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RPVARA: The game changer for PPPs

The Philippines is one of the first adopters of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) or Public-Private Partnership (PPP) schemes for infrastructure development in Asia. To date, there are 174 PPP projects in the government’s pipeline. In 2023, Republic Act No. 11966, or The PPP Code of the Philippines, was signed into law to create a unified regulation for all PPP projects, including Joint Ventures (JVs).

Apart from addressing concerns over the government’s contingent liabilities in PPP projects, the PPP Code also sets the rules for the fair valuation of government assets in PPP projects. The law requires the fair valuation of: (1) government contributions in unsolicited proposals to determine appropriate compensation and in JV arrangements in order to assess whether it complies with the 50% limitation (based on Project Cost for contractual JVs or based on outstanding capital stock for a JV company); and (2) the reclaimed land portion granted to a concessionaire as part of a project’s investment recovery mechanism. Moreover, almost all PPP Projects require land use, land acquisition for the project site, and/or right-of-way (ROW) acquisition. Given this requirement, the signing into law of Republic Act No. 12001, otherwise known as the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act, (RPVARA), could not be timelier.

Effective July 3, RPVARA centralized the government’s property valuation system. The law’s primary objective is to resolve issues on overlapping rules on valuation and outdated valuations by centralizing the task of land valuation under one agency and establishing a comprehensive real property electronic database.

The salient features of the law are as follows:

1. Appointment and reorganization of the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) Central Office to be the primary agency tasked to implement the law.

2. Centralization of the Real Property Valuation System. Before RPVARA, real property valuation was done by referring to the current market values from recent sales of property in a vicinity, the BIR schedule of zonal values, or the schedule of market values (SMV) of the local government units (LGUs). RPVARA now requires that valuation of the government’s real properties be performed using the SMV that will be prepared solely by the Local Government, which will then be reviewed by the BLGF and approved by the Department of Finance (DoF). This SMV will then be the standard valuation to be used as basis in the adjustment of assessment levels and real property tax rates, for calculation of local transfer taxes and national internal revenue taxes, as well as for determining the amount for payment of just compensation in expropriation and public land disposition.

3. Development of Property Valuation Standards (PVS). PVS refers to the latest national valuation standards to be used in the Philippines, which will be based on international valuation standards duly approved by the Secretary of Finance. The BLGF is tasked to develop, adopt, maintain, and review the PVS every three years or often as necessary to align with globally accepted principles. SMVs will also be prepared pursuant to the PVS and other rules and regulations set by the DoF.

4. Development of Real Property Information System. The BLGF is responsible for the development and maintenance of an up-to-date electronic database of the sale, exchange, lease, mortgage, donation, transfer, and all other real property transactions and declarations in the country and on the cost of construction or renovation of buildings and on prices of plant, machinery and equipment. This database will be available to LGUs, government agencies, and the private sector.

Property valuation is a crucial element in identifying suitable land for infrastructure projects, more so if such real property, oftentimes identified as the project site, is a deliverable of the government. As reported in the Senate Brief for the advancing of PPP in the Philippines, significant delays of major PPP Projects, such as the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), which was originally due for completion in 2020; and the Light Rail Transit 1 Extension Projects, are caused by ROW acquisition issues. For instance, the prolonged construction of the 4 km-long Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway which took nearly four years to complete could have been much shorter had ROW issues been addressed in a timely manner.

The RPVARA is set to put an end to delays caused by the determination of an acceptable valuation procedure to assess the value of government property. Any incongruency in pricing and resulting delays will be mitigated as government pricing is now closer, if not identical to, the prevailing market price. A streamlined property valuation process would also pave the way for a more accurate determination of the financial viability of a PPP project, thereby allowing government, especially in solicited projects, to arrive at market-acceptable and bankable financial bid parameters with better precision.

Finally, implementing agencies can now also better plan and budget for land acquisition/expropriation, which will further allow a swifter process for acquiring ROW in PPP and infrastructure projects. This will also assure affected private landowners that they will receive fair compensation.

