From the Daily Tribune (Mar 2): AFP disputes MILF exec,insists rebels IS-linked
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) stood firm in tagging the targeted group in Lanao del Sur as terrorists with ties to the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) contrary to claims of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) vice chairman Ghadzali Jaafar.
Last Sunday, Jaafar said in a television interview that those targeted by massive military operations in Butig, Lanao del Sur were not terrorists but Muslims dismayed over the non-passage of the MILF-proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr., spokesman of the AFP, said that the group targeted in Lanao del Sur was a group of terrorists with links to JI.
“Based on the information we have at hand this group is in our list of local terrorist groups that have been linked to the JI and the group of the Indonesian terrorist known as Sanusi who was killed in Marawi sometime in 2012,” Padilla said.
“They are also closely linked to the series of NGCP tower bombings,” he added. Padilla dismissed claims of Jaafar, citing the military’s evidence proving otherwise.
“We do not believe otherwise because of these very strong pieces of evidence and information that validates that,” said Padilla.
“Furthermore, the surprise attack on our detachment last 20 February 2016 could have been motivated by a desire to avenge their leader (Sanusi),” he added.
Padilla said that a total of 24 terrorists have been identified as among those killed in Butig where the military launched massive air and artillery assaults after the rebels attacked the military detachment.
Among those killed were Omar Maute, tagged as the leader of the terrorist group, and Indonesian Mohammad Muktar.
As of press time yesterday, the military is still conducting clearing operations in Butig where another terrorist lair was overran on Sunday.
Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesman of Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), said the military’s main objective in Barangay Poctan was captured at around 4:20 p.m. Tan said that the clearing operations are carefully being conducted due to possible presence of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and booby traps in the area.
“Troops continue to scour the barangay area and clear it from booby traps and IEDs,” he said, adding that on Sunday night, soldiers also recovered 81-millimeter (mm) mortar rounds that were fashioned into homemade bombs and two grenades.
With the ongoing operations in Lanao del Sur, security forces in the adjoining province of Lanao del Norte has taken up measures in order to prevent a possible spillover of the fighting.
In fact, Lanao del Norte has been on a red alert status since last week, according to Supt. Surki Serenas, spokesman of the Northern Mindanao regional police.
“Police Regional Office 10 has already undertaken counter-measures in relation to the firefights in Butig, Lanao del Sur. In fact, the command which is already on “Full Alert” status, has intensified its intelligence build up and checkpoint operations in its boundaries to contain and prevent spill-over of atrocities in our area,” said Serenas.
“Our PPO (provincial police office) and CPO (city police office) sharing geographical boundaries with Lanao Sur also has a ready augmentation from RPSB (regional public safety battalion) and their respective public safety companies in case of eventualities.
Likewise, constant coordination with PNP and AFP counterparts in the affected areas are also being undertaken,” he added.
Military: Maute slain
Last Feb. 23, Tan also reported the death of Omar Maute, the head of the local terrorist organization, who spearheaded the attack on the detachment of the 51st Infantry Battalion in Butig, Lanao Del Sur last Feb. 20.
An estimated 40 to 80 lawless elements took part in the raid which lasted until early Feb. 21, along with Omar’s younger brother.
Tan based this claim on intelligence reports which claimed that the bandit leader was killed in the constant air and artillery strikes against them.
In addition, the reports said 24 out of the 42 other terrorists killed in the operation have been identified.
The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, said it continues to assist the AFP in conducting checkpoints and blocking forces due to the recent bombings incidents on towers of National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (GCP) in the province Lanao del Sur.
“We support the conducting of check points. Help control the main supply route,” PNP Chief Director General Ricardo Marquez told reporters.
Marquez also said the PNP was checking if there were improvised explosive devices on roadsides so that the movements of the AFP would not be impeded.
PNP expects the reduction of toppling down of power transmission towers at NGCP by terrorist neutralized by the AFP; several reports say these groups were responsible for the toppling down of the towers.
NGCP tower No. 5 at Barangay Pantar, Bubong, Lanao del Sur was bombed last Jan. 18, 2016 and the bombings would aggravate the tenuous power situation in Mindanao. Another tower was also bombed in Lanao del Norte.
At least 16 towers were bombed last year. The NGPC calls for PNP and AFP to monitor the safety of the towers so that transmissions services will not be interrupted.
From The Standard (Mar 1): Reds hit LP peace stance
NATIONAL Democratic Front chief peace negotiator Luis Jalandoni slammed Liberal Party presidential candidate Mar Roxas for his apparent disinterested in resuming peace talks with the Philippine communist movement.
“It appears he and his group are overconfident because they have the government resources,” Jalandoni told Davao City reporters in a Internet phone interview.
“Because of their control of the automated election system, they appear to have no interest because they are riding on [President Benigno Aquino III’s] Straight Path,” Jalandoni said.
Jalandoni said the leaders of the local national democratic movement are anticipating that a Roxas administration may simply reject peace talks, adding that they are more optimisting of pursuing talks with Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte or Senator Grace Poe.
Of the three, however, Jalandoni, said Duterte appears to be the “most forward” in pursuing peace negotiations.
“Mayor Rodrigo Duterte seems the most forward among the presidential candidates to present his position on the peace negotiations. He even said he is willing to have a coalition government with the NDFP and announced that he will give three cabinet posts to NDFP if he becomes president,” Jalandoni said.
The three cabinet positions mentioned were for the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Menwhile, the Northern Mindanao regional police command tightened security in the region against increased attacks by the communist New People’s Army as the national and local poll nears.
Police Supt. Surki Sereñas, the police regional spokesperson, confirmed the declaration of the full alert status in the entire region, especially in the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental where the NPA presence is prevalent.
He said that as the elections and the March 29 anniversary of the NPA draw near, it is highly likely that the rebel group will intensify attacks in various areas in Northern Mindanao.
In a statement released to the media last week, the NPA vowed to continue to launch a series of attacks to counter the continued military operations in rebel turfs in the region.
“Disrupting the functions of the government has been the ‘bread and butter’ of the communist rebels,” Sereñas said.
Sereñas urged the public to report to the local police any information involving security concerns while appealing for cooperation in the fight against the insurgency.
