Government working to secure civilians in the
ongoing Sulu fight
The
government is working to ensure that no civilian will be harmed in the ongoing
fighting between the members of the Moro National Liberation Front and the Abu
Sayyaf Group in Sulu, Malacanang said on Monday.
Presidential
Spokesman Edwin Lacierda made an assurance during a press briefing in
Malacanang Monday saying “the clash is occurring in a specific isolated area.
Majority of occupants are either part of ASG or MNLF. What we have done as
government is to secure the safety of the civilians in those areas.”
“So right
now they’re being evacuated and Secretary Dinky Soliman is in fact in Mindanao
right now and we have identified evacuation centers. The civilians in those
areas are now in evacuation centers.”
The Sulu
police said 13 people have been killed from the ASG side, while eight were
recorded from the MNLF side after the fire fight in Kabbun Takas in Sulu.
Lacierda
said they still don’t have information to verify whether the MNLF fighting the
Abu Sayyaf are integrees to the military.
The
Palace official also allayed fears that the MNLF, which forged a peace
agreement with the government in the mid-1990s, will abide by the law and not
target other armed groups in Mindanao.
“Well,
there’s no concern right now on that point. A lot of MNLF members have returned
to the fold of government. In fact, some of them are already occupying
positions of public authority so we’re not concerned with that,” he said.
The Abu
Sayyaf, which allegedly has links with Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda network, is
one of the major threats to the country’s peace and security. The group carried
out several kidnapping operations in the past particularly against foreign
nationals. PND (as)
Palace vows safe, orderly midterm polls
Malacanang assured that it will go after
politicians who maintain private armed groups as the country prepares for the
midterm election this May.
The
campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to dismantle private armed
groups and account for all loose firearms continues to make the upcoming
election safe and orderly, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a
press briefing in Malacanang on Monday.
It was
reported that some members of Congress, particularly in the Zamboanga Peninsula,
maintain private armies and the proliferation of unlicensed guns remains a
concern.
“Yes.
Loose firearms are certainly frowned upon. We are going to strengthen the
security in that area,” Lacierda told reporters. “We are going to go after all
those individuals who are holding loose or unlicensed firearms. Dismantling
private armed groups is part of the directive of the President. He said the PNP
should go after private armed groups regardless of who they are,” he added.
The
President has ordered the PNP to make sure that firearms are accounted for and
the gun ban should be strictly enforced particularly in Zamboanga.
“Walang
sinasanto ang Pangulo. Pag sinabing private armed groups, di ba bawal yan? Yan
ang instruction ni Pangulong Aquino. We had a meeting several months back on
the private armed groups and the President made it clear that these groups must
be dismantled” Lacierda said. PND (as)
Aquino welcomes new ambassadors of Malaysia, Cambodia and Italy
President
Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed the new ambassadors of Malaysia, the Kingdom of
Cambodia and the Republic of Italy, who presented their respective credentials
to the Chief Executive in Malacanang Palace on Monday.
The
President first welcomed His Excellency Dato' Mohd Zamri Bin Mohd Kassim,
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia at the Music Room of
Malacanang Palace. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief of Mission/Minister
Zakaria Nasir, Minister Counsellor Adnan Ababs, Defence Attache Colonel Hamzah
Ali and Export Promotion Counsellor Har Man Ahmad.
The
Philippines and Malaysia have a long standing and good diplomatic relations and
the new ambassador to the Philippines has expressed his government's interest
in further promoting the whole range of bilateral cooperation.
Her
Excellency Tuot Panha, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipontentiary of the
Kingdom of Cambodia, presented her credentials to the President. The
presentation of credentials was witnessed by Charge d' Affaires Tan
Chandaravuth, First Secretary Roth Phally and Accountant and Attache Vong
Sopheap.
Panha
reiterated her country's commitment to bolster relations with the Philippines.
His
Excellency Massimo Roscigno, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the Republic of Italy met the Chief Executive to present his credentials. He
was accompanied by his wife Agnes Ventura-Roscigno, of Filipino descent, Deputy
Head of Mission Dr. Alfonso Tagliaferri, Administrative Attache Dr. Anna Maria
Salvini and Head of Consular Office Dr. Antonio Gallo.