These benefits remain to be seen, however, since the RPVARA gives LGUs two years from the law’s effectivity to update their SMVs. As such, how swiftly LGUs update their SMVs, and how the BLGF can help shepherd this, are the hurdles that need to be overcome.

Much like the PPP Code and its IRR before it, the RPVARA is bound to revolutionize how PPP and infrastructure projects are developed and implemented. If rolled out as planned, it will significantly improve the planning, valuation, budgeting, and acquisition of project sites and rights-of-way for such projects. I look forward to the day when delays in ROW acquisition become a thing of the past.

The views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Cabrera & Co. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.

 

Cielo Maasin-Ellaser is a legal advisor of Cabrera & Co., a Philippine member firm of the PwC network.

cielo.b.maasin@pwc.com

Philippine Coast Guard to conduct sea training with US, Japanese peers

A SCREENGRAB from Philippine Coast Guard shows a Philippine vessel being water cannoned by the China Coast Guard on April 30, 2024. — PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD PHOTO

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is planning to conduct maritime exercises with its US and Japanese counterparts later this year, its chief said on Wednesday.

The Philippines may hold a trilateral maritime exercise with the US Coast Guard and Japan Coast Guard in the “mid or later part of this year,” PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil L. Gavan told BusinessWorld.

“We also have a trilateral maritime security exercise with Japan and the US… we will be doing one this year,” he said on the sidelines of a House of Representatives transportation committee hearing. He did not provide any more details, saying the plan is still a “work in progress.”

The PCG first held its joint exercises with the US and Japan in June 2023 in the waters off Bataan province near the South China Sea. They conducted search and rescue exercises, maneuvering drills and maritime law enforcement training that year.

The Philippines and China have repeatedly clashed in the South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, due to overlapping claims over disputed maritime features.

Manila has been at the forefront of efforts to contest Beijing’s expansive sea claim, organizing joint sails into the South China Sea with western countries and regional allies like Japan and Australia.

China claims more than 80% of the South China Sea based on a 1940s map, which a United Nations-backed arbitration court voided in 2016 for being illegal.

“The security of the West Philippine Sea is not our sole concern,” Mr. Gavan told the House hearing, referring to areas of the South China Sea within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. “It affects the whole world.”

“While it is true that the Philippine Coast Guard is there to protect the territorial integrity of this country, [in a] globalized world… we have to engage our foreign partners, our allies and those who have a stake in global trade to also do their part,” he added.

The South China Sea is a key conduit for $3 trillion of annual ship-borne trade.

Meanwhile, Mr. Gavan said the coast guard is still “doing the paperwork” for its official development assistance-funded acquisition of 40 35-meter fast patrol craft from France worth $439 million, but is expecting deliveries to start next year.

The PCG also expects the delivery of five 97-meter ships from Japan in 2027, financed through a $413-million loan from Tokyo, he said. “The earliest could be 2027, but it’s still a work in progress.”

“We are sincerely hoping to position the coast guard to be the… most capable coast guard, at least in Southeast Asia, in the next five years,” Mr. Gavan said.

Also on Wednesday, the House transportation committee approved a measure that seeks to strengthen the PCG by through policy and organizational reforms to make it more responsive amid tensions in the South China Sea.

The body approved House Bill No. 11433 a month after President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed into law a proposal seeking to fix the term of the coast guard commandant to three years, which was a watered-down version of the measure originally proposed by the House.

“I filed this bill with the intention of reviving House Bill No. 10841, the one earlier adopted with amendments by the Senate, enabling the passage of Republic Act No. 12122,” Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona, a vice-chairman of the panel, told the hearing.

He said the bill seeks to improve the PCG’s capability to perform its maritime security and safety functions. “This can be done by establishing a well-defined organizational structure, as well as by providing them the needed resources to upgrade their capability in terms of manpower and equipment.”