From The Standard (Mar 1): MILF using clashes to push draft law
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is using the fighting between government troops and Muslim extremists a vehicle to push the implementation of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, a security expert said Monday.
This assessment came a day after MILF vice chairman Ghadzali Jaafar said that those fighting the government in Lanao del Sur were disgruntled Muslims—not bandits or terrorists—who were angry that Congress failed to pass the BBL.
“Actually, that’s an excuse to scare the government after its failure to pass the BBL,” the security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
MILF bet. The leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front supported the presidential candidacy of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who was the only candidate who has visited the separatists’ Camp Darapanan headquarters in Maguindanao. Duterte met with MILF vice chairperson for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar.
On Sunday, Jaafar said MILF leaders could not control their members who might join the attacks against government troops.
Commanders on the ground estimated that some 55 rebels have been killed in weeks-long clashes with the Army that began in Barangay Bayaboa, in Butig town, then spread to seven other villages.
The fighting displaced about 200,000 people who fled to evacuation centers or the homes of relatives while the military was defusing landmines left by the rebels.
The security official said the MILF was merely exploiting the situation in Butig town, an MILF-controlled area, and sent reinforcements to the group led by Omar and Abdullah Maute, which had engaged in fierce fighting with the Army’s 51st Infantry Battalion in Bayabao village.
He said the MILF joined the battle under the cover of Abdullah Makapaar alias Commander Bravo, who has operated outside the MILF’s hierarchy.
Bravo launched a series of attacks on civilian targets, killing more than 60 people after the Supreme Court struck down an agreement between the government and the MILF on the ancestral domain of the Moros in 2008. The attacks also displaced some 700,000 residents.
“MILF chairman Murad Ibrahim cannot control Bravo? Why? Perhaps Bravo is being used by the leadership to create chaos so that the government will accede to their demands,” the source added.
Congress refused to pass the BBL, citing its unconstitutional provisions.
From Update.Ph (Feb 28): Japan leasing Philippines with TC-90 aircraft – report
The Japanese government will be leasing the Philippine with Maritime Self-Defense Force TC-90 aircraft to aide the country’s surveillance capabilities in West Philippine Sea, Japanese news agency Kyodo reports.
According to the report, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani will be visiting Philippines on April to sign the agreement on lease of aircraft. The Japanese government will provide the aircraft at a minimal cost for purpose of legality.
This is after Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa formally signed the Agreement Concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology today afternoon.
The agreement will provide framework for Japan to transfer defense equipment and technology to the Philippines.
The Philippines is the first ASEAN country with which Japan has concluded such agreement.
Both sides are optimistic that tangible cooperation would be drawn up in accordance with the said agreement.
From Update.Ph (Mar 1): Visiting forces, info sharing agreements next for Japan, PH
The signing of the Agreement Concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology between Philippines and Japan could be the start of the creation of further mechanisms that can deepen the partnership between the two nations, Department of National Defense (DND) Sec. Voltaire Gazmin said.
“Looking ahead, let us continue to explore additional mechanisms to further deepen our partnership, perhaps in information sharing agreement and eventually in visiting forces agreement,” he added.
Aside from enhancing Philippine defense capabilities, the agreement would also contribute to regional peace and stability.
It would also provide framework for Japan to transfer defense equipment and technology to the Philippines.
In line with Japan’s security policy of making a proactive contribution to international peace and stability is Tokyo’s readiness to transfer defense equipment to its neighbors to develop their respective defense capabilities.
This dovetails with the Philippine thrust to have access to equipment and technology from its partner countries.
From Update.Ph (Mar 1): Terrorist group in Lanao del Sur beheads Army Corporal
An Army Corporal was killed and beheaded by the terrorist group of the Maute brothers in Lanao del Sur.
Corporal Engel Cubillas was beheaded February 24 at Butig town in Lanao del Sur, according to Salute to the Fallen.
Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed the death of 24, out of 42 reported, members of the said terrorist group.
AFP spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said the number of dead terrorists could still rise as validation efforts are still ongoing. AFP said at least six were killed in the side of government forces.
The military also said that clearing operations is ongoing after a week-long battle. “Troops conducted clearing operations at their designated sectors and moved forward for the final assault on the main objective which was cleared on around 4:20 p.m. [Sunday],” Western Mindanao Command spokesperson Major Filemon Tan.
“Troops continue to scour the barangay area and clear it from booby traps and IEDs,” Tan added.
Last February 23, Tan reported the death of Omar Maute, the head of the local terrorist organization, who spearheaded the attack on the detachment of the an Infantry Battalion in Butig, Lanao Del Sur last February 20.
From the Mindanao Times (Feb 29): Troops seize IED
SOLDIERS of 69th Infantry Battalion reportedly recovered another improvise explosive device at Sitio Butay, Barangay Pamintaran in Maragusan, Compostela Valley last Friday.
Capt. Rhyan Batchar, spokesperson of 10th Infantry Division, said troops were checking on the report from a resident that communist rebels were planting landmines to target soldiers.
They disarmed the bomb and seized the 100-meter electrical wire, batteries and triggering mechanism.
“The bomber immediately fled as he was surprised approaching soldiers from the opposite side,” Lt. Col. Ali Luis Macawaris, the battalion commander, said.
“We are thankful that we were able to preempt and no one among our soldiers were hurt,” Macawaris added.
The recovered IED will be turned over to Explosive and Ordnance Division of the 10th ID headquarters for proper disposition.
Earlier, soldiers were able also to discover a temporary storage for bomb-making materials in Sitio Muling, Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong in Davao del Norte last week.
From Rappler (Feb 29): Philippines: Does China think it's above the law?
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China 'actually abides by international law when we reject the Philippines' request for arbitration'
TOP DIPLOMAT. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during a joint news conference with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (not in photo) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, China, on February 17, 2016. File photo by Wu Hong/Pool/EPA
The Philippines on Monday, February 29, slammed China after the Asian giant said it is actually abiding by international law by rejecting Manila's historic case over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
In a statement, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario pointed out that the international community, including the Philippines, is "asking China to respect" the upcoming ruling on the arbitration case lodged in The Hague.
He said the Philippines and other countries want to push for "an international rules-based regime."
