Thursday, November 15, 2007

Sagun: Curfew is for everybody

CAGAYAN de Oro City (Ben Balce / Nov 15) - The army's 4th Infantry Division spokesman Major Samuel sagun Tuesday maintained that the curfew implemented inside the camp is legal.

"The curfew is for everybody. No exemption and apply it even you are a civilian or military personnel. The camp is doing it for security reasons," said Sagun.

Sagun answered a complaint after a certain Elizabeth Suganog asked some help over a local radio Wednesday accusing some high-ranking military officials of implementing the curfew" illegally."

"This is too much. We believed that they are doing this as if we are the plaintiffs," said Suganog.

Suganog with Camp Evangelista Neighborhood Association Inc. president Rogelio Serquina, a retired colonel, went to Bombo Radio yesterday to ask for some help to hear their grievances against the alleged barring of Cenai members from entering the Camp.

The 4ID and Cenai has an ongoing land claim dispute.

The solicitor general ordered the 4ID officials to demolish and clear the camp from informal settlers.
Suganog even called the military officials particularly 4ID commanding general Jose Barbieto as implementing rules and regulations with no consideration.

"We arrived at 8:15 p.m. (Tuesday night) and not yet on their 10 pm curfew, but upon knowing that I am Suganog (one of the plaintiffs and a member of Cenai) gi-hold nila ang akong salakyan without clear violations," said Suganog.

Suganog claimed that she is the Sons and Daughters of Veterans regional director in Region 10.

"Basta miyembro ka sa plaintiff hindi ka na makasulod sa Camp," said Suganog over DxIF Bombo Radio.

Suganog was even shocked as the military police barred from entering even her 70-year-old mother who she claimed has been living inside the camp for more than 40 years already.

She said that she was asked by the military police to sign as she is known and allow her to get inside, but still it did not happen.

"How come they barred us from entering the camp? We are residents and hasa been staying inside there a long time ago," said Suganog adding even her mother's car which is always entering in and out of the camp was disallowed to get inside.

However, Sagun replied: "Hindi na bago yan (curfew) inside the camp. The camp implemented that a long time ago."

Sagun said the curfew is being implemented even before the dispute started with the informal settlers, particularly the Camp Evangelista Neighborhood Association Inc. (Cenai).

"Even myself was the victim of the said rules inside the camp, walang specific sa rules, apply ni sa tanan," said Sagun adding: "As long as you enter late of 10 p.m., the rule would be implemented."

Sagun even said that all military camps nationwide are enforcing curfews as part of the protection of the Camp from any threat.


"The 4ID is a military camp and not an ordinary place or land that is open 24 hours to the public," said Sagun.

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Anonymous has left a comment on your post.
Anonymous said...
we,as residents of camp evangelista, have known that there is curfew observed in the camp. this was implemented years and years ago, and we hav curfew at 10pm. we also have IDs to identify that we live inside the camp. Major sagun,we do not question that rule, however, whenever we ask the guard to let us enter, handing them our IDS, when they know that we live from a zone who filed a complaint against the command, the military police /security wont let us enter. that is what ms. suganob is trying to ask,and question.

major sagun is not clearly answering the question/issue raised by ms.suganob! i hope people wont be biased. residents know better because we experienced this intimidation ourselves.

From Sandals to Suits, Wahab Akbar, the Rebel turned Politician

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Sunday, November 11, 2007

Suspect in shooting of radio commentator in Iligan nabbed


CAGAYAN de Oro City - (Mike Baños/Nov 11) - Police operatives swooped down and nabbed one the prime suspects in the October 8 shooting of Iligan broadcaster Jose "Joe" Pantoja at his residence in Iligan early Saturday afternoon.


SURVIVOR. Iligan-based radio "blocktimer" Jose "Joe" Pantoja speaks about the Oct. 8 attempt on his life during a news conference at the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC). Pantoja who started his career in the media in Cagayan de Oro, is a COPC member.

Philip Ken Jaudian, spokesman of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club's Task Force Pantoja, identified the suspect as Romeo Vequizo.

"Vequizo was arrested by elements of the Iligan police around 2:30PM Saturday, November 10, 2007, at his residence in Barangay Acmac," Jaudian told members of the COPC board shortly after their regular meeting in Cagayan de Oro City.

"He has been moved to the ICPO headquarters for further investigation." The arresting team was led by Supt. Lemuel Ga, deputy chief of operations of the Iligan City Police Office (ICPO) and team leader of the Special Operations Unit (SOU) of Task Force Usig, which was created to probe the spate of extrajudicial shootings of journalists all over the country.

Vequizo was earlier identified in a press statement as a former bodyguard of Rep. Vicente "Varf" Belmonte (1st District, Lanao del Norte/Iligan City) by Divina Suson, information officer of Belmonte's Iligan congressional district office.

However, Suson stressed in the same statement that Vequizo was terminated for cause by Belmonte's office in 2005 and has since not been connected with the congressman's office.

Jaudian said Vequizo was earlier reported to have been hiding in the hinterlands of Bgy. Rogongon, Iligan City's biggest barangay which borders Lanao del Sur province.

