March for justice, march for accountability

Today, April 23, on the fifth month since the Ampatuan massacre, we call on colleagues, media organizations, sectors and the people to join us as we march for justice and for accountability.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) chapters nationwide will be leading rallies and other activities both to commemorate the massacre that took the lives of 58 persons, including 32 colleagues, and to protest Acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra’s dropping of multiple murder charges against Zaldy and Akmad Ampatuan.

So outrageous was Agra’s act that even the National Prosecution Service, led by Chief State Prosecutor Claro Arellano, rose as one in protest.

In Metro Manila, various sectors and organizations will join us at Mendiola Bridge at 6 p.m. for activities organized by the Malacañang Press Corps. NUJP chapters in Baguio, Pampanga, Davao, Bacolod and Iloilo, to name a few, will also be leading their respective actions.

But more than protest Agra’s stupendous decision, let us seize this day to once and for all demand accountability from whom it is due – this administration whose politics of expediency and its nurturing of impunity made the slaughter in Ampatuan not just possible but inevitable; this administration which, notwithstanding the shock and outrage throughout the nation and the world over the massacre, has no qualms about subverting justice to further its own ends.

Too long have our cries for justice been ignored by this administration.

And let us, likewise, take this occasion to serve notice to whoever next takes the helm of power in this benighted land, given the deafening silence with which those who seek to rule us reacted to both the slaughter and Agra’s desecration of justice, that we will hold you just as accountable for ensuring that justice is given the Ampatuan 58 and the rest of our colleagues whose murders remain unsolved.

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDALCALL OR TEXT ME : E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.comvisit my website: www.mindanao on-line.tk

Lakas officials confident Gibo will get landslide victory in Lanao del Norte

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte, April 13 -– Officials of the ruling party Lakas-Kampi-CMD in Lanao del Norte in Northern Mindanao on Tuesday expressed optimism that administration's standard bearer Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. will get landslide victory in the province on May 10, 2010 national and local elections.

"I’m sure that Gibo will win by a big margin in this province against his rivals," said Lanao del Norte Gov. Khalid Q. Dimaporo.

The provincial chief executive said this as he cited the the massive support of the residents here who trooed to the Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) complex in the capitol town of Tubod to meet Gibo as his helicopter landed in the MCC open field last Saturday.

"The massive show of support is proof that Lanao del Norte is indeed a stronghold of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD," said Gov. Dimaporo.

According to Dimaporo, more than 10,000 people came to personally see and express their support to the Lakas presidential bet.

Teodoro is the first presidential candidate to make a campaign stop in Lanao del Norte.

"I want a president that we can depend on and will help us in our time of need. And Gibo has proven to be that leader," said Gov. Dimaporo.

Since the start of the local campaign period, the Dimaporos in Lanao del Norte have been aggressively campaigning for their party’s standard bearer.

In the season of shifting party loyalty, the Lakas-Kampi-CMD (Lanao del Norte chapter) remains steadfast to its official line-up of national candidates, the governor said.

"We want to send a strong message that we are not affected by any negative media reports and that we remain committed to deliver a landslide victory for Lakas-Kampi-CMD here in Lanao del Norte", added Gov. Dimaporo.

Present during Teodoro’s sortie in Lanao del Norte were Lakas Kampi CMD stalwarts Rep. Abdullah Dimporo, Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo, Fatima Aliah Dimaporo, Vice-Gov. Irma Umpa-Ali, provincial board members, municipal mayors, barangay officials and provincial volunteer health workers.

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDAL
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OR E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.com
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Haribon Troopers confiscate Illegal logs in Lanao del Sur

Kampo Ranao, Marawi City. Troops from the 64^th Infantry Battalion, 6^th Infantry Division, Philippine Army under Lt Colonel Rolando E Nerona apprehended five (5) vehicles carrying an estimated total of eleven thousand six hundred (11,600) board feet of undocumented lumbers reportedly owned by Aliodin and Maoi, both residents of Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. The lumbers were being transported to Marawi City when soldiers manning the COMELEC checkpoint at Brgy Dualay West of the city stopped them at about 2:30 in the morning of April 6, 2010.

The soldiers increased their vigilance against unscrupulous people who transport illegally cut logs, especially after the pronouncement of Acting Governor Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that he favors a total log ban in the region.

