Comedian Joey Guila Returns to Houston for The Adobo Hoedown!

Tropical Storm “Washi” aka “Sendong” devastated the southern part of the Philippines about a week before Christmas on December 16, 2011, leaving a ravaged trail of at least 1,257 dead, over 6,071 injured with hundreds still missing and affecting over a million people according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of the Philippines. Tropical Storm “Washi” aka “Sendong” is considered to be the deadliest and most destructive storm in history for the southern region of the Philippines and its death toll has surpassed that of Typhoon “Ketsana” aka Typhoon “Ondoy” in 2009.
The “Adobo Hoedown” is open to everyone, fun for all ages and will take place on Saturday, February 25, 2012, from 12:00 – 7:00 p.m. at War’Hous Visual Studios & MyFitness Houston, 4715 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002. Admission is $10 or $5 for children 12 and under. Proceeds will be donated to the Rotary Club of Cagayan De Oro, Philippines. Those who cannot attend and wish to make a donation online may do so here through the Greater Houston Community Foundation (www.ghcf.org) under the “Donate Now” tab then choosing the Norma Benzon Foundation under program designation.

Allan Manuel is the Best Impressionist of World Famous Icon Manny Pacquiao. He has the Uncanny look and likeness of the best Pound for Pound Fighter in the World. His stage presence is professional and his body is chiseled in the likeness of Manny Pacquiao. He even has the tattoos to match. He trains and works out daily and is a student of Pacquiao. His mannerisms are duplicated and practiced daily of the Icon Manny Pacquiao. He is the closest thing you will get to Manny Pacquiao.

The “Adobo Hoedown: People Power Party” will be the second installment of “H-town’s Adobo Hoedown” and will commemorate the 26th anniversary of the “People Power” Revolution of the Philippines. It will celebrate the camaraderie of Filipino-American culture and the resilient spirit of the Filipino people featuring Houston’s original Adobo Cook-off. For the price of admission, the first 100 attendees can sample adobo, the national dish of the Philippines, and vote for their favorite. The adobo contest has two components: First, the contestant with the most votes from the sampling will be the crowned “crowd favorite.” Second, the contestants will also be judged by local food enthusiasts such as “Yo-J” aka Jerome Ronquillo from 104 KRBE and professionals in the culinary field. The winners will receive a special edition Adobo Hoedown Trophy by artist Jed Foronda along with bragging rights and a few other goodies. Contestants should apply in advance at http://bit.ly/cookadobo2012.

Ira Perez Ira Perez is an up-and-coming female Singer and Songwriter. She is also an accomplished amazing Guitarist and Pianist. She has performed throughout Houston and Austin for the past several years. Ira is currently attending the University of Texas at Austin. Based on her academic achievements, Ira was automatically accepted to University of Texas and will study Political Science and minor in Music. At only 16 years of age, Ira began writing her own music and was soon performing throughout the Houston, Dallas, College Station and Austin Areas. Ira has won many awards. In 2010 she was voted “Best Female Vocals” by fans in the Houston Press Music Awards contest. She also competed and won the Kollaboration Houston Asian/Pacific Rim talent showcase. Ira is no stranger to the studio. She has recorded approximately 15 songs, mostly originals, and is currently in the process of recording & finishing another album. Many of Ira’s performances have been recorded and can been seen on YouTube.