Del Rosario said, "If China does not heed our collective call, does it mean that China considers itself above the law?"
The Philippines' top diplomat added, "We have had countless meetings with China to try to address the issue between the two of us to no avail. We have invited China many times to join us in arbitration as early as 2012, again to no avail."
This comes after Wang on Thursday, February 25, criticized the Philippines' case in a speech for the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
China invokes reservation
Wang said: "Well, there is some commentary that China has not accepted the Philippines' request for mandatory arbitration and therefore China does not abide by international law. But let me say to you, the truth is the opposite. China actually abides by international law when we reject the Philippines' request for arbitration."
Wang pointed out that under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), China rejected mandatory arbitration for certain cases.
One of the excluded disputes involves overlapping sea boundaries.
The Philippines, however, asserts that its case against China is different.
In its case, the Philippines seeks to invalidate China's 9-dash line, the demarcation used by Beijing to claim virtually the entire South China Sea.
The Philippines expects the arbitral tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, to rule on the case early this year.
While the Philippines awaits this ruling, recent reports said China had deployed surface-to-air missiles, fighter jets, and radar installations in the region.
China on Thursday justified its defenses in the South China Sea as "absolutely necessary."
From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 1): Sultan Kudarat cops foil bombing attempt
The alertness of police officers and bomb experts here
foiled on Tuesday a bombing attempt meant for participants of the Fire
Prevention Month launching, police said.
According to Supt. Joefel Siason, Isulan town police chief,
parade participants, led by Isulan Mayor Diosdado Pallasigue, noticed two men
riding on a motorbike left a trolley bag at a roadside at past 6:00 a.m.
The parade had just started when the bombing attempt was
noticed by Siason and other officials.
"It was left about 15 meters away from the parade lead
team,” Siason said, describing the bomb as "very powerful."
Contained in a black trolley bag, the IED was fashioned from
105 howitzer with about four kilos of cut nails and metal sheets, two mobile
phones, blasting caps and a circuit board.
"That bomb was meant to kill and maim people had it
exploded, it was about 15 meters away from us," Pallasigue said.
“They left a black trolley bag and sped away. But the bag
tilted on its side and fell so one of the two went back to return the bag to
its standing position then quickly left,” Siason said in Filipino.
Police and Army bomb experts, using bomb sniffing dogs,
checked on the baggage and confirmed it was a bomb which they later
deactivated.
Pallasigue believed the bomb was meant for him.
“It was meant for me and other local officials, who else are
the target but the parade participants with the bomb left as we are about to
pass,” Pallasigue said, adding the launching was briefly interrupted.
Pallasigue, a three-termer town mayor, is running for
governor of Sultan Kudarat.
“Since I filed my candidacy, I have been receiving threats,
I was informed that my enemies will finish me off before the May 9 elections,”
Pallasigue said.
“The threat is now real,” he added.
Following the incident, police have put up additional
checkpoints and inspected public transport coming in and out of the integrated
bus terminal.
From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 1): Agreement on transfer of defense equipment to deepen partnership between PHL, Japan
The signing of the Agreement Concerning the Transfer of
Defense Equipment and Technology between Philippines
and Japan
could be the start of the creation of further mechanisms that can deepen the
partnership between the two nations, Department of National Defense (DND) Sec.
Voltaire Gazmin said.
"Looking ahead, let us continue to explore additional
mechanisms to further deepen our partnership, perhaps in information sharing
agreement and eventually in visiting forces agreement," he added.
Aside from enhancing Philippine defense capabilities, the
treaty would also contribute to regional peace and stability.
It would also provide framework for Japan to transfer defense equipment and
technology to the Philippines.
In line with Japan’s
security policy of making a proactive contribution to international peace and
stability is Tokyo’s
readiness to transfer defense equipment to its neighbors to develop their
respective defense capabilities.
This dovetails with the Philippine thrust to have access to
equipment and technology from its partner countries.
It can be recalled that when Japan has adopted its new “Three
Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment Technology” in April 2014, various
discussions regarding Philippines-Japan defense equipment cooperation were conducted.
Acknowledging the importance of such cooperation on
Philippines-Japan defense relations, both sides conducted several consultations
regarding an agreement on the transfer of defense equipment and technology.
The DND, along with the Department of Foreign Affairs,
worked closely with Japan’s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Ministry of Defense on this matter.
The Philippines
is the first ASEAN country with which Japan has concluded such agreement.
Both sides are optimistic that tangible cooperation would be
drawn up in accordance with the agreement.
From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 1): DND in the market for 2 long range patrol planes
The Department of National Defense (DND) is allocating the
sum of PHP5,976,000,000 for the acquisition of two brand-new long range patrol
aircraft.
The contract includes sensors, sensors Integration, mission
support facilities and integrated logistics support package for the Philippine
Air Force which is the specified user of the planes.
Funding will be sourced from the Armed Forces of the
Philippines Modernization Act Trust Fund.
Bid opening is on March 14, 10:00 a.m. at the DND Bids and
Awards Committee Right Wing Basement, DNDBuilding, CampAguinaldo, Quezon City.
Acquisition of the two long range patrol aircraft is among
the seven modernization projects placed under the "Multi-Year
Contract" (MYC) scheme approved by President Benigno S. Aquino III last
year.
Other projects include the two missile-capable frigates now
undergoing bidding; two anti-submarine helicopters; eight amphibious assault
vehicles; six close-air support aircraft; munitions for the FA-50PH
light-interim fighter planes and surveillance systems for the Air Force.
Payment from the seven projects started last year which will
run until 2018.
Granting of the MYC will allow to pursue the military
modernization program beyond Aquino's term.
The total value of the seven projects is about PHP44
billion.(
From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 29): Mindanao lead agency inks development initiatives with ADB, USAID
Agreements that will spur development in Mindanao, particularly in the South Central Mindanao Corridor (SCMC) were signed by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), capitalizing on the island-region’s geographic and socioeconomic advantages.
During formal ceremony held here recently at the Greenleaf Hotel, MinDA Chairperson Secretary Luwalhati Antonino and USAID-Philippines Chief of the Office of Economic Development and Governance Daniel Miller led the signing of an agreement aimed to push the SCMC as a primary food basket, agribusiness and logistics hub, as well as a biodiversity and ecotourism focus area.
