Archive for March 28th, 2007
INQUIRER.net Video: Belmonte files certificate of candidacy
MANILA, Philippines–Reelectionist Quezon City Mayor Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte and his running mate Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista file their certificates of candidacy before the Commission on Elections Quezon City district office on March 28, 2007.
Video taken by INQUIRER.net reporter Joel Guinto.
INQUIRER.net Video: Belmonte mobbed by followers
MANILA, Philippines–Reelectionist Quezon City Mayor Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte is mobbed by supporters before filing his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections Quezon City district
office on March 28, 2007.
Video taken by INQUIRER.net reporter Joel Guinto.
Military: Up to 40 percent of Mindanao rebels children
MANILA, Philippines — Between 25 to 40 percent of the close to 1,000 communist guerrillas in northern Mindanao are below 18-years-old because of the forced recruitment of minors by the revolutionary movement, the military claimed.
On Wednesday, the military presented to media in Camp Aguinaldo five alleged former “child warriors” of the New People’s Army (NPA) captured in encounters with the Army since 2006.
“Twenty-five to 40 percent of the whole NPA in northern Mindanao consists of minors,” said Major Samuel Sagun, spokesman of the Army 4th Infantry Division based in the area.
“What is glaring here is the forced recruitment of minors. Families are forced to give representatives from their families [to the NPA] once [their children] reach 15 [years old],” Sagun said.
Sagun said residents were afraid the NPA might hurt them if they did not allow their children to join the rebels.
Two of the five who were presented to media were among five guerillas captured following a 10-minute firefight with troops from the 29th Infantry Battalion in Laperian village, Prosperidad town, Agusan del Sur province last March 23.
One of the five, a 21-year-old identified only as Lea, claimed that while with the NPA, a guerilla fighter got her pregnant before she turned 18.
View article as posted on INQUIRER.net
(Photo shows the alleged NPA child warriors who were captured in Surigao del Sur)
QC Mayor Belmonte files candidacy
MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Quezon City Mayor Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte has filed his certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Elections.
Belmonte, of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and who is running for his third and last term, will be running against three independent candidates. They are Romeo Acebedo, 61, unemployed; Social Engineer Andy Rosales, 43; and businessman Florian Yari Alvarez.
Belmonte arrived at the Comelec office in Quezon City office with a marching band.
“He is someone who did his best while the ball was in his court,” Belmonte said when asked how he wanted be remembered.
Belmonte said he would focus on “soft” projects such as the computerization of the city’s offices
With Belmonte was his running mate Herbert Bautista.
View article as posted on INQUIRER.net
