Development oriented police director receive P3-M project

Sulu Police Provincial Headquarters in Jolo

Becky D. de Asis and Judys G. Cogo

JOLO, SULU - Provincial Director P/SSupt. Antonio Freyra received  of P3 million for school buildings from Governor Sakur Tan earlier for the police trainings school. The buildings catered more or less 100 trainees including the mess hall.

Freyra has implemented more projects in the Police Provincial Headquarters by his own effort in order to give good service to his men and to the people in the province. 

No movement of police director in Sulu – Sec. Mar Roxas

Becky D. de Asis

 Jolo, Sulu – The Department Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas visited here last week to personally hand over assistance to the Sabah evacuees.

He also visited the police headquarters to see by himself how the policemen implement the peace and order in preparation for the incoming national and local elections.

Police Senior Supt. Antonio J. Freyra
Sulu PNP Director

Roxas re-appointed Sulu provincial police director, P/SSupt. Antonio Jamero  Freyra after the regional director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao P/CSupt.  Noel delos Reyes was relieved him last March 4 as per police directives and protocols.

The Secretary said they need a brave policeman in Sulu and expressed belief the current police director can handle his job well.

No movement of provincial police director by this time special in Sulu, I ordered that you will stay here Director Freyra that’s my order.” said Roxas.

Governor Tan expressed appreciation over the move of the Secretary by re-appointed Freyra as Sulu police provincial Director.

He said Freyra is a good peacekeepers and development oriented person.

 “I believe that this man had more legacy he did in Sulu police,” said Tan

Freyra was amazed about his re-appointment because he never expected that Secretary Mar Roxas will give him another chance to serve the people in the place.

He said he served the people in the place for almost 2 year as Officer-in-Charge.

As full pledge provincial director, Freyra, accepted the challenge.

It maybe recalled police here conducted several police checkpoints and operation to trap some possible recruitments of Royal Sultanate Security to augment the ongoing conflict in Malaysian Army against the Sultanate of Sulu.

Freyra said in an interview the police and the military are ready to identify and entrap recruitment activity as security forces of the Sultanate.

During checkpoints operation, the police have recovered almost 23 high-powered firearms and fragmentation grenade after the Comelec implemented the gun ban last January 13.

At least 17 persons were apprehended and 5 of them are facing court litigation.

Oplan Katok, which policemen went to houses knocking at the door’s residents, was also implemented.

Thousands of evacuees from Sabah flank Sulu Warf

Judys G. Cogo

Jolo, Sulu – Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of the Interior and Local Government visited here today to personally gave immediate assistance to 110 families from Sabah, Malaysia consisting of 89 males, 109 females adult and 86 children with a total of 284 persons as of yesterday figure but since the Sabah issue erupted it reaches to more than 1,200 persons.

The 110 families arrived yesterday in Jolo aboard a motor launch M/L Menhan from Sabah.

They arrived with fears, thirsty and hungry including the 5 babies.

According to some deportees they were maltreated by some Malaysian police and run for their lives when the police sprayed their firearms at them, said a deportee in an interview..

Secretary Mar Roxas also conducted meeting with the local government units today with the Governor Sakur Tan, DSWD, Police and other concern agencies in order to address the issues.

They also plan to conduct orientation among deportees to heal them from trauma while escaping Sabah. They also gave foods, clothing and other important needs to victims.

Governor Sakur Tan expressed disappointment over the large numbers of evacuees coming in from Sabah due to present crisis in the place.

However, he is optimistic the problems soon will address and Filipino in the place will be deported safely, said Tan.

Meanwhile, Secretary Roxas gave assurance that prime commodities such as rice, gasoline, can goods and others will be supplied.

Unfortunately the price is too high than before, like gasoline, which before is only P40.00 and now it reaches to P45.00 per litter.

P/SSupt Antonio Freyra, provincial director of Sulu, said the police is giving immediate assistance to evacuees by securing their billeting areas until they will be move to their own place.

Army and PNP Nabs ASG Member

    Pagadian City – Joint Army and PNP elements from the Task Force Zamboanga and PNP Region IX apprehended a member of Abu Sayyaf Group, identified as a certain Jailani Basirul at Valderoza Street, Brgy Zone I, Zamboanga City this morning, according to Task Force Zamboanga Commander Colonel Glenn Macasero.

         The soldiers together with the police were tipped off by concerned citizens that Jailani Basirul was at the said area for unknown purpose. Said wanted person was arrested for kidnapping and serious illegal detention by virtue of several Warrants of Arrest issued by the 9^th Judicial Region Branch 1 and 9^th Judicial Region Branch 2, both of Isabela, Basilan Province. Subject person was brought to Camp Battala, Zamboanga City of PNP Region IX.      

         “I commend the untiring efforts of the joint law enforcement elements that resulted to the apprehension of Jailani Basirul, an ASG member” MGen Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, the Commander of the 1^st Infantry Division, said. He is also grateful for the active participation of the local populace in enforcing the law in the spirit of “Bayanihan”.

