3 SAYYAF MILITANTS YIELD IN SULU

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Three Abu Sayyaf bandits – Hajat Abbang, Kirah and Sansi Jawad – whose group has links with the Islamic State, have surrendered to the military in Sulu. Officials said the men also surrendered two rifles and a grenade launcher to the Marine Battalion Landing Team 1 under Colonel Arnel Tolato. The bandits were followers of Abu Sayyaf leader Alhabsy Misaya who was killed by the soldiers last year. Rear Admiral Rene Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said the surrenderers are being interrogated by the military. He provided no details of the interrogation, but urged other Abu Sayyaf members to surrender and promised them a new life.

FEDERALISM ADVOCACY GROUP LAUNCHES CARAVAN IN NORTHERN MINDANAO

ILIGAN CITY: An advocacy group affiliated with the President launched a caravan in Northern Mindanao to drum up support for federalism. Eddie Dangcal, regional chairman of Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte ( MRRD) National Executive Coordinating Committee ( NECC) in Region 10, said the caravan will travel from Cagayan de Oro to Dapitan City from March 6 to 10. On Tuesday, the advocacy group held a “Federal Summit” in Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte, hosted by MRRD- NECC provincial chairman Eleanor Dimaporo Lantud. About 18,000 MRRD- NECC members from 22 towns of Lanao del Norte attended the summit. Dangcal said, “Our purpose is to let people in Manila know that Mindanao needs to attain a federal government instead of opting for a revolutionary one,” said Dangcal. The group believes that Federalism is the best chance for the people to achieve a major political change.

10M CASH, JEWELRY LOST IN ILOILO ROBBERY

BACOLOD CITY: About P10 million wor th of assor ted jewelry and cash were stolen by at least four suspects from a jewelr y shop at a mall on Guanco Street, Iloilo City last Friday. A security guard said the burglar y at Aljun jewelr y store, owned by local businessman Langlin Hu, 32, was discovered after Gaisano ( Mall)– Guanco opened at about 8: 30 a. m. Initial police investigation showed that two of the suspects gained entr y to the store by cutting a por tion of the galvanized- iron roof, took the vault to the mall’s grocery section and divested its contents. A destroyed vault and an ax believed used by the robbers were found at the grocer y section. Aljun jewelr y store had two security cameras but these have been switched off. Police learned that the suspects checked in at Iloilo Corporate Inn behind the mall prior to the robbery. They paid for accommodation from February 18 to 25, the police said, citing hotel records.

110 SUSPECTS IN VARIOUS CRIMES NABBED IN NORTHERN MINDANAO

CAMP EVANGELISTA, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: Some 110 suspects facing various crimes were arrested in Northern Mindanao from February 23 to 25 under the police’s “one strike policy” drive. Superintendent Timoteo Pacleb, regional police director, said the “One Strike Policy” is a police operation conducted separately and simultaneously on various suspected gambling den in the region. Pacleb said the regional police command would immediately relieve any police officer who would “ignore and failed to act” on illegal gambling activities in their area of responsibility. A total of 85 operations were launched in three days and netted suspects involving illegal drugs, illegal gambling, wanted persons, as well as unlicensed firearms. He also commended the operatives for a job well done by implementing a wide-range pro-active approach of the campaign against all forms of criminality.

BAGUIO AMENDS CURFEW ORDINANCE

BAGUIO CITY: The curfew time for minors here was adjusted making the covered period shorter at seven hours which is between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. after the City Council approved Ordinance No. 23, amending Ordinance No. 50 series of 2009 that set it from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Entitled “An Ordinance Setting Curfew Hours for Minors to Roam or Play on Streets, Roads, Plazas, Parks or Other Public Places of Establishments in the City..,” it prohibits children below 16 years old from roaming or playing in public places or establishments between the prohibited hours. Under the amended ordinance authored by Councilor Elaine Sembrano, the curfew includes loitering around internet shops or cafes and amusement or game facilities within the prohibition period. The establishments are subject to penalties of fines ranging from P3,000 to P5,000 and closure of business upon violation. Adults allowing their children or wards to violate the curfew ordinance will also be penalized. The curfew measure aims to curb “acts of delinquency, teenage gang incidents and other infractions of the law committed during nocturnal hours.” Sembrano said the amendment was necessary to address the situation of many students who have classes until 8 p.m. and are being dismissed close to the curfew hour.

MANGO GROWERS URGED TO SANITIZE FARMS AGAINST CECID FLY

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan: The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist admitted it is helpless in containing the cecid fly, a pest that attacks many mango plantations in Pangasinan and other provinces. Provincial Agriculture Officer Dalisay Moya said they could only advise mango tree owners to sanitize their fields so they will not be susceptible to the cecid fly. Mario Garcia, president of Pangasinan Mango Growers Association, reported that 80 percent of mango trees have already been attacked by the pest and predicts that less ripe mango fruits to be sold in the market. Cecid flies cause black spots in the skin of mango fruit, ultimately causing it to rot and drop from the tree. Moya said bagging is the only means being resorted to by plantation owners to save mango fruits from the cecid fly. But Garcia observed that many of the bagged mango fruits nevertheless dropped to the ground. Moya also advised mango growers to prune the branches often and adopt fogging to help eliminate the flies.