Yanks told: Don’t you go to far Zamboanga

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (May 30): Yanks told: Don’t you go to far Zamboanga

The United States Embassy on Wednesday warned US citizens against traveling to the Zamboanga Peninsula, saying it had moved its personnel already in the area to a secure location amid a “credible” kidnap-for-ransom threat against foreigners.

The emergency message was posted on the embassy website Wednesday, the same day that US Ambassador Harry Thomas was in Zamboanga City to launch three major five-year programs of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“The embassy advises all American citizens residing in or planning to travel to the Zamboanga area to reevaluate their personal safety situation and consider postponing travel to this area at this time,” it said.

But there was no mention of any threat during the US envoy’s visit here on Wednesday.

Mayor Celso Lobregat, who had breakfast with Thomas, said the ambassador did not say anything about the US Embassy warning.

“Nothing was mentioned about the advisory,” Lobregat said.

Senior Supt. Edwin de Ocampo, city police chief, was also surprised by the advisory.
“Their ambassador was just here,” De Ocampo said.

Thomas, however, canceled his scheduled trips to the military’s Western Mindanao Command headquarters here and to Jolo, Sulu.

The ambassador, who alternated between limping and sitting on a wheelchair, said he suffered a “slip while dancing.” He left for Manila at noon.

In Zamboanga City, he visited the Ateneo de Zamboanga and the Garden Orchid Hotel.

The embassy advisory did not identify the group behind the kidnap-for-ransom threat.
It said all US government personnel already in Zamboanga have moved to a secure area while those planning to travel have been directed to defer their trips.

The embassy said the warning will expire on June 12.

The US state department has a standing warning on travel to Mindanao, advising US citizens to “exercise extreme caution” if planning to visit southern Philippines due to crime and terrorism.

Thomas was in Zamboanga City to launch three separate USAID projects promoting good governance and accountability, improved health services and youth development.
The projects had been designed based on “many years of experience in Mindanao, taking into account the best practices and lessons learned,” Thomas said.

“It was guided by the findings of the assessment conducted by the US Embassy with Mindanao Working Group. They traveled to a number of places and held discussions,” he said.

Thomas said the projects, whose cost was not stated, were an affirmation “of our commitment to peace and unity in Mindanao.”

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/76013/yanks-told-dont-you-go-to-far-zamboanga

Stop killing people, grieving ma asks NPA

From the Manila Times (May 29): Stop killing people, grieving ma asks NPA

Four policemen lie unconscious after their truck was blown up by a landmine planted by communist rebels in Allacapan, Cagayan province. Eight members of the Special Action Forces died in the attack, including Police Officer 2 Elmark Rodney Pinated, the youngest in the team. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

 

BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya: Police Officer 2 Elmark Rodney Pinated, 25, one of the policemen killed by New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas in Cagayan province, left a young widow and a sorrowful mother who will forever condemn the ideology of communist rebels.

Evelyn Pinated, a native of Lubbuagan, Kalinga province, said the last time she talked with her son was on May 20, when he called her on the phone to greet her because it was her birthday. She said Elmark was generous and loving to his family, especially to his young bride, Grace, who he just married in October last year.

Elmark, a member of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has been in the police service for five years. He was assigned in Bangued, Abra province before being transferred to Allacapan, Cagayan.

It was Elmark who drove the Isuzu Elf truck that carried several policemen who were on their way to the Allacapan municipal police station for a medical checkup. Evelyn said that she received the grim news that Elmark has been killed from another son who is also a member of the SAF based in Manila.

In an interview over Bombo Radyo-Tuguegarao, Evelyn said the NPA “killed policemen who maintained peace and order in our communities.”

Evelyn urged the leftist guerillas to stop killing and maiming “fellow human beings” and to give up their “wrong ideology.”

The Panited family took Elmark’s remains to their village. The bodies of the other fatalities are at the Camp Marcelo A. Adduru chapel regional command in Region 2.

Chief Supt. Rodrigo De Gracia, Cagayan Valley Regional Police Director, identified the other fallen policemen as Police Officer 3 Vladimir Tabarejo, PO2 Dexter Cubilla, PO2 Angelbert Mateo, PO2 Ronald Castulo and PO2 Jonel Bowat PO1 Erick Brioso and PO1 Jerome Sanchez.

Those wounded were Police Officer 2 Ronald Gomez, PO2 Gepano Adangui, PO2 Ricky Monay, PO2 Joefrey Liagao Amilagan, PO2 Jofrey Dalauidao, PO1 Ryan Asunio and PO1 Ephraim Dolete.

Tribal court trial

Most of the dead and wounded were natives of the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao.

Thus, tribal leaders in these provinces are expected to prosecute those responsible for the crime.

Earlier in Kalinga, the Matagoan Bodong Consultative Council (MBCC) resumed the prosecution of rebel leaders over the May 9 ambush of two soldiers who were reportedly escorting elections materials in Kalinga province when killed.

Acting on the complaints filed by the Army’s 5ID having jurisdiction over 17th IB troops where the two fatalities belonged, the MBCC said the council shall be guided by customary laws and tradition.

Tribal council chairman and Tabuk City mayor Ferdinand Tubban said the perpetrators, if found guilty, will be meted punishment in accordance with their tradition.
http://manilatimes.net/index/index.php/news/top-stories/48583-stop-killing-people-grieving-ma-asks-npa

US warns citizens vs travel to Z’boanga

From the Manila Standard Today (May 30): US warns citizens vs travel to Z’boanga

The United States embassy advised Americans in the country on Wednesday to avoid travelling to Zamboanga Peninsula in Mindanao because of a “credible threat of a terrorist kidnapping-for-ransom plot against foreigners.”

In an advisory circulated to US citizens, the Embassy urged Americans living in Zamboanga to leave the area and “relocate to a secure area.”

