PNoy PLEASED W/ FLOOD CONTROL WORKS / NO SEARCH
YET FOR JORDANIAN
[PHOTO -CRUISING
President Aquino takes a speedboat from Malacañang to inspect the progress of
the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project. Its two phases are 87.99%
complete. These included dredging and widening operations. This project is part
of the P13-B flood control master plan that will take 3 years to complete. MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU]
MANILA,
JUNE 26, 2012 (INQUIRER) By Norman Bordadora - Stretches of the Pasig and Marikina rivers
are now wider and deeper—hopefully enough to prevent a repeat of the 2009
"Ondoy" tragedy.
This was according to Secretary Ricky Carandang, who made a report after
President Benigno Aquino III spent Friday morning inspecting the progress of the
Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project.
The president toured the river on a speedboat from his riverside residence in
Bahay Pangarap in Manila to the Napindan flood control facility in Marikina
City.
"What we're hoping is that, with this, we will be able to avoid the Ondoy
type of flooding that we saw before," Carandang said in a Palace briefing,
referring to the tropical storm that caused flash floods of unprecedented
magnitude in the capital and parts of Luzon in September 2009.
[PHOTO FROM UGNAYAN.COM.PH By Benhur
Arcayan- Funded under a loan agreement between the Government of the
Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project,
under two contract packages with contractor Toyo Construction Company Limited,
was implemented by the DPWH Major Flood Control Projects (Cluster 1)-Project
Management Office under supervision of Project Director Patrick Gatan, according
to the DPWH in an earlier statement.]
He said two phases of the channel improvement were 87- to 99-percent
complete. These included dredging and widening operations and increasing the
height of river walls, he said.
Carandang cited the overflowing of the Wawa River, whose tributaries lead to
the Pasig River, as among primary causes of flooding in Metro Manila.
"So what we saw this morning was one effort to increase the holding capacity
of the Pasig River," he said, adding:
"[The President] was generally pleased with the progress. [Public Works]
Secretary Singson has done a pretty good job of completing the project and we're
hoping that this will help alleviate the flooding … It appears that all the
things Secretary Singson promised were either already done or are being done."
[PHOTO -President Benigno S. Aquino III inspects the Pasig River
Malacañang to Napindan Hydraulics Flood Control Structure (NHCS) in Pasig City
Friday (June 22) that was built in 1983 to regulate the flow of water between
the Pasig River and Laguna lake. (Malacañang Photo
Bureau)
Carandang said the projects President Aquino inspected on Friday were part of
a bigger, P13-billion flood control master plan that would take two to three
years to complete.
"For us to really resolve this flooding problems, we need to go into that two
to three-year project that creates the retarding basins and the dam and all of
that. This should minimize the impact of the floods," Carandang said.
FROM ILOILO.COM
Iloilo Flood Control Project
[PHOTO -Construction of Jaro Floodway.
Photo from www.iloiloguimarassummit.com]
FROM THE PHILSTAR
No search yet for Jordanian By Roel Pareño (The
Philippine Star) Updated June 25, 2012 12:00 AMComments (3)
[PHOTO -Jordanian reporter Baker Atyani reports from Jolo, Sulu island
in the southern Philippines on June 11. Atyani, from Dubai-based Al Arabiya news
network, and his two Filipino television crew went missing on a southern
Philippine island notorious for kidnappings by Islamic militants, the
al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels, police said. Atyani and Filipinos Ramil Vela
and Roland Leftreiro were last seen leaving a hotel on Jolo island, 1,000
kilometers south of Manila, on Tuesday. (EPA Photo/BEN
HAJAN)]
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The military is awaiting the go-ahead to begin
rescue operations for a Jordanian reporter and his two Filipino crewmen after
Malacañang confirmed they were "being held hostage" by Abu Sayyaf bandits in
Sulu, according to officials.
Security forces have been preparing for the rescue mission, waiting for
orders from the crisis management committee (CMC), Western Mindanao Command
(Westmincom) chief Maj. Gen. Noel Coballes said yesterday.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said Baker Atyani and
cameramen Ramelito Vela and Rolando Letrico "were not kidnapped but being held
hostage" by the Abu Sayyaf.
