Robredo resolves ARMM-DOTC conflict

Robredo resolves ARMM-DOTC raps                  Dimapanat as the legal and rightful head   Cotabato City – The employees of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Department of Transportation and Communication (ARMM-DOTC) were grateful to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo for the memorandum/directive to ARMM OIC Regional Governor Ansaruddin A.  Adiong for resolving the issue on the rightful and legal head of the DOTC-ARMM. Dialoson A. Amil, President, DOTC-ARMM Employees Association expressed his gratitude to the DILG Sec. Robredo  and the civil service commission ,central office  for acting on the matter that resulted to the decade old problem at the ARMM-DOTC centered on the issue of appointing a DOTCl Secretary by the ARMM Regional Governor. " The directive of the DILG Secretary by the Honorable Jesse Robredo on the rightful and legal head of the DOTC ARMM is a welcome development to the employees of the DOTC-ARMM and the people in the ARMM", Amil disclosed. He added that it has been their long prayer that the provision of the law should be respected and implemented such that the Regional Secretary of the DOTC-ARMM be removed as he cannot be appointed since  there is no such position created under the law.  "It is but the Director IV that must sit as the head of DOTC-ARMM", he said.    DOTC-ARMM Director IV, Engineer Pama P. Dimapanat  through a letter,  he informed  OIC Regional Governor Adiong that effective September, 30, 2010, he  will perform his duty and responsibility as the legal and rightful head of the department. It can be recalled, that Dimapanat, in a letter dated 17 July 2010 entitled "Appeal to Resolve the Rightful Head of DOTC-ARMM" brought to the attention of the Honorable Secretary of the DILG the issue of who is the rightful head of the said agency. This is in view of the appointment of a Regional Cabinet Secretary and Assistant Regional Cabinet Secretary for the aforementioned Department by the Regional Governor duplicating the existing career position of the Director IV and Director III. Ironically, these duplicated positions bear the same salary grades as that of the Directors III & IV which is SG 28 & SG 27 respectively. Consequently, the matter was referred to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for their expert opinion as the central personnel agency of the government. In a reply to the letter of the DILG Secretary Robredo, CSC came up with Opinion No. 138 series of 2010 dated September 14, 2010 the dispositive portion of which declared that "…Given these facts and considering that no DOTC Secretary position appears to have been created in the ARMM, it is our view that the Director IV in the DOTC-ARMM is the head of office therein." Furthermore, it went on declaring "…the appointment of a DOTC Secretary in the ARMM is violative of RA 9054." It even provided that "Civil Service Law and rules provide that in case of appointments issued in violation of the law, appointees thereto shall not be entitled to receive pay from the government and the appointing authority responsible for such unlawful employment shall be personally liable for the pay that would have accrued had the employment been lawful." The official opinion of the CSC en banc was referred to the Office of the Legal Service of the DILG which gave an affirmative response to the opinion. Hence on September 23, 2010 the DILG Secretary Robredo  issued a memorandum addressed to ARMM Regional Governor Ansaruddin A. Adiong directing him "to  forthwith make arrangements for the sitting DOTC ARMM Secretary to peacefully step down and yield to the rightful Director IV in the DOTC, in compliance with the opinion rendered by CSC." It ordered further "to submit to this office within five (5) days from receipt hereof your report of compliance, copy furnished the Civil Service Commission" The memorandum of DILG director II of the legal Service,  Atty Jesus B. Doque further states that "failure or refusal on the part of the regional Governor to heed the SILGs directive will subject the former to administrative suits". In a phone interview with Robredo, he confirmed such memorandum/directive had been issued to the ARMM Regional Governor Adiong on September 23, 2010."After  we sought legal opinion of the Civil Service Commission i requested Regional Governor's office to submit five (5) days from the receipt of their report of compliance, copy furnished the Civil Service Commission ", Robredo said. He further noted that he is hoping that the Regional Governor will heed to the memorandum.  Amil,  in his letter represented that the highest plantilla position in the DOTC-ARMM is the director IV and the appointment of the DOTC Secretary of the former ARMM Governor Parouk Hussin finds no legal support from RA 9054. "Since the matter is the primary responsibility of the president pursuant to Section 16, Article X  (local Government) of the Constitution. Section 16 states that the President shall exercise general supervision over autonomous regions to ensure that laws are faithfully executed", Amil said. He added that such particular function has been delegated by the President to the DILG Secretary in Administrative Order No.273, as amended, which directive has not been revoked or amended up to the present.

