Mission Possible: Stolen American chopper recovered in Mindanao, Philippines
MIKEINMANILA EXCLUSIVE: UPDATE 3
13 bikes, 3 ATVs, SUVs, sports cars, guns galore and more recovered in a major raid. Second raid recovers around two dozen more bikes. NBI in Northern Mindanao identifies alleged owner of car dealerships as professional rider and car & bike dealer, report says 25 cars and 18 bikes recovered in major transpacific anti-grand theft auto raid.
One mans search for his unique Martin Bro’s custom ride leads to major bike gang GTA bust in Mindanao. PHOTO Law Enforcement handout
The story reads like a plot for Die Hard Six, for Skip Woods, the writer of Die Hard 5, GI Joe The Rise of Cobra, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.It’s often said the best stories are true to life. For the plot, which would also fit on Fox’s ‘The Good Guys’, it starts from the simple recovery of a stolen vehicle — a motorcycle, a Martin Brothers original. Key figures: a ‘major writer’ based in Texas who works in Hollywood.
He loves his bike, a custom Martin Brothers bike. He loved long drives and would head out from wide open spaces in California to flatlands and expanse of open space of the Southwest to Texas. Reality paints a better picture than film here… he and his bike he loved – a man free to roam.
The bike and him were inseparable, then, his bike was stolen in Houston Texas.The writer, Skip Woods, like any other victim went to Police, who traced the bike theft to a gang that ships expensive American-made motorcycles like Harleys and his Martin Brothers custom to Asia via Mexico and Los Angeles.
One mans search for his unique Martin Bro’s custom ride leads to major bike gang GTA bust in Mindanao. PHOTO: Law Enforcement handout
Not content to go out and buy a new one with insurance money, he hired private investigators, Orion Support Inc., who traced the bike and upon that, the custom bike was seen in Asia in the Philippines.
Tuesday, led by local Philippine National Police Provincial Director Buboy Mijares, Agent Wency Galindez of NBI Cagayan De Oro, along with US Law enforcement – at least one FBI agent and OSI private invetigators – the team searching for the rare bike found much more than Skip’s bike.
Houston’s Mindanao car theft connection – mikeinmanila.com
Houston you’ve got a problem: Hot cars, bikes, seized in Mindanao
Cars allegedly among those seized in major US Philipine Anti-GTA operation in Cagayan de Oro.
In what US and Philippine authorities are calling, “One of the most successful joint operations,” versus stolen cars from the USA to Asia; 25 cars and 18 Super-bikes are now in the custody of the Philippine National Police. In total; the National Bureau of Investigation agent in charge for northern Mindanao told a local newspaper in Cagayan de Oro, while Police in Davao City are also looking into if any of the cars or bikes had reached the largest city in Mindanao.
Pacific Plaza: Abu Sayyaf member ‘security guard’ arrested diplomats raise alarm
In a week that where the death Osama Bin Laden, a mile from Pakistan’s military academy, the world’s most wanted terrorist which raised security concerns over how a top terrorist could have been in a Pakistani military township. In the Philippines, a terrorist was guarding a building where Ameircan, European, and Asian diplomats lived many with their families in a posh heavily-guarded secure condominum.
Another, albeit much lower ranking foot soldier of Al Qaeda, “suspect, Arabani Jakiran, was arrested Thursday at the Pacific Plaza Tower in an upscale part of metropolitian Manila,” a report used by the Fox News channel reported.
‘The Fort district’, Pacific Plaza towers building, is walking distance from the American cemetary, in Philippine capitol city of Metro Manila – home to the headquarters of the Philippine Army, Navy, and Marines. Authorities are being asked by diplomats and members of the business community how a wanted terrorist could have become an armed uniformed guard at all. Let alone in such a sensitive location. Embassy security personel have moved members of their diplomatic staffs out the building from at least five countries.
Philippines: Bill and Melinda Gate’s excellent Palawan adventure
Palawan: The Gates at Amanpulo “Bill and Melinda’s” awesome adventure
Bill and Melinda Gates arriving in Manila – photo was tagged to me on a social networking site by a anonymous source.
It was supposed to be a quiet weekend for Bill and Melinda at the ultra-plush seven star Amanpulo resort in the province I call home here in the Philippines. But, even the best kept secrets have a way of leaking and when one of the worlds richest and most influential men drop into the country for a quiet weekend with his wife and friends the social network happy and blogspere of the Philippines won’t let the story pass unnoticed.
Bill and Melinda, arrived quietly on friday for what seems to have been a very happy weekend; what they did, where they went, and whom they saw was supposed to be private.
