Central Negros clash kills rebel

Posted to the Panay News (Aug 8, 2023): Central Negros clash kills rebel

BACOLOD City – A New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was killed in a series of running gun battles in central Negros over the weekend.

Authorities identified the fatality as Joel Blasco, a member of the NPA’s Central Negros Front 1.

According to the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB), the initial gun battle took place in Barangay Imelda in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental at around 5:45 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5.

A 10-minute gun battle ensued between government forces and eight rebels.

As the NPA retreated, government forces recovered a loaded .45 pistol and two backpacks.

The Army pursued the rebels until Sitio Cansimba in Barangay Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.

Another gun battle occurred. Blasco was killed while two others escaped.

Authorities recovered a .38 revolver, a fragmentation grenade, and the slain rebel’s belongings.

Blasco’s remains were positively identified by his family. (Watchmen Daily Journal)

https://www.panaynews.net/central-negros-clash-kills-rebel/

Rebel killed; guns recovered in gun battle

From the Visayan Daily Star (Aug 7, 2023): Rebel killed; guns recovered in gun battle (By GILBERT P. BAYORAN)

A CPP-NPA flag and 45 caliber pistol with two magazines containing ammunition, among other items, were recovered by Army soldiers during an encounter with suspected NPA rebels in Brgy. Imelda, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.*PA photo

A suspected New People’s Army rebel died in renewed armed clashes with Army soldiers in Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, on August 5.

The series of encounters ensued after soldiers of the 62nd Infantry Battalion responded to reports by civilians on the presence of eight armed NPA rebels in Sitio Leong, Brgy. Imelda, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

In a statement issued by the 62nd Infantry Battalion, the gun battle between a group of armed rebels ensued at about 5:45 a.m. of Aug. 5, which lasted about 10 minutes.

The fleeing rebels left behind a caliber .45 pistol with a magazine containing ammunition, two back packs with personal belongings, which were recovered at the encounter site by pursuing 62IB soldiers.

Pursuit operations also led to another encounter between Army soldiers and three suspected rebels in Sitio Cansimba, Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padila, believed to have been among the rebels fleeing from the initial encounter site in neighboring Brgy. Imelda, Guihulngan City.

After a three-minute gunbattle, Army soldiers scouring the encounter site discovered a cadaver of a slain rebel and recovered a .38 caliber revolver, a hand grenade, and personal belongings.

The identity of slain rebel has yet not been established as of last night.*

https://visayandailystar.com/rebel-killed-guns-recovered-in-gun-battle/

NPA assassinate ‘military informant’

From the Visayan Daily Star (Aug 8, 2023): NPA assassinate ‘military informant’ (By GILBERT P. BAYORAN)

Several hours after an encounter that resulted in the death of a suspected member of the New People’s Army, five alleged NPA hitmen took revenge by killing a civilian they tagged as a military informant on August 5 at Purok Inarawis, Brgy Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.

Initial investigation conducted by the Moises Padilla police showed that the five suspects identified as Reynaldo and Marlo Catasio, Jesus Molena, Rolandi and Carmilito Juanites had dinner with their victim, Joemarie Benitez and his family, prior to the incident.

After having dinner with the family of the victim, the suspects, who are allegedly members of the NPA Special Partisan Unit, invited Benitez to go with them outside.

Based on the testimonies gathered by the police, Erlinda Benitez, the mother of the victim, said she heard four gunshots and then saw her son lying on the ground, while the suspects withdrew towards Sitio Agogolo in Brgy. Macagahay, Moises Padilla.

She also told the Moises Padilla police that her son was accused of being a military spy.

The liquidation of Benitez, a 28-year-old laborer, took place several hours after Army soldiers killed one of three suspected NPA rebels during an encounter in Sitio Cansimba, Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla.

The three rebels encountered by 62nd Infantry Battalion soldiers were believed to be among the eight armed men fleeing from Army troopers they encountered in Brgy. Imelda, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

Two firearms and a fragmentation grenade were among the war materials recovered by 62IB from the two encounter sites, aside from the remains of a slain rebel.*

https://visayandailystar.com/npa-assassinate-military-informant/

200 ex-Moro National Liberation Front, Moro Islamic Liberation Front members pass initial tests for aspiring cops

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 7, 2023): 200 ex-Moro National Liberation Front, Moro Islamic Liberation Front members pass initial tests for aspiring cops (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan) 

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)

MANILA – A total of 200 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) passed the physical and medical examinations to join the police force, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the former members of secessionist groups in Mindanao hurdled the neuro, physical and medical examinations but they would still be subjected to background investigations.

“Right now, there are around 200 of them who are included in what we call a clean list which means that they already passed all the examinations being conducted in our recruitment process,” Fajardo told reporters in a press briefing held at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

She said the former fighters were among the 1,000 passers of the special eligibility examinations as part of the integration process at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) following the signing of a peace agreement under the previous administration.

“’Yung initially na 1,000 mahigit na isinalang dito sa processes, sa ngayon ang nasa clean list I understand nasa around 200 na lamang ang nakalusot at sa ngayon ‘yung 600 na sumalang dito sa process na ito ay tuloy tuloy pa rin ‘yung ginagawang complete background investigation so kahit ikaw ay napasama na dito sa clean list, ibig sabihin naipasa niyo yung mga process including the neuro psychological examination ay hindi pa ito sapat dahil hinihintay pa rin natin ‘yung resulta ng background investigation (The initially around 1,000 who were under in the processes, so far the ones on the clean list, I understand that only around 200 have made it through to what we call the clean list and so far the 600 who have entered this process are still. A complete background investigation is being done, so even though you have been included in the clean list, it means that you have passed the processes including the neuro psychological examination, it is not enough because we are still waiting for the results of the background investigation),” Fajardo explained.

The PNP earlier allocated 400 slots for former Moro Islamic Liberation Front and MNLF combatants, where all of them will be assigned at the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR).

“The complete background investigation is still ongoing so even if you were already included in the clean list, this is not enough since the PNP will still find out if they have a derogatory record which is a ground for disqualification in the recruitment process,” said Fajardo.

Since the 400 slots allocated for PRO-BAR were not filled up, Fajardo said the regional office will initiate moves to complete the quota in the future recruitment process.

Fajardo also emphasized that the PNP does not see any risk in integrating Moro Islamic Liberation Front and MNLF members into the police force.

“The intention really is for them to serve the BARMM in order for them to be empowered which means that the cooperation and genuine concern for all the people of the BARMM will come from them,” said Fajardo.

In May 2022, around 7,000 of 11,000 MNLF and Moro Islamic Liberation Front members passed a special qualifying eligibility examination to join the PNP.

Fajardo said earlier they have started the processing of 1,000 passers who have been endorsed by the Bangsamoro government -- 700 of whom are from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and 300 are from the MILF.