Another agreement was signed by Secretary Antonino and ADB Country Director Richard Bolt on the implementation of programs that will address specific issues in public and private investments in the SCMC, particularly in the Bangsamoro areas.
“These projects will cement South Central Mindanao’s position as the country’s foremost agribusiness and logistics hub,” said Antonino.
She added that the partnerships highlight the shared commitment to develop Mindanao and to improve the quality of life of all Mindanawons.
The SCMC is composed of the Davao Region, the South Cotabato, Cotabato City Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani (SOCCKSARGEN) Region and the mainland Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). It is one of the three development corridors in the Mindanao Development Corridors Program, aimed to position the island-region as a single, integrated economy that is able to leverage and actively participate in the ASEAN and the rest of the world.
USAID’s agreement with MinDA will specifically facilitate for the development of a framework and conceptual plan for the establishment of an Aerotropolis in General Santos City, a multimillion Peso project that will integrate the different points of entry in the SCMC.
The Aerotropolis plans to develop some 200 hectares of property surrounding the General Santos airport to an integrated complex that will include business parks, amusement parks, hotels, integrated food terminal, food processing and manufacturing activities, and shopping malls.
Other projects identified in the USAID agreement are the creation of strategies for the network of ports, including the identification of functional roads that will support the SCMC. The agreement also seeks to draft the strategy for the development of the Ecotourism and Biodiversity Cluster that will extend from Surigao del Norte (including Cagayan de Oro and Camiguin) to Davao Oriental in Mindanao’s Eastern seaboard.
“Our commitment to help strengthen the Mindanao Development Corridors is built upon partnerships forged many years ago to promote economic growth in Mindanao,” said Miller.
He added that this current cooperation will directly support the spatial strategy of the Mindanao peace and development framework and will significantly contribute to achieving the Mindanao 2020 vision.”
The Mindanao 202O is a 20-year peace and development roadmap for Mindanao, which envisions to addresses the various challenges and opportunities of the island-region not only within the context of securing peace amid a history of conflict but also in terms of harnessing its inherently rich socioeconomic potentials primarily for the benefit of Mindanawons.
The agreement with ADB on the other hand will facilitate for the conduct of a study that will prepare the Bangsamoro areas in their anticipated participation in the SCMC. Active involvement of the private sector during the conduct of the study will be encouraged while key interventions that will allow for the utilization of the corridor’s inherent potentials will be identified.
Priority pipeline projects that will include Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in South Central Mindanao and the Bangsamoro areas will also be identified in the study, including capacity-building initiatives among key staff to enhance capabilities in project preparation.
“ADB is Mindanao’s long-term partner and we also consider the island-region as our home,” said Bolt while adding, “among the first projects of ADB in the Philippines were implemented in Mindanao which included road, hydropower, and ports development projects as well as initiatives in strengthening agri-based industries through irrigation construction.”
The ADB assistance is also expected to enhance planning and the establishment of program monitoring and evaluation system for the Mindanao Development Corridors, while strengthening the links between MinDA and the Bangsamoro Development Authority.
From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 28): Increase in NPA surrenders noted in first quarter of 2016 in SurSur: Army
The military here noted the increase in the number of communist rebels surrendered to the folds of the law for the first quarter of this year, just a month before the 47th New People’s Army (NPA) anniversary.
In a press statement released by the civil military operations (CMO) battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, a total of 26 communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels have surrendered for the first quarter of 2016 belonging to the various NPA guerilla fronts of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) operating in Surigao del Sur.
Accordingly, the successful entry of the basic services in 2015 through the Bayanihan Team Activities (BTA) in partnership with the local government units (LGUs) in this province prompted the total of 61 NPAs with firearms who surrendered in 2015, while the number of the NPA initiated violent activities has dramatically decreased.
The military reported that during this first quarter alone, the NPA surrenderees reached almost half the number of the NPAs who surrendered from last year.
The surrendered NPAs for this year are now on the process to avail the benefits intended for former rebels to be awarded next month.
Meanwhile, 402nd brigade commanding officer Col. Isidro Purisima encouraged the remaining NPAs to surrender and avail the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) of the government.
“I encourage the remaining NPAs to surrender and return to the mainstream society. Let us help this province attain a just and lasting peace to make way for its further development. We are very much willing to facilitate their surrender,” Col. Purisima said.
From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 29): 1CAV, 1FAB to distribute gifts, feed indigent schoolchildren in Labangan town
The 1st Cavalry (Tagapanguna) Squadron, Mechanized Infantry Division, in partnership with the 1st Field Artillery Battalion (1FAB), Army Artillery Regiment, Philippine Army continue its tradition of sharing with gift-giving and feeding activities for selected indigent schoolchildren in Upper Pulacan Elementary School, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur on Monday.
Lt. Col. Charlemagne Batayola, Jr., 1CAV commanding officer said at least 50 students from the school were chosen as beneficiaries of the said project. Reaching out to the less privileged sectors of society has always been one of the core commitments of the Philippine Army.
“We give help to those who need it most. It is also a great opportunity for the 1CAV and 1FAB to show love and concern for the schoolchildren,” Batayola announced.
Batayola said during the activity, the 1CAV will distribute food packs, toiletries and slippers, while the 1FAB will extend nutritional assistance to help improve the health status of the children.
It can be recalled that in November, 2015, the same activities were conducted in the school but there were only few beneficiaries.
Batayola thanked GMA7 and Philippine Army Finance Center Producers Integrated Cooperative (PAFCPIC) for actively supporting the project.
MILF, Deles say ‘disgruntled’ rebels joining clashes
THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Palace’s chief peace negotiator warned Sunday that disgruntled Moros are joining attacks against government troops over the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
MILF vice chairman Ghadzali Jaafar admitted that the group could not control its members, and said those fighting with government troops in Butig, Lanao del Sur, were not bandits or terrorists, as the military has reported.
MILF vice chairman Ghadzali Jaafar
“Those are Moros, and they attacked because they are angry at the way the Philippine government is handling the peace negotiations—always promising [but not delivering],” Jaafar said in Filipino.
Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles, head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, said the failure of Congress to pass the BBL caused the clashes between government forces and armed men in Mindanao.
