6 ASG members surrender to military troops

From the Sun Star-Zamboanga (Jan 24, 2024): 6 ASG members surrender to military troops

ZAMBOANGA. Six members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) have surrendered and handed over their firearms through the localized social integration program in the province of Sulu. A photo handout shows four of the six surrenderers joining in a pictorial with government and military officials when they were presented to Major General Ignatius Patrimonio, 11th Infantry Division commander (3rd from right). (SunStar Zamboanga)

SIX members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) have surrendered and handed over their firearms through the localized social integration program in the province of Sulu, the military reported Wednesday, January 24, 2024.

The 11th Infantry Division (ID) identified the six ASG surrenderers as follows: Leoner Sahiron alias Baby Boy; Saupar Jilan Asing alais Abutarik; Alsid Jalaidi alias Al; Ridmar Absara Alih alias Alvares; Jamal Arabani Abdusail alias Jamal; and, Aldi Hasim Minis alias Aldison.

The 11ID said they surrendered last week through the collaborative efforts of the 41st Infantry Battalion, 11th Military Intelligence Battalion, and Tactical Operations Group Sulu-Tawi-Tawi.

Brigadier General Mario Jacinto, 1101st Infantry Brigade (1101IBde) commander, presented them to Major General Ignatius Patrimonio, 11ID commander, in a ceremony held at the headquarters of the 1101IBde in Bud Bayug, Talipao, Sulu.

Patrimonio acknowledged the six ASG surrenderers for choosing a normal life that was influenced by wrong doctrines against the government.

Patrimonio said their decision to surrender had a positive impact on their families and communities and encouraged them to support the plans of the government to end local armed conflicts and other violent activities.

Meanwhile, he emphasized the government’s leadership in collaboration with other organizations and local government units, providing initial livelihood assistance and benefits for their jumpstart into mainstream society. (SunStar Zamboanga)

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/zamboanga/6-asg-members-surrender-to-military-troops?fbclid=IwAR2qUMnxYxnsNJvvWim9lnYZjchPzfmt71-T8lJXK82c6167u4jc9Ew-3HE

CPP/NPA-Northern Negros: Deceptive tactics behind ‘People’s Initiative’

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Jan 25, 2024): Deceptive tactics behind ‘People’s Initiative’

 


Cecil Estrella

Spokesperson

NPA-Northern Negros (Roselyn Pelle Command)

Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)

New People's Army

January 25, 2024

Red commanders and fighters of Roselyn Jean Pelle Command-Northern Negros Guerrilla Front of the New People’s Army (RJPC-NPA) are alarmed over numerous reports of dubious schemes to hoodwink eligible voters into signing the so-called ‘people’s initiative’ (PI) to amend the reactionary 1986 Philippine Constitution.

Upon further investigation, RJPC-NPA units have concluded that citizens are deceived and forced to sign the PI using the following common empty promises or made-up reasons: work offers under TUPAD program, continuation and unchanged status of 4Ps beneficiaries, petition to banish certain unnamed individuals, and PhP20 million from Sen. Imee Marcos, among others. Barangay officials and employees lead the signature campaign in their respective territories through strenuous house-to-house, group meetings or individual invitation. There was no discussion with residents pertinent to the PI.

Unsurprisingly, several towns and cities in Northern Negros are in the top 10 of most numbers of signatures gathered for PI. In these towns and cities, residents are dependent on the monocrop sugar industry suffering from unsecured jobs, meager and unstable wages, little to no benefits and on hand-to-mouth standard of living. The economic crisis is easily capitalized on because any remedy to the immediate distressing situation, just like false promises of the reactionary government’s dole-out finance project, is eagerly welcomed by people.

Moreover, the cities of Sagay, Escalante, and San Carlos, as well as the town of Calatrava, are now the prospects of neoliberal programs to accommodate solar farms, modular nuclear plants, bulk water project, and economic zones. The local chief executives of said cities and town mobilized their election campaign machinery, also incumbent government officials and employees, using deceptive schemes to gather a great number of signatures for PI to amend the reactionary constitution to accommodate foreign ownership of land and basic utilities.

While RJPC-NPA recognizes the people’s right to engage in the people’s initiative as a mechanism to empower citizens to call for reforms in the reactionary government, we denounce the deceptive mechanisms to accumulate support for a PI that is laden with interests of foreign monopoly capitalists. On the other hand, RJPC-NPA commends a few mayors on their decision to disengage in active participation of such PI signature gathering and allow freedom of individuals to take action (or not) in PI.

RJPC-NPA orders all units, including units of people’s militia and self-defense corps, to complete its investigation on the mechanisms of gathering signatures for PI, collect evidences, identify key players of such deceptive signature gathering, and arrest individuals caught red-handed for questioning and confiscate signature sheets as evidence and further study. Likewise, all revolutionary forces should expose to the masses the ultimate goal of such signature gathering, the people’s initiative and the move for charter change.##

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/deceptive-tactics-behind-peoples-initiative/

CPP/NPA-Northern Negros: Peke ang engkwentro sa Calatrava

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Jan 25, 2024): Peke ang engkwentro sa Calatrava (The Calatrava encounter was fake)

 


Cecil Estrella

Spokesperson

NPA-Northern Negros (Roselyn Pelle Command)

Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)

New People's Army

January 25, 2024

Wala sang armadong engkwentro sa tunga sang mga tropa sang #DiMasaligan79IB kag mga Pulang hangaway sang Roselyn Jean Pelle Command-Northern Negros Guerilla Front sang New People’s Army (RJPC-NPA) sa nagligad Enero 15, 2024 sa Sityo Martesan, Barangay Cambayobo, sakop sang Calatrava, Negros Occidental. Wala sang presensya sang NPA sa amo nga lugar sa nasambit nga petsa.

Peke kag himu-himo lang ang ginpalayag sang #DiMasaligan79IB nga may presensya sang NPA amo nga nagkondukta sang operasyon nga nagresulta kuno sa engkwentro. Lubos nga kabutigan kag obra-obra lang ang ginpakita nga temporaryong besingan ukon gintiniran sang NPA kag ang mga armas, bala, dokumento kag iban pa nga personal nga kagamitan nga “narekober” matapos ang peke nga engkwentro.

Indi masaligan ang ila mga “ebidensya” ukon “rekoberi” nga bisan ang mga yunit sang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) wala magkapareho ang mga gindeklara nga armas nga narekober diin ginsiling sa #DiMasaligan79IB nga isa ka Garand, isa ka Carbine kag isa ka .38 revolver ang narekober, apang suno sa AFP Visayas Command (VisCom), duha ka Garand kag isa ka .38 daw ang mga armas nga nakuha matapos ang ginpagwa nga “engkwentro.” Wala huya man ang #DiMasaligan79IB sa pagpagwa sang mga rebolusyonaryong dokumento nga recycled nga rekoberi kag pag-printa sang mga rebolusyonaryong pahayagan, pareho sang Ang Bayan kag Ang Paghimakas, para ipapati sa publiko nga lehitimo ang nasambit nga engkwentro.

Indi na bag-o ang iskema sang #DiMasaligan79IB kag AFP sa pagpagwa sang peke nga engkwentro. Sumugod nga gin-asayn diri sa Northern Negros ang #DiMasaligan79IB sadtong ulihi nga bahin sang 2017, ginhimo na nila ang amo nga pamaagi:

• Nobyembre 16, 2018 – ginpagwa nga peke nga engkwentro ang misencounter sang mga pasista nga armadong tropa sa Barangay Washington, Escalante City, Negros Occidental sa diin napatay ang duha nila ka tropa
• Pagka-bwas, Nobyembre 17, 2018 – ginpagwa nila nga engkwentro ang pagbalos nila nga pagpalupok sa mga kabataan nga gahampang sang boga panahon sang gidakop nila ang isa ka sibilyan sa Barangay Langub, Escalante City
• Gisundan ini sadtong Setyembre 19, 2019 sa Barangay Old Poblacion, Escalante City – gindakop ang duha ka sibilyan nga nagpahuway sa natabuan nga lugar
• Hunyo 21, 2021 – ginpagwa sang #DiMasaligan79IB nga engkwentro ang natabo sang ila ginpatay ang isa ka notoryus nga manugpangilkil sadtong Hunyo 21, 2021 sa Barangay Minapasuk, Calatrava, Negros Occidental
• Setyembre 30, 2021 – ginpagwa nila nga engkwentro ang ila brutal nga operasyon kontra sa apat ka mga hors de combat ukon nagmasakit nga mga Pulang hangaway sa Brgy. San Pablo, Manapla, Negros Occidental
• Disyembre 5, 2021 – gisundan gilayon kini sa ila patarasak nga pagpalupok kontra sa isa ka may deperensya sa pamensaron sa Brgy. Winaswasan, Calatrava.
• Hunyo 22, 2022 – madumduman man nga ginpagwa nila nga may engkwentro sa Barangay Minapasuk, Calatrava kag pugos nga ginpabakwit ang mga residente
• Pagdason bulan niini, Hulyo 6, 2022 – nagpatarasak sila sa pagpinalupok sa isa ka balay kag gindakop ang isa ka sibilyan sa Barangay Marcelo, Calatrava
• Oktubre 17, 2023 – nasaksihan sang pumuluyo ang kapintas sa #DiMasaligan79IB sang ginpatay nila ang duha ka sibilyan sa Barangay Canlusong, EB Magalona, Negros Occidental