The applicants would have to pass the body mass index test, physical agility test, psychological examination, and physical and dental examination.

After their oath-taking, the successful applicants would undergo a one-year basic recruitment course and a six-month field training program.

Once they finish these courses, they would be given a temporary appointment status and would be assigned to the PRO-BAR.

The National Police Commission earlier said the age requirement for Moro Islamic Liberation Front and MNLF applicants shall not be below 20 and not over 35 years old.

One of the major requirements for the applicants to the special qualifying exams is a certification from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the MNLF that they are bonafide members of the organizations.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207254

NTF-WPS scores Chinese harassment of PH ships on resupply mission

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 7, 2023): NTF-WPS scores Chinese harassment of PH ships on resupply mission (By Priam Nepomuceno)

(Photo courtesy of Philippine Coast Guard)

MANILA – The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) slammed China's attempts to block Philippine efforts to resupply its troops stationed in Ayungin Shoal over the weekend.

Such acts violate humanitarian and international laws as the Philippines was only conducting legal activities to support its troops manning the BRP Sierra Madre located in Philippine territory, according to National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya.

"The NTF-WPS led by National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año strongly condemned the aggressive, dangerous and unlawful actions by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels against Philippine-chartered supply boats and Philippine Coast Guard vessels who are undertaking a regular rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal last Saturday, August 5, 2023," Malaya said during their joint briefing with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday.

He said the "repeated water cannoning and continuous dangerous maneuvers" by the CCG and CMM vessels put the lives of the crew members of the Philippine vessels in danger.

"We wish to underscore that the Philippine vessels were undertaking regular and lawful activities in support of BRP Sierra Madre (LST-57), a commissioned Philippine vessel permanently stationed in Ayungin Shoal which is well within our continental shelf and exclusive economic zone," he added.

Malaya also blamed the CCG and CMM's "dangerous and unlawful tactics" for preventing the second Philippine supply boat from completing its mission of bringing food, water, and other provisions to Filipino troops.

At one point, Malaya said a CCG vessel blocked the way of a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship within 20 yards, a maneuver that could have resulted in a collision, if not for the quick thinking and action of Filipino coast guard crews.

"The dangerous and illegal tactics employed which are evidenced by photos, videos, and other official report(s) are a clear and unmistakable violation of domestic laws, the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award which recognizes the Philippines' rights in the West Philippine Sea," he added.

Malaya also emphasized that the CCG and CMM vessels have no right to place a blockade or impede or otherwise control the movement of the PCG and Philippine supply boats in Ayungin Shoal or anywhere else in WPS, especially when these vessels are engaged in resupplying Filipino troops deployed there.

"While one Philippine supply boat was blocked by Chinese vessels from reaching the shoal, another Philippine supply boat was able to break the blockade and successfully delivered much needed supplies and provisions to BRP Sierra Madre," he added.

For this exemplary action, Malaya said the NTF-WPS commended the men and women of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command, the Philippine Navy and the PCG, for their daring, bravery, and commitment to duty, despite all odds, and despite the continuous Chinese bullying, harassment and intimidation.

"We demand that the Government of the People's Republic of China immediately cease and desist all its coercive, unlawful, unacceptable activities in the WPS. Guided by the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his second State of the Nation Address, the Philippine Government will continue to uphold its sovereign rights and preserve our nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.

Malaya also assured the Filipino people that the government "will not lose any inch of our territory."

He also added that the government will never waver in its determination to resupply the country's troops stationed in Ayungin Shoal and other Philippine-occupied features.

Under the Marcos administration, Malaya said the government will continue to uphold the implementation of the 2016 Arbitral Award in relation to our rights in the West Philippine Sea in defense of a rules-based international order.

"Our position is clear, The Award is final and indisputable and we firmly reject attempts to undermine it but guided by the President, we will always pursue constant dialogue and diplomatic approaches with other claimants towards the resolution of any issue that may arise," he added.

In the same briefing, PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tariela said the morale of the crew of the two vessels involved -- BRP Cabra and BRP Malabrigo -- remains high.

“The PCG will continue to support missions by the AFP,” Tarriela said.

He noted that the PCG’s multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) such as these said vessels are also equipped with water cannons, “but unlike the CCG, we will not use that against them.”

“They are for firefighting and that's how we intend to use that,” he said.

Meanwhile, AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said the number of Philippine assets for the conduct of future resupply missions has already been increased and added that he cannot reveal exact details for security considerations.

“We will do what is necessary for [BRP Sierra Madre] to continue to stand [in Ayungin Shoal],” he said.

He also rejected China’s call for the Philippines to tow away the grounded vessel.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has since summoned Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian and demanded the immediate cessation of China’s illegal activities and to “stop interfering in legitimate Philippine government activities".

To date, the DFA said about 445 diplomatic protests have been filed against China since 2020. (with report from Raymond dela Cruz/PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207295

DFA summons Chinese envoy over illegal activities in WPS

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 7, 2023): DFA summons Chinese envoy over illegal activities in WPS (By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz)

DANGEROUS MANEUVERS. (From left) Philippine Coast Guard's Commodore Jay Tarriela, National Security Council's Jonathan Malaya and Armed Forces of the Philippines' Col. Medel Aguilar, all spokespersons, answer questions from the media during a press briefing at the Department of Foreign Affairs central office in Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City on Monday (Aug. 7, 2023). Malaya said the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, led by National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, strongly condemns the aggressive, dangerous and unlawful actions by the Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels that attacked with water cannons Philippine-chartered supply boats and Philippine Coast Guard vessels that were undertaking a regular rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal on Saturday (Aug. 5).  (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday officially summoned Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian and demanded the cessation of illegal and dangerous activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a statement, the DFA said a “strong protest” was delivered by DFA Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro in a note verbale to Huang following the water cannoning and blocking incidents during a resupply mission for Philippine military personnel stationed at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal on Aug. 5.

“The DFA firmly asked China to direct its vessels to stop their illegal actions against Philippine vessels, and to stop interfering in legitimate Philippine Government activities,” it said.

It expressed disappointment that its counterpart through the maritime communication mechanism was unreachable for “several hours” while the incident was ongoing.

“[We] hope that the Chinese side would reciprocate, with the same sense of urgency, the communications initiated by the Philippines as has been demonstrated by the Philippines when receiving communications initiated by the Chinese side,” it said.

It noted that the Ayungin Shoal is a “low-tide elevation that cannot be appropriated or subjected to sovereignty claims.”

“The final and binding 12 July 2016 Award in the South China Sea Arbitration, expressly stated that Ayungin Shoal is ‘within the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines,’ over which the Philippines has sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” it said.

The recent incident, it said, is contrary to China’s “Flag State obligations” under the 1972 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) which requires states to take measures to ensure safety at sea and prevent ship collisions.