“The Embassy advises all American citizens residing in or planning to travel to the Zamboanga area to re-evaluate their personal safety situation and consider postponing travel to this area at this time,” the advisory said.

“The Embassy wishes to remind all US citizens to remain vigilant and maintain an appropriate level of personal security in all circumstances by reviewing your personal safety plans; remaining aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitoring local sources for updates,” it said.

Reacting to the advisory, the armed forces assured tourists and foreigners living in the country that security measures were in place to protect them from crimes such as kidnapping for ransom.

“We respect the US Embassy’s issuance of travel advisories to its people, who intend to visit the Philippines, particularly the island of Mindanao,” the armed forces Public Affairs Office said in a statement.

It said the advisory was appropriate because the Embassy has to consider at all times the safety and wellbeing of Americans, who are in the country.

“With or without this travel warning, the AFP will continue to be firm in our commitment to protect Filipinos and foreign citizens visiting our country,” the statement said.

“Our intelligence gathering and network sharing with other law enforcement agencies, particularly the Philippine National Police, are in place to prevent any untoward incidents that may threaten the peace and stability of our country,” the statement said.

In some areas of the Zamboanga Peninsula, which is composed of the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay, Muslim rebels and the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group have been active.

Several Catholic missionaries and other foreigners have been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf in Zamboanga del Sur in the past and released after paying ransom.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/05/30/us-warns-citizens-vs-travel-to-zboanga/

New peacekeeping skills need to be learned, says Gazmin

From Malaya (May 30): New peacekeeping skills need to be learned, says Gazmin

DEFENSE Secretary Voltaire Gazmin yesterday said Filipino troops need to learn new skills to deal with “emerging trends” in international peacekeeping missions following the recent kidnapping of 25 Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights.

During the celebration of the International Day of UN peacekeepers in Camp Aguinaldo, Gazmin said yesterday also marked the 50th year of the country’s deployment of troops for UN peacekeeping.

“Peacekeeping operations have evolved since our first deployment 50 years ago. Peacekeepers are now called upon not only to maintain peace and security,” said Gazmin.

He said international peacekeepers are also tasked to protect civilians, assist in the disarmament and reintegration of former combatants, support the organization of elections, protect and promote human rights, and assist in restoring the rule of law.

The Philippines has peacekeepers in Golan Heights, Haiti and Liberia. In March and May, a total of 25 Filipino peacekeepers in Golan Heights were abducted by Syrian rebels but were released.

Gazmin said the defense and military establishments are exploring cooperative activities with foreign partners to improve the capabilities of Filipino peacekeepers.

“We are cognizant of the need to balance our international commitments while ensuring the safety of our peacekeepers, which is of paramount importance,” he said.

He said the DND is cooperating with other agencies “to come up with ways to address such challenges,” including the “continuous monitoring of the security situation in mission areas.”

Gazmin said the measures also include the procurement of protective equipment and “conveying to the UN, through diplomatic channels, the concerns of the Philippines and our call on all parties to respect the immunity accorded to UN peacekeepers.”

He said the government is reviewing its deployment of peacekeepers.

During yesterday’s ceremony, Gazmin awarded plaques to several officers and men previously deployed for peacekeeping missions. The awardees include Brig. Gen. Daniel Lucero, the current commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division and previous head of the country’s peacekeeping contingent in Haiti.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/news/nation/32331-new-peacekeeping-skills-need-to-be-learned-says-gazmin

MILF: BLMI, BSG conduct training-workshop on parliamentary practice

From the MILF Website (May 30): BLMI, BSG conduct training-workshop on parliamentary practice

The Bangsamoro Study Group (BSG), in conjunction with the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI), held a one-day training and workshop on parliamentary procedure at the BLMI Training Center at Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao yesterday May 29.
  

The training-workshop focused on the “Process of Law-making and Techniques of Bill Drafting” and “Essentials of Parliamentary Procedures.

The participants came from various organs of the MILF including those from the MILF peace panel and members of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission.

The principal resource persons were Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, UN Senior Advisor on Political Transitions, and Aladdin Ambia, chief. Reference and Research Division, Regional Assembly, ARMM.

Sinarimbo and Ambia articulated the need to know the rules of parliamentary practice to give anyone involved in drafting the Bangsamoro Basic Law better chance of discharging their task efficiently.

They were assisted, as facilitators, by Abdullah Cusain, Badruddin Tamama, and Suharto Abas. Atty. Zainuddin Malang, executive director of MinHRAC, synthesized the whole day proceeding.

In his opening remarks, Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the MILF peace panel and of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, emphasized the importance of seeking knowledge.

He explained that true knowledge (in Islam) is a cycle, not just theory and practice, but “learn, practice and then teach.

He also stressed that man has very little knowledge and those who profess that he or she knows everything does not know anything.

He called for the need for humility and humbleness.
http://www.luwaran.com/

MILF: FAB Advocacy held anew in Zamboanga City

From the MILF Website (May 29): FAB Advocacy held anew in Zamboanga City



Driven by undying aspirations, another series of advocacy and information drive on the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) was conducted by the Provincial Political Committee, Information Committee of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) - Zamboanga city and the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI) this time at Sangali , an east coast barangay in Zamboanga city last May 26, 2013.
  

The unwary and unperturbed organizers had exerted efforts in providing information and enlightenment to Moros, natives and settlers in Zamboanga city on the FAB.

The half-day activity started at 1:00 and ended at 4:00 pm at the Sangali Elementary school gym with large numbers of the attendees mostly from the local residents flocked to the venue and listened attentively to the speakers with eagerness to know what FAB is  all about. Some local officials, PNP and AFP members stationed in the area provided security. They also manifested their support to FAB. The MILF officials and members in Zamboanga city were regularly attending activities being conducted in Zamboanga City.

