AFP: Naval blockade in place vs. Sabah abductors

 News
Apr 052014
 
The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Saturday said a Philippine Navy unit has set up naval blockade against suspects in the abduction of a Filipina worker and a Chinese tourist at the Singamata resort near Semporna in Sabah on Wednesday.

In a text message to GMA News Online, AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said the Naval Task Force 62 has started its operations, even as units of the military’s Western Mindanao Command continue their search and rescue operations in the Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi areas, “where the two kidnapped victims were supposedly brought by kidnappers from Sabah.”

In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on state-run dzRB the AFP is also in contact with the Philippine National Police to help in the search.

“So far, [may] combined efforts ng AFP at saka ng PNP… sa pag-recover at paghahanap doon sa dalawang kidnap victims,” she said.

Asked if the government is set to coordinate with Chinese authorities in the search, Valte said: “I’ve not heard of any proposal to do that, at this time.”

A report from Agence France-Presse on Friday indicated China is pressuring Malaysia to rescue
kidnapped Chinese tourist.

Earlier, Zagala said the Abu Sayyaf Group may be behind the abduction.

He said the victims were kidnapped by seven armed men believed to be members of an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) unit in Tawi-Tawi.

One of the members of the unit is Murphy Ambang Ladia (also known as Haji Gulam), a former member of the Moro National Liberation Front who joined the bandit group operating in Tawi-Tawi, he added.

In a separate text message to GMA News Online, Zagala also said: “Subject [Gulam] later joined the ASG operating in Tawi-Tawi under ASG Binang Sahirol. Initial available information obtained further states that said abductors proceeded to the vicinity of Simunol Munipality in Tawi-Tawi, eluding Malaysian authorities conducting pursuit operations.”

Zagala said the bandits immediately boarded a white speedboat and proceeded towards the Philippine Sea. — LBG, GMA News

1,700 daily passengers affected due to Zambo airport closure

 Economy
Sep 132013
 
1,700 daily passengers affected due to Zambo airport closure

MANILA — Cebu Pacific Air Inc. (Cebu Pacific) is closely coordinating with the government for the re-accommodation of passengers affected by the Zamboanga Airport temporary closure due to the ongoing crisis in Zamboanga city. Lance Gokongwei, Cebu Pacific president and chief executive officer, on Thursday said at least 1,700 passengers of the airline have been affected daily since the airport has been ordered temporarily closed on Wednesday. “We are giving them (passengers) option. They can rebook their tickets or we can refund them,” Gokongwei said in a press briefing shortly after the arrival ceremony of the airline’s newest aircraft, the long range Airbus A330 here. He said he can only give a figure on affected passengers and begged off when asked how much the airline is losing due to cancellation of its flights to and from Zamboanga. Cebu Pacific flies to Zamboanga four times daily from Manila, once daily from Cebu and Tawi-Tawi, three times weekly from Cagayan de Oro City, and four times weekly from Davao City. On Friday, Cebu Pacific arranged two special flights from Tawi-Tawi to Cebu to accommodate passengers who are travelling for the Hajj Pilgrimage. Cebu Pacific’s daily flights between Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi have been suspended since September 9. Upon arrival in Cebu, passengers were re-accommodated on scheduled Cebu Pacific flights from Cebu to Manila on the same day, an advisory said. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, meanwhile, has extended the suspension of Zamboanga Airport operations from September 13 to 16 due to Read More …

LP candidates on way to rally lost at sea, end up in Sabah jail

 News
Apr 102013
 
LP candidates on way to rally lost at sea, end up in Sabah jail

By Nikko Dizon Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:53 am | Thursday, April 11th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—Rough seas swept away a motorboat carrying a Liberal Party mayoral candidate, his running mate and 30 supporters from Tawi-Tawi on Tuesday and took it to, of all places, Lahad Datu in Sabah, site of five weeks of fighting between Malaysian security forces and followers of the sultan of Sulu. As a result, Rommel Matba, his vice mayoral running mate Amman Matba and 30 village leaders from Languyan town in Tawi-Tawi landed in a police station in Sandakan, where Malaysian police took them on suspicion they were reinforcements for the decimated forces of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III. Jamalul’s press officer Abraham Idjirani confirmed on Wednesday that Matba and his group were politicians campaigning for local elections in Languyan and not members of the sultanate’s security forces. “I was told they were traveling to Mapun municipality, also in Tawi-Tawi, for [a Liberal Party] rally when they were lost at sea because of strong currents in Tambisan Bay,” Idjirani told the Inquirer by phone. Capt. Rene Yongque, commander of Naval Task Force 62, reported that rough seas swept the Liberal Party group’s motorboat across the border at Taganak Island in Tawi-Tawi where it was intercepted by Malaysian border police. Rescued? But Acting Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao used a different term to describe the misadventure of Matba’s group. “They were rescued by Malaysian maritime personnel and were taken to Sabah,” Hataman said. “We Read More …

