Palawan News

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Province of Palawan - Archived News
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U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie A. Kenney and USAID/Philippines Environment Office Chief Daniel Moore witness the safe and sustainable collection of ornamental fish by certified Marine Aquarium Council collectors in Palawan

Contents

Report: 70 pawikan seized from vessel off Palawan

(LBG, GMA News)

At least 70 pawikan (giant sea turtles) were recovered from a motor launch off Balabac town in Palawan province, but the ship’s operator managed to elude arrest.

Operatives from the Philippine Navy and Philippine National Police acting on a tip boarded the ML Pagasa off Brgy. Bancalaan, radio dzBB’s Palawan affiliate James Viernes reported.

The report said at least 15 dead sea turtles were immediately seen by the operatives when they boarded the vessel.

Pawikan is considered an endangered species.

However, the Navy and police failed to make arrests as the operator may have been tipped off and fled before their arrival.

Authorities are verifying information that the operator was to deliver the pawikan to Chinese fishermen.

Puerto Princesa City gov’t holds regular sports clinic to find new competent players

(PNA), PDS/CARF/CAG/SSC

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, May 24 (PNA) -– To be able to produce new competent players in different kinds of sports, the City Sports Office (CSO) here regularly conducts regular sports clinic.

According to Noli Hitosis of the CSO, a sports clinic will be conducted again in July to be able to select new players that will represent Puerto Princesa in various sporting events locally and internationally.

This year’s sports clinic will concentrate on both public and private schools to regain the confidence and victory that the city gained in the past year.

He recalled that previously, the city delegation emerged victorious over other contenders in the Mindanao, Masbate, Romblon, Palawan-Regional Athletic Association (MIMAROPA-RAA) event, but for some reason, and maybe several factors, it went to Palawan delegation.

Although Hitosis has no problem about this, he is optimistic that if given serious attention, particularly by trainers, the city delegation can once again shine in the MIMAROPA-RAA.

“Basically, it does not only pertain to individual performance but also a team work,” he said.

Annually, the city government allocates P5 million for the city sports, and though this has not increased, he is positive that 2013 is going to be a brighter year for the city sports delegation.

“This year is a strong indication that in two years, the Puerto Princesa delegation will recapture the championship,” Hitosis confidently said.

Diskwento Caravan Balik Eskwela goes to the south

By Victoria Asuncion S. Mendoza (LBR/VSM/PIA4B-Palawan)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, May 23 (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)–Palawan will roll out its Diskwento Caravan starting May 27 and will last until the first week of June in the southern part of the province.

Diskwento Caravan provides cheaper school supplies like notebooks, pencils, pens, bags, writing pads, art materials, and uniforms to parents who otherwise will be burdened with high costs of commodities before the opening of school. Discounts may range from 10 to 50 percent.

The caravan will open from 8:00am to 5:00 pm in the following areas: May 27 - Brooke’s Point at the 168 Merchandising in Poblacion, Brooke’s Point; June 1 - Narra Covered Court in Poblacion, Narra; Rio Tuba covered court in Rio Tuba, Bataraza; June 1-2 at the 169 Merchandising in Marangas, Bataraza; June 2 at the public market site in Poblacion, Brooke’s Point.

“We wish to reach out to more consumers in the rural areas so that they too can enjoy the discounts as well as quality goods because there will many products and choices available,” said Rosenda Fortunado, DTI provincial director.

Simultaneous with the selling, the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will also give free haircut services to school children present during the conduct of Diskwento Caravan.

Diskwento Caravan is a flagship project of DTI since 2008 that aims to provide non-wage benefits for wage earners and employees to ease the consumers’ burden of rising prices of basic necessities and prime commodities.

DTI's partners for project are the local government units, TESDA), NCCC Supermarket and Department Store, Unitop Supermarket and Department Store, Abot Kaya commercial, and other leading establishments in the localities.