Vequizo was identified by Jaudian as one of the two suspected gunmen who sent him surrender feelers asking for protection against the alleged mastermind.

Jaime L. Umpa, regional state prosecutor for Region X, told media during a press conference hosted by the Cagayan de Oro Press Club's "Task Force Pantoja" Monday his office could place the suspects under its Witness Protection Program in return for their testimonies in naming the mastermind behind the shooting.

Umpa also stressed that the charges against the suspects have not been downgraded from attempted murder to attempted homicide as reported by some media outlets.

"I personally called the Iligan city prosecutor and he informed me there has been no change in the charges," Umpa said.

"I also assure you there will be no downgrading of the charges to homicide while I am regional state prosecutor." As regional state prosecutor, Umpa has jurisdiction over the DOJ prosecutors in Region 10.

Lawyer Roberto Goking, who is a member of the COPC's Prosecution Team led by Lawyer and Past COPC President Frederico Gapuz, explained that downgrading the charges from attempted murder to attempted homicide is tantamount to admitting the assassination attempt was not premeditated.

"It would also have the effect of absolving the master mind from any culpability of the crime," Goking said.Pantoja sustained five gunshot wounds from two .45-cal. fired by two assailants who later fled from the scene aboard a motorcycle.

He was hospitalized in Iligan and traveled under heavy guard to Cagayan de Oro Monday to personally thank the Cagayan de Oro Press Club for their support.

Umpa said the "least guilty" of the three suspects, in this case the driver of the getaway motorcycle that whisked the two gunmen from the scene, could qualify for state witness.

"We can not only reduce his sentence but even completely absolve him of the crime provided he identifies the true mastermind behind this shooting," Umpa said.

Umpa said the two other suspects can also seek clemency under the Department of Justice's Witness Protection Program if they testify against the mastermind of the failed assassination attempt.

A number of eyewitnesses who personally saw the incident have already been placed under the same program to protect themselves and their families. Pantoja and his family have likewise been placed under the custody of the DOJ's Witness Protection Program.

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Friday, November 09, 2007

Saudi gov't pledges support to peace, development efforts in Sulu

JOLO, Sulu (CDO Journal / Nov 9) – Saudi Arabia has pledged to support peace and development projects in the largely Muslim province of Sulu in southern the Philippines.

Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan said they are preparing several proposals for infrastructure and other development projects after Saudi Ambassador to Manila, Mohammed Ameen Wali, assured him of his country's support.

"Saudi is very supportive of our peace and development efforts and we are now preparing several project proposals that will help alleviate the situation of the poor in Sulu," Tan told reporters.

Saudi Embassy also donated five cases of preserved dates which would be distributed to the poor and victims of a recent fire in Sulu province, said Tan, who met with Wali in Manila this week.

Saudi's support to Sulu, Tan said, would help alleviate the situation of many poor people in the province and can even provide them livelihood through various anti-poverty programs.

"The support of Saudi Arabia (to Sulu) will surely bring peace and development and livelihood worthy of human dignity. We are launching our own jihad towards the attainment of peace and unity. Other forms of jihad, particularly violent jihad is primitive," Tan said.

Saudi Arabia previously signed a US$20 million loan agreement for the development of Mindanao roads project. The loan agreement financing was sourced from the US$100 million pledge under the Saudi Fund for Development (SDF).

Saudi Arabia , an influential member of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), is also supporting the peace process in the southern Philippines.

It will also host a three-day Tripartite Meeting between the OIC, the Philippines and the former rebel group, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), starting Saturday in Jeddah Tan said the meeting will discuss the implementation of the 1996 peace accord between Manila and the MNLF headed by its jailed chieftain Nur Misuari regarding the situation in the southern Philippines.

Misuari is facing rebellion charges after his forces tried, but failed to overrun a military base on the island in 2000. Misuari, disgusted with the peace agreement, fled to Malaysia, but was arrested there and later deported to Manila. He accused Manila of reneging in the peace deal and for failing to uplift the poor living standards of many Muslims in the South.

Under the agreement, the Philippines is to provide a mini-marshal plan and housing and livelihood to tens of thousands of former rebels. Philippine authorities have allowed Misuari to attend the tripartite meeting, Tan said.

Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, OIC Secretary General, has welcomed Manila's decision to allow Misuari to participate in the meeting. OIC had sent a high-level delegation to the southern Philippines to assess the volatile situation last year.

The opening of the tripartite conference will be preceded by an expanded meeting of the Indonesia-led Committee of Eight, in-charge of southern Philippines.

Sporadic fighting between Filipino troops and MNLF forces still continue in many areas in southern Philippines, despite the peace deal. MNLF rebels signed the deal with Manila, but the government allowed them to keep their huge inventory of high-power weapons, mostly automatic rifles, anti-tank rockets and machine guns.

They later accused the Arroyo government of failing to comply with the accord. Former rebels also seized a delegation of senior military officials in Sulu earlier this year after reports of a scheduled tripartite meeting on Feb. 6-8 in Jeddah had been shelved off by the Arroyo government.

The hostages were later freed after the Philippine government agreed to proceed with the tripartite conference. The gunmen also demanded Manila to free Misuari so he can lead the MNLF to the meeting. (Sulu Provincial Media Desk)

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