Monday, June 24, 2019

Tesda-Basilan official arrested for possession of explosives

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 25, 2019): Tesda-Basilan official arrested for possession of explosives

Police arrested on Tuesday an official of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) in Basilan for possession of an improvised explosive device (IED) and materials used to manufacture explosives.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) identified the suspect as Muida Hataman, Tesda’s Basilan provincial director, who was arrested in Barangay San Rafael, Isabela City after police served a search warrant at around 4:10 a.m.

Recovered from Hataman were an IED and materials used to make explosives,
Police Col. Tom Tuzon, CIDG Regional Field Unit 9 chief said.

Hataman was brought to the CIDG Regional Office in Zamboanga City and will be charged with illegal possession of explosives. (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1133721/tesda-basilan-official-arrested-for-possession-of-explosives

Austal expands Phillipines facilities

Posted to Defense Connect (Jun 25, 2019): Austal expands Phillipines facilities



The move comes as Austal eyes off a deal to deliver six offshore patrol vessels (OPV) for the Philippines, and would see the employee base for the company to grow by more than 10 per cent.

“If we win this contract (with the Philippine Navy), we’d certainly be looking at … maybe another 100-200 (workers) to help build the new ships,” Austal marketing manager Paul Sparke said.


“We’re going through a process at the moment. We’re expecting that they’ll be putting out a request for tender later this year. At the moment, they’ve put out a request for information, so we’re talking to the Navy about what they would like, and we’ve forwarded our design for the Philippine Navy."

The decision to award the contract to Austal seems like a foregone conclusion, however, with Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana highlighting the benefits of hiring the Australian company to deliver the vessels.

“First, they [Austal] make good ships. Second, the company is in Balamban, Cebu and employs Filipino workers,” he said.


“Hindi ko alam [I don’t know how much the units will cost]. We’ll have to see the price comparison. But as I said, the great advantage of Austal is that it is in the Philippines bringing jobs and other economic benefits."

Austal confirmed that the $30 million boost would also help to prepare land and construct new buildings in their shipyard in Balamban, Cebu.

https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/key-enablers/4289-austal-expands-phillipines-facilities

Sarah Geronimo supports Matteo Guidicelli's scout ranger training

From the Philippine Star (Jun 24, 2019): Sarah Geronimo supports Matteo Guidicelli's scout ranger training


Celebrity couple Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli at the 2018 ABS-CBN Ball
Philstar.com/Kat Leandicho, file


Kapamilya singer-actress Sarah Geronimo has recently paid her boyfriend Matteo Guidicelli a visit at Camp Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan, where the latter is currently undergoing training as a scout ranger.

Photos of Sarah visiting Matteo in the camp have circulated online, but there was no indication on the exact date of the pop star’s visit.

The photos show the couple with Matteo’s parents, younger brother and sister.

According to an ABS-CBN News report, Matteo is the only reservist who asked to be enlisted in the leadership development course.

"This started few months ago when he visited us then he asked what is a scout ranger... He is really interested and asked if he can join the training," said Brig. Gen. Wilson Gonzales, commander of 1st Scout Ranger Regiment.

Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana also lauded Matteo for his initiative to undergo training.

"I really commend (his) volunteerism. 'Yong pinapakita niya is a manifestation that his sense of patriotism is napakataas,” the major general said.

Last April, the 29-year-old actor has officially joined the Philippine Army as a reservist.

He cited his love for the country as the reason for joining the Army.

“I officially joined the Philippine ARMY today because I love my country. I would like to thank the people that have been very supportive. Exciting times ahead,” Matteo said.

https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2019/06/24/1929151/sarah-geronimo-supports-matteo-guidicellis-scout-ranger-training

Bloomberry foundation donates cadet barracks to PMA

From the Business World (Jun 25, 2019): Bloomberry foundation donates cadet barracks to PMA


BLOOMBERRY Cultural Foundation, Inc. (BCFI) said it has turned over the new 5-storey cadet barracks to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

This is the second cadet barracks donated by BCFI, after the first was handed over to PMA in 2016.


The P335-million five-storey Regis Hall has a total of 68 bedrooms, and 52 study rooms, which can accommodate 480 cadets. It was named after 1Lt. Leopoldo B. Regis, Philippine Army, who served as a junior aide of the late President Ramon Magsaysay. He was one of the 24 who died with the President on March 17, 1957, after the Philippine Airforce C-47 Mount Pinatubo’s tragic crash in Cebu.

“The Regis Hall Cadet Barracks is another notable government-private sector collaboration aimed at upgrading the facilities of the PMA to enhance the institution’s capacity to hone and develop the country’s future soldiers and officers within time-honored PMA traditions,” BCFI said in a statement.

BCFI is the corporate foundation of Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, Inc. (BRHI), the operator of Solaire Casino and Resorts.

West Point grad to join Philippine Army

From ABS-CBN (Jun 25, 2019): West Point grad to join Philippine Army

Philippine Army

A Filipino graduate of the United States Military Academy (USMA) is set to join the Philippine Army.

2nd Lt. Reniel dela Cruz received the rank insignia of second lieutenant in a ceremony hosted by the United States Service Academy alumni in Camp Aguinaldo on Sunday.

He entered the Philippine Military Academy in 2014 and was selected to undergo a 4-year cadet training in West Point, New York.


The newly-commissioned officer hails from Baybay, Leyte and graduated with honors in Nuclear Engineering.

As a cadet, he was appointed as the athletics officer and participated in several sports, such as swimming and basketball.

Brig. Gen. Vicente Lim was the first Filipino graduate of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York in 1914.

"As newly minted officers, it is our wish that you carry this symbol on your shoulders as a reminder of where you came from as you connect to the past when seeking guidance for the future," Lim's great grandson Vicente Lim IV said.

The second lieutenant insignia is an equilateral triangle with a Baybayin “K” in the middle and worn on the shoulders of Army officers.

Its historical origin came from the Katipunan wherein Katipuneros wear the symbols in their garments and medallions to distinguish their ranks.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/25/19/west-point-grad-to-join-philippine-army

Photos: Philippines - Inside the MILF Encampment

From BenarNews (Jun 24, 2019): Photos: Philippines - Inside the MILF Encampment
















Five years after the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed a peace pact with the Philippine government, the group’s main camp in Maguindanao province looks like a typical farm town – except that men in fatigues with assault rifles are everywhere.

This is where MILF leader Murad Ebrahim returns on weekends after spending the work week in an office in Cotabato City, serving as interim chairman of the new Bansamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The new Muslim autonomous region was ratified by a majority of voters in at least five southern provinces at the beginning of the year – a half decade after MILF and the government in Manila signed a peace pact to end decades of fighting.

Many members of the MILF have known no life other than war, yet now the organization is transitioning from insurgent force to governing force, and faces the challenge of securing the peace while also gradually giving up its weapons.

Murad Ebrahim: From Insurgent Leader to Peacemaker

From BenarNews (Jun 24, 2019): Murad Ebrahim: From Insurgent Leader to Peacemaker

Murad Ebrahim, interim chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), speaks with BenarNews in his office in Cotabato City, Philippines, June 21, 2019.

Murad Ebrahim, interim chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), speaks with BenarNews in his office in Cotabato City, Philippines, June 21, 2019.  Jojo Rinoza/BenarNews

Veteran insurgent leader Murad Ebrahim has traded in the fatigues he once wore for a business suit to lead the Muslim autonomous region his Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) won after decades of armed struggle in the southern Philippines and a peace pact years in the making.

Murad took over leadership of a transitional local government earlier this year after people in five provinces and a handful of neighboring districts agreed to join the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The 70-year-old claims he may see peace in his lifetime in a region where 120,000 have died in insurgency-related violence since the 1970s – and despite the failure of an earlier autonomous region, the ARMM, governed by MILF’s predecessor, the MNLF.

In a recent hour-long, no-holds-barred discussion at his office in southern Cotabato City, Murad discussed his dreams, expectations and challenges as he navigates his new position while militants, both foreign and local, are nipping at his leadership.

BenarNews: What challenges lie ahead for you? Did you think it would be easy or difficult?

Murad: Before we entered into this interim period of governance, we already expected that there will be great challenges because first of all, we are a revolutionary organization and we have no experience in governance. We had to transform from revolutionary to governance.

Second, the expectation of our people is very high. So we need to respond to that expectation.

The first challenge we faced in the first year of the transition period is that our block grant was not appropriated in the 2019 budget. So we only have the remaining budget of the ARMM for 2019.

This remaining budget is already pre-planned, so we cannot re-align. We cannot introduce new programs for 2019.

BN: In short, it is a question of money?

Murad: One of the challenges is the question of money. The funding.

BN: How do you see your group evolving in the face of these challenges?

Murad: We see that we are progressing. We can manage the challenges. And we are hoping that, because by 2022, there will be an election for a regular government. So we need to strengthen our political party because the ministerial form of governance is more dependent on the strength of the political party.

BN: Many of your men have known nothing except fighting. How difficult is that?

Murad: Starting a few years ago we already tried to capacitate our people, because we are expecting that when we enter the government we need to capacitate them. And on our side we see that our success depends on how we can mobilize the capability and the talent of our people.

So even though we employ our own people in the organization, we also maintained those ARMM employees who are … especially part of the bureaucracy, we maintained them. We did not totally change the bureaucracy.

BN: So the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is still there?

Murad: It’s still there. And the bureaucracy is still intact. Actually, as of now, we just changed all those personnel who were linked with the political authority.

BN: How is the civilian government taking the changes?

Murad: Well, we see that so far, it is acceptable to them.

BN: And what makes the MILF leadership this time around different from the MNLF?

Murad: Well, now we focus on what we term as moral governance. We see that our success lies in how we can correct the evils of the system … evils of society. So we need to focus more on the advocacy for moral governance.

And the very time during the inauguration of the ARMM, we asked all our BTA (Bangsamoro Transition Authority) members to pledge to Allah to abide by the moral governance. That is our main advocacy for now.

BN: Where are you on the decommissioning process? How many firearms does the MILF have?

Murad: There are two tracts in the peace process. One is normalization and the other is the political tract. The normalization and political tract are side by side.

Now, under the normalization tract, this includes the decommissioning of our troops. And the decommissioning is divided into three phases. The first phase falls after the BOL (Bangsamoro Organic Law) is in place, the second phase is when the security structure will be in place. Third is when all the provisions of the agreement is implemented.