“The CCG (China Coast Guard) vessels’ dangerous maneuvers restricted the Philippine vessels’ navigational path, thereby increasing the risk of collision, in violation of Rules 2, 7, and 8 of COLREGS,” it said.

On Saturday, two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels were escorting two indigenous boats chartered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the resupply mission when they encountered six larger CCG vessels, two Chinese maritime militia vessels, and three People’s Liberation Army (PLA) navy vessels.

The boats and the PCG vessels—meant to deliver food, water, and other supplies to Ayungin Shoal—were shot with water cannons and repeatedly blocked for over an hour by the Chinese ships resulting in several near collisions.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207320

PBBM to Galido: Transform Army into world-class force

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 7, 2023): PBBM to Galido: Transform Army into world-class force

NEW PH ARMY CHIEF. Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (left) shakes hands with newly appointed Philippine Army commander Lt. Gen. Roy Galido during the change of command rites led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (center) at the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Monday (Aug. 7, 2023). Galido served as commander of the Western Mindanao Command before being named Army chief. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday assured that his administration is committed to supporting the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), including the Philippine Army (PA).

Marcos made this remark as he challenged the new Army chief, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, to work on building an agile, adaptable, competitive and world-class Army.

“I look forward to your plans to protect the shared identity that our past and present generations have built, and to transform the Army into a world-class force that is a source of our country’s security and peace and pride,” Marcos said during the PA change of command rites at the Fort Andres Bonifacio in Taguig City.

Marcos vowed to work with the new PA commanding general to create a more conducive environment for growth by addressing threats to national security.

“I look forward to working with you further and I am confident that you will guide the Army to reach more milestones in our campaign to end in our country the insurgency and [terrorism] threat, as well as to address the lingering and emerging threats to our national security,” Marcos said.

“And as you take the reins of the Army, I wish to remind you that the success of an organization depends on our willingness to work persistently with the citizenry and with the civilian government,” he added.

Elevating the Army to a world-class status will test the limits of Galido’s character, but with the supervision, dedication, and perseverance of the new Army chief and the rest of the troops, Marcos said he is confident that “we can rightfully achieve this in no time at all.”

Marcos also dared Galido, former chief of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), and the entire Army to lead and boost their engagements with their foreign counterparts.

“I urge the entirety of our Army to enhance your interoperability and communications, as well as to learn best practices through training and joint exercises, which we intend to further expand,” he said.

“Hand in hand, we will work together to heighten the internal and external security of the Philippines to create a more conducive environment for the comprehensive growth and empowerment of our people,” he added.

Meanwhile, Marcos congratulated AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. Brawner for completing his tour of duty and developing the Army into a progressive and resilient force.

“Under your leadership, we have established a firm defense against insurgency and terrorism by dismantling guerilla fronts and intensifying our peace-building efforts,” Marcos said.

“Through your initiatives to fortify our internal security, the Army has contributed to the development of conflict-affected communities and our overall progress as a nation. For all of these and more, I extend my utmost respect, gratitude, and admiration. I truly wish you all success in your honorable endeavor now as the Armed Forces Chief of Staff,” he added.

The new Army chief is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1990.

Before his tour of duty as commander of WestMinCom from January to August 2023, Galido served as the commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry “Kampilan” Division from August 2022 to January this year.

Focus on discipline

Galido, meanwhile, said he would focus on establishing discipline as the bedrock of trust in the Army.

The new PA chief also stressed that he would recalibrate internal security operations, strengthening the organization for territorial defense, re-evaluating systems to empower soldiers to have the necessary skills that can contribute to nation-building even after the military life, proper utilization of financial assets, logistics, manpower, and time.

"Soldiery is voluntary, it's a choice, it's a vocation, sacrificing personal interest is mandatory, but your welfare will always be addressed," Galido emphasized.

Aside from his military courses, Galido also has three Master's degrees: a Master's in Management from the Philippine Christian University-Manila, a Master's of Science in Information Technology from the University of New South Wales, Australia; and a Master's in Public Management Major in Development Security from the Development Academy of the Philippines.

P50B for AFP modernization

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said on Monday that PHP50 billion has been allotted for the AFP Modernization Program (AFPMP) under the proposed PHP5.768-trillion budget for 2024.

He said the PHP50 billion in programmed new appropriations is all for capital outlay, and shall be used exclusively to bankroll the funding requirements of the AFPMP.

“We are most exposed to threats coming from the sea, so we definitely favor larger modernization projects for the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Marine Corps in the years ahead,” he said.

Pimentel said the AFPMP currently has PHP27.5 billion in programmed new appropriations, plus PHP17.5 billion in unprogrammed new appropriations in the 2023 national budget.

He said programmed appropriations have definite funding sources, while unprogrammed ones provide standby authority for the Department of National Defense to sign more contracts for modernization projects, depending on available government funds, including borrowed money.

Aside from the proposed funding for the AFPMP next year, Pimentel also pushed for a measure that seeks to appropriate PHP5 billion for the installation of new naval forward operating bases to secure the West Philippine Sea’s gas and oil deposits “for the enjoyment of future generations of Filipinos.” (with reports from Filane Mikee Cervantes and Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207327

Warring Moro Islamic Liberation Front field commanders end clan war, sign peace pact

 From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 7, 2023): Warring Moro Islamic Liberation Front field commanders end clan war, sign peace pact (By Edwin Fernandez)

PEACE PACT. Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front locked in a long-standing family feud agreed to end violence after 10 years, as they pose with Moro Islamic Liberation Front Eastern Mindanao Front commander Jack Abas (center with corsage) in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte on Sunday (Aug. 6, 2023). Abas, the former chief of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Eastern Mindanao Front, is a current member of the Bangsamoro parliament. (Photo courtesy of MP Jack Abas)

COTABATO CITY – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has settled a decades-old “rido” (family feud) and ended “infighting” involving its field commanders operating in Pikit, North Cotabato, and Pagalungan, Maguindanao del Sur, on Sunday afternoon.

Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abdulraof Macacua and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliament member Jack Abas facilitated the settlement that puts an end to clan war that has claimed lives from both sides and displaced several thousands of Moro residents.

Heads of the warring families who happened to be Moro Islamic Liberation Front field leaders were identified as Butto Sanday and Jonie Mantol against the clans of Eddie Dilangalen, Teng Pananggilan and Ricky Hussain.

They signed the peace pact before Macacua, BARMM Senior Minister Abunawas Maslamama, Moro Islamic Liberation Front  field commanders and ceasefire panel members.

“We are glad they all agreed to bury the hatchet and vowed not to use violence against each other anymore,” Macacua, also the former Moro Islamic Liberation Front military arm chief, said in a statement Monday.

Both sides vowed never to use guns to settle whatever misunderstanding that may occur in the future, he added.

“In reality, they are all relatives, related by blood, good they agreed to end the conflict peacefully,” Akmad Abas, a member of the Bangsamoro parliament said in a separate statement Monday.

