Army, PNP wary of NPA’s probable anniversary attacks in Quezon amid truce

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Dec 26): Army, PNP wary of NPA’s probable anniversary attacks in Quezon amid truce

Even with the prevailing self-imposed ceasefire by the New People’s Army (NPA), the military and police in Quezon province remained on full alert against possible attacks by the rebels as they celebrated the 47th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on Saturday.

“The NPA are noted for not following their own declared Somo (suspension of military offensive) that’s why we are on active defense mode,” Brig. Gen. Erick Parayno, commander of the Army’s 201st Infantry Brigade, said by phone on Saturday.

READ: NPA declares 12-day Yuletide ceasefire

Parayno said all Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) units in the province would remain on active defense mode. “While we are not on offensive, we have to maintain defensive posture,” he said.

Municipal police stations, particularly those in remote areas, were also placed on full alert against any attack by communist rebels, said Senior Supt. Ronaldo Ylagan, chief of the Philippine National Police in Quezon.

READ: PNP declares ceasefire on NPA until Jan. 1 but will defend vital installations

“We’re always on alert status during the CPP anniversary. The NPA always stage tactical offensives before and after their anniversary,” Ylagan said.

According to Parayno, there were only about 27 armed communist rebels operating in central Quezon, Lamon Bay and Bondoc Peninsula area, most of whom are in the outskirts of Gumaca, Lopez, Macalelon and Buenavista towns.

He said an estimated 45 rebels from Laguna and Bicol areas would occasionally serve as augmentation force to the Quezon-based guerrillas.

But the AFP Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) saw no reason to raise its alert status as the CPP observed its 47th anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 26.

“We will remain in white alert status,” Maj. Angelo Guzman, Solcom spokesman, said in a text message on Saturday.

Guzman last week said the CPP-NPA had no “victorious reason” to celebrate their founding anniversary as “many of them have perished during encounters (while) their leaders were arrested and captured.”

Guzman also claimed the NPA has lost its mass base in Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions due to the intensified anti-insurgency and civil military operations of the AFP.

He added that the NPA also lost opportunities to conduct large scale attacks against government forces and installations due to the vigilance of the AFP and the PNP in Southern Luzon/

On Dec. 14, the CPP announced a 12-day ceasefire and directed the NPA to cease from carrying out offensive operations against any members of the government from Dec. 23 toJan. 3, 2016.

Five days after, the government reciprocated the peace gesture by declaring its own 12-day unilateral ceasefire, also from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, 2016, in the observance of the Yuletide season.

The AFP, however, alleged that NPA rebels attacked Army soldiers in Mindanao on the first day of the ceasefire. No soldier was hurt in the attack.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/750322/army-pnp-wary-of-npas-probable-anniversary-attacks-in-quezon-amid-truce

Military in Samar on alert for CPP anniversary

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 26): Military in Samar on alert for CPP anniversary

The Philippine Army in Samar is on alert on Saturday as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) marks its 46th founding anniversary.

Capt. Isagani Viernes, Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division spokesman, said that although some soldiers were on holiday break, military camps, especially in Samar were on defensive mode for possible attacks of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of CPP.

After launching three attacks within a week before Christmas Day, Viernes said there were no reported antrocities committed by rebels on Friday, allowing soldiers on duty to celebrate Christmas with their families in camps.

The military has suspended combat operation in compliance to the 12-day unilateral ceasefire approved by President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III. The holiday truce took effect 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 23, 2015 until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 3, 2016.

“But we are not complacent because we know that rebels traditionally mark their anniversary with atrocities, but we hope that they will respect the ceasefire,” Viernes added.

On Dec. 22, a soldier and a civilian were wounded in an attack launched by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) Tuesday night at a camp in San Jorge, Samar.

The attack occurred on the same day when an undetermined number of rebels ambushed a military truck used for post-Nona response, killing a soldier and wounded three others in Las Navas, Northern Samar.

On Dec. 18, a convoy of military trucks were attacked in Pinabacdao, Samar after the soldiers delivered relief goods for typhoon victims in Eastern Samar. Two soldiers were hurt during the ambush.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=841440

Army hunts down BIFF in rampage that killed 13 in Central Mindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 26): Army hunts down BIFF in rampage that killed 13 in Central Mindanao 

The military here has condemned the atrocities carried out by outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in three areas in Central Mindanao on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day even as it vowed to intensify manhunt against the bandits.

Capt. Joanne Petinglay, spokesperson of 6th Infantry Division, said pursuit operations against the bandits would continue. She also appealed to peace-loving citizens to help authorities thwart destabilization attempts.

On Thursday, about 300 BIFF simultaneously attacked Christian villages in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat and three communities in Datu Abdullah Sangki town in Maguindanao, killing eight civilians they took as hostages when government forces responded.

Four BIFF rebels were also killed when government forces chased the attackers in the mountains of adjoining towns of Esperanza and Abdullah Sangki. Four firearms of slain bandits were recovered by pursuing forces.

Army bomb disposal teams also defused four improvised bombs left by BIFF in and around the area where the civilians were killed.

Lt. Colonel Ricky Bunayog, 33rd Infantry Battalion Commander, said about 300 men carried the attacks and are now the subject of massive manhunt.

“We already warned the civilians in areas identified to be vulnerable to BIFF atrocities, I hope they will cooperate with the security sectors,” Petinglay told Radio DXMS-AM.

Almost simultaneously, separate band of BIFF attacked Barangay Simsiman, Pigcawayan, North Cotabato on Christmas Eve.

Led by Commander Alamada Abonawas, the BIFF fired a rifle grenade toward the house of Robert Lerado, village councilman of Barangay Simsiman, killing him on the spot, raising the death toll to 13, nine civilians and four BIFF.

After attacking villages in the borders of Maguidnanao and Sultan Kudarat, the BIFF also stormed the village of Malagakit, also in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, firing at a Catholic chapel where a midnight mass was on going.Churchgoers scampered for safety but nobody was hurt.

Also on December 24, at about 9 p.m. another group of BIFF stormed a detachment of 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion in Barangay Dapiawan, Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao. No casualty was reported.

Colonel Bunayog said government forces had difficulty retrieving the remains of slain farmers due to improvised bombs planted by BIFF before fleeing.

“One of the field commanders of the BIFF was killed that is why they were so brutal on civilians,” Bunayog said.

Bunayog said the fatalities were all civilian farmers and not para-military troops as claimed by the BIFF.

Capt. Petinglay assured the national highways linking Cotabato City to Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City to Davao remained passable and safe.

Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, chief government peace negotiator, in a statement, expressed solidarity with the families of the slain civilians.

“We commiserate with the families of the nine civilians who were summarily executed by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in separate incidents over the last few days,” she said.

“The BIFF’s sporadic attacks indicate an attempt to gain momentum for their bid to destabilize the situation in these areas and garner attention for themselves and their flagging cause,” Ferrer said.

Ferrer said she was sad that the soldiers had to cancel celebrating the holiday season to respond to situations. “We pray for the safety of our soldiers who, instead of humbly celebrating the holiday season in their remote posts, have been mobilized to prevent the hostile group from wreaking more harm on the populace.”

Ferrer said prayers are offered for strength and safety of civilians who are exposed to the danger of on-going hostilities.

To the BIFF, Ferrer asked the armed band “to reconsider their violent ways and take heed of the people’s desire for peace and normalcy in their lives.”

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=841435

Trooper gunned down in Sulu by motorcyle-riding gunman

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 26): Trooper gunned down in Sulu by motorcyle-riding gunman

A still unidentified motorcycle-riding gunman shot and killed a trooper in Jolo town, Sulu Christmas Day morning.

