By Ephraim Aguilar
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 01:24:00 12/28/2009
LEGAZPI CITY—Hotel Venezia is fully booked until Tuesday.
When tourists—from Asia, America and Europe—come, they would ask the front desk which part of Legazpi would give them the best view of the erupting volcano, especially at night.
Gail Narramore, a British-South African missionary, has found Mount Mayon a stunning sight when evening falls.
“It looks like a Christmas tree,” said Narramore, who founded the Albay-based charity group Tiwala Kids and Communities.
Front desk officer Pearl de Guzman told the Inquirer that guests checking into the 40-room hotel had increased since the 2,460-meter mountain started spewing lava two weeks ago.
Digvijay Ankoti, 29, came all way from India just to see the eruption. He drove from Manila to Legazpi with two other Indian friends, one of them married to a Filipino.
It was Ankoti’s first time to see a volcano on the brink of a possibly hazardous blast.
He and his companions have gone lava-watching, going to the top of Ligñon Hill, which offers a full view of the volcano when the sky is clear. The hilltop also offers a 360-degree view of this city and neighboring Daraga town.
Barred from danger zone
Marian Lacson-Singh, 32, one of Ankoti’s companions, said the lava trail was “magnificent,” which made their long drive from Manila worthwhile.
Ankoti said his group once tried to venture into a danger zone—an area within an 8-kilometer radius from the volcano’s flaming mouth—hoping they could get a closer look of the eruption.
The military barred them.
Other tourist sites
Manuel Montiero, 57, from Luxembourg, who also went Mayon-watching at the observatory, said he had seen the Taal, Pinatubo and Bulusan volcanoes but found Mayon most captivating.
Montiero voted for Mayon in the 7 Wonders of the World online search.
Tourism department offices were closed for the holidays and the exact number of tourists, foreign and domestic, who have come to Albay to watch the spectacle of an erupting volcano were not immediately available.
Aside from Mayon, other tourist destinations in Albay are the Misibis resort, Embarcadero commercial complex, and the Tiwi and Manito geothermal sites. Neighboring Sorsogon province offers whale shark-watching in Donsol town.
Disaster tourism
While tourists may have been drawn to the sight of lava cascading down the slopes of Mayon, the provincial government is not keen on encouraging “disaster tourism,” Gov. Joey Salceda said in an earlier interview.
“Disaster tourism is certainly not within the contemplation of the provincial development strategy, even if disaster risk reduction and tourism are integral components,” he said.
Salceda said the sudden surge of tourists was an unintended consequence of a volcanic eruption.
He said the increased tourist arrivals were reflected in the number of visitors Mayon-watching at the observatory (where the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology or Phivolcs is located), in increased visits by nongovernment organizations and sociocivic groups to evacuation centers, and in wider media coverage of Albay.
Bicol Tourism Director Nini Ravanilla described Mayon as a timeless tourist attraction.
The volcano has erupted 49 times since records began, claiming thousands of lives. In 1814, more than 1,200 people were killed as lava buried the town of Cagsawa.
Deceptive calm
Alert Level 4 remains hoisted over Mayon, meaning a hazardous eruption is possible within days.
Volcanologists yesterday reiterated that while Mayon might be showing less visible signs of unrest, this could be a deceptive calm before a deadly eruption.
“Do not become complacent. The people only see what is coming out of the crater and that is often cloud covered. It is not just the observed phenomenon that matters. We also look at the quakes, the gas emitted and the swelling of the volcano,” warned Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum.
“We are telling the people, ‘Do not just count the number of quakes or what you see from the crater.’ It may look calm but it is not calm. It can still explode,” Solidum said in a radio broadcast.
“You might think it is taking a break but the volcano is still swelling,” he said, after the restive volcano produced fewer ash emissions on Sunday than in previous days.
2006 pattern
Solidum said the volcano could stay active for as long as two months, similar to its last eruption in 2006 when it simmered for months, dumping tons of ash on its slopes.
No one was killed by the eruption itself but in December of that year a passing typhoon dislodged the ash from Mayon’s slopes, turning it into a fast-moving mudflow that covered villages and killed about a thousand people.
More than 47,000 people have fled to 29 evacuation centers, although some villagers are known to defy Army security, sneaking out to periodically return home for supplies.
Still restive
Phivolcs said that based on observations over a 24-hour period, Mayon was still in a state of high unrest, unleashing nine ash explosions accompanied by rumbling sounds.
The blasts produced dirty white to brownish ash columns, with lava fragments, that reached heights of up to 1,000 meters above the summit. Forty-four volcanic earthquakes were recorded.
The sulfur dioxide emission rate has decreased from the previous 8,993 tons per day to 2,304 tons per day.
Communications equipment
As part of intensified preparations for a major eruption, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional office has issued additional communication equipment to Task Force Mayon (TFM).
According to Capt. Razaleigh G. Bansawan, TFM spokesperson, a total of 900 Motorola handheld radios with complete accessories have been issued to the task force.
The radios were distributed to nine military checkpoints within the danger zones.
Officials said forced evacuation of villagers seemed to be working, especially in view of government assurances to residents that their property would be protected during their absence.
Monday, December 28, 2009
DVDs of Maguindanao Massacre on Sale
Bootleg DVDs of Maguindanao massacre on sale
DAVAO CITY -- Bootleg digital video disc (DVD) copies of the “Maguindanao Massacre 11/23/09,” are now being sold underground in many parts of Mindanao, according to those who have seen the "film."
DAVAO CITY -- Bootleg digital video disc (DVD) copies of the “Maguindanao Massacre 11/23/09,” are now being sold underground in many parts of Mindanao, according to those who have seen the "film."
The Philippine Daily Inquirer was able to get a copy of the DVD. Running over four hours, the DVD showed the actual retrieval of the bodies from the massacre site at Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town, Maguindanao.
It showed the blood-soaked, bullet-riddled and mutilated bodies of the Ampatuan massacre victims. Most of the footage had graphic images of body parts protruding from the earth.
The origin of the Maguindanao Massacre DVD is not known but a DVD vendor in Koronadal City said he got his stocks from a supplier in General Santos City.
The INQUIRER secured a copy of the film, sold at P120, from a vendor who requested that he be not named, saying he feared for his life.
“Please don’t tell anyone that you got it from me…I only gave you this because I trust that you will not tell that it came from me. It’s scary,” the vendor said, referring to the movie. “Nakakatakot…sobrang nakakatakot. At nakakadiri (It’s really scary and it’s gross),” he said.
The vendor indicated he was also scared of the Ampatuan family, whose key members have been charged in connection with the massacre and were the erstwhile allies of Malacañang.
The material contained the first two days of the retrieval operations conducted by the authorities after the November 23 abduction and grisly murder of at least 57 civilians, 31 of them journalists and the rest close relatives and supporters of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, a Maguindanao gubernatorial candidate running against the Ampatuans in the 2010 elections.
It is not clear whether the content of the DVD was from the documentation done by the team that conducted the retrieval operations.
The DVD opened with the convoy of the retrieval operations team that traveled to the dumping site in Barangay (village) Salman. Immediately after, the amateur camera captured the yellow backhoe excavator that had the marking “Under the Administration of Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr.”
For more than four hours, the camera focused on the excavation of the victims. First to be exhumed was a woman, believed to be one of the lawyers of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, who wore a brown-striped blouse.
A man was later overhead as saying: “Sino ito? Si attorney? Sige…kunin na ang lahat kasi lahat tayo ay kapamilya na dito eh.”
After the first body was recovered, a man was also overheard as saying: “May ara pa (Are there still more)?”
“May ara pa gid. Marami yan sila dyan…(There would surely be more. There are a lot of them buried there),” another man answered.
When the body of a woman, wearing a green blouse and yellow pair of pants, was exhumed, a voice was heard saying: “Ka-daming tama…”
And judging from the looks of the victim, the same man suspected that she may have been sexually abused.
There were at least eight men who were exhuming the bodies, using shovels and their bare hands alternately. The film showed the lousy and slipshod retrieval of bodies and evidence, done by non-experts. It was only in the latter part of the first day and the second day that police experts got to work in the retrieval operations.
When shovels and bare hands proved to be slowing down the retrieval, the authorities later decided to use the backhoe to dig the grave where the victims were dumped. It was then that more and more bodies were found, including that of Mangudadatu town Vice Mayor Eden Mangudadatu, sister of Esmael.
Eden was immediately identified by the men involved in the diggings. A mobile phone was also recovered and a man was overheard as saying that “gitago nya sa loob ng sapatos. (she hid it inside her shoe).”
The Day 2 of the DVD opened with the diggings now aided mainly by the backhoe. It was on the second day that the retrieval operations teams dug up the vehicles, which were also dumped into the grave in an apparent effort to hide evidence.
And when more bodies were recovered, a male voice said: “Buti pa yong manok na panabong kahit na kargado sa gamot, kapag di na tumutuka ang kalaban, din na papaluin…” (Fighting cocks are treated better.)
In Koronadal City, a Maranao vendor said he has run out of copies of the DVD.
He said they have been selling it for P120 per copy, and even bragged about the clarity of the DVD he sold as the material was taken by members of the Scene of the Crime Operatives of the Philippines National Police.
“I’m expecting my order to arrive anytime tomorrow. The one you’re holding is a clear copy because members of SOCO filmed it,” he said in Filipino.
Janice Cabasag, 29, a resident here, told the Inquirer that she managed to procure a clear copy from a vendor for only P70.
Cabasag said the DVD contained footage of the actual retrieval of the bodies in the village of Salman.
“Looking at those images of death, I can feel the pain of the families who lost their loved ones. Those who did it are demonic,” she said.
Mario Alasin, who maintains a small restaurant here, also told the Inquirer that his staff bought a copy, but he had refrained from seeing the footage.
In Parang town in Maguindanao, Norma Cantal, admitted she bought the same copy at the public market.
When asked about the sale of the DVD, Corazon Cabillio, wife of slain journalist Jimmy, said she has heard about the DVD but has not seen a copy. Cabillio said she was interested in getting a copy.
300 Policemen To Secure Ampatuan/Maguindanao Massacre Trial
MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Some 300 policemen will be securing the national police camp at Camp Crame, Quezon City during the high-profile trial on the Maguindanao massacre that has been set on January 5, 2010, a police spokesman said on Monday.
At the same time, construction of the makeshift courtroom is now underway at the Police Non-Commissioned Officers A. I. building inside the police camp where the trial will be held for the murder of at least 57 people in Maguindanao province last November 23.
One of those expected to attend the trial is Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., who is the key suspect in the massacre.
Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina gave reporters a tour of the multi-purpose hall that has been converted into a court room.
The room where the trial will be held will be air-conditioned and measures 600 square meters. Dividers have also been put up as designated areas for lawyers and their respondents, witnesses, family members and the media.
Espina said that the room can hold up to 120 people. Security will be tight during the hearing and only accredited media personnel will be allowed inside the court room.
Construction of the court room began only on December 24 and is expected to be finished before the hearing on January 5.
Media not accredited will be allowed to stay in a designated press area outside the PNCO building, Espina said.
The 300 policemen from the PNP’s Base Police will be deployed in the court room and around Camp Crame. Espina said the number excludes the augmentation from the Highway Patrol Group and the National Capital Region Police office.
Espina added that all other PNP personnel will be on standby for immediate deployment as needed. He said that the police will be taking orders from the courts, specifically from Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes, since the PNP will only be “hosting” the trial.
“We are just hosting the venue. All regulations and policies should come from the Quezon City regional trial court,” Espina said in an interview.
Meanwhile, PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa said deploying police personnel for the hearing would be easy.
“We are ready anytime. We are under the direction of the Supreme Court pertaining to the operation of the courts here. [Deployment of personnel] will be easy because we already have an existing security system in place here,” Verzosa said.
Espina also appealed to media personalities to observe proper decorum when covering the hearing on January 5.
He made the appeal after a photographer hit Ampatuan with his camera during the preliminary investigation held at the Department of Justice last December 18.
He said any member of the media caught for unruly behavior will be arrested and charged appropriately.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Jr. Fight in Jeopardy?
By Kevin Iole
Nearly every detail is finalized for Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao to fight on March 13 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas but one. That one detail, though, may kill the fight.
Negotiations are at an impasse over Pacquiao’s failure to agree to random Olympic-style drug testing, said Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, on Tuesday.
Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said his fighter is willing to comply with strict drug-testing standards, but Roach won’t allow Pacquiao to have blood drawn 48 hours before the fight.
