Ramadan Message of Engr. Abdulmunir Hadjirul Ist Engineering District Sulu

Vice Mayor Fatima Maing of Tandubas Ramadan Message:

Maranao spokesperson to be named — PCOO Secretary

MANILA, Philippines  — The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) will appoint a civilian Maranao spokesperson to specifically address the Lanao region on updates on the government's ongoing offensive against the Maute terror group in Marawi City.

The move is part of the PCOO's establishment of the "Mindanao Hour" Communications Center in Davao City which will serve as the main source of accurate and reliable information on the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

"In this time of crisis, it is strategically wise for us to expand our communications language from national to regional in order to avoid marginalizing those who are most affected by the declaration of Martial Law," PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said.

Communication flow will emanate from this center to and from the national government, including information released to the media.

All processed information from conflict areas will be relayed to the Mindanao Hour Communications Center in Davao and to Malacañang for the regular press briefings in Manila and Davao.

The Mindanao Hour Communications Center in Davao will be headed by Andanar while the Iligan Mindanao Hour Communications Center will be headed by Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director General Harold Clavite.

The PCOO and its attached agencies including PIA, People's Television (PTV), Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS), Philippine News Agency (PNA) and Radio TV Malacanang (RTVM) will be on board and daily press briefings will be organized at the Mindanao Hour Communications Center in Davao.

The Mindanao Hour Daily Briefings will be aired live on PCOO's attached agencies and on their Facebook pages.

"The Mindanao Hour" and "The Maranao Hour Segment" updates will be available online through PIA's Mindanao Hour microsite and Mindanao Hour Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts and is scheduled to air starting on first week of June. (PNA) #DefendRepublic

Frontal system to bring rains over northern Luzon Sunday

 MANILA, Philippines — The frontal system affecting extreme extreme northern Luzon will cause rains over the area, state weather agency Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Sunday.

In its 24-hour forecast, PAGASA said cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides is expected over Ilocos, Cordillera and Batanes.

The agency also cited that the southwest monsoon is affecting the western part of northern and central Luzon.

Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms may prevail over central Luzon and the rest of Cagayan Valley region.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, light to moderate winds will blow from southwest to south over Luzon, and from southeast to south over Visayas and Mindanao.

Coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, PAGASA said. (Ma. Cristina C. Arayata/PNA)

N. Cotabato town imposes curfew in support to martial law

KABACAN, North Cotabato,  — The local government here, in support to the President Rodrigo Duterte's martial law declaration, has started Saturday night implementation of local curfew hours.

Mayor Gerlo Guzman said the curfew was reached after the municipal peace and order council meeting Saturday.

Curfew hours start at 10 p.m. until 4 a.m., Guzman said.

He said for law abiding citizens who need to come out of their homes during the curfew hours, all they have to do is bring proper identification cards issued by the government such as driver’s license, postal ID, Comelec ID, among others.

The peace and order council, Guzman said, also passed a resolution expressing support to Presidential Proclamation No. 216 on Martial Law.

Kabacan, a town serving as crossroads to North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Bukidnon, has been the site of several terror attacks, bombings and drug syndicates activities that endanger the lives of peace loving “Kabakenios.”

Police and Army checkpoints have been put up in all entry and exit points around town “not to harass law abiding citizens but to prevent lawlessness from sowing violence and terror.”

Kabacan, having a population of 89,000, has been known as “transshipment point” of illegal drugs from Northern Mindanao and from the provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Lanao del Sur. (Edwin O. Fernandez/PNA)

8 dead bodies found in outskirts of Marawi City

CAMP SK PENDATUN, Maguindanao — Eight bakery workers were found dead by government forces pursuing terrorists Maute and Abu Sayyaf Group in the outskirts of Marawi City, police and military authorities said on Sunday.

The decomposing remains of eight men were found in a canal beside the road leading to Marawi City at about 6 a.m. Sunday, a police report received by police regional office for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PNP-ARMM) here showed.

Police and military forces have been conducting house-to-house clearing operations and aerial strikes to clear the city of Maute and Abu Sayyaf fighting groups who terrorized the city on May 23.

"The all-male victims' hands were tied with rope and had bullet wounds," a report from Lanao del Sur provincial police office said.