A variety of Filipino cuisine, pastries and sweets will also be available for an additional charge. Guests can enjoy a variety of entertainment by Filipino comedian (featured on Showtime and Host of TV Show “MYX-Rated”) Joey Guila; the Best Pound-for-Pound Impersonator Allen Rivera Manuel “Pacquiao”; live music by Ira Perez, named “Houston Press Best Female Vocals 2010”-; the highly acclaimed ArchiTEKS Dance Crew; YouTube sensation Lauren Remo, plus Jomel Sumira, Gain Structure Incident (GSI), Sole Resonance and Voice Box. Music will be spun by a DJ lineup including the “Kracker Nuttz” DJ Crew of Houston’s “Hot 95.7″; the “Booth Pimps” DJ Johnny J & DJ Ebonix of 97.9 the “Box”; DJ Seduction of World Entertainment; BAHAla na Tribe member and Soular Grooves DJ Josh Zulu and more special guests to be confirmed with sounds provided by Aura Systems. There will also be a demonstration of Filipino martial arts by BAHAlA na martial arts and a cultural performance by Texas A&M’s Philippine Student Association (PHILSA). An art exhibit and interactive arts & crafts will be on display by several artists at War’Hous Visual Studios and Houston Press Reader’s Choice Artist of the Year of 2011, Dandee Danao.
To raise additional funds there will also be BINGO and a pick-your-prize raffle featuring a nice selection of gift certificates and items. Raffle tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20 and may be purchased at the event.
As part of the relief effort for Tropical Storm “Washi”/“Sendong,” the BAHAla na Tribe & Friends in coordination with Houston Helping CDO & Pinoy Kargo have collected over 150 boxes of relief goods and clothing to be sent to Capitol University Foundation in Cagayan De Oro, Philippines.
About the BAHAla na Tribe & Friends
In the Filipino language Tagalog, the word “baha” means flood, “la na” is Tagalog slang for “no more.” The word “bahalana” means “leave it up to God.” BAHAla na Tribe members are Anthony Guevara, Ria Guzon, Susie Hernandez, Roy Samano, Olivia Villacorta, and Tina and Josh Zulu. The tribe salutes the Filipino heritage of helpful, faithful, resourceful and happy-go-lucky survivors who keep their chins up and help others in need—even if they are in need themselves. To celebrate Filipino culture, the tribe loves to eat adobo, sing karaoke, dance, perform and play musical instruments. The tribe would like to thank all the friends and supporters of the Adobo Hoedown especially the Filipino Young Professionals (FYP), War’Hous Studios, MyFitness Houston, Houston Helping CDO, the Kracker Nuttz, “H” Stands for Help, All the Way Live and the Norma Benzon Foundation through Greater Houston Community Foundation.

The ArchiTEKS Dance Crew are the reators of original foundation Through Experience, Knowledge & Skills. This highly acclaimed dance crew is internationally reknown for their creativity and initricate moves in their choreography. Some of the members have been featured on MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew" and travel all over the United States and the world sharing their love and passion for dance.

Follow Adobo Hoedown Twitter: @AdoboHoedown
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/adobohoedown

Members of the Filipino Young Professionals in Houston take a breather to pose for this picture while loading the truck with relief goods for victims of Typhoon Sendong in the Philippines. (Photo by Arnel Saludares) (MH)

By Arnel Saludares

HOUSTON, TX –On Saturday, May 21st, members of the Filipino Young Professionals of Houston (FYP) packaged over 150 boxes of donated clothes and shoes to send to the Philippines to aid the Typhoon Sendong relief efforts. FYP is a network of Filipino professionalsin Houston, Texas who focus on contributing to the local and global community through service and philanthropy.

Typhoon Sendong wreaked havoc over the Philippine island of Mindanao in mid December of last year. Torrential rains triggered rivers to overflow and landslides to occur. The effects of Typhoon Sendong left thousands homeless and killed hundreds. President Benigno Aquino III declared the affected provinces a state of national calamity.

FYP wanted to aid the relief efforts that were already underway in the Philippines by mobilizing the local Filipino community in Houston, Texas.

Donation centers were set up at local Filipino restaurants in Houston and then brought to Jonathan’s Grill on Saturday, May 21st to be sorted and boxed. FYP President Catherine Shepard was amazed by the outpouring of donations from the Filipino community in Houston and said that FYP’s involvement in the Typhoon Sendong relief effort was “especially important to us because of the strong ties that some of our members have with people who live in areas hardest hit by Typhoon Sendong.”

The over 150 boxes donated by the Filipino community in Houston will be sent to Cagayan de Oro thanks to the involvement of Pinoy Cargo. The boxes will be received by the Capitol University Foundation and GMA Kapuso, and the clothes and shoes will be distributed to those in need.
For more information on the Filipino Young Professionals, please visit them at fyphouston.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fyphouston.

Fourth-quarter net income grew slightly as revenue increased 5 percent. Adjusted earnings for the quarter and the growth forecast for this year topped Wall Street’s expectations.

Time Warner, which owns Warner Bros., HBO, CNN, Time and People magazines and other media properties, also raised its dividend by 11 percent and said it plans to expand a stock buyback program.

