Official Publication of Maranao People Development Center, Inc.
Vol. 5 No. 4 March - May 2010
Old-style violence in Lanao Sur despite automated polls
The automated election system failed to bring change to Lanao del
Sur traditional warlord and goon country of Mindanao where violence and
a low voter turnout marked the May 10 elections, as they did in the past.
The police, military and election stakeholders reported incidents of
killings, explosions, abductions and gunfights between opposing camps in
this province, which has traditionally been the backdrop of the worst cases
of dagdag-bawas (vote padding and shaving), when counting was done
manually.
But voters in seven towns did not get a taste of the new automated
system because teachers failed to show up for election duty as members of
the Boards of Election Inspectors amid the climate of fear.
A failure of elections was declared in the towns of Masiu, Lumba
Bayabao, Lumba Caunayan, Bayang, Tuburan, Sultan Marogong, and
Lumbatan because there were no teachers, and in Ganassi where there
were no ballots.
The various incidents indicate that nothing has changed in Lanao del
Sur. The violence, which ranges from verbal abuse to shooting that has
been a regular feature of elections in Lanao del Sur and the Autonomous
Region in Musim Mindanao (ARMM), even worsened in 2010.
It is no coincidence that the province has been a major arena for the
production of fraudulent poll results especially in the national vote. It was
featured in the “Hello, Garci” scandal, the massive vote-rigging in the 2004
election, with conversations between President Gloria Arroyo and then
election commission Virgilio Garcillano recorded on tape.
On election day, two people, a 12-year-old boy and the other a 19-
year-old girl. were hit by stray M-79 bullets while they were inside a
polling precinct at the Tugaya Central Elementary School in Tugaya town.
The girl, Aslia Panda, was declared dead at the Amai Pakpak Provincial
Hospital at 4 p.m on election day.
Salic Ibrahim, head of Citizens Coalition for ARMM Responsible
Election (Citizens CARE), said there were no casualties from the bombings,
which he said were done by men “who are probably out to harass voters
and disrupt the conduct of the elections.”
Lanao del Sur got a preview of the intensity of the violence as early
as October last year, when a bomb exploded at a voter registration center
in Marawi City, killing three people and wounding 20 others. Sources said
many of those trying to enlist were would-be flying voters from Lanao
del Norte intending to secure registration as Lanao del Sur voters. Each
person was reportedly paid P100 as down payment for a promised P1,000,
with free food and travel expenses, a big sum for people living in one of the
poorest regions of the country.
Indeed, previous researches by Mindanews indicate that fraud and
violence in Lanao del Sur usually begin during the registration period
when politicians and political operators maneuver to pad the official roll of
voters with names of “flying voters.” These “flying voters” are usually either
non-residents or minors, or voters already registered in other precincts or
localities in Lanao del Sur.
In 2007, most of the flying voters came from Iligan City, and nearby
Misamis Oriental towns while some were from Ozamiz City—a mix of
Maranaos and non-Maranaos—hauled into the precincts in jampacked
trucks.
This election is no different. Lanao del Sur governor Mamintal Adiong
Jr. disclosed that his camp estimated the province’s number of registered
voters to be padded by more than 150,000.Total registered voters in Lanao
del Sur for the May 10 polls, as of March 17, 2009, was 459,012.
A Mindanews research after the 2007 election showed that the number
of registered in Lanao del Sur had shot up to 396,913 that year, from the
275,720 three years before, an increase that was statistically impossible.
continue to page 3
 Violence, low voter turnout,
mark polls in Lanao provinces
Two persons lining up to vote at the Tugaya Central Elementary
School ended up dead while another was wounded when a man identified
as Albert Balindong strafed them at around 10:45 a.m., Major Ferdinand
Cacas, head of the Philippine Army’s103rd Brigade Election Monitoring
and Action Center, said.
Cacas added that the attack was apparently intended to disrupt the
balloting process.
Voting in the area was immediately stopped but it proceeded as
scheduled in other precincts. Authorities have yet to identify the victims.
Improvised bombs exploded near the gymnasium of the Mindanao
State University campus in Marawi City. Another explosion happened when
a black Isuzu highlander blew up near an elementary school where people
were voting and another improvised bomb exploded at an unpopulated
corner in Barangay Saduc.
No one was injured, according to reports from the Citizens Coalition
for ARMM Electoral Reform (Citizens CARE).
Salic Ibrahim, head of Citizens CARE said no person was wounded in
the bombing incidents done by men “who are probably out to harass voters
and disrupt the conduct of the elections.”
Ibrahim said there were also mauling incidents in a number of
precincts in Marawi.
“In Calanogas town, barangay chairs exchanged fire, hitting one
civilian in a crossfire while armed supporters of mayoral candidates at
Kapai town ended in an armed confrontation wounding one civilian at
about 10 a.m. today,” he said.
Citizens CARE also recorded five towns that have not conducted
elections: Tamparan, Masiu, Lumbatan, Tubaran, Sultan Domalondong
and Bayang.
