AFP hosts BUC-AFP-PNP peace forum

CAGAYAN de Oro Journal (Ben Balce / Nov 21) - The Armed Forces of the Philippines hosted a two-day Bishops-Ulama conference (BUC) APF-PNP Forum for Peace with the theme: "Building Bridges with our Peace officers" relative to the 33rd general assembly of the BUC held at Pryce Plaza Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City, military officials said Tuesday.

"This forum promotes a greater understanding in the attainment of lasting peace where the military and police are given good insight about their role in peace process," said AFP chief General Hermogenes Esperon.

Esperon in his welcome remarks said in the process, this activates their support command to peace and development area by which it complements in the work of the Bishops-Ulama Conference.

Primarily the office of the AFP's J7 under Brigadier General Alfredo Cayton hosted the two-day forum.

The Army's 4th Infantry Division commanding general and the BUC-AFP-PNP committee chairman Major General Jose Barbieto said the AFP's participation in this endeavor will enhance closer relationship with the various Christians and Muslim religious groups in Mindanao.

"It is an opportunity for the AFP to showcase its sincerity in supporting the peace advocacy of the inter-faith groups," said Barbieto adding that the government is an active partner in pursuing peace and development in the region.

4ID's civil military operations chief Lt. Colonel Emmanuel Sinogba said the participants are composed of 24 catholic bishops who are members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, (CBCP), 26 Ulama and Ustadz, members of the Ulama League of the Philippines, (ULP), and 18 Protestant Bishops and Pastors who are members of the National Council of Churches of the Philippines.

Sinogba said that 38 military officers including military chaplains from the AFP headed by EASMINCOM chief Lieutenant General Cardoso Luna and 14 officers from the PNP led by Police Regional Office 10 (PRO 10) head Chief Supt. Teodorico Capuyan.

The Convenors of the conference were Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao Archdiocese, Ulama League of the Philippines president Dr. Mahid Mutilan, and Bishop Mariano Gomez Jr, Bishop Emeritus of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines.

"All the participants were given a chance to participate during the discussion," said Sinogba adding that a healthy and constructive dialogue with the peace officers through out the region participated.

Sinogba said that a lawyer Alonto of Marawi City asked the BUC to resolve and asked the DepEd to integrate Peace Education in elementary and high school levels.

Cagayan de Oro's 1st District Representative Rufus Rodriguez mentioned that he proposed for a meeting with BUC and Mindanao legislators to come up with a better interfaith understanding.

Archbishop Capalla, the BUC convenor, mentioned that the CRSAFP orchestrated a Peace Initiative in Mindanao and he also requested the AFP and PNP ground commanders to attend peace initiatives at the local level.

The Bishops Ulama conference is in pursuit of a common vision, these religious leaders organized themselves whose mission is to support the ongoing peace process in the region to promote mutual knowledge and understanding, acquaintance and friendship as well as reconciliation through repentance and forgiveness as indispensable dements of the culture of justice and peace for total development and progress in Mindanao.

Sinogba said the last day of the conference was held at the Dynasty Hotel, in Cagayan de Oro City as continuing efforts on peace building.

The forum was formally opened at 9:30 am at the conference of the Dynasty Hotel with interfaith prayer led by religious leaders (Priest and Imam) and followed by the opening statement of Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro City.

Archbishop Capalla, one of the convenor, read about the Proclamation Nr. 127 signed by PGMA last Nov. 26 2001, declaring the last Thursday of November up to the first Wednesday of December of every year, as the "Mindanao Week for Peace" celebration.

Sinogba said that all the participants came up with their plans for the forthcoming Mindanao Week for Peace Celebration on Nov. 29 until Dec. 5, 2007.

The groups came up as they presented their output during the conference according to Sinogba.

The groups came up with their plans such as: "Bishops and Ulamas inter religious gathering for interfaith prayers," "Walk for Peace," "Caravan for Peace," and "Convocation Program of all Elementary, High School and College Level" in their respective areas in commemoration of the Mindanao Week for Peace Celebration.

"Even Archbishop Capalla was impressed on the result of the workshop presented by the different group leaders," said Sinogba.

"The BUC forum with its life long processes on dialoguing with the different stakeholders in the society, continue to exert efforts by making a covenant to share the dynamics happening from the top down to lowest level," said Sinogba adding that the efforts have been filtered in achieving a comprehensive and lasting peace in Mindanao.

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food for thought for journalists and editors

not to promote denzel, but to think on the questions asked at the end of the message -- food for thought for journalists and editors... indeed, WHY???

The Media Missed this one!!!! Please read this,

then send it to everybody you know. They'll thank you as they forward this to others as well.

