond to a common humanitarian emergency, to help a place in distress which needs an inherent capability that they have already developed together,” Caculitan said in Filipino.
Caculitan said some 2,700 American participants will be coming from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force based in Okinawa, Japan, while the Philippines will field in some 700 to 800 members of the Marine Corps, the Navy and the Air Force.
The US Embassy in Manila had earlier said in a statement that there will also be participating troops from the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, Task force 76 from Sasebo, Japan.
The American contingent will be coming aboard USS Juneau, USS Tortuga, and USS Essex ships, said Philipine Navy Ensign Rommel Rodriguez, the exercises public affairs officer.
The exercises will be held at Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; Crow Valley in Capas, Tarlac; Clark Field in Pampanga; Subic in Zambales, and Marine Base in Ternate, Cavite.
Humanitarian activities, on the other hand, will be done in Laguna, aside from the exercise venues. These include medical and dental missions, and repair and cleaning of schools.
While the training and exercises will not be held in the terrorism-afflicted areas in the southern Philippines, Caculitan said the participants are expected to graduate as capable in fighting terrorism.
“The smaller tactics involved that will be trained have the anti-terror aspect, but it is not designed to respond to terrorism threat of our country in the south… The small tactics, techniques and procedures in fighting terrorism, yes. But it’s not in any way intended to respond to the threat in the southern Philippines,” Caculitan said.
One of the exercises he cited is the amphibious landing “where there would be ships that would be launching armored assault vehicles.”
“These are troops carrier from the ship, then assaulting a supposedly hostile beachhead. There will be aircrafts here too,” Caculitan said.
Asked what is the policy as regards the rest and recreation (R&R) of the American soldiers to avoid a repeat of the rape of a Filipino woman by a US Marine in November 2005 in Subic, Caculitan said: “That (R&R) is just in the sidelines. First and foremost, they are here to work, to conduct training exercise with their Filipino counterparts. If ever there will be any (R&R), that would be controlled on their part.”
Caculitan noted that in last year’s Talon Vision and PHIBLEX, everything went smooth.
Convicted rapist Lance Corporal Daniel Smith was a participant in the 2005 Talon Vision and PHIBLEX.
Talon Vision and PHIBLEX are annual military exercises between the Philippine and US military sanctioned by the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty./DMS
October 14, 2007
Over 3,000 forces from the United States and the Philippines will engage starting today (Monday) in different military exercises and humanitarian activities that will be held in various areas in Luzon to enhance the interoperability of both units.
Philippine Navy spokesman Marine Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said Sunday that the Talon Vision exercise will first start today, while the Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) will follow starting Tuesday. The exercises will end on October 31st.
“The objective of these is to enhance the interoperability of both forces in case time will come that they need to respond to a common humanitarian emergency, to help a place in distress which needs an inherent capability that they have already developed together,” Caculitan said in Filipino.
Caculitan said some 2,700 American participants will be coming from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force based in Okinawa, Japan, while the Philippines will field in some 700 to 800 members of the Marine Corps, the Navy and the Air Force.
The US Embassy in Manila had earlier said in a statement that there will also be participating troops from the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, Task force 76 from Sasebo, Japan.
The American contingent will be coming aboard USS Juneau, USS Tortuga, and USS Essex ships, said Philipine Navy Ensign Rommel Rodriguez, the exercises public affairs officer.
The exercises will be held at Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; Crow Valley in Capas, Tarlac; Clark Field in Pampanga; Subic in Zambales, and Marine Base in Ternate, Cavite.
Humanitarian activities, on the other hand, will be done in Laguna, aside from the exercise venues. These include medical and dental missions, and repair and cleaning of schools.
While the training and exercises will not be held in the terrorism-afflicted areas in the southern Philippines, Caculitan said the participants are expected to graduate as capable in fighting terrorism.
“The smaller tactics involved that will be trained have the anti-terror aspect, but it is not designed to respond to terrorism threat of our country in the south… The small tactics, techniques and procedures in fighting terrorism, yes. But it’s not in any way intended to respond to the threat in the southern Philippines,” Caculitan said.
One of the exercises he cited is the amphibious landing “where there would be ships that would be launching armored assault vehicles.”
“These are troops carrier from the ship, then assaulting a supposedly hostile beachhead. There will be aircrafts here too,” Caculitan said.
Asked what is the policy as regards the rest and recreation (R&R) of the American soldiers to avoid a repeat of the rape of a Filipino woman by a US Marine in November 2005 in Subic, Caculitan said: “That (R&R) is just in the sidelines. First and foremost, they are here to work, to conduct training exercise with their Filipino counterparts. If ever there will be any (R&R), that would be controlled on their part.”
Caculitan noted that in last year’s Talon Vision and PHIBLEX, everything went smooth.
Convicted rapist Lance Corporal Daniel Smith was a participant in the 2005 Talon Vision and PHIBLEX.
Talon Vision and PHIBLEX are annual military exercises between the Philippine and US military sanctioned by the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty./DMS
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Esperon on detention of 40 Army EP’s in Feb 06 coup: “That’s how harsh military law is!”
By Ronron
October 12, 2007
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. simply ignored the observation of Senator Rodolfo Biazon regarding the continued detention of 40 Army enlisted personnel in Tanay, Rizal despite the absence of formal charges against them.
In a chance interview late Thursday afternoon at Camp Aguinaldo, Esperon said: “Remember that military law is really harsh. When you have committed infractions of the regulations, be prepared to face such things including confinement.”
Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Jr. had earlier cited Articles of War 70 as the justification for the detention of the 40 starting July last year. The said military law states that any person subject to military law may be confined or restricted while they are being investigated on.
The 40 were said to have moved in February last year, upon the orders of their officers, to support the alleged coup d’ etat plot against the Arroyo government. A total of 28 Marine and Army officers are currently being subjected to court martial proceedings for the said incident.
The detention of the 40 was known only after Biazon visited the 28 officers last October 8 at the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division headquarters in Camp Capinpin in Tanay. The Army has admitted though last year that it was investigating 125 enlisted personnel, which include the 40, in relation to the alleged February 2006 coup plot but did not clearly say whether or not they were jailed.
Like Torres, Esperon said they are just awaiting the final action on the case against the 28 officers, led by former Marines commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and former Army Scout Rangers chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, before they can decide on the fate of the 40.
“As far as I’m concerned, it would be better if the officers facing charges would be arraigned first before we take dispositive action on the enlisted personnel,” he said, noting though that the arraignment of the 28 officers is taking so long because of “dilatory actions” of their lawyers.
“Let me just say that within the range of actions that the Army commander can take after due process will be the dismissal from the service of the enlisted personnel. If and when he does that at this current stage where the officers have not even been arraigned, it will be like punishing the enlisted personnel without having punished the officers,” he added.
Torres had earlier said that the Army Inspector General has two recommendations for the 40, either to proceed to court martial proceedings or they be proceeded administratively.
“We are not playing child games anymore here where you expect to be forgiven immediately after having committed a fault,” Esperon stressed.
The military chief pointed out though that the foot soldiers, who come from the Special Operations Command and the First Scout Rangers Regiment, continue to receive their pay and allowances despite being detained.
As to the “dilatory actions” of the 28 officers, Esperon said the latter should not take comfort in the prescription aspect of the case. Under the military law, a case against military men can be dropped if after two years since the commission of the crime, they have not been arraigned.
In this particular case, the crime was supposedly committed last February 24 and 26, 2006.
“They have been taking dilatory actions, peremptory challenges and other actions that would delay the court proceedings. So, if that is their prerogative, then all we have to do is we’ll have to face that,” Esperon said.
“But they better look at their military law because prescription does not necessarily mean two years from the commission of the act. There is also a provision for interruption. So, I’m giving them a hint, review the interruption provision… They have been interrupting but that might work to their disadvantage,” he added.
But one of the lawyers of the 28 officers, Atty. Trixie Angeles, said “dilatory” is not a strategy of the defense, but “appears to be an AFP policy.”
“Who was it, anyway who waited five months before serving charges on the Army Scout Rangers? Who waited four months to serve a copy of the pre-trial investigation report and another two months to show a pre-trial advice (PTA)? Who, to this date, has not signed the PTA? Who then caused the bungled service of charges? Who put in more junior officers to pass judgment on Gen. Miranda in contravention of Sec. 4 of the Manual on Courts Martial requiring senior officers to sit in the panel? Who continues to make prejudicial statements intended to taint the panel and anyone who sits there, thus necessitating the lawyers to challenge them to ensure a fair trial? Who continues to insist that the defense of the rights of the accused be thwarted at every turn?” Angeles asked, referring to Esperon.