‘Tubaran’s PCOS machines were not yet transported to their town
and are still kept by Comelec in Marawi city. Others have absence of board
of election inspectors,” Ibrahim said.
Suganob said Comelec officials in those towns have declared that no
voting was held there.
Suganob, who was at the Election Monitoring Center at 103rd Infantry
Brigade, also reported that armed confrontations also happened in Tugaya
town because of disagreements among candidates and municipal Comelec
officials. He said voting stopped in Lumbayanagu, too, due to violence.
Suganob added that there are barangays in Balindong and Bacolod-
Kalawi towns that stopped voting.
Mahid Sakar, also of Citizens CARE, reported that two barangays
in Buadiposo Buntong town held manual elections because their PCOS
2
machines malfunctioned.
Sakar reported that some barangay officials in the town
went inside the precincts and “called on the electorate to
vote instead of BEIs doing it. Even soldiers failed to control
them.”
Ibrahim said that election failed to start early while a
number of PCOS machines malfunctioned. He also said that
Maranao voters aren’t using priority numbers; they used the
continue to page 5
Violence, vote-buying mar
special polls in Lanao Sur
Reports of fraud and violence marked the special elections held in
Lanao del Sur Thursday as vote-buying proliferated, with the price pegged
at anywhere from P10,000 to 15,000 per family.
This was the report made by the Citizens Coalition for ARMM
Electoral Reform (Citizens CARE), an election watchdog in the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which monitored the conduct
of special election in the Lanao areas.
Citizens CARE also said the indiscriminate firing of guns left a nine-
year-old girl in critical condition.
Special elections were conducted in190 clustered precincts in seven
towns in Lanao del Sur, based on Comelec Resolution 8965.
The resolution covered the towns of Sultan Dumalundong, Lumba
Bayabao, Masiu, Tubaran, Lumbaca Unayan, Marogong and Bayang which
had a total of 71,578 voters.
The elections in these towns remained hotly contested because the
results will determine who will win the congressional seat in the province’s
second district, as well as local officials.
A nine-year-old girl watching from her window got hit by a stray
bullet in her left shoulder, as witnesses reported people firing guns.
“Although police and military manned the precincts, still the tension
was high with indiscriminate firing in some towns that threaten voters,”
said Salic Ibrahim, executive director of Maradeca Inc. and head of Citizen
CARE.
Based on Citizens Care’s documentation, the shooting was done by
support groups of politicians in Sultan Domalondong and in Masiu towns.
Citizens CARE coordinated with Legal Network for Truthful Election
(Lente) in monitoring election related violence and documented cases
relating to election fraud and irregularities. Citizens Care had about 241
volunteers helping monitor the special election.
“It was still different if trained Board of Election Inspectors (BEI)
managed the election because the military and policemen lacked expertise
in handling the election process, like there were those who did not put
indelible ink to those who have voted,” Ibrahim said.
He also said watchdogs experienced marginalization in precinct
centers as volunteers were not immediately recognized by soldiers
assigned, “although the problem was remedied by dialogues.”
Ibrahim also revealed that vote buying was rampant with offers going
up to P15,000 per family the night before the scheduled poll.
He also reported that there were supporters of national officials,
contesting for elective posts still, who gave P100 or P50 per voter.
“We also observed those who are actively doing smear campaign
against presidential candidate Mar Roxas because of his position against
Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD),” he said.
Jhoe Musor, communication officer of Maradeca Inc., described the
special election as ’still considered generally peaceful despite some election
cases haunting its conduct.”
“In Marogong town, Comelec officials with police and military
decided that only two watchers were allowed to enter inside the polling
continue to page 5
Statement
ELECTION CONCERNS REMAIN IN
THE ARMM, DESPITE AUTOMATION
Citizens CARE, the COMELEC accredited poll watcher in the ARMM, deployed
6750 volunteers every single of the ARMM’s 3377 clustered precincts. This followed
a three months period of facilitating local community consultations and 2552 voter
education sessions in the entire region’s barangays.
Citizens CARE observers noted a substantial decrease of violence after the initial
flare during the November massacre, as well as notable speed increases in the counting
and transmission of results, which decreased opportunities for election day fraud.
However, the established complex of election fraud unfortunately remains intact
and beyond the reach of automation. Citizens CARE monitors noted specifically;
• Vote buying: Observers noted that vote buying remained not only as rampant
but was actually more visible. In Tawi-Tawi, candidate representatives went house to
house soliciting voes in exchange for payment;
• Threats leading to isolated failure of elections: in 7 towns of Lanao del Sur,
COMELEC declared a failure of elections due to the fact that BEI members did not
show up due to intimidation by local political candidates;
• Slow Transmission: canvassing and transmission speed in the ARMM remained
significantly under the national average, due to the peace and order situation, as well
as connectivity challenges. In all 5 provinces, power outages led to a delay in opening,
voting and transmission. In Maguindanao, 37 municipalities had challenges receicing
data from precincts, leading to a delay of proclamation of congressional candidates by
48 hours. As of today, 4 towns remain uncanvassed. These delays exposed the system
to external risks;
• Non-use of PCOS machines: Several areas (Bacolod, 8 municipalities in Lanao
del Sur) in the ARMM refused to utilize PCOS machines at the precincts after problems
were discovered during the testing and sealing. In Barimbingan, Ditsaan Ramain, one
PCOS machine was burned. In Paraitan, the PCOS was not deployed due to threats
from a local official to shoot it;
• Secrecy of the ballot: as in the rest of the country, there was widespread joint
voting, and ballot secrecy folders were largely absent;
• Ballot fraud: in various locations, observers noted BEI members and voters
filling out several ballots. In Kapatagan, one voter received two ballots and was filling
them out in the immediate vicinity of watchers. Another repeatedly filled out ballots and
fed them into the PCOS.