Pabor tanan sa #DiMasaligan79IB kag AFP ang pagpabugal sang mga peke nga engkwentro, kabaylo sang seguridad kag kalinong sa pagpangabuhi sang pumuluyo. Indi mapilasan ukon mapatay ang ila mga tropa sa himu-himo nga mga engkwentro, kag gani, ginahingalitan para sa pagkilala kag promosyon. Tuburan man ini sang korapsyon sang mga matag-as nga opisyal sa pagreport sa gasto sang mga bala kag iban nga kagamitan militar. Ginapahug kag ginatiplang man sang Puting armado ang pumuluyo gamit ang ila himu-himo nga rekord sang mga rebolusyonaryong pwersa nga nakuha matapos ang peke engkwentro. Ginahimo man nga rason ang mga peke nga engkwentro para masakop sang mga abusador kag wala respeto nga mga elemento sang #DiMasaligan79IB kag AFP ang mga komunidad nga nakaapekto sa hilway nga paghulag sang pumuluyo.

Ang pasismo sang estado gamit ang mayor nga instrumento nga #DiMasaligan79IB kag AFP-PNP-NTF-Elcac, sa tunga sang grabe nga krisis nga ginaatubang sang bilog pumuluyo tuga sang pagdomina sang imperyalismo, upod ang burukrata kapitalismo kag lokal nga pyudalismo, ang nagaduso sa pumuluyo nga mag-usoy sa mabudlay nga dalan sang pungsudnon-demokratiko nga rebolusyon nga magahawan sa dalan sang sosyalismo, para malab-ot ang bug-os nga komunismo.##

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/peke-ang-engkwentro-sa-calatrava/

India ready to export BrahMos missile

From Pi (Jan 25, 2024): India ready to export BrahMos missile (ByMuhammad)

The export of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles is expected to begin in March 2024. The first delivery will be to the Philippines. The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has said that it will start exporting the ground systems of this missile in the next 10 days. Apart from the Philippines, many other countries have expressed interest in purchasing this missile.

DRDO Chairman Dr Sameer V Kamat told news agency ANI, “The ground system should be sent soon, within the next 10 days. The cruise missiles are expected to reach the Philippines by March 2024. Advanced Towed Artillery Weapon System (ATAGS) has already completed all tests. “I think the order for 307 guns should be placed by March 31 of this fiscal year.”

Let us tell you that the Philippines has approved the acquisition of BrahMos in 2022. The deal between India and the Philippines was finalized for approximately $374.9 million. This is the first foreign order for the BrahMos missile. In addition, negotiations are underway with other Southeast Asian countries regarding the export of BrahMos.

The Philippines had decided to buy this missile considering the conflict with China in the South China Sea. The Philippines will deploy these missiles primarily in the Coastal Defense Regiment of the Navy.

Regarding the defense products developed by DRDO, Kamat said, “Products developed by DRDO have entered or received AON (Approval of Need) from DAC (Defence Acquisition Council) at around Rs 4.94 crore. Now the progress is much faster than before. My guess is , will introduce 60% or 70% more products to the armed forces than have been introduced in the last 5 to 7 years. “As we move forward, that number will increase dramatically.”

Kamat also revealed that talks are underway with Safran to develop an advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) engine. However, the final decision on the cooperation has not yet been taken.

BrahMos supersonic cruise missile test-fired

The Indian Navy successfully test-fired the BrahMos extended-range cruise missile on January 24, 2024 from its warship. In this version of the rocket, the firing power has been increased. Its covert (intelligence) technology has been improved.

This missile will attack the ground from a warship. Currently, its distance exceeds 800 kilometers. The previous naval version of the missile had a range of 200 kilometers, but last year this figure was increased to 500 kilometers. Now its range has increased to 800 km.

We tell you that the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system developed jointly by India and Russia is one of the most successful missile programs in the world. The BrahMos missile is capable of hitting moving enemy targets by changing its trajectory in the air. This missile can fly at a height of 10 meters, so it avoids enemy radar. Not only that, it flies twice as fast as America’s Tomahawk missile.

https://proiqra.com/india-ready-to-export-brahmos-missile-pi-news/#google_vignette

AFP chief cites education as ‘powerful tool’ vs extremism and discrimination

From Business World (Jan 25, 2024): AFP chief cites education as ‘powerful tool’ vs extremism and discrimination (Rex Anthony Naval)

Brawner

As it joined the worldwide observance of International Day of Education on Wednesday, January 24, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said education is a “powerful tool” against extremism and discrimination.

“Cognizant of its theme, ‘Learning for Lasting Peace,’ we emphasize the importance of education as a tool to counter violence and extremism, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and hate speech and its crucial role in fostering understanding, cooperation, justice, and peace,” he said.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed January 24 as International Day of Education in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

Brawner also said that without access to quality education—a human right, a public good, and a public responsibility—the youth would remain vulnerable to violent ideologies.

“As your Armed Forces, we are committed to winning the hearts and minds of every Filipino. This has been the foundation of our whole-of-nation approach to end the root causes of conflict, chief of which are poverty and illiteracy,” he pointed out.

He also urged every soldier, airman, sailor, and Marine to be acquainted with the struggles of the underprivileged so they can dispense their duties with compassion and humility.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/01/25/afp-chief-cites-education-as-powerful-tool-vs-extremism-and-discrimination/

Philippines, Vietnam to sign coastguard deal risking China's ire

From Reuters (Jan 25, 2024): Philippines, Vietnam to sign coastguard deal risking China's ire (By Karen Lema and Francesco Guarascio)

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a joint statement during the visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the Malacanang Palace, in Manila, Philippines, January 10, 2024. Ezra Acayan/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo 

HANOI/MANILA, Jan 25 (Reuters) - The Philippines and Vietnam will agree to boost coastguard cooperation during a visit to Hanoi next week by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, officials said, a move that risks angering China.

The two Southeast Asian countries have competing claims over swathes of the South China Sea, an important waterway for fishing and global trade that China claims almost in its entirety.

The two countries will sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between their coastguard forces, the Philippine coastguard said on Thursday.

It is unclear what the agreement will entail, but coastguard cooperation is crucial to reducing the risk of clashes between fishing vessels that encroach into foreign waters - a step that could help ease bilateral territorial disputes.

China, with its vast claims to the South China Sea, tends to view progress in the resolution of border disputes among other claimants with scepticism.

After Vietnam and Indonesia recognised the boundaries of their respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in the South China Sea in December 2022, China's coastguard repeatedly sailed close to those strategic areas triggering angry reactions from both Jakarta and Hanoi.

China's response however could be muted in this case because the deal is not about recognition of maritime claims, said Phan Xuan Dung, researcher on Vietnam at the Singapore-based ISEAS think tank.

Marcos will meet Vietnamese leaders on a two-day visit starting on Monday, Vietnam's foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Thursday, noting the countries had close ties in multiple fields including defence and security.

In November, Marcos said the Philippines had approached Vietnam and other neighbours to discuss a separate code of conduct for the South China Sea, another move that would irk China which has been promoting a broader regional pact for years without success.

The two countries are also expected to boost their cooperation on rice supplies, according to a Philippine official, with the Philippines being already the largest market for Vietnam's exports.

"The two most promising areas of cooperation between the Philippines and Vietnam are food security and maritime security," Alexander Vuving, of the Hawaii-based Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, said.

"But Vietnam is far more cautious than the Philippines about not angering China" on maritime security, he added.

Vietnam's foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment about the expected agreement on coastguard cooperation.

[Reporting by Karen Lema in Manila, Francesco Guarascio and Khanh Vu in Hanoi; Editing by Martin Petty and Nick Macfie]

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippines-vietnam-sign-coastguard-deal-risking-chinas-ire-2024-01-25/

Philippines Pushes for Self-Reliance in Defense

From the Defense Post (Jan 25, 2024): Philippines Pushes for Self-Reliance in Defense (By JOE SABALLA)

US Army representatives hand over weapons to the Philippine military. Photo: US Embassy in the Philippines via Facebook

The Philippines is pushing for a more self-reliant defense posture in the face of increasing security threats from China.

The country’s lower house of Congress recently approved the proposed Philippine Self-Reliant Defense Posture Program, which would pave the way for boosted domestic production of military weapons and equipment.

It will also rationalize defense acquisition, further developing the defense capability of the nation.

“The underlying concept of self-reliance shall be manifested in the continued preference on local production of materiel, when feasible, for the country’s defense forces through the partnership between the military and civilian establishments…” the bill read.

Despite the emphasis on self-reliance, the bill clarified that imports will not be ruled out, especially for defense items that cannot be locally produced.

