CAGAYAN Journal (BEN BALCE / Sep 11) - Mayor Constantino Jaraula has asserted that Councilor Reynaldo Advincula owed UKC Builders Inc. some P2 million in unpaid rent at Cogon and that the local legislator’s debts served as a stumbling block in negotiations for the buyback of the public markets.
Advincula, who denied owing UKC Builders P2 million, faulted city treasurer Lino Daral and accused the executive of carrying out a ‘‘demolition job’’ against him. He accused Daral of making up a story against him and, probably, even doctoring documents to put him in bad light.
Jaraula, who exposed Advincula’s alleged P2-million debt because of his market-based business, maintained that the councilor owed that much. He said a highly placed source in UKC Builders informed him that Advincula owed the firm some P2 million in unpaid rent.
‘‘Hapit na gani ko matumba niana,” Jaraula told local radio.
Jaraula claimed city hall’s negotiations with UKC Builders for a buyback deal covering Cogon and Carmen markets were delayed because of Advincula’s debts.
Advincula, the chair of the city council’s economic enterprise committee, earlier said Jaraula did not get his facts straight. He admitted that he owed UKC Builders but claimed the debt, which grew from September 2005 to December 2008, amounted only to over P100 thousand and not P2 million.
He blamed Daral and accused the treasurer of fabricating a story about his alleged P2-million debt.
Advincula said Daral has an ax to grind against him because the councilor pushed for a measure would reduce market stall rentals by as much as 30 percent. He said Daral strongly opposed the move.
The city council earlier passed an ordinance reducing stall rentals at Cogon and Carmen markets by 30 percent. The Jaraula administration said it had no idea how to cushion the impact of the revenue loss as a result of the rent-reduction.
CAGAYAN JOURNAL (Susan Palmes / Sept 11) - CAGAYAN de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the city’s 2nd District yesterday expressed his opposition to the proposed five-centavo tax for every text message sent.
Rodriguez said, ‘‘I am opposed... this is an additional burden.’’
Rodriguez said the text tax move was blocked in the past by him and other congressmen. He said the same group would oppose fresh moves to get Congress’ green light.
‘‘We have tried our best to lower (the rate). In fact, we have our hearing in Congress to reduce the tax,” Rodriguez said.
He said the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) has recently issued an order to lower the tax passed on to the users. ‘‘And now this.’’
He said taxes such as this should be shouldered by the companies and not by the users.
‘‘This is not a ‘sin tax’ like the taxes we impose on liquor and cigarettes. Majority of the 92 million Filipinos could only afford texting as a means of communication,” Rodrriguez said.
Meanwhile, Malacañang cited three conditions for the administration to support a proposal to tax text messages.
Deputy spokespersons Anthony Golez and Gary Olivar said the tax should not be passed on to users. Also, they added, it must be made clear how the tax is implemented and who should shoulder it; and, finally, the tax must be utilized for specific purposes such as education, healthcare or computerization.
The proposed measure, now at the committee level of the Lower House, still has to pass through debates and periods of amendments in the plenary session.
Unfortunately, according to Golez, candidates in next year’s elections are now using the proposal to advance their political interests. He said however that people would see through them.
Olivar said short message service (SMS) is the most popular form of communication for Filipinos, especially overseas based workers. “We must not pass on the tax burden to the consumers and the Palace will make sure of this,” Golez said.
He said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s stance on the text tax issue “is not (meant) to protect the telcos but to make sure that the tax is not passed on to the consumers.”
“He is just consistent with his protection for consumers even when he previously investigated the missing load issue in the Senate hearings,” he said. - with reports from PNA Home Ben balce's channel/YouTube
ILONGGOS give Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas a hero's welcome as he arrives at the Iloilo port after a day of meeting with youth and political leaders in Bacolod on Tuesday. Roxas withdrew his bid for the presidency to give way to Senator Benigno "Noynoy" S. Aquino III, who announced yesterday (Wednesday) he was accepting the challenge to lead the reform ticket for 2010. Aquino also announced he has asked Roxas to become his runningmate. (Photo by Gil Nartea)
CAGAYAN Journal (Ben Balce/Sept 4) Councilor Simeon Licayan, in last Tuesday’s regular session had suggested to his colleagues for a review of the memorandum of agreement between the city and Promote CdO and the latter’s financial statement.
