Arroyo orders arrest of Maguindanao massacre killers

 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered today the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to deploy units to conduct immediate pursuit of the perpetrators of the gruesome massacre of the members of Mangudadatu clan and media in Maguindanao.

“I order all units to pursue the perpetrators, to restore order and secure affected areas in Maguindanao,” the President said in a statement at the opening of today’s joint National Economic Development Authority-Cabinet meeting at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room in Malacanang.

The Cabinet meeting was originally scheduled in the world-famous Boracay island. It was moved to Malacanang due to the Maguindanao incident.

Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III had earlier said the president and her cabinet will study if there was need to declare a state of emergency in Maguindanao.

The chief executive ordered Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales and Lt. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang, acting AFP Chief of Staff, “to personally oversee military action against the perpetrators of these dastardly acts that occurred yesterday.”

She said “no effort will be spared to bring justice to the victims.”
The president also announced the establishment of checkpoints and chokepoints, with elements of Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade already in place to preserve peace and secure the area.

She appointed Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Jesus Dureza as the head of the Crisis Committee for Maguindanao.

The bodies of 22 kidnap victims, out of the 44 reported abducted, including the wife and relatives of Buluan town's vice mayor Ismael Mangudadatu, a gubernatorial aspirant in Maguindanao, were recovered by the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade Monday afternoon.

The bodies, recovered in Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town, reportedly showed "signs of mutilation."

Reports said Mangudadatu’s wife, Genalyn, his sister, some relatives and members of the media were on their way to file his certificate of candidacy for governor of Maguindanao province when a group of about 100 armed men abducted them.

Nuisance Po runs for governor in Misamis Oriental again

Texts: JOEL ESCOL

Executive Editor

People usually call this man a nuisance candidate since he’s been running for governor in Misamis Oriental as an independent candidate.

Just as the provincial office of the Commission on Elections started to receive certificates of candidacies (COCs) the other day for politicians running for different positions, 73-year-old Manuel Po’s name has again surfaced as among the candidates for governor in Misamis Oriental. For the third time Po filed again his certificate of candidacy as gubernatorial candidate without a party. Po hails from Lower Jasaan. Misamis Oriental and he filed his COC after lunch last Friday.

In 2004 and the subsequent elections in 2007 Po ran in the same post but lost to famous candidate Governor Oscar Moreno. 

In a related news, Roldan Lagbas, son of the late Congressman Danilo Lagbas of the First District of Misamis Oriental also filed his candidacy for mayor in Sugbongcogon town, as an independent candidate.

In Cagayan de Oro City, City Comelec officer Linda Castillo told the media since the filing started on November 20, 2009, no one has yet filed a certificate of candidacy in the city.

But rumors are starting to surface that Vice Mayor Vicente Emano, titular head of Padayon Pilipino, is aiming to be re-elected mayor of the city in 2010.

Emano, who is now with vice presidential aspirant Joseph Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, will be tandem by Congressman Rufus Rodriguez, who is seeking his second term in the second district.

There were also reports that Emano’s tandem in the First District is former City Councilor Benjamin “Benjo” Benaldo, who is also seeking a seat as representative against incumbent congressman Rolando Uy.

Benaldo lost to Rep Rufus Rodriguez in 2007 when he ran in the second district but the two leaders of the city are now under one roof. City Councilor Ramon Tabor is also reported to be Emano’s vice mayoralty candidate.

Iligan grade schoolers vow as junior heroes

ILIGAN City — In a simple ceremony at the South II Central School auditorium in Barangay Suarez, Iligan City, pupils belonging to the 5th and 6th grade levels took their oath as Junior Heroes.

Our intention is to uplift the literacy rate of pupils under its locality on crime prevention, thus, we have this school-based program for them to get involve, said P/Chief Inspector Ronnie D. Calungsod, station commander of the Iligan City Police Station 2, Iligan City Police Office (ICPO)-Philippine National Police (PNP), based at Sitio Nunucan, barangay Maria Cristina, this city.

Calungsod added, as junior heroes, these pupils will be our partners in the call for peace.

“Basically, we conduct lectures at the school for the children to be alert at all times, to know their community especially to hang around strangers inhibiting the area, and to help maintain the surroundings clean to avoid improper disposal of garbage where it could be a strategic place for bomb disposal, too,” said Calungsod.

After having sworn in, the 500 junior heroes were given a coloring book, crayon and a tri-color wrist band marked with ‘Junior Heroes.’

The coloring book entitled, “Mundong Walang IED,” (A World without Improvised Explosive Devise [IED]), aimed at making children learn to understand the message which calls for them to be aware of the situation and that they can attribute by simply calling the PNP or any authorities for assistance.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Military Information Team has complemented the PNP’s program by giving the information materials given to the Junior Heroes.

Two (2) other barangays being implemented with this program include Tambacan and Tipanoy, this city. (Lorry V. Gabule