Dedicated Office

Under the bill, the Philippine government must create the Office of the Undersecretary for Defense Technology Research and Industry Development to oversee domestic production.

More specifically, it will conduct research and development, facilitate local defense industry promotion, and manage a database for analysis,

The dedicated office will also establish public-private partnerships and set up collaborations between domestic and foreign firms if needed.

Additionally, the bill mandates the military and the government “provide technical and financial assistance to civilian defense manufacturers.”
Recent Defense Imports

The Philippines has relied on foreign partners to deliver state-of-the-art equipment for its military.

In 2022, it acquired BrahMos cruise missiles from India worth 18.9 billion Philippine pesos ($334 million).

It also entered into a nine-vessel acquisition deal with Israel, six of which have already been delivered.

Late last year, it also purchased an advanced radar system from Japan to keep watch over the entire archipelago “with greater accuracy and efficiency.”

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2024/01/25/philippines-self-reliance-defense/#google_vignette

Philippines Military to Provide ‘Unimpeded’ Access to Sea Resources, Defense Chief Says

 Posted to The Diplomat (Jan 25, 2024): Philippines Military to Provide ‘Unimpeded’ Access to Sea Resources, Defense Chief Says (By Sebastian Strangio)

The new “comprehensive archipelagic defense concept” will seek to secure Manila’s access to resources lying within its Exclusive Economic Zone, including in the South China Sea.



Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro take part in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Command Conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, January 15, 2024.Credit: Facebook/Department of National Defense – Philippines

The Philippines armed forces will work to ensure that the country has “unimpeded” access to the natural resources in its portions of the South China Sea, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said earlier this week, in announcing a shift to a new and more robust defense policy.

In a policy speech at the Manila Overseas Press Club on Tuesday night, the transcript of which was released yesterday, Teodoro detailed the military’s new “comprehensive archipelagic defense concept,” which is aimed at ensuring that the country benefits from the natural resources that are to be found in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“We are evolving into a defense concept which projects our power into areas where we must, by constitutional fiat and duty, protect and preserve our resources,” Teodoro said, according to the Philippine News Agency.

The implementation of the strategy will “guarantee as much as possible … unimpeded and peaceful exploration and exploitation of all natural resources” within the country’s EEZ. This access would apply to Philippine nationals, corporations, and others authorized by the Philippine government, he said.

Teodoro’s announcement is the clearest sign yet in the development of a more defiant and robust Philippine defense policy – one that is geared more toward defending the country from external threats than putting down the internal rebellions that have plagued the country since its independence in 1946.

Unsurprisingly, it comes after a year of growing tension with China in the South China Sea, where China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim lops off large portions of the Philippines’ EEZ.

Much of the recent tension has involved the Philippine-occupied Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. Last year, Beijing imposed a loose blockade of the submerged feature. This has resulted in a number of dangerous confrontations, including one in October in which Chinese vessels collided with a Philippine navy vessel and a ship seeking to resupply troops stationed aboard a warship grounded on the shoal. Chinese vessels have also used high-powered water cannons and a military-grade laser to drive away Philippine supply ships.

Manila’s plans to drill for oil and natural gas on Reed Bank, northeast of the Spratly Islands, have been hampered for years by the long-running dispute with China. In 2014, the Philippine government suspended exploration at Reed Bank due to the growing maritime tensions. The year before, it brought escalating disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea to international arbitration. The ban on exploration activities was lifted in 2020.

The growing offshore tensions have tanked relations between Beijing and Manila and prompted a rapid strategic convergence between the Philippines and its existing partners, particularly the United States and Japan. Agreements with Canada and Vietnam, another important South China Sea claimant, are also in the works, according to recent reports.

In his speech to the Manila Overseas Press Club, Teodoro suggested that this shift would continue. He said that the Philippines will “increase the tempo” of activities with allies and major partners, including in the South China Sea, and “exercise these partnerships to the full.”

Responding to a question about China’s recent pressure campaign in the South China Sea, Teodoro said that “illegal encroachment by one country on us and that cannot be justified by a big power play or big power competition.”

He added that Beijing’s claim that the country is being party to a superpower rivalry is being used as a “deflection mechanism” to hide the real intention of the occupation of “almost all if not all of the South China Sea.”

https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/philippines-military-to-provide-unimpeded-access-to-sea-resources-defense-chief-says/

USNI: Report to Congress on China-Philippines Tensions in the South China Sea

 Posted to the US Naval Institute (USNI) Website (Jan 25, 2024): Report to Congress on China-Philippines Tensions in the South China Sea

Go to the following URL for a full copy of the report: 

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24376133/china-philippines-tensions-in-the-south-china-sea-jan-23-2024.pdf

The following is the Jan. 23, 2024, Congressional Research Service In Focus report, China-Philippines Tensions in the South China Sea.

From the report:

In 2023, the People’s Republic of China (PRC, or China) increased pressure on the Philippines to abandon one of its nine outposts in the Spratly Islands chain in the South China Sea (SCS) and attempted to deny Philippine vessels access to parts of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that China claims as its own territory. The escalation of long-standing Sino-Philippine tensions raises the possibility of a crisis or conflict involving China, the Philippines, and potentially the United States.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who was elected in 2022, has taken a considerably more public stance in challenging China’s expansive claims in the SCS than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. Marcos has also expanded military cooperation with the United States under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which aims to support U.S. strategic interests in the region and the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Rising Tensions at Second Thomas Shoal

Second Thomas Shoal (Tagalog: Ayungin Shoal), an atoll in the Spratly Island chain, has been a flash point among the broad disputes over sovereignty in the SCS (Figure 1). The Philippines posts a small cadre of its marines on a now-derelict Philippine Navy ship, the Sierra Madre, which it grounded on the shoal in 1999 as part of its efforts to protect its maritime claims. Since 2013, China has increased its presence near the shoal as part of its attempt to end the Philippines’ occupation there. Second Thomas Shoal is a low-tide elevation (meaning it is fully submerged at high tide) located roughly 105 nautical miles (nm) from the Philippine island of Palawan, 620 nm from the PRC, and 22 nm from Mischief Reef, a low-tide elevation in the Spratlys where the PRC maintains an outpost. The PRC government claims that Joseph Estrada (president of the Philippines from 1998-2001) promised to remove the Sierra Madre, which the Marcos government denies.

In 2023, PRC Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels interfered with Philippine boats conducting resupply missions to the Sierra Madre. Among the most notable incidents, in February 2023, a PRC Coast Guard vessel targeted a Philippine Coast Guard boat with a military-grade laser, reportedly temporarily blinding some crew members. In August, PRC Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels fired a water cannon and took other actions to obstruct Philippine boats near the shoal. In October, PRC Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels surrounded and collided with a Philippine Coast Guard vessel and another supply vessel. The incident reportedly was the first time Philippine officials stated their vessels were struck by PRC ships.

In December 2023, China engaged in what the Philippine government called a “serious escalation” of aggression in the SCS. PRC vessels reportedly swarmed the area near Second Thomas Shoal and “harassed, blocked, and executed dangerous maneuvers,” resulting in a collision between a PRC Coast Guard ship and a Philippine boat on a resupply mission. Each side accused the other of ramming one of its vessels. Since 2012, the PRC has also harassed and blockaded Philippine fishing boats operating near Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing area for both countries (as well as others). In December 2023, the PRC Coast Guard deployed a water cannon on Philippine vessels attempting to deliver provisions to Filipino fishermen near the shoal, reportedly damaging the engine of one boat.

https://news.usni.org/2024/01/25/report-to-congress-on-china-philippines-tensions-in-the-south-china-sea

Did the US send only one ship for joint naval drills with Manila? Verdict: Lack of evidence

 Posted to Radio Free Asia (RFA) Website (Jan 25, 2024): Did the US send only one ship for joint naval drills with Manila? Verdict: Lack of evidence (By Shen Ke for Asia Fact Check Lab)

Photo: RFA

Claims on Chinese-speaking social media suggested that the United States deployed only one ship for the joint patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea in January, and that the USS Carl Vinson supercarrier wasn’t part of the drills.

However, the claims lack evidence. Official statements confirm that four American vessels were involved in the exercises, and visual evidence shows the participation of the USS Carl Vinson in the joint operations.

The claim was shared on the popular Chinese social media site Weibo on Jan. 5 by the state-affiliated social media user Yuyuan Tantian.

“The Philippine military announced that the U.S. and the Philippines would launch a joint cruise in the waters off the South China Sea,” reads the claim in part.

“The Philippine military had previously announced that in addition to four Philippine warships, the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), a cruiser and two guided-missile destroyers would be involved in the mission.

“However, in addition to the three Philippine ships, only one destroyer, the USS Sterrett (DDG-104), actually participated in the cruise and accompanied the Philippine ships at a certain distance.”

Yuyuan Tantian cited a CNN Philippines’ report to back the claim.