The groups were locked in clan wars over territorial disputes and personal grudges.

Abas, also known as “Commander Jack” of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), hopes that the former adversaries will now work for peace in the communities.

“I told them your communities will never progress if you continue to fight each other,” Abas, who is also chair of Moro Islamic Liberation Front Eastern Mindanao Front (EMF), said.

He said Mantol is the deputy front commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front National Front Guard while Pananggilan is the field commander and chairperson of Barangay Rajamuda, Pikit.

On the other hand, Hussain is the brigade commander of EMF while Dilangalen is the deputy base commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s 108th base command in Pikit.

At the settlement venue inside the Moro Islamic Liberation Front field office in Barangay Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, the environment was “calm” after warring families met face to face for the first time in the past 10 years.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207271

Gadon vows support for NTF-ELCAC anti-poverty programs

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 8, 2023): Gadon vows support for NTF-ELCAC anti-poverty programs (By Priam Nepomuceno)

MANILA – Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Secretary Larry Gadon on Monday pledged full support for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and other government agencies engaged in uplifting the lives of Filipinos in areas vulnerable to recruitment efforts of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and their allies.

During the press briefing of the NTF-ELCAC, Gadon said he was impressed with the achievements of the task force over the past five years since its creation through Executive Order No. 70 despite its receding budget.

“As far as I know, the projects of NTF-ELCAC are really good. They really helped in stabilizing the peace situation in an area of concern dahil nakakapagbigay sila ng mga (because they are able to provide) economic opportunities,” he added.

Gadon also expressed interest in the task force’s Barangay Development Program (BDP) which he said should be sustained and given more funding.

While his office is not an implementing agency, Gadon said it is his mandate to synchronize all government efforts pursuant to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s "One Policy" to bring basic social services to poverty-stricken areas in the country.

During his first State of the Nation Address, the President vowed to reduce the poverty incidence rate to 9 percent on or before he steps down from office.

“Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation is not an implementing agency. What we can only do is conduct an assessment and evaluation in a particular area of concern. And then, we can recommend the projects that are already being undertaken by NTF-ELCAC,” Gadon said.

Aside from NTF-ELCAC, Gadon said he will also do the same to the National Anti-Poverty Commission and the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor which serve as direct links to the government's poverty alleviation program.

He also expressed confidence that the government’s whole-of-nation approach as now being exemplified by the task force would spur more job creation across the country.

“Dapat ay isulong natin ng masigabo ang agricultural at industrial sector upang yang 95 percent na majority (workforce) ay mapunta sa (We should push for the strengthening of our agricultureal and industrial sector so that the 95 percent majority workforce would get) permanent jobs,” Gadon said.

Gadon praised the President for signing a bill into law that emancipated hundreds of thousands of farmers from their perennial debts.

“Sa (In the) agricultural sector, he signed into law the Agricultural Emancipation. Malaki ang ginagawang tulong ng ating gobyerno para sa ating mga magsasaka (The government is exerting a lot of efforts to assist our farmers). And I hope this will revive our agricultural sector,” he said.

The peasant sector had been the most vulnerable among sectors where NPA recruitment is prevalent.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207334

OPAPRU in talks with DND on release of ECLIP benefits

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 8, 2023): OPAPRU in talks with DND on release of ECLIP benefits (By Che Palicte)

DELAYED. Lawyer Elisa Evangelista-Lapiña, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Eastern Mindanao director, is in talks with Task Force Balik-Loob of the Department of National Defense to fast-track the release of benefits of former rebels under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. More than 700 FRs in Regions 11, 12, and 13 have yet to receive their ECLIP benefits. (Photo courtesy of OPAPRU Eastern Mindanao)

DAVAO CITY – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) is in talks with Task Force Balik-Loob of the Department of National Defense to hasten the release of benefits of former rebels under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).

“We understand the frustrations and concerns of the FRs (former rebels) and their families who have been eagerly awaiting the release of benefits. Rest assured, we are fully committed to resolving this issue promptly and efficiently." Elisa Evangelista-Lapiña, OPAPRU Eastern Mindanao director, said in a statement Monday.

ECLIP is a government initiative that aims to provide a comprehensive package of benefits and assistance to FRs who have decided to return to the fold of the law.

Evangelista-Lapiña noted that more than 700 FRs in Regions 11, 12, and 13 have yet to receive their ECLIP benefits.

"These FRs are still being ‘verified’ if they’re enrolled in the ECLIP Information System maintained by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)," she added.

Lapiña said the delay in the release of benefits has not gone unnoticed, and assured FRs that they are actively working to expedite the process.

She said the issue of delayed E-CLIP benefits surfaced during OPAPRU’s roll-out of the Transformation Program Planning Workshop in the three regions earlier this year, where FRs and various stakeholders raised the concern in the plenary.

“This program is not just about financial support, but also about enabling these individuals to rebuild their lives and become productive members of our communities,” she said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207269

Brawner tells troops to be vigilant against online radicalization

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 8, 2023): Brawner tells troops to be vigilant against online radicalization (By Priam Nepomuceno) 

IHL MONTH OBSERVANCE. AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and other officers and enlisted personnel take their oath during the commemoration of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Month at the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Monday (Aug. 7, 2023). Brawner Jr. urged military personnel to be more vigilant in cyberspace to protect the youth from any radicalization attempts by communist insurgents. (Photo courtesy of AFP)

MANILA – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Monday urged military personnel to be more vigilant in cyberspace to protect the youth from any radicalization attempts by communist insurgents.

He said this is in line with Republic Act 11188 or the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict in calling for enhanced capabilities and operations in cyberspace.

“With our focused military operations, we are confident that the continuous eradication of the communist terrorist groups will soon result in total victory and peace in our land. However, the enemies no longer stay in the highlands but are now emerging through cyberspace – radicalizing our youth,” Brawner said in a statement.

The AFP chief also urged pertinent military units to beef up their cyberspace capabilities to defend against this threat.

One such unit is the AFP Cyber Group also known as AFPCyG which celebrated its fifth founding anniversary last June.

The AFPCyG is also responsible for providing situational awareness and actionable intelligence for military and decision-makers aside and cyberspace operations.

“I encourage you to stay vigilant, strengthen our cyberspace capabilities, and further synchronize our operations within cyberspace realms,” Brawner said.

The AFP chief earlier led the oath-taking ceremony of military personnel in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City in observance of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Month which kicked off on Monday.

Incidentally, the country will also join the observance of IHL on Aug. 12.

“IHL is an essential part of the fabric of our society. It is a reminder that certain rules must be respected even amidst war. At this point, allow me to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all of you for protecting our countrymen, especially during our combat operations. We, the AFP, are always committed to upholding these rules, and we will continue to do so in the years to come,” Brawner said.

