From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 28): 50 ‘Marawi liberators’ get meritorious promotion
Fifty soldiers who were part of the government forces that liberated Marawi City from the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group have received meritorious promotion.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenza on Friday led the simple donning of ranks ceremony held at Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista in Barangay Busbus, Jolo, Sulu.
Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, said 48 of the 50 promoted soldiers belong to the Army’s 1st and 5th Scout Ranger Battalions.
Besana said that the remaining two are from the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade and the 12th Light Reaction Company.
Lorenzana congratulated the soldiers for the promotion and for the "job well-done" in Marawi City, Besana said.
The fighting in Marawi City, which lasted for five months, began on May 23 last year when Maute members occupied several buildings following a police operation to capture Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon.
Hapilon, self-styled "emir" of all IS forces in the Philippines, and Maute Group leaders Omarkayam and Abdullah Maute, were killed during the five-month battle in Marawi City.
Besana said Lorenzana has assured the troops of full support and urged them to continue performing their duties.
“If everything goes out well, we will soon be able to shift our efforts to more peaceful means, such as programs that intend to develop our country,” the military official quoted Lorenzana as telling the troops.
Present during the donning of ranks were Major Gen. Robert Arevalo, Philippine Army vice commander; Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, Westmincom chief; and Major Gen. Roseller Murillo, Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1043001
Saturday, July 28, 2018
Don't doubt Duterte’s sincerity to end war, NPA told
From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 28): Don't doubt Duterte’s sincerity to end war, NPA told
Ka Joel, the platoon leader of the NPA's Front 53, tries the pair of basketball shoes gifted by Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Secretary Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go during the release of Police Inspector Menard Cui in Sitio Apog-Apog, Barangay Tuko, Magpet, North Cotabato on Friday. (Lilian C. Mellejor)
DAVAO CITY — Amid calls for the resumption of peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go told the rebel group not to doubt the sincerity of President Rodrigo Duterte in ending the 50-year old armed conflict with the communist movement.
Go said this during the release of Police Insp. Menard Cui in Sitio Apog-Apog, Barangay Tiko, Magpet, North Cotabato on Friday. Cui who was the deputy chief of police of President Roxas town in North Cotabato, was abducted by the New People’s Army (NPA) in December last year.
Go said there is no question about Duterte's sincerity in reaching out to the communist movement.
“Kilala ko ang Presidente. Sincere siyang kausap (I know the President. He is a sincere person to talk with),” Go said as he cited the President’s signing of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), now known as the Bangsamoro Organic law (BOL), in fulfilment of a promise to end all conflicts in Mindanao.
He reiterated Duterte's wish for Communist Party of the Philippines Chairman Jose Maria Sison to come home for the resumption of the peace negotiations.
Go also noted the many times the President went to the mountains to reach out to the revolutionary movement and fetch prisoners of war (POWs) without any security.
“Patunay na malakas ang tiwala sa inyo. Pinagkatiwala niya ang kanyang buhay sa inyo (This shows he trusts you. He entrusted his life to you),” Go said.
During Cui's release, peace advocacy group Exodus Movement for Justice and Peace (EMJP) also called on both sides to go back to the negotiating table.
The EJMP maintained its neutrality in the current conflict, saying it only wants both parties to "respect the rights of the people."
Pastor Jonathan Casimina of EMJP lauded the NPA for the release of Cui, saying it is a good gesture. He emphasized "the need to value life and live peacefully."
"It is painful to see that Filipinos are killing each other and it is only through peace talks that the country will end the war," Casimina said.
A team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was also present during the release of Cui as an observer.
Amélie Larocque, Protection Team Leader of the ICRC, said the team’s participation was to check how Cui as a POW was treated in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
Larocque said ICRC is an independent organization.
“We are not taking sides. We have no role in the release," she said.
Larocque said ICRC engages in dialogues with all parties with confidentiality to ensure there is no violation of the IHL, noting that the group's mandate "is to provide protection to those affected by conflicts."
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1042997
Ka Joel, the platoon leader of the NPA's Front 53, tries the pair of basketball shoes gifted by Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Secretary Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go during the release of Police Inspector Menard Cui in Sitio Apog-Apog, Barangay Tuko, Magpet, North Cotabato on Friday. (Lilian C. Mellejor)
DAVAO CITY — Amid calls for the resumption of peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go told the rebel group not to doubt the sincerity of President Rodrigo Duterte in ending the 50-year old armed conflict with the communist movement.
Go said this during the release of Police Insp. Menard Cui in Sitio Apog-Apog, Barangay Tiko, Magpet, North Cotabato on Friday. Cui who was the deputy chief of police of President Roxas town in North Cotabato, was abducted by the New People’s Army (NPA) in December last year.
Go said there is no question about Duterte's sincerity in reaching out to the communist movement.
“Kilala ko ang Presidente. Sincere siyang kausap (I know the President. He is a sincere person to talk with),” Go said as he cited the President’s signing of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), now known as the Bangsamoro Organic law (BOL), in fulfilment of a promise to end all conflicts in Mindanao.
He reiterated Duterte's wish for Communist Party of the Philippines Chairman Jose Maria Sison to come home for the resumption of the peace negotiations.
Go also noted the many times the President went to the mountains to reach out to the revolutionary movement and fetch prisoners of war (POWs) without any security.
“Patunay na malakas ang tiwala sa inyo. Pinagkatiwala niya ang kanyang buhay sa inyo (This shows he trusts you. He entrusted his life to you),” Go said.
During Cui's release, peace advocacy group Exodus Movement for Justice and Peace (EMJP) also called on both sides to go back to the negotiating table.
The EJMP maintained its neutrality in the current conflict, saying it only wants both parties to "respect the rights of the people."
Pastor Jonathan Casimina of EMJP lauded the NPA for the release of Cui, saying it is a good gesture. He emphasized "the need to value life and live peacefully."
"It is painful to see that Filipinos are killing each other and it is only through peace talks that the country will end the war," Casimina said.
A team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was also present during the release of Cui as an observer.
Amélie Larocque, Protection Team Leader of the ICRC, said the team’s participation was to check how Cui as a POW was treated in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
Larocque said ICRC is an independent organization.
“We are not taking sides. We have no role in the release," she said.
Larocque said ICRC engages in dialogues with all parties with confidentiality to ensure there is no violation of the IHL, noting that the group's mandate "is to provide protection to those affected by conflicts."
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1042997
2 soldiers wounded in Davao landmine explosion
From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 28): 2 soldiers wounded in Davao landmine explosion
Two soldiers belonging to the Charlie Company of the Army's 3rd Infantry Battalion were wounded in a landmine explosion in Barangay Tambobong here around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11) spokesperson, identified the injured as Pvt. Jejomar Judan and Sgt. Enrique Genon.
Based on the report, Driz said the troops moved away from the explosion site after they managed to fire back at the armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA). The explosion also damaged the military truck carrying the troops.
Investigators recovered from the scene fragments of two improvised explosive device (IED) and extracted from the site the two wounded troopers, Driz said.
In a statement, PRO-11 said it will assist its army counterparts in investigating the incident and in the filing of cases.
Driz said police and military authories also condemned the NPA for its continued use of landmines, in violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1043010
Two soldiers belonging to the Charlie Company of the Army's 3rd Infantry Battalion were wounded in a landmine explosion in Barangay Tambobong here around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11) spokesperson, identified the injured as Pvt. Jejomar Judan and Sgt. Enrique Genon.
Based on the report, Driz said the troops moved away from the explosion site after they managed to fire back at the armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA). The explosion also damaged the military truck carrying the troops.
Investigators recovered from the scene fragments of two improvised explosive device (IED) and extracted from the site the two wounded troopers, Driz said.
In a statement, PRO-11 said it will assist its army counterparts in investigating the incident and in the filing of cases.
Driz said police and military authories also condemned the NPA for its continued use of landmines, in violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1043010
Marawi locals form ‘conflict watch’ group for reconstruction program
From Business World (Jul 25): Marawi locals form ‘conflict watch’ group for reconstruction program
ARMM/UPI
RESIDENTS AND other stakeholders formally launched on Wednesday, July 25, the Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch (MRCW), an independent and neutral group that aims to engage all agencies involved in the rebuilding of war-torn Marawi City.
The MRCW members include families affected by the conflict, internally-displaced businesses, religious leaders, community leaders including women and the youth, academia, and non-government organization (NGO) representatives.
Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), the government arm leading the rehabilitation process, had previously announced that it will begin reconstruction of the city’s most affected area in late August.
In a statement released yesterday in time for the group’s launch, Sultan Nasser D. Sampaco, member of the MRCW and chairman of the Marawi Sultanate League, said they intend to harness the people’s “deep understanding of the local context and the web of formal and informal institutions that govern the city” to ensure that the rebuilding process is “people-centered, informed by best practices, and conflict-sensitive.”
Mr. Sampaco said “meaningful local participation will not only foster trust and help prevent violent conflict, it will also nuance and sharpen government responses to ensure positive outcomes.”
Nikki de la Rosa, country manager of peace-building organization International Alert Philippines, said the MRCW was born out of a series of dialogues that International Alert conducted with clan members, together with the World Bank and the TFBM in April and July.
“The clan consultations provided an opportunity for people to voice out their aspirations and anxieties about the reconstruction process and for their opinions to be heard, understood, and accepted. The people had clamored for this momentum of engagement to be sustained in a feedback loop among stakeholders,” Ms. De la Rosa said.
Among the issues raised are the possibility of revenge killings due to the loss of lives, properties, livelihoods and businesses; land-related conflict that may re-ignite during the period of reoccupation of the main-affected area; push back against government if the amount, allocation and release of reparation and compensation package and the provision of public works and basic services are deemed unjust; and violent extremist tapping into local grievances to expand recruitment.
Dr. Fedelinda Booc Tawagon, another MRCW member and president of Dansalan College, said the MRCW will regularly meet with concerned agencies to assess the economic, political, social, and cultural effects of the reconstruction process from awarding of the Joint Venture Agreement with the developer, the construction proper, return of the residents of the most affected area, and post-reconstruction.
Dansalan College, the only Christian school that operated in the Islamic City of Marawi, was burned by the Maute group and completely destroyed by government airstrikes during the five-month siege in 2017.
“It is an emotional time for all of us, seeing that our homes, businesses, schools, and communities, the result of sleepless nights, of passion and commitment, of industry and frugality, and of a lot of sweat, blood and tears, were reduced to rubble. But we are pledging our collective knowledge, expertise, deep experience, and fortitude in the cause of conflict-proofing the economic, social, cultural, and political transition during the Marawi reconstruction process, and rebuilding relationships of peoples,” Ms. Tawagon said.
International Alert Philippines’ Peace and Conflict Adviser for Asia Francisco Lara, Jr. said their role is to provide timely data and analysis to the MRCW to ensure evidence-based approaches and strategies.
The NGO will also link the MRCW with an experts action group composed of auditors, engineers, development and conflict specialists, among others, who will give input on issues and help the people decide on their recommendations.
http://www.bworldonline.com/marawi-locals-form-conflict-watch-group-for-reconstruction-program/
ARMM/UPI
RESIDENTS AND other stakeholders formally launched on Wednesday, July 25, the Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch (MRCW), an independent and neutral group that aims to engage all agencies involved in the rebuilding of war-torn Marawi City.
The MRCW members include families affected by the conflict, internally-displaced businesses, religious leaders, community leaders including women and the youth, academia, and non-government organization (NGO) representatives.
Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), the government arm leading the rehabilitation process, had previously announced that it will begin reconstruction of the city’s most affected area in late August.
In a statement released yesterday in time for the group’s launch, Sultan Nasser D. Sampaco, member of the MRCW and chairman of the Marawi Sultanate League, said they intend to harness the people’s “deep understanding of the local context and the web of formal and informal institutions that govern the city” to ensure that the rebuilding process is “people-centered, informed by best practices, and conflict-sensitive.”
