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November 23, 2009, the Filipino nation and the international community were shocked with the killing of 50+ victims in what is now known as the “Maguindanao Massacre”—the worst election-related violence at that time. Brought up by rivalry of powerful families that ruled the Cotabato basin, the supposedly peaceful convoy for filing candidacy was turned into bloodbath when armed men allegedly belonging to the ruling family intercepted the convoy and mercilessly killed, mutilated and hastily buried the victims in the hills of Maguindanao—leaving their lifeless bodies, crushed cars and a backhoe bearing the name of the ruling clan. Most number that was killed were journalists, same as with the wife of the opposition leader, his relatives, and some who weren’t part of the convoy at all. The event has left a lasting imprint to every Filipino psyche regarding Maguindanao—armed, lawless, deadly and violent. As of the time of writing, the province of Maguindanao, now under the then-opposition leader’s rule, is still under state of emergency.

Somewhere over those hills, the howling and the wailing of the dead seeking justice

Personally, I myself was stunned by the event. That same highway that I passed in 2005 (read my article on my 2005 trip at Maguindanao) was the same highway that the convoy was intercepted. I got numb when some of Tacurong City Hall people, whom have helped me in my thesis in college, was also murdered point blank–despite their non-involvement at the convoy. It was unbelievable that such cold-blooded act happened in this modern day and age—barbaric and devoid of civility. Then the opportunity came in, I was to visit Cotabato City when I went to GenSan—no other choice but to pass by Maguindanao once more. This time, I face Maguindanao on a different light, a different era…

That Morning…

After my overnight stay in the placid Lake Sebu, I headed to Isulan, the capital of neighboring Sultan Kudarat province, where I can get a bigger chance to whisk myself away to Cotabato City. Since the bus left a few minutes earlier, I took the van and it costs P100 from Isulan to Cotabato City in a two-hour long journey across the uncertain.

This highway somewhere in Ampatuan in Maguinadnao may have been the last vista of the Martyrs

Esperanza is the last town before entering Maguindanao province. By the time we crossed the bridge near the town’s center, it was a different world already. From the once dense housing and high volume of vehicles, the highway gradually became a desolate place to be with. Miles and miles of corn fields and coconut groves with a vista of Teduray Highlands at the horizon, there were only a few vehicles that were passing by here. Welcome to the town of Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

It was eerie for me passing by this road, thinking that this was the last view that the victims saw. The hills were looming. Somewhere there was the “grave site” of the martyrs.

DMZ: Shariff Aguak…

One of the several military checkpoints in Maguindanao. But the strictest was here in Shariff Aguak

Before entering the capital Shariff Aguak, we have to pass by tons of military outposts scattered between Esperanza, Ampatuan and then Sharrif Aguak. The guarding soldiers were on full battle gear, inspecting every vehicle that passes by the highway. They were doing their duty to provide order and security in a place that is seemingly still armed and dangerous. Understood it very well what this place has gone through.

Sharrif Aguak Masjid and the Rotunda

Welcome to Sharrif Aguak! The sign says, "With cooperation, there is a way." and "Healthy and Progressive Community"

The town of Shariff Aguak, the capital of Maguindanao province, seems unassuming yet impoverished. It’s a town of surrealism—ordinary shacks against rising and the mansions of the ruling clan, and public buildings such as the Capitol and the Municipal Hall that seems to impose its grandeur and authority over the town’s skyline. Umbrella-topped tricycles still buzz around the only main road of the town while soldiers keep guard and greet sukran or thank you for passersby.

Overheard at Tacurong...the new governor prefers to hold office in his hometown, not in his rival's home--and there is a new capitol rising. Therefore, this multi-million capitol in Shariff Aguak may turn into another white elephant

Pedicabs with umbrellas: Only in Maguindanao

Looming on the hills is the pinkish yet grand Maguindanao Capitol—closed because it’s Sunday obviously. But as far as I heard, it may be closed forever. The new governor fears for his life if he performs in a town that is a known bailiwick of the once-ruling clan. As far as I heard from the people in nearby Tacurong, looks like Maguindanao will have a new capitol (and a capital—again!) in the town of Buluan—the governor’s hometown.