A pro-Beijing social media influencer claimed that only one U.S. ship accompanied Philippine naval craft in patrols conducted on January 3 and 4. (Screenshot/Weibo)

The claim began to circulate after the Philippines and the U.S. embarked a two-day joint patrol in the South China Sea on Jan. 3.

The two treaty allies saw a significant increase in security collaboration last year amidst rising tensions in the South China Sea, a point of contention, with the Philippines and China each trading blame for a series of confrontations.

In response, the Philippines and the U.S. initiated joint patrols in November, conducting three-day military exercises in waters near Taiwan and in the West Philippine Sea, the name Manila uses for the South China Sea areas within its exclusive economic zone.

Beijing said it would not turn a blind eye to repeated “provocations and harassment” by the Philippines, while Chinese state media have also accused Manila of relying on U.S. support to continually antagonize China.

American ships

A day before the January exercises, the U.S. Indo Pacific Command said in a statement that a total of four warships were scheduled to take part from the American side, namely the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), USS Kidd (DDG-100), USS Sterett (DDG-104) and USS Princeton (CG-59).

It added that the Philippines would send three vessels.

One of several videos of the drills released by the Philippines Armed Forces on Facebook also shows a Philippine helicopter landing on the USS Carl Vinson, identifiable by its hull number 70 located on the right side of the screen.

Video footage released by the Philippines Armed Forces shows a helicopter in the drills landing on the USS Carl Vinson. (Screenshot/Official Facebook of the Armed Forces of the Philippines)

A public affairs officer for the U.S. Pacific Fleet later referred AFCL to several pictures of U.S. and Philippine military personnel taken aboard the USS Carl Vinson and posted on the military’s official Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website.

The U.S. military outlet Defense News also released footage of the drills taken both on board vessels participating in the drills and in the air surrounding them.

AFCL has not been able to independently verify the exact location of these images.

CNN Philippines report

A keyword search on Google found a report published by CNN Philippines on Jan. 3, which only listed the USS Sterett as a participating vessel in the joint exercises.

Leaders from the Philippine and U.S. Navy take a picture aboard the USS Carl Vinson during the joint patrols. (Screenshot/Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

However, the report also stated that the exercises would be conducted on the following day and that the U.S. still planned to send out four vessels, including the USS Carl Vinson.

Four days after the conclusion of the exercises, CNN Philippines published a separate report on the drills, including footage of the USS Carl Vinson.

[Edited by Taejun Kang and Paul Eckert.  Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) was established to counter disinformation in today’s complex media environment. We publish fact-checks, media-watches and in-depth reports that aim to sharpen and deepen our readers’ understanding of current affairs and public issues. If you like our content, you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.]

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/afcl/afcl-us-philippines-01252024160828.html

Bicol most wanted man, cohort die in clash with cops in Parañaque

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jan 25, 2024): Bicol most wanted man, cohort die in clash with cops in Parañaque (By: Faith Argosino)

PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. holds a press conference at Camp Crame, Quezon City on January 15, 2024. INQUIRER.net file photo / Faith Argosino

MANILA, Philippines — The Bicol Region’s most wanted person and his unidentified accomplice were killed in a shootout with lawmen, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on Thursday.

In a press conference, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. revealed that suspect Gilbert Concepcion was a leader of the Concepcion Criminal Gang involved in gun-for-hire and robbery-extortion rackets in Albay, Camarines Sur. Concepcion was also wanted for kidnapping, murder, rape, and direct assault charges.

“As a background, at around 6:00 p.m. of January 24, 2024, a joint intelligence-driven operation involving personnel of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Police Regional Office 5, triggered a fierce gunfight with Concepcion together with his armed companion,” Acorda said.

He added that policemen were supposed to serve a warrant of arrest against Concepcion, which led to an exchange of gunfire with authorities along Sitio De Asis, Barangay San Martin De Porres.

“Both armed suspects succumbed to gunshot wounds as a result of the encounter. The following weapons and ammunition recovered describe the dangerous character of these suspects and the peril they pose to the community,” Acorda furthered.

Confiscated from them were two 9-mm caliber pistols loaded with live ammunition, five magazines with live ammunition each, a plastic containing 25 pieces of ammunition, two sling bags, and an identification card under the name of Laeco Josie Saysay Quite.

Background on Concepcion

Citing police records, the PNP top official also revealed that Concepcion was among the list of most wanted persons in the list of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, with a P420,000 reward offered for his arrest.

READ: Army soldier slain in clash with NPA rebels in Nueva Ecija

Prior to committing his crimes, the suspect was a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front – Special Partisan Unit under Sevilla Group or Pulong.

Concepcion was recruited by the Philippine Army as its action agent and enlisted in 2001.

READ: 2 suspected NPA rebels killed in Nueva Ecija clash

“Sometime in 2007 or 2008, he went on absence without official leave after a warrant of arrest was issued against him for the killing of Sasota Brothers in 2006 at Sitio Pinagbadilan, Buga, Libon, Albay due to land dispute. He also killed the complainant, the Sasotas’ mother in Polangui, Albay,” PNP’s record said.

Among other crimes, Concepcion and other members of his group were the primary suspects in the death of Barangay Captain Alex Rodriguez Repato, who was shot dead in front of his residence in Libon after filing his candidacy on August 28 last year, prompting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place the area under Comelec control during the 2023 polls.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1894369/bicol-most-wanted-man-cohort-die-in-clash-with-cops-in-paranaque

NPA facing multiple criminal cases arrested

From the Sun Star-Zamboanga (Jan 25, 2024): NPA facing multiple criminal cases arrested

AUTHORITIES have arrested a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel facing multiple criminal charges in a law enforcement operation in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, the police reported Thursday, January 25, 2024.

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-Zamboanga Peninsula identified the arrested NPA rebel as Ademar Etol, who carries the aliases of Kumander Bong, Bom-Bomo and Papsi.

The PRO-Zamboanga Peninsula said Etol was arrested in a law enforcement operation by way of service of warrants of arrested around 6:30 a.m. Thursday, January 25, in Balingasan village, Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay province.

The police said Etol has standing warrants of arrest for the crimes of murder with no recommended bail, multiple attempted murder with P120,000 recommended bail, attempted murder with a recommended bail bond of P72,000, and rebellion with recommended bail bond amounting to PP200,000.

The police said seized from the arrested NPA rebel were a caliber .45 pistol with seven rounds of ammunition, a landmine, a grenade, a backpack, 14 rounds of 40-millometer ammunition, and a 32-gigabite flash drive containing ambush video and propaganda.

The police said Etol was placed under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for documentation and proper disposition.

Police Brigadier General Bowenn Joey Masauding, PRO-Zamboanga Peninsula director, commended the feat of the operating units for the arrest of Etol.

“The arrest of the CTG (Communist Terrorist Group) member charged with multiple frustrated murder is a result of the untiring efforts of our police force. Another threat to the safety and security of the community has once again been put to halt,” Masauding said.

“Rest assured, we will continue to do our mandate of maintaining the peace in the region through continuous conduct of police operations,” he added.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/amp/story/zamboanga/npa-facing-multiple-criminal-cases-arrested

Terrorism case filed in court vs 11 'NPA members' in Occidental Mindoro

From the Manila Bulletin (Jan 25, 2024): Terrorism case filed in court vs 11 'NPA members' in Occidental Mindoro (By JEFFREY DAMICOG)

Eleven suspected New People's Army (NPA) members who allegedly ambushed Philippine Army (PA) soldiers in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro on May 30, 2023 have been charged criminally before the regional trial court (RTC) in the province.

Prosecutor General Benedicto a. Malcontento said the case for violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 under Republic Act No. 11479 was filed last Jan. 23.

Accused in the case were Jovito Marquez, Antonio Baculo, Sonny Rogelio, Veginia Terrobias, Lena Gumpad, Job Abednego David, Jessie M. Almoguera, Reina Grace, Bethro Erardo Zapra Jr., Daisylyn Castillo Malucon, and Yvaan Copuz Zuniga.

Malcontento said the case was filed after conducting preliminary investigation on the complaint filed by the PA.

In a statement earlier issued, the Department of Justice (DOJ) had said that "the accused individuals allegedly ambushed Philippine Army soldiers with high-powered firearms and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).”

In its complaint, the PA's 2nd Infantry “Junglefighter” Division said its troops were conducting “focused military operations when they encountered armed personalities believed to be members of the Main Regional Guerilla Unit from the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee at Sitio Pasugue in Barangay Malisbong in Sablayan town which resulted in a twenty-minute firefight.”

“The government side suffered no casualties while a male and female rebels namely alias Hunter and alias Liza were reportedly killed,” the PA had said.

