Bukid Apo: "Prof. Dinampo wouldn't leave Ces and crew behind"

Monday, June 16, 2008

"Prof. Dinampo wouldn't leave Ces and crew behind" - MPC

Romy B. Elusfa/MindaNews

Thursday, 12 June 2008 09:59

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/12 June) -- "He is a very religious person. Knowing him, even if he will be freed or given a chance to escape, he will not leave Ces (Drilon). He is the kind of host who will fetch his visitors at the pier and will always be there with them while in Sulu."

This was the statement of Atty. Mary Ann Arnado, secretary-general of the Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC), in describing their chair, Prof. Octavio Dinampo who was abducted in Kulasi, Maimbung, Sulu on Sunday with ABS-CBN senior reporter Ces Drilon and two crew members.

Arnado issued the statement in reaction to published reports saying Dinampo had been freed by his abductors while Drilon and her crew remain in the hands of their captors, whom the police said is a splintered group of the Abu Sayyaf.

Dinampo, president of the Faculty Association of the Mindanao State University in Jolo and Arnado's teacher at the MSU in Marawi City, "has deeply internalized his peace advocacy that he believes there should also be efforts to reach the Abu Sayyaf group to convince them to consider peaceful settlement of whatever disputes they have against the government."

Atif Hameed, head of the Non-violent Peace Force in the Philippines said they were "deeply saddened after hearing the news of the abduction of Prof. Octavio Dinampo, along with ABS-CBN journalist and two crew members."

"We did not believe the abduction news at first because Prof. Octa is the one whose Presence and Being in Sulu also extends a deep sense of security to us as well," Hameed said.

"At this critical moment, please rest assured that NP is with all of you and we categorically condemn the abduction of Prof. Octa and ABS CBN staff,” he told the MPC.

"We have already spoken to the Marine commander of Task Force Comet in Jolo and informed him of our working relationship and trust in Octa as a peace maker," Hameed said.

Rexall Kaalim, coordinator of the Bantay Ceasefire, recalls that during their trainings and seminars in Jolo, "Prof. Octa would always make sure that you are not only safe as his guest but always have food to eat."

"We told him not to bring us food anymore at night considering that his residence is almost an hour’s ride from the town center of Jolo. But he and his wife would always be there with seafoods and kaday-kaday (food specialties of the Tausog)," Kaalim said.

The MPC has a project supported by the Local Government Support Program in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao whose implementation Dinampo heads.

Kaalim said the program includes "conflict mapping intended to identify the actors and causes of conflict in Jolo in preparation for an intervention that we plan to implement in the province."

"Under the leadership of Prof. Octa, we have been trying to identify the causes of conflict in the area with the intention of engaging local government units in active peace advocacy campaign," the Bantay Ceasefire coordinator said as he stressed that the respect Dinampo has among the Tausogs of Jolo has "helped us reached the interior communities" in the area.

The MPC and the wife of the professor have issued a statement refuting reports that the professor had been freed with a "mandate" to negotiate for the release of fellow kidnap victims Drilon and her crew.

The statement singed by Arnado and Hainatul Octavio, wife of Dinampo, said they were informing the public that the professor "has not returned home yet” and that they “categorically deny media reports that he has already been released and on that matter release alone leaving behind Ms. Ces Drilon and her two camera crew still in captive."

"We find this report very disturbing and could only complicate an already confusing situation," the statement emphasized.

Hainatul Octavio and the MPC appealed to law enforcer to "avoid victim-blaming. Obviously, this will not expedite the release of the kidnap victims. Let us treat them with compassion and the respect that they rightly deserve."

The statement was in reaction to published reports saying Dinampo could be "part of the kidnappers" and that Drilon did not allegedly have the permission of ABS-CBN to travel to Jolo.

Salem Debuna, chair of the Learned Kagan Foundation in Davao del Norte, also reacted harshly against the news that alluded Dinampo could be part of the kidnappers. "Sobra naman yan. Prof. Octa has a proven track record in peace advocacy. Even the international community and the donor agencies could vouch for that."