300 blue naped parrots, talking mynah fledglings confiscated in Palawan

(PNA), PDS/CARF/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, May 22 (PNA) -- Around 300 heads of blue naped parrot and talking mynah fledglings were confiscated by environment authorities in the southern Palawan municipality of Narra Tuesday from two suspects.

The arrested suspects, Ronald Mendiza and Rolando Montaño, claimed the fledglings are not theirs, and were only entrusted to them by an individual, whose name they did not mention.

The Wildlife Trafficking Unit (WTU) of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) said the two suspects were arrested and the fledglings confiscated following tip-offs from concerned residents in Barangay Borirao, Narra.

Mendiza said the birds were supposed to be transported to Manila this week to be sold in the illegal wildlife market, but they have not heard from their owner. They refused to say more to environment authorities.

The two will be facing charges for violation of Section 27 (f) of Republic Act (also known as the Wildlife Act) 9147 for collecting, hunting or possessing of wildlife.

The blue naped parrot (Tanygnathus lucionensis), locally known as “pikoy”, is being hunted in secondary forests and forest edges in Palawan. In illegal wildlife trading, they fetch as much as P4,000. They are also sold illegally on the internet.

According to the World Parrot Trust, the blue naped parrot only has a remaining population of 10,000 and is considered near-threatened.

30 Chinese vessels, 1 warship sighted in Palawan

By Ace Tamayo (Rappler.com)

MANILA, Philippines – Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Raul Hernandez confirmed on Tuesday, May 21, that around 30 Chinese fishing vessels, including 3 Chinese government ships, have been sighted for more than a week at Ayungin Shoal, part of the Kalayaan Island Group off Palawan.

Hernandez said the DFA has already filed a protest with the Chinese Embassy in Manila on May 10 over “the provocative and illegal presence” of the Chinese government ships, two China Marine Surveillance (CMS) ships and one warship, around the shoal.

“The Philippine calls on China to respect the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Philippines over its continental shelf including the waters around the [Ayungin] shoal,” Hernandez said.

The incident is the latest flare-up of tensions between the two countries over competing territorial claims to parts of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits.

In 2012, at least 10 Chinese ships were monitored by the Philippine Navy's flagship, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15), when it was deployed at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal for maritime patrol in the area.

‘Harassing vessels’

Hernandez reported that the Chinese fishing vessels have been “going around” the shoal for more than a week, which triggered the DFA to file a protest to respect sovereign rights over the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“China's interference with the sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea is a violation of international law particularly United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the United Nations charter and the DOC," Hernandez said.

On Friday, May 17, Kalayaan Island Group Mayor Joel Bito-onon disclosed that two foreign vessels he believed were owned by the Chinese harassed him early Wednesday morning, May 15.

Bito-onon recalled that while they were sailing near Ayungin, the two vessels followed them with strong searchlights, with one only 30 meters away from them.

Ayungin Shoal is located 105.77 nautical miles from Palawan and constitutes part of the Philippines’ 200 nautical miles continental shelf provided under UNCLOS.

“Ayungin Shoal is an integral part of our national territory,” Hernandez said.

Palawan NGOs ready to show proof coal power is destructive to environment, human health

(PNA), PDS/CARF/UTB

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, May 20 (PNA) -– Non-government organizations (NGOs)for the environment in Palawan are ready to show proof that coal power is dangerous and destructive to environment and human health anytime, anywhere, according to Elizabeth Maclang of the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI).

Maclang’s statement came in the wake of an alleged dare by the DMCI Power Corporation (DPC) that they should show substantial proof of actual cases instead of substantiations only found on the internet that may have also been posted by those who are opposed to coal power in other places.

In an interview, she challenged the DPC in return to open an email account or a Facebook account where they can upload proofs and evidences that coal power can have serious long-term effects to human health and the environment.

“Mag-open sila ng email account o di kaya ng FB account nila at doon namin i-u-upload ang mga ebidensya na sinasabi nila (They should open and email account or an FB account and we will upload the proofs they need),” she challenged the DPC in return.