Promote CDO President Ruben Vegafria said his group welcomes this, while assuring that their financial books have been always open for scrutiny even for the media, much more to its partner—the city government.
In organizing the festival, he made it clear that Promote CDO had not received even a peso from City Hall, but has “religiously remitted” its share to the city government.
Under the contract, which ends in 2014, City Hall gets 30 percent of the foundation’s income.
In 2007, Promote CDO remitted P450,000 to City Hall; P441,000 last year.
Vegafria said they have even shouldered part of the cost of the building of the McArthur Monument in Macabalan wharf and have been instrumental in getting grants that funded the promotion of trade in the city.
“But it’s frustrating that in spite of these efforts all we are receiving are criticisms,” he said.
Vegafria also lamented that Bacal had alluded in a radio interview that the drop of arrivals in the city can be attributed to Promote CDO’s “utter incompetence” in promoting the city.
“I heard him (Bacal) in a radion interview that he said the city has sunk to number 15 in terms of arrivals because we are not doing our job. We are a private entity trying to help the city. That is he’s job being the chair of the committee of tourism. That’s not part of our mandate,” Vegafria said.
He added that Bacal as an elected official should be the one spearheading the movement to promote the city.
“He (Bacal) should be part of the movement, not just stay by the sidelines and wait for mistakes and then be the first to cast the stone,” he said.
Last June, Vegafria said they made a presentation to Bacal for the creation of a conferences and events bureau for the city since the Cagayan de Oro is fast becoming the conference capital of Northern Mindanao.
“Hantud karon, gilingkoran lang niya (Bacal) ang among gi-hagoan nga proposal. Wala pa niya gi-trabaho hantud karon,” he lamented.
When asked about the purportedly “special” treatment to GMA-7 in the festivities, Vegafria saidthey never received any cash from the network.
“As a major sponsor of the festival they offered P3 million worth of media exposure and not cash. The network executives put the non-exclusive coverage clause in the memorandum of agreement themselves,” Vegafria said.
CAGAYAN de Oro City (Ben Balce /Aug 22) - LOCAL officials offer differing positions on the application of Alyansa ng mga Sabungero as a party-list group.
Mayor Constantino Ja-raula said he could not hide his frustration over the large number of groups seeking seats in the House of Representatives using the party-list system.
‘‘Wala ko’y objection niana. Ang sa ako wala natuman ang batas sa party-list system law,’’ Jaraula said, adding that despite having dubious or scant credentials, Comelec still continuously approves party-list applications.
‘‘Some organizations were apparently just out to abuse the party-list law,’’ said Jaraula adding: ‘‘Hasta na ang mga mangunguot mag-apply na niana.’’
Jaraula said the party-list law is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution to give important yet voiceless sectors a say in policy-making.
Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has a different view.
Rodriguez said the group and its members could be considered marginalized because ‘‘they live a hand-to-mouth existence, earnings.”
‘‘If the group met all the requirements of the Comelec, why can’t they join as party-list,’’ said Rodriguez, adding that is part in a democratic country.
‘‘I’m in favor... especially if they help the employees and kristos,” said Rodriguez.
A former House member, however, expressed her disapproval.
“It is a bastardization of the law on party list if we allow the Samahan ng Sabungero in Congress,’’ said former party-list representative Loretta Ann Rosales of Akbayan said in an interview.
Rosales said to allow the group would open the floodgates to other groups that are not marginalized to ask for accredition.
She said, “We will then have the jueteng lords, casino players, mga babaero to ask to be accredited also.”
Rosales said there is no need for these groups to be accredited since some of them are in the Palace or Congress already.
“This is sacred,’’ she added, ‘‘itong gusto sa mga sabungero is a kalokohan.’’
For his part, city elections officer Stalin Baguio belittled the Alyansa ng Sabungero.
‘‘A group of cockfighters want to enter party list? But for me they are not [considered] marginalized,’’ said Baguio.
‘‘This group of sabongeros nga gusto magpa-party list, kinahanglan nga i-verify muna kini kung nag-exist ba o dili, naghatag ba kini ng kaayohan sa miyembro? Kung ma-meet nila ang tanan nga requirements, maka-apil sila,’’ said Baguio.