New Towns abound!

We passed by Shariff Aguak briefly and headed towards Cotabato City.

I was amazed with the number of new towns that sprung up between 2005 and 2009. One town seemed to have sprung up from nothing at all—such as Datu Unsay. Coincidentally, the mayor of this town is the suspected mastermind of the gruesome massacre. An empty newly-constructed public terminal and a public market are the biggest structures in the town. The rest is like a barrio.

Datu Unsay town in Maguindanao seems to be desolate

As we headed north, countless military checkpoints still abound. However, as we moved closer to Cotabato City, the checkpoints decrease. Passing through towns such as Datu Saudi Ampatuan, in which the office of the deputy governor of ARMM is located; Guindulungan with its green picturesque mosque; Talitay’s golden mosque; and a new town, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, just suddenly appeared out of nowhere—in fact, I didn’t remember it even existed back then.

The green Guindulungan Mosque

There were a lot of towns indeed but seemingly desolate. I saw houses made of wood, plywood that is that are found in these town centers. Seemingly that every three years, there’s a new town abound—a cartographer’s nightmare. In 2008, there was even a creation of a new province, Shariff Kabunsuan, which was made by towns of north and western Maguindanao. However, the Supreme Court of the Philippines nullified and have it reverted back to its mother province—citing that the regional council of ARMM has no power in creating newer provinces.

Because there are so many new towns, I forgot whether this particular mosque is in Talitay or Datu Midtimbang town

Dalican to Tamontaka

It was a long road ahead as we head down the plans of Dalican Poblacion, the town center of Datu Odin Sinsuat (DOS). Mindanao State University-Maguindanao is found here, and so is the Moro-inspired municipal hall. The town seems peaceful and military presence here is far less than it is in Shariff Aguak.

The Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipal Hall at Dalican Poblacion

Heading on, Cotabato City is just a 20 kilometer drive from the town. Trees, small houses and mosques dot the highway. There were only a few checkpoints that seem to be less strict than those at the southern part of the province. The Teduray Highlands seems to push itself against the vast wetlands of Libungan Marsh—signaling that we’re nearing Cotabato City, at the heart of Rio Grande de Mindanao Delta.

Jeepney heading back to Maguindanao

And then, we’re already at Awang. Although part of DOS, this is where the airport of Cotabato City is located. This is where the once thriving Mindanao Textile looms weave and export their products. Jeepneys that look like L300 vans (like those in Bacolod City) now fill up the streets and head its way towards the city center.

Crossing Tamontaka River

As we crossed Tamontaka River, I looked at the left side of me, the river was placid and the sun shines hard that noon. I just passed by Maguindanao—once more, but will come back again later on my way home. For now, I head to Cotabato City to satisfy my curiosity with Bolkiah’s mosque and have a grand time of nostalgia. Bai Maguindanao that I saw that day was the Bai Maguindanao that was placid. Yet I can see in her “eyes” that she got knocked out, and still struggling to get up again.

(To be continued…)

The map of my journey to Maguindanao

View My Journey to Cotabato City through Maguindanao in a larger map

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Great news for Cavite residents who study or work in the City of Manila, Lawton-Cavite-bound buses are back! Yes, you heard it right!

The City Government of Manila has now allowed the entry of provincial buses coming from Cavite (Dasmariñas line, Tagaytay line, Mendez-Nuñez line, Ternate/Naic line) at Taft Avenue, all the way to Lawton (Park and Ride) from 5 in the afternoon to 6 in the morning, the next day. Although limited, the Cavite-bound buses are allowed only until Quirino LRT Station before going back to Cavite from 6AM to 5PM, everyday.