So now we are looking into decommissioning about 12,000 of our combatants. Maybe in the coming two or three months.

BN: So these 12,000 fighters will turn over their firearms?

Murad: Yes. Because we have also divided the firearms into three categories – the firearms owned by the organization, the firearms owned individually by the fighters, and those that are owned by civilians but which were used during war.

So we have different arrangements with the government with this. So the first thing we will turn over are the weapons owned by the organization. Then maybe we will have some arrangement on those guns individually owned by the fighters and civilians.

BN: How many are you willing to give up to avoid being vulnerable to attacks by other groups opposed to the MILF?

Murad: We have officially declared the number of weapons owned by the organization to around 6,000 to 7,000. We are still trying to account for those owned by the combatants themselves. And then there is also those that are owned by civilians.

BN: 6,000 is a bit low, don’t you think?

Murad: As I have said, the firearms owned by individual combatants is much higher.

BN: How many are we talking about?

Murad: Our regular combatants alone, is about 30,000 to 40,000. … Some are owned by the combatants and civilians.

BN: Will the decommissioned weapons be destroyed?

Murad: Under the agreement, it will be put beyond use. It will be kept in a certain place agreed upon and it will not be used by both parties. It will not be destroyed. This is similar to the agreement of Northern Ireland. The weapons of the Irish rebels are intact.

BN: When the MILF joined the government, there were several groups that splintered from the MILF, including the BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters). How do you plan to deal with them if your firearms have already been surrendered?

Murad: Well, initially we are forming an interim security arrangement. It is forming a joint peace and security teams composed of the MILF-BIAF and government forces. Half of it from the police and the AFP (military).

So this will be the interim security. The MILF forces in this interim security will be the last to be decommissioned. When the security structure is already in place, then we can already decommission them.

BN: Will the MILF will be part of the anti-Islamic State drive?

Murad: Yes, we will be. But our strategy is two parts – we are open for dialogue with them, because we feel and believe that most of these splinter groups, or all of them, are (fighting) out of frustration from the peace process. You will see that the ASG (Abu Sayyaf) emerged after the failure of the implementation of the 1996 peace process with the MNLF. The BIFF splintered from the MILF after the failure of the MOA-AD. The latest group, the Maute Group, splintered also from the MILF. They bolted out after the non-passage of the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) during the Aquino time.

[The MOA-AD or Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain was signed between the MILF and the government of ex-president Gloria Arroyo. It was later rejected by the Supreme Court. The MILF then declared all-out war with the government, leading to large-scale clashes and the displacement of entire communities.]

BN: How are you going to prevent the entry of foreign fighters, as happened in Marawi?

Murad: First of all, the reported foreign fighters for IS here is very small. They are tied up with the local groups and are not actually ideological. It is more of a financial necessity. Now actually, our intelligence confirms there are very few foreign nationals who are with these small groups.

BN: How many were you able to monitor based on intel in Mindanao?

Murad: They are from 20 to 30 maximum. Scattered … not in one location.

BN: When you say scattered, they are in heavily populated areas?

Murad: They are distributed among different groups. Both the BIFF and the ASG also splintered into many groups. The ASG has no one leader – they are splintered into several groups. Same with the BIFF, into three groups.

Even the latest one, the Maute Group, was also splintered (in) at least two groups. So now, even these foreign elements, they are also scattered among these splintered groups.

BN: But they can take advantage of that?

Murad: Yes. They can take advantage. [But] minus the support of the people in the area and then with the strong security structure in place, we are confident that we can finally get rid of them. We are also offering them, if they want to join [the government], we are open to accommodate them. We are willing to, because our agreement with the government is that there will be a declaration of a general amnesty. This will cover all political crimes. So we will include them – all those who are qualified.

BN: Even those who took part in Marawi?

Murad: Well, that would be different because many of them are considered as criminals and not tied to political crime.

BN: Has the MILF heard about Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan? Police and military said he worked with Indonesian militants in carrying out the Jolo bombings. Do you believe that?

Murad: Well, we see that most of the ASG are mainly motivated by money. Because we see that’s why they are more engaged in kidnapping. Recently, they have been involved in these bombings. These foreign fighters are trying to entice them with money. And that is why they also joined this group.

BN: If you compare the MILF now to how it was several years ago, what’s the difference?

Murad: Well, now, we see our people are ready to transform from the usual revolutionary force. We feel everybody accepts now the situation is different from what we were facing before when we started the struggle.

[W]e believed at that time that it was a fight for survival. If you go back to how this conflict started, it started in the late 1960s when there was this so called genocide campaign versus the Bangsamoro.

Now it is different, especially after the new president, [Rodrigo] Duterte, came into power. He himself acknowledged the injustices against the Bangsamoro. So this acknowledgement of injustice makes people like us feel this time around that it’s different from the past when we were seen as their enemy.

BN: How has your life changed?

Murad: … Your lifestyle always depends on your surroundings. When you are in the jungle, you have a different lifestyle. In urban areas, you have another lifestyle.

BN: You are in comfortable suits now?

Murad: We have to be. Although, you know, I only wear like this (on) official business. But on ordinary days, I wear normal clothes.

BN: Describe your day.

Murad: … In my schedule for weekdays I am in the office. But on weekends, I stay in [MILF camp] Darapanan because now our plan is that we will maintain the MILF as a social movement. We will not disband.

We will officially register it as a social movement, not necessarily a political party but more like an NGO or like a CSO (Civil Service Organization). It could be a partner of the government in implementing social services to the people.

https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/question-answer-06242019171858.html

Philippines: MILF Leader Tells IS-linked Militants to Give up the Fight

From BenarNews (Jun 24, 2019): Philippines: MILF Leader Tells IS-linked Militants to Give up the Fight

Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters bow in prayer at a mosque inside Camp Darapanan, Philippines, June 22, 2019.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters bow in prayer at a mosque inside Camp Darapanan, Philippines, June 22, 2019.  Jason Gutierrez/BenarNews

The leader of what was once the Philippines’ largest Muslim insurgent force downplayed threats posed by militants linked to the Islamic State (IS) and urged them instead to drop their guns and help develop an Islamic homeland he now leads.

Murad Ebrahim, who led the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) during decades of separatist rebellion, told BenarNews in a recent interview that there remained only “a small group” of foreign jihadist scattered across the main southern island of Mindanao.

They number between 20 and 30, and are embedded with fringe militant groups, said Murad, the interim chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“The reported foreign fighters of the ISIS here is very small. They are tied up with local groups and are not actually ideological,” he said, using another acronym for the Islamic State (IS).

Such groups are on the run after a massive campaign to crush them, two years after they stormed the southern city of Marawi and mounted a five-month battle that left more than a thousand people dead, most of them militants.

Murad heads an 80-member team that leads the BARMM, a zone made up of at least five southern provinces where MILF will oversee self-rule until local voters elect their own parliament by 2022. Marawi, now mostly in ruins, is one of its main cities.

The new Muslim homeland was ratified by voters in plebiscites earlier this year, as the final step in a peace pact signed with Manila in 2014, and brokered by Malaysia.

However, small factions such as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Abu Sayyaf have splintered from the MILF, and allied with the so-called Islamic State as it tried to establish a home base in Southeast Asia after losing territory in the Middle East.

Two years ago, militants from Southeast Asia and the Middle East joined in the Marawi attack, and a handful are known to have escaped and sought refuge in jungle camps.

“They are distributed among different groups. Both the BIFF and the ASG also splintered into many groups. The ASG is not led by one leader – they are splintered into several groups. Same with the BIFF, into three groups,” Murad told BenarNews.

And while the peace agreement requires his forces to eventually turn in their weapons, those assigned to join the military in combatting these remnants would be the last to do so, Murad said.

“When the security structure is already in place, then we can decommission them,” he said.

‘Open for dialogue’

Murad acknowledged that there had been some residual violence in the south since he assumed the leadership of the BARMM early this year, but said he was confident that with the MILF joining the military in its fight, the threat would soon be eradicated.

Moreover, militants still fighting “are open for negotiations,” according to the 70-year-old veteran fighter.

“We are open for dialogue with them because we feel and believe that most of these splinter groups were frustrated by the government,” Murad told BenarNews at his office in Cotabato City, where he has traded his field clothes for a suit.

“We are also offering them, if they want to join (the government), we are open to accommodate them. We are willing to because our agreement with the government is that there will be a declaration of a general amnesty. This will cover all political crimes. So we will include them – all those who are qualified.”

Murad said those who joined the Marawi siege and those wanted by the government would not be covered by the amnesty.




‘Ready to transform’

In the years since the peace pact was signed, much has changed in the MILF’s main Camp Darapanan, just outside Cotabato City. A cement road leads to the heart of the area, replacing a dirt path that once connected the gunmen to the outside world.

An archway welcomes tricycles, trucks and other civilian traffic into the MILF administrative camp, while vendors selling freshly picked squash and other farm produce line the street as the harsh tropical sun beats down.

Yet the setting still bears reminders of the MILF’s decades-old rebellion for an independent Muslim state in the southern third of the Philippines, Southeast Asia’s largest predominantly Catholic nation.

A security patrol guards the camp’s perimeter and grizzled veterans tell stories of gun battles over piping hot coffee to anyone willing to listen. A sentry armed with a .50-caliber machine gun is perched on a post, scanning the horizon for potential enemies.

“Before we entered into this interim period of governance, we already expected that there will be great challenges because first of all, we are a revolutionary organization and we have no experience in governance. We had to transform from revolutionary to governance,” Murad said.

Murad and the MILF are trying to establish an autonomous Muslim region about two decades after the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) failed to do so. The MILF split with the MNLF in the 1970s.

After the MNLF signed a peace deal with the government in 1996, its leader, Nur Misuari, became governor of a Muslim region known as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

But, according to analysts, Misuari failed to uplift the lives of the poor and allegations of corruption plagued his administration. In 2013, followers of Misuari led a two-month siege in southern Zamboanga city that left more than 200 dead, most of them MNLF fighters.

Murad said his administration aimed to prevent a similar failure by focusing on “moral governance.”

He noted that militants, particularly the Abu Sayyaf which is notorious for kidnappings for ransom, were motivated mainly by a desire to escape harsh poverty in their areas.

But as peace takes hold and economic development begins to trickle down, Murad said he expected many to give up their arms.

“Now, we see our people are ready to transform from the usual revolutionary force. We feel everybody accepts now the situation is different from what we were facing before when we started the struggle,” Murad said.