Joint Task Group Sulu commander Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado said the shooting transpired at 9:30 a.m. at Barangay Asturias, Jolo.

He identified the fatality as Pvt. Bryan Sanoy.

Witnesses said the victim was walking in the area when a motorycle rider, aboard a black Honda XRM, shot him twice, hitting Sanoy in the neck and chest.

The suspect immediately fled while bystanders rushed Sanoy to the Sulu Provincial Hospital where he died upon arrival.

Investigators are still determining the motive for this fatal attack.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=841444

Largest Philippine Navy ship is now 90% complete

From The Marharlikan posted to the 6th Civil Relations Group Website (Dec 25): Largest Philippine Navy ship is now 90% complete

The country’s largest naval ship and first strategic-sealift vessel (SSV) will be delivered to the Philippine Navy (PN) in May 2016, a military official confirmed on Monday. “The ship is now 87 percent complete and will be launched this coming January (2016). The SSV will be delivered sometime this May,” Navy spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said at the sidelines of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 80th founding anniversary Monday.

 

90 percent completion means the ship’s keel, propulsion, engine and other major systems are now installed.

 

The second SSV, which is now 46 percent complete, will be delivered in 2017, Arevalo added.

 

When asked if the SSVs are to be armed, Arevalo said defensive armament of the ships will be installed by the PN.

 

The Philippines has a two-SSV order with Persero for PHP3.87 billion which is sourced from the AFP Modernization Fund.

 

The SSV acquisition project for the PN was initiated upon the approval of Acquisition Decision Memorandum Number 2012-060 by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin last Oct. 30, 2013.

 

The Department of National Defense declared Persero as the Single Calculated Responsive Bidder with a bidding price of PHP3.87 billion on Nov. 18, 2014.

 

The SSVs are programmed to be the PN’s floating command center carrying out their main purpose as military sealift and transport vessels and also for humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

 

Further, these vessels are critical assets for civil-military operations due to their capability of transporting large number of soldiers, logistics, and supplies.

 

Moreover, each SSV has the capacity to house three helicopters. The Navy’s Augusta Westland-109s are programmed to be on-board components of these vessels.

 

These forthcoming landing platform dock strategic sealift vessels will improve the transport capability of the PN and boost the defense capabilities of the country.

http://themaharlikan.info/defense/largest-philippine-navy-ship-is-now-90-complete/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork

https://www.facebook.com/6crgcrsafp/

Asian Militaries Embrace Submarines Amid South China Sea Competition

From the Voice of Americ (Dec 21): Asian Militaries Embrace Submarines Amid South China Sea Competition



FILE - Sailors look at a model of a submarine at an exhibition as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of the 125 Naval Transport Brigade, also known as the No Number Naval Shipsm, in Vietnam's northern port city of Hai Phong, Oc

Asia’s spending on military hardware is quickening at a time of increasing focus over maritime territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas, as well as growing concern over China’s expanding military.

Earlier this year London-based Strategic Defense Intelligence (DSI) reported that Asia led the world in rising defense spending, and countries’ spending on submarines was at the top of the list.

DSI analysts say the Asian submarine market is currently worth just over $7 billion, but will rise to $11 billion by 2025. That could mean it surpasses Europe as the world’s second largest submarine market, behind the United States.  

SDI analyst Sravan Kumar Gorantala said China, India, Australia and South Korea are the key buyers of submarines amid fears of potential maritime conflicts and threats in the South China Sea, as well as the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Gorantala said China’s growing assertiveness in disputes over the South China Sea and modernization of China’s submarine fleet has led to demand for submarines by India, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Vietnam.

Japan has moved to secure foreign arms sales, largely for its Soryu-class submarines. Many countries with territorial disputes in the waters of East and South China Seas have also been securing spy planes.

In emailed comments to VOA, Gorantala said competition between China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia in claiming rights over natural resources including oil and gas in the South China Sea is spurring demand.

Thailand is purchasing three diesel electric submarines from China to match naval capabilities with Vietnam. In 2009 Vietnam took possession of three Russian-built Kilo-attack submarines with three more on order as part of a $2.6 billion deal.

The Philippines and Indonesia have also moved to purchase the Russian-made Kilo class submarines amid China’s increasing assertiveness.

The United States remains the largest market for submarines, with an expected cumulative spending of $102 billion over the next decade.   

South China Sea tensions modernize navies

China has long claimed almost all of the South China Sea as its own, but in recent years has accelerated an island building program that many worry is militarizing a region crucial for international shipping. Beijing now has seven man-made islands on reefs in the Spratly Islands, including construction of a 3,000 meter airstrip at one site.

Carl Thayer, a defense analyst at Australia’s University of New South Wales, said Vietnam’s strategy in dealing with potential conflict is to “try to keep China’s strike forces as far away from the Vietnamese coast as possible.”

Thayer said conflicts over the South China Sea have led to “the unprecedented modernization of Vietnam's naval and air forces.”

Since 2008, the Vietnamese navy has taken delivery of one BPS-500 corvette and two Gepard 3.9-class guided missile stealth frigates armed with 3M24 Uran anti-ship missiles.

The Kilo-class conventional submarines are armed with anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles, and supported by four guided missile corvettes, five light frigates and six Fast Attack Craft armed with anti-ship missiles.

“[Vietnam] is not looking at a conventional war or a theater war with China, they are looking at an eruption of conflict at much lower level, but trying to position themselves to be able to deter China and really inflict some damage,” Thayer said.

Zhang Baohui, a political science professor at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University, in emailed comments said the potential for conflict in the South China Sea depended on “how China may react to future U.S. ‘freedom of navigation patrols’ entering Chinese claimed territorial waters surrounding the shoals and reefs.”

In recent months U.S. ships and planes have traveled inside the 22-kilometer offshore economic exclusion zone that China claims its man-made islands possess. Washington and other regional countries do not recognize Beijing’s claims, and say China’s efforts are hindering commercial shipping and fishing operations.  

Zhang Baohui said such actions reflect on China’s “deterrence credibility.”

“At a certain point they may be compelled to take some concrete measures to respond to U.S. ships sailing through. They could be the start of an unintended escalation,” Zhang said.

A ‘weapon for the weak against the strong’

Zhang said there is a “submarine race in the region” that marked “a good asymmetric response to power imbalances so small countries, ranging from Vietnam to Australia, will continue to improve their submarine capabilities to hedge against a rising China.”

Collin Koh, an associate research fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said the buildup of submarines is geared “to provide a weapon for the weak against the strong.”

Koh told VOA that submarines “do constitute one of the major focus areas of capability build up.” Submarines entering service “in the near future will be larger than those used to be operated in the region, and of course, better armed and equipped.”

But Koh said then navies need to overcome several challenges including financial, technical, logistics and manpower issues of submarine operations.

“Not all of these countries that purchase submarines necessarily master the art of underwater warfare,” he said.

New alliances

Vietnam has turned to India in its training of 500 submariners at an advanced undersea warfare school since taking possession of three Russian built Kilo attack submarines.   

Australian University of New South Wales’ Thayer said the issue for Vietnam is a lack of combat experience and a lack of effective training where you have opposing forces.

“Now at least Vietnam will be able to [do] one thing – it can send the Kilo [submarines] out there and go hunting themselves – and learn how to find and locate submarines,” he said.

But Thayer said Vietnam needs to embrace programs involving friendly countries, something it has so far been reluctant to do. 

