Jose Maria Sison, the former Communist leader in the Philippines, has been arrested in the Netherlands, charged with the murders of two former political associates. 66-year-old Sison has been living in the Netherlands since 1987, and was the founder of the Philippine Communist Party. The party's military wing, the NPA or New People's Army, is waging an armed rebellion across the Philippines that has cost 40,000 lives.
The National Public Prosecutor for the Netherlands, John Lucas, explained the reasons for Sison's arrest.
"He's suspected of involvement in the murder of two people in the Philippines. We think that he was giving orders to commit the murder of his former political associates in the Philippines - Arturo Tabara and Romulo Kintanar. Mr Kintonar was shot dead in a Japanese restaurant in the Philippines. The people who did it were at that time in the restaurant, and they fired a lot of shots - at least ten - into Mr Kintonar, and he bled to death as a result of those shot wounds."
No extradition request
Kintonar and Tabara had split from the Communist Party for ideological reasons. Kintonar was killed in 2003 and his associate Tabara a year later. But John Lucas says there has been no extradition request from the Philippines:
"It's a totally Dutch investigation. We think that what he did was punishable by Dutch law, so we led the investigation because he ordered those two crimes."
Newsline's correspondent in Manila, Raisa Espinosa-Robles, shed some further light on why no extradition request has been made by the Philippine government:
"They don't want to do that because Mr Sison has managed to use the legal system in the Netherlands to prevent any extradition. It seems that the Philippine government, and even the public here, are watching very closely. Apparently this Friday the Dutch judicial system will decide whether or not to let him go out on bail. If he stays in prison, that would hamper his actions in the Netherlands, and that would also affect the Communist movement here."
In fact, Raisa Espinosa-Robles thinks that, even if he is convicted in the Netherlands, the Philippine government will still not ask for him to be extradited:
"I'm very sure that Manila will be very happy to have him serve in the Netherlands, far away from here."
Raisa Espinosa-Robles says that, while Sison has always advocated an armed struggle, nowadays there are Communists who are seeking a political solution instead.
"So we don't know exactly at this point how much of Mr Sison's arrest and trial there would affect the movement here."
Open source intelligence
National Public Prosecutor John Lucas did not reveal the source of the information that led the Dutch police to act, pointing out that since the investigation is still going on, he can't say too much about it. But he spoke of receiving "open source intelligence" that the NPA has claimed responsibility for the murders.
Although Mr Sison has been on the EU's terrorist list for some time now, he has nevertheless been allowed to continue living freely on Dutch soil. John Lucas says there are humanitarian reasons:
"Well, the suspect wanted political asylum. It was not granted to him, but we couldn't send him back to the Philippines because we can't guarantee his safety. That's why, for humanitarian reasons, he could stay here."
Friday, August 31, 2007
Philippines Police Investigates Death Of Priest
Police on Thursday, August 30, stepped up an investigation into the killing of a Catholic priest in the Philippines' Illocos Norte province, amid fears of renewed attacks against the country's clergy.
In a statement police said armed men shot and killed 48-year-old Priest
Florante Rigonan late Tuesday, August 28, as he left a house in Pinili town, where he performed a prayer service around 10 pm [local time].
"He was about to board his vehicle when armed men shot him several times with an M-16 Armalite rifle. The victim sustained bullet wounds on his body, mostly on his back," Ilocos Norte Police official Roman Felix, told reporters.
Parishioner Elisea Macalma told the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News), that she heard gunshots after the priest left her family's house in Puritac, a village of Pinili town, and called the police.
No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but church officials said the killing underscored concerns that clergy will be targeted once again by militants, especially those involved in church advocacies.
MORE ATTACKS
Illocos Norte, a northern Philippine province, has seen attacks carried out by rebels of the New People's Army (NPA), a paramilitary group fighting for a Communist revolution in the Philippines. Several priests have been killed or kidnapped by different rebel groups in the country.
Priest Leonardo Ruiz of the Laoag diocese's Social Action Center said in a statement that the Catholic community mourned the death of Rigonan. "This is a sad day for the Catholic community. What are they doing to us priests?" he asked.