He credited President Rodrigo Duterte for the general change in the public’s perception of the Muslim cause.

“He himself acknowledged the injustices against the Bangsamoro. So this acknowledgement of injustices makes people like us feel this time around that it’s different from the past, when we were seen as their enemy,” Murad said.

About 120,000 died in fighting in the Philippines since the 1970s, according to Mohagher Iqbal, the former MILF chief negotiator who is now the BARMM’s minister for education.



Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters walk past a sign declaring the region Bangsamoro, June 22, 2019. (Jason Gutierrez/BenarNews)

https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/leader-speaks-06242019163658.html

Suspected NPA commander falls

From Panay News (Jun 25, 2019): Suspected NPA commander falls

ILOILO City – A suspected commanding officer of the New People’s Army (NPA) wanted for 15 years has been arrested in Barangay Sto. Angel, Dumalag, Capiz.

Facing a string of murder and attempted murder charges, the 54-year-old Baltazar Saldo is now in the custody of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) here.

He was served with five arrest warrants – issued in 2004 yet – in his house at around 1:05 p.m. on June 23 by operatives of the PRO-6 and Armed Forces of the Philippines.


According to PRO-6 director, Brigadier General John Bulalacao, Saldo had a P1,050,000 bounty approved by the Department of Interior and Local Government and Department of National Defense.

The suspect was the commanding officer of the NPA’s Roger Mahinay Command – Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, said Bulalacao.

Saldo has been charged with the following:

* two counts of attempted murder – arrest warrant issued on December 2004 by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 61 in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental

* murder – arrest warrant issued by RTC Branch 64 in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental on Dec. 13, 2004

* murder and attempted murder – arrest warrant issued by RTC Branch 64

The courts did not allow Saldo to post bail for his murder cases.

Bulalacao said Saldo was using the name “Virgilio Paragan” as NPA commanding officer in Negros.

“For so many years the suspect lived freely until we were able to produce witnesses that positively identified him,” said Bulalacao.

One of the witnesses was a son of a former rebel under the suspect’s command, according to the PRO-6 chief.

Saldo denied being an NPA rebel and insisted he had not been to Negros. He said he had been working as truck driver of a family in Cuartero, Capiz.

“Grabe nga mga kaso ang ginpatong nila sa akon. Indi ako NPA, pobre lang ako nga driver,” Saldo told Panay News.

https://www.panaynews.net/suspected-npa-commander-falls/

Can ex-Army general restore order in Sara?

From Panay News (Jun 24, 2019): Can ex-Army general restore order in Sara?

ILOILO – Retired Philippine Army general Jon Aying, the mayor-elect of the municipality of Sara, has his work cut out for him.

Through the years Sara developed a reputation as a town with a serious law enforcement problem.


Illegal drugs. Poverty. Criminality. Corruption. He is ready for all these, according to Aying who defeated Vice Mayor Jesus “Jay-r” Salcedo, son of outgoing Mayor Ermilita Salcedo, in the recent May 13 midterm elections.

Aying officially becomes the new mayor of Sara on June 30. He wants to change the negative impression on Sara.

“Peace and order and transparency in governance are important. Dapat may maayo nga pagpalakat sang pundo sang banwa para matapna naton ang corruption kag droga,” said Aying.

On Day 1 of his being mayor, Aying would be summoning all department heads.

“Our priority is to end criminality, corruption and poverty in Sara,” he stressed.

Poverty breeds peace and order problems such as drug trafficking, said Aying, a former commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.

“Once we have addressed poverty, the proliferation of illegal drugs may slow down. Ang mga naga-engage sa robbery basi mauntat kun may mga work opportunities sa banwa. Kun may kitaon sila kada bulan, indi na sila mag-engage sa illegal activities,” Aying said.

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office confirmed the presence of criminal gangs and drug groups in northern Iloilo, including Sara. Aying said he had identified these groups, too.

As a former law enforcer, said Aying, he understood what were needed to make Sara peaceful and orderly, and free from guns and goons.

The mayor-elect said he would also implement more infrastructure projects in Sara such as public school buildings, bridges, and farm-to-market roads.

Aying’s win in the elections put a break to the three-decade Salcedo dynasty in the northern Iloilo municipality.

https://www.panaynews.net/can-ex-army-general-restore-order-in-sara/?fbclid=IwAR1N6vPWf7ZsQRDGgR7zaycXxzBjvqlQcZX8BnUzd9xiHYiBLzCV3-heLV4

Military condemns use of landmines by NPA

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 24, 2019): Military condemns use of landmines by NPA

The 94th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army based in Negros Oriental has condemned the alleged violation committed by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHIHL) in using anti-personnel mines in an encounter with government troops over the weekend.

On Saturday night in Barangay Bantolinao in Manjuyod town, two anti-personnel mines exploded during a clash with the rebels, said Lt. Col. Randy Pagunuran, 94th IB commander, in an interview on Monday.

The armed clash resulted in the death of Cpl. Leoter A. Cagape and the wounding of two other soldiers, Private First Class Emmanuel E. Paja and Private Denyl P. Reyes.

After the encounter, the soldiers also recovered an unidentified body believed to be that of an NPA member.

Pagunuran explained that “bawal na ngayon sa CARHIHL na gumamit ng mga landmines sa anumang giyera or enkwentro (it is now prohibited to use land mines in any kind of armed encounter)”.

“The right not to be subjected to indiscriminate bombings, shelling, strafing, and the use of landmines" is stated in Article 2, Section 15 of the said agreement between the government and the NPA's political wing, the National Democratic Front.

Pagunuran said his troops have overrun an NPA encampment in Bantolinao, shortly after the weekend clash.

“It took us three days to actually take over the abandoned camp because of the improvised land mines that were planted at its vicinity,” Pagunuran said in the Filipino dialect.

Soldiers have recovered another anti-personnel mine from the vicinity of the clash, while seven more were retrieved in the succeeding days at the encampment.

Personal belongings and subversive documents were also recovered.

The clash on Saturday was a result of an intelligence report that the NPA was allegedly planning an attack especially as the Philippine National Police (PNP) was conducting a medical-dental outreach mission in Manjuyod on the same day.

At around 11:35 p.m. that day, government troops led by 1Lt. Abdulnasser O. Israel and personnel from the 704th Regional Mobile Force Battalion encountered more or less 20 armed men believed to be NPA members while on combat operations at Sitio Kambugtong in Barangay Bantolinao.

The firefight lasted for about one hour and 20 minutes.

Aside from the landmines, government troops also recovered a rifle grenade, one hand grenade, assorted ammunition, two cellular phones, assorted medical kit, 24 pieces of batteries with wires, one AM/FM radio, a sack of rice, subversive documents and other personal effects.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Pagunuran said clearing operations continue in Bantolinao, Manjuyod and in nearby areas.

Reports that have yet to be confirmed say that hundreds of residents have fled their homes due to the weekend clash, but the Army commander allayed the people’s fears, saying there is no cause for alarm because the military and police are there to protect the civilians while going after the insurgents.

The NPA is considered a terrorist organization by several countries including the Philippines, Unites States and the European Union.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1073188

Alleged NPA courier surrenders to military, police

From the Manila Bulletin (Jun 24, 2019): Alleged NPA courier surrenders to military, police

An alleged courier for the New People’s Army (NPA) “Milisyang Bayan” submitted himself to the military and police in Lopez, Quezon on Sunday.

In a statement Monday afternoon, Lieutenant Colonel Arnold Gasalatan, commander of the 85th Infantry Battalion (85ID),
identified the surrenderee as Crispin Gonzalez, 59, an alleged militia of the NPA Platoon Southern Luzon, Sub-Regional Military Area 4B which is operating in Quezon province.

According to Gasalatan, Gonzalez yielded to the troops of the 85ID and local police at Sitio Taisan, Barangay San Francisco B.

Gasalatan said the surrenderee decided to return to the fold of the law upon seeing that his former comrades who surrendered ahead of him were already “living a peaceful life.”

“I was brainwashed by the NPAs with their propaganda. As Milisyang Bayan and an NPA courier, I collect food, logistics and money for them. I am tired,” Gonzalez was quoted as saying.

Gonzalez also turned over a carbine with eight ammunition, an improvised shotgun with four ammunition, 40 sets of NPA uniforms, 165 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, three cellphones and other enemy subversive documents to the security forces.

Colonel Norwyn Tolentino, commander of the 201st (Kabalikat) Brigade, which has operational jurisdiction over Quezon province, reiterated his call to the NPAs to return to the folds of the law.

“Come down, lay down your arms and we will help you start a new life with your family,” he said.

Since he surrendered, the military said Gonzalez will be able to avail of the benefits of the national government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP.

Under this program, a former rebel will receive P15,000 immediate cash assistance, P50,000 livelihood assistance, firearms remuneration, and other access to government aid such as housing, loans, employment, medical and legal, and skills training among others, the military explained.

The surrenderee can also avail of educational benefits which may be extended to his or her immediate family members, the military added.

Jokowi and Duterte Sign Off on Maritime Border Agreement During Asean Summit

From the Jakarta Globe (Jun 24, 2019): Jokowi and Duterte Sign Off on Maritime Border Agreement During Asean Summit


Indonesian President Joko Widodo meets his Philippine counterpart President Rodrigo Duterte in Bangkok on the sideline of the 34th Asean Summit on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office/Rusman)
Bangkok. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo met the president of the Phillippines Rodrigo Duterte on the sideline of the Asean Summit in Bangkok on Saturday to sign off on a maritime border agreement between the two countries.

"President Duterte and Widodo lauded the completion of the two countries' respective domestic requirements for the entry into force of the 'Philippines-Indonesia Agreement Concerning the Delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone Boundary.' This landmark accord is an outstanding example of a peaceful and rule-based limitation of maritime borders," Duterte's spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the exchange of documents for the agreement will happen during a visit by Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. to Indonesia in August.

The two presidents also discussed further security cooperation in the pirate-infested Sulu Sea, which borders the southeastern portion of the Philippines with Indonesia.

Rebels in southern Philippines, such as the Abu Sayyaf militia, have been known to kidnap Indonesian fishermen for ransom.

"President Jokowi appreciated [the Philippine government's] cooperation in releasing Indonesian hostages [kidnapped by the militia]," Retno said.

Jokowi and Duterte also discussed possible improvements in trade and investment between the two neighbors.