“The troops also recovered three M16 rifles, 13 magazines, one fragmentary hand grenade, an anti-vehicle mine, five improvised hand grenades, 50 meters wire, a detonating cord, four burlap, four bandoliers, and four backpacks with personal belongings,” it had also said.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/25/terrorism-case-filed-in-court-vs-11-npa-members-in-occidental-mindoro#google_vignette

Former rebel stronghold in Negros Occidental transforms with tikog-weaving

Posted to Rappler (Jan 26, 2024): Former rebel stronghold in Negros Occidental transforms with tikog-weaving (By REYMUND TITONG)

Tikog weavers bring economic improvement and recognition to a former rebel stronghold in Negros Occidental, despite the challenges posed by their isolated village

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – In a rural community in southern Negros Occidental, once a stronghold of communist rebels, residents faced fear and difficulties due to the area’s remote location. This made it challenging for them to access crucial government social services and aid.

Welmie Garlet, 43, recalled the hardships their community in Sitio Madaja, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, faced because of fierce clashes between state forces and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

He said there was a time when villagers had to move from one place to another several times to avoid getting caught in the crossfires.

TRADE FAIR. Welmie Garlet (right) sells the tikog products of Sitio Madaja, Himamaylan City, at the 37th Negros Trade Fair in Makati City in 2023. courtesy of Sybel Nobleza

Garlet said that aside from dealing with conflict, the distance of the nearest market posed a challenge, particularly in transporting their agricultural produce. Instead of selling their goods in the lowlands, many chose to just use their harvest for their own needs.

'When I see something good and positive like an RBH and the willingness to work with the House, I will embrace it and I will work hand in hand,' House Speaker Martin Romualdez says

He said the absence of educational infrastructure added an extra burden to the local community, compelling children to confront daily challenges such as long treks, uphill climbs, and brook crossings, even in harsh weather conditions. Their estimated walking time is nearly two hours.

Sitio Madaja is located in the northernmost area of Barangay Buenavista, approximately 15 kilometers from the Himamaylan city proper.

Tikog-weaving

Garlet is now one of the male weavers in the community, a skill passed down from their ancestors who had lived there since the early days.

Since the community has an abundant source of tikog (reed grass), they are maximizing it in making mats, hats, and other products.

Tikog is a type of grass that grows in a swampy area and is characterized by a solid, jointless, and triangular stem.

The Mahawa products were featured and sold out for two consecutive years at the Negros Trade Fair in Makati City, starting in 2022. The fair holds the distinction of being the longest-running provincial trade fair in the country.

Soon, orders from around the world began pouring in after the trade exhibit, attracted by the uniqueness of their product and the narrative of the community woven into each tikog they offer for sale.

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With its potential to help the community alleviate its economic status, the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) came in to assist the community in diversifying their livelihoods with the help of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion’s Community Support Program (CSP).

ANP is a non-government organization in Negros Island born from the sugar crisis of the 1980s. It has been helping families in rural areas in a mono-crop economy to diversify their livelihood activities.

The organization helped organize the weavers into the Madaja Handweavers Association (Mahawa), and in 2023, they were registered with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

After their registration, Garlet was elected as the president of the association, and tasked with overseeing and conducting quality checks on the products of other weavers.

Today, the association has 35 weavers, comprising young and elderly members, who have caught the attention of people from neighboring communities to learn and love the craft as well, Garlet said.

The military declared the community as conflict-cleared in 2021, which meant that there was no longer any rebel in the area.

“Kun wala ang ANP kag iban nga mga tawo kag organisasyon nag kadto diri, wala gid kami natalupandan ang amon mga produkto,” Garlet said.

(Our community products would never have been discovered if it weren’t for the ANP and the other individuals and organizations that came here.)

“Nabudlayan kami sang una pati na sa pagtakos sang sizes sang banig pero tungod gusto namon, amat-amat man nga nag maayo amon mga ubra,” he added.

(We initially had trouble following the standard measurements of the mats, but because we love what we do, we managed to figure it out.)

The products have made an impact on the community’s well-being, and the weavers can now provide their children with more necessities and put food on the table, Garlet said.

Mats and other tikog items command prices between P200 to P1,000, depending on the type and size of the product.

Collaboration

Sybel Nobleza, ANP’s external affairs manager, said the weaving project falls under the Provincial Peace and Order Council of Negros Occidental. They are actively working to guarantee work standards and market access for Mahawa and other supported communities in the province.

ANP has continued to provide more training for weavers to further develop their skills despite obstacles, such as logistical issues in transporting their woven items.

Lieutenant Colonel Van Donald Almonte, commander of the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion, said their commitment to fostering positive change goes beyond traditional roles, and the collaborative effort shows a shared vision for a brighter and more resilient future for Sitio Madaja. – Rappler.com

https://www.rappler.com/nation/visayas/former-rebel-stronghold-negros-occidental-transforms-tikog-weaving-january-2024/

2 wounded NPA amazons captured

From the Manila Bulletin (Jan 25, 2024): 2 wounded NPA amazons captured (By MIKE CRISMUNDO)

BUTUAN CITY – The Army 23rd Infantry Battalion under the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division captured two wounded New People’s Army amazons in an encounter in Barangay Bitan-agan, this city, on Wednesday, January 24.

They were taken and under tight security in a hospital here on Thursday, January 25.



TROOPS seized communist war materials in a gun battle in Barangay Bitan-agan, Butuan City, on Wednesday. (Photo via Mike U. Crismundo)

Brig. Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, commanding general of the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade, said that troops of the 23rd IB under Lt. Col. Jeffrey Balingao, commanding officer, figured in a 10-minute gun battle with more than 10 communist rebels under Platoon 2 of the Sub-regional Sentro de Gravida Sagay, Sub-regional Committee 3, of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee in Barangay Bitan-agan here.

Soldiers recovered an M653 rifle, bullets, bandoliers, and backpacks containing personal belongings owned by the NPA in the encounter site.

Identities of the captured rebels, one of them a medic of the headquarters NEO of the NCMRC, were withheld for their security.

Orio said they will continue to be treated and accorded with necessary assistance until they fully recuperate.

“This is in line with our strict adherence to the respect of the human rights and to the provisions under the international humanitarian law,” said Orio.

“We are now coordinating with the Police Regional Office-13 for filing of appropriate cases against these NPA,” the 402nd Brigade commander added.

Major Gen. Jose Maria R. Cuerpo, 4th ID chief, thanked the people for continuing to cooperate and vigilant against the NPA.

Cuerpo lauded the troops’ resilience and encouraged them to continue serving with dedication until lasting peace for every community in the region is achieved.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/26/2-wounded-npa-amazons-captured

Marcos commits to close collaboration with BARMM

From the Manila Bulletin (Jan 25, 2024): Marcos commits to close collaboration with BARMM (By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS)

AT A GLANCE: Marcos said the national government's commitment to working with BARMM remained strong.

President Marcos has renewed his commitment to collaborating with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as he recognized its role in the envisioned "Bagong Pilipinas" (New Philippines).

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Malacañang photo)

Marcos said this as BARMM marked the fifth anniversary of its establishment on Thursday, Jan. 25.

In a Facebook post late Thursday, the President said the national government's commitment to working with BARMM remained strong.

"We join our brothers and sisters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in celebrating its 5th anniversary!" he wrote.

"Recognizing BARMM's indispensable role in our Bagong Pilipinas, our commitment to close collaboration remains strong for just and lasting peace and prosperity, not only in Mindanao but throughout the nation," he added.

In June last year, President Marcos said his government was willing to work with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to ensure the BARMM's success.

Marcos acknowledged that the government should pay proper attention to the lingering issues in Mindanao, such as land, justice, and reconciliation.

"The BARMM, the Parliament, everyone wants it to work; the national government wants it to work. The local governments in the area want it to work," he said.

Meanwhile, President Marcos promised to lend his ear to some individuals' or factions' voices and views to prevent them from resorting to violence.

"We have just begun with the process because we have to redirect the entire government. This is not an easy thing to do," he said.

"The government is very big... It takes several kilometers before you can change direction; that's a little bit of the government," he added.

The BARMM was formed after former president Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) No. 11054 on July 27, 2018.

President Marcos has renewed his commitment to collaborating with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as he recognized its role in the envisioned "Bagong Pilipinas" (New Philippines).

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Malacañang photo)

Marcos said this as BARMM marked the fifth anniversary of its establishment on Thursday, Jan. 25.

In a Facebook post late Thursday, the President said the national government's commitment to working with BARMM remained strong.

"We join our brothers and sisters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in celebrating its 5th anniversary!" he wrote.

"Recognizing BARMM's indispensable role in our Bagong Pilipinas, our commitment to close collaboration remains strong for just and lasting peace and prosperity, not only in Mindanao but throughout the nation," he added.

In June last year, President Marcos said his government was willing to work with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to ensure the BARMM's success.

Marcos acknowledged that the government should pay proper attention to the lingering issues in Mindanao, such as land, justice, and reconciliation.

"The BARMM, the Parliament, everyone wants it to work; the national government wants it to work. The local governments in the area want it to work," he said.

Meanwhile, President Marcos promised to lend his ear to some individuals' or factions' voices and views to prevent them from resorting to violence.

"We have just begun with the process because we have to redirect the entire government. This is not an easy thing to do," he said.

"The government is very big... It takes several kilometers before you can change direction; that's a little bit of the government," he added.