Ruiz, who leads church advocacies, including for environmental causes, protection, said Rigonan was mainly involved in administrative functions within the Laoag diocese.
Rigonan was a member of the diocese's Commission on Temporalities, which is tasked to look
into the properties of the church. He also looked into the welfare of priests, including their hospitalization and retirement, Catholic sources said.
"PERSONAL GRUDGE"
Police investigators have not ruled out that the priest was killed over a "personal grudge" or during a robbery. There "could be personal grudge on the part of our relatives, who were jealous because we gave Father Rigonan a large sum for the reconstruction of the parish church," confirmed Macalma.
After working in the United States for 40 years, she and her husband reportedly returned to Pinili last year and donated 5 million pesos ($107,000) for reconstruction of the parish church, which used to be a small chapel. They also gave another 250,000 pesos they had raised for the project from relatives in California. Bishop Sergio Utleg of Laoag, whose diocese serves the province of Ilocos Norte, "blessed" the church in May, UCA News said.
The Laoag parish territory has 20,654 people, 48 percent of them Catholics and others members of the Philippine Independent Church and other Christian denominations, according to estimates.
In a statement police said armed men shot and killed 48-year-old Priest
Florante Rigonan late Tuesday, August 28, as he left a house in Pinili town, where he performed a prayer service around 10 pm [local time].
"He was about to board his vehicle when armed men shot him several times with an M-16 Armalite rifle. The victim sustained bullet wounds on his body, mostly on his back," Ilocos Norte Police official Roman Felix, told reporters.
Parishioner Elisea Macalma told the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News), that she heard gunshots after the priest left her family's house in Puritac, a village of Pinili town, and called the police.
No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but church officials said the killing underscored concerns that clergy will be targeted once again by militants, especially those involved in church advocacies.
MORE ATTACKS
Illocos Norte, a northern Philippine province, has seen attacks carried out by rebels of the New People's Army (NPA), a paramilitary group fighting for a Communist revolution in the Philippines. Several priests have been killed or kidnapped by different rebel groups in the country.
Priest Leonardo Ruiz of the Laoag diocese's Social Action Center said in a statement that the Catholic community mourned the death of Rigonan. "This is a sad day for the Catholic community. What are they doing to us priests?" he asked.
Ruiz, who leads church advocacies, including for environmental causes, protection, said Rigonan was mainly involved in administrative functions within the Laoag diocese.
Rigonan was a member of the diocese's Commission on Temporalities, which is tasked to look
into the properties of the church. He also looked into the welfare of priests, including their hospitalization and retirement, Catholic sources said.
"PERSONAL GRUDGE"
Police investigators have not ruled out that the priest was killed over a "personal grudge" or during a robbery. There "could be personal grudge on the part of our relatives, who were jealous because we gave Father Rigonan a large sum for the reconstruction of the parish church," confirmed Macalma.
After working in the United States for 40 years, she and her husband reportedly returned to Pinili last year and donated 5 million pesos ($107,000) for reconstruction of the parish church, which used to be a small chapel. They also gave another 250,000 pesos they had raised for the project from relatives in California. Bishop Sergio Utleg of Laoag, whose diocese serves the province of Ilocos Norte, "blessed" the church in May, UCA News said.
The Laoag parish territory has 20,654 people, 48 percent of them Catholics and others members of the Philippine Independent Church and other Christian denominations, according to estimates.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Arroyo rallies Philippine troops
Tens of thousands of people are fleeing their homes in the southern Philippines as the military steps up its offensive against Abu Sayyaf fighters, sparking the heaviest clashes for years.
The fighting is centred on the mainly Muslim islands of Jolo and Basilan.
On Thursday Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Philippine president, travelled amid tight security to the southern city of Zamboanga to rally troops and receive a progress briefing from military commanders.
She has vowed to destroy the Abu Sayyaf group - which her government says has links to al-Qaeda – and has deployed thousands of troops to the region.
They are backed up by advisers from US special forces who are helping to train and provide intelligence to Philippine forces although they are barred by the Philippine constitution from taking part in combat operations.