Vietnam’s strategy is to build up “the capability to make China think twice about that sort of [threatening] behavior,” he said.

http://www.voanews.com/content/asian-militaries-embrace-submarines-amid-south-china-sea-competition/3111635.html

Military expects more BIFF attacks in Central Mindanao

From the Philippine Star (Dec 26): Military expects more BIFF attacks in Central Mindanao



The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters reportedly perpetrated the attacks to disprove assertions they have been weakened tactically by military offensives. Philstar.com/File photo

The military is anticipating more attacks by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) after a rampage in two Central Mindanao towns Thursday that left seven farmers dead and displaced hundreds of innocent villagers.

Highly-placed Army intelligence sources on Friday told The STAR military units are now closely monitoring isolated barangays in Midsayap and Aleosan towns, both in North Cotabato, due to mounting threats of attacks.

Army officials in the two towns have confirmed receiving text messages from beleaguered barangay officials, warning of possible BIFF attacks soon in retaliation for the deaths of four bandits in an encounter with soldiers last Thursday in Datu Abdullah Sangki town in Maguindanao.

The Army’s 602nd Brigade and its component battalions in North Cotabato have enlisted the help of local officials and religious leaders in Aleosan and Midsayap in guarding against movements of the BIFF in the two towns.

BIFF gunmen attacked a detachment of the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion (IB) in Datu Abdullah Sangki before dawn Thursday, provoking a firefight that lasted for more than an hour.

Another group of bandits also harassed an hour later a peasant enclave in nearby Ampatuan town, also in Maguindanao, killing five unarmed farmers on their way to their farms.

The bandits appeared from one side of the road and opened fire at the victims, who were carrying knapsack sprayers and farming tools.

About 30 minutes later, BIFF bandits shot dead two more farmers in a secluded barangay in Esperanza town in Sultan Kudarat province, not far from where the five farmers were killed haplessly.

The commanding officer of the 33rd IB, Lt. Col. Ricky Bunayog, and local officials in Datu Abdullah Sangki said villagers saw fleeing bandits carry four dead companions as they fled after attacking a military detachment in west of the municipality just before sunrise Thursday.

Three BIFF bandits, initially identified only as Salik, Tato and Tangan, were shot and wounded by responding soldiers from nearby detachments also in Datu Abdullah Sangki.

The spokesperson of the brigand BIFF, Abu Misry Mama, said their forces perpetrated the attacks to disprove assertions they have been weakened tactically by military offensives from February 28 to May 3 this year in Maguindanao.

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2015/12/26/1536437/military-expects-more-biff-attacks-central-mindanao

CPP@47 | Mindanao rebels claim expansion despite faceoff with 60% of AFP

From InterAksyon (Dec 26): CPP@47 | Mindanao rebels claim expansion despite faceoff with 60% of AFP




Jorge 'Ka Oris' Madlos speaking at the Mindanao celebration of the 46th anniversary of the CPP last year. (image from http://www.philippinerevolution.net/images/)

Communist rebels on Mindanao said they have expanded their reach in the southern island despite facing off against 60 percent of the government’s military strength.

In a statement marking the 47th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on Saturday, Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, spokesman of the National Democratic Front-Mindanao, said that the 40 guerrilla fronts in the first year of President Benigno Aquino III’s term, which began in 2010, “have grown to 46 in five regions of Mindanao, “and not one was dismantled despite the ferocity of the attacks” of Oplan Bayanihan, the government’s counterinsurgency program.

And, he added, “from the more than 200 towns and cities where (the rebels) operate, from only 1,850 villages in 2010,” they have expanded to 2,500 villages, with a number of “organs of political power” established up to the “municipal level.”

Madlos also claimed the growth of the rebels’ mass base, from 120,000 in 2010 to the current 200,000.

He said the growth happened despite the government’s deployment of “60 battalions, or more than 60 percent of the total strength of the AFP,” not including the police and the various militias organized by the military, such as the BULIF, Alamara, Gantangan, Bagani, Magahat, and the “Calpet group.”

These militias have been blamed for atrocities against Mindanao’s indigenous people that have driven thousands of lumad from their homes this year.

The expansion of their mass base, said Madlos, had allowed the New People’s Army in Mindanao to increase the number and intensity of tactical operations, from 250 in 2010 to “more than 500” in 2015, inflicting a battalion’s worth of deaths among government forces.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/121889/cpp47--mindanao-rebels-claim-expansion-despite-faceoff-with-60-of-afp

ESSZone Residents Shaken By Kidnapping Of Two Malaysians

From Bernama (Dec 26): ESSZone Residents Shaken By Kidnapping Of Two Malaysians

KOTA KINABALU (Bernama) -- Almost a year after the abduction of Constable Zakia Aliep of the Marine Police from a resort in Pulau Mabul, Semporna, on July 12, 2014, Sabah was again shaken by a similar incident.

 

The Ocean King Seafood Restaurant located near Jalan Bokara, Pasir Putih, about three kilometres from Sandakan town was the target of the abductors on May 14, 2015.

In the incident at about 7.45 pm, the restaurant's manager Thien Nyuk Fun, 50, and a Kuala Lumpur-based consultant Bernard Then Ted Fen, 39, from Sarawak were forced out by four armed men and into a boat that then sped off.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said the abductors entered the restaurant through the rear entrance and made a beeline for Nyuk Fun, and Ted Fen who was dining at the restaurant.

"One of the men was wearing camouflage pants and a blue T-shirt while the others were in full camouflage clothing; they were not wearing any mask.

One of them had a belt of bullets across his shoulder," said Jalaluddin in a statement a few hours after the incident.

Security and enforcement agencies in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) such as the Marine Police, General Task Force, Malaysian Armed Forces and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency reacted swiftly.

Personnel were mobilised to track the culprits and blockades were mounted at common exit-entry points along Sabah's east coast right up to the border.

About 100 customers and workers at the restaurant who had witnessed the abduction were called to have their statements recorded.

Three days later, in a statement, Jalaluddin said the incident could likely have been masterminded by an insider who singled out 'high quality' targets for the criminals to kidnap.

Jalaluddin also confirmed in the same statement that the families of both hostages had received telephone calls from persons claiming to have abducted Nyuk Fun and Ted Fen and demanding high ransoms; he did not disclose the amount.

He further confirmed that the two victims were being held captive at an island in the southern Philippines but were safe.

From the time of the abduction till May 23, the kidnappers were said to have made three calls to the victims' families repeating their demand for ransom, and other amounts for the hostages' expenses and Nyuk Fun's diabetes medication.

On Aug 5, Jalaluddin said police were negotiating with the kidnappers to release the victims without any ransom, on humanitarian grounds. He revealed that the kidnappers had initially demanded RM60 million for both hostages.

After a series of negotiations, the kidnappers agreed to reduce the ransom amount by 50 per cent but about one month later the kidnappers contacted the victims' families threatening to behead the hostages if the money was not paid.

Despite the tense situation compounded by Philippine security forces' operations to hunt down terrorist groups, which complicated the negotiation process, some good news arrived.

On Nov 8, Nyuk Fun was released by the kidnappers and returned safely to her family in Sandakan from Jolo, southern Philippines.

However, the situation surrounding the kidnapping took a turn for the worse with Philippine media reporting that Ted Fen had been beheaded by his captors during a skirmish between the kidnappers and Philippine security forces.

It was reported that the murder was committed on Nov 17 at a remote location in the southern Philippines.

The Philippine media also reported that a human head and a headless body were recovered about 30 kilometres apart by Philippine authorities and sent to a hospital for DNA testing to determine whether the remains were those of Ted Fen.