“Certainly, the huge disappointment over the non-passage of the BBL provides more enticing, fertile ground for recruitment to radical, extremist thought and action,” Deles said in a statement.
Jaafar made his statements during a visit by Davao City Mayor and presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte to the MILF camp in Maguindanao.
“Butig is very near the MILF satellite office. The attacks there and other attacks similar to what happened in Lanao del Sur were not launched by terrorists. They are not terrorists or extremists. These people are not radicals,” Jaafar said.
Earlier, Maj. Filemon Tan, spokesman of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, said the group of attackers was led by brothers Abdullah and Omar Maute, who supposedly have links with the Southeast Asian regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah.
There were also reports that the Maute group was being assisted by supporters of the Islamic State.
Lt. Col. Billy dela Rosa, commander of the Army’s 51st Infantry Battalion, said that they have overrun the stronghold of the Maute group at the heart of Butig town.
But Jaafar said MILF leaders would not be able to prevent its members based in nearby Camp Bushra and Camp Palestine from reinforcing Maute’s group because many of them are related.
“If a member’s uncle is in the battle, he won’t listen to us because blood is thicker than water. That’s what’s happening now,” Jaafar said.
Jaafar said the only way to stop the clashes in Lanao del Sur is for the government to implement the Bangsamoro government—which is what the BBL was supposed to do.
Before the fighting began in Lanao del Sur, the Palace said the quest for peace in Mindanao would continue even without the BBL.
On Sunday, Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Resituto Padilla said 24 bandits were killed in the fighting, lowering the government estimate from the 42 earlier reported.
Tan earlier said the bandits suffered 42 casualties while the government had lost three soldiers.
But Padilla said the Western Mindanao Command had been told to be careful in releasing casualty figures, and said only confirmed deaths should be reported.
Padilla also said the number of residents fleeing the fighting was 2,500, not 8,000 as earlier reported.
On Feb. 20, armed men led by brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute tried but failed to overrun a military detachment in Butig town, prompting the Army brigade there to send more troops that employed tanks and artillery against the enemy.
Padilla said intermittent firefights continued to break out as the government forces pursued the bandits.
“Our troops have to fully clear the area not only of members of the Maute group but also from booby traps. We have to normalize the situation so the residents can go back to their houses,” Padilla said.
Massive clearing operations were being conducted in Brgy Bayabao and 14 nearby villages to free the communities of explosive materials laid by the Muslim rebels, he said.
On Sunday, sporadic firing could be heard from the outskirts of Butig town.
The surrounding villages of Bayabao saw week-long ground fighting and aerial bombardment directed against some 400-strong rebel band that launched a series of attacks on military posts.
From the Manila Times (Feb 29): Jihadists’ camp in Lanao del Sur falls
The Philippine Army captured over the weekend the main camp
of the jihadists group
Khilafah Islamiyah Movement (KIM) at the hinterland of Butig town in Lanao del
Sur, officials said Monday.
Clearing operations, however, was under way on Monday and it
was not clear when will the place be declared safe as there was continuous
intermittent firefight between the military and the rebel group.
Col. Roseller Murillo, commander of Marawi City-based 103rd
Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, confirmed to The Manila Times
that the camp is located in Poktan, an adjacent village of Bubong
(Poblacion), where the defensive post of the group was earlier overrun by
troopers during their week-long operations.
Several
weapons and equipment were recovered from the sites, including an M-16 rifle, a
recoiled propelled grenade launcher, a 50-caliber locally made Barrett sniper’s
rifle and several explosives.
The bodies of an unidentified man, with a handy metal scrap embedded with
Arabic script of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and another man
wearing a uniform of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), were also found
by the army.
The MILF, which signed peace agreements with the government,
had earlier disowned some Islamist fighters, who could be relatives and were
possibly disgruntled upon the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in
Congress.
Other casualties from the military’s opponents remained
elusive while government soldiers endured six fatalities and nine others with
injuries since the skirmishes began.
In recent reports, the military said there were 24 confirmed
dead from the rebels based on information corroborated by the local government
units of Butig.
Among reported killed were leader of the group identified as
Omar Maute, his young brother Matti, and a certain Indonesian national, whose
bodies were not recovered. Maute’s family denied the claims.
The soldiers vowed “nonstop” pursuit operations against the
Maute brothers’ forces, whom they branded as “foreign and local terrorist group
(FLTO)” being blamed for the previous atrocities in Lanao del Sur and nearby
provinces.
Not terrorists
A jihadists’ cleric in Lanao del Sur issued a statement to the public over the
weekend, saying their forces are not terrorists but pure mujahideens (soldiers
of Islam), who are fighting for the establishment of an Islamic State.
“To all our Muslim brothers and sisters in Lanao, we want to
let you know that we are fighting in the name of Islam, and that we are legal
mujahideen (soldiers of Islam) and not terrorists,” Jamil Yahya announced on
Sunday. “We are aiming for the establishment of Islamic State.”
He added, “Our enemies had stolen our lands by force,
particularly Lanao, and that only a fearless jihad (struggle) could regain it
until an Islamic Shariah law is implemented. It is the obligation of all
Muslims to support jihad through any means like wealth, work and words, as even
we diminished, Islam is still intact.”
Yahya is among the Muslim clerics who had pledged allegiance
to the ISIS in MarawiCity in the past two
years, leading more than 100 people, including minors and women.
KIM members had backed Yahya’s baiah, or his pledge
of allegiance, by hoisting the black flag of ISIS
inside a mosque, an incident that the military and the police had investigated.
KIM founding members headed by Humam Abdul Najid remained
at-large, although authorities were eyeing their involvement in an ambush in Wato-Balindong last
Tuesday that resulted to the death of a soldier responding to the Butig
clashes.
KIM was holding training Sunday for new recruits at their
main camp, in Poktan, whose capture was led by a certain cleric Abu Jamal, who
is running an Islamic school in this city.
Local residents in Poktan said the group was also recruiting
minors with ages 12 to 18, to fight under the banner of the ISIS
before the clashes erupted.
The skirmishes in Lanao del Sur started on February 20, when
a military detachment was harassed by undetermined numbers of gunmen hoisting
the flag of ISIS (or Daesh), which controls swaths of land in Iraq
and Syria.