Ustadz Taha Daranda ,  Provincial Pol.Com. Secretary of Zamboanga City served as the master of ceremony and moderator in most of the activities. Bhab Jumadil, Chairman of the Provincial Political Committee of Zamboanga City graced the occasion and expressed his warmest gratitude to the barangay officials, the PNP and AFP for their cooperation and assistance.

The speakers were from the Information Committee and the BLMI. Engr. Arasid Daranda, Information Committee Director of  Zamboanga City stressed the salient features of FAB, while Prof. Hadji. Nur Tingkasan, Information Committee Director of Northern Sulu spoke on the system of governance and some important details of FAB which gave emphasis for the establishment of the Bangsamoro region. While this writer, BLMI Steering Committee member accentuated the 8- General outlines of the FAB sizing up its crucial points as well as the GPH and MILF Peace process and other related updates.

Thereafter, an open forum followed when the speakers had concluded their respective.    

The organizers have been in close coordination with the local officials in the area before conducting information drive to ensure that all stake holders are properly informed and coordinated.

The barangays in the city that are predominantly populated by Moros are lined-up for advocacy programs and a lot of them were already covered.  These communities are pro FAB and its people are expected to vote for their inclusion in the proposed Bangsamoro region when it is brought to the people for ratification. Other localities whose people are sensed to be against or neutral on the FAB will also be visited in due time.

The organizers are moving heaven and earth in promoting peace and unity by way of vigorously undertaking advocacies so that the people may properly understand what   FAB is all about and its benefits to them. Organizers are also providing consistent and valuable information that may serve the interest of the general welfare which everyone in Zamboanga City is yearning and struggling for doable peace & sustainable development are realized not only in the Bangsamoro region but in the entire country.

http://www.luwaran.com/

NorthCot gov asks military to intervene in MILF-MNLF row

From MindaNews (May 29): NorthCot gov asks military to intervene in MILF-MNLF row

North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza has asked the military on Wednesday to intervene in the row between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the municipality of Matalam, which has already affected over a thousand families.

Mendoza told MindaNews over the phone that she endorsed the request of Senior Supt. Danilo Peralta, provincial police chief, for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division to clear the area first before the displaced villagers would return.

But she added that she received reports on the presence of armed men last Tuesday despite the memorandum of agreement signed by the warring groups last week to withdraw their forces.

Capt. Antonio Bulao, spokesperson of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade, said the military has utilized all peace mechanisms to prevent the escalation of the conflict. He said they encouraged the leadership of both parties, local government officials and ceasefire committees to intervene.

The MNLF group is under Datu Dima Ambil of the MNLF Sebangan Kutawato State Revolutionary Committee while the MILF fighters are part of the 108th Base Command led by Kagui Mansor and a certain Marumsar.

 

But clashes escalated and displaced villagers from barangays Marbel and Ilian in Matalam, according to Bulao.

Two MILF fighters were hurt in the clash, the Army earlier reported.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that 1,421 families from barangays Marbel, Ilian, Kilada, Kidama, Estado and Natutungan have been affected by the fighting.

On May 23, both sides signed a pact to withdraw their forces within 24 hours, Bulao disclosed.

Edris Gandalibo, appointed by Mendoza as her deputy governor for Muslims, said that part of the agreement was that MILF and MNLF members who are local residents will not have to withdraw.

“But they should not display their firearms. They are all from Barangay Marbel. They are just neighbors actually,” said Gandalibo, who was part of the negotiating team from the provincial government.

But Bulao said tension has not been defused until Tuesday because the armed men – Some 400 MILF fighters and 100 MNLF members – were still sighted in the villages.

The conflict stemmed from a land dispute between members of the MILF and the MNLF.

In February 2011, the same groups also clashed in barangays Nangaan and Simone in the neighboring municipality of Kabacan.

“What is important is that the area should be cleared of those who do not belong to that community,” Bulao said. He noted that most of the forces from both camps are not local residents.

“The area should be cleared of these armed men soonest so people’s agony won’t be prolonged, especially those who were displaced from their homes,” he added.

Gandalibo said that government soldiers are deployed as “peacekeeping force” to allow the return of the displaced villagers.

http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2013/05/29/northcot-gov-asks-military-to-intervene-in-milf-mnlf-row/

4 Chinese nationals caught with high-powered rifles

From the Manila Bulletin (May 29): 4 Chinese nationals caught with high-powered rifles

CAMP JUAN, Ilocos Norte - Police operatives arrested four Chinese nationals after they were caught with high-powered firearms in a checkpoint along the national highway in Barangay Davila, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte last Tuesday evening.

Superitendent Jeffrey Gorospe, spokesman of the Ilocos Norte police office, identified the arrested Chinese nationals as Dang Hoi Yin, Lui Sin, Lei Guang Fen and Dennis Co.

The Chinese nationals were on-board in a SUV driven by Co when they were arrested in a checkpoint.

The arresting lawmen recovered from the suspects three sub-machine guns, two .45 caliber pistols, three 9mm pistols, four silencers for different types of guns, hundreds rounds of ammunition, eight hand grenades, one improvised explosive device (IED) and improvised plate of vehicle.

Gorospe said that the Chinese nationals were immediately brought to the custody of the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) for the filing of appropriate charges against them.

It was reported the before the Chinese nationals were arrested, the suspects were fingered in an incident near a gasoline station in Barangay Nagsanga, Pasuquin town after they suddenly broke bottles.

The gasoline owner called police assistance after the incident, but the suspects escaped immediately upon seeing the responding lawmen.

The lawmen chased the suspects and managed to trap them in a checkpoint in the nearby Barangay Davila, Pasuquin town.