The identities of the victims were not immediately available as of posting but they were identified by residents as "bakery workers."

On Saturday, the Western Mindanao command, in a statement, said there is no civilian casualty in air strikes in Marawi City.

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez, Westmincom chief, said the aerial strikes were surgical and receive precise information from ground troops before launching air to ground strikes.

Government forces have been pursuing about 50 heavily armed terrorists who attacked the city to raise ISIS flags. (Edwin O. Fernandez/PNA)

ARMM turns over P20-million Islamic school building in Basilan

P20-Million Islamic School Building in Sumisip, Basilan

Lamitan Basilan - Regional Governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Mujiv Hataman turned over the Integrated Madaris (Arabic Learning Center) to the Basilan Ulama Council at Buli-buli, Sumisip, Basilan last  May 22,2017.

During the ceremony  DPWH ARMM Regional Secretary Don Mustapha Loong and  Basilan District Engineer Soler I. Undug  and other line agencies witnessed during the occasion

Engr. Soler Undug

Ustads of Basilan Ulama Council, social media’s and the other invited guests also attended.

“So far, the said Learning Center is the largest and the most beautiful in the whole province”, said Undug during the interview.

“This is soon to be completed and the Ustads graduated in abroad will be employed here”, he added.

This project  coordinated also  with the provincial government of Basilan  headed by Governor  Jim Hataman and the LGU of Sumisip Municipality. (posted by Becky D. de Asis - The Redline News Philipines)

Ramadan Message of Engineer Abdulmunir Hadjirul

Educate non-Muslims about Muslims

MANILA,Philippines  —Educating non-Muslims about Muslims and Islam is necessary to correct public perception that the root cause of terrorism should be blamed on one religion, a Marawi City resident and news anchor has said.

Princess Habibah Sarip-Paudac, a Marawi resident and news anchor for PTV-4, made this call during the “Extremism and Martial Law Forum” aired on the People’s Television Network (PTV4) Friday night.

“We should help educate non-Muslims about Muslims,” said Sarip-Paudac.

An emotional Sarip-Paudac said that the ongoing conflict in her city prevented most Marawi residents, including herself, from being with the family as the Muslim community observed the holy month of Ramadhan.

"It’s just so hard for us to welcome Ramadhan this way,” she said, noting how instead of hearing the usual call to prayer, residents would instead hear gunshots.

In the same forum, University of the Philippines (UP) Political Science Professor Ranjit Rye said terrorism and violent extremism had little to do with religion.

“For most Muslims in the world, Islam is practiced as an honorable and peaceful religion. What we're talking about are fringes. Extremism exists in all religions. The global challenge is how we contain this ideological perspective,” Rye said.

In differentiating extremism from terrorism, political analyst Ramon Casiple said extremism showed that it was possible for people to have extreme views without violence.

“You hold extreme views but without violence. When it becomes violent, that’s when you can say there is terrorism. What is being talked about doesn’t have anything to do with Islam, actually. But it has become the vehicle,” Casiple said.

Rye also stressed how extremism affected everyday life as it did not believe in co-existence.

“It doesn’t believe in cooperation, tolerance and dialogue. Its basic goal is domination that's why you cannot contain it, you have to defeat it,” Rye said.

He also pointed out that this was a challenge not only in the Philippines but worldwide and that the solution required more than just force.

“It has been a challenge that has been with us as a nation and globally, it's a long-standing challenge that all countries have now. Do we only use a strategy of force to deal with it? Obviously not. Once we accept that there is a deeper reason for this radicalization— the sources are historical, global injustices to our Muslim brothers and sisters—once we see the roots, that’s where we find the solution. The solution should also be radical, beyond the use of force,” he added.

He, meanwhile, acknowledged the declaration of martial law as a “short-term remedy” to the Marawi strife but expressed hope that the root causes of extremism would be dealt with.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Mindanao island under martial law for 60 days to suppress terrorist groups from wreaking further havoc in Southern Philippines. (ANP/PNA)#DefendRepublic

Public must trust intention of martial law, say analysts

MANILA, PHILIPPINES  — While lawmakers and political analysts have expressed differing views on the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, they agreed that it was important for public to trust in President Rodrigo Duterte's intention to protect the public.

