February 13, 201018 The Mindanao CROSS

Melendrez proposesmandated CCTV useComelec

monitorsposter

placement

Task force HELP - CM organized

ENVOY’S CALL --- United Kingdom Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie beams as he gives to acting ARMM Governor Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong a copy of a British magazine containing mainly stories and photos of Muslim English people and their undertakings, during his visit Thursday to the Office of the Regional Governor. Amb. Lillie addressed earlier that day a meeting set by the ARMM officialdom where he assured anew his government’s support to the Mindanao peace process after having been accepted membership in the International Contact Group tasked to assist the talks between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front. (BPI ARMM)

to harmonize conflict-resolutionDAVAO CITY -- Officials of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on

the Peace Process (OPPAP) and the Government Peace Negotiating Panel holding talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) held a meeting last week in Davao City for a discussion on and presentation of a working framework for the Task Force HELP-CM, which stands for Health, Education, Livelihood, and Progress in Central Mindanao.

Atty. Camilo Miguel “Bong“ Montesa, assistant secretary for the Peace Pro-cess, facilitated the workshop on how to help the internal displaced persons (IDPs) in Maguidanao , Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato.

President Gloria Macapa-gal-Arroyo, he said, created the Task Force HELP-CM, through Administrative Order No. 267, to synchronize, harmonize, and integrate government efforts in dealing with internal armed conflict with the MILF and put in place the needed peace, security, and development.

Montesa said the latest conflict in Central Mindanao revolve around the atrocities perpetrated by three lawless MILF renegades known as Commanders Kato, Bravo, and Pagalian and the subsequent military pursuits against these renegades.

The Task Force HELP-CM are composed of OPPAP Secretary Jesus Dureza; con-venor, Executive Officer Ana-belle Abaya of the OPAPPP; Chairman Rafael Seguis of the Government Peace Panel; Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Sealana, chairman, GRP Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (GRP CCCH); Assistant Secretary Camilo Miguel Montesa, lead point person of the OPPAP; OPAM Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro; Olie Dagala of MEDCO/OPAMIN, Autono-

mous Region in Muslim Min-danao Acting Governor Ansa-ruddin Adiong; Maguindanao Acting Governor Noriman Am-bolodto; North Governor Jesus Sacdalan; Sultan Kudarat Gov-ernor Suharto Mangundadatu; Maj. Gen. Glenn Rabonza, executive officer, Department of National Defense - National Disaster Coordinating Council; Director Sorahaida Taha of the Department of Social Welfare and Development XII; DSWD Assistant Secretary Ruel Lu-centales; Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command; Maj. Gen.Anthony Alcantara, 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division; and PNP-ARMM Director Se-nior Superintendent Bien-venido G. Latag.

The Task Force HELP-CM serves as a mechanism for the convergence of enhanced co-operation, coordination, policy consistency, adoption of com-mon framework, information sharing and problem-solving activities of the different agen-cies involved in defusing con-flict in Central Mindanao. Among its “desired” goals are:

• Forging a peaceful, negotiated final political settle-ment with the MILF;

• Addressing the con-cerns arising from continued armed hostilities, the protec-tion of civilian communities and non-combatants, especially from the lawless MILF ren-egades;

• Reducing impact of the conflict on the communities in the conflict-affected areas, especially on the internally displaced persons (IDP’s); and

• Pursuing “humanitar-ian offensives” to address the root causes of the conflict (pov-erty and exclusion from access to education, employment, and livelihood.

In the other side of the meeting, Montesa bared some points reached in the January 27 -28 17th GRP-MILF Explor-atory Talks in Kuala Lumpur:

• To preserve previous gains made in the peace pro-cess, and

• To review each other’s draft text for their February 18 – 19 talks in a bid to achieve a comprehensive and negotiated peace solution.

To dispel doubts on the so-called manipulated prepared proforma of the resolution, Antonio La Vina, GRP legal adviser, clarified that the meet-ing in Kuala Lumpur had only one purpose – “the exchange of draft peace agreement” with no imposed pre-conditions for the formal negotiational stage.

In another issue, the MILF did not demand that govern-ment forces stop the campaign against the “rogue” elements in its ranks who attacked com-munities in North Cotabato following the botched signing of the Memorandum of Agree-ment on Ancestral Domain. (Benny Queman)

SALUTING THE FLAG --- Acting ARMM Governor Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong (3rd from left) joins the leadership of the Police Regional Office in the ARMM during the 19th Anniversary Celebration of the Philippine National Police on February 5 at Camp S.K. Pendatun, Parang Maguindanao. This year’s theme is “Mamamayan at Kapulisan Bayanihang Pangkatahimikan at Pangkaayusan.” Marching at left is PRO-ARMM chief Senior Superintendent Bienvinido G. Latag. (TOMMY A. TEE)

IFJ, NUJP ask policeto protect Malu Manar

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in North Cotabato on Tues-day has directed all pro-vincial coordinators of national candidates to co-ordinate with the election officers in the province before posting campaign materials for the May 10 synchronized presidential and local elections.

“This is to ensure that campaign paraphernalia are placed only in the designated poster areas,” Acting Provincial Election Supervisor Rey Tubelona said.

This regulation ap-plies throughout the coun-try and already there are violations as posters are seen posted on disallowed places. This violation was also rampant in the previ-ous elections.

Tubelona also in-structed the North Cota-bato’s 17 election officers to strictly monitor the posting of campaign ma-terials and tarpaulins of various presidential, vice- presidential, and senato-rial candidates outside the designated common areas.