Meanwhile, BID – Ilocos Norte Chief Paul Versosa theorized that the four arrested Chinese nationals had planned to undertake terrorist activity as  shown by their possession of several high- powered firearms and explosives.

http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=14446&sid=1&subid=5#.UaXE0o7D8cA

Thomas Shoal -- next flashpoint in the South China Sea

From the Manila Bulletin (May 29): Thomas Shoal -- next flashpoint in the South China Sea

A wrecked navy transport ship perched on a remote coral reef could be the next flashpoint in the South China Sea, where China and five other claimants bitterly dispute territory.

The Philippine government is accusing China of encroachment after three Chinese ships, including a naval frigate, converged just 5 nautical miles from an old transport ship that the Philippines deliberately ran aground on a reef in 1999 to mark its territory.

Philippine officials say they fear the Chinese ships will block supplies to about a dozen Filipino marines stationed in abject conditions on the rusting ship, raising tensions over one of Asia's biggest security issues.

The area, known as Second Thomas Shoal, is a strategic gateway to Reed Bank, believed to be rich in oil and natural gas. In 2010, Manila awarded an Anglo-Filipino consortium a license to explore for gas on Reed Bank but drilling stalled last year due to the presence of Chinese ships.

Manila says Reed Bank, about 80 nautical miles west of Palawan island at the southwestern end of the Philippine archipelago, is within the country's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Beijing says it is part of the Spratlys, a group of 250 uninhabitable islets spread over 165,000 square miles, claimed entirely by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and in part by Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.

"China should pull out of the area because under international law, they do not have the right to be there," said Raul Hernandez, a spokesman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, noting the area's proximity to Palawan, the country's largest province.

He said the Chinese ships were a "provocation and illegal presence".

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Tuesday the Second Thomas Shoal was part of the Spratly Islands, over which China had "indisputable sovereignty".

"It is beyond reproach for Chinese boats to carry out patrols in these waters," Hong said, adding China called on all parties to "refrain from taking actions that complicate the situation".

The tension illustrates how a decades-old territorial squabble over the South China Sea is entering a more contentious chapter as claimant nations spread deeper into disputed waters in search of energy supplies, while building up navies and alliances with other nations.

Second Thomas Shoal is one of several possible flashpoints in the South China Sea that could force the United States to intervene in defense of its Southeast Asian allies.
The tension comes just before U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel meets his Asia-Pacific counterparts at the so-called Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore at the weekend.
The South China Sea is on the agenda of the regional security forum.

"CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER"

Philippine authorities say the three Chinese ships arrived in Second Thomas Shoal on or around May 8, escorting a fleet of 30 fishing boats. Two days later, the Philippines formally lodged a protest with China over the vessels.

As of Tuesday, two Chinese marine surveillance ships remained in the area, Philippine navy spokesman Colonel Edgardo Arevalo said. The fishing boats and the frigate had left, he said.

"The presence of those ships is a clear and present danger," said another senior Philippine navy officer, who declined to be identified as he is not authorized to speak to the media. He said the Philippines believed China was trying to pressure it to leave the shoal.

"We don't want to wake up one day with fresh structures sitting near our navy ship there. We have to bite the bullet and strengthen our position there or risk losing the territory."

The wrecked U.S.-built ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, is among Asia's loneliest military outposts. The ship was launched in World War Two, saw action in Okinawa and was used again in the Vietnam War. It was transferred to the Philippine government in 1976 under a military assistance program.

Soldiers are equipped with a small generator for cooking. Radios are battery-powered and supplies are delivered by boat.

"They want us out of the area," another Philippine navy officer said of China.

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a 10-nation grouping that includes the Philippines, has been talking to China about a binding code of conduct to ease tension. But China says it will negotiate "when the time is ripe".

ASEAN foreign ministers are due to meet in Thailand in August to forge a position on the code of conduct before meeting Chinese officials in late August or early September in Beijing.

The easternmost territory held by China is Mischief Reef, about 65 km (40 miles) northwest of Second Thomas Shoal. China occupied it in 1995. The Philippines occupied Second Thomas Reef with the BRP Sierra Madre in 1999, preventing China moving further east.

In March, Malaysia protested against the incursion of four Chinese ships in James Shoal, about 80 km (50 miles) off Sarawak on Borneo island. Chinese sailors fired guns in the air during the visit to the shoal. Last month, a Chinese maritime surveillance ship returned to James Shoal to leave behind steel markers to assert its claim.

RISK OF MISCALCULATION

Zha Daojiong, an international relations professor at Beijing's Peking University, said China was serious about asserting its claims in the South China Sea and it was important the region did not misunderstand this.

"There is now a quiet agreement among different Chinese voices that sometimes you have to act as well as issuing statements," he said. China would, however, never completely close the door on possible co-operation.

Ian Storey, a scholar at Singapore's Institute of South East Asian Studies, said tension at Second Thomas Shoal could prove more dangerous than last year's stand-off at unoccupied Scarborough Shoal, given the presence of Filipino troops.

"It is hard to imagine China using force to gain full control over Second Thomas, but some kind of blockade to drive out the Philippines' troops would have to be a possibility," Storey said. "There is a real chance of escalation or miscalculation."

http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=14404&sid=1&subid=2#.UaXEO47D8cA

BRP Ramon Alcaraz outfitted with ASW capabilities

From the Manila Bulletin (May 29): BRP Ramon Alcaraz outfitted with ASW capabilities

The Philippine Navy's (PN) second Hamilton Class cutter, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), will be fitted with anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, a military spokesman said.

Alcaraz, now undergoing sea trial off the waters off South Carolina, is  expected to leave the US and sail to the Philippines first week June. The ship is scheduled to arrive in the country by August.

Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic, the PN spokesman, said the ASW capability will be installed on the Alcaraz and a helicopter that will be assigned to her. ASW or Anti-submarine warfare capability refers to the capability to detect, track and destroy submarines.

