Golden Journal: 29 November 2015

Monday, November 30, 2015

Bangsa Moro Party launches crusade

Moro Party take-offs crusade. OFFICIALS of the Bangsa Moro

Party (BMP) pose during a press conference held at Klub

Filipino, Greenhills, San Juan on November 26, 2015.

From left to right: Atty. J Ricardo H. Moreño, Director for

Media Services; Judge Casan-Ali Limbona, Vice-Chairman

for National and Internal Affairs; Datu Mengka M. Alim,

Chairman for Region ll; Sultan Punduma Sani , Vice chairman

for political affairs; Sultan Firdausi I.Y. Abbas, Ph.D.,

Chairman Executive Council; Atty. Ombra T. Jainal,

Executive Vice- Chairman; Assemblyman Ali Montaha Babao

Vice-Chairman for International Affairs; Abdullah Nur Benito,

Vice-Chairman for Security and Special Services and

Atty. Dalidig A. Sumndad, Vice-Chairman for Legal Affairs.

(Photo supplied)

MANILA, Philippines (BEN BALCE/Golden Journal) - The Bangsa Moro Party (BMP) has launched its crusade to vigilantly and vigorously participate in the coming Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao elections pursuant to Resolution No. 1337 passed by the BMP's Executive Council on Nov. 20, 2015.

The BMP was established in 1985 by the Conference of the Bangsa Moro Islamic Organization’s (CBMIO), composed of fifty-eight (58) Moro Organizations as the political arm of the Bangsa Moro revolutionary struggle of which the Chairman of the Bangsa Moro Party Executive Council, Sultan Firdausi I. Y. Abbas, Ph.D. was the CBMIO Secretary-General.

The BMP looks at the 2016 polls as the opportunity for the Bangsa Moro to freely choose the leaders they can trust and depend on, according to Abbas.

“This elections unlike the previous ones which were actually selections and not elections will be held simultaneously with the national elections. The incumbent president is outgoing and the administration will have to concentrate on the candidacy of senator Mar Roxas who is tailing in the surveys. Today, malacañang’s tentacles will not be as formidable as in the past. Its machinery to rig the ARMM elections will not be as strong and overwhelming. Their candidate has to fend for himself. Man to man our candidate is far stronger.” Executive Vice –Chairman Atty. Ombra T. Jainal who hails from Sulu said.

The Resolution points out that, “The ARMM governors since President Corazon Aquino have failed to institutionalized the aspiration, sentiments and goals of the Bangsa Moro for a progressive economic future, and protect and develop their cultural and patrimonial heritage;

The leaders of the ARMM through the years have failed to implement the provisions of the organic acts 6734 and 9054;

Those who assumed office of ARMM regional governor miserably failed to deliver the basic needs to the people, protect their health, their livelihood and their security, and have been consistently puppets of Malacañang;

The BMP in its program of government believe that the ARMM must be dignified, honorable and honest and can be realized if these virtues become mandatory in the character of the men and women who exercise authority, especially and primarily the regional governor.

“The time has come to now install a man with integrity, competence and courage as regional governor,” said Abbas who is also the Sultan of Lanao del Sur.

Integrity to command the respect of his peers and those in Manila; Competence to be able to draw up a program and a paradigm to usher in peace and development in the region; courage to say no to those who intrude into the business of the ARMM for their own interests and no to the powers that be who want to stifle and control the autonomous government.”

Based on the Resolution 1337, the party declared its support for Vice Governor Sakur M. Tan of Sulu as the Regional ARMM Governor.

Sultan Abbas stated that the traits necessary for efficient, competent and successful leadership in the ARMM are succinctly in the character of Vice-Governor Sakur M. Tan- a man who will not kow-tow to Malacañang, who will stand strong and firm on his principles and will not betray the trust of the Bangsa Moro.

The BMP Executive Council in it declaration of support acknowledged that through the years Governor Tan has struggled and fought to have his place under the sun, to protect and help his people and raise his area to a satisfactory economic level despite the turmoil, stood brave and unyielding to terrorist demands and surviving an explosion triggered by terrorists.

Sulu through the decades has always been difficult to govern and administer but Governor Tan succeeded for he has in his heart the welfare of all his constituents and listens to all who come to him for as he says “Everyone has something to say, some idea to contribute and it is a duty to listen not just as governor, but as a Muslim.”

