Day: July 6, 2006

KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/5 July) — Despite strong opposition from other Moro leaders, a Maguindanaon who belongs to one of the most influential political clans in Maguindanao said he is backing the global campaign against terrorism. Maguindanao Vice Gov. Datu Bimbo Sinsuat said he wants to nip terrorism in the bud. He stressed he wants to project to the whole country and the world that most Maguindanaons support the global war on terror. This as 16 of Maguindanao’s 28 mayors have joined in the extensive hunt for two commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) believed to be the masterminds of the June 28 roadside bombing in Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao that killed seven and injured many others. The bomb exploded as the convoy of Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan was passing by.

KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/5 July) — A group of Moro leaders in Mindanao has joined other groups and individuals in filing impeachment complaints against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The Moro leaders, according to former human rights commissioner Nasser Marohomsalic, will use as basis the number of human rights violations the state has committed against Moro civilians in Southern Philippines. In a press statement, Marohomsalic, also head convener of the Union of Muslims for Morality and Truth (UMMAT), said that “war-related human rights violations against the Moro are grounds for President Arroyo’s impeachment.” “These unjust all-out wars have victimized thousands of civilians, majority were Moro people,” said Marohomsalic.

KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/5 July) — Health authorities here are bracing anew for a possible upsurge of dengue and malaria cases in this city and in the 10 towns of South Cotabato due to the continuous flooding of several parts of the province over the last three weeks. Dr. Edgardo Sandig, provincial health officer, said they are closely monitoring this city and four other towns, where an epidemic of the said diseases was recorded during the rainy season last year. “Our main concerns are the continuous flooding and the impounding of water near the communities where malaria and dengue are endemic as it may cause these diseases to spread rapidly,” he said. He cited the case of Tupi town where several malaria cases were monitored over the last three weeks.

KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/5 July) — The family of a fraternity hazing victim here has decried the failure of local police authorities to file criminal charges against at least 15 suspects who have remained scot-free two weeks after the fatal incident. Lydia Doctora, grandmother of hazing fatality Mark John Doctora, said only one of the 15 Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity members who were tagged in the June 23 killing has so far surfaced while the 14 others have reportedly gone into hiding. "The suspects are still free since not one of them has been formally charged or ordered arrested by any court," she lamented.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/5 July) — The British Council of the Philippines has announced the availability of three grants worth P100,000 each for student and out-of-school youth organizations in Mindanao. Gil Westaway, British Council director, said the projects should deal with peace, development and tolerance among the youth in Mindanao. The British Council of the Philippines is a non-government organization tasked by the British Embassy in Manila to promote bilateral relations with the Philippines and the United Kingdom. Westaway said that under their Hatag-Kalinaw program, the three grants will be made available to promote capability building among youth organizations as partners for peace.