Tboli Tribal Scandal

The 1002nd Infantry Brigade is now determining the motive of lawless group for attacking the T'boli tribal force in Sitio Kadapukan, Barangay Tuanadatu, Maitum, Sarangani Saturday morning.

Capt. William Alfred Rodriquez, the unit's spokesperson, said the attack, which wounded one T'boli tribal policeman, was carried out by a group lead by one Datu Ingig and Udtug Talumpa around 6: 20 a.m.

He also said the brigands were also the one behind the Aug. 16 ambush that killed four people.

"We don't know why they attacked Tuanadatu again. We have deployed units in the area to prevent a recurrence of this," Rodriquez said.

PNP Best Operational Unit

The Cagayan Valley regional police office has topped all other Philippine National Police commands as the best operational and administrative unit of the PNP and will be awarded the prestigious Presidential Streamer on Monday as highlight of the 111th police service anniversary ceremonies in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Police Regional Office-2 (PRO-2) director Chief Supt. Rodrigo de Gracia will formally receive the Presidential Streamer Award from Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel A. Roxas II, who will represent President Benigno S. Aquino III.

In a statement, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. said that PRO-2 bested 16 other PNP regional offices in the nationwide search for outstanding administrative and operational accomplishments by PNP units in 2011.

Cerbo said that PRO-2 was cited for the highly satisfactory results of its latest Annual General Inspection-Operational Readiness Security Inspection Test and Evaluation (AGI-ORSITE) conducted by the NationalPolice Commission, and review of its accomplishments consistent with the 10-point action priorities of the PNP.

PRO-2 has jurisdiction over the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino in Northern Luzon.

On the other hand, the PNP's Information Technology Management Service, under Sr. Supt. Rogelio Damazo, was adjudged Best National Administrative Support Unit of the Year and will receive the Napolcom Streamer Award from Secretary Roxas.

The PNP's elite Special Action Force was adjudged Best National Operational Support Unit of the Year and will receive the Chief PNP Streamer Award from PNP Director General Nicanor Bartolome.

Other PNP unit awardees are Laguna Police Provincial Office, PRO4A-Best Police Provincial Office of the Year; General Santos City Police Office, PRO12-Best City Police Office of the Year; 1st Regional Public Safety Battalion, PRO1-Best Regional Public Safety Battalion of the Year.

South Cotabato Provincial Public Safety Company, PRO12 was adjudged as Best Provincial Public Safety Company of the Year; Zamboanga City Public Safety Company, PRO9-Best City Public Safety Company of the Year; Sta. Rosa City Police Station, PRO4A-Best City Police Station of the Year; San Pedro Municipal Police Station, PRO4A-Best Municipal Police Station of the Year: Quezon City Police District, NCRPO-Best NCR Police District of the Year; and Baguio City Police Office-Best Women & Children Protection Desk of the Year.

In recognition of outstanding accomplishments in the service, Cerbo said that the PNP will also give due recognition to PNP officers and personnel for individual achievements.

Topping the list of personal award are Sr. Supt. Noel Constantino - Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for Administration, and Sr. Supt. Teodoro Basa - Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for Operations; Chief Insp. Julius Balano - Best Junior Police Commissioned Officer of the Year, and SPO1 Wilfredo C Guillema Jr. - Best Senior Police Non-Commissioned Officer.

Police Officer 3 Danny Gaces was named as Best Junior Police Non-Commissioned Officer; civilian employee Teresa Vicente was adjudged as Best Non-Uniformed Personnel (Supervisory Level); and NUP Ranelo Christian P Tiongco - Best Non-Uniformed Personnel (Non-Supervisory Level).

Cerbo also said that special awards will be presented to PNP units and personnel for notable achievements and outstanding performance.

Rules on Educational Tours

Malacanang has said schools must follow the recommendations of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) asking for clear rules before schools allow students to go on educational tours.

The NDRRMC issued a statement following the recent tragedy in Boracay Island where a student drowned during an educational field trip.

"Magandang bagay ang hinihingi ng NDRRMC para maisama naman ang disaster preparedness. Dapat matagal na panahong pinaghahandaan," Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.

"Maganda na masimulan sa mga estudyante natin, sa mga mag-aaral na bata pa lang na alam na po nila at maidikdik natin sa kanilang pag-iisip kung ano ang kailangan for disaster preparedness," she said.

The NDRRMC said schools must have rules in place to prevent a repeat of the Boracay incident, noting that students joining field trips must be briefed on the risks when going swimming or hiking.

Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM)

The Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) has disclosed the capture of a ranking New People's Army (NPA) leader and three of his companions during operations in Quezon City Saturday morning.

Col. Generoso Bolina, SOLCOM spokesperson, identified those arrested as Benjamin Mendoza, 61, secretary of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC); Josephine Mendoza, a member of the NPA Central Committee, and two still unidentified companions.

Bolina said the arrest was made during operations on Aurora Blvd., Quezon City conducted by elements of the 2nd Infantry Division and the Philippine National Police and other security units at around 12:15 a.m. Saturday.

Bolina said Mendoza was apprehended by virtue of two warrants of arrest, one of which was in Criminal Case No. 206-551 filed at the Regional Trial Court 4th Branch 59 in Lucena City for rebellion, with P5.6 million reward.

He added that the captured NPA leader started his involvement with the rebel group during his student days and became full-time member in the Southern Tagalog region, focusing on ideological and political organizational works with function to expand student organizations inside the academe.

Mendoza, who was then called "Ka Evan" in 1975, led the "Samahan Demokratiko Kabataan" in the National Capital Region.

In 1980, he was designated as the commanding officer of Crispin Tagamolila Command, in charge of the security of the "Sentral Komite."

After graduating from the commando operation, heavy weapon operation, bomb making and sniping course in Libya from 1981 to 1982, Mendoza became the commanding officer of the NPA in Oriental Mindoro in 1984, with the aliases "Ka Miguel/Ka Dave."

Two years later, he was formally designated as a staff of the STRPC.

Further reports revealed that Mendoza was meted with "lifetime disciplinary action" due to his extensive involvement in Operation Missing Link, an anti-deep penetration agent drive from members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, activities in the boundaries of Laguna and Quezon.

Likewise, Mendoza was found to have led the most number of successful NPA operations with the least numbers of NPA casualties in 1991.

Reports also disclosed that Mendoza was the brain of most successful raid activities, including those at the Pola Municipal Hall; at Mendez Mining in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro; at the Philippine Air Force's detachment in the National Power Corp. in Calaca, Batangas; at the Batangas Provincial Jail where at least nine detained NPAs were released; at an Army detachment in Mulanay, Quezon; ambuscade in Gen. Nakar and Lopez, Quezon; and bombing of a bridge in Del Gallego, Camarines Sur.

Meanwhile, SOLCOM commander Maj. Gen. Allan R. Luga commended the extensive and collaborated operation of the AFP and the PNP.

Fair Election Act: Appointed and Elected Must Resign

By Lilybeth G. Ison

Malacanang clarified Saturday that officers-in-charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, although appointed to their posts by President Benigno Aquino III, were not deemed resigned even after they filed their certificates of candidacy for next year's elections, as the nature of their positions is still elective.

"Sa Fair Election Act, dalawa ang distinction -- may 'appointed' official na pag-file ng CoC at automatically resigned. Ang 'elective' hindi nag-a-apply sa kanila. 'Yan kasi may mandate sila at kailangan ituloy," said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a radio interview.

Acting ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman Friday filed his CoC as ARMM governor under the Liberal Party.

He said he reached the decision after consultations with his family, supporters and political benefactors.

"I don't decide on my own on political matters involving myself. I consulted first many people, including my superiors in the Liberal Party and President Aquino," he said in an interview with media.

Hataman said his decision was also in response to mounting clamor for him to seek a mandate as a duly elected ARMM governor to enable him to continue the reforms he has introduced in the region.

Valte explained that in the case of Hataman and the other OICs, "they were appointed but are holding an elective position. The supervening event does not change the character of the position they are holding."

"Ang posisyon, hindi ang tao. The position remains an elective post," she added.

Under the Commission on Elections Resolution 9518 providing guidelines on the filing of CoCs, Section 4 states that any person holding a public appointive office or position, including active members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other officers and employees in government-owned or controlled corporations, shall be considered "ipso facto" -- meaning by the fact itself -- resigned from office and must vacate the same at the start of the day of the filing of CoC.

However, it also stated that any person "holding an elective office or position shall not be considered resigned upon the filing of his Certificate of Candidacy whether for the same or any other elective office or position."

Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang, in a statement, said they support the candidacy of Hataman as ARMM governor.

OFW Standard Employment Contract

After reaching a new Standard Employment Contract (SEC) for domestic workers with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the Philippines is looking to come up with a similar agreement with other Middle East countries, according to Vice President Jejomar C. Binay.