Jokowi also met Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during the four-day summit. 

Top NPA official in ComVal killed in firefight with gov’t authorities

From the Manila Bulletin (Jun 24, 2019): Top NPA official in ComVal killed in firefight with gov’t authorities

BUTUAN CITY – A man believed to be the most wanted person in Compostela Valley (ComVal), who was also an official of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in the province, and his companion were reportedly killed in a joint police and military operation on Sunday, First Lt. Amadeuz VJ R. Celestial, Civil Military Operations (CMO) officer (S7) of the Army’s 60th Infantry (Mediator) Battallion (60th IB), said.

In a statement sent to The Manila Bulletin on Monday, the 60th IB CMO officer
identified the fatality as Jay Mendoza, who was also known as Ka Pogs, and his companion, known only as Ondoy.

They were killed in an exchange of gunfire with government authorities at Mendoza’s safehouse in Laak, ComVal.

Government authorities were about to serve four warrants on Mendoza when the suspect and his cohort allegedly resisted arrest, and decided to shoot it out with the authorities, the 60th IB CMO officer claimed.

The Laak Municipal Police Station (MPS), assisted by the 60th IB, were set to serve four warrants for Mendoza for double murder with double frustrated murder, robbery in band, and serious illegal detention when he and Ondoy started firing at the arresting party.

“This prompted our authorities to return fire with them (suspects),” Celestial claimed.

Mendoza was said to be the Deputy Secretary of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 2, Sub-regional Committee 2 of the CPP-NPA Southern Mindanao Regional Command (SMRC), a member Executive Committee, SRC2, SMRC, and Head, RSOG, SRC2, SMRC, the 60th IB added.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/06/24/top-npa-official-in-comval-killed-in-firefight-with-govt-authorities/

23 rebels surrender, 64 others cut ties with CPP-NPA

From GMA News Online (Jun 23, 2019): 23 rebels surrender, 64 others cut ties with CPP-NPA

Twenty-three members of various rebel groups surrendered to authorities, while 64 of their supporters cut with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army's (NPA) Underground Mass Organizations (UGMO).

On Thursday, seven members of the Sangay ng Partido sa Localidad (SPL) in Eastern Mindanao and 26 UGMO members voluntarily surrendered to the 1st Special Forces Battalion of the Philippine Army in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon.

Also on that day, a certain Alias Aljun, an NPA team leader iin Kitaotao, Bukidnon surrendered to the 8th Infantry Battalion in Maramang town.

On Wednesday, three members of the communist rebel group surrendered to the 8th Infantry Battalion, bringing with them four International Humanitarian Law (IHL)-banned landmines and a Garand rifle.

Also on that day, two UGMO members left their group and sought help from the 65th Infantry Battalion at Barangay Dansolihon in Cagayan de Oro City. They surrendered two sub-machine guns: an M635 and an Uzi.

On the same day, two SPL members, two MB members and 17 UGMO members also surrendered to the 88th Infantry Battalion in Valencia City, Bukidnon.

In Monkayo, Compostela Valley Wednesday night, a certain Alias Puks, a member of the rebel group in the area surrendered to the 25th Infantry Battalion, turning in a .45 caliber pistol and two 25-kilogram IHL banned landmines.

On Tuesday, three NPA leaders turned themselves in to the 30th Infantry Battalion in Jabonga, Agusan Del Norte. Their surrender led the recovery of one M4 rifle, one AR 15 rifle, one AK47 rifle, and two IHL-banned landmines.

Meanwhile, a secretary of the UGMO surrendered to the 16th Infantry Battalion in Paquibato District in Davao City, carrying along nine IHL-banned landmines.

Nine other members of the UGMO in Maco town Compostela Valley also separated from the rebel group after reporting to the headquarters of the 71th Infantry Battalion at Mawab, Compostela Valley on Tuesday morning.

At the same time, two NPA members surrendered to Maj. Franco Boral of the 1st Special Forces Battalion in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon on Monday.

Also on Tuesday, four other NPA members escaped from their group in Lingig, Surigao Del Sur and surrendered to the elements of the 67th Infantry Battalion in Monkayo, Compostela Valley.

Thirty-eight other members of the UGMO voluntarily separated from the rebel group after appearing before the Community Support Team of the 30th Infantry Battalion in Malimono, Surigao Del Norte on Monday.

All the surrenderees are being debriefed and will be assessed for possible assistance.

All of them could also end up beomg enrolled in the Enhanced Local Integration Programs of their respective local government units.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/698635/23-rebels-surrender-64-other-cut-ties-from-underground-mass-orgs-last-week/story/

Maguindanao police nab 9 in anti-drug operations

From the Philippine Star (Jun 23, 2019): 
Maguindanao police nab 9 in anti-drug operations

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — Police arrested nine large-scale drug dealers with alleged links to an outlawed Islamic State-inspired group in separate operations in the province this weekend.

Reports reaching the office of Brig. Gen. Marni Marcos of Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao indicated that the first to fall were three alleged operators of a drug ring in Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Maguindanao.

Juhari Edzalama, Abdulsallam Indag and their leader, Hariking Amat, were intercepted by personnel of the municipal police in Barangay Brar, Datu Anggal Midtimbang while on a motorcycle to deliver shabu to a contact.

They are now detained at the Datu Anggal Midtimbang municipal police office, to be prosecuted for violation of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The suspects had long been subject of surveillance by operatives of the municipal police.

Another six others were arrested Friday in nearby Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Nomer Kamid, Michael Balindong, Grachalla Usman, Norain Ensyek, Jonathan Guiamalon and Jomar Buayan fell in an entrapment laid in Barangay Upper Capiton, Datu Odin Sinsuat by municipal police personnel.

They were together when one of them turned over shabu to a plainclothes police agent in a sting that resulted in their arrest.

All six men are now in the custody of the Datu Odin Sinsuat municipal police.

Police and Army intelligence sources have confirmed that the suspects arrested by PRO-BARMM units in Datu Anggal Midtimbang and in Datu Odin Sinsuat remitted part of their earnings to leaders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The group, operating in the fashion of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is blamed for all deadly bombings in central Mindanao in recent years.


https://www.philstar.com/nation/2019/06/23/1928882/maguindanao-police-nab-9-anti-drug-operations

6ID chief named Western Mindanao Command head

From the Manila Bulletin (Jun 24, 2019): 6ID chief named Western Mindanao Command head

COTABATO CITY – Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, incumbent head of the Army’s Sixth Infantry Division (6ID), has been named the new commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Mindanao Command (WMC) effective this week.



Maj. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana, Commander of 6th Infantry Division (6th Infantry Division – Kampilan Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)

Major Arvin Encinas, 6ID Public Affairs Office chief, told the Manila Bulletin on Monday that Sobejana will official assume the WMC leadership on June 28 in formal turnover rites with predecessor Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega.

Dela Vega has opted for “early retirement,” paving the way for Commander-in-Chief and President Duterte to name Sobejana as his successor. Dela Vega, who had also held the 6ID leadership before taking over the WMC post 13 months ago, has at least four months more to serve before his mandatory age retirement. But no reason was given for his decision to retire earlier.

Encinas said Sobejana will formally relinquish the 6ID leadership on July 1 to Brig. Gen. Diosdado Carreon, who currently heads the Army’s 601st Infantry Division.

Last Saturday night, 6ID rank and file personnel tendered a farewell thanksgiving event for Sobejana.

Representatives and officials of civilian sectors within the 6ID areas of jurisdiction have taken turns in commending the Gen. Sobejana for his “colorful” 13-month stint in the 6ID.

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Minister Abdulraof Macacua cited Sobejana’s role in the attainment of “high (level of) peace and low disturbance” in Central Mindanao.

DND sets bidding for acquisition of more PH Navy vessels

From the Manila Bulletin (Jun 24, 2019): DND sets bidding for acquisition of more PH Navy vessels

The Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines (DND-AFP) is set to acquire two brand new landing dock vessels, an amphibious warfare ship with a well dock to transport and launch landing craft and amphibious vehicles, for the Philippine Navy (PN).



Department of National Defense (MANILA BULLETIN)

In an invitation to bid bulletin, Defense Assistant Secretary Felino Ramos, chairperson of DND Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) 1, said the bid opening for the acquisition of the Navy’s two landing docks will open on July 4 at the DND-BAC Conference Room at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

The bidding is open for both local and foreign bidders. Meanwhile, a pre-bid conference was held last June 20.

Ramos bared that the Defense Department has launched the landing dock acquisition project through the AFP

Revised Modernization Program with approved budget for contract of P5.56 billion.

He noted that the landing docks must have a minimum gross capacity of 7,000 tons.

The contract will also include four units of landing craft utility (LCU) and four units of rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) with Integrated Logistics Support (ILS), Ramos added.

Meanwhile, the delivery of these military vessels must be accomplished by the winning bidder within 1,095 days.

According to Ramos, the Philippine Navy has also required a tie-up with local companies or shipyard so that at least one of the landing docks will be constructed here in the Philippines.

The Defense official concluded that the Head of Procuring Entity (HOPE) “reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of Republic Act 9184 and its IRR [Implementing Rules and Regulation], without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.”

“Further, the HOPE reserves the same right, if the funds/allotments for said program/project.activity have been withheld or reduced through no failt of its own,” he said.

MILF: Newly elected Sulu governor Tan changes stance, pledges support to BARMM

Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Website (Jun 24, 2019): Newly elected Sulu governor Tan changes stance, pledges support to BARMM



Photo courtesy by MILF chairman Official facebook

Cognizant of the fact that the ‘people have (already) spoken,’ Sulu governor-elect Abdusakur Tan pledged support to the newly established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“Since it (BARMM) is already here, it is not right for us not to support it because we will suffer. We cannot afford to suffer for the next three years, six years or nine years,” Tan said partly in Filipino.

Tan served as governor of Sulu from 2007 to 2013. He ran for the position of regional governor in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), in the 2016 national and local elections but lost.

The governor-elect attended the orientation and training seminar for newly-elected local chief executives held in the BARMM in Cotabato City on June 16 to17.

In the plebiscite held last January 21 for the ratification of Republic Act 11054 otherwise known as the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OLBARMM) or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), only the province of Sulu rejected the ratification of the law.

The other provinces in the ARMM such as Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan (except Isabela City) and Tawi-tawi as well as Cotabato City voted for the ratification of the BOL.