Mr. Sampaco said “meaningful local participation will not only foster trust and help prevent violent conflict, it will also nuance and sharpen government responses to ensure positive outcomes.”
Nikki de la Rosa, country manager of peace-building organization International Alert Philippines, said the MRCW was born out of a series of dialogues that International Alert conducted with clan members, together with the World Bank and the TFBM in April and July.
“The clan consultations provided an opportunity for people to voice out their aspirations and anxieties about the reconstruction process and for their opinions to be heard, understood, and accepted. The people had clamored for this momentum of engagement to be sustained in a feedback loop among stakeholders,” Ms. De la Rosa said.
Among the issues raised are the possibility of revenge killings due to the loss of lives, properties, livelihoods and businesses; land-related conflict that may re-ignite during the period of reoccupation of the main-affected area; push back against government if the amount, allocation and release of reparation and compensation package and the provision of public works and basic services are deemed unjust; and violent extremist tapping into local grievances to expand recruitment.
Dr. Fedelinda Booc Tawagon, another MRCW member and president of Dansalan College, said the MRCW will regularly meet with concerned agencies to assess the economic, political, social, and cultural effects of the reconstruction process from awarding of the Joint Venture Agreement with the developer, the construction proper, return of the residents of the most affected area, and post-reconstruction.
Dansalan College, the only Christian school that operated in the Islamic City of Marawi, was burned by the Maute group and completely destroyed by government airstrikes during the five-month siege in 2017.
“It is an emotional time for all of us, seeing that our homes, businesses, schools, and communities, the result of sleepless nights, of passion and commitment, of industry and frugality, and of a lot of sweat, blood and tears, were reduced to rubble. But we are pledging our collective knowledge, expertise, deep experience, and fortitude in the cause of conflict-proofing the economic, social, cultural, and political transition during the Marawi reconstruction process, and rebuilding relationships of peoples,” Ms. Tawagon said.
International Alert Philippines’ Peace and Conflict Adviser for Asia Francisco Lara, Jr. said their role is to provide timely data and analysis to the MRCW to ensure evidence-based approaches and strategies.
The NGO will also link the MRCW with an experts action group composed of auditors, engineers, development and conflict specialists, among others, who will give input on issues and help the people decide on their recommendations.
http://www.bworldonline.com/marawi-locals-form-conflict-watch-group-for-reconstruction-program/
Another lumad killed by NPA terrorists in Surigao del Sur
From the Manila Bulletin (Jul 28): Another lumad killed by NPA terrorists in Surigao del Sur
CAMP BANCASI, Butuan City – Another lumad (native) was allegedly killed by the Communist New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) in the highland village community of Lanuza town, Surigao del Sur province, said Capt. Francisco P. Garello Jr., Civil Military Operations (CMO) officer of the Army’s 36th Infantry (Valor) Battalion (36th IB) on Saturday.
In a statement sent to The Manila Bulletin on Saturday, Francishe 36th IB CMO officer said the hapless victim was identified as Nestor Hedi Trinidad, 49 and a resident of Sitio Libas, Barangay Sibahay, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur.
Garello said the victim was mercilessly shot several times at 4 p.m. on Thursday by more or less five armed men believed to be CNTs belonging to the Platoon Uno, Guerilla Front Committee 30 of the CPP-NPA North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee.
The victim suffered eight gunshot wounds on different parts of his body that resulted in his instantaneous death. Perpetrators fled toward the mountainous portion of the said barangay Garello said.
“Trinidad is a Bagani in his Mamanwa tribe and a former CAFGU assigned in Pantukan, Carrascal, SDS. As a Bagani, he is considered a cultural guard in his tribe and tasked to protect the lives, ancestral domains, and property of the tribes under the Indigenous political structure led by a chieftain. He has no known enemies but before the incident, he confided to me that he was visited a few times by the NPAs and asking him to go with them but he refused to do so,” Garello said, quoting the statement of Datu Engwan Ala, municipal tribal chieftain of Carrascal town wherein Trinidad belongs as a Bagani as he served in the office of Municipal Tribal Office (MTO) and his wife’s roots in the said municipality.
The tragic demised of Trinidad left his four children orphaned and widowed by his wife, Daylinda P. Trinidad from the municipality of Carrascal this province, the 36th IB CMO officer said.
Since the start of the Development Support and Security Plan (DSSP) campaign of President Duterte, five murders and one abduction were perpetrated by the CNTs against lumads, claimed the 36th IB CMO officer.
Those killed and abducted has a common denominator as staunch protector and advocate in advancing the genuine interest of their tribes against exploitation and abuses from CNTs, he said.
The murder of Trinidad and other atrocities by the CNTs attacking lumads and other communities is an outright violation under the Republic Act 9851 or the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) which is enacted and crafted to protect noncombatants and innocent civilians from any conflict between states and between state and nonstate actors, Garello said.
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Xerxes A. Trinidad, commanding officer of 36th “Valor” Battalion in his statement, “We offer our sincerest condolences to the bereaved family. Again, this merciless attack against lumads indicates that their clout is waning and they instill fear to regain support and strength from their mass base. We will press the fight, their strategy to divide our attention through the desperate killings of innocent and peace-loving lumads is an indication of a sick and dying organization”.
On Friday (July 27), an IP crisis committee (IPCC) led by Datu Jimmy Guinsod, IP mandatory representative of Surigao del Sur with the 36IB and PNP conducted an emergency meeting at the provincial capitol in Tandagy City, Surigao del Sur to address the issues and concerns of the series of attacks against Lumads allegedly by the CNTs.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/07/28/another-lumad-killed-by-npa-terrorists-in-surigao-del-sur/
CAMP BANCASI, Butuan City – Another lumad (native) was allegedly killed by the Communist New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) in the highland village community of Lanuza town, Surigao del Sur province, said Capt. Francisco P. Garello Jr., Civil Military Operations (CMO) officer of the Army’s 36th Infantry (Valor) Battalion (36th IB) on Saturday.
In a statement sent to The Manila Bulletin on Saturday, Francishe 36th IB CMO officer said the hapless victim was identified as Nestor Hedi Trinidad, 49 and a resident of Sitio Libas, Barangay Sibahay, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur.
Garello said the victim was mercilessly shot several times at 4 p.m. on Thursday by more or less five armed men believed to be CNTs belonging to the Platoon Uno, Guerilla Front Committee 30 of the CPP-NPA North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee.
The victim suffered eight gunshot wounds on different parts of his body that resulted in his instantaneous death. Perpetrators fled toward the mountainous portion of the said barangay Garello said.
“Trinidad is a Bagani in his Mamanwa tribe and a former CAFGU assigned in Pantukan, Carrascal, SDS. As a Bagani, he is considered a cultural guard in his tribe and tasked to protect the lives, ancestral domains, and property of the tribes under the Indigenous political structure led by a chieftain. He has no known enemies but before the incident, he confided to me that he was visited a few times by the NPAs and asking him to go with them but he refused to do so,” Garello said, quoting the statement of Datu Engwan Ala, municipal tribal chieftain of Carrascal town wherein Trinidad belongs as a Bagani as he served in the office of Municipal Tribal Office (MTO) and his wife’s roots in the said municipality.
The tragic demised of Trinidad left his four children orphaned and widowed by his wife, Daylinda P. Trinidad from the municipality of Carrascal this province, the 36th IB CMO officer said.
Since the start of the Development Support and Security Plan (DSSP) campaign of President Duterte, five murders and one abduction were perpetrated by the CNTs against lumads, claimed the 36th IB CMO officer.
Those killed and abducted has a common denominator as staunch protector and advocate in advancing the genuine interest of their tribes against exploitation and abuses from CNTs, he said.
The murder of Trinidad and other atrocities by the CNTs attacking lumads and other communities is an outright violation under the Republic Act 9851 or the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) which is enacted and crafted to protect noncombatants and innocent civilians from any conflict between states and between state and nonstate actors, Garello said.
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Xerxes A. Trinidad, commanding officer of 36th “Valor” Battalion in his statement, “We offer our sincerest condolences to the bereaved family. Again, this merciless attack against lumads indicates that their clout is waning and they instill fear to regain support and strength from their mass base. We will press the fight, their strategy to divide our attention through the desperate killings of innocent and peace-loving lumads is an indication of a sick and dying organization”.
On Friday (July 27), an IP crisis committee (IPCC) led by Datu Jimmy Guinsod, IP mandatory representative of Surigao del Sur with the 36IB and PNP conducted an emergency meeting at the provincial capitol in Tandagy City, Surigao del Sur to address the issues and concerns of the series of attacks against Lumads allegedly by the CNTs.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/07/28/another-lumad-killed-by-npa-terrorists-in-surigao-del-sur/
2 soldiers hurt in landmine explosion in Davao City
From MindaNews (Jul 28): 2 soldiers hurt in landmine explosion in Davao City
Two soldiers were injured after a landmine believed to have been planted by New People’s Army (NPA) exploded at 1:25 p.m. on Saturday at Lower Sitio Camarag in Barangay Tambobong, Baguio District, this city.
The explosion occured a day after communist guerillas freed, after seven months in captivity, Police Insp. Menardo Nisperos Cui, deputy police chief of President Roxas in North Cotabato, at Sitio Apog Apog in Barangay Panaka, at the boundary of Magpet, North Cotabato and Marilog District Davao City.
Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 said wounded in the explosion were Pfc. Jejomar Judan and Sgt. Enrique Genon. The blast also damaged a military truck.
She said the soldiers retaliated and exchanged bullets with the rebels before moving away from the area.
Authorities recovered fragments of two improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Driz said.
“We condemn this act. They are still using landmines, which is obviously a of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHIHL),” she said, adding the regional office is helping the military in filing cases against the perpetrators.
The communist guerillas recently rejected the localized peace talks being pushed by the Duterte administration, saying it is better to support the peace negotiations of the government with the communists.
The local peace talks would be pursued if the GRP-NDFP peace talks will no longer happen.
For the peace talks between government and National Democratic Front to resume, President Rodrigo Duterte said the communists must agree that the venue of the negotiations be in the country; there would be no collection of revolutionary tax; no hostilities; NPA fighters to be confined to their camps; and no coalition government.
The guidelines for the localized peace talks as drafted by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and released by Malacañang on July 12 said it is nationally orchestrated, centrally directed and locally supervised and implemented; it should not compromise the constitutional integrity and sovereignty; and it shall cover the NPA, organs of political power and Militia ng Bayan for a complete and genuine resolution of the local armed conflict.
The next condition is that the constitutional mandate of the state to protect public safety, civilian welfare, critical infrastructure and private properties and the guarantee of rule of law and order will not be compromised at all times even if a ceasefire between the two local peace channels is in place.
It also cited government goodwill, full amnesty package based on disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration to the mainstream of society.
http://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2018/07/2-soldiers-hurt-in-landmine-explosion-in-davao-city/
Two soldiers were injured after a landmine believed to have been planted by New People’s Army (NPA) exploded at 1:25 p.m. on Saturday at Lower Sitio Camarag in Barangay Tambobong, Baguio District, this city.
The explosion occured a day after communist guerillas freed, after seven months in captivity, Police Insp. Menardo Nisperos Cui, deputy police chief of President Roxas in North Cotabato, at Sitio Apog Apog in Barangay Panaka, at the boundary of Magpet, North Cotabato and Marilog District Davao City.
Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 said wounded in the explosion were Pfc. Jejomar Judan and Sgt. Enrique Genon. The blast also damaged a military truck.
She said the soldiers retaliated and exchanged bullets with the rebels before moving away from the area.
Authorities recovered fragments of two improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Driz said.
“We condemn this act. They are still using landmines, which is obviously a of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHIHL),” she said, adding the regional office is helping the military in filing cases against the perpetrators.
