Archive for March 30th, 2007
Malaysian terror suspect in Sulu, military chief confirms
PAGASA ISLAND, Kalayaan, Philippines — Military Chief General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has confirmed that a Malaysian terror suspect who was recently placed in the United States wanted list is hiding with other al Qaeda-linked militants in Sulu province.
“Marwan. He is in Sulu, Zulkifli. I have heard of him before,” Esperon said in an interview with reporters here.
Earlier this week, the State Department has put up a $5-million bounty for the capture of Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan, whom it said was hiding in the country after having trained local extremists.
Esperon said there would be no let up in pursuit operations against extremist leaders in the southern island province, which had been ongoing for nearly eight months.
“Hindi naming sila lulubayan [We will not stop until we get these suspects],” he said.
Two other foreigners, Dulmatin and Umar Patek, who are wanted for the 2002 Bali bombings that killed over 200 people, are also believed to be hiding in Sulu with the Abu Sayyaf.
The US has put up a $10-million bounty for Dulmatin and $5 million for Patek, both alleged members of the Jemaah Islamiyah, al-Qaeda’s Southeast Asian arm.
The Sulu pursuit operations, dubbed Oplan Ultimatum, have so far resulted in the deaths of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and his second-in-command, Jainal Antel Sali alias Abu Sulaiman.
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Believe it or not: Crime rate is zero in this RP isle
PAGASA ISLAND, Kalayaan, Philippines — Even as the number of policemen patrolling here has increased from one to three, the crime rate has remained at zero.
Police Officer 2 Allan Remojo said that since January 1, only an alarm and scandal incident had been entered on their blotter. This was on March 13 when one Rene Magbanua, 30, hit his wife, Armela, 26, after he got drunk. The wife did not press charges, he said.
Another alarm and scandal incident was recorded in June 2006 when a man who was also drunk caused a commotion, said Remojo.
Alarm and scandal is not included in the Philippine National Police Crime Index.
“Nothing is happening here. The crime rate is zero,” Remojo told reporters.
“Everything is relaxed here,” said Senior Police Officer 1 Ramon Alaska, who recently joined Remojo in Pagasa. Remojo, Alaska, and a third policeman take turns in manning the police station housed in a nipa hut.
Asked if they missed running after thieves and other petty criminals, Remojo and Alaska only smiled. Both men were formerly assigned in Puerto Princesa City.
The 34-hectare Pagasa Island has a population of 245, but the number of people at one time could be as small as 30, as it was on Thursday when the military top brass visited, Alaska said.
Since the police station is only a few minutes walk from anywhere on the island, Alaska said they receive walk-in complainants and incidents are almost never reported by telephone.
The police station, however, is equipped with a radio and is hooked up to a satellite television service.
The Chief of Staff visits the island at least once a year. Every two months, a Navy ship docks to bring supplies such as fuel. It is only during those times that they get to read a newspaper, Alaska said.
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Military releases P31M to repair air strip in Pagasa Island
PAGASA ISLAND, Kalayaan, Philippines — The military has released P31 million for the rehabilitation of the air strip here located in the disputed Spratlys chain in the South China Sea, which officials want to develop as a tourist spot.
The amount is enough only for the eastern portion of the air strip and additional funding is needed for the western part, Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said in an interview with reporters here.
“We released funds already for the repair of the runway… The air strip itself needs improvement. We will see how we can source additional funds,” said Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
Once he returns to Manila late Friday, Ebdane said he would “find a way” to secure funding for the project.
The rehabilitation of the eastern portion of the air strip will take between four and five months, said Major General Bob Regala of the Air Force Engineering Wing, whom Esperon had tasked to oversee the project.
Rear Admiral Tirso Danga, commander of the Armed Forces Western Command, said some investors have approached him about the idea of developing the island into a diving site for tourists.
“There are proposals from some entrepreneurs to develop resorts here to entice Filipinos [to visit]. [The development] is also part of national patrimony,” Danga said.
“We can have a diving resort here, fishing also. You can see the white sand beach is very beautiful,” Danga said, adding, “This [island] is ours. It’s ours. We might as well develop it.”
The reported oil-rich Spratlys are being claimed in whole or in part by the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
Edbane and Esperon were here Thursday to turn over a P13-million potable water machine, which the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) had donated.
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RP island in disputed Spratlys not hit by election fever
PAGASA ISLAND, Philippines — This tiny island in the disputed Spratlys, which has the smallest voting population in the country, has not caught the election fever that has gripped the rest of the nation.
Residents here don’t know the candidates in the senatorial race, except for reelectionists Panfilo Lacson and Manuel Villar, whose campaign advertisements they see on satellite television.
There is also no trace of campaign posters or other paraphernalia in the island, which got its first water purifying machine only on Thursday.
When asked if they knew any senatorial candidate, “Wala po [None],” said husband and wife Rene Magbanua, 30, and Armela Magbanua, 26.
Rene is a foreman at the Kalayaan town hall construction on the island while Armela is a housewife. The couple moved here from Puerto Princesa City in 2004.
Elmar Sadang, 21, could rattle off two names: Ping, Lacson’s nickname, and Villar.
There are 245 registered voters in Kalayaan town, which includes Pagasa Island, the smallest voting population in the country, said municipal election officer Elizabeth Columna.
In 2004, the island had 236 registered voters and a voter turnout rate of 75 percent, Columna said.
Columna said she has asked the Commission on Elections in Manila to deputize the military to transport members of the Board of Election Inspectors and the Board of Canvassers here.
“We have to transport all our people from Puerto Princesa. How else would they get here?” Columna said.
Incumbent Kalayaan town Mayor Rosendo Mantes is seeking a third and last three-year term. He is up against ex-mayor Gil Policarpio and his Vice Mayor, Gerry Pelaez, Columna said.
Esperon said they would help election officers, if the Comelec orders it.
“Why would we deny them the military’s resources? As long as there is a Comelec resolution,” he said.
Due to allegations of massive cheating in 2004, the Comelec and the Department of National Defense entered into a memorandum of agreement in October 2006, limiting the role of soldiers during elections to responding to serious armed threats.
Esperon said the Comelec has so far not asked for soldiers to be deployed to election hot spots.
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