Scores detained in 2 days of martial law in Maguindanao
MANILA - Authorities have arrested scores of individuals allegedly involved in rebellion 2 days after the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao province and more than 2 weeks after the bloody election-related massacre in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao which led to the death of at least 57 individuals.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday said 47 individuals have been processed for alleged involvement in rebellion.
Among those detained were former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr., Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, Jr.; acting Maguindanao Gov. Sajid Islam Ampatuan, Maguindanao Vice Gov. Akmad Tato Ampatuan, and Shariff Aguak Mayor Anwar Ampatuan.
Ampatuan Sr. was brought to a hospital in Davao City after his blood pressure went up. The other Ampatuans, meanwhile, were detained at Army and police camps.
The authorities were given 3 days to process those allegedly involved in rebellion and file the appropriate charges, or else the suspects will have to be released.
Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesperson, clarified that the rebellion charges that would be filed are separate from the multiple murder charges filed against 12 individuals (including members of the Ampatuan clan) and 100 other unidentified suspects.
“Rebellion by Ampatuans”
Meanwhile, a report of Agence France-Presse said that a total of 62 people were swept up in raids over the weekend. These include 15 taken from a ranch owned by clan patriarch Ampatuan Sr. where the military found on Sunday a new cache of powerful rifles buried in a grassy area, police said.
Authorities said the decision to impose martial law in Maguindanao province from Friday night was needed to quell a rebellion by the clan, whose leaders were accused of being behind last month's massacre that left 57 people dead.
"Martial law allowed the security forces to really go after these suspects who are part of the rebellion, maybe, some of whom are possible suspects in the recent massacre," said Director Andres Caro, PNP directorate for operations chief.
The mass murders occurred on November 23, when 100 gunmen allegedly led by Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. allegedly abducted and shot dead female relatives of a rival politician, plus a group of journalists and civilians, in a remote farming area of Maguindanao.
Ampatuan Sr., the former governor of Maguindanao, as well as four other family members were detained Saturday in the initial raids following the imposition of martial law.
Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said Sunday that leaders of the clan now in detention would be charged with rebellion.
"We did not see them plotting against the government, we saw the deed done. They have usurped power from the government there," Devanadera told local radio.
"This is not ordinary chaos taking place in one area, this has an armed component. And there is removal of allegiance from the republic of the Philippines by the leaders of this group."
The Ampatuan family is a Muslim clan that had ruled the province for most of the decade with the backing of private armies and the support of President Arroyo's ruling coalition.
Justifying the controversial move to impose martial law, the government said large numbers of heavily armed gunmen loyal to the Ampatuans had threatened to attack if the clan chiefs were taken into custody.
The government alleged the Ampatuans had illegally amassed a stunning array of military hardware that it was prepared to use in the rebellion.
Thousands of soldiers and police poured into the provincial capital, Shariff Aguak, and other Maguindanao towns after martial law was imposed to detain the Ampatuans and their militiamen, as well as find the weapons.
Large caches of firearms, ammunition
On Saturday, security forces retrieved 340,000 rounds of ammunition, several assault rifles and a home-made armored car at a warehouse owned by the Ampatuans.
On Sunday, about more 40 firearms, including M16 assault rifles, and dozens of boxes of ammunition were found on a property believed to be owned by Ampatuan Snr, the military said.
"Our suspicions are proving right, we believe there are more weapons hidden," Army’s 601st Brigade commander Col. Leo Ferrer said. "Our operations are continuing so we can limit the military capability of those concerned."
Ferrer said the Army has not encountered any armed resistance so far.
"But we are prepared to face these threats," he said.
The biggest reported discovery came on Thursday when the military found what it said were enough weapons and ammunitions to arm two battalions, or 1,000 soldiers, buried in a vacant lot near the Ampatuans' compound of homes.
The military said this finding was one of the triggers for it recommending to Arroyo that martial law be imposed.
One of Ampatuan Sr.'s sons, Ampatuan Jr, has already been charged with 25 counts of murder over the massacre. Police last week filed indictments recommending the clan chief and other relatives also be charged.
CVOs
Before the massacre, Arroyo's government had supported the Ampatuans as part of its campaign to use powerful local clans to contain Muslim rebels whose bloody insurgency since the 1970s has left over 150,000 dead.
Espina said, however, that 3,000-4,000 members of civilian volunteer organizations (CVOs) supportive of the Ampatuans have been massing up in several areas in Maguindanao and have yet to be neutralized. He added that the military and the police are there in the area to make sure peace and order will be maintained.