This year's celebration is themed "IHL: Gabay sa Makataong Pagsulong ng Kapayapaan," which highlights the continuous and essential significance of IHL in promoting peace and protecting the rights and dignity of individuals impacted by armed conflicts.

“On behalf of the AFP, I join the whole nation in commemorating the IHL this month of August. The soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines, and civilian human resources of the AFP reiterate our pledge and commitment towards the promotion of and adherence to the provisions of the International Humanitarian Law,” Brawner added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207332

‘AFP training in China a slap on our face’

From the Philippine Star (Aug 8, 2023): ‘AFP training in China a slap on our face’ (By Cecille Suerte Felipe)

The 185 new personnel of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division are to perform anti-COVID-19 frontline missions.  Philstar.com / John Unson

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has an ongoing military exchange program with China, as confirmed by Defense Senior Undersecretary Irineo Espino.

Even the Philippine National Police Academy is sending cadets to the Beijing Military Academy and other training institutions of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Some senators find the situation baffling amid China’s aggression in the South China Sea.

Senators Francis Tolentino, Raffy Tulfo and Jinggoy Estrada have agreed that the AFP should explain the program and why the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) stopped accepting cadets from the United States since 2008.

“This is indeed very alarming. This has to be explained. We have not been accepting cadets from our (military) treaty ally while we have been sending (our soldiers) to the country harassing us in the West Philippine Sea… What’s the rationale behind this? How did this happen?” Tolentino said yesterday during the public hearing of the Senate committee on national defense and security on the proposed National Defense Act.


“This has to stop. It’s a slap on our face because while China is bullying us, our military could not retaliate,” Tulfo said, urging the Department of National Defense to stop the program.

“This is the first time I heard this… I find it very alarming that we are sending or encouraging our cadets and senior military officers to Beijing,” Estrada said.

Espino said he has yet to validate if PMA cadets were also training in the Chinese military school. Only AFP officers with the rank of lieutenant colonel or higher may avail themselves of the yearlong training in Beijing, he noted.

“That’s part of Chinese promoting influence globally,” Tulfo noted. He believes the program could even allow the PLA to “infiltrate” the Philippine military hierarchy.

As for the PMA’s non-acceptance of US cadets since 2008, Tolentino said “there must be a reason why they stopped sending cadets from the United States.”

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/08/08/2286999/afp-training-china-slap-our-face

Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over water-cannoned boats in South China Sea

From France 24 (Aug 7, 2023): Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over water-cannoned boats in South China Sea

Manila summoned Beijing's envoy Monday after the China Coast Guard blocked and water cannoned Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos said.

The Philippines has accused China Coast Guard vessels of firing water cannons at its ships in the disputed South China Sea. © Philippine Coast Guard via AFP  Text by:NEWS WIRES

The incident happened Saturday as the Philippine Coast Guard escorted charter boats carrying food, water, fuel and other supplies for Filipino military personnel stationed at Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored a 2016 international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

The Philippine military and coast guard have accused the China Coast Guard of breaking international law in blocking and firing water cannon at the re-supply mission, which prevented one of the charter boats reaching the shoal.

China said it had taken "necessary controls" against Philippines boats that had "illegally" entered its waters.

"Our Secretary of Foreign Affairs summoned Ambassador Huang today and gave him a note verbale including pictures, video about what happened and we are awaiting their reply," Marcos told reporters.

"The position of China, of course, is they say 'this is ours so we are defending it' and we, for our part, are saying 'no, we own it so we are defending it'. So that becomes a grey area that we are discussing."

The US State Department on Sunday condemned the Chinese actions, saying they were carried out by the coast guard and "maritime militia", and that they directly threatened regional peace and stability.

Britain, Australia, Canada and the European Union also criticised Beijing's actions.

Second Thomas Shoal is about 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the Philippine island of Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometres from China's nearest major landmass of Hainan island.

China's coast guard and navy vessels routinely block or shadow Philippine ships patrolling the contested waters, Manila says.

Saturday's incident was the first time since November 2021 that the Chinese coast guard had used water cannon against a Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal.

Manila and Beijing have a long history of maritime disputes over the South China Sea.

However then Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, who was in power from 2016 to 2022, was reluctant to criticise his more powerful neighbour as he sought closer ties with Beijing in the hope of attracting investment.

Marcos has insisted since succeeding Duterte that he will not let China trample on his country's maritime rights.

He has gravitated towards the United States, seeking to strengthen defence ties with the Philippines' former colonial ruler and longtime ally.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230807-philippines-summons-china-ambassador-over-water-cannoning-of-boats

International backlash grows after Chinese vessel fires water cannon on Philippine boats

From CNN Philippines (Aug 7, 2023): International backlash grows after Chinese vessel fires water cannon on Philippine boats (By Brad Lendon and Kathleen Magramo)

CNN —China is facing a growing international backlash after one of its coast guard vessels used a water cannon against a Philippine boat in the South China Sea on Saturday, an incident analysts say escalates an already tense situation and could see the United States and its allies speed up plans for joint patrols in the waterway.

Video from the Philippines showed a large Chinese Coast Guard ship spraying a much smaller Philippine boat that was attempting to deliver supplies to a garrison of Philippine marines on Second Thomas Shoal, a South China Sea feature in Manila’s exclusive economic zone that China calls Renai Reef and also claims as its sovereign territory.

Images from the Philippine Coast Guard also showed the Chinese ship moving dangerously close in front of the Philippine Coast Guard vessels as they escorted the resupply boats.

“The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) strongly condemns the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) dangerous maneuvers and illegal use of water cannons against PCG vessels,” the PCG wrote in a statement shared on its official Facebook account Saturday.

By Sunday, Manila’s main ally, Washington, condemned the Chinese actions and reiterated that it would meet its mutual defense treaty obligations with the Philippines.

“The United States reaffirms an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces — including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea — would invoke US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 US Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

US allies joined in a united front with Washington and Manila.

Australia, Japan and Germany called the Chinese actions “dangerous” and “destabilizing.”

And the Canadian Embassy in Manila said Ottawa “unreservedly condemns the dangerous and provocative actions taken by the Chinese Coast Guard.”

The Philippines has accused Chinese Coast Guard ships of firing water cannons and making "dangerous maneuvers" at its ships in the South China Sea.Philippines Coast Guard

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday his foreign affair secretary delivered a diplomatic note of complaint “along with images and videos on what had happened” to the Chinese ambassador in Manila.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Foreign Ministry and armed forces held a joint press conference condemning what they called China’s “dangerous and illegal practice” of using water canon, saying the action put “the lives of the Filipino crew at risk in violation of humanitarian and international law.”
Longstanding dispute

The South China Sea has long been a source of tension between Manila and Beijing.

Beijing claims “indisputable sovereignty” over almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea, as well as most of the islands within it, even those hundreds of miles from the Chinese mainland.

