ZAMBOANGA CITY – Suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits and rogue members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) exploded three bombs in Sulu province on Monday, damaging a newly repaired bridge, the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) reported here Tuesday.

WesMinCom chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mohammad Dolorfino said the first bomb exploded at 1:45 a.m. followed by another explosion at 1:55 a.m. Monday at the garbage dump of Liang Elementary School in Patikul town. The third bomb exploded shortly after 10 a.m. destroying the newly repaired Salam Bridge (Peace Bridge) in Indanan town.

The military accused members of the MNLF led by Tahil Sali, whose group is being pursued by government troops for criminal offenses. Brig. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, chief of the Joint Task Force Comet (JTFC), said the Salam Bridge is located near the MNLF camp in Barangay Bato-Bato, Indanan town. Guerrero said they are still assessing the extent of damage caused by the explosion that left a crater on the bridge’s approach.

“They (MNLF) are trying to disrupt the ongoing United States and Armed Forces of the Philippines projects in Indanan by sabotaging the bridge,” he said.

“It seems that Khaid Ajibon, the group’s over-all leader, cannot control his men despite the appeals of civil society organizations and the community,” he added. (Nonoy Lacson)

Army gift-giving benefits Aetas

DAVAO CITY (PNA) – Members of the Task Force Davao (TFD) and the 69th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army here joined efforts to distribute food and clothing to hundreds of indigenous peoples (IPs) from Paquibato District on Sunday in line with the Pinaskuhan sa Lumad 2009 program of the local government.

Maj. Medel Aguilar, spokesperson of the TFD, said a total of 445 aeta families benefited from the gift-giving activity with 200 families coming the villages of Mapula and Malabog and 245 other families from the villages Paradise Embac, Paquibato and Salapawan, all in Paquibato District.

Aguilar said the soldiers set up two gift-giving stations, one at the newly established headquarters of the 69th IB in Mandug and another in Barangay Dalisay, Panabo City. Aguilar said the event was simultaneously conducted in two different venues. Col. Oscar Lactao, commander of the TFD, initiated the collection of all food items from more than 70 program donors and sponsors.

He said it is the best way to celebrate the founding anniversary of the military. “This is also a way of appreciating and thanking the lumads for the support and cooperation they extend to the government forces in the past years,” Lactao said.

Salary hike for Zambo employees

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Mayor Celso Lobregat announced that due to the local government’s sound fiscal management, the city’s rank-and-file employees will receive effective January, 2010 the first of four-tranche salary increases.

Lobregat said the salary increase that would be implemented by the city government is in line with the salary standardization law. Lobregat said that as mandated by the salary standardization law, the salary increase of government employees will be implemented in four tranches at 25 percent from 2010 to 2014.

However, he said that not all local government units (LGUs) will be able to comply with the salary standardization law “because the salary increase is dependent on the personnel services cap on the annual budget.” He said the expenses on personnel services of a local government unit should not go beyond 45 percent of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) it is receiving from the national government.

“Because of our good financial management, we were able to lower our expenses on personnel services to below 40 percent, thus enabling us to implement the salary increase,” Lobregat explained. “Another requirement under the salary standardization law is for the local government to have the financial capability and resources to pay,” he added. (Nonoy Lacson and PNA)