Subject: Denzel Washington, and Brooks Army Medical Center Don't know whether you heard about this but Denzel Washington and his family visited the troops at Brook Army Medical Center , in San Antonio , Texas (BAMC) the other day. This is where soldiers who have been evacuated fromGermany come to be hospitalized in the UnitedStates, especially burn victims. There are some buildings there called Fisher Houses. The Fisher House is a Hotel where soldiers' families can stay, for little or no charge, while their soldier is staying in the Hospital. BAMC has quite a few of these houses on base, but as you can imagine, they are almost filled most of the time.While Denzel Washington was visiting BAMC, they gave him a tour of one of the Fisher Houses. He asked how much one of them would cost to build. He took his checkbook out and wrote a check for the? full amount right thereon the spot. The soldiers overseas were amazed to hearthis story and want to get the word out to the American public, because it warmed their hearts to hear it.

The question I have is why does:

Brad Pitt,

Madonna,

Tom Cruise

and other Hollywood fluff

make front pa ge news with their ridiculous antics and Denzel Washington's Patriotism doesn't even make page 3 in the Metro section of any newspaper except the Local newspaper in San Antonio .

This needs as wide a distribution as we can create
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First Mindanao agriculture forum starts today

CAGAYAN de Oro Journal (Ben Balce / Nov 21) — The College of Agriculture of Xavier University, in collaboration with its partners, is convening the First Mindanao Agriculture Forum starting today until Friday.



Trel Borja, forum coordinator, said the forum intends to articulate issues, formulate resolutions and adopt a declaration as a commitment towards a more sustainable and equitable agriculture development in Mindanao.

Borja said the this year’s forum carrying the theme, "Strengthening Partnerships in Agriculture for Mindanao Development" will bring together the leaders in agriculture, including farmers, agri-industries, civil society organizations, academe and research institutions, local government units, financial institutions and government agencies.

Borja said that they are expecting over 200 participants in a side forum in which students from agriculture schools will compete in 10 skills and four literary contests.

The competing seven schools in Northern Mindanao are Central Mindanao University, Mountain View College, Misamis Oriental State College of Science and Technology, Misamis University, Camiguin Polytechnic State College, Northern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology, and Xavier University.

On Nov. 23, Friday, a multi-stakeholder Mindanao Agriculture Forum will culminate the event at the Pryce Plaza Hotel covering a wide range of topics including climate change to be presented by XU President, Fr. Jett Villarin; Agriculture for Peace and Development by Usec Dimasangcay Pundato of the Office of Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process; and Prospects for Mindanao by Carolina Figueroa Geron of the World Bank.

The Mindanao Agriculture Forum is made possible with the help of its partners: Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc., Philippine Development Assistance Programme, Peace and Equity Foundation, Asian NGO Coalition, Xavier Science Foundation and the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit 10, together with national government agencies and local government units.

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Floods hit Iligan, Mis Or towns, 1 killed, 2 missing

CAGAYAN de Oro City (Ben Balce / Nov 20) — One person was killed and two others were reported missing after flashfloods hit Iligan City and towns in Misamis Oriental Monday.

Chief Insp. Benbo Jumalon, police chief of Opol town, identified the fatality as an Eliza Osip, 47. Those who were reported missing in Manticao and Tagoloan have not yet been identified.

Jumalon said Osip was living under the Iponan bridge and fell into the water. She was found dead on the shore of Zone 1 later.

Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno said continuous rains and flooding caused landslides in Manticao and Magsaysay.

He said, however, that the floods are "manageable," relief operations are already ongoing and the provincial engineering office is working at the repair of roads made impassable by landslides.

Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz said over DxIF Bombo Radio that residents of nine barangays have been affected by flashfloods.

In a phone interview, he said all vehicles going to Lanao del Norte are being rerouted to Barangay Tambacan after Tubod Bridge cracked reportedly due to a cyclone.

Cruz said they are still quantifying the damage wrought on farms and other sources of livelihood in the area.

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Mindanao religious leaders, AFP, PNP hold peace forum in Oro

CAGAYAN de Oro City (Ben Balce / Nov 16) — The entire city has been placed under heightened security alert and police personnel have been augmented since Thursday by City police director Supt. Antonio Montalba with the two-day peace forum between the Bishop-Ulama Conference and the Armed Forces and National Police ongoing at the Pryce Plaza here.


President Arroyo was supposed to arrive past noon yesterday to join the meeting with the 79-strong BUC membership of Muslim and Christian religious leaders based in Mindanao, and 51 officers of the AFP and the PNP but her trip was cancelled due to bad weather.


President Arroyo, with the AFP, was also scheduled to host the peace forum today as BUC holds its 33rd general assembly at Dynasty Court Hotel in this city.


Montalba said the scheduled conferences will go on today even if the President does not make it here. He said tight security plans, encompassing travel route, activities, and accommodations, are already in place for the President as well as the 500 participants in the forum.


The forum’s theme is "Building Bridges of Peace with our Peace Officers."


Lt. Col. Emmanuel Sinogba, civil military operations’ chief of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said the forum’s purpose is to promote inter-faith understanding, religious tolerance, friendship and constructive dialogues.


Msgr. Rey Monsanto, vicar general of the Cagayan archdiocese, said the forum will identify problems and difficulties blocking the achievement of peace in Mindanao and an action agenda will be drawn up to "strengthen local mechanisms for peace."


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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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