No need to wait in chaotic Buendia-Pasay!

This is still subject to changes. Better ask the bus conductors or the Manila traffic officers for more information.

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Quirino Grandstand Flags. The location of the hostage drama

Indeed, Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, central Manila, capital of the Philippines, is one historical place. It was here where several presidents took their oaths, celebrate the independence of the country from the United States, concerts and a whole lot more. It is a landmark dedicated to the former President Elpidio Quirino. The Grandstand that I guess all Filipinos know and synonymous to Luneta and Rizal Park–just several meters away from the place. On August 01, 2010, the 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino III, took oath here. On August 23, 2010–a massacre unfolds as a former policeman took hostage of Hong Kong nationals in a stand-off that left the hostage and several hostages dead, and a mark of trauma in the image of the Philippines in the international community. Luneta has seen another blood spilt over her domain.

At around 10AM, an former policeman, identified as Rolando Mendoza, took hostage of several foreign tourists in a bus whom are supposed to visit Luneta and the Manila Ocean Park as reported. Mendoza brought a high-powered M16 rifle–guns for “big boys/police.” He demands to be reinstated after being dismissed from his job due to an extortion case. Negotiations went all the way, several hostages were freed. However, it failed. At around 7PM, gunshots were fired from the bus and the police went on to storm the said bus. The storming left Mendoza dead, three (as of the moment) hostages are confirmed dead and several are injured.

Philippine Police storms the bus during hostage crisis - Photo from CNN/Getty Images

The weather seemed to have been cooperating with the mood at Manila. The storming scene sent heavy rainshowers, streaks of lightning and thunderstorm. Like Hollywood, but its for real!

The drama was beamed all over the world, through CNN, BBC, Reuters, Sahara India, KBS, Channel News Asia, Star Phoenix and TVE as I’ve monitored. Yes indeed, Philippines got international exposure–on a negative light!

August 23rd of the year 2010, is a sad day for the Philippines and for those who have lost their loved ones in the said drama. It ended up in a blood bath. Now that the crisis is over, as usual, there would be a lot of pointing fingers on who is responsible for the mess. Some say that we need to snap up our police force–check their morale and their psyche. The police image here in the Philippines has failed miserably, a few days before, a video exposé of police brutality was shown by the media. Looks like the Philippine National Police has a lot to do cleaning up the ranks! The Filipinos ask, is the Philippine National Police still trustworthy?

Quirino Grandstand, where the drama/crisis unfolded:

View Quirino Grandstand – Manila Hostage Drama in a larger map

On the other side, media was to blame with the full-blown coverage of the situation. I heard that the hostage-taker (or his brother) got weary because of the media coverage. Does the media help the dissemination or simply making matters worse? I’ve said earlier, the drama was broadcasted all over the world! So much for media mileage and Philippine exposure. Something that the new administration of the Department of Tourism should start cleaning up and do some damage control. Just as now, Hong Kong officials have issued a travel advisory against the Philippines. It would really be a great impact in our tourism industry–since the hostages were tourists!

There are a lot of questions that still bother the Filipinos right now, but the most pressing is, why does it even have to happen?

On August 23, 2010, at around 8PM, the hostage crisis was over. The body of Mendoza was at the door. Dead hostages were taken out of the bus and the strong survived this fateful day.

Tomorrow, I’ll try to visit the site. At least offer some prayers for those who have lost their lives and to seek out justice out of this mess.

The crisis is over. The question is, how to we move on from this juncture?

Indeed, the skies of Manila mourned. The thunder stopped but the rain still poured. The streets were flooded, with tears coming from the sky. El cielo estaba llorando sobre Manila, ese noche. The sky was crying over Manila, that night.

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An earthquake rocked the Philippine capital of Manila and its surrounding metropolitan area and provinces in Tuesday, January 12, 2008.  According to USGS, the epicenter is located 50 kilometers west of Manila, pertaining directly to Bataan and was measured magnitude 5 on the Richter scale. So far, no damages have been reported.

