Headlines

 Higaonon Tribes troop to Iligan City Council

 Iligan City IP Man Rep takes oath

Mis. Occ Town Lady Exec insures interior municipal roads passable

Higaonon Tribes attended Iligan City Council Session

Higaonon Tribe troops to the Iligan City Council to get seat for IP Mandatory Representative

By Tito Natividad Fiel

Higaonon Tribe troops to Iligan City Council

ILIGAN CITY – The Higaonon Tribe from the Bayug Ancestral Domain through its Council of Elders trooped Tuesday to the City Council here during its regular session to get seat for the Indigenous People Mandatory Representative.

About twenty leaders comprising of seven communities men and women attended the session Tuesday to listen the positioning and arguments of the City council member whether in favor or against the assertion of the Higaonon Tribe to get seat in the council

In a letter sent to the council and read during session penned by Datu Diamla Rolando D. So-ong, an Indigenous People Mandatory Representative said that he is informing the City Council that the Tribe elected him as mandatory representative to the SP in a selection process under customary laws and traditional practices.

“The undersigned respectfully, humbly and formally informed this august body that I am dully affirmed as Indigenous People (IP) Mandatory Representative to the Sanguniang Panglungsod of Iligan City”, the letter said.

The letter said that such is in accordance with the section 16 of the Republic Act No. 8371 known as Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) and pursuant to Section 6, Paragraph 1, Rule IV of Implementing Rules and Regulation, NCIP Administrative Order No. 001, Series of 2009 for mandatory representation.

Datu Diamla in his letter said that he complied with the selection/election process and requirements during the General Assembly of the Higaonon Tribal Councils and Leaders on July 17, 2013 at Iglupas Building here.

NCIP authorized representative was present during the process and the leaders through the customary laws and traditional practices elected him as Indigenous People Mandatory Representative to the Sanguniang Panglungsod.

Datu Diamla informed the SP about his assumption to office by virtue of the second paragraph of Letter E. Selection and Assumption to Office (Section 12, Title II, NCIP AO No. 001 S., 2009) under Memorandum Circular No. 2010-119 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) dated October 20, 2010 dully signed by late Secretary Jesse M. Robredo.

“Assumption to office shall take place as soon as the selection process is formally certified by the concerned NCIP Regional Director, upon recommendation of the Provincial or Community Service Center Head, as the case may be, in accordance with the Administrative Order No. 001, S., 2009, and the person chosen takes the appropriate oath before an authorized officer and inform the appropriate body of his or her assumption”, DILG Memorandum Circular said.

In compliance with the above-stated provision, Datu Diamla also took oath before the authorized officer to administer oath through RASHID A. MACARIMBANG, Prosecutor II of the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in the Province of Lanao del Norte in Iligan City dated January 21, 2015, Datu Diamla’s letter narrated.

He prayed in his letter to the Sanguniang Panglungsod Members to adopt and accept his assumption to office as IP Mandatory Representative.

In response to his prayer after long deliberation, the body resolved to turn it back to the Committee on Indigenous People, conduct necessary processes and hearing as a matter of protocol under their internal house rules and submit committee report for final adoption.

Higaonon Tribe Indigenous People Mandatory Representative takes oath

Datu Diamla Rolando D. So-ong IPMR -Iligan City

By Tito Natividad Fiel

ILIGAN CITY – The Higaonon Indigenous People Mandatory Representative to the Sanguniang Panglungsod has taken oath of office over the weekend to the Provincial Prosecutors Office here.

Datu Diamla Rolando So-ong, a dully certified by the National Commission on Indigenous People Region 10 Director Roberto Almonte as Indigenous People Mandatory Representative to the Sanguniang Panglungsod here has taken oath of office before Prosecutor II Rashed Macarimbang.

The oath of office is one of the requirements and after which, Datu Diamla has to inform the Sanguniang Panglungsod  member of Iligan that he has to assume to his office as IP Mandatory representative and the Sangunian must formally adopt him in a form of resolution.

Datu Diamla has expected that the Sanguniang Panglungsod will accept him in due time since it is already a law and should not be ignored.

Datu Diamla takes oath for IPMR-Iligan City

According to City Councilor Manny Salibay chairman of the Committee on Indigenous People in the Sanguniang Panglusod on Friday that no one can oppose this because this is already a law.

“Mandatory Representation should not be denied because it is not contradictory to the Local Government Code of 1991 known as Republic Act 7160 as perceived by other councilor because the Indigenous People Rights Act clearly said in the repealing clause that any law contradicts to it is hereby repealed”, Councilor Salibay explained.

In September 15, 2014, Region 10 Director of the NCIP dully affirmed and certified the election of Datu Diamla as IP Mandatory Representative.

In the same date, the said Regional Director signed a letter addressed to Mayor Celso Regencia and Vice Mayor Ruderick Marzo informing them that Datu Diamla is qualified to assume the said position.

Since then, this has not yet been set as one of the agenda in the course of the regular session of the Sanguniang Panglungsod here.

Mis Occ. Town Lady Exec Vows to maintain graveling all interior roads

By Tito Natividad Fiel

Tudela Mayor Estela Obut Estano shared her dev't views

TUDELA, Misamis Occidental – With a one and a half remaining year of Lady Mayor Estella Obut Estaňo here, it has vowed to maintain graveling of all municipal road within the town especially to the remotest barangays to make it continuously passable to propel economic activity here.

