Maniolas

Whether the 44 Special Action Force personnel killed in a clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25 will be buried at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani does not seem to be a concern for their kin, Malacañang said Saturday. Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said the kin of the 44 did not bring this up with President Benigno Aquino III when he met with them. “Ang masasabi ko, dahil nasaksihan ko pakikipagpulong ng Pangulo ang heart-to-heart talk sa bawa’t isang pamilya, tila hindi yan issue o usapin sa kanilang hanay,” he said on government-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan. Besides, he said the families already have plans on where to bury their fallen loved ones. Coloma also said many of the families live outside Metro Manila and could be inconvenienced if they have to visit their fallen loved ones at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani. He urged lawmakers planning to file a resolution to have the 44 buried at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani to respect the families’ wishes. “Respetuhin natin bago maisulong ang suhestyon na ito. May kanya-kanyang plano ang pamilya kung saan iuuwi ang mahal sa buhay,” he said. “Hindi inaalis ang konsepto na sila ay mga bayani dahil tunay silang bayani. Unawain natin ang diwa ng resolusyon… Saan man sila mahimlay sila ay tunay na bayani ng lahing Pilipino,” he added. — Joel Locsin/VC, GMA News

Police in California over the weekend placed black tape over their badges in tribute to the 44 Special Action Force police personnel who perished in a clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25. This was their way of showing sympathy with the families of the deceased, radio dzBB’s Manny Vargas reported. A photo posted on Twitter by dzBB’s Vargas showed the police personnel were from the San Francisco Police Department.   For its part, the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. paid tribute to the fallen 44 as well by lowering the Philippine flag to half-mast.   On Friday, police personnel and firefighters in Indiana held a sympathy walk to honor the 44, dzBB’s Rodil Vega tweeted.   Also on Friday, the US Embassy in Manila offered its condolences to the loved ones of the 44. In a statement, the embassy expressed its “heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues” of the slain SAF policemen. “The SAF units fought with bravery and demonstrated their commitment to ensuring peace and order in their country,” it said. Also, the embassy said the US reiterates its support for the Philippine government’s efforts to fight international terrorism while promoting a “just and lasting peaceful resolution” to the Mindanao conflict. “The United States reiterates its support for the Philippine government’s efforts to combat international terrorism while promoting a just and lasting peaceful resolution to the conflict in Mindanao,” it said. — Joel Locsin/VC, GMA News

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Monday ordered the arrest of Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. and five other personalities after citing them for contempt for their continued refusal to attend the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee on the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building II and other alleged anomalies despite the issuance of subpoenas and show-cause orders. Senator Teofisto Guingona, chairman of the committee, granted the recommendation of Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, chairman of the subcommittee, to cite in contempt and order the arrest of Binay, City Administrator Eleno Mendoza, Eduviges “Ebeng” Baloloy, former City Administrator Marjorie de Veyra, Engineer Line Dela Peña, and Bernadette Portallano.  “I am ordering the Senate sergeant-at-arms to serve the detention order,” Guingona said. University of Makati president Tomas Lopez was not included in the order as he submitted a letter manifesting his willingess to attend the next hearing on Thursday. Present at the meeting were Guingona, Pimentel and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. Binay attended the first hearing and answered the questions of senators but he was absent in the succeeding proceedings. The other Makati officials, on the other hand, were present in the following hearings. The officials refused to attend the subsequent hearings when they decided to challenge the jurisdiction of the committee. In their respective letters explaining their continued absence, Binay, Baloloy, Mendoza, Lopez, De Veyra, and Dela Peña said they were merely availing of remedies under the Senate Rules and were constrained to file a jurisdictional challenge because Read More …

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the military is now confirming reports that Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Hir also known as Commander Marwan was killed in a day-long firefight between the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao on Sunday. “Well, we have no confirmation but that was the report we got last night…According to reports they (PNP) were able to neutralize one of them, si Marwan, although ‘yung isa nakawala, ‘yung si Basit Usman,” Gazmin told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo on Monday. File photo shows Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan (L) and Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail (R). AFP photo At least 30 police officers belonging to the elite group, Special Action Force (SAF) were confirmed dead in the firefight on Sunday. Army sources, however, said they suspect that about 50 people died from the clash, majority of them belonging to the side of the police. Gazmin said he, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas and PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina will go later on Monday to Maguindanao and Cotabato to assess the situation and to confirm the report about Marwan’s death. “We will validate that (report). I am going to Cotabato today so that I can get more accurate information to be able to disseminate to you,” Gazmin said. In a report sent to Espina on Sunday, the SAF director, Chief Superintendent Getulio Napenas Jr., said the SAF operatives were able to “neutralize” Marwan at around Read More …