by ace | Oct 26, 2011 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct. 26 (PIA)–Gikumpirmar sa Malakanyang nga mihatag ang gobyerno og P5 milyon sa Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Apan gitataw ni Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda nga wala gihatag ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III ang maong salapi kang MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ibrahim sa ilang secret meeting sa Tokyo, Japan niadtong Agosto 5, apan si Government Peace Panel Chief Negotiator Marvic Leonen ang mihatag niini human sa maong pulong. Gi-klaro usab ni Lacierda nga P5 milyon ug dili P5 bilyon ang salaping gihatag sama sa mga gipakatap sa text.
Giingong gamiton ang salapi sa pagpatukod og Bangsamoro Leadership Management Institute (BLMI) ug dili sa pagpalit og mga bala ug armas sa mga rebelde. Giseguro usab sa Malacañang nga adunay “accounting” sa P5 million nga gihatag. Dugang pa ni Lacierda, ang maong kantidad commitment pa sa miaging administrasyon sa MILF ug nakita sa Presidente nga angayan sad kining ipadayon. Gilauman sa gobyerno nga ang maong pondo igahin alang sa edukasyon ug pagbansaybansay sa mga lider sa Bangsamoro. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by ace | Oct 26, 2011 | Headlines, National News
MALACANANG vowed that military operations against the killers of the 19 soldiers in Basilan will continue stressing, clarifying however that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is not being targeted as an entity and the offensive will only target lawless elements. “The pursuit of the lawless elements will continue. The President is very categorical, ‘you cooperate or you stand aside.’ Dahil we are trying to make the distinction kung sino talaga ang gusto talaga ay kapayapaan at kung sino po yung nakikihalubilo lang at nagkukubli,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday. Going after the bandit groups is a different thing from the peace talks with the MILF, Valte said, adding that security forces know how to handle the offensive.
With regards to the population being displaced by the military operations, Valte said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is on the ground and Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman was given instructions to help civilians affected by the military operations. Reacting to reports that the MILF is providing sanctuary to criminal groups, Valte said it is prohibited in the ceasefire agreement with the government for the MILF to provide safe haven to lawless elements in its jurisdiction. President Benigno S. Aquino III assured the nation on Monday that the government was exerting all necessary efforts to arrest the killers of the 19 soldiers in Basilan last week calling the offensive “all-out justice.” In his message during a press briefing in Malacanang, President Aquino vowed to put the killers to justice and continuously attend to the needs of those people that may be affected by the operations. He likewise noted that while there will be some who will use the incident to gain political leverage and further agitate the public, rash decisions fuelled by a thirst for vengeance can only serve to dishonor the memory of the 19 soldiers who died in the Basilan clash. (pcoo)
by ace | Oct 24, 2011 | Headlines, National News
On Sunday, after the Oct. 18 event, two more different incidents, leaving a toll of five civilians and two soldiers dead, suspected action done by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front(MILF) rebels. Western Mindanao Command reported that Hassan Asnawi, a commander of the MILF’s 114th Base Command, led a 50-strong force surprisingly attacked the truck owned by a rubber cooperative in Basilan, leaving five civilians dead and eight others wounded. Maj. Harold Cabunoc, the acting Army spokesperson, said those killed and injured were on a truck owned by Tumahubong Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Inc. Development Cooperative that was used to haul rubber. Other incident transpired in Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte, armed men ambushed troops led by Lt. Col. Bagnum Gaerlan of the 5th Infantry Battalion, killing two soldiers and wounding four others.
Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, Wesmincom spokesperson,as he said had forwarded troops hounding the rebels in Basilan and Lanao del Norte. Mohaqher Iqbal, MILF chief negotiator, said the investigation of October 18 incident had been started by a Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team headed by Maj. Gen. Dato Mahdi Bin Yusof.The output of the said investigation would be discussed upon the resumption of peace talks next month in Kuala Lumpur. Despite the successive events, President Aquino III sustained to be it in a peace talks with the MILF. He conveyed hopes to the relatives of the casualties to hunt down those men behind the attacks.
by magnolia_eic | Oct 20, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III expressed elation over the decision of the Supreme Court upholding the constitutionality of Republic Act 10153 or the law that synchronizes the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) election to the 2013 polls.
“We thank the Supreme Court for upholding our effort to break the cycle of impunity, corruption and poverty in the ARMM,” the President in a statement read by Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda in Malacanang on Tuesday.
“The Supreme Court decision gives us a great opportunity to correct these long-standing problems. It is an opportunity that we will not squander,” he added.
The President said his administration supported the bill that synchronizes the ARMM elections with national elections to stop the vicious cycle of abnormal elections being influenced by powerful political families.
If there is synchronized election, political dynasties couldn’t utilize command votes to subvert the national will, the President said.
Command voting has contributed to the cycle of impunity in the region, as demonstrated by the Maguindanao massacre, in which 57 people were allegedly killed by a local political family, he said.
The system also leads to massive corruption by public officials disabling the ability of the region to move out of poverty.
The President also promised to release P8.592 billion to ARMM for its transition and investment support plan, the President said adding that the measure is aimed at ensuring the long-term stability and equitable progress of the region.
At the same time, the President said that he will appoint officer in charge (OIC) in consultation with stakeholders putting people of integrity and competence in various positions in the ARMM.
The Palace said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has already come up with a list of ARMM officials and the President is expected to name them in the coming days.
“As we prepare to synchronize ARMM and national elections in 2013, our nation has taken another significant step into daylight. May all our leaders, at all levels and branches of government, continue to be bound by our common agenda of lasting and equitable progress for
the Filipino people,” the President said in his statement.
Aside from affirming the legality of Republic Act 10153, the SC also recognized the authority of the President to appoint officers in charge in the ARMM. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Oct 20, 2011 | Headlines, National News
THE Department of Energy (DOE) continues to keep a close watch on the prices of oil and other petroleum products in the country, Malacañang assured Sunday, amid the reported fresh round of price hikes in gasoline and diesel.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the government is continuing its efforts to monitor the prices and are working on the deliverables that were agreed upon during President Benigno Aquino III’s last meeting with various transport groups.
Valte was reacting to a statement made by Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide’s (PISTON) secretary general George San Mateo, urging President Aquino to do something about the reported oil price hikes next week that would increase gasoline prices by almost one peso and about 30 cents for diesel per liter.
The Palace official informed transport groups that some of the deliverables which President Aquino discussed with them during their meeting last September “have been farmed out to the different agencies” and that the completion for these is already moving.
Valte also responded to early warnings from the transport sectors, as claimed by San Mateo, that they might be forced to launch another series of protests should the government fail to fulfill its promise to investigate oil price hikes and review the Oil Deregulation Law.(PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Oct 12, 2011 | Announcements, Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III has declared October 31, Monday as a special non-working day throughout the country in connection with the observance of All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1. The President issued Proclamation No. 265 on October 10, 2011 “to give full opportunity to our people to properly observe the day with all its religious fervor which invariably requires them to travel to and from different regions of the country.”
In issuing Proclamation No. 265, the President said “Monday, October 31 and Tuesday, November 1 (All Saints Day), has been traditionally declared a special (non-working) day.” (PCOO)