The CVOs in Maguindanao were formed to counter the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, but over the years, the CVOs troops have been reportedly used as "private armies" of the Ampatuans.
"That is why we advocate a fact-finding body to look into these matters and to prevent further bloodshed in Maguindanao," said Espina. They are also looking into reports that some of the CVOs who were former members of the MILF have returned to their "mother units."
“Surrender“
Armed Forces’ chief Gen. Victor Ibrado, meanwhile, asked the thousands of armed followers of the Ampatuan political clan in Maguindanao to surrender to authorities, otherwise, they will face the military's might.
"We have given instructions to the troops to find them groups and tell them to surrender because they are CVOs, police auxiliary who have arms," said Ibrado.
"They should surrender and they should also surrender their firearms because we are finding the CVOs involved in the massacre. If they will be surrender, then we will be forced to conduct military operations against them," he said.
Some of the police volunteers were among the 100 armed men suspected to have been involved in the massacre in Ampatuan town last November 23.
Ibrado warned the CVOs not to fight the military troops.
"Now, if they (CVOs) are found and they do not surrender, they fight, then we have no other choice. We also have to use military force against them," said Ibrado.
Ibrado also said they monitored members of CVOs massing in different areas.
Officials earlier said that the groups were monitored in Sharif Aguak, capital town of Maguindanao where most of the Ampatuans live. The town is also where the office of the ARMM is situated.
Ferrer said the CVOs were deactivated following the massacre. He said, however, that these CVOs went into hiding together with their firearms. He said the CVOs are in the Mamasapano and Sultan sa Barongis area.
Ferrer said the military is also trying to negotiate the surrender of the CVOs. He said there are no ongoing pursuit operations against them, citing the negotiations.
"There's none (pursuit operation) because we are negotiating for their peaceful surrender," said Ferrer.
He expressed confidence the CVOs will surrender "because they are not true soldiers, not true Cafgus. They are plain people with firearms."
When asked if the CVOs don't surrender, Ferrer said: "Well, we have to apply the provisions of the law."
No spillover in Manila
Espina, meanwhile, said that there will be no spill-over of violence in Metro Manila. He said that the situation in Manila is under control.
Espina confirmed that there were 300 individuals from Maguindanao who are staying in hotels near the National Bureau of Investigation office in Manila where Ampatuan, Jr is detained. The police spokesman said, however, the these are relatives of those who were affected by the continuing violence in Maguindanao.
Espina also said that the members of the Ampatuan clan who were processed for the filing of rebellion charges would be not be taken to Metro Manila. With reports from Israel Malasa, ABS- CBN News and Agence France-Presse
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To andoybarrios..at sa lahat ng ayaw sa ML of Maguindanao!
Bro, tanong ko lang sayo nakapunta ka na bah ng Mindanao? Huwag mo maipagmalaki sa amin ang utak mong bulok? At sabi mo sa ibang comments na ikaw ay isang aktibista naku at huwag mo maipagmalaki sa amin yan ang pagiging aktibista mo? saan ba kokoti ang tanda muna wala ka namang pinagtandaan? ang pagiging aktibista ay depende yon kung ano ang inyong ipinaglalaban at ito ba ay may katuturan at realidad? ang sitwasyon ngayon ay iba sa panahon niyo dati? ang mga tao ngayon lalo na yong mga kabataan ay mulat na ang mata at hindi tulad mo tulog o nakapikit sa katotohanan, tandaan mo bro ang katotohanan ay siyang magpapalaya ng tao? to tell you dati ang Martial law covered by 1935 constitution at ang ML ngayon ay malaking pagkakaiba sa dati gets? magbasa ka ulit baka lumang version yang hawak mo o diba nagbasa ka ngah hindi mo naman naintindihan dahil English o dba gusto mo tagalogin ko pa para maintindihan mo? i think na mas matanda ka sa amin at nerespeto kita sa punto na yan pero hindi ko rerespetuhin ang idea mo na bali? Manong andoy the main objectives of ML right there is a swift moved to disarmed all private armies in connection of the massacre and by then, if the weapons is positive of the ballistic test in connection to the crime this can be used to connect the suspects and totally can solved the case even if it is confiscated during ML gets? all of this is beyond probable cause depende kung gaano ka bigat ang ebedensya at gaano ka credible ang testimony ng mga witnesses. sana nman po huwag kayo maging paranoid at hipokrito sa usaping ito at isantabi niyo muna ang galit niyo kay Arroyo? Manong andoy huwag kang magmalaki sa alam mo sa batas na pinagsasabi mo just look at the actual situation right there and bring your book of knowledge and show me how to implement laws infront of the victims in the area of lawless land.