• Violence: Conduct of the voting was generally peaceful with isolated incidents
in Northern Kabuntalan (Brgy. Kapimpilan), where supports of opposing candidates
engaged in a firefight that resulted in 2 deaths. In Datu Salibo, Datu Unsay, Paglat, and
SK Pendatun municipalities in Maguindanao, unidentified groups lobbed mortar shells
at the vicinity of precincts. In Mangal, Sumisip, election materials and official ballopts
were forcibly taken by a private army group. One PCOS machine was destroyed in
Barira, maguondanao.
Salic Ibrahim, Chairman of Citizen’s CARE stated: “Automating the elections has
brought significant improvements to the speed of counting the votes. Unfortunately,
these improvements were not sufficient to break the established system of command
votes, in which political leaders dictate people’s choices, and continues to thwart the
true exercise of the right of suffrage.”
Citizens CARE will start working immediate with COMELEC and other relevant
authorities to improve the situation ahead of the 2011 ARMM elections.
Information on Citizens CARE
Citizens CARE is the leading election monitoring and reform group in the ARMM
and was founded in June 2005. For the last elections, it was mandated by COMELEC
to conduct poll watching in various precincts including assistance to voters in the 2010
National and Local Elections in the ARMM. CCARE deployed 6750 volunteers covering
2552 barangays in 118 municipalities including 4 Cities of Marawi, Cotabato, Lamitan
and Isabela throughout the ARMM region in its 5 provinces and 4 cities.
In the pursuit of its mandate, Citizens CARE established partnerships with thirty six
(36) non government organizations, civil society organizations, people’s organizations
and academe, civic groups, media and communication groups who participated in
monitoring the whole electoral process. 
Old-style violence...
Election day is when the numbers turn into actual votes, and opposing
camps guard each other’s voter base, herding supporters from their homes
towards precincts and back.
The cooperation of precinct-level poll officials or the board of election
inspectors (BEIs) is a key element in having flying voters or multiple
registrants operate. This includes not marking with indelible ink the left
point-finger of a person who just voted, or if at all, a non-indelible ink
is used; or more brazenly, simply allowing those who are known to have
voted, to vote as many times as they would like to.
For journalists who have long covered Lanao del Sur elections, one
lingering image of this trick is that of a boy in his early teens in 2001
who emerged from a precinct and bragged about having voted 10 times in
several nearby precincts as shown by all his fingers marked with indelible
ink. The marks are a badge for collecting payment.
Another image is the reverse: a line of voters who came out of a
precinct and showed no indelible ink marks in their left point-fingers.
Coaching and dictation on who to vote for while already inside the
polling center are fairly common practice. In 2007 when voters were to
write names of candidates voted, there were precincts with no printed
guides of the bets to choose from. Rather, only a select few of bets have
their names in stickers pasted in the ballpens and desks one has to use
when filling the ballots. Additional guidance would come from the voter
‘coaches.’
Prospects
The automated election system is supposed to have made dagdag-
bawas passé. Dalidig said that with vote rigging at the counting and
canvassing stage replaced by a quick and computerized count, the space for
fraud maneuvers became centered on voter registration and actual voting,
the stages where he said chances for confrontation and violence are high,
he notes.
Dalidig points to adequate security cover as very significant in
creating an atmosphere whereby voters and poll officials will be free from
intimidation or threats of physical abuse by opposing political camps.
“As you see, fraud is committed in an atmosphere of insecurity,”
Dalidig said in an interview before Monday’s elections.
At the end of yesterday’s election, the Western Mindanao Command
of the Armed Forces of the Philippines reported five incidents of bombing
and four incidents of strafing, resulting in one person killed.
Encouraging signs pre-election signs
The people of Lanao del Sur greeted the May 10 elections with much
hope. On the road between Iligan and Marawi cities, billboards that read
“Welcome 2010 Election, Hijrah from Haram to Halal! (Journey from
forbidden to upright practices!)” are still visible.
These were hung by IMERGG since mid-2009 to remind Maranao
electorate of the importance of reforming the way they conduct themselves
as voters.
“The long-term process of changing the electoral landscape of Lanao
del Sur must begin with voters. They are the most strategic element,”
explained Abdul Nasser Mangondaya, former provincial secretary-general
of the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).
Meantime, a “People’s International Observers Mission (PIOM)” has
been monitoring events in the province since May 7 and will stay there till
May 15.
