NBI TAGS COP IN SOLIJON MURDER

 Frank Dosdos

     In a 5-page transmittal for preliminary investigation to the Regional Prosecutor, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Region 10 recommended prosecution for Murder a member of the Philippine National Police (PNP) assigned in Iligan City for the killing of Radioman Fernando “Nanding” Solijon in the evening of August 29, this year.
     The report signed by Atty. Ricardo A. Diaz, Regional Director, identified the suspect as PO1 Peejee Pitogo Capampangan a.k.a. Peejey Pitogo Capangpangan.
     It was said that the policeman was positively identified by witnesses as the driver of the white blue motorcycle used by the gunman, identified as Edward Tugahan who was also found dead in the afternoon of the day following Solijon’s murder. According to the said report witnesses
whose identities are withheld at the request of the NBI for security reasons testified that in that fateful evening, Solijon went to and took supper with a female companion and another reporter to the house of another reporter at the hilly portion of Purok 1, Buruun, Iligan City. They drank 3 bottles of beer grande during supper.
     At around 9 o’clock in the evening, the group went downhill the roadside where Solijon’s car was parked. But before Solijon could open his car, he asked his companions if they would want another round of beer.  So the group had another round of 3 beer grande at a nearby sari-sari store.
    In his statement the reporter who invited Solijon to dinner stated that at about 10:15 P.M., the latter stood up and told his companions to finish their drinks as he was going to back up his car and walked out .Seconds later, gunshots were heard.   The said reporter testified that after he
heard the gunshots, he attempted to come out of the store, but as he peeped out through the door he saw Nanding (Solijon) already slumping on the pavement in the middle of the road with a person pointing the gun at Nanding. The said reporter testified further that has shouted towards the person but the latter pointed his gun toward him prompting him to go back inside the store.
    He further testified that there were two persons he saw at the time, one pointing his gun at the slumping body of Nanding, the other one was on a white blue motorcycle. Another witness, a guard assigned at Sgt. Miguel Canoy Elementary School in Purok 1, Buruun, Iligan City, voluntarily executed a sworn statement and testified that while he was at his post, heard
bursts of gunfire coming from the back of the guardhouse fronting Iligan City School of Fisheries. He said that as he was coming out of the gate when two persons riding in tandem on an old Honda motorcycle stopped in front of the gate.   He said further that he heard the back
rider uttering “Naay natagak” (something fell). The driver allegedly replied, “Peste man diay ka, balikan nato, balikan.”  (We will go back for it).

    He testified that as the area was well lighted he clearly saw the faces of the two and that he later learned that they were he assailants who shot and killed Fernando “Nanding” Solijon.
    The report stated that through the description given by the said witness, portraits parley (artist sketches) if the two riders in tandem were produced on August 21, 2013.  The said artist sketches were reportedly circulated to the law enforcement community and to the public as well.
    According to the report, information was received on September 2, 2013 that a dead body was found at the ongoing road construction in Iligan City.
    Accompanied by Agents of of the NBI the witness went to the wake of Edward Tugahan in Abuno, Iligan City and he identified the dead body as that of the back rider of the motorcycle in the evening of August 29, 3013.
    On October 12, 2013, when presented with a
gallery of pictures, the same witness identified picture No.  10 as the driver of the motorcycle with a backrider leaving the place after the shooting of Nanding on August 29, 2013.
    The report said that picture No. 10 was the picture of PO1 Peejee Capampangan, a police officer assigned at the Iligan City Police Office.
     The statement of aforesaid witness was bolstered, the Rport said, by the statement of another witness who stated that she saw the faces of the two persons riding in tandem pasing and stopping in front of the window of her house at Purok 2 in Buruun, Iligan City.
    Presented also with  gallery of pictures numbered 1 to 18, she pointed to picture number 10 as fhe one driving the motorcycle.Picture No. 10 is idenrified as the picture of the policeman mentioned earlier, said the report.
    The report continued that theNBI coordinated with the Police Regional Director of Region 10 for the conduct of a police line up on  October 22, 2013.
   According to the report the police line up was intended to give PO1 Peejee Capanpangan a fair chance in the investigation.
    However, despite of what was agreed, the report stated that the NBI was informed by P/Supt. Lagare of Iligan City that PO1 Capampangan will not present himself and will not available for the scheduled police line up.
    The report finally stated that the NBI is constrained to file sans the police line up as PO1 Peejee Capampangan will be accorded the procedural due process during the conduct of the preliminary investigation.  

