One day in Koronadal

The building gleamed in the hot sun - a proud testament to the innovative spirit of the officers of the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA). It is a “baby” of SPDA administrator Sultan Jerry Tomawis, SPDA Chairman Saeed A. Daof said in his welcome remarks at the inauguration of the two-story edifice standing along a busy highway in Koronadal City. It makes up Phase One of a commercial complex that is intended to provide employment for the jobless, serve as an outlet for entrepreneurs, and offer space for small conventions and rooms for recreation and rest for families. This first building was inaugurated Thursday, with President Arroyo doing the ribbon -cutting.

Government dignitaries accompanied the President - Secretaries Ronnie Puno, Peter Favila, Jess Dureza, Cerge Remonde, Social Welfare assistant secretary Capadocia, special affairs adviser Lupita Kashiwahara. Local officials lending their presence were South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Fuentes, Koronadal Mayor Frank Miguel and retired colonel Celestino Desamito Jr. Guests included Hadj Fatma Tomawis, the administrator’s wife, and Congressman Achmad Tomawis. An MNLF Muslim woman leader and SPDA Board Member Hadja Bainon Caron was also in attendance.

On the same stage where a mini program was held, Chairman Daof said that what was being inaugurated was more than a building, as it showed “the fruits of (the) collective toils” of the new SPDA leaders, and their unity in working as a team in initiating a wide range of development projects with laudable objectives and impact towards the attainment of a lasting peace and sustained economic progress in the region.

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At the program, the President handed out certificates of turn-over of 158 lots to Roberto Alibangbang, president of the Catitipan Homeowners Association of Camp Catitipan in Panacen, Davao City. SPDA opened a community management program to enable informal settlers to pay for loans and live a life of self-respect and pride.

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The President and her entourage dropped in on the wakes of journalists slain in the Maguindanao massacre. All 30 of the journalists were Christians who had accompanied on Nov. 23, Genalyn Mangudadatu, wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu to the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak to file the vice mayor’s certificate of candidacy for governor. As they reached Barangay Datu Salmon, a municipality of Ampatuan, Maguindanao, 57 of them including the 30 journalists, were gunned down and mutilated by armed men believed to be led by Datu Unsay Mayor Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr., who is now behind bars at the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila and is being charged with several counts of murder.

President Arroyo wore a black shirt and pants as she condoled with the relatives of the slain journalists. First stop was at the Collado Funeral Parlor in General Santos (GenSan)) where lay the remains of Matrife Montano (Saksi Mindanaoan News), Marites Cablitas (News Focus), Russell Morales (News Focus), Francisco Subang (SOCSKSARGEN Today), Gina dela Cruz (Saksi Mindanaoan News) and Leah Dalmacio (SOCSKSARGEN Today).

Next stop was at the UNTV Broadcast Center on Atis street in GenSan — where four broadcast journalists and staff lay - Daniel Tiamzon, Jolito Evardo, Victor Nunez and MacDelbert Arriola.

After lunch at the SPDA Koronadal Business Center, the party motored to four residences in Koronadal City - those of Hannibal Cachuela of Pronterra News, Joel Parcon of Pronterra News, Bienvenido Legarta of Rapido News, and Ernesto Maravilla of Bombo Radyo Marbel.

Neighbors of the journalists surrounded the party, and many stretched their hands to touch President Arroyo; the mood was festive, but not so inside the small, low-cost homes of the journalists. Not so for the President, who wore a black shirt and pants. “There’s grief here,” Lupita told me. “The President is actually grieving. That’s because she and the journalists had a lively party in Koronadal last Christmas.”

“To my knowledge Mrs. Arroyo is the first president to have ever visited slain journalists in their homes,” said Press Secretary Cerge Remonde. He himself wore black, and looked sad. “Those are journalists,” he said. “Journalists who write the truth.”

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Jess Dureza gave me a copy of his recollection of the first four critical days of the Maguindanao massacre. Jess, who was appointed by President Arroyo as “crisis manager” the evening of November 23, had successfully handled past crisis situations, among them the “detention” by MNLF Saber Malik of Marine Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino and OPAPP Usec Ramon Santos in Sulu in 2007; the handover of Nur Misuari from Malaysian authorities to face rebellion charges in 2002, and the surrender of convicted priest-killer escapee Manero in 2001.

Jess’s mission in the Maguindanao massacre was to negotiate the surrender and airlifting of Datu Unsay Mayor Datu Andal Ampatuan to the NBI headquarters in Manila. His report told of the tension of convincing the Ampatuans to turn over Mayor Andal to him. Armed forces inside the Ampatuan compound could gun him down.

On November 26, Jess and Mayor Andal boarded one of two Hueys en route to Gensan where Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera and her crew were waiting for an inquest proceeding. A few minutes after their Huey was airborne, and while still climbing and gaining altitude, Jess “noticed some flapping sound inside. I thought, maybe some loose parts of the chopper. The noise kept coming, intermittently. I looked down and maybe I saw flashes but I was not sure. Suddenly the Huey banked sharply to the right and simultaneously, there were several short bursts from our two Huey gunners at the back. The evasive maneuver by the pilot also jarred us. All of us kept our heads low as the Huey steeply climbed. My staff Jerry and Col Mac who was seated beside the open Huey doors docked. The soldier at the back shouted, ‘Ground fire, Sir.’ We still climbed. The flapping sound could not be heard anymore. The gunners later told me ground fire sounded like flapping from the air. The evasive action and the machinegun bursts were SOPPING. At 2,000 feet altitude, we cruised. That’s when I saw on the Huey floor an empty shell from the bursts of the M-60 machinegun on board. I picked up the empty shell, and then pocketed it for good luck.”

At the Gensan airport, Jess called the Boss: “Mission accomplished, Mrs. President.”

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