“Even worse, who chose to wait for public outrage before he allowed Gen. Miranda to be hospitalized? Remember, sir, that human life, no matter whose it is, is not subject to your -- or anyone's—discretion,” she added.
Angeles said “if anyone is to blame, it is the person who violated those rights who has caused us to rise in their defense and necessitated proceedings to address them. That violator is the cause of your perceived delay, Gen. Esperon. And you know who that is.”
At present, the court proceedings against the 28 accused remain at the posing of peremptory challenge against members of the panel created by Esperon to try their case.
So far, 22 have already posed their peremptory challenge, and six more are expected to do the same before the panel can convene as a court and all the accused by arraigned./DMS
October 12, 2007
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. simply ignored the observation of Senator Rodolfo Biazon regarding the continued detention of 40 Army enlisted personnel in Tanay, Rizal despite the absence of formal charges against them.
In a chance interview late Thursday afternoon at Camp Aguinaldo, Esperon said: “Remember that military law is really harsh. When you have committed infractions of the regulations, be prepared to face such things including confinement.”
Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Jr. had earlier cited Articles of War 70 as the justification for the detention of the 40 starting July last year. The said military law states that any person subject to military law may be confined or restricted while they are being investigated on.
The 40 were said to have moved in February last year, upon the orders of their officers, to support the alleged coup d’ etat plot against the Arroyo government. A total of 28 Marine and Army officers are currently being subjected to court martial proceedings for the said incident.
The detention of the 40 was known only after Biazon visited the 28 officers last October 8 at the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division headquarters in Camp Capinpin in Tanay. The Army has admitted though last year that it was investigating 125 enlisted personnel, which include the 40, in relation to the alleged February 2006 coup plot but did not clearly say whether or not they were jailed.
Like Torres, Esperon said they are just awaiting the final action on the case against the 28 officers, led by former Marines commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and former Army Scout Rangers chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, before they can decide on the fate of the 40.
“As far as I’m concerned, it would be better if the officers facing charges would be arraigned first before we take dispositive action on the enlisted personnel,” he said, noting though that the arraignment of the 28 officers is taking so long because of “dilatory actions” of their lawyers.
“Let me just say that within the range of actions that the Army commander can take after due process will be the dismissal from the service of the enlisted personnel. If and when he does that at this current stage where the officers have not even been arraigned, it will be like punishing the enlisted personnel without having punished the officers,” he added.
Torres had earlier said that the Army Inspector General has two recommendations for the 40, either to proceed to court martial proceedings or they be proceeded administratively.
“We are not playing child games anymore here where you expect to be forgiven immediately after having committed a fault,” Esperon stressed.
The military chief pointed out though that the foot soldiers, who come from the Special Operations Command and the First Scout Rangers Regiment, continue to receive their pay and allowances despite being detained.
As to the “dilatory actions” of the 28 officers, Esperon said the latter should not take comfort in the prescription aspect of the case. Under the military law, a case against military men can be dropped if after two years since the commission of the crime, they have not been arraigned.
In this particular case, the crime was supposedly committed last February 24 and 26, 2006.
“They have been taking dilatory actions, peremptory challenges and other actions that would delay the court proceedings. So, if that is their prerogative, then all we have to do is we’ll have to face that,” Esperon said.
“But they better look at their military law because prescription does not necessarily mean two years from the commission of the act. There is also a provision for interruption. So, I’m giving them a hint, review the interruption provision… They have been interrupting but that might work to their disadvantage,” he added.
But one of the lawyers of the 28 officers, Atty. Trixie Angeles, said “dilatory” is not a strategy of the defense, but “appears to be an AFP policy.”
“Who was it, anyway who waited five months before serving charges on the Army Scout Rangers? Who waited four months to serve a copy of the pre-trial investigation report and another two months to show a pre-trial advice (PTA)? Who, to this date, has not signed the PTA? Who then caused the bungled service of charges? Who put in more junior officers to pass judgment on Gen. Miranda in contravention of Sec. 4 of the Manual on Courts Martial requiring senior officers to sit in the panel? Who continues to make prejudicial statements intended to taint the panel and anyone who sits there, thus necessitating the lawyers to challenge them to ensure a fair trial? Who continues to insist that the defense of the rights of the accused be thwarted at every turn?” Angeles asked, referring to Esperon.
“Even worse, who chose to wait for public outrage before he allowed Gen. Miranda to be hospitalized? Remember, sir, that human life, no matter whose it is, is not subject to your -- or anyone's—discretion,” she added.
Angeles said “if anyone is to blame, it is the person who violated those rights who has caused us to rise in their defense and necessitated proceedings to address them. That violator is the cause of your perceived delay, Gen. Esperon. And you know who that is.”
At present, the court proceedings against the 28 accused remain at the posing of peremptory challenge against members of the panel created by Esperon to try their case.
So far, 22 have already posed their peremptory challenge, and six more are expected to do the same before the panel can convene as a court and all the accused by arraigned./DMS
Army promotes Pacquiao following fresh win against Barrera
By Ronron
October 12, 2007
Filipino boxing champion Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao was promoted by the Philippine Army two ranks higher as a reservist enlisted personnel following his latest win against Marco Antonio Barrera in the United States.
Army chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano conferred on Pacquiao his Master Sergeant rank in simple rites Friday afternoon at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
The promotion was approved last October 7, the same day his actual fight in Nevada was viewed by Filipinos in the country.
“Technical Sergeant Manny Pacquiao is promoted to Master Sergeant in the reserve force of the Philippine Army for bringing distinct honor not only to the Philippine Army and the Armed Forces of the Philippines but the whole country as well,” Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Jr. said.
In his speech during the promotion rites, Yano said Pacquiao serves as an epitome for the soldiers for his “courage, determination and discipline.”
In response, Pacquiao, who spoke in Filipino, said he hopes to inspire the soldiers and boost their fighting spirit, especially those in actual combat operations in Basilan and Sulu.
“I plan next month to Jolo and Basilan to give support to our soldiers who are fighting down there… I hope I can give them inspiration and courage,” he said.
Pacquiao likened the current mission of AFP troops against terrorists and other so-called enemies of the State to a boxing match.
“I am very happy with this promotion… I used to dream only of becoming a soldier and now, it’s been realized with my becoming a reservist,” he said.
Pacquiao recounted his experience in 2004 when Yano, the commander then of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade, brought him to an actual combat operation against the Abu Sayyaf Group in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.
He said he enjoyed the time when they engaged in a “boodle fight” with the operating troops.
Yano admitted he took extra care of Pacquiao in that operation, making him ride a Simba and wear an American camouflage uniform, so he will not be recognized by their enemies and be sniped.
At that time, Pacquiao was not yet an Army reservist, Torres said.
Torres said Pacquiao was first conferred an Army reservist rank in April 2006. He became a Sergeant then.
In December of the same year, he was promoted two ranks higher to Technical Sergeant.
Torres said that as a reservist enlisted personnel, Pacquiao does not receive any salary from the AFP.
But he is expected to serve in whatever means, like civic actions and disaster response, for at least 30 days a year. Torres, however, is not aware how Pacquiao complies with this requirement./DMS
October 12, 2007
Filipino boxing champion Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao was promoted by the Philippine Army two ranks higher as a reservist enlisted personnel following his latest win against Marco Antonio Barrera in the United States.
Army chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano conferred on Pacquiao his Master Sergeant rank in simple rites Friday afternoon at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
The promotion was approved last October 7, the same day his actual fight in Nevada was viewed by Filipinos in the country.
“Technical Sergeant Manny Pacquiao is promoted to Master Sergeant in the reserve force of the Philippine Army for bringing distinct honor not only to the Philippine Army and the Armed Forces of the Philippines but the whole country as well,” Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Jr. said.
In his speech during the promotion rites, Yano said Pacquiao serves as an epitome for the soldiers for his “courage, determination and discipline.”
In response, Pacquiao, who spoke in Filipino, said he hopes to inspire the soldiers and boost their fighting spirit, especially those in actual combat operations in Basilan and Sulu.
“I plan next month to Jolo and Basilan to give support to our soldiers who are fighting down there… I hope I can give them inspiration and courage,” he said.
Pacquiao likened the current mission of AFP troops against terrorists and other so-called enemies of the State to a boxing match.
“I am very happy with this promotion… I used to dream only of becoming a soldier and now, it’s been realized with my becoming a reservist,” he said.