Last week, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar told the media that he had received confirmation from Philippine authorities that the human head found in southern Philippines in November belonged to Malaysian hostage Ted Fen based on DNA tests.

He said the Royal Malaysia Police would work with the Philippine authorities to bring the deceased's remains home to Malaysia.

Subsequent to reports of Ted Fen's beheading, Khalid had also stated that an application would be made to the Philippine authorities for extradition of two detained members of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

The duo are believed to be involved in Ted Fen's abduction and murder.

Meanwhile, security forces in ESSZone are constantly striving to improve their capabilities against further cross-border infiltration by terrorists and criminals.

 

The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) has maintained the curfew, now into the 33rd phase, over the waters off ESSZone.

 

ESSCom has two sea basing ships, Tun Sharifah Rodziah and Tun Azizan, located off ESSZone which are equipped with a coastal surveillance system, CSS 1206 radar that has a range of 20 kilometres.

The two security assets would be further enhanced with the installation of the CSS AESA Spexer 2000 radar that has a range of 40 kilometres. These equipment would be funded by Petronas.

 

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who visited the Tun Sharifah Rodziah platform on Oct 12, said its implementation was a first in the world and had become a model of defence for other countries.

The functions of a sea-basing platform, according to him, are to act as the first line of defence against terrorist invasion, collect tactical and maritime intelligence, frontline operation base and to provide logistics assistance to interceptor boats.

http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v8/ge/newsperspectives.php?id=1201803

MILF: Sultan Kudarat town welcomes Tahderiyyah Program Phase 3 Implementation

Posted to the MILF Website (Dec 25): Sultan Kudarat town welcomes Tahderiyyah Program Phase 3 Implementation

 

The Municipal Local Government Unit (MLGU) of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao welcomed the Tahderiyyah Program Phase 3 implementation in the municipality during a courtesy call by some officials of the Regional Management Office (RMO) of Bangsamoro Development Agency-Central Mindanao (BDA-CenMin) at the Office of the Municipal Mayor on December 9, 2015. Hon. Datu Shameem B. Mastura, Municipal Mayor of SK welcomed the group and expressed his appreciation and commitment of full support to the program, Alimudin Pinamaloy, Community Development Officer (RMO) of Wash and Sanitation Hygiene of Tahderiyyah Program said.

“If necessary, the local government is ready to help up to the period of the program implementation”, said Pinamaloy quoting Mayor Mastura saying.

"Mayor Mastura is also open at accepting other programs to be implemented by BDA in the municipality," added Pinamaloy.

Sultan Kudarat is among the recipient municipalities in CenMin of the Tahderiyyah Program Phase 3 which is the integrated early childhood education for 3-5 years old children in Bangsamoro Communities with Child Protection Component (CPC) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) as its components.

Tahderiyyah is among the programs that were already implemented by BDA by its seven regional offices including CenMin. It is funded by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) with financial support from Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).
BDA is a development agency established in accordance with the Humanitarian, Rehabilitation and Development Aspect of the Government of Republic of the Philippines-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (GRP-MILF) Peace Agreement of 22 June 2001.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/new/item/755-sultan-kudarat-town-welcomes-tahderiyyah-program-phase-3-implementation

MILF: Maguindanaons from SouthMin join Bangsamoro cultural heritage assets inventory

Posted to the MILF Website (Dec 25): Maguindanaons from SouthMin join Bangsamoro cultural heritage assets inventory



With the aim to impart their knowledge about their own cultural heritage, Maguindanaon traditional leaders, Imam, youth, women and professionals from Southern Mindanao joined in the University of the Philippines (UP)-led Bangsamoro cultural heritage assets inventory.

Through a round-table discussion, the participants shared their knowledge on the status of existing tangible and intangible cultural heritage assets as well as their efforts on how they strive to preserve the Maguindanaon culture and tradition in their localities.

The activity was facilitated by Asian Center-UP Faculty Team in cooperation with Mindanao State University-Gensan and Moro Visual Artist Al-Nezzar Ali from the National Commission on Culture and the Arts held last Wednesday at Sydney Hotel, General Santos City.

The research team gathered information about the existing cultural bearers in the area, their issues and concerns, as well as recommendations on how to strengthen the initiatives already practiced with regards on preserving the Maguindanaon culture and tradition.

During the discussion, it came out that there are still cultural bearers such as sculptors, kulintangan players, and Malong weavers, mostly aging, that can still be tapped to be able to share their skills with the younger generation.

The participants suggested the establishment of schools of living tradition where cultural bearers can teach their young ones of their expertise. It was also recommended that the government should somehow provide pension to cultural experts for such endeavor.

The researchers were impressed with the initiatives from the local governments of Sarangani Province and General Santos City where culture and traditions are showcased during local festivals.

One issue that surfaced was the strong opposition from the Muslim religious leaders on certain traditional practices of the Moro people which are viewed as unislamic.

The participants proposed that there should be dialogue between the Islamic religious authority and the Moro community members to thresh out which among the Moro traditional practices are explicitly not acceptable in Islam.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/new/item/753-maguindanaons-from-southmin-join-bangsamoro-cultural-heritage-assets-inventory

MILF: BDA SouthMin conducts BDP Community Roadshow

Posted to the MILF Website (Dec 25): BDA SouthMin conducts BDP Community Roadshow

The Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) - Southern Mindanao (SouthMin) recently conducted Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) Community Roadshow to different stakeholders of Socsargen primarily aimed to inform and educate the Bangsamoro communities on the concepts, objectives and contents of the said development blueprint.

Community leaders, peace advocates, Imams, Madrasah teachers and other members of ethno-linguistic groups of Southern Mindanao were the audiences in the two venues of the activity - Sitio Bayang, Barangay Malisbong in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat Province and AVR Mindanao State University Graduate School in General Santos City held last December 6 and 7 respectively.

Mohalikin D. Piang, the lead facilitator and manager of BDA-SouthMin, cited the importance of educating the community members about BDP and for them to appreciate the Plan which he said is hoped to usher “inclusive” development in the target communities.

He explained that the BDP, anchored on BDA Sustainable Human Development and Peacebuilding Framework, has seven thematic areas as follows: (i) economy; (ii) social; (iii) environment and natural resources; (iv) politics; (v) security; (vi) culture and identity; and (vii) the cross-cutting themes of gender and development, peacebuilding, food & nutrition security, and youth & other vulnerable groups.

Piang urged the participants to help in the information and education campaign on the BDP which he described as a “meaningful strategy for the advancement of the Bangsamoro people.”

“This Plan is not exclusive to the Muslims or the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), it is for the peoples of Mindanao regardless of ethnicity or faith,” the Regional Manager underscored.

“What Chairman Al Hadj Murad Ebrahim of the MILF said is that the BDP is not only for the MILF but for the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) as well, as much as it for all ethnic tribes - the Christian settlers and Indigenous Peoples in the prospective Bangsamoro territory,” Piang related.

BDP is one of the products of the peace process between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF.

BDA took the lead role for the BDP formulation as mandated by the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and as per directive of the MILF Chairman issued on March 22, 2013. 

BDP core planning team headed by BDA and supported by experts from the World Bank, JICA and UN was created for the said endeavor. Line agencies such as the Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, National Economic Development Authority, Department of Finance among others as well as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also played crucial roles in the BDP formulation.

To come up with a comprehensive and holistic plan, the BDP team facilitated consultations with stakeholders from different regions of Mindanao taking into consideration their views, experiences and recommendations.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/new/item/751-bda-southmin-conducts-bdp-community-roadshow

CPP/NDF: Frustrate the last desperate armed attacks of the US-Aquino regime! Sustain the level of intensity of the tactical offensives and rev up the popular resistance against attempts to perpetuate the regime in power thru the elite monopolized elections!