That includes the Spratlys, which Beijing calls the Nanshas, an archipelago consisting of 100 small islands and reefs also claimed in full or part by the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Philippines accuses China of firing water cannons at its ships in South China Sea

Manila, however, calls the area the West Philippine Sea. In 1999 it intentionally grounded a navy transport ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, on Second Thomas Shoal, manned by Filipino marines, to enforce the country’s claim to the area.

Manila’s claims are backed by the international Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, which ruled in 2016 that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to the bulk of the South China Sea.

Beijing has ignored the ruling.

Analysts and Philippine politicians called Saturday’s incident a step up from a string of Chinese-Philippine confrontations this year, including a Chinese ship aiming a laser at a Philippine vessel in February and then a series of close encounters analyst Collin Koh called “near collisions.”

“Clearly this latest incident represents an escalation,” said Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

m”I really believe we’re entering the period of brinkmanship diplomacy,” Philippine Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano told CNN affiliate CNN Philippines.

“If something goes wrong, it can really cause instability in the region,” he said.

But China shows no sign of backing off its claims.

“Two Filipino supply vessels and two coast guard vessels illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to Renai Reef in China’s Nansha Islands,” Gan Yu, spokesman for the China Coast Guard, said according to the statement published on its website Sunday.

Gan reasserted Chinese territorial claims on the islands and the South China Sea and vowed to continue law-enforcement activity within the region.

And on Monday, China’s coast guard, in a statement, accused Manila of trying to “permanently occupy” Chinese sovereign territory.

It said it fired water cannons as a warning to prevent collision after multiple warnings, and characterized its operation as “professional, restrained and justifiable.”

Aerial footage showed a much larger Chinese coast guard ship firing water cannon at a smaller Philippine vessel.Facebook/migzzubiri

‘Gray zone’ tactics

Jeffrey Ordaniel, director of maritime security at the Pacific Forum and an assistant professor at Tokyo International University, said Beijing could be expected to continue what he called its “gray zone” tactics, actions just below the use of weapons that would trigger the US-Philippine mutual defense treaty.

Blake Herzinger, a research fellow at the United States Studies Center in Australia, called the international denunciation of Beijing encouraging, but said Manila needs to do more than line up support for its claims.

“Diplomatic response will not stop this kind of maritime aggression, and so (the) Philippines is going to need to come up with a more holistic response to combine action with its diplomatic campaign,” he said.

Koh said that could see the US and the Philippines speeding up plans for joint patrols in the South China Sea, something that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro Jr., said last month would be coming in the future.

Reports also say Australia and Japan could participate in patrols with the Philippines and US.

At Monday’s Philippine government press conference, Jonathan Malaya, National Security Council assistant director general, said Manila will continue to file diplomatic protests no matter what the reaction is from the Chinese side because failing to do so may be construed by China and the international community as an abandonment of its position to assert sovereignty.

“This government will not lose an inch of our territory,” Malaya said.

Koh said Washington will need more than just words to deter Beijing.

The US will “need to be seen to walk the talk and not give the impression that Beijing continues to coerce and escalate its actions without repercussions,” Koh said.

Ordaniel agreed.

“The Americans,” he said, “have a choice to make.”

“If US responses continued to be limited to statements and perhaps military exercises, Beijing will continue to succeed in changing the status quo.

”https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/07/asia/china-philippines-coast-guard-confrontation-south-china-sea-intl-hnk/index.html

Philippines Blasts China For ‘Dangerous Maneuvers’ Near Disputed Shoal

Posted to The Diplomat (Aug 7, 2023): Philippines Blasts China For ‘Dangerous Maneuvers’ Near Disputed Shoal (By Sebastian Strangio)

The Philippine Coast Guard claims that a Chinese vessel used a high-powered water cannon in order to prevent the resupply of the Philippine forces stationed on Second Thomas Shoal.



In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, a Chinese Coastguard ship, front, allegedly blocks the path of a Philippine Coast Guard ship near the Philippine-occupied Second Thomas Shoal, South China Sea during a re-supply mission on Saturday Aug. 5, 2023

The Philippine military has accused China’s coast guard of blocking and shooting a water cannon at a Philippine military supply boat in the South China Sea, condemning the actions as “excessive and offensive.”

The “dangerous maneuvers,” which were aimed at preventing a Philippine boat from resupplying forces stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, were undertaken “in wanton disregard of the safety of the people on board and in violation of international law,” the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement yesterday.

The military called on the Chinese coast guard and China’s central military commission “to act with prudence and be responsible in their actions to prevent miscalculations and accidents that will endanger people’s lives.”

According to The Associated Press, Philippine navy personnel on board two chartered supply boats were cruising toward the shoal on Saturday, escorted by Philippine navy vessels, when “a Chinese coast guard ship approached and used a powerful water cannon to block the Filipinos from the shoal.”

The boats were attempting to bring supplies including food, water, and fuel, to the detachment of marines living aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting World War II-era ship that was intentionally grounded on the shallow waters of the shoal in 1999. Ayungin Shoal, as Manila refers to it, lies within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), but is claimed by Beijing under its maximalist “nine-dash line” maritime claim.

In a statement yesterday, Commodore Jay Tarriela, the spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for the West Philippine Sea, called on China’s coast guard “to restrain its forces, respect the sovereign rights of the Philippines in its [EEZ] and continental shelf, refrain from hampering freedom of navigation, and take appropriate actions against the individuals involved in this unlawful incident.”

This is not the first time that Chinese vessels have attempted to prevent the resupply of Second Thomas Shoal, nor the first time that they have used water cannons to do so. In November 2021, ships blocked and fired water cannons at two Filipino vessels carrying food and other supplies to the shoal. In February of this year, the PCG accused a Chinese coast guard ship of hitting a Philippine coast guard vessel with a military-grade laser during an encounter close to Second Thomas Shoal, temporarily blinding some of the crew.

The incident is just the latest in a series of aggressive Chinese actions designed to loosen the Philippines’ hold over its features in the South China Sea. Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, argued that the “recent series of PRC actions around the Second Thomas Shoal appears aimed at isolating the military outpost, gradually eroding Manila’s ability to sustain it and eventually compel the withdrawal of [the Philippines’] physical presence at the feature.” Crucially, water cannons and lasers are classic “gray zone” tactics, in that they are effective in driving away Philippine vessels, yet fall beneath the threshold of actions that would require a military response, either by the Philippines or by its American ally

If Beijing is seeking to force Manila to back down and relinquish its claims over these features, however, the strategy does not appear to be working. Tensions in the South China Sea have been one of the primary drivers of the rapid reinforcement of the U.S.-Philippine security alliance by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. since he took office in June of last year. Among other things, this has involved the expansion of the U.S. military’s access to Philippine military facilities, including a second base on the western island of Palawan, in close proximity to the South China Sea.