He said bilateral negotiation is also under way with the Jordanian government for the crafting of an employment agreement similar to that reached with KSA.

"We hope to reach a similar agreement with Jordanian government," said Binay, who did not discount the possibility of reaching similar bilateral deals with other Middle East countries.

The Vice President has, in fact, directed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to start negotiating with its foreign counterpart in Jordan.

Binay, the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers' Concerns, said the SEC has become a model for future employee-employer contracts in other destination countries for Filipino household service workers (HSWs), particularly Middle East.

The Vice President also lauded the Saudi government, saying it "has extended to the Philippine government all the needed assistance to protect our workers."

"With the new agreement, both governments can work together in enforcing a stronger regulatory regime for the deployment of HSWs and ensure that abuse and exploitation of our HSWs are stopped," he added.

One of the provisions in the contract is the increase of the minimum wage of HSWs from $ 200 to $ 400 per month.

Binay said with the SEC in place, employers are now required to pay HSWS via the banking system to ensure that wages are paid fully and on time.

HSWs are also required to be given at least eight hours of rest daily and one day off work per week.

Moreover, a worker is entitled to return to the Philippines for a paid vacation leave of 30 days for every two years of service with a round-trip economy class ticket.

In case the HSW decides to renew his/her contract with the employer, he/she is entitled to receive an additional one month salary.

In case of death, the employer is responsible for the repatriation of the HSW remains and personal belongings to the Philippines as soon as legally possible and without undue delay.

If the repatriation of remains is not possible, the same may be disposed of after obtaining the approval of one of the HSW's next of kin or by the Philippine embassy.

Furthermore, the Vice President emphasized that employers can no longer keep the passports of their HSWs.

Qualified Filipino Bus Drivers

Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz sees bus passengers all over Zamboanga del Norte benefiting much from safe bus travel as the DOLE, through its attached agency, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), has already certified 89 bus drivers in the region as competent.

"This move will also benefit the region's bus drivers and conductors, as their being certified competent will boost professionalism in the bus transport sector, eventually benefiting other sectors of the economy, such as the tourism sector," said Baldoz in a media statement.

The labor and employment chief made the statement during her brief visit last week to the famous Shrine City of Dapitan, the national hero Jose Rizal's place of exile in Zamboanga del Norte.

During the visit, Baldoz handed out the Certificates of Competency or NC III of the 89 bus drivers assessed and certified as such by the TESDA. She also inducted the officials of the province's Industry Tripartite Council-Bus Transport sector.

The induction formally established and set into action the ITC as a DOLE partner in fostering labor-management cooperation on addressing concerns and challenges confronting the province's bus transport sector.

It also paves the way for the smooth implementation in Zamboanga del Norte of D.O. 118-12, Series of 2012, the Rules and Regulations Governing the Employment and Working Conditions of Drivers and Conductors in the Public Utility Bus Transport Industry, which will redound to the benefit of bus drivers and conductors and ensure their safety as well as the safety of bus passengers.

"I welcome the establishment of the ITC in the Bus Transport sector in the Zamboanga Peninsula. I hope you will truly live up to your pledge to use the ITC as a mechanism to resolve the problems in your industry which you alone can address because you are familiar with these problems, promote labor-management cooperation and self-governance, and raise productivity and competitiveness," Baldoz said.

"On the other hand, the training, assessment, and certification of the region's bus drivers will lead to a professional corps of drivers in the bus transport sector that could be a boon to health and safety which in turn will attract more passengers, including tourists," she added.

TESDA Regional Director Lorenzo Macapili informed the Secretary that the TESDA had assessed 187 bus drivers in compliance with D.O. 118-12, but only 89 had passed and been certified.

"We will soon train those bus drivers who did not pass the assessment," he assured Baldoz.

The distribution of the NC III certificates and the induction of the ITC-Bus Transport officers were the culmination of the DOLE Regional Office No. 9's conduct of a two-day learning session on the DOLE's occupational safety and health program held for stakeholders of the Zamboanga Peninsula bus transport industry.

Dengue Cases in Visayas Up

The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Department of Health (Resu-DOH) 7 recorded a total of 7,055 dengue cases, with 35 deaths in Central Visayas from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1 this year.

The number of cases is 111 percent higher compared to the same period in 2011, with 3,346 cases and 18 deaths.

The ages of those affected by dengue range from one month to 95 years old, but majority of them were six to 10 years old.