Ellerbe said he would not let Mayweather enter the ring unless Pacquiao agreed to it.
Both sides agreed that the drug testing issue is the only hurdle preventing the fight from being finished. Earlier Tuesday, Golden Boy Promotions officially requested March 13 from the Nevada State Athletic Commission to host the show.
“As Floyd’s management, we are insistent that there be a level playing field,” Ellerbe said. “This is in the best interests of the fighters, the fans and the sport. If you want a level playing field, the best way to do it is to have Olympic-style, random drug testing administered by the premier agency in the world, the [United States Anti-Doping Agency].”
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said the demand is “absolutely crazy,” done simply to harass Pacquiao, who is squeamish about needles, and is proof that Mayweather doesn’t really want the fight.
Arum said the request has been an unsettled issue since the first day of negotiations last month.
“We’re not going to agree to have Manny give blood in training, because that’s stupid,” Arum said. “Every doctor in the world will tell you that is stupid. He’ll give his blood at the beginning of the year and he’s willing to be urine-tested 24/7, but blood doesn’t show [expletive] and he’s not going to do it.”
Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser and de facto manager, said Pacquiao believes drawing blood so close to a competition harms the body, but the boxer is willing to have his blood drawn a month away from the fight as a compromise.
Koncz said Pacquiao was willing to pass on the fight if it came to that.
“Manny has a lot more options than Mayweather does,” Koncz said. “Manny is clean and he’s never done a thing, and he’s willing to go to great lengths to prove it. It’s my understanding that this stuff doesn’t just leave your system overnight.
“He’ll take a blood test immediately after the fight, if that’s what they insist upon. But Manny believes very strongly that it would be harmful to him to draw blood that soon before the fight and he plain and simple isn’t going to do it.”
In a statement released by his publicist, Mayweather said he is willing to submit to the testing. There was never any suspicion that Pacquiao had ever taken banned substances until earlier this year, when Floyd Mayweather Sr. suggested he was on steroids.
Pacquiao has passed every urine test he’s been given in connection with boxing matches.
“I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don’t know anyone who really does,” Mayweather said in his statement. “But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level. I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same.
“It leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night. I hope that this is either some miscommunication or that Manny will change his mind and step up and allow these tests, which were good enough for all these other great athletes, to be performed by USADA.”
Blood tests for illegal drugs and banned substances are not required by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which would have regulatory control of the bout if it is held in Las Vegas.
In Nevada, a fighter is required to submit to a blood test that screens for HIV and Hepatitis B and C, as well as other blood-borne diseases, as part of the requirement to gain a license.
A license in Nevada is good for one year. In Pacquiao’s case, he received his 2009 license shortly before he fought Ricky Hatton in May. He submitted his blood to the commission between April 5 and April 20, said Keith Kizer, the commission’s executive director.
Kizer said all fighters who fight in Nevada are subject to random urine tests as well as any other medical tests, such as an MRI or a CAT scan, that the commission deems necessary. Arum said Pacquiao is willing to submit to testing by an outside agency but won’t give his blood. Roach said it’s an issue because Mayweather’s side has been insisting Pacquiao give blood as close as 48 hours within the fight.
“We’ll accommodate their requests and do urine testing up the wazoo and we’ll agree to have them done by an outside agency,” Arum said. “Manny has nothing to hide. But he’s not going to give blood because that’s crazy. He’ll do it at the beginning and he’ll do it at the end. That’s how it is done. Ask some former Olympic boxers how many times they give blood.”
Ellerbe said having the testing administered by USADA would quell suspicions about the procedures or the result.
“This is no rooty toot organization,” said Ellerbe, who noted that such testing was accepted by elite athletes such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps and Lance Armstrong.
Roach scoffed at such talk and said it won’t matter to him if the fight is not held.
“I really don’t care, because Manny doesn’t need Floyd Mayweather,” Roach said. “The tests he’s requesting are not commission tests, they’re not boxing tests and this is not an Olympic sport. A urine test is just as qualified as a blood test. [Human growth hormone] is not detected by blood or urine.”
The World Anti-Doping Agency successfully used blood testing at the 2004 Olympics in Athens to test for HGH.
Mayon, Major Eruptions Near?
LEGAZPI CITY – (UPDATE) Alert level 5 could be declared any time on Mayon Volcano but volcanologists are waiting for one important sign – a chocolate-colored mass of ash column shooting straight up into the air as high as 10-15 kilometers from the crater.
“Parameters are high until now and the intensifying activity might force us to raise the alert level to its highest level but it would happen only when Mayon shoots a straight ash column containing pyroclastic materials and molten, burning rocks as big as houses or buses from its crater, accompanied by intense rumbling and jittering of the ground felt as far as this city,” said resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has been verifying reports on the drying up of wells in the villages of Maninila, Mabalod, Masarawag in Guinobatan town, located along the western part of Mayon, and in Barangay (village) Buang, Tabaco City on the northeastern side.
He said a team of scientists would be fielded to verify the reports and find the cause as this was part of the physical observations similar to the uneasy behavior of animals confirmed in July when alert level 2 was raised.
Laguerta said an estimated 20 million cubic meters of ash and lava have reached the five-kilometer downslope while fine “irritating” ashes have reached as far as the town of Polangui but mainly affected the towns of Guinobatan and Camalig.
He clarified that in past eruptions Mayon deposited from at least 50 million cubic meters to as high as 150 million cubic meters of volcanic material depending on the intensity of the explosions.
Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said that during the past 24-hours, seismic activity remained high with a total of 1,059 volcanic earthquakes detected, many of which were at maximum deflection, while harmonic tremors were still continuously being recorded.
The sulfur dioxide emission rate remained elevated and was measured at an average of 6,737 tons per day from Tuesday to early morning Wednesday.
During cloud breaks, a total of 66 ash explosions were observed and the maximum height attained was about one kilometer at 4:21 p.m. on Tuesday, the Phivolcs added.
Audible booming and rumbling sounds were still intermittently heard as red hot lava continued to flow down along the Bonga-Buyuan, Miisi, and Lidong gullies.
The lava front has reached about five kms downslope from the summit along the Bonga-Buyuan gully, said Phivolcs.
Phivolcs reiterated that the extended danger zone from the summit or eight kms on the southern sector of the volcano and seven kms on the northern sector should be free from human activity.
The Philippine Army and Philippine National Police Task Force Mayon have been conducting a census of the population who kept on coming back to their houses despite the very abnormal condition of the volcano.
As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, a total of 47,137 persons belonging to 9,880 families from 32 villages are currently in evacuation centers, said Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, Philippine National Police spokesman.
Affected towns and cities include Camalig, Daraga, Legazpi City, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, Ligao City and Guinobatan, all of Albay.
"Eruption [is] possible within days," Espina said.
He added that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was expected to visit the evacuees this afternoon.
For 42-year-old taxi operator Narciso Marama, Mayon's rumblings have been both a blessing and a curse. Mayon has for years attracted tourists to the province, but it has also caused misery for his family.
"They may have snowfall in other parts of the world, but here, we have ash fall," the father of four told Agence France-Presse. "It's a white Christmas for us too, but this is ash, and we have to wear face masks."
He said relatives from inside the no-go zone have joined tens of thousands in temporary shelters. His own family however remains just on the edge of the danger zone, and have not been moved.
"But if there is a huge eruption, we may also be forced to leave," he said. "I can still remember the devastation three years ago."
When Mayon last erupted in 2006 it oozed lava and vented steam and ash for two months. No one died directly from the eruption, but a powerful typhoon three months later dislodged tons of debris that had collected on its slopes, burying entire towns and killing over 1,000 people.
Marama's house was among those crushed in the mudslide, but no family members were killed.
"We lost everything we owned and had to rebuild from scratch," Marama said. "I still have nightmares from that incident. I am praying that no one is killed this time."
Provincial governor Joey Salceda said resources were fast being strained and declared the area "open season for aid."
"They [aid agencies] don't need to come to my office to deliver aid anymore, they can go direct to the center," he said.
Initial deliveries of food, blankets, medicines, water, face masks and toys and school supplies for the children have been distributed, and local policemen with Santa hats have been trying to cheer the crowd with carols.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Mayon Hit 2000 Tremors
LEGAZPI CITY—Booming and rumbling since Sunday night, Mayon volcano shook glass windows of houses and muted a popular television drama, keeping people in Albay province anxiously guessing when it would finally unleash its fury.
“I think Mayon is really going to explode,” said Noel Nocillado, a farmer living in Barangay Sua in Camalig town.
After a week of puffing out ash and sending bursts of lava trickling down its steep slopes, the 2,460-meter volcano overlooking the Gulf of Albay and this provincial capital switched into high gear on Monday with nearly 2,000 volcanic earthquakes and tremors since Sunday, state volcanologists said.
The emission of sulfur dioxide—an indication of magma rising inside the volcano—jumped to 6,000 tons per day from the normal 500, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
It also reported “audible booming and rumbling sounds” in the eastern flank of the volcano, accompanied by intensified crater glow at night.
Lava fountains bursting from the cone-shaped volcano overnight rose 200 meters in the air, Phivolcs said.
Red-hot lava continuously flowed down along the gullies of Bonga-Buyuan facing Legazpi, Miisi in Camalig town and Lidong in Sto. Domingo town.
Scientists raised the alert level on Sunday to one step below a hazardous eruption, saying one was possible within days. The only higher level is when a major eruption is already in progress.
Hearing distance
While more than 100 rumbling sounds were heard at the Liñgon Hill Observatory Center, situated 11.5 kilometers away from the crater, “how much more at the nearer distance?” asked resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta.
Residents of Barangays Mabalod, Maninila and Maipon in Guinobatan, Santa Misericordia in Santo Domingo, and Sua, Tumpa, Cabangan and the other areas of Camalig heard the loud rumbling from Mayon continuously on Sunday night.
At first, Edwin Iglesia, a machine shop welder, thought it was a thunderstorm he and his friend heard from his house in Barangay Travesia in Guinobatan at about 8 p.m. on Sunday. But then, they saw no lightning, he said.
The booms, Iglesia said, were repeated successively after 10 then 30 minutes, alternately followed by rumbling sounds that made glass windows vibrate and silenced the dramatic dialogue in a television telenovela.
Laguerta warned defiant residents at the no-go zones to leave their homes. A major eruption could trigger pyroclastic flows—superheated gas and volcanic debris that race down the slopes of Mayon at very high speeds, vaporizing everything in their path.
Defiant villagers
More extensive explosions of ash could drift toward nearby towns and cities.
Gov. Joey Salceda, who chairs the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC), said Mayon’s eruption was the most dangerous type of calamity in Albay, and the province had experienced difficulty moving out the remaining 6,000 residents who had refused to leave or had kept coming back to the danger zones.
“There are people who have been evacuated three times and we sigh: ‘You again?’ “Salceda said. “We’ve been playing cat and mouse with them.”
“However, due to the declaration of the alert level 4 and the very obvious rumbling sounds accompanied by continuous earthquakes, residents that were accounted for at the different evacuation sites jumped from mere 75 percent to 92 percent in the night of Sunday, barely hours after the Phivolcs elevated the alert level,” the governor said.
Task Force Mayon, which is composed of members of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police, discovered that some residents who failed to proceed to the evacuation sites were sick or disabled.
“This is why we conducted special care and assistance in moving these people who are also elderly so that they could be provided special care at their designated evacuation camps,” said Capt. Razaleigh Bansawan, the group’s spokesperson.
The PDCC expects to move out 47,285 more people and possibly 20,000 others if a hazardous eruption progresses, Bansawan added.
Evacuees
So far, the council, with the help of the task force, has already accounted for 44,394 people or 9,217 families from 30 villages at 25 different evacuation centers across the province.
The Army and the Albay Health and Emergency Management Response Team (Ahem) evacuated all the sick and disabled persons from the 6-8 km danger zones.
The evacuees may be out of harm’s way, but living in the temporary shelters has exposed them to diseases.
Hushing a crying baby in her arms, Analiza Alaurin, 29, said diseases could spread fast in the cramped rooms, mostly affecting children and infants.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Mayon Volcano on Alert Level 4
LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, Philippines -- (UPDATE 2) The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has raised the alert level on Mayon Volcano from three to four after it exhibited abrupt increase in seismicity, accompanied by rumbling sounds and other factors indicating a possible eruption in days.