"As an additional asset it will greatly improve our maritime domain/situational awareness (capability) because of its capable of long range deployment," said Fabic.

At present, the Filipino warship is believed to be carrying an 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon, two 25 Bushmaster guns and assorted machine guns.

It is also reported to be carrying a Harpoon anti-ship missile system.

Also, since the ship is fitted with hangar facilities, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz can embark a naval helicopter that can further extend its monitoring and detection capability.

"A helicopter can be launched from the vessel allowing wider and further coverage," said Fabic, who also disclosed that additional surveillance equipment like radar can also be installed on the ship.

"As a platform, radar equipment like that of the littoral observation stations (coast watch stations) can be mounted for wider range data gathering. All of these will be linked in a shore facility for better command and control for effective decision making," the PN spokesman stressed.

According to Fabic, Alcaraz  is "fully mission capable" on her arrival.

http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=14459&sid=1&subid=2#.UaXDoI7D8cA

‘Tabak’ commander tells officers, men to establish good ties with media

From the Philippine News Agency (May 29): ‘Tabak’ commander tells officers, men to establish good ties with media

CAMP CESAR SANG-AN, LABANGAN, Zamboanga del Sur, May 29 (PNA) – “I value media relations.”

This was emphasized by Army’s 1st Infantry “Tabak” Division commander Brig. Gen. Daniel Lucero in his message during a recent fellowship night with members of the local media at the Tabak Clubhouse.

Lucero ordered his officers and men to establish good rapport with the media while in the performance of their duty in promoting peace.

Lucero recalled that he lost a number of good commanders for failure to establish good working relationship with the media when he was the commander of the 103rd infantry brigade.

“They failed to properly relate themselves with the media, thus they were relieved from their posts,” Lucero disclosed.

Lucero admitted that he has no formal education and training about media handling, citing he learned it in his own way.

“On my first day of handling media at the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) General Headquarters, I met American Public Affairs Officers and national media practitioners,” Lucero recalled.

“I received several phone calls from the media as early as 3:00 a.m. even during weekends. I had to attend to their calls because if I would not do so, they would report to my boss that I was sleeping on my duty,” said Lucero, adding “I learned to smile even though I was not feeling well.

He also shared with his men some important points in facing the media: be ready to give information; know their educational background and leanings; and the message to send should be clear to listeners and the readers.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=529020

DND chief: PHL won't build new structures on Ayungin Shoal

From the Philippine News Agency (May 29): DND chief: PHL won't build new structures on Ayungin Shoal

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Wednesday refuted Chinese claims that the Philippines is setting up new structures off Ayungin Shoal which lies 105 nautical miles away from Rizal, Palawan and well within the country's 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

He said that this was the guise of his short informal conversation with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, Ma Que King, who was present during the country's commemoration of the "International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers".

The activity was held at the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Commissioned Officers Club Wednesday morning.

"They (Chinese) were concerned that the Philippines is coming up with additional structures in Ayungin Shoal and I told her that the ship that is moving towards Ayungin Shoal is only (carrying) provisions of food and water for the soldiers who are there," Gazmin stated.

A Marine contingent is stationed near Ayungin Shoal. These troopers are aboard the BRP Sierra Madre (LST-57), landing ship tank, which ran aground off the area sometimes in 1999.

Gazmin also said that the Chinese Ambassador also urged the Philippines not to violate the Code of Conduct (established in 2000 where nine nations who have conflicting claims in the Spratlys Island Chain have agreed not to set up new structures in their claimed portions).

"(We) told her that we are not setting up any new structure but that we are merely resupplying provisions to our people there and (if possible) rotate the soldiers standing guard there as those people can't stay there indefinitely as they could go crazy," the DND chief narrated.

And when asked whether China plans to pull out the two maritime patrol vessels it has deployed near Ayungin Shoal, Gazmin said that Ma told him that their forces are monitoring the lone Filipino vessel in the area, BRP Sierra Madre, which is not operational, for possible efforts to construct new structures.

To avoid possible maritime incidents, the DND chief also said that naval units doing resupply missions are always instructed to follow protocols.

"It's always there but we do follow some protocols like avoidance of dangerous maneuvers, avoidance of confrontational moves, so right now its holding, and we make sure that when go there also we have been doing regularly and routinely is the movement of logistics which are unarmed," Gazmin stressed.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=528972

MILF chief denies involvement in cattle rustling

From the Sun Star-Davao (May 28): MILF chief denies involvement in cattle rustling

A top commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) denied involvement in series of cattle rustling in a village in Tulunan, North Cotabato which led to the armed engagements in the area since May 25.

Commander Abner Maniba of the 109th base command of the MILF, in a radio interview, said his organization prohibits members to engage in illegal activities, including cattle rustling.

"If cattle rustling did exist in those villages, our organization is not involved in it. The Quran says anybody who steals, his hand would be cut," Maniba said.

For Maniba, the fighting started a week ago when a group of armed Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO) members arrived at Camp Bunawan of the 109th base command and started shooting a certain Tatang Manding they caught tending to his farm at Barangay Barko-Barko in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat.

Maniba said the conflict area is located at the tri-boundary of Datu Paglas, Maguindanao; Columbio, Sultan Kudarat; and Tulunan, North Cotabato, which the MILF claimed as part of their territory.

"I was told Tatang Manding suffered injuries. When his relatives knew about the attack they ran after the armed men," Maniba said.

He admitted their "defensive" forces stationed at Camp Bunawan also came to the rescue.

"We had to protect our territory. We fought with the BPATs. But that was when the armed men entered our territory," he said.

Maniba hinted the armed BPATs from Barangay Maybula, Tulunan just used the issue on cattle rustling to again push their claims over the wide hectares of lands along the tri-boundary – land titles of which were allegedly issued to Moro villagers since 1960s.
Maniba said the lands are also being claimed by Christian settlers, who arrived at the place at the height of the Martial Law in the 70s.