But another guest at the resort -a philippine construction king’s family as well his and friends were there and now the secrets out of the bag.
Well one can’t blame katrina razon who just announced in a simple tweet on the 26th about Bill and Melinda’s, awesome adventure
Bill and Melinda’s adventure starts with a private jet arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport
More at http://www.mikeinmanila.com
NYTimes baffled as Fox continues to dominate CNN…
Featured »
The thing people reading the New York Times media and advertising review section of the papers website might wonder about it why and how? Fox News, the currently embattled news leader and setter of the national news cycle in the USA has its finger on the pulse of people’s views. The network commentators and talk shows go on the fringe and make some cringe but basically they know what people like and are getting the numbers that CNN, the major broadcast networks ABC, CBS, and NBC have not been able to …
Economy, Featured, Manila »
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commended today the country’s business sector for the assistance it extended the government in the relief and rehabilitation work.“My heartfelt thanks to to the members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), its provincial and regional chapters, and its other affiliate business chambers for their assistance to the victims of typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng,” the President said at the 35th Philippine Business Conference) PBC and Expo at the Manila Hotel this afternoon. The President asked PCCI and its members to help the government cope …
Asia, Featured, Manila »
Hairstylist Ricky Reyes supports GMA’s job creation project for typhoon victimsA famous hairstylist has thrown his support behind the effort of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to help typhoon victims get back on their feet. Ricky Reyes, president of the Filipino Hairdressers Cooperative (FilHairCoop), said his group is holding training courses for interested residents displaced by the flooding brought by Ondoy in Metro Manila and Pepeng in Northern Luzon.
A total of 10,000 young men and women will benefit from the program in Region 1, Region 2, and the Cordillera Autonomous Region. President …
Economy, Featured »
CANDABA, Pampanga – The United Nations-World Food Program (UN-WFP) assured President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today the whole world is united in helping victims of typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.”“The WFP will always be here to support the government of the people of the Philippines to recover and rebuild and to make sure (they receive) basic necessities from us,”
UN-WFP executive director Josette Sheeran said in her opening statement. Sheeran said the United Nations still believes in the strong spirit of the Filipino people to recover from the tragedy because “the Filipino people are …
Fast and furious: Typhoon Mirinae aka Santi headed to Philippines
Typhoon Mirinae (Santi): Enters Philippines AOR on Beeline to Manila a new storm fast and furious
As if the Philippines has not had enough of bad weather the US Navy and US Air Force Joint typhoon warning center is forecasting a direct path to Manila for a new Typhoon with a international name Mirinae, the Korean word for ‘Galaxy’,
The Storm is forecast by Military and Civilian meteorologists to be in general vicinity of Manila by Halloween evening, meaning that a fast moving storm may the one knocking on doors in the Philippines instead of kids trick or treating and the rap tap tapping on the chanber door may be people telling residents to head for higher ground, if anything is consolation the storm being fast moving means a quick slam-bam-thank-you ma’am hit which in disaster terms is often kinder than a prolonged deluge that no one in the country wants to see more off.
The Typhoon is a medium sized one and its path taking it towards manila comes at a bad time for thousands who have just cleaned away debris from flood waters. Lake levels and dams have somewhat normalized at this time a week of hot dry weather with only occasional showers has had a impact on the water levels.
The other consolation is the three weeks of storms as well as constant pounding has brought the alert levels up for disaster awareness teams and those who deal with rescue and response. The season still has till February to go the last few years have relatively spared the capitol region in the past but the wave of storms is actually quite typical in number albeit these have come earlier than normal for the country.
In comparison at this time before Typhoon Lupits approach to the country, Manila’s NDCC was already posting advisories and taking steps. Plans so well laid out that at the end of the day – no one died – no one needed to be rescued and even if the storm did not hit but a small portion of the Northern most tip of Luzon.
Ramil’s preventive steps perhaps – but I hope not – will not allow some to fall back to complacency and being prepared for worst made for the best of news – even for me a journalist – who basically earns from bad news. (Sorry but – if it bleeds it leads! Sad but true in the news biz!) became a non-story for a change.