He
reiterated Italy’s commitment to further strengthen the friendship cultivated
by both countries for the past years.
Also
present during these events was Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.
PND (js)
President Aquino to inaugurate Andres Bonifacio
Graduate and Professional School Building in Dipolog City Tuesday
DIPOLOG
CITY – President Benigno S. Aquino III will inaugurate the Andres Bonifacio
Graduate and Professional School Building (ABGPSB) in ceremonies that will be
held at the school’s campus in Barangay Miputak, here on Tuesday.
Joining
the President will be Sancho S. Amatong, president of the Andres Bonifacio
College; Isagani S. Amatong, member of the Board of Directors of the Andres Bonifacio
College and Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.
Built at
a cost of P70-million, the ABGPSB was constructed to meet the growing demand
for an institution to host post graduate studies for students seeking even
higher learning after college.
Construction started in 2007 and was
eventually finished in 2011 with the first batch of faculty, staff and students
occupying the five-storey school building that features a clock tower that is
considered a Dipolog City landmark.
The
building is the home of the Main Library, the School of Law, the Graduate
School, the School of Education, the College Auditorium, the AB College
Memorabilia and Art Gallery. PND (rck)
Palace welcomes release of two Filipino hostages
in Sulu
MALACANANG on Monday welcomed the release of
two Filipino crewmen of Jordanian television journalist Baker Abdulla Atyani
who were kidnapped last year by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) hoping that the
reporter and other foreigner captives will be released soon.
“We certainly welcome the release of the two
Filipino cameramen and, of course, we hope that all the captives will be
released but, again, that will take some time,” Presidential spokesperson Edwin
Lacierda said in a press briefing in Malacanang.
Abu Sayyaf bandits released cameraman Ramel Vela
and audio technician Roland Letriro last Saturday in Jolo, Sulu. The two,
together with Atyani, have been held by the notorious bandit group since June
last year.
Authorities believed that Atyani is still alive
and is still in the hands of the ASG.
Vela and Letriro, meanwhile, were brought to
Camp Crame in Quezon City to undergo further investigation.
The two earlier said that they were clueless why
they were released by the bandit group and there was also no information
whether ransom money was paid for their freedom.
The Abu Sayyaf reportedly had demanded P130
million ($3.1 million) for the release of Atyani and his team.
Meantime, Malacanang said the government will
continue to impose a news blackout in efforts to save the remaining hostages of
the ASG.
“Any sensitive operation would require
government not to disclose to the public for operational reasons and I’m sure
the public would sympathize with why we do not disclose sensitive operations,”
said Lacierda. PND (jb)
Aquino to attend 2013 Philippines Development
Forum in Davao City
President
Benigno S. Aquino III will attend Tuesday the 2013 Philippines Development
Forum (PDF) in Davao City as part of his administration’s thrust to move the
country forward.
The President
is expected to arrive at Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City Tuesday morning for the
development forum. He will be joined by some of members of his Cabinet,
officials from the World Bank and local Davao City officials.
The
Philippines Development Forum is the primary mechanism of the government for
facilitating substantive dialogue among stakeholders on the country’s
development agenda.
The forum
also serves as a process to develop consensus and generate commitment among
different stakeholders toward critical actionable items of the government’s
reform agenda.
The last
forum was held February 26, 2011 in Manila. Around 300 participants from the
government, international development partners and other stakeholders attended
the event.
A special
forum was also held in 2009 that focused on post-disaster assistance in
response to the impact of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.
The PDF
evolved from consultative group meeting, which were held every 18 months or so
among government and members of the international development partners that
comprised the Philippine Consultative Group.
This
group is co-chaired by the Philippine government, the Department of Finance and
the World Bank. In 2004, it was agreed to widen the participation in the
Consultative Group to include those from the civil society, academe, private
sector, and legislative branch of government.
The PDF
process involves continuing dialogue on different areas through working groups.
Currently, there are 10 working groups
focusing on the following themes: Millennium Development Goals and social
progress, growth and investment climate, economic and fiscal reforms,
government and anti-corruption, decentralization and local government,
sustainable rural development, Mindanao, infrastructure, rule of law, and
climate change. PND (as)