Shortly after the incident, the U.S. State Department said that Washington stood with its Philippine allies in the face of such “dangerous actions.”

“Such actions by the PRC are inconsistent with international law and are the latest in repeated threats to the status quo in the South China Sea, directly threatening regional peace and stability,” it stated. It also reaffirmed that any armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces, including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea, would “invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense

 Treaty.”https://thediplomat.com/2023/08/philippines-blasts-china-for-dangerous-maneuvers-near-disputed-shoal/

Menor de edad na miyembro ng Daulah Islamiyah, sumuko sa mga awtoridad

From Radyo Mindanao Network (RMN) Website(Aug 8, 2023): Menor de edad na miyembro ng Daulah Islamiyah, sumuko sa mga awtoridad (Underage member of Daulah Islamiyah, surrendered to authorities)

Sumuko ang isang 15 taong gulang na miyembro ng Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group sa militar sa Madalum, Lanao del Sur.

Ayon kay Joint Task Force ZamPeLan Commander Major General Antonio Nafarrete, ang matagumpay na pagsuko ng dating violent extremist ay resulta ng collaborative efforts ng mga intelligence unit sa lugar, mga sundalo at local government units.

Kasama nitong isinuko ang kanyang 7.62mm M14 Rifle.

Ibinunyag ng sumukong personalidad na siya ay ni-recruit para sumali sa terror group noong 2019.

Lumahok aniya siya sa mga serye ng engkwentro sa Barangay Bawang, Madamba at Barangay Kalangnan, Piagapo sa Lanao del Sur at Barangay Lindungan, Munai, Lanao del Norte noong 2021.

Samantala, mariin namang kinokondena ni Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Command Chief at Philippine Army Commanding General Lieutenant General Roy Galido ang paggamit sa mga menor de edad bilang combatant para labanan ang pwersa ng gobyerno.

https://rmn.ph/menor-de-edad-na-miyembro-ng-daulah-islamiyah-sumuko-sa-mga-awtoridad/

Teenage DI-MG member surrenders in Lanao del Sur

From the Sun Star-Zamboanga (Aug 7, 2023): Teenage DI-MG member surrenders in Lanao del Sur

ZAMBOANGA. A teenage member of the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (Isis)-inspired Dawlah Islamiya-Maute Group (DI-MG) surrenders on Saturday, August 5, amid military offensive against them in Lanao del Sur. A photo handout shows the teenager holding an M-14 rifle, which he handed over when he surrendered to the 51st Infantry Battalion troopers. (SunStar Zamboanga)

A TEENAGE member of the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (Isis)-inspired Dawlah Islamiya-Maute Group (DI-MG) has surrendered amid military offensive against them in Lanao del Sur, a top military official said Monday, August 7, 2023.

Brigadier General Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr., Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the surrenderer known to the DI-MG as Taimiya, 15, has surrendered and handed over an M-14 rifle to the 51st Infantry Battalion troopers in Madalum, Lanao del Sur on Saturday, August 5.

Barroquillo said the surrender of Taimiya was successfully done with the help of the residents who are now actively providing information regarding the presence of DI-MG members in their community.

Taimiya, who is listed in the Periodic Status Report as number 20, hails from Lininding village, Piagapo, Lanao del Sur.

Taimiya revealed that he was convinced to join the DI-MG in 2019 at the age of 11 at Sitio Naga in Tamporong village, Madalum, Lanao del Sur.

At the age of 11, Taimiya said he was forced to participate in several firefights against government troops in Lanao del Sur.

Taimiya said he decided to surrender due to the hardship as they are constantly on the run from the relentless pursuit operations by government troops in Lanao del Sur province.

He is now under the custody of 51IB for debriefing and for processing under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip), which is now being instituted in the Lanao del Sur provincial government.

Barroquillo commended the troops of the 51IB for the efforts that led to the surrender of Taimiya.

Baroquillo urged the other members of DI-MG to surrender and take advantage of the E-Clip being espoused by the provincial government of Lanao del Sur. (SunStar Zamboanga)

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1969073/zamboanga/local-news/teenage-di-mg-member-surrenders-in-lanao-del-sur

Ex-Abu Sayyaf men to get houses

From Business World (Aug 7, 2023): Ex-Abu Sayyaf men to get houses

COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro government and Office of the Governor of Basilan province will build 39 houses for former members of the Abu Sayyaf terror group.

Basilan Governor Jim Hataman Salliman on Monday said he and Bangsamoro Local Government Minister Naguib Gani Sinarimbo have signed a memo for the housing project. “We are now in the process of choosing a site for this housing project.”

The Ministry of the Interior and Local Government will bankroll the project through a local government program that seeks to push the Mindanao peace process. — John Felix M. Unson

 
https://www.bworldonline.com/the-nation/2023/08/07/538297/ex-abu-sayyaf-men-to-get-houses/

Suspected rebel killed in Negros Oriental

From the Sun Star-Bacolod (Aug 7, 2023): Suspected rebel killed in Negros Oriental

The fleeing rebels encountered the soldiers in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental on Saturday, August 5, that led to one fatality. [62nd IB photo]

A suspected New People’s Army member was killed in an encounter with the state troopers at Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental Saturday, August 5.

The three-minute firefight that led to the death of the suspected rebel and recovery of one .38 caliber revolver, a hand grenade, and some personal belongings was an offshoot of the clash with the state troopers at Brgy. Imelda, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental after the presence of the armed rebels in the area were reported by the local populace.

This prompted the troops from 62nd Infantry Battalion to immediately respond.

This resulted in a 10-minute firefight that led to the recovery of a .45 caliber pistol with magazines and serviceable ammunition, two backpacks, and personal belongings.

Meanwhile, the 62IB are calling the rebels to lay down their arms and go back to the folds of the law and avail the benefits from the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1969027/bacolod/local-news/suspected-rebel-killed-in-negros-oriental

7 ex-NPA rebels receive benefits from government

From the Sun Star-Zamboanga (Aug 7, 2023): 7 ex-NPA rebels receive benefits from government

ZAMBOANGA. Seven former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, now known as Friends Rescued (FRs) of the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-Elcac), receive a total of P455,000 with each receiving P65,000 benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip). A photo handout shows two of the recipients (holding checks) and E-Clip committee members during the release of the livelihood assistance last week. (SunStar Zamboanga)

SEVEN former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, now known as Friends Rescued (FRs) of the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-Elcac), have received their benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip).

The benefits were released during the third quarter meeting of PTF-Elcac last week at the Zamboanga del Sur provincial government complex in Dao village, Pagadian City, the province’s capital.

The 53rd Infantry Battalion (IB) said in a statement that the E-Clip assistance received by the seven FRs amounted to P455,000, with each FR receiving P65,000 composed of P50,000 livelihood assistance and P15,000 immediate cash assistance.