“All the bases are already there and we have no choice but to raise the alert status from level 3 to level 4, barely six days after it was upgraded from alert level 2 last Monday,” resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta said.
From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, 463 volcanic earthquakes were recorded, and these were considered characteristic of a heightened activity near to an explosive eruption, Laguerta said.
He said Mayon manifested signs of a strombolian eruption similar to that of 2001.
A strombolian type of eruption is characterized by fountaining of lava from the crater, reaching several kilometers upwards, and raining of ashfall.
“This nearing explosive eruption is no longer comparable to the protracted type in 2006 eruption with only lava flows oozing at the crater down to Mabinit, Legazpi City, six kilometers from the crater,” Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said in a press briefing here Sunday afternoon.
He said the parameters indicated that the volcano would expel big boulders.
Solidum said they received reports that residents of Sta. Misericordia in Sto. Domingo town heard rumbling sounds at about 2:55 p.m.
To ensure the safety of the public, the Phivolcs is recommending an extended danger zone of 8 kilometers from the summit at the southern sector and 7 km at the northern sector.
Even areas just outside of this extended danger zone should prepare for evacuation in the event of explosive eruptions.
The past 24-hour observation period showed that the advancing lava flow reached around 4.5 kilometers downslope from the crater along the Bonga-Buyuan gully.
Sulfur dioxide emission increased from 2,034 tons per day to 7,024 tons per day during the same observation period.
But the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council had already moved well ahead of this alert status declaration by adopting a calibrated response and preparation for alert level 4 even as Mayon was just under alert status level 3 during the past six-day period.
Governor Joey Salceda stressed the need to double patrolling in the recommended extended and the permanent danger zones around Mayon because of the danger of pyroclastic flows, rockfall and ashfall.
Salceda confirmed reports many people were still returning to their farms and homes. "But we will never give up on persuading these people and bringing them to their respective evacuation centers," Salceda said.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Mayon Ready to Blow?
By Rey M. Nasol
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 19:23:00 12/19/2009
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Mayon Volcano is ready to blow its top, a government volcanologist said Saturday after seismographs picked up 197 volcanic quakes during the previous 24 hours.
Ed Laguerta, resident volcanologist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the tremors were a sign that the volcano was ready to blow its top.
"Harmonic tremors continue to shake Mayon Volcano, an indication that the volcano is on the brink of a volatile eruption expected within weeks or days," he explained.
Eighteen of the 197 events were of the explosion type. However, only 15 were observed during periods of good visibility.
These explosions produced dirty-white to grayish ash columns that reached a height of 100 to 200 meters above the summit before drifting to southwest, the Phivolcs’ latest bulletin said.
Sulfur dioxide emission increased from 1,065 to 2,034 tons per day, it added.
During a period when the clouds parted Saturday morning, the color of steam seen rising from the volcano’s vents ranged from dirty-white to light brown. Night observation showed an intensified crater glow and continuous rolling down of incandescent materials from the crater.
"If it is true that Mayon could erupt in days, it could mean that it might be on the Christmas Eve or on the New Year. Whichever, we will constantly monitor radio stations to keep us updated of the events, especially during times that the volcano is not visible due to clouds," said Margilita Lorilla, an evacuee from Upper Cabangan, Camalig town.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda was posed to evacuate some 70,000 more residents in the event of heavy rains or bad weather.
Salceda, who is also the head of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council, said lahar and mud flows could cascade during heavy rain, particularly in the municipalities of Guinobatan, Camalig and part of Daraga.
Alert Level 3 remained hoisted over Mayon Volcano but scientists were already contemplating on raising it to Level 4.
"Since persistent high unrest is evident at present, the possibility of hazardous volcanic eruption is high," said the Phivolcs bulletin.
The advancing lava front has reached approximately four kilometers from the crater along the Bonga Gully, producing secondary pyroclastic flows and sudden bursts of ash that were carried away toward the west in the direction of Camalig town, about nine kilometers from the foot of volcano.
Volcanologist July Sabit said that the building up of the lava dome on the crater would be a critical event since once the pressure beneath the volcano puffed up, this would break the dome, causing more lava to pour down the slopes of the mountain.
Ma. Cristina Ador, statistician of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, said 40,093 people or 8,442 families from 30 villages were already in 24 evacuation centers as of 11 a.m. Saturday.
Capt. Razaleigh Bansawan, spokesman of the Task Force Mayon, said police and soldiers were able to convince hard-headed residents to move out of the restricted zones.
Bansawan said government troops and vehicles were sent to barangays Mabinit, Buyuan, Matanag and Bonga in Legazpi City and high-risk barangays in Ligao City and Camalig town.
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 19:23:00 12/19/2009
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Mayon Volcano is ready to blow its top, a government volcanologist said Saturday after seismographs picked up 197 volcanic quakes during the previous 24 hours.
Ed Laguerta, resident volcanologist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the tremors were a sign that the volcano was ready to blow its top.
"Harmonic tremors continue to shake Mayon Volcano, an indication that the volcano is on the brink of a volatile eruption expected within weeks or days," he explained.
Eighteen of the 197 events were of the explosion type. However, only 15 were observed during periods of good visibility.
These explosions produced dirty-white to grayish ash columns that reached a height of 100 to 200 meters above the summit before drifting to southwest, the Phivolcs’ latest bulletin said.
Sulfur dioxide emission increased from 1,065 to 2,034 tons per day, it added.
During a period when the clouds parted Saturday morning, the color of steam seen rising from the volcano’s vents ranged from dirty-white to light brown. Night observation showed an intensified crater glow and continuous rolling down of incandescent materials from the crater.
"If it is true that Mayon could erupt in days, it could mean that it might be on the Christmas Eve or on the New Year. Whichever, we will constantly monitor radio stations to keep us updated of the events, especially during times that the volcano is not visible due to clouds," said Margilita Lorilla, an evacuee from Upper Cabangan, Camalig town.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda was posed to evacuate some 70,000 more residents in the event of heavy rains or bad weather.
Salceda, who is also the head of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council, said lahar and mud flows could cascade during heavy rain, particularly in the municipalities of Guinobatan, Camalig and part of Daraga.
Alert Level 3 remained hoisted over Mayon Volcano but scientists were already contemplating on raising it to Level 4.
"Since persistent high unrest is evident at present, the possibility of hazardous volcanic eruption is high," said the Phivolcs bulletin.
The advancing lava front has reached approximately four kilometers from the crater along the Bonga Gully, producing secondary pyroclastic flows and sudden bursts of ash that were carried away toward the west in the direction of Camalig town, about nine kilometers from the foot of volcano.
Volcanologist July Sabit said that the building up of the lava dome on the crater would be a critical event since once the pressure beneath the volcano puffed up, this would break the dome, causing more lava to pour down the slopes of the mountain.
Ma. Cristina Ador, statistician of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, said 40,093 people or 8,442 families from 30 villages were already in 24 evacuation centers as of 11 a.m. Saturday.
Capt. Razaleigh Bansawan, spokesman of the Task Force Mayon, said police and soldiers were able to convince hard-headed residents to move out of the restricted zones.
Bansawan said government troops and vehicles were sent to barangays Mabinit, Buyuan, Matanag and Bonga in Legazpi City and high-risk barangays in Ligao City and Camalig town.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Mayon's Big Eruption Feared!
By Rey M. Nasol, Joanna Los Baños
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 00:49:00 12/17/2009
Filed Under: Volcanic activity, Evacuation(General)
LEGAZPI CITY—Two lava domes have formed at the crater of the Mayon Volcano, raising concerns among government volcanologists over the possible extensive damage should these collapse and a major eruption occur.
Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said the domes were “growing” and that an aerial survey must be conducted to determine the hazards these would pose to residents living within the danger zone.
Mayon was under Alert Level 3, but Phivolcs might recommend raising it to Level 4 if the volcano’s condition continued to worsen. Level 3 on the five-point scale means a hazardous eruption is likely in the very near future.
Solidum warned that the lava domes, which might collapse anytime, meant that the permanent and extended danger zones should be “no man’s land” at once because even a lava trickle could produce ashes and rockfalls.
Areas within a 6-kilometer radius from the crater have been declared “permanent” danger zone.
Lava poured down Mayon on Wednesday, reaching 700-800 meters downslope below the crater, Solidum said.
Two episodes of ash puffs recorded at about 8 a.m. indicated that magma was very close to the crater and on its way up for a possible eruption, he added.
This could mean that thousands of villagers will spend Christmas in crowded evacuation centers.
As of Wednesday noon, 30,761 people or 6,559 families from 20 villages had been moved to shelters, officials said.
‘Gates closed’
The “gates have been closed” to farmers who insist on tending their crops and trying to harvest in the danger zone, said Cedric Daep, head of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office.
Solidum said harvesting of crops should no longer be allowed because of the threats of deadly secondary pyroclastic flows, ash falls and rolling incandescent materials.
During the past 24 hours, lava quietly flowed and incandescent fragments rolled down 3-4 km along the Bonga gully at the southeastern slope.
The Phivolcs recorded 78 volcanic earthquakes and tremors and sulfur dioxide emission of 750 tons per day.
Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, who has been overseeing evacuation efforts since Tuesday, said “farmers should not insist on returning to their farms while Mayon is restive.”
“Let the tomatoes rot there. Anyway, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda is prompt in attending to their needs and the national government will provide them assistance,” Gonzales said.
Zero-casualty target
Officials plan to evacuate 47,285 people, involving 9,946 families, in 45 villages as part of their zero-casualty target in case of an eruption.
A total of 72,858 more people or 16,232 families are also targeted to be moved in case of rain and bad weather because of the threat of lahar and mudflows from fresh deposits of ashes along Mayon’s gullies and river channels, Salceda said.
Seventy-seven farmers were killed when Mayon erupted in 1993. This, Salceda said, should remind people of the danger of pyroclastic flows, “which is beyond escape because it moves faster than cars and instantly burns all living things along its paths.”
Worst-case scenario
In a worst-case scenario, Solidum said, the number of evacuees could grow to 120,413.
Bernardo Alejandro, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, said 45 military and private vehicles were ready to move evacuees.
At the city’s Gogon Elementary School, more than 3,000 residents of Barangay Bonga arrived at classrooms spruced up with Christmas decorations by pupils late Tuesday afternoon. One classroom houses 25 families, or about a hundred people.
Barangay Bonga, one of the villages at the foot of Mayon and within the 7-km extended danger zone, is directly threatened by lava fragments rolling like a red-orange carpet down the Bonga Gully.
Christmasy welcome
“I did not remove the decorations anymore. Even if they are in the evacuation center, I want them to feel the Christmas spirit,” said Rose Alamo, 53, a teacher of the school.
Christmas lights, garlands and lanterns hang from the ceilings and windows of the classrooms. The doors bear “Merry Christmas” greeting and Santa Claus posters.
“I was hoping we could have a happy Christmas, but now that we are here, I don’t know what we are going to do,” Alicia Nuñez, 54, said. She had been excited to celebrate at her home with one of her sons coming from Manila.
“I just told my son to come home even if we are in the evacuation center so we could be together,” said Nuñez, who earns a living by selling bananas at the public market.
First night for evacuees
On their first night at the evacuation center on Tuesday, children were not able to sleep because babies kept on crying.
Becky Gunay, 62, a retired teacher, said the babies might be feeling uncomfortable. “But there is nothing we can do. We just have to be patient,” she said.
The only food assistance given to the evacuees were packs of pan de sal for breakfast.
In Manila, the US Embassy Wednesday strongly advised American citizens in the country to “avoid the area of the Mayon Volcano.”
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 00:49:00 12/17/2009
Filed Under: Volcanic activity, Evacuation(General)
LEGAZPI CITY—Two lava domes have formed at the crater of the Mayon Volcano, raising concerns among government volcanologists over the possible extensive damage should these collapse and a major eruption occur.
Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said the domes were “growing” and that an aerial survey must be conducted to determine the hazards these would pose to residents living within the danger zone.
Mayon was under Alert Level 3, but Phivolcs might recommend raising it to Level 4 if the volcano’s condition continued to worsen. Level 3 on the five-point scale means a hazardous eruption is likely in the very near future.
Solidum warned that the lava domes, which might collapse anytime, meant that the permanent and extended danger zones should be “no man’s land” at once because even a lava trickle could produce ashes and rockfalls.
Areas within a 6-kilometer radius from the crater have been declared “permanent” danger zone.