Cebu City topped the list, with 3,081 cases and 12 deaths, followed by Lapu-Lapu City, with 455 cases and four deaths.

The other cities and towns with the most number of dengue cases are Dumaguete City, with 383 cases and two deaths; Minglanilla town, with 246 cases and one death; Tagbilaran City, with 181 cases and five deaths; Liloan town, with 124 cases and one death; Toledo City, with 118 cases and one death; Mandaue City, with 107 cases; and Bayawan City, with 100 cases.

Ruth Suzette Jaborete, DOH 7 public information officer, said they tapped the local government units to monitor the dengue cases.

The DOH also collaborated with the Department of Education to train teachers in identifying mosquito breeding sites, as well as to the community in establishing dengue brigades in the barangays.

Philippine Senate Investigates Rico Puno

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago pushed through on Friday a Senate probe on resigned Department of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico E. Puno after the latter himself showed up and a quorum was declared with the presence of Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

Santiago opened the probe at 10:44 a.m. by explaining the validity of the decision of her committee on constitutional amendments, revision of laws to conduct the inquiry even with the absence of a resolution or privilege speech which some of her fellow senators have been requiring from her.

The feisty senator said Section 17 of the Senate Rules of Procedures allow a committee which initiates to call an investigation in aid of legislation.

Santiago read Section 17 which states: "The transmittal of matters to the committees 'may' be done with instructions through a motion by a majority of the senators present."

"The use of the word 'may' indicates permission, while the use of the word 'shall' or 'will' indicates compulsion. Therefore, the use of the word 'may' indicates that another method may be used, such as simple assumption of jurisdiction by the committee, instead of referral by the plenary session," she explained.

Further, Santiago said under the rules of procedures governing inquiries in aid of legislation, "Section 2 says inquires may be initiated by the Senate or any of its committees if the matter is within its competence."

"This provision uses the word 'or', meaning that the inquiry maybe initiated by resolution in the Senate or on its own by any of the competent committees," Santiago said.

"We are here to conduct investigation in aid of legislation and not to explain the Senate rules of procedures. Do I have to teach them about our rules in the Senate?," Santiago said, referring to her colleagues who questioned the process of conducting the inquiry.

On Thursday night, Santiago said out of the 11 members of her committee, nobody confirmed attendance tothehearing, but on Friday morning, Cayetano and Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. showed up, prompting Santiago to declare a quorum.

After allowing Cayetano to state his opening statement, Cayetano proceeded with the inquiry by focusing on the issue of illegal number games, including "jueteng."

But before giving the floor to anti-illegal gambling crusader Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Santiago allowed Puno to read his opening statement where he denied all the accusations, including reports that he attempted to raid the Quezon City office of the late Secretary Jesse Robredo.

"My long silence was not a sign of my guilt. All these (accusations) are all lies and that's why I'm here," Puno, who resigned as DILG undersecretary three days ago, said.

Puno told the committee that he has instruction to secure and not raid the public documents which, he said. are inside Robredo's condominium.

Puno said his detractors have no proof on the allegations hurled against him.

After Puno's opening statement, Cruz told the committee that not only jueteng but 30 other forms of illegal gambling still exist up to present.

Cruz said that the problem of illegal gambling is no longer at the level of legislation but with the level of the effort that national and local government to stop them.

Aside from Cruz and Puno, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome showed up.

Philippine Typhoon Karen Hits Luzon and Visayas

Typhoon "Karen" has maintained its strength as it continue to enhance the southwest monsoon (habagat) that will bring rains over Luzon and Visayas, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

PAGASA said that as of 10 a.m. Friday, the eye of typhoon Karen was located at 740 km East of Aparri, Cagayan (18.5°N,129.6°E) with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 220 kph.

The weather bureau said that Karen continues to traverse the East Philippine Sea in a North Northwest direction at 15 kph is expected to be at 770 km East of Southern Taiwan by Saturday morning and at 600 km East of Northern Taiwan by Sunday morning.

PAGASA said rainfall amount within the 550-km diameter of the typhoon is from 15 to 30 millimeters per hour (heavy-intense).

Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out over the eastern seaboard of the country due to strong winds generated by typhoon Karen.

Weather forecaster Lenny Ruiz said that although Karen is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country, it will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring light to moderate rains over Metro Manila and occasional moderate to heavy rains over CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), MIMAROPA (Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon and Palawan) and Western Visayas.

He said that no storm warning signals have been raised so far since it is too far away to directly affect the country.