The alleged DPC challenge came after conservation groups in Palawan launched and mounted online signature campaigns against the planned construction of a coal power plant in Barangay Panacan, Narra that is located near the Philippine Cockatoo sanctuary Rasa Island.

To date, the Katala Foundation, Inc. (KFI), the NGO that is behind the signature campaign against the DPC-proposed coal power, has already gathered over 65,000 signatures from the Philippines, including other countries.

Indira Widdman, one of the heads of KFI, said that with the number of signatures they have already gathered, they are hoping that the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) would listen and not accommodate the “dangeour project.”

Bullying by Sino ship alarms gov’t

By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - The government has expressed concern over last Wednesday’s incident in the disputed Spratly Islands wherein a Chinese warship chased the utility boat of the Kalayaan island town for almost one hour.

“Our national government is concerned on the latest incident,” re-elected Kalayaan Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon said after he reported to higher authorities the alleged bullying by a Chinese warship of their boat M/T Queen Seagull.

Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) have asked for a full and official report on the matter from the Palawan-based Western Command (Wescom).

M/T Queen Seagull, a 40-meter supply and utility boat of Kalayaan town, was ferrying 133 Kalayaan islanders and 14 crewmembers back to Palawan from Pag-Asa Island in the Spratly archipelago, following the conduct of the midterm elections.

Bito-onon said the Chinese warship started chasing the Queen Seagull when their boat was passing by Ayungin Reef at around midnight Wednesday.

He said on several occasions the Chinese vessel sailed toward the Queen Seagull, and came so close as if the warship was poised to ram the boat.

The Chinese warship, with its floodlights directed at the Queen Seagull, also maneuvered left and right in apparent attempts to get the Philippine boat to sail toward shallow waters and be grounded.

“I was just thankful that most of our passengers were asleep. It could have triggered a major incident (if the passengers would panic),” Bito-onon said.

He added that even the skipper of the Queen Seagull and his assistant, both seasoned sailors, panicked when the Chinese warship conducted a ship-side maneuver toward the left when the Queen Seagull was passing by a reef to the right.

Bito-onon said he could only surmise that the Chinese warship is an escort vessel of two larger Chinese ships now anchored within the general vicinity of Ayungin Reef.

“With her powerful floodlights trained on our boat, our skipper and our guards were blinded from seeing what type of Chinese warship that harassed us. But it was a harrowing experience,” Bito-onon said.

Located halfway between Pag-Asa Island and Palawan, Ayungin Reef is being guarded by Filipino troops on board a grounded Philippine Navy cargo ship, BRP Sierra Madre.

Alvarez humbles Mitra in Palawan

By Redempto Anda (Inquirer Southern Luzon)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – Jose C. Alvarez’s proclamation as the next governor of Palawan snuffed incumbent Abraham Kahlil Mitra’s (LP) bid for a second term and underscored an almost total wipeout of the ruling party’s local bets in the province.

Even with votes from three more towns still to be received by the central computer at the Capitol’s session hall, but with Mitra lagging behind Alvarez by nearly 70,000 votes, the provincial election body ruled to proclaim Alvarez last Wednesday.

A businessman and former logging concessionaire in the province, Alvarez headed a local party allied with the Nationalist People’s Coalition to sweep nearly all major provincial posts, including majority of the Provincial Board seats.

“I’m simply glad it is all over and we can hit the road running,” lawyer Victorino Socrates, Alvarez’s running mate who trounced LP bet and board member Rolando Bonoan for the vice governorship, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Lawyer Nesario Awat, an election lawyer for some LP candidates who was observing the provincial canvassing, described the defeat of the LP lineup in Palawan “an unexpected total annihilation.”

Alvarez’s local party, the Partido Pagbabago ng Palawan (PPP), also won the majority of seats on the Provincial Board and the mayoralty of most large municipalities. The PPP also swept the three congressional seats in the province, with the victories of Eric Abueg (2nd district), Franz Joseph Alvarez (1st district) and Douglas Hagedorn (3rd district).

