From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 18): BIFF rebels torch MNLF homes in Pikit, North Cotabato Police on Wednesday said Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) gunmen set fire to 20 houses in one of the seven villages it had occupied in the town of Pikit in Cotabato province.
SPO3 Norudin Solaiman, the town’s chief investigator, said BIFF members torched the houses on Tuesday in Barangay Barongis, a village known to be populated by members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which was not a party to the violence.
The BIFF has been fighting with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under Commander Jack Abas, the highest-ranking rebel leader in the area.
Solaiman said the house-burning could draw in MNLF members.
Seven villages
More than 15,000 have fled Barongis and the adjacent villages of Kabasalan, Buliok, Bagoinged, Bulol and Raja Muda. Hundreds more have fled villages in nearby Pagalungan town in Maguindanao over the clashes that started last week.
Datukong Ampuan, also known as Commander Falcon of the MILF, and five of his followers, have reportedly been killed.
The BIFF has vowed to step up its attacks in Cotabato and accused Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza of funding the operation against them.
Abu Misri Mama, the BIFF spokesperson, alleged that Mendoza funnelled money to Abas to finance the MILF operation against the BIFF.
Cotabato governor’s hand?
“Lala uses her power and money to bribe the MILF and drive us out of our territory. The governor used thousands of pesos to earn the loyalty of the MILF,” he said.
“The local MILF units are now taking direct orders from her,” Mama said.
He said the BIFF would seize any chance to take on North Cotabato towns or the provincial capitol in Barangay Amas in Kidapawan City.
“If we will have the chance, we will not only raid the town or city halls but we will also attack the provincial capitol,” Mama said.
Mendoza denied the BIFF’s allegations, explaining that she could not command or even influence the MILF.
“Are they saying that I have now the right to give orders to the MILF? Am I a commander?” Mendoza said.
What influence?
She said the BIFF might have maliciously misinterpreted her delivery of government programs in the communities that included MILF-influenced villages.
“My services include livelihood projects, electrification, construction of classrooms, road construction, water projects, scholarships, assistance for evacuees like food, medicine and clothing and dispersal of farm animals,” Mendoza said.
These programs are being implemented in the entire province and are being delivered without any discrimination regardless of the person’s or the village’s affiliations, Mendoza shared.
Von Al Haq, MILF vice chair for military affairs, also denied that Mendoza had a hand in the current conflict.
“This is a legit operation regularly being conducted by the MILF in its territories to enforce security most especially against criminalities,” Al Haq said.
From Rappler (Feb 18): BIFF threatens to attack North Cotabato capitol
'If we will have the chance, we will not only raid the town or city halls but we will also attack the provincial capitol,' says BIFF spokesperson Abu Misry Mama
RENEGADE. Ameril Umbra Kato, leader of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. File photo by Agence France-Presse
The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have threatened to step up attacks in North Cotabato and target the provincial capitol, following over a week of sporadic fighting between the group and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the boundary of North Cotabato and Maguindanao.
Abu Misry Mama, spokesperson of the BIFF, also accused North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza of “funding” the MILF campaign against its splinter group.
“We will be able to catch up with them (MILF). If we will have the chance, we will not only raid the town or city halls but we will also attack the provincial capitol," Mama said on Wednesday, February 18.
The compound of the North Cotabato provincial capitol, which also houses various government agencies, is in the heart of Kidapawan City.
Mama alleged that the MILF first engaged the BIFF’s 1st Division led by Mohaiden Animbang, also known as “Kagi Karialan,” in Pikit town on February 5, after receiving funds from Mendoza.
"She's Satan....The governor used thousands of pesos to earn the loyalty of the MILF....The local MILF units are now taking direct orders from her," Mama said.
Mama also alleged that Jack Abbas, commander of the MILF's Eastern Mindanao Front, has regular direct communications with Mendoza to execute a plan to eliminate the local BIFF command.
The Eastern Mindanao Front is the mother unit of the MILF's 108th, 109th and 110th Base Commands which are operating in several towns in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.
No truth to allegations
Mendoza denied the allegations and said she is not in a position to command or influence the MILF's Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces which strictly follows orders from the MILF Central Committee.
"Are they saying that I have now the right to give orders to the MILF? Am I a commander?" Mendoza reacted.
She commented that the BIFF might have maliciously misinterpreted her delivery of government programs in the communities that include MILF-influenced villages.
"My services include livelihood projects, electrification, construction of classrooms, road construction, water projects, scholarships, assistance for evacuees like food, medicine and clothing and dispersal of farm animals," Mendoza said.
She said the programs are being implemented in the entire province "regardless if they are MILF, government forces, or civilians as long as they are my constituents."
Mendoza added that local government unites are implementing the projects under the government's peace and development program in the region.
Von Al Haq, MILF vice chair for military affairs, also said there is no truth to Mama’s allegations.
"We also feel bad that Mendoza is being dragged in the issue but we are clarifying that this is an ongoing operation that is being done by the MILF for a long time in its area," Al Haq said.
Not linked to Mamasapano
He also dismissed speculation that the MILF operations against the BIFF are related to the January 25 Mamasapano incident.
"No, this is not connected to the Mamasapano incident. We have been doing this for a long time already. In fact, we are just implementing what has been agreed under the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group which was designed to address criminalities along with government forces," Al Haq said.
Al Haq explained that the MILF's current operations are part of its continuing efforts to clamp down on criminality in their territories.
"What is happening is not a feud nor is it financed by any politicians. This is a legit operation regularly being conducted by the MILF in its territories to enforce security most especially against criminality,” Al Haq said.