Sulu, however, could not opt out of the BARMM because its votes were counted along with the other provinces which composed the ARMM that overwhelmingly ratified the BOL.

Citing questions on constitutionality, Gov. Abdusakur Tan II, who is the incoming Sulu vice governor, filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition with a request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) before the Supreme Court a few months before the plebiscite. The high tribunal is yet to decide on the case.

“I’m very happy that the incoming Sulu governor expressed his willingness to cooperate and be a partner of the Bangsamoro government,” said BARMM Chief Minister Ahod ‘Al Hajj Murad’ Ebrahim.

Ebrahim cited the importance of unity and collaboration among local officials to meet the Bangsamoro people’s high expectations in the BARMM.

BARMM Minister for Local Government Naguib Sinarimbo said they organized the orientation and training seminar for incoming local chief executives in the BARMM to call for their support to and adopt “moral governance” to improve the conditions of the new autonomous region.

Come June 30, the newly elected local chief executives will assume their respective offices.

http://www.luwaran.com/news/article/1829/newly-elected-sulu-governor-tan-changes-stance--pledges-support-to-barmm

MILF: Law enforcement operations vital for maintaining peace in BARMM

Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Website (Jun 24, 2019): Law enforcement operations vital for maintaining peace in BARMM


In photo- Philippine National Police Brigadier General Madid M. Paitao stressing his point during an information, education, and communication (IEC) campaign in Cagayan De Oro City on June 20, 2019

Enhancing law enforcement operations is vital in maintaining peace and security in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), particularly within government-acknowledged Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) camps.

This was highlighted by the Philippine National Police Brigadier General Madid M. Paitao during an information, education, and communication (IEC) campaign here in this city.

“Let me reiterate that the coordination in the conduct of law enforcement operations in the MILF camps or communities is important even if we are no longer at war with them,” he said.

WIth the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law on January 26, 2019, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was abolished and replaced by the BARMM.

In April of this year, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed Executive Order No. 79 implementing the Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the peace agreement signed between the Government of the Philippines and the MILF.

The Normalization track primarily involves the decommissioning of combatants and putting their weapons beyond use, and the transformation of six MILF camps into peaceful and resilient communities.

For his part, OPAPP, Assistant Secretary Dickson P. Hermoso stressed that despite the creation of the BARMM, the ceasefire agreement remains strong and will continue to be strengthened to ensure peace and order in the region.

“Wala na tayong giyera with the Moro National Liberation Front and MILF so ano pa ang ating ceasefire? Nandiyan pa rin dahil sa adjustment period dahil hindi pa naiintindihan ng lahat sa ground,” he said.

(We are not at war with the Moro National Liberation Front and MILF anymore, so what is our ceasefire for? It’s still there because we are still in the adjustment period since not everyone on the ground understands it. If someone commits a crime, he cannot claim that he is a member of the MILF)

“The keywords here are trust and confidence. There is an opportunity for us to gain peace in our area. Let’s grab it — not for us, but for the next generation,” he added.

The IEC campaign is part of a series of activities conducted by OPAPP for members of the region’s security sector to further enhance their understanding and appreciation in the Bangsamoro peace process.

http://www.luwaran.com/news/article/1830/law-enforcement-operations-vital-for-maintaining-peace-in-barmm

CPP/Ang Bayan: Programa sa lupa ni Duterte: Re­kon­sentra­syon, hindi distribusyon

Propaganda article from the Tagalog language edition of Ang Bayan posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jun 21, 2019): Programa sa lupa ni Duterte: Re­kon­sentra­syon, hindi distribusyon

Ma­la­king ka­lo­ko­han ang kun­wa’y pa­ma­ma­ha­gi ni Rod­ri­go Du­ter­te ng mga pam­pub­li­kong lu­pa sa mga mag­sa­sa­ka.

Sa li­kod ni­to, ini­ra­rat­sa­da ng De­partment of Agra­ri­an Reform (DAR) ang rek­la­si­pi­ka­syon at pag­pa­pa­lit-ga­mit ng mga lu­pang ag­ri­kul­tu­ral. Kalokohan ang ipinag­yayabang ni Duterte na “pama­ma­ha­gi ng lupa” samantalang mina­ma­­dali ng kanyang gubyerno ang re­kon­sentra­syon ng mga ito sa ka­may ng ma­la­la­king pa­ngi­no­ong may­­­lu­pa at bur­ge­syang kum­pra­dor.

Mu­la Abril hang­gang Ma­yo ni­tong taon, su­nud-su­nod ang pag­la­la­bas ng DAR ng mga ad­mi­nistra­ti­bong kau­tu­san pa­ra pa­du­la­sin ang rek­la­si­pi­ka­syon ng lu­pang ag­ri­kul­tu­ral at kum­ber­syon ng mga ito sa “re­si­den­sya­l, ko­mer­syal at in­dustri­yal na ga­mit.” Li­ban sa “pag­pa­pa­simple” ng mga pro­se­so, nag­buo ang DAR ng es­pe­syal na ko­mi­te pa­ra sa pag­pa­pa­bi­lis ng pag­pa­pa­lit-ga­mit ng lu­pa at pag­ga­ga­wad ng mga ek­semp­syon o pag­li­lib­re sa Compre­hen­sive Agra­ri­an Reform Prog­ram (CARP).

Ka­rug­tong ang mga kau­tu­sang ito ng kau­tu­sang ehe­ku­ti­bo ni Du­ter­te na nag­la­la­gay sa aw­to­ri­dad ng pre­si­den­te ang pag-ap­ru­ba sa mga pro­yek­tong rek­la­ma­syon ng lu­pa sa mga baybayin ng malalaking syudad. Tar­get ng kau­tu­sang ito ang pag­pa­pabilis ng reklamasyon at pag­kon­sentra sa pangulo ng pa­ki­na­bang mu­la sa pag­ta­ta­yo ng mga ko­mer­syal na es­tab­li­si­men­to at pa­li­pa­ran sa mga lu­pang ito.

Pau­na ang mga kau­tu­sang ito ng Na­tio­nal Land Use Act, isang pra­yo­ri­dad na pa­nu­ka­la ng re­hi­meng Du­ter­te, na mag­ba­ba­go sa kla­si­pi­ka­syon ng lu­pa, par­ti­ku­lar ang mga lu­pang ag­ri­kul­tu­ral at ka­gu­ba­tan, alin­su­nod sa ma­ta­gal nang giit ng mga real es­ta­te deve­lo­per, ma­la­la­king kum­pan­yang ag­ri­bis­nes at iba pang ma­la­la­king ka­pi­ta­lis­ta. Sa ila­lim ni­to, ma­la­wa­kang aa­ga­win ang mga lu­pang ag­ri­kul­tu­ral mu­la sa mga mag­sa­sa­ka at ka­tu­tu­bo pa­ra itayo ang mga kal­sa­da, pa­li­pa­ran, sub­di­bi­syo­n, gu­sa­li, dam, plan­tang pang-e­ner­hi­ya at iba pang ma­la­la­king imprastruk­tu­ra sa ila­lim ng kan­yang prog­ra­mang Build, Build, Build. Sa kan­yang pag­ma­ma­da­li, nais ni Du­ter­te na pa­bi­li­sin ang ap­li­ka­syon pa­ra sa kum­ber­syon ng lu­pa mu­la 26-36 bu­wan tu­ngo sa 30 araw na lamang..

Ayon sa datos ng estado, mu­la 1988 hang­gang 2016, umaa­bot na sa 98,000 ek­tar­ya (ka­sin­la­ki ng buong Met­ro Ma­ni­la at Ce­bu) ng mga lu­pang ag­ri­kul­tu­ral ang ki­num­bert pa­ra sa re­si­den­sya­l, ko­mer­syal at in­dustri­yal na ga­mit. Wa­la pa sa bi­lang na ito ang mga ap­li­ka­syong hin­di pa naap­ru­ba­han, mga lu­pang ni­rek­la­si­pi­ka ng mga lo­kal na gub­yer­no at yaong ili­gal na pi­na­li­tan ang ga­mit. Ma­la­king ba­ha­gi ni­to ay na­sa Luzon (80%), ka­lak­han sa mga re­hi­yon ng Ca­la­barzon (Sout­hern Ta­ga­log) at Central Luzon.

[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippinesand is issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and views on current issues. Ang Bayan comes out fortnightly and is published in Pilipino, Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.]
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/2019/06/21/programa-sa-lupa-ni-duterte-rekonsentrasyon-hindi-distribusyon/

CPP/Ang Bayan: PKP, sumu­por­ta sa pa­na­wa­gang im­bes­ti­ga­syon ng UNHRC

Propaganda article from the Tagalog language edition of Ang Bayan posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jun 21, 2019): PKP, sumu­por­ta sa pa­na­wa­gang im­bes­ti­ga­syon ng UNHRC

Nagpahayag ang Partido Ko­mu­nis­ta ng Pi­li­pi­nas (PKP) ng pag­su­por­ta sa pa­na­wa­gan ng Uni­ted Na­ti­ons Hu­man Rights Com­mis­si­on (UNHRC) na mag­lun­sad ng im­bes­ti­ga­syon kaug­nay ng su­mi­sid­hing ka­la­ga­yan ng ka­ra­pa­tang tao sa ban­sa sa ila­lim ng re­hi­meng Du­ter­te.

Ma­li­ban sa ma­la­wa­kang pa­ma­mas­lang, ki­na­sang­ku­tan din ng mga pwer­sang pan­se­gu­ri­dad ng es­ta­do ang mga ka­so ng ili­gal na pag-a­res­to, pag­sam­pa ng ga­wa-ga­wang ka­so, li­gal na pan­da­ra­has, pag­ba­ban­ta, ar­ma­dong pa­na­na­la­kay sa mga ko­mu­ni­dad, pa­ngu­ngub­kob ng mga ko­mu­ni­dad sa ka­na­yu­nan, blo­ke­yo sa pag­ka­in at eko­nom­ya, at iba pa.