Propaganda statement posted to the NDF Website (Dec 25): Frustrate the last desperate armed attacks of the US-Aquino regime! Sustain the level of intensity of the tactical offensives and rev up the popular resistance against attempts to perpetuate the regime in power thru the elite monopolized elections!

Statement of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) -Panay Region On the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines – December 26, 2015

Last 13 and 14 of December, in a span of 12 hours, the New People’s Army (NPA) in Panay launched a series of tactical offensives from the North Eastern Yating Mountains (Maayon town) to the SouthWestern Madyaas foothills of Panay (San Joaquin town). The 301st Infantry Brigade (Bde) of the 3rd Infantry Division of the AFP owned up to some 8 casualties (including two police officers engaged in counter-insurgency duties) while covering up its more serious losses as it usually does.

The early morning harassment, last 13 December, of the two-truck convoy of the 82nd Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Tiolas, San Joaquin town was along the national highway linking the provinces of Iloilo and Antique. This was the latest military action for the year which included an ambush of a section-size operating unit of the 31st Division Reconnaissance Company in the mountainous Barangay San Antonio of Cuartero, Capiz last July that inflicted a squadsize casualty (including at least 5 killed) that the AFP took great pains to conceal from the public and visiting US troops.

Earlier, in July, several casualties were also inflicted in a series of harassments in Central Panay (Tapaz and Calinog towns) especially on troops guarding the destructive Jalaur Dam. Lately, the Chinese mining company Century Peak’s equipments were also destroyed as punishment for financing the militarization of the Igbaras and Tubungan mountains. This troop concentration provided security for them as they explore some mining prospects with the intent to plunder our national patrimony with the mini-dam as cover. What gave them away was their millions upon millions of road construction cost that was way too much for a mini-dam project.



These main samples of the series of tactical offensives/military action in 2015, not only highlighted the military capacity of the NPA under the leadership of the Communist Party. It also manifested the breadth of the People’s War as conducted all over the island of Panay, even in its major highways and other white areas by night or day. The NPA in the island succeeded, too, in surpassing the minimum rate of tactical offensives per unit set by the national leadership of the Party.

There is some truth to the reasoning of 301st Bde Commander Uchida that the attacks are to show that the NPA is still here—indeed, they are in many places all over the island. That the tactical offensives are intensifying refutes the very boast of the Aquino regime that the arrest of Comrade Concha Araneta would weaken the revolutionary struggle in Panay. Definitely, the year round tactical offensives by the NPA exposes the regime’s claim that the ‘insurgency in Panay is conflict-manageable’ as an outright lie to impress foreign investors.

The military actions in 2015 demonstrated the extent, positioning along the vast mountain ranges and foothills of Western and Northeastern Panay and the depth of the mass base of the revolutionary movement in Panay. The widespread and ever expanding and deepening revolutionary underground in the vast countryside, towns and cities in the island provided the solid backbone of an island-wide resistance to the Aquino regime.

The Party called for sustained, strengthened and heightened island wide mass struggles to overthrow the USAquino regime in 2015. And the masses of Panayanon heeded our call. Tens of thousands of Panayanons massed up on several major red letter days and whenever Pnoy’s disastrous policies or criminal neglect such as that of Typhoon Yolanda’s survivors are highlighted. Especially opposed was the regime’s hosting of the APEC Ministerial conferences in the island that were plotting to intensify the exploitation of the country’s resources such as its mineral deposits, its sea resources and even the small profit of the country’s micro-, small, and medium industries in various privatization and sub-contracting schemes by big capitalist. This includes the opening up the country for advantaged foreign products that L would bankrupt the local agriculture (especially rice and sugar) and already backward industry and destroy our very vulnerable food security.

Even ordinary people in their thousands joined various mass actions spontaneously or led by progressives to protest these impositions which included the privatization of public markets, transport terminals and utilities, of public transport owners and drivers against the planned phasing out of traditional public transports to be replaced by new ones for new transport unit profitable to big foreign transport manufacturing capitalists. Even big and small fishing boat owners opted to boycott fishing for a few days at the height of APEC meetings to register to the Aquino regime its opposition to huge fines and costly requirements for fishing too heavy especially for small fisher folks. The people’s regional and local struggles amounted to almost weekly mass actions in major cities and towns.

Thousands of Typhoon Yolanda survivor’s families continually mobilized themselves to complete the rehabilitation of their housing and production. Simultaneously they joined the mass actions of ten thousands to demand rehabilitation resources from their paid taxes to the Aquino regime as well as from foreign contributions. That hundreds of millions were distributed by government agencies attest to such political pressure that they have generated thus obliging the regime to release public funds. Several thousands more are being mobilized for cooperative production of food in the face of dwindling staple food production.

These relentless struggle defied the all-out militarization of the island to secure various projects and gathering of imperialist neo-liberalization (APEC) and militarization (BALIKATAN and US troops/naval vessel visitation). The regime doubled the local security forces (up to 5000 mobile forces excluding standing territorial PNP).

Underpinning the regime’s monopoly rule of the island was its firm command of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army and its 301st Infantry Brigade, its police force and various other security forces.

The regime’s military launched more sustained attacks on the various guerilla fronts of the New People’s Army to preempt the tactical offensive campaign by the NPA. Massive militarization of the countryside was resorted to forestall the taking off of popular movement of the mass base to oppose the neo-liberal impositions by big imperialist countries and to demand rehabilitation from damages of Typhoon Yolanda from the regime. The regime’s police saturated the urban center and all its surroundings as well as areas that foreign delegates and PNoy would pass thru not only to secure these people but to prevent the massing up of protesters against the regime and APEC.

The regime and its local minions profited from official foreign tourism hosting/spending. Even as billions were spent on infrastructure for the benefit of big capitalists, foreign and domestic, the regime could only spare a few billion for a long-delayed rehabilitation plan of hundreds of thousands of destroyed houses. Even then such distribution of funds were much short of what was needed, selective and geared for electoral influence. A great many were not covered at all. An enhanced pantawid program was expanded but could not compensate for the basic\needs of the poor and all the while transforming them into glorified mendicants. While infrastructure spending employed many laborers, this could not compensate for the lack of livelihood; it is also temporary.

Most of Panayanon in the countryside suffered loss of income from farms ravaged by El Nino and the unrehabilitated economy smashed by Yolanda. Privatization of markets, utilities and ports deprived consumers and small vendors of adequate income. Policies of government agencies tend to further enrich big capitalists (the Sy, Injap, Yanson of Ceres liner who monopolizes transportation) while imposing higher costs and heavy fines to ordinary driver/operators, fisher folks and even capitalists, market vendors, consumers of water, and passengers. A significant number of OFW are forced to return home due to dangers of war/conflict in their place of employment and the slowdown of the economies of countries dependent on price- deflated oil.

Currently, the regime revels in its seeming monopoly of power in Panay. It boasts of its overwhelming political control of various factions in Panay under a coalition campaigning for the victory of its anointed successor in the coming bourgeois election. But by putting almost all political elite factions under one umbrella only meant intensifying the infighting of various factions that are all ambitious to wield power via the oncoming bourgeois elections.

For most elite factions, joining the Aquino regime’s umbrella coalition meant patronage and money/venues for their electoral campaigns while in exchange the endorse the regime’s candidates. All the while, the various factions stand ready to jump ship as soon as other presidential candidates take the lead and abandon the isolated administration candidate as what happened before in various elections. Mar Roxas may win the most number of votes among presidential candidates in the region due to overwhelming resources but by a much smaller margin than he would be needing to overcome his tail-ending votes from all over the whole country.