Bomb warning
Earlier this week, Arroyo warned that the renewed military offensive may spark reprisal bomb attacks elsewhere in the country.
Her comments on Tuesday were followed hours later by a bomb explosion in Zamboanga that wounded 14 people.
Speaking after her arrival in the city on Thursday, Arroyo said the military would not be diverted from in its assault on the Abu Sayyaf group.
However, she said she had ordered officials to launch a "humanitarian offensive'' on Basilan and Jolo to balance the military assault.
Later, speaking on the island of Basilan, she praised Philippine troops during a 30 minute flying visit to one of the military's forward bases.
"Thank you for fighting terrorism," she told them.
The upsurge in fighting followed an ambush in mid-July, blamed on the Abu Sayyaf, in which 14 marines died, 10 of them beheaded.
In early August, gun battles in Jolo killed at least 27 army soldiers and 32 Muslim fighters.
The most recent fighting broke out last weekend on Basilan, with 15 soldiers and up to 30 Abu Sayyaf fighters killed.
Relief officials say the fighting has forced nearly 24,000 people to flee their homes in Jolo and Basilan, with 40 hamlets evacuated and 14 schools closed since early July.
"The situation in Basilan remains critical due to ongoing operations against Abu Sayyaf Group targets," the government relief agency said.
This week the government called off planned peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front - the largest Muslim separatist group - although it insists the move was not linked to the upsurge in fighting.
Questions asked
Al Jazeera's Veronica Pedrosa, who is in the southern Philippines, says that with amid mounting numbers of casualties and displaced civilians, more questions are being asked about the offensive.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Force, the two main rebel groups, also have a large presence on the two islands.
The military says neither group is being targeted by the current offensive, but army commanders on the ground admit some of their men are fighting alongside Abu Sayyaf.
As a result, there are fears that by stepping up the fight against Abu Sayyaf, the government could widen the conflict.
The fighting is centred on the mainly Muslim islands of Jolo and Basilan.
On Thursday Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Philippine president, travelled amid tight security to the southern city of Zamboanga to rally troops and receive a progress briefing from military commanders.
She has vowed to destroy the Abu Sayyaf group - which her government says has links to al-Qaeda – and has deployed thousands of troops to the region.
They are backed up by advisers from US special forces who are helping to train and provide intelligence to Philippine forces although they are barred by the Philippine constitution from taking part in combat operations.
Bomb warning
Earlier this week, Arroyo warned that the renewed military offensive may spark reprisal bomb attacks elsewhere in the country.
Her comments on Tuesday were followed hours later by a bomb explosion in Zamboanga that wounded 14 people.
Speaking after her arrival in the city on Thursday, Arroyo said the military would not be diverted from in its assault on the Abu Sayyaf group.
However, she said she had ordered officials to launch a "humanitarian offensive'' on Basilan and Jolo to balance the military assault.
Later, speaking on the island of Basilan, she praised Philippine troops during a 30 minute flying visit to one of the military's forward bases.
"Thank you for fighting terrorism," she told them.
The upsurge in fighting followed an ambush in mid-July, blamed on the Abu Sayyaf, in which 14 marines died, 10 of them beheaded.
In early August, gun battles in Jolo killed at least 27 army soldiers and 32 Muslim fighters.
The most recent fighting broke out last weekend on Basilan, with 15 soldiers and up to 30 Abu Sayyaf fighters killed.
Relief officials say the fighting has forced nearly 24,000 people to flee their homes in Jolo and Basilan, with 40 hamlets evacuated and 14 schools closed since early July.
"The situation in Basilan remains critical due to ongoing operations against Abu Sayyaf Group targets," the government relief agency said.
This week the government called off planned peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front - the largest Muslim separatist group - although it insists the move was not linked to the upsurge in fighting.
Questions asked
Al Jazeera's Veronica Pedrosa, who is in the southern Philippines, says that with amid mounting numbers of casualties and displaced civilians, more questions are being asked about the offensive.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Force, the two main rebel groups, also have a large presence on the two islands.
