http://www.wikio.co.uk/blog/search/COTABATO Wikio Blogs - search: COTABATO wikio wikio http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67987958 Newsletter 17th August 2008, 12:00 (Manila time) Breaking News Obama, McCain differ on abortion rights LAKE FOREST, Calif. - Presidential contenders Barack Obama and John McCain differed sharply on abortion Saturday, with McCain saying a baby's human rights begin "at conception," while Obama restated his support for legalized abortion. Full Story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/114257/Obama-McCain-differ-on-abortion-rights Torres denied historic gold; German woman takes 50m-free gold BEIJING – Dara Torres was denied an improbable gold medal Sunday morning by one-hundredth of a second—the same margin that kept Michael Phelps on course to break Mark Spitz's record. Full Story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/114255/Torres-denied-historic-gold-German-woman-takes-50m-free-gold MILF denies planting landmines in N. Cotabato MANILA, Philippines – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Sunday denied planting landmines in the villages of North Cotabato that they occupied last week. Full Story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/114254/MILF-denies-planting-landmines-in-N-Cotabato Launch sympathy attacks for MILF, CPP orders NPA MANILA, Philippines - The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has ordered its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), to show its support to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) by conducting sympathy attacks against government forces. Full Story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/114253/Launch-sympathy-attacks-for-MILF-CPP-orders-NPA Hawaiian palace occupied anew; about 20 arrested HONOLULU - A group of Native Hawaiians claiming to be the state's legitimate rulers occupied the grounds of a historic palace for two hours before being arrested by state officers in the second recent takeover of its kind. Full Story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/114252/Hawaiian-palace-occupied-anew-about-20-arrested Georgia says Abkhazia separatists seize villages TBILISI, Georgia - Georgia's Foreign Ministry said Saturday that Russian-backed separatists from the province of Abkhazia had taken over 13 villages in Georgia and a power plant. Full Story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/114251/Georgia-says-Abkhazia-separatists-seize-villages Headlines 9 killed, 22 hurt in gov't-MILF encounters in North Cotabato MANILA, Philippines — The death toll from the recent fighting between government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces rose to nine as of Saturday, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said. Full Story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/114166/9-killed-22-hurt-in-govt-MILF-encounters-in-North-Cotabato Top Stories Nation Launch sympathy attacks for MILF, CPP orders NPA MANILA, Philippines - The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has ordered its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), to show its support to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) by conducting sympathy attacks against government forces. Full Story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/114253/Launch-sympathy-attacks-for-MILF-CPP-orders-NPA Infotech Sports NBC's likely hit its peak with Phelps leaving NEW YORK – No amount of begging by NBC will make it happen. The Olympics swim meet ends soon after Michael Phelps' bid for his eighth gold medal on NBC Saturday night, with another week of competition remaining. Full Story: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/114256/NBCs-likely-hit-its-peak-with-Phelps-leaving If you want to unsubscribe to our newsletter, please click the link below. http://www.gmanews.tv/newsletter/unsubscribe ** Disclaimer ** GMANews.TV is not responsible for the content of this e-mail. The message contained in this email does not reflect the views and opinions of GMANews.TV or of GMA Broadcast Network, Inc. Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:00:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67987958 LSA Anaconda 2008-08-17T03:00:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67211523 Who will win in the fighting over at North Cotabato Philippines? Sat, 09 Aug 2008 15:33:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67211523 PatricioMangubat 2008-08-09T15:33:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67318803 US warns vs travel to N. Cotabato, Central MindanaoABS CBN News, Philippines - 41 minutes agoThe United States government on Monday warned its citizens not to travel to North Cotabato and Central Mindanao following the outbreak of hostilities … Mon, 11 Aug 2008 04:12:13 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67318803 2008-08-11T04:12:13Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67043561 " If you have it, flaunt it."