“We have to trust the genuine intention of the President to declare martial law in order to protect the people of Mindanao,” former Northern Samar Rep. Emil Ong said during the “Extremism and Martial Law Forum” aired on the People’s Television Network (PTV4) Friday night.

Ong stressed that President Duterte’s declaration of martial law was different from martial law declared in 1972 by former President Ferdinand Marcos where many human rights abuses were reported.

He assured the public that there are several safeguards in place under the 1987 Constitution which could limit if not prevent abuses from being carried out.

“The most important thing is the 60-day limitation. If the Congress says they cannot accept the martial law declaration because the causes of martial law are not there, the President cannot overrule that. It's congress that's more powerful than the one that declared martial law,” Ong said,

At the same time, Ong urged the public to exercise their rights as citizens even under the newly declared martial law.

“Don’t be afraid of martial law because this is a different kind of martial law. This martial law is to protect the Filipino people, to protect the legitimate government,” he added.

Ong further pointed out that martial law was meant to protect not only the public but also businesses.

“I think the purpose of declaring martial law is also to protect the business sector. Business can improve when there is peace and order. We cannot progress when there is no peace and order,” Ong said.

University of the Philippines (UP) political science professor Ranjit Rye said that support was necessary as it was clear that violent extremism was present during the attack in Marawi City.

“We really need to support our government because there is a clear and present danger of violent extremism,” Rye said.

He expressed hope that civil society and the private sector would also engage to resolve the long standing problems that create extremism.

Moreover, he reminded the public to also do their part in exercising their rights by being vigilant on possible abuses that could arise.

“It’s clear there are safeguards in place but abuses can happen in the ground largely because law enforcement might not actually be educated about human rights. We need civil society to come into play, we need individuals to become citizens,” Rye said.

“If there is a violation, we should immediately complain and we should make it known. (The declaration of martial law) is for the protection of individuals not to be a license to violate and abuse,” he added.

“…The president, his team are privy to information that not all of us are privy to. He has transmitted his explanation to Congress, and next week Congress will deliberate and we will get a clearer picture of what the intelligence situation has been or is,” Rye said.

He explained that the President’s decision to declare martial law should not be viewed by the public as a “solution” but a “short-term remedy” to the ongoing conflict.

“I think that the declaration is a short-term remedy. I don’t think the President saw it as a solution, it will never be a solution. It was meant as an emergency power utilized to quell clear and present danger which is the rebellion,” he said.

On Wednesday, President Duterte placed the entire Mindanao island under martial law for 60 days after government troops and Maute Group terrorists allied with Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon clashed on Tuesday afternoon in Marawi City. (PNA)#DefendRepublic

Army's 7ID intensifies intel ops vs terror activities

FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, —Major Gen. Angelito de Leon, commander of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division (7ID) based here, directed all units to step up intelligence gathering "to thwart any terror activities by criminal groups".

De Leon, in his order issued Friday night, especially mentioned the New People’s Army (NPA).

The directive was issued “in view of the recent incidents in Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur which prompted President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law in the whole of Mindanao,” said in a statement released by the 7ID’s public information office headed by 1Lt. Cathrine E. Hapin.

It said that intensified intelligence effort was being conducted through the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center at the various levels of Command to ensure peace in its area of responsibility.

“Commander (De Leon) directed field commanders to enhance information gathering to prevent other criminal groups, the NPA included, to conduct terroristic actions,” the statement said.

It added though that there were no monitored terrorist plans within its area of responsibility similar to “the ones happening in Mindanao.”

The 7ID, in tandem with the Philippine National Police (PNP) will initiate visibility patrols and checkpoints in various areas as needed.

Security operations are likewise being conducted in critical infrastructure and government flagship projects to prevent any possible attacks from the NPA. (Marilyn Espiritu-Galang/PNA)#DefendRepublic

Aid command, coordination center for victims of Marawi City clash set-up in Iligan City - OCD

MANILA, Philippines — To expedite the release of aid to families displaced by the heavy fighting by government forces and Maute Group terrorists in Marawi City, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) together with various National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) member agencies have established an inter-agency regional command and coordination center in Iligan City.

The center will be managed by inter-agency focal persons from the response clusters of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Region 10.

