FIREHORSE

Freedom Watch: More threats and attacks vs journalists

2007-10-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

Freedom Watch: More threats and attacks vs journalists

Freedom Watch: Free Burma!

2007-10-06T23:32:00.000-07:00

Freedom Watch: Free Burma!

carrie lucas

2007-10-05T18:56:00.001-07:00

sometimes a love goes wrong

WAPILE: A HIGH RISK INMATE (ORIGINAL VERSION)

2007-06-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

NO MORE KARAOKE FOR WAPILE, REWARDS FOR SAILANI BROTHERS

Julie S. Alipala

June 4, 2007

ZAMBOANGA CITY – No more karaoke and videoke machine operations and goodbye to his tennis sport inside Pagadian City Jail as convicted journalist killer Guillermo Wapile was already transferred to this city a week ago.

Superintendent Victor Borres, chief warden of the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center says Wapile has to content himself playing board games inside the cell “domino at chess na lang ang pwede niyang gawin.”

Borres said Wapile is under tight watch and all his visitors are closely scrutinized and foods are strictly inspected.

Inspector Belsie Agustin, the chief operations and spokesperson of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Region 9 told the INQUIRER that “Wapile is a high risk and a high profile inmate, that is why we keep confidential his transfer to ensure that he will not escape or groups might snatch him from us, its all for security reasons.”

Wapile was transferred to the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center on May 19, 2007 under heavy guards and immediately detained at Cell Number 1 where he is sharing the cell along with 60 other high risk and high profile criminals such as Abu Sayyaf Group, murderers and rapists.

The transfer Agustin said is acted on the court order from Regional Trial Court Branch 19 in Cebu City and request from Inspector Elmer Gregorio, the jail warden of Pagadian City Jail last May 16, 2007.

High risk because according to Agustin, “Wapile’s case is not just a typical commission of index crimes, it has characters on his case being a former well trained police officer and his reported association with notorious criminal gang.”

Wapile is also a high profile inmate because his case is considered sensational and as such his case and background has been published for two consecutive times in the media.

Agustin said among the jail facility in Western Mindanao region, “only the Zamboanga City jail is the most secured and we have a cell with maximum security, so no special treatment for Wapile here.”

Borres said Wapile is not allowed to mingle with anyone outside his cell and he is not included in any of the facility’s programs and projects like the recently held skills training for inmates.

“He is a national case and we are under instruction that his movements are limited inside his cell,” Borres said where since the arrival of the convict here, only two persons visited him, the wife and a bestfriend who happened to a cop based in Pagadian City.

“He’ll stay here for safekeeping, he will soon be transferred to another facility,” Borres said.

Agustin explained that Wapile will soon be brought to the Muntinlupa as soon as there are available funds for transfer as they will require more personnel for mobility to Metro Manila.

Wapile has been convicted in Cebu City for the killing of Pagadian journalist Edgar Damalerio.

REWARDS FOR SAILANI BROTHERS

As Wapile has to content with board games, intelligence units of the Western Mindanao Regional Police Intelligence and Investigation Division are on intensified manhunt operations against the Sailani brothers, Itting and Omar.

Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro, chief of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division confirmed that neutralization of the Sailani brothers is now covered with reward where each has a prize of P3Million or equivalent to 60,000 US Dollars.

The said rewards according to Casimiro has been provided after assessing the case of the duo where they are responsible for the killing of police officers, military, business personalities in Zamboanga City and Sulu including a photojournalist Geneboyd Lumawag.

Based on the November 23, 2006 operations in Barangay San Ramon this city, Casimiro discovered that Sailani brothers were able to kill more than 6 police officers and “we discovered it thru the recovered firearms in their safehouse.”

The rewards and latest printing of posters for the Sailani brothers were released last week with funding from the Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippine and the Philippine National Police under the joint program against most wanted persons. JULIE S. ALIPALA, INQUIRER MINDANAO

WAPILE: A HIGH RISK INMATE (PUBLISHED)

2007-06-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

Journalist’s convicted killer tagged ‘high risk’ inmate

Ex-cop placed in cell with Abu Sayyaf suspects

By Julie Alipala
Inquirer
Last updated 06:06pm (Mla time) 06/05/2007

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Jail authorities have classified the convicted killer of Pagadian journalist Edgar Damalerio a "high-risk" prisoner and have locked him up in a maximum security cell with members of the local terror group Abu Sayyaf.