The BARMM was formed after former president Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) No. 11054 on July 27, 2018.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/25/marcos-commits-to-close-collaboration-with-barmm

Gov’t unveils plan to turn former Moro Islamic Liberation Front camp into residential, eco hub

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jan 25, 2024): Gov’t unveils plan to turn former Moro Islamic Liberation Front camp into residential, eco hub (By: John Eric Mendoza)

This file photo taken on July 12, 2000, shows Army soldiers setting up a check point at Camp Abubakar. The government now plans to transform this former Moro Islamic Liberation Front camp into a residential and economic hub. INQUIRER file photo / EDWIN BACASMAS

MANILA, Philippines — The blueprint for a future residential area and economic hub inside the former Moro Islamic Liberation Front camp has been formally launched, according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity chief Carlito Galvez Jr.

The master development plan for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Camp Abubakar was officially launched and signed on Tuesday at the 1st Marine Brigade headquarters in Brgy. Tugaig in Maguindanao del Norte’s Barira town, Galvez said in a statement on Thursday.

Galvez said the project, in line with the Executive Order No. 79 also known as Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the national government, will be launched at a 300-hectare settlement site in the said area.

“It is a blueprint that targets the socioeconomic deficiencies in the camp by providing housing solutions for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front decommissioned combatants, as well as a platform for other national government agencies and BARMM ministries to bring in programs and change,” Galvez said in his speech during the launching ceremony.

The master development plan envisions the camp’s development in the next 20 years, containing initial 234 housing units for fiscal year 2024.

READ: Gov’t must address causes of ‘rido’ in BARMM – Galvez

Aside from this, the government will also build access roads, telecommunication access, potable water access, agricultural plantation areas, institutional and religious buildings, health facilities, mercantile areas, among others.

“It was the center of the conflict, but now it will be transformed for the normalization [process] for our brothers in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front,” Galvez said.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1894441/govt-unveils-plan-to-turn-former-moroislamicliberationfront-camp-into-residential-eco-hub

Development plan for Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s former main bastion gains support

Posted to the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation (NDBC) Website (Jan 25, 2024): Development plan for Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s former main bastion gains support (By: John Felix Unson)

Government officials together unveiled the Master Development Plan for Camp Abubakar on Thursday at the headquarters of the 1st Marine Brigade in Barira, Maguindanao del Norte. (John Unson)

COTABATO CITY - Mayors of towns around the erstwhile iconic main enclave of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Maguindanao del Norte are ready to help push forward Malacañang’s 20-year development plan aiming to transform the area into an economic hub.

The Master Development Plan for Camp Abubakar, or MDCA, was launched last Wednesday by officials of the Bangsamoro regional government, local executives, Presidential Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr. and Brig. Gen. Eric Macaambac of the Navy’s 1st Marine Brigade during a symbolic rite in Barangay Tugaig in the upland Barira town.

Mayor Cahar Ibay of the seaside Parang town in Maguindanao del Norte told reporters on Thursday that he and other municipal chief executives shall help push the MDCA forward, certain of its positive impact on the lives of Maranaw, Iranun and Maguindanaon residents in agricultural enclaves in at least nine municipalities around Camp Abubakar.

“Local executives can even organize a bloc that can help hasten its implementation,” Ibay, whose municipality hosts the Polloc International Seaport close to Camp Abubakar, said, speaking on behalf of mayors grouped as the Iranun Peace and Economic Council.

Now a “peace zone,” Camp Abubakar is surrounded by the municipalities of Kapatagan and Butig in Lanao del Sur, Buldon, Barira, Matanog, Parang, Sultan Mastura and Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao del Norte and Pigcawayan in Cotabato.

The camp, established in the early 1980s by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's founder, the late Islamic theologian Salamat Hashim, spans more than 20,000 hectares of land with rolling terrains, crisscrossed by rivers that spring from tropical rainforests in hinterlands around. It was taken over by state forces on July 16, 2000 after a week-long bloody offensive and is now guarded by units of the 1st Marine Brigade.

Galvez said on Thursday that the Marines, the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division shall also help in furthering the agenda of the MDCA, focused on housing for marginalized Moro villagers, setting up water supply systems, access roads, telecommunications, health and trading facilities and vital agricultural interventions needed to boost the productivity of local farming communities.

The BARMM government, whose chief minister, Ahod B. Ebrahim is chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s central committee, will partly bankroll the housing projects for Moro villagers residing around Camp Abubakar, whose center is in Barangay Tugaig.

BARMM’s labor minister, Muslimin Sema, who is chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front, told reporters on Thursday that he will urge MNLF representatives in the 80-seat Bangsamoro parliament to sponsor a resolution committing support for the Camp Abubakar development plan.

https://www.ndbcnews.com.ph/news/development-plan-milf%E2%80%99s-former-main-bastion-gains-support

‘SAF 44’: Gallantry hailed, battlefield fiasco recalled

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jan 26, 2024): ‘SAF 44’: Gallantry hailed, battlefield fiasco recalled (By: Vincent Cabreza)

HONORING SLAIN COMMANDOS President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and other officials salute the 44 members of the elite Special Action Force who died nine years ago in a clandestine antiterrorist operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, in commemoration rites held on Thursday at the Philippine National Police Academy in Silang, Cavite. —PPA POOL

BAGUIO CITY — The Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police marked the ninth year since 44 of its troopers were killed with commemoration rites held on Thursday at the PNP Academy in Cavite and in Baguio City, where a marker pays tribute to the “14 Cordillera Braves” who died with their comrades at Mamasapano in Maguindanao.

The tragic deaths, often referred to as the Mamasapano Massacre by sympathizers of the SAF 44, resulted from a botched covert operation to capture a Malaysian bomber, Zulkifli bin Hir (alias Marwan), and local terrorist Basit Usman on Jan. 25, 2015, in Mamasapano town’s Tukanalipao village.

Cleared in court

The authorities blamed miscommunication and poor judgment for triggering a massive attack by local Muslim rebels and members of the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) against the police commandos who were helpless without reinforcements from either the PNP or the military. The clash also killed five civilians and 18 BIFF fighters.

READ: Marcos calls for ‘kinder, gentler society’ to honor SAF44

The late President Benigno Aquino III, retired Police Director General Alan Purisima, and then SAF chief Getulio Napeñas were held liable for the operation in a fact-finding report by a team of investigators led by then police major general and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

Purisima and Napeñas were cleared by the Sandiganbayan in 2020 on graft charges and usurpation of authority. The late President was never charged.

Baguio marker

The Cordillera Police Office organized the commemoration in Baguio at the marker installed in 2021 at Camp John Hay Manor for 14 Cordillerans who were among the 44 SAF commandos.

Representatives from nine of the 14 families offered a wreath at the marker to honor the late Chief Insp. Gednat Tabdi of Benguet’s La Trinidad town, Senior Insp. Cyrus Anniban of Tabuk City in Kalinga province, PO3 Robert Allaga of Banaue town in Ifugao province, PO3 Noel Golocan of Baguio, PO2 Peterson Carap of Kabayan town in Benguet, PO2 Walner Danao of Baguio, PO2 Franklin Danao of Ifugao’s Tinoc town and PO2 Jerry Kayob, also of La Trinidad.

The marker at a garden park behind the hotel also honors PO2 Noble Kiangan of the Benguet town of Mankayan, PO2 Nicky Nacino Jr. of Baguio, PO2 Joel Dulnuan of Ifugao’s Kiangan town, PO1 Russel Bilog of Baguio, PO1 Gringo Cayang-o of Sadanga town in Mountain Province and PO1 Angel Kodiamat, also of Mankayan.

READ: VP Sara Duterte remembers heroism, sacrifices of SAF44

Magalong did not attend this year’s commemoration rites. But in his speech read for him by City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña, the mayor said the Cordillera Braves’ families “bear a burden that most cannot comprehend,” and the whole community must continue to stand by them because the SAF 44’s sacrifice “left a void that can never be filled.”

Speaking at the National Day of Remembrance of the Heroic Sacrifice of the SAF 44, Kiangan’s widow, Christine, said the “selflessness and complete dedication” of the slain SAF members were what “connect our families,” who reunite once a year.

She was joined at the ceremony by Sandra Allaga, niece of PO2 Allaga; Larry Banagan Cayang-o, the PO1’s father-in-law; Julie Danao, mother of PO2 Walner Danao; and Edna, mother of Chief Insp. Tabdi; Felicitas, mother of PO2 Nacino; Maurice, brother of PO1 Kodiamat; Kathleen, PO1 Bilog’s sister; and John, Senior Insp. Anniban’s father, who traveled from Kalinga.

Maj. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo, a former SAF director who now heads the PNP community relations office, said the 44 SAF troopers “played a vital role” at a crucial moment that allowed other police officers to enter Marwan’s hideout.