Its stock rose 12 cents to $38.22 in afternoon trading after the results were announced yesterday. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock price has ranged from $27.62 to $38.62. The stock briefly hit a new high at $39.23 in trading yesterday morning.

Time Warner released “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2″ on home video on Nov. 11, contributing to higher revenue at the Warner Bros. studio.

That growth came even as the quarter was compared with a period that included the November 2010 theatrical release of the next-to-last installment of the series. That movie, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1,” went on to sell nearly $950 million in box office tickets worldwide.

With the series ending, the company needs new ways to sustain growth. Time Warner said midnight IMAX screenings of the new Batmanmovie in July were already selling out. The company was also expecting heavy interest in the first of two “Hobbit” movies and “Dark Shadows” from director Tim Burton.

The company said growth in adjusted earnings should be in the low double-digit percentages this year. Adjusted income was $2.89 per share in 2011, meaning it could range from $3.18 to $3.32 in 2012. Analysts were expecting $3.16.

For the fourth quarter of 2011, Time Warner’s net income rose to $773 million, or 76 cents per share, compared with $769 million, or 68 cents per share, a year earlier.

Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned 94 cents per share. That beat Wall Street’s expectations of 87 cents per share, according to a survey by FactSet.

Revenue grew to $8.2 billion from $7.8 billion a year ago and beat analysts’ expectations for $8.06 billion.

Revenue in the television business grew 5 percent to $3.5 billion. The company saw a 16 percent increase in content revenue, including licensing fees from HBO shows such as “Sex and the City” in the US and “Game of Thrones” abroad. Subscription revenue for HBO and other cable channels increased 5 percent, and advertising revenue increased 2 percent.

An NBA lockout, which delayed the start of the pro basketball season, hurt advertising. Although the company said fan enthusiasm has returned in the current quarter, some advertisers have already shifted their money elsewhere.

Warner Bros. revenue grew 7 percent to $3.9 billion on stronger home entertainment and video game releases and new subscription video-on-demand agreements. That was offset partly by lower revenue from theatrical releases and television licensing fees.

Besides “Harry Potter,” Time Warner released “The Hangover Part II” on DVD and other home video during the quarter, along with the video game “Batman: Arkham City.” The new subscription agreements included deals with Netflix Inc. and Hulu for content produced for the CW television network, jointly owned by Warner Bros. and CBS Corp.

Warner Bros. also benefited from licensing the TBS hit “The Big Bang Theory” to syndication.

Revenue at the Time Inc. publishing division fell 1 percent $1 billion.

Time Warner also said it will raise its quarterly dividend to 26 cents per share, to be paid March 15 to shareholders of record on Feb. 29.

The company also announced plans to buy back up to $4 billion in stock, on top of the nearly $5 billion it had already repurchased since the beginning of 2011. Buybacks boost the company’s stock price by concentrating profits among fewer outstanding shares.

In a statement, CEO Jeff Bewkes said both decisions reflect “our confidence and our continued commitment to strong shareholder returns.”

Jeremy Renner in Boracay (Photo: Amina Aranaz-Alunan’s Twitter account)

MANILA, Philippines – Since news of the “Bourne Legacy” stars’ arrival in Manila broke out, social networking sites have gone abuzz about alleged sightings of Jeremy Renner, Edward Norton and Rachel Weisz. And so, Bulletin Entertainment draws the line between what’s real and what’s on the fictional side regarding this.

Fact

Starting from Academy Award winning actress Weisz’s arrival Sunday, Rappler.com posted photos of her strolling inside Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1. In one of the photos, she appears to be taking pictures of her surroundings using a mobile phone.

After his arrival, on Jan. 9, actress-TV host Ruffa Gutierrez posted on her Twitter account (@iloveruffag) that Renner, who’s set to play the role of Aaron Cross in the film, was spotted in a casino in Pasay.

“Jeremy Renner and his posse are here. #resortsworld,” said the former beauty queen.

After which photos of the actor catching some sun in Boracay went circulating online. Bag designer Amina Aranaz-Alunan was even able to have a photo op with Renner in her Jan. 9 post (@aminaaranaz).

Together with two other ladies, she posted a photo captioned, “Jeremy Renner in Boracay!!!! @cesguerrero.”