Ani­to, da­pat ding isai­la­lim sa kri­ti­kal na im­bes­ti­ga­syon ang “ge­ra kontra dro­ga” at ang di­rek­ti­bang “kontra-in­sur­hen­sya” ni Du­ter­te pa­ra “wa­ka­san ang lo­kal na ko­mu­nis­tang ar­ma­dong pag-aal­sa” at ang mga sang­kap ni­to ka­bi­lang ang ba­tas mi­li­tar sa Min­da­nao, Me­mo­ran­dum Order 30, Oplan Ka­pa­ya­pa­an, Oplan Sau­ron at Oplan Ka­pa­na­ta­gan. Na­ra­ra­pat la­mang na im­bes­ti­ga­han, isi­wa­lat at kun­de­na­hin ang ma­tin­ding mga pang-aa­bu­song ito at ipa­ri­nig sa buong mun­do ang pa­na­wa­gang hus­ti­sya ng ma­ma­ma­yang Pi­li­pi­no,” pag­wa­wa­kas ng PKP.

[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippinesand is issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and views on current issues. Ang Bayan comes out fortnightly and is published in Pilipino, Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.]
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/2019/06/21/pkp-sumuporta-sa-panawagang-imbestigasyon-ng-unhrc/

CPP/Ang Bayan: Kampuhan ng mga bakwit, binuwag

Propaganda article from the Tagalog language edition of Ang Bayan posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jun 21, 2019): Kampuhan ng mga bakwit, binuwag

Binuwag ng mga pulis ang kampu­han ng mga bak­wit na Lu­mad sa ta­bi ng ka­pi­tol­yo sa Ca­ga­yan de Oro City noong Hun­yo 18. Hi­git isang taon nang nakatigil ri­to ang mga Lu­mad mu­la sa Sit­yo Ka­man­si, Ba­ra­ngay Bang­lay, La­gong­long, Misamis Oriental da­hil sa pag­ka­mpo ng militar sa ka­ni­lang ko­mu­ni­dad. Bibigyang-daan ng okupasyon ng mga sundalo ang malalaking kumpanyang geothermal at mina sa Mt. Balatucan, kabilang ang Balatucan-Balingasag Geothermal Prospect,

DEMOLISYON. Limang indibidwal ang nasugatan, isa sa kanila ang kritikal, sa isinagawang demolisyon ng pamilyang Villar sa kabahayan sa Sityo Malipay III, Barangay Molino IV sa Bacoor, Cavite, noong Hunyo 18. Ipinagiba ng mga Villar ang mga bahay upang magtayo ng mga impra­s­truktura sa lugar.

Noong Hunyo 10, gi­ni­ba ng 55 pi­nag­sa­mang mga ele­men­to ng SWAT at lo­kal na gub­yer­no ang ka­ba­ha­yan sa Sit­yo Ka­wa­ya­nan, Ti­tus Stre­et sa Ba­ra­ngay San Agus­tin, Nova­liches, Quezon City. Ilang de­ka­da nang na­ka­ti­ra sa lu­gar ang mga re­si­den­te ngunit pinalalayas para bigyan-daan ang pagtatayo ng proyektong “Bis­tekvil­le” ng lokal na gubyerno.

[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippinesand is issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and views on current issues. Ang Bayan comes out fortnightly and is published in Pilipino, Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.]
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/2019/06/21/kampuhan-ng-mga-bakwit-binuwag/

CPP/Ang Bayan: Mamamahayag, iligal na inaresto

Propaganda article from the Tagalog language edition of Ang Bayan posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jun 21, 2019): Mamamahayag, iligal na inaresto

Kabi-kabilang pagkundena ang sumalubong sa arbitraryong pag-aresto at detensyon sa batikang ma­ma­ma­ha­yag na si Fi­de­li­na Mar­ga­ri­ta Val­le ng mga myembro ng Cri­mi­nal Inves­ti­ga­ti­on and De­tecti­on Gro­up Re­gi­on 9 noong Hunyo 9.

Naghihintay si Valle ng kanyang byahe sa La­gu­in­di­ngan Air­port sa Mi­sa­mis Ori­en­tal pauwi ng Davao City nang siya ay arestuhin. Idi­ne­ti­ne siya nang 12 oras sa bi­sa ng man­dam­yen­to la­ban sa isang Elsa Ren­ton al­yas Ti­na Mag­la­ya at Fi­de­li­na Mar­ga­ri­ta Val­le. Ina­ku­sa­han siya ng pag­pa­tay, pa­nu­nu­nog, tang­kang pag­pa­tay, at pag­si­ra sa ka­ga­mi­tan ng gub­yer­no.

Ayon sa pa­mil­ya ni Valle, ang pag-aresto sa kanya ay ma­li­naw na pang­gi­gi­pit at pa­na­na­kot da­hil sa kan­yang ad­bo­ka­si­ya at pa­ni­nin­di­gan la­ban sa ti­ra­ni­ya ni Rod­ri­go Du­ter­te. Na­pi­li­tan ang PNP na pa­la­ya­in si­ya ma­ta­pos itong malawa­kang ­kun­de­nahin. Nangatwiran pa ang PNP na “napagkamalan” lamang nila si Valle at kunwa’y humingi ng dispensa. Hindi ito tinanggap ng pamilyang Valle, at nangakong magsasampa ng kaso laban sa CIDG.

Ka­sa­lu­ku­yang ko­lum­nis­ta ng pa­ha­ya­gang Davao To­day si Val­le.

[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippinesand is issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and views on current issues. Ang Bayan comes out fortnightly and is published in Pilipino, Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.]
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/2019/06/21/mamamahayag-iligal-na-inaresto/

CPP/Ang Bayan: 8 pag­pas­lang sa 7 araw

Propaganda article from the Tagalog language edition of Ang Bayan posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jun 21, 2019): 8 pag­pas­lang sa 7 araw

Sa loob ng isang ling­go, walong ak­ti­bis­ta at mag­sa­sa­ka ang pi­na­tay ng mga ar­ma­dong ele­men­to ng es­ta­do. Iba’t ibang in­si­den­te rin ng pan­da­ra­has at pa­na­na­kot ang na­ra­na­san ng mga si­bil­yan sa iba pang pa­nig ng ban­sa.

Da­la­wang is­tap ng Ka­ra­pa­tan-Sor­so­gon ang pi­nag­ba­ba­ril at na­pa­tay noong Hun­yo 14 ng uma­ga. Na­ka­sa­kay sa isang tray­si­kel si­na Ryan Hu­bil­la at Nelly Ba­ga­sa­la, 69, nang pa­pu­tu­kan si­la ng da­la­wang ar­ma­dong la­la­ki sa Pha­se 2, Seab­reeze Ho­mes Sub­divi­si­on, Ba­ra­ngay Ca­bid-an, Sor­so­gon City.

Si Bagasala ay ilang dekada nang tagapagtanggol ng kara­pa­tang­-tao. Humarap na siya sa wa­lang-ampat na paninira at Red-tag­ging mula sa militar. Makai­lang-ulit na ring tiniktikan at ginipit sina Hubilla at Bagasala sa nag­da­ang mga buwan.

Ki­na­bu­ka­san, bi­na­ril at pi­na­tay na­man ang da­ting pi­nu­no sa kam­pan­ya ng Ba­yan-Bi­kol na si Neph­ta­li Mo­ra­da sa Ba­ra­ngay San Isid­ro, Na­ga City.

Ba­go ni­to, magkasunod na pi­na­tay noong Hun­yo 9 at 10 ang mga magsasakang sina Arnie Espi­nil­la sa Barangay Liong, at San­do Alcovin­daz sa Barangay Buena­vis­ta, kapwa sa ba­yan ng San Fer­nan­do, Mas­ba­te. Pi­na­tay sila ng gru­po ni Sgt. Cha­las, li­der ng Peace and Deve­lop­ment Team ng 2nd IB na su­ma­sak­law sa mga bar­yo ng Ta­li­say, Alta­vis­ta, Bue­navis­ta, Ca­ne­las, Del Ro­sa­­rio at Prog­re­so. Pi­nag­bi­bin­ta­ngang mga ka­sa­pi ng Ba­gong Huk­bong Ba­yan ang da­la­wa.

Noong Hunyo 14 ng gabi, pinuntahan ng mga sundalo ang bahay ni Pizo Cabug sa Barangay Bue­na­­vista at siya ay pinagbabaril hanggang mapatay. Kasapi si Cabug ng Masbate Peo­ple’s Orga­ni­zation.

Sa harap ng sunud-sunod na pama­mas­lang sa mga taga­pag­tanggol ng karapatang-tao sa Bicol at ibang panig ng bansa, nag­pro­testa ang aabot sa anim na libo sa Naga City no­ong Hunyo 19. Tina­wag itong “Ki­­los Bikolano laban sa Tira­niya.” Nag­protesta na­man ang mga kasapi ng Karapa­tan sa harapan ng Department of Na­tional De­fense sa Quezon City noong Hunyo 17.

Sa Bukidnon, binaril at napatay ng mga elemento ng estado si Nonoy Palma sa ha­ra­pan ng kan­yang ba­hay sa Sit­yo Ma­lam­ba­go, Ba­ra­ngay Ha­la­pi­tan, San Fer­nan­do, noong Hunyo 16. Ka­sa­pi si Palma ng KASAMA, pampru­bin­syang ba­la­ngay ng Ki­lu­sang Mag­bu­bu­kid ng Pi­li­pi­nas. Nakilala ang isa sa tat­long bu­ma­ril sa kan­ya na ka­sa­pi ng pa­ra­mi­li­tar na Ala­ma­ra.

Sa­man­ta­la, bi­na­ril at na­pa­tay si Fe­li­pe Dacal­dacal, ka­sa­pi ng Na­tio­nal Fe­de­ra­ti­on of Su­gar Wor­kers noong Hun­yo 9 ng ga­bi sa Si­tyo Di­ta, Ba­ra­ngay Pi­na­puga­san, Esca­lan­te City, Negros Occidental.

Pag­pas­lang sa na­wa­lan na ng la­ban

Pi­na­tay nang wa­lang ka­la­ban-la­ban ng 31st IB si Edwin “Ka Du­pax” De­ma­te­ra, ku­man­der ng Ba­gong Huk­bong Ba­yan (BHB)-Sor­so­gon noong Hun­yo 12. Bi­na­ril si­ya pag­ka­ta­pos bug­bu­gin sa labas ng kan­yang ba­hay sa Ba­ra­ngay Inca­rizan, Ma­gal­la­nes, Sor­so­gon. Na­sa lu­gar si Dematera pa­ra pan­sa­man­ta­lang mag­pa­ga­ling ng na­ma­ma­ga ni­yang paa.