--Anne Curtis, Philippine actress The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) did exactly that today. They have arms, and lots of it, and they flaunted it by attacking barangays in North Cotabato. Former Congressman Lavina said, the MILF attacked them as early as 18 July, long before the expected signing of the MOA. So this incident, he says, is not a reaction to the botched signing last Tuesday. So, what was it? What it is is muscle flexing. The MILF wants Filipinos to know that they are worthy of having a belligerent status. Under International law, belligerency means having the means and the power to fight an opposing force. The MILF was granted by this government a status of belligerency. That explains why the MILF was accorded equal status on the negotiating table. To sustain this status, the MILF needs to prove to the world that it has the armed capability to repulse any attack or conduct tactical maneuverings such as this one in North Cotabato. So, they flaunted it. What the MILF does'nt realize is, they fell into a pathological trap set by this government. By allowing them to neutralize opposition, they are now being pictured as brutes or bullies. Or, more appropriately, bullies deprived of lollipops. That's their image right now. So now, this attack puts them into a very dangerous and untenable situation. Should they push back, they'll be portrayed by the international community as having weaker or lesser force. If they can't claim what was allegedly theirs now, how can they do so when they sign the pact? Surely, the international community expects them to have enough force or firepower to neutralize those who'll threaten their new state. If they can't flaunt their powers now, they can't do so even if they have their own government. If they indeed stay, they risk meeting a tremendous force coming from the sponsored armed civilian groups by those politicians, caciques and landowners not only of North Cotabato but even as far as Negros (as what Sen. Mar Roxas reported in the Manila Times). North Cotabato will become a war magnet, attracting anti-Muslim forces from all over the country. Surely, if that happens, that would risk a national war of such magnitude as to ultimately cripple the entire country. This is the situation that Gloria and the peace panel obviously did not anticipate. For them, it's simple. When push comes to shove, they may need to declare Mindanao under a State of National Emergency, or worst, even suspend the writ of habeas corpus and ultimately martial rule. If that happens, that'll be too late because by that time, the conflict has reached alarming proportions that no amount of state action is enough to regain peace and order. (as of presstime, the MILF has decided to "reposition" its forces in North Cotabato. Whatever that term means, it means capitulation. They decided to choose a better option.) Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:06:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67043561 PatricioMangubat 2008-08-08T01:06:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69208698 Members of the Filipino armed Christian group Reformed Ilaga Movement march as they convene in a remote village in north Cotabato, southern Philippines August 27, 2008. The group on Wednesday warned Muslim rebels to stop their harassment against civilians or face the consequence of their actions. REUTERS/Stringer (PHILIPPINES) More Than 180 Killed In Philippine Fighting-Army -- Reuters MANILA, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Civilian casualties are mounting in the southern Philippines, where fighting between the army and Muslim guerrillas has killed at least 187 people in the past 10 days, the military and a human rights official said on Wednesday. The military said about 60 civilians were killed in attacks by renegade Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters on towns in the south and in mortar shelling. In addition, 110 rebels and 17 soldiers died, officers said. Leila de Lima, head of the Commission on Human Rights, told reporters at least 20 civilians were killed in one town on Sunday as the military pursued guerrillas responsible for the attacks. Read more .... More News On The War In Mindanao, Philippines Muslim nations condemn Philippine rebel attacks -- International Herald Tribune Mindanao’s Wrecked Peace Deal -- Pinypress No halt of rebels hunt during Ramadan in Philippines -- Chinaview Philippines peace deal hangs in the balance -- Canada.com Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:04:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69208698 Bookyards 2008-08-27T22:04:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69047628 In the seven years (as of next month) since 9/11, have we learned nothing? This caught my attention, and adds to my deep concern that the State Department just doesn't get it. From the Greensboro NC News-Record: Muslim, Jewish educators swap ideas in Greensboro GREENSBORO — Seated around a teardrop-shaped table, the little group talked about Judaism and Islam, science and math, microscopes and computers. And when Google Maps found the Philippines, Nurjavier Abubakar rose from his seat and touched the southernmost island shown on the high-tech SMART Board display. Just like that, the three educators from a private Muslim... Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:26:28 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=69047628 Anne Lieberman 2008-08-26T17:26:28Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68711736 Cotabato City (The Philippines), Aug 23 (DPA) The Philippines’ largest Muslim separatist rebel group Saturday called for immediate resumption of peace talks with the government as the military claimed that at least 100 guerrillas were killed in three days of clashes.Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said his group has already [...] Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:24:18 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68711736 IANS 2008-08-23T11:24:18Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68692048 Cotabato City (Philippines), Aug 23 (DPA) At least 100 Muslim rebels were killed in three days of airstrikes and ground assaults by government forces in the southern Philippines, a regional army spokesman said Saturday.The military offensive would continue against Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas in seven towns in Maguindanao province, 960 kms south of [...] Sat, 23 Aug 2008 05:17:54 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68692048 IANS 2008-08-23T05:17:54Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68664019 PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday asked the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leadership to account for the actions of their men who launched a series of attacks on government troops and civilians in the provinces of North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte. The rogue MILF rebels were headed by Ameril Umbra Kato and Abdullah “Bravo” Macapaar. Arroyo, [...] Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:00:41 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68664019 admin 2008-08-22T12:00:41Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68664033 PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the police and military to conduct “full, vigorous, and unrelenting” pursuit operations against members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) involved in the attacks in the provinces of North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte. Arroyo, during the Cabinet security cluster meeting in Malacañang Tuesday night, said the pursuit operations against MILF [...] Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:00:36 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68664033 admin 2008-08-22T12:00:36Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68813683 Sunday, August 24, 2008 : Hopes of renewing peace talks with Muslim rebels diminish as situation deteriorates. Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:17:16 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68813683 Al Jazeera (reposted) 2008-08-24T17:17:16Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68789938 By Carlos H. Conde International Herald Tribune Published: August 24, 2008 MANILA: Three weeks ago, the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was scheduled to sign a peace deal that, among other things, had promised to cede part of Mindanao, the main island in the south of the Philippines, to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Islamic separatist [...] Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:47:57 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68789938 carlos 2008-08-24T12:47:57Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68664029 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signs into law Republic Act 9505 otherwise known as the “Personal Equity Retirement Account (Pera) Act of 2008″ in ceremonies Friday (Aug. 22, 2008) at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall. Also in photo are (seated from left) House Speaker Prospero Nograles and Sen. Edgardo Angara and (standing from left) Rep. Roman Romulo, Rep. Amelita [...] Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:00:38 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68664029 admin 2008-08-22T12:00:38Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68188378 Whether it is Umbra Kato in North Cotabato, or Commanders Bravo and Pangalian in Lanao del Norte, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has been suffering from an epidemic of Lost Commands in just the last week --that comfortable old shoe of plausible deniability that has been worn for generations by successions of rebel "leaderships". Now, the carnage of wanton death and destruction being left in the wake of brazen Moro Islamic Liberation Front attacks in Lanao del Norte and Saranggani provinces yesterday is being recorded by a perhaps incredulous media as Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Alexander Yano characterized the MILF offensives and atrocities as a "virtual declaration of war." Everyone gets his meaning, but such a statement only abets the pretensions of the MILF to a status of belligerency, or worse, the recognition as some kind of sovereign power. This is the inevitable result of a failed policy: agreeing to ceasefires that do not lead to disarmament or peace, but only to more "peace talks" . In Kauswagan and Kolambugan towns in Lanao which reject inclusion in the BJE homeland deal, MILF rebels have been "attacking civilians with machetes, burning down their homes, taking dozens hostage and using them as human shields before killing them like chickens." Spokesman Eid Kabalu denies that the "central command" of the MILF gave orders for the attacks in Lanao, and even the alleged renegade Commander Bravo reportedly called into Newsbreak in order to tersely deny leading the attacks in Lanao yesterday. Meanwhile, in condemning the fresh MILF atrocities, the President once more vowed to "crush them." -- referring to her erstwhile partners in the peace process. Considering what a debacle this whole MOA on Ancestral Domain is turning out to be, they are altogether to blame: Gloria and her bungling advisers like Jess Dureza and Rodolfo Garcia, Gazali Jafar and Eid Kabalu and the MILF leadership and their bungling advisers. Also with egg on their faces are the Malaysians, who've been acting in Southern Philippines much as Russia has in South Ossetia, (which is to say with mischievous and malevolent intentions.) The roots of the present morass lead back to the IPRA Law and the clash of Opinions that accompanied a challenged to its Constitutionality. On December 6, 2000 (on the eve of Joseph Estrada's historic Senate impeachment trial), the Supreme Court promulgated a most indecisive 7-7 Decision [GRP 135385 Dec. 6 2000] Republic Act No. 8371-- THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE's RIGHTS ACT OF 1997 . According to the Separate Concurring Opinion of Justice Reynato Puno in the above case, "When Congress enacted the Indigenous Peoples Rights Ac t (IPRA), it introduced radical concepts into the Philippine legal system which appear to collide with settled constitutional and jural precepts on state ownership of land and other natural