A source said that earlier this week, the MILF and the BIFF reached a temporary ceasefire agreement – as long as the BIFF would not enter MILF territory, especially to recruit fighters – but it collapsed after the break-away group mounted attacks.
On February 17, BIFF rebels occupying villages in Piki town burned houses.
Led by former 105th Base Commander Ustadz Ameril Umra Kato, the BIFF splintered from the MILF after serious disagreements on the conduct of the peace negotiations with the government.
Claiming to have an alliance with ISIS, the BIFF is now waging a guerrilla war for the creation of an Islamic state in Mindanao.
From InterAksyon (Feb 18): War in Mindanao: How prepared is the military? Part 2 of 3 (By: Jose Antonio A. Custodio)
MILF officers in a huddle, 2 September 2013. FILE PHOTO BY DENNIS ARCON
[Editor's note: Jose Antonio A. Custodio is a security and defense consultant and was a technical adviser for a US defense company working for the US Pacific Command. He also specializes in military history and has post-graduate studies in history from the University of the Philippines. He also teaches history and political science at several universities in Metro Manila.
After the Mamasapano tragedy, calls for all-out war against the MILF have been made. In the first installment of his piece, military analyst Jose Antonio Custodio reviewed Estrada’s all-out war campaign. Here, he tackles: Is the military prepared to go on an all-out war? In the third and last part, he will answer: What would be the MILF response? What are the internal and external repercussions of returning to a war footing with the Moros? The last part will come out February 19.]
In counterinsurgency, the rule of thumb is that the government side must have a very large numerical superiority over the rebels to overcome the latter’s flexibility in evading the military and in staging hit-and-run attacks. Five government soldiers to 1 rebel is considered to be the minimum but the larger the better. Such a large ratio in favor of the government also ensures coverage of territories thus defeating the “fish in water” strategy of the rebels.
If the Battle of Mamasapano is to provide any other lesson to be learned it is that the secessionists do enjoy the support of the community they are in when it comes to combat operations and thus the better trained battalion sized SAF force was routed by the sheer weight of the attack against them.
Estimate of secessionist strength is put at 11,000 for the MILF being the largest armed group as compared to the 500 or so strong Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the 300 or so Abu Sayyaf Group. Ironically, the remnants of the Moro National Liberation Front despite a peace agreement with the government still figured in a long drawn-out urban battle against government forces in 2013 and the City of Zamboanga has not fully recovered from it.
However as had been mentioned, these various groups can draw on local community support due to kinship reasons and gain rapid numerical strength during battles with government troops. These groups also sometimes have this habit of working side by side in temporary alliances of convenience when faced with military operations. They can also choose to be flexible and roll with the punches thrown by government force until personnel, materiel, and funding exhaustion affects the military and operations grind to a halt.
And there is also that problem posed by the 3,000 or so strong New People’s Army. The military has also to contend with this rebel formation that opportunistically takes advantage of government concentration in operations against the secessionists.
In short, if the Philippine government goes into large-scale military operations against the MILF and the BIFF, then it has to prepare against all eventualities in other fronts of the internal security situation of the country.
That pits approximately 35,000 up against various rebel formations one-third their number but able to draw on considerable community support thus managing to establish rebel supremacy in certain tactical situations.
Thus it is clear that the Philippine government does not have that decisive numerical advantage that is necessary to establish dominance in the battlefield and it runs the risk of seeing the military and police distracted and tied down by numerous operations conducted against it by Muslim secessionists and even communist rebels.
It is in these situations that the military should enjoy the advantage of possessing crew served equipment and weapons systems that are considered as force multipliers and should give them the flexibility and lethality against mainly foot slogging rebels.
Unfortunately since the abovementioned Abubakar Campaign of 2000, the same systems that saw service then and became quickly worn down by wear and tear are still in service. In the 15th Strike Wing of the Philippine Air Force which is the premier attack unit of that service, the same OV-10 Broncos and MG 520s still shoulder on more than a generation since they were purchased and are desperately in need of replacement.
To add some capability, light training aircraft such as the SF-260 are configured for ground attack roles. The 50-year-old UH-1H still remains the main utility helicopter of the PAF and there are approximately 60 to 70 depending on what open source is consulted but constant use will pare that down to 40 or so due to the advanced age of this type.
Attempts to replace this helicopter with later models have always fallen through due to one reason after another.
Furthermore, aside from combat use, the Huey is also a key asset in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief which year in and year out happen in the Philippines and such natural calamities also have the habit of exercising their own pull on the military assets of the government.
However, there are the 17,000 men of the Philippine Air Force of whom many appear to be surplus to the needs of the service who can be utilized as a source of additional combat reserves as long as they are properly re-trained.
The Philippine Army’s state of equipment is at least better off than the situation in the PAF. As of now, the PA is in a transition as it is replacing its old M16 rifles with the new M4s which are totally manufactured in the United States.
The PA has approximately 500 armored vehicles of all types of which the bulk come from American military assistance. Majority of these armored vehicles are wheeled lightly armored and armed types like the V-150 Commando of Vietnam War vintage. The most numerous tracked vehicle is the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier also of Vietnam War vintage and although supposedly amphibious it remains to be seen if they still retain that capability in the PA having been in service for so long.
The PA as well as the Philippine Marine Corps rely on towed artillery of 1940s to 1960s technology and are rather slow and cumbersome to deploy as compared to self-propelled types. Interestingly enough, the PA has never seriously invested in Self Propelled Artillery even in the current modernization program.