For convict and former police officer Guillermo Wapile, who was transferred to the jail here recently, there will be no more operating karaoke and videoke machines or playing tennis, things he used to do inside the Pagadian City Jail where he was formerly held.

Superintendent Victor Borres, warden of the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center, said Wapile is under tight watch and all his visitors are closely scrutinized. And from now on, all he will be able to play are board games because "domino and chess are the only games allowed [here]."

Inspector Belsie Agustin, chief of operations and spokesperson of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Western Mindanao, said Wapile is considered "high risk and a high-profile inmate."

This, said Agustin, was the reason the convicted killer’s transfer was made confidential "to ensure that he will not escape or [be snatched from us by any] groups."

"It's all for security reasons," Agustin said.

"Wapile's case is not just a typical commission of index crimes...[he] being a former well-trained police officer and his reported association with [a] notorious criminal gang," Agustin added.

Wapile was transferred to the Zamboanga City Reformatory Center on May 19 under heavy guard.

He was immediately detained at Cell Number 1, sharing it with 60 other high-risk and high-profile criminals like suspected Abu Sayyaf members, murderers and rapists.

The transfer, Agustin said, was based on an order from the Regional Trial Court Branch 19 in Cebu City and a request from Inspector. Elmer Gregorio, warden of the Pagadian City Jail.

Borres said Wapile is not allowed to mingle with anyone outside his cell. He is also excluded from any of the facility's programs and projects like the recently held skills training for inmates.

"He'll stay here for safekeeping. He will soon be transferred to another facility [the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa]," Borres said.

HIATUS?

2006-11-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

I've been away for quite sometime. Very occupied with so many activities around, I am not just into coverage and reporting, lately, I've been asked to organize several activities for National Union Journalists of the Philippines and the recent is the re-echoing of said activity for local journalists in Zamboanga City. Its about HIV-AIDS reporting training. I also realized that not just organizing is my forte, but I am good in taking care of my guests (just bragging!)

Two weeks ago, we had a reporting's training in Lantaka Hotel and last November 8, my bosses (editor Jun Bandayrel, bureau chief Rolly Fernandez and corporate manager Connie Kalagayan) came over this city for the activity at the Regional Science High School and the latest, a nightmare in Tawi-tawi (dont want to talk about it, naprapraning lang ako.)

Right now am back doing the regular coverage and we are also preparing for the arrival of several diplomats of the Western and European countries for their tour in Basilan and Zamboanga City.

KIDS ENJOY THE KILLER RIVER

2006-10-25T03:46:00.000-07:00

I came from a media coverage at the Western Mindanao Command last week. Actually the entire city then was experiencing a sectional rain, sounds familiar? Its like sectional power interruption which we always experienced for quite sometime. Probably I should visit Reynerio Ramos, the manager of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative one of these days. But not for now, since I want to share another encounter.

When I left home earlier last Friday, the heat was so high, almost baked my melanin-rich skin.

But soon as we turned San Roque, the weather suddenly changed to something colder and quite cloudier. In just about 20 minutes, rain fell hard.

What surprised me, when I stepped the gate of Western Mindanao Command, again that heat hovers the sky (hmmm… probably God is quite selective now in bestowing blessings.)

After interviewing the rescued 4 Filipino fishermen from Palawan, all fellow journalists sped fast beating deadlines in time for the editors to run their stories.

I got stuck up in San Jose Gusu because of heavy traffic so I just requested the driver to drop me off near the bridge to get another vehicle bound back to Calarian.

But my attention was caught by these two boys having their dip at the murky water of San Jose Gusu River.

An old man approached me and said, “these kids are really hard headed, we’ve been telling them to get out of that river, but they ignored our advice, they knew that this river has been known here as killer river.”

Huh? Killer river?

I checked out with Francisco Barredo, the social welfare officer of the city and he confirmed that three kids have been declared dead when swollen river swallowed them up during heavy downpour that caused severe flashfloods since early this year.

Tsk!Tsk!Tsk! But it seems that children living beside the river are no longer afraid of this murky water, for them its fun to swim for free.

AMERICANS HAVING TIME...

2006-10-25T02:17:00.000-07:00

The American soldiers are apparently enjoying their stay here in Mindanao. Some of them established ties and friendship with the local people and savoring simple sceneries found in Zamboanga City and in Sulu.

LONELY JOE?

In just a brief encounter with US Army Major Gunnar Newman, a member of the Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines (JSOTFP) civil affairs, he excitedly and openly expressed admiration of the off-shore sites at Camp Majini Pier.

“Napakagandang panahon,” says Newman in slang Filipino words.