Almost fiction

While some were able to post photos as proof of their claims to have spotted the stars, other Twitter users seemed to be just riding on the hype as they posted unconfirmed news and fabricated lies on the whereabouts of these Hollywood celebs.

In Jan. 10, Kalokohan site, via their Twitter account with a very telling username (@kalokohansite), posted that the British actress was seen grabbing a drink somewhere in Makati.

“Spotted Rachel Weisz near the Landmark Glorietta bridge, buying queuing for ChaTime Pearl Milk Tea,” the post read.

After a few minutes, a local top trending topic and a series of questions as to the veracity of their tweet, the account’s moderator retracted their previous post and told blogger Cecile Van Straten,

“@jiritajackson hala kalokohan lang the Rachel Weisz tweet, was just thinking out loud an entry for kalokohan.com;)”

On Jan. 11, Al Jazeera’s English producer Jamela Alindogan posted on her account (@jamelaaisha) seeing the film’s antagonist, Norton, swimming in a Makati hotel.

“SPOTTED:Jeremy Renner and Edward Norton swimming at the Manila Pen pool,” said she.

As of this writing though, Norton’s arrival in the country is yet to be confirmed. But according to eventologist Tim Yap’s tweet, the actor’s not due in the country until end of January.

Meanwhile, after the hoax casting call last week and rumors of local celebs joining the production, abs-cbnNEWS.com reported that three theater actors are “confirmed” to be part of the film.

The report said these are actors Lou Veloso, who will play a fisherman; Medeleine Nicholas as a hotel employee; and John Arcilla as a security guard.

By MAUREEN MARIE BELMONTE

At least 13 people were killed and 40 are believed missing, most of them along the shore near the epicenter of the 6.9-magnitude quake that struck in a narrow strait just off Negros Island.

In the mountain village of Planas, 9 miles from coastal Guihulngan town in Negros Oriental province, as many as 30 houses were buried with at least 40 residents believed trapped, said Gov. Roel Degamo.

“Their situation is bad because if you are covered by landslide for one hour, two hours, how can you breathe?” Mayor Ernesto Reyes said. “But we just hope for the best, that there are still survivors.”

Army troops and police were deployed to help in the rescue.

At least 10 people were confirmed dead in Guihulngan, including students at a college and an elementary school and others in a town market that collapsed, Reyes said. About 100 were injured.

The quake, which hit at 11:49 a.m., triggered another landslide in the mountain village of Solongon in La Libertad town, also in Negros Oriental. An unknown number of people were trapped, said La Libertad police chief inspector Eric Arrol Besario.

“We’re now getting shovels and chain saws to start a rescue because there were people trapped inside. Some of them were yelling for help earlier,” Besario told The Associated Press by phone. Three key bridges in the town cracked and were no longer passable, he said.

Food and medicines were waiting in the provincial capital of Dumaguete, but the aid could not reach the villages in need because of damaged roads and bridges.

“There is a Canadian and an Indian doctor who are here for an earlier scheduled medical mission and it’s good that they are helping us,” said Reyes. “They have some medicines with them but that may not be enough.”

Nine bridges were damaged in Negros Oriental, including four that were not passable, said Gov. Degamo. The worst damage was concentrated in the province’s mountainous northern portion, he said.

Philippine seismologists briefly issued a tsunami alert for the central islands. Huge waves washed out five bamboo and wooden cottages from a beach resort in La Libertad, but there were no reports of injuries, said police Superintendent Ernesto Tagle. Elsewhere along the coast, people rushed out of schools, malls and offices.

Two people died in another town close to the epicenter, Tayasan, including a child when a concrete fence of a house collapsed, said Benito Ramos, head of the Office of Civil Defense.

Another child was killed in a church when a wall collapsed during a funeral in Negros Oriental’s Jimalalud town, Mayor Reynaldo Tuanda said.

Tayasan police officer Alfred Vicente Silvosa told AP by phone that aftershocks were preventing people from returning to their homes.

“We are outside, at the town plaza. We cannot inspect buildings yet because it’s dangerous,” Silvosa said. “I felt the building shaking, so I rushed out of the building. Our computers, shelves, plates, the cupboards, water dispenser all fell.”

A three-story office building also collapsed in La Libertad, but occupants escaped.

Negros Oriental police chief Edward Carranza said the temblor damaged many houses in Guihulngan and he ordered his men to help displaced residents find shelter.