Dinampo's Tulong Lupah Sug has been implementing foreign-supported project designed to gather ulama (religious leaders) together so they could put their acts together in resolving rido or clan feuds. (Romy B. Elusfa/MindaNews)

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News Archieve

From The Times November 28, 2009 Philippines massacre: women thought they were safe. They were wrong Romy Elusfa in Ampatuan and Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia Editor He knew that powerful and ruthless people wanted him dead and that he was risking everything by standing for election — but to one practical challenge at least, Ismael Mangudadatu thought he had a solution. If he went in person to register as a candidate he would be inviting an attack by his enemies — the Ampatuan clan who have a near-monopoly on elected posts in the region. Instead, after consultation with his family and advisers, Mr Mangudadatu decided to send his wife and two sisters. The local police refused to provide an escort and the Philippines Army declined a request for protection. But how much harm could befall a group of women? For good measure, the two family lawyers who were women and Mr Mangudadatu’s aunt — who was pregnant, like one of his sisters — went along for the ride with other supporters and relatives. As a further safeguard, 27 journalists were invited. “Under our tradition, Muslim women are respected,” Mr Mangudadatu said. “They should not be harmed, just like innocent children and the elders. They will not harm us if journalists are watching.” Related Links Philippines leader 'shot massacre victims' Philippines massacre suspect arrested At 9.30am on Monday six minibuses began the drive from the town of Buluan to the provincial capital of Shariff Aguak. “This is women power in action,” Eden, Mr Mangudadatu’s sister, was heard to say. “Let’s help our men chart a better future for the province.” Within hours, she and her companions were dead. They had been bound, macheted, shot and buried in a mass grave. It is believed that some were raped. Political killings have been a part of life for centuries in the Philippines, and the southern island of Mindanao is the most violent of all. The attack, in which 57 people were killed, has raised questions about the relationship between the gangster clans such as the Ampatuan family and the highest levels of the Philippines metropolitan elite. Yesterday Andal Ampatuan Jr, the son of one of the most powerful men in Mindanao, was charged with seven counts of murder. “He was the one who gave the instructions,” Agnes Devanadera, the Justice Minister, said. “He was among those ... who killed the victims.” Until they were expelled this week, Mr Ampatuan and his father were important members of the ruling party of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the President. Her Government has also moved against members of its security forces suspected of being complicit in the violence. According to the national police chief, Jesus Verzosa, six senior officers, including the provincial chief and his deputy, twenty officers of the Ampatuan police station and about four hunded members of a militia loyal to the Ampatuan family are in custody. Many Filipinos remain sceptical about the prospects for improvement. “He [Ampatuan Jr] can be a sacrificial mouse to spare the leopards behind the crime,” one Maguindanao man told The Times. “The most powerful people among the Ampatuans are still in government.” Three journalists survived the attack because they stopped at their hotel when the convoy was setting out. “The lady at the front desk told us that a motorcycle-riding man armed with a pistol came to ask for the names of journalists who checked in at the hotel,” said Aquiles Zonio, of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. They tried calling colleagues, but the hold-up had already taken place. The convoy was stopped about an hour into its journey, near the town that bears the Ampatuan family name. Some victims were able to send texts reporting that they had been stopped by about a hundred armed men. Police Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu said: “Twenty-four corpses were all killed by a firing squad. They were buried in six layers. Every layer is covered with earth, making it more difficult for the retrieval operations. I have asked myself why one of them has no underwear.” Ms Devanadera said: “Even the private parts of the women were shot at. It was done practically to all the women. All the women had their zippers undone. The pants of some were pulled down. We have yet to determine whether they were raped.” According to Mr Khu, the gunmen intercepted two vehicles with six people who happened to be travelling on the same road at the same time, and killed them too. “Some sustained multiple gunshot wounds — as many as eight,” said Benito Molina, a forensic examiner at the scene. “To judge from the blood, some of the corpses may have been buried while still alive.” Cooking pots belonging to the killers were found at the scene and they had taken with them a mechanical digger bearing the name of the local government. Its engine was still running when soldiers arrived. The brutality appears to have backfired on the Ampatuan clan: the intensity of public anger will ensure that no politician in Manila will court their friendship publicly in the election in May. It is little compensation for the loss of his family, but Mr Mangudadatu’s election prospects have been strengthened. “Only death can stop me from running,” he said yesterday when he filed his candidature for the regional governorship of Maguindanao, which is held by the brother of Mr Ampatuan Jr. “This symbolises our freedom. I hope this will be the start of our liberation.” The scale of the massacre may be unique, but its story — of violence, clans and corruption — is repeated across the Philippines. Father Eduardo Vasquez, a priest in Shariff Aguak, said: “If powerful and equally armed families like the Mangudadatus were killed in such a barbaric manner, how much more for the ordinary civilians who have already been traumatised by the war?” Clan power Andal Ampatuan Sr has four wives and thirty children. He has a private army of several hundred, permitted under a presidential executive order His extended family dominates the region’s politics. One son, Zaldy, is governor of the Muslim Mindanao The provincial capital Maganoy was renamed Shariff Aguak after Mr Ampatuan’s late father One of his sons and a nephew are its mayor and vice-mayor

Bukid Apo

Monday, June 16, 2008

"Prof. Dinampo wouldn't leave Ces and crew behind" - MPC

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