"When the Moro and the Christian settlers presented the documents in one of the peace negotiations held in the past, we found out that their land titles were issued only in 2008, while the Moro settlers showed their titles dated 1960s," Maniba added.

On Monday, Tulunan Mayor Lani Candolada led the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) meeting held at the municipal hall where they discussed measures to end the armed fighting.

Foreign observers from Indonesia and Brunei who are members of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) were among those that attended the MPOC meeting.

Candolada said the IMT members told the MPOC that they are interested if there were ceasefire violations since the conflict area is considered an MILF territory.

Candolada said the armed fighting, which started Saturday, stemmed from series of cattle rustling activities in the area.

Citing data from the PNP-Tulunan showed that since April, the mayor said there were at least seven cattle rustling cases recorded in Barangay Maybula.

The fighting resulted to the displacement of 68 families from four sitios in Barangay Maybula and nearby Barangay Kanebong, both in Tulunan town.

Forces from the Army's 57th IB and Tulunan police were already deployed in the area to secure the evacuees.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2013/05/28/milf-chief-denies-involvement-cattle-rustling-284643

7 face raps for Cafgu slay

From Sun Star-Davao (May 28): 7 face raps for Cafgu slay

CHARGES were filed before the City Prosecution Office (CPO) last week against seven men for stealing and the slaying of a member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) last April 26.

The slain victim was identified as Rodillo Betil Jamana, 39, of Purok 5 in Barangay Tamayong, Calinan in Davao City. He succumbed to 15 gunshot wounds on Feria Street, Calinan Poblacion in this town.

Senior Inspector Jacy Jay Francia, chief of the Calinan police station, identified the seven suspects as one Budong, Estoy, Ronald, Berto, Danilo Rosete, Gab, and Forperio Tuan Jr. who are all residents in Marilog District.

A source from the CPO said the suspects were charged with murder and was brought before their office for a regular filing procedure since the suspects are still at large.

Record from the Calinan Police Station shows the victim was shot several times in different parts of his body. The suspects were believed to be members of Front Committee 51 of the New People’s Army (NPA).

"According to the witness, after the incident, the suspects on board on motorcycles, fled to Barangay Wangan in Calinan," Francia said, adding that they had already launched a manhunt operation against the suspects.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) recovered from the crime scene 10 empty shells and two deformed slugs of caliber .45 pistol.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2013/05/28/7-face-raps-cafgu-slay-284646

139 police training on anti-insurgency

From the Visayan Daily Star (May 29): 139 police training on anti-insurgency

A training on special counter-insurgency operations is being held for 139 police personnel at Camp Herman Carballo in Barangay Nagbagan, Sta. Catalina town, Negros Oriental.

The PNP Special Counter-Insurgency Unit Training, or SCOUT course is the second to be held in the province this year, Senior Insp. Dexter Calacar, assistant training manager of the Regional Special Training Unit, Police Regional Office in Region 7, said.

The SCOUT, that started during the weekend, has 37 female and 102 male trainees from police units, who will return to their original assignments after graduation from the course.

SCOUT is a requirement for cops to train on the development of mental and physical skills, principles and techniques on crisis response operations, disaster response, jungle terrain operations, and developing camaraderie and teamwork.

The 45-day training for PNP SCOUT Class 38-2013 opened with reelected Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, chief of the PRO-7 Personnel and Human Resource Development and Doctrine Division; Supt. Alexander Solidad, deputy director for Operations of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, and Calacar present.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/May/29/negor4.htm

Ex-Negros leader now Army chief

From the Visayan Daily Star (May 29): Ex-Negros leader now Army chief

An Army general who used to be assigned in Negros, has been designated as chief of staff of the Philippine Army, military records show.

Brig. Gen. Jet Joel Velarmino, former deputy commander of the elite Special Operations Command, replaced Major Gen. Maximo Caro,who recently retired from the military service, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.

Velarmino and Caro are members of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1982. Both used to be assigned in Negros, with Caro as 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, and Velarmino as commander of the defunct 6th Special Forces Battalion.

Military records also show that Velarmino headed the Army’s elite troopers who captured the kidnappers of Giuseppe Pierantoni in Zamboanga del Sur in April 2002.
Velarmino assumed as Army chief of staff Friday last week.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/May/29/negor5.htm

NPA unit that killed 8 elite cops in Cagayan ambush led by a woman?

From GMA News (May 28): NPA unit that killed 8 elite cops in Cagayan ambush led by a woman?

A female communist rebel may have led the bloodiest attack on police personnel this year, based from the statements of those who survived the ambush that left eight elite policemen dead in Cagayan province.

“That is what we are going to confirm because there is this issue that a woman was seen in that area,” Director Carmelo Valmoria, head of the Philippine National Police's Special Action Force (PNP-SAF), said Tuesday.

The story about the female-led ambuscade cropped up following the testimonies of some of the seven policemen who survived the attack, which occurred Monday morning.

Citing statements from the survivors, Valmoria said a woman was seen leading the recovery of the service firearms of the slain policemen. The rebels were able to cart away 11 assault rifles from the police casualties.

Military records show a certain Ka Selya serves as a sub-leader of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels operating in Cagayan and nearby areas. She was allegedly under the command of Danilo Ben, the NPA leader in the province.

It was not clear, however, if it was indeed Ka Selya who led Monday morning's attack.

The ambush occurred at 8:30 a.m. at Capagaran village in Allacapan municipality, about two kilometers from the town's police station.

The 15 ambushed SAF members were on their way to the Allacapan Police Station for a medical examination when they were waylaid by the rebels.

