14 barangays occupied by 800-man rebel band
by Raymond Africa
Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno yesterday gave the Moro Islamic Liberation Front up to 10 a.m. today to vacate areas it has occupied in North Cotabato, on pain of an all-out offensive.
Puno said reports reaching his office showed some 800 MILF members under one Commander Umbrahato of the MILF’s 105th Base Command have taken over 14 barangays in five towns since July 1.
Sa “Strictly Politics” noong Martes, kinumpirma ni North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Piñol na kanyang mensahe ang umiikot sa text na nanawagan sa mga tao na humanda magdepensa sa sarili. Itong ang text:
“My beloved people. Tonite I was told by a top govt official that if our opposition to be included in the ARMM will result in MILF attacks, the armed forces will not be able to help us all out because that is the policy of this government. If this is the case we have to defend ourselves. Let us be brave and stand firm. God is with us”
The opposition suspects Gloria Arroyo is pushing for a piecemeal political settlement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in order to pursue her agenda of staying in power beyond 2010 through Charter change.
There is basis to this suspicion, but it should guard against under-estimating the wiliness of Gloria.
Update: Govt panel belies MILF claim
by Victor Reyes
Malaya
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front considers the agreement on ancestral domain “a done deal” and expects the government to abide by its provisions despite its aborted signing yesterday, an MILF official said.
“The MILF leadership, which is the Central Committee of the MILF, has an official position. that the memorandum of agreement on the Bangsamoro Ancestral Domain has been signed,” said Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs.
Hininto ng Korte Suprema ang pirmahan ng mga representatives ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas at ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front ng napagkasunduan tungkol sa pagpatayo ng BangsaMoro Juridical Entity (BJE) na sana ay ngayong araw sa Kuala Lumpur.
Sa mga lumabas na dokumento ng agreement, maliban sa limang probinsya na kasama ngayon sa Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) -Maguindanao,Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Sulu , Tawi-tawi at marawi City, 712 pa na barangays sa lalawigan ng Sultan Kudarat, Lanao de Norte kasama ang 98 na barangay sa Zamboanga, at sobra isang daan na barangay sa North Cotabato and isasama sa BJE.
The Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on the signing of the agreement on ancestral domain between the representatives of the Philippine government and…
I never cease to be amazed at the Filipino’s sense of humor. The wit and the timing are truly amazing.
Take these two postings in my blog. The letter of “Badong” to “Menggay” was posted by Juggernaut.
Menggay’s reply was posted by Tongue-Twisted. Ang galing!
Hindi natin napansin ito noong sinabi ni Gloria Arroyo tungkol sa SSS sa kanyang state of the nation address dahil masyado kasi tayong na-excited sa sinabi niyang 50 centavos na lang ang text sa halip na piso na lumabas palang malaking pambobola.
(Maliban sa promo pala ng Smart at Globe hanggang Oktubre lang, para lang para sa pre-paid. Hindi kasama ang plan subscriber. At kailangan ka magregister at magbayad ng P20. At ang P20 pala ay hanggang 40 lang na text.)
Ito ang kanyang sinabi: “Pag-Ibig housing loans increased from P3.82 billion in 2001 to P22.6 billion in 2007. This year it experienced an 84% increase in the first four months alone. Super heating na. Dapat dagdagan ng GSIS at buksan muli ng SSS ang pautang sa pabahay. I ask Congress to pass a bill allowing SSS to do housing loans beyond the present 10% limitation.”
In a meeting of Sen. Mar Roxas with bloggers last Friday at the Annabel’s restaurant in Quezon City, a vitual rally was launched. Check it…