“The goal is to assure that voters are protected and free to vote
according to their conscience and that democratic processes are fully
respected,” said a statement from the PIOM.
3
Joining the 22-man mission is Canadian Member of
Parliament Don Davies.
“The role of the mission is to help ensure and to assess
whether the conditions exist for the conduct of a free, fair
and credible election in which Philippine citizens fully
exercise their right to vote,” said mission member Randall
Garrison.(RYAN ROSAURO,VIOLETA M. GLORIA, AND JULES
BENITEZ, Mindanews andVERA Files) 
 Maradeca conduct voter’s educ;
record ERV cases
Citizen’s Coalition for ARMM for Responsible Election (CCARE)
have already conducted voters education to 900 of 1,152 barangays
of Lanao del Sur.
Salic Ibrahim, executive director of Maradeca Inc., said that
voters’ education and documenting election related violence are
among the initiatives to improve the electorates disposition in
choosing officials for elective posts.
"So far, there were about 20% of the barangay populace who
have directly participated in voters education in all those served,'
Salic said. Maradeca bared that they also educate voters on automated
machines.
Norhanifah Diamoden, resident of Butig town said that she
"learned the right way of blocking the oval beside the candidate’s
name, hence gained knowledge about the new procedures of voting.
Aside from that, I was able to learn the election offenses which makes
us more aware ad help us to avoid some irregularities inside the
polling center."
Khafidah Saripada of Lumbac a Unayan expressed that "voter's
education helped us learned to check thoroughly the ballot forms
from the moment we received it whether it’s crumpled or unclean
because the machine will not read the ballot if such happens."
Mocrib Kiram from Ramain town said that "voters’ education
helped me realize that vote buying is not really good and is violative
of the election code. I also learned about the election offenses. I will
surely share the knowledge I grasped from this training to others
especially to our neighbors in our barangay."
Rohanie Kabugatan from Mulundo municipality said "voters’
education equipped electorate with knowledge to avoid mistakes or
errors in casting our votes. I just learned that this upcoming election
will be more secured and have a possibility that cheating will be
terminated or at least minimize because of the automated machine
that will be used in canvassing votes."
Moreover, CCARE are also documenting election-related
violence in Lanao del Sur from registration toward post-voting
period.
Ibrahim, who also chair CCARE, reported that aside from the
bombing incident near Marawi city's Comelec office that killed one
and wounded 19 alleged flying-voters in time for registration, armed
confrontation also happened in mid-April at Kapai and Tagoloan
towns of Lanao del Sur between supporters of rival gubernatorial
candidates.
He said shooting incident involved supporters for gubernatorial
candidates of the province have three persons wounded.
Two persons were also killed and one was wounded in an
ambuscade believed by military officials as politically motivated
at barangay Calipapa, Lumbac-Unayan in January 10. Killed were
Casanor Landok and Mama Aloyuda while wounded person was Naif
Bangon.
In April 10, there was also a shooting incident among local
4
policemen at barangay Malna of Kapai town in Lanao
del Sur although there was no reported casualty in that
incident.
Another ambuscade happened at barangay Linuk,
Cawayan of Maranatao town that killed a vehicle
driver. Records said that the case remained under
investigation.
Ibrahim believed that more violence will happen
in the province as election draw nears. He also forecasted that some
areas will also have their election postponed as this has been the trend
in the region every national elections.
1Lt. Edward Dompol of 103rd Infantry Brigade based in Marawi
city said that soldiers are deployed in designated areas of operations
per municipality.
"We focus on peace advocacy for the upcoming election. We
tapped NGOs advocating for the peaceful conduct of election just like
Maradeca Inc.," he said.
Dompol pointed that like civilian communities, they also shared
concerns on the possibility of that there are people who will try
to disrupt the counting by destroy or pouring water on automate
machines.
"With varied forms of cheating here, we are also worried that
there might be voters who will not be able to receive ballot forms or
there are no ballot forms left for them. We are ensuring though that
ballot boxes and the PCOS machine will be secured enough specially
the electorates," he said.
Meanwhile, senior police officer Abedin Dipatuan Marohom,
community relations officer of Lanao del Sur police provincial office,
also expressed that they helped secure the transportation of PCOS
machine to the polling center of all municipalities.The Comelec, PNP
and AFP provide security to the area where the automated machines
are placed."
Marohom also said that a Joint Security Coordinating Center
(JSCC) was also created for the peaceful and fair conduct of election
composed of representatives of PNP, AFP, Citizens Coalition for
ARMM Electoral Reform, non-government officers and other
concerned group of people.
"This coordinating center is also localized with the establishment
of joint security coordinating center (MJSCC) in every municipalities,"
he said.
Marohom said that the police forces are had conducted
interreligious prayer for peaceful election with ulamahs, priests,
Comelec officials, police, military and civil society groups from April
14 to 21.
Marohom pointed that flying voters in Lanao del Sur might
disrupt electoral processes here with strong partisan tendencies of
people.