The Chairman of the Executive Council also pointed out that the MNLF wings of Nurullagi Misuari and Mayor Mus Sema of Cotabato City are united in their political pursuit to make the ARMM truly autonomous and the instrument to develop the moro areas and raise the level of the economic and social conditions of the Bangsa Moro under the BMP banner and there are even MILF officers who are with the BMP because the ARMM elections is a separate issue from the BBL.

The other executive officers other than Sultan Abbas and Atty. Jainal, who was former Solicitor-General of the ARMM are: Atty. Omar S. Sema, Secretary General, scion of the Sema Clan of Cotabato City, Sultan Punduma Sani, Vice-Chairman for Political Affairs , the Incumbent Vice-Chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front-MNLF, Sultan of Guimba, Lanao del Sur, Lt. General in the Bangsa Moro Army, member of the Top 90, and former Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, ARMM, Atty. Dalidig A. Sumndad, Vice-Chairman for Legal Affairs, Former President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Marawi City Chapter and Deputy General Counsel, Assemblyman Datu Ali Montaha Babao, Vice-Chairman for International Affairs, Incumbent Floor Leader of the Bangsa Moro National Parliament MNLF, former Assemblyman of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development, SPCPD, Judge Casan-Ali Limbona, Vice-Chairman for National and Internal Affairs, Former Judge, Shairah District Court, Abdullah Nur Benito, Vice-Chairman for Security and Special Services, former member of the MNLF Central Committee and Johaira R. Conding, Vice-Chairperson for Women Affairs, of the Rashid, Dimaporo and Conding Clans of the Lanao Provinces and Marawi City.

The regional chairmen are Dr. Naguib A. Munder, Asnawi Sinsuat Limbona, Datu Mengka M. Alim, Abdulkadir M. Yahya, Jr., Habib Andang Hashim, Abdelnasser Hadjiula and Ali Montaha M. Babao, Jr., Regions I to Vll respectively.

Home Ben balce's channel/YouTube

1 hurt as rebels attack tribal village in Bukidnon

Lt. Col. Lennon G. BABILONIA

CAGAYAN de Oro City (BEN BALCE/Golden Journal) - A villager was wounded as armed men believed to be members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) assaulted a tribal village in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon, the military reported Wednesday last week.

Capt. Norman Tagros, spokesperson of the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion based here, identified the wounded as Angelo "Loyloy" Yanggahon, a member of the Umayamnon tribe, who sustained a gunshot wound in his right arm.

Tagros said that Yanggahon has been undergoing treatment in the Bukidnon Provincial Hospital in Malaybalay City. The victim is now in stable condition, Tagros said.

He said that the NPA rebels believed to belong to the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee fired their guns indiscriminately toward the tribal village of Miaray, in Mandahican, Cabanglasan, Bukidnon Monday evening.

Tagros said that the terrified Lumads of the Umayamnon tribe fled toward the outskirts of the tribal village as the tribe’s cultural guards known “Baganis” could do nothing but witnessed the unfolding terror.

Tagros said that the local authorities are still determining the number of evacuees who have fled to the town proper as the military mounted a combat operation in the area.

In a statement, Lt. Col. Lennon G. Babilonia, commanding officer of the army’s 8IB, accused the NPA rebels of atrocities committed against the tribal communities in the borders of Bukidnon and Agusan Del Sur.

He said that the military is investigating into the motive of the NPA in attacking the tribal communities in Northern Mindanao.

“We assure our people, especially our Lumad brothers, that the military will bring the perpetrators of these atrocities to justice while continuing the service to secure the tribal communities,” Babilonia said. (With PNA)

Home Ben balce's channel/YouTube

NGCP says power supply in Mindanao remains bleak

THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) admitted that
the grid operator failed to resolve right-of-way issues due to landowner’s

excessive demand of payment. NGCP even said transmission lines become

non-operational because some landowners are preventing the NGCP from

properly maintaining the power lines, then Mindanao will continue to be

plagued by power interruptions in the future. (BB)

CAGAYAN De Oro City (BEN BALCE/Golden Journal) - Until the power transmission lines are secured, the entry of new power players would not improve the energy situation in Mindanao, a firm tasked to transmit power in Mindanao.

Beth Ladaga, who heads the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) Regional Corporate and Public Affairs said that the energy situation will not improve if there are no transmission lines to deliver the new capacity to the distribution utilities and household consumers.

Ladaga was referring to various transmission lines that crossed along farm lots in Lanao Del Sur that have remained vulnerable due to trees planted by landowners who want payment at exorbitant rates.

She cited the case of a certain Balao Pundag who has planted 1,500 trees along the right of way of the NGCP’s transmission lines that threatens the Agus 2 – Kibawe 138kV line.