The communist guerillas recently rejected the localized peace talks being pushed by the Duterte administration, saying it is better to support the peace negotiations of the government with the communists.
The local peace talks would be pursued if the GRP-NDFP peace talks will no longer happen.
For the peace talks between government and National Democratic Front to resume, President Rodrigo Duterte said the communists must agree that the venue of the negotiations be in the country; there would be no collection of revolutionary tax; no hostilities; NPA fighters to be confined to their camps; and no coalition government.
The guidelines for the localized peace talks as drafted by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and released by Malacañang on July 12 said it is nationally orchestrated, centrally directed and locally supervised and implemented; it should not compromise the constitutional integrity and sovereignty; and it shall cover the NPA, organs of political power and Militia ng Bayan for a complete and genuine resolution of the local armed conflict.
The next condition is that the constitutional mandate of the state to protect public safety, civilian welfare, critical infrastructure and private properties and the guarantee of rule of law and order will not be compromised at all times even if a ceasefire between the two local peace channels is in place.
It also cited government goodwill, full amnesty package based on disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration to the mainstream of society.
http://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2018/07/2-soldiers-hurt-in-landmine-explosion-in-davao-city/
The Fate of the People’s War: An interview with José Mariá Sison
From the Jacobin Magazine (Jul 28): The Fate of the People’s War: An interview with José Mariá Sison (Interview by Denis Rogatyuk)
Communist Party of the Philippines founder José Mariá Sison on the legacy of armed struggle, peace negotiations with Duterte, and what a left economic program should be.
NPA guerrillas in Sierra Madre, Philippines on November 23, 2016. Jess Aznar / Getty Images
This year marked the forty-ninth anniversary of the beginning of the armed rebellion by the New People’s Army (NPA) of the Philippines, alongside its political affiliates of National Democratic Front (NDF) and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The armed rebellion, initially concentrated on the island of Samar during the 1970s, grew to encompass practically of the Philippines, with the provinces of Mindanao, Isabella, and Tarlac having been the most prominent throughout the time of the rebellion. Most of the modern-day estimates place their strength at anywhere between ten thousand and four thousand fully armed fighters, with additional tens of thousands of Communist Party members and other supporters.
After surviving through six administrations of the Government of the Republic of Philippines (GRP), including the period of dictatorship and martial law of Ferdinand Marcos throughout the 1970s and 80s, the communist rebellion is now faced with a new challenge in the guise of the incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte. Despite early promises of negotiating a lasting peace agreement and granting release to hundreds of NDF political prisoners, Duterte’s stance has flip-flopped between conciliation and hyper-aggressive tactics of confrontation, including designating the NPA and CPP as “terrorist organisations.” The latest round of peace talks were once again cancelled, with Duterte spuriously claiming a need to consult the public further.
At the same time, the regime is finding itself in an increasingly difficult position, economically, politically, and internationally. The introduction of the TRAIN law, a package of regressive taxation that significantly increases the prices of goods, particularly fuel, has sparked major protests throughout the country.
The implementation of martial law on the island of Mindanao has had devastating consequences in the form of increased repression against political activists, trade unionists, and opposition supporters as well as the ordinary population. At least forty-nine extrajudicial killings took place between May 2017 and May 2018. These figures do not include the mounting death toll from Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which has resulted in an estimated twelve thousand to twenty thousand killings. The continuing diplomatic conflict with China over the rights to the natural resources in the West Philippine Sea is also showing no signs of de-escalation.
The legacy of the NPA’s armed rebellion is profoundly uncertain in this context. To understand where it and the Philippines stand now, we speak to José Mariá Sison, the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the chief political consultant to the National Democratic Front. Sison has been one of the major political figures throughout the entire period of the communist rebellion. His writings, analysis, opinions and poetry have been well-documented and publicized throughout the Philippine revolutionary movement. A political prisoner during the time of the Marcos dictatorship, he was granted amnesty in 1986 by the government of Corazón Aquino, and has been living in exile in the Netherlands ever since.
He shares his thoughts about the state of the peace talks, the economic program of the NDF and the current state of the Philippine government.
DR: Recently, a year after peace talks were broken off by the Duterte government, we’re seeing efforts by the NDF to revive them. Are you hopeful about the future of these talks?
JMS: We have been trying our best. We have gone through four rounds and the talks would collapse after the fourth, just when we were going to hold the fifth. We have also had seven rounds of back-channel informal consultations and these consultations appear to be promising.
Of course, the National Democratic Front expects a significant concession from the other side in exchange for the ceasefire — amnesty and the release of the political prisoners. There are now more than four hundred that need to be released, and then of course, there should be more as part of the deal of the interim peace agreement.
The most significant sections of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) need to be agreed upon, namely the agrarian reform and rural development; and nationalization, industrialization, and economic development.
DR: I wanted to talk in more detail about that last point, as it seems to be the most difficult to negotiate. From what I understand, CASER is the means of transforming the Philippine economy from its current neoliberal structure that’s dominated by foreign imperialist and multinational interests, to a socialist one — but through an intermediary step of industrialization and agricultural reform.
JMS: By pushing national industrialization, economic development, agrarian reform, and rural development, we are pressing the government to get off the old track of servility to foreign monopoly capitalism. It is a real test for the other side.
There are actually four points of the substantive agenda in the peace negotiations.
We have already finished one — the comprehensive agreement on respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. But this only serves to guarantee that human rights and international humanitarian law would guide the two sides. It would also ensure a good atmosphere for the ongoing peace negotiations as well as the intended just peace.
Next, we would move onto negotiations on political and constitutional reforms, where we would be tackling questions on how to carry out CASER and how to carry out the constitutional and political reforms. One of the key demands of the other side has been to give up revolutionary taxation. We say, before we talk about the functions of the people’s democratic government, let us first talk about the socioeconomic goals and how to carry them out.
The other side has also been considering the implementation of a “federal system.” We have already advanced the view that we can go along with federalism, provided that certain caveats are dealt with.
Federalism is a tricky question. It could be Duterte’s ticket to fascist dictatorship, and could possibly include dynasties, warlords, traditional bureaucratic capitalists, the landlords and the big compradores, the old bloodsuckers in the ruling system. Thus, a change in the form of government does not guarantee a change in the social and economic system.
It is also an expensive kind of arrangement. The Philippines is a country that is heavily in debt and would need to spend more on a more elaborate bureaucracy. If Duterte is fixed on certain ideas that are not democratic, you cannot expect the NDF to go along with him on the question of federalism.
I think there are good examples of unitary governments, and there are templates for that. The important thing is we have an experience of Marcos opting for a parliamentary form of government and doing away with the presidential form of government.
It was a trick to cover his real intention of implementing a fascist dictatorship, and using the period of transition to impose and eliminate the opposition and the revolutionary movement by applying martial law. Duterte has a choice of making the NPA the scapegoat of martial law but the NDF have been smart enough to strongly criticize Duterte, especially after his first six months in government.
Duterte IS quite different from previous presidents in that he initially wished to become the first “leftist” and first “socialist” president . . .
DR: In one of the articles in late 2015, you mentioned that he could become like the Pinoy version of Hugo Chavez.
JMS: In the months before his election and a few months later, words of encouragement were thrown in his direction. He first exposed himself as not knowing how to [keep] promises, when he told us of his commitment to release all the political prisoners through amnesty, which he himself suggested, on May 16, 2016.
He previously had a long period of cooperation with the revolutionary movement in the Southern Mindanao region. But I think even the revolutionary forces in Mindanao, despite the previous association, describe him as a bureaucrat capitalist who gained his wealth through bureaucrat capitalist operations and is quite capable of saying anything: left, middle, or right, whichever serves him at the given moment.
And, of course, Duterte himself explained that when he was mayor of Davao city, he was more flexible. Now that he is president of the Philippines, he is in defence of the entire state, and therefore he must be ready to bully or kill its enemies.
He talks his way into gaining the support of the military and the police. He is a power player, ensuring their support.
DR: So on one side, he has been trying to play the various political forces within his cabinet against each other, while in the international arena he has displayed a lot of contradictions and inconsistent behavior. He says he wants to move away from the US sphere of influence and towards powers like Russia and China. At the same time, he occasionally threatens conflict with China over the issue of resources in the South China sea, while heaping praise on Donald Trump. Do you think these machinations are mark of a skilled political opportunist, or is he simply insane?
JMS: When he first spoke about the multipolar world and how he could play off one power against the other, it seemed like he would be able to play the game to strengthen the position of the Philippines. But that’s not the case. Instead of being able to play off the contradictory forces in the world, he victimizes Philippine sovereignty.
He has made sure that the security treaties, agreements, and arrangements with the United States continue and in his cabinet he considers pro-US elements — particularly those within the security cluster, such as Eduardo Año — as most important. These are tested pro-US elements.
The problem for the Philippines under Duterte is that the overall US dominance in economy, politics, security, and culture remains overwhelming. Now let’s analyze the way he plays his China card.
Arroyo was the first president to let China go into a joint exploration of exclusive economic zones under the West Philippine Sea, hence how they found the trillions of dollars’ worth of oil and natural gas. The Chinese became more aggressive in claiming what is not theirs as theirs. Even after the International Tribunal decided that the ECNECS under the West Philippine sea belongs to the Philippines in accordance to the UN convention of the law of the sea.
Now Duterte wants the Chinese to participate in co-ownership and engage in exploration and development. That is his way of making the Chinese happy, without understanding the arithmetic of this deal. He begs for a few billion dollars’ worth of loans, with interest rates much higher than the ones offered by the Japanese companies. The Chinese corporations also require Chinese labor and armed security. The Philippines ends up losing on all possible angles.
In other words, Duterte brings the Philippines further into a hole in indebtedness. He is like a child dealing with toys and supposed threats to the state, such as the case when he was negotiating for the delivery of new weapons from Russia.
DR: How vulnerable is the Duterte government to other charges such as human rights violations resulting from the War on Drugs?
JMS: There are several issues currently facing the regime.
Resolving peace negotiations would be an attempt by him to try to turn things around. On all the major issues, his popularity has been eroding.
Chronologically, he thought he could project the image of a strongman and kill anyone who would oppose, because he commits the military to whatever he orders through, by turning them into criminals and undermining the rule of law.
There is reward for killing drug suspects and then you call on people to surrender themselves, and many surrendered themselves in the hope they would be cleared and eventually rehabilitated. But this is providing moral conviction for the police to ready a list of people to kill, and to fulfill their kill quotas.
There were too many cases of innocents being killed, including very young people who had nothing to do with drugs, and even children. What is unfortunate for Duterte, is as early as 2017, there was already a group of military officers, particularly among the Philippine Military Academy graduates, who opposed Duterte.
Even though we come from the left, we still recognize that there are some sane elements within the reactionary structures of the state.
The biggest problem with Duterte’s war on drugs is that it almost exclusively targets the “demand” side of the drug trade – the poor communities on the street level and in the urban slums. One of the three drug lords is Peter Lim. Duterte has stated before that he would kill him if he comes back from aboard, even though Lim has always been in the Cebu province, effectively a compadre of Duterte.
Duterte’s son-in-law is also involved in drug smuggling; he’s known as the drug lord of Davao city, just as Peter Lim is the drug lord based in Cebu city. There is something sinister about this war on drugs – it is meant to popularize and legitimize mass killing. There was a high potential for using that against the Left.
The Communist Party is alert to that. There is always talk that they would use the “Indonesian solution”, although it is not an option. The CPP has not been exposed in elections in the same way as PKI, effectively meaning that in order to kill a single communist, the army would have to kill one hundred innocents in the process. It has always been the problem for the US puppet governments in the Philippines and has prevented them from carrying out similar massacres.