Mr. Gavan said the measure would help the PCG become more responsive to its maritime responsibilities amid “evolving geopolitical challenges.”

The bill seeks to let the PCG receive loans and grants from local or foreign sources to boost modernization efforts.

It also seeks to establish a trust fund for its modernization program to come from fines and fees it collects from operations, but it would likely be scrapped once the bill hits the House floor due to opposition from the Budget department, Mr. Madrona said.

“Any funding for the PCG is included in the GAA (General Appropriations Act), so we recommend the same moving forward,” Budget Director Trisha M. Baraan said.

“While it is still in the bill as proposed, the modernization provision will probably be deleted,” Mr. Madrona said, adding that a separate bill would be filed for the proposed PCG trust fund in the next Congress.

House prosecutors ready for VP Sara’s impeachment trial

VICE-PRESIDENT SARA DUTERTE-CARPIO — FACEBOOK.COM/MAYORINDAYSARADUTERTEOFFICIAL

THE CONGRESSMEN who will serve as prosecutors in the trial of Vice-President (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio are prepared to make their case when the Senate convenes as an impeachment court, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said on Wednesday.

The Senate should ensure that there would be no “unnecessary delays” during the trial, which he said is important to keep Philippine institutions credible and accountable.

“The report I received from the House of Representatives prosecutors is that they are ready to present the case any time the impeachment court is convened,” he said in a statement in Filipino.

“We trust that the Senate will carry out its constitutional duty and proceed with the trial without unnecessary delays, in accordance with the rule of law,” he added.

The House impeached the Vice-President on Feb. 5, alleging secret fund misuse, unexplained wealth, acts of destabilization and plotting the assassination of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and his family.

Ms. Duterte has denied any wrongdoing.

The impeachment complaint was filed and signed by more than 200 congressmen, more than the one-third legal requirement before it could be sent to the Senate.

The Senate plans to present the articles of impeachment and approve the revised impeachment rules once it reconvenes for a two-week session in June.

“I trust that the Senate will exercise its role as the impeachment court with the utmost fairness and independence,” Mr. Romualdez said. “The House has done its part in impeaching the Vice-President, and now it is up to the Senate to conduct a fair trial based on facts and evidence.”

Also on Wednesday, House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo P. Ortega V said the Senate should start Ms. Duterte’s impeachment trial.

“If the Senate can convene during recess to discuss other matters, then it should also be ready to deliberate on the impeachment case against the Vice-President,” he said in a separate statement.

The Philippine Congress has been on a four-month break since February for the midterm election campaign. Filipinos will pick a new set of congressmen, 12 of the 24-member Senate and other local government officials on May 12.

“If there’s time for other issues even during recess, why not focus on a matter that deeply impacts our nation?” Mr. Ortega asked.

The Senate in March held hearings into the collapse of a multi-billion-peso bridge in Isabela province and a dismissed mayor implicated in the operations of illegal online casinos. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

DBM approves release of P16.89-B subsistence allowance for soldiers

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the release of P16.89 billion to increase the subsistence allowance of officers and personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“This is a big help for the family of our military,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said in a statement on Wednesday, noting that a decade has passed since soldiers got an allowance increase.

The fund release is mandated by Executive Order No. 84, which President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed on March 14.

The executive order deemed the subsistence allowance of military personnel to be no longer adequate.

The allowance increase to P350 per day from P150 aims to “protect and promote their welfare and recognize their sacrifices and perseverance in defending and upholding the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Budget department said.

Under the order that took effect on Jan. 1, officers and enlisted personnel of the AFP, including trainees and probationary second lieutenants and ensigns undergoing military training will be covered by the increase.

Citizen military training cadets on summer camp training and reserve officers and enlisted reservists undergoing training and assembly and mobilization tests and Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit members will also get an increase.

“The total requirement for the purpose shall be charged against the available personnel service appropriation of concerned agencies under the AFP, such as the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, naval Forces, Philippine Marine Corps and general headquarters,” the agency said.