It's goal is to provide a centralized provision of assistance to address the evolving crisis situation in Marawi City and other areas in Mindanao.

In a meeting conducted Saturday, efforts on the provision of relief including medical assistance and psychosocial support were discussed.

"Civil protection is paramount in situations like this. In every hazard may it be natural or human-induced, we are committed to serving our nation by protecting the communities," NDRRMC Executive Director and Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad said.

OCD is pushing for the Amendatory Bill on RA 10121 or the Philippine DRRM Law elevating the Agency towards enhanced Civil Defense and DRRM frameworks.

"As OCD has always advocated, Civil Defense and Civil Protection are all encompassing and cover the entire spectrum of prevention/mitigation, preparedess, response and recovery/rehabilitation," Civil Defense Administrator for Administration Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James E. Purisima said.

"Steadfast on our mandate, we will continue to improve our frameworks, policies, and protocols to serve our nation better towards a more resilient Philippines," he added. (Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA) #DefendRepublic

'Surgical' air strikes to eliminate Maute terrorists - AFP

MANILA, Philippines — Victory through air power.

This is the ace the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is using in a bid to eliminate Maute terrorists from Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur at the fastest possible time and without causing collateral damage to civilians still in the area.

Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesperson, said on Saturday that surgical air strikes was the best way to do this as the terrorists were hiding and holding out inside private homes, government buildings and other facilities.

"Their refusal to surrender is holding the city captive. Hence, it is now increasingly becoming necessary to use more surgical air strikes to clear the city and to bring this rebellion to a quicker end," he said in a text message to PNA.

And while not giving specific on what type of aircraft are being used for these operations, the AFP is known to operate MG-520 and AW-109 attack helicopters along with OV-10 and SF-260 light bombers in the region for counter-terror and anti-insurgency strikes.

"We desire to free Marawi City of these evil forces and make way for a peaceful Ramadhan for our citizens there who have supported our efforts. We appeal for everyones understanding as we take the necessary steps to accomplish our mission and prevent the lost of more innocent lives and damage to private and public property," Padilla said. (PRIAM F. NEPOMUCENO/PNA)#DefendRepublic

GRP panel pulls out from 5th round of talks with NDFP

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The government negotiating panel on Saturday afternoon (Manila time) pulled out from the fifth round-of-talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) citing the "blatant and serious challenge" by the communist group to the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement read by Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza in a press conference in Noordwijk Aan Zee, The Netherlands, the government panel cited several other reasons why it withdrew.

One of major setback was the recent public statement of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) ordering the New People's Army to accelerate and intensify attacks against the government following the declaration of martial law in Mindanao even if this was “principally directed at extremists and terrorists who openly and defiantly challenged the government and put to harm the Filipino people."

"By such defiant, blatant and serious challenge by the CPP-NPA-NDF directed at the government under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte,” Dureza said referring to the CPP call to its armed unit.

This, despite all these gains in the work for peace and despite the personal show of goodwill and trust by the President, according to Dureza.

Among the other reasons are the upscale of incidents of offensive attacks by the NPA nationwide; the seeming perception of the bigger public that the NPA operations are an open and public defiance of the President who has consistently accommodated them in unprecedented ways; the renewed surfacing of public apprehension questioning the sincerity of the CPP-NPA-NDF in the peace talks; the public admission of some panel members of the CPP-NPA-NDF leaders that they have no control over their forces on the ground.

Dureza also mentioned the sudden and perceptible erosion of public support to the peace talks, with strong messages received from the public to altogether stop peace negotiations and the clamor to pursue localized peace talks.

The panel has left without any recourse but not to proceed in the 5th round-of-talks until such time that “there are clear indications that an enabling environment conducive to achieving a just and sustainable peace," Dureza stressed.

"We thank the Royal Norwegian Government which has so far steadfastly and fully supported our joint work for peace for so long. I trust it will understand why we at the Philippine Government side have arrived at the decision," he added.

The 5th round of negotiations would have tackled the socioeconomic reform agenda. Both sides are also expected to tackle the parameters of the bilateral ceasefire agreement. (Lilian C. Mellejor with reports by Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA)

Urban warfare a challenge for soldiers in Marawi

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines— As the fighting between members of a local terror group and the armed forces in Marawi City reaches its fifth day, a military official has admitted it might take some time before the area could be considered as fully neutralized.