The third mistake of Duterte was the scuttling of the fifth round of peace negotiations during the May-June period of 2017. His threat to destroy the NDF in Mindanao has not been fulfilled, despite the usage of martial law. The TRAIN law was designed to cover the extraordinary expenses for the military, police and intelligence operations.
It’s the neoliberal way of thinking, similar to Arroyo, who believed he survived the possibility of being overthrown by applying higher taxes and introducing the VAT. Duterte’s neoliberal advisers believed that by raising regressive taxes, they would be able to cover government expenses, reduce the deficit, and assure foreign creditors they would be paid back. The corresponding effect on the inflation has hit the ordinary people in the stomach.
Duterte is susceptible not only to a coup but outright elimination by elements of his own regime. The usual method of overthrowing the president, as shown in the case of Marcos and Estrada, is a combination of mass actions by a broad range of democratic forces and the withdrawal of the military support.
DR: I wanted to discuss the military situation at the moment. Could you tell us about the current size of the NPA and whether or not the label of “terrorists” and the implementation of martial law in Marawi diminished the NPA’s fighting power in any way?
JMS: The military keep saying that most of the strength of the NPA is in Mindanao, but the comrades in Mindanao have been tested by actions and strategic military operational plans since the time of Arroyo.
The revolutionary forces took care of themselves when they could not get that much indirect support by intensified offensives. They learned how they could counter-encircle those who thought they could strategically encircle the NPA in Eastern Mindanao.
Also, with the weapons they captured, the revolutionary forces created more guerrilla fronts outside of Eastern Mindanao, so now you have an all-Mindanao problem for the reactionaries.
It’s an old tradition in the revolutionary movement that there is always a region which shines during a certain period. It shines in terms of being effective during offensives. Where it began, the people’s war shone, even though the numbers were smaller.
Marcos organized the task force “Lawin,” with five thousand [military] against two hundred [NPA]. The leadership retained forces in Tarlac, and then shifted the forces to Isabella. In Tarlac, the revolutionary movement could train expansion cadres only by the tens, during the period of 1969–1971. In Isabella, the starting capital in armed struggle, with twenty rifles plus another twenty as donations from anti-Marcos allies, they were able to expand the mass base to 150,000 square kilometers from 1970–72 because the place was fertile with agrarian unrest. Isabella shone for a while.
After that, Southern Luzon had their own shining moments. But the most conspicuous development was Samar in 1976, with the NPA repeatedly taking over the police stations and construction companies in a few years’ time. Then came the time for Mindanao.
When a certain region becomes strong, it provides the tested cadres and commanders for when the weaker region needs more experienced cadres and commanders.
In the life and struggle of the revolutionary struggle, there is a combination of doing mass work, at the same time as giving your attention to the people’s war. Otherwise, you run the danger of [being] the roaming rebel band or doing police work against criminal elements and a few local tyrants. The people’s war means transferring the strength of the enemy onto your side by ambushing them. That’s the essence of fighting.
Mindanao has been able to share some of that strength to Luzon and Visayas and so you can expect more vitality from all kinds of revolutionary forces in those two provinces.
DR: Let’s talk about other peace negotiations around the world, such as the recent one signed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Some of the consequences of the peace treaty have been quite alarming for the FARC and social activists in the country. How do you think you can ensure that protections and guarantees for NPA comrades are part of any future peace agreement?
JMS: It is hard to compare the well-constructed and laid out process in Colombia with the one in the Philippines.
If you just look at the four items in the substantive agenda of the agreement [with Duterte], no harm has been done to the revolutionary movement. They even guaranteed that the victims of the Marcos dictatorship would be compensated.
I can say more about an established fact than about fears around the fate of the NPA after negotiations. In negotiating, according to revolutionary principles, you know when to negotiate, when to delay and when to exit. The moment your revolutionary principles and the rising interest of the people are not served any more, you can exit.
The revolutionary movement can be captured within the frame of the UN — dismantled, demobilized, and reintegrated. Even when “good” agreements with regards to social and economic matters [appear] to empower people, they are not implemented, but you conclude the peace agreement by signing the agreement to dismantle and decommission the people’s army.
In the case of the FARC in Colombia, I believe they did not learn from the 1980s when they were massacred, and we can see the assassinations and massacres occurring again. And I do not know why they had to agree to admitting to committing crimes and making amendments. There is an admission in engaging in criminal acts by waging armed struggle. They were overeager to proclaim unilateral ceasefire while they were still negotiating.
I believe that in the end game, the FARC ended up on the losing side.
[About the Author: José Mariá Sison is the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the chief political consultant to the National Democratic Front.]
Communist Party of the Philippines founder José Mariá Sison on the legacy of armed struggle, peace negotiations with Duterte, and what a left economic program should be.
NPA guerrillas in Sierra Madre, Philippines on November 23, 2016. Jess Aznar / Getty Images
After surviving through six administrations of the Government of the Republic of Philippines (GRP), including the period of dictatorship and martial law of Ferdinand Marcos throughout the 1970s and 80s, the communist rebellion is now faced with a new challenge in the guise of the incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte. Despite early promises of negotiating a lasting peace agreement and granting release to hundreds of NDF political prisoners, Duterte’s stance has flip-flopped between conciliation and hyper-aggressive tactics of confrontation, including designating the NPA and CPP as “terrorist organisations.” The latest round of peace talks were once again cancelled, with Duterte spuriously claiming a need to consult the public further.
At the same time, the regime is finding itself in an increasingly difficult position, economically, politically, and internationally. The introduction of the TRAIN law, a package of regressive taxation that significantly increases the prices of goods, particularly fuel, has sparked major protests throughout the country.
The implementation of martial law on the island of Mindanao has had devastating consequences in the form of increased repression against political activists, trade unionists, and opposition supporters as well as the ordinary population. At least forty-nine extrajudicial killings took place between May 2017 and May 2018. These figures do not include the mounting death toll from Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which has resulted in an estimated twelve thousand to twenty thousand killings. The continuing diplomatic conflict with China over the rights to the natural resources in the West Philippine Sea is also showing no signs of de-escalation.
The legacy of the NPA’s armed rebellion is profoundly uncertain in this context. To understand where it and the Philippines stand now, we speak to José Mariá Sison, the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the chief political consultant to the National Democratic Front. Sison has been one of the major political figures throughout the entire period of the communist rebellion. His writings, analysis, opinions and poetry have been well-documented and publicized throughout the Philippine revolutionary movement. A political prisoner during the time of the Marcos dictatorship, he was granted amnesty in 1986 by the government of Corazón Aquino, and has been living in exile in the Netherlands ever since.
He shares his thoughts about the state of the peace talks, the economic program of the NDF and the current state of the Philippine government.
Of course, the National Democratic Front expects a significant concession from the other side in exchange for the ceasefire — amnesty and the release of the political prisoners. There are now more than four hundred that need to be released, and then of course, there should be more as part of the deal of the interim peace agreement.
The most significant sections of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) need to be agreed upon, namely the agrarian reform and rural development; and nationalization, industrialization, and economic development.
There are actually four points of the substantive agenda in the peace negotiations.
We have already finished one — the comprehensive agreement on respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. But this only serves to guarantee that human rights and international humanitarian law would guide the two sides. It would also ensure a good atmosphere for the ongoing peace negotiations as well as the intended just peace.
Next, we would move onto negotiations on political and constitutional reforms, where we would be tackling questions on how to carry out CASER and how to carry out the constitutional and political reforms. One of the key demands of the other side has been to give up revolutionary taxation. We say, before we talk about the functions of the people’s democratic government, let us first talk about the socioeconomic goals and how to carry them out.
The other side has also been considering the implementation of a “federal system.” We have already advanced the view that we can go along with federalism, provided that certain caveats are dealt with.
Federalism is a tricky question. It could be Duterte’s ticket to fascist dictatorship, and could possibly include dynasties, warlords, traditional bureaucratic capitalists, the landlords and the big compradores, the old bloodsuckers in the ruling system. Thus, a change in the form of government does not guarantee a change in the social and economic system.
It is also an expensive kind of arrangement. The Philippines is a country that is heavily in debt and would need to spend more on a more elaborate bureaucracy. If Duterte is fixed on certain ideas that are not democratic, you cannot expect the NDF to go along with him on the question of federalism.
I think there are good examples of unitary governments, and there are templates for that. The important thing is we have an experience of Marcos opting for a parliamentary form of government and doing away with the presidential form of government.
It was a trick to cover his real intention of implementing a fascist dictatorship, and using the period of transition to impose and eliminate the opposition and the revolutionary movement by applying martial law. Duterte has a choice of making the NPA the scapegoat of martial law but the NDF have been smart enough to strongly criticize Duterte, especially after his first six months in government.
Duterte IS quite different from previous presidents in that he initially wished to become the first “leftist” and first “socialist” president . . .
He previously had a long period of cooperation with the revolutionary movement in the Southern Mindanao region. But I think even the revolutionary forces in Mindanao, despite the previous association, describe him as a bureaucrat capitalist who gained his wealth through bureaucrat capitalist operations and is quite capable of saying anything: left, middle, or right, whichever serves him at the given moment.
And, of course, Duterte himself explained that when he was mayor of Davao city, he was more flexible. Now that he is president of the Philippines, he is in defence of the entire state, and therefore he must be ready to bully or kill its enemies.
He talks his way into gaining the support of the military and the police. He is a power player, ensuring their support.
He has made sure that the security treaties, agreements, and arrangements with the United States continue and in his cabinet he considers pro-US elements — particularly those within the security cluster, such as Eduardo Año — as most important. These are tested pro-US elements.
The problem for the Philippines under Duterte is that the overall US dominance in economy, politics, security, and culture remains overwhelming. Now let’s analyze the way he plays his China card.
Arroyo was the first president to let China go into a joint exploration of exclusive economic zones under the West Philippine Sea, hence how they found the trillions of dollars’ worth of oil and natural gas. The Chinese became more aggressive in claiming what is not theirs as theirs. Even after the International Tribunal decided that the ECNECS under the West Philippine sea belongs to the Philippines in accordance to the UN convention of the law of the sea.
Now Duterte wants the Chinese to participate in co-ownership and engage in exploration and development. That is his way of making the Chinese happy, without understanding the arithmetic of this deal. He begs for a few billion dollars’ worth of loans, with interest rates much higher than the ones offered by the Japanese companies. The Chinese corporations also require Chinese labor and armed security. The Philippines ends up losing on all possible angles.
In other words, Duterte brings the Philippines further into a hole in indebtedness. He is like a child dealing with toys and supposed threats to the state, such as the case when he was negotiating for the delivery of new weapons from Russia.
Resolving peace negotiations would be an attempt by him to try to turn things around. On all the major issues, his popularity has been eroding.
Chronologically, he thought he could project the image of a strongman and kill anyone who would oppose, because he commits the military to whatever he orders through, by turning them into criminals and undermining the rule of law.
There is reward for killing drug suspects and then you call on people to surrender themselves, and many surrendered themselves in the hope they would be cleared and eventually rehabilitated. But this is providing moral conviction for the police to ready a list of people to kill, and to fulfill their kill quotas.
There were too many cases of innocents being killed, including very young people who had nothing to do with drugs, and even children. What is unfortunate for Duterte, is as early as 2017, there was already a group of military officers, particularly among the Philippine Military Academy graduates, who opposed Duterte.
Even though we come from the left, we still recognize that there are some sane elements within the reactionary structures of the state.
The biggest problem with Duterte’s war on drugs is that it almost exclusively targets the “demand” side of the drug trade – the poor communities on the street level and in the urban slums. One of the three drug lords is Peter Lim. Duterte has stated before that he would kill him if he comes back from aboard, even though Lim has always been in the Cebu province, effectively a compadre of Duterte.
Duterte’s son-in-law is also involved in drug smuggling; he’s known as the drug lord of Davao city, just as Peter Lim is the drug lord based in Cebu city. There is something sinister about this war on drugs – it is meant to popularize and legitimize mass killing. There was a high potential for using that against the Left.