Hence although the PA has benefited from the focus on internal security that the previous capability enhancement programs had undertaken in the years following Abubakar, it remains to be seen if it can undertake flexible and quick operations and not the slow ponderous campaign it did in the 2000 campaign that although causing large casualties to the MILF when the secessionists chose to fight it out, eventually allowed the bulk of the rebel army to survive when they chose to evade, fall back, disperse, and engage in guerrilla warfare.
Much of the territory in Central Mindanao would confine the armored assets to roads and good ground which would limit their effectiveness in supporting infantry in difficult terrain and marshes. In order to establish a great degree of flexibility, the PA would need the entire fleet of Hueys of the PAF concentrated solely in operations against the secessionists.
The problem is that the UH1H, which had been an army asset in the US Army and thus allowed for quicker infantry and airborne operations due to a single service handling the units, belongs to another service in the Philippine context and thus will require more coordination and probable delays as it will be an inter-service operation. Each delay allows the rebels greater opportunity to escape and survive.
The Philippine Navy will provide transport, fire support, and interdiction to the overall effort against the secessionists in areas where it is needed. However doing this may result in stripping assets away from other high priority areas of which the most important is the West Philippine Sea and the Kalayaan Island Group.
From Rappler (Feb 18): MILF returns 16 SAF weapons
The government and MILF peace panels appear in a joint press conference at a military camp in Maguindanao
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday, February 18, returned 16 firearms seized from the police Special Action Force (SAF) during the deadly January 25 clash between Moro rebels and elite cops in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The weapons were turned over Wednesday at Camp Siongco of the 6th Infantry Division in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, weeks after the clash that killed 44 members of the Philippine National Police-SAF, 18 Moro rebels and 3 civilians.
A total of 63 firearms were lost during the Mamasapano operation, according to a police report.
Miriam Coronel Ferrer, head of the government peace panel, said the “16 firearms” returned by the MILF were "verified [to belong to the SAF]."
RETURNED. Members of the ceasefire committees of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front inspect the weapons. Photo from OPAPP
Members of the government and the MILF peace panels, security officials and the International Monitoring Team (IMT) were present during the turnover ceremonies.
The weapons were returned through the ceasefire committees of both sides and the IMT, the body tasked to oversee the ceasefire agreement of the government and the MILF.
The return of the SAF firearms was the first demand made by President Benigno Aquino III to the MILF as proof of their commitment to the peace process.
In a joint press conference at Camp Siongco, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal gave assurances that the MILF remains to be a "partner of peace."
"Some think a partnership with the government is unthinkable but the MILF is willing to take extra mile so the peace process will proceed," Iqbal said.
GESTURE. Some of PNP-SAF firearms returned by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Photo by OPAPP
Government and security officials, including Peace Adviser to the Peace Adviser Secretary Teresita Deles and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gregorio Catapang Jr welcomed the "gesture of good will" from the MILF.
Catapang said he hopes the return of firearms would once again jumpstart efforts towards peace in Mindanao.
"We need to claim the peace. We must claim, not only win, the peace in our country. Therefore, I say, that this gesture is a very fitting gesture," Catapang said.
The MILF signed a peace accord with the government in March 2014 that sought to create a more powerful autonomous region in Mindanao in exchange for the staggered decommissioning of rebel firearms.
However, the fate of the peace process in Mindanao was cast in doubt in the aftermath of the disastrous police operation for the arrest of wanted terrorists Zulkifli bin hir, better known as Marwan, and Usman that led to the death of close to 70 individuals.
From Rappler (Feb 18): MILF denies telling members to prepare for war
Moro Islamic Liberation Front chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal says warmongers are spreading the false information
CRUCIAL TIMES. Moro
Islamic Liberation Front chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal denies issuing an
advisory to MILF members to prepare for war. File photo by Angela
Casauay/Rappler
"It's a pure and simple act of warmongers."
With these words, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman Mohagher Iqbal on Wednesday, February 18, denied reports that the rebel group has told its members to prepare for attacks in the event that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law is abandoned.
"'Yung sinasabi na advisory galing sa text na kumakalat. Ako rin mismo natanggap ko. Sa text nabanggit pa ang pangalan ko at galing daw sa akin ang advisory na 'yan," Iqbal said in a joint press conference with government officials Wednesday for the turnover of police Special Action Force firearms. (READ: MILF returns 16 SAF weapons) (That advisory came from a text message that is spreading around. I, myself, received that. The text even mentioned my name and the advisory supposedly came from me.)
"Ang masasabi ko ay walang katotohanan 'yan. Trabaho 'yan ng walang magawa. (All I can say is it's not true. That's the work of those who have nothing better to do.) In times of crisis, warmongers are quick. It's a pure and simple act of warmongers," Iqbal said.
A Manila Standard report published on Wednesday, quoting an unnamed source, claimed the MILF has issued a warning to its members that the government is preparing for a "secret all-out war" as the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law remains stalled in the Senate and the House of Representatives amid a tight deadline.
The measure seeks to create a more powerful autonomous government to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. In exchange for the establishment of the Bangsamoro government, the MILF committed to decommission its firearms under the peace accord signed in March 2014.
Calls for the government to abandon the peace process with the MILF and launch an all-out war against them were ignited following the Mamasapano clash that killed 44 elite cops, 18 Moro rebels, and 3 civilians.
Top security and peace officials reiterated on Wednesday that the government remained firm in its stand to pursue the peace process.
Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gregorio Catapang Jr commended the MILF for the move to return SAF weapons seized by its members during the January 25 clash in Mamasapano.
Catapang said the "unfortunate incident" should not deter the parties "to win the peace and to claim the peace" in Mindanao in honor of the fallen SAF troops.
From GMA News (Feb 17): Body of male Caucasian recovered in Mamasapano after clash –Gabriela
A body of a male Caucasian was among those recovered from the site of the bloody encounter between elite policemen and Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on January 25, according to party-list group Gabriela, citing information reaching them.
A report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday said Gabriela got the information from residents in the area who helped carry the bodies of the PNP-Special Action Force commandos killed in the clash with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
Gabriela said this bolstered reports on the alleged participation of the US in the police operation dubbed Oplan Exodus, designed to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Filipino bomb-maker Basit Usman.
Marwan, who was killed in the operation, was on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation's list of most wanted terrorists. He was the main suspect in the 2002 Bali bombing in Indonesia.
“There should be further investigation into the role of the US government in the Mamasapano incident based on the reports coming from the residents,” said Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan in the report.
[Video report]
Police officials have earlier said the role of the US troops in the Mamasapano operation was limited to providing medical evacuation of the wounded SAF members.
The “24 Oras” report also mentioned the four US drones found in different parts of the country before the Mamasapano clash. US authorities said they were target drones used in military exercises and not spy drones.
It was not the first time that actual US involvement in a security operation in the Philippines was suspected, according to the report.
Back in 2002, the US allegedly had a role in the military offensive that killed Abu Sayyaf spokesperson Abu Sabaya in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. US officials had denied taking part in the operation.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, a former Navy official and chairman of the Senate defense committee, said there is nothing wrong with US sharing its intelligence with the Philippines, especially in the fight against terrorism.
“As far as intelligence information, intelligence sharing is concerned, that should be expected. 'Yan ang value nila sa atin. I don't see anything wrong with that, per se,” he said.
Philippine laws bar the participation of foreign troops in actual combat operations in the country.
From GMA News (Feb 18): PHL gets P87-M compensation from US over Tubbataha damage
The Philippines has received P87.03 million from the United States for the damage caused to Tubbataha Reef by the minesweeper USS Guardian in 2013, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.
In a statement, the DFA said the Philippine government received P87,033,570.71 compensation from the US last Jan. 20.
"The compensation will be utilized for the protection and rehabilitation of Tubbataha Reef Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Portions of the fund will also be used to further enhance capability to monitor the area and prevent similar incidents in the future," the DFA said.
Aside from the compensation, the US government will provide added assistance to the Philippine Coast Guard to upgrade the Coast Guard substation in Tubbataha.
On Jan. 17, 2013, USS Guardian ran aground at the South Atoll of the Tubbataha Reef, damaging at least 2,345.67 square meters of the reef area.
Salvage crews needed 10 weeks to haul away pieces of the USS Guardian.
In October 2014, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the US agreed to pay P87 million for the damage to Tubbataha Reef.
Tubbataha Management Office park manager Angelique Songco said the amount would cover both the P58.4-million fine imposed by the Philippine government for the restoration of the marine park and the expenses of the Philippine Coast Guard during the salvage operations.
Tubbataha is a World Heritage Site in Palawan, and is one of the top scuba diving destinations globally.
From GMA News (Feb 18): MILF formally turns over to govt firearms of slain SAF men
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Wednesday turned over to the government the firearms of Special Action Force troopers slain in a clash in Mamasapano in Maguindanao last Jan. 25.
Wednesday's turnover was held during ceremonies at Camp Brig. Gen. Gonzalo Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.
Handshakes among representatives from the government and the MILF highlighted the turnover of the firearms. Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gregorio Catapang Jr. was among the officials present.
At least 16 firearms were included in the turnover, GMA News' Raffy Tima reported.
Raffy Tima@raffytima
A total of 16 rifles including 2 machine guns recovered from the Mamasapano encounter. to be turned over by the MILF.
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One of the firearms was an M-4 rifle with optics, laser designator and tactical flashlight.
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A complete M4 rifle equipped w/ optics, laser designator and tactical flashlight turned over by the MILF. | @rafftima
Philippine National Police SAF officer-in-charge Chief Superintendent Noli Taliño's memorandum to PNP logistics director Director Juanito Vaño Jr. indicated the SAF lost P27 million worth of sophisticated combat equipment.
From the Manila Standard Today (Feb 18): Photo: Hot heads
Militant students burn the US flag demanding the US government be made accountable for the botched police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. LINO SANTOS
From the Manila Standard Today (Feb 18): Catapang tours military camps amid putsch talk
ARMED Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang visited major military camps Tuesday amid reports of a coup plot being hatched by groups outraged over the administration’s mishandling of the Mamasapano operation in which 44 police commandos were killed on Jan. 25.
Military spokesman Col. Restituto F. Padilla Jr. said the visits had nothing to do with the coup rumors and brushed aside speculation that they were loyalty checks.
“Our troops are dedicated professionals who are mindful of their constitutionally mandated duties and always ready to defend the country from threats-–foreign and within,” he said.
Catapang first showed up at the headquarters of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division based in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija under Maj. Gen. Glorioso Miranda, where he talked with his lieutenants.
After the dialogue with the rank and file, Catapang trooped to the Army’s Special Operations Command headquarters also inside Fort Magsaysay, and met with senior officials led by Maj Gen Donato San Juan.
