MAGUINDANAO – Terrorism, corruption, political clans have topped a peace and order meeting in the Muslim autonomous region called by the Department of National Defense.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has ordered security forces to finish off the pro-ISIS group Abu Sayyaf in Sulu province and for local officials to help fight off violent Islamic extremism.
“We need to finish them off, we need to do it now,” he said during a meeting Thursday with the governors of the Muslim autonomous region led by Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim at the headquarters of them 6th Infantry Division in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana grits teeth as he stresses the need to finish off the Abu Sayyaf during a peace and order meeting with governors of the Muslim autonomous region July 18, 2019 at the 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province. Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim listens to Lorenzana as Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez looks on. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
Sulu Governor Sakur Tan said the provincial government and all 19 municipal mayors are all out in supporting the campaign against the militant group, blamed for the twin suicide bombings of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel cathedral in Jolo town in January that left dozens of casualties, and for two suicide attacks on an army base in Indanan town that killed 8 people and wounded over two dozens more.
Ebrahim said they are addressing the security situation in the Muslim region, especially in Sulu and Basilan, where the Abu Sayyaf is actively operating.
Tan, the most vocal of all the governors, also appealed to both the regional and national governments to help in the local efforts to address poverty in Sulu which he said is a magnet for violent Islamic extremism ideologies.
Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim speaks with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana as Sulu Governor Sakur Tan looks on July 18, 2019 after a meeting with governors of the Muslim autonomous region at the 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
The military has confirmed that one of two bombers in Indanan town was a local member of the Abu Sayyaf, Norman Lacusa, brainwashed by ISIS.
Wilfred Nasol, regional director of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency in the Muslim autonomous region, also briefed those in the meeting about the 50-year old communist insurgency problems and pro-ISIS groups and terrorists operating in the country, and their propaganda and at the same time outlining the government’s response to these threats, especially addressing Islamic extremism ideology and adapting the so-called National Peace Framework.
Nasol was referring to President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70 which he signed in December last year establishing a “whole-of-nation approach” in ending communist armed conflict through the creation of a national task force that will take the lead in institutionalizing a national peace framework to attain inclusive and sustainable peace through various initiatives. The whole-of-nation approach, Nasol said, is essential for this peace framework to become workable, effective and beneficial.
Sulu Governor Sakur Tan gestures as he discusses peace and order situation in his province with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on July 18, 2019 after a meeting with governors of the Muslim autonomous region at the 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
Corruption in 4Ps
During the meeting, Tan also exposed widespread corruption in the government’s poverty alleviation program called Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps where thousands of fake beneficiaries are receiving payout in cahoots with some unscrupulous officials.
He wanted the government to investigate and conduct a re-validation of the lists of beneficiaries in the different towns of Sulu.
Aside from Sulu, there were also complaints in Tawi-Tawi and Maguindanao. One villager in Tawi-Tawi’s Bongao town alleged that many 4Ps beneficiaries there are not even entitled to receive such benefits and has asked the government to investigate the scam.
“Bakit po ba dito sa aming sa Tawi-Tawi ay marami pa rin po until now ang naging beneficiaries ng 4Ps na hindi naman karapat-dapat tulad ng mga dalaga na wala pang anak, at mga may-asawa na wala rin anak, at hindi naman gaanong naghihirap dahil may tindahan, lupa o boarding house silang pinarerentahan buwan-buwan lalo na po dito sa Barangay Lamion sa Poblacion at ilang mga barangay? Please help the deserving poor people of Tawi-Tawi para sila naman ang mabiyayaan ng 4Ps,” the villager said. One complainant also claimed that many beneficiaries have not received their conditional cash grants for more than a year now.
In Maguindanao province, a woman also complained that their village leaders were allegedly pocketing the conditional cash grants intended for the poor beneficiaries of the program. “Kung mag payout po sa 4Ps please bantayan ninyo mga Kapitan and mga lider kasi kinukuha niya yun mga pera ng mga mahihirap imbes na matulungan sila ay mga Kapitan ang nakikinabang po,” she said.
Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Maguindanao are under the Muslim autonomous region. For his part, Ebrahim said they have taken steps and strict measures to ensure that allegations of corruption in the autonomous region are strongly addressed.
The 4Ps provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18. It was patterned after the conditional cash transfer scheme implemented in other developing countries provided that they comply with the set of conditions required by the program.
A household or beneficiary is entitled to receive P500 per month as health grant. A maximum of 3 children per household is covered by the program. Every monitored child in elementary receives P300 as education grant and in high school, receives P500 per month for 10 months as education grant.
The program also provide P600 a month or P7,200 per year rice subsidy for each family. And P200 a month for 2018, and another P300 a month from 2019 up to 2020 to help the poor cushion the adverse economic effect of new taxes. There are nearly 5 million beneficiaries in 41,620 villages and 1,483 municipalities in the country, according to latest DSWD data.
‘Regulated’ Anti-Dynasty bill
Parliament Speaker Pangalian Balindong also trumpeted the accomplishments of the Ebrahim-led Bangsamoro Transition Authority, saying, they have passed 8 bills the past four months of their existence and most of these were measures to streamline the operation of the regional government.
But he apparently shocked many in the audience when Balindong announced that he will pass a “regulated anti-dynasty bill” and would discuss this proposal to the 5 governors, including Ebrahim. Many political clans currently rule in the Muslim autonomous region.
The other Muslim governors in the meeting were Jim Salliman, of Basilan; Mamintal Adiong, Jr of Lanao del Sur; Mariam Mangudadatu, of Maguindanao, and Tawi-Tawi Board member Madi Tidal, who represented Governor Ysmael Sali.
The meeting was also attended by Vicente Agdamag, Deputy Director General of the National Security Council; Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, chief of the Western Mindanao Command; Major General Diosdado Carreon, chief of the 6th Infantry Division; Defense Undersecretary Cesar Yano, including Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez and senior military and police officials. (Mindanao Examiner)
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