In Region 12 ;New Agri Sec urged to prioritize Halal Food development

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 12 appeals to the new agriculture chief to put concern on the development of Halal Food Industry Program in the country after Republic Act No. 9997 creating the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) was approved five months ago.

BFAR 12 Regional Director Sani D. Macabalang, as Halal Coordinator for Fisheries, proposes to Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala to fine-tune or improve the Philippine National Standard on Halal Food through the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standard (BAFPS). The BAFPS is tasked to formulate and enforce standards for agricultural and fisheries products as provided in Section 63 of Republic Act No. 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997.

“We are hopeful that the new administration will significantly take action and provide focus to the development of Halal industry in the country,” Macabalang said.

The Regional Director also reiterates its intention and fervent aspiration to work in partnership and cooperation with BAFPS, National Meat Inspection Service and Bureau of Animal Industry to support the NCMF in the promotion and development of Halal industry in the Philippines.

However, Macabalang once more stressed that sensible working relationship and comprehensible definition of responsibilities through an Executive Order among technical agencies are requisite to the operationalization of the required implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of RA 9997 for the entire Halal development program.

“The crafting of IRR is long overdue after its 90-day leeway period,” he said.

He further puts emphasis on the essential comprehensive partnership of NCMF and DA agencies with the Department of Health, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Tourism particularly in providing the needed technical support and assistance for the advancement of Halal industry in the Philippines.

Apart from evident job generation yielded, the Philippine Halal Industry has an advantage point and better opportunities to penetrate the multi-billion dollar global Halal market especially now that both Visayas and Mindanao regions have already been declared and recognized by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or World Animal Health Organization as free from the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and bird flu.

“The fishery, both aquaculture and capture, has a comparative advantage over other neighboring Asian countries. The country now ranks second in world tuna catches and fifth among canned tuna producers. We are eighth on world aquaculture production; third on seaweed production alone,” he said.

Macabalang concluded that with the collective efforts of all agencies concerned, the Philippine Halal Industry would definitely be among the local drivers of economic growth especially now that the country is surviving the global financial crisis. (jalferez/rpio-bfar12)

ASG founder pleads guilty of taking four Americans hostages in Lake Sebu

By Gloria Jane Baylon

The Filipino operative whose 1995 hostage-taking of four US citizens and 12 others caused the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to be listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) by the United States and the European Union, has pleaded guilty before a US Federal Court.

Madhatta Haipe, now 48 years old, then Secretary-General of the dreaded ASG, pleaded guilty on July 28 (Washington time) to four counts of hostage-taking which occurred in Lake Sebu in southern Mindanao in December 1995.

Haipe is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Richard Roberts on December 14 this year, according to information received from the US embassy in Manila.

He faces up to life in prison on each of the four counts to which he pleaded guilty. As part of the plea agreement, the US government may advocate for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, the embassy added.

US Assistant Attorney General David Kris announced this development today, saying that “with today’s guilty plea, Mr. Haipe is finally being held accountable for his actions.”

In Manila, US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. commended US and Philippine authorities “whose close and relentless collaboration brought about Haipe’s extradition and admission of guilt.”

“I am pleased to see justice served,” said Thomas. “Our cooperation with the Philippines is essential in our common mission of defeating terrorist organizations that harm citizens of both our countries,” he added.

The ASG founding member was extradited to the US in August 2009 to face the charges against him. A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. indicted him for the crime in November 2000.

According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), there was “substantial assistance from the Philippine Department of Justice, the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.”

The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and, in particular, Robert Courtney, the US Justice Department’s Attaché to the Philippines, also provided substantial assistance in this case, the DOJ said.

It took 15 years until Haipe finally pleaded guilty to the crimes which happened in Lake Sebu, where the group of Filipino-Americans was on a picnic when the terrorist group attacked.

“The FBI Honolulu Division has investigated this matter in close coordination with the Philippine authorities for approximately 15 years,” said Charlene Thornton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Honolulu.

“Through this international cooperation, despite the time and distance, we have managed to bring to justice a defendant who had sought to harm our U. citizens abroad.”

Court record of the guilty plea — to which Haipe reportedly agreed -- indicated that at the time of the hostage taking, the ASG operative was serving as the General Secretary of the ASG, or its second-in-command, under the Amir (chief).

”The Amir of the ASG had directed that members of the group engage in kidnappings for ransom in order to raise funds for the group and to raise the public’s awareness of the group’s purpose,” according to the embassy’s report.

The records further said that as admitted by Haipe as part of his guilty plea, several ASG cohorts on Dec. 27, 1995 kidnapped 16 individuals, including four US citizens, one US permanent resident alien, and 11 Philippine citizens, in the rugged area around Trankini Falls.

The hostages included six children and were forced to march up a mountainside. Some of the adult hostages had rope tied around their hands or neck.

Haipe informed the hostages that they were being kidnapped for ransom, and he individually questioned some of the hostages to determine the amount of ransom to be demanded.

Later that same day, Haipe decided to release four of the 16 hostages to allow them to collect a ransom totaling at least P1-million (equivalent to about US$ 38,000, at the time).

Haipe threatened that if the released hostages told anyone about the kidnapping, the hostages still in their custody would be killed.

After releasing four, Haipe and his group forced the remaining hostages to continue marching up the mountainside to evade capture by the Philippine authorities.

The rest of the hostages were released four days later, on Dec. 31, 1995, after a ransom was paid.

“Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message -- we will never tire in our pursuit of justice for those who seek to harm American citizens, whether at home or abroad,” said Ronald C. Machen Jr., United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that there will be serious consequences for those who commit such crimes.”

The prosecution is being handled by Assistant US Attorneys Gregg Maisel and Anthony Asuncion of the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, as well as Trial Attorney T. J. Reardon, III, of the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. (PNA/PIA9-BST)

“BOGA “is now prohibited and illegal

Oroquieta City – “Boga” a term used by local boys to a home-made toy gun that is usually played upon by the young and even the olds during Christmas Season and otherwise called “lantakas” made formerly from bamboo material but because of new technology they are now made of PVC pipes is declared prohibited and illegal by the City Council in a resolution and to become a city ordinance later.

In the last regular session presided by Vice Mayor Harry Guantero, City Councilor Nilo Bation in a privileged speech reported that this “boga” is very dangerous and eventually can inflict injuries to an individual if used discriminately.

Bation farther expressed worries that this toy gun is harmful to everybody, thus the councilor wants it to be prohibited thru a resolution, but City Councilor Vincent Guantero hearing the report reacted and made a motion that instead of resolution why not make it a city ordinance banning it as illegal and prohibited, and if anyone found playing or using this kind of toy gun or “Boga” will be meted fines and be imprisoned for this can be used criminally.

Boga or home-made toy gun is made of PVC pipes that is fueled by a denature alcohol or lighter fluid and by the use on LPG firing gun as a triggering device of the said toy gun will be fire as strong as any other original handgun or even a mortar depending on the fuel poured on it and cause to explode and fire.

Said plaything or toy gun is very dangerous to inflict wounds and even can cause death because they put marbles as bullets or anything hard objects before firing or pointing to anybody. Even animals or birds will die after it will be hit by the marble bullets.

This kind of toy guns or home-made PVC bazookas are prohibited and declared illegal in the National Capital Region and the whole nation as well longtime ago, especially during Christmas Season, but, in this city however nobody notice it as dangerous as it be, until it was reported that somebody died by using it as an instrument of death.

With the resolution and later on becomes a city ordinance, this home-made toy guns or “boga” is illegal and punishable by law. (PJTremedal,BNDMisOC-CIB-OCM)

MisOC PCL Provincial Federation to conduct local election

Oroquieta City - The newly elected city council of Oroquieta is now preparing for its Philippine Councilors League Provincial Federation election slated on August 9 this year at the Provincial Farmer’s Training Center with the PCL Vice President for Mindanao as guest.

City Local Government Operation Officer Porferio Chiong who delivered the information during the regular session of the new City Council, July 29 made emphasis on Memorandum Circular of the DILG Number 2010-63 and 64 by Secretary Jessie Robredo the involvement of the city’s Sangguniang Panlungsod presided by Honorable Vice Mayor Harry Guantero.

CLGOO Chiong farther stressed that, every council member be it regular or ex-office in nature must join and be a member of the prestigious organization of all local councilors for this will benefit its organization locally especially on the councilors professionalism, political plans and motivations, and personal growth endeavors as he or she seats as member of the legislative department of every Local Government Unit.

In the said Memorandum circular, every city or municipal councilors and even ex-officio members such as ABC(Association of Barangay Captains) presidents and SK(Sangguniang kabataan)Federated President must be a member of the PCL.

In Misamis Occidental, slated in August the Provincial Federation now headed by the Interim President City Councilor Feloteo Alngohoro of Tangub City as the former Secretary General will call upon all May 10 2010 elected councilors of Misamis Occidental to register and join said PCL activity to chose their new president that eventually will also sit as member of the Provincial Board and all elected PCL Provincial Federation Officers will also represent the province the regional federation for Region 10.

Being a member of the Philippine Councilors League, each member is required to register and pay corresponding dues. For their membership fee, each councilor should pay 1,000 pesos, on their Term Dues they will pay 4,000 and for their PCL ID a 200 pesos payment is required.

On the Election Day on August 9, 2010, each registrant will pay 500 pesos for the activity. For the city council participation including the two ex-officio member, The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Oroquieta City needs 58,400 chargeable to local funds and subject to all government accounting and auditing procedures, however it is subject to the availability of funds.

DILG CLGOO Chiong also emphasized that, every PCL Member , pursuant to the memorandum circulars from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and PCL policy 98-15 as amended, should participate in the voting to elect the provincial federation, every councilor who wishes to be nominated as officer of the federation are given due time to campaign during the election day however, it is mandated that no congressional representatives, governors and vice governors, city mayors, municipal vice mayors are allowed to campaign for a councilor candidate, however in the local practice presiding officer such as the Vice mayors are allowed to join the council but never allowed to campaign for a nominated councilor to any position in the federation.

Meanwhile, the City’s Honorable Councilor Henry Regalado Jr is likely to be nominated for the Federated President post with two other councilors from other districts and municipality of the province of Misamis Occidental.

The Oroquieta City Council is composed of Honorables Ruvy Ala, Winston Catane, Vincent Guantero, Nilo Bation, Joel Fernandez, Elueterio Blasco, Leocadio Digal, Richard Villabert, Jeselie Borbon, Henry Regalado Jr and Ex-officio members ABC President Jaime Mallare and SK Federated President Lee Marie H. Saceda. (PJTremedal BNDMisOC-CIB/OCM)