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by Don Pagusara Davao Today My neighbors ask:  Sir, unsana man ningmgapanghitabokaronsaatongkatilingban? Nagkagrabena man ang paggamit og armas pagsulbad og mga…

With security concerns rising after the spate of bombings around Mindanao, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said there is a possibility of cancelling this year’s Kadayawan Festival and promised to finalize the pronouncement come August 13.

Three bombings in major cities in Mindanao the past two weeks have baffled police and local officials as to who could be behind the incident and what could be the motive. But peace advocates say its 2003 all over again.

Eid’l Fitr marks the end of Ramadhan, the Muslim’s fasting month. Following the lunar calendar, the sighting of the new moon signals the change of month in the Muslim’s Hijrah calendar. For those who feel that they have not fulfilled well this month the 4th pillar of Islam, we still have today and tomorrow to fast, give zakat ‘ul fitra (voluntary material or financial assistance), pray the Salatul Taraweeh (special nightly prayer reciting verses of the Qur’an) and the Salatul Layl or Tahajud Salah (midnight prayer). These are special prayers performed voluntarily in congregational and individual prayers.

A day before the Cotabato City bombing, Sittie Rajabia and her husband, Elson, were joking after hearing a United States government advisory of an Al Qaeda threat.

The other day, more or less 500 Agusanon Manbo from Loreto, Agusan del Sur sought refuge in the City of Davao, not to rejoice for the “good harvests” as the city annually celebrates KADAYAWAN, but to tell their stories of fear, anger and desire for justice, peace, equity and inclusion.

By EARL O. CONDEZA
Davao Today

Two barangay captains from Paquibato told councilors that the MGB tricked them to sign a memorandum of agreement to allow mining operations in their areas. They also said they were given 10,000 to 15,000 pesos each from mining firms.

As Davao launches the Kadayawan Durian Festival from August 10 to 25, durian vendors like Tate at the Magsaysay Park struggle to keep his small business afloat.

“Unsaon namo pag-uli nga naa pa may gyera didto sa amoa?(How are we going home when there’s still a war going on there?)” said Jocely Andaliki “At least diri, safety among paminaw, di pareha didto sa amoa nga giabog mi mismo sa among gobernor, (Here, we feel safe, not like there where our governor drove us out).”

Some 400 Manobos refused an order from Agusan del Sur Governor Edward Plaza to leave the capitol compound and dialog with the Philippine Army’s 26th Infantry Battalion in their villages in Loreto town.