ACLC College Gensan

TACURONG CITY, July 25 (PNA) - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has assured relatives of victims of the Maguindanao massacre that justice will be served under the Aquino government.

Speaking before relatives of the Nov. 23 Maguindanao massacre here on Saturday, de Lima reiterated President Aquino's marching orders that justice should be served in the worst politically motivated violence in the country.

Relatives, loved ones and supporters of the slain journalists and wife and relatives of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu gathered here to commemorate the eight month anniversary of the Maguindanao carnage.

De Lima also met with Mangudadatu whose wife, sisters and other relatives were among the 57 people killed in an isolated countryside in Ampatuan town, some 40 kilometers from here.

De Lima assured Mangudadatu that justice will be served.

Mangudadatu declined to visit the massacre site, claiming he could not bear the pain of seeing the place where his wife, along with other innocent people, were buried alive.

Speaking to massacre victims' relatives, De Lima said her office is strengthening the witness protection program and "any other" assistance it can give to the still grieving relatives.

She rallied the relatives to continue the battle cry "Never Again."

by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Koronadal City (DA-MRDP/PIA SarGen) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) has prepared a package of development investments to newly installed local chief executives (LCEs) in Mindanao.

In a series of orientation, DA is inviting investments for its flagship poverty alleviation program in southern Philippines dubbed as the second phase Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRPD) as an option for new local administrations for their the development plans.

"The program is a good option for newly installed LCEs as it is a holistic approach to development designed to open up economic opportunities for rural communities and capitalize on the rich natural resources on their respective localities," said program director Lealyn A. Ramos.

MRDP is long-term poverty alleviation program jointly fund by the National Government, the local government unit and a loan portfolio from World Bank. It has four major components, namely: Rural Infrastructure (RI), Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD), Natural Resources Management (NRM) and Investment for Governance Reform (IGR).

RI focuses on relevant and much needed infrastructures like irrigation, farm-to-market roads and post-harvest facilities seen to help farmers improve productivity and increase their incomes. CFAD focus on empowering peoples' organization to venture into agri-based enterprise. NRM is implementing environmental conservation projects and IGR on reinforcing the mandates of the Local Government Code.

The Program is conducting this week a series of orientation to new LCEs in the Provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato. And in other regions across Mindanao in the ensuing weeks.

Maitum, Sarangani (PIO Sarangani/PIA SarGen) -- Mayor Elsie Lucille Perrett yesterday warned illegal miners she would do all means under the law to protect the town's environmental welfare.

Perrett personally filed a criminal case Wednesday (July 21) at the provincial prosecutor's office against 20 men reportedly doing illegal mining in the mountain of Maitum at sitio Kaffugan for violation of Section 68 of PD 705 as amended by EO 277 for Cutting, Gathering, Collecting, Removing, Possessing timber and other forest products.

The mayor said she filed a "criminal action" against the suspects "for lack of registration as small-scale miners under Section 8, RA 7076", or the People's Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991.

"Don't ever come back to do any illegal mining in Maitum especially that one in New La Union, or else you will go to jail," Perrett said.

The reported mining area in Kaffugan is an ancestral domain of the Tboli tribe in barangay New La Union.

Barangay New La Union is the site of the town's famous white water tubing, the only eco-tourism adventure destination among locals and foreign tourists.

Barangay captain Digs Movilla disclosed that the mining site is the headwater of Pangi river which is the source of the white water tubing adventure.

In the morning of July 20, the municipal police and members of the 73rd infantry battalion of the Philippine Army trekked and conducted an ocular inspection in the area.