Maniolas

Maguindanao massacre suspect Sajid Ampatuan denied allegations that his family, through a supposed private armed group, was involved in the Mamasapano clash, a report from GMA’s “24 Oras” said Friday. It was earlier reported that a private army supposedly of the Ampatuans were among the armed groups that engaged the Philippine National Police Special Action Force in the bloody gunfight. According to Ampatuan, it was unlikely that the family would side with the Moro Islamic Liberaton Front or Filipino bomber Basit Usman since their family has a grudge against them “Ang kapatid ko po si late mayor Datu Saudi Ampatuan ng Datu Piang ay binomba nila Basit Usman na kung saan namatay ‘yung kapatid ko at labing pitong kasamahan niya po,” Ampatuan said. “On record yan hindi naitago yan kaya imposibleng kami ay malilink o masasama sa MILF or kela Basit Usman,” he continued. Ampatuan’s statement comes two months after the Mamasapano clash where at least 60 were killed including 44 police commandos in a covert police mission. He also denied the claim of Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu who said he went to Cotabato right after posting bail. Ampatuan said he had only so far stayed din Metro Manila and was limiting his movements since he had received threats to his security. He also asked the public not to condemn their whole clan for the Maguindanao massacre. He said it pained him to know that actor Robin Padilla, also a muslim has already prejudged them. Padilla earlier stated in social media that there was no effective justice Read More …

Amid strong opposition and criticisms, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles said Friday that the Bangsamoro Basic Law and the peace process will emerge stronger and with the bigger participation of the Filipino people. In her speech at a book launch to mark the first year since the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, Deles admitted that what happened after the Mamasapano clash has been difficult and has been psychologically and physically battering. “When you think why did this happen, why do we need to go through this again, with what we have seen over the last two months and especially in the last weeks, I’m getting more and more affirmed and confident that this has happened and the way that we responded to it is to make the process stronger,” she said. “Certainly, going through this crisis, facing this challenge, all of these will result to a stronger process, a stronger BBL with more people on board. Why do we say that? We say that because of all the statements that are coming out, from different sectors,” she added. After the Mamasapano clash, which resulted in the deaths of 44 Special Action Force commandos, 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front members, and five civilians, criticisms and questions on the BBL snowballed. Some lawmakers even withdrew their support from the BBL, asked President Benigno Aquino III to replace the peace panel, and stop peace negotiations with the MILF. We will overcome, we will push ahead Despite this, Read More …

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) insisted in its 35-page report to the Senate that MILF fighters had immediately obeyed a ceasefire call during the January 25 misencounter with Special Action Force (SAF) police officers in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. The MILF Special Investigative Commission report, submitted to the Senate on Tuesday, said that the members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Force (BIAF), the MILF’s 105th,Base (BC) specifically, immediately ceased firing on the SAF troopers after they received a ceasefire order from the Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH). The report went on to explain that CCCH chair Ustadz Wahid Tundok arrived in Sitio Amelil, Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano town before,1:30 p.m. on January 25, and ordered the BIAF to stop shooting. Fighting was heaviest in Sitio Amelil, where the SAF’s 55th Special Action Company (SAC) found itself engaged bt both the MILF- BIAF and gunmen from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). “From this account, it is clear that the 105th,BC (Base Command upon receipt of the order to stop firing, immediately ceased shooting at the 55thSAC. There were no lapses in heeding the call for a ceasefire,” the report claimed. “Unfortunately, it was already too late as most of the SAF 55th,SAC had already been killed in the course of the intense fighting even before the order for a ceasefire was received on the grounds,” the report added. This MILF report’s finding were contrary to the claim of relieved SAF commander Director Getulio Napeñas, made during a Senate hearing, Read More …

A bus operator on Tueday clarified that they did not raise fare prices, rather they were charging regular-priced fares during the Holy Week-peak season and that fare prices during the off-peak seasons were discounted. “Kapag peak season, ang pamasahe talaga nasa taripa. Ibig sabihin ‘yung taripa na sinusundan nila,” explained bus operator Juliet de Jesus said in “24 Oras” report. “Ngayon, tumataas lang ‘yung taripa na ganyan depende doon sa bus mo.”  However, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board reminded bus operators that they must comply with the fare tariffs. “‘Pag in-allow po namin na mag-adjust po sila on their own, first, unfair competition po iyan. Pangalawa po diyan, mawawala na po ‘yung regulation ng LTFRB. At ang mangyayari po diyan, magkakanya-kanya po tayo,” said LTFRB executive director Atty. Bobbit Cabrera. Meanwhile, the LTFRB said that there were enough buses to service travelers heading for the provinces during the Holy Week. Some 300 units have already been given special permits to operate from March 29 to April 16, with another 500 bus units to be given permits. The North Luzon Expressway was expecting 200,000 motorists to use the highway per day from April 1 (Holy Wednesday) to 2 (Maundy Thursday). The usual volume of daily motorists was about 180,000. To manage the increased volume, the NLEX said all vehicles going to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway from April 1 to 7 will have to pay the toll at the Mabalacat Toll Gate, instead of the Dau Toll Plaza. The authorities will also Read More …

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Tuesday afternoon submitted its own findings on the Mamasapano incident to the Senate Committee on Local Government. In a nutshell, the MILF Special Investigative Commission found no liability among its fighters for the deaths of the 44 PNP Special Action Force commandos, who were on a mission to neutralize suspected terrorists in what is believed to be MILF territory in Mamasapano on Jan. 25. MILF Report on Mamasapano_march24 — GMA News