Renabor: The hope of Tugaya

Marawi City – After the ambush incident that resulted to the brutal killing of re electionist town mayor Alimatar P. Guroalim and injuring his four companions in an early morning of Eid'l Fitr, Peace at last was felt by residents here following the appointment of Acting mayor Mangawan C. Renabor. On July 22 ,2010 Acting mayor Renabor was appointed by Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)acting Regional Governor Ansaruddin "Hooky" Alonto Adiong ona neutral ground to ease the tension between the two warring political parties, Guroalims and the Balindong led by mayoralty candidate Alber Balindong, son of former mayor Mangawan Pacalna Balindong. Renabor is a relative to both families. Considering the atmosphere of trepidation, Mayor Renabor, with the consent of then ARG Adiong, temporarily transferred the seat of government as temporary Municipal Hall at Barangay Sugod Mawatan situated along the National highway, to make himself more accessible to his constituents in providing ample delivery of basic services due to them such, as the medical missions, symposia and forums led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health, (DOH) Department of Agriculture and fisheries (DAF), Department of Education (DepEd) and other line agencies of the government. Meanwhiel, the Philippine National Police Officer –in-Charge (PNP-OIC) Lanao del Sur Provincial director PSupt Cosaine M. Derogongan deployed "Peace keeping forces" with Army Col .Jed Motus of the 65th Infantry Battalion (IB) as ground commander with the joint effort of the PNP-Regional Mobile Group under the command of PSupt Lumanda D. Idsla. Col Motus disclosed in an interview that the incident is a politically motivated. Due to escalation of tensions that prompted the evacuation of some residents in the adjacent municipalities and the desistance of students and pupils from going to school, mayor Renabor constituted a "local Crisis Management Committees" to directly deal with the grievances of his people and address the best solutions to achieve the real meaning of peace. Mayor Renabor, being a man of principle, belonging to a clan of peace loving people who is presently holding a title of royalty as "Datu Sa Masiu" is bound to restore Peace and Order in Tugaya. Right after his assumption of duty, Renabor owing to his effort to have restore peace and order and in order to sustain economic stability, he restore electricity which was long deprived from his people during the past/previous administrations. Notwithstanding the distaste of some envious camps trying to underestimate the capability of mayor Renabor in implementing good governance in Tugayay, ARG Adiong was pleased having no regrets to have installed him as acting mayor considering his proven probility of the task accorded to him. Inasmuch as most camps, such as the religious leaders, local officials ,barangay officials farmers , fishermen, traders /businessmen and even the warring political families conceded to mayor Renabor's appointment as the acting mayor (according to several interviews) residents had aired their sentiments and enthusiasm of having perceived a "One of a kind ' concerned administration ever since ,manifested by his first lady Bai Shoraida Titiban Renabor, for having implemented several projects acquired from different government agencies before his appointment. The acting mayor praised and commended the performances and tenacity of the good men in uniform assigned in Tugaya and expressed his heartfelt thanks and gratitude to both ARG Ansarudding Alonto and Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong,Jr for their advocacy for peace and development in the ARMM and l in the Lanao del Sur, respectively and above all to our Almighty Allah's blessing and guidance appointment of mayor Mangawan C. Renabor is indeed a welcome development for Tugaya after the political turmoil .

104th is doing well in Maguindanao..residents

               
                  MARIZ   REVALES and RIC CLET
Tacurong City - Residents here lauded 104th brigade for bringing peace and order situation normal again after their arrival ten (10)months ago.
Major Alonto Maamo, its civil military officer in an interview with the media disclosed that perhaps residents in the area felt secured after addressing some of the problems .
"WE are doing our mandate by bringing normalcy in the area here in Tacurong and Sultan Kudarat province, at kahit may kaguluhan dito noon  naibalik namin ang kapayapaan",Maamo said

104th brigade is a peace keeping forces under the command of Col Mario A. Mendoza  and as much as possible is avoiding to be placed in the middle of conflict.
" Our unit has done civil military project such as to provide security in the area for the international and local non government organization (NGO)   while  they stay at the area", Maamo said..
Since their arrival last December 22,  2009 104th brigade has implemented activities and programs related to peace and development. Such as mini concert, bike for peace, medical outreach and other community services.
"For simply doing biking, residents felt secured in seeing military who are not from this place roaming around the streets riding in their bikes. ",Maamo noted.
Maamo said that Bike for peace will be launched again and this time their commanding officer and other ground commanders will go with them in visiting the troops in the area riding in their bikes.
Recently, General Romeo Lustestica of the first Infantry  "Tabak" Division visited the brigade and commended its performance. ' We felt proud for sending 104th brigade in this part of the region as I   know that this unit can deliver the mandate task before them", Lustestica said in an interview. 
Media in the area and from Lanao where 104th brigade  previously assigned also lauded the unit for its contributions while in the said areas.

ARMM peace summit kicks off today

                                                 ARMM Peace Summit kicks off today

                                                                                            RIC CLET

COTABATO CITY – All roads  lead to this Southern Island today for  foreign and national dignitaries  to discuss  possible solutions affecting peace and development in Mindanao. organizers said.

Organizers of this momentous event  of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) noted that the  summit is aimed at helping to create a paradigm for peace and development thrusts that may serve as reference of the Aquino administration and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in their imminent resumption of peace talks.

In his report, Ali Macabalang, ARMM  Chief of Bureau of  Information noted that the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which is pushing for the full implementation of the provisions of its 1996 final peace accord with the government, has confirmed participation in the summit, while the MILF leadership has declined to join the gathering in view of a mechanism it has reportedly agreed with the state in the would-be renewed peace talks.

Envoys from Malaysia, Indonesia, and other countries belonging to the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) are the guests alongside with Western and European states who have also confirmed attendance.

Philippine authorities from the military and the police had secured the area. The two day summit is the culmination of the previous peace summit which was held at the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi Tawi prior to this consultations

" Abdullah Cusain, ARMM deputy executive secretary, noted at least 11 major issues dealing with concerns for the enhancement of autonomy and proactive peace efforts in Muslim Mindanao have been collated for deliberation at the summit", Macabalang said.

ARMM acting Gov. Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong, will welcome the guests and visitors, in his   recent statements he urged his constituents to "think, talk and work for peace" in order to shape a peaceful climate in the region.

Local officials of Cotabato City and the ARMM will  deliver their respective messages on the significance  of the two day summit.