‘Boodle fight’ to ‘boodle peace’: from warriors to peace builders

Counting how many battles fought, enemies killed, and firearms recovered has been among the usual indicators in an official’s military scoreboard.

But it’s got to change, military officials tell new generation officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Mindanao.

Col. Julieto Ando, of the Eastern Mindanao Command, has stressed this point to junior military officers who attended the Operation Peace Course (OPKORS), a conflict management and peace building training, now on its seventh in a series, organized by the AFP, Balay Mindanao Foundation Inc. and other partners.

“Instead, count how many enemies you have convinced back to the folds of law,” Ando said in his presentation on “The Challenge: Towards Fresher Perspectives”.

He said it involves changing perspectives from calling “boodle fights” to “boodle peace” at the least to building consensus and partnerships with other stakeholders to win peace.

The new mindset for military operations in Mindanao, he said, calls for more focus on building rather than destroying. Read on.

Inihanay sa:Economy, Food in Mindanao, Freedom, Governance, Human Rights, Mindanao, Peace Process, Philippines, Safety, Security

Maranaos assert their right to peace vs. war in Mindanao

Bobby Timonera based in Iligan City reports for MindaNews that Maranaos call on thge United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Conference to help end war in Mindanao.

In a rally in Marawi City on October 2,  his MindaNews report said that at the end of the month-long Ramadhan, Maranaos there staged a rally right in the heart of the city Thursday morning to call on the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Conference to intervene to stop the war in Mindanao and for
the government to honor the botched Memorandum of Agreement on the Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD).

With placards and streamers mostly in blue and green, the 1,000 protesters then marched under the mid-morning sun towards the headquarters of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade to hold yet another
rally, ending just before noon. Read full story here.

This is a favorable show of real people power, asserting their right to peace in their homeland.

Inihanay sa:Governance, Mindanao, News, Peace Process, Philippines, Security

Plagiarizing just to be ahead

I feed on words and the elements of composition. Writing news is my bread and butter. And I go to the field spending my meager resources to get the facts myself in an effort to get it right.

I may not be the best in what I’m doing, but I have always tried to do and give my best in every story I cover.

When I get to file my articles, I draw my motivation in the thought that I have reported about something that is useful to the community.

Sometimes, the effort is not well-rewarded. It can be called labor of love, nah, maybe labor of the stubborn-headed journalist who choose a more complicated job over comfort.

I’m cool with this as this is a life choice.

But it bleeds my heart to find some of my articles appear in other peoples’ sites and publications without attribution.

Inihanay sa:Access to Information, Bukidnon, Business, Mindanao, News, Philippines, Security

Mindanao becoming dumpsite of RP’s “bad cops”

It was a routine surf for news from places where I used to live. The order is always from the latest city, then backwards. So it was from Davao, then Quezon City-Antipolo, Iloilo, and then Cagayan de Oro.

But I was stuck in cyber Iloilo, particularly at Sun Star Iloilo’s website.

The headline reads like this as of 9:55p.m. of September 17: Police prepare transfer of ‘bad’ cops to Mindanao.

Bad cops to Mindanao? Our Mindanao is the country’s dump site?

Inihanay sa:ARMM, Crime, Governance, Human Rights, Human Rights in Mindanao, Jobs in Mindanao, Justice, Local Governance, Malaybalay City, Mindanao, Mindanao's communities, Peace Process, Philippines, Politics, Reporting Mindanao, Safety, Security

The never ending story of war —right in our backyard

Waking up to a broadcaster howling against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front one morning, I was tempted to turn the radio off.

 

The grain of his voice has pestered me in my space in that corner of the house.

 

“Maayo ng girahon sila kay gusto man diay nila og Independence!” Gusto pa gyod nila iapil ang tibuok Bukidnon aron mohimo sila og regional government!” (It’s good to go to war with them since they wanted independence. They also like to cover the whole Bukidnon in a bid to form a regional government!).

 

I was really forced to get on my feet even if I only had three hours of sleep yet and dialed the radio station.

Inihanay sa:Access to Information, Art and Culture in Mindanao, Business, Economy, Education, Every Day Mindanao, Governance, Human Rights, Indifgenous Peoples, Justice, Local Governance, Malaybalay City, Mindanao, Mindanao Media, Mindanao's communities, Peace Process, People Power, Philippines, Politics, Safety, Security

Theft at a village in darkness

At a quarter before 10p.m., the Zone 1 neighborhood in Kalasungay, a hillside village in suburban Malaybalay City was like poetry in slow motion.

The distant barking of the dogs joined the symphony of the evening choir of insects and the rhythmic touch of the wind to the leaves of the Marang. There was no other sound except those of nature.

The light coming from our bedroom flickered into the dark road side. The ice-cold breeze in the rainy season evening touched my skin like a biting fog.

It was a perfect scene to hide under the bed covers. I slipped through the double blanket where C. was already slumbering. What a beautiful sleep it would be, I told myself. Cold turned warm and light turned dark as I closed my eyes and journeyed to dreamland.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Then a scream.

Inihanay sa:Bukidnon, Business, Governance, Local Governance, Malaybalay City, Mindanao, Mindanao's communities, Philippines, Safety, Security

Love in the time of insurgency

That Bukidnon is a peaceful province is now a myth.

One cannot play blind to the kind of stories we hear from both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the New Peoples Army about gaining strength against each other.