‘‘They just formed a group pero lahi ang katuyoan. For me, they (Sabungeros) are not considered a marginalized sector. Mga sugarol man na. How about the pork barrel para sa unsa ang ilang katuyoan ug unsaon nila na?’’ asked Baguio. (with a report from SUSAN PALMES)
CAGAYAN de Oro City (Cagayan Journal / Aug. 20) - The aggressive issuance of coal operating contracts which will open thousands of hectares of lands to coal extraction that will feed coal fired power plants exposes further the bankruptcy of the government in dealing with climate change.
“Coal, being primarily used in power generation, has been the number one source of carbon dioxide and other green house gasses emissions that cause global warming and climate change” said Erwin B. Quinones, Campaigns Paralegal of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC-KsK/FoE Phils).
As of January 31, 2007 alone, DoE issued 39 coal operating contracts including that of Monte Oro Resources Energy Inc. in Catanduanes and 45 small scale coal mining permits as of April 17, 2007. By 2009, under Philippine Energy Contracting Round, DoE is offering 30 areas for coal mining covering 125 blocks or about 125,000 hectares.
“We commend the people of Catanduanes, led by the Catholic Church, in vehemently opposing the plan to extract coal in their province” Quinones said, referring to the moves to oppose 6.2B coal mine project linked to businessman Enrique Razon Jr. in the province of Catanduanes.
“We will likewise continue to support the various grassroots effort all over the country to stop coal mine companies in extracting coal, more so that it will primarily be used to fuel power generation plants that pollute our atmosphere” Quinones added.
In Southernmost Mindanao, the Department of Energy (DoE) entered into three (3) coal operating contracts (COC) covering 17,000 hectares of land in the tri-boundary of South Cotabato, Sarangani and SultanKudaratProvinces.
Particularly located at Brgy. Ned, Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, local folks organized themselves into Hublag Kontra Mina (HUKOM-Movement Against Mining), campaigned against coal mining and called for the cancellation of coal operating contracts issued to the MG Mining and Energy Corporation (MGMEC) whose rights and privileges under the contract was transferred to Sultan Energy Philippines Corporation (SEPC), Daguma Agro-Minerals Incorporated (DAMI) and Bonanza Energy Resources Incorporated (BERI).
Quinones added that portions of the contract areas rest in a protected zone called “Watershed Forest Reservation of Allah Valley River System as declared under Proclamation No. 2455 issued on September 12, 1985, and Kabulnan Watershed Forest Reserve under Proclamation No. 214 issued on February 08, 2000 which serves as the headwater of many rivers in the Provinces of Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani.”
The area is also part of the Surallah-Baningo Resettlement Project established by the Ministry of Agrarian Reform in 1969 and is being cultivated by farmer settlers since then.
“All Coal Operating Contracts (COSs) should be cancelled now and no more area should be offered for coal extraction from now on” Quinones demands. (Press Release)
(CAGAYAN Journal - Aug 17) - Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today called for stronger government protection for the estimated 10 million Filipinos working abroad, especially against abuse by their employers or host countries.
At the same time, Roxas vowed to press for reforms in government policy involving the deployment of skilled and non-skilled workers to other countries as he noted the growing number of Filipinos overseas and the rising number of OFW-related incidents.
“Naniniwala akong ang pinakamahalaga nating maibibigay sa mga OFW natin ay seguridad. Kailangang bigyan natin ang mga OFW ng sapat na suporta at proteksyon para hindi sila abusuhin kapag nasa abroad na sila (I believe that the best thing we can give to our OFW is security for them. We need to give them all the support and protection so they will be spared abuse when they are abroad),” he said.
The Visayan senator said the government must also reduce the financial burden of Filipino overseas workers by removing the 0.15% Documentary Stamps Tax (DST) on money remittances to the country. It is a “significant financial burden to (OFWs) considering that the country is already experiencing unprecedented highs in food and oil prices,” he said.
At the same time, Roxas pushed for the professionalization of the Foreign Service system, which he said would ensure that only the most talented and most qualified are recruited by the government to ensure that our OFWs will get quality assistance from personnel and officers of the Department of
Foreign Affairs here and abroad.
He also pressed Malacanang to release the P50 million for the OFW Social Reintegration program that President Arroyo has yet to release to the Department of Labor and Employment. The program provides “balikbayan” OFWs with sufficient knowledge of how to use their savings as well as investment opportunities and other forms of reintegration assistance.
