Local News

COTABATO CITY --- The vice-mayor here on Friday took over the city’s mayoral post, left vacant by Friday’s demise of Mayor Japal Guiani, Jr., to forestall hiatus in the operation of the local government.
Guiani’s sister, Vice-Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi and their nephew, Graham Guiani Dumama, took oath as mayor and vice-mayor of Cotabato City, respectively before Judge Bansawan Ibrahim of Central Mindanao’s Regional Trial Court Branch 13.

KIDAPAWAN CITY - - Tension remained high at the North Cotabato Provincial Jail (NCPJ) in Barangay Amas here Friday as inmates padlocked the main gate and denied entry of the jail guards for routine inspection.Jail Supt. Peter Bungat Jr., NCJP officer-in-charge, said disturbance materialized since last week, after he assumed office and implemented strict policies inside the facility.Bungat said upon assumption, he ordered the suspension of the inmates’ marital privileges as well as the bringing of food by families who visit relatives detained inside the provincial jail.

MANILA -- Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno challenged mayors to build alliance in order to make semblance of governance as he stressed the need for cooperation in terms of peace and order and social development in all local government units in the country. Several times, Pres. Duterte said that there was no semblance of governance ang mga mayors natin kaya hindi mahuli-huli ang mga criminal elements dahil hindi nagko-cooperate ang mga mayors although karamihan sa kanila ay nag-improved na dahil sa respect at takot nila kay Pres.

TACURONG CITY – Authorities are constrained from neutralizing two large-scale drug lords in nearby Maguindanao province by the proximity of their lairs to a camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Firearms, explosives, mortars, ammunition, cal. 60 machine gun seized by government troops following clash with BIFF in Maguindanao.

LANAO DEL SUR – A policeman was killed while a municipal police chief and another subordinate were badly wounded when drug peddlers shot their vehicle with assault rifles on Tuesday in Picong town in Lanao del Sur.
The fatality, PO1 Rohodin Tahir, died on the spot from multiple bullet wounds.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY ---- Policemen in Region 12 had killed 57 drug traffickers and arrested 886 more from between July 1 to September 15 in operations launched with the help of local officials.Records obtained Monday from the office of Supt.

COTABATO CITY – Government forces foiled an attempt over the weekend by lawless
elements to inflict serious injuries or death to soldiers in Maguindanao,
officials said today.

Soldiers also
clashed with suspected Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao and
recovered high powered firearms.

Colonel
Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade, said
three powerful improvised explosive devices were left at the doorstep of one of
the detachments in Barangay Meta, Datu Unsay, Maguindanao.

MEDIA STATEMENT OF PRESIDENTIAL PEACE ADVISER JESUS DUREZA on release of Norwegian hostage in SuluandNorwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad was released by his captors earlier today Saturday at around 2 p.m. somewhere in Patikul. Sulu. He is now staying overnight at the place of MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari in Barangay Kagay who volunteered to host his stay due to heavy rains and nightfall.

COTABATO CITY -- Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad was freed by extremist Abu Sayyaf Group to the Moro National Liberation Front in Sulu on Friday evening and turned over to the government on Saturday afternoon, military sources and published reports said.In a statement, the Joint Task Group Sulu, saidSekkingstad one of the four abducted byAbu in Samal Island in Davao del Norte in September 2015, was still in Sulu as of 5 p.m.