Both police and military officials have readied for violent
tendencies as this province has been marred with electoral fraud and
possible disruptions of armed groups who are favoring politicians.
In the enforcement of gun ban policies, both police and
military have confiscated seven .45 caliber pistols, four 9mm gun,
one .38 caliber pistol, two gauge shot guns, one m653 and four m16
machinegun rifles. 
Violence... from page 2
place,” she said.
“We have noted that a few voters collapsed due to hunger and due to
searing heat of the sun while supporters of mayoral candidates figured in
fist fights in Lumba Bayabao. They were exchanging foul words and death
threats,” Musor described.
“Soldiers denied youths of minor age to vote,” Musor said. “But
compared to the recent May 10 poll, the crowd was controlled.”
Ibrahim believed that the Comelec, civil society and the academe
need to do more to educate both voters and candidates to avoid recurring
electoral violence and fraud in the province.
“Electoral reform is not only the business civil society and Comelec
but of politicians too. Thus, those who are seeking elective posts must
undertake seminars on electoral reform so that we can achieved desired
change,” Ibrahim added.
Lanao del Sur has yet to experience a national election that was
successfully conducted. It was one of the provinces that has served as
backdrop for alleged electoral conspiracies such as the “Hello-Garci”
controversy.
Samira Ali Gutoc-Tomawis, a Maranao corporate leader and social
activist, commented that “Lanao del Sur has a notorious propensity in
hosting hotspots that tend to make elections a failure. Losing candidates
would strategize on ways to disrupt the possible entry and gains of the rival
in the precincts by gun-fires in the air thereby scuttling away the voters.
Vote-buying has become the rule, not the exception; election operators
are taking its role.”
Tomawis said “flying-voters who are non-residents of the town have
become the key to propelling victory for local candidates” as the political
climate of the province doesn’t allow “political debates, just political
transactions.”
“Special elections are the exemplars of a bastardly practice of
democracy,” she said.

 Tomawis, a staunch supporter of vice presidential
continue to page 10
low voters... from page 2
alphabetical method of voting.
Sakar said that automated election went well in Ramain town.
Lanao del Sur has a total registered voters of 396,722 registered
voters
In Lanao del Norte, election officials reported that malfunctioning of
PCOS are common problems.
Juanito Enriquez, managing director of civil society organization’s
forum for peace (CSOFP) said truckloads of flying voters from Cagayan de
Oro and Marawi city were transported in Tangkal town.
Enriquez also said that a vehicle containing election materials suddenly
exploded at Lumba-Bayabao town.
“The generic problem in Lanao provinces is low turn-out of voters,”
said Enriquez.
In Iligan city, the Commission on Election (Comelec) extended the
voting time from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as majority of the voters of the city
complained of the slow-paced conduct of automated polls.
City election officer Roselyn Smith said defective and malfunctioning
of PCOS are common problems in clustered precincts of the city but “we
must proceed with the conduct of election based on regional instructions
with consideration of delay.”
“We gave discretion to the BEIs on how to conduct the elections.
Voters were given priority numbers to look for comfortable places while
waiting for the others who are prioritized to votes. The delay is also
attributable to the slow-paced voting of electorates. But we can’t blame
5
them for this,” she said.
Smith reported that there was no major election-
related violence in the city while minor cases were dealt
with by police and military officials.
Many voters also complained they were not on the
Comelec list but that their names were in the PPCRV list.
(VIOLETA M. GLORIA, Mindanews) 
 Thirteen farmers attend
soil sampling seminar
Thirteen Maranao farmers, one of which is female, attended
the training on soil sampling to equip them with knowledge on soil
analysis to improve their respective farm practices.
The training was conducted on March 24, 2010 and was
participated by chairpersons of Ompongan o mga Taribasok sa
Ranao (OTR) from different towns of Lanao del Sur province.
Rosa Villa Estoista, professor from Department of Plant
Science in College of Agriculture at Mindanao State University-
main campus, facilitated the training.
Estoista said, “the training was also to impart skills and
knowledge to the participants regarding soil sampling practices
thru lectures or discussions and actual activity that helped them
gain knowledge about identifying soil for planting as well as the
procedural side of it.
The project is covered under Secure Livelihood Program of
Maradeca Inc.
Ibrahim Mama, provincial chairperson of OTR, said that the
training served as an opportunity to enhance their skills on farming
and to uphold best practices to sustain the soil’s fertility and its use
for agricultural development. 
Medical mission at Butig town is
‘gift of life’
A medical mission,
perceived as a ‘gift of life’,
was conducted for residents
in remote barangay Bayabao
of Butig town, Lanao del Sur
by health workers of Maradeca
Inc., a non-government
organization with main office
at Marawi city, in partnership
health officers.
Maradeca staff along with medical doctors and midwives of
IPHO trooped to barangay Bayabao to give free medical checkup
and medicines to indigent patients who can hardly afford the
services of private hospitals to cure their illnesses or the financial
capability to provide vitamins for their children.
A total of 55 female and 47 male patients were given
attention in this mission. There were also 123 children diagnosed
and checked.