Catapang then flew to Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, the headquarters of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division led by newly appointed commander Brig Gen. Romeo Gan, the former chief of the Civil Relations Service based in Camp Aguinaldo.
Padilla said Catapang visited the camps “to check on infrastructure and environmental projects.”
“He went to check on the facilities of the Light Reaction Regiment and the Bamboo Nursery and Plantation Project, a priority project.... to mitigate climate change and its effects,” Padilla added.
“These are not loyalty checks. It has been a long delayed visit of the chief of staff to check on ongoing projects and to award deserving troops for accomplishments they have not yet been recognized for,” he added.
The chief of the Armed Forces Public Affairs Office, Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, said the visits were aimed at boosting the morale of the troops.
“If there are officials who are trying to persuade us into joining coup attempts, we will not follow them. They are not part of our chain of command,” Cabunoc said.
“We have no valid reasons to remove our loyalty from the President of the republic.”
The Philippine National Police, which suffered the loss of 44 commandos in Mamasapano, said it had not monitored any illegal activities associated with a coup.
“We have nothing so far,” said PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. “We have standing directives. We know that our people are professional enough that they won’t be swayed by this kind of illegal ac-tivities.”
He added that the PNP was confident that the rank and file would abide by their sworn duty.
“That’s why we don’t need a loyalty check,” he said.
Coup rumors began to dominate political chatter last week when Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago told a Senate hearing that unnamed military figures financed by a wealthy individual were plotting to overthrow Aquino.
Aquino became the focus of public outrage after the Jan. 25 assault against Islamic terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir.
Zulkifli was killed but 44 police commandos also lost their lives after poor coordination saw them ambushed by Muslim rebels. At least four civilians and 11 guerrillas died as well.
From the Manila Standard Today (Feb 18): MILF girds for new war
Central rebel command anticipates BBL junking
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is preparing for war in anticipation of the possibility of the Philippine government scrapping the Bangsamoro Basic Law and ordering a military offensive against them.
This was the gist of a message, purportedly from the MILF Central Committee, which was forwarded to the Manila Standard Today on Tuesday by a source, who did not want to be identified.
Hataman“Naghahanda na ang gobyerno dahil itatapon na ang BBL (referring to the Bangsamoro Basic Law),” read the MILF message.
The message comes with an order to MILF commanders to be ready for the attacks, which it described as a “secret all-out war.”
“Mag-ingat tayo dahil “SECRET ALL OUT WAR,” ang sisimulan ng gobyerno laban sa MILF,” the message added.
The MILF’s warning on the possibility of an all-out war against government forces emerged after several lawmakers in both the Senate and the House of Representatives turned their backs against the passing of the BBL in the light of the atrocities allegedly committed by MILF forces against the SAF commandos, who died while on a mission of arresting Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan and his Filipino protege Abdul Usman Basit.
The incident also triggered widespread outrage among ordinary Filipinos.
In the message, the MILF cited its own sources that the PNP-SAF and the AFP, to be led by Marines, scout rangers and Special Weapons and Tactics units and even the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are preparing to enter MILF and BIFF territories.
“Ang military nila ay naka ready na sa pagpasok sa area ng mga muslim/MILF-BIFF,” the message said.
The MILF central committee also advised civilians, especially those with firearms not to take chances on the possible surprise attack.
The MILF is said to be strengthening its ranks in different camps in Mindanao in anticipation of a possible attack by government forces.
Sources said the MILF has a membership of 10,000 fighters and several sophisticated firearms in its inventory. Of the 10,000 fighters, ten percent are auxiliary forces and do not possess firearms.
The passage of the BBL is now encountering difficulty at the House of Representatives and was suspended indefinitely pending the result of the investigation being conducted by both chambers and the PNP Board of Inquiry.
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor (ARMM) Regional Gov. Mujiv Hataman, however, said that war is never an option in Mindanao.
”I strongly believed that war is not the option, it should never be an option,” Hataman told reporters Tuesday.
“We are from Mindanao and we know the cruelty of war, nobody wins, all of us are losers,” Hataman added.
Hataman said he was hurt by posts in various social media networks calling for war in Mindanao.
”Some have been calling for the scrapping of the Bangsamoro Basic Law,” he said. “If we stop talking to the MILF, what group we will talk with that agrees to come up with agreement attuned to the Philippine Constitution?” Hataman asked.
He said the 17-year peace talks in Mindanao had so many dividends and it should not be destroyed by anything that the MILF had nothing to do with.
”We in the ARMM are for peace based on justice and truth, we all want peace, more than the people of Luzon and the Visayas, we in Mindanao want peace,” Hataman said.
As this developed, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) said the MILF has only two options in case the BBL collapses.
“The MILF has two options—go to war or surrender. Now if they go back to war hindi malayo ang reunification ng mga muslim, mahihirapan naman ang government especially with the arms of the rebels,” said MNLF spokesman Absalom Cerveza.
“If war ignites, does the government have the wherewithal to pursue war and how long will their ammunitions last?” Cerveza asked.
But even as the MILF prepares for a possible war against the government, it still has to contend with its continuing firefight over “rido” against the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which has forced almost 15,000 residents to flee their homes in Pikit, North Cotabato and Pagalungan, Maguindanao.
The BIFF leadership, however, appears to have taken the first step to end the clashes, as it reportedly wrote the MILF asking for a ceasefire.
The hostilities between MILF fighters led by Commander Jack Abas and the BIFF led by Shiek Muhiddin Animbang, alias “Commander Karialan,” began Saturday in Sitio Tatak, Barangay Kalbugan in Pagalungan, “deep inside the Maguindanao marshland,” according to the military.