The military says neither group is being targeted by the current offensive, but army commanders on the ground admit some of their men are fighting alongside Abu Sayyaf.
As a result, there are fears that by stepping up the fight against Abu Sayyaf, the government could widen the conflict.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Think Tank Says U.S. Building Military Base In Southern Philippines
Asian-based think-tank Focus on the Global South (Focus) said on Wednesday there is a strong indication that the U.S. government is building a military base in southern Philippines, which is a violation of the country's Constitution.
Focus research associate Herbert Docena said the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command or Navfac, awarded a $14.4 million contract to Global Contingency Services LLC of Irving, Texas to conduct "operations support" for the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines.
The JSOTF-P is a component of the U.S. special operations command that were stationed in southern Philippines since 2002. Its primary goal is to provide assistance to the Philippines in its war efforts against terror groups.
"That is what I believe, I think Washington is in the process of building a military base," Docena said,
In a statement, Focus adds, "According to its own Web site, Navfac is the unit within the U.S. military in charge of providing the U.S. Navy with operating, support and training bases."
The group said Navfac gave Global Contingency Services a total five-year $450 million contract to "provide a full range of world-wide contingency and disaster-response services, including humanitarian assistance and interim or transitional base-operating support services."
"The specific contract for work for the JSOTF-P is expected to be completed in Jan. 2008 but other contracts may follow as part of the $450- million package," Focus said.
Docena adds, "JSOTF-P is involved in the Philippine military's operations in the South, and represents the new low-profile kind of overseas presence that the U.S. has been striving to introduce as part of its comprehensive restructuring of its forward-deployment since 2001."
The plan, he explains, is to put up smaller U.S. military bases in regions Washington believes it must have presence.
The governments of the Philippines and the U.S. denies speculations a military base is being planned in any part of the country.
Focus research associate Herbert Docena said the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command or Navfac, awarded a $14.4 million contract to Global Contingency Services LLC of Irving, Texas to conduct "operations support" for the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines.
The JSOTF-P is a component of the U.S. special operations command that were stationed in southern Philippines since 2002. Its primary goal is to provide assistance to the Philippines in its war efforts against terror groups.
"That is what I believe, I think Washington is in the process of building a military base," Docena said,
In a statement, Focus adds, "According to its own Web site, Navfac is the unit within the U.S. military in charge of providing the U.S. Navy with operating, support and training bases."
The group said Navfac gave Global Contingency Services a total five-year $450 million contract to "provide a full range of world-wide contingency and disaster-response services, including humanitarian assistance and interim or transitional base-operating support services."
"The specific contract for work for the JSOTF-P is expected to be completed in Jan. 2008 but other contracts may follow as part of the $450- million package," Focus said.
Docena adds, "JSOTF-P is involved in the Philippine military's operations in the South, and represents the new low-profile kind of overseas presence that the U.S. has been striving to introduce as part of its comprehensive restructuring of its forward-deployment since 2001."
The plan, he explains, is to put up smaller U.S. military bases in regions Washington believes it must have presence.
The governments of the Philippines and the U.S. denies speculations a military base is being planned in any part of the country.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Philippines' Arroyo says offensive against militants in south may prompt attacks elsewhere
A military offensive in the southern Philippines may prompt al-Qaida-linked militants to sow terror elsewhere in the country, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo warned Tuesday, saying she has ordered the military and police to bolster security.
The government will not ease off the offensive despite calls from some sectors to halt the fighting because doing so would endanger the country's security, fail to give justice to slain soldiers and embolden terrorists, she said in her opening statement at a meeting of the National Security Council.
U.S.-backed troops bombarded Muslim rebel strongholds with artillery on Basilan island Sunday, a day after 15 marines and 40 militants were killed in a fierce clash, officials said.
The marines were killed when their unit attacked a jungle hide-out of the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group near Basilan's remote Ungkaya Pukan town, sparking a daylong clash during which an air force pilot also died when his helicopter crashed at sea, the military said.
The military claimed about 40 Abu Sayyaf insurgents were killed, including two commanders who allegedly took part in last month's beheadings of 10 marines on Basilan.