The AFP said the increased allowance is part of their efforts to ensure the welfare of soldiers and strengthen the well-being of their troops, especially those who serve on the frontlines.

“The adjustment in our military personnel’s allowance has been studied for a long time,” Ms. Pangandaman said. “We are happy that this was passed in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.” — Aaron Michael C. Sy

Malaysian gov’t refusing to cooperate in probe of ex-Bamban Mayor’s escape, Remulla says

DISMISSED Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo. — PHILIPPINE STAR/JESSE BUSTOS

THE MALAYSIAN government is withholding information about the travel history of a former Bamban mayor, who escaped from Philippine authorities in July amid investigations into alleged illegal activities linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), the Philippine justice secretary said on Wednesday.

“The case of Alice Guo is a very peculiar case because Malaysia refused to cooperate with us,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla told reporters in a briefing.

“Malaysia is supposed to give us the information. They know what flight entered, what aircraft entered, and where she was riding, but they refused to give it to us,” he added.

The Malaysian Embassy is currently obtaining the necessary information in relation to Mr. Remulla’s claims, Malaysian Ambassador Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony said in a WhatsApp message.

Ms. Guo is accused of having ties to Chinese criminal syndicates and money laundering linked to POGOs.

She and her cohorts escaped in July but was deported after her arrest in Jakarta on Sept. 4, 2024. Her travel records showed she fled to Malaysia and Singapore, before arriving in Indonesia, using her Philippine passport.

Mr. Remulla noted the Department of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs had already “done everything” to negotiate with Kuala Lumpur, but they had “faced a stone wall.”

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado, in a Senate hearing on Tuesday, alleged Ms. Guo used Tawi-Tawi as a backdoor exit as she left no records of her leaving the Philippines.

National Intelligence Coordinating Agency Director Ferlu J. Silvio had likewise said that she and her companions might have fled the country through Tawi-Tawi since it was much nearer to countries like Malaysia.

The Justice chief said one of the reasons for their refusal to cooperate may be due to an arbitration ruling in favor of Malaysia, which the Philippine government has not implemented.

This ruling is in connection with a Sabah dispute between the heirs of a former sultan of Sulu and the Malaysian government.

France’s highest civil court last Nov. 6, 2024, rejected the appeal of the heirs of a former sultan who sought almost $15 billion from Malaysia over an 1878 land deal, according to a Nov. 7 report by Reuters.

The heirs initially won the arbitration case in 2022 but were denied enforcement by a Paris court.

“As a matter of policy, we don’t interfere in the case. It is the heirs of the sultan of Sulu who are in that case, but they want us to implement the case, which we’re not doing,” Mr. Remulla said. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Duterte arrest not a diversion — PCO

CLARISSA A. CASTRO — PCO.GOV.PH

THE PALACE on Wednesday bucked accusations of Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte that the government is using his father’s arrest and trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to make the public forget about supposed anomalies in this year’s national budget and the mismanagement of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

“This is not a diversionary tactic,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing on Wednesday, in response to claims made on Mr. Duterte’s Facebook page.

“He (Sebastian Z. Duterte) wants to show the public that his family members are victims and are being singled out.”

The incumbent Davao City Mayor had also asked the Supreme Court to declare the arrest of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte as illegal.

The tough-talking leader, who was President from 2016 to 2022, was arrested last week in Manila, marking the biggest step yet in the ICC’s probe of his alleged crimes against humanity during an anti-illegal drug crackdown that killed thousands and drew condemnation around the world.

The Hague-based tribunal has been investigating him for crimes he allegedly committed when he was Davao City mayor and during the first three years of his government, when the Philippines was still a party to ICC.

The deliberations for this year’s national budget had been criticized after lawmakers approved a zero subsidy for PhilHealth amid alleged mismanagement and failure to boost members’ benefits. This year’s spending plan also came under fire over supposed blank items consisting of more or less 13 pages.