The FRs expressed their utmost gratitude and appreciation to the government, particularly to the support of Zamboanga del Sur Governor Victor Yu, PTF-Elcac chairperson.

Lieutenant Colonel Terence Ylanan, 53IB commander, expressed his gratitude to the E-Clip committee for their unwavering support and commitment to uplift the lives of the FRs.

Yu, in his message, said the provincial government will remain active in assisting and supporting the FRs' reintegration into mainstream society.

Yu noted that a total of 107 out of 131 FRs are now free from all legal challenges and are now fully reintegrated to the community.

Of the 107 FRs, 11 of them were reintegrated through the support of the PTF-ELCAC legal cooperation cluster. (SunStar Zamboanga)

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1969072/zamboanga/local-news/7-ex-npa-rebels-receive-benefits-from-government

Baguio activists turn to CA to unblock frozen bank accounts

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Aug 7, 2023): Baguio activists turn to CA to unblock frozen bank accounts (By: Vincent Cabreza)

The Court of Appeals in Manila. | BG PHOTO: COURT OF APPEALS WEBSITE

BAGUIO CITY—The Baguio-based Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) has filed several pleadings with the Court of Appeals (CA) to urge the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to explain their move to freeze the progressive group’s assets, according to documents obtained by the Inquirer.

CPA’s “Petition to Determine the Basis of the Freeze Order” would help the group proceed with other legal options for relief, said lawyer Francisca Macliing Claver, whose law firm is handling the CPA case.

The group asked the appellate court to compel the AMLC and the ATC to divulge all the information relating to the June 7 designation of four of its members as terrorists, including the group’s beleaguered chair, Windel Bolinget, according to its July 19 petition, a copy of which was obtained by the Inquirer on Aug. 5.

Bolinget has been implicated in numerous cases since 2018, from murder in Tagum City to rebellion in Abra, of which he was acquitted.

On July 10, CPA learned that Bolinget and three of its members—Jennifer Awingan-Taggaoa, Sarah Abellon-Alikes and Stephen Tauli—were declared “terrorists” through ATC Resolution No. 41, which was released on June 7 but posted in a Manila newspaper 30 days later.

‘White area’ operatives

The resolution described them as “white area” operatives of the communist New People’s Army, which means they handle noncombat duties like recruitment and propaganda in urban areas.

In an attached affidavit, CPA secretary general Sarah Dekdeken informed the CA that she could no longer access the group’s account at a commercial bank here on July 12.

“I was informed by a bank employee that CPA’s property or funds were blocked or restrained,” Dekdeken said, adding that they were given a copy of AMLC Resolution No. TF-67, series of 2023, which was a June 30 “sanction freeze order” covering Bolinget, Awingan-Taggaoa, Abellon-Alikes and Tauli.

On July 18, Dekdeken was again informed that CPA’s account in another branch of the same bank had also been frozen until further notice. The bank again cited AMLC Resolution TF-67.

CPA said it had followed the government’s grievance procedures with its CA petition, which it must undertake within 20 days after the issuance of a freeze order.

“Rule 11.a of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR)of Republic Act No. 10168, otherwise known as the Terror Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012, and Rule 8.10 of the [IRR] of Republic Act No. 11479, otherwise known as the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, are the plain, speedy, and adequate remedies in the ordinary course of law,” the petition stated.

Not a terrorist

Dekdeken said Bolinget and the rest of CPA would argue the absence of due process in the issuance of ATC Resolution 41.

She said CPA and the four activists were not called by ATC to any hearings or preliminary investigations prior to the terror tag they learned about in a newspaper.

At a July 20 news conference, Bolinget’s wife, Elvie, a teacher, decried the ATC and AMLC resolutions, stressing that while her husband has long been an activist, “he is not a terrorist.”

Bolinget was one of the indigenous leaders who had challenged RA 11479 before the Supreme Court, which struck down only two provisions of the law as unconstitutional in a 2021 ruling. The high court upheld its decision last year during the court’s summer session in Baguio City. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1813509/baguio-activists-turn-to-ca-to-unblock-frozen-bank-accounts

Marcos hopes new Army chief will finally crush insurgency

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Aug 7, 2023): Marcos hopes new Army chief will finally crush insurgency (By: Frances Mangosing, Jerome Aning)

President Marcos has expressed high hopes that new Philippine Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Roy Galido will end the insurgency and terrorism threat under his watch.

Galido was formally inducted as the new Army chief on Monday at a change of command ceremony in Taguig City, replacing Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., who was named as the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines last month.

“As you take the reins of the Army, I wish to remind you that the success of an organization depends on our willingness to work persistently with the citizenry and with the civilian government,” the President said in his speech during the ceremony.

“I look forward to working with you further and I am confident that you will guide the Army to reach more milestones in our campaign to end in our country the insurgency and [terrorism] threat, as well as to address the lingering and emerging threats to our national security,” Mr. Marcos said.

“I have worked with you just for a short time, but in that little time I have seen you flourish in your command and I have seen the good work and the successes that have come from that good work that you have put in in your previous command,” he said.

Protect PH sovereignty

Mr. Marcos challenged the new Army chief to boost the organization’s engagements with counterparts and the interoperability and communications of the Army.

The President said he looks forward to hearing Galido’s plans to protect the country’s sovereignty and to transform the Army into a world-class military force and continue to be a source of the nation’s security, and peace and pride.

He also made an assurance that his administration is committed to supporting the troops by modernizing the Army as well as the rest of the AFP.

At the same time, the President reminded all Army officers and personnel “to strive toward building an Army that is agile, adaptable and competitive, works well together with its partners and stakeholders, and especially our citizens.”

“I know that the journey toward this vision will test the limits of your character, but with the supervision, dedication, and perseverance of Lt. Gen. Galido and the rest of our troops in the Philippine Army, I am confident that we can rightfully achieve this in no time at all,” he said.

The military’s campaign plan against insurgents has been gaining ground, according to the military statistics, with one remaining active guerrilla front nationwide and around 2,000 active members of the New People’s Army.

Galido, who will lead the military’s largest service branch with more than 100,000 forces, vowed to recalibrate the internal security operations and strengthen the organization for territorial defense “so we can be responsive, relevant amid the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous security environment.”

‘I accept this responsibility’

“I will not fail you … I accept this responsibility with full loyalty and trust,” he said in his speech as he took the helm of the Army.

Galido served as commander of the Zamboanga City-based Western Mindanao Command from January to July 2023, overseeing military operations in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Regions in Muslim Mindanao. He also headed the Army’s 6th Infantry “Kampilan” Division from August 2022 to January 2023.

The new Army chief is a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s Bigkis Lahi Class of 1990. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1813541/marcos-hopes-new-army-chief-will-finally-crush-insurgency