Kinazo being brought to the hospital. Photo by Richard Falcatan.Noong Sabado, habang atensyun ng bansa ay sa baha sa Metro Manila at Central Luzon, may malagim na nangyari sa Isabela City sa lalawigan ng Basilan.
Binaril si Daryll Kinazo, 45, election officer ng Isabela City pagkatapos ng registration para sa mga may kapansanan (Persons with Disabilities). Namatay siya sa speedboat na sana ay yun ang magdadala sa kanya sa ospital sa Zamboanga City, mga dalawang oras ang layo sa Basilan.
Ayun sa report ng Mindanews, mga 3 ng hapon, katatapos lang ng pagsupervise ni Kinazo ng registration para sa PWD sa gym ng lungsod. Sumakay ang Comelec opisyal sa kanyang motorsiklo pauwi sa kanyang bahay sa Barangay Balobo sa Lamitan City nang tinabihan siya ng motorsiklo na may sakay na dalawang tao (riding in tandem) at binaril.
Ting-Ting CojuangcoBinabatikos so Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, tiya ni Pangulong Aquino sa kanyang pagtakbo para sa posisyun na bise-gubernador ng Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao na kung hindi maipilit ng Malacañang ang pagpaliban ay gaganapin sa Agosto 8, 2011.
Extended ang deadline ng pag-file ng certificate of candidacy hanggang ngayong araw para sa mga may gusting tumakbo sa posisyun sa ARRM na kinabibilangan ng lima na probinsiya – Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan,Sulu at Tawi-Tawi– at ang lungsod ng Marawi.
NoongMartes , walo ang mga nakapagfile ng certificate of candidacy para sa posisyun ng gubernador: Ephraim Baldomero Defino; Alvarez Silal Isnaji; , Elsie New Orejudos; , Pangalian Macorao Balindong; , Kadra Asani Masihul;Pax Pakung Sandigan Mangudadatu; Sahiron Dulah Salim;Ansaruddin-Abdul Malik Alonto Adiong.
President Arroyo yesterday placed the provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City under a state of emergency following Monday’s massacre of around 40 family members of the Mangudadatu clan, their supporters and media men by around 100 armed men believed to be supporters of the Ampatuan clan in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province.
The state of emergency gives military and police wide powers of arrest and detention.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Proclamation Order No. 1946 was issued upon the recommendation of the Cabinet security cluster during the National Economic and Development Authority-National Anti-Poverty Commission Cabinet meeting in Malacañang.
Statement of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
It was a very sad day for our country yesterday. Forty people were reportedly abducted and killed in broad daylight allegedly by the security men of political warlords in Maguindanao with the possible involvement of some local law enforcement units.
The news may come as a shock for some but the truth is the brutal massacre merely highlighted what has been going on in many parts of our country all these years. This is ‘political warlordism’ at its worst! To make matters worse, the AFP/PNP are either accomplices, silents partners or helpless onlookers in these occurrences either by choice or through pressure from superiors. Often, the AFP/PNP area commanders are pressured or bribed by local politicians into issuing firearms for the latter ostensibly for security purposes but actually ends up being used for kidnapping, robbery, harassment/coercion, tribal wars and, in this case, a massacre of political foes. In an incident in 2001, then Col. Narcise, a newly assigned brigade commander in Basilan, recalled the government issued firearms of then Gov. Wahab Akbar but after a few days Col. Narcise was directed by then DND Sec. Reyes to return the said firearms to Akbar. The late Governor was a political ally of GMA and a personal friend of Reyes. Afterwards, Col. Narcise was unceremoniously relieved from his post by Reyes at the request of Akbar. Similar situations are happening in Maguindanao and other strife torn areas throughout the country.
That said, I will be filing a resolution on Monday calling for a Senate investigation on the Maguindanao massacre to find out the circumstances that led to this gruesome crime with a particular focus on the possible involvement/negligence of the AFP/PNP. Also, it intends to extract how many firearms have actually been issued by the AFP/PNP to all local officials not only in Maguindanao but all over the country with the end in view of recalling such firearms. Earlier, I have also filed a Gun Control Bill that intends to curb the proliferation of loose firearms. The bottom line is: WE HAVE TO GET THESE GUNS!
Now, this is just the first step. Ultimately, only an aggressive political/governance reform and development agenda can restore peace, progress and democracy in these areas. Let’s just hope Noynoy (or whoever will be the next president) has one.
“The state of emergency shall remain in force and effect until lifted or withdrawn by the President,” Remonde said.
Last Wednesday morning, the last day of our three-day seminar-workshop in Cagayan de Oro on “Preparing for the 2010 Election” organized by the Philippine Press Institute and supported by The Coca-Cola Export Corporation, Carol Arguillas and Froilan Gallardo of Mindanews, were nowhere to be seen.
The day before, Carol made a presentation on “Elections and Peace in Mindanao” which disturbed many of us.
We were told that Carol and Froilan had to leave for Marawi City in Lanao del Sur early morning because of the incident of grenade explosion Tuesday afternoon that killed three and injured about 20 persons. We saw Carol and Froilan in the afternoon looking weary, from the interviews they did with the injured and other witnesses to the explosion.
Governor Datu Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) “encountered difficulties” with his United States visa and was held briefly when he arrived at the Los Angeles airport (LAX) with his family on April 26.
But ARMM Solicitor General Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi denied reports Ampatuan’s visa was canceled and that he was questioned for allegedly bringing with him $6 million.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Franklin Ebdalin told VERA Files on Monday that the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles “did not disclose the reason for Ampatuans being held up in immigration.”