Ladaga said the NGCP has been negotiating with Pundag for the past 16 months in the hope the maintenance crew could enter the lot area and clear the trees that poses danger to the power transmission lines.

The NGCP has expressed the willingness to pay PHP77,750 for the 1,500 trees in its prevailing market and assessed value. However, Pundag wants a PHP478,650 payment for the trees, the NGCP said.

Ladaga said the NGCP has to stick to a standard valuation of property, which is based on verifiable sources such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and government financial institutions.

“It is sad to think that for years, both the government and private sectors have been working together to invite power stakeholders to build new sources of energy in Mindanao in order to address the island’s power deficiency,” she said.

She that the NGCP has been working to ensure that the facilities necessary to connect these plants to the grid are already in place by the time these power plants are ready to operate.

However, if our transmission lines become non-operational because some landowners are preventing the NGCP from properly maintaining the power lines, then Mindanao will continue to be plagued by power interruptions in the future, Ladaga said.(With PNA)

Home Ben balce's channel/YouTube

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

WHY do we have to care for our environment? Why does the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Region 10 care for “cinchona” trees in Bukidnon province?

These are two basic questions that cropped up after the DENR-10 hosted a three-day “Press Privilege Tour” which showcased some of the DENR projects in Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon.

While people have different views in caring for the environment, observers say that there is a need to care for the environment because it is the life and legacy of the next generation.

On one hand, the government, especially the DENR, sees-to-it that forest lands are well managed, protected and wisely utilized thus it has implemented the “Cinchona Forest Reserve,” in Barangay Kaatoan in Lantapan, Bukidnon.

To give you a better idea on what “cinchona” tree is, here is what an official of DENR-10 tells me:

During the lecture on Expanded Forest Protection at Cinchona Reforestation Project, Regional Forest Protection Task Forest chief Ernesto L. Lezada of DENR 10 said the Cinchona Forest Reserve in the province of Bukidnon was first established sometime in 1929 by the defunct Bureau of Forestry.

Its first Project Manager Forester Altamerano whose objective is to produce cinchona bark or the so-called “bark wealth” for the purpose of producing anti-malaria drugs, according to Lezada, headed it.

The cinchona species, according to Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park protected area superintendent Felix Mirasol was introduced originated from Java, Indonesia. He said that the first trial planting showed suitability of the species to the area.

The next several years was engaged in the massive planting of the species that reached up to 500 hectares including nursery establishments.

With this encouraging development, on September 22, 1936 Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon issued the Presidential Proclamation no. 83 declaring the 1,994 hectares as the Kaatoan Forest Reserve for experimental planting of quinine, forest protection and timber production.

With the outbreak of World War II in 1941, the planting was stopped.

Ecosystem Research and Development Division chief Danilo C. Cacanindin said that in 1943, the Kaatoan Forest Reserve including Barangay Kaatoan were made as Japanese garrison and took possession of the area until 1945. A year after, the Americans soldiers occupied Barangay Alanib, few kilometers from Kaatoan.

Cacanindin said that a joint American and Filipino soldiers coming from Talakag, Bukidnon engaged the Japanese soldiers in a fierce fight at Cinchona. Outnumbered and with so many casualties, the Japanese soldiers retreated and left the place. On the other hand, the Americans stayed for a while at Cinchona but left in the same year of 1945.

The following year, cinchona plantation establishment and nursery activities resumed under Forester Tadeo, who served as its project manager. Accordingly, the former project manager Altamerano was killed during the Japanese occupation along with a number of plantation workers and local residents of the area.

In 1956, the whole area was reclassified as alienable and disposable land by then President Ramon Magsaysay by virtue of Presidential Proclamation no. 364. This revoked earlier Proclamation no. 83. It meant that the whole area was opened for cultivation for agricultural purposes and titling to private individuals.

However, the Bureau of Forestry continued its management and protection the reason why not all of the forest reserve were occupied by private individuals and applied for titling.

In 1961 to 1962, the area was also planted with other fast growing tree species such as Falcata, Mahogany and Eucalyptus. Presently, these trees have attained over maturity and are now towering the cinchona compound with an average diameter from 120 to 200 centimeters.

In 1966 to 1968, Hucomad and Jiram companies conducted the First harvesting of the cinchona bark with raw materials directly exported to Brazil. The second harvesting was took place in 1972-73.Thereafter, the plan for harvesting has stopped for reason that malaria illness had been controlled and that other countries have already found alternative source of materials for the manufacture of Malaria drugs. Since then, the price of cinchona bark has gone down and harvesting was no longer feasible.