“We had planned to talk directly with PhilHealth representatives,” Ms. Castro said. “We already have the information, but we are not releasing it now because the current issue is about the ICC, and people might not understand if we discuss a different topic.”

Ms. Castro also reiterated the need to look into the use of the so-called confidential funds used by the office of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

DoJ did not OK SolGen’s recusal

JESUS CRISPIN C. REMULLA — PHILIPPINE STAR/JOHN RYAN BALDEMOR

THE Justice secretary on Wednesday said the Solicitor-General (SolGen) did not have his permission to withdraw from representing the government in a consolidated lawsuit involving former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Justice Chief Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said without his permission, Solicitor-General Menardo I. Guevarra on Monday recused from representing the government in a consolidated lawsuit filed by Mr. Duterte’s children—Sebastian, Paolo, and Veronica—regarding their father’s arrest on March 11.

“His (Guevarra) refusal was not on my clearance. He does not clear things with me, but of course, I consider it a personal reason, and if he did not want to use the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), that’s his own reason,” Mr. Remulla said in a news briefing.

The OSG is an attached agency of the Department of Justice (DoJ).

On Monday, he recused himself from representing the government, saying his office stands firm in its position that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction in the country after it withdrew in 2018. Mr. Guevarra was Mr. Duterte’s Justice Secretary from 2018 to 2022. 

The OSG is tasked with representing the government in lawsuits, but with its recusal, the DoJ will now take its place in the lawsuit questioning Mr. Duterte’s arrest filed before the Supreme Court.

“We have to put our best legal minds to work, but the DoJ will be more than sufficient to defend the position of the Republic in this matter. I think that it’s time to assert our identity as the lawyer of the people in this case,” Mr. Remulla added, noting the DoJ will “pick up the slack.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

PHL, France hold political talks

DFA FB PAGE

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippines and France held their fourth Political Consultations, tackling potential collaboration in trade and investment, energy, health, climate change, science and technology, defense, and people-to-people exchanges.

In a statement on Wednesday, the DFA said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro met with France’s Director for Asia and Oceania Benoît Guidée, during the consultation.

“The Undersecretary and the Director discussed practical steps to foster closer collaboration on issues of mutual interest and benefit. In particular, France reaffirmed its support for the early conclusion of negotiations towards a comprehensive, balanced, and modern PH-EU (European Union) Free Trade Agreement,” it said.

The agency added that both countries also committed to strengthen development cooperation on infrastructure, maritime affairs, and environment.

The two envoys also discussed views on the latest developments in the South China Sea, Southeast Asian region, Ukraine, and the Middle East.

“They also emphasized the importance of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific as well as the crucial role of freedom of navigation in the region for global security, including economic security,” the DFA said. — Adrian H. Halili

Japan to open new visa centers in April

GENERAL VIEW of cherry blossom trees with Mount Fuji in the background at Lake Kawaguchiko, Fujikawaguchiko, Japan, April 14, 2024. — REUTERS

JAPAN will open new visa application centers in the Philippines in April to streamline the visa process and enhance convenience for applicants, the Japanese Embassy said on Wednesday.

The Japan Visa Application Centre (JVAC), operated by VFS Service Philippines, Inc., will begin accepting applications on April 7, with branches located in Parañaque City, Makati City, Quezon City, Cebu City, and Davao City.

“Applications will no longer be accepted at the accredited agencies on April 6, 2025. Please note that from April 7, 2025, applications will be accepted at the Japan Visa Application Center,” it said in a statement.

However, it noted that if applicants coursed through an accredited agency before April 6, 2025, the release of their passport will also be at the agency where they applied.

Applicants with diplomatic or official passports or those requiring urgent humanitarian assistance are advised to contact the Embassy of Japan in Manila or the nearest consulates in Cebu and Davao for guidance.

In a separate briefing, the Embassy said the new visa center would not hasten the visa application process.

It advised applicants to apply “well in advance” and “take advantage of the reservation system” that was launched on March 19.