The Communist Party is alert to that. There is always talk that they would use the “Indonesian solution”, although it is not an option. The CPP has not been exposed in elections in the same way as PKI, effectively meaning that in order to kill a single communist, the army would have to kill one hundred innocents in the process. It has always been the problem for the US puppet governments in the Philippines and has prevented them from carrying out similar massacres.
The third mistake of Duterte was the scuttling of the fifth round of peace negotiations during the May-June period of 2017. His threat to destroy the NDF in Mindanao has not been fulfilled, despite the usage of martial law. The TRAIN law was designed to cover the extraordinary expenses for the military, police and intelligence operations.
It’s the neoliberal way of thinking, similar to Arroyo, who believed he survived the possibility of being overthrown by applying higher taxes and introducing the VAT. Duterte’s neoliberal advisers believed that by raising regressive taxes, they would be able to cover government expenses, reduce the deficit, and assure foreign creditors they would be paid back. The corresponding effect on the inflation has hit the ordinary people in the stomach.
Duterte is susceptible not only to a coup but outright elimination by elements of his own regime. The usual method of overthrowing the president, as shown in the case of Marcos and Estrada, is a combination of mass actions by a broad range of democratic forces and the withdrawal of the military support.
The revolutionary forces took care of themselves when they could not get that much indirect support by intensified offensives. They learned how they could counter-encircle those who thought they could strategically encircle the NPA in Eastern Mindanao.
Also, with the weapons they captured, the revolutionary forces created more guerrilla fronts outside of Eastern Mindanao, so now you have an all-Mindanao problem for the reactionaries.
It’s an old tradition in the revolutionary movement that there is always a region which shines during a certain period. It shines in terms of being effective during offensives. Where it began, the people’s war shone, even though the numbers were smaller.
Marcos organized the task force “Lawin,” with five thousand [military] against two hundred [NPA]. The leadership retained forces in Tarlac, and then shifted the forces to Isabella. In Tarlac, the revolutionary movement could train expansion cadres only by the tens, during the period of 1969–1971. In Isabella, the starting capital in armed struggle, with twenty rifles plus another twenty as donations from anti-Marcos allies, they were able to expand the mass base to 150,000 square kilometers from 1970–72 because the place was fertile with agrarian unrest. Isabella shone for a while.
After that, Southern Luzon had their own shining moments. But the most conspicuous development was Samar in 1976, with the NPA repeatedly taking over the police stations and construction companies in a few years’ time. Then came the time for Mindanao.
When a certain region becomes strong, it provides the tested cadres and commanders for when the weaker region needs more experienced cadres and commanders.
In the life and struggle of the revolutionary struggle, there is a combination of doing mass work, at the same time as giving your attention to the people’s war. Otherwise, you run the danger of [being] the roaming rebel band or doing police work against criminal elements and a few local tyrants. The people’s war means transferring the strength of the enemy onto your side by ambushing them. That’s the essence of fighting.
Mindanao has been able to share some of that strength to Luzon and Visayas and so you can expect more vitality from all kinds of revolutionary forces in those two provinces.
If you just look at the four items in the substantive agenda of the agreement [with Duterte], no harm has been done to the revolutionary movement. They even guaranteed that the victims of the Marcos dictatorship would be compensated.
I can say more about an established fact than about fears around the fate of the NPA after negotiations. In negotiating, according to revolutionary principles, you know when to negotiate, when to delay and when to exit. The moment your revolutionary principles and the rising interest of the people are not served any more, you can exit.
The revolutionary movement can be captured within the frame of the UN — dismantled, demobilized, and reintegrated. Even when “good” agreements with regards to social and economic matters [appear] to empower people, they are not implemented, but you conclude the peace agreement by signing the agreement to dismantle and decommission the people’s army.
In the case of the FARC in Colombia, I believe they did not learn from the 1980s when they were massacred, and we can see the assassinations and massacres occurring again. And I do not know why they had to agree to admitting to committing crimes and making amendments. There is an admission in engaging in criminal acts by waging armed struggle. They were overeager to proclaim unilateral ceasefire while they were still negotiating.
I believe that in the end game, the FARC ended up on the losing side.
[About the Author: José Mariá Sison is the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the chief political consultant to the National Democratic Front.]
AFP hauls relief goods for Sulu fire victims
From the Manila Bulletin (Jul 27): AFP hauls relief goods for Sulu fire victims
Sorties of C130 and C295 aircrafts were flown to deliver relief goods for the Sulu fire victims in Jolo, Sulu since after the day the fire was declared “out”.
Different organizations from all over the country coordinated with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to transport goods and help distribute such to the Joloanon victims.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao through its ARMM HEART immediately sent by C295 plane from Cotabato City 200 sacks of 50 kilos rice, 600 boxes of sardines, 1,020 local sleeping mats (banig), and other personal items a day after the fire broke out in Sulu that left families homeless.
GMA Kapuso Foundation also donated 80 sacks of 50 kilos rice, 80 boxes of sardines, and 139 boxes of noodles yesterday (July 26).
“The AFP in coordination with DSWD and other concerned agencies is currently doing its best to be able to help in all ways possible,” said General Carlito G Galvez, Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Currently, we are in close coordination with other stakeholders who have already expressed their intention to help and donate,” said Galvez.
The AFPs Joint Task Force Sulu is also directly involved in the different disaster responses organized by the Regional Government of ARMM and the Provincial Government of Sulu by facilitating and supporting distribution of relief, conduct of feeding programs and medical assistance activities, clearing of affected area and rescue operations.
Initial investigation of the Bureau of Fire indicates that the conflagration that started at 2:45 in the afternoon last July 24, was caused by overloaded electrical wirings.
The fire claimed hundreds of houses from two barangays in Jolo, Brgy Walled City, and Brgy Busbus, and left 20,278 persons homeless with 27 million of total estimated damages.
It was declared “fire out” at 11:30 in the evening on the same day.
Meanwhile, the governor of Lanao del Sur Bedjora Soraya A. Adiong in her letter dated July 26, expressed her regret and heartfelt sorrow upon hearing on the news regarding the fire incident in Sulu.
“On behalf of the province of Lanao del Sur, I wish to express our most sincere sympathy for and solidarity with local government of Sulu, family, and members of the victims and the entire province of Sulu”, Adiong said.
She also acknowledges how the people of Sulu have continuously provided her people, the support and assistance they needed and constantly with them during the Marawi siege.
“And now, it is time for us to double the effort and pay respect to the benevolent kind people of Sulu. Please accept the assurances of my highest consideration”, Governor Adiong said.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/07/27/afp-hauls-relief-goods-for-sulu-fire-victims/
Sorties of C130 and C295 aircrafts were flown to deliver relief goods for the Sulu fire victims in Jolo, Sulu since after the day the fire was declared “out”.
Different organizations from all over the country coordinated with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to transport goods and help distribute such to the Joloanon victims.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao through its ARMM HEART immediately sent by C295 plane from Cotabato City 200 sacks of 50 kilos rice, 600 boxes of sardines, 1,020 local sleeping mats (banig), and other personal items a day after the fire broke out in Sulu that left families homeless.
GMA Kapuso Foundation also donated 80 sacks of 50 kilos rice, 80 boxes of sardines, and 139 boxes of noodles yesterday (July 26).
“The AFP in coordination with DSWD and other concerned agencies is currently doing its best to be able to help in all ways possible,” said General Carlito G Galvez, Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Currently, we are in close coordination with other stakeholders who have already expressed their intention to help and donate,” said Galvez.
The AFPs Joint Task Force Sulu is also directly involved in the different disaster responses organized by the Regional Government of ARMM and the Provincial Government of Sulu by facilitating and supporting distribution of relief, conduct of feeding programs and medical assistance activities, clearing of affected area and rescue operations.
Initial investigation of the Bureau of Fire indicates that the conflagration that started at 2:45 in the afternoon last July 24, was caused by overloaded electrical wirings.
The fire claimed hundreds of houses from two barangays in Jolo, Brgy Walled City, and Brgy Busbus, and left 20,278 persons homeless with 27 million of total estimated damages.
It was declared “fire out” at 11:30 in the evening on the same day.
Meanwhile, the governor of Lanao del Sur Bedjora Soraya A. Adiong in her letter dated July 26, expressed her regret and heartfelt sorrow upon hearing on the news regarding the fire incident in Sulu.
“On behalf of the province of Lanao del Sur, I wish to express our most sincere sympathy for and solidarity with local government of Sulu, family, and members of the victims and the entire province of Sulu”, Adiong said.
She also acknowledges how the people of Sulu have continuously provided her people, the support and assistance they needed and constantly with them during the Marawi siege.
“And now, it is time for us to double the effort and pay respect to the benevolent kind people of Sulu. Please accept the assurances of my highest consideration”, Governor Adiong said.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/07/27/afp-hauls-relief-goods-for-sulu-fire-victims/
50 Marawi heroes donned with new ranks
From the Manila Bulletin (Jul 27): 50 Marawi heroes donned with new ranks
The newly promoted soldiers of the Joint Task Force Sulu were recognized by the Secretary of the National Defense Delfin Lorenzana and the Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, General Carlito G. Galvez during a simple donning of ranks ceremony at Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista, Busbus, Jolo, Sulu Friday afternoon.
The soldiers were all meritoriously promoted after having been deployed in Marawi City during the AFP’s campaign to liberate the besieged City from the claws of terrorism last year.
Majority of the promotees are from the 1st and 5th Scout Ranger Battalion (48), one is from the 101st Bde and one from the 12th Light Reaction Company.
Joining the ceremony were the Vice Commander, Philippine Army Major General Arevalo; the Commander, Western Mindanao Command LtGen Arnel Delavega and the Commander, 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division, Philippine Army Major General Roseller G Murillo.
Secretary Lorenzana in his message congratulated the soldiers for the promotion and for the job well done in Marawi.
“My congratulations to all of you. I know that you have sacrificed a lot, you truly deserve this promotion,” Sec Lorenzana said.
Sec Lorenzana also mentioned that the President has given assurance to take care of the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the battle as well as to look after wounded soldiers who are still recuperating.
“Let us continue to do our job as it is far from over. I, your Chief of Staff, and the other Commanders will make sure to provide you with all the support you need,” Sec Lorenzana added.
“If everything goes out well, we will soon be able to shift our efforts to more peaceful means such as programs that intend to develop our country.”
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/07/27/50-marawi-heroes-donned-with-new-ranks/
The newly promoted soldiers of the Joint Task Force Sulu were recognized by the Secretary of the National Defense Delfin Lorenzana and the Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, General Carlito G. Galvez during a simple donning of ranks ceremony at Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista, Busbus, Jolo, Sulu Friday afternoon.
The soldiers were all meritoriously promoted after having been deployed in Marawi City during the AFP’s campaign to liberate the besieged City from the claws of terrorism last year.
Majority of the promotees are from the 1st and 5th Scout Ranger Battalion (48), one is from the 101st Bde and one from the 12th Light Reaction Company.
Joining the ceremony were the Vice Commander, Philippine Army Major General Arevalo; the Commander, Western Mindanao Command LtGen Arnel Delavega and the Commander, 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division, Philippine Army Major General Roseller G Murillo.
Secretary Lorenzana in his message congratulated the soldiers for the promotion and for the job well done in Marawi.
“My congratulations to all of you. I know that you have sacrificed a lot, you truly deserve this promotion,” Sec Lorenzana said.
Sec Lorenzana also mentioned that the President has given assurance to take care of the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the battle as well as to look after wounded soldiers who are still recuperating.
“Let us continue to do our job as it is far from over. I, your Chief of Staff, and the other Commanders will make sure to provide you with all the support you need,” Sec Lorenzana added.