On nearby Jolo island, troops raided a suspected Abu Sayyaf safe house in Indanan township early Sunday and took into custody 19 men, women and children, army Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael said. After questioning, 14 were released and investigators were trying to determine if the other five were Abu Sayyaf gunmen, he added.
"With the victory of our troops and police against terrorists in Basilan and Sulu, it is not farfetched for them to attempt to sow terror in other parts of the country," Arroyo said. "That is why I have ordered our national police and armed forces to coordinate with local governments and the people to safeguard our cities and communities against any terrorist plot.
"We will not back off from our offensive in order to give justice to our marines, to give peace and progress to our country," she said, urging Filipinos to unite behind security forces.
But the government will continue to pursue peace in the south and hopes to resume talks with a larger Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, next month in Malaysia, she said.
MILF chief negotiator Mohaqher Iqbal said a scheduled meeting with government counterparts on Wednesday was canceled for unclear reasons.
Chief government negotiator Rodolfo Garcia said he sought the postponement to give him more time to consolidate data and the government's position.
Arroyo ordered a fresh offensive against the Abu Sayyaf, listed by Washington as a terrorist organization, after it was implicated in the July 10 beheadings of 10 marines after a clash in Basilan's Al-Barka township. The MILF admitted its rebels killed 14 marines during the clash, accusing them of encroaching into a rebel stronghold, but denied involvement in the beheadings.
The government will not ease off the offensive despite calls from some sectors to halt the fighting because doing so would endanger the country's security, fail to give justice to slain soldiers and embolden terrorists, she said in her opening statement at a meeting of the National Security Council.
U.S.-backed troops bombarded Muslim rebel strongholds with artillery on Basilan island Sunday, a day after 15 marines and 40 militants were killed in a fierce clash, officials said.
The marines were killed when their unit attacked a jungle hide-out of the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group near Basilan's remote Ungkaya Pukan town, sparking a daylong clash during which an air force pilot also died when his helicopter crashed at sea, the military said.
The military claimed about 40 Abu Sayyaf insurgents were killed, including two commanders who allegedly took part in last month's beheadings of 10 marines on Basilan.
On nearby Jolo island, troops raided a suspected Abu Sayyaf safe house in Indanan township early Sunday and took into custody 19 men, women and children, army Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael said. After questioning, 14 were released and investigators were trying to determine if the other five were Abu Sayyaf gunmen, he added.
"With the victory of our troops and police against terrorists in Basilan and Sulu, it is not farfetched for them to attempt to sow terror in other parts of the country," Arroyo said. "That is why I have ordered our national police and armed forces to coordinate with local governments and the people to safeguard our cities and communities against any terrorist plot.
"We will not back off from our offensive in order to give justice to our marines, to give peace and progress to our country," she said, urging Filipinos to unite behind security forces.
But the government will continue to pursue peace in the south and hopes to resume talks with a larger Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, next month in Malaysia, she said.
MILF chief negotiator Mohaqher Iqbal said a scheduled meeting with government counterparts on Wednesday was canceled for unclear reasons.
Chief government negotiator Rodolfo Garcia said he sought the postponement to give him more time to consolidate data and the government's position.
Arroyo ordered a fresh offensive against the Abu Sayyaf, listed by Washington as a terrorist organization, after it was implicated in the July 10 beheadings of 10 marines after a clash in Basilan's Al-Barka township. The MILF admitted its rebels killed 14 marines during the clash, accusing them of encroaching into a rebel stronghold, but denied involvement in the beheadings.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Fighting in Southern Philippines Kills at Least 20 Soldiers
Philippine military officials say fighting between Muslim rebels and government forces on a southern island has killed at least 20 soldiers.
Suspected Abu Sayyaf militants ambushed a convoy of troops Thursday, killing at least 10 soldiers and wounding two others. The attack took place near the town of Maimbung, on the southern island of Jolo.
Another 10 soldiers were killed later in the day during a gunbattle, also near Maimbung.
The clashes are the latest in a recent wave of violence in the southern Philippines.