Lieutenant General Eduardo Año, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said government soldiers might have the upper hand but the area had proved to be difficult to penetrate.

“We are in total control of the whole area, but it has not been cleared of the terror group because of the urban terrain,” Año told reporters on the sidelines of the visit of President Rodrigo Duterte to the Philippine Army’s 2nd Mechanized Battalion headquarters in Barangay Maria Cristina late Friday afternoon.

Año has placed the number of the Maute Group occupying some structures and houses within Marawi’s downtown at less than a hundred, but the challenge is the insurgents’ position.

“We have to clear one step at a time, house to house, block by block,” he said, adding that the military operations will not be easy in an urban terrain as compared to the rural area.

He said the soldiers used simple tactic in operating in a rural setting which cannot be applied in a city battle. “Here (Marawi) all it takes is for an armed person to position himself inside a building… it would take time before it could be cleared.

To fast track the clearing operations of the military, Año said they had sent more soldiers to Marawi.

“We have enough troops, but we need additional reinforcement to speed up our clearing,” he said without divulging the actual number of soldiers deployed to Marawi.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the situation in Marawi would be normalized before the expiration of the 60-day martial law declared by Duterte.

As of press time, civilians from Marawi continue to arrive at various evacuation sites in neighboring towns and in Iligan City.

In Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur, for instance, there are about 1,300 families staying in the town gymnasium, according to the information provided by the Provincial Crisis Management Committee.

The municipality of Ditsaan Ramain has some 2,737 households, and around 13,000 individuals seeking shelter in the public gymnasium.

In Iligan, there are about 2,000 evacuees at the temporary shelter in Barangay Buru-un, and more than a thousand in Barangay Maria Cristina. (Jigger J. Jerusalem/PNA)#DefendRepublic

31 terrorists killed, 6 high-powered firearms recovered by troops on clearing operations in Marawi City

Zamboanga City, Philippines - Elements of the Joint Task Force ZamPeLan under Brigadier General Rolly Bautista engaged in an armed confrontation with members of the Local Terrorist Group in Marawi City yesterday (May 25).

At 9 am yesterday, operating troops, while clearing two bridges heading towards Bangulo area, encountered an estimated 30 heavily armed terrorists.

Eighteen more terrorists were killed after two hours of armed confrontation with the same troops. Five high-powered firearms were also recovered from the encounter site.

"As of this report, 31 terrorists were already neutralized and six high-powered firearms were recovered by the troops," said Brigadier General Bautista.

"Our troops are doing deliberate operations in areas we believe are still occupied or infested with the terrorist's presence.

"I specifically ordered our soldiers to locate and destroy these terrorists as soon as possible," he added.

In another area of the city, soldiers on clearing operations were able to rescue 16 civilians upon reaching Barangay Kilala, Marawi City.

Operating units, through the clearing operations they were conducting, afforded safe passage to the said civilians trapped in the areas where they hid during the height of the Maute Group's occupation of the area.

"The skirmishes and clearing operations today resulted in the unfortunate death of 6 soldiers and the wounding of 7 others," said Lieutenant General Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., Commander of the Western Mindanao Command.

"They made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that the city will be cleared from terror threat and immediately restore normalcy in this part of Mindanao."

"We once more call on the people in the community to join us fight terrorism. Provide your security forces with information that will contribute to the neutralization of these agents of deaths and destruction."

"We will exhaust all efforts to crush the remaining Maute members so that the people of Marawi City can go back to their homes the soonest," added Lieutenant General Galvez. (posted by Becky D. de Asis-The Redline News)

DSWD to send more aid to displaced families in Marawi City

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has assured that more assistance are underway for displaced families in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province.

"DSWD-Central Office, through the DReAMB (DSWD-Disaster Response Assistance and Management Bureau), has prepared requests for sub-allotment and transfer of funds to Field Office Region 12 (Soccsksargen), amounting to PHP8.2 million, and Field Office Region 7 (Central Visayas), amounting to PHP19.08 million, intended for the purchase of 40,000 food packs and for handling and hauling of the goods," Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said in a news release issued Friday.

