Local News

CAMP SIONGCO,
Maguindanao – The military is reminding residents in Maguindanao, North
Cotabato and part of Sultan Kudarat against unexploded ordnance, especially in
former war zones.

Unexploded
ordnance litter in areas where soldiers and Moro bandits clashed in the
past. They include landmine, mortars,
grenades and many others.

MAGPET, North
Cotabato – Military and police authorities here have identified one or two
suspects in the explosion in Barangay Balete on Wednesday night.

First
Lieutenant Nasrullah Sema, commander of the 57th Infantry Battalion Charlie
Company, refused to name the suspect who planted an improvised explosive device
(IED) at an under construction house near the village basketball court where
the soldiers were stationed.

Earlier
report said a rifle grenade was fired from a distance.

STO NINO,
South Cotabato – Police here have identified the dead bodies of two males found
along a dirt road here last Tuesday.

Police Senior
Inspector Virlen Pampolina, Sto. Nino police chief, said the remains of Datu
Ali Kanid, 20 of Barangay Laguilayan, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat and Malik Kanid of
Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao were claimed by their respective families
Wenesday.

PIKIT, North
Cotabato – Police and military authorities here have launched joint manhunt
against two men riding tandem on a motorbike who shot a soldier and took his
motorbike Tuesday.

Senior
Inspector Mautin Pangandigan, Pikit police chief, said Private First Class
Prenel Obeso, member of the 57th Infantry Battalion Alpha Company,
was driving his motorbike along the Aleosan-Pikit highway when shot dead by one
of two men.

The suspects
on board separate motorbike tried to overtake the soldier then shot him in the
head.

MLANG, North Cotabato - About684 senior citizens from Mlang's37 villages have received their third quarter pension amounting to P1,500 each on Tuesday. Cynthia Biag, municipal social welfare and development officer (MSWDO), said DSWD regional office 12 has facilitated the release of at least P1,026,000 for theelderly in Mlang. Biag explained for the elderlyto qualify asbeneficiary, they must be 70 years old and beyond and their names should be included in the list of the National Housing Targeting System on Poverty Reduction or (NHTSPR).

LIBUNGAN,
North Cotabato – Emergency teams, police, military, village officials and
volunteers today found the remains of a 13-year-old boy who drowned while
swimming along Gumaga river here, police said.

Chief
Inspector Bernard Tayong, Libungan police chief, said the lifeless body of
Jimboy Ravena was fished off downstream by joint teams from North Cotabato
provincial government, local police, Libungan and Cotabato City rescue units at
about 1:30 p.m, or about 24 hours after he was last seen by his two friends.

COTABATO CITY –
North Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco has filed a bill in the House of
Representatives proposing the creation of Department of Indigenous Peoples
(DIP), a primary government agency tasked to formulate and implement national
policies, plans, and programs relating to the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities
and Indigenous Peoples.

COTABATO CITY – The head of the United Church of Christ in
the Philippines (UCCP) today condemned in the strongest term the bloody grenade
attack on one of its local churches in Pikit, North Cotabato Wednesday night.

No circumstance or reason can justify such deplorable act on
a house of worship leading to the death and injury of worshipers,” said Bishop
Reuel Norman O. Marigza, UCCP secretary general.

At the same time, Bishop Marigza urged authorities for speedy
act to probe the incident.

COTABATO CITY - A 10-year-old child died when floods submergedSultan Kudarat, Maguindanao low lying villages, including portions of national highway as bad weather continue to affect mainland Mindanao Thursday.In a statement, the Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Relief Team (HEART) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the fatality, Jing Laure, who fell while trying to climb to the roof of their house, was swept away by flood waters.The HEART said 9,800 villagers in 10 barangays in Sultan Kudarat were affected by the flashfloods.All of the affected areas are near rivers whi

(UPDATE) PIKIT, North Cotabato - At least four persons were wounded when unidentified suspects, riding tandem on a motorbike, hurled a hand grenade in front of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) here at past 7 p.m. tonight.An Army spot report said the explosion was caused by an M-79 grenade fired from a distance.Reports said the grenade exploded at the main entrance of the Church and left at least four persons.