Roxas said the government must ensure that OFWs have access to communication wherever they are to so they can easily call Philippine offices in their areas in cases of employer problems and that free legal services for those facing legal problems are readily available.
He also said pre-departure orientation and preparation seminars should likewise be given to departing OFWs to brief them of their rights and on what they should and could do should they encounter difficulties in their jobs.
But all these reforms, he stressed, could only take place once an activist government – one that cares for and listen to its people – takes over from the current administration, which has consistently shown insensitivity to the plight of its workers abroad.
CAGAYANDEOROCITY (BEN BALCE / Cagayan Journal) – NORTHERN Mindanao police head Chief Superintendent Danilo Empedrad on Monday said that the captured of the regional leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in Mindanao last Saturday night is a “big loss” to their organization.
“He is a big fish. His apprehension is a big loss to their organization,” said Empedrad adding that considering he is the head of five Front committees of the NPA operating in Mindanao.
Alfredo Mapano a.k.a. Paris was captured by combined elements of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division and the Philippine National Police in Region 10.
Mapano according to Empedrad headed the North Central Mindanao areas whom under him different NPA committees such as the Local Terrorist Areas 88 and 4A in Agusan province, Local Terrorist Areas 89 and 6 in Bukidnon and the remnants of 4B in Misamis Oriental.
“He (Mapano) arrested at Middleton hotel in CDO while with his wife,” said Empedrad. He said that Mapano was reportedly while on vacation when he was arrested.
Army’s 4th Infantry Division spokesman Major Michelle Anayron said Mapano was captured by virtue of eight (8) warrants of arrests issued by the different trial courts in Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon and Agusan del Sur.
Over DxIF Bombo radio, Anayron said Mapano was unarmed when apprehended by the combined PNP and 4ID personnel.
The apprehending authorities served to the Mapano six warrants of arrests with no bail bond recommended according to Anayron.
Cases filed against Mapano were criminal cases numbers 2003-955 for robbery with homicide issued by the Regional Trial Court of Misamis Oriental, 10th Judicial Region, Cagayan de Oro City; 2252 for robbery with double homicide and damage to properties issued by RTC Branch 7, Bayugan, Agusan del Sur;
4603 for double murder with frustrated murder issued by RTC Branch 6, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur;2006-3388 for robbery with homicide issued by RTC Branch 43, Gingoog City;2003-955 for Robbery with Homicide issued by RTC Branch 18, Cagayan de Oro City; and Criminal Case Number 2846 for Murder issued by the Municipal Trial Court, Prosperided, Agusan del Sur.
Aside from the six non-bailable warrants of arrests, Mapano is also facing two arrest warrants under criminal case number 2006-3392 for frustrated murder issued by RTC 43, GingoogCity with recommended bail bond of Php 200,000.00 and Criminal Case number 15942-06 for Robbery issued by RTC Branch 8, MalaybalayCity with recommended bail bond of Php 40,000.00.
In a joint statement, Anayron said that 4ID commander, Brigadier General Mario Chan and Regional police head C/Superintendent Empedrad lauded the Army and PNP personnel involved in the operation.
Anayron said Chan and Empedrad also attributed the success of the operation to the various sectors of Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro (LGUs and Civilians) whose help and invaluable information led authorities to the exact location of Mapano and enabled authorities to serve the arrest warrants.
CAGAYANDEOROCITY - The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Misamis Oriental with the Office of the Presidential Assistance on the Peace Process (OPAPP) through the national government’s Social Integration Program (SIP) granted a total of P480,000 financial assistance to 24 former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in GingoogCity July 31, Friday.
Misamis Oriental governor Oscar S. Moreno with OPAPP program implementation and monitoring director Susana H. Macaida, vice-governor and PPOC chair Norris Babierra and GingoogCity mayor Ruthie de Lara-Guingona handed out 20,000-peso cheque each to the rebel returnees in a simple ceremony at the Sangguniang Panlungsod hall in this city.
Anak-Mindanao party-list representative Ariel Hernandez who, before winning a seat in the House of Representatives, was executive director of Balay Mindanao Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) and sat as vice-chair in the PPOC, also graced the occasion.
Governor Moreno, in an interview yesterday (Monday), assured the former CPP-NPA members that the provincial government with the national government agencies and development-oriented institutions will continually respond to the needs of the communities where they come from.