For more technical information, please refer below: (Source USGS)

Location of the earthquake:

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Maguindanao, Philippines | Map Courtesy of Wikipedia

Given the degree of the events that happened in Cotabato (Maguindanao to be exact) region, HabagatCentral.com would like to give you a bit of glimpse on the towns now mentioned in the news. Personally, I’ve been to these towns in 2005-2006 as part of my thesis and bears hold personally.

Two of Maguindanao’s towns have been mentioned in the news…and yes, these are the baluartes or strongholds of the warring political clans. These are Buluan, a southern town in Maguindanao almost sandwiched by Christian-dominated towns; and Shariff Aguak, the capital town of the province of Maguindanao.

Buluan: The Mangudadatu’s baluarte

Buluan, Maguindanao and Buluan River (2005) | Photo by HabagatCentral.com

The town was established on August 1947 under Executive Order No. 82 by President Manuel Roxas. It is believed to have been once a part of a local kingdom that was ruled by Datu Ali, Datu Inok and his wife Bai Bagungan before the American occupation. The name itself derives from a legend of three brothers who gave iron-implements to the sole family who was living in the area. In memory of the sympathy shown by the brothers, the area was named “buluanen” or bolo-suppliers.

It once has a land area sprawling from present day city of Tacurong, the towns of President Quirino, Columbio, Lutayan at Sultan Kudarat and all the way to M’lang in North Cotabato. It once covered the tilapia-rich Lake Buluan. The current population as of 2007 is 33,702.

And guess what, from this mother town, several new towns were created starting from Tacurong and Columbio in the 1950s. In the 1970s, the Ilocano-town of President Quirino and in the north was General Salipada K. Pendatun town in 1991. Afterwards in 2006, 2 new towns were formed: Manungdadatu and Pandag. Buluan has once having a lakeshore area, and now a landlocked area. It was once the transit hub for the pioneer Christian settlers during the 1950s since Buluan River as I’ve said was the major thoroughfare…long before the highways was built in this once deep Cotabato hinterland.

Buluan, Maguindanao | Map Courtesy of Wikipedia

The town itself is just less than 30 minutes away from Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat on a well-paved highway going to North Cotabato, Kidapawan City and eventually Davao City. The poblacion straddles along Buluan River, one of the tributaries of Rio Grande de Mindanao and was the main highway during the “Pioneer Years” of the Christian migration to Mindanao. The town is rather laid back when it comes to economic activities. It was noon time back then and the people were just finished from their prayer duty…it was a quiet town with a main road going inside the town. According to some old Tacurong residents, Buluan looks like the town that they knew during the pioneering days.

Buayan was once known for its crocodile-skin industry…yes, like any other Philippine towns back then, there were a lot of buwayas swimming around fresh-water rivers and lakes. The Moros of the past once hunt these for their precious skin which was in demand back then. Simeon Millan described the town as a “sportsmen’s paradise” because you could go fishing at its lakeshore.

Shariff Aguak: The Ampatuan baluarte

Maguindanao Provincial Capitol | Photo by Jaileen Jimeno of Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

It was fascinating to know back then that there was a Philippine TV documentary about which is which…who’s the real capital of Maguindanao: the town of Sultan Kudarat, just north of Cotabato City or Shariff Aguak (or formerly known as Maganoy) way down south in Maguindanao? As confirmed, it is Shariff Aguak.

The said Ampatuan Residence in Shariff Aguak (2005) | Photo by HabagatCentral.com

Its old name is Maganoy which was once part of the greater town of Dulawan (modern-day Datu Piang, Maguindanao). In 1963, it separated from its mother municipality and became a capital of the Maguindanao province after the old Cotabato province was further divided into three new provinces in 1973.