NPA’s violated HR of UP Prof

                                 BY: CPT ALBERTO C CABER (INF) PA

                                                     Chief, Public Information Office

                                 Deputy Assistant Chief of Unified Command Staff for CMO, U7

                           Eastern Mindanao Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines

  Panacan, Davao City – The NPAs utilization of ex-UP Diliman professor Kim Ajeas Gargar alyas Albert 34, in an attack against the government troops is a gross violation of the provision of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian law (CARHRIHL).

Part 4, article 4, section 9 of CARHRIHL prohibits both Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) as party to the agreement from allowing the participation of civilian or civilian officials in military field operations and campaigns. The said provision bounds both the military of the GPH and the NPAs of the NDFP not to use civilians in the conflict. In a recorded video statement, Gargar revealed that that he was given M16 rifle by the NPAs and was among those who fired against the soldiers during the said clash. He further revealed informations about the NPAs platoon Front 25 which he belongs.

Gargar is now charged with illegal possession of explosives & firearms, violation of COMELEC gun ban and multiple frustrated murders. His case is now at the Provincial level and detained at the Mati Provincial Prosecutor of Mati. It is the duty of the government thru PNP to file cases against those committed crimes. The AFP is mandated to protect the people in communities thru security operations.

If indeed Gargar is a civilian as claimed by the NPAs and Karapatan, he was therefore exploited by the NPAs which is a clear violation of his rights. It can be recalled that Kim was captured by the AFP in an encounter in Brgy Aliwagwag, Cateel, Davao Oriental on October 1. He was wounded and given first aid care by the troops before he was brought to a hospital in Cateel.

The Team EASTMINCOM led by Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier G. Cruz III condemned the NPAs deceitful way of exploiting the people especially the youth. Lt. Gen. Cruz challenged the NPAs to embrace peace and join the government’s peace and development programs. 

CPT ALBERTO C CABER (INF) PA

Chief, Public Information Office

Deputy Assistant Chief of Unified Command Staff for CMO, U7

Eastern Mindanao Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines

Naval Station Felix Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City
Mobile Nr: 0917-6308-501 

Email add: caber.ac@gmail.com
Please visit and like Facebook fan pages: 

Eastern Mindanao Command, AFP

Captain Alberto Cailo Caber-Philippine Army

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SSS explains impact of new contribution schedule on advance payments

MARIZ REVALES

The Social Security System (SSS) advises members who already paid advance premiums to review and update their payments in line with the new contribution rate and maximum monthly salary credit (MSC) that will take effect in January 2014.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio S. de Quiros, Jr. said individually-paying members such as the self-employed, voluntary and OFWs who have paid contributions in advance based on the minimum MSC for the applicable months of January 2014 onwards should settle the difference that will result from the new prescribed minimum amount of contribution.

Under the new contribution schedule, the corresponding monthly contribution will be P110 for the minimum MSC of P1,000, P550 for the minimum MSC of P5,000 for OFWs, and P1,760 for the maximum MSC of P16,000.

“The difference between the existing and new corresponding amount of contribution will be an underpayment on the part of the member who has paid in advance. With respect to the revised contribution schedule, a self-employed or voluntary member who remitted a minimum premium of P104 in advance for January next year will automatically incur an underpayment of P6.00 while the prescribed minimum contribution of P520 by an OFW will be short by P30.00,” De Quiros explained.

Advance payments less than the required minimum contribution will not be considered by the SSS unless underpayment is settled. As a result, members with underpayments may face problems availing SSS benefits and services that often require a number of qualifying contributions.

To avoid underpayments, de Quiros said members can go to any SSS branch with tellering facilities or to SSS collecting partners in their area to settle the lacking amount. “All they have to do is to pay the difference using the Contributions Payment Return for SE/VM or RS-5 form and indicate that it is for the underpayments.”

For advance payments above the minimum MSC of P1,000, the SSS chief said members may opt to pay the corresponding increase in contributions to retain the posting at the same MSC.

“If no appropriate adjustment is made, the SSS will post such advance payment at the applicable lower MSC, then the excess in the amount of contribution will be refunded upon the member's request,” De Quiros said.

The state-pension fund is set to follow the revised contribution schedule next year after President Benigno Aquino III approved structural reforms to improve SSS fund life, increasing the present contribution rate of 10.4-percent to 11-percent, and moving the MSC ceiling from P15,000 to P16,000.