Troops have been massing in the southern part of the country since early July when 14 marines were killed on the nearby island of Basilan. Ten of them were beheaded.
The military and government have blamed Abu Sayyaf and another rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), for the beheadings.
The United States considers Abu Sayyaf a terrorist group with ties to the radical Jemaah Islamiyah organization. Philippine forces have been on the offensive against Abu Sayyaf since 2005, fighting primarily on the island of Jolo.
The MILF has been fighting for self-rule on Basilan for nearly three decades. In 2003, the government signed a truce agreement with the group, but clashes continue.
Suspected Abu Sayyaf militants ambushed a convoy of troops Thursday, killing at least 10 soldiers and wounding two others. The attack took place near the town of Maimbung, on the southern island of Jolo.
Another 10 soldiers were killed later in the day during a gunbattle, also near Maimbung.
The clashes are the latest in a recent wave of violence in the southern Philippines.
Troops have been massing in the southern part of the country since early July when 14 marines were killed on the nearby island of Basilan. Ten of them were beheaded.
The military and government have blamed Abu Sayyaf and another rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), for the beheadings.
The United States considers Abu Sayyaf a terrorist group with ties to the radical Jemaah Islamiyah organization. Philippine forces have been on the offensive against Abu Sayyaf since 2005, fighting primarily on the island of Jolo.
The MILF has been fighting for self-rule on Basilan for nearly three decades. In 2003, the government signed a truce agreement with the group, but clashes continue.
Tropical storm kills 11 in Philippines
Tropical Storm Pabuk triggered landslides that killed at least 11 people in the Philippines, then blew across southern Taiwan's tip Wednesday, disrupting power supplies to 3,000 households and forcing schools and offices to close.
The Chinese mainland braced for the approaching Pabuk by recalling 266,000 fishermen and sailors along with 50,401 fishing vessels to land in eastern Fujian province Wednesday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Pabuk bolstered monsoon rains across the Philippines, causing a landslide that buried seven houses and killed at least 10 people Monday in the southern gold mining town of Maco in Compostela Valley province, according to Glenn Rabonza, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense and government forecasters.
At least 80 residents were evacuated from their homes due to fears of more landslides in the hilly area, Rabonza said.
Pabuk, along with a new storm brewing off the country's northeast coast, brought more rains overnight, triggering another landslide that buried a house and killed a 9-year-old boy in the northern mountain resort city of Baguio at dawn Wednesday, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said.
In hilly Antipolo city east of the capital, Manila, policemen and firefighters pulled five children from the rubble of their house Wednesday after a concrete wall collapsed on it during a downpour, police Chief Superintendent Nicasio Radovan said.
The siblings, who had yelled for help from under the debris, were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, he said.
TV footage showed rescuers scrambling to lift or break a slab of concrete with sledgehammers to free one of the screaming children.
"Are you hurt?" a rescuer yelled. "Yes, my body," came a feeble voice from the debris.
Rescuers broke into applause after they pulled the last child from the rubble.
Heavy rains flooded many Manila streets, forcing schools to close and leaving commuters stranded, officials said.
The government announced that schools would remain closed Thursday in the capital and 13 other northern provinces due to expected heavy rains. Authorities reiterated a warning to small seacraft not to venture out into the sea amid the rough weather.
Floods submerged nearly all of suburban Malabon city near the capital, where water was neck deep in some low-lying neighborhoods. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the city, local government spokesman Bong Padua said.
A tornado ripped off the thatch and tin roofs of more than 20 shanties in a farming village in Bulacan province north of Manila, panicking residents but causing no injuries, police Superintendent Pedro Silvio said.
The residents sought shelter in the homes of relatives and neighbors, he said.
Pabuk blew out of the mountainous northern Philippines shortly before noon and then swirled across the southern tip of Taiwan, bringing heavy rains but causing no major damage or casualties, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau.
On Lanyu island off southeast Taiwan, hit first by the typhoon, offices and schools were closed Tuesday afternoon.
Elsewhere, power supplies were disrupted to 3,000 households in the southern county of Pingtung, the Central News Agency said.