Pacquiao recounted his experience in 2004 when Yano, the commander then of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade, brought him to an actual combat operation against the Abu Sayyaf Group in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.
He said he enjoyed the time when they engaged in a “boodle fight” with the operating troops.
Yano admitted he took extra care of Pacquiao in that operation, making him ride a Simba and wear an American camouflage uniform, so he will not be recognized by their enemies and be sniped.
At that time, Pacquiao was not yet an Army reservist, Torres said.
Torres said Pacquiao was first conferred an Army reservist rank in April 2006. He became a Sergeant then.
In December of the same year, he was promoted two ranks higher to Technical Sergeant.
Torres said that as a reservist enlisted personnel, Pacquiao does not receive any salary from the AFP.
But he is expected to serve in whatever means, like civic actions and disaster response, for at least 30 days a year. Torres, however, is not aware how Pacquiao complies with this requirement./DMS
Friday, October 12, 2007
NCRPO downloads personnel to district offices for increased police visibility
By Ronron
October 11, 2007
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Thursday downloaded more than 500 personnel to the five police districts in Metro Manila as part of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Avelino Razon’s commitment to deploy 90 percent of the entire police force to the field.
Razon headed the send-off ceremony for the 510 policemen, which was held at the NCRPO headquarters in Taguig City. Present to accept the downloaded cops are the commanders of the Eastern Police District, Southern Police District, Northern Police District, Manila Police District and the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).
“The downloading today of these policemen realizes my directive to increase police visibility so we can answer the requirement of addressing street crimes,” Razon said in his speech.
Razon urged the deployed cops to perform their duty “to serve and protect the community,” saying they are the “representatives of the PNP before the citizenry.”
“You will be the Ms. and Mr. Policeman,” Razon said.
NCRPO chief Director Geary Barias described the 510 policemen as “strong, mentally awake and morally equipped.”
QCPD chief Sr. Supt. Magtanggol Gatdula said he intends to utilize the policemen assigned to him as highway patrol cops.
On his assumption as PNP chief last October 1, Razon vowed to implement a 90 to 10 ratio as regards deployment of cops and office assignment./DMS
October 11, 2007
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Thursday downloaded more than 500 personnel to the five police districts in Metro Manila as part of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Avelino Razon’s commitment to deploy 90 percent of the entire police force to the field.
Razon headed the send-off ceremony for the 510 policemen, which was held at the NCRPO headquarters in Taguig City. Present to accept the downloaded cops are the commanders of the Eastern Police District, Southern Police District, Northern Police District, Manila Police District and the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).
“The downloading today of these policemen realizes my directive to increase police visibility so we can answer the requirement of addressing street crimes,” Razon said in his speech.
Razon urged the deployed cops to perform their duty “to serve and protect the community,” saying they are the “representatives of the PNP before the citizenry.”
“You will be the Ms. and Mr. Policeman,” Razon said.
NCRPO chief Director Geary Barias described the 510 policemen as “strong, mentally awake and morally equipped.”
QCPD chief Sr. Supt. Magtanggol Gatdula said he intends to utilize the policemen assigned to him as highway patrol cops.
On his assumption as PNP chief last October 1, Razon vowed to implement a 90 to 10 ratio as regards deployment of cops and office assignment./DMS
CHR expresses support to PNP’s CCTV project
By Ronron
October 11, 2007
The Commission on Human Rights expressed support on Thursday to the closed-circuit television (CCTV) project of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Metro Manila, allaying fears that it could be used to pry on private activities.
CHR Commissioner in charge for Metro Manila Wilhelm Soriano said the CCTV project should not be feared by the public because these are installed only in public places.
“This is not an invasion to rights to privacy because there is no compulsion,” Soriano said in a news conference yesterday afternoon at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) headquarters in Taguig City during the launching of the CCTV program.
“My presence here as Commissioner in Charge for the NCR is clear manifestation that we are supporting this program,” he added.
The PNP has started using CCTV cameras in Metro Manila last August during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), PNP chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. had earlier announced.
It was preceded by a similar project in Cebu during the ASEAN Summit in January of this year.
NCRPO chief Director Geary Barias said that out of the 56 cameras, only 22 were being used and are actually working as of yesterday because there is no need for the rest yet.
Among the places with cameras are the Sandiganbayan area in Queozn City, EDSA Magallanes, EDSA Ortigas, EDSA Ayala Avenue, and Mendiola in Manila City.
All the video images captured are then fed directly to the Central Command Center at the NCRPO, and these may also be transmitted to a remote Command Center at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
“With the operationalization of the Security Camera Surveillance System, we expect and anticipate the reduction of crimes in the streets of Metro Manila, especially in crime-prone areas where most of the cameras were installed,” Barias said.
Razon equated the capability of each camera to 10 policemen on field.
“The surveillance cameras and dispatch radio equipment will augment our PNP personnel in its daily tasks of conducting beat patrol and police visibility. It will help monitor the post of PNP personnel in strategic locations, which can be directed to respond immediately to any police assistance calls within the vicinity,” said Barias.
Soriano ageed with Barias and Razon, saying he recognizes the program as means to improve crime prevention.
Razon said there are plans to replicate the project in key cities of the country like Cebu City, Davao City and Baguio City, as well as integrate the current system in the capital with that of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
“We are also in the process of studying the possibility of entering into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Metro Manila Development Authority to link up with the Camera Surveillance System for traffic control and road safety and security monitoring,” Barias said.
Razon reiterated his appeal to private businesses to put up their own cameras as well to augment those of the PNP and the MMDA./DMS
October 11, 2007
The Commission on Human Rights expressed support on Thursday to the closed-circuit television (CCTV) project of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Metro Manila, allaying fears that it could be used to pry on private activities.
CHR Commissioner in charge for Metro Manila Wilhelm Soriano said the CCTV project should not be feared by the public because these are installed only in public places.
“This is not an invasion to rights to privacy because there is no compulsion,” Soriano said in a news conference yesterday afternoon at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) headquarters in Taguig City during the launching of the CCTV program.
“My presence here as Commissioner in Charge for the NCR is clear manifestation that we are supporting this program,” he added.
The PNP has started using CCTV cameras in Metro Manila last August during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), PNP chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. had earlier announced.
It was preceded by a similar project in Cebu during the ASEAN Summit in January of this year.
NCRPO chief Director Geary Barias said that out of the 56 cameras, only 22 were being used and are actually working as of yesterday because there is no need for the rest yet.
Among the places with cameras are the Sandiganbayan area in Queozn City, EDSA Magallanes, EDSA Ortigas, EDSA Ayala Avenue, and Mendiola in Manila City.
All the video images captured are then fed directly to the Central Command Center at the NCRPO, and these may also be transmitted to a remote Command Center at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
“With the operationalization of the Security Camera Surveillance System, we expect and anticipate the reduction of crimes in the streets of Metro Manila, especially in crime-prone areas where most of the cameras were installed,” Barias said.
Razon equated the capability of each camera to 10 policemen on field.
“The surveillance cameras and dispatch radio equipment will augment our PNP personnel in its daily tasks of conducting beat patrol and police visibility. It will help monitor the post of PNP personnel in strategic locations, which can be directed to respond immediately to any police assistance calls within the vicinity,” said Barias.
Soriano ageed with Barias and Razon, saying he recognizes the program as means to improve crime prevention.
Razon said there are plans to replicate the project in key cities of the country like Cebu City, Davao City and Baguio City, as well as integrate the current system in the capital with that of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
“We are also in the process of studying the possibility of entering into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Metro Manila Development Authority to link up with the Camera Surveillance System for traffic control and road safety and security monitoring,” Barias said.
Razon reiterated his appeal to private businesses to put up their own cameras as well to augment those of the PNP and the MMDA./DMS
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Army leadership detaining 40 foot soldiers over failed coup in February 2006
By Ronron
October 10, 2007
The Philippine Army admitted on Wednesday that they have detained for over a year now 40 of its enlisted personnel in relation to the alleged February 2006 coup plot.
Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Jr. made the admission after Camp Aguinaldo reporters verified with him the claim of Senator Rodolfo Biazon that he saw detained Army enlisted personnel in Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal last Monday.
“They are being detained in relation to the February plot last year. The Army Inspector General (IG) conducted an investigation… There are two options, either they will be also charged before a court martial or they be proceeded administratively. These are the two options that are still being evaluated up to this time,” Torres said.
Torres said the 40 come from the Special Operations Command headquarters in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija; the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR) headquarters in San Miguel, Bulacan; and the Scout Rangers unit in the Bicol Region.