Officials in some areas suspended work and canceled classes. Power and telecommunications were knocked out in several places.

Carranza said police rushed out of his building when the quake struck. “All my personnel ran out fearing our building would collapse,” he said.

“Now it’s shaking again,” he said as an aftershock hit. “My keychain is dancing.”

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered 44 miles north of Dumaguete city on Negros and hit at a depth of 29 miles. The area is about 400 miles southeast of the capital, Manila.

The Philippines is in the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. A 7.7-magnitude quake killed nearly 2,000 people in Luzon in 1990.

The latest quake was set off by movement in an undersea fault, said Renato Solidum of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Negros was rocked by an 8.2-magnitude quake in 1948 but it did not cause additional massive damage because the region was still reeling from the devastation of World War II, he said.

MANILA, January 11, 2012 (AFP) – San Miguel Corp., one of the Philippines’ top conglomerates, said Wednesday it had taken control of the country’s busiest toll road system after buying into Malaysian and Indonesian operators.

The company told thestock exchange that it had bought a majority interest in the firm that owns the concession to the South Luzon tollway as well as the firm that operates and maintains the road.

It said its wholly-owned unit San Miguel Holdings Corp. and its joint venture with Citra Group of Indonesia, Atlantic Aurum, had acquired 80 percent of South Luzon Tollway Corp and 60 percent of Manila Tollway Express Systems.

The 36-kilometre (22.4-mile) tollway connects Manila to the southern provinces of the main island of Luzon.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper said Wednesday that the transactions were worth 20 billion pesos ($454.5 million), but San Miguel did not disclose the cost of the deal.

San Miguel also holds a stake in an elevated 15-kilometre toll road called Skyway that is controlled by Citra Group and which runs above part of the South Luzon tollway.

San Miguel, which is diversifying into infrastructure and energy investments from its brewing roots, earlier said it was contemplating raising its stake in Atlantic Aurum to acquire majority control of the Skyway concession.

San Miguel has also told the exchange that it is in talks for a possible investment in one other Citra unit — Cypress Tree Ltd — that runs the Star Tollway, a 42-kilometre toll road that links to the South Luzon toll road.

The Inquirer, citing industry sources, estimates that South Luzon, Skyway and Star have a combined daily traffic of 330,000 vehicles. (Dow Jones Newswires contributed to this story)

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney: Republican presidential candidate in waiting?

the upcoming election, according to results of a Pew Research Center survey announced Thursday.

The Pew Research Center, a public policy research foundation, conducted the survey independently from the Mormon church at a time Republican front-runner Mitt Romney, a Mormon, is leading in some polls to become the next US president.

“Many Mormons feel they are misunderstood, discriminated against and not accepted by other Americans,” the Pew report on the survey said. “Yet, at the same time, a majority of Mormons think that acceptance of Mormonism is rising.

“They have highly positive views of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a fellow Mormon, and a majority think the country is ready to elect a Mormon president.”

The survey found that most Mormons consider themselves to be religious and happy in their personal lives.

Greg Smith, who led the study, said the survey showed a “mixed picture.”

“Clearly, this is a population that in many ways still sees itself as being on the periphery of American society,” Smith said at a news conference.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), its official name, was organized in the United States in 1830 and now represents 2% of the US population.

The church is known for its missionaries, its practice of polygamy that was discontinued in 1890 and its expertise in genealogy developed for religious reasons.

A controversy about the church arose last summer at a campaign event when a Baptist pastor introducing presidential candidate Rick Perry referred to Romney’s Mormonism as a “cult.”

Nevertheless, the Pew survey showed 87% of respondents defining themselves as Mormon are satisfied with their lives, 56% think Mormons are not well-understood by most Americans and almost one in two, or 46%, believe they suffer discrimination.

Six out of 10 Mormons believe most Americans are poorly informed about Mormonism and two-thirds think most Americans do not see them as full members of society.

However, 56% believe Americans are ready to elect a Mormon president, compared with 32% who do not believe the time is right.

The survey showed 63% of respondents believe Mormonism is gaining acceptance.

“They view themselves as a group on the way up,” Smith said.

Politically, Mormons are clearly conservative. The survey showed 66% define themselves as conservative, compared with 37% of all of American society.