On July 11, 1988, former President Corazon C. Aquino issued presidential proclamation No. 283 declaring the whole area for “Quinine and Reservation and Experimental” purposes. The proclamation strengthens the status of the project existence and closes all legal issues on the intention of the area.

On November 9, 2000, Congress through the recommendation of the President passed Republic Act 8978 also known as the Mt. Kitanglad Act of 2000, which included the whole of Cinchona area as part of the Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park.

The Cinchona plantation in the province of Bukidnon is the only plantation found in the whole country to date. The 7 cinchona species planted are calisaya, hybrid, kartamanah, officinalis, succirubra, tjinjiroan and ledgeriana. The present plantation manifests Filipino expertise in tree growing which now becomes the host to some endangered faunal species in the world.

Cinchona area is also host to 5 series of waterfalls of Kulasihan River and sacred ground to our brother Indigenous Peoples. In the recently built table and IP ritual building, giant bamboos and kilala had grown which manifest the activities of the earlier IP’s in the area.

The Kulasihan River is a wonder. In the upstream, the water is visible but further away downstream, the whole river is gone. Many believed that it is an underground river whose exit is the Matin-ao Spring in Barangay Bangcud, which are several kilometers away from the source.

Protecting the environment is not the responsibility of the DENR alone but the responsibility of all. The efforts of our foresters for they are continuously preserving the cinchona trees in Bukidnon through its project “Cinchona Forest Reserve,” in Barangay Kaatoaan, Lantapan, Bukidnon, is one way of caring the environment. (Ben Balce)

NORTHERN Mindanao Medical Center

Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC), a center of wellness and excellence, DOH accredited tertiary hospital in Region 10, is a 300-bed capacity care institution. Formerly known as Northern Mindanao Regional Training hospital (NMRTH), it was renamed in its present classification as a Medical Center by virtue of RA 7938 on March 11, 1995.NMMC is located within the Provincial Capitol Compound in Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental, Mindanao, Philippines. It was now headed by NMMC (acting) chief of hospital Dr. Jose Chan. It is an 89 year old hospital that metamorphosed initially as a 20-bed Misamis Public Hospital in 1918 to a 50-bed Misamis Oriental Provincial Hospital in 1945, then a 200-bed NMRTH in 1966 and finally, as the present 300-bed NMMC in 1995. As a tertiary heath facility, NMMC aims to serve and provide the highest attainable health care in the whole Region 10 and the neighboring provinces and municipalities.

By BEN EMATA
Editor, GetRight Bulletin, Fremont, California, USA
Internet ColumnistFormer President, Cagayan de Oro Press Club
Former President, Fil-Am Press Club of Silicon Valley of California

Gentlemen/Ladies,

Mapait nga balita ang midagsang kanatong tanan. Usa sa atong kauban sa radio ang gipusil didto sa dakbayan sa Iligan ug hangtud karong adlawa malisud ang kahimtang diha sa tambalanan.

Joe Pantoja, kanhi sa DXCO sa Cagayan de Oro atua na sa Iligan nanimpalad. Sakop siya sa COPC ug usa sa mga buotan nga bata sa media lokal. Karon nahitumpawak sa dautan nga kapalaran ug apiki usab ang kabutang sa pamilya. Pila raman lagi intawon ang sueldo niini.

Ang balaan nga kasulatan nagsugo kanato sa pagtinabangay. Mahimo man tingali nga kita dinhi sa America mag-usa alang sa pag-amuma sa usa ka igsoon sa buhat.

Si Don Primo Espina de Montebon mopadala sa atong panudlanan-tesorera, Dolly Ilogon, aron sa pagsugod pagtuyok sa ligid sa kapalaran.

Ako usa na ka retired apan dili pa gayud tired, mohatag usab sa mao gihapon nga kantidad. Si Senyorita Ilogon permi motabang ug mao usab si Senyora Ann Gorra de Rago.Kamo diha mga bantugan kanhiay nga sakop sa media sa Cagayan de Oro tingali motabang usab niini nga suliran sa atong igsoon.

Sa ngalan sa panagmahalay sa taga media, gitawag ko si Jay Valleser, Bramy Bayron, Rey Yanez, Gangging Lagman, Boy Guellena, Joe MacMang, Leonie Tan, Randy, ug uban pa sa pakig timbayayong alang ning atong kauban sa buhat.