To drive home a point, the provincial governor narrated his personal experiences in transforming sitio Lantad of barangay Kibanban, Balingasag which, in the past, serve as the regional headquarters of the CPP-NPA, into an economically-thriving community today.
Already a special agrarian reform community (SARC), Lantad has been a recipient of numerous livelihood and basic infrastructure support programs from the time the provincial government constructed a road that would link it to the town proper.
Governor Moreno said they will also do the same to barangay Tama of Magsaysay which, for so many years in the past and just like Lantad, was a hotbed of insurgency. Barangay Tama was launched as a SARC two months ago.
For her part, director Macaida stressed that the giving out of financial assistance to those who decide to rejoin the mainstream society, after having been engaged in armed struggle to topple down the government, has been a national government’s program since the restoration of democratic institutions after the people power revolution in 1986.
The OPAPP, she said, continues work in the spirit of the National Reconciliation and Development Program (NRDP) that was launched by past President Corazon C. Aquino in 1987. Such, she said, was pursued by under President Fidel V. Ramos, President Joseph E. Estrada, and under incumbent President Gloria M. Arroyo.
Meanwhile, PPOC executive officer Teddy Sabuga-a disclosed that the giving out of financial assistance to former rebels took a long process since the profiling of the would-be beneficiaries have to be conducted.
Although majority of the 24 are from this city, the other beneficiaries are from the municipalities of Alubijid, Balingasag, Claveria, Lagonglong, Medina, Salay and even from neighboring province of Agusan del Norte.
Sabuga-a, who is also the provincial social welfare and development officer, said the profiling and the processing of financial assistance to rebel returnees were primarily the tasks of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), particularly DILG Misamis Oriental provincial director Ponciano D. Caberte and Gingoog City local government operations officer Rubiconceasar U. Agcopra (Uriel Quilinguing).
State of the Indigenous Peoples Affairs’ (SIPA) March from CDO Capitol to Divisoria Kiosk. The SIPA program like the signing and the SIPA reading. Handing over of SIPA to government representatives and support groups also includes the SIPA boodle fight. (Photos by Cheryl Polutan for LRC-KsK/FoEI)
CAGAYAN de Oro City (BONG FABE / Cagayan Journal /July 18, 2009) - ONLY a doctor appointed by a court where he is facing charges should determine whether Legacy Group’s Celso delos Angeles is fit to stand trial.
Nobody else––not the police or even his doctor––should determine whether he is healthy enough to face his accusers, said Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro.
Rodriguez, however, said if the court-appointed doctor finds that delos Angeles is not fit enough to stand trial, then “we should not drag him down to Cagayan de Oro for humanitarian reasons.”
“Let him stay and recuperate in the hospital. And when he is fit and has recovered from his sickness, then that’s the time he should face his accusers in a trial. But for now, the RTC in Cagayan de Oro should appoint a doctor to really see to it that he really is sick and cannot stand trial at this time,” said Rodriguez.
Delos Angeles was arrested Monday afternoon at the St. Luke’s Hospital by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) over a charge of syndicated estafa filed by Legacy Group customers here.
Delos Angeles, the mayor of Santo Domingo, Albay, is the owner of Legacy, which authorities said was behind one of the country’s biggest pyramiding scams that victimized thousands of people.
His arrest came just hours after the RTC Branch 17, 24 and 41 here issued the warrants for the arrest of delos Angeles and other local respondents last Monday.
The courts also recommended no bail for delos Angeles.
Legacy reportedly owes customers at least P14.4 billion, half of which is due to customers who have pre-need claims that amounted to P7 billion.
As of December 2008, Legacy sold 14,579 policies––3,585 for pension; 2,292 for education; and 3,702 for memorial.
Delos Angeles and other suspects are facing at least 31 cases of estafa here.
Of the 31 cases, 26 cases have already been resolved by the City Prosecutor’s Office, which issued the resolution for the issuance of arrest warrants against the accused.
Of the 26 cases resolved, three have already been issued warrants of arrest while the rest could not move on because of the failure of the complainants to pay the docket fee.
The State of the Bakwits (S.O.B.), a joint coverage of Mindanao and Manila journalists held on June 29 to July 1, 2009 was intended to focus public attention on a humanitarian tragedy that we believe has not been given the attention it deserves.