Taguiwalo said her department is set to send 10,000 food packs to Iligan City on Friday, to come from the Visayas Disaster Response Center, as well as staff from their disaster response bureau to provide technical assistance to disaster response operations in the city.

Meanwhile, DSWD-Soccsksargen has been assisting in the delivery of 10,000 family food packs and food and non-food items (FNFIs) from the department’s National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City to the newly opened operations center in Malabang, Lanao del Sur.

Of the 10,000 food packs, 1,700 have already reached the Malabang operations center, along with 10,000 plastic mats, 2,934 blankets, and 2,704 dignity kits.

DSWD-Northern Mindanao has provided blankets, towels, tumblers, slippers, and sleeping mats to 136 evacuees staying at the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) in Tibanga, Iligan City.

It has also provided 260 family food packs (two packs per family) to 53 displaced families staying at the Buruun School of Fisheries; 37 families at the Pagawayan Barangay Hall in Bacolod City; and 40 families at the Baloi Barangay Hall.

Staff from the field office also assisted Bacolod’s city government in distributing relief goods from the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines to displaced families staying in the city.

Iligan City Representative Freddie Siao likewise extended aid in the form of six sacks of rice, four boxes of noodles, and four boxes of sardines.

According to the 9 a.m. report of the DReAMB, the local governments of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur had to set up additional evacuation centers following a rise in the number of evacuees.

In Lanao del Norte, two more evacuation centers were opened — the Gomampong Ali’s Residents in Baloi and the Gomampong Gymnasium, which currently houses 37 families or 185 persons.

On the other hand, five more evacuation centers in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur were set up, including the People’s Plaza, which currently houses 89 families or 445 persons; Old Madrasa with eight families or 40 persons; and Old Masjid, Bureau of Fire Protection Office; and the Department of Education Kinder Room, which houses five families or 25 persons each.

Some 112 families or 560 persons are staying in evacuation centers in Saguiran after they were displaced by the ongoing armed conflict in Marawi City between government forces and members of the Maute Group. (DSWD-PR)

Central Command deputy chief visits troops, talks about martial law concerns

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — While President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law only in Mindanao, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), particularly the Central Command, in the Visayas is ready in the event it will be expanded to other areas in the country.

Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, deputy commander of the Central Command Friday made the announcement as he called on Governor Roel Degamo at the Capitol and told him he was in Negros Oriental to visit the troops in the province, specifically the 79th Infantry Battalion and the 2nd Negros Island Geographical Battalion.

There is a possibility that martial law will be extended in the Visayas based on the pronouncements made by President Duterte following his arrival from Russia, he said.

But, the Army deputy commander stressed that there was still no Implementing Rules and Regulations of the martial law declared by the President, but nevertheless, he has started talking to troops here on “what to expect”.

Brig. Gen. Arrojado said terrorists of the Maute Group, who engaged government security forces in Marawi might seek shelter in the Visayas or bring their wounded here for treatment.

The possibility is remote but the threat remains, that is why Arrojado said he was meeting with the governor and the troops here to sustain efforts to ensure that Negros Oriental would not be the next target of Muslim extremists.

“So far, they are on the run and negotiating to have a ceasefire because some of their members have been held captive. But, I don’t think the government would give in”, he further said.

On apprehensions raised by many regarding possible abuses in relation to the martial law declaration, the Army general assured that the troops were constantly being reminded to observe human rights at the highest level.

“We know for a fact that the intent of the Commander-in-Chief, the President, is to defeat the terrorists and contain or stop the drug abuse and criminality, so that is why the (declaration of) the martial law”, Brig. Gen. Arrojado stressed.

As deputy commander, it is part of his job to visit the units, give lectures on human rights, about gender sensitivity, violence against women and the like so troops would adhere to existing laws, he added.

Arrojado stressed unlike the Martial law days of the former strongman Ferdinand Marcos, there were a lot of safeguards in the present dispensation.The Ombudsman and Commission on Human Rights are there as well as active social media to monitor the implementation of today’s martial rule, he said.

Soldiers now are well-trained and a lot different from back then, plus there are internal controls to ensure that no human rights violations are committed,he added.