Two SAF officials are under investigation for the attack.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/310419/news/nation/npa-unit-that-killed-8-elite-cops-in-cagayan-ambush-led-by-a-woman

Palace: NPA clearly violated law in Cagayan ambush on cops

From GMA News (May 29): Palace: NPA clearly violated law in Cagayan ambush on cops

The New People's Army (NPA) clearly violated the law when it ambushed and killed eight policemen using a command-detonated landmine in Cagayan on Monday, a Palace spokesperson said Tuesday.

"It’s very clear it was a violation of the law on the use of landmines. And, sorry, allow me to point out that they [policemen] were in athletic uniform [when they were ambushed]," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a press briefing.

She added that the slain policemen were on their way to a medical checkup when the communist rebels launched their attack.

"Hindi po natin maisip din kung ano ‘yung dahilan na para i-justify nila na war, or battle, or revolution ‘yung—in pursuit of that particular purpose kasi naka-athletic uniform nga po ‘yung kapulisan natin ‘non," she said.

On Monday, eight members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police were killed and six others were hurt when they were ambushed by NPA members in Allacapan town.

The communist-led National Democratic Front (NDF), however, reportedly said that the attack on the policemen “was a legitimate military operation in accordance with international humanitarian law."

Alex Padilla, who chairs the government peace panel negotiating with the NDF, for his part maintained in an earlier statement that the attack was a violation of international humanitarian law.

Peace negotiations between the Philippine government and NDF have remained stalled since 2004.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/310455/news/nation/palace-npa-clearly-violated-law-in-cagayan-ambush-on-cops

Gazmin: China concerned PHL wants to build more structures on Ayungin Shoal

From GMA News (May 29): Gazmin: China concerned PHL wants to build more structures on Ayungin Shoal

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said China intends to keep monitoring Manila over concerns that the Philippines intends to put up new structures on Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas) in the disputed Spratly Islands.

Gazmin revealed this after his meeting with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Ma Keqing at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday over questions about whether or not China will remove its ships from the Ayungin Shoal.

"Ang sabi nya ay mino-monitor nila yung barko nating nandudun kung magtatayo tayo ng bagong structure," Gazmin told reporters.

However, Gazmin told the ambassador that Philippine ships coming to the shoal will only be delivering provisions for Marines stationed there.

"They were concerned (the Philippines is) coming up with structures, additional structures in the Ayungin shoal, and I told her that the ship that is moving towards Ayungin shoal is only for provisions of food and water for soldiers who are there," he said.

"Sabi naman natin ay magdadala tayo ng provisions ng supply sa mga tao dun, tubig, at pagkain, at saka yung rotation of troops kasi hindi naman pwedeng permanente ang tao dun, masisira ang ulo," Gazmin also said.

The Ayungin Shoal is one of nine Filipino-occupied islands or islets in the Spratly Islands. It is guarded by a handful of Philippine Marines, estimated to be less than 10, aboard a ship that was deliberately grounded there in the late 1990s to mark the territory.

Meanwhile, Ma remarked that cooperation and "very good exchanges" between China and the Philippines are willing to be done by her country.

"We also talked about the balanced relations, I think China is ready to develop cooperation and very good exchanges between the two sides, because this year is the year of friendly exchanges between our two countries, so we are ready to promote the cooperation and exchanges between the two countries," she told reporters.

Gazmin said the Philippines is doing what it can to avoid the escalation of the issue.

"Ang threat is always there, it's always there but we do follow some protocols like avoidance of dangerous maneuvers, avoidance of confrontational moves, so right now it's holding," Gazmin said.

Gazmin had earlier said that the Philippines will fight China "to the last man standing" to defend its territory in the Ayungin Shoal.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/310519/news/nation/gazmin-china-concerned-phl-wants-to-build-more-structures-on-ayungin-shoal

Photo: US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. to finish PHL term in July

From GMA News (May 29): Photo: US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. to finish PHL term in July



US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. visits Zamboanga City, despite suffering from pain on his knees, for the launching of a USAID project in Mindanao on Wednesday, May 29. A US Embassy source tells GMA News this is 'probably the Ambassador's last' official visit to Mindanao as his four-year tour of duty to the PHL ends in July. Cedric Castillo

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/photo/38290/us-ambassador-harry-thomas-jr-to-finish-phl-term-in-july

US defense chief vows 'follow through' on pivot to Asia

From InterAksyon (May 29): US defense chief vows 'follow through' on pivot to Asia

Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel will reassure allies in a trip to Asia this week that the United States intends to 'follow through' on its promised strategic shift to the Pacific region, officials said Tuesday.

In his first trip to the area since he took over as defense secretary in February, Hagel was expected to discuss Washington's "rebalance" towards Asia and recent tensions with North Korea in meetings with his counterparts at a Singapore conference.

"The focus is really follow through this year," said a senior defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"Last year, we were sharing with the region the new strategic guidance. This year is really about showing that that strategic guidance, the rebalance, is under way," the official told reporters.

President Barack Obama last year unveiled a new security strategy that emphasized a shift towards the Asia region, reflecting worries over China's growing military power.

But a budget impasse in Washington has triggered automatic cuts to US military spending, raising concerns in Asia that America's promised rebalance could be derailed.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, an annual summit organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, Hagel was due to meet numerous defense ministers from the region and deliver a policy speech on Saturday.

At last year's Singapore summit, former defense secretary Leon Panetta announced that the majority of the US naval fleet would be gradually shifted to the Pacific region as part of the pivot to Asia.

Hagel was scheduled to hold bilateral talks with counterparts from the Philippines, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia as well as Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

He also will hold a trilateral meeting with ministers from Japan and South Korea.

"We have a lot to talk about in terms of shared security interests, especially given some recent provocations and provocative rhetoric from North Korea," the US official said.

North Korea reacted to joint US exercises with South Korea in March and April with a new round of bellicose rhetoric, including dire threats of nuclear war from Pyongyang.

