Maniolas

The number of people affected by fighting in Maguindanao since February has breached the 80,000 mark as of Friday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. In its update, the NDRRMC said the fighting included a rido on Feb. 9 in Pagalungan town, and government offensives against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters since Feb. 27. As of Friday, the NDRRMC said 16,111 families or 80,555 people have been affected in 59 barangays of Cotabato and Maguindanao provinces.   Of these, 15,058 families or 75,290 people have been evacuated. Some 13,261 families or 66,305 people are staying in 49 evacuation centers. The NDRRMC also said that as of Friday, classes were suspended in 42 public elementary and high schools, affecting 18,819 students and 283 teachers. At least 45 houses had been destroyed in Region 11 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Some P16,628,867.60 in relief assistance has been provided to those affected, the NDRRMC said. —Joel Locsin/JST, GMA News

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has approved the posthumous  promotion of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos killed in the January 25 clash with Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. In a statement released Friday, the Napolcom approved the promotion after Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP), made the recommendation. It said the SAF commandos were promoted “for demonstrating acts of conspicuous courage and gallantry in action at the risk of their lives over and beyond the call of duty that resulted in their untimely death.” The fatalities were part of a large SAF contingent sent to Mamasapano to arrest two high-profile terrorist targets. The covert operation, however, led to clash with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and its breakaway group the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. Interior and Secretary Mar Roxas, who chairs Napolcom, noted that although outnumbered by “a superior enemy force,” the SAF commandos “held their ground, fought up to their last breath and accomplished their mission.” Benefits Meanwhile, the statement also quoted Napolcom Vice Chairman and Executive Officer Eduardo U. Escueta as saying that the legal spouses of the 28 married SAF members and a legitimate child of one trooper shall receive the following: — gratuity equivalent to one (1) year basic salary,— burial expenses equivalent to three (3) months basic salary, and— monthly pension for five (5) years equivalent to 80 percent of the decedent’s basic monthly pay. On the other hand, it said the surviving parents Read More …

Francis Xavier Pasion with his trophy [via Facebook] Bwaya (Crocodile), an indie film based on actual events involving deadly Philippine crocodiles won for the Philippines its first gold at the Vesoul International Film Fest of Asian Cinema in France. Bwaya director Francis Xavier Pasion received the Golden Rickshaw award or Cyclo D’ Or at 21st Festival International Des Cinémas D’ Asie (FICA) in February. The festival’s Golden Cyclo top jury prize was awarded by four international jurors led by its chairman director Wang Chao of China, Mohammad Rasoulof from Iran, Prasana Vithanage of Sri Lanka, and Laurice Guillen of the Philippines. The film tells the story of Divina, a mother who searches for her child after receiving news that her child Rowena has been attacked by crocodiles in the Agusan del Sur marshlands of Mindanao in Southern Philippines. The film stars Angeli Bayani who plays Divina to Jolina Salvado’s Rowena, together with Karl Medina and RS Francisco. Ninety films competed at the FICA Vesoul festival which was created in 1995 and is one of the most popular events in Europe attended by thousands, recording an audience of 30,000 in 2014. Pasion, an Ateneo de Manila University graduate is currently an ABS-CBN network television director. Bwaya received its first international recognition winning as Best Film at the Tokyo Filmex in 2014. The film which was first recognized at the Cinemelaya 2014 Philippine Independent Cinema Festival, is helping raise local and international cultural and social awareness. The post Bwaya wins Gold at Asian Read More …

(Updated 1:36 p.m.) The Senate has summoned a telecommunication company to provide a copy of the Jan. 25 text messages between President Benigno Aquino III and resigned Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima. The office of Senate President Franklin Drilon said Tuesday that a subpoena addressed to Smart Communications president and chief executive officer Napoleon Nazareno was signed Friday. It was Senator Loren Legarda who requested that a full transcript of the text messages be sent to the Senate. “Not that I do not trust the sources of the text messages but I requested that the text messages from the telcos be subpoenaed,” she said during the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on February 23. Purisima earlier submitted to the Senate a copy of the text messages between him and the President on January 25, 2015, the day the Oplan Exodus operation to neutralize Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Filipino bomb-maker Basit Usman in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, was conducted. The said operation was carried out by the PNP-Special Action Force (SAF). Forty-four SAF commandos died after an hours-long gunfight with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. Confusion In a transcript of text messages read during the hearing, Purisima showed that he sent Aquino his first text message on the Mamasapano operation at 5:45 a.m.    The exchange of text messages showed an apparent confusion between Purisima and Aquino, as the resigned PNP chief disclosed before Read More …

People who attempted to commit suicide by shooting themselves usually use accidental firing of the weapon as excuse to cover up their act, Dr. Raquel Fortun said Tuesday, citing her experiences as a forensic pathologist. “From my experience, ‘yang ganyang senaryo ang madalas na ginagamit na excuse para sabihin na ang isang tao [ay] ‘di nagpakamatay,” Fortun said, in response to “News To Go” anchor Howie Severino’s question on whether it is common for gun owners to accidentally shoot themselves while cleaning their guns. “I have encountered that a lot na sasabihin hindi siya nagbaril sa sarili, ang nangyari, it was an accidental fire kasi naglilinis lang siya ng baril,” she added. The question was in relation to the claim of the family of Cavite Vice Governor Jolo Revilla that he accidentally shot himself on his right upper chest while he was cleaning his .40-caliber Glock pistol on Saturday morning inside their home in Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City. Though now in a stable condition, Revilla, son of detained Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., remains at the intensive care unit of the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa City following the incident. Safety procedures Fortun said that though it is hard to conclude right now on what really transpired during the incident, there were safety procedures that should have been observed by Revilla. “Common sense will tell you, and I’m sure the PNP (Philippine National Police) will agree kasi nagbibigay sila ng mga gun safety seminar… na kapag naglilinis Read More …