Navy officers' wives hold breast cancer awareness drive in Bicol

Philippine Daily Inquirer, Thursday, July 29, 2010

The Philippine Navy Officers' Wives Association Inc.
(PNOWA) spearheads a Seminar on Breast Cancer Prevention
cum Medical Mission in Barangay Rawis here starting today
(Friday, July 23), announce the Public Affairs Office of
the Naval Forces Southern Luzon (Navforsol).

Commodore Joel Babas, commander of the Navforsol told PIA
News Service that the activity is a parallel endeavor of
the PNOWA to complement the continuing programs of the
Philippine Navy across the country to uplift the morale
and enhance the well-being not only of the Navy officers
and personnel but also their family, relatives and dependents,
much as the community the Navy serves.

Babas added that similar activities will also be conducted
at the Navforsol Fleet-Marine Quarterdeck in Julahasan Arasain
Headquarters in Barangay Rawis to be manned by the naval
station's organic and Opcon units' personnel the next day
starting at 9:00 am. PNOWA is an association of all wives
of officers of the Navy, led by the wife of the Flag Officer
in Command of the Philippine Navy.

PNOWA has tapped the Gift2Life (G2L), a non-government
organization with health and medical fields of work, to
provide for the doctors to hold lectures on breast cancer
prevention, thereafter render clinical services to the
community. One breast cancer survivor, a member of the
contingent, will share testimonials on coping up and pursuing
one's dreams and aspirations despite stricken by the disease.

Babas remarked that this initiative is indeed a great
opportunity that should be taken advantage of every resident
to learn as cancer is the third leading cause of death in the
country following communicable diseases and cardiovascular
diseases. He shared that breast cancer is second to lung cancer
among the six leading causing-death cancers. In spite of the
stark reality, there is at present a low cancer prevention
consciousness in the entire country. Most Filipino cancer
patients seek medical advice only when symptomatic or at
advanced stage. As a result, for every two new cancer cases
diagnosed annually, one dies within a year.

Elite forces, ipinadala sa Mindanao para durugin ang Abu Sayyaf

Ni: Fer taboy

BALITA, Hulyo 27, 2010

Nag pahiwatig ang pamahalaan na maglulunsad ng malaking
pagsalakay sa bandidong Abu Sayyaf sa pagpapadala ng
karagdagang elite forces ng Armed forces of the Philippines
(AFP) sa Mindanao.

Ayon kay AFP Spokesman Brigadier General Jose mabanta,
ipinadala na ng AFP noong Biernes ang karagdagang tropa
na pawang kasapi ng elite forces upang tugisin at durugin
ang bandidong Abu Sayyaf sa Western Mindanao.

Ipinadala ng AFP ang 23 miyembro ng Naval Operations Group
(Navsog) ng Philippine Navy sa lalawigan ng Tawi-Tawi at
Zamboanga upang tumulong sa digma ng militar sa terorismo.

Sinabi ni Navy Spokesman Lt. (Sg.) Rommel Rodriguez na
ang grupo ay kinabibilangan ng mga miyembro ng elite forces
ng Hukbong Dagat.

"They were deployed to reinforce the Armed Forces' fight
against (terrorists) in Mindanao, which they vowed to put
an end to as pronounced by the AFP," ani Rodriguez.

Ang team ay binibuo ng mga sundalong sinanay sa combat
operation sa lupa, himpapawid at karagatan gaya ng US
Navy SEALs, na umalis sa Villamor Air base sa Pasay City
sakay ng C-130 palne at ilang sundalong nanguna na sa
pagdurog sa puwersa ni Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sabaya sa
Zamboanga noong 2002.

Tututukan ng militar ang Tawi-Tawi at Zamboanga na
sinasabing strongholds ng Abu Sayyaf na isinasangkot sa
mga pambobomba at kidnapping sa Mindanao at Metro Manila.

Military adopts safety measures to rescue kidnapped Japanese

By: Noynoy E. Lacson

Tempo, July 19, 2010, Monday

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Government authorities in Sulu have
adopted on Saturday a military "rescue safety measures"
aimed to recover safely the 63-year-old Japanese who
were abducted by armed men in Sulu.

Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command
(AFP-WesMinCom) commander Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mohammad
Dolorfino said that the military in Sulu has now located
the whereabouts of Amir Katayama Mamaito.

Mamaito was abducted by 10 gunmen at around 1 p.m. Friday
in Sitio Bas, Barangay Bangkilay, Pangutaran town, Sulu.

Dolorfino, however, did not reveal the captive's location
in Sulu, citing efforts by the joint Task Force Commet (JTFC)
to safely recover him is on going.

Dolorfino said the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM),
headed by Rear Admiral Alexander Pama, has deployed water
crafts around the island where Mamaito was taken.

Identity of Japanese’s abductor known: AFP

By: Victor Reyes

Malaya, July 19, 2010, Monday

THE military yesterday said it has achieved a breakthrough
in resolving the kidnapping of Japanese national Katayama
Mamaito in a remote village in Pangutaran town in Sulu last
Friday.

In a phone interview, Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo
said they have already identified the leader of the group
that snatched Mamaito (other reports identified him as Toshio
Ito) Friday afternoon at Sitio Bas in Barangay Bangkilay.

"We already have a name but we cannot reveal the name of the
suspected leader of that group because we are conducting
followup and pursuit operations. We don’t want to alarm them,
or alert them," said Arevalo.

Arevalo said they are now coordinating with the Japanese
embassy to determine if Ito and Mamaito are two different
persons who are currently in the Philippines.

"We are clarifying (Mamaito’s) identity because he is using
two different names and we are looking for him, together with
the Philippine National Police. We are pressing on that effort,
" Arevalo said.

Arevalo said they have yet to ascertain if their suspect has
any group affiliation. A number of armed groups are known to
operate in Sulu, including the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group which
has been involved in a number of high-profile kidnapping, and
rogue elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

"There was no mention of group affiliation but they are following
a lead," Arevalo said.