Asked about the actual activity of the 40 that merited their detention, Torres said: “I am not sure yet because they come from different units, different bases.”
He said majority of them were detained starting July 24 last year, while the rest followed on August 1 and in October of the same year.
While he admitted that there are still no charges against the 40, Torres said the basis for the detention is Articles of War 70, which provides that any person under military law with offense can be placed under restriction at a barracks or detention until the case is resolved.
Torres also said that while the investigation by the Army IG was already completed in August last year, the Army leadership cannot conclusively decide yet how to proceed with the case against the 40 because they are awaiting the development on the case against the 28 officers that were suspected as main key actors in the alleged coup plot.
The 28 officers are headed by former Marines Commandant Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ben Dolorfino, former FSRR chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, and Marine Col. Ariel Querubin. All of them have yet to be arraigned for the charges of violating various Articles of War although they have been in detention also at Tanay for over a year now.
“These enlisted personnel follow the officer. That’s a basic rule… So, whatever will be my involvement as an officer may have a bearing on how they (enlisted personnel) reacted that time… There is still no arraignment of the officers so it may have a bearing on the part of the enlisted personnel’s case,” Torres explained.
Notably, there are no Marine EP’s suffering the same fate as the 40 Army EP’s, even as there are Marine officers also being accused in the same case.
Torres assured, however, that even if they have been detained, the 40 continue to receive their salaries./DMS
October 10, 2007
The Philippine Army admitted on Wednesday that they have detained for over a year now 40 of its enlisted personnel in relation to the alleged February 2006 coup plot.
Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Jr. made the admission after Camp Aguinaldo reporters verified with him the claim of Senator Rodolfo Biazon that he saw detained Army enlisted personnel in Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal last Monday.
“They are being detained in relation to the February plot last year. The Army Inspector General (IG) conducted an investigation… There are two options, either they will be also charged before a court martial or they be proceeded administratively. These are the two options that are still being evaluated up to this time,” Torres said.
Torres said the 40 come from the Special Operations Command headquarters in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija; the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR) headquarters in San Miguel, Bulacan; and the Scout Rangers unit in the Bicol Region.
Asked about the actual activity of the 40 that merited their detention, Torres said: “I am not sure yet because they come from different units, different bases.”
He said majority of them were detained starting July 24 last year, while the rest followed on August 1 and in October of the same year.
While he admitted that there are still no charges against the 40, Torres said the basis for the detention is Articles of War 70, which provides that any person under military law with offense can be placed under restriction at a barracks or detention until the case is resolved.
Torres also said that while the investigation by the Army IG was already completed in August last year, the Army leadership cannot conclusively decide yet how to proceed with the case against the 40 because they are awaiting the development on the case against the 28 officers that were suspected as main key actors in the alleged coup plot.
The 28 officers are headed by former Marines Commandant Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ben Dolorfino, former FSRR chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, and Marine Col. Ariel Querubin. All of them have yet to be arraigned for the charges of violating various Articles of War although they have been in detention also at Tanay for over a year now.
“These enlisted personnel follow the officer. That’s a basic rule… So, whatever will be my involvement as an officer may have a bearing on how they (enlisted personnel) reacted that time… There is still no arraignment of the officers so it may have a bearing on the part of the enlisted personnel’s case,” Torres explained.
Notably, there are no Marine EP’s suffering the same fate as the 40 Army EP’s, even as there are Marine officers also being accused in the same case.
Torres assured, however, that even if they have been detained, the 40 continue to receive their salaries./DMS
PNP tells Comelec that insurgency is foreseen as bigger problem as against political rivalry in Oct. 29 polls
By Ronron
October 10, 2007
Communist rebels and not fiery local politicians are the bigger threat in the upcoming village and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 29.
This was the security assessment given by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) during the two bodies’ conference Wednesday morning at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Citing the PNP data, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said 10 percent of the 41,994 barangays nationwide are said to be under the influence of insurgents, while only four percent have violence problems due to intense political rivalry of local officials.
Jimenez said the PNP and the Comelec calls the areas with problems of insurgency as Election Areas of Immediate Concern (EAIC), while those with problems brought by politicians are Election Areas of Concern (EAC).
He said the PNP reported that most of the EAIC are from Region 5, Region 8 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where there are also secessionist groups.
Since the start of the election period on September 29 until Wednesday, a total of six election-related violent incidents (ERVI’s) have been recorded by the PNP, resulting in four deaths and one injured person.
The incidents include five shooting and one harassment. Killed were two incumbent barangay officials, one government official and one civlian, while wounded was one incumbent barangay.
A total of 40 firearms were also confiscated for violating the Comelec gunban, with a total of 46 persons arrested, the PNP said.
Despite these data, Jimenez said the PNP regards the current situation to be seemingly quiet, and “the overall assessment is that it will be generally peaceful on October 29.”
“If any problem arises, it will most likely be related to insurgency,” Jimenez quoted the PNP to have said.
On the part of the Comelec, Jimenez said acting chairman Resurreccion Borra assured the PNP that they are already “95 percent ready,” citing the completion of the production of the forms and the ongoing delivery of those to the respective barangays, day and night.
“It looks like we will meet our targets for October 29,” Jimenez said./DMS
October 10, 2007
Communist rebels and not fiery local politicians are the bigger threat in the upcoming village and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 29.
This was the security assessment given by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) during the two bodies’ conference Wednesday morning at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Citing the PNP data, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said 10 percent of the 41,994 barangays nationwide are said to be under the influence of insurgents, while only four percent have violence problems due to intense political rivalry of local officials.
Jimenez said the PNP and the Comelec calls the areas with problems of insurgency as Election Areas of Immediate Concern (EAIC), while those with problems brought by politicians are Election Areas of Concern (EAC).
He said the PNP reported that most of the EAIC are from Region 5, Region 8 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where there are also secessionist groups.
Since the start of the election period on September 29 until Wednesday, a total of six election-related violent incidents (ERVI’s) have been recorded by the PNP, resulting in four deaths and one injured person.
The incidents include five shooting and one harassment. Killed were two incumbent barangay officials, one government official and one civlian, while wounded was one incumbent barangay.
A total of 40 firearms were also confiscated for violating the Comelec gunban, with a total of 46 persons arrested, the PNP said.
Despite these data, Jimenez said the PNP regards the current situation to be seemingly quiet, and “the overall assessment is that it will be generally peaceful on October 29.”
“If any problem arises, it will most likely be related to insurgency,” Jimenez quoted the PNP to have said.
On the part of the Comelec, Jimenez said acting chairman Resurreccion Borra assured the PNP that they are already “95 percent ready,” citing the completion of the production of the forms and the ongoing delivery of those to the respective barangays, day and night.
“It looks like we will meet our targets for October 29,” Jimenez said./DMS
Magdalo soldiers refuse to take witness stand at Makati RTC
By Ronron
October 10, 2007
The 13 Magdalo officers who constitute the first batch of accused scheduled to start presenting their defense Wednesday at the Makati City Regional Trial Court for the crime of coup d’ etat did not take the witness stand, believing that there is no need for them to prove their innocence.
According to one of the defense lawyers, in criminal cases, the burden of proof lies on the prosecution and not the defense.
“Even if the accused would not give a testimony in their favor, if the prosecution fails to adduce the quantum of evidence required, then the case will have to be dismissed,” Atty. Reynaldo Robles, lawyer for accused Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, told reporters after the hearing.
“We feel that the prosecution was not able to discharge the evidence, the burden of evidence. And in a criminal case, it is not the weakness of the defense but it is the strength of the defense against the accused (that matters),” he added.
The 13 officers that was scheduled to defend themselves yesterday were led by Army Captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo, two of the core leaders of the Magdalo Group. There are a total of 29 officers and two former enlisted personnel facing coup d’ etat charges before the Makati RTC Branch 148 in relation to the failed mutiny in July 2003 at the Oakwood Hotel in Makati City.
What the lawyers of the 13 submitted to the court instead were documents such as photocopies of transcripts of the deliberation of the coup d’ etat law by the Senate and House of Representatives, and records of the case of Senator Gregorio Honasan.
The first will supposedly support the defense’ argument that no crime was committed because it says that coup d’ etat is a crime committed in government installations, while the second would supposedly reinforce their call to quash the case because it is similar to Honasan’s.
“Supposedly, the theory of the prosecution is the mastermind is Senator Honasan. But they dismissed the case against him. So, these documents are being reproduced in this particular case to cite them as basis for dismissal (of the case),” Robles explained.
He disclosed that while the other defense lawyers plan to present their own sets of evidence, both documentary and witnesses, they might also adopt as their own the document filed by Atty. Hortencio Domingo, the lawyer of the 13.
