Philippine flag raised on Panguan Island (Abu Sayyaf 'island paradise')

The flag-raising ceremony took place on Saturday in Panguan Island in Tawi-Tawi.

The Philippine Marines has raised the Philippine flag in the country's southernmost island that used to be a hiding place for members of the Abu Sayyaf to signify that the island is in government control.

Panguan Island is located in Sibutu Channel, an international shipping lane, where the Abu Sayyaf  conduct its kidnapping activities.

"Dati, like this island yung Panguan, dinadanaan ito ng mga Abu Sayyaf. Dito sila nagtatago, dito sila nagpapahinga, dito sila kumakain. Dito sila naga-gas-up kumbaga," Parcon said.

one of the  female resident said that most of the island's residents now feel safer upon the arrival of the Phil Marines. "Mas kampante sila ngayon kaysa dati kasi mayroon ng pagpapatrolya," she said.

However, due to the location of Panguan Island this gave logistical problems in providing enough supply of food and potable water for the soldiers. The island also has no source of electricity.

Lt. Francis Ramirez, nonetheless, said the challenges in  being assigned to the island do not affect the performance of their mission as soldiers.

"Pag may namo-monitor kami na papalapit na o papasok na bangka nilalapitan namin gamit yung asset po dito na speedboat," Ramirez said.

Patrol ships from the Philippine Navy have started their constant surveillance missions to Sibutu Channel.

Furthermore,the United States government also helped the Armed Forces in building a ship monitoring center and radar system to better monitor vessels that enter the territory.

The US supported the construction of permanent barracks and monitoring facility at Turtle Islands to ensure the security at Celebes Sea.

The Phil Coast Guard also aims to build a lighthouse and radar station at Panguan Island, which is very close to Malaysia in the near future.

The local government hopes that the heightened security measures in Panguan Island and its nearby territories can help the small community in promoting its white sand beaches and clear waters to hopefully attract tourists in the near future.

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Duterte warns ‘oligarchs’ if they don’t pay the right taxes, wages in the next three months they will face consequences.

President Rodrigo Duterte on the celebration of labor day in Davao city  threatened to have the government reclaim its pieces of property now under the control of businesses that have been negligent in either paying taxes or in paying their employees the right salaries.

Duterte made the statement  for the next three months in a speech before workers at a Labor Day celebration in Davao City.

“So within the next three months, ako nang ignon ang mga tag-iya ug diri nagkupot sa yuta sa gobyerno na wa mo mubayad sa inyong buwis amounting to billions, unya gagunit mo sa yuta sa gobyerno na gipagkitaan ninyo nga walay klaro na unsa nganong naabot sa inyo: Ug dili ninyo i-uli ang yuta sa gobyerno, I will ask the Filipino people to occupy the lands that are in your hands,” Duterte said.

[So within the next three months, I will tell those holding government lands who failed to pay their taxes amounting to billions, those earning from government lands but not paying you (workers) well: If you do not give back the lands of the government, I will ask the Filipino people to occupy the lands that are in your hands.]

“Naa sa Makati, Pasay, pangita na mo ug gwapong puwesto diha. Yes, because I said adto tang tanan, pangita mo ug puwesto, pagbutang namo sa inyong balay because it is yours. It cannot be theirs for all time,” he added.

[Look for your own spots in Makati, Pasay. Yes, because I said we will all go there.Llook for a spot. Put up your own house because it is yours. It cannot be theirs for all time.]

“Start thinking and talking to the authorities,” Duterte said, addressing the wealthy, who he called oligarchs.

Duterte stated how pieces of government owned properties could be controlled by a few oligarchs in the country.

“May mga propedad sa gobyerno na gipanggunitan lang ug pipila ka pamilya sa Pilipinas. Kaning mga dato, miski kinsang presidente, ilang kumpare. And so they have been enjoying privileges na wa gyud gihatag sa katawhan nga ila man unta,” Duterte said.

[There are government properties held be a few families in the Philippines. The rich befriend whoever is the president. And so they have been enjoying privileges which were not to the people when it should be rightfully theirs.]

“Naay mga propedad diri sa Pilipinas nga hantud karon ginagunitan sa mga oligarchs, maoy tag-iya ug negosyo, maoy tag-iya ug business empire, maoy tig-guba sa atong yuta. Wala silay pakialam, and they have been abusing the Filipino people,” he added.

[There are properties in the Philippines that until not held by the oligarchs, who own businesses, who own business empires, who destroyed our lands. They don't care, and they have been abusing the Filipino people.]

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PDEA: Duterte administration seized P14.49B worth of illegal drugs as (April 1017)

Since President Rodrigo Duterte took office, the government's anti-illegal drugs campaign have seized in a total of P14.49 billion worth of illegal drugs, according to PDEA.

Director general Isidro Lapeña of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency presented the figures during the government-initiated forum "RealNumbersPH "   where government agencies showed the real numbers in the government's war against drugs.

He said the total seizure accounts for only 12 percent of the total supply of illegal drugs in the country, which is a P120 billion industry in the Philippines.

Lapeña also added that as of April 20 the government's drug campaign has resulted in the surrender of 1.266 million drug users, which translated to 26.45 percent decrease in the estimated total drug market.

Furthermore, he added that the surrender of 88,940 suspected drug pushers has disrupted the distribution channel of the drug syndicates.

He said that, in the ongoing campaign against illegal drugs 64,817 were arrested since July and 2,692 drug suspects have been killed.

Duterte has made the war on drugs the emphasis of his administration. But many local and international watchdogs have criticized the drug war, condeming its rising death casualties and saying that it has been abused by authorities.

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