A GUNRUNNING syndicate based in Lipa, Batangas, believed to have been in operation for 22 years, has been taken down by the police and the weapons seized are similar to those rounded up from the local terror group that has wreaked havoc on Marawi City, according to police Director-General Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa.

In a press conference yesterday where the confiscated weapons were presented, Mr. Dela Rosa said, “Take note of the gun, the spikes, the seal. If you will remember, there are pictures here, high powered firearms seized in Marawi… Look at the color, the mark, the brand, same.”

At least 1,012 firearms, gun parts, and accessories were confiscated during the raid on July 1.

The alleged leader of the syndicate, Romel Litan delos Santos, who claimed to be a gunsmith selling assembled and refurbished 5.56 M16 rifles and short firearms was arrested along with several cohorts. Charges have been filed against them on July 3.

Chief Superintendent Roel B. Obusan, director of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), said there are leads that some of the firearms from the syndicate were transported to Marawi City for the local terrorist group Maute.

Mr. Obusan said, “We already filed a case against him (Mr. Delos Santos) on [gun] assembling and operating without license. However, based on the record book we confiscated, we already have leads how many were deployed to Marawi, how many were bought by politicians, policemen, and military. We have to identify where these firearms really went, and even if we want to connect this to rebellion, we still do not have evidence.” — Jil Danielle M. Caro

GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES and communists leaders are eyeing to revive the stalled peace process in August while “informal meetings” will be carried out this month to discuss socioeconomic reforms as well as the possibility of declaring another “interim unilateral cease-fire.”

In a press briefing at Malacañang on Tuesday, government chief negotiator Silvestre H. Bello III said he has agreed with his communist counterpart, Fidel V. Agcaoili, to continue the negotiations in a bid to seal a bilateral cease-fire agreement to end one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies.

“Mag-uusap na sila para pagdating ng August, maliwanag na (They will start talking so that come August, issues will be more clear),” Mr. Bello said. “This is the best legacy that our President can give to our country: an enduring and lasting peace for everyone.”

The fifth round of peace negotiations, scheduled May 27-June 1, was derailed after the New People’s Army (NPA), the communists’ armed wing, ordered intensified attacks amid President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s May 23 declaration of martial law in Mindanao in response to the Marawi crisis.

But Mr. Bello said the recent cancellation of peace talks was “not attributed to the [NPA] attacks.”

“The reality is that there is an existing armed conflict. That is the reason why we are talking to end the armed conflict,” he said.

The NPA faction in the southern Mindanao area, where the President comes from, yesterday claimed to have killed seven soldiers in an attack in Monkayo, Compostela Valley on July 1.

In a statement, the NPA also chided Mr. Duterte for calling them “double-faced” for the continued attacks amid the peace talks.

“President Rodrigo R. Duterte is hallucinating if he thinks mere words and not deeds can stop the revolutionary war waged by the New People’s Army and the revolutionary forces in the country,” the NPA said. — Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral

THE TASK force that will handle the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City is planning to seek authority for emergency procurement procedures to hasten the rebuilding work.

“Well, I hope they will allow us to do that because if we will follow the normal procurement process, it’s very time consuming. It’s lengthy, and once the fighting [ends], I would like to start the rehabilitation immediately,” said Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana, head of Task Force Bangon Marawi, which means Rise up Marawi.

Mr. Lorenzana led yesterday’s first meeting of the group, which includes representatives from various government agencies and civil society organizations, to discuss preparations for the early stage of rehabilitation as soon as the battle ends.

“Our bulldozers, we need all the equipment, the materials, the cement, the steel bars, and then we have to hire laborers also, and these are also covered by the emergency procurement,” he said.

Mr. Lorenzana said only about 10% of the city remains to be cleared of the Islamist militants who have been fighting government troops for six weeks.

The government is hopeful that the seige will not last for another week.

“This is just my estimate, I think just one more week. It could be longer. As we can see, the areas they [Maute] hold continues to lessen. It depends on the intensity of the resistance of the enemy. It could be shorter but if they are really strong, and they will fight to the [end], then it will be longer,” Mr. Lorenzana said, adding that the armed forces aim to fully reclaim Marawi City before President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24.

“That is what we want to happen. But we are leaving it to the ground commanders to do their pace, not us, we will not. We are not micromanaging the events there. It is up to the ground commanders, they have their own. We [only] give them guidance on what they should do. We would like it very much that the fighting will end by the time the President delivers his SONA,” he said.

Sought for comment on the possible extension of martial law in Mindanao, declared on May 23 when the rampage broke out, Mr. Lorenzana said, “We will know about that in a couple of weeks. We will make our own recommendation. We are still studying the situation on the ground not only in Lanao del Sur, Marawi, but all over Mindanao.”