Ramil final NDCC Situational UpdateA. Affected Population/Pre-emptive Evacuation of Population (Details in Tab A)· A total of 1,271 families / 5,239 persons conducted pre-emptive evacuation in 43barangays, 19 municipalities and 2 cities in 7 provinces of Regions I, II and CARReg/Prov/City No. of NO. OF AFFECTEDBrgysAffected FAM PERSNO. OFEVACUATIONCENTERSI – Ilocos Norte, La Union,Pangasinan (Dagupan City)12 390 1,370 0II – Cagayan, Isabela 13 433 1,852 0CAR – Benguet, Mt. Province 18 448 2,017 19· As of 24 October, evacuees had returned to their homes except in theProvince of Benguet where 402 families / 1,866 persons are still inside 19evacuation centersRamil Damage· In Region II, forty-five (45) houses were damaged, with 16 totally and 29 partiallyall in Aparri, Cagayan, to include three (3) houses were totally damaged when a20-meter seawall collapsed in San Antonio, Aparri, Cagayan on 20 October due tostorm surge causing 65 families / 182 persons to evacuate: 41 families/78 persons atBrgy. Maura and 24 families/104 persons at Brgy San AntonioTyphoon Santi headed to towards Luzon but will not affect the country in next 24 hours per PAGASA
PAGASA Warning: Mirinae to be named ‘Santi’ once it enters RP area of responsibility
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PGMA: Narco-Political influence in Philippine politics must be defeated
In the run-up to the 2010 polls in the country one group is often overlooked by Political analysts in general and media as a whole. It is a dark side of politics, the criminal gangs who know having a strong influence on political funding directly or via proxy allows them to carry on with the deadly trade of death that is illegal and has for some time been a serious almost incurable cancer that fuels corruption, crime and truly destroys society.
The drugs that poisons our youth and through enablers in power whose corruption turns a blind eye or tawrts efforts to allow them to ply the trade that is for most Filipino families a product that is the root of all evil and sum of all fear of every parent . Philippine government is already waging a war against “narco-politics” which is happening in the country and as election time nears rears its ugly head.
As the focus moves in media towards the 2010 national and local elections few major reports seem to be covering it. One wonders why little attention is paid to the the fact that there is a narcotics cabal of organized crime in our midst and they do influence media and government if not in cash – then in kind- I remember a coverage I did and the reply of senior NARCOM official on the drug gangs influence on society. The general who has pass away told me on background to not look so far away – that media itself was influenced by the narcotics trade.
The general told me, “If drug tests on broadcast journalists, columnists, and, editors were conducted I wonder how many would pass? and if any would take them if the results were made public? “Yes, I think in a at least a few cases off hand the reality that drug use in media outlets exist must be admitted. But then again the problem is throughout society.
The late general also admitted that aside from the Media which is a mirror of society; Government agencies, even the Police force has problems with some members addicted to narcotics. But the general went on to say, “Media however is a scary thought, since it shapes public opinion,” and he added “When in some few cases at a editorial board meeting or story conference more than just the days reports are passed around behind closed doors one wonders what kind of reporting happens in a cloud of smoke or if the razor lines of a mirror are present.” The General never went into too many details he later was transferred out of NARCOM to another PNP unti and passed away. He never identified anyone in particular but hinted that back in 90’s the problem of nacro-politics and influence was wide-spread.
In a news release – Deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Malacañang. “Are alarmed on the possible use of drug money to influence the outcome of the elections next year.” Fajardo said that, “President Arroyo was very much concerned over the possibility of “narco-politics” occurring in the country and showing its influence in the 2010 elections, particularly at the local level.”
She added that there are “Some corrupt politicians who are using drug money so they can push their political ambitions to be able to get a juicy government positions.” noting the key word some – and not seeking to elaborate on identities.
“Our political leaders, especially local government officials, should partner with President Arroyo or the national government in the all-out war against illegal drugs,” adding further that in light of this people should come forward and report those involved to expose them. ”If there is evidence that politicians are behind these kind of sickening activities, they will not be spared no matter how far and wide their influence is,” she said. ”Mrs. Arroyo is serious in combating this spread of illegal drugs and we cannot discount the possibility that it could be a factor that drug money could be used in the coming elections and we have to do something about that,” Fajardo said.
PGMA: AUS-Aid funded Bukidnon road project example of international cooperation for development
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo says “The importance of international engagement in the country’s development.” Arroyo said this while attending the startup of a new road project that is expected to benefit millions of people in central and northern Mindanao. ”This is one of the fruits of international engagement,” the President said when she led the groundbreaking of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) -funded road project here that stand to benefit some four million Filipinos.
“This road project will benefit not only the people of Impasugong or Bukidnon but also the neighboring areas,” she explained. The President, assisted by Bukidnon Governor Ma. Jose Zubiri Jr., Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Rep. Candido Pancrudo, lowered the time capsule containing the project’s plan. Governor Zubiri informed the President that the AusAID project will cover some 160 kilometers of all-weather roads.