Ato usab nga i-ampo si Jo Pantoja nga unta molungtad ang iyang pakigbisug sa kinabuhi ug maluwas siya niini nga katalagman.

Tiliwala sa hulga sa media, gihagit ko ang tanan sa pagbarug kanunay sa katungod sa katawhan ug sa pagsumpo sa mga kaaway sa media. Ipatindog nato ang bandila ug ipakita nato nga hangtud karon mas mahait ang gahum sa prensa kay sa armas de puego sa mga tonto, gago, loko ug mga talawan nga tawo sa kalibutan.

Manghinaut ako alang paglampus sa media sa tibuok kalibutan. Mabuhay and Long Live Press Freedom.

In Mindanao, they called him "Ben". In Luzon, they called him...Benjie, Bondying, and Benj. Anyway, Ben is a native of Capalonga, Camarines Norte; it was the place in the Southern part of Bicol region, wherein hundreds of catholic and non-catholic faith believers lodged during the celebration of the Feast of Jesus of Nazarene.

In his younger age, he spent mostly playing to his elder brother Alex. Ben and Alex were good friends and brothers. Carpentry like making "Bancas" or fishing boats was their fathers usually do. This was also the usual place for Ben and Alex to have more time to play. They also both accompanying their father catching fish and do farming.

At the age of 20, Ben played his role as the eldest brother to his 7 sisters and a younger brother Alvin when Alex accidentally died while studying in Manila. Ben treasured much his brother.

Ben was now married to Alona Viador Castillo with whom he has two children: Christine Joyce 13, and Dianne Angela 7. Ben finished his four-year course (Bachelor of arts major in Political Science) at the University of the East, Manila in 1992. Before he entered U.E., Ben was a former seminarian as he took up AB Philosophy (2nd year) at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary in Naga City.

In 1996, he joined to Malaya, a national newspaper that circulating throughout the Philippines and Abante, a tabloid newspaper with also has a widely circulated copy not only throughout the Philippines but also in some countries in Asia.

His assignment in Mindanao brought him to cover the severe kidnapping incidents made by the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) including some lawless elements and the government-confessed terrorists... the Abu Sayaff.

Ben was among the reporters like Manila-based Rommel Bagares of Philippine Star and Manny Timonera of Philippine Daily Inquirer who completely covered the peace talks between the GRP and the MILF in Marawi City and signing of an agreement for general cessation of hostilities between government and the MILF at the Pryce Plaza in Cagayan de Oro City.

Before the final signing of the agreement, he has been given the opportunity to met and interviewed privately Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs and Mohammad Alhaj Murad, MILF military affairs chief at Camp Abubakar in Butig, Lanao del Sur. He also met other MILF's high ranking officials like Lanao del Sur commander Salappudin Mimbantas, MNLF commander of the two Lanao provinces Abdul Jialil Narra, and Commander Bravo of Munai, Lanao del Norte.

He also covered two separate abduction of two foreign priest missionaries Msgr. Desmond Hartford and Fr. Johnham Robert Maez. Hartford was an Irish priest who was abducted by disgruntled members of the MNLF on October 27, 1997.

The kidnappers have been asking the government through National Program for Unification Development Council (NPUDC) to release livelihood funds amounting to P5 million in exchange for priest' release. Ben was among the seven local and national correspondents who covered Hartford's release early Saturday in Tangkal, Lanao del Norte after 13 days' captivity by former commanders of the MNLF's 3rd Mobile Army in Mindanao.

He also covered the kidnapping incident of Robert Johnham Maez, a Columban priest and missionary who were abducted by the MNLF rebel returnees while doing his mission in one of the town in Lanao del Sur. Maez was kidnapped by the MNLF rebel returnees to pressure the government, specifically the NPUDC, who holds their livelihood funds.

In 1997 to 2001, the raging war in central, southern and western Mindanao between the government forces and the MILF, as well as the continued attacks and encounters of the CPP/NPA in Bukidnon and Agusan provinces against the elements of the Army's 4th Infantry Division based at Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City gave with him another great contribution as his name repeatedly by-lined in said newspapers. His stories were used as headline banners and kept front-pages in Malaya and Abante including in Mindanao Gold Star Daily, a local community newspaper in Mindanao.

Ben was also the first correspondent who took footage at Cebu Pacific's wreckage. He made shots the plane's remains as he was boarded at the Napocor's chopper together with the NAPOCOR's president and AFP's Civil Relations Service head Colonel Nestor Castillo.