I dare you now subukan mong pumunta doon particularly in Maguindanao at magdala ka ng libro at isigaw ang batas na sinasabi mo kung may maniniwala ba sa iyo? subukan mong tumira doon under Ampatuan Law tingnan lang natin kung hindi ka iihi sa takot? Tingnan natin kung kaninong itlog ang pipiyok? Palibhasa ang galing niyong magsalita eh wala nman kayong ginawa? At am sure wala kayong magawa kundi ang mag-ingay? alam Manong andoy o brother andoy palaboy lahat naman tayo galit kay Gloria pero sa usaping ito sana nman tigilan niyo yang usaping pang politika? tinatanong niyo ang legalities ng ML dahil takot kayo sa technicalities eh hayaan niyo muna ang mga imbestigador sa kaso at maglahad ng mga ebedensiya bago kayo manghusga: eh kung wala kayong magawa para solusyunan ang Isla ng Mindanao particularly now in Maguindanao eh sana tumahimik nalang kayo? sa mga moslem territory bro doon ay minsan kinalimutan na ng mga ibang tao ang due process, some people were not after of what you said constitution, people right there were challenged on how to survived each day of living sa kahit anong paraan kaya huwag kayong magmalaki na may malasakit kayo sa mga tao doon dahil sa totoo lang Martial Law right there as of now is better than Ampatuan Law? Martial Law right now is totally different before during Marcos Regime and under 1935 Constitution. kaya ung mga kinatatakutan niyo ay possibe din yan mangyari pero dapat niyong tandaan that Mrs. Gloria Arroyo is one way ahead of us and now we need to moved on. Whenever Gloria is proven guilty of her mistakes let the law will prevail and the justice system will work for it? iyong mga sinisigaw niyo laban kay Gloria ay hindi solusyon sa Maguindanao ngayon at lalo na sa Massacre kya kung sa akala niyo magaling kayo punta kayo doon ngayon at subukan niyong manghuli ng private armies at mag imbestiga ng kaso gets?
para sa mga OFWs
totoong marami ang sakripisyo ng isang OFW. subalit, karamihan sa ating mga kababayan ay nag-aasam na maging OFW din...
una na dito ang pag-aasam ng mas maginhawang buhay.
maswerte ang isang OFW sapagkat malimit ay nabigyan siya ng edukasyon ng kaniyang mga magulang. mahirap maging isang OFW kung ikaw ay HS grad lang. (kahit mga janitress, kinukuha at least college level)
subalit, pera lang ba? hindi ba mas nakahihigit dito ang kapayapaan?
mas magandang rason kaya ng pagiging OFW ay ang kapayapaan. umaalis siya ng bansa dahil sa kaguluhan. ito na kaya ang magiging panibagong anyo ng pakikipagsapalaran ng OFW? sa panahon ng martial LAW.
IIsa ang tauhan ng MNLF, MILF, ASG, CVO, CAFGU or private armies
Sa bungad ng isang liblib na gubat ang mga opisyal ng AFP ay nakadapa at alistong naka abang sa engkwentro na nangyayari sa pagitan ng mga elemento ng MILF, ASG at CAFGU. Habang sa loob ng gubat, ang dalawang dapat ay nagpapatayan ay matamang naninigarilyo at naghahapunan habang manaka naka ay nagpapaputok ng kanikanilang baril sa kawalan.
Sila ay magkakamag anak, kunyari'y nagaaway ngunit sa kanilang mga ugat ay dumadaloy ang iisang dugo hindi maatim na patayin ang kaanak dahil sila rin minsan ay manakanakang gumagalaw bilang CAFGU at minsan ay MILF din. Ngunit sa pagkakataong ito ay ibang grupo naman ang naatasang maging MILF at ibang kamag anak naman ang CAFGU. Maaring sa susunod na linggo sila naman ang CAFGU at itong kanilang kahapunan ay ang mga tinalagang MILF naman.
Kaiingat ang mga opisyal ng AFP na sumama sa mga enkwentrong ito dahil malimit sila lamang ang magiging casualty sa isang engkwentro na sa totoo lang ay isang salu salo ng mga magkakamag anak.
Opo... iisa lamang ang mga units o tauhan na ginagamit ng AFP through the CAFGU at ang mga MILF, ASG at MNLF, pati na ng mga political clans as their private armies.