The affected areas are located within the so-called Buliok Complex—where the boundaries of Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces meet.
Among the confirmed casualties is MILF commander Datukong Ampuan, alias “Falcon,” of the 108th Base Command.
Although the MILF claims to have killed at least four BIFF gunmen, the splinter group’s spokesman Abu Misrie Mama, acknowledged only one fatality and five wounded on their side while claiming to have killed five MILF fighters.
Pikit Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Tahira Kalantungan reported that 9,036 residents had evacuated from Barangays Barongis, Kabasalan, Bulol, Rajah Muda and Bago Inged, many of them seek-ing refuge with relatives, the rest in local madrasas or schools.
Kalantungan said the fighting has also forced the suspension of classes in the affected villages.
Another 5,000 persons have evacuated in Pagalungan and have been staying at the municipal gym, the market and schools, according to lawyer Laisa Alamia, executive secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Orlando Edralin, commander of 7th Infantry Battalion, said that the remote villages of Kabasalan and Barongis is now a no man’s land after more than 250 armed members of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) took full control of the areas.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 17): Trooper killed as Army troops clash with NPA fighters in Samar
A trooper assigned to the 82nd Division Reconnaissance
Company was killed following an encounter with New People's Army (NPA) fighters
in Sitio Burabod, Barangay Mabini, Basey town, Samar
Monday night.
Initial reports said the trooper was hit and wounded by
rebel bullets during a five-minute gunfire.
He expired while undergoing emergency treatment by military
medics.
Col. Leoncio A. Cirunay, 801st Infantry Brigade commander,
said that his men were conducting security patrols in the area after receiving
reports that seven NPA fighters were seen in Sitio Burabod.
At this point, the rebels opened fire, triggering a
five-minute gunbattle, which fatally hit one soldier.
"I would like to express my condolence to the bereaved
family of our gallant soldier who died while performing his duty. His bravery
and sacrifice of life for the country will always be remembered,” Cirunay said.
“This setback will not deter our resolve to continue our
mandated task to safeguard the people of Samar
and we will not rest until the perpetrators of this killing will be brought to
justice to answer for their crime,” he added.
From Rappler (Feb 17): Americans in Mamasapano? Palace points to terrorism
Malacañang does not answer the question about American involvement, but says transnational cooperation is acceptable when dealing with transnational crimes such as terrorism
RECOVERY ONLY: The US embassy says
the Americans were only involved in the recovery of casualties, and not in the
Maguindanao operation. AFP PHOTO/Mark Navales
Malacañang did not answer the question but asked that the operation be taken in the context of terrorism being a transnational crime.
“The capture of Marwan and other suspected terrorists, because this is related to terrorism, we need to understand the fact that terrorism is a transnational crime and transnational crime involves transnational cooperation that is acceptable not just between the United States and the Philippines,” Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said on Tuesday, February 17.
He added, “But in the aspect of performing the operation, it is also clear in our laws that there should not be foreign participation and foreign intervention. So (their role) should be clarified in ongoing probes (on the incident).”
In an earlier report on Rappler, a former Special Force soldier clarified, “We (Americans) are allowed to provide support, intelligence, command and control support, mentoring, but we can’t be involved in direct action."This Philippine-US military partnership dates back to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
Coloma also said it is best to wait for the investigations to be completed to know the real truth about the participation of the United States. His statements come after reports that a US soldier were among those who died in the operation, a claim the US embassy in Manila has denied.
The US embassy also said the US only helped in evacuating the casualties at the request of the military, after the Maguindanao firefight.
Currently, the Senate is investigating the events that transpired on January 25, when some 392 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos entered Mamasapano town, a known bailiwick of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), to serve arrest warrants to top terrorists Marwan and Usman.
The operation resulted in a bloody clash between SAF troopers and rebel forces that claimed at least 68 lives, including 44 SAF troopers. The MILF blames this on the SAF team's failure to coordinate with them, as provided in its agreement with the government on operations in known MILF territories.
The government also awaits the results of the Philippine National Police-organized Board of Inquiry organized, which is looking into the incident.
From Rappler (Feb 17): MILF almost done with own Mamasapano probe
'This will not take long,' says MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal
ALMOST DONE. MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal at the Senate. File photo by Mark Cristino/Rappler
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is about to wrap up its own investigation of the January 25 clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, that left 44 police commandos, 18 rebels and 3 civilians dead.
MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said on the phone Tuesday, February 17, that he has read the first draft of the report but could not talk about it yet.
“We are almost done. This will not take long,” Iqbal said.
The MILF will send its investigation report to Miriam Coronel Ferrer, head of the government peace panel and Iqbal’s counterpart. The Philippine National Police also has its separate Board of Inquiry to look into what happened.
“The government assured us that we will be working together to resolve the problem,” Iqbal stressed.
But he said he “will not talk” about whether or not the MILF will be turning over to government its commanders who were involved in the January 25 clash. “It’s a sensitive issue,” he said.
The MILF conducted its own probe following police accusations of an “overkill” in combat. It was mainly MILF troops that encountered a police Special Action Force (SAF) company that was wiped out – with a lone survivor – in Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano.
A video that went viral also showed an armed man shooting a SAF commando who was still apparently alive.
Iqbal condemned the shooting and said that whoever did it was worse than a terrorist. He also vowed that the MILF will help the government find Usman, who reportedly escaped the January 25 attack in Mamasapano.