“I was expecting that the turnout would be close, at least for the governorship, considering that Mitra was an incumbent and Alvarez already lost to him in 2010. This was quite surprising,” Awat told the Inquirer.

Mitra was a no-show in the provincial canvassing and did not concede defeat, prompting the Comelec to wait two days to establish an irreversible margin in favor of Alvarez before ruling to proclaim Alvarez.

Mitra, son of the late former Speaker Ramon V. Mitra, won over Alvarez in the 2010 elections but was since hounded by allegations of corruption related to the misuse of Malampaya royalty funds in Palawan.

In Puerto Princesa City, Ellen Hagedorn (NPC), the wife of incumbent city mayor and senatorial candidate Edward S. Hagedorn (IND), failed in her bid to take on the torch held by the popular clan for the past two decades, bowing to current vice mayor Lucilo Bayron in the mayoral race.

2 vessels harass Palawan mayor, 200 others at sea

By Redempto Anda (Inquirer Southern Luzon)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines – The mayor of Kalayaan town in Palawan, along with around 200 people, were harassed by two unidentified vessels while they were traveling by sea before midnight Thursday, the local official said.

Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon of Kalayaan, which governs Pag-asa and four other islets in the Spratlys claimed by the Philippines, said they left Pag-asa Island on Wednesday, after casting their votes Monday.

He said they were on their way to Puerto Princesa, about 280 nautical miles away, on board a municipal boat and passing by the Ayungin Shoal when the two vessels approached them.

Ayungin Shoal is about 100 nautical miles from Pag-asa and near Mischief Reef, which is occupied by China.

The vessels looked like big military naval vessels, said Bito-onon, who just arrived here Friday afternoon.

He said it came as close as 30 meters and followed them for about an hour, with a strong spotlight, then left.

Last week, the Philippines called on China to back off the country’s established maritime borders in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), saying any foray into its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) would be a violation of international law.

The Department of Foreign Affairs issued the statement amid reports that China has deployed a large fleet of fishing vessels in the Kalayaan group of islands in the disputed Spratlys archipelago.

2 foreign ships 'harass' Filipino vessel near Ayungin reef but incident 'normal,' mayor says

By Abigail C. Kwok in Manila, Elmer Badilla in Puerto Princesa (InterAksyon.com)

A re-elected mayor of an island being claimed by both the Philippines and China was tailed and harassed by two unidentified patrol vessels while on the way back to mainland Palawan.

While onboard the vessel MV Queen Seagull, Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon Jr. of the Municipality of Kalayaan said they were passing through the Ayungin Shoal on their way to Balabac town when a “navy ship” tailed them and trained a search light on them.

“Yung isa 30-40 meters away from us. Yung isa medyo malayo na. Ayun pinailawan kami ng napakalakas na search light kumbaga mula ulo hanggang paa. Akala ata may mga dala kaming armas,” Bitoonon told Interaksyon.

(The first one was 30 to 40 meters away from us. The other was located at a distance. The first trained a powerful search light on us, as if we were being examined from head to foot. They thought that we carried arms.)

The Mayor also said that they were tailed for about an hour until they have reached some distance from the shoal.

But Bito-onon, who was onboard the vessel at the time of the incident, said this was "normal" for him and residents of Kalayaan Island and was unfazed by the incident.

Bito-onon said he was travelling with 146 others en route to Balabac Island from Kalayaan Island after being re-elected as mayor past midnight of May 15 when they were tailed by a foreign vessel.

The incident occurred near Ayungin Reef, some 176 nautical miles from mainland Palawan.

"Tulog ako eh, naikwento lang ng mga kasama ko. Hinabol daw kami for about an hour until we passed by Ayungin where a big unidentified boat is anchored. At close range wala silang nakitang numero kasi ang lakas ng spotlight nila...wala naman silang ginawa sa amin except sinundan lang kami," Bito-onon said.