“If everything goes out well, we will soon be able to shift our efforts to more peaceful means such as programs that intend to develop our country.”
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/07/27/50-marawi-heroes-donned-with-new-ranks/
Mindanao: Islamic Bangsamoro will be autonomous, 'distrust' among Christians and Muslims
From PIME Asia News (Jul 27): Mindanao: Islamic Bangsamoro will be autonomous, 'distrust' among Christians and Muslims
The president signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BLO) for Mindanao. For many, it is the key to a lasting peace with the rebels and a tool to counter Islamist extremism. However, "It is still too early to see how the different ethnic groups will react", said Fr D'Ambra. Some 30,000 to 40,000 armed fighters are expected to be demobilized.
Zamboanga (AsiaNews) – The law that will allow self-government for the Philippines’ Islamic minority "is a first step towards peace but it is viewed with distrust by both Christians and by Muslims in Mindanao,” said Fr Sebastiano D'Ambra, speaking to AsiaNews.
A missionary with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), Fr D’Ambra has spent 40 years in the southern Filipino island. He is also the founder of Silsilah, a group devoted to Islamic-Christian dialogue.
Last night, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) into law, which many observers consider the key to lasting peace with separatist rebels and a crucial tool to counter the rise of Islamist extremism in the nation's poorest, albeit resource-rich, region.
The law is based on the 2014 peace agreement signed by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country’s largest Muslim rebel group.
More than 120,000 people have died and two million displaced in almost 50 years of conflict. The new organic law sets in motion the process by which the Bangsamoro (Moro nation) becomes an autonomous region that includes mountains, islands and jungles and a population of at least 4 million people.
"It is still early to see how the different ethnic groups that make up the Muslim population of Mindanao will react", said Fr D'Ambra. One group is the Maguindanao, who fought for the MILF; another is the Tausūg, who said they prefer federalism, and finally we have the Maranao.
"The BOL is the result of compromises, achieved within the strict limits of the Constitution,” the clergyman explained. “With this law, some groups did not get everything they wanted. Christians are waiting to see if and how Muslims will overcome their divisions. We'll see. At the moment it's an open question. However, it is certain that there will be new developments ".
The Bangsamoro region will have a government, a parliament and tax powers by 2022. The central government will continue to be responsible for defence, security, foreign affairs and monetary policy. A referendum will be held to determine which Mindanao municipalities will be part of the new region.
As big as South Korea, Mindanao is the most underdeveloped part of the Philippines. However, it has most of its nickel mines and fruit plantations, as well as vast areas the government wants to convert to palm oil production.
The previous administration hoped to pass the law in 2015, but a disastrous operation meant to capture a Malaysian terrorist, Zulkifli Hir, aka Marwan, at the beginning of the year gave the law’s opponents reasons to derail it. In total, 44 Filipino soldiers died in the operation at the hands of MILF fighters.
Duterte has warned that another failure could be disastrous and favour extremist groups like the Islamic State (IS) group, which last year inspired an Islamist group that was holed up in the city of Marawi for five months.
The battle to retake the city has fuelled fears that IS plans to turn Mindanao into a base for its operations in Southeast Asia.
In Marawi, the MILF opposed the terrorists and collaborated with government troops to fight a radical faction, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which had sworn loyalty to IS.
The Filipino president said failure to approve the law could drive the MILF and other separatist rebels away from peace talks and towards war again.
The Filipino Senate unanimously ratified the BOL on Monday; the House of Representatives did the same the following day.
MILF president Al Haj Murad Ebrahim that 30,000 to 40,000 armed fighters will be demobilised if the autonomy deal signed into law by President Duterte is fully enforced.
MILF chief negotiator Mohaqher Iqbal said the rebels were expected to decommission 30 per cent of their weapons after the referendum.
The president signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BLO) for Mindanao. For many, it is the key to a lasting peace with the rebels and a tool to counter Islamist extremism. However, "It is still too early to see how the different ethnic groups will react", said Fr D'Ambra. Some 30,000 to 40,000 armed fighters are expected to be demobilized.
Zamboanga (AsiaNews) – The law that will allow self-government for the Philippines’ Islamic minority "is a first step towards peace but it is viewed with distrust by both Christians and by Muslims in Mindanao,” said Fr Sebastiano D'Ambra, speaking to AsiaNews.
A missionary with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), Fr D’Ambra has spent 40 years in the southern Filipino island. He is also the founder of Silsilah, a group devoted to Islamic-Christian dialogue.
Last night, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) into law, which many observers consider the key to lasting peace with separatist rebels and a crucial tool to counter the rise of Islamist extremism in the nation's poorest, albeit resource-rich, region.
The law is based on the 2014 peace agreement signed by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country’s largest Muslim rebel group.
More than 120,000 people have died and two million displaced in almost 50 years of conflict. The new organic law sets in motion the process by which the Bangsamoro (Moro nation) becomes an autonomous region that includes mountains, islands and jungles and a population of at least 4 million people.
"It is still early to see how the different ethnic groups that make up the Muslim population of Mindanao will react", said Fr D'Ambra. One group is the Maguindanao, who fought for the MILF; another is the Tausūg, who said they prefer federalism, and finally we have the Maranao.
"The BOL is the result of compromises, achieved within the strict limits of the Constitution,” the clergyman explained. “With this law, some groups did not get everything they wanted. Christians are waiting to see if and how Muslims will overcome their divisions. We'll see. At the moment it's an open question. However, it is certain that there will be new developments ".
The Bangsamoro region will have a government, a parliament and tax powers by 2022. The central government will continue to be responsible for defence, security, foreign affairs and monetary policy. A referendum will be held to determine which Mindanao municipalities will be part of the new region.
As big as South Korea, Mindanao is the most underdeveloped part of the Philippines. However, it has most of its nickel mines and fruit plantations, as well as vast areas the government wants to convert to palm oil production.
The previous administration hoped to pass the law in 2015, but a disastrous operation meant to capture a Malaysian terrorist, Zulkifli Hir, aka Marwan, at the beginning of the year gave the law’s opponents reasons to derail it. In total, 44 Filipino soldiers died in the operation at the hands of MILF fighters.
Duterte has warned that another failure could be disastrous and favour extremist groups like the Islamic State (IS) group, which last year inspired an Islamist group that was holed up in the city of Marawi for five months.
The battle to retake the city has fuelled fears that IS plans to turn Mindanao into a base for its operations in Southeast Asia.
In Marawi, the MILF opposed the terrorists and collaborated with government troops to fight a radical faction, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which had sworn loyalty to IS.
The Filipino president said failure to approve the law could drive the MILF and other separatist rebels away from peace talks and towards war again.
The Filipino Senate unanimously ratified the BOL on Monday; the House of Representatives did the same the following day.
MILF president Al Haj Murad Ebrahim that 30,000 to 40,000 armed fighters will be demobilised if the autonomy deal signed into law by President Duterte is fully enforced.
MILF chief negotiator Mohaqher Iqbal said the rebels were expected to decommission 30 per cent of their weapons after the referendum.
MILF wants 'crown jewel' Cotabato City in new Bangsamoro region
From ABS-CBN (Jul 28): MILF wants 'crown jewel' Cotabato City in new Bangsamoro region
Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani says residents will vote against joining the new Bangsamoro region if a plebiscite were held today. ABS-CBN News
COTABATO CITY - Residents of this bustling city will vote against joining a new autonomous region for the Bangsamoro if a plebiscite were held today, its mayor said Saturday.
A Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) official said his group would campaign hard to convince Cotabato City, which had twice refused to join the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“We will overcome all obstacles because for the MILF, there is no other option except Cotabato City must be delivered. Insha Allah,” said Mohagher Iqbal, head of the MILF panel implementing its 2014 peace agreement with the government, describing the city as a “crown jewel.”
The Bangsamoro Organic Law, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, grants greater autonomy, power, and resources to a new region replacing the ARMM — part of a comprehensive approach to also prevent the rise of violent extremism in southern Philippines.
Duterte signs Bangsamoro law
Mayor Cynthia Guiani of Cotabato City said she would respect the outcome of the plebiscite, but warned: “If elections or the plebiscite were held today, it would not win in Cotabato City.”
“Kung ano man 'yung lalabas sa plebisito, we really have to respect it kaso naniniwala ako no matter anong campaign mo sa residente ng Cotabato City, they have a mind of their own,” she told ABS-CBN News.
(Whatever comes out of the plebiscite, we really have to respect it but I believe that no matter how hard you campaign to residents of Cotabato City, they have a mind of their own.)
“What the people feel is different from what Manila people perceive.”
BLOCK GRANT
The outcome of the plebiscite will determine the scope of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s territory.
Aside from the 5 ARMM provinces at present, the new region is supposed to include Cotabato City, Isabela City in Basilan, 6 towns in Lanao del Norte, and 39 villages (barangay) in North Cotabato province.
“A vote for the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law is a question of credibility. How credible are the proponents of the BOL in bringing about peace, progress, development to Cotabato City?” Guiani said.
Iqbal said the MILF’s credibility and popularity were “still there” having “sustained the struggle for 40 years.”
He said he could not imagine Cotabato City residents rejecting the new Bangsamoro law, citing benefits such as an estimated P60 billion to P80 billion in annual block grant to be released automatically by the national government.
“It’s very important emotionally that in terms of narrative, in terms of practicability... and the more the city would benefit from the situation if it would become part of the future Bangsamoro (region),” he said.
ARMM EMPLOYEES
Guiani warned that around 6,000 ARMM employees stood to lose their jobs during the transition to the new Bangsamoro government.
Though not part of the ARMM, Cotabato City is the site of the regional government and Guiani said residents could “sympathize” with their neighbors who would be rendered jobless.
“You’re adding unemployment to my city,” she said.
Iqbal said employees with civil service eligibility would remain while others such as political appointees would “have to go.”
“Necessarily, there will be a reshuffle,” said Iqbal, whose group will lead the Bangsamoro transition government until 2022.
Catch the full interview with Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani on “Matters of Fact” on ANC’s Early Edition on July 30, 7:30 a.m.
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/28/18/milf-wants-crown-jewel-cotabato-city-in-new-bangsamoro-region
Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani says residents will vote against joining the new Bangsamoro region if a plebiscite were held today. ABS-CBN News
COTABATO CITY - Residents of this bustling city will vote against joining a new autonomous region for the Bangsamoro if a plebiscite were held today, its mayor said Saturday.
A Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) official said his group would campaign hard to convince Cotabato City, which had twice refused to join the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“We will overcome all obstacles because for the MILF, there is no other option except Cotabato City must be delivered. Insha Allah,” said Mohagher Iqbal, head of the MILF panel implementing its 2014 peace agreement with the government, describing the city as a “crown jewel.”
The Bangsamoro Organic Law, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, grants greater autonomy, power, and resources to a new region replacing the ARMM — part of a comprehensive approach to also prevent the rise of violent extremism in southern Philippines.
Duterte signs Bangsamoro law
Mayor Cynthia Guiani of Cotabato City said she would respect the outcome of the plebiscite, but warned: “If elections or the plebiscite were held today, it would not win in Cotabato City.”
“Kung ano man 'yung lalabas sa plebisito, we really have to respect it kaso naniniwala ako no matter anong campaign mo sa residente ng Cotabato City, they have a mind of their own,” she told ABS-CBN News.
(Whatever comes out of the plebiscite, we really have to respect it but I believe that no matter how hard you campaign to residents of Cotabato City, they have a mind of their own.)
“What the people feel is different from what Manila people perceive.”
BLOCK GRANT
The outcome of the plebiscite will determine the scope of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s territory.
Aside from the 5 ARMM provinces at present, the new region is supposed to include Cotabato City, Isabela City in Basilan, 6 towns in Lanao del Norte, and 39 villages (barangay) in North Cotabato province.
