MBLT-4 performs donning of ranks to 11 promoted Marines

From Palawan News (Jan 1, 2021): MBLT-4 performs donning of ranks to 11 promoted Marines (By Aira Genesa Magdayao)

Lt. Col. Prisco Tabo, commanding officer of the MBLT-4 facilitated the donning of ranks to newly-promoted officers 1Lt. Kelvinson Agustin, 1Lt. Joe Luis Asperin, 2Lt. Ramon Cabaring, SSgt. Jimmy Granzo, Cpl. Alex Velasco, Cpl. Edaurdo Villanueva Jr., Cpl. Emil Rhor Virrey, Cpl. Abner Jose, Cpl. Thony Gie Lagos, Cpl. Artemio Sanchez Jr. and Cpl. Reynaldo Ugali.



Photo by Aim High

A donning of ranks was held by the Marine Battalion Landing Team-4 for 11 Marines who received their promotion orders before the end of the year.

Lt. Col. Prisco Tabo, commanding officer of the MBLT-4 facilitated the donning of ranks to newly-promoted officers 1Lt. Kelvinson Agustin, 1Lt. Joe Luis Asperin, 2Lt. Ramon Cabaring, SSgt. Jimmy Granzo, Cpl. Alex Velasco, Cpl. Edaurdo Villanueva Jr., Cpl. Emil Rhor Virrey, Cpl. Abner Jose, Cpl. Thony Gie Lagos, Cpl. Artemio Sanchez Jr. and Cpl. Reynaldo Ugali.

Their new ranks were laid on their shoulders at Camp Daypo, Barangay Abo-Abo in Sofronio Española town.

“Ang paggawad sa kanila ng promosyon ay sagisag ng kanilang pagpapakita ng kahusayan sa trabaho at pagtupad sa kanilang sinumpaang tungkulin. Sa kabila ng kanilang tagumpay na nakamtan, kaakibat ng promosyong ito ang mga panibagong tungkulin at responsibilidad na kanilang gagampanan,” the MBLT-4 said on its Facebook page.

https://palawan-news.com/mblt-4-performs-donning-of-ranks-to-11-promoted-marines/

NPA getting stronger in Negros: spox

From the Visayan Daily Star (Dec 28, 2020): NPA getting stronger in Negros: spox (BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN)

The Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the New People’s Army in Negros Island marked the 52nd founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on Dec. 26, by honoring its former comrades, who offered their lives to advance the armed struggle.

Ka Juanito Magbanua, spokesperson of the command, in a statement he issued, said that they honored Ka Reymond, Ka Redo, Ka Marmar, Ka Javar, Ka Dennise, Ka Leo, Ka Junjun, Ka Joy and Ka Lakas, for their contributions to the armed struggle.

Magbanua disputed military allegations that the NPA in Negros is on the brink of collapse, as indicated by the arrests of many of their members, those who surrendered or were killed in gun battles, and the declaration of the NPA as persona non grata by many local government units.

He maintained that not a single NPA guerilla front had been dismantled in Negros Island.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command reported earlier that the NPA South East Front was already dismantled, and two of its seven armed remnants died in a gun battle with 11th Infantry Battalion soldiers on Dec. 24 in Siaton, Negros Oriental.

There are still four NPA guerilla fronts in Negros up for dismantling by the 302nd and 303rd infantry brigades that supervise five Army battalions, it said. Despite the focused operations of the military against them, Magbanua claimed they were able to consolidate their forces.

https://news.visayandailystar.com/npa-getting-stronger-in-negros-spox/

Task Force Balik-Loob enhances database of surrendered rebels

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jan 1, 2021): Task Force Balik-Loob enhances database of surrendered rebels (By Susan G. De Leon) 

CALOOCAN CITY, Jan. 1 (PIA) -- The Former Rebel Information System (FRIS) launched in 2019 by Task Force Balik-Loob (TFBL), an inter-agency group that implements a program for surrendered rebels, is now dubbed as the Enhanced FRIS (E-FRIS) after the old program was recently modified and improved to better serve its beneficiaries.

Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu TFBL Chair, clarified that the former FRIS was upgraded with new features to make it more beneficial to former rebels (FRs).

“You see, there are times when you discover that a certain program is not so perfect, after all, when you first implement it; however, as you go along, you discover some areas need improvement and others need to be revised, so you make necessary adjustments to make them really effective,” Undersecretary Mapagu said.

“This is what we did with E-FRIS; we wanted it to be a really solid and tight system because it deals with FRs whose protection and welfare are our priority,” the Undersecretary added.

The E-FRIS is a tool for decision makers and commanders, who provide security and other initiatives for former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and Militia ng Bayan (MB) who surrendered to units or the local governments within their areas of responsibility.

The system is a central database of all former rebels that also identifies demographic indicators of FRs that can influence strategy and policy for programs developed to aid them in their new life in mainstream society. All concerned units in the Armed Forces of the Philippines are taught how to manage the E-FRIS and provide regular updates to the TFBL Secretariat.

E-FRIS also provides member-agencies of TFBL a common platform to process information of rebel returnees.

As for the security guarantee of all information entered into the database, Usec. Mapagu assured that they are “very safe because we have trusted partners for this system, including the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency or NICA.” (TBFL/PIA-NCR)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1062855

Sinas OKs dismissal of 9 cops in Jolo shooting incident

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 1, 2021): Sinas OKs dismissal of 9 cops in Jolo shooting incident (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)

PNP chief, Gen. Debold Sinas. (File photo)

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Debold Sinas, on Friday said he has approved the dismissal from service of nine police officers involved in the shooting of four Army intelligence operatives in Jolo, Sulu in June last year.

“Confirmed and approved (the) dismissal in police service (of the) nine cops involved in the Jolo shooting incident. We had informed the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigating body that after 10 days na ma-finalize ang dismissal nila at wala pa warrant of arrest nila from court ay i-turn over namin ang nine (police officers) sa mga kamag-anak nila at wala na kami jurisdiction sa kanila (once their dismissal is finalized and the court has not issued any warrant of arrest against them, we will turn them over to their relatives and we won't have any jurisdiction over them),” Sinas told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in a text message.

Sinas said once dismissed from PNP service, the nine officers would become civilians and they have no legal basis to detain them.

"We might face allegations of arbitrary detention. This is why we are coordinating with the DOJ that is investigating the criminal case to fast track its filing. And we would hold them to the maximum period allowable. Hopefully, a warrant of arrest would be issued against them soon,” Sinas added.

Administrative charges have been earlier filed against Senior M/Sgt. Abdelzhimar Padjiri; M/Sgt. Hanie Baddiri; S/Sgt. Iskandar Susulan; S/Sgt. Ernisar Sappal; Cpl. Sulki Andaki; Pat. Mohammed Nur Pasani; S/Sgt. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin; Pat. Alkajal Mandangan; and Pat Rajiv Putalan.

Based on the findings of the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS), also facing administrative charges are Jolo town police chief, Lt. Col. Walter Annayo, Sulu provincial police chief Lt. Col. Michael Bayawan Jr., and Capt. Ariel Corsino, head of the Sulu drug enforcement unit; as they are also liable under the doctrine of command responsibility.

Annayo was gunned down by a still unidentified suspect in Maguindanao in November last year.

Charges of murder and planting of evidence were filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Officer-in-charge Eric Distor following the findings of the NBI Western Mindanao Regional Office and Death Investigation Division.

Killed in the June 29 incident in Jolo, Sulu were Maj. Marvin A. Indammog, 39; Capt. Irwin B. Managuelod, 33; Sgt. Jaime M. Velasco, 38; and Cpl. Abdal Asula, 33.

The four soldiers were conducting intelligence and monitoring operations against two suspected suicide bombers when gunned down by the nine Jolo police officers.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1126106