(I was asleep at that time and it was just narrated to me by my companions. We were supposedly chased for an hour until we passed by Ayungin. My companions were unable to see any number or markings that would identify the ship because its spotlight was so bright and powerful. But they didn't do us any harm. Except that they just tailed us.)

He said another unidentified ship was anchored off Ayungin and trained its searchlight on them when their vessel passed by.

The ship that was tailing them was unable to catch up with their vessel but followed them for an hour, Bito-onon said.

Most of the Filipino ship's crew was asleep at the time and his narration was based on accounts of his crew who were awake at the time, he said.

Asked if the ship them could have been from the Philippine Navy, Bito-onon said: "Walang ganung kabilis na barko natin. Barko ng China tumatakbo ng 40 knots mahigit eh, seven times faster ng lantsa namin, tumatakbo kami ng seven knots."

(There are no Philippine ships that travel as fast as that. Chinese vessels run as much as 40 knots an hour, seven times faster than our boat which only runs seven knots an hour.)

But the mayor dismissed the incident as a normal occurrence.

"Sanay na kami diyan. Hindi naman kami sinasaktan, wala naman silang ginagawa sa amin so kumbaga posture-posture lang, puro pagbibida lang," Bito-onon said.

(We're used to that. After all, they're not hurting us--they're just showing off.)

He further revealed that a foreign ship often passed near Kalayaan Island, probably from the Chinese coast guard.

Bito-onon also confirmed that there is a “big naval ship” anchored on Ayungin shoal as earlier reported by InterAksyon.com but denied by Western Command.

Ellaine Martir, election officer of Kalayaan separately told InterAksyon.com that they also spotted a “fishing fleet” in the area on their way to conduct elections in the island while aboard a nomad aircraft of the Philippine Air Force.

DVD of award-winning Palawan film 'Busong' released in US

(GMA News)

The film, “Busong (Palawan Fate),” had its U.S. and international DVD release on May 1st. The DVD will be available from the official website busongpalawanfate.com.

Set on the island of Palawan in the Philippines, the film maps the quest of a brother and sister. Punay, born with wounds on her feet so severe, cannot step on the earth. Her brother Angkadang, carries her as they search the changing landscapes of Palawan for a healer.

Different people help: a woman searching for her husband, a fisherman who has lost his boat, and a young man on a journey to find himself. Each one finds his/her ‘busong.’

Inspired by his mother’s stories, the legends and myths of Palawan, director Auraeus Solito explains that “busong” is the indigenous Palawanon concept of fate or instant karma. “What you do to nature, you do to yourself.”

“Busong” marks the first Palawanon film directed by Solito, one of the Philippines’ leading independent filmmakers. His first feature film “The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros” won numerous awards, was the first Filipino film screened at Sundance, and nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.

Solito comes from a lineage of Shaman-Kings from the Palawan tribe and is one of the first born outside his tribal land. He is also known as Kanakan-Balintagos, a tribal spirit name meaning “Hunter of Truths.”

“Busong” has garnered international accolades. It premiered as an official selection at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival’s Quinzaine des Réalisateurs (Directors’ Fortnight).

It won awards for best direction, best sound, and best original music score at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in July of 2011. It also earned the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at the Eurasia International Film Festival in September 2011, the Emile Cantillon Tomorrow’s Cinema Award at the Brussels International Festival of Independent Films in October 2011, the Merata Mita “Best of Stories” Award at National Geographic’s All Roads Film Festival in September 2012, and two awards, the Special Award for Artistic Achievement and the Terroir of Cinema Award, at the Santa Rosa International Film Festival also in September 2012.

“Busong” has been screened in over 25 international film festivals in Europe, the U.S., Canada, Asia, South America and the Pacific. Fittingly, the final festival screening will be at the Wairoa Maori Film Festival in New Zealand this May 30-June 3, 2013, as a tribute to the pioneering Maori filmmaker, the late Ms. Merata Mita.

