War raging in Mindanao

Two more blasts hit Kabacan, North Cotabato and North Upi in Maguindanao. An outpost of the 6th Infantry Division was attacked by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in clashes at Barangay Pagangan in Pikit and Barangay Tubak in Aleosan of North Cotabato.

Prior to the clashes, the BIFF burned down a house in Barangay Baliki in Midsayap.

Two thousand residents in Pikit and Aleosan towns fled from their homes to safer evacuation places.

The big question mark is who is funding the BIFF? Where are they getting their firearms and ammunitions?

Many believe that they are funded by the MILF. Some believe some Malaysian al-Qaeda groups are also funding the BIFF.

At any rate the AFP intelligence groups appear clueless. Since the Cagayan de Oro bomb blast, there have been 9 bombings in 9 different Mindanao towns. The AFP and Malacañang have not named any  suspects so far.

Unsolved media killings

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on President Aquino to act and speak out in connection with the latest killings of 3 journalists, 2 in Quezon City and 1 in General Santos City.

Shot dead were Richard Kho, 47, and Bonifacio Loreto, 59, of the tabloid Aksyon Ngayon in Quezon City. Mario Sy, 53, a freelance photojournalist was killed in General Santos City.

In his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Aquino made no mention of his human rights program.

Time to pay up

The Court of Appeals has finally decided that Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc (PIATCO) is entitled to a payment of $371 million for the expropriation of NAIA 3.

Malacañang said President Aquino and his legal team are not ready to comply with the Court of Appeals’ decision.

This case was referred to the CA by the Supreme Court to determine the issue of just compensation. Appealing the decision to the Supreme Court would surely be a delaying tactic.

The government must now pay up. The case has been delayed long enough. It is now time to finish NAIA 3 and make it fully operational. This will partly solve the problem of NAIA 1.

8 Malaysian soldiers killed

The Sulu Sultan claimed that its troops in Lahad Datu in Sabah ambushed Malaysian soldiers and killed 8 of them.

Spokesman Abraham Idjirani said 50 fighters of the Royal Sulu Army led by veteran guerilla Oto Ubi chanced upon 200 Malaysian troops in the hinterlands of Felda, Lahad Datu.

The Sulu rebels were saying their morning prayers when the Malaysians approached. The Sulu soldiers were able to fire on the approaching Malaysian soldiers first. There were no casualties from the Royal Sulu forces.

This incident reopens the hostilities between the Royal Sulu Sultanate rebels and the Malaysian Armed Forces.

Big time drug smuggling

The apprehension of 400 kilos of shabu in Subic worth P2 billion indicates that shabu smuggling is still going on.

A Philippine News Agency report published in the Daily Tribune said only 200 bags worth P1 billion were seized.

Which is the correct figure? Is this another case of confiscated shabu being taken by the raiding officers like in the Benjamin Dy case in San Juan? 

One question, why is Subic a favorite smuggling point for shabu, rice and frozen meat? And it has been going on for years. Are the Customs and PDEA personnel assigned to Subic already on the payroll of smugglers?

Knowledgeable Customs insiders say that for every shipment seized, 3 other shipments slip them.

There has got to be a new system adopted at the Subic Customs zone. The problem is complicated by the fact that no Chinese principals  are arrested with the shipments.

In a previous case of a P570 billion drug shipment, the Chinese mastermind was even released.

Anyway, congratulations are in order for PNP-AIDSOTF who handled the case. It was led by Senior   and Chief Inspector Roque Merdegia.

4 killed in Pasig robbery

Four people were killed Saturday during a foiled robbery attempt at the Robinson’s Supermarket in Pasig. The leader of the robbery gang Hernani Lupera Jr. was killed when his gun jammed and a security guard wrestled him down and hit him with a cross bar.

Twenty-eight-year-old Mandaluyong businessman Gerald Reanales was shot dead as he was about to enter his house at Barangay Barangka, Mandaluyong.

A fast food chain manager was held up in Malate.

Mark Anthony Raya was kidnapped in Midsayap, North Cotabato.

Barangay Chairman Rodrigo Tongol of Mesalipit, Bacolor, Pampanga and 2 relatives were shot dead by 4 men riding on 2 motorcycles in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

Leonardo Bacolod, a protestant pastor, was shot dead inside his Christian Fellowship Church in Guihulngan City, Oriental. The six suspects who did the shooting are believed to be NPA rebels.

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TIDBITS: San Miguel Global Power Holdings is building a 600 megawatt coal power plant in Malita, Davao Del Sur. Governor Claude Bautista of Davao Del Sur expressed support for the project which is expected to operate in 2015.

Twenty-five thousand elephants were killed in 2011 because of the demand for ivory.

Congratulations to Coach Chot Reyes, Manny Pangilinan, and members of the Gilas basketball team for winning the silver medal in the Fiba Asia tournament and qualifying for the World Fiba Tournament in Madrid in 2014.

Pampanga Congressman Joseller “Yeng” Guiao has co-authored a bill together  with the Senior Citizens Party-list groups to increase the IRA share for elderly or Senior Citizens and persons with disabilities from 0.5% to 1.0%.

What’s delaying the report of the DOLE in the sex-for-flight scandal in the Middle East? So far no one has been charged.