“You have to remove all illegally posted cam-paign materials and im-mediately notify the coor-dinators of various nation-al candidates and inform

AMID the rise of crimi-nalities in the city and some-times becoming daring, Co-tabato City Councilor Atty. Froilan R. Melendrez has pro-posed an ordinance mandat-ing the installation of Closed Circuit Telivision (CCTV) or Video Surveillance System in the premises of private estab-lishments and public places.

Melendrez explained that new technologies have been designed to address problems of this nature and has been used by other cities nation-wide.

"With the advent of tech-nologies, we have to take ad-vantage with it, so that it could be easier for our law enforcers to go against the perpetrators doing nefarious activities in the city," Melendrez said.

Melendrez further said that with the use of the video cameras in and outside estab-lishments, they can record

persons coming in and out their premises and monitor the ongoings inside.

"Police investigators would have easier time piec-ing together information about suspects and experiencing successful solutions of crimes … These have been acknowl-edged in other cities," Melen-drez said.

At 2 p.m. on February 15, the joint committees on laws, police, and trade and industry will conduct a public hearing with establishment owners in the city and other sectors in order to discuss the salient features of the proposed ordi-nance and to get their opinion about the proposal.

Melendrez appealed to the city residents to be vigilant all the time and support the proposal “so that our law en-forcers can function effectively by using the modern technol-ogy." (Vern D. Simon)

THE International Fed-eration of Journalists (IFJ) has joined the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in demanding the Philippine authorities to respond im-mediately in protecting Malu Cadeliña-Manar, the chairwoman of the NUJP’s Kidapawan City chapter in Mindanao.

Cadeliña-Mnar is an-chorwoman and program directress of Radio Station DXND based in Kidapawan City.

Manar received a se-ries of death threats by cell phone soon after conducting an interview about motorcy-cle thefts with North Cota-bato Police Director Senior Superintendent Norberto Batisalong on Kidapwatan’s dxND radio network.

These came from a cell-

phone with the number 09301186508 immediately after the radio show was broadcast in which the po-lice chief stated they know who the suspects are. The police officer also added that this is an organized ring that strips the bikes down and reassemble them to hide their identities before selling them on.

The first message said: “Masaket ka magsolte Malo, maghulat ka kay kame ang magdurog at magwasak sa imo [You speak harshly, Malu, you wait because we will crush and destroy you].”

A second message ac-knowledged that those be-hind the threats could iden-tify her. It said: “Kilala ka namo. Baga imo glasses [We know you. You have thick glasses].”

The motorcycle thefts

have become a wave in the very recent past, with two people killed during the thefts.

“Too many journalists’ lives have been lost in the Philippines, notably in Min-danao, due to the failure of authorities to respond to intimidation and threats of violence against the media,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

“ Immediate act ion must be taken by the Phil-ippine Police to provide every protection to Malu Cadeliña-Manar to ensure her safety.”

The IFJ joins the NUJP in demanding that the ad-ministration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo take immediate concrete action to end impunity for violence against journalists. (www.Balitapinoy.net)

First ARMM drug facility opens in MaguindanaoDATU HOFER, Maguin-

danao – An out-patient treat-ment and rehabilitation center and a drug-testing lab formal-ly opened here on Monday to cater to the needs of drug de-pendents in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), particularly in this province on suspicion that the November 23 massacre of 57 civilians was reportedly perpetrated by heavily armed men allegedly "high on drugs."

Justice and human rights authorities, including other investigating agencies of the government had earlier sur-mised that some if not all of the perpetrators in the grue-some mass murder could have been users of prohibited drugs

realizing that their victims were helpless civilians, mostly journalists and women.

"The drug problem in Maguindanao must be seri-ously looked into," said Ma-guindanao health chief Tahir Sulaik.

Sulaik, a physician, was able to convince the central office of the Department of Health (DOH) to initially allocate P2.5 million for the project and bragged that the Provincial Health Office has still a cash balance of P1.6 million which will be used in its anti-drug campaign di-rectly under the supervision of laboratory chief Dr. Harris Macapeges.

Bai Nariman Ambolodto,

acting Maguindanao governor, has lauded the project urging local government units to cooperate in identifying drug dependents and have them treated and rehabilitated.

"It would be good if these facilities and structures can also be established in other parts of the ARMM that would serve the island-provinces of Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-tawi," said Dr. Kadil Sinolind-ing, newly installed regional health secretary, a post va-cated by Sulaik following the suspension of ARMM Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, one of those implicated in the November mass slay.

"We have to motivate other provincial health officers

that if Maguindanao can do it, then I don't think other prov-inces cannot do it," Sinolinding said, adding that this will need "the expertise of Doctor Sulaik who was able to make it run."

DOH central office rep-resentative Dr. Ladislao Yuchongco Jr., head of the Dangerous Drugs Abuse Pre-vention Treatment Program, assured to continually sup-port Maguindanao and the entire region's health concern against the increasing cases of drug dependency.

Chief Superintendent Bi-envinido Latag, ARMM police director, admitted that major-ity of the crimes committed have been induced through the use of shabu, marijuana, and

other "high-enhancing drugs."Latag said that illegal

drugs, an indispensable com-modity among gun-for-hire and kidnap-for-ransom groups and other lawless elements "have made them bold enough to commit crimes regardless whether the would-be victims were women, infants, and helpless at that."

The inauguration here of the drug treatment and rehab center coincided with the launching of the three-day (February 8-10) "Libreng Gamutan" project of the In-tegrated Provincial Health Office that started to provide free medical, dental, surgi-cal, and other health services

FIRST / P13COMELEC / P13