Wednesday’s hearing was the first for the defense to present its case since the trial began in 2003.
Out of the 31 accused, only 16 attended the hearing, including Trillanes, who was in blue polo and black pair of pants, and was no longer handcuffed.
The next hearing would be on October 25.
After the hearing, Trillanes took time to answer questions from the media regarding the impeachment complaint filed by their former lawyer, Atty. Ruel Pulido.
“We were very much disappointed,” Trillanes said of Pulido’s move, which, he said is rumored to have been done in collusion with people from Malacanang.
“It is possible. It is highly probable,” he said of the rumor.
Trillanes pointed out that while he was advocating for the impeachment of Arroyo, he will not be supporting Pulido’s initiative, which, he said was described by a lawmaker as “not worth the paper it was written on.”
He stressed that the Magdalo has nothing to do with Pulido’s move, citing their parting of ways since September 2006.
“We are not in speaking terms since September last year… He resigned,” Trillanes said, although he refused to disclose the cause of the parting of ways.
His message for Pulido: “I wish him luck. I really hope he survives his career.”
Pulido filed the complaint against Arroyo last Friday in relation to the alleged anomalous National Broadband Network (NBN) project proposal. His complaint was endorsed by Laguna Congressman Edgar San Luis but many observers said it was only meant to make the President immune from a real, substantial impeachment complaint./DMS
October 10, 2007
The 13 Magdalo officers who constitute the first batch of accused scheduled to start presenting their defense Wednesday at the Makati City Regional Trial Court for the crime of coup d’ etat did not take the witness stand, believing that there is no need for them to prove their innocence.
According to one of the defense lawyers, in criminal cases, the burden of proof lies on the prosecution and not the defense.
“Even if the accused would not give a testimony in their favor, if the prosecution fails to adduce the quantum of evidence required, then the case will have to be dismissed,” Atty. Reynaldo Robles, lawyer for accused Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, told reporters after the hearing.
“We feel that the prosecution was not able to discharge the evidence, the burden of evidence. And in a criminal case, it is not the weakness of the defense but it is the strength of the defense against the accused (that matters),” he added.
The 13 officers that was scheduled to defend themselves yesterday were led by Army Captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo, two of the core leaders of the Magdalo Group. There are a total of 29 officers and two former enlisted personnel facing coup d’ etat charges before the Makati RTC Branch 148 in relation to the failed mutiny in July 2003 at the Oakwood Hotel in Makati City.
What the lawyers of the 13 submitted to the court instead were documents such as photocopies of transcripts of the deliberation of the coup d’ etat law by the Senate and House of Representatives, and records of the case of Senator Gregorio Honasan.
The first will supposedly support the defense’ argument that no crime was committed because it says that coup d’ etat is a crime committed in government installations, while the second would supposedly reinforce their call to quash the case because it is similar to Honasan’s.
“Supposedly, the theory of the prosecution is the mastermind is Senator Honasan. But they dismissed the case against him. So, these documents are being reproduced in this particular case to cite them as basis for dismissal (of the case),” Robles explained.
He disclosed that while the other defense lawyers plan to present their own sets of evidence, both documentary and witnesses, they might also adopt as their own the document filed by Atty. Hortencio Domingo, the lawyer of the 13.
Wednesday’s hearing was the first for the defense to present its case since the trial began in 2003.
Out of the 31 accused, only 16 attended the hearing, including Trillanes, who was in blue polo and black pair of pants, and was no longer handcuffed.
The next hearing would be on October 25.
After the hearing, Trillanes took time to answer questions from the media regarding the impeachment complaint filed by their former lawyer, Atty. Ruel Pulido.
“We were very much disappointed,” Trillanes said of Pulido’s move, which, he said is rumored to have been done in collusion with people from Malacanang.
“It is possible. It is highly probable,” he said of the rumor.
Trillanes pointed out that while he was advocating for the impeachment of Arroyo, he will not be supporting Pulido’s initiative, which, he said was described by a lawmaker as “not worth the paper it was written on.”
He stressed that the Magdalo has nothing to do with Pulido’s move, citing their parting of ways since September 2006.
“We are not in speaking terms since September last year… He resigned,” Trillanes said, although he refused to disclose the cause of the parting of ways.
His message for Pulido: “I wish him luck. I really hope he survives his career.”
Pulido filed the complaint against Arroyo last Friday in relation to the alleged anomalous National Broadband Network (NBN) project proposal. His complaint was endorsed by Laguna Congressman Edgar San Luis but many observers said it was only meant to make the President immune from a real, substantial impeachment complaint./DMS
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
ASG member killed in fresh encounter with gov’t troops in Sulu
By Ronron
October 9, 2007
A suspected member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) was killed in an encounter Monday afternoon against government troops in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, military officials said Tuesday.
Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael, commander of the Sulu-based Joint Task Force Comet, said the latest clash happened at around 4:30 pm at Sitio Lumbo, Barangay Mabahay in Talipao town.
Rafael said elements of the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion initially discovered a temporary rebel encampment when they found out later it was being inhabited by 40 to 50 armed people.
Rafael said the inhabitants are believed to be ASG members and rouge members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Rafael said the clash lasted for about 30 minutes, resulting to the death of one suspected ASG member and the recovery of a Garand rifle. There was no casualty on the government side, he said.
Asked if the engaged rebels include the high-value targets of the government like Radullan Sahiron, Doc Abu, Albader Parad, and the two Jemaah Islamiyah bombers, namely Umar Patek and Dulmatin, Rafael said: “We are still verifying if there are high-value targets in the encounter.”
But he maintained that these terrorist leaders are still in Sulu, saying, “we have a naval blockade in place to prevent their escape.”
Some 4,000 troops have been brought to Sulu in the last few months to run after the terrorists following the major encounters in August that left at least 27 soldiers killed./DMS
October 9, 2007
A suspected member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) was killed in an encounter Monday afternoon against government troops in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, military officials said Tuesday.
Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael, commander of the Sulu-based Joint Task Force Comet, said the latest clash happened at around 4:30 pm at Sitio Lumbo, Barangay Mabahay in Talipao town.
Rafael said elements of the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion initially discovered a temporary rebel encampment when they found out later it was being inhabited by 40 to 50 armed people.
Rafael said the inhabitants are believed to be ASG members and rouge members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Rafael said the clash lasted for about 30 minutes, resulting to the death of one suspected ASG member and the recovery of a Garand rifle. There was no casualty on the government side, he said.
Asked if the engaged rebels include the high-value targets of the government like Radullan Sahiron, Doc Abu, Albader Parad, and the two Jemaah Islamiyah bombers, namely Umar Patek and Dulmatin, Rafael said: “We are still verifying if there are high-value targets in the encounter.”
But he maintained that these terrorist leaders are still in Sulu, saying, “we have a naval blockade in place to prevent their escape.”
Some 4,000 troops have been brought to Sulu in the last few months to run after the terrorists following the major encounters in August that left at least 27 soldiers killed./DMS
3 suspected robbers killed in shootout incident in Laguna province
By Ronron
October 9, 2007
Three suspected robbers were killed in a shootout incident against policemen before dawn of Tuesday in Laguna province, police said.
Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Felipe Rojas said the suspects were shot dead at around 2:30 am after engaging the chasing police operatives in a shootout instead of giving themselves up.
He identified the three as Gregorio Ruellas, 31; Santiago Pontanoza, 27; and Jayson Pontanoza, 25; all of Barangay Bautista, San Pablo City.
Rojas said the shootout happened along Carmelite Road in Barangay Concepcion of same city.
The three, who were onboard a tricycle and a motorcycle, had earlier robbed a resident of Barangay Santo Angel in the same city, identified as Romeo Formales, at around 11:30 pm Monday, Rojas said.
This prompted the police operation that was participated by elements of the San Pablo City Police, the Traffic Management Group (TMG) of Police Region IV-A, and Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division.
A mobile of the TMG sustained gunshots during the brief shootout, Rojas said.
Recovered from the suspects after the incident were two caliber 38 revolvers, a hand grenade, the 1,500-pesos that was taken from Formales, and some foreign currencies of unknown amount.
Rojas said the neutralization of the three is expected to reduce the robbery and hold-up incidents in the province, especially in San Pablo City, noting the involvement of the three in similar incidents in the past./DMS
October 9, 2007
Three suspected robbers were killed in a shootout incident against policemen before dawn of Tuesday in Laguna province, police said.
Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Felipe Rojas said the suspects were shot dead at around 2:30 am after engaging the chasing police operatives in a shootout instead of giving themselves up.
He identified the three as Gregorio Ruellas, 31; Santiago Pontanoza, 27; and Jayson Pontanoza, 25; all of Barangay Bautista, San Pablo City.
Rojas said the shootout happened along Carmelite Road in Barangay Concepcion of same city.
The three, who were onboard a tricycle and a motorcycle, had earlier robbed a resident of Barangay Santo Angel in the same city, identified as Romeo Formales, at around 11:30 pm Monday, Rojas said.
This prompted the police operation that was participated by elements of the San Pablo City Police, the Traffic Management Group (TMG) of Police Region IV-A, and Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division.
A mobile of the TMG sustained gunshots during the brief shootout, Rojas said.
Recovered from the suspects after the incident were two caliber 38 revolvers, a hand grenade, the 1,500-pesos that was taken from Formales, and some foreign currencies of unknown amount.
Rojas said the neutralization of the three is expected to reduce the robbery and hold-up incidents in the province, especially in San Pablo City, noting the involvement of the three in similar incidents in the past./DMS
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Suspected NPA rebels abduct barangay captain and two Army personnel in Compostela Valley province
Ronron
October 8, 2007
Suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) abducted a village captain, an Army sergeant and a paramilitary personnel on Sunday morning before the actual fight of Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao against Marco Antonio Barrera in the United States started.
The police and military said the incident happened at around 9am in Barangay Kanidkid, Montevista town wherein the suspects, numbering to between 20 and 30, pretended to be military personnel, thus succeeding in their plan.
Col. Benito de Leon, spokesman of the Davao-based 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, said the suspects first went to the house of Barangay Kanidkid chairman Benjamin “Momoy” Mahumas.
The suspects reportedly introduced themselves to Mahumas as members of the Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion and 72nd IB, thus they were accepted by the village captain.
But when they immediately held Mahumas hostage, they ordered the barangay captain to call in the detachment commander of the 72nd IB in said barangay, identified as Sergeant Raul Reyes, and his CAFGU (Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit) personnel, identified as a certain Dodong Villaflor.
De Leon said Reyes and Villaflor were not aware that they were being made to fall into a trap of the suspected rebels. Thus, upon arrival of Mahumas’ residence, the two were immediately taken as hostage as well.
From Mahumas’ residence, de Leon said the three hostages were taken to the Army detachment where the rebels demanded that all firearms be turned over to them.
Seeing their detachment commander under custody of the rebels, the nine remaining personnel at the detachment were forced to hand over 15 assorted short and long firearms to the hostage-takers.
The group then left aboard an Isuzu elf truck and a multicab.
De Leon said pursuit operations were conducted by troops from the 1001st Infantry Brigade, augmented by police forces but remains unsuccessful as of Monday afternoon.
De Leon would not say where the center of the pursuit operations so as not to jeopardize it.
He disclosed that the nine personnel in the detachment have already been relieved and placed on custodial detention at the 72nd IB headquarters as they are undergoing investigation.
“This is a gross violation of the CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement for the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law). They have been swearing that they will conform to human rights law but they have taken now as hostage a civilian, and they took hostages out of deception, and not in a legitimate encounter,” de Leon said of the incident.
“We condemn this outright disregard for the CARHRIHL,” he added.
Asked if their have been demands from the suspects in exchange for the freedom of their hostages, de Leon said: “There is none. This just has something to do with the series of successes of the military against their movement. We have convinced some of their comrades to surrender, we have seized their camps, we have neutralized some of their comrades. So this is just part of their guerilla tactics.”
The 7,100-strong NPA has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside in the last 38 years and the government hopes to crush it by 2010 when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ends her term.
Peace talks with the communist movement bogged down in August 2004 after it was tagged as terrorists by foreign governments./DMS
October 8, 2007
Suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) abducted a village captain, an Army sergeant and a paramilitary personnel on Sunday morning before the actual fight of Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao against Marco Antonio Barrera in the United States started.
The police and military said the incident happened at around 9am in Barangay Kanidkid, Montevista town wherein the suspects, numbering to between 20 and 30, pretended to be military personnel, thus succeeding in their plan.
Col. Benito de Leon, spokesman of the Davao-based 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, said the suspects first went to the house of Barangay Kanidkid chairman Benjamin “Momoy” Mahumas.
The suspects reportedly introduced themselves to Mahumas as members of the Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion and 72nd IB, thus they were accepted by the village captain.
But when they immediately held Mahumas hostage, they ordered the barangay captain to call in the detachment commander of the 72nd IB in said barangay, identified as Sergeant Raul Reyes, and his CAFGU (Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit) personnel, identified as a certain Dodong Villaflor.
De Leon said Reyes and Villaflor were not aware that they were being made to fall into a trap of the suspected rebels. Thus, upon arrival of Mahumas’ residence, the two were immediately taken as hostage as well.
From Mahumas’ residence, de Leon said the three hostages were taken to the Army detachment where the rebels demanded that all firearms be turned over to them.
Seeing their detachment commander under custody of the rebels, the nine remaining personnel at the detachment were forced to hand over 15 assorted short and long firearms to the hostage-takers.
The group then left aboard an Isuzu elf truck and a multicab.
De Leon said pursuit operations were conducted by troops from the 1001st Infantry Brigade, augmented by police forces but remains unsuccessful as of Monday afternoon.
De Leon would not say where the center of the pursuit operations so as not to jeopardize it.
He disclosed that the nine personnel in the detachment have already been relieved and placed on custodial detention at the 72nd IB headquarters as they are undergoing investigation.
“This is a gross violation of the CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement for the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law). They have been swearing that they will conform to human rights law but they have taken now as hostage a civilian, and they took hostages out of deception, and not in a legitimate encounter,” de Leon said of the incident.
“We condemn this outright disregard for the CARHRIHL,” he added.
Asked if their have been demands from the suspects in exchange for the freedom of their hostages, de Leon said: “There is none. This just has something to do with the series of successes of the military against their movement. We have convinced some of their comrades to surrender, we have seized their camps, we have neutralized some of their comrades. So this is just part of their guerilla tactics.”
The 7,100-strong NPA has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside in the last 38 years and the government hopes to crush it by 2010 when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ends her term.
Peace talks with the communist movement bogged down in August 2004 after it was tagged as terrorists by foreign governments./DMS
MM police on heightened alert after Kidapawan blasts
By Ronron
October 8, 2007
Police forces in Metro Manila have been placed on heightened alert since last weekend due to the twin bombings in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato on Friday evening.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias told a news conference Monday in Camp Crame that the alert level was raised immediately after the explosions happened at around 7pm along Quezon Boulevard of Kidapawan City, killing a child and wounding over 30 others.
At the same time, some 250 personnel were deployed at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) to thwart any untoward incidents. Similar plans are underway for bus terminals, Barias said.
“We are confident we can secure Metro Manila,” Barias said even as he admitted that there are no direct threats of terrorism in the capital, nor are there members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
When asked if they are anticipating a spillover of the bombings in Metro Manila, Barias said: “Not really but we just come up with assumptions. The possibility though is very remote.”
A 10-year-old child died in Friday’s bombings in Kidapawan City while 32 others were wounded.
Police and military officials are considering terrorists and extortionists as being behind the blasts, which happened five minutes and 50 meters apart.
As of Monday, no suspect has been arrested yet by local policemen, although they are already following leads about a certain group, national police chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. said./DMS
October 8, 2007
Police forces in Metro Manila have been placed on heightened alert since last weekend due to the twin bombings in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato on Friday evening.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias told a news conference Monday in Camp Crame that the alert level was raised immediately after the explosions happened at around 7pm along Quezon Boulevard of Kidapawan City, killing a child and wounding over 30 others.
At the same time, some 250 personnel were deployed at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) to thwart any untoward incidents. Similar plans are underway for bus terminals, Barias said.
“We are confident we can secure Metro Manila,” Barias said even as he admitted that there are no direct threats of terrorism in the capital, nor are there members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
When asked if they are anticipating a spillover of the bombings in Metro Manila, Barias said: “Not really but we just come up with assumptions. The possibility though is very remote.”
A 10-year-old child died in Friday’s bombings in Kidapawan City while 32 others were wounded.
Police and military officials are considering terrorists and extortionists as being behind the blasts, which happened five minutes and 50 meters apart.
As of Monday, no suspect has been arrested yet by local policemen, although they are already following leads about a certain group, national police chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr. said./DMS
DILG Secretary confident impeachment raps against Arroyo will die a natural death
By Ronron
October 8, 2007
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno expressed confidence on Monday that the new impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will not prosper.