Another 22% of Mormons say they are moderate, compared with 37% of the general US population. Only 8% of Mormons identify themselves as liberals, compared with 22% of the overall population.

The survey was conducted between October 25, 2011 and November 16, 2011 on 1,019 of the six million people in the United States who identify themselves as Mormons.

Three out of four Mormons affiliate themselves with the Republican Party but only 17% with the Democratic Party. Romney won a favorable opinion among 86% of the respondents.

Nearly all of them, or 97%, refer to themselves as Christians.

However, a previous survey of non-Mormons found that half the respondents doubted whether Mormonism was a Christian religion.

After a Houston immigration law firm sued the United States Department of State, the U.S. Consulate in India finally gave an immigrant visa to Mrs. Nishahaben Amin.

For over a year Drijeshkumar Amin, who is a United States citizen, and his wife, Nishabahen Amin, who is a citizen of India, were separated because the United States Department of State would not grant Mrs. Amin an immigrant visa. Mr. Amin, who lives in Houston, Texas, was overwhelmed by the responsibility of taking care of their one year old daughter, who is a United States citizen, all by himself. The Amin family felt desperate as they were separated and they were concerned about the development of their infant child. Psychologists say that a vital bond between a mother and a child is created in infancy.

Mr. Amin finally approached immigration attorney Bruce A. Coane, who suggested that he file a lawsuit againt the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Consulate in India.

Coane sued under the Administrative Procedure Act alleging that the Government was taking too long to process the case. Under the Act, a plaintiff can complain about an “unreasonable delay” in the processing of an application.

In the case of the Amin family, there was no question that Mrs. Amin was entitled to an immigrant visa as she is married to a United States citizen and has a United States citizen daughter as a result of her marriage. ]]> http://www.manilaheadline.com/2012/01/25/law-firm-sues-and-obtains-immigrant-visa-to-reunite-family/feed/ 0 http://www.manilaheadline.com/2012/01/25/ayaw-kong-magkawatak-watak-tayo/ http://www.manilaheadline.com/2012/01/25/ayaw-kong-magkawatak-watak-tayo/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:53:12 +0000 admin http://www.manilaheadline.com/?p=385 VANCOUVER, British Columbia — For Tomas “Tatay Tom” Avendano, president and CEO of the Multicultural Helping House Society (MHHS) here, designating specific places for ethnic groups in Canada “is tantamount to creating an atmosphere of division.”

The kidnappers mailed four pictures of 53-year-old Warren Richard Rodwell before Christmas to his Filipino wife then called her to demand an initial ransom of P1 million ($23,000). Rodwell appeared to have been wounded in the hand by gunfire in one picture but looked well, police Senior Superintendent Ruben Cariaga said.

Rodwell, a former university teacher in Shanghai, was taken at gunpoint by about six men on December 5 in southern Ipil town in Zamboanga Sibugay prov

Warren Richard Rodwell. AFP

ince. It was the latest abduction of a foreigner in the country’s volatile south where several kidnappings for ransom have been blamed on the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group.

No group has claimed responsibility for Rodwell’s kidnapping, but officials suspect the Abu Sayyaf and its allied gunmen may have been responsible.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said that her government had established a task force to investigate the kidnapping.

Rodwell married his wife, whom he met via the Internet, in June, police said.

Cariaga said Rodwell’s wife told him there was no way she could raise the ransom, “She told me she could not pay because she even finds it hard to raise money to feed herself,” he said.

Government troops and police have been searching for Rodwell in the Zamboanga Peninsula and nearby Basilan island, where the Abu Sayyaf is active.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a large Muslim rebel group engaged in peace talks with the government, said Sunday it would intensify efforts to help secure Rodwell’s freedom in coordination with authorities. The rebel group did not provide other details.

The rebels said they have heard about the ransom demand for Rodwell’s and his mailed pictures. Cariaga, who heads the Zamboanga Sibugay provincial police, welcomed the rebels’ effort to help solve the kidnapping.

The rebels have an agreement with the government that allows them to help capture Muslim extremists and outlaws, who venture near their strongholds.

A cease-fire between troops and the Moro rebels have held since 2008 but occasional clashes have flared. Military planes bombed a hilly stronghold of a Moro Islamic Liberation Front commander in October after authorities accused him and other gunmen of kidnapping, extortion and other acts of banditry.