The MILF signed a peace agreement with the Aquino government last year, and the Mamasapano clash threatens to kill the peace process.
On January 25, SAF troopers entered Mamasapano to arrest top terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, and Usman.
Marwan was killed in the attack. He had a $5-million bounty for his arrest, courtesy of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, over his involvement in the 2002 Bali bombing In Indonesia that left 110 foreign nationals dead, among other terror activities.
The killing of 44 cops, however, angered many, triggering the worst political crisis for the Aquino government since it came to power in 2010.
From InterAksyon (Feb 17): War in Mindanao: How did Estrada's all-out war against the MILF fare? Part 1 of 3 (by Jose Antonio A. Custodio)
Camp Darapanan of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. FILE PHOTO BY EREL CABATBAT
[Editor's note: Jose Antonio A. Custodio is a security and defense consultant and was a technical adviser for a US defense company working for the US Pacific Command. He also specializes in military history and has post-graduate studies in history from the University of the Philippines. He also teaches history and political science at several universities in Metro Manila.
After the Mamasapano tragedy, calls for all-out war against the MILF have been made. Did Estrada’s all-out war campaign succeed? This is the question that Custodio is going to answer here. In his succeeding pieces, he will answer the questions: Is the military prepared to go on an all-out war? What would be the MILF response? What are the internal and external repercussions of returning to a war footing with the Moros? The next two parts will come out February 18 and 19.]
Following the Battle of Mamasapano, there has been a very loud clamor by many individuals and some sectors for more decisive action to be taken against the secessionists. The manner in which the proposed action to be taken ranges from either limited punitive operations to an outright and more ambitious all out total war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The question that should be asked is if the Armed Forces of the Philippines is really up to the task of browbeating the MILF into submission or more ambitiously, eliminating it in an all-out total war effort. How effective is the government’s war-making tool?
A bit of a historical reminder is when the 2000 Abubakar Campaign concluded, it was proclaimed by the Estrada administration that it was a great victory. True enough, the MILF camps had been captured and the losses were high among the rebels.
However, the bulk of the MILF survived the government onslaught as it reverted to guerrilla warfare and a short time later began rebuilding its forces and ironically establishing new camps.
The Philippine military on the other hand was in possession of former MILF territory but it came at a price. With the AFP heavily concentrated at Mindanao and having stripped Luzon and the Visayas for deployment to Southern Command, the NPA took advantage by undertaking ambushes and operations further overstretching the military.
On Rizal Day of the year 2000, Al Qaeda-linked operatives carried out multiple bomb attacks against targets in Metro Manila causing numerous civilian casualties.
The operational levels of aircraft, vehicles, and equipment of the AFP plummeted to alarmingly low levels and the AFP Modernization Plan was eventually reprioritized to internal security operations just to rebuild the numbers of the depleted and worn out equipment of the military.
This would eventually lead to the total abandonment of external security in the years to come to the delight of the Chinese who were increasing their operations at the West Philippine Sea.
Of equally serious concern, the capture of the camps and the battles with the MILF did not leave the military unscathed and it sustained the highest level of casualties since the 1980s and as it turned out, operations against the MILF continued because the rebels did survive everything including the kitchen sink that the AFP threw at them.
The AFP then experienced something that everyone thought had gone away. It experienced the return of dissent - dissent that would lead to open rebellion against President Joseph Estrada in 2001 and mutinies against the Arroyo administration in 2003 and 2006.
The AFP strength
Can the AFP, 15 years after the inconclusive campaign against the MILF in 2000, do any better this time around should there be a resort to military means to deal with the secessionism?
From a manpower standpoint, the AFP today numbers a little over 120,000 men of which 85,000 are in the Philippine Army and 8,500 in the Philippine Marine Corps.
However, such numbers are misleading as there is a cardinal rule that in order to get the combat effectives of any army or ground force, one must divide by at least a third the total number of personnel.
So in the case of the Philippine Army the total number of men serving in the field in an actual combat capacity numbers at a little less than 30,000 scattered all over the Philippines. The rest are in various administrative capacities and frequently are too old to do anything else but stay in the camps and do office work. Now the same goes for the Philippine Marines and less than 50 percent of that force is in the front. So at most, the Philippine military has approximately 35,000 or so men with very few women serving in an actual frontline capacity.
The 148,000-strong Philippine National Police, which is projected to take over the primary responsibility of counterinsurgency should the internal security situation get any better, oftentimes attaches small units of the Special Action Force to the military. The majority of the police force is ill-equipped and not trained to take on rebels especially the heavily armed secessionists and the regular police already have their hands full tackling criminality in the country.
As a force multiplier, there is the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Units or CAFGU which numbers 60,000, again scattered throughout the country, and whose reliability is spotty to say the least but useful in establishing a presence in areas threatened by rebels. Being indifferently trained and paid makes the reliability of this force suspect and when used in combat or in operations they may cause problems especially in areas concerning human rights. Furthermore, given the convoluted nature of the situation in many rural areas, there is always that clear possibility that there are CAFGU units that have been compromised by rebel infiltration. Worse, there are cases that these CAFGU units are not under the supervision of the military but are the private armies of provincial warlords who themselves are the main causes of rebellion in the provinces due to their feudal ways that cause great socio-economic disparities and injustices.
Off subject but of general intelligence interest. From InterAksyon (Feb 17): Four US littoral combat ships to operate out of Singapore by 2018: US Navy
The USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) docks at Sembawang Wharves during a port of call in Singapore on February 17, 2015. AFP / ROSLAN RAHMAN
Four US warships designed to fight in coastal areas similar to Southeast Asian waters will be operating out of Singapore by 2018, up from one currently, a senior US Navy official said Tuesday.