Most of the residents in this barangay suffer from
hypertension, fever, cough, body pain, headache, back pain, and
gastric pain. The children, on the other hand, are commonly
infected with fever, cough, cold and diarrhea.
“The mission was also an opportunity for health workers to
reassess the health condition of the populace and to determine
their medical needs,” explained Ibrahim Salic, executive director
of Maradeca Inc.
“Medical missions are often realized by a small group of
volunteers willing to put aside time and money to bring hope to
isolated and poor population groups. It is conducted in depressed
areas of the world to lengthen indigent patients’ rate of survival
and to provide them better health advisory,” Salic further said.
“This is a blessing to note that an NGO has a heart that
really bleeds for the poor and are finding all means to reach out
hinterland barangays to give free medicines and medical checkup.
We will never forget Maradeca’s sense of generosity for our
barangay and such difference they instill to our very lives,” says
Ominsalam Mamacotao, a villager of Bayabao.
“This kind of assistance manifests your understanding to the
plight of the poor people like us. With the prohibitive costs of
hospitalization nowadays, these services are truly a huge relief
and a gift of life to us,” she added.
Sinab Datu of Maradeca Inc., expressed that “while we may
not immediately see the fruits of this mission but we find joy
knowing that we help change their lives.” She also hoped that this

6
with Integrated Province of
Health Office (IPHO),
Medicines were freely
afforded to patients
United Nations-Act for
Peace and StRide-Mindanao,
and municipal office as well as
mission will be replicated and was grateful to medical doctors
who tirelessly joined them with strong sense of purpose and
mission.
Butig is a conflict-affected community with sixteen barangays
with a total population of 22,256. 
 Medicines are now accessible in Butig
The Botika ng Barangay is finally built and will become the
center of access for medicines in remote village of Butig town
situated across Lake Lanao from Marawi of Lanao del Sur.
Botika sa Barangay was established in one of the affected
areas in Butig municipality to provide immediate access for
medication as alternate mechanism to address the distance of
this far-flung village from the center where pharmacies and
hospitals are abound.
The exorbitant prices of branded or patented drugs
captured people’s attention in the community and wanted for
access for affordable medicines. Botika ng Barangay (BnB) is an
alternative solution to the problem of the community against
medicine’s high prices. The community will be able to avail
generic and cheap but effective medicines.
This project is a joint venture of United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) and Maranao People
Develoment Center Inc. (Maradeca Inc.) in partnership
with the local government of Butig. Medicines were accessed
with the support from Integrated Province of Health Office
(IPHO). 
CCARE meet to strengthen election
reform partnership
The Citizens Coalition for ARMM Electoral Reforms (CCARE)
recently conducted Ugnayan Tayo on April 7, 2010 with electoral reform
stakeholders of Lanao del Sur to redefine strategies in addressing potential
problems and irregularities on May 10 national poll and identify possible
solutions to it.
In that meeting, CCARE heads presented the output of Pulong Tayo
4 (Voters’ Education) in numerous barangays of Lanao del Sur where they
conducted their sorties..
They identified probable acts of irregularities in the forthcoming
election as well as the achievable precautionary measures.
They also sought the support of the Commission on Election
(Comelec) to educate Maranao voters on automated election system.
CCARE has a Local Democracy Council composed of government
representatives and civil society organization.
This council is composed of representatives from Commission on
Election (Comelec), Department of Education (DepEd), Department
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Statistics Office
(NSO), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine national
Police (PNP), DXSO, Islamic Movement for Electoral Reform and Good
Governance (IMERGG), Department of Interior and Local Government,
Ompongan o Mga taribasok sa Ranao (OBAERA), and Healing Democracy
and Prelature of St. Mary. 

DEVEL
E O
L
P

Editorial Board
P
EO

M
EN
R AN A O P

T CENTER
MA

1999
2009-2010
IN

C E
O
RP ORAT

MARADECA, Inc.

SALIC B. IBRAHIM, editor-in-chief; SINAB DATU, associate editor; JOHAIRA M.MUSOR managing editor; SAFIA DIMATINGCAL, feature editor; VIOLETA M.
GLORIA, news editor; ANAPOLA “Girl” DOLOGMANDIN, layout editor.

7
Contributors
Jehan M. Ditucalan, Janifa Camama, Diamond D. Tomo, Mahid M. Sacar, Mohaida Sultan, Zoliaca R. Camama, Zenaida D. Usman, Rohania H. Amer, Alimayrah
Dibaratun, , Jabber A. Camama, Nadjeba Maruhom, Sittie Azliah Espinola, Jamalia Baulo, Sahria Adapun, Abdul Khaliq H. Alim, Victoria Fanthorpe, Rohaifa
Balindong, and Omaira Saripada.
Office Address: Maradeca Inc.,Ragayan Marantao, Lanao del Sur Email add: maradeca99@yahoo.com;
Satellite Office: Maradeca Inc.Door 5, J and J Apartment, Oxford Street, Celdran Village, Iligan City Telephone # (+63) 302-0534
website: //www.maradeca.org

15 families at Butig
enjoy core shelters
Fifteen core shelters were constructed and distributed to
15 conflict-affected families of barangay Bayabao, Butig, Lanao
del Sur.