Lava poured down Mayon on Wednesday, reaching 700-800 meters downslope below the crater, Solidum said.
Two episodes of ash puffs recorded at about 8 a.m. indicated that magma was very close to the crater and on its way up for a possible eruption, he added.
This could mean that thousands of villagers will spend Christmas in crowded evacuation centers.
As of Wednesday noon, 30,761 people or 6,559 families from 20 villages had been moved to shelters, officials said.
‘Gates closed’
The “gates have been closed” to farmers who insist on tending their crops and trying to harvest in the danger zone, said Cedric Daep, head of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office.
Solidum said harvesting of crops should no longer be allowed because of the threats of deadly secondary pyroclastic flows, ash falls and rolling incandescent materials.
During the past 24 hours, lava quietly flowed and incandescent fragments rolled down 3-4 km along the Bonga gully at the southeastern slope.
The Phivolcs recorded 78 volcanic earthquakes and tremors and sulfur dioxide emission of 750 tons per day.
Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, who has been overseeing evacuation efforts since Tuesday, said “farmers should not insist on returning to their farms while Mayon is restive.”
“Let the tomatoes rot there. Anyway, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda is prompt in attending to their needs and the national government will provide them assistance,” Gonzales said.
Zero-casualty target
Officials plan to evacuate 47,285 people, involving 9,946 families, in 45 villages as part of their zero-casualty target in case of an eruption.
A total of 72,858 more people or 16,232 families are also targeted to be moved in case of rain and bad weather because of the threat of lahar and mudflows from fresh deposits of ashes along Mayon’s gullies and river channels, Salceda said.
Seventy-seven farmers were killed when Mayon erupted in 1993. This, Salceda said, should remind people of the danger of pyroclastic flows, “which is beyond escape because it moves faster than cars and instantly burns all living things along its paths.”
Worst-case scenario
In a worst-case scenario, Solidum said, the number of evacuees could grow to 120,413.
Bernardo Alejandro, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, said 45 military and private vehicles were ready to move evacuees.
At the city’s Gogon Elementary School, more than 3,000 residents of Barangay Bonga arrived at classrooms spruced up with Christmas decorations by pupils late Tuesday afternoon. One classroom houses 25 families, or about a hundred people.
Barangay Bonga, one of the villages at the foot of Mayon and within the 7-km extended danger zone, is directly threatened by lava fragments rolling like a red-orange carpet down the Bonga Gully.
Christmasy welcome
“I did not remove the decorations anymore. Even if they are in the evacuation center, I want them to feel the Christmas spirit,” said Rose Alamo, 53, a teacher of the school.
Christmas lights, garlands and lanterns hang from the ceilings and windows of the classrooms. The doors bear “Merry Christmas” greeting and Santa Claus posters.
“I was hoping we could have a happy Christmas, but now that we are here, I don’t know what we are going to do,” Alicia Nuñez, 54, said. She had been excited to celebrate at her home with one of her sons coming from Manila.
“I just told my son to come home even if we are in the evacuation center so we could be together,” said Nuñez, who earns a living by selling bananas at the public market.
First night for evacuees
On their first night at the evacuation center on Tuesday, children were not able to sleep because babies kept on crying.
Becky Gunay, 62, a retired teacher, said the babies might be feeling uncomfortable. “But there is nothing we can do. We just have to be patient,” she said.
The only food assistance given to the evacuees were packs of pan de sal for breakfast.
In Manila, the US Embassy Wednesday strongly advised American citizens in the country to “avoid the area of the Mayon Volcano.”
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Mayon Spews Lava, 2 Towns Evacuated
By Rey M. Nasol
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 14:49:00 12/15/2009
Filed Under: Disasters (general), Volcanic activity
LEGAZPI CITY – A task force of Army and police personnel has evacuated a total of 11,981 residents in the two towns of Camalig and Daraga in Albay as of noontime Tuesday since Gov. Joey Salceda's order for the massive evacuation of 47,000 persons as Mayon volcano was under alert level 3 status.
A bulletin from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology during the past 24-hour observation period said glowing lava fragments were seen continuously detaching from the crater of the volcano, which came to rest on the upper and middle slopes, about three kilometers from the summit,
A total of 16 military trucks have been deployed to ferry the affected villagers who were awaiting transfer to temporary shelters, said Capt. Razaleigh Bansawan, spokesman of the 901st Infantry Brigade.
He said the 16 vehicles were evenly distributed to the towns of Camalig, Daraga, Sto. Domingo, Guinobatan, Malilipot and the cities of Ligao, Tabaco and Legazpi.
Joint Task Force Mayon was tasked to assist in the evacuation of the population involved and strictly enforce checkpoints at strategic areas to ensure that nobody enters the danger zone at any time.
Bansawan said that checkpoints are manned by the 2nd Infantry Batallion and 83rd Infantry Battalion along the southeast and western parts of Mayon Volcano, which have been declared a no-man’s-land due to the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone.
A 24-hour curfew will be observed at the danger zones based on recommendation of the PDCC, he added.
Maj. Gen.Ruperto Pabusta, commanding general of the 9th Infantry Division, said additional vehicles will be coming from the headquarters of the division in Pili, Camarines Sur.
He has directed all his infantry brigade commanders to dispatch additional vehicles and personnel to the task force to augment ongoing evacuation in the area.
“People should evacuate themselves to the different designated pick up points so that they could easily be transported towards their respective evacuation camps,” he said.
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 14:49:00 12/15/2009
Filed Under: Disasters (general), Volcanic activity
LEGAZPI CITY – A task force of Army and police personnel has evacuated a total of 11,981 residents in the two towns of Camalig and Daraga in Albay as of noontime Tuesday since Gov. Joey Salceda's order for the massive evacuation of 47,000 persons as Mayon volcano was under alert level 3 status.
A bulletin from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology during the past 24-hour observation period said glowing lava fragments were seen continuously detaching from the crater of the volcano, which came to rest on the upper and middle slopes, about three kilometers from the summit,
A total of 16 military trucks have been deployed to ferry the affected villagers who were awaiting transfer to temporary shelters, said Capt. Razaleigh Bansawan, spokesman of the 901st Infantry Brigade.
He said the 16 vehicles were evenly distributed to the towns of Camalig, Daraga, Sto. Domingo, Guinobatan, Malilipot and the cities of Ligao, Tabaco and Legazpi.
Joint Task Force Mayon was tasked to assist in the evacuation of the population involved and strictly enforce checkpoints at strategic areas to ensure that nobody enters the danger zone at any time.
Bansawan said that checkpoints are manned by the 2nd Infantry Batallion and 83rd Infantry Battalion along the southeast and western parts of Mayon Volcano, which have been declared a no-man’s-land due to the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone.
A 24-hour curfew will be observed at the danger zones based on recommendation of the PDCC, he added.
Maj. Gen.Ruperto Pabusta, commanding general of the 9th Infantry Division, said additional vehicles will be coming from the headquarters of the division in Pili, Camarines Sur.
He has directed all his infantry brigade commanders to dispatch additional vehicles and personnel to the task force to augment ongoing evacuation in the area.
“People should evacuate themselves to the different designated pick up points so that they could easily be transported towards their respective evacuation camps,” he said.
Albay to Evacuate 47,000 Residents from Mayon
By Rey M. Nasol
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 00:57:00 12/15/2009
Filed Under: Volcanic activity
LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, Philippines— (UPDATE 3) Albay Governor Salceda has recommended the immediate evacuation of 47,285 residents (9,946 families) from 45 villages around Mayon Volcano on Tuesday morning after Mayon's alert level was raised from 2 to 3 Monday night.
The preemptive evacuation will cover Tabaco City, and the towns of Malilipot, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan and Ligao, Office of Civil Defense-5 director Raffy Alejandro said in a phone interview.
The figure comes from a total of 20 villages composed of 2,728 families or 12,803 people within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone, said Cristina Ador, statistician of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office.
She added that there are also 25 villages with 7,218 families or 34,482 persons at the 6- to 8-km extended danger zones at the southeast quadrant of Mayon affected by the evacuation orders.
As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, at least 1,801 families or 7,881 persons have evacuated from the villages of Quirangay, Sua, Cabangan, Tumpa, Salugan and Anoling in Camalig town, Ador said.
In the municipality of Daraga, at least 810 families or 4100 people have been evacuated from the villages of Banadero and Matnog.
The PDCC is still awaiting the statistics of evacuees from the towns of Guinobatan, Ligao and Camalig where ashfalls were also reported, Ador said.
Glowing lava fragments were seen continuously detaching from the crater of the volcano, which came to rest on the upper and middle slopes, about 3 km from the summit, said a bulletin from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology during the past 24-hour observation period.
Seismographs recorded 83 volcanic earthquakes compared to 43 on Monday while the sulfur dioxide emission rate increased to 757 tons per day from the previous 535, the bulletin added.
During the emergency meeting of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council and the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council on Tuesday morning, all municipal or city and barangay (village) disaster coordinating councils around Mayon have been ordered to immediately convene and activate emergency operation and execute evacuation procedures.
Officials asked affected households to prepare emergency provisions like clothing, basic utensils, and beddings.
The joint AFP-PNP Task Force Mayon was tasked to assist in the evacuation of the population involved and strictly enforce checkpoints at strategic areas to ensure that nobody enters the danger zone at any time.
“A major eruption of Mayon might occur within the period of two weeks if ever the abnormalities would continue and further intensify,” said Alex Baloloy, science research analyst.
He said a team of geologists, volcanologists and other scientists from the central office in Diliman, Quezon City just arrived this morning to help the observatory center closely monitor Mayon.
Mayon Carlos Baldo of Camalig, one of the Albay towns affected, told the joint PDCC-RDCC meeting that residents in affected barangays are now at the holding areas and awaiting transportation support for the massive evacuation efforts.
In Guinobatan town, Mayor Juan Garcia appealed for dust masks and evacuation vehicles as the volume of ashes that fell on the town last night seemed like “we were having a white Christmas.”
In a telephone interview, Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said the towns of Bonga, Mabingit, and Buyuan are the ones in immediate danger due to the direction of the lava flow.
Solidum added that there is a possibility that the alert level would be raised even higher if Mayon Volcano will show hazardous explosions.
"We cannot estimate if there will be a bigger explosion but as long as there is lava coming out of the volcano, then there is a possibility that the alert level will be raised higher," he said.
He noted that in Mayon Volcano’s history, most eruptions are explosive in nature.
Meanwhile, Phivolcs has recommended the evacuation of residents living within the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone around the volcano and local authorities and the provincial disaster coordinating council have implemented the preemptive measure.
"What we recommend, they (local officials) follow," Solidum said.
The Phivolcs chief said that most of the earthquakes recorded between 8 a.m. Monday until 8 a.m. Tuesday were due to "falling lava fragments."
"From time to time you will see incandescent lava fragments rolling on the south east side of the volcano," Solidum told INQUIRER.net.
Scientists are now collating the ash explosion intervals, aside from sulfur dioxide emissions, volcanic quakes, crater glows, “bulging” of the slopes and steaming activities.
Prior to this Monday’s episode, the seismic network around Mayon Volcano recorded an explosion-type earthquake at 7:59 p.m. on Friday, which lasted for three minutes.
Phivolcs’ Monday bulletin said its seismographs recorded 43 volcanic quakes, the highest number of such quakes since alert level 2 was raised last July 10 this year.
“But sulfur dioxide emission registered only 535 tons per day, a bit higher than the minimum of 500 tons per day and is causing us a special concern to reconsider all the available parameters pertaining to Mayon’s abnormalities,” science research analyst Alex Baloloy said.
He added that the intervals between minor ash explosions that Mayon manifested in the past weeks were considered a new parameter that might warrant raising alert status from level 2 to level 3.
Baloloy said residents along the volcano’s slopes such as in Camalig town at the western side, part of Daraga at the southwestern side, and this city claimed they heard rumbling sounds during the explosion.
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 00:57:00 12/15/2009
Filed Under: Volcanic activity
LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, Philippines— (UPDATE 3) Albay Governor Salceda has recommended the immediate evacuation of 47,285 residents (9,946 families) from 45 villages around Mayon Volcano on Tuesday morning after Mayon's alert level was raised from 2 to 3 Monday night.
The preemptive evacuation will cover Tabaco City, and the towns of Malilipot, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan and Ligao, Office of Civil Defense-5 director Raffy Alejandro said in a phone interview.