“A vote for the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law is a question of credibility. How credible are the proponents of the BOL in bringing about peace, progress, development to Cotabato City?” Guiani said.
Iqbal said the MILF’s credibility and popularity were “still there” having “sustained the struggle for 40 years.”
He said he could not imagine Cotabato City residents rejecting the new Bangsamoro law, citing benefits such as an estimated P60 billion to P80 billion in annual block grant to be released automatically by the national government.
“It’s very important emotionally that in terms of narrative, in terms of practicability... and the more the city would benefit from the situation if it would become part of the future Bangsamoro (region),” he said.
ARMM EMPLOYEES
Guiani warned that around 6,000 ARMM employees stood to lose their jobs during the transition to the new Bangsamoro government.
Though not part of the ARMM, Cotabato City is the site of the regional government and Guiani said residents could “sympathize” with their neighbors who would be rendered jobless.
“You’re adding unemployment to my city,” she said.
Iqbal said employees with civil service eligibility would remain while others such as political appointees would “have to go.”
“Necessarily, there will be a reshuffle,” said Iqbal, whose group will lead the Bangsamoro transition government until 2022.
Catch the full interview with Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani on “Matters of Fact” on ANC’s Early Edition on July 30, 7:30 a.m.
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/28/18/milf-wants-crown-jewel-cotabato-city-in-new-bangsamoro-region
Philippine pro-Islamic State militants, former allies MILF set for showdown with approval of autonomy law
From Channel News Asia (Jul 28): Philippine pro-Islamic State militants, former allies MILF set for showdown with approval of autonomy law (By Amy Chew)
KUALA LUMPUR: Pro-Islamic State (IS) militants in the Philippines’ troubled Mindanao island are expected to face a crackdown from their former comrade, the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), following the historic signing of a law granting greater autonomy to Muslims in the south, say security experts.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday (Jul 26) enacted the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), allowing Muslims in Mindanao to start moving toward self-rule by 2022.
Advertisement
The BOL is a culmination of 21 years of peace negotiations between the government and the MILF in a bid to counter violent extremism and half a century of separatist conflict.
“If the Bangsamoro government is formed, it will be more difficult for pro-IS groups to carry out their violent activities because MILF will utilise their existing armed forces to go after them,” said Prof Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.
“That’s MILF's promise to the Philippine government."
He added: “The MILF has been working with the Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP) to run after pro-IS groups like the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the Abu Dar Group."
MILF has publicly declared its opposition to IS, and last year started working with the Philippine military to fight pro-IS groups in Mindanao.
Prof Banlaoi however cautioned that threats to peace will remain after the MILF ends their struggle against the Philippine government.
"There are several threats: The BIFF in central Mindanao; the Abu Dar Group, composed of remnants of the pro-IS Maute group, in Lanao provinces; and the ASG in Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces," he said.
READ: A rocky road to peace in the southern Philippines: Pressures on the MILF leadership
MANY PRO-IS GROUPS ARE SPLINTERS FROM MILF
Most of the pro-IS groups are former members of MILF, the largest armed group in Mindanao with about 30,000 fighters.
In an interview with Channel NewsAsia last year, MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said during the decades-long negotiations, its members broke away to form more radical groups each time peace talks broke down.
Some of the splinter groups went on to pledge allegiance to IS.
READ: Islamic State's grip widening in southern Philippines, says MILF leader
As the former comrade of many of the pro-IS groups, MILF wields considerable influence over them except for the ASG, according to Professor Zachary Abuza of the National War College in Washington, DC.
“MILF has some influence, in that there are personal and kinship relationships,” said Prof Abuza who specialises in terrorism and insurgencies in Southeast Asia.
"They know the pro-IS groups, and often cohabit with them. They should be able to root them out far more effectively than the Philippine military or the Philippine National Police (PNP).
"MILF has very little influence over the ASG, simply because the latter is predominantly comprised of ethnic Tausugs, and the MILF has always had a very limited presence in Sulu island."
The Tausugs are inhabitants of Sulu.
"The real question is whether the MILF can stem defections from its ranks which have been taking place in the past three years," said Prof Abuza.
One of the splinter groups, the pro-IS Maute Group founded by brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute, seized control of the city of Marawi and held on to it for five months before the military wrestled back control on Oct 17 last year.
READ: Fears of another Marawi as Islamic State militants regroup, plan suicide bombings
More than 1,100 people died in the fighting. The Marawi siege was the worst outbreak of its kind in Philippine’s modern history.
It also marked the most serious assault by IS in its bid to establish a foothold in Southeast Asia, unsettling governments in the region.
Following the Marawi siege, MILF urged the government to speed up the peace talks as an antidote to violent extremism.
READ: The men behind the Marawi siege
MILF EXPECTED TO ASSUME MANY GOVERMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN NEW BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT: EXPERT
The onus to crack down on the myriad of pro-IS groups operating in the Mindanao jungles will rest on the future Bangsamoro government that is to be elected, according to Prof Abuza.
“The onus will be on the new Bangsamoro government after a plebiscite and elections are held,” said Prof Abuza
The new government will have internal policing functions, though they will be part of the PNP chain of command.
“The MILF is expected to assume many of those governmental responsibilities. Most importantly, the MILF has a real incentive to crack down on pro-IS militants and deny them sanctuary,” said Prof Abuza.
“They have long made the argument to Philippine leaders and Congress that the antidote to IS militancy is a workable autonomy agreement. There is a lot of latent mistrust toward the MILF, so they have to prove themselves."
A challenge to MILF's authority in the region is another reason for rooting out these militants, added Prof Abuza.
Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines gained international notoriety for kidnapping dozens of foreign tourists for ransom in the early 2000s. (Photo: AFP)
FOREIGN FIGHTERS FROM MALAYSIA AND INDONESIA EXPECTED TO BE FORCED OUT OF MINDANAO: MILF
MILF’s chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim expressed confidence that foreign fighters, including Malaysians and Indonesians, could soon be forced out of their sanctuaries when BOL comes into force, reported BenarNews.
Murad believes the BOL will bring splinter groups back into the political fold, making it harder for foreign extremists to form alliances with them.
“All these splinter groups are a result of the frustration with the peace process. The moment the small groups no longer accept the foreign elements, they can no longer come to the Philippines,” Murad was quoted as saying.
According to Prof Abuza, MILF chairman Murad is correct "to a degree".
He said: “There is a push-pull factor. On the one hand, the IS central command has been encouraging Southeast Asian supporters to travel to Mindanao to fight.
“But if there are no longer groups who are willing to host them, it will be harder for them to really establish themselves there."
Prof Rommel cautioned that the BOL will not automatically stop the influx of foreign fighters.
"The BOL can even attract some foreign fighters to come to the southern Philippines to oppose what they perceive as 'co-opting with the infidels'," said Prof Banlaoi.
"But the BOL will require the Bangsamoro government to formulate measures to prevent the entry of foreign terrorist fighters to Mindanao.
"Otherwise, foreign terrorist fighters working in tandem with local fighters could undermine the peace aspired by all."
The 10,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has been fighting for a Muslim homeland in the largely Catholic Philippines for decades, is warning of the growing strength of Islamic State group-affiliated groups in the region. (Photo: AFP/Ferdinand Cabrera)
MILF HAS CAPACITY TO WEAKEN ISLAMIC STATE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Prof Abuza meanwhile added that if the MILF prove to the Philippine government that they are are serious about making Mindanao less hospitable for the pro-IS militants, they could really weaken IS in the region.
“This is so important, because while you have IS cells in Indonesia and Malaysia, they are simply cells operating in inhospitable environments, up against competent and well-resourced security forces," he said.
“Only in the Philippines did pro-IS groups control territory, and have the space they needed to attract IS's attention, and encourage foreign fighters."
Former Malaysian and Indonesian militants who fought in Mindanao told Channel NewsAsia earlier that the Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia where IS could establish a foothold, as it is awash with weapons, explosive materials, ungoverned spaces and porous borders.
MILF’s biggest challenge now is to transition from a guerrilla army to a functioning government, said Prof Abuza.
“That is hard to do, and few rebel groups do it effectively or seamlessly," he said.
"The key is that resources have to quickly flow to them so they can pay people and assure their loyalty to the new autonomous government.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/milf-philippine-islamic-state-militants-mindanao-bol-asg-10566454
MILF chief Al Haj Murad Ebrahim along with members from the group. (Photo: Amy Chew)
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday (Jul 26) enacted the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), allowing Muslims in Mindanao to start moving toward self-rule by 2022.
Advertisement
The BOL is a culmination of 21 years of peace negotiations between the government and the MILF in a bid to counter violent extremism and half a century of separatist conflict.
“If the Bangsamoro government is formed, it will be more difficult for pro-IS groups to carry out their violent activities because MILF will utilise their existing armed forces to go after them,” said Prof Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.
“That’s MILF's promise to the Philippine government."
He added: “The MILF has been working with the Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP) to run after pro-IS groups like the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the Abu Dar Group."
MILF has publicly declared its opposition to IS, and last year started working with the Philippine military to fight pro-IS groups in Mindanao.
Prof Banlaoi however cautioned that threats to peace will remain after the MILF ends their struggle against the Philippine government.
"There are several threats: The BIFF in central Mindanao; the Abu Dar Group, composed of remnants of the pro-IS Maute group, in Lanao provinces; and the ASG in Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces," he said.
READ: A rocky road to peace in the southern Philippines: Pressures on the MILF leadership
MANY PRO-IS GROUPS ARE SPLINTERS FROM MILF
Most of the pro-IS groups are former members of MILF, the largest armed group in Mindanao with about 30,000 fighters.
In an interview with Channel NewsAsia last year, MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said during the decades-long negotiations, its members broke away to form more radical groups each time peace talks broke down.
Some of the splinter groups went on to pledge allegiance to IS.
READ: Islamic State's grip widening in southern Philippines, says MILF leader
As the former comrade of many of the pro-IS groups, MILF wields considerable influence over them except for the ASG, according to Professor Zachary Abuza of the National War College in Washington, DC.
“MILF has some influence, in that there are personal and kinship relationships,” said Prof Abuza who specialises in terrorism and insurgencies in Southeast Asia.
"They know the pro-IS groups, and often cohabit with them. They should be able to root them out far more effectively than the Philippine military or the Philippine National Police (PNP).
"MILF has very little influence over the ASG, simply because the latter is predominantly comprised of ethnic Tausugs, and the MILF has always had a very limited presence in Sulu island."
The Tausugs are inhabitants of Sulu.
"The real question is whether the MILF can stem defections from its ranks which have been taking place in the past three years," said Prof Abuza.
One of the splinter groups, the pro-IS Maute Group founded by brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute, seized control of the city of Marawi and held on to it for five months before the military wrestled back control on Oct 17 last year.
READ: Fears of another Marawi as Islamic State militants regroup, plan suicide bombings
More than 1,100 people died in the fighting. The Marawi siege was the worst outbreak of its kind in Philippine’s modern history.
It also marked the most serious assault by IS in its bid to establish a foothold in Southeast Asia, unsettling governments in the region.
Following the Marawi siege, MILF urged the government to speed up the peace talks as an antidote to violent extremism.
READ: The men behind the Marawi siege
MILF EXPECTED TO ASSUME MANY GOVERMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN NEW BANGSAMORO GOVERNMENT: EXPERT
The onus to crack down on the myriad of pro-IS groups operating in the Mindanao jungles will rest on the future Bangsamoro government that is to be elected, according to Prof Abuza.
“The onus will be on the new Bangsamoro government after a plebiscite and elections are held,” said Prof Abuza
The new government will have internal policing functions, though they will be part of the PNP chain of command.
“The MILF is expected to assume many of those governmental responsibilities. Most importantly, the MILF has a real incentive to crack down on pro-IS militants and deny them sanctuary,” said Prof Abuza.
“They have long made the argument to Philippine leaders and Congress that the antidote to IS militancy is a workable autonomy agreement. There is a lot of latent mistrust toward the MILF, so they have to prove themselves."
A challenge to MILF's authority in the region is another reason for rooting out these militants, added Prof Abuza.
Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines gained international notoriety for kidnapping dozens of foreign tourists for ransom in the early 2000s. (Photo: AFP)
FOREIGN FIGHTERS FROM MALAYSIA AND INDONESIA EXPECTED TO BE FORCED OUT OF MINDANAO: MILF
MILF’s chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim expressed confidence that foreign fighters, including Malaysians and Indonesians, could soon be forced out of their sanctuaries when BOL comes into force, reported BenarNews.
Murad believes the BOL will bring splinter groups back into the political fold, making it harder for foreign extremists to form alliances with them.
“All these splinter groups are a result of the frustration with the peace process. The moment the small groups no longer accept the foreign elements, they can no longer come to the Philippines,” Murad was quoted as saying.
According to Prof Abuza, MILF chairman Murad is correct "to a degree".
He said: “There is a push-pull factor. On the one hand, the IS central command has been encouraging Southeast Asian supporters to travel to Mindanao to fight.
“But if there are no longer groups who are willing to host them, it will be harder for them to really establish themselves there."
Prof Rommel cautioned that the BOL will not automatically stop the influx of foreign fighters.
"The BOL can even attract some foreign fighters to come to the southern Philippines to oppose what they perceive as 'co-opting with the infidels'," said Prof Banlaoi.
"But the BOL will require the Bangsamoro government to formulate measures to prevent the entry of foreign terrorist fighters to Mindanao.
"Otherwise, foreign terrorist fighters working in tandem with local fighters could undermine the peace aspired by all."
The 10,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has been fighting for a Muslim homeland in the largely Catholic Philippines for decades, is warning of the growing strength of Islamic State group-affiliated groups in the region. (Photo: AFP/Ferdinand Cabrera)
MILF HAS CAPACITY TO WEAKEN ISLAMIC STATE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Prof Abuza meanwhile added that if the MILF prove to the Philippine government that they are are serious about making Mindanao less hospitable for the pro-IS militants, they could really weaken IS in the region.
“This is so important, because while you have IS cells in Indonesia and Malaysia, they are simply cells operating in inhospitable environments, up against competent and well-resourced security forces," he said.
“Only in the Philippines did pro-IS groups control territory, and have the space they needed to attract IS's attention, and encourage foreign fighters."
Former Malaysian and Indonesian militants who fought in Mindanao told Channel NewsAsia earlier that the Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia where IS could establish a foothold, as it is awash with weapons, explosive materials, ungoverned spaces and porous borders.
MILF’s biggest challenge now is to transition from a guerrilla army to a functioning government, said Prof Abuza.
“That is hard to do, and few rebel groups do it effectively or seamlessly," he said.
"The key is that resources have to quickly flow to them so they can pay people and assure their loyalty to the new autonomous government.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/milf-philippine-islamic-state-militants-mindanao-bol-asg-10566454
NPA fighter killed in Quezon clash with Army troops
From GMA News (Jul 28): NPA fighter killed in Quezon clash with Army troops
A New People's Army guerrilla was killed in an encounter with government troops in Atimonan town in Quezon province on Friday afternoon.
The firefight erupted at about 5 p.m. in Atimonan's Barangay San Andres Bundok during a combat operation by the joint elements of the Army's 85th Infantry Battalion and 2nd Infantry Division.
Acting on a tip from concerned citizens allegedly being harassed by the rebels in Purok Munting of Barangay San Isidro, Padre Burgos town, government soldiers immediately launched combat operations around the area.
Lieutenant Colonel Ely Tono, commanding officer of the 85th IB, in statement, said that the soldiers chanced upon 25 NPA guerrillas in Barangay San Andres and engaged the rebels in a 30-minute firefight that resulted in the death of one enemy.
Troops recovered an M16 rifle at the clash site. No soldier was hurt in the skirmish that forced the insurgents to flee with their wounded.
The 85th IB command received information confirming that the rebels were from the same group that planned the murder of Efren Aguila of Barangay Cabuyao Sur, Padre Burgos last July 19, 2018.
Aguila was "falsely accused" by the NPA of being a military informant.
Massive pursuit operations by the government troops are ongoing, and checkpoints are being expanded in the area, the army said.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/662156/npa-fighter-killed-in-quezon-clash-with-army-troops/story/
A New People's Army guerrilla was killed in an encounter with government troops in Atimonan town in Quezon province on Friday afternoon.
The firefight erupted at about 5 p.m. in Atimonan's Barangay San Andres Bundok during a combat operation by the joint elements of the Army's 85th Infantry Battalion and 2nd Infantry Division.
Acting on a tip from concerned citizens allegedly being harassed by the rebels in Purok Munting of Barangay San Isidro, Padre Burgos town, government soldiers immediately launched combat operations around the area.
Lieutenant Colonel Ely Tono, commanding officer of the 85th IB, in statement, said that the soldiers chanced upon 25 NPA guerrillas in Barangay San Andres and engaged the rebels in a 30-minute firefight that resulted in the death of one enemy.
Troops recovered an M16 rifle at the clash site. No soldier was hurt in the skirmish that forced the insurgents to flee with their wounded.
The 85th IB command received information confirming that the rebels were from the same group that planned the murder of Efren Aguila of Barangay Cabuyao Sur, Padre Burgos last July 19, 2018.
Aguila was "falsely accused" by the NPA of being a military informant.
Massive pursuit operations by the government troops are ongoing, and checkpoints are being expanded in the area, the army said.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/662156/npa-fighter-killed-in-quezon-clash-with-army-troops/story/
Troops kill Maute group member in clash
From the Sun Star-Zamboanga (Jul 26): Troops kill Maute group member in clash
GOVERNMENT troops have killed an alleged member of the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (Isis)-inspired Maute group and recovered high-powered weapons following a firefight in Masiu, Lanao del Sur, the military said Thursday.
Major General Roseller Murillo, Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander, did not disclose the place of the clash for reasons of operational matters except in saying that it happened around 9 a.m. Thursday, July 26, 2018.
He identified the slain Maute group member as Zainal Candidato. No one among the troops were either killed or wounded in the clash.
Murillo said the firefight ensued when the troops from the Army’s 49th Infantry Battalion, based on information from civilians, raided the lair of Panarigan Tama Baoraki alias Golden Boy and Hadji Rasul Amimbering in Masiu.
The military official said that the two are leaders of an armed group with ties to the Isis-inspired Maute group operating in Lanao del Sur.
The Baoraki and Amimbering and their followers fled to different directions following a 10-minute firefight, he added.
He said the troops have recovered at the clash site the following: three M-16 Armalite rifles; two Rocket-Propelled Grenade launchers; two grenades; two ISIS flags; six sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as “shabu”; a cellular phone; and other illegal drug paraphernalia.
Murillo commended the people of Lanao del Sur for reporting the presence of the Isis-inspired Maute group members and the troops for swift and decisive action that led to the successful operations.
“Preventing and countering violent extremism is a shared responsibility of all members of our society but primarily of the people in the communities which these terrorists seek to destroy our way of life,” he added.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1754850/Zamboanga/Local-News/Troops-kill-Maute-group-member-in-clash
GOVERNMENT troops have killed an alleged member of the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (Isis)-inspired Maute group and recovered high-powered weapons following a firefight in Masiu, Lanao del Sur, the military said Thursday.
Major General Roseller Murillo, Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander, did not disclose the place of the clash for reasons of operational matters except in saying that it happened around 9 a.m. Thursday, July 26, 2018.
He identified the slain Maute group member as Zainal Candidato. No one among the troops were either killed or wounded in the clash.
Murillo said the firefight ensued when the troops from the Army’s 49th Infantry Battalion, based on information from civilians, raided the lair of Panarigan Tama Baoraki alias Golden Boy and Hadji Rasul Amimbering in Masiu.
The military official said that the two are leaders of an armed group with ties to the Isis-inspired Maute group operating in Lanao del Sur.
The Baoraki and Amimbering and their followers fled to different directions following a 10-minute firefight, he added.
He said the troops have recovered at the clash site the following: three M-16 Armalite rifles; two Rocket-Propelled Grenade launchers; two grenades; two ISIS flags; six sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as “shabu”; a cellular phone; and other illegal drug paraphernalia.
Murillo commended the people of Lanao del Sur for reporting the presence of the Isis-inspired Maute group members and the troops for swift and decisive action that led to the successful operations.
“Preventing and countering violent extremism is a shared responsibility of all members of our society but primarily of the people in the communities which these terrorists seek to destroy our way of life,” he added.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1754850/Zamboanga/Local-News/Troops-kill-Maute-group-member-in-clash
Duterte renews call for dialogue with Abu Sayyaf
From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 28): Duterte renews call for dialogue with Abu Sayyaf
President Rodrigo R. Duterte has renewed his call to dialogue with Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) on Friday, a day after signing the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
“Abu Sayyaf, mag-usap na lang tayo (let’s talk),” Duterte said in a speech during his visit to fire victims in Jolo, Sulu.
“Ano bang gawain natin? Magpatayan tayong lahat? Ako, pwede niyo akong patayin maski saan. Anong makukuha ninyo (What are we going to do? Kill each other? Me, you can kill me anywhere. But what will you gain)? he added.
On Thursday, Duterte signed into law the BOL, which is meant to bring peace in Mindanao by establishing a Bangsamoro political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Duterte, meanwhile, appealed to the Abu Sayyaf to give time to see how the BOL would benefit them.
“Iyong BBL tapos na. Bigyan lang natin ng panahon (The BOL is signed. Let’s give it time),” Duterte said.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier described the signing of the BOL as an event that will “usher in a new era of peace in Mindanao.”
Lorenzana also said that the government is ready to assist the Bangsamoro people “start their lives anew, heal the wounds of conflict, and end our people's divisiveness after decades of fighting.”
He expressed hope that through the BOL, the root causes of violent extremism and terrorism including poverty, lack of education, and social injustice, will be addressed.
"I now call on the remaining groups still fighting the government to follow the path of peace just like the MILF and MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front). Through our localized peace efforts, we remain committed to achieve peace, even with members of the Communist Terrorist Group, and pursue the peace agenda of our President who is walking the extra mile to unite the people as one nation," he added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1043015
President Rodrigo R. Duterte has renewed his call to dialogue with Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) on Friday, a day after signing the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
“Abu Sayyaf, mag-usap na lang tayo (let’s talk),” Duterte said in a speech during his visit to fire victims in Jolo, Sulu.
“Ano bang gawain natin? Magpatayan tayong lahat? Ako, pwede niyo akong patayin maski saan. Anong makukuha ninyo (What are we going to do? Kill each other? Me, you can kill me anywhere. But what will you gain)? he added.
On Thursday, Duterte signed into law the BOL, which is meant to bring peace in Mindanao by establishing a Bangsamoro political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Duterte, meanwhile, appealed to the Abu Sayyaf to give time to see how the BOL would benefit them.
“Iyong BBL tapos na. Bigyan lang natin ng panahon (The BOL is signed. Let’s give it time),” Duterte said.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier described the signing of the BOL as an event that will “usher in a new era of peace in Mindanao.”
Lorenzana also said that the government is ready to assist the Bangsamoro people “start their lives anew, heal the wounds of conflict, and end our people's divisiveness after decades of fighting.”
He expressed hope that through the BOL, the root causes of violent extremism and terrorism including poverty, lack of education, and social injustice, will be addressed.
"I now call on the remaining groups still fighting the government to follow the path of peace just like the MILF and MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front). Through our localized peace efforts, we remain committed to achieve peace, even with members of the Communist Terrorist Group, and pursue the peace agenda of our President who is walking the extra mile to unite the people as one nation," he added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1043015
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