Kiram followers nabbed by Navy to be charged – De Lima

 News
Mar 142013
 
Kiram followers nabbed by Navy to be charged – De Lima

By TJ BurgonioPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:28 pm | Thursday, March 14th, 2013 Justice Secretary Leila De Lima. INQUIRER/Niño Jesus Orbeta MANILA, Philippines—The 36 followers of Agbimuddin Kiram who were intercepted by the Navy off Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday with a cache of arms after apparently fleeing Sabah  are to be charged with illegal possession of firearms, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Thursday. De Lima said the 35 men and a woman who claimed to be members of the Sultanate of Sulu’s Royal Security Forces (RSF) would be brought to court for inquest on charges of illegal possession of firearms at the least. “They can be charged immediately with illegal possession of firearms and other deadly weapons,’’ De Lima said at a Malacañang news briefing, adding the inquest does not preclude the filing of other charges against them. On criticisms the government was quicker to file charges against them than protesting Malaysia’s alleged inhumane treatment of Filipinos, she said, “This group has committed unlawful and criminal acts, and we can’t set these aside.’’ The interception of the group came a month after Agbimuddin Kiram and his men crossed by speedboats from Tawi-Tawi to Lahad Datu on Feb. 9 to press the sultanate’s claim to Sabah, triggering a standoff with Malaysian forces that eventually led to battles in which the Malaysians threw in aerial and artillery bombardment. More than 60 people have been reported killed since, nine of them members of the Malaysian security forces. The Philippine Navy vessel PS38 intercepted the Read More …

DA to ensure rice, food supply in Tawi-Tawi, Sulu

 Entertainment
Mar 112013
 
DA to ensure rice, food supply in Tawi-Tawi, Sulu

(Department of Agriculture logo) The Department of Agriculture will provide an additional supply of rice and basic food items for Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, and Basilan to satisfy the increased demand due to the influx of returning Filipinos and refugees from Sabah. Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala has instructed concerned DA officials to ensure a steady supply of rice of other basic food items in the three provinces to prevent a shortage and undue increase in prices. He instructed Administrator Orlan Calayag of the DA’s National Food Authority to sustain the delivery of rice, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and respective local governments units (LGUs). Sec. Alcala also instructed the DA regional directors in Mindanao to send additional supply of cassava, which also serves as a major staple, to Tawi-Tawi and Sulu. In a report to Sec. Alcala, Calayag said the NFA as of March 9, has delivered an initial 2,200 bags (50 kilos each) to Tawi-Tawi and Sulu (at 1,000 bags each), and 200 bags in Zamboanga City. The DSWD has allotted the rice for Filipino returnees from Sabah. The NFA is shipping 180 to 250 bags of rice, two to three times a week, to Suu, and the NFA regional office in Davao is ready to ship 50,000 bags to Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, Calayag said. Other NFAl regional offices, particularly in Metro Manila or NCR and Region 6 (Western Visayas), are also set to send additional rice stocks to Zamboanga for delivery to the Read More …

Navy intercepts 2 boats from Sabah

 News
Mar 072013
 
Navy intercepts 2 boats from Sabah

By Julie S. AlipalaPhilippine Daily Inquirer 12:24 pm | Friday, March 8th, 2013 ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—Navy Capt. Rene Yongque of Task Force 62 in Tawi-Tawi confirmed to the Inquirer that a Navy patrol boat has intercepted two motorboats loaded with some 80 people entering the Philippine waters from Sabah. Yongque said Navy personnel aboard patrol ship Auxiliary Transport AT 291  spotted the two moto rlaunches around 9 a.m. Friday and were now escorting the boats  to Bongao in Tawi-Tawi. Yongque said those intercepted were Filipinos fleeing the Sabah violence and were not followers of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III. “They will immediately be turned over to the Task Force Basulta on Sabah Crisis for processing. I repeat, they are not armed nor they are followers of Kiram.They are just ordinary people.” he said. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: navy , Navy Capt. Rene Yongque , Sabah Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write The Readers’ Advocate: c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Or fax nos. +63 2 8974793 to 94

Navy: 121 Pinoy evacuees aboard two boats from Sabah now on way to Tawi-Tawi

 News
Mar 072013
 
Navy: 121 Pinoy evacuees aboard two boats from Sabah now on way to Tawi-Tawi

(UPDATED 1:30 p.m.) –  At least 121 Filipinos were aboard the two motorized vessels that were heading for Tawi-Tawi from Sabah before they were intercepted by the Philippine Navy early on Friday. Philippine Navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said in a radio interview they also found sacks of rice and foodstuff aboard the two ships. “Yung destination nila, papuntang Bongao. In-escort ng Philippine Navy papuntang Bongao para sa proper disposition,” Fabic said in an interview on dzBB radio. On Thursday, Malaysia had set up a tight blockade and defensive line at Sabah’s east coast.  Earlier this week, a vessel carrying Filipinos fleeing from the conflict in Sabah arrived in Tawi-Tawi.  Malaysian forces had adopted an all-out stance against Kiram’s followers after a series of fatal clashes since March 1. On Thursday, the sultan declared a unilateral ceasefire after the United Nations called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, but Malaysia has rejected the ceasefire offer. —KG/VVP, GMA News