Thousands of local residents in Butig were displaced by the
hostilities.
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 29): 5 soldiers so far killed, 7 hurt in clashes with Moro insurgents in Lanao Sur – Army The military said five soldiers were killed while seven others were wounded in the fighting with Moro insurgents in Butig, Lanao del Sur.
This confirmation came after reports circulated that more government troops were killed in the weeklong clashes.
Col. Roseller Murillo, commander of the Philippine Army’s 103rd Brigade, dismissed the reports as “nothing but propaganda.” Murillo said reports from the ground revealed that at least 55 armed men were killed.
“Thirty-three (of the 55) have names, but only five bodies were counted,” he said.
“There’s a posibility that some have fled Butig,” Murillo said.
He added that the military is planning to raise the Philippine flag inside the camp armed group’s camp in the village of Puktan that was recently overrun by the government.
Murillo said there has been no shelling since Monday as government troops have been conducting clearing operations.
From the Manila Times (Feb 29): RSM, group tagged in many deadly attacks, trying to rebuild itself
THE radical Rajah Solaiman Movement (RSM) has been trying to rebuild itself by recruiting more younger members to join their ranks in the past several months, a source from the police intelligence community disclosed on Monday.
“[M]ost of their members now are younger and more aggressive,” the source, based at Camp Crame and who asked for anonymity, said.
RSM is a group of former overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who had converted into Islam, and was founded by Hilarion del Rosario, alias “Akhmad Santos” in the 1990s.
The intelligence officer said the police have been monitoring at least two RSM cells – one in Cavite and another in Novaliches, Quezon City – which are suspected of being prepared as springboards to launch terror attacks in Luzon and even in Metro Manila.
The source said, meanwhile, that the group’s terror cell in Cubao, also in Quezon City, had already been deactivated by the RSM and moved this to somewhere in Laguna.
The source added that the police’s concern is that RSM members could act as guides to the newly trained recruits of the Bangasamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in launching attacks outside of their usual area of operations in Mindanao.
The intelligence officer said earlier that the police have monitored at least 100 new BIFF recruits who completed their training on bomb-making in Central Mindanao. These new recruits, the source added, could be tasked to mount test missions outside of Mindanao.
The BIFF, along with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), was among the local extremist groups in Mindanao that have pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The ISIS has taken swaths of territories in the Middle East.
RSM was tagged as having been involved in several deadly attacks in the past that killed dozens of people and injured many others, the deadliest of which was the bombing of Superferry 14 on February 27, 2004 while this was cruising on Manila Bay.
Akhmad Santos was arrested by government security forces at the later part of 2005 in Zamboanga City, Mindanao, and has since been detained at the Bicutan prison in Metro Manila’s Taguig City.
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 29): Presidential yacht to undergo P32-M facelift
THE PHILIPPINE Navy has earmarked P32 million for the scheduled repair and maintenance of the BRP Pangulo (AT-25), the 56-year-old presidential yacht.
Navy public affairs office chief Commander Lued Lincuna said the refurbishment of the presidential yacht is scheduled every four years and is part of the uniformed service’s Deploy, Sustain, Repair and Train program.
The Navy has set aside P32.48 million for a 90-day contract that would cover the repairs of the machinery and other systems of the BRP Ang Pangulo.
Lincuna said the dry docking of the presidential yacht and other related repairs will ensure its operational readiness.
“The ship will undergo dry docking to maintain its hull integrity, servicing and repair of its machinery and its electrical system and improve its habitability. It will also include the training and refurbishing of personnel and their equipment,” the Navy spokesperson said.
The Navy said interested parties may purchase bid documents for a nonrefundable fee of P25,000 at the Navy Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), Bonifacio Naval Station, Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.
The nonrefundable fee must be paid at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Finance Center in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
The bid opening will be on March 8 at 9 a.m. at the Navy BAC in Fort Bonifacio.
The BRP Ang Pangulo, a presidential yacht, was acquired by the Philippine government in 1959 as part of Japan’s war reparations. It was first used by then President Carlos Garcia.
From GMA News (Feb 28): Bill filed strengthening ROTC component in NSTP
A lawmaker wants the service components of the National Service Training Program modified into “more relevant” areas to suit the defense needs of the country in the wake of growing security concerns in the West Philippine Sea.
House Bill 5865 filed by Camarines Sur Rep. Felix William Fuentebella proposes to strengthen the country’s defense and security structure by, among others, changing the NSTP’s service components as stated under Republic Act 9163, or the National Service Training Program Act of 2001.
Under the measure, the program shall consist of the following service components: Reserve Officers’ Training Service, Enlisted Reservists’ Training Service, Disaster Preparedness Training Service and Humanitarian Aid and Other Assistance Training.
At present, the program’s components are: the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), the Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS), and the Literacy Training Service (LTS).
HB 5865 requires state universities and colleges to offer the Reserve Officers’ Training Service and Enlisted Reservists’ Training Service, and at least one of the two other components provided in the measure.
Those who undergo the training for reserve officers and enlisted reservists shall be granted preference in joining the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police subject to other requirements of existing laws, rules and regulations.
NSTP shall remain part of the curricula of all undergraduate degree courses and of at least two-year technical vocational courses.
In addition to changing the NSTP’s components, the measure also seeks the upgrade of the country’s defense system by appropriating the necessary funds to improve the AFP and PNP’s capabilities in manpower, equipment and facilities.
The measure provides for a budgetary support annual General Appropriations Act for each of the AFP and PNP in the amount not less than one percent of the total national budget, which will be administered by the Secretary of National Defense and the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, respectively.
'War games'
In a separate statement, Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza urged the Commission on Higher Education and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to include “war games” exercises and “guerrilla tactics” training in the Reserve Officers Training Corps to encourage them to sign up for the program and improve their ability to defend the country in case of war.
Citing data from CHED, Mendoza noted that only 1.4 million chose ROTC as their NSTP component of the estimated 10 million college students who enrolled from 2002 to 2012.
Majority of the college students, or 8.7 million, took up CWTS while the rest chose LTS.
“Majority of the country’s college students have shown little interest in ROTC not just because of the Mark Chua case but also because it does not appeal to the youth,” the lawmaker said.