As the political adviser of Arroyo, Puno said the opposition are only very few in the Lower House, thereby shunning an opportunity for them to push the impeachment complaint lodged last Friday by Atty. Ruel Pulido, a former lawyer of the Magdalo soldiers.
“I think that any kind of impeachment action will not prosper. It’s a numbers game, and there are only 30 members of the opposition in the House so it’s a wishful thinking that they can break up the administration,” Puno said in a news conference at Camp Crame yesterday.
Pulido filed the complaint against Arroyo based on the alleged irregularities hounding the proposed National Broadband Network (NBN) project.
Without citing the merits of the case, Puno said the fresh complaint against Arroyo “will die a natural death.”
“I think this attempt of the opposition to try to impeach is a non-starter. It will not get anywhere,” he said.
Puno, a former Congressman of Antipolo City in Rizal, suggested that the members of Congress should just instead focus on “legislating,” citing the need to review many laws.
Asked if the complaint may spark unrest in the streets, Puno said: “I think the people are already fed up with rallies already so I doubt if there will be any.”
Meanwhile, Puno denied reports that Laguna Representative Edgar San Luis has links with Arroyo’s Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) political party, which Puno chairs.
It was San Luis who endorsed Pulido’s impeachment complaint.
“He has never been and is not a member of KAMPI,” Puno said of San Luis./DMS
October 8, 2007
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno expressed confidence on Monday that the new impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will not prosper.
As the political adviser of Arroyo, Puno said the opposition are only very few in the Lower House, thereby shunning an opportunity for them to push the impeachment complaint lodged last Friday by Atty. Ruel Pulido, a former lawyer of the Magdalo soldiers.
“I think that any kind of impeachment action will not prosper. It’s a numbers game, and there are only 30 members of the opposition in the House so it’s a wishful thinking that they can break up the administration,” Puno said in a news conference at Camp Crame yesterday.
Pulido filed the complaint against Arroyo based on the alleged irregularities hounding the proposed National Broadband Network (NBN) project.
Without citing the merits of the case, Puno said the fresh complaint against Arroyo “will die a natural death.”
“I think this attempt of the opposition to try to impeach is a non-starter. It will not get anywhere,” he said.
Puno, a former Congressman of Antipolo City in Rizal, suggested that the members of Congress should just instead focus on “legislating,” citing the need to review many laws.
Asked if the complaint may spark unrest in the streets, Puno said: “I think the people are already fed up with rallies already so I doubt if there will be any.”
Meanwhile, Puno denied reports that Laguna Representative Edgar San Luis has links with Arroyo’s Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) political party, which Puno chairs.
It was San Luis who endorsed Pulido’s impeachment complaint.
“He has never been and is not a member of KAMPI,” Puno said of San Luis./DMS
Police notes almost zero crime rate in RP during Pacquiao fight
By Ronron
October 8, 2007
The Philippine National Police (PNP) claimed on Monday that there was a zero crime rate during the actual time that Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao was fighting against Marco Antonio Barrera last Sunday (Manila time) at a boxing ring in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Police officials said crimes only happened before and after the 12-round bout of Pacquiao and Barrera, which the former won by a unanimous decision of three judges.
“There was none. This is what usually happens because we are expecting our countrymen to be glued to their TV monitors for the Pacquiao fight,” PNP Deputy Chief for Operations Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla told Camp Crame reporters yesterday when asked if any crime was reported during Pacquiao’s boxing match with Barrera.
Varilla said the zero-crime rate was noted from 11 am to 1pm.
Specifically, in Metro Manila, no crime was reported from 8am to 3pm, said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias.
“This was expected just like in the previous fights of Pacquiao,” Barias said in a separate news conference, adding that even traffic was reduced by 75 percent.
Officials said only at least six crime incidents were reported before 11am and after 1pm all over the country, much fewer compared to during regular days.
The incidents include a reported abduction in Bataan, a raid by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Compostela Valley, two unspecified incidents in Region VII, and two stabbing incidents in Metro Manila.
“We can only hope that Pacquiao will have a fight every day so there will be no crime incidents,” Varilla said./DMS
October 8, 2007
The Philippine National Police (PNP) claimed on Monday that there was a zero crime rate during the actual time that Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao was fighting against Marco Antonio Barrera last Sunday (Manila time) at a boxing ring in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Police officials said crimes only happened before and after the 12-round bout of Pacquiao and Barrera, which the former won by a unanimous decision of three judges.
“There was none. This is what usually happens because we are expecting our countrymen to be glued to their TV monitors for the Pacquiao fight,” PNP Deputy Chief for Operations Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla told Camp Crame reporters yesterday when asked if any crime was reported during Pacquiao’s boxing match with Barrera.
Varilla said the zero-crime rate was noted from 11 am to 1pm.
Specifically, in Metro Manila, no crime was reported from 8am to 3pm, said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias.
“This was expected just like in the previous fights of Pacquiao,” Barias said in a separate news conference, adding that even traffic was reduced by 75 percent.
Officials said only at least six crime incidents were reported before 11am and after 1pm all over the country, much fewer compared to during regular days.
The incidents include a reported abduction in Bataan, a raid by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Compostela Valley, two unspecified incidents in Region VII, and two stabbing incidents in Metro Manila.
“We can only hope that Pacquiao will have a fight every day so there will be no crime incidents,” Varilla said./DMS
RP cops assured of medical services from 38 DOH hospitals all over the country
By Ronron
October 8, 2007
Philippine cops may now avail of the services of 38 tertiary hospitals of the Department of Health (DOH) nationwide following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Monday morning between the DOH, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
According to PNP chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr., the policemen need not worry also of their medical expenses at these hospitals because the MOA provides that funding for these from the PNP will be channeled directly to the hospitals, through the DOH.
“This signing of memorandum of agreement is our prerequisite to achieve a long-term and lasting accessibility of health services in the PNP being implemented in line with the PNP Integrated Transformation Program that aims to resolve organizational dysfunctions and improve quality of police services and strengthen law enforcement capabilities,” Razon said.
Asigned from Razon, signatories to the MOA were DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno, and DOH Undersecretary Margarita Galon.
Razon disclosed that currently, the PNP only has one tertiary hospital where its personnel can avail of free services. It is the PNP General Hospital inside Camp Crame, Quezon City while the rest go to 16 dispensaries spread all over the country.
But following the MOA signing, the PNP chief said ill cops from the provinces, especially from the south, need not fly to Metro Manila to avail of free hospitalization at the PNP General Hospital.
This will also lessen the patients at the PNP General Hospital, which has only 300 beds. The PNP has an estimated strength of 120,000.
Razon said the PNP currently has a 200-million peso budget for medical services for its personnel, and they intend to increase it in the coming years so as to address not just the hospital expenses of ill personnel but also to upgrade its hospital and dispensary equipment and facilities.
Razon said the health service program, dubbed as Pulis Health Mo Okay, covers all types of illnesses of policemen, even those that are not immediately known as work-related.
Based on statistics, the most common illnesses of policemen are hypertension and other cardio-vascular disorders, and kidney problems, Razon said./DMS
October 8, 2007
Philippine cops may now avail of the services of 38 tertiary hospitals of the Department of Health (DOH) nationwide following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Monday morning between the DOH, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
According to PNP chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr., the policemen need not worry also of their medical expenses at these hospitals because the MOA provides that funding for these from the PNP will be channeled directly to the hospitals, through the DOH.
“This signing of memorandum of agreement is our prerequisite to achieve a long-term and lasting accessibility of health services in the PNP being implemented in line with the PNP Integrated Transformation Program that aims to resolve organizational dysfunctions and improve quality of police services and strengthen law enforcement capabilities,” Razon said.
Asigned from Razon, signatories to the MOA were DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno, and DOH Undersecretary Margarita Galon.
Razon disclosed that currently, the PNP only has one tertiary hospital where its personnel can avail of free services. It is the PNP General Hospital inside Camp Crame, Quezon City while the rest go to 16 dispensaries spread all over the country.
But following the MOA signing, the PNP chief said ill cops from the provinces, especially from the south, need not fly to Metro Manila to avail of free hospitalization at the PNP General Hospital.
This will also lessen the patients at the PNP General Hospital, which has only 300 beds. The PNP has an estimated strength of 120,000.
Razon said the PNP currently has a 200-million peso budget for medical services for its personnel, and they intend to increase it in the coming years so as to address not just the hospital expenses of ill personnel but also to upgrade its hospital and dispensary equipment and facilities.