A CHAT WITH A FR IEND

US Marines Corporal Jack Flory enjoys a chat with his friend Philip Wee.

Feeling at home, Flory said Wee is like a father to him which the latter agreed.

Flory is one of the American soldiers detailed at the Camp Majini Pier and just wandering around the camp along with Wee curious to know who are the officials arriving on board USS Harpers Ferry.

PIGLETS FOR SALE?

No, this American in military uniform is not selling piglets. I just forgot his name, but Commander Katy Wright earlier gave his name. According to her, this US personnel is a veterinarian sent by US PACOM to join several medical dental action programs (MEDCAP’s) in Zamboanga City targeting household pets and farm animals for vaccination. The photo is provided by the US Embassy information center.

RELEASED OR ESCAPED?

2006-10-22T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Army official and a politician in Sulu claimed four kidnapped victims were freed by their captors, but the victims themselves insisted they escaped.

All the four hostages engineers Romeo Rivera, Reynaldo Rubio and Larry Bautista and their hired driver Isidro Amarano Lapus agreed in unison that they escaped on Thursday night, October 19, 2006 from their lone guard who fell asleep shortly before 9am.

But if you listen to Sulu Governor Benjamin Loong and 104^th Army Brigade commander Brig. General Reynaldo Sealana, the four were released by their captors on Friday dawn, October 20, 2006.

It is also quite disturbing to note that all the hostages claimed they were treated well by their captors. They were fed, treated humanely despite being tied with thin yellow nylon rope and the captors are quite friendly according to Rubio. Four victims are left to the care of a lone guard.

While showing the mug shots of the two suspects, Cedo insisted that suspects are really brutal “they are members of the dreadful urban terrorist group of the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu.”

Cedo was showing the photos of brothers Itting and Omar Sailani, the main suspects in the killing of photojournalist Geneboyd Lumawag, two years ago.

As the military focuses on the Sailani brothers as the main suspects or shall we say masterminded the abduction, the police official in the area including the governor believed that GEM-USAID contracted security guards, actually two of them (Adznar Ibnaihi and Bong Sakandal) are the suspects who held the victims at gunpoint last October 17, 2006.

If Lapus is really telling the truth, only three kidnappers not six took them at gunpoint. He said of the three, only two were armed.

With the election fever just around the corner, more manmade miracles are expected and sad to note, military officials are also riding the said wagon for the sake of promotion. (END)

ZAMBOANGA'S SOCIAL PROBLEM

2006-10-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

I was rushing to meet a friend Jayvee Francisco somewhere at Camins, well actually I just wanted to have breakfast in one of the food chains here with Jayvee.

On the way, I saw several Badjaos, known as water people or sea gypsies along the crossing of Santa Cruz. They are using the middle island as their resting ground if the traffic lights in the go, but once it stopped to a red or yellow, they flocked the motorists, some directly asking money, others, using their indigenous drums, perform certain Badjao's song.

What irked me is that they are using toddlers, infants under the heat of the sun to beg and I am wondering if the social welfare people are doing something about this.

Once I saw a 7 year old male Badjao throwing an infant (probably his younger brother) to another boy situated on the other end of the island. Sigh!

My brother Bobong (who was my driver) had a turn to another direction towards Veterans Street.

Soon as we reached crossing of Veterans turning towards Nunez Street, rains fell.

Everyone was seeking cover except for a lone Badjao boy with his drums.

Ignoring the downpour that drenched him all over, the boy kept on singing hoping to get a few centavos from either the passengers or motorists.

With the sights, I decided to skip my breakfast and simply sip a hot chocolate drink in my favorite food nook.

ZAMBOANGA'S FINEST

2006-10-18T03:46:00.000-07:00

Claretian students danced to their hearts for the showdown street dancing on October 11, 2006 in front of the city hall.

Another school with which I forgot to list down the name in my notebook showed their best in the showdown, what caught the onlookers were the sunflower adorning their headgears and bouquets.

BASILAN UPDATES

2006-10-12T23:04:00.000-07:00

A PEEK OF BASILAN ISLAND

Sixty year old Ambalan Ausalin is weaving an intricate design known locally as "Sineluen".

Sineluen is one of the many Yakan cloth designs using ordinary threads purchased from the stores. She is weaving a Sineluen which is about 32 meters in length that costs her about Php 10,000 worth of threads.

She can finish a meter length of said design for a month earning about Php500 for every meter she weaved.