These villagers are former internally displaced
communities during the all-out war in 2000 and in a punitive
military action in 2003.
These core shelters were constructed by residents with
support from Maranao People Development Center Inc.
(Maradeca Inc.) in partnership with the United Nations
Development Program-StRide (Act for Peace) and the
municipal government as part of the post-conflict rehabilitation
and reconstruction initiatives in Lanao.
“This is among those identified fundamental needs of the
families in a baseline data gathering under the first phase of
integrated rehabilitation project.” said Salic Ibrahim, executive
director of Maradeca, Inc.
Ibrahim explained that the project was implemented to
meet the needs of the community and to ensure their welfare
as poverty was exacerbated with conflict situations.
The core shelters were constructed under a Bayanihan
system that indirectly enhances camaraderie and unity among
residents.
“The men in the community have shown willingness to
volunteer their services for the construction of these core
shelters,” Ibrahim said.
“Beneficiaries are now staying in these houses and proudly
owned it as they exercise their chores privately,” said Ibrahim. 
Truly my prayer and my service or
8
sacrifice, my life and my death are
all for Allah, the cherisher of the
universe-al qur'an
Farewell Victoria!
“Saying goodbye is not easy thing to do.”
So, the song goes. That proved difficult for them
too who have engendered emotional attachment to a
British friend. But this, they must.
Staff of Maradeca host a farewell party for Victoria
Fanthorpe, a British national who volunteered as resource
generation consultant, last April 4, 2010 at Pagalongan,
Buadi-Puso Buntong, Lanao del Sur. This time, in a most
colorful and creative way.
“We wanted to show to Fanthorpe the beauty
of preserved Meranao Culture thru dances,”said Salic
Ibrahim, executive director of Maradeca Inc.
Members of Maradeca danced the traditional
Sagayan, Singkil, and Kapag-apir-apir. A folk artist also
sang bayok-- a Maranao ballad.
The farewell party was also attended by all
members of peoples organizations served by Maradeca.
They were from Pagalongan, Lumbatan, and Lumbac.
Other partners were also around such as the members of
Ompongan ng o mga Bae sa Ranao (Obaera), Maradeca
Community Banking (MCB), and Maranao Youth for Peace
and Development (MYPD). All of them wore colorful
landap, a Meranao traditional clothing.
Ibrahim thanked Fanthorpe for her contributions
to the institution including her shared knowledge and
skills on resource mobilisation.
Fanthorpe also thanked Maradeca for the support
and the friendship she enjoyed from all staff in touching
the lives of the people of Lanao del Sur.
Fanthorpe, who volunteered in Maradeca thru
Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO), served from October
2009 to April 2010. 
 Maradeca conduct day care class
at Buadiposo Buntong
Lack of access to education for little kids prompted
Maranao People Development Center Inc. (Maradeca Inc.)
to organize Day Care class at barangay Dansalan, Buadiposo
Buntong, Lanao del Sur with support from Caritas Australia.
“Primary education for pre-school children continued to
be one of the main challenges that needed to be addressed
for the well-being and quality of children,” Sinab Datu said,
Maradeca' s program coordinator.
“Education is a basic right for all children around the
world, yet in developing countries there are almost two
billion children that are not receiving proper education or
any education at all. The lack of education for these kids is of
grave concern and continue to negatively impact to their very
lives and affect the development of nations,” Salic Ibrahim said,
Maradeca executive director.
“Children and adults who are illiterate or uneducated are
more susceptible for victimization,” he also added.
In the day care class at barangay Dansalan, there are
currently twenty students aged seven to12 that have enrolled
for free basic literacy education.
“If a large majority of children in this country are not
educated, the prospect of the future business, political,
religious and government leaders will be marred for many
generations. We therefore need to address issues on poverty,
disease, war, child labor, child soldiers, human slavery and
trafficking,” Datu explicated.
Ibrahim expressed that parents of these children were
grateful of this opportunity to send their children for classes
with less expense.
“The children are now able to read words and learn how
to write. They are very much eager to learn. They have shown
devotion to studies during class hours,” observed by Rohaniah
Macarampat, program officer of social services. 
Covenant of Peace signed
Stakeholders for peaceful conduct of election
Buadiposo Buntong of Lanao del Sur signed a covenant of peace
to express their voluntary commitment for its realization in
last May 10 poll.
“Police superientendent Paniares U. Adap and Brig.
Gen. Rey C. Ardo of 104rth Infantry Brigade of Philippine
Army and the provincial election supervisor of Lanao del Sur
Atty. Nasib D. Yasin delivered messages of hope and updated
people on their roles in the actual conduct of election in
Lanao areas,” said Johaira Musor, communciation officer of
Maradeca.
It was also graced by candidates,municipal leaders, and
representatives of police.military and civil society leaders.