FALLEN COMRADES A group of police Special Action Force (SAF) troopers offer flowers on Thursday at a marker for 14 “Cordillera Braves” who were among the SAF 44 commandos killed during a secret operation to capture terrorist bombers in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, nine years earlier at a garden on the grounds of Camp John Hay Manor in Baguio City. —NEIL CLARK OCHANGCO

“[SAF 44] stood their ground,” he said, adding that “had they retreated,” teams that raided Marwan’s lair would have been killed, too.

Marwan was killed. Usman, who escaped, was killed four months later. Speaking at the remembrance ceremonies at Camp Gen. Mariano Castaneda in Silang town, Cavite, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the tragedy had taught Filipinos to “put nation before self (and) to display courage under fire.”Still no justice

“We would also be disrespecting their memory if we give quarters to those who terrorize our people. We would be devaluing their valor if we cede our territory to those who would trespass upon it,” he said.“It is now up to us—who lived—who benefited from their full measure of devotion to duty, to build a kinder and gentler society, wherein those they have left behind can live in peace and prosperity,” Marcos said.

Napeñas, who attended the ceremonies, told reporters that there was still no justice for the commandos.

“Was there a case filed against those people who killed the 44? Until now, not yet,” he said.“I would like to see now that cases are filed against those who killed our men because they killed them—that’s murder. Some were still alive, yet they massacred them. Do you think justice has been served while no charges are filed against them?” he said.

Napeñas lamented that he, too, suffered a form of injustice after his pension benefits were forfeited one year following his retirement in 2015.

Marcos led other officials in laying wreaths at the monument honoring the SAF 44. A 21-gun salute followed this.

On Thursday, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos assured Filipinos that the Mamasapano incident would not be repeated under the Marcos administration. “We owe it to these heroes and their families to prevent another Mamasapano tragedy from happening again,” Abalos said in a statement.
Aquino responsibility

In 2017, then President Rodrigo Duterte declared Jan. 25 of every year as a National Day of Remembrance for the 44 SAF officers.

Addressing the PNP Academy graduates two months after the Mamasapano debacle, Aquino said he was taking responsibility for the tragedy.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1894582/saf-44-gallantry-hailed-battlefield-fiasco-recalled

ICCT: Decapitation, Retaliation, and the Indicators of Escalation in Mindanao

Posted to the International Center for Counter-Terrorism (Nov 15, 2023): Decapitation, Retaliation, and the Indicators of Escalation in Mindanao

Policy Brief by Kenneth Yeo Yaoren

This policy brief examines the recent developments within the Dawlah Islamiyah (DI) community in Mindanao, Southern Philippines, following the death of Abu Zacariah in Marawi. His demise has sparked significant upheaval, particularly regarding the leadership succession within the DI. Initially, the leader of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) was poised to become the next emir of Dawlah Islamiyah Philippines. However, in a surprising turn of events, he surrendered to the 6th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. This event, along with other indicators, suggests a substantial weakening of DI groups in the region. The most notable aspect of this decline is the collective demoralisation among its combatants, evidenced by an unprecedented rate of surrender since 2020. Despite these developments indicating a potential diminishing threat, the study identifies three critical factors that could escalate conflicts: the possibility of a prison siege, increased intergroup cooperation, and the involvement of foreign fighters. These elements require continuous monitoring by authorities to effectively manage and mitigate the risk of renewed violence and instability in the region.

For full report go tothe following URL:  https://www.icct.nl/sites/default/files/2023-12/Decapitation%2C%20Retaliation%2C%20and%20the%20Indicators%20of%20Escalation%20in%20Mindanao.pdf

[Kenneth Yeo Yaoren is a Research Analyst with the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, a constituent unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Kenneth is also the lead researcher for ICPVTR’s Southeast Asia Militant Atlas (SEAMA) project. His research interest includes Islamist terrorism in the Philippines, Maritime Terrorism, Geospatial Analytics, and Social Network Analysis.

Key ICCT Publications:

Yaoren, K. Suicide Bombings in Mindanao, Policy Brief, The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 8 November 2021

Yaoren, K., Anathen, R., Dass, S. & Singh, J. Maritime Malice in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines: The Asymmetric Maritime Threat at the Tri-Border Area, Policy Brief, The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 29 April, 2021]

https://www.icct.nl/publication/decapitation-retaliation-and-indicators-escalation-mindanao

CPP/NPA-Central Negros: Planted kag recycled nga mga Armas, Ginkumpirmar sang 62nd IB

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Jan 24, 2024): Planted kag recycled nga mga Armas, Ginkumpirmar sang 62nd IB (Planted and recycled Weapons, Confirmed by the 62nd IB)

 


JB Regalado

Spokesperson

NPA-Central Negros (Leonardo Panaligan Command)

Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)

New People's Army

January 24, 2024

Ginkumpirmar sang tagtaghol sang 62nd IB sa pagpanguna ni Col. William Pesase Jr, 62nd IB Commander sa ila radio program (Enero 23 alas 12:00 sa udto) nga planted kag recycled ang mga armas nga hungod nga gintanom sang tropa militar sa gin-alegar duha nga kaswalti sang New People’s Army (NPA) sa peke nga engkwentro sa tunga sang NPA kag berdugong tropa sang 62nd IB nga sanday Dionesio “Boy” Baloy kag Bernard Torres sa Hda. Gomez, Barangay Sag-ang, La Castellana, Negros Occidental sadtong Enero 17 sang aga.

Suno sa mga tagtaghol sa kaugalingon nga radio program sang 62nd IB sa ila headquarter nga nahamtang sa Barangay Libas, Isabela, Negros Occidental, ang .45 cal pistol nga dala ni Dionesio Baloy amo ang .45 cal pistol ni Corporal Mark Anthony Qiuocson nga nakumpiskar sang NPA matapos nga gin-sparu sa Brgy Luz, Guihulngan sadtong tuig 2020.

Ang kamatuoran, Mayo 20, 2023 pa ginsurender na ang ini nga armas ni Reymark Dayanan sa tropa sang 62nd IB. Ini man nga armas ang nalakip na sa mga litrato nga ginpalapnag sang nasambit nga pasistang tropa sa social media nga kuno kabahin sang ila accomplishments.

Makahuluya nga liwat naman ini ginpresentar sa publiko nga mga armas matapos ang peke nga engkwentro sa La Castellana sadtong Enero 17.

Kaladlawan, nga daw wiper ang liog ni Pesase kag de Guzman, ang 62nd IB Spokesperson, upod ang kabilugan nga tropa sang #Liar62ndIB sa paghinabon sang ila kalakasan kag kabutigan. Amo na ang ginasiling “Ang isda indi gid mabunit sa iya ikog kundi sa iya baba.”

Hublasan ang kabutigan sang berdugong 62nd IB! Pabayaron sang dako ang mga ini sa ila mga kalakasan sa pumuluyo sang Central Negros! ###

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/planted-kag-recycled-nga-mga-armas-ginkumpirmar-sang-62nd-ib/

OPAPRU: Swift actions to address 'rido' to preserve BARMM peace gains

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 25, 2024): OPAPRU: Swift actions to address 'rido' to preserve BARMM peace gains (By Priam Nepomuceno)

OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (File photo courtesy of OPAPRU)

MANILA – There is an urgent need to address the root causes of "rido" (clan wars) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as these pose serious peace and security challenges in the region, a government peace adviser said Thursday.

In a statement, Office of the Presidential on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said this is among the instructions of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“We need to address with finality the problem of 'rido'. This is through the enhancement of our collaboration between the security sector, the BARMM, and our local government units,” he added.

Galvez said "rido" often resulted from land disputes, local politics, and inherited generations of misunderstanding and stereotyping between two feuding clans or groups.

If left unresolved, he said hostilities among the feuding families could escalate and pose a serious threat to the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process.

Galvez said security forces must be supported by a network of proactive, engaged, and informed stakeholders who are able to create platforms for open dialogue and cooperation.

"We need to harness the collective strength of these groups and institutions to address the underlying issues that fuel 'rido'," Galvez added.

He also underscored the urgent need to craft a comprehensive approach to address “ridos”, which have undermined peace and development efforts in the BARMM.

“We need to harness the collective strength of these groups and institutions to address the underlying issues that fuel rido. As we know, poverty, lack of economic opportunity, and instability fuel conflict. It is therefore crucial to uplift the lives of our Moro Islamic Liberation Front and MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) brothers and sisters, and their camps into zones of peace and development,” he added.

5 years of BARMM peace gains

Galvez, meanwhile, greeted the BARMM and its people on their journey in achieving peace.

"We are not only celebrating the major milestones we have achieved over the past five years since the BARMM’s creation. We are also reflecting on the amazing journey all of us have taken towards achieving genuine peace and sustainable development in the region," he added.

Since its establishment, Galvez said the BARMM and its leadership has demonstrated remarkable resilience, determination and commitment to uplift the lives of the region’s residents regardless of tribe, religion, or beliefs.

This sense of inclusivity has become the hallmark of the Bangsamoro government, he added.