“This is something new for Bukidnon and this was made possible through the efforts of the President and our good relations with the Australian government,” he said. Australian Charge d’Affaires Steve Scott said the Philippines is an “important partner of Australia,” adding that the funds were made available to the Philippines because of “good governance and good execution of AusAID projects.” The road project is under the Southern Philippines Provincial Road Maintenance Program (SPPRMP) that covers 10 provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao and is funded with some 100 million Australian dollars or around P3.5 billion by the Australian government through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).
The program has a Provincial Road Maintenance Facility (PRMF) that provides P50 million each year to every beneficiary province for construction and repair of provincial roads over a five-year period. It has been noted that provincial roads are the key links of rural communities to the national highway and eventually to the centers of trade and commerce, political administration, and health and educational services, among others.
By improving transport, the welfare of rural folks will significantly improve.
Apart from improving the road network, the program also seeks to strengthen each province’s institutional capacity and governance system related to the provision and maintenance of provincial roads. Depending on the performance of each beneficiary province in carrying out the program, these could be eligible for another round of assistance. The beneficiary provinces of the SPPRMP are Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental and Surigao del Norte, in Mindanao; and Bohol and Guimaras in the Visayas.
Three more beneficiary provinces are still to be identified.
Within five years, the SPPRMP is principally expected to have rehabilitated at least 1,000 kilometers of provincial roads in the 10 provinces; improved access for over four million people to schools and health centers; and reduced transport costs.
The PRMF is said to be Australia’s single largest grant project in the Philippines to date; the bilateral agreement covering this was signed last March. Australia is the country’s second largest bilateral grant aid donor after Japan. Its aid program has grown significantly in the last three years. For the fiscal year 2008-2009, its assistance portfolio is estimated at Aus 109 million dollars.
PGMA & Admin fully behind 2010 polls Automation
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo strongly supports the full automation of next year’s elections.
In a press briefing in Bukidnon the press secretary Cerge Reymonde that, “Malacanang is consistent with its desire to attain poll automation and that President Arroyo has earlier reiterated that there will be elections next year.” He added that the Arroyo administration, “Trusts the Supreme Court in handling controversial cases.”
Remonde was referring to a case motin filed before the SC by the “Concerned Citizens Movement” which is seeking the Supreme Court to among other thins “Stop the Commission on Elections from releasing payments for the automation project.”
Remonde stressed that, “We believe that Supreme Court knows what is best, and they know how to handle the particular issues,” The Press secretary also pointed out that. “The direction of President Arroyo’s administration is clear and that it supports the full automation of the 2010 polls. ”
Meanwhile, “The CCM has asked the High Court to nullify the Comelec deal with Smartmatic and Total Information Management” the Palace press release went on to say.
It had earlier questioned the legality of the contract and requested the court to issue a temporary restraining order on the signing of the deal on July 10. Although the court did not stop the signing, it set a hearing on July 29.
Jakarta bombing investigation
Jakarta Sucide Bomber: “Nurhasbi” alleged alumni of Abu Bakar Bashirs Ngruki school
The link between JI spiritual leader Abu Bakar Bashir and the latest attack on the 17th in Jakarta of jemaah islamiyah has been established according to local media reports in Jakarta.
One of the bodies recovered from the scene of the blast has been identified as a former student of his Madrassa in central Indonesia.
- Jakarta Bombings: Manila Police on high alert vs. JI attacks – 40 mobile checkpoints
- Analysis: STRATFOR says JI resurgence led by new violent faction
- Jakarta Bombings: JI ‘Spiritual leader’ Bashir called for ‘New Jihad July 14′
- Jakarta Bombing:Noordin Top & J.I. new faction “from Mindanao”
- Were Mindanao trained JI bombers used in Jakarta blasts – report
NEWS REPORTS:
Jakarta Bomb Probe Turns to Malaysia as Terrorist Leader Sought
Kiwi Jakarta bombing victim remembered
Issues of the day: ‘Jakarta hotel blasts’
Market ignores terrorist bombs
Indonesia Tracks Bombers’ Identities
Indonesian tv identifies another bomber
Tape of mass murderer checking in at Marriott
New CCTV of Jakarta bomb attacks
Two Of Dead In Jakarta Hotel Blasts Identified As Dutch Couple
Video footage released of Jakarta bombers
Marriott bomber suspected to be Noordin devotee
Mike in Manila - at large 
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