          

          It can be recalled that on the morning of March 05, 2013, two (2) ASG members were also arrested by the joint elements of military and PNP Regional Office IX in Zamboanga City. By virtue of a standing warrant of arrest for murder issued by branch 12 Regional Trial Court of Zamboanga City, a certain Sajid Amajad was apprehended at Brgy Muti while a certain Edil Amajad y Nasalun Abu Edil was also apprehe

BFAR conducts Mindanao-wide Media conference in Zamboanga City

Becky D. de Asis

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources conducted a regional media – wide conference in this city in order to enhance and show the people on what is the real score of the BFAR’s activities within their area of jurisdiction last week.

Director Asis Perez with Director Janice Musali and Mayor

Roderick Furigay of Lamitan ,  Basilan (center)  tried to push

the Payao floater into the water, the fishing ground of

Lamitan municipality. (Photo by Judys G. Cogo)

The conference was attended by six regional offices throughout Mindanao which include the Region 9, Region 10, Region 11, Region 12, Caraga region and ARMM.

Director Asis Perez of BFAR National told the media about the plight of BFAR now in the Philippines.

He said the Philippine fishing as of now with regards on sea-aqua-marine production were on the 5^th place worldwide.

BFAR donates 6 payao’s in Lamitan

Judys G. Cogo

LAMITAN, BASILAN – Mayor Roderick Furigay here was surprised upon receiving the 6 payaos from Bureau of Fisheries last week, March 10 in the mid-water of Lamitan territory through the MV-DA-BFAR with Director Asis Perez of Manila with the 6 regional directors from different regions in Mindanao.

Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan, Basilan  
(left) with RD Perez

Furigay said it’s like a “hulog ng langit” program from national government.

“Imagine in 1 snap of my finger there are 6 payaos on the water. I am amazed and surprised because I didn’t submit any proposals nor request to have payaos or projects from BFAR but here they are, they deliver it door to door,” the mayor said.

“I am very thankful to our government especially the BFAR, through Director Perez in giving always the priority to the neediest small-fishermen.”

Secretary Roxas visits Basilan during founding anniversary

Judys G. Cogo

Isabela City – Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of the Interior Local Government visited Basilan to attend the 39^th founding anniversary of the province last week (March 7).

In his speech, Roxas said that he is surprised upon arriving the city because he thought that Basilan is very delicate place and one of the war-torn areas of Mindanao.

The secretary drove his car around the city with other local government just to give his supports for the peace and development of the s province.

He emphasized the peace and order of the province that needs a sincere support from the national government.
 

DENR offers college scholarship to kids of environmental heroes

DENR Sec. Ramon J.P. Paje

PAGADIAN CITY - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is offering a generous scholarship package to children of “fallen heroes of the environment” or workers of the agency who died in the line of duty.

DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje recently signed DENR Memorandum Circular No. 2013-02, which outlines the general guidelines for the scholarship program that aims to help send kids of slain environment workers to college.

This is our way of recognizing the service and contribution of our fellow workers who died while protecting the environment," Paje said.

“We came up with this scholarship program because apart from believing in the value of education, we know that it’s every parent’s dream to see his child secure a college diploma so we want to fulfill that dream in behalf of our environmental heroes who have gone ahead of us,” he added.

On the malicious representations of Jacel Kiram

From the very start, we have urged a peaceful resolution to the standoff in Sabah, one that is only possible if people act with sobriety, and the utmost awareness of the deep implications incendiary rhetoric and speculation can have, with lives at stake for Filipinos in Sabah, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and beyond.

Ms. Jacel Kiram's use of a photograph which she claimed were of Malaysian casualties – has led to the discovery by media that the photograph was not of Malaysian casualties in the Sabah standoff but of Thai military casualties in a 2007 incident that had nothing to do whatsoever with the standoff in Sabah.

Ms. Kiram's attempted deception goes beyond grandstanding and strays into the realm of incendiary, irresponsible action. It has called into question the credibility of Jamalul Kiram III’s branch of the family and their deadly misadventure. We must all now wonder: what other assertions made by the Kiram party are false?

We ask all to bear in mind that talk is cheap, but loose talk can cost lives. This misrepresentation of a photograph for publicity's sake is a double desecration: of those now bearing the brunt of the rash actions of Jamalul Kiram III, and of those military casualties whose service to their country has become fodder for public relations.

Once more, we counsel all concerned, to bear in mind the need to uphold the interest of the greater number of Filipinos, who are placed at risk by this kind of disregard for facts and the truth said Malacanang

Kidnapped victims rescued by Army Troopers

By JONG CADION

MAIGO, Lanao Del Norte – The mother and her 4 children were kidnapped by 5 unidentified men heavily armed with long high powered firearms and wearing bonnet intercepted by the government troopers at the vicinity of Barangay Mentering, Lanao del Norte, Thursday afternoon less than 14 hours after the kidnapping incident.

During their hasty pursuit operations and due to the supports of the civilian populace, the elements of 15^th Infantry Battalion of the Army’s Premier (Tabak) Division led by Lt. Sagario was able to catch-up the fleeing abductors and encountered them that lasted for 15 minutes.