The figure comes from a total of 20 villages composed of 2,728 families or 12,803 people within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone, said Cristina Ador, statistician of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office.
She added that there are also 25 villages with 7,218 families or 34,482 persons at the 6- to 8-km extended danger zones at the southeast quadrant of Mayon affected by the evacuation orders.
As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, at least 1,801 families or 7,881 persons have evacuated from the villages of Quirangay, Sua, Cabangan, Tumpa, Salugan and Anoling in Camalig town, Ador said.
In the municipality of Daraga, at least 810 families or 4100 people have been evacuated from the villages of Banadero and Matnog.
The PDCC is still awaiting the statistics of evacuees from the towns of Guinobatan, Ligao and Camalig where ashfalls were also reported, Ador said.
Glowing lava fragments were seen continuously detaching from the crater of the volcano, which came to rest on the upper and middle slopes, about 3 km from the summit, said a bulletin from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology during the past 24-hour observation period.
Seismographs recorded 83 volcanic earthquakes compared to 43 on Monday while the sulfur dioxide emission rate increased to 757 tons per day from the previous 535, the bulletin added.
During the emergency meeting of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council and the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council on Tuesday morning, all municipal or city and barangay (village) disaster coordinating councils around Mayon have been ordered to immediately convene and activate emergency operation and execute evacuation procedures.
Officials asked affected households to prepare emergency provisions like clothing, basic utensils, and beddings.
The joint AFP-PNP Task Force Mayon was tasked to assist in the evacuation of the population involved and strictly enforce checkpoints at strategic areas to ensure that nobody enters the danger zone at any time.
“A major eruption of Mayon might occur within the period of two weeks if ever the abnormalities would continue and further intensify,” said Alex Baloloy, science research analyst.
He said a team of geologists, volcanologists and other scientists from the central office in Diliman, Quezon City just arrived this morning to help the observatory center closely monitor Mayon.
Mayon Carlos Baldo of Camalig, one of the Albay towns affected, told the joint PDCC-RDCC meeting that residents in affected barangays are now at the holding areas and awaiting transportation support for the massive evacuation efforts.
In Guinobatan town, Mayor Juan Garcia appealed for dust masks and evacuation vehicles as the volume of ashes that fell on the town last night seemed like “we were having a white Christmas.”
In a telephone interview, Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said the towns of Bonga, Mabingit, and Buyuan are the ones in immediate danger due to the direction of the lava flow.
Solidum added that there is a possibility that the alert level would be raised even higher if Mayon Volcano will show hazardous explosions.
"We cannot estimate if there will be a bigger explosion but as long as there is lava coming out of the volcano, then there is a possibility that the alert level will be raised higher," he said.
He noted that in Mayon Volcano’s history, most eruptions are explosive in nature.
Meanwhile, Phivolcs has recommended the evacuation of residents living within the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone around the volcano and local authorities and the provincial disaster coordinating council have implemented the preemptive measure.
"What we recommend, they (local officials) follow," Solidum said.
The Phivolcs chief said that most of the earthquakes recorded between 8 a.m. Monday until 8 a.m. Tuesday were due to "falling lava fragments."
"From time to time you will see incandescent lava fragments rolling on the south east side of the volcano," Solidum told INQUIRER.net.
Scientists are now collating the ash explosion intervals, aside from sulfur dioxide emissions, volcanic quakes, crater glows, “bulging” of the slopes and steaming activities.
Prior to this Monday’s episode, the seismic network around Mayon Volcano recorded an explosion-type earthquake at 7:59 p.m. on Friday, which lasted for three minutes.
Phivolcs’ Monday bulletin said its seismographs recorded 43 volcanic quakes, the highest number of such quakes since alert level 2 was raised last July 10 this year.
“But sulfur dioxide emission registered only 535 tons per day, a bit higher than the minimum of 500 tons per day and is causing us a special concern to reconsider all the available parameters pertaining to Mayon’s abnormalities,” science research analyst Alex Baloloy said.
He added that the intervals between minor ash explosions that Mayon manifested in the past weeks were considered a new parameter that might warrant raising alert status from level 2 to level 3.
Baloloy said residents along the volcano’s slopes such as in Camalig town at the western side, part of Daraga at the southwestern side, and this city claimed they heard rumbling sounds during the explosion.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, Confirmed!!
by Dan Rafael of ESPN.com
Formal negotiations in an effort to make a megafight between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the first part of 2010 will open Monday, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com.
Schaefer was on his way Monday morning from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to meet Top Rank's Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, for lunch at the MGM Grand, which has hosted several Pacquiao and Mayweather fights.
"Floyd and me want to see if we can get the fight done," said Schaefer, who, although he doesn't have a promotional contract with Mayweather, has represented him in his past three fights and was asked to represent him in these talks. "The fact that I am flying to Las Vegas to meet with Bob shows you how serious our side is about making the fight.
"Bob and I will approach this without egos and try to get it done under fair terms. Floyd gave me his marching orders and I will see today how it goes and report back."
A pairing of Pacquiao and Mayweather is the biggest fight boxing has to offer and could break all sorts of revenue records.
In the year's biggest fight earlier this month, Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) beat Miguel Cotto on a technical knockout in the 12th round to win a welterweight title, his seventh title in a record seven weight divisions.
The fight sold 1.25 million units on pay-per-view and generated more than $70 million in domestic television revenue.
[+] EnlargeFloyd Mayweather
Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty ImagesFloyd Mayweather Jr. returned from a short-lived retirement in September to dominate lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez.
Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs), the former welterweight champ and pound-for-pound king before a short-lived retirement, returned on Sept. 19 to dominate lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez in a lopsided unanimous decision.
That fight generated 1.05 million buys on pay-per-view.
The all-time pay-per-view record is the 2.44 million buys generated by Mayweather's 2007 win against Oscar De La Hoya.
"I can confirm I am meeting with Richard, but I'm not going to talk about the specifics," Arum told ESPN.com. "It's a meeting where we will try to make the fight. Whether it can be made or not in this meeting, I don't know. We'll see what we will see."
Schaefer said he hopes he and Arum can make the fight quickly, rather than dragging the talks out for weeks.
"As part of the negotiations both Bob and I had to agree to keep all discussions confidential," Schaefer said. "No further comments will be made until such time that we either have a deal or the negotiations fall apart."
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.
Formal negotiations in an effort to make a megafight between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the first part of 2010 will open Monday, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com.
Schaefer was on his way Monday morning from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to meet Top Rank's Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, for lunch at the MGM Grand, which has hosted several Pacquiao and Mayweather fights.
"Floyd and me want to see if we can get the fight done," said Schaefer, who, although he doesn't have a promotional contract with Mayweather, has represented him in his past three fights and was asked to represent him in these talks. "The fact that I am flying to Las Vegas to meet with Bob shows you how serious our side is about making the fight.
"Bob and I will approach this without egos and try to get it done under fair terms. Floyd gave me his marching orders and I will see today how it goes and report back."
A pairing of Pacquiao and Mayweather is the biggest fight boxing has to offer and could break all sorts of revenue records.
In the year's biggest fight earlier this month, Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) beat Miguel Cotto on a technical knockout in the 12th round to win a welterweight title, his seventh title in a record seven weight divisions.
The fight sold 1.25 million units on pay-per-view and generated more than $70 million in domestic television revenue.
[+] EnlargeFloyd Mayweather
Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty ImagesFloyd Mayweather Jr. returned from a short-lived retirement in September to dominate lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez.
Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs), the former welterweight champ and pound-for-pound king before a short-lived retirement, returned on Sept. 19 to dominate lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez in a lopsided unanimous decision.
That fight generated 1.05 million buys on pay-per-view.
The all-time pay-per-view record is the 2.44 million buys generated by Mayweather's 2007 win against Oscar De La Hoya.
"I can confirm I am meeting with Richard, but I'm not going to talk about the specifics," Arum told ESPN.com. "It's a meeting where we will try to make the fight. Whether it can be made or not in this meeting, I don't know. We'll see what we will see."
Schaefer said he hopes he and Arum can make the fight quickly, rather than dragging the talks out for weeks.
"As part of the negotiations both Bob and I had to agree to keep all discussions confidential," Schaefer said. "No further comments will be made until such time that we either have a deal or the negotiations fall apart."
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.
Hayden Kho's Suicide Attempt
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 12/09/2009 8:33 PM
MANILA, Philippines – Controversial doctor Hayden Kho Jr. finally surfaced to rebuke his reported second suicide attempt.
Kho was in a jovial mood when he faced the entertainment press Wednesday.
He refuted rumors that he tried to commit suicide and that he had cuts all over his body.
He also said that contrary to reports he was never confined at the intensive care unit of the Manila Doctors Hospital.
Kho vowed that he would never attempt to end his life again. The doctor tried to commit suicide late last year after his separation from his former girlfriend, Dr. Vicki Belo.
When he was still confined at the Manila Doctors Hospital, Kho admitted that Belo paid him a visit. He said he was grateful to Belo and his closest friends for not judging him prematurely.
Kho admitted that this year has been very difficult for him, especially after the sex video scandal started. He said he is drawing strength from God.
Despite the challenges, Kho remains optimistic that 2010 will be a good year for him. He said he also hopes that "this Christmas will be a happy one."
The celebrity doctor was hospitalized last week due to intestinal flu. He was discharged Tuesday night.
His sudden hospitalization, however, triggered rumors that he again tried to commit suicide after the revokation of his license. -Report from Ginger Conejero, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Controversial doctor Hayden Kho Jr. finally surfaced to rebuke his reported second suicide attempt.
Kho was in a jovial mood when he faced the entertainment press Wednesday.
He refuted rumors that he tried to commit suicide and that he had cuts all over his body.
He also said that contrary to reports he was never confined at the intensive care unit of the Manila Doctors Hospital.
Kho vowed that he would never attempt to end his life again. The doctor tried to commit suicide late last year after his separation from his former girlfriend, Dr. Vicki Belo.
When he was still confined at the Manila Doctors Hospital, Kho admitted that Belo paid him a visit. He said he was grateful to Belo and his closest friends for not judging him prematurely.
Kho admitted that this year has been very difficult for him, especially after the sex video scandal started. He said he is drawing strength from God.
Despite the challenges, Kho remains optimistic that 2010 will be a good year for him. He said he also hopes that "this Christmas will be a happy one."
The celebrity doctor was hospitalized last week due to intestinal flu. He was discharged Tuesday night.
His sudden hospitalization, however, triggered rumors that he again tried to commit suicide after the revokation of his license. -Report from Ginger Conejero, ABS-CBN News
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Why King's Evans Left the Game vs. Hornets
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Sacramento Kings guard and second-leading scorer Tyreke Evans went to the locker room after crashing to the floor while hitting a layup against the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday night, but was able to return to the game.
Team officials said he had the wind knocked out of him and would be re-evaluated for other injuries later.
When Evans initially hit the floor, he remained down for several minutes while trainers attended to him. He then limped off the floor, favoring his right leg.
Evans was bumped by Hornets center Emeka Okafor on the play, though contact appeared to be light and no foul was called.
Coming into the game, Evans was averaging 19.9 points, five rebounds and 4.9 assists.
Team officials said he had the wind knocked out of him and would be re-evaluated for other injuries later.
When Evans initially hit the floor, he remained down for several minutes while trainers attended to him. He then limped off the floor, favoring his right leg.
Evans was bumped by Hornets center Emeka Okafor on the play, though contact appeared to be light and no foul was called.
Coming into the game, Evans was averaging 19.9 points, five rebounds and 4.9 assists.
Martial Law in Maguindanao..Thumbs Up??
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 12/04/2009 7:51 PM
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo officially declared martial law in the province of Maguindanao on Saturday morning.
Martial Law declared in Maguindanao (Malacañang press conference, 5 December 2009)
Proclamation 1959: Proclaming a State of Martial Law and Suspending the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Province of Maguindanao, Except fro Certain Areas
In a press conference past 7 a.m, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced Proclamation No. 1959 declaring a state of martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the province of Maguindanao, except for certain areas identified as bailiwicks of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists.
The declaration of martial law will lead to the arrests without warrants of other members of the Ampatuan family who have been linked to the November 23 massacre of 57 innocent civilians. The carnage drew both local and international condemnation.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado announced that joint police and military teams have taken into custody Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his son, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan.
Ibrado said Ampatuan Sr. was brought to a hospital in Davao City, while the ARMM governor was brought to General Santos City.