Even more, most of the political factions in the island would be approaching progressive groups and even revolutionaries for votes and access to territories under revolutionary sway. As with previous elections they have negotiated with the Left to ensure victory primarily for themselves.

Our Urgent Task for 2016

We are faced with a regime in its last several months in power and hell bent to secure itself from an angry people struggling to oust it from power. It has deployed its last card in suppressing thru force of arms a revolutionary movement that keeps on rising against its rule and strengthening in the process. The regime pins its hope to escape prosecution for its crime on its anointed candidate winning the ensuing bourgeois election. With this in mind the Communist Party in Panay lays down the following urgent tasks:

1. Frustrate the last desperate armed attacks of the US-Aquino Regime by means of a sustained and intensified tactical offensive campaign and anti-militarization mass struggle.

In the last 5 years, the Aquino regime has failed in its attempts to crush the revolutionary movement in Panay and, in the process, honed the military capacity of the revolution, fanned the flame of popular resistance to even wider areas and sectors and firmed up the resolve of revolutionaries. Frustrating the regime’s attacks means persevering in striking its military operation at its weakest moment, blunting its strongest attacks by striking it everywhere possible by harassments combined with selective solid strikes to seize arms or even to inflict casualties in its fascist ranks. Such an extensive and intensive level of military offensive require the further widening and consolidating of the revolutionary mass base even as the latter defends itself from various suppressive assaults of the state security forces.

2. Fight the regime’s desperate attempt to impose its anointed candidate to succeed and perpetuate the distorted ‘Matuwid na Daan’ program favoring the regime’s big landlord and big local and foreign capitalist cronies.

In its last several months, the regime will employ all means, mainly foul and seemingly fair, to have its successor elected to succeed its rule. This serves to ensure that all its ill-gotten wealth be preserved and to protect itself from prosecution for its crimes. As its successor is tainted by the isolated status of PNoy and dwells at the tail-end of various pre-election polls, the regime will resort to all evil schemes to boost its faltering candidate. Only a people’s movement opposed to the regime’s manipulation could ensure Aquino’s ‘legacy’ that is already destined to a special place in the dustbin of history and likewise ensure Aquino’s fate as the cellmate of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The progressive movement in Panay must persevere in the popular movement to contribute in a big way to oust the Aquino Regime and its successor thru mass struggle and electoral means.

3. Strengthen and consolidate, and expand further the organized forces of the revolution.

The tens of thousands that were mobilized during the past year should be further organized into revolutionary or progressive mass organizations. The tripling and quadrupling of recruits must be followed thru with the vertical organizing of local chapters, subsection and section (city district/municipal) chapters and higher organizational structures, development and training of mass leaders and organizers at various levels of verticalization. The consolidation of the organized masses must serve to develop their capacity to contribute further to the advance the people’s war, persevere in more intense mass struggle combined with electoral struggle.

The Party must be built to lead the comprehensive development of the people’s war, the recruitment of hundreds/thousands of party members, raise the level of consciousness and leadership skill. Party cadre must be develop systematically and in large numbers to fill in responsible positions that are ever arising at a faster pace. Further develop the theoretical capacity of leading cadres to enable them to lead the Party and the advancing people’s war to the next stage.

Platoons of activists must be recruited as full-time Red fighters to enable the NPA to build more company size fronts and to sustain the intensity, extensiveness of guerrilla warfare all over the island.

The Aquino Regime is on the way out. The revolutionary forces in Panay must go all-out in ushering the Aquino regime to its ignominious fate in history and a prison cell for PNoy while serving a sentence appropriate for the crime of plunder. Ousting the current puppet regime is one more step nearer to advance to the strategic stalemate of the people’s war.


Julian Paisano

 Regional Party Committee – Panay
Communist Party of the Philippines

http://www.ndfp.org/frustrate-the-last-desperate-armed-attacks-of-the-us-aquino-regime/

CPP/Ang Bayan: ANG BAYAN 21 December 2015 issue: Paigtingin ang mga pakikibakang masa sa gitna ng eleksyon

Propaganda newsletter posted to the CPP Website (Dec 21): ANG BAYAN 21 December 2015 issue: Paigtingin ang mga pakikibakang masa sa gitna ng eleksyon

NDFP National Democratic Front of the Philippines

 

Isasagawa ng naghaharing sistemang pampulitika sa Mayo 2016 ang proseso ng pagpili sa susunod na mamumuno sa papet na rehimen. Malayo pa man ito, malakas na ingay na ang nililikha ng mga kandidatong presidente sa tangkang agawin ang pansin at akitin ang boto ng mamamayan.....

Go to the following URL for a copy of the December 21 edition of Any Bayan:
http://www.ndfp.org/sayt/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/20151221pi.pdf

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20151221_ang-bayan-21-december-2015-issue-paigtingin-ang-mga-pakikibakang-masa-sa-gitna-ng-eleksyon

CPP/NDF: UBOS SA PAGPANGULO SA PKP NAPAKYAS ANG OPB UG MIASDANG ANG REBOLUSYON SA MINDANAO – NDF-MINDANAO

NDF propaganda statement posted to the CPP Website (Dec 25): UBOS SA PAGPANGULO SA PKP NAPAKYAS ANG OPB UG MIASDANG ANG REBOLUSYON SA MINDANAO – NDF-MINDANAO

NDFP National Democratic Front of the Philippines

 

Pamahayag sa Media

Desyembre 26, 2015

 

Atol ning ika-47 nga kasumaran sa pagkatukod pag-usab sa Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP) niadtong Desembre 26, 1968, ang NDF-Mindanao uban sa katawhan nagpadangat sa among pahalipay ug pagsaludo sa Partido sa tukmang pagpangulo niini nga nagseguro sa mga rebolusyonaryong kadaugan ug padayong pag-asdang sa demokratikong rebolusyon sa katawhan sa atong nasud. Tukmang higayon usab kini nga saludohan ang tanang martir sa rebolusyon nga mihalad sa ilang kinabuhi diha sa pag-alagad sa katawhan ug sa rebolusyong Pilipino.

 

Ang lig-ong pagpangulo sa Partido sukad sa pagkatukod niini nagseguro nga molahutay ug padayong moasdang ang rebolusyon atubangan sa grabeng ataki sa nangaging mga reaksyonaryong rehimen, apil na ang kasamtangang rehimeng US-Aquino III. Partikular sa Mindanao, pinaagi sa tukmang pagpangulo sa Partido, nakabarug ug dugang mikusog pa ang rebolusyon sa isla bisan pa kun kini ang nag-unang pokus sa halos walay hunong nga bangis nga ataki sa Oplan Bayanihan (OPB) sa rehimeng US-Aquino III aron depensahan ang mga pang-ekonomiyang interes sa mga imperyalista ug lokal nga nagharing hut-ong ug pildihon ang rebolusyonaryong kalihokan.

 

Apan pakyas ang OPB sa rehimen, maong gidugangan sa rehimen ang tropa sa AFP sa Mindanao nga karon mokabat na sa 60 ka batalyon o kapin 60% sa kinatibuk-ang tropa sa AFP, 60% niini nadeploy sa mga erya sa NPA. Wala pay apil ang mga PNP, CAFGU ug ubang para-militar sama sa BULIF, Alamara, Gantangan, Bagani, Magahat, pundok ni Calpet ug uban pa. Gilunsad niini ang labing bangis ug hugaw nga mga teroristang taktika ug pamaagi aron lang gyud malisang ang katawhan ug moundang sa armado ug dili-armadong pagsukol.