The martial law declaration is valid for 60 days and will be subject to Congressional approval for extension. — Jil Danielle M. Caro

Homes and buildings in parts of Marawi City, as shown in this photo taken on June 26, has been destroyed by the fighting between government forces and IS-inspired local terror groups, which is now on its 7th week. — AFP

THREE ASPIRANTS for a seat in the highest court, which will be vacated by Associate Justice Jose C. Mendoza, faced the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) yesterday morning for their public interview.

The three, who are among 13 nominees, are Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard A. Mosquera, Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan, and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo.

First to face the council was Mr. Gaerlan, who was asked on the controversial cases that he has acted upon in the appellate court. He said that he concurred in the CA’s recent decision to acquit controversial businesswoman and alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet L. Napoles on the illegal detention case involving former aide and second cousin Benhur K. Luy.

“Upon review, there was no serious illegal detention because [Mr.] Luy was free to go out and contact family,” Mr. Gaerlan said.

He was likewise asked by the panel on what his decision would be on the petitions challenging the factual basis of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao. The said petitions were also acted upon, and dismissed, by the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday afternoon.

Mr. Gaerlan said that he believes that “there is sufficient basis” of Mr. Duterte’s declaration, adding that there is rebellion and invasion in the area.

Mr. Gesmundo, for his part, was grilled on the low disposition of cases in the Sandiganbayan. He pointed out the “peculiarity of cases” in the anti-graft court, specifically those that involve more than one accused.

Last to face the council was Mr. Mosquera, who stressed his “independence” should he be given a chance to serve the high court.”I will not be influenced. I have always stood up for my principles, resolved cases on basis of facts, evidence, applicable law.”

Others who seek to replace Mr. Mendoza but whose previous interviews have been held valid by the council are: CA Presiding Justice Andres B. Reyes, Jr. and Associate Justices Ramon M. Bato, Jr., Apolinario D. Bruselas, Jr., Rosmari D. Carandang, Stephen C. Cruz, Japar B. Dimaampao, Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, and Jose C. Reyes, Jr.

The public interview of SC Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez, who faced the Council last June 19, also remains valid.
Mr. Mendoza, the fourth SC justice to retire under Mr. Duterte’s administration, is set to hang his robes on Aug. 13. — Kristine Joy V. Patag

THE PRESIDENTIAL Security Group (PSG) lacks the required number of bomb sniffing dogs to protect President Rodrigo R. Duterte, as well as his guests, the Commission on Audit (CoA) said in a report.

In an annual report released on July 1, CoA said “the prime duty of the PSG in securing the safety of the President may not be effectively carried out,” noting that 11 military dogs retired in 2016 and another five are expected to retire in 2018.

“In turn, the PSG has only 20 effective bomb dogs as of Dec. 31, 2016, which falls short from the ideal number of 25 bomb dogs necessary in the realization and concretization of its prime duty in protecting the President through effective bomb detection operations during presidential engagements,” the state audit body said.

Under PSG rules, the trained dogs should be retired after eight years of service, and be disposed within three months after retirement through “public auction” and procedures in accordance with the existing rules of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“The Command did not procure any bomb dog for the last 12 years and almost all of the existing effective bomb dogs were acquired through donation,” the CoA pointed out.

It added that “reasonable” inventory of military dogs should be maintained and its acquisition should be “properly planned and completed on time,” since the training of “K9s necessitates a tedious process before they are utilized in military operations.”

For its part, the PSG said they already requested for the procurement of 11 military working dogs for bomb detection during presidential engagements, but the “proposal was not considered by the Higher Headquarters.”

“Accordingly, the Agency will submit a separate request to Higher Headquarters citing the urgency, importance and detrimental effect it will have on the protective security operation for the President and other Very Very Important Persons (VVIPs),” the PSG management told the state auditors.

The CoA recommended that the PSG fast-track the acquisition of 11 military working dogs and propose to the Budget department the inclusion of a provision for procurement in the agency’s annual budget. — Raynan F. Javil

LEAK REPAIRS will be undertaken by Manila Water Co., Inc. (MWC) at the DoST pumping station, which will mean a water service interruption from 10:00 p.m. of July 6 to 5:00 a.m. the next day. The affected areas are: Central, Upper, Lower, and New Lower Bicutan; Maharlika; Bagumbayan; and North Daang Hari in Taguig City; and St. Martin de Porres in Parañaque City.

AN 11.8-kilometer “patrol road” will be built at the Clark Special Economic Zone to beef up security at the Clark International Airport for the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings scheduled in November this year. The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and subsidiary Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) has signed an agreement with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the P70-million project. Under the agreement, the AFP will provide the manpower, labor, and the general construction equipment and tools while CIAC will be in charge of the detailed engineering design and the BCDA will oversee implementation. The BCDA said in a statement that the road “will also serve as a long-term solution to strengthen security measures” at the airport.