Coming from different media organizations in Mindanao and Manila, we issue this collective statement in view of the disturbing checkpoint incident on June 30 and certain pronouncements of the 6th
Infantry Division’s spokesperson about the organizers and participating journalists.
The coverage was prompted by persistent and alarming reports of alleged human rights violations like food blockades, illegal arrests, disappearances and summary executions; and that non-government and humanitarian organizations, even media, were also reportedly being prohibited from going to evacuation centers presumably to protect them from hostilities between government troops and rebel forces.
We came to validate these reports and to get a solid grasp of the actual situation in the evacuation centers so that concerned authorities will be able to appreciate more fully, and respond appropriately to, the complex problem of internal displacement in Maguindanao.
We found some of the answers even before reaching the evacuation centers.
On Tuesday, June 30, as we were proceeding to the evacuation sites in Datu Piang, Maguindanao, soldiers of the Army's 46th Infantry Battalion stopped us along the Cotabato-General Santos highway in Barangay Bagan, Guindulungan.
Those in the lead car of our nine-vehicle convoy were asked if we were from the media. Not one of the soldiers could tell us why we were being held. All they could say was we would be “released” when they receive “clearance” from Colonel Medardo Geslani, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade.
When contacted within the first five minutes of what turned out to be a 46-minute standoff, Geslani’s superior, Maj. Gen. Alfredo Cayton, commanding general of the 6th Infantry Division, said he would check with Geslani. Cayton said he was informed by Geslani that he ordered the journalists stopped because of ongoing "clearing operations" to ensure our safety from roadside bombs.
A day earlier, an improvised explosive device (IED) blew off in Barangay Kitango, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, killing two persons and injuring eight others.
The checkpoint personnel said nothing about “clearing operations.” Curiously, it was just the media vehicles that were stopped at the checkpoint.
If, indeed, there were IEDs on the roadside, why should media be given ‘preferential protection’?
And if, indeed, security was the main consideration, they could have notified us even before we had left CotabatoCity for Maguindanao since the organizers had been coordinating with the military panel of resource persons who confirmed participation in the subsequent forum in the afternoon of June 30.
We also would like to correct pronouncements made by the spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Ponce, who sent out text messages to reporters claiming that the journalists who were participating in the State of the Bakwits coverage were given “pocket money” by one of the organizations involved, which he alleged was connected to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The invitation clearly states who the organizers are.
Efforts to discredit our coverage by attempting to discredit the organizing groups will not be viewed kindly by the public especially since the case of the bakwits is a matter of national and international interest. For did we not rank first among all countries for having the “biggest new displacement in the world,” contributing 600,000 to the 4.2 million total of newly displaced in 2008, according to the April 2009 report of Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre?
We assert that trying to mask the magnitude of this crisis by stifling the free flow of information and the people's right to know can only worsen the current problem.
We agree with, and appreciate the statements of both the government and MILF peace panels during separate interactions with us, that the peace process should be accompanied by transparency.
We also believe that the achievement of a just and lasting negotiated resolution to the generations-old conflict besetting the Bangsamoro is possible only when all stakeholders are granted adequate access to information about and participation in the peace process.
This is why we are saddened that there remain elements of government who are trying to curtail access to information about the problems plaguing the Bangsamoro and the roots of the age-old conflict that continues to cause so much suffering, as well as vilify those who seek to uncover the truth surrounding the situation and explain these to the people.
This much we have learned from our experience as a people who lived through and eventually overcame 14 years of dictatorship: you can neither hide the truth forever nor allow it to be hidden.
ANY MORE ATTEMPT TO CURTAIL OR CONTROL THE FLOW OF INFORMATION VITAL TO THE PEOPLE’S UNDERSTANDING OF THIS CONFLICT, WILL DEFINITELY NOT SERVE THE CAUSE OF PEACE.
Atty. CHARINA SANZ
Mindanao ComStrat and Policy Alternatives
CAROLYN ARGUILLAS
MindaNews
FR. EDUARDO VASQUEZ, OMI
I-Watch
RED BATARIO
Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD)
MA. AURORA FAJARDO
Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project
NONOY ESPINA
National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)
RYAN ROSAURO
The Peace and Conflict Journalism Network (PECOJON)