“Busong” stars Alessandra de Rossi, Clifford Banagale, Bonivie Budao and Dax Alejandro.

For more information, please visit busongpalawanfate.com, or contact Jong de Castro via Facebook. - The FilAm

Palawan COMELEC proclaims Hagedorn congressman of new 3rd congressional district

By Celeste Anna R. Formoso [(PNA), HBC/CARF/SSC]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, May 15 (PNA) –- Transmission of election results to the Palawan COMELEC Board of Canvassers at the session hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan remains sluggish.

But on Wednesday morning it already proclaimed Douglas Hagedorn, the eldest brother of senatorial candidate Edward Hagedorn, as the new and the first congressman of the 3rd Palawan Congressional District covering this city and the town of Aborlan.

Douglas, who ran under the Nationalist People’s Coalition and the eldest brother of senatorial candidate Edward, bested five other candidates by a wide margin, two of them retired ranking police officers.

As of 12:49, May 15, Douglas’ lead was no longer doubtful at 34,957 against close rivals former policeman and incumbent councilor Jimmy Carbonell, who only gained 18,005 votes, and former ranking police colonel Eduardo Matillano, who only received 9,535 votes.

Three other independent candidates received scanty votes: Lakay Lagasca-3,834; Arcelie Altamera-190 and Sonny Lazo-141 votes.

Of the four Hagedorns who ran in various key positions – Mayor Edward for senator; his wife Ellen Hagedorn for Puerto Princesa mayor and Douglas’ son Mark Hagedorn for vice mayor – only Douglas won in the elections.

With “Tiger” as non de plume, Douglas is known for being strict in terms of implementing policies when he was an ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod for being president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen in Puerto Princesa as former barangay chairman of San Miguel, which is most populated.

In his Facebook account, he is described as a “determined leader and a clever political strategist. Devoid of a degree in law, this did not limit him from understanding and applying the basics of the law and how it can serve the interest of the people. He is respected as a man of wisdom and action. His co-legislators often regard him as a lawyer due to his proficiency in policy and legal matters.”

Douglas told the Philippines News Agency briefly that he considers his win as “fate,” and he shall do his best to make the destiny the chance to improve Puerto Princesa and the municipality of Aborlan.

Alvarez leads Mitra in Palawan's gubernatorial race

(Celeste A Formoso/Lily O Ramos/Media Ng Bayan)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, May 14 (PNA) -– The Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBC) waiting at the session hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in this city has not yet received any official transmittal of election returns (ERs) from municipal precincts in Palawan.

Palawan Comelec chief Atty. Orlando Ba-alan said they are just waiting for the arrival of the results, but he did not say what is causing the delay.

“Ganito talaga ang sitwasyon every election sa level natin. Talagang maghihintay tayo ng padalang resulta. Usually, ganito po talaga (The situation is really like this in our level. We really need to wait for the transmission of results. Usually, it is like this),” Ba-alan said.

Despite the absence of unofficial partial results from the Palawan PBC, those from the Comelec National Office say businessman and philanthropist Jose Chaves Alvarez is leading in the gubernatorial race in the partial unofficial election results canvassing against rival incumbent Palawan Governor Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra.

As of 7:47 a.m. Tuesday, partial unofficial results released by the Commission on Elections in the website disclosed Alvarez, who ran under the Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition (NPC)/Partidong Pagbabago ng Palawan (PPP) has already logged a total of 85,491 votes which represent 62.76 percent of the election returns (ERs).

Mitra, who ran under the Liberal Party (LP), on the other hand, has recorded a total of 50,190 votes that represent 36.85 percent of the ERs. Another candidate, Richard Lopez, who ran independently, received 538 votes or 0.39 percent of the election returns.

In the Rappler website, supposedly the only news website that has an electronically sourced result from the Comelec’s Transparency Server via a mirror server, partial unofficial result as of May 14, 9:25 a.m., Alvarez has already gained 102,026 votes, while Mitra has 60,261 and Lopez 637 votes.