 

Sulod lang sa termino sa rehimeng US-Aquino III mokabat na sa 377 ang biktima sa masaker ug extra-judicial killings nga mga lider, aktibista ug inosenteng sibilyan sa tibuok nasud, katunga niini nahitabo sa Mindanao. Pipila niini mao ang masaker sa Han-ayan, Lianga, Surigao del Sur ug Pangantucan, Bukidnon ug pagpatay kang Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio sa North Cotabato. Ang mga tropa sa AFP uban sa mga para-militar misunog usab sa mga komunidad ug eskwelahan, mipahamtang sa nagkalain-laing paagi sa terorismo aron lang gyud mapaundang ang pag-asdang sa pakigbisog sa katawhan. Kining terorismo nakapugos sa pagbakwit sa gatusan ka libo sa katawhan sa Mindanao.

 

Apan ubos sa pagpangulo sa Partido lig-ong nakabarug ang rebolusyonaryong pwersa sa Mindanao ug mas mikusog pa kini ilalom sa rehimeng US-Aquino III.

 

1. Dugang napalig-on ang MLM nga pang-ideolohiyang pundasyon sa Partido pinaagi sa paglunsad sa tulo ka ang-ang nga kurso sa pang-ideolohiyang pagtuon, nga mao ang Batakan, Intermedya ug Abanteng kurso, ug pagkumbina sa teorya ug praktika diha sa rebolusyonaryong kasinatian sa lima ka rehiyon sa Mindanao. Dugang midaku ngadto sa kapid-an ka libo ang ginsakpan sa Partido sa tibuok Mindanao nga kadaghanan nakagamot ug nangulo sa pakigbisog sa katawhan diha sa mga kabaryohan, komunidad, pabrika, eskwelahan ug mga pangmasang organisasyon, ug sa kinatibuk-an, milig-on ang mga komite sa rehiyon hangtud sa mga lokal nga Sanga sa Partido ug mga yunit sa BHB.

 

2. Bisan pa sa kahimtang nga kini ang sentrong pokus sa OPB, padayong miabante ang armadong pakigbisog sa Mindanao. Gikan sa 40 ka natarang gerilya sa unang tuig sa rehimen US-Aquino III midaghan kini karon ngadto sa 46 nga nakatag sa 5 ka rehiyon sa Mindanao, ug walay bisan usa nga nabungkag sa bangis nga ataki sa OPB. Sa kapin 200 ka kalungsuran ug syudad nga nalihokan, gikan sa 1,850 lang ka baryo niadtong 2010, miusbaw ngadto sa 2,500 ka baryo ang nalangkob sa atong mga natarang gerilya kun diin ikatulong bahin niini ang nakonsolida samtang ubay-ubay ang natukoran sa Organo sa Pulitikanhong Gahum o gobyerno sa katawhan sa ang-ang baryo, ang uban sa ang-ang lungsod. Padayong nagkalapad ang minilyon nga baseng masa sa BHB kun diin mitubo ngadto sa kapin 200,000 gikan sa 130,000 niadtong 2010 direktang napasulod sa mga pangmasang organisasyon sa tibuok Mindanao. Dakung bentaha kining dugang nagkalapad ug nagkalalom nga base sa pagmaniubra sa mga yunit sa BHB, paglunsad sa mga taktikal nga opensiba (T.O.), pagrekrut sa mga Pulang manggugubat, pagpatuman sa kaylap nga agraryong rebolusyon ug paglunsad sa ubang pangmasang pakigbisog.

 

Midaghan ang ginsakpan sa BHB ug midaghan ang mga pormasyong iskwad, platun ug kumpanya ug mga yunit sa Milisyang Bayan. Padayong nag-usbaw ang mga taktikal nga opensiba sa tibuok Mindanao gikan sa 250 ka TO sa pagsugod sa rehimeng US-Aquino III niadtong 2010, ngadto sa 350 niadtong 2011, 400 niadtong 2012, kapin 400 matag tuig niadtong 2013 ug 2014, ug kapin 500 ning tuig sa 2015.

 

Pipila sa mga malamposong dagko nga aksyong militar mao ang pagreyd sa private army ni Brillantes sa Compostela Valley, reyd sa mga PNP HQ sa lungsod sa Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur, Don Victoriano, Mis Occidental, ug Alegria, Surigao del Norte, ug reyd sa Earth Savers Security sa Butuan City, reyd sa COPD sa Gingoog City, Tandag City ug San Fernando, Bukidnon, reyd sa Army-CAFGU detatsment sa Binicalan, San Luis, Agusan del Sur, sa Balingasag, Misamis Oriental ug sa Banay-banay , Davao Oriental, pagsilot sa tulo ka higanteng mina sa Taganito, Claver, Surigao del Norte ug pagsilot sa plantasyon sa Del Monte Phils. sa Bukidnon, reyd sa Del Monte sa Quezon, Bukidnon, ambus sa Matan-ao, Davao del Sur, ug uban pa. Karong tuig 2015 lang nakasakmit ang BHB sa ubay-ubay nga tag-as nga kalibre nga armas gikan sa mga armadong pwersa sa estado. Sa pagdaghan sa mga yunit gerilya sa BHB, mas halapad ang nalangkob ug nakonsolida nga mga lugar, ug napanalipdan ang interes sa katawhan ug mga kadaugan sa rebolusyon sama sa repormang agraryo.

 

3. Sa tuig 2015, sa Mindanao lang, mokapin sa usa ka batalyon, kung iponon, ang namatay sa kaaway sa mga panagsangka tali sa NPA ug mga armadong pwersa sa estado, wala pay labot ang mga samdon, samtang sa bahin sa NPA dunay pipila lang. Sa tibuok termino sa rehimeng US-Aquino III, 61 ang nahimong mga bihag sa gubat o prisoners of war (POW) sa Mindanao gikan sa mga armadong pwersa sa estado. Gitratar sila subay sa nalatid sa CARHRIHL ug mga protocol sa Geneva Convention, nga nagpakita sa pulitikanhon ug militar nga katakus sa rebolusyonaryong pwersa. Halos tanan niini gibuhian subay sa mga rekisitos nga nalatid sa giya sa NDFP ug ubang konsiderasyon, apil ang pagpamatuod sa interes, kaandam ug kamatinud-anon sa rebolusyonaryong pwersa sa pagpadayon sa negosasyong pangkalinaw. Sa pikas bahin walay interes ang rehimen, gani sa makadaghang higayon nagdumili pa kini sa pagkoopera alang sa luwas ug hapsay nga pagbuhi sa mga POW.

 

4. Luyo sa kawalay matinud-anong reporma sa yuta ubos sa rehimeng US-Aquino III, ang rebolusyonaryong kalihokan sa nasud nagapatuman sa minimum ug maximum nga reporma sa yuta. Sa Mindanao, nagkalapad ang nalunsaran ug gatusan ka libo ang nakabenipisyo sa repormang agraryo o agraryong rebolusyon (agreb) sama sa pagpakunhod sa abangan sa yuta ug himan sa produksyon, pagpakunhod sa usura, pagpataas sa suholan sa mga mamumuong panguma, pagpataas sa presyo sa produktong agrikultural sa mga mag-uuma, ug paglunsad sa mga kampanya sama sa pagpataas sa produksyon, kooperatibisasyon, serbisyong panglawas, kultural, ug uban pa. Kining agreb nakoordina ug nakatabang sa dugang pagpalapad ug pagpalig-on sa atong base ug miani sa halapad nga suporta sa katawhan alang sa armadong pakigbisog.