In the same year of 1996, He joined in Gold star daily, the biggest newspaper in Mindanao, based in Cagayan de Oro City. Except of being a city reporter, after 3-months, he was appointed by Ernesto G. Chu, the Gold Star Daily's publisher to be the editorial cartoonist. Ben was a newspaperman and an editorial cartoonist for more than ten years now. He was also commissioned as the Executive Editor of the Quarterly Newsletter of the Police Regional Office 10 (PRO-10) of the Philippine National Police since 2002 at present (2007).

Ben loved most writing poetry and playing guitar. Ben has wanted to do this since he was in high school. His writing skills caught the ear of a late University of the Philippines (UP) professor Ephraim C. Romero, handling courses in International Law, International Relations, International Organizations, Comparative Governments, Sociology, Economics and History courses. Ben can be seen as one of the researchers and the book cover designer of International Relations, a Philippine textbook in Political Science, Economics, Business, Sociology and Law authored by Romero, Prof. Edgar V. Rosero and Prof. Roman R. Dannug. The book was foreword by Jose David Lapuz, a 1971 T.O.Y.M. Awardees in Political Science.

Ben was a regular member of COPC, Cagayan de Oro Press Club. He was elected as one of the members of the board in 2006 and was re-elected in 2007. He was a regular member of the National Union of Journalist in the Philippines (NUJP) Cagayan de Oro Chapter and elected as auditor in 2006 - 2007. Ben was also a member of Pecojon, (Peace and Conflict Journalism Network).

Ben is now keep busy updating three on-line websites as the on-line team manager: the Cagayan de Oro Journal (http://cagayandeorojournal.blogspot.com/), the Jacnet, “Journalists against Corruption Network” (http://jacnet.blogspot.com/), the official website of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club and the Radical Urban Big Bikers (http://radicalurbanbigbikers.blogspot.com).
For Ben, being a provincial correspondent assigned in Mindanao made him a difference!

Statement of PECOJON
on the Arrest of Journalists
at The Peninsula Manila Hotel

In democracy, we, as journalists, cannot neglect our duty to keep the public informed about events and processes which concern the public interest.

Our duty does not diminish when we, as journalists, face dangerous or uncomfortable situations such as an upcoming engagement of PNP-SWAT operatives aiming to forcibly remove from The Peninsula Manila Hotel a group of soldiers and civilians who demand for the ouster of the President.

As eyes and ears of the public, it is our job to seek information from those inside the hotel as well as from the forces aiming to remove them. It is our task to keep the public informed about what is going on.

We, as media practitioners, are not supposed to join the parties of a conflict, neither by reporting in favor of any side nor by joining them handcuffed in arrest.

In behalf of our member journalists in the Philippines and around the world, PECOJON strongly questions the act of arresting media personnel in The Peninsula Manila Hotel on November 29, 2007. We remind those in charge that access to information and the freedom to report to the public is a pillar of democracy.

Legitimate journalists can be quickly and easily identified without arrest or “processing.” Harassment of journalists, questioning of press freedom and limiting public access to relevant information mean questioning democracy as such.PECOJON-The Peace and Conflict Journalism Network

*National Secretariat Philippineswww.pecojon. org
Nov. 30, 2007
Cagayan de Oro City

* PECOJON is an international network of journalists committed to improving the quality of reporting of conflict, crisis and war through mainstreaming conflict sensitive reporting, improving journalists’ security and providing training and education.

Moreno condemns botched coup bid

Statement of
Gov. Oscar S. Moreno
on the Magdalo Episode II (November 29, 2007)

Today’s actions of Sen. Antonio Trillanes and his Magdalo colleagues must be condemned for they directly strike at the heart of our constitutional order. These actions are despicable and have no place in our society. They are pure and simple anarchy.

We are a government of laws and not of men, and it is imperative and compelling that all of us must at all times uphold the rule of law. The actions of Sen. Trillanes and his Magdalo supporters actually disregard these fundamental principles that our people hold so dear.

Military adventurism not only directly contravenes our constitution; it also destroys our constitutional order, sets a very bad example to our people, conveys a wrong message to the international community, and sets back the hard-earned gains of our country.

It cannot be denied that people at times may encounter or face frustrating situations. All of us go through these moments. Yet, there are constitutional remedies. Some may take time, others may be difficult to many.

But certainly, there are remedies that our constitutional regime allows. Military adventurism can never be justified. Neither the gun nor popularity can provide the justification for a person or his cohorts to take the law in their own hands.

We fully support the constitutional authorities of our country, and the fundamental principle that civilian supremacy over the military must at all times exist.