“We have to inculcate to our youth that military training is significant part of patriotism and loyalty to one's country,” he added.
Chua was a student of the University of Sto. Tomas murdered in 2001 for exposing the alleged extortion activities in the ROTC program. His death, which generated public outrage, eventually resulted in the abolition of mandatory ROTC training.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 29): Police declares full alert status in N. Mindanao
The regional police command on Monday has tightened security
in Northern Mindanao in anticipation of
attacks by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) as the national and local poll
nears.
Police Supt. Surki Sereñas, the police regional
spokesperson, confirmed the declaration of the full alert status in the entire
region, especially in the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental where the
NPA presence is prevalent.
He said that as the elections and the anniversary of the NPA
draw near, it is highly likely that the rebel group will intensify attacks in
various areas in Northern Mindanao.
Sereñas said the New People’s Army will celebrate its
founding anniversary on March 29. It has been the NPA tradition to escalate
their tactical operations on or prior to the celebration.
In a statement released to the media last week, the NPA
vowed to continue to launch a series of attacks to counter the continued
military operations in rebel turfs in the region.
“Disrupting the functions of the government has been the
'bread and butter' of the communist rebels,” Sereñas said.
Sereñas urged the public to report to the local police any
information involving security concerns while appealing for cooperation in the
fight against the insurgency.
From InterAksyon (Feb 29): AFP intensifies drive to get NPA rebels to surrender
Maguindanao military checkpoint. FILE PHOTO BY DANTE DIOSINA
The Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has intensified its drive to get more members of the New People’s Army (NPA) to surrender amid reports of the influx of rebels in some vote-rich areas where local political candidates are preparing to campaign for the May 2016 polls.
Eastmincom chief Lieutenant General Rey Guerrero said he directed officers under his command to closely work with each other to facilitate the smooth and peaceful surrender of any rebel who expresses willingness and resolve to rejoin mainstream of society.
“Avoid employing the old ways of extracting information from rebel returnees. Debriefing will do and we should focus more on helping concerned government agencies facilitate these rebel returnees to have more space to start a new life, new beginning,” Guerrero said.
But while the government’s doors are open for NPA rebels to return to the mainstream, Guerrero also warned “communist die-hards” to not extort from political candidates in the guise of “permit-to-enter or permit-to-campaign” in so-called “red zones.”
Citing data from the Civil-Military Operations (CMO) Battalion of the 4th Infantry Division, Guerrero said they have already at least 26 rebel returnees in the first two months of the current year.
According to the report released to the media by CMO officer First Lieutenant Karl Jan Devaras, the rebel returnees were former members from different NPA Guerilla Fronts of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) operating in Surigao del Sur.
“The surrender was the result of the successful negotiations of the military and the resolution of local issues and concerns in the communities through the Bayanihan Team Activities (BTA) in partnership with the Local Government in conflict affected areas in Surigao del Sur,” Devaras said.
Devaras the rebel returnees surrendered their firearms.
He said the number of rebel returnees from January to February 2016 has almost doubled the total of 61 NPA rebels who surrendered in 2015 in Surigao del Sur.
The military command had been under fire for the massive evacuation of Lumad people from their homelands in the Caraga region because of clashes between the military and NPA. This armed conflict had resulted in killings of several Lumad leaders and members already who opposed military operations in their homelands and allegedly perpetrated by military-backed militias.
Aside from murdering suspected NPA supporters, schools and dormitories of Lumad students were not spared from the armed conflict between government troops and NPA rebels.
Clashes in Butig, which started on February 5, killed 55 anti-government gunmen as well as a number of government forces
A new group of “radicals” has emerged in Northern Mindanao and were behind the recent attacks against government forces, a spokesman for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Milf) said.
Mohagher Iqbal, who is also chief Moro negotiator in talks with the government told Gulf News in an interview that a new group of “radicals” played a part in the recent violence in Northern Mindanao, particularly in Butig, Lanao del Sur.Over the course of three weeks, government forces clashed with members of the Milf/Moro rebels splinter, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIFF) as well as with a group headed led by brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute.The Maute brothers, whom military reports said were killed separately in clashes with government forces last week, were allied with the Southeast Asian-based Pan-Islamic group Jemaah Islamiyah.“The Maute brothers were not with the BIFF or the Moro rebels,” Iqbal said.
The clashes in Butig, which started last February 5, killed a total 55 antigovernment gunmen as well as a number of government forces. Reports said that among the items recovered from the scene of the clashes were black flags of the local branch of the Daesh. But alongside news on the neutralisation of several members of the Jemaah Islamiyah/Daesh, a new group that included several young members of the Moro rebels have taken part in the fighting in Butig.He said these young fighters were not radicals in the sense that they are not fighting for hardline Islamic aspirations but are termed so because they espouse a different approach on the aspiration for self determination.“They were disgruntled with how the government had handled the peace negotiations,” Iqbal said as he referred to the failure by Congress to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law, an edict that was ordered drafted by President Benigno Aquino III himself at the start of this administration. Despite nearly six years in the making, efforts to come up with a law and enact an edict that will embody aspirations by Muslims in the Philippines failed to fall through in Congress as the legislative chambers went on a recess in preparation for the May 2016 general elections. Until a new President is elected, it remains to be seen if the incoming government would honour the gains of past negotiations involving Bangsamoro. Reports said the recent fighting in Butig displaced at least 20,000 people as government conducted operations to root out rebels. The presidential palace said the government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), would assist communities affected by the ongoing military operations in Butig. Aside from being forced to leave their homes, some of the displaced also lost their means of livelihood. In a radio interview on Saturday, Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III said they are also glad Moro rebels has been coordinating with the military as it repositioned its troops to give way to military operations and avoid misencounters. Quezon said it is still difficult to make a conclusion if the fighters in Butig are being influenced by Daesh. The three-decades old conflict in Southern Philippines has cost the lives of more than 150,000 people, a number of whom are civilians.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 29): PAF to acquire spares for MG-520 attack helicopter vital systems
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has allocated the sum of
PHP39,955,357.32 for the acquisition of spare parts needed for the maintenance
of the engine, electrical, airframe, fuel, and instrument system of one of its
McDonnell Douglas MG-520 "Defender" attack helicopters.