 

5. Ang antipyudal nga pakigbisog hugot natong nalambigit sa anti-pasista ug anti-imperyalistang pakigbisog ug mibunga kini sa halapad nga panaghiusa ug suporta sa nagkalain-laing sektor sa Mindanao. Ang kalihokang masa sa agreb hugot nga nalambigit diha sa kalihokang masa batok sa pangawkaw sa atong mga kinaiyanhong bahandi sa mga multi-nasyonal nga mga kumpanya sa mga mina, plantasyon, ug ilang grabeng pagguba sa kinaiyahan. Gibutyag ug gibatokan usab sa kalihokang masa ang monopolyo sa yuta sa imperyalista ug mga lokal nga nagharing hut-ong nga mihikaw sa yuta alang sa repormang agraryo ug yutang kabilin sa mga Lumad.

 

Sulod sa rehimeng US-Aquino III miulbo ang mga susamang kalihokang masa batok sa mga higanteng minahan sa Caraga, sa A. Brown sa Pantucan, ComVal Province, sa Xstrata sa SOCSARGENDS, sa TVI sa Zambaonga del Sur, ug uban pa. Nalunsad usab ang kalihokang masa sa nagkalain-laing bahin sa Mindanao batok sa mga multi-nasyonal nga mga plantasyon sa saging ug pinya, sama sa DolePhil, Sumifru ug Del Monte Phil, ug batok sa mga plantasyon sa oil palm.

 

Nalunsad usab ang mga kampanya kalambigit sa bagyong Sendong ug Pablo nga nagbutyag sa korapsyon ug walay pagpakabana sa mga burukrata-kapitalista ngadto sa mga biktima ug sa imperyalistang pagdaut sa kinaiyahan. Misalmot usab isip pagsimpatiya ang katawhan sa Mindanao sa mga kalihukan alang sa mga biktima sa bagyong Yolanda.

 

6. Mibuto ang mga dagkung anti-pasistang kalihokang masa sa panahon sa rehimeng US-Aquino III nga nahimong lanog dili lang sa Mindanao kun di sa tibuok nasud ug internasyonal. Nalunsad ang kampanya batok sa pagpatay kang Fr. “Pops” Tentorio niadtong 2011 sa North Cotabato. Dihang nahimong kaylap ug sobsob na ang militarisasyon sa Mindanao, gilunsad sa nagkalain-laing sektor sa katawhan sa Mindanao ang unang Manilakbayan niadtong 2014 nga mibutyag ug misupak sa grabeng kabangis militar sa tibuok isla.

 

Karong 2015, mibuto na usab ang mas dakung dayag nga anti-pasistang kalihokan sa Mindanao nga nahimong nasudnon ug gisuportahan sa nagkalain-laing pundok sa ubang kanasuran batok sa grabeng terorismo sa estado sa Mindanao nga gidagkutan sa pagmasaker sa executive director sa ALCADEV ug sa duha ka lider Lumad sa Han-ayan, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, ug mitahi sa uban pang mga mayor nga isyu sa pasismo sa tibuok isla sa Mindanao.

 

Tungod niini, nalunsad sa katawhan sa Mindanao ang ikaduhang Manilakbayan nga nagkondena sa kabangis militar ug miani sa halapad nga suporta sa mga rehiyon nga naagian ug sa mga sektor sa mag-uuma, mamumuo, kabatanonan-estudyante, mga opisyales sa LGU, mga dagkung unibersidad ug eskwelahan, mga pundok relihiyoso apil CBCP, pundok sa mga artista ug mga atleta sa mga unibersidad, taga-mass media, internasyonal nga mga pundok ug uban pa.

 

Nagpadayon ang pakigbisog sa katawhang Moro taliwala sa paningkamot sa rehimeng US-Aquino III nga pahilumon ang pagsukol sa Bangsamoro. Ang Moro Resistance and Liberation Organization (MRLO) padayong nagpalapad ug nag-organisa sa han-ay sa katawhang Moro alang sa tinuod nga katungod sa kaugalingong paghukom.

 

Nakigdugtong ug nakigtinabangay ang rebolusyonaryong kalihukan sa nagkalain-laing pundok sa mga Moro nga armado ug dili armadong nakigbisog batok sa kasamtangang rehimen.

 

7. Ang tukmang pulitikanhong linya sa Partido diha sa pakigtinabangay sa nagkalain-laing pwersa sa katilingban miani sa mga rebolusyonaryong kadaugan. Ang gikusgon sa batakang alyansa sa mga mag-uuma, apil Lumad, ug mamumuo ug ang pakiglambigitay niini sa mga hatungang hut-ong sa katilingban midani sa suporta sa ubang hut-ong ug sektor nga kanhi wala malangkob sa pulitikanhong pakigbisog. Pinaagi sa isyu-por-isyu nga basehan, nakigtinabangay kita bisan sa han-ay sa mga pulitiko ug institusyon nga kanhi wala madugtongi.

 

Ang obhetibong pang-ekonomiya ug pangpulitikang kahimtang ug ang paglambo sa mga rebolusyonaryong pwersa sa Mindanao, nagpakita nga paborable nga padayong moasdang ang rebolusyon sa isla. Ang katukma sa pagpangulo sa PKP magseguro sa padayong pag-abante sa demokratikong rebolusyon.

 

Mabuhay ang PKP!

 

Mabuhay ang katawhang Pilipino!

 

Sgd. Ka Oris

Spokesperson

NDFP-Mindanao

 

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20151225_ubos-sa-pagpangulo-sa-pkp-napakyas-ang-opb-ug-miasdang-ang-rebolusyon-sa-mindanao-ndf-mindanao

Military still hoping rebels will surrender

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Dec 26): Military still hoping rebels will surrender

THE MILITARY has not lost hope that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) will lay down its arms and return to the fold of law even as the underground rebel group celebrates its founding anniversary on Saturday.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines noted that while the forces of the communist rebels are waning, the fact that they bear arms is still a serious threat.

“We hope that eventually our brothers and sisters will come to their senses, lay down their arms and join the government in working for the betterment of our people,” said AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla
The CPP is celebrating its 47th anniversary today as it observes a 12-day ceasefire on offensive attacks against government troops from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3.

The government, through the AFP and the Philippine National Police, has also declared a suspension on offensive operations against communist rebels for the same period.

Law enforcement

The AFP’s suspension of military operations will last from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, while the PNP’s suspension of offensive police operations will be in effect from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1.

The government ceasefire will not cover law enforcement operations such as serving arrest or search warrants, as well as apprehension of criminals.

But at least three incidents of NPA attacks have been recorded since the NPA’s ceasefire took effect last Tuesday—one in Bukidnon, one in Davao City and another in Surigao del Sur.

The AFP has earlier branded the attacks as gross violations of the CPP’s self-declared unilateral ceasefire for the holidays.

As of the first quarter of 2015, the military has placed the strength of the NPA to be at 3,200.

Peace talks
 
“Although they are waning, the bearing of arms still poses a serious challenge,” Padilla noted.

The military and the PNP earlier called on the CPP and the NPA to abide by its self-declared ceasefire for the holidays.

Padilla said the government remains open to peace talks with the communist rebels.
“We remain open to the peace talks. Once these people see an alternative lifestyle and experience development, they will abandon insurgency,” the AFP spokesperson said.

The military assured that government troops will continue to abide by the government ceasefire earlier announced by President Aquino.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/750199/military-still-hoping-rebels-will-surrender