Lately, the issue on illegal logging around Lake Lanao has become a grave concern especially with the frequent brownouts affecting not only the island of Mindanao but also the rest of the country. Water in the said lake has decreased to a critical level thereby affecting the seven (7) Agus hydroelectic power plants, in which only five (5) are currently operational. Based on the NPC assessment result, the El Nino phenomenon we are experiencing at present is not the only cause of the lake’s water level drop. Improper watershed management, wherein illegal logging is part of, has been likewise identified as the culprit.

“We will increase our efforts against illegal logging. The COMELEC checkpoints that we have established to implement the gun ban will also check the transport of illegal lumbers in Lanao del Sur,” said BGen Rey C Ardo, the Commander of the 103^rd Infantry (Haribon) Brigade based in Marawi City.

“With the prevailing situation, there is a need to support the revival of Save Lake Lanao Movement (SALAM) initiated by the Lake Lanao Development Authority. Members of the SALAM and the local executives must join hands in the advocacy against illegal logging to protect the watershed of the country’s largest freshwater lake, from which more than half of Mindanao’s energy needs are sourced. Your AFP, on the other hand, will always be in support of such advocacy since sound environmental management is part of our internal security operations,” he concluded.

The confiscated illegally cut logs with the vehicles are presently impounded in Kampo Ranao, Marawi City pending the filing of charges by DENR against the perpetrators.

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDAL
CALL OR TEXT ME : 0929-589-6390
OR E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.com
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Lakas-Kampi machinery continues to gain ground despite defections, Sarangani guv says

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, April 13 –- Leaders of administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD remain unfazed Tuesday over the reported defections by some of its noted leaders to rival political camps saying the party’s established political machinery is still intact and ready to swing resounding results in the coming May 10 synchronized national and local elections.

Sarangani Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez, provincial chair of Lakas-Kampi CMD- Sarangani Reconciliation and Reformation Organization (Sarro), said the party’s support base and campaign machinery has continued to gain ground in the countryside despite the recent defections and rumblings by some of their members over its supposed lack of campaign funds.

"(The party) has the support of majority of the governors, mayors and other reelectionist local government officials and it has well proven its worth in the previous elections," he told reporters.

Dominguez, the erstwhile Lakas-Kampi CMD president, admitted that the party has not yet released any campaign fund to its local candidates but said they don’t much consider the matter a major problem.

He cited that most party stalwarts have established campaign resources and don’t rely much on financial backing from the group.

Dominguez, who is seeking a third term as Sarangani governor, recently stepped down as party president following the resignation as party chair of standard bearer Gilbert Teodoro, who is now making a strong push for his presidential bid.

But the governor remained an administration stalwart and reportedly within the inner circle of Teodoro’s presidential campaign.

Since last month, a number of noted Lakas-Kampi leaders have changed camps due to various reasons, among them the supposed lack of party campaign funds.

Among the Lakas-Kampi CMD stalwarts in Mindanao who switched support to rival political parties, specifically to Nacionalista Party’s (NP) presidential bet Manuel Villar, were governors Douglas Cagas of Davao del Sur, Jose Zubiri of Bukidnon and Arturo Uy of Compostela Valley Province.

House Speaker and Davao City mayoral bet Prospero Nograles has also left the party and is reportedly inclined to join Villar’s NP.

Dominguez said he recently met with some Lakas-Kampi governors and congressmen and they reiterated their support to the party and Teodoro’s presidential bid.

He believes majority of the party’s leaders, especially those in the countryside, will honor their commitment to Lakas-Kampi and its standard bearer.

"We will stand tall and honor our commitments. Palabra de honor (word of honor) is very important, especially since were also seeking elective posts," he added

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDAL
CALL OR TEXT ME : 0929-589-6390
OR E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.com
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GIBO Gidawat Pag-ayo sa Misamis Occidental, Gi-oktaba ang pagbisita sa City of Good Life

Ozamis City – Bisan wala madayon ang pagbisita ni Gilbert “GIBO” Teodoro Jr. sa syudad sa Oroquieta kagahapon kini ang mainitong gidawat usab sa tga-Ozamis sa iyang mga soporter, mga kandidato sa Lakas-Kampi sa tibook Misamis Occidental.