The North has since toned down its language in recent weeks and US officials say medium-range missiles were no longer poised for launch.

With Western governments debating a possible intervention in Syria's civil war, several European officials will attend the Singapore conference, including defense ministers from Britain, France and Germany.

In Singapore, the Pentagon chief is due to pay a visit to the USS Freedom, the first of the new Littoral Combat Ships that will be based out of the port. The ship deployments are touted as part of the US strategic focus on Asia.

Hagel departs Wednesday from Washington and will stop in Hawaii to visit troops and meet the head of US Pacific Command before heading to Singapore. After the security summit, the former senator travels to Brussels for a meeting of alliance defense ministers on June 4-5.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/62805/us-defense-chief-vows-follow-through-on-pivot-to-asia

South China Sea tension mounts near Filipino shipwreck

From InterAksyon (May 29): South China Sea tension mounts near Filipino shipwreck



A rusting BRP Sierra Madre--grounded but standing as a line of Philippine maritime defense--is seen in file photo by Abigail Kwok

A wrecked navy transport ship perched on a remote coral reef could be the next flashpoint in the South China Sea, where China and five other claimants bitterly dispute territory.

The Philippine government is accusing China of encroachment after three Chinese ships, including a naval frigate, converged just 5 nautical miles from an old transport ship that the Philippines deliberately ran aground on a reef in 1999 to mark its territory.

Philippine officials say they fear the Chinese ships will block supplies to about a dozen Filipino marines stationed in abject conditions on the rusting ship, raising tensions over one of Asia's biggest security issues.

The area, known as Second Thomas Shoal, is a strategic gateway to Reed Bank, believed to be rich in oil and natural gas. In 2010, Manila awarded an Anglo-Filipino consortium a license to explore for gas on Reed Bank but drilling stalled last year due to the presence of Chinese ships.

Manila says Reed Bank, about 80 nautical miles west of Palawan island at the southwestern end of the Philippine archipelago, is within the country's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Beijing says it is part of the Spratlys, a group of 250 uninhabitable islets spread over 165,000 square miles, claimed entirely by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and in part by Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.

"China should pull out of the area because under international law, they do not have the right to be there," said Raul Hernandez, a spokesman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, noting the area's proximity to Palawan, the country's largest province.

He said the Chinese ships were a "provocation and illegal presence".

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Tuesday the Second Thomas Shoal was part of the Spratly Islands, over which China had "indisputable sovereignty".

"It is beyond reproach for Chinese boats to carry out patrols in these waters," Hong said, adding China called on all parties to "refrain from taking actions that complicate the situation".

The tension illustrates how a decades-old territorial squabble over the South China Sea is entering a more contentious chapter as claimant nations spread deeper into disputed waters in search of energy supplies, while building up navies and alliances with other nations.

Second Thomas Shoal is one of several possible flashpoints in the South China Sea that could force the United States to intervene in defense of its Southeast Asian allies.
The tension comes just before US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel meets his Asia-Pacific counterparts at the so-called Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore at the weekend. The South China Sea is on the agenda of the regional security forum.

‘Clear and present danger’

Philippine authorities say the three Chinese ships arrived in Second Thomas Shoal on or around May 8, escorting a fleet of 30 fishing boats. Two days later, the Philippines formally lodged a protest with China over the vessels.

As of Tuesday, two Chinese marine surveillance ships remained in the area, Philippine navy spokesman Colonel Edgardo Arevalo said. The fishing boats and the frigate had left, he said.

"The presence of those ships is a clear and present danger," said another senior Philippine navy officer, who declined to be identified as he is not authorized to speak to the media. He said the Philippines believed China was trying to pressure it to leave the shoal.

"We don't want to wake up one day with fresh structures sitting near our navy ship there. We have to bite the bullet and strengthen our position there or risk losing the territory."

The wrecked US-built ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, is among Asia's loneliest military outposts. The ship was launched in World War Two, saw action in Okinawa and was used again in the Vietnam War. It was transferred to the Philippine government in 1976 under a military assistance program.

Soldiers are equipped with a small generator for cooking. Radios are battery-powered and supplies are delivered by boat.

"They want us out of the area," another Philippine navy officer said of China.

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a 10-nation grouping that includes the Philippines, has been talking to China about a binding code of conduct to ease tension. But China says it will negotiate "when the time is ripe".

ASEAN foreign ministers are due to meet in Thailand in August to forge a position on the code of conduct before meeting Chinese officials in late August or early September in Beijing.

The easternmost territory held by China is Mischief Reef, about 65 km (40 miles) northwest of Second Thomas Shoal. China occupied it in 1995. The Philippines occupied Second Thomas Reef with the BRP Sierra Madre in 1999, preventing China moving further east.

In March, Malaysia protested against the incursion of four Chinese ships in James Shoal, about 80 km (50 miles) off Sarawak on Borneo island. Chinese sailors fired guns in the air during the visit to the shoal. Last month, a Chinese maritime surveillance ship returned to James Shoal to leave behind steel markers to assert its claim.

Risk of miscalculation

Zha Daojiong, an international relations professor at Beijing's Peking University, said China was serious about asserting its claims in the South China Sea and it was important the region did not misunderstand this.

"There is now a quiet agreement among different Chinese voices that sometimes you have to act as well as issuing statements," he said. China would, however, never completely close the door on possible co-operation.

Ian Storey, a scholar at Singapore's Institute of South East Asian Studies, said tension at Second Thomas Shoal could prove more dangerous than last year's stand-off at unoccupied Scarborough Shoal, given the presence of Filipino troops.

"It is hard to imagine China using force to gain full control over Second Thomas, but some kind of blockade to drive out the Philippines' troops would have to be a possibility," Storey said. "There is a real chance of escalation or miscalculation."

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/62804/south-china-sea-tension-mounts-near-filipino-shipwreck