Japan welcomed a record-high 800,000 Filipino tourists in 2024. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Masungi Georeserve asks Marcos to intervene in DENR eviction order

DENR.GOV.PH

THE Masungi Georeserve Foundation on Wednesday asked President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to intervene in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) cancelation of a 2002 agreement that was instrumental in the development of the georeserve.

The Foundation made the statement after the Blue Star Construction Development Corporation, its conservation partner, officially received a 15-day notice from DENR ordering its eviction from the lot where the georeserve stands.

“This eviction order weakens the very safeguards designed to protect Masungi’s lands. Any precipitous action to enforce the same, and even just the threat of it, can only embolden entities who have boldly asserted illegal claims in Lot 10 that Blue Star has assiduously resisted through the years to ensure the land is not lost,” the Foundation said.

It urged the government to “pause and review” the DENR’s eviction order to allow for “a fair and thorough review” and engage in open dialogue with all stakeholders to find “a just and sustainable path forward.”

In announcing the cancellation of the contract, the DENR last month cited the company’s “failure to go through a bidding process.”

“The DENR canceled the 2002 supplemental agreement also for lack of the required Presidential Proclamation that should declare Lot 10 as open for disposition to develop housing units within the area. The said area was registered under the Republic of the Philippines in Original Certificate of Title (OCT) 3556 and later on transferred to Bureau of Corrections and DENR Region IV-A (Calabarzon),” the agency said in a statement in early March.

The Foundation said the order threatens not only years of forest restoration, wildlife protection, and geotourism but also the livelihoods of up to 100 hardworking rangers and their families.

In a separate statement, Blue Star said it has referred the eviction document to its legal counsel for appropriate legal steps.

“We will respond in due course through the proper channels.”

“We urge all stakeholders to engage with fairness and responsibility—ensuring that discussions remain rooted in verified facts, a shared commitment to environmental stewardship, and the integrity of public-private partnerships.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

SSS, CFO to launch KaSSSangga Collect Program

BW FILE PHOTO

THE Social Security System (SSS) has partnered with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) to implement the KaSSSangga Collect Program, giving its workers social security protection.

“CFO will act as an authorized Coverage and Collection Partner of SSS, enabling the agency to collect and remit the monthly SSS contributions of its JO (Job Order) and COS (Contract of Service) workers through a salary-deduction scheme,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph M. de Claro said in a statement on Wednesday.

The SSS and CFO signed a Memorandum of Agreement on March 7 to formalize the partnership.

Under the agreement, JO and COS workers will be registered as self-employed SSS members through the KaSSSangga Collect Program. The SSS, however, noted they do not fall under the coverage of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) due to their employment status.

This will give them access to social security benefits, including sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, funeral, and death benefits.

They will also be able to apply for SSS loan programs, such as salary and calamity loans.

“Furthermore, they will receive additional coverage from the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) for work-related sickness, disability, or death,” Mr. de Claro added.

Regular CFO employees can also continue paying their SSS contributions as voluntary members under the program. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

17 terrorists nabbed in Maguindanao del Sur

COTABATO CITY — Seventeen local terrorists were arrested in an anti-terror operation in Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur on Monday.

The operation also led to the seizure of powerful improvised explosive devices and six assault rifles, Major Gen. Donald M. Gumiran, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said, citing a report from the Army’s 90th Infantry Battalion (IB).

Soldiers and policemen were dispatched to Barangay Kapinpilan after Moro villagers reported the presence of the 17 men in the area, three of whom were spotted assembling powerful improvised explosive devices using ammonium nitrate as main blasting powder.

Moro leaders in Ampatuan confirmed to reporters that the 17 men are combined members of the Dawlah Islamiya and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The 17 local terrorists yielded peacefully when they sensed that soldiers and policemen had surrounded their hideout, ready to neutralize them if they resisted arrest.

They are now in the joint custody of the 90th IB and the police, undergoing tactical interrogation, according to municipal officials. — John Felix M. Unson

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