Toxic Trade Emerges as Priority Issue for Asia During Mercury Treaty Adoption:

Japan mercury exports cited

Kumamoto, Japan; 10 October 2013:  As world governments bask in the celebration prepared by the government of Japan for the newly minted Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Zero Mercury Working Group [1] is calling on all countries – including Japan – to help stem the rise of Asia as the world’s mercury trading hub.

“Traders are increasingly circumventing the export bans imposed by the EU and US by seeking safe havens, particularly in Asia,” said Richard Gutierrez, director of Ban Toxics in the Philippines. “Countries can stop this toxic globe-trotting by enacting mercury export bans, following the lead of major trading giants the US and EU.”    

Japanese exports of mercury accounted for about 400 metric tonnes over the past 4 years, according to UN data. [2] The mercury is frequently shipped to countries [3] where artisanal and small scale gold mining (ASGM) is prevalent, or to major trading centers where it can be traded for ASGM purposes. 

Japan previously resisted NGO calls earlier to enact similar export bans, awaiting completion of the treaty negotiation process.  With the treaty text now finalized, NGOs are calling for Japan to immediately act.

“Given its experience with Minamata, Japan should be taking the lead by shutting down its mercury exports,” stated Piyush Mohapatra, Coordinator at Toxics Link in India.  “It cannot turn a blind eye to its own toxic exports, especially if it could be creating new “Minamatas” elsewhere in Asia and Latin America.”

The largest mercury trade hub arising is Singapore.  According to UN COMTRADE data, Singapore was the largest supplier of mercury to the global market in 2012.[4]  During 2011 and 2012, Singapore accounted for approximately 444 MT and 478 MT of global mercury exports respectively.[5]

Since Singapore imported even larger quantities during this period, it is acting as a toxic supply center for private traders. [6] The majority of these exports are directed to countries engaged in ASGM, with Indonesia receiving over half the exports in both years, and substantial quantities also shipped to Guyana, Kenya, Peru, and Malaysia.[7]

Hong Kong is also a major trading center, with mercury exports of about 211 MT in 2011 and 245 MT in 2012. “Singapore and China need to differentiate mercury from other commodities, since the free trade of mercury endangers public health.” explains David Lennett, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council.  

Under the Minamata Convention, the trade in mercury will be controlled, largely through an informed consent procedure.  However, 50 countries will need to ratify the treaty before it comes into legal force. 

 “While there are alternatives to mercury and controls for major sources, there is no alternative to international cooperation,” said Michael Bender, ZMWG Coordinator. ”Let’s turn these good intentions into meaningful action on the ground so that developing countries don’t bear the brunt of toxic trade.”

With the momentum created in Kumamoto this week, and the prospect of financial and technical support coming during the next years, the group believes that the Minamata Convention can set a new standard for the speed of ratification for multilateral environmental agreements.

“Mercury pollution will not wait for the treaty to enter into force.  It is happening now,” said Elena Lymberidi-Settimo, ZWMG coordinator.  “The global community should pursue ratification and implementation with urgency.” (Press release)

Simultaneous surfing competitions in Siargao

                                     

                                                      Mindanews

    Siargao Island , the Surfing Capital  of the Philippine its, will  busy this week as two simultaneous international surfing events takeplace in  the municipality of general Luna.

    Contest proper for the 19^th Annual Siargao international Sufing Cup ,which is offering a total of $ 10,000 in prize  money,was expected to start yesterday.

    The Siargao Girls Surfing Cup, meanwhile, started. It has a total prize money of P200,000.

     Both competitions will end  on Sept 29.

      The girls competitions, which had already been  cancelled twice, will have  12 surfers from different countries, according  to Gerry Deagan, the contest director.

      General Luna Mayor Jaime P.Rusillon said that this is the first time the women’s competition will be held  in September . “ We usually hold  it every summer.But because of some  circumstances, we opted  to hold it this month,” he said, adding that it is  now surfing season.

Iligan plant to give Mindanao additional 98 mw

                              

   Iligan City – The Alcantara –owned Mapalad Power Corp . (MPC) will be able to give Mindanao a full demand capacity of 98 megawatts.

   This was the assurance of Engr Ruben Ramilo, Manager here of MPC, which is located at Mapalad,Dalipuga.

   Ramilo said their plants are presently giving 58 mw as the rehabilitation of the plants are still ongoing . But  it will be finished and soon and will have a full capacity of 98mw.

   Although this is only about eight percent of Mindanao’s power needs, he said they seek to help solve  the power crisis.

    The Iligan Light and Power Inc. has contacted 10mw from MPC,he said.

   The Lanao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Laneco) has not contracted it, he said Lanao del Norte is experiencing about seven hours of daily blackouts.