As of posting, Maguindanao Vice Governor Akmad Ampatuan Sr. and Shariff Aguak Anwar Ampatuan have also been taken into custody.
Abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak reported early Friday evening that President Arroyo had ordered a state of martial law in Maguindanao, which would take effect on Saturday.
Military, police take control
Security forces on Saturday took full control of the province of Maguindanao following President Arroyo's order placing the province under martial law.
"Based on Proclamation 1959, we are here to formally take over the provincial capitol. By this time, all municipal halls have been secured by the armed forces and police forces in order to ensure that these facilities will be secure," Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Eastern Mindanao Command, announced at a press conference hours after the martial law declaration.
Ferrer said he has been ordered to temporarily take charge of the whole province until Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno and government agencies "come up with a new set up for the local government."
He said local government functions have also been suspended indefinitely.
Ferrer said military and police forces have started conducting warrantless arrests of personalities involved in the massacre of 57 innocent civilians, including 30 journalists, in Ampatuan town last November 23.
He said warrantless searches were also being conducted in residences of politicians, mostly members of the powerful political clan of the Ampatuans.
5 more Ampatuans held
Security forces have arrested five more members of the Ampatuan clan: Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, Maguindanao Vice-Governor Akmad Ampatuan Sr., Shariff Aguak Mayor Anwar Ampatuan, and Cahoner Ampatuan, a Sangguniang Bayan member of Shariff Aguak.
The other local officials arrested were Paisal Sulaik, a Sangguniang Member of Shariff Aguak; Keise Usman, regional secretary of agriculture and of the ARMM; and Kabuntalan Emblawa, regional environment secretary of the ARMM.
A total of six Ampatuans have been arrested, including another son of the Maguindanao governor, Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., who has been charged with 25 counts of murder for the massacre.
Ampatuan Jr. is currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila. Ampatuan Sr. and Zaldy have been brought to Davao City and General City, respectively.
More warrantless arrests
The regional military chief, meanwhile, clarified that the subjects of the warrantless arrest are only those involved in the massacre as determined by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
"We are focusing our arrests and searches to those who we have evidence already. We have several evidences based on police and DOJ findings," he said.
He said the arrests and searches will be conducted solely on "available intelligence information."
He added that they expect to arrest at least 100 people, mostly members of private armies allegedly loyal to the Ampatuans, who participated in the massacre.
No curfew, media restrictions
Ferrer, meanwhile, said that there was no need to implement a curfew because residents of Maguindanao are usually asleep early.
After the bloody massacre, he said travelers have been avoiding crossing Maguindanao at night.
ABS-CBN News correspondent Jorge Cariño earlier reported that military and police checkpoints have been set up every 500 meters of the provincial highway, which connects the province to Sultan Kudarat and other provinces.
Ferrer also clarified that journalists covering the developments in Maguindanao will not be restricted by the military. He said that he would even want the media to cover all operations, including arrests and searches, to ensure transparency and avoid human rights violations.
The military commander added that he sees no need to expand the martial law declaration to other areas--Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City--which were included in the state of emergency declared by President Arroyo last November 24.
Order of succession
DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno told radio dzMM in an interview on Saturday that President Arroyo has given him full supervision of Maguindanao while martial law is in effect.
Puno, however, clarified that local government units would still have to be led by elected local officials, not “military mayors.”
“We will abide by the rule on succession. If the mayor is not available, the vice-mayor [will take charge] and then down the line,” he said.
He said that since the ARMM governor has been arrested, Vice-Governor Ansaruddin-Abdulmalik Adiong will automatically assume the position.
He also assured that the other members of the Ampatuan clan, if cleared by police from the massacre, will not be ousted from their current positions.
“One of the main objectives [of the martial law proclamation] is to ensure normalcy in local government,” Puno said.
Reasons for ML declaration
Ermita said President Arroyo decided to declare martial law because "heavily armed groups in the province of Maguindanao have established positions to resist government troops, thereby depriving the executive of its powers and prerogatives to enforce the laws of the land and to maintain public order and safety."
The declaration added that despite the state of emergency declared last November 24, peace and order in the province continued to deteriorate "to the extent that local judicial system and other government mechanisms are not functioning."
Ermita said President Arroyo officially signed the proclamation around 9 p.m. Friday based on the recommendation of Ibrado and Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa.
Imminent threat
Ibrado said that even before the discovery of a huge arms cache near the ARMM governor's residence in Shariff Aguak last Thursday, he and Verzosa had been receiving field reports about the massing of private armed groups all over Maguindanao.
He said they received reports that the armed groups will "undertake hostile action" in case the Ampatuans and other local government officials allegedly involved in the massacre will be arrested.
"We felt that this is a very imminent threat and so we recommended for this proclamation," Ibrado said, adding that each group sighted numbered from 40 to 400.
Verzosa, for his part, said that they also recommended the suspension of the privilege of writ of habeas corpus to speed up the police investigations into the massacre.
He said police were having a hard time securing search and arrest warrants against the suspects in the massacre, particularly members of the Ampatuan clan, because court judges are too afraid to act on their requests.
Ermita said the massing of forces and the recovery of the huge arms cache near the Ampatuan mansion in Shariff Aguak are indications of a pending rebellion and further lawless violence in the province.
Verzosa said the sizes of the private armed groups give them the capability to carry out more killings as gruesome as the Maguindanao massacre.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said that Mrs. Arroyo's martial law proclamation is an "answer to the cry for justice of the victims of the horrendous massacre."
Lifting martial law
Ermita said the proclamation, which is allowed by law to take effect for 60 days, will be lifted only after the situation in Maguindanao has normalized.
He said the recommendation for the lifting of the proclamation should come from Verzosa and Ibrado.
"We'll have to get the report from the field from the AFP and PNP that the conditions that prompted the President to issue the proclamation, have improved, and therefore, the threat of further lawlessness and probability of rebellion is already down," he said.
Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo will immediately lift the proclamation once the police has confirmed that its investigation can push through "unimpeded and unfettered."
Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo will not appoint a military official as caretaker of the Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Maguindanao province.
Ermita said the ARMM governor and Ampatuan Sr. will be succeeded by their deputies if there is a need to further hold the two officials under custody.
Nograles backs martial law
House Speaker Prospero Nograles is in favor of President Arroyo's declaration of martial law in Maguindanao.
In an interview over dzMM on Saturday, Nograles said that "as a Mindanaoan, my personal opinion is, for a limited period of 60 days, I will support it so that the prosecution arm of the government can move freely and get the witnesses and gather evidence without fear."
"For 60 days, 2 months, para lang matapos yung evidence gathering, okay naman sa akin," Nograles, who will be running for Davao City mayor in next year's polls, said.
He noted that the government was having difficulty applying the rule of law with respect to the suspects in the killings of 57 innocent civilians in the November 23 Maguindanao massacre since many witnesses and even judges are afraid.
Nograles also said that there was already a de facto martial law in Maguindanao since the military "has been all over the place" after they took over the provincial capitol of Maguindanao last week.
"So, this declaration of martial law there today, Proclamation 1959, is only an official declaration of what is a de facto situation there," he said.
Nograles also said there is no need for Congress to convene in joint session if it does not intend to revoke Proclamation 1959.
Under the 1987 Constitution, he said Congress can revoke the martial law declaration by a majority vote of both Houses in joint session.
"If they feel it's not necessary, they will let it go on in 60 days," Nograles said.
Congress will wait for report
However, he said President Arroyo must submit a report to Congress on her declaration and on the situation in Maguindanao within 48 hours.
Congress will then assess her report and decide whether to revoke the declaration.
"If we will, we will immediately hold a joint session in order to revoke it, but I don't think we need to hold a joint session in the event we won't revoke it. There is no need to affirm it," he said.
After accepting Arroyo's report, Nograles said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile will call for a caucus of senators while he will call for a caucus of the members of the House of Representatives.
The legislators will then decide whether they plan to revoke Proclamation 1959.
When Congress is in joint session to take up martial law, Nograles said the "ball is in the court of the House" since they can outvote the Senate.
Most congressmen support?
There are 268 congressmen and only 23 senators.
"So the player here is the House more than the Senate because we outnumber them," Nograles added.
In a text message sent to reporters on Saturday, Nograles said "majority of [House] members think that the decision by the president is correct."
"Fact is, that many say it should have been done sooner," he added.
Nograles said he intends to call a caucus on Monday before putting the issue on the House agenda.
He said anyone can also stand up to support or attack the martial law declaration during the privilege hour held every Monday.
"Personally, I think that in this case both Houses of Congress do not indicate any majority numbers with any intention to revoke the proclamation, which is only good for sixty days," he said.
Human rights concern
Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer, and a congressman representing Maguindanao, on Saturday criticized President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for setting a bad precedent by declaring martial law in Maguindanao despite the absence of rebellion or invasion in the province.
Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) lawyer Manuel Diokno told ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) that the 1987 Constitution allows for the declaration of martial law if there is rebellion or invasion.
In this case, he said martial law was declared on the basis of the mass murders that happened November 23. He warned this would set a bad precedent for the country.
Maguindanao Rep. Didagen Dilangalen, interviewed on ANC on Saturday, expressed the same view.
Dilangalen said the government can only declare martial law if there is rebellion or invasion.
"The basis for the declaration does not exist," he said.
Dilangalen said it was ironic that martial law does not apply in areas of the MILF where rebellion exists.
He insisted that there is no rebellion in Maguindanao, adding that the suspects in the November 23 massacre are actually allies of the government.
Members of the Ampatuan family linked to the murders were allies of President Arroyo prior to the massacre. They were expelled from the ruling party after the carnage.
"Is there shooting going on? No. Has there been bombings after the massacre? No," Dilangalen said.
On armed groups allegedly converging to opposed the arrest of the other Ampatuans linked to the murders, Dilangalen said the government can just direct the police to address this problem.
Dilangalen warned that there was a “grand scenario” behind the martial law declaration. He did not elaborate.
He said that if the president can do it in Maguindanao, she can also declare martial law in other provinces using bases not allowed by the Constitution.
Martial law under 1987 Charter
Under the 1987 Constitution, the declaration of martial law will suspend the writ of habeas corpus, which means some citizens may be arrested without warrants.
Section 18 of the Charter states: "The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it, he may, for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law."
However, the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus only applies to persons charged for "rebellion" or offenses connected with an invasion.
"The suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall apply only to persons judicially charged for rebellion or offenses inherent in, or directly connected with, invasion," the Constitution also says.
It also adds: "During the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, any person thus arrested or detained shall be judicially charged within three days, otherwise he shall be released." -- With reports from RG Cruz, Jorge Cariño, Adrian Ayalin, and Jeff Canoy ABS-CBN News; Lerio Bompat, Anne Santos, and Jasper Acosta, ABS-CBN Regional Network Group; ABS-CBN News Channel; and radio dzMM
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo officially declared martial law in the province of Maguindanao on Saturday morning.
Martial Law declared in Maguindanao (Malacañang press conference, 5 December 2009)
Proclamation 1959: Proclaming a State of Martial Law and Suspending the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Province of Maguindanao, Except fro Certain Areas
In a press conference past 7 a.m, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced Proclamation No. 1959 declaring a state of martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the province of Maguindanao, except for certain areas identified as bailiwicks of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists.
The declaration of martial law will lead to the arrests without warrants of other members of the Ampatuan family who have been linked to the November 23 massacre of 57 innocent civilians. The carnage drew both local and international condemnation.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado announced that joint police and military teams have taken into custody Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his son, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan.
Ibrado said Ampatuan Sr. was brought to a hospital in Davao City, while the ARMM governor was brought to General Santos City.
As of posting, Maguindanao Vice Governor Akmad Ampatuan Sr. and Shariff Aguak Anwar Ampatuan have also been taken into custody.
Abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak reported early Friday evening that President Arroyo had ordered a state of martial law in Maguindanao, which would take effect on Saturday.
Military, police take control
Security forces on Saturday took full control of the province of Maguindanao following President Arroyo's order placing the province under martial law.
"Based on Proclamation 1959, we are here to formally take over the provincial capitol. By this time, all municipal halls have been secured by the armed forces and police forces in order to ensure that these facilities will be secure," Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Eastern Mindanao Command, announced at a press conference hours after the martial law declaration.
Ferrer said he has been ordered to temporarily take charge of the whole province until Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno and government agencies "come up with a new set up for the local government."
He said local government functions have also been suspended indefinitely.