Ma­ta­pos ba­ri­lin si Dema­tera­, pi­na­sok ng mga sun­da­lo ang kan­yang ba­hay at ki­num­pis­ka ang ga­mit ng mga bi­si­ta ng kan­yang pa­mil­ya. Ili­gal din ni­lang ina­res­to si Je­mu­el Non Sa­tu­ray at di­na­la sa Camp Escude­ro sa Sor­so­gon City. Pi­nag­bin­ta­ngan si­yang ka­sa­pi ng BHB at pi­na­la­bas na may­ro­ong ba­ril na ka­lib­re .38.

Pi­na­mu­mu­nu­an ni Lt. Col. Randy N. Espi­no ang 31st IB na na­ka­ba­se sa Ba­ra­ngay Ra­ngas, Ju­ban, Sor­so­gon. Nadestino ang batalyong ito sa ba­ha­ging Ca­ma­ri­nes Nor­te noong dekada 1990. Inili­pat si­la sa Sor­so­gon noong 2011 at na­ka­pa­kat sa prubinsya hang­gang sa ka­sa­lu­ku­yan.

Du­gu­ang re­kord

Ba­tay sa mga nai­ta­la ng Ang Ba­yan, si­mu­la 2014 ay may 18 bik­ti­ma ng pag­pas­lang ang 31st IB. Ki­la­la rin ang ba­tal­yon sa mga ili­gal na pag-a­res­to, pag­na­na­kaw, at sa­pi­li­tang pag­pa­sok sa ba­hay ng mga si­bil­yan. Ma­ra­mi na ring nai­ta­lang ka­so ng pagpatay sa mga hors de com­bat ang ba­tal­yon.

Isa sa pi­na­ka­ma­sa­hol na ka­so ang wa­lang-a­wang pag­pa­pau­lan ng ba­la sa ba­hay ng pa­mil­ya Gar­duque noong Ma­yo 2014 sa Mat­nog, Sor­so­gon. Ina­ku­sa­hang mga ka­sa­pi ng BHB ang mag-a­sa­wang Eli­as at Cynthia.

Binaril at na­pa­tay si Eli­as sa­man­ta­lang su­ga­tan ang kan­yang asa­wa. Ti­na­ma­an din ang ka­ni­lang isang taong gu­lang na sang­gol. Si­yam na oras na pi­na­ba­ya­an ng mga sun­da­lo ang su­ga­ta­nag mag-i­na at pi­ni­gi­lan ang mga ta­ga-bar­yo na tu­mu­long sa ka­ni­la.

Ang ber­du­gong ba­tal­yon din ang pu­ma­tay kay Teo­do­ro “Tay Tu­doy” Esca­nil­la, 63, tagapag­sa­lita ng Karapatan-Sorsogon, noong Agos­to 2015. Pi­nag­ba­ba­ril si­ya sa kan­yang ba­hay sa Ba­ra­ngay Tag­don, Barce­lo­na sa Sor­so­gon.

[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippinesand is issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and views on current issues. Ang Bayan comes out fortnightly and is published in Pilipino, Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.]
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/2019/06/21/8-pagpaslang-sa-7-araw/

CPP/Ang Bayan: 2nd IB: Ber­du­go ng Mas­ba­te at Albay

Propaganda article from the Tagalog language edition of Ang Bayan posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jun 21, 2019): 2nd IB: Ber­du­go ng Mas­ba­te at Albay



Aa­bot sa 1,000 re­si­den­te mu­la sa wa­long ba­ra­ngay sa Ca­wa­yan, Mas­ba­te ang nag­protesta sa ha­rap ng mu­ni­sip­yo noong Hun­yo 3-8. Ki­nun­de­na ni­la ang ma­tin­ding mi­li­ta­ri­sa­syon at igi­ni­it na pa­la­ya­sin ang mga sun­da­lo ng 2nd IB na umo­ku­pa sa ka­ni­lang mga ko­mu­ni­dad mu­la pa Ma­yo 20.

Ayon sa Ki­lu­sang Mag­bu­bu­kid ng Mas­ba­te (KMM), du­ma­ra­mi ang bi­lang ng pag­la­bag ng 2nd IB sa ka­ra­pa­tang-tao at pag­wa­sak sa ka­bu­ha­yan ng mga mag­sa­sa­ka.

Noong Ma­yo 22, sa­pi­li­tang pi­na­sok ng mga ele­men­to ng 2nd IB ang ka­ba­ha­yan at bi­nug­bog ang mga m­yem­bro ng KMM. Ni­na­kaw din ang P12,400 ipon ni Ro­se­ma­rie Ere­ro, myembro ng KMM, at sa­pi­li­tang ina­res­to ang kan­yang ka­pa­tid na si Ni­lo Ere­ro Jr.. Di­nu­kot at pwer­sa­hang pi­nagtra­ba­ho din ang mga mag­sa­sa­kang si­na Da­ni­lo Lan­dao, Arnel Pu­nay, Jova­nie Impas, Bobby Bay­ba­yon, Ondo Ron­di­na, Tong-tong Pia­nar, Ti­ting De­los Re­yes, Ondoy Pia­nar at Boy-boy Sa­re.

Bu­kod di­to, 11 mag­sa­sa­ka ang pi­lit na pi­nag­gi­ya sa ope­ra­syo­n. Pi­nag­ban­ta­an ding pa­pa­ta­yin ang da­ting ba­ra­ngay ka­ga­wad na si Da­ni­lo Cu­nel at pi­nag­ba­wa­lan ang mga re­si­den­te ng Ba­ra­ngay Da­li­pe na mag­la­bas-ma­sok sa ka­ni­lang ba­ra­ngay.

Ang mga ka­song ito ay dag­dag sa ma­ha­bang lis­ta­han ng mga kri­men ng 2nd IB sa ma­ma­ma­yan ng Bi­col. Mu­la sa mga ka­ru­mal-du­mal na pag­pa­tay hang­gang sa pa­nu­nu­li­san, nag­ha­sik ng te­ror ang ber­du­gong ba­tal­yon na ito sa Mas­ba­te at Albay ni­tong nag­da­ang ma­hi­git sam­pung taon. Pi­na­mu­mu­nu­an ito nga­yon ni Lt. Col. John Oliver F. Ga­bun at na­ka­ba­se sa Ba­ra­ngay Baco­lod, Mi­lag­ros, Mas­ba­te.

Ma­ma­ma­tay-tao
Mu­la 2010, di ba­ba­ba sa 41 ang nai­ta­lang si­bil­yang bik­ti­ma ng pa­ma­mas­lang ng 2nd IB, at anim ang bik­ti­ma ng bi­gong pag­pa­tay. Ha­los la­hat sa mga bik­ti­ma ay bi­nan­sa­gang mga myembro o ta­ga­su­por­ta ng re­bo­lu­syo­nar­yong ki­lu­san. Da­la­wam­pu sa mga pa­ma­mas­lang ang na­ga­nap sa Mas­ba­te sa loob ng nag­da­ang hu­ling tat­long taon.

Tam­pok sa mga kri­men ng 2nd IB sa Mas­ba­te ang pag­pa­tay sa da­la­wang ba­ta at ka­ni­lang lo­la noong Abril 2017. Wa­lang ha­bas na pi­na­pu­tu­kan ng mga sun­da­lo, sa pa­mu­mu­no ni Lt. Kar­li­to John Ca­bil­lo, ang ba­hay ng mga bik­ti­ma sa Ba­ra­ngay Pa­nan-a­wan, Ca­wa­yan, Mas­ba­te. Na­ma­tay si Li­ta Vil­la­mor Pe­pi­to, 70, at ang mag­ka­pa­tid na Re­den at Rechil­len Lu­na, 9 at 11 taong gu­lang. Su­ga­tan na­man ang asa­wa ni Pe­pi­to na si Pao­ling.

Noong 2018, mu­la Agos­to 26-Set­yembre 7, pi­tong si­bil­yan ang pi­na­tay ng mga ber­du­go. Li­ma sa mga bik­ti­ma ay mga re­si­den­te ng mag­ka­ka­ta­bing ba­ra­ngay sa mga ba­yan ng San Jacin­to, San Fer­nan­do at Mon­re­al. Ilang ka­ba­ha­yan din ang si­nu­nog ng mga sun­da­lo.

Ka­ru­mal-du­mal na mga pag­pa­tay din ang isi­na­ga­wa ng 2nd IB sa Albay nang na­ka­des­ti­no pa ito sa pru­bin­sya mu­la 2006-2016. Da­la­wa sa mga bik­ti­ma ni­to ang pi­nu­gu­tan ng ulo, isa ang si­nu­nog at isa pa ay ni­las­la­san ng leeg. Da­la­wang ma­sa­ker ang isi­na­ga­wa ni­to sa pru­bin­sya.

Ma­na­na­la­kay ng ka­ba­ta­an

Hin­di lig­tas ang mga ba­ta at ka­ba­ta­an sa sa­mutsa­ring kri­men ng ber­du­gong ba­tal­yon. Ma­li­ban sa mag­ka­pa­tid na Lu­na, da­la­wa ring ka­ba­ta­an ang bik­ti­ma ng pa­ma­ma­ril ng 2nd IB sa Pio­du­ran, Albay noong Abril 2012. Isa ang na­ma­tay at isa pa ang su­ga­tan nang pa­pu­tu­kan si­la ng mga sun­da­lo. Da­da­lo la­mang sa sa­ya­wan ang mag­kai­bi­gan.

Nang mi­na­sa­ker ng 2nd IB ang pa­mil­yang Lo­ti­no sa Da­ra­ga, Albay noong Oktub­re 2010, isa sa mga bik­ti­ma ay me­nor de edad, ha­bang ma­tin­ding ta­kot na­man ang ini­wan ng mga ber­du­go sa tat­long ba­tang na­ka­lig­tas sa pa­ma­mas­lang.

Sa mga ba­ra­ngay na inoo­ku­pa ng 2nd IB, gi­na­ga­mit ni­la ang mga ba­ta bi­lang mga pa­nang­ga­lang. Sa Gui­no­ba­tan, Albay, naiu­lat ang mga ka­so kung saan mga me­nor-de-e­dad ang gi­na­ga­wang gi­ya ng mga sun­da­lo sa ka­ni­lang operasyon.

Tu­li­san

Sa Ba­ra­ngay San Jo­se sa Uson, Mas­ba­te, ma­ta­pos pag­na­ka­wan ang mga re­si­den­te noong Set­yembre 2017, mu­ling na­ngu­lim­bat ang mga sun­da­lo noong Agos­to 2018 ng mga ala­gang ha­yop, ka­ga­mi­tan at pe­ra ng ilang re­si­den­te.