[PHOTO -Philippine troops man a checkpoint in Jolo, the capital of the
island province of Sulu in southern Philippines Friday. Troops have increased
their presence in the volatile capital following the reported disappearance of
Jordanian television journalist Baker Atyani and his Filipino crew on June 12 on
the island, about 950 kilometres south of Manila (AP
photo)]
Robredo's pronouncement came after the Jordanian embassy reported Friday that
Atyani and his crew were indeed being held hostage by the bandits.
Atyani, 43, bureau chief of the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya channel, and his
two-man crew were reported missing on June 12 when they went to the Abu Sayyaf
lair to interview bandit leaders.
A certain Abu Sayyaf leader Nadzmir Alih claimed they have Atyani and his two
companions in custody.
"We will wait for the decision of the CMC, but our troops on the ground are
prepared," Coballes said.
Ground commanders said they were also holding off any operation but continued
the surveillance on the movements of Atyani amid conflicting reports on the
journalist's situation.
"There is no large scale operation yet because the real status of Atyani has
not been confirmed on the ground," a military officer revealed.
"We will be have his status checked first before any movement is ordered to
the soldiers, because all the information on the ground does not support that
Atyani is being (held) hostage. All his itinerary to interview the contact in
the (Abu Sayyaf) or JI (Jemaah Islamiyah) were being made available. How can he
be kidnapped if he can follow all his itinerary?" the official added.
Col. Jose Johriel Cenabre, deputy commander for Marine Operation of the Naval
Forces in Western Mindanao, said troops are continuously tracking the movements
of the three.
Cenabre claimed they already know the location of the three journalists but
could not afford to be too hasty since their safety is at stake.
"So far, they are safe going around with different Abu Sayyaf and MNLF (Moro
National Liberation Front) groups doing interviews," Cenabre said.
"We cannot confirm or say that they were victims of kidnapping but for sure
they are with the Abu Sayyaf or any armed group."
"It's still the same. They are still missing," Cenabre said.
"The fact that they are missing does not mean that we are sleeping on the
job," he said.
According to Cenabre, there were no sightings of guns pointed at the three
media men.
"We have other sightings but these things we cannot divulge," he said.
Ground security sources in Sulu, however, confirmed the kidnapping of
Atyani's group, saying the Abu Sayyaf led by Tahil Sali is holding them
somewhere in Talipao and Patikul.
Malacañang refused to label the situation of the missing Jordanian journalist
as kidnapping.
No less than President Aquino himself, apart from deputy presidential
spokesperson Abigail Valte, has been saying that Atyani should explain why he
declined government protection.
Valte said they are leaving it up to Robredo to explain the difference in
Atyani's situation.
"We leave it to Secretary Robredo to explain the change in circumstances
regarding Atyani's situation. We will defer to the DILG on why he is now called
a hostage," Valte said over dzRB.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome
maintained the case of the Jordanian journalist is not yet considered a
kidnapping in the absence of any ransom demand.
"He (Atyani) is still considered to be missing but we know he is with the Abu
Sayyaf. There's still no ransom demand so we are still trying to determine his
status there," he said.
Bartolome also pointed out that Robredo could not have confirmed that Atyani
was being held by the Abu Sayyaf against his will.
He said Atyani could have been very busy and does not want to be disturbed in
his work, thus he could not be contacted.
Bartolome noted the local crisis committee led by the Patikul, Sulu mayor,
with the support of the PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines, is still trying
to exert effort to contact Atyani and his group.
Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan gave instructions not to carry out any rescue operation
since Atyani's group could be exploring the area and enjoying the scenery in
Sulu.
Sulu Police Provincial director Senior Superintendent Antonio Freyra told
Bartolome that "the situation remains the same" and there was no development on
the case of the Jordanian journalist.
Freyra said Malacañang clarified that there was no confirmation on the
information that Atyani and his team were in the hands of Abu Sayyaf rebels.
Freyra maintained the government committed no lapses since proper security
was supposedly assigned to ensure Atyani's safety but the journalist's team
deliberately refused and went on their own.
Malacañang insists the incident is not one that can be categorized as
kidnapping, despite confirmation issued by the Jordanian foreign ministry.
Military sources confirmed Atyani is now under the custody of the bandits in
Sulu.
"At this point, we don't quite agree that it's an abduction. Now, it seems
that he is not able to leave," Valte said.
Valte pointed out Atyani and two of his Filipino crewmen voluntarily left
their hotel and refused security.
An incident can be considered kidnapping if the victim remains missing for
three consecutive days, especially if the victim is held against his will. – Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Alexis Romero
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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