Ferrer said military and police forces have started conducting warrantless arrests of personalities involved in the massacre of 57 innocent civilians, including 30 journalists, in Ampatuan town last November 23.
He said warrantless searches were also being conducted in residences of politicians, mostly members of the powerful political clan of the Ampatuans.
5 more Ampatuans held
Security forces have arrested five more members of the Ampatuan clan: Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, Maguindanao Vice-Governor Akmad Ampatuan Sr., Shariff Aguak Mayor Anwar Ampatuan, and Cahoner Ampatuan, a Sangguniang Bayan member of Shariff Aguak.
The other local officials arrested were Paisal Sulaik, a Sangguniang Member of Shariff Aguak; Keise Usman, regional secretary of agriculture and of the ARMM; and Kabuntalan Emblawa, regional environment secretary of the ARMM.
A total of six Ampatuans have been arrested, including another son of the Maguindanao governor, Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., who has been charged with 25 counts of murder for the massacre.
Ampatuan Jr. is currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila. Ampatuan Sr. and Zaldy have been brought to Davao City and General City, respectively.
More warrantless arrests
The regional military chief, meanwhile, clarified that the subjects of the warrantless arrest are only those involved in the massacre as determined by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
"We are focusing our arrests and searches to those who we have evidence already. We have several evidences based on police and DOJ findings," he said.
He said the arrests and searches will be conducted solely on "available intelligence information."
He added that they expect to arrest at least 100 people, mostly members of private armies allegedly loyal to the Ampatuans, who participated in the massacre.
No curfew, media restrictions
Ferrer, meanwhile, said that there was no need to implement a curfew because residents of Maguindanao are usually asleep early.
After the bloody massacre, he said travelers have been avoiding crossing Maguindanao at night.
ABS-CBN News correspondent Jorge Cariño earlier reported that military and police checkpoints have been set up every 500 meters of the provincial highway, which connects the province to Sultan Kudarat and other provinces.
Ferrer also clarified that journalists covering the developments in Maguindanao will not be restricted by the military. He said that he would even want the media to cover all operations, including arrests and searches, to ensure transparency and avoid human rights violations.
The military commander added that he sees no need to expand the martial law declaration to other areas--Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City--which were included in the state of emergency declared by President Arroyo last November 24.
Order of succession
DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno told radio dzMM in an interview on Saturday that President Arroyo has given him full supervision of Maguindanao while martial law is in effect.
Puno, however, clarified that local government units would still have to be led by elected local officials, not “military mayors.”
“We will abide by the rule on succession. If the mayor is not available, the vice-mayor [will take charge] and then down the line,” he said.
He said that since the ARMM governor has been arrested, Vice-Governor Ansaruddin-Abdulmalik Adiong will automatically assume the position.
He also assured that the other members of the Ampatuan clan, if cleared by police from the massacre, will not be ousted from their current positions.
“One of the main objectives [of the martial law proclamation] is to ensure normalcy in local government,” Puno said.
Reasons for ML declaration
Ermita said President Arroyo decided to declare martial law because "heavily armed groups in the province of Maguindanao have established positions to resist government troops, thereby depriving the executive of its powers and prerogatives to enforce the laws of the land and to maintain public order and safety."
The declaration added that despite the state of emergency declared last November 24, peace and order in the province continued to deteriorate "to the extent that local judicial system and other government mechanisms are not functioning."
Ermita said President Arroyo officially signed the proclamation around 9 p.m. Friday based on the recommendation of Ibrado and Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa.
Imminent threat
Ibrado said that even before the discovery of a huge arms cache near the ARMM governor's residence in Shariff Aguak last Thursday, he and Verzosa had been receiving field reports about the massing of private armed groups all over Maguindanao.
He said they received reports that the armed groups will "undertake hostile action" in case the Ampatuans and other local government officials allegedly involved in the massacre will be arrested.
"We felt that this is a very imminent threat and so we recommended for this proclamation," Ibrado said, adding that each group sighted numbered from 40 to 400.
Verzosa, for his part, said that they also recommended the suspension of the privilege of writ of habeas corpus to speed up the police investigations into the massacre.
He said police were having a hard time securing search and arrest warrants against the suspects in the massacre, particularly members of the Ampatuan clan, because court judges are too afraid to act on their requests.
Ermita said the massing of forces and the recovery of the huge arms cache near the Ampatuan mansion in Shariff Aguak are indications of a pending rebellion and further lawless violence in the province.
Verzosa said the sizes of the private armed groups give them the capability to carry out more killings as gruesome as the Maguindanao massacre.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said that Mrs. Arroyo's martial law proclamation is an "answer to the cry for justice of the victims of the horrendous massacre."
Lifting martial law
Ermita said the proclamation, which is allowed by law to take effect for 60 days, will be lifted only after the situation in Maguindanao has normalized.
He said the recommendation for the lifting of the proclamation should come from Verzosa and Ibrado.
"We'll have to get the report from the field from the AFP and PNP that the conditions that prompted the President to issue the proclamation, have improved, and therefore, the threat of further lawlessness and probability of rebellion is already down," he said.
Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo will immediately lift the proclamation once the police has confirmed that its investigation can push through "unimpeded and unfettered."
Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo will not appoint a military official as caretaker of the Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Maguindanao province.
Ermita said the ARMM governor and Ampatuan Sr. will be succeeded by their deputies if there is a need to further hold the two officials under custody.
Nograles backs martial law
House Speaker Prospero Nograles is in favor of President Arroyo's declaration of martial law in Maguindanao.
In an interview over dzMM on Saturday, Nograles said that "as a Mindanaoan, my personal opinion is, for a limited period of 60 days, I will support it so that the prosecution arm of the government can move freely and get the witnesses and gather evidence without fear."
"For 60 days, 2 months, para lang matapos yung evidence gathering, okay naman sa akin," Nograles, who will be running for Davao City mayor in next year's polls, said.
He noted that the government was having difficulty applying the rule of law with respect to the suspects in the killings of 57 innocent civilians in the November 23 Maguindanao massacre since many witnesses and even judges are afraid.
Nograles also said that there was already a de facto martial law in Maguindanao since the military "has been all over the place" after they took over the provincial capitol of Maguindanao last week.
"So, this declaration of martial law there today, Proclamation 1959, is only an official declaration of what is a de facto situation there," he said.
Nograles also said there is no need for Congress to convene in joint session if it does not intend to revoke Proclamation 1959.
Under the 1987 Constitution, he said Congress can revoke the martial law declaration by a majority vote of both Houses in joint session.
"If they feel it's not necessary, they will let it go on in 60 days," Nograles said.
Congress will wait for report
However, he said President Arroyo must submit a report to Congress on her declaration and on the situation in Maguindanao within 48 hours.
Congress will then assess her report and decide whether to revoke the declaration.
"If we will, we will immediately hold a joint session in order to revoke it, but I don't think we need to hold a joint session in the event we won't revoke it. There is no need to affirm it," he said.
After accepting Arroyo's report, Nograles said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile will call for a caucus of senators while he will call for a caucus of the members of the House of Representatives.
The legislators will then decide whether they plan to revoke Proclamation 1959.
When Congress is in joint session to take up martial law, Nograles said the "ball is in the court of the House" since they can outvote the Senate.
Most congressmen support?
There are 268 congressmen and only 23 senators.
"So the player here is the House more than the Senate because we outnumber them," Nograles added.
In a text message sent to reporters on Saturday, Nograles said "majority of [House] members think that the decision by the president is correct."
"Fact is, that many say it should have been done sooner," he added.
Nograles said he intends to call a caucus on Monday before putting the issue on the House agenda.
He said anyone can also stand up to support or attack the martial law declaration during the privilege hour held every Monday.
"Personally, I think that in this case both Houses of Congress do not indicate any majority numbers with any intention to revoke the proclamation, which is only good for sixty days," he said.
Human rights concern
Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer, and a congressman representing Maguindanao, on Saturday criticized President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for setting a bad precedent by declaring martial law in Maguindanao despite the absence of rebellion or invasion in the province.
Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) lawyer Manuel Diokno told ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) that the 1987 Constitution allows for the declaration of martial law if there is rebellion or invasion.
In this case, he said martial law was declared on the basis of the mass murders that happened November 23. He warned this would set a bad precedent for the country.
Maguindanao Rep. Didagen Dilangalen, interviewed on ANC on Saturday, expressed the same view.
Dilangalen said the government can only declare martial law if there is rebellion or invasion.
"The basis for the declaration does not exist," he said.
Dilangalen said it was ironic that martial law does not apply in areas of the MILF where rebellion exists.
He insisted that there is no rebellion in Maguindanao, adding that the suspects in the November 23 massacre are actually allies of the government.
Members of the Ampatuan family linked to the murders were allies of President Arroyo prior to the massacre. They were expelled from the ruling party after the carnage.
"Is there shooting going on? No. Has there been bombings after the massacre? No," Dilangalen said.
On armed groups allegedly converging to opposed the arrest of the other Ampatuans linked to the murders, Dilangalen said the government can just direct the police to address this problem.
Dilangalen warned that there was a “grand scenario” behind the martial law declaration. He did not elaborate.
He said that if the president can do it in Maguindanao, she can also declare martial law in other provinces using bases not allowed by the Constitution.
Martial law under 1987 Charter
Under the 1987 Constitution, the declaration of martial law will suspend the writ of habeas corpus, which means some citizens may be arrested without warrants.
Section 18 of the Charter states: "The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it, he may, for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law."
However, the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus only applies to persons charged for "rebellion" or offenses connected with an invasion.
"The suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall apply only to persons judicially charged for rebellion or offenses inherent in, or directly connected with, invasion," the Constitution also says.
It also adds: "During the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, any person thus arrested or detained shall be judicially charged within three days, otherwise he shall be released." -- With reports from RG Cruz, Jorge Cariño, Adrian Ayalin, and Jeff Canoy ABS-CBN News; Lerio Bompat, Anne Santos, and Jasper Acosta, ABS-CBN Regional Network Group; ABS-CBN News Channel; and radio dzMM
Ampatuan Massacre AfterMath
In the aftermath, Nueva Ecija Rep. Edno Joson said the massacre might affect, or even lead to the cancellation of, the scheduled 2010 presidential elections. Candidates in the election condemned the massacre.
On Wednesday, November 25, 2009, the executive committee of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD political party unanimously voted to expel three members of the Ampatuan family - Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his two sons, Gov. Zaldy Uy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. - from the party for their alleged role in the Maguindanao massacre. An emergency meeting of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD was held in Pasig, during which the Ampatuans were stripped of their membership.
On Thursday, November 26, 2009, Ampatuan Jr. surrendered to his brother Zaldy, was delivered to adviser to the peace process Jesus Dureza, then was flown to General Santos on his way to Manila, where he was taken to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters. Police in the Philippines charged Andal Ampatuan Jr. with murder. Ampatuan denied the charges, claiming that he was at the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak when the massacre took place. He instead blamed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), specifically Ombra Kato, as the mastermind, a charge the MILF dismissed as "absurd."
Mangudadatu successfully filed his certificate of candidacy at Shariff Aguak on November 27. He was accompanied by Lakas-Kampi-CMD chairman and presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro, along with a caravan of 50 vehicles, to "ensure his safety."
On December 4, 2009 a number of homes belonging to the Ampatuan political family were raided in connection with the massacre.
[edit] Declaration of martial law
On December 4, 2009, through Proclamation No. 1959, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has officially placed Maguindanao province under a state of martial law. The declaration also suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the province. The announcement was made days after hundreds of government troops were sent to the province, which would later raid armories of the powerful Ampatuan clan. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the step was taken in order to avert the escalation of "lawless" violence in the province and pave the way for the swift arrest of the suspects in the massacre.
Following the declaration, authorities carried out a raid on a warehouse owned by Andal Ampatuan Jr., the alleged mastermind of the massacre. The raid resulted in the confiscation of more than 330,000 live rounds of M16 rifle ammunition, and the arrest of 20 militiamen. Also confiscated in the raid were several firearms, a military humvee and an improvised armored vehicle.
On Wednesday, November 25, 2009, the executive committee of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD political party unanimously voted to expel three members of the Ampatuan family - Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his two sons, Gov. Zaldy Uy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. - from the party for their alleged role in the Maguindanao massacre. An emergency meeting of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD was held in Pasig, during which the Ampatuans were stripped of their membership.