Sa Ba­ra­ngay Ta­li­say sa San Fer­nan­do, Mas­ba­te, tat­long ulit na­mang pi­nag­na­ka­wan ng mga sun­da­lo ang taum­bar­yo noong Ma­yo 2018. Pi­na­mu­nu­an mis­mo ni Lt. Col. Ga­bun ang kri­men. Sa­pi­li­tan ni­yang pi­na­da­lo ang mga re­si­den­te sa isang pag­pu­pu­long, ha­bang ni­li­li­mas ng kan­yang mga tau­han ang mga ari-a­ri­an ng taum­bar­yo. Ka­bi­lang sa iniu­lat ng mga re­si­den­te na ki­nu­ha ng 2nd IB ang wa­long bang­kang pa­ngis­da at mga lam­bat, bi­gas, puu-pu­ong ala­gang ha­yop, li­mang ge­ne­ra­tor at mga ga­mit sa pag­sa­sa­ka. Isang araw ba­go ni­to, apat na mo­tor­sik­lo din ang ti­na­ngay ng mga sun­da­lo. Hin­di ba­ba­ba sa 35 ang bik­ti­ma sa 12 ka­so ng pag­na­na­kaw ng 2nd IB.

Ta­la­mak ang pa­nu­nu­li­san ng 2nd IB ka­hit noong na­ka­des­ti­no pa ito sa Albay. Ban­tog ang mga de­tatsment ni­to bi­lang mga pa­si­mu­no ng hol­da­pan. Isi­na­sa­ma ng mga sun­da­lo sa ka­ni­lang pa­nu­nu­li­san ang mga rek­rut sa Ba­ra­ngay Intel­li­gence Net­work, at pa­ngu­na­hing ti­na­tar­get ang mga pang­git­nang pwer­sa na pi­nag­bi­bin­ta­ngang su­mu­su­por­ta sa re­bo­lu­syo­nar­yong ki­lu­san. May nai­ta­la ring isang ka­so ng pang­ga­ga­ha­sa ang mga hol­da­per ng 2nd IB.

Li­ga­lig sa mga ko­mu­ni­dad

Sa mga ba­ra­ngay na inoo­ku­pa ng 2nd IB, sa­pi­li­tang pi­na­pagtra­ba­ho ang mga re­si­den­te upang mag­ta­yo ng mga ku­bo ng mi­li­tar, pi­nag­gu-gwardya at pi­na­pag-ron­da. La­ga­nap din ang pa­na­na­kot at pag­ba­ban­ta sa mga pi­nag­su­sus­pet­sa­hang myembro o ta­ga­su­por­ta ng re­bo­lu­syo­nar­yong ki­lu­san.

Mu­la 2010-2015, ino­ku­pa at ni­li­ga­lig ng mga ope­ra­syong “peace and deve­lop­ment” ng 2nd IB ang mga ba­ra­ngay sa ika­la­wa at ikat­long distri­to ng Albay. Sa Mas­ba­te, ma­tin­di ang mga kri­men ni­to sa ma­ma­ma­yan sa una at ika­la­wang distri­to.

Dag­dag pa sa mga naiu­lat na ka­so ni­to ang ili­gal na de­ten­syon at pag-a­res­to sa 39 si­bil­yan, li­mang bik­ti­ma ng tortyur at pa­na­na­kit, at pang­gi­gi­pit sa wa­long si­bil­yan.

Unang na­des­ti­no ang 2nd IB sa Bicol noong 1986, at nag­pa­li­pat- li­pat sa mga pru­bin­sya ng re­hi­yon. Ma­ka­ra­ang su­mai­la­lim sa “mu­ling-pag­sa­sa­nay” noong 2006, tu­min­di ang mga ka­buk­tu­tan ng ba­tal­yon nang ili­pat ito mu­la Sor­so­gon pa­tu­ngong Albay. Di­to ipi­na­tu­pad ng 2nd IB ang bru­tal na mga kam­pan­yang Oplan Ban­tay La­ya 1 at 2 hang­gang Oplan Ba­ya­ni­han. Ini­li­pat na­man sa Mas­ba­te ang mga ber­du­go noong 2016 at doon ipi­nag­pa­pa­tu­loy ang ka­ni­lang mga kri­men.

[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippinesand is issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and views on current issues. Ang Bayan comes out fortnightly and is published in Pilipino, Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.]
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/2019/06/21/2nd-ib-berdugo-ng-masbate-at-albay/

CPP/Ang Bayan: Nag­pa­pa­sa­sang mga bu­ruk­ra­ta

Propaganda article from the Tagalog language edition of Ang Bayan posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jun 21, 2019): Nag­pa­pa­sa­sang mga bu­ruk­ra­ta

Hin­di la­mang si Rod­ri­go Du­ter­te ang may di-mai­pa­li­wa­nag na pag­lo­bo ng ya­man ha­bang na­kau­po sa gub­yer­no. Noong 2018, nagtaasan ang halaga ng 15 upisyal ng kanyang gabinete ayon sa isinumite nilang Statement on Assets, Liabilities and Network o SALN. Pitong kongresista naman—karamiha’y kaalyado ng nakaupong rehimen—ang nakita ng paglobo ng yaman sa loob lamang ng isang taong panunungkulan.

Sa gabinete, na­na­na­ti­ling pi­na­ka­ma­ya­man sa ga­bi­ne­te si Mark Vil­lar, ka­li­him ng De­partment of Pub­lic Works and Highways, na nag-u­lat ng ha­la­gang P1.408 bil­yon. Pi­na­ka­ma­la­ki na­man ang paglobo ng ya­man ni Alfre­do Cu­si, ka­li­him ng De­partment of Energy, na nag-u­lat ng P29 mil­yong dag­dag sa da­ti na ni­yang ya­man na P1.356 bil­yon noong 2017.

Sa Mababang Kapulungan, pi­na­ka­ma­la­ki ang ini­ya­man ng ne­go­sya­nteng si Delphi­ne Lee ng par­ti­dong Agri Party. Lu­ma­ki ang kan­yang ha­la­ga nang 400% mu­la P50 mil­yon tu­ngong P254 mil­yon noong 2018. Ga­yun­pa­man, mas ma­la­ki pa rin ang ini­ya­man ng bur­ge­sya kumpra­dor na si Micha­el Ro­me­ro ng par­ti­dong 1-Pacman. Na­dag­da­gan ang ya­man ni Ro­me­ro nang P567 mil­yon mu­la P7.291 bil­yon sa 2017 tu­ngong P7.858 bil­yon noong 2018. Gi­na­mit ng mga bu­ruk­ra­tang ito ang sis­te­mang party list pa­ra ip­wes­to ang sa­ri­li sa Kong­re­so at ku­mo­po ng ma­ta­ta­bang kontra­tang pam­pub­li­ko.

[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippinesand is issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and views on current issues. Ang Bayan comes out fortnightly and is published in Pilipino, Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.]
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/2019/06/21/nagpapasasang-mga-burukrata/

CPP/Ang Bayan: 4 na ar­mas, na­kum­pis­ka ng BHB-Sa­mar

Propaganda article from the Tagalog language edition of Ang Bayan posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jun 21, 2019): 4 na ar­mas, na­kum­pis­ka ng BHB-Sa­mar

Apat na armas ang na­kum­pis­ka ng Bagong Hukbong Bayan (BHB)-Northern Sa­mar ma­ta­pos ang ma­ta­gum­pay na reyd sa de­tatsment ng Alpha Com­pany, 63rd IB sa Sit­yo Little La­nu­bi, Ba­ra­ngay La­nu­bi (EJ Dulay), Lao-ang, Northern Samar noong Ma­yo 21, alas-4 ng uma­ga. Pi­na­sa­bu­gan ng BHB at pi­na­pu­tu­kan ang de­tatsment. Na­kum­pis­ka sa reyd ang tat­long rip­leng R4, isang pis­to­la, mga ma­ga­sin, ba­la at iba pang ga­mit-mi­li­tar. Tat­long sun­da­lo, kabilang ang dalawang upisyal, ang na­pa­tay sa loob ng 30-mi­nu­tong la­ba­nan. Sa­man­ta­la, bi­nig­yan-pu­gay ng BHB si Ka Yu­lo na na­martir sa open­si­ba.

Ang 63rd IB ay isa sa mga ba­tal­yong gi­na­mit sa pa­na­na­la­kay sa Ma­ra­wi. Nang ibinalik sa Nor­thern Samar, nag­­sil­bi itong pwer­sang pan­se­gu­ri­dad ng priba­dong kontraktor na naglalatag ng proyektong kal­­­sa­da sa lu­gar.

Matapos ang opensiba, ki­nan­­yon ng militar ang barangay at pinagbantaan ang mga resi­dente.

Quezon. Inam­bus noong Hun­yo 13 ng isang yu­nit ng BHB-Quezon ang hin­di ba­ba­ba sa 30 ele­men­to ng 85th IB na nag­pa­pat­rul­ya sa Sit­yo Ta­nauan sa Baranga­y Vil­la Nacaob, Lo­pez, Quezon. Da­la­wang sun­da­lo ang agad na na­pa­tay ma­ta­pos bug­su­an sila ng pu­tok ng na­ka­tam­bang na mga Pu­lang man­di­rig­ma. 

Ba­ha­gi ang nag­pa­pat­rul­yang yu­nit sa ope­ra­syong pag­tu­gis ng 85th IB sa isang yu­nit ng BHB na su­ma­la­kay sa ka­ni­lang tro­pa noong Hun­yo 11 sa Sit­yo Bu­nga sa pa­re­hong ba­ra­ngay. Hun­yo 7 pa nag­si­mu­la ang ope­ra­syong kom­bat ng na­tu­rang ba­tal­yon sa lu­gar. Ma­hi­git 200 tro­pa ng pi­nag­sa­nib na AFP-PNP-CAFGU ang hu­ma­li­haw sa tat­long ba­yan sa Quezon (Lo­pez, Maca­le­lon, Ca­ta­nauan) at su­mak­law sa 16 na ba­ra­ngay.

[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippinesand is issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and views on current issues. Ang Bayan comes out fortnightly and is published in Pilipino, Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.]
https://www.philippinerevolution.info/2019/06/21/4-na-armas-nakumpiska-ng-bhb-samar/