China, where two typhoons left about 1,000 people dead last year, recalled fishermen and sailors along with their seacraft to Fujian province Wednesday, Xinhua reported.
After hitting southern Taiwan, Pabuk _ named after a large freshwater fish in Laos _ was moving northwest at 25 kilometers (15 miles) per hour and was expected to hit Shantou in southern Guangdong province late Wednesday, Xinhua quoted the Fujian Meteorological Observatory as saying.
A stronger tropical storm, Wutip, has developed over the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines and was forecast to hit Fujian on Friday afternoon, the observatory said.
The rains in the Philippines followed a three-month dry spell that prompted clergy to urge congregations across the predominantly Roman Catholic country to pray for rain over the weekend.
The dry spell had led to water shortages and caused sporadic electricity blackouts in the bustling Philippine capital.
The Chinese mainland braced for the approaching Pabuk by recalling 266,000 fishermen and sailors along with 50,401 fishing vessels to land in eastern Fujian province Wednesday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Pabuk bolstered monsoon rains across the Philippines, causing a landslide that buried seven houses and killed at least 10 people Monday in the southern gold mining town of Maco in Compostela Valley province, according to Glenn Rabonza, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense and government forecasters.
At least 80 residents were evacuated from their homes due to fears of more landslides in the hilly area, Rabonza said.
Pabuk, along with a new storm brewing off the country's northeast coast, brought more rains overnight, triggering another landslide that buried a house and killed a 9-year-old boy in the northern mountain resort city of Baguio at dawn Wednesday, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said.
In hilly Antipolo city east of the capital, Manila, policemen and firefighters pulled five children from the rubble of their house Wednesday after a concrete wall collapsed on it during a downpour, police Chief Superintendent Nicasio Radovan said.
The siblings, who had yelled for help from under the debris, were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, he said.
TV footage showed rescuers scrambling to lift or break a slab of concrete with sledgehammers to free one of the screaming children.
"Are you hurt?" a rescuer yelled. "Yes, my body," came a feeble voice from the debris.
Rescuers broke into applause after they pulled the last child from the rubble.
Heavy rains flooded many Manila streets, forcing schools to close and leaving commuters stranded, officials said.
The government announced that schools would remain closed Thursday in the capital and 13 other northern provinces due to expected heavy rains. Authorities reiterated a warning to small seacraft not to venture out into the sea amid the rough weather.
Floods submerged nearly all of suburban Malabon city near the capital, where water was neck deep in some low-lying neighborhoods. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the city, local government spokesman Bong Padua said.
A tornado ripped off the thatch and tin roofs of more than 20 shanties in a farming village in Bulacan province north of Manila, panicking residents but causing no injuries, police Superintendent Pedro Silvio said.
The residents sought shelter in the homes of relatives and neighbors, he said.
Pabuk blew out of the mountainous northern Philippines shortly before noon and then swirled across the southern tip of Taiwan, bringing heavy rains but causing no major damage or casualties, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau.
On Lanyu island off southeast Taiwan, hit first by the typhoon, offices and schools were closed Tuesday afternoon.
Elsewhere, power supplies were disrupted to 3,000 households in the southern county of Pingtung, the Central News Agency said.
China, where two typhoons left about 1,000 people dead last year, recalled fishermen and sailors along with their seacraft to Fujian province Wednesday, Xinhua reported.
After hitting southern Taiwan, Pabuk _ named after a large freshwater fish in Laos _ was moving northwest at 25 kilometers (15 miles) per hour and was expected to hit Shantou in southern Guangdong province late Wednesday, Xinhua quoted the Fujian Meteorological Observatory as saying.
A stronger tropical storm, Wutip, has developed over the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines and was forecast to hit Fujian on Friday afternoon, the observatory said.
The rains in the Philippines followed a three-month dry spell that prompted clergy to urge congregations across the predominantly Roman Catholic country to pray for rain over the weekend.
The dry spell had led to water shortages and caused sporadic electricity blackouts in the bustling Philippine capital.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