THE PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Police-Cordillera Regional Office (PRO-COR), in its drive against illegal logging, confiscated some 1,288.66 board feet of assorted illegally harvested lumber in two days. The Cordillera police reported that, in various mountainous areas of Benguet province, logs and flitches were found abandoned, recovered and hauled in during an anti-illegal logging operation conducted on June 30. — InterAksyon.

See full story. – ALDWIN QUITASOL, NEWS5/INTERAKSYON

THE ASSOCIATION of Barangay Councils (ABC) in Cebu City has issued a manifesto expressing reservation on the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. ABC Vice-President Ramil Ayuman said not all barangay chairmen signed the petition during the second quarter assembly of the group on Monday, but they are hoping to get the signatures of all 65 barangay leaders allied with the party Barug Team Rama, a political opponent of incumbent Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña who is intent on pursuing the BRT. Cebu has 80 barangays. The manifesto came after Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd L. Dino said he will lobby for the cancellation of the project. In its manifesto, the ABC said, “The creation of mixed lanes for the BRT project in areas like Ayala Center Cebu to Talamban will shrink the road further causing more traffic as it is.” On the other hand, Mr. Osmeña brushed aside Mr. Dino’s pronouncement, saying he doubts that the National Economic and Development Authority will cancel the project. “Otherwise, Cebu will end up with nothing. I’m not worried. He (Mr. Dino) has no talent except to drive around with motorcycle escorts and a SWAT team,” the mayor said in a text message to The Freeman. Rafael Christopher L. Yap, head of the BRT Project Implementation Unit, also said the cancellation of the BRT is “highly unlikely” considering that it is one of the 40 big ticket projects presented earlier this year by the national government to China for possible funding. “We are open to dialogue on the technical and social concerns so we can correct. But we cannot ‘debate’ the project as this is already approved and ongoing implementation under the Build Build Build program of Dutertenomics,” he said. — The Freeman A rainy rush hour along Osmena Boulevard in Cebu City.

TOWNS in Iloilo are looking at developing clustered landfills to jointly address waste management through a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement with the operator of the Payatas dumpsite in Metro Manila. “We sought their expertise as they also operate in five areas in the country,” said Mayor Jett C. Rojas of Ajuy, president of the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter following a meeting of the group on June 30. Mr. Rojas said complying with solid waste management requirements under the law, particularly the construction of a sanitary landfill, remains a major problem for local government units due mainly to the cost. He said the proposed clustered landfills, initially two with no final locations yet, are intended to serve the entire Iloilo province, including Iloilo City. Under the PPP scheme, the firm will shoulder the construction cost while the government will donate the lot as counterpart. Mr. Rojas said a fee will be collected from households to pay for the transport of waste to the landfills. The proposal will be presented to Governor Arthur D. Defensor, Sr. and undergo review by the provincial council. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

THE CEBU Provincial Board approved on Monday the rollout of P57.565 million worth of projects before the year ends, including a seaport facility, road improvement, bridge repair, garbage disposal system, and a heritage park. The biggest projects are the P14-million improvement of the road between Ylaya-Katangkas-Pawa section in Dumanjug town and the P10-million shoreline protection for Compostela seaport, which is part of the town’s plan to open a route for passenger vessels to Lapu-Lapu City. The port will also serve as an alternative to commuters from northern Cebu to avoid traffic congestion in Liloan, Consolacion and Mandaue. The other projects lined up are: reconstruction of the Guindaruhan Bridge in Minglanilla; setting up of materials recovery facilities in all 16 provincial and district hospitals; school buildings in Liloan, Danao City, Poro and San Francisco; and the Alegria Heritage Park.

THIS YEAR’S Kadayawan festival logo was launched Monday, with the city government and private sector partners expressing optimism that the adverse impact on perception about security in Mindanao as a whole due to the Marawi crisis and martial law declaration would not dampen participation in the annual celebration.

“We will surmount any challenge as we always have; we will not allow our fears to cripple us,” said Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. President Ronald C. Go, this year’s festival co-chairperson, said the Kadayawan would be an opportunity to show that all is well in the city. “It is life as usual and it is business as usual in the city, and this is what we want to portray in this year’s Kadayawan celebration,” Mr. Go said. Ms. Carpio also said that the Kadayawan, a celebration of Davao’s cultural diversity and rich natural bounty, takes on a deeper meaning this year with the toll and lessons from Marawi. “Kadayawan is a recognition of, and a call for us to transcend boundaries, and show the world we are a diverse community working as one towards peace, inclusive growth and environmental protection.” The 32nd Kadayawan Festival will officially start on Aug. 14, with activities up to the 25th. — Carmencita A. Carillo CARMENCITA A. CARILLO