resources. The sense and subtleties of this law cannot be appreciated without considering its distinct sociology and the labyrinths of its history. This Opinion attempts to interpret IPRA by discovering its soul shrouded by the mist of our history. After all, the IPRA was enacted by Congress not only to fulfill the constitutional mandate of protecting the indigenous cultural communities' right to their ancestral land but more importantly, to correct a grave historical injustice to our indigenous people ." Technically speaking, Justice Puno is talking about 110 separate historical injustices, but let that pass for now. I think IPRA's concepts are so radical and collide so mightily with those constitutional and jural precepts that Justice Puno refers to, that he ought to have struck IPRA down as unconstitutional, with all its "sense and subtleties" all at once. Indeed, despite the nobility of its goal, the IPRA Law only barely escaped being annulled by the Supreme Court in a 7-7 Decision [GRP 135385 Dec. 6 2000] Speaking for the seven Justices who who decided that IPRA is unconstitutional, then Justice Artemio V. Panganiban noted the gross and explicit violations of the Constitution inherent in IPRA, particularly on the matter of natural resources utilization: Already, as of June 1998, over 2.5 million hectares have been claimed by various ICCs/IPs as ancestral domains; and over 10 thousand hectares, as ancestral lands. [34] Based on ethnographic surveys, the solicitor general estimates that ancestral domains cover 80 percent of our mineral resources and between 8 and 10 million of the 30 million hectares of land in the country. [35] This means that four fifths of its natural resources and one third of the country's land will be concentrated among 12 million Filipinos constituting 110 ICCs, [36] while over 60 million other Filipinos constituting the overwhelming majority will have to share the remaining. These figures indicate a violation of the constitutional principle of a "more equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth" among Filipinos. But wait. WHO are the indigenous peoples of the Philippines and how did they come to be "indigenous"? Justice Reynato Puno wrote in December, 2000 for the seven prevailing Justices: " Sec. 3 [h]. Indigenous Cultural Communities/ Indigenous Peoples -- refer to a group of people or homogeneous societies identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, who h ave continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed and utilized such territories , sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures , became historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos . ICCs/IPs shall likewise include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the establishment of present state boundaries, who retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional domains or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains." I shall let Justice Artemio V. Panganiban reply: Indigenous peoples may have long been marginalized in Philippine politics and society. This does not, however, give Congress any license to accord them rights that the Constitution withholds from the rest of the Filipino people. I would concede giving them priority in the use, the enjoyment and the preservation of their ancestral lands and domains. [41] But to grant perpetual ownership and control of the nation's substantial wealth to them, to the exclusion of other Filipino citizens who have chosen to live and abide by our previous and present Constitutions, would be not only unjust but also subversive of the rule of law. In giving ICCs/IPs rights in derogation of our fundamental law, Congress is effectively mandating “reverse discrimination.” In seeking to improve their lot, it would be doing so at the expense of the majority of the Filipino people. Such short-sighted and misplaced generosity will spread the roots of discontent and, in the long term, fan the fires of turmoil to a conflagration of national proportions. Peace cannot be attained by brazenly and permanently depriving the many in order to coddle the few, however disadvantaged they may have been. Neither can a just society be approximated by maiming the healthy to place them at par with the injured. Nor can the nation survive by enclaving its wealth for the exclusive benefit of favored minorities. Rather, the law must help the powerless by enabling them to take advantage of opportunities and privileges that are open to all and by preventing the powerful from exploiting and oppressing them. This is the essence of social justice – empowering and enabling the poor to be able to compete with the rich and, thus, equally enjoy the blessings of prosperity, freedom and dignity. Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:20:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=68188378 noreply@blogger.com (DJB Rizalist) 2008-08-17T00:20:00Z http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67730329 Security forces in the Philippines retook control of 15 villages in southern Mindanao a week after Muslim rebels had occupied them, the military said.The forces expelled hundreds of rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front from the villages across North Cotabato, the Los Angeles Times reported, quoting military officials.We have totally reclaimed the villages occupied by rebels. But troops are still clearing the areas of land mines left behind by the MILF forces, said a spokesman.The rebels, however, claimed the largely Christian villages are part of a Muslim homeland the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has agreed to set up under mediation by Malaysia. Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:08:00 GMT http://www.wikio.co.uk/info?id=67730329 2008-08-14T11:08:00Z