An Aerial view of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. Seen in the photo is the new provincial capitol of Maguindanao| Photo by Panoramio (Contributed by Datu Piang)

With a population of more than 41,000 and with 14 barangays as of the moment, it serves as the capital of the province of Maguindanao. Basically a third-class town at the foothills of the Tiduray Mountains, going here is quite hard from the major cities in Mindanao, especially from either Cotabato City (which is an hour away by bus or shuttle vans) or General Santos City (2 hours at least). This town has a simple “along the highway” settlement with startling contrasts in its center: The impressive new capitol of Maguindanao which straddles along a hill and the house of the ruling family of the area, the Ampatuans.

Like Buluan, there were several towns that were carved out from its area: Mamasapano, Datu Unsay, Shariff Sayadona Mustapha and Datu Hoffer Ampatuan.

Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao | Map Courtesy of Wikipedia

This particular settlement mostly caters on provincial governmental transactions. It is also somehow a food hub in that particular area in Maguindanao.

I remember passing by Shariff Aguak not so long ago and saw the magnificent edifices. The Ampatuan residence has a golden-dome mosque inside a well-guarded compound of their residence. They are the modern-day datus of the “Kingdom of Maguindanao.” The capitol on the other hand overlooks the town and the vast plains of Maguindanao. It incorporates Islamic architecture together with the traditional Mindanao motif.

On the other hand, surrounding these magnificent edifices are the residences of the commoners. Mostly made of nipa, wood or anything that nature and limited resources could offer. Somehow, it provided a contrasting backdrop of the society in which the people of the area are living in.

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Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, Philippines

In the afternoon on September 13, 2009, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Manila and the country’s premiere gateway, reported a radar malfunction that caused delays, cancellations and diversion of flights going in and out of Manila starting around 2:30PM local time.

As according to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), by around 4PM, the radar was fixed and now ready to serve air traffic again.

NAIA Terminal 3 Tarmac

Although fixed, it did prompt some domestic and international flights to be delayed, diverted or canceled. For more information about these, here are the contact numbers to contact with:

Philippine Airlines/PAL Express -+63 (2) 855-8888

Cebu Pacific Air -+63 (2) 702-0888

Zest Air -+63 (2) 855-3333

SeaAir – +63 (2) 849-0100

Manila International Airport Authority – (632) 877-1767/+63 (2) 877-1109

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EDSA-Pasay Rotunda

by Jeannette Andrade of Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—The top official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Sunday said that he would ban passenger jeepneys from plying Edsa with the completion of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 North Extension Project next year.

At the Balitaan sa Tinapayan forum in Manila, LTFRB chairman Alberto Suansing also said that he would reduce the number of passenger buses plying one of the busiest thoroughfares in the metropolis.

The north extension project, which is expected to be completed by January 2010, will connect LRT 1’s Monumento Station to the Metro Rail Transit 3 North Avenue Station.

Suansing explained that since the time of President Ferdinand Marcos, passenger jeepneys have been banned from plying Edsa.

He added that with the completion of the MRT loop all the way to Caloocan City, there would be no need for passenger jeepneys and a reduced demand for passenger buses.

A test-run of the LRT 1 north extension project was expected to be conducted this December, he said.

Meanwhile, a jeepney transport group on Sunday pushed for a 50-centavo hike due to the series of price increases implemented by oil companies.

Pasang Masda president Roberto Martin, who also attended the forum, said his group has already filed a petition with the LTFRB. He asked the public for understanding, citing the refusal of the “Big 3” oil firms—Pilipinas Shell, Chevron Philippines Inc., and Petron Corp.—to allow government agencies to examine their books of account.

Suansing, meanwhile, assured the transport group that he would hold a hearing next month to hear their petition.

News from Inquirer.net, written by Jeannette Andrade of Philippine Daily Inquirer

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MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Rail Transit or MRT-3 on EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue) is going on 24-hour operations starting June 1, a transportation official said.

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Source: Inquirer.net