TIMRA Reports

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - A police unit promoting interfaith solidarity among southerners on Wednesday lectured 25 members of local youth groups on how to prevent the spread of violent extremism.

The activity, held in a function facility here, was jointly facilitated by the Integrated Community and Cultural Affairs Division of the General Santos City government and the Salaam Police Center Eastern Mindanao Field Unit.

COTABATO CITY - Thousands flock around the Lamitan City Hall every night since last week to watch the three-dimension Christmas decorations and lights that adorn the building.

It is something first in the 30-year history of the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and in the fledging Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, established only in 2019.

Lamitan City is in Basilan province whose territory also covers Isabela City and 11 other municipalities.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Basilan’s Lamitan City and Sumisip town were accorded the Seal of Good Local Government (SGLG) Award, making them the only local government units (LGUs) in the province to receive the prestigious recognition this year.

The awarding ceremony, led by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., was held Thursday afternoon at the Manila Hotel.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - A big group of New People’s Army guerillas, 13 of them experts in fabrication of home-made bombs, surrendered in Sarangani province this weekend. 

The 36 NPAs from Sarangani’s adjoining Maasim, Kiamba ang Maitum towns turned in assault rifles, shotguns, pistols and improvised explosive devices. 

COTABATO CITY - Two from an extortion group of the New People’s Army, one of them a minor, surrendered to the Army in Maitum town in Sarangani province.

The duo belonged to the NPA’s self-styled Guerilla Front Musa-Far South Mindanao Region, whose senior leaders are wanted for dozens of criminal cases pending in different courts.

COTABATO CITY – Authorities intercepted in Zamboanga City Wednesday five boats carrying P52.8 million worth of smuggled cigarettes, two of which were bound for seaside towns in two Bangsamoro provinces.

The five boats were spotted and immediately impounded while about two miles off the seaside Barangay Labuan in Zamboanga City.

COTABATO CITY - Eight seafarers in boat adrift due to engine trouble some five miles off Sibutu Island in Tawi-Tawi were rescued by a Navy team before dawn Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Wednesday personnel of the Philippine Navy’s Task Group Task Group Tawi-Tawi had managed to rescue the eight passengers of M/L Rihana using a patrol craft.

The M/L Rihana was sailing from Sibutu, an island town in Tawi-Tawi, to the provincial capital, Bongao, when its engine malfunctioned.

COTABATO CITY - The police foiled Thursday an attempt by smugglers to deliver P886,000 worth of imported cigarettes to traders in Indanan, Sulu.

Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Friday the contraband, consisting of 78 large boxes of cigarettes with Indonesian brands, is now in the custody of the Indanan Municipal Police Station.

He said the confiscated cigarettes shall be turned over to the Bureau of Customs for its disposition.

COTABATO CITY - Local officials and line agencies are relocating to safe areas thousands of residents affected by the cashes since Tuesday between soldiers and Moro Islamic Liberation Front members in Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan

Local executives and senior police officials in the province said Thursday four MILF members and three soldiers have since been killed in the skirmishes, first in Barangay Ulitan in Ungkaya Pukan that subsequently spilled over to Mebak and Bato areas in the same town.

COTABATO CITY - Four people were killed in a gun attack wounded before dawn Tuesday in Barangay Baas in Lamitan City in Basilan.

A report received by the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region here stated that four were killed in the incident that also left a villager badly wounded.

Brig Gen. John Guyguyon, director of PRO-BAR, identified two of the four fatalities as Gappal Mustapha Pagi and Ardayan Dammang Amoto, who both died on the spot from multiple bullet wounds.