In addition to water system project, development of agriculture and promoting the good values, one of her focus is to continuously maintain and gravel all municipal roads before ending her term by 2016.

“I have almost one and a half remaining year that my term ends, our capacity in relation to road maintenance to be constantly passable and will propel the economic activity over this town is to gravel”, Ms. Estaňo said in a recent interview.

She has shared on how her administration is translating the straight path of President Benigno Aquino III being one of the Liberal Party member by following the mechanisms which provided by law all the transactions and operation in the Local Government Unit here.

On May 2013 election, Ms. Estaňo was one of the Liberal Party survivors here in the second district of Misamis Occidental, the second was Samson Dumanjug in Bonifacio.  But now they are already three LP here when Cris Mahilac, the Mayor of sinacaban lately joined the Liberal Parry, she added.

ILIGAN CITY EXEC AND 17 OTHERS JOHN DOES FACE MULTIPLE MURDER WITH MULTIPLE FRUSTRATED MURDER SUIT FOR DECEMBER LAST YEAR REP. VARF BELMONTE’S AMBUSH

By Tito Natividad Fiel

Rep.  Vicente Belmonte & Mayor Celso Regencia

ILIGAN CITY – The National Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 10 have filed Multiple Murder with Multiple Frustrated Murder suit at the Misamis Oriental Provincial Prosecutor's Office against Mayor of Iligan City Celso Regencia and seventeen others John Does, a copy of which showed. 

The case stemmed up from the result of the combined efforts of Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and National Bureau of Investigation with the “Special Task Force for Belmonte” led by the Northern Mindanao Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.

The three security forces were responding to the ambush incident on December 11 2014 that resulting to death of three and injured other three including the incumbent Iligan Lone District Representative Vicente “Varf” Belmonte

“Representative Vicente “Varf” Belmonte was the main target of the assassination by the alleged perpetrators and it recommends the institution and filing for the said case”, charge said. 

Police Senior Superintendent Alexander C. Tagum, Northern Mindanao Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit Chief and NBI Region 10 Director Atty. Ricardo A. Dias penned the recommendation for filing of the case which approved by Police Senior Superintendent Aurelio C. Trampe,  PNP Region 10 Deputy Director for operations and Task Force Belmonte  Supervisor. 

There are seventeen complainants with some reserved led by Rep. Vicente Belmonte, the charge sheet copy received by the Tingog Malindang showed. 

The complaint has described one of the suspects Amador B. Baller as avid supporter of Mayor Regencia and allegedly supplied the baby armalite used by the alleged attacker Dominador S. Tumala in the ambush.

Mr. Tumala was described in the complaint as former member of the New People’s Army with a code name “Kumander Paras” and a resident of Poblacion Alto, Sergio Osmeňa, Zamboanga Del Norte.

Rogelio Pitos Sr., the other suspect described by the complaint as alias “Kim”, a former member of the New People’s Army Rebel and avid friend of alleged mastermind of the incident Mayor Regencia, a resident of Bliss, Culo, Molave Zamboanga del Sur, whose son Rogelio Pitos Jr., was the owner/vendee of the Green Revo, a gate away vehicle after the ambush.

Romeo Suganub alias Loloy, an alleged illegal numbers games “swetres” operator/financier claimed to be an avid friend of the prime suspect, a resident of  Jimenez, Misamis Occidental who was constantly seen with the Mayor before the incident and a Mayor’s wife relative allegedly supplied the armalite riffle for the ambush, complaint showed. 

The complaint also named Peejay Capangpangan as suspect which a former police officer assigned here and served as the “close in” bodyguard/security detailed to Mayor Celso Regencia, and is now fugitive with an outstanding warrant of arrest for murder of Nanding Sulijon, a hard hitting radio commentator that criticized the Mayor.

The other suspects are only described by their aliases and the full identity is still under further verification, the case filed copy said. 

Rep. Belmonte commented Thursday Morning that he was glad where the authority quickly concluded their investigation and finally filed the case to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

“I still believe our judicial system that justice would be served to me and those killed during the ambush where their family still grieving because of the incident”, Rep. Belmonteg grieved

He strongly believed that he was the prime target of the ambush because earlier he declared to run for Mayor by 2016 against the incumbent Mayor Regencia, considering it is the Representative’s last term of office and he claimed that the incident was politically motivated. 

When sought for reaction of the case Thursday afternoon, Mayor Regencia declined to face for interview instead his Administrator Melchor Alquizola has extended time for comment.

Alquizola said that the business is usual in the city hall and they are waiting the official subpoena that would be served saying that Mayor Regencia’s camp was glad that the case has been lodged to the proper forum for them to answer it officially, and they would not be put into trial by publicity.

Alquizola claimed that the incident was orchestrated by the Mayor’s opposition and put them into trial by publicity. 

“The Mayor’s best defense is his innocence in addition to the lawyers that we would commission soon in defending the case once we received the official communication in relation this and we still believe the judicial processes and the truth will prevail”, Alquizola stressed. 

Mayor Regencial of Iligan welcome VP Jejomar Binay

In 2013 election, Mayor Regencia suddenly won for the post against the last term Vice Mayor here Henry Dy under Liberal Party with more than 3,000 margins of votes.  

Less than a month before the violence happened,  Vice President of the Philippines Jejomar Binay visited Iligan where Mayor Regencia and few councilors welcomed it and joined in public exposure.