The "rotational deployment" of the vessels, called littoral combat ships (LCS), comes as China continues to flex its muscles in the South China Sea and tensions remain on the Korean Peninsula.
"We will soon see up to four LCS here in Singapore as we rotationally deploy Seventh Fleet ships," said Rear Admiral Charles Williams.
"We envision four ships here by May 2017 to sometime in 2018... but I think what you have is that by 2018, four LCS ships will be rotationally deployed here to Singapore."
Williams, commander of the Seventh Fleet's Task Force 73, was speaking to reporters aboard the USS Fort Worth, an LCS on a 16-month deployment to Southeast Asia.
It replaced another LCS, the USS Freedom, which recently ended an eight-month tour of duty.
The USS Fort Worth is set to take part in exercise Foal Eagle, a joint military drill with South Korea from February 24-March 6.
It will also join regional navies in the annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training exercises and the International Maritime Defence Exhibition.
Fast and agile, LCS vessels can be adapted for specific missions through a system of interchangeable modules and crew.
The US Navy plans to build 52 LCS vessels at a total cost of $37 billion but the programme has become controversial due to cost inflation, design and construction issues.
From InterAksyon (Feb 17): Not US, but DFA execs will be called to Mamasapano probe, says Poe
Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), not the US Embassy in Manila, will be summoned to the next hearing on the Mamasapano incident to explain the country's commitments in the campaign against international terrorists, Senator Grace Poe said on Tuesday.
In an interview before the executive session began, Poe said “as much as the public needs to know the involvement of the US in the Mamasapano incident, the panel is just being careful not to taint the country’s relationship with other countries.”
Right now, she added, no one has moved to summon US officials, but there is a suggestion to call the DFA to explain what kind of agreements the country has entered into with regard to the interdiction of terrorists.
The DFA officials "will be part of the next hearing," she added.
Poe stressed the senators are treading carefully, “for it involves also diplomatic relations. We want peaceful ties with countries; we want their cooperation to be able to help us secure ourselves as well. We’re not trying to make more enemies in this thing but we also have to be accountable.”
She insisted the panel is not trying to hide anything on the alleged US participation - a subject of speculation - but still wants to know the extent of foreign involvement. “But we are with you in wanting to know the extent of foreign involvement because if there’s nothing to hide, if there’s nothing wrong, then there’s no reason why we should hide the information. We’re just being careful on when we’re going to release and to what extent,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Poe said the panel will weigh issues of national security, justice and sovereignty in the Mamasapano incident, saying every issue is important.
“There’s always that precarious balance of all and that we really have to weigh which one at the particular moment is called for,” Poe said
“I’m sorry I cannot say categorically [whether] one is important over the other, because that will already [signal] our points of view with regard to this,” she added.
From GMA News (Feb 16): Witness: Palparan was behind torture, abuse of missing UP students
The prosecution's first witness in the kidnapping case of retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. on Monday claimed that the former Army official was behind the torture and rape of two missing female UP students, a report on GMA News TV's “Balitanghali” said.
During the four-hour hearing of the Bulacan Regional Trial Court Branch 14 on Wednesday, witness Raymond Manalo positively identified Palparan as the person who was behind the disappearance of Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan in 2006.
The report said Manalo was able to provide details on how the missing students were tortured and raped under Palparan's watch. Manalo told the court he found out about the situation of the two students when he was about to bring food to their hut.
Manalo was quoted as saying in the report as saying that he saw Empeño and Cadapan being hit by hard objects while they were naked. Cadapan was also raped, according to Manalo.
Empeño's mother, Concepcion, was present during the hearing.
“Ang hapdi nang ginawa sa mga anak namin. Hindi ko matanggap. Kaya kanina nang nagte-testify si Raymond, hindi ko mapigilan ang luha ko,” she said in the report.
The defense panel is scheduled to cross-examine Manalo next week, the report said.
After three years of hiding, Palparan was arrested on August 12, 2014 in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
Notorious for his alleged human rights violations on suspect communist rebels and sympathizers, Palparan has denied all the charges filed against him and stressed that the two students were members of the New People's Army.
Palparan was the commander of the Army 7th Infantry Division in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, when Empeño and Cadapan went missing.
Aside from kidnapping, Palparan is also facing serious illegal detention charges.
From GMA News (Feb 17): Duterte to talk to NPA rebels over Mati police station attack
PNP bomb experts inspect the items recovered from the back of a truck abandoned by suspected New People's Army rebels after a raid on the Mati City Police station on Sunday, February 15. At least four soldiers and one NPA rebel were killed in the ensuing firefight. EastMinCom/PIO
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is willing to talk to communist rebels over the attack on a police station in Mati, Davao Oriental last weekend.
GMA Davao's LJ Lindaan reported Tuesday that Duterte plans to talk to National Democratic Front Mindanao spokesman Jorge Madlos a.k.a. Ka Oris.
"I expect to see Ka Oris," said Duterte, who chairs the Davao region's Regional Peace and Order Council.
He said he was dismayed over the insurgents' use of IEDs (improvised explosive devices), including land mines, against government troops.
Such explosives killed at least four soldiers pursuing the rebels who attacked a police station in Mati, Davao Oriental.
"Ang problema, we do not know where to bring these charges... Walang government panel," Duterte said.
He also said that as chair of the regional peace and order council, he does not want violence in the region.
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