Galvez said the passage of five BARMM priority codes, the establishment of all seven Inter-Governmental Relations Body mechanisms, and bureaucracy building of the BARMM symbolize the Bangsamoro government’s capacity for effective, moral governance.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1217603

PBBM: SAF44 heroism a ‘clarion call for unity’ to address challenges

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 25, 2024): PBBM: SAF44 heroism a ‘clarion call for unity’ to address challenges (By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos)

HONORING SAF 44. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday (Jan. 25, 2024) leads the Day of National Remembrance for the Heroic Sacrifice of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) personnel at Camp Castañeda in Silang, Cavite. A wreath was also offered at the Monument of the Fallen Heroes to honor the SAF4’s bravery and heroism. (PCO photo)

MANILA – The heroism of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troops of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who died in a firefight in Mamasapano, Maguindanao nine years ago, is a “clarion call for unity” to address the challenges besetting the country, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Thursday.

During the observance of the Day of National Remembrance at Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite, Marcos called on his fellow Filipinos to emulate the SAF 44 commandos, who he branded as “warriors for peace,” to seek a common goal of “build[ing] a better future for our nation.”

“My countrymen, the defiant stand of the Brave 44 still echoes today, it is a clarion call for unity and action against any challenge that we might face,” Marcos said.

“So, how do we pay homage to these brave men, whose gallantry no memorial can fully capture, whose courage no words can fully extol? It is by working tirelessly to realize their dreams, for their family, for their children, for their comrades, [and] for the people,” he added.

Marcos said Filipinos would be disrespecting the memory and devaluing the valor of the 44 SAF personnel, if they submit to those who terrorize the nation and cede the territory to those who would trespass upon it.

While the country “will never be able to fully pay” the slain troopers for their sacrifices, Marcos said each Filipino has the crucial role in bringing peace and progress to the country.

“In their last hours, in that place of honor, we can draw many important lessons. The lessons such as to put nation before self, to display courage under fire, to resolve to forge ahead, to never give up,” Marcos said.

“It is now up to us who live, who benefitted from their full measure of devotion to duty to build a kinder and gentler society wherein those that they have left behind can live in peace and prosperity. That is the mission that they have left us to pursue when they did not return from their last patrol.”

During the event, there was also a wreath offering at the Monument of the Fallen Heroes to pay tribute to the bravery of the 44 SAF troopers.

Meanwhile, the PNP in Eastern Visayas joined in honoring the Mamasapano heroes.

PNP Region 8 director Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Pawid led a simple ceremony at the region office with key regional police officials and family members of some of the 44 fallen commandos present.

Policemen and family members offered wreaths of flowers at the Bantayog ng Bayani, Camp Kangleo in Palo, Leyte.

Of the 44 fallen SAF commandos, two were from Leyte province, two from Northern Samar and two from Eastern Samar.

“Their lives were far too brief, but they have lived meaningful ones. Rest assured that the entire Philippine National Police and the public that they have sworn to serve and protect will continue to remember their gallantry. The beautiful life they had lived will not be put in vain, as we will further strengthen our offenses and defenses against our enemies. We will continue to rally for peace. In the name of service and love for the country, they have made the greatest sacrifice—fallen but not forgotten,” Pawid said during the ceremony.

Thankful

The SAF, meanwhile, thanked the President and the Filipino people for joining the observance.

In a statement, SAF chief Maj. Gen. Bernard Banac said the valor of the fallen SAF commandos would serve as an inspiration to their ranks.

"Makakaasa ang ating mga mamamayan na sa ilalim ng pamununo ni PNP Chief Gen. Benjamin C Acorda Jr., patuloy na magiging tapat ang ating mga kapulisan at SAF sa kanilang tungkulin at patuloy silang maglilingkod ng buong husay at kagalakan sa ating mga mamamayan para sa kapayapaan at kaayusan ng ating bayan (Rest assured that under the leadership of PNP Chief Gen. Benjamin C. Acorda Jr., the police force and the SAF would remain loyal to their duty and serve the people with excellence and joy to preserve the country's peace and order)," Banac added.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., who joined the observance, said the Marcos administration would ensure that there would be no repeat of such an incident.

“As we remember today the tragedy that befell the brave SAF44, we also learn and reflect on the missteps of this unfortunate incident. We owe it to these heroes and their families to prevent another Mamasapano tragedy from happening again. As such, trust that we would continuously push for initiatives to modernize and improve the capabilities of our police force to make them more efficient and responsive,” he added.

For his part, PNP chief Gen Benjamin Acorda Jr. said the SAF44's heroism should pave the way for the police's renewed commitment to strengthening law enforcement.

"May there memory serve as an inspiration for us to continue advocating for justice and peace in our nation. We must recognize the importance of unity, coordination and effective communication in our pursuit of national security. The sacrifices made by our heroes must motivate us to constantly strive for excellence in our duty to protect and serve," Acorda said.

On Jan. 25, 2015, SAF commandos carried out a law enforcement operation against two high-value targets, Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and terrorist Abdul Basit Usman.

They were able to kill Marwan but failed to get Usman who was later killed in another operation.

On their way out, a firefight occurred which eventually trapped 45 SAF personnel, with only one surviving after swimming in a creek and hiding in bushes on his way out.

Former president Rodrigo Duterte in February 2017 issued Proclamation 164, declaring Jan. 25 of every year as a day of national remembrance for the heroic sacrifice of SAF 44 members. (with reports from Lloyd Caliwan, Sarwell Meniano/PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1217601

NTF-ELCAC committed to dynamic, fruitful dialogues with int'l groups

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 25, 2024): NTF-ELCAC committed to dynamic, fruitful dialogues with int'l groups (By Priam Nepomuceno)

FRUITFUL TALKS. United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan (center) meets with officials of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Wednesday (Jan. 24, 2024). Officials from the Anti-Terrorism Council-Project Management Center and the Department of the Interior and Local Government also joined the meeting. (Photo courtesy of NTF-ELCAC)

MANILA – The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Thursday said it welcomes dialogues and other exchanges between international and local civil society groups, stressing that this helps in fostering change.

"At NTF-ELCAC, we wholeheartedly embrace dynamic conversations and fruitful exchanges among international organizations, civil society groups, and the government. We believe that fostering an environment of open dialogue is crucial for the flourishing of our democracy here in the Philippines," NTF-ELCAC National Secretariat executive director, Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said in an online press briefing.

He added that the "transformative power of vibrant discussions" cannot be overstated as it serves as a catalyst for positive change and ignites government reforms.

Torres also said the visit of United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR) on freedom of expression and opinion Irene Khan to the country is a testament to the government's commitment to transparency open dialogue, and the protection of civic space.

"The welcome dinner and the subsequent meeting at Camp Crame (Quezon City) exemplify our government's dedication to openness and collaboration. These events have not only provided a platform for showcasing the sincerity of the PBBM administration but have also allowed us to comprehensively explain the laws, policies, and mechanisms in place within our organizations," the NTF-ELCAC chief emphasized.

Torres also said Khan's visit offers an exceptional opportunity for the international community to gain a nuanced understanding of the policies that govern the Philippines.

He said the task force, together with the Anti-Terrorism Council-Project Management Center (ATC-PMC), in a meeting on Wednesday, had the privilege of presenting their accomplishments, acknowledging challenges, and outlining future strategies.

He noted that this also highlights the country's commitment to fostering a climate of openness and transparency.

"In our interactions, UNSR Ms. Khan highlighted the need for a delicate balance in addressing challenges while considering broader implications for societal and individual interests. The Spectrum Between Truth and Falsehood, as eloquently described by Ms. Khan, encapsulates the complexities of subjective interpretations and viewpoints within the realm of opinions. It is encouraging to note that, as Asians, we share common ground, valuing communal well-being over individual pursuits," the NTF-ELCAC chief noted.

Torres also emphasized that the Philippine government supports initiatives that foster a culture of healthy skepticism, encouraging cognitive biases, fact-checking information, and supporting organizations that promote media literacy.

Torres also expressed confidence that Khan's visit will help enhance efforts by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in solidifying the gains from the protection and defense of freedom of expression and opinion.

The NTF-ELCAC official also said he is anticipating that Khan will face considerable challenges as she engages with diverse perspectives and narratives from different government agencies, civil society groups, non-government organizations, especially entities, and other groups aligned with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

“Evaluating the conflicting stories presented by both sides will pose a considerable challenge for her. Nonetheless, the government expresses confidence that the veracity of our narratives will prevail,” he said.

On Tuesday, Khan also met with top security officials, including National Security Council Assistant Deputy Director Jonathan Malaya, where she was briefed by the ATC about the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and the mandate of the NTF-ELCAC.

“She was just absorbing all the presentations. Toward the end of the meeting, there are some points that she would like to make a follow-up on. For instance, on the NTF-ELCAC concern, she would like to get further information about the red-tagging issue because alam nating lahat na even sa (we all know that even) abroad, the NTF-ELCAC is being equated unfairly to red-tagging,” Torres said.

He explained that the red-tagging issue is not a policy of the Philippine government but rather an invention of the CPP-NPA-NDF that it used as a tool to vilify authorities and state forces.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1217607