Maute Group is not ISIS, they are sympathizers, not member

Most of ARMM’s new buildings for senior high school to be completed by June

The Multi-Million  school building  projects was formally turn over by Governor Mujiv Hataman with District Engineer Soler Undug to different school recipient in Basilan (photo courtesy of Jameel Es)

Maluso, Basilan (May 23, 2017) – Most of the 167 new buildings for senior high school in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) would be ready in time for the school opening in June, Governor Mujiv Hataman said on Tuesday.

“We are turning these over to the communities because we want these facilities to be used in the upcoming school year, which will start in June,” the governor said. “Many are still struggling in rural areas to get proper education,” he said, referring to the regional government’s move to build more classrooms in far-flung areas.

Gov. Hataman led, on Monday and Tuesday, turnover ceremonies of at least seven of the nine new school buildings with six classrooms each in Basilan. The total amount of the nine new school buildings, which will have 57 new classrooms, is estimated to be at least P70 million.

Among the high schools that will have new buildings this coming school year are those located in Lamitan City and in the municipalities of Maluso, Tuburan, Muhtamad, Tipo-tipo, Sumisip and Lantawan.

“We also hired more or less 300 new teachers in Basilan,” Gov. Hataman said. The construction of the new school buildings is in response to the province’s more than a thousand senior high school students expected to enroll this coming school year.

For the entire ARMM, the regional government has allocated a little over P1 billion that would cover 167 new school buildings with 816 classrooms. The bulk of the new school buildings for senior high school would be in the provinces of Maguindanao, with 75, and in Lanao del Sur, with 51. The rest, or 41 new buildings, would be spread in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

On top of these, Gov. Hataman said the regional government is also building 12-classroom agri-fishery school in Basilan for high school and college students. (Bureau of Public Information)

Iloilo youth volunteers reach out to affected people in Marawi

LOILO CITY, Philippines  — Youth volunteers are currently organizing a donation campaign to help those affected by the armed conflict in Marawi City.

I

Campaign leader Kyzel Dagdag, one of the top scouts in the country, has been in touch with student leaders from Mindanao State University– Marawi Campus.

They are just waiting for a go-signal to have the donations sent to them. The volunteers are also communicating with Child Fund International to assist them to have local partnership in delivering stress-debriefing to affected kids once the area is secured.

“As a scout, I was brought up to give back to the community. Peace is an unending issue in our country, and it is one of the issues I am really passionate about,” he said.

He added:“I have never been to a conflict area, where there are weapons drawn and bombs dropped. I can only imagine what the people are feeling, and seeing. I guess, I was uneasy just watching TV and seeing my brothers and sisters in Marawi, my fellow Filipino’s facing a great challenge in their Faith and in their life. I moved to action knowing I cannot just sit around and be passive. Knowing that every hour I waste, a person’s life is in danger of being taken away.”

Dagdag is in contact with close friends in Marawi to ask updates about their situation and see what help they could contribute to them.

Currently they are organizing the campaign here in Iloilo City called #BangonMarawi.

They have 16 partner organizations some of them are the Boy Scouts of the Philippines Iloilo Council, iLead Trainings, The Feast Iloilo, ASEAN Youth Leaders Association of the Philippines- Iloilo Chapter, and various student councils and organization in different schools such as Iloilo National High School (INHS), West Visayas State University – Integrated Laboratory School (WVSU-ILS), Assumption Iloilo, Ateneo De Iloilo, University of the Philippines Visayas – College of Management, Philippine Science High School – Western Visayas.

They are constantly communicating with other youth leaders and organizations in Davao City and South Cotabato to extend the reach of the campaign.

They have put up a public group on Facebook called “Kapit Bisig Pinas Volunteers” where people can become a member and extend help or become a volunteer as well. ( Alyssa A. Ilano – CPU OJT/PNA)

Zamboanga solon backs martial law declaration

ZAMBOANGA CITy, Philippines - First district Rep. Celso Lobregat expressed support Friday to the declaration of martial law in Mindanao as he called on the residents to stay vigilant and support the authorities’ efforts in implementing stricter security measures in the island.

President Rodrigo Duterte has placed Mindanao under martial law for 60 days after Maute group members on Tuesday engaged government troops in a firefight in Marawi City, displacing thousands of people.