Sineluen products are commonly used for wall hangers, wall decors, patched design for t-shirts, skirts, dresses, polo and blouses or small cut cloth is used for earing, banggles, necklaces and slippers.

SULU UPDATES

2006-10-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

SULU INCIDENTS

October 3, 2006

Istiada BHT Oemar Sovie along with her children Alih 8 and Edar 6 were arrested in Barangay Sanda, Patikul Sulu.

Sovie is the wife of Dulmatin, an Indonesian bomb expert and member of Jemaah Islamiyah who is now working closely with the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu. Source: Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, 3^rd Marine Brigade Commander

October 4, 2006

Bongkaong Barangay Councilor Bubak Omadjadi was forcibly taken in his residence around 8am allegedly by uniformed personnel.

Omadjadi’s headless body was discovered near his house around 5pm of the same day.

Bongkaong is an adjacent barangay to Sanda where Sovie was arrested.

Military claimed Omadjadi was executed by the group of Dulmatin for helping the authorities that led to Sovie’s arrest.

However, Omadjadi’s brother, a barangay captain in the area claimed that military personnel were responsible for the beheading since only Scout Rangers are the only unit operating in their village. Sources: Jose Manuel Mamauag, regional director Commission on Human Rights Western Mindanao, Atty. Jinmar Abdurasad, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO-SULU), Sr. Supt. Ahirum Ajirim, Sulu Provincial Police Director

October 8, 2006

Six Scout Rangers (7^th Scout Rangers Coy) were wounded in a ferocious encounter in Mount Tunggol, Patikul Sulu around 9:30pm. Source: Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Sealana, 104^th Army Brigade Commander

October 11, 2006

Two Scout Rangers (7^th Scout Ranger Coy) died while undergoing medical treatment at the Camp Asturias Hospital, 8 others wounded after an hour clash with the Abu Sayyaf Group in Mount Sinumaan, Patikul Sulu around 7:30am. Source: Lt. Col. Pablo Lorenzo, 35^th Infantry Battalion Commander.

October 15, 2006

An improvised explosive device (IED) went off Sunday night (7:10pm) inside the compound of the Sulu Provincial Police Headquarters known as Camp Asturias, in Asturias Street, Jolo town Sulu.
Three persons were injured identified as Lolita Bernardo 55, her daughter Geraldine 20 and a bystander Hatta Jilah Junior 26 years old.
The bomb exploded was placed in the middle of the alley separating the walls of PeaceKeepers' Inn and Camp Asturias Hospital of the Western Mindanao Command.
The said compound houses the Sulu Water District, the military's hospital, a radio station of Radyo ng Bayan, a cooperative lodging house managed by the PNP, a Catholic chapel, a mosque and the main headquarters of the PNP.

October 17, 2006

A USAID-Gem project manager Engr. Romeo Rivera who is connected with the Monolithic Construction based in Davao City was kidnapped along with his two personal friends also Engrs. Larry Bautista and Reynaldo Rubio around 5pm in Barangay Beid, Parang town Sulu.
Aside from the three engineers, their driver Isidro Amarano, an employee of Sulu Governor Benjamin Loong was also included in the kidnapping.
Rubio and Bautista are sub-contractors connected with the TerraSyme Chemicals firm based in Metro Manila.
Reynaldo Sealana, commander of the 104th Army Brigade said one of the six suspects was identified as Bong Salih, a hired security guard by GEM project in Parang. He was with five other armed suspects when the four were abducted.
The military launched a rescue operation to secure the immediate recovery of the four kidnapped victims and the neutralization of the suspects.

MEMORABLE QUOTES

2006-10-12T05:54:00.000-07:00

“They were attacked because they were sleeping sincerely last night.”Retired General Roy Kyamko, former Southern Command chief responding to journalists’ query why Siocon was attacked last May 4, 2003 leaving 34 dead civilians and cops.

“We are offering this token to Police Chief Supt. Servando Hizon for his mysterious achievements as Regional Police Director for Western Mindanao,” says an EMCEE during a turn-over of command two years ago Camp Abendan in Mercedes, Zamboanga City.

“I am happy to see ah John Hamburger (Linborg) of USED (USAID) and other officers that are very presence here….” says Maimbung town (Sulu) mayor Najib Maldisa in one of the soft launching of USAID projects in Sulu.

"Minabuti kong dalhin dito sa hospital, you know, after three days ordeal, kailangan medyo konting un-stress," says Lt. General Eugenio Cedo, Western Mindanao Command chief last October 21, 2006 when he was asked by a journalist why confine the four released or escaped kidnapped victims.