Alem Said Dirampatan, a religious head and municipal election
officers Timbang B. Bao also witnessed the activity.
Alem Dirampatan led the community prayer for
peaceful election after the covenant was signed by parties and
officials. Said covenant was signed last April 29, 2010. 
22 Maradeca staffs undergo
resource generation seminar
“In good times and bad, we know that people give because
you meet needs, not because you have needs.”- Kay Grace
Maradeca Inc. conducted a 2-day Fundraising Workshop-
Training at Villa Laceda, Linamon, Lanao del Norte on January
25 and 26, 2010 to capacitate its 22 staff with skills, knowledge,
and strategies about resource generation to meet the financial
need to defray its developmental programs in Lanao del Sur.
As an institution that aimed at “liberating the disadvantaged
from poverty, Maradeca Inc. has been facilitating activities
to meet the immediate and long-term needs of its catered
communities in Lanao del Sur.
9
The training engaged staff to a discussion on
fund raising inputs shared by Victoria Fanthorpe,
resource speaker and resource generation advisor
of Maradeca Inc. from Volunteer Service Overseas
(VSO) since October, 2009 to April 2010.
Participants underwent actual proposal
writing in said training. 
 Young bakwits receive
school supplies
Young morits (students) of a madrasah dubbed Darol Tawhid
are lucky to receive school supplies from Maradeca Inc. and Act for
Peace Program-StRide Mindanao as part of the initiatives to support
conflict-affected community at barangay Bayabao, Municipality of
Butig.
Said project is part of the integrated rehabilitation program for
internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Salic Ibrahim, executive director of Maradeca Inc., Maradeca
staffs distributed the school supplies to 130 children studying Arabic
lessons on April 24, 2010.
"School supplies given are bags, notebooks, ruler, ballpen,
pencil, eraser, sharpener and crayons which are very important
for students in their schooling. The children were very happy,"
expressed Sinab Datu, programs coordinator of Maradeca.
Isa Macaampa, the school principal, expressed "the school
supplies helped students especially those who lacked the capacity to
purchase these material.With it, students are motivated to be always
present in their class and become more participative in classroom
instructions.
Macaampa said they are very thankful for the continuous help
they received. 
Violence... from page 5
candidate Loren Legarda, also related that “Comelec Commissioner Elias
Yusoph discouraged losing Maranao candidates from filing protests, and
rather accept defeat and invest in good work in the next 3 years so that one
can earn the people’s overwhelming favor as against a peso for a vote.”
She explained that violent and fraudulent elections in the province are
rooted in poverty, the lack of governance, absence of basic social services,
lack of agricultural supports and dearth of sanitation structures.
”Election here is business. Vote if you bid at the right rate. The ballot
10
is bought by the best bidder,” she wrote. 

”It is sad. It is
appalling. It would take a generation to cleanse the soul of
this local mafia-driven democracy,” Tomawis said.
Other areas that held special elections were barangay
Buenos Aires, Pagsanghan, Western Samar; three clustered
precincts in Glan, Sarangani; four in barangay Lower
Mahayahay all in Maluso, Basilan; and 20 in eight barangays
in Al Barka, Basilan. (VeraFiles and MindaNews) 
Arts & passion at work
Arts and Signs is an expression of passions for those
with burning desire to earn and be preoccupied for this of
work. Youths and adults, in need of source of income, can
maximize arts to survive.
Take it on how passione was Maradeca in partnership
with the Caritas-Australia in capacitating local neophytes
artists for livelihood thru arts!
Cognizant to the immediate needs of young people and
community members, Maradeca Inc. conducted training on
arts and sign at barangays Guimba and Nanapun of Marawi
City. It was also replicated at barangay Gata Buadi Puso
Buntong. Participants were members of Maranao Youth
for Peace and Development (MYPD), Ompongan o mga
Taribasok sa Ranao (OTR), Ompongan o mga Bae sa Ranao
(Obaera) and Maradeca Community Banking (MCB). The
trainor was Salem Guro from Oker, a group of art enthusiasts
at Mindanao State
University (MSU)-
main campus. They
are into T-shirt
printing, streamer-
making, and other
forms of art.
In Guimba,
Arts and Sign
training was held
on May 1, 2010.
It was attended by
12 male and 10
female. The trainor
used lectures and
workshop as methodology in this training.
“We hope that we could have more time to practice
becasue we are truly interested into it and we are willing to
share these skills to our brothers and husband as alternative
income-generating work,” a member of Obaera said.
On May 3, the trainor accompanied by the Enterprises
Development Program staff, conducted another arts and
signs training at Nanapaun, Marawi City. Most of the
participants are 20 members of MYPD.
They conducted meeting after the training and planned
to utilize the skills they have learned forincome generation.
MYPD president said that “we are hoping that we could have
build small shop to practice for and became an alternative
income for them”.
In the afternoon of same day, the same training was
conducted in Gata Buadi Puso Buntong which was attended
by 8 female and 15 male participants.
They were so delighted for having this opportunity. An
OTR member said “we should be thankful because not all
areas were given a chance to learn this skill”. 