Nahidangat ang Laks-Kampi standard bearer kauban sa usa niini ka senador nga si Silvstre Bello III ang nabantog usab nga” Mr. Justice Man”aron pangayo-on ang soporta gikan sa Misamis Occidental diin nagtapok usab ang bagang duot sa katawhan sa Medina Gymnasium.

Unang gipulong ni Gibo ang mga kandidato sa Lakas-Kampi sa una ug ika-duhang distrito sa lalawigan sa pagpangulo ni Kongresista Hermie Ramiro nga karon kandidato usab pagka-gobernador sa lalawigan ubos sa bando Lakas-Kampi ug Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog sa Ozamis City ug Mayor Jorge Almonte sa Oroqiueta City diin molansad usab pagka kongresista sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka distrito ug mga Mayors sa tibook Misamis Occidental.

Nahidangat si Gibo sakay sa usa ka twin jet nga avion alas 11:30 sa udto ug usa ka motorkada ang gipahigayon sa kadalanan sa Ozamis ug mideretso kini sa Naomi’s Botanical Garden aron hinabi-on ang mga leaders ug kandidato sa partido aron ipadayag ang iyang plataporma de gobierno ug sa pagtaho kalabot sa mga kalambo-an usab sa Lakas-kampi-CMD.

Sa iyang pamahayag una niyang gilakbitan ug nangayo ug dispensa sa taga-Oroqiueta nga dili siya mahinayon pag-adto apan iyang gisaad nga sa laing adlaw na lang siya mobisita, dinhi iyang matinud-anong gipadayag nga kung dili niya matuman ang iyang saad sa pagbisita sa syudad sa Oroquieta mas maayo pang dili na lang siya iboto sa Misamis occidental.

Kini iyang gipadayag atubangan sa Misamis Occidental, ang buot ipasabot sa standard bearer sa Lakas-Kampi nga usa siya ka tawo nga motuman sa iyang saad. Niini dakung palapakan ug pagsingit ug “Gibo,Gibo,Gibo,Gibo” ay iyang nadawat gikan sa katawhan sa Misamis Occidental, timaan nga siya ang ilang gilauman nga mamahimong Pamuno Nasud sa Pilipinas ngaadunay maangkon nga kabag-uhan.

Nauna nang gibalita nga anaa gihapon kaniya ang 57 ka mga gobernador andam moso[porta kaniya pinaagi sa usa ka Manifesto of Support sa usa ka Multiuparty Alliance diin siya ang paga-dad-on sa maong mga gobernador ug probinsya nga gipanguluhan niini.

Sa laing bahin dakong kalipay usab ni Mayor Jorge Almonte ug tibook ika-duhang distrito sa gipamulong sa ilang standard bearer sa Lakas-Kampi nga wala gayud diya sila gisalikway sa ilang gisportahang magpapili nga ilang lider sa Lakas-Kampi ug umaabot nga Pamuno Nasud sa Pilipinas.

“Gikalipay ko ug dako bisan pa nga na oktaba ang iyang pagbisita sa City of Good Life ,bisan nga nagkapuliki kami sa pagpangandam, apan taliwala niining tanan, nasatud ako kung unsa ka matinud-anon si Gibo amo gihapon gipangandaman ang iyang pagbisita sa umaabot nga mga adloaw sa dili pa mahuman ug matapos ang kampanya” matud pa ni Mayor Jorge Almonte.

Sa pagbisita ni GIBO Teodoro, Kalinaw sa Mindanao ang iyang unang prioridad kay matud pa niini wala nay laing makasulbad sa problema sa Mindanao kun dili taga-Minandano usab ug pagabag sa Kagamhanang nasyonal ug sa Malakanyang.

Kung mahinumduman sa panahon ni Erap Estarda, dul-an nang matapos ang problema sa Mindanao human gipukan sa AFP ang puwersa MILF niadtong panahona, apan lagi kay wala man kini nagmalahutayon, ang problema sa Mindanao anaa gihapon sa taliwala sa taga-Mindanao, apan sa gikapadayag ni Lakas-Kampi standard bearer Gibo Teodoro pagka Pamuno Nasud nabuhi ang pag-laum sa taga-Mindanao nga masulbad ra gihapon ang problema sa Mindanao.PJT/BND

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDAL
CALL OR TEXT ME : 0929-589-6390
OR E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.com
visit my website: www.pag-enews.tk