Both camps, even with disproportionate advantages, have brought the battlefield from the mountains to the media.

The news room has become a fierce war zone of propaganda.

Inihanay sa:Bukidnon, Business, Economy, Every Day Mindanao, Governance, Human Rights, Indifgenous Peoples, Local Governance, Lumads and Mindanao, Mindanao, Peace Process, Philippines, Security

Transparency in peace negotiations

Those who are familiar with peace negotiations could understand the nature of talks being held there. Important but confidential, these are only two of the important considerations.

Any point being brought up or agreed upon bears impact to people —the respective constituencies of each negotiating party.

In the case of the government negotiating peace with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, each peace panel was entrusted with their stands on major talking points.

But major stands on the talking points may have to be brought open for consensus, if not compromise in the negotiating table — a market place of options. A major stand have to stand some modifications, which require consultations with their constituencies or what they call in the GRP-MILF peace panels as their “principals.”

All these come in the limelight now as both panels signal optimism for an upcoming return to formal talks early next year—well, after breaking from more than a year of impasse on ancestral domain issues.

Inihanay sa:ARMM, Access to Information, Business, Davao, Economy, Governance, Human Rights, Human Rights in Mindanao, Mindanao, Mindanao's communities, Peace Process, People Power, Philippines, Security, Social Security

Broadcaster files raps vs. ComVal legislator in Mindanao

Compostela Valley board member Neri Barte is now facing charges of serious physical injuries, grave coercion, grave threats, serious misconduct and grave abuse of authority for allegedly attacking a Radyo Natin broadcaster right inside the announcer’s booth as the latter was on air.

Natin broadcaster Roel Sembrano filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao in the presence of his colleagues from the tri-media.

Sembrano recounted to reporters his encounter with Barte on Oct. 24 at the announcer’s booth.

He said he was on his daily morning program, Haring Lungsod Ikaw and Nasayod, when Barte, with his wife and daughter, barged into the announcer’s booth and mauled him, even drawing out a gun and pointed it towards him. Read the rest of the report on MindaNews.com.

Inihanay sa:Access to Information, Elections 2007, Elections in Mindanao, Freedom, Governance, Human Rights, Justice, Local Governance, Mindanao, Mindanao Media, Safety, Security

GMA, Esperon, Razon respondents in first writ of amparo petition in Mindanao

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Armed Forces Chief of  Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon and three other military officials are respondents in the first petition for writ of amparo in Mindanao.

The petition was filed by Bebelita Bustamante of Paquibato district, whose only son, 21-year old Luicito, disappeared on October 27.

The other respondents are Major General Ernesto Boa of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division based in Davao City; Lt. Col. Alexander Ambal, chief of the division’s 73rd infantry batallion in Sto. Thomas, Davao del Norte, Col. Allan Luga, commander of Task Force Davao, a certain Noli Obat and seven  John Does, or unidentified respondents.

The Karapatan human rights group, who accompanied Ms Bustamante at the Hall of Justice, said her son was reportedly taken by elements of Task Force Davao. Read the rest of the report on MindaNews.com.

Inihanay sa:Bukidnon, Crime, Davao, Freedom, Governance, Human Rights, Human Rights in Mindanao, Justice, Mindanao, People Power, Philippines, Politics, Safety, Security

Microview: Military abuse in Ecoland terminal

Where you’re supposed to be safe, you are not.

KB’s presentation in his blog of a passenger’s ordeal with a soldier detailed at the Ecoland Bus Terminal in Davao City is comical.

His style is light and it made use of youtube-famed monicker to appeal for a common touch.

The story he revealed, however, no matter how common, is far from light and comical. It is a type of the excesses committed by those in uniform —-and armed.

In his account, the passenger figured in a spat with the soldier who is a member of the bus terminal security team. The scene was in the entrance to the terminal where soldiers hold passengers for frisking. Read his account here.

Key actions: Loud voices, defiance, arrogance …the list goes on. The outcomes: passenger complained to the soldier’s unit and alerted the media about it. Soldier will be reassigned to god knows where.

Inihanay sa:Davao, Human Rights, Human Rights in Mindanao, Safety, Security, Travel and Transportation, Trips - Adventures - Escapades

Survival Tips in Traveling Around Mindanao

By Penelope C. Sanz / MindaNews / 5 November 2005
(Republished with permission from the author)

A FEW MONTHS BACK, I wrote about the snorer, spitter, smoker, and pukers in a bus ride. This time, despite needing to pass an academic requirement, here I am writing about how to survive traveling in Mindanao. After a recent trip to Butuan City, I figured I have to sift through my old journals and collate the dos and don’ts of traveling I have listed down at least over 10 years of running around this ‘promising island’.

For starters, the must haves in your survival kit: a shawl, flashlight, loose change or coins, white flower, a plastic bag, a bottle of water, some candies, alcohol, tissue paper.

Never leave home without a shawl. It protects you from dust and the UV rays when you’re on a long habal-habal (motorcycle) ride to nowhere. It is also useful to cover yourself when you need to pee in the middle of nowhere. Shawls also keep you warm when traveling at nighttime especially in airconditioned buses. Bus drivers would tend to turn it on full blast to keep their seats cool because it is where the machine is throbbing.

Inihanay sa:Every Day Mindanao, Mindanao, Mindanao Media, Mindanao's communities, Safety, Security, Travel and Transportation, Trips - Adventures - Escapades