On Thursday, November 26, 2009, Ampatuan Jr. surrendered to his brother Zaldy, was delivered to adviser to the peace process Jesus Dureza, then was flown to General Santos on his way to Manila, where he was taken to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters. Police in the Philippines charged Andal Ampatuan Jr. with murder. Ampatuan denied the charges, claiming that he was at the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak when the massacre took place. He instead blamed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), specifically Ombra Kato, as the mastermind, a charge the MILF dismissed as "absurd."
Mangudadatu successfully filed his certificate of candidacy at Shariff Aguak on November 27. He was accompanied by Lakas-Kampi-CMD chairman and presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro, along with a caravan of 50 vehicles, to "ensure his safety."
On December 4, 2009 a number of homes belonging to the Ampatuan political family were raided in connection with the massacre.
[edit] Declaration of martial law
On December 4, 2009, through Proclamation No. 1959, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has officially placed Maguindanao province under a state of martial law. The declaration also suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the province. The announcement was made days after hundreds of government troops were sent to the province, which would later raid armories of the powerful Ampatuan clan. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the step was taken in order to avert the escalation of "lawless" violence in the province and pave the way for the swift arrest of the suspects in the massacre.
Following the declaration, authorities carried out a raid on a warehouse owned by Andal Ampatuan Jr., the alleged mastermind of the massacre. The raid resulted in the confiscation of more than 330,000 live rounds of M16 rifle ammunition, and the arrest of 20 militiamen. Also confiscated in the raid were several firearms, a military humvee and an improvised armored vehicle.
The Story Behind Ampatuans' Attack
Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu invited 37 journalists to cover the scheduled filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections provincial office in Shariff Aguak. He said reports had reached him that his rivals had threatened to chop him into pieces once he filed his COC, and felt the presence of journalists would deter such an attack.
A local report stated that at about 9:00 AM, a convoy of six vehicles carrying journalists, lawyers, and relatives of Vice Mayor Mangudadatu left Buluan to file his COC at the Comelec office in Shariff Aguak. The convoy is composed of six vehicles: four Toyota Grandia vans (one grey, one green, and two white) owned by the Mangudadatu family; and two media vehicles – a Pajero owned by DZRH broadcast journalist Henry Araneta and a Mitsubishi L-300 van owned by UNTV. There is a seventh vehicle, a Grandia boarded by mediamen. But it lags behind and decides to turn around once the passengers sense what is happening. There are two other vehicles that are not part of the convoy but happen to be traveling on the same highway: a red Toyota Vios and a light blue Toyota Tamaraw FX. The Vios has five passengers: Eduardo Lechonsito, a government employee who is bound for a hospital in Cotabato City after suffering a mild stroke Monday morning. He is with his wife Cecille, co-workers Mercy Palabrica and Daryll delos Reyes, and driver Wilhelm Palabrica. The FX is driven by Anthony Ridao, employee of the National Statistics Coordination Board, and son of Cotabato City councilor Marino Ridao.
Before reaching its destination (about 10 km from Shariff Aguak, four on other versions), the convoy was stopped by 100 armed men, who abducted and later killed most or all of its members. There is evidence that at least five of the female victims, four of them journalists, were raped before being killed, while "practically all" of the women had been shot in their genitals and beheaded. Mangudadatu's youngest sister and aunt were both pregnant at the time of their murders.
In a text message sent by Mangudadatu's wife to him, she identified the people that blocked their way as the men of Ampatuan Jr, and that he himself slapped her. The female victims were shot in their genitals, according to Secretary of Justice Agnes Devanadera. According to Mangudadatu, his wife's "private parts were slashed four times, after which they fired a bullet into it." In addition, he said that "They speared both of her eyes, shot both her breasts, cut off her feet, fired into her mouth."
A backhoe located in the immediate vicinity of the carnage at Ampatuan town was identified as the instrument that was used to expediently dig the graves of the victims, including the vehicles. The perpetrators weren't able to complete the job when a helicopter was spotted in the area. The backhoe, emblazoned with the name of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., was later identified to belong to the Maguindanao provincial government.
As of November 25, the death toll had risen to 57, as confirmed by Chief Superintendent Josefino Cataluna of the Philippine National Police. Reporters Without Borders announced that at least 12 of the victims were journalists, making this the deadliest such incident in the history of news media. The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines originally estimated that a total of 20 journalists were killed, including an undisclosed number of NUJP members. The Philippine Daily Inquirer later updated the number of journalists killed to 34.
On November 24, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo responded to the news of the massacre by declaring a state of emergency in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City. Speaker of the House Prospero Nograles called on the police to quickly identify the perpetrators of the massacre and disarm private armies. The Philippine Department of Justice created a panel of special prosecutors to handle cases arising from the massacre.
A local report stated that at about 9:00 AM, a convoy of six vehicles carrying journalists, lawyers, and relatives of Vice Mayor Mangudadatu left Buluan to file his COC at the Comelec office in Shariff Aguak. The convoy is composed of six vehicles: four Toyota Grandia vans (one grey, one green, and two white) owned by the Mangudadatu family; and two media vehicles – a Pajero owned by DZRH broadcast journalist Henry Araneta and a Mitsubishi L-300 van owned by UNTV. There is a seventh vehicle, a Grandia boarded by mediamen. But it lags behind and decides to turn around once the passengers sense what is happening. There are two other vehicles that are not part of the convoy but happen to be traveling on the same highway: a red Toyota Vios and a light blue Toyota Tamaraw FX. The Vios has five passengers: Eduardo Lechonsito, a government employee who is bound for a hospital in Cotabato City after suffering a mild stroke Monday morning. He is with his wife Cecille, co-workers Mercy Palabrica and Daryll delos Reyes, and driver Wilhelm Palabrica. The FX is driven by Anthony Ridao, employee of the National Statistics Coordination Board, and son of Cotabato City councilor Marino Ridao.
Before reaching its destination (about 10 km from Shariff Aguak, four on other versions), the convoy was stopped by 100 armed men, who abducted and later killed most or all of its members. There is evidence that at least five of the female victims, four of them journalists, were raped before being killed, while "practically all" of the women had been shot in their genitals and beheaded. Mangudadatu's youngest sister and aunt were both pregnant at the time of their murders.
In a text message sent by Mangudadatu's wife to him, she identified the people that blocked their way as the men of Ampatuan Jr, and that he himself slapped her. The female victims were shot in their genitals, according to Secretary of Justice Agnes Devanadera. According to Mangudadatu, his wife's "private parts were slashed four times, after which they fired a bullet into it." In addition, he said that "They speared both of her eyes, shot both her breasts, cut off her feet, fired into her mouth."
A backhoe located in the immediate vicinity of the carnage at Ampatuan town was identified as the instrument that was used to expediently dig the graves of the victims, including the vehicles. The perpetrators weren't able to complete the job when a helicopter was spotted in the area. The backhoe, emblazoned with the name of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., was later identified to belong to the Maguindanao provincial government.
As of November 25, the death toll had risen to 57, as confirmed by Chief Superintendent Josefino Cataluna of the Philippine National Police. Reporters Without Borders announced that at least 12 of the victims were journalists, making this the deadliest such incident in the history of news media. The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines originally estimated that a total of 20 journalists were killed, including an undisclosed number of NUJP members. The Philippine Daily Inquirer later updated the number of journalists killed to 34.
On November 24, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo responded to the news of the massacre by declaring a state of emergency in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City. Speaker of the House Prospero Nograles called on the police to quickly identify the perpetrators of the massacre and disarm private armies. The Philippine Department of Justice created a panel of special prosecutors to handle cases arising from the massacre.
Ampatuans' Legacy
The Ampatuans had been in control of Maguindanao since 2001. Andal Ampatuan, Sr. came first into prominence when President Corazon Aquino appointed him as officer-in-charge of Maganoy (now Shariff Aguak) in 1986 right after the People Power Revolution. Aquino, having come into power via revolutionary means, replaced every locally-elected official with officers-in-charge, although the town of Maganoy was approached differently; the ageing mayor, Pinagayaw Ampatuan, was replaced by his vice mayor, Andal Sr. He won the 1988 local elections, then served for ten years. In the 1998 elections, Andal Sr. was elected as governor.
Members of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lists Andal Sr., as a major ally in Mindanao. Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional governor Zaldy Ampatuan was the party's regional chairman. Andal Sr., the family patriarch, has been provincial governor since 1998; he has been elected thrice, unopposed. Eighteen of the mayors in Maguindanao belong to the clan. The elder Ampatuan attributed his popularity to "popular support," adding "Because I am so loved by the constituencies of the municipalities, they ask me to have my sons as representatives." In the 2004 presidential elections, Arroyo won 69% of Maguindanao's vote; three years later, the party-backed coalition scored a 12-0 sweep of the senatorial elections in the province. Unable to run for a third term, he is currently grooming his son, Andal, Jr., to succeed him as governor.
With escalating tensions in the province, Arroyo, as head of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, mediated between the Ampatuans and the Mangudadatus (both are from the same party) to prevent election-related violence. Three meetings were held in mid-2009, with one meeting hosted by then Secretary of National Defense and current party chairman Gilberto Teodoro, who is running to succeed Arroyo as president. Arroyo's adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio, disclosed that there was an initial agreement "in principle" that no Mangudadatu would contest Ampatuan Sr.'s gubernatorial post.
Two days before the incident, the mass grave was prepared using a backhoe emblazoned with the name of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., and apparently owned by the Ampatuan family.
Members of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lists Andal Sr., as a major ally in Mindanao. Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional governor Zaldy Ampatuan was the party's regional chairman. Andal Sr., the family patriarch, has been provincial governor since 1998; he has been elected thrice, unopposed. Eighteen of the mayors in Maguindanao belong to the clan. The elder Ampatuan attributed his popularity to "popular support," adding "Because I am so loved by the constituencies of the municipalities, they ask me to have my sons as representatives." In the 2004 presidential elections, Arroyo won 69% of Maguindanao's vote; three years later, the party-backed coalition scored a 12-0 sweep of the senatorial elections in the province. Unable to run for a third term, he is currently grooming his son, Andal, Jr., to succeed him as governor.
With escalating tensions in the province, Arroyo, as head of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, mediated between the Ampatuans and the Mangudadatus (both are from the same party) to prevent election-related violence. Three meetings were held in mid-2009, with one meeting hosted by then Secretary of National Defense and current party chairman Gilberto Teodoro, who is running to succeed Arroyo as president. Arroyo's adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio, disclosed that there was an initial agreement "in principle" that no Mangudadatu would contest Ampatuan Sr.'s gubernatorial post.
Two days before the incident, the mass grave was prepared using a backhoe emblazoned with the name of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., and apparently owned by the Ampatuan family.
Ampatuan/Maguindanao Massacre - November 23, 2009
Taken From Wikipedia..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maguindanao_massacre
The Maguindanao massacre, also known as the Ampatuan massacre (after the town where the mass graves were found), occurred on the morning of November 23, 2009, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. The victims were about to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town. Mangudadatu was challenging Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr., son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr., in the forthcoming Maguindanao gubernatorial election, part of the national elections in 2010. Those killed included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called the Maguindanao massacre the single deadliest event for journalists in history. At least 34 journalists are known to have died in the massacre. In a statement, CPJ executive director Joel Simon noted that the killings, "appears to be single deadliest event for the press since 1992, when CPJ began keeping detailed records on journalist deaths." The CPJ further noted that, "Even as we tally the dead in this horrific massacre, our initial research indicates that this is the deadliest single attack on the press ever documented by CPJ."
Even before the Maguindanao massacre, the CPJ had labeled the Philippines the second most dangerous country for journalists, second only to Iraq.
The Maguindanao massacre, also known as the Ampatuan massacre (after the town where the mass graves were found), occurred on the morning of November 23, 2009, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. The victims were about to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town. Mangudadatu was challenging Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr., son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr., in the forthcoming Maguindanao gubernatorial election, part of the national elections in 2010. Those killed included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called the Maguindanao massacre the single deadliest event for journalists in history. At least 34 journalists are known to have died in the massacre. In a statement, CPJ executive director Joel Simon noted that the killings, "appears to be single deadliest event for the press since 1992, when CPJ began keeping detailed records on journalist deaths." The CPJ further noted that, "Even as we tally the dead in this horrific massacre, our initial research indicates that this is the deadliest single attack on the press ever documented by CPJ."
Even before the Maguindanao massacre, the CPJ had labeled the Philippines the second most dangerous country for journalists, second only to Iraq.
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