   The plant was was first built by the Northern Mindanao Power Corp. (NMPC) under a build-operate transfer scheme during the Ramos administration to meet the rising  demand for power in the island.

    When the economy showed  down in the late 1990s, many industries in Mindanao closed down.”,Ramilo said.

   In time, ownership of the NMPC  passed on to the National power Corp. Napocor then became delinquent in paying the real property taxes due the city.

   In 1998,the city government took over  and sold the plant that became known as  the Iligan Diesel Power Plant 1 &2.

   It was then bought by the Alcantaras and is now known as Mapalad Power Corp.

   “We are here to return. We are here to stay    (Press Release)

Creation of Area JPSCC for Eastern Mindanao

 By: Capt. Alberto C Caber 

PIO,EASTMINCOM

To formalize combined efforts in strengthening mechanisms in dealing with concerns on peace and security, disaster mitigation and response for emergencies within Eastern Mindanao, the EASTERN MINDANAO COMMAND, Armed Forces of the Philippines (EMC-AFP) and the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Eastern Mindanao, Philippine National Police (DIPO-EM, PNP) crafted the joint letter directives to prescribe creation of area Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center (JPSCC).

The purpose of joint letter directive number one is to enhance the unity of effort of EMC and DIPO EM in addressing peace & security concerns & other emergencies within Eastern Mindanao; Officially establishes the area JPSCC-EM covering AORs of EMC, AFP & DIPO-EM, PNP that will supervise the Regional JPSCCs; and facilitates enhancement of capability and inter-operability of AFP & PNP units.

The purpose of joint letter directive number two is to oversee peace & security operations in the common areas of EMC & DIPO-EM to help local stakeholders attain a safer place to live, work and do business; Institutionalize the entry strategy for the PNP in the normalization process to support LGUs as the latter leads the peace and development effort when the AFP shifts to external defense posture; and enhance inter-operability and coordination between the EMC and DIPO-EM in peace and development operations.

The purpose of joint letter directive number three is to enhance proactive security of economic investments; to address the increasing trend of NPAs attacks against civilians & civilian companies that is implementing government projects; and to institutionalize mechanisms in building up & filing of cases against NPAs who attack civilians, economic investments and other government projects in communities in accordance with RA 9851 mandating of both state and non-state armed groups to observe international humanitarian law standards.

JPSCC requires combined efforts of the military and police in security operations against all threat groups within Eastern Mindanao in support to local government units and government agencies that are in need of military and police assistance.

  

As protector of the Filipino people and the state, both the AFP and PNP is intensifying security mechanisms against all threats posed by lawless groups and in responding emergencies.

NPAs left for dead a UP Biology professor in DavOr clash

Panacan, Davao City – A UP Diliman professor identified as Kim Gargar was wounded during the encounter between NPAs and government troops in Brgy Aliwagwag, Cateel, Davao Oriental October 1. An M16 rifle, landmines and subversive  same clash, a regional spokesman disclosed..

   Army Capt. Alberto Caber  of the Eastern Mindanao Command said that Gargar was captured by the troops who were pursuing the rebels after a firefight in Aliwagwag. 67ith Infantry Battalion Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Krishnamurti Mortela said that Gargar was found unconscious while clutching a rifle 200 meters away fro athe encounter site. “First aid was given to him by the troops of 67^th Infantry Battalion before he was brought to Davao Oriental provincial hospital”. Lt. Col. Mortela said.

  Initial reports revealed that he was a physics professor in UP Diliman from 2000 to 2003; Don Mariano University in Cagayan de Oro City 2003 to 2005; PUP Sta. Mesa in 2006 to 2007; Mapua University year 2007 to 2008 and was a doctorate scholar in chronological Biology in University of Groningen, Netherlands. He disclosed that he helped CPP-NPA founder Joma Sison in the production of several books aimed to exploiting the countryside. He joined the NPAs in Compostela Valley Province in 2012 while his wife works as writer of the Bulatlat.com

   Gargar was amazed at how he was treated well by the soldiers. He was very cooperative to his captors until he was visited by the group “Karapatan”.

   On the other hand, 701^st Infantry Brigade under Col. Benjamin Madrigal is puzzled at how a biology professor was found with the NPA which can shed light on the proliferation of IED which were lately found to have contaminated shrapnels.     

   EASTMINCOM Commander Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier G. Cruz III directed all military units to continue the security operations in their areas to protect the people in the communities. “Gargar is an example of how soldiers value and respect human rights”. Lt. Gen. Cruz said