Don't get me wrong... This is just another source of income as far as our brothers in mindanao are concerned. Sa ganitong paraan walang mamatay na kamag anak at lahat ay marami pang pagkakakitaan, sila ay meron ng natatanggap galing sa militar bilang CAFGU, meron din silang matatanggap bilang MILF, at manakanaka kapag merong nakikidnap ang mga lider ng ASG meron din silang parte, at ang pinaka huli sila rin ay kumikita bilang CVO o private army ng mga pulitiko.
Napipilitan ang ating mga kababayan sa ganitong cottage industry dahil sa dapat ay meron silang natatamasang mga tulog mula sa gubyerno pero instead na ibigay sa kanila ito ay napupunta naman na pambayad sa mga political debts.
pilipinas na walang asenso
mga pinoy "matatalino" dyan tayo taas noo at sikat dahil pero dak-dak at pinatas --nakakahiya kayo dyan, mga media ay bini-baby nu kung sila namatayan ,paano yung iba ha aber? yung tulad ni juan tamban at maria rulinga na ordinaryong pilipino? hindi man lang natin narinig kay Mr. Marcos Jr na "o nakikiramay po kami sa namatayan na juan at maria o ni maski man lang sa Lakay Tabako na FVR hindi man lang nagbigay ng official message na " condolence"
Puro lang kayo ngawa dyan, mag trabaho kayo, gawin maglaba, maglako ng mga small bizniz para kumita, puro kayo complain tigilan nyo na ang maiingay na videoke mga trying hard kumanta igalang nyo nag-aaral sa gabi na mga studyante may exam pa sila bukas. at yung ihi ng ihi sa pader walang disiplina kayo at driver walang lisensya haaay pilipnas dapat na etong ikamay na bakal
taong tamad puro putak
puro complain lang etong mga pilipino sa pinas o. kaya walang asenso at ihi dito ihi doon at drive di drive doon na walang lisensya at karaoke doon karaoke dito kahit may ng aaral na studyante sa sa exam nakaka istorbo kayo at walang disiplina pati politiko ay puro ngawa bulok na ang pilipinas dapat dyan "kamay na bakal" at linisin ang bayan
Puro ngawa may nagawa ba kayong mabuti dyan tularan mo kaming mga OFWs mga hero kami--
mabuhay mga ofw!
HANAPIN ANG UGAT NG PROBLEMA, KASUHAN ANG MILITAR!
Tahimik lang itong si Pandak at ang kanyang mga generals, alam nilang malaki ang kaso laban sa ginagawang ARMS TRAFFICKING ng AFP sa buong kapuluan upang magkaroon ng armas ang mga PRIVATE ARMIES.
LAHAT NG BARIL, BALA, AT ARMAS NA NATAGPUAN SA AMPATUAN AY GALING SA ARSENAL NG AFP AT DND, KASUHAN NA ANG MGA MAY KASALANAN! TANUNGIN NA ANG MGA AMPATUAN PARA MALAMAN KUNG SINO SA GOBYERNO ANG UTAK NG ARMS TRAFFICKING SA PILIPINAS!
BAKIT HINDI INIUTOS NI GLORIA NA ARESTOHIN ANG MGA AMPATUAN?
Nung magkaroon ng mutiny sa Glorietta Mall kung saan nagprotesta ang Magdalo group laban sa pamumuno ni Gloria Ampatuan, dali daling nagpalabas ng order itong presidente na arestohin silang lahat at kasuhan ng mutiny. Pero dito sa Maguindanao, itinuro na ng PNP ang Ampatuan na siyang suspek dun sa massacre pero sa halip na utusang arestohin ang kanyang ka-alyado, ang ginawa ay binigyan pa ng VIP treatment at inilipad sa Maynila para i-detain ng NBI.
MALIWANAG NAMAN, 300 MUTINEERS ANG IPINA ARESTO NI GLORIA DUN SA GLORIETTA MALL PERO NGAYON NAGDEKLARA SIYA NG MARTIAL LAW SA MAGUINDANAO PARA MAKAGAWA SIYA NG WARRANTLESS ARREST SA KAHIT SINONG MAMAMAYAN, PATI NA YUNG MGA WALANG KASALANAN!
Its nice to know that people now are more informed
Naguumapaw ang aking kagalakan at marami ng mulat sa ating mga kababayan sa tunay na nangyayari at iniisip ng mabuti ang lahat ng mga lumalabas na information. Sana nga lang ay mas dumami pa ang mga mulat ang mata ng sa gayon ay sadyang hindi na mamayagpag ang mga nagnanais na makapan loko tulad nila arroyo.
Hindi ko sinasabi na lahat ng pro ML ay pakawala ng mga Arroyo, maaring konting liwanag pa ang kailangan para sila ay magising.
Pero para sa mga pakawala ng mga arroyo, sa lalo nyong pag bigay ng buhay sa isang argumento na sa kalalaunan ay magliliwanag din sa ating mga kababayan kayo lamang ay nagtatanim ng masidhing galit na maaring mag resulta sa inyong pagkagapi sa larangan ng hustisya sa pulong ng mamamayan
NAGKATOTOO NA ANG PARATANG NG MAGDALO LABAN KAY GLORIA
KUNG ANO ANG SINABI NG MAGDALO GROUP NOONG 2003, ITO NA NGAYON ANG NANGYAYARI SA MAGUINDANAO PERO PILIT NA UMIIWAS ANG GOBYERNO AT AYAW PAGUSAPAN KUNG PAANO NAGKAROON NG MGA ARMAS MULA SA AFP ARSENAL ANG MGA AMPATUAN.
ITONG SI PANDAK MAHILIG SA PAGLIKHA NG KUNG ANO ANONG COMMISSION PERO WALA KA NAMAN MAKITANG RESULTA. KAGAYA NA LAMANG NITONG AKUSASYON NG MAGDALO TUNGKOL SA PAGBIBILI NG ARMAS SA MGA REBELDE, MAY COMMISSION PARA PAGARALAN KUNG TOTOO O HINDI ITO PERO WALA NA TAYONG NARINIG KUNDI NGAYONG NANGYARI ANG MASSACRE SA MAGUINDANAO.
SOURCE: CNN.COM
A group of rogue military men who occupied a mall in the Philippine capital Sunday accused the government of President Gloria Arroyo of selling arms to rebel groups, carrying out terrorist bombings and planning to declare martial law.
The military mutineers identified themselves as "the Magdalo group," a name similar to one used by a band of Filipino revolutionaries who fought Spanish colonial rule in the 19th century.
Arroyo had on Saturday accused the group of attempting a coup against her administration and ordered their arrest.
The rogue military men, standing in a row against a red flag with a white sun symbol, made their accusations in a video statement aired on ABS-CBN television.
They accused the government of selling ammunition and weapons to the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels as well as to the Abu Sayyaf kidnapping group and the communist New People's Army insurgents.
They also said the Arroyo government was behind a series of deadly bombings in the southern city of Davao in March and April that claimed dozens of lives.
The group also accused Arroyo of planning to declare martial law in August, by using a series of bombings in the capital as the pretext to stay in power after her term ends in 2004.
Arroyo's National Security Adviser Roilo Golez denied the charges, saying that the president was "startled," by the accusations.
He remarked that Arroyo was well aware that her power to declare martial law was limited under the constitution.
While the government initially responded to the rebels' accusations as "lies," in her address Arroyo promised to study the soldiers' concerns.
"They signal an underlying problem that we must address," she said. "I am constituting an independent commission to investigate the roots of the mutiny and the provocations that inspired it."
Legal Experts
Legal experts have already said na hindi nila magagamit ang rebelyon cases to link with what happened doon sa masaker. There is no legal basis. So kung rebelyon lang ang ikakaso at walang basehan ang ML ano ang kalalabasan ng kasong rebelyon? in the bin. Kung ang nangyayaring pagkalap, pagimbestiga at pagpa file ng kaso ay walang basehan sa ilalim ng saligang batas, at napagtibay ng supreme court na walang basehan, ang mga ito ay mawawalan ng saysay. Ang batas ay hindi pinapairal dahil lamang sa emotional. Kung tao ang masusunod dapat ay i-silya electrika ang mga Ampatuans na involved pero hindi tao ang batas kung hindi korte at kataas taasang hukuman period. Kung wala kang legal na basehan don't waste your time sa ating korte dahil pupulutin sa kankungan ang kaso mo. ML is, as far as I can remember noong under Marcos ay napakahirap and I don't want anybody to experience this anymore. Maraming legal armaments ang Gov't that they are using and firepowers to maintain peace and order sa Maguindanao pero bakit ML na kahit Supreme Court ay nagsabi na iligal? There is no rebellion or invasion period. Kung walang mai-present na evidence na may rebelyon or invasion ay walang kaso. Ang massacre ay hindi form ng rebelyon or invasion.