Palace condemns attack in Zamboanga
Malacanang on Monday condemned the attack
allegedly perpetrated by members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)
against government troops in Zamboanga City that left one soldier dead and six
others wounded.
“We condemn the attack on Zamboanga City in the
strongest possible terms. It is incumbent on all people of goodwill to reject
the violence that has erupted,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said
in a statement.
Lacierda expressed “great concern” over the
ongoing skirmishes in the city following reports that at least 30 civilians
including children were reportedly being held hostage by the MNLF rebels and
are being used as “human shields”.
“The ongoing attack of armed individuals in
Zamboanga City, including initial reports of the possible use of civilians as
human shields, is a cause for great concern,” he said.
He assured that authorities are responding to
the situation particularly in reducing risk to civilians and are working on
restoring peace in Zamboanga City at the soonest time possible.
Lacierda, likewise, said that President Benigno
Aquino III is closely monitoring the incident and keeping himself apprised of
any development.
“The City government has appealed for the
national government to help; the President is being briefed on the situation
and is receiving updates as new information comes in,” he said.
Malacanang, meanwhile, warned the public against
spreading speculations that might further inflict fear on the people of
Zamboanga.
“We ask our fellow citizens to refrain from
spreading speculations, as fear and alarm spread by disinformation will only
help those intent on disrupting the lives of residents of Zamboanga City,”
Lacierda said.
Zamboanga City Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar
said that hundreds of armed followers of former MNLF chairman Nur Misuari
launched an attack in Zamboanga City before dawn Monday supposedly with demands
of declaring independence from the Philippines government.
Climaco-Salazar has suspended classes and
operations of government offices within the city due to the situation.
At least 11 MNLF members were arrested following
the incident. PND (jb)
President Aquino welcomes Air Asia executives in
Malacañang
President Benigno S. Aquino III personally
welcomed the officers of Air Asia, Incorporated after the officials, led by its
chief executive officer Tony Fernandez, called on the President in Malacanang
on Monday.
Joining Fernandez during the courtesy call were
Antonio Cojuangco, chairman Philippines Air Asia, Inc.; Marianne Hontiveros,
president and CEO of Philippines Air Asia, Inc.; Michael Romero, chairman of
Zest Air, Inc.; and Josephine Joy Cañeba, director of Zest Airways, Inc.
With the President in welcoming the guests
include Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, Civil
Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General William Hotchkiss and
Manila International Airport Administration General Manager Jose Angel Honrado.
Air Asia Inc., operating in the country as
Philippines Air Asia is a low-cost airline based at Clark International Airport
in Angeles City, Pampanga. The airline is the Philippine affiliate of Air Asia,
a low-cost airline based in Malaysia.
Philippines Air Asia is finally slated to take
delivery of additional aircraft towards the end of 2013 – the first time it has
expanded its fleet since its March 2012 launch. The additional aircraft will
likely be used to launch services of the airline company from the Philippines
to Japan. The Air Asia Group also has said it will pursue expansion to China,
Taipei and Korea. PND (rck)
President Aquino declares September 17 as
special non-working day in Bontoc, Mountain Province in commemoration of its
Foundation Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
September 17, which falls on a Tuesday, as a special (non-working day) in the
municipality of Bontoc in the Mountain Province in commemoration of its
Foundation Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 650 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on September 4 to give the people of Bontoc municipality the full opportunity
to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
In 1908, the old Mountain Province was created
with seven (7) sub-provinces comprised of Bontoc-Lepanto, Amburayan, Ifugao,
Kalinga, Benguet and Apayao .
The sub-provinces were later merged and split
into five provinces namely, Benguet, Ifugao, Bontoc, Apayao and Kalinga.
In 1967, the division of these five provinces
gave birth to four new provinces namely: Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao and
Mountain Province.
The sub-province of Bontoc retained its name
Mountain Province. Bontoc is the capital town of Mountain Province. PND (js)
President Aquino orders concerned government
agencies to ensure safety of civilians in Zamboanga City
President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed
concerned government agencies to take steps in ensuring the safety of the
civilians following the clash between government troops and alleged members of
a Moro National Liberation Front faction in Zamboanga City on Monday, Palace
official said.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in
a press briefing in Malacanang on Monday that the Chief Executive convened on
Monday the Security Cluster regarding the Zamboanga City incident that
reportedly claimed the lives of at least six people.
"At lunchtime today, the President met with
the Security Cluster and was briefed by the AFP and the PNP. The President
directed that certain steps be taken to ensure that the safety of the civilian
population in general be protected," Lacierda said.
"The President has also been in direct
contact with the city government of Zamboanga. At this time, upon the direction
of the President, the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, the
Secretary of National Defense, and the AFP Chief of Staff have been sent to
Zamboanga City, where they will further ensure that the President’s directives
are carried out and will update him accordingly," Lacierda stressed.
In the interest of public safety, Lacierda said
that the government is appealing to all Zamboanga City residents to stay alert
for official announcements and updates, and to cooperate with the authorities.
News reports said Zamboanga City police arrested
11 alleged members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) after a predawn
clash with the military on Monday.
At least two government troops and 4 civilians
died while 24 others were wounded then they tried to prevent some 50 heavily
armed men from landing at the coast of Barangay Sta. Barbara shortly before
3:00 a.m. Monday.
Classes and government offices in the city were
suspended on Monday, while incoming and outgoing commercial flights to
Zamboanga City have been cancelled by commercial airlines due to the ongoing
peace and order crisis in this city.
Affected by the clashes were Sta. Catalina, Sta.
Barbara, Talon-talon and Mampang villages. Reports said alleged MNLF members
are holding 20 people as hostages while at least 200 individuals are stranded
in Sta. Catalina. PND (js)
Palace says Aquino government has not terminated
the 1996 Final Peace Agreement signed between government and Moro National
Liberation Front
The Aquino administration reiterated that the
government has not terminated the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) signed
between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a Palace
official said on Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda issued
the statement during the press briefing in Malacanang on Monday following the
release of misinformation that the government has already abrogated the 1996
Final Peace Agreement (FPA) signed between the government and the MNLF.
Reports said MNLF chairman Nur Misuari had
threatened to declare an independent Bangsamoro Republic with its own
Constitution due to efforts of the government to abrogate the 1996 Final Peace
Agreement (FPA) signed between the government and the MNLF.
"They were insinuating that the GPH
(Government of the Philippines) terminated the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. That
is not true. In fact, there is an ongoing tripartite review process of the
implementation of the GPH-MNLF peace pact through the facilitation of the
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)," he said.
"Actually, there is going to be a meeting
next week in regard to that, so the inference na nag-terminate ang GPH ‘nung
peace agreement, hindi po totoo ‘yon. What we’ve been told is that they have
been spreading disinformation that terminated na. That is why may kaunting
agam-agam sa ground, that is why we had to reassure them," Lacierda said.
Lacierda explained what the government had
proposed was the completion of the review process and not the closure of the
peace process or the abrogation of the 1996 FPA.
"May isang representative from Indonesia
who met with Atty. Fontanilla. Wala hong katotohanan na we’ve already
terminated it," he said.
"There is an ongoing tripartite review
process to be facilitated by OIC. In fact, they are meeting next week....The
third-party facilitator here, Indonesia, was aware of the tripartite review
process and, in fact, there is going to be a meeting between GPH-MNLF and
Indonesia on this," Lacierda further said. PND (js)