Razon said the health service program, dubbed as Pulis Health Mo Okay, covers all types of illnesses of policemen, even those that are not immediately known as work-related.
Based on statistics, the most common illnesses of policemen are hypertension and other cardio-vascular disorders, and kidney problems, Razon said./DMS
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Police finds more weight on terrorism as against extortion as motive of Kidapawan City blasts
By Ronron
October 6, 2007
Local police investigators and the military consider terrorism to be a more probable motive behind the twin explosions on Friday night in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato that killed a child and wounded 32 others, compared to extortion.
According to Kidapawan City Police investigator PO1 Conrado Abalos, Jr., establishments near the blast sites have denied receiving any extortion demand from certain groups, such as the Al-Khobar Group, prior to the incident that happened at around 7pm the other day.
The establishments include the Sugni Superstore, the Share Marketing (an appliance shop), and the Imperial Plaza Appliance Center, all located along Quezon Boulevard at the city proper.
“We could not say it (motive of explosions) is extortion because there are no threats or demand letters prior to the incident. It was just set off at a crowded place so there was no clear target or motive. And that’s a character of terrorism,” Abalos said in Filipino a phone interview Saturday.
“It could be perpetrated by local contacts of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) based on the city’s history. Basically, it’s a job of terrorists who are the only perpetrators of bombings,” added Army 6th Infantry Division spokesman Lt. Col. Julieto Ando.
Abalos said bomb experts both from the police and the Army have recovered parts of a 60 mm mortar from the blast sites, located 50 meters apart from each other. He said it is suspected that the explosive devices were triggered by a mobile phone.
Each of the devices were placed inside a plastic bag, and blew off five minutes apart, he said.
Asked if it could be perpetrated by the JI, the Southeast Asian cell of Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network that has already penetrated the Philippines, Abalos said: “That is the subject of the investigation, although for the past three years since I was assigned here, there are no confirmed first-hand handiworks of the JI.”
Abalos disclosed that a man who was initially suspected to have been the one seen leaving the explosives was held by police, but turned out to be innocent.
He said that after questioning the man overnight, he was released at around 7am yesterday after finding out he was seen running away to avoid getting hurt.
Police identified the killed victim as Ana Mae Losada, 10, a resident of said city, who was reportedly accompanying her mother sell fruits near the Sugni Superstore.
The wounded victims, on the other hand, were brought to the Kidapawan Medical Specialist Center, the Kidapawan Doctor’s Hospital, Inc., the Kidapawan City Health Hospital, and the Madonna General Hospital, Inc. for medical treatment.
Among the injured are at least nine minors, the youngest of whom is a three-year-old girl. The oldest among the wounded, on the other hand, is a 54-year-old woman.
Aside from inflicting casualties, Abalos said the explosions also damaged six vehicles parked near the blast sites.
Abalos said the city police immediately raised its alert to full status after the incident./DMS
October 6, 2007
Local police investigators and the military consider terrorism to be a more probable motive behind the twin explosions on Friday night in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato that killed a child and wounded 32 others, compared to extortion.
According to Kidapawan City Police investigator PO1 Conrado Abalos, Jr., establishments near the blast sites have denied receiving any extortion demand from certain groups, such as the Al-Khobar Group, prior to the incident that happened at around 7pm the other day.
The establishments include the Sugni Superstore, the Share Marketing (an appliance shop), and the Imperial Plaza Appliance Center, all located along Quezon Boulevard at the city proper.
“We could not say it (motive of explosions) is extortion because there are no threats or demand letters prior to the incident. It was just set off at a crowded place so there was no clear target or motive. And that’s a character of terrorism,” Abalos said in Filipino a phone interview Saturday.
“It could be perpetrated by local contacts of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) based on the city’s history. Basically, it’s a job of terrorists who are the only perpetrators of bombings,” added Army 6th Infantry Division spokesman Lt. Col. Julieto Ando.
Abalos said bomb experts both from the police and the Army have recovered parts of a 60 mm mortar from the blast sites, located 50 meters apart from each other. He said it is suspected that the explosive devices were triggered by a mobile phone.
Each of the devices were placed inside a plastic bag, and blew off five minutes apart, he said.
Asked if it could be perpetrated by the JI, the Southeast Asian cell of Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network that has already penetrated the Philippines, Abalos said: “That is the subject of the investigation, although for the past three years since I was assigned here, there are no confirmed first-hand handiworks of the JI.”
Abalos disclosed that a man who was initially suspected to have been the one seen leaving the explosives was held by police, but turned out to be innocent.
He said that after questioning the man overnight, he was released at around 7am yesterday after finding out he was seen running away to avoid getting hurt.
Police identified the killed victim as Ana Mae Losada, 10, a resident of said city, who was reportedly accompanying her mother sell fruits near the Sugni Superstore.
The wounded victims, on the other hand, were brought to the Kidapawan Medical Specialist Center, the Kidapawan Doctor’s Hospital, Inc., the Kidapawan City Health Hospital, and the Madonna General Hospital, Inc. for medical treatment.
Among the injured are at least nine minors, the youngest of whom is a three-year-old girl. The oldest among the wounded, on the other hand, is a 54-year-old woman.
Aside from inflicting casualties, Abalos said the explosions also damaged six vehicles parked near the blast sites.
Abalos said the city police immediately raised its alert to full status after the incident./DMS
Japanese found dead in Cebu after scuba diving
By Ronron
October 6, 2007
A 47-year-old Japanese national was believed to have drowned to death while scuba diving in the central Philippine province of Cebu last Thursday, police said Saturday.
The victim was identified as Kimura Atsuo, 47, of 1-3-17 Tamagawa, Ota-ku, Tokyo, and temporarily residing in Guadalupe, Cebu City. Police said Atsuo is a tourist in the country.
Police said Atsuo went on scuba diving last Thursday afternoon in Barangay Datag, Maribago, Lapu-lapu City with a fellow Japanese, identified as Hideaki Yajima, and a Filipino assistant diving instructor, identified as Julian Lantafe.
They reportedly started their activity at 1:45 pm at the Kontiki Beach Resort.
But, according to Lantafe, Atsuo did not heed to his reminder while they were already some 60 to 80 meters deep not to go down further.
Lantafe told police that he and Yajima were forced to leave Atsuo underwater.
At around 2:30pm, Atsuo’s body surfaced and was spotted by personnel from another diving shop, who later turned it over to the Kontiki Beach Resort.
Police said responding personnel from the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) found Atsuo to be dead already upon check-up at the Kontiki Beach Resort.
“The Japanese tourist exceeded his depth while scuba diving, per information from the dive instructor,” Lapu-lapu City Police Director Supt. Louie Oppus said in a text message.
Based on the diving machine, Atsuo reached 94 meters deep.
The management of the resort brought Atsuo to the Lapu-lapu City District Hospital where he was finally declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.
Although police initially noted no signs of foul play or struggle, they still subjected the body to an autopsy for final determination of the cause of death./DMS
October 6, 2007
A 47-year-old Japanese national was believed to have drowned to death while scuba diving in the central Philippine province of Cebu last Thursday, police said Saturday.
The victim was identified as Kimura Atsuo, 47, of 1-3-17 Tamagawa, Ota-ku, Tokyo, and temporarily residing in Guadalupe, Cebu City. Police said Atsuo is a tourist in the country.
Police said Atsuo went on scuba diving last Thursday afternoon in Barangay Datag, Maribago, Lapu-lapu City with a fellow Japanese, identified as Hideaki Yajima, and a Filipino assistant diving instructor, identified as Julian Lantafe.
They reportedly started their activity at 1:45 pm at the Kontiki Beach Resort.
But, according to Lantafe, Atsuo did not heed to his reminder while they were already some 60 to 80 meters deep not to go down further.
Lantafe told police that he and Yajima were forced to leave Atsuo underwater.
At around 2:30pm, Atsuo’s body surfaced and was spotted by personnel from another diving shop, who later turned it over to the Kontiki Beach Resort.
Police said responding personnel from the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) found Atsuo to be dead already upon check-up at the Kontiki Beach Resort.
“The Japanese tourist exceeded his depth while scuba diving, per information from the dive instructor,” Lapu-lapu City Police Director Supt. Louie Oppus said in a text message.
Based on the diving machine, Atsuo reached 94 meters deep.
The management of the resort brought Atsuo to the Lapu-lapu City District Hospital where he was finally declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.
Although police initially noted no signs of foul play or struggle, they still subjected the body to an autopsy for final determination of the cause of death./DMS
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