Submission and opening of bids is on March 8, 9:00 a.m. at
the PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, PasayCity.
Prospective bidders should have an experience in a similar
project within the last five years.
The PAF is known to operate between 12 to 16 models of the
MG-520, according to military sources.
The PAF affair with the MG-520 started in the early 90s when
25 units of these excellent aircraft were delivered to country.
It was used with great effect against New People's Army
(NPA) rebels and lawless elements like the Abu Sayyaf Group for the past few
years.
The MG-520 is derived from the MG-500 light utility
helicopter.
It can be armed with .50 caliber heavy machines and
air-to-ground rockets.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 29): 'Main objective' in Lanao Del Sur pursuit operation cleared
Western Mindanao Command (WMC) units have finally cleared
the "main objective" in its week-long operations against a local
terrorist organization in Butig town, Lanao Del Sur Sunday.
This was disclosed by Major Filemon Tan, WMC spokesperson,
in a message Monday.
"Troops conducted clearing operations at their
designated sectors and moved forward for the final assault on the main
objective which was cleared on around 4:20 p.m.," he added.
Recovered from the area were an 81 mm mortar round rigged as
an improvised explosive device (IED) and two grenade booby traps.
"Troops continue to scour the barangay area and clear
it from booby traps and IEDs," Tan disclosed.
Last Feb. 23, Tan also reported the death of Omar Maute, the
head of the local terrorist organization, who spearheaded the attack on the
detachment of the 51st Infantry Battalion in Butig, Lanao Del Sur last Feb. 20.
An estimated 40 to 80 lawless elements took part in the raid
which lasted until early Feb. 21, along with Omar's younger brother.
Tan based this claim on intelligence reports which claimed
that the bandit leader was killed in the constant air and artillery strikes
against them.
In addition, the reports said 24 out of the 42 other
terrorists killed in the operation have been identified.
The Mautes are believed to be allied to elements of the
Jemaah Islamiyah and have connections to a foreign terrorist who was
neutralized in 2012.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 29): DOJ to finish Mamasapano resolution Monday
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is poised to finish on
Monday the printing of the criminal information against the 90 commanders and
members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom
Fighters (BIFF) and private armed groups (PAGs) who were allegedly behind the
killing of 35 Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF)
commandos in the Mamasapano encounter on Jan. 25, 2015.
Prosecutor General Claro A. Arellano, Chief of the DOJ's
National Prosecution Service (NPS), said that they merely conducted a review in
the findings of the investigating panel led by Assistant State Prosecutor
Alexander Suarez, hence, it would take a little while before it can be filed in
court.
DOJ Acting Secretary Emmanuel L. Caparas said that they were
just making sure that the case of complex crime of direct assault with murder
and theft would be "air tight", which was earlier recommended by the
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against the killers of the PNP-SAF
troopers.
However, Caparas clarified that only the killers of the 35
members of the 55th SAF Company would be charged such that there was still no
sufficient information about the killers of the other nine PNP-SAF members.
Caparas noted that the gathering of evidence and testimony
was very difficult in the sense that some witnesses in the incident would not
like to cooperate for fear of their safety.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 29): NPA weapons seized in Compostela Valley operations
Patrolling troops from the 66th Infantry Battalion have
recovered three New People's Army (NPA) firearms and three rifle grenades
during operations in Compostela town, CompostelaValley
Sunday.
Capt. Rhyan Batchar, 10th Infantry Division spokesperson,
said the weapons were recovered from a rebel cache located in Barangay Ngan, at
1 p.m.
Recovered were two M-16 automatic rifles, an M-1 Garand
carbine, and three rifle grenades.
Batchar said the location of the NPA weapons were reported
to them by a concerned civilian.
Also recovered were several medical paraphernalia.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 29): PNP continues to conduct checkpoints and blocking forces at Lanao Del Sur
The Philippine National Police (PNP) continues to push
efforts in helping the Armed forces of the Philippines (AFP) in conducting
checkpoints and blocking forces due to the recent bombings incident in the
towers of National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (GCP) in the province Lanao
del Sur.
“We support in conducting of check points. Help control the
main supply route,” PNP Chief Director General Ricardo Marquez told reporters
on Monday.
Marquez also said that the PNP were checking if there were
improvised explosive device on roadsides so that the movements of the AFP would
not be impeded.
PNP expects the reduction of toppling down of power
transmission towers at NGCP by terrorist neutralized by the AFP; several
reports say these groups were responsible for the toppling down of the towers.
NGCP tower No. 5 at Barangay Pantar, Bubong, Lanao del Sur
was bombed last Jan. 18, 2016 and the bombings would aggravate the tenuous
power situation in Mindanao. Another tower was also bombed in Lanao del Norte.
At least 16 towers were bombed last year. The NGPC calls for
PNP and AFP to monitor the safety of the towers so that transmissions services
will not be interrupted.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 29): 121 newly promoted police colonels take oath en masse
A total of 121 Police Chief Inspectors (PCInsp) were
promoted to the next higher rank during a simultaneous mass oath-taking and
pinning of ranks on Monday held at PNP National Headquarters, and different
police offices and units.
In the PNP National Headquarters, there are 57
newly-promoted Police Superintendents assigned at Crame-Based National Support
Units, Command Group and Directorial Staff.
“Leaders, you and me, lead to walk the talk. When you say
walk the talk, show them how to do these things; be there ahead of everybody;
be on the ground; and lead the people. That’s the leadership demand these
days.” Chief PNP, Police Director General Ricardo Marquez said.
“Think of ourselves last. When we get promoted, much much
more is expected from us," Marquez said adding that he urge the newly
promoted officers to work with confidence and character.
Out of 146 applicants, 121 applicants have passed the
examination and interviews for the Calendar Year 2016 Police Superintendent
Continuous Promotion Program and were found qualified for promotion effective
Feb. 18, 2016.
Promotion worksheets and resolutions submitted by the
various Promotion Committees were assessed and the Board concurred with the
recommendations of the different Police Superintendent Promotion Board for the
promotion of the 121 qualified Police Chief Inspectors.
The observance of mass promotion is to give honor and
recognition to newly-promoted PNP uniformed personnel as well as to uplift the
morale of the police force.