Ba-alan said canvassing on Tuesday will begin for local announcements as soon as transmissions have already been made.

Meanwhile, Ba-alan said elections in Palawan was “generally peaceful” despite the heated situation in the municipality of Bataraza following a shooting incident between the supporters of two rival mayoralty candidates.

As head of Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Election) in Palawan, he said the Bataraza incident was the only one reported in terms of election violence.

More Marines deployed in Palawan town as tensions grips area

By Redempto D. Anda (Inquirer Southern Luzon)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – The Western Command has deployed an additional contingent of Marines in the town of Bataraza following a still-unresolved shooting incident Friday, as tension continued to grip the Muslim-dominated town near the southern tip of Palawan. Provincial Commission on Elections (Comelec) Supervisor Orlando Ba-alan said additional forces from the 3rd Marine Brigade and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were deployed in Bataraza to quell potential violence between two warring camps for the town’s mayoralty post.

“So far, we have relative control of the situation. So far everything is going well,” Ba-alan said.

Reports from several residents in the municipality indicated a slow turnout of voters in the area.

In Igang-igang, the village where two people were killed in a shooting incident Friday night occurred, some 100 Palaw-an natives who fled their village following the shooting have reportedly returned, he said. In other parts of the province, reports received by the Comelec indicated a breakdown of PCOS machines in at least three places in the province, including the capital of Puerto Princesa City where the machines stopped reading the ballots after just over 50 votes were fed into ithem.

Ba-alan said they have prepared contingency measures to address PCOS malfunction issues, including capability to perform manual counting.

Teenage girl killed in gun battle between Palawan bets

By Lynette dela Cruz (ABS-CBN News Palawan, ABS-CBNnews.com)

MANILA, Philippines -- A 16-year-old girl was killed after the camps of two mayoral candidates in Bataraza, Palawan allegedly exchanged gunfire Saturday evening.

Police said several armed men, suspected to be supporters of mayoral bet Mulsinin Abdurajik, strafed the house of a certain Saburi Basariang where supporters of mayoral bet Katrina Ibba were staying.

The firing of shots, which occurred at around 11:45 p.m., then resulted in a gunfight after the camp of Ibba returned fire.

Sixteen-year-old Myra Basari was killed in the incident. She was reportedly sleeping inside Basariang's house when the firefight ensued.

Five people from Ibba's camp were also injured. They were rushed to the Leoncio Hospital in Brooke's Point for treatment.

At least one suspect was also reported injured and was brought to the Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital.

Police said nine of the suspects were arrested and are now under their custody.

Authorities said hours before the incident, a supporter of Abdurajik identified as Alrasid Badidina was also killed.

Police said it is possible that Abdurajik was seeking revenge for the death of Badidina.

Abdurajik has denied any involvement in the incident while Ibba has yet to issue a statement.

Investigations are still ongoing.

2 dead, 6 hurt in Palawan town shootout

By Redempto D. Anda (Inquirer Southern Luzon)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY–Two person were killed, including a local municipal official, and at least six were reported wounded in a shootout late Friday night between supporters of two mayoral candidates in the southern municipality of Bataraza.

The Philippine National Police provincial command also said an undetermined number of armed supporters of the opposing candidates have been held in custody.

The fatalities were identified as Alrazid Balidin, the secretary of the Bataraza municipal council, and Myra Ossop Bazari, 16, and daughter of a local village councilor.

PNP provincial spokesperson Inspector Pearl Lamban Marzo said the shooting happened at 11:45 p.m. in the village of Igang-Igang, Bataraza between supporters of mayoral candidates Katrina Ibba and Mulzinin Abdurajik.

Both camps had accused each other of initiating the shooting, in separate local radio interviews.

Marzo said the PNP has recovered spent high caliber firearms shells in the area of the shooting.

“We are still completing our investigation and we will determine whether to recommend that Bataraza be placed under Comelec control,” Marzo said.


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