Lobregat said the military and police need the support of the civilians, by providing authorities with vital information on the presence of lawless elements.

Lobregat said President Duterte "has enough wisdom and reasons to declare martial law because of the prevailing situation in Marawi City."

Lobregat said "containing the violence in one area and resolving it swiftly is the best move to resolve the prevailing conflict."

He said it is justifiable for the President to declare martial rule "since Mindanao is flocked by various types of lawless groups capable of creating havoc and civil disturbance in a given opportune time."

“The president’s declaration of martial law is within the premise of the constitution, it is legal and justifiable especially in crisis situations like this one in Marawi,” he said.

However, he warned the military and the police not to abuse their authority.

Section 18, Article VII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that the President, as commander-in-chief, may “in case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it” suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the country under martial law.

The writ safeguards individual freedom against arbitrary state action.

(Teofilo P. Garcia Jr./PNA)

RTC judge volunteers to go to Marawi City for court duty

DUMAGUETE CITY,Philippines — The presiding judge in one of the regional trial courts in Negros Oriental has volunteered to be sent to Mindanao, particularly in Marawi City, in line with the directive of the Chief Justice for all courts in Mindanao to continue operating in spite of the declaration of martial law.

RTC Branch 30 Judge Rafael Crescencio Tan, Jr. said he volunteered for duty in the Marawi courts for 60 days but was denied for reasons of age.

As commander of the Technical Administrative Service, Judge Tan was asked to get volunteer lawyers and doctors to be called for active duty for 60 days and be deployed in Marawi City.

According to Judge Tan they need at least five to ten lawyers and doctors to volunteer.

The President has access to all intelligence information which the ordinary citizens do not have so he knows best for the country, Tan said.

He said Filipinos should support the President, saying “we only have one president, we are one country, we are Filipinos, so we should support him as law abiding citizen."

He added that "if we have not done anything wrong, there is nothing to be afraid of."

As to possible human rights violations, the presiding judge believes that it can be addressed.

In fact, the Department of National Defense has issued a directive to all military personnel to observe the human rights of individuals in affected areas, Judge Tan noted. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA)

Duterte arrives in Misamis Oriental airport

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte arrived at the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental at around noon Friday on a visit to Iligan City.

Duterte is reportedly set to visit wounded government troopers who are confined at the Sanitarium General Hospital in Iligan City.

From the hospital, the President would reportedly visit the evacuation centers in Balo-I and Buruun, all municipal towns in Lanao Del Norte and in Iligan City where about 1,000 persons from Marawi City are temporarily staying.

It was not known whether the President would fly to Marawi City, which is about 45 kilometers from Iligan City, to conduct a personal assessment of the situation in the conflict-torn Islamic city.

The top cabinet officials who arrived as advance party at about 2:30 p.m. in Iligan City include Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año.

Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao arrived Friday morning at the provincial capitol in Marawi City.

Hataman appealed to the Abu Sayaff and the Maute group to stop the fighting and leave Marawi City in deference to the observance of the holy month of Ramadan.

”If the Abu Sayaff and the Maute group believed in the basic principles of the Islamic faith, they should leave the Muslim people to peacefully observe the month of Ramadan, which would start on Saturday,” Hataman said.

Hataman said that what the Abu Sayaff and the Maute group did in Marawi City runs counter to the teachings of Islam.

(CD/PNA)

AFP: Of 31 terrorists killed in Marawi ops, 6 are foreigners

 MANILA, Philippines —- Of the 31 Maute Group members killed by the military in the ongoing clearing operations in Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur, at least six are foreigners.

"We received certain information that among the 31 killed, of the 12 identified, at least six of them are foreigners, but we are still validating this information," Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla on Friday.

Possible nationalities of the six slain terrorists are Malaysians and Indonesians.

Aside from fighting government forces, these terrorist elements are also helping lawless groups in the country in the manufacture of improvised explosive devices and bombs.

The clash between Maute Group members started 2 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Basak, Malutlut when government security forces learned of the presence of Abu Sayyaf Isnilon Hapilon, who was allied with the lawless element, and his cohorts.

Hapilon was reported severely wounded in the series of military operations in Lanao Del Sur early this January.

The former is reportedly the representative of the ISIS terror group in the Philippines. (Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA)