WESTMINCOM: 1st CMO Bn, 1st ID receives a Plaque of Appreciation

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) (Apr 29, 2023): 1st CMO Bn, 1st ID receives a Plaque of Appreciation 

In recognition to unit’s support, the 1st Civil-Military Operations (Mahigalaon) Battalion, 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division, Philippine Army, received a Plaque of Appreciation during the 49th Founding Anniversary celebration of the 1st Cavalry (Tagapanguna) Battalion at Headquarters, Camp Colonel, Jacobo E Zobel, Upper Pulacan, ZDS last April 26.

The award was received by the Battalion’s Executive Officer, Major Gilbert C. Osores who’s on-behalf of the unit attended the momentous occasion. It was handed-over by the Guest of Honor and Speaker, Maj. Gen. Facundo O Palafox IV, the Commander of the Armor (Pambato) Division, Philippine Army. The event was also graced by the other military and civilian unit’s stakeholders.

This recognition ensures an unbroken support and participations from the Mahigalaon Battalion. And, will continue to contribute in the mission accomplishments of the units it serves.

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𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦: https://www.instagram.com/mahigalaon1cmo/
𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐓𝐮𝐛𝐞: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrjeXgcGIvfaLni1uOtuRhw

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WESTMINCOM: Soldiers discover enemy lair in Lanao del Sur

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) (Apr 30, 2023): Soldiers discover enemy lair in Lanao del Sur

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – April 30, 2023

While conducting intensified military operations, troops of the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion discovered a makeshift hut in a heavily vegetated area in Barangay Batobato, Maguing, Lanao del Sur on Saturday morning, April 29.

 
According to Joint Task Force ZamPeLan Commander, Maj. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, the hut is believed to be the hideout of the lawless group under Alias Lomala, who was responsible for the ambush of Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong, Jr.

 
After searching the hut, operating troops recovered one M16 rifle, one M14 rifle, one bandolier, and personal belongings.

 
"I commend the troops of Joint Task Force ZamPeLan for this accomplishment. Rest assured that our campaign against terrorism and other criminalities will not falter," WestMinCom Commander, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, said.

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WESTMINCOM: Former rebels withdraw support to Communist Terrorist Group in Sultan Kudarat

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) (Apr 30, 2023): Former rebels withdraw support to Communist Terrorist Group in Sultan Kudarat

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – April 30, 2023

Three members of the Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR) withdrew their support to the group and yielded to the military in Sultan Kudarat on Friday evening, April 28.

 
The former rebels submitted themselves to Lt. Col. John Paul Baldomar, Commanding Officer of the 37th Infantry Battalion, at 6 p.m. Friday at Camp Brig. Gen. Belita, Tibpuan, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.

 
Surrendered personalities handed over one 7.62mm M14 rifle, one 5.56mm M4 Carbine, and one Caliber .45 pistol.

 
According to Joint Task Force Central Commander, Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, the surrender of the CTG members bespeaks the group’s continuous downfall due to the untiring efforts of the armed forces to conduct focused military operations (FMOs) and the effective implementation of community support programs in their mass bases.

During the debriefing, the former rebels revealed that they experienced hardships and pressure due to the military’s continuous conduct of FMOs and the lack of moral and financial support from the leadership of FSMR, hence their withdrawal of support to the group.

 
The surrendered personalities are currently at the 37IB headquarters for custodial debriefing and ECLIP processing, while their surrendered firearms were deposited at the H37IB supply room for safekeeping.
Western Mindanao Command Chief, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, commended the Joint Task Force Central for their relentless efforts to end terrorism in Central Mindanao. He also urged the remaining terror group members to follow in the footsteps of their former comrades. “It is best for them to end their armed struggle peacefully because we assure that we will never allow them to reemerge and wreak havoc in the communities.”

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WESCOM: RP-US-AUSSIE Troops culminate BK 38-23 in the WESCOM Joint Operational Area

Posted to the Western Command (WESCOM) Facebook Page (Apr 30, 2023): RP-US-AUSSIE Troops culminate BK 38-23 in the WESCOM Joint Operational Area

CAMP GENERAL RICARTE, Palawan – Philippine Army’s 18th Special Forces Company, Philippine Coast Guard’s Special Operations Group – Palawan, US Special Forces, and Australia’s 2nd Commando Regiment on April 28, Friday, culminated the BALIKATAN Exercise in the Western Command (WESCOM) Joint Operational Area (JOA) through a simple closing ceremony at the Headquarters of the 18th Special Forces Company in Brgy. Punta Baja, Rizal, Palawan.

 
The said exercise, which started on April 12, 2023, was aimed at improving the interoperability between the US, Australian and Philippine Special Operations Forces by imparting and sharing various techniques, tactics and procedures centered in the conduct of Unconventional Warfare (UW) that is suitable in WESCOM’s joint operational environment.

 
Meanwhile, WESCOM’s Joint Task Force Malampaya, with its commander, Captain Brendo Casaclang PN(GSC), also culminated the BK 38-23 field training exercises on the same date that BK 38-23 was formally closed at the AFP General Headquarters in Quezon City. The exercises in JTF Malampaya involved the Gas to Oil Platform (GOPLAT) Takedown and Recovery, and the Over The Beach (OTB) operations. WESCOM troops from the JTF Malampaya and Naval Special Operations Units (NAVSOU), together with the US and Aussie troops, attended the simple culmination and closing ceremony at the JTF’s social hall in El Nido, Palawan.

 
During his remarks Captain Casaclang expressed his utmost gratitude to the USAF and ADF counterparts for their immense contribution in enhancing the Filipino troops’ skills, level of responsiveness and readiness, interoperability and the partnership which are essential in securing national interests such as the Malampaya Natural Gas-To-Power Project (MNGPP).

This year’s iteration of BALIKATAN was packed with different practical exercises in Combat Marksmanship, Medical and Casualty Evacuation, Small Unit Tactics, Maritime Operations, and Resupply Missions particularly in a denied environment. A 3-day Culmination Exercise (CULEX) from April 24 to April 26 was also conducted to assess the skills of the participants in several realistic scenarios focused on UW. BK 38-23 training events in the WESCOM JOA have been successful with the continued support of the local government and the general populace of the province of Palawan, partner agencies and other stakeholders.

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Marcos’ official US visit: What you need to know

From Rappler (Apr 30. 2023): Marcos’ official US visit: What you need to know (By BEA CUPIN)

The Philippine President is set to visit the US for the second time in under a year

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. visits the United States for the second time in his presidency from April 30 to May 4, 2023, for an official visit to Washington, DC.

While in Washington, Marcos will be meeting with US President Joe Biden, other top American government officials, and American business leaders, to name a few.

Here’s what you need to know about the jet-setting president’s latest trip – the first in a three-country blitz throughout the month of May.

What is he doing there?

The official visit – an official working visit, according to the US Embassy in the Philippines – begins with a bilateral meeting at the White House. This will be his second high-level meeting with Biden – the first was in September 2022, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Following that meeting, Marcos will join an “expanded meeting” with Cabinet officials. Marcos is also expected to have meetings with legislators, and American business leaders throughout the trip.

On May 4, to wrap up his visit, Marcos will be hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a DC-based think tank, for a “conversation.” A Filipino community event is almost surely on the schedule, as Marcos has done in previous trips abroad.

Marcos is scheduled to have other engagements, but the Palace has yet to make the details of these activities public.

An official working visit is the third-highest type of visit from a head of state or head of government in the US, with the state visit being the highest.

Why is he flying to the US again?

The Philippines, as one of five treaty partners of the US in the region, is critical in their Indo-Pacific strategy. The Philippines, too, sees its relationship with the US as essential – Marcos himself had once waxed poetic about being unable to imagine a future of the Philippines without the US.

According to the White House, “President Biden will reaffirm the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defense of the Philippines, and the leaders will discuss efforts to strengthen the longstanding US-Philippines alliance.”

Malacañang meanwhile said that the visit is “aimed at reaffirming the special relationship between the Philippines and the United States”

Marcos, in an interview with his former social services secretary Erwin Tulfo, said he intends to bring up the 71-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement between the two countries because they need to “evolve” according to the current geopolitical situation.

The economy is also a top agenda, even as Malacañang has not expounded on who Marcos will be meeting outside of Biden. Marcos, in the same interview with Tulfo, said he wants to bring up green bonds, or debt the US issues for “for use in sustainability-focused projects.” Employment opportunities for Filipinos – especially in the health sector – is another thing Marcos said he wants to bring up.

American and Filipino ties have dramatically warmed since Marcos took power. His predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, moved the Philippines away from its traditional ally in his failed “pivot” to China.

Since taking office, Marcos has hosted three top US officials in Malacañang – Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Days before flying to DC, Marcos graced the largest-ever iteration of Balikatan, the annual military exercises under the MDT. He is the first president in recent history to have attended the games himself.

Who is going with him?

Malacañang, as in previous trips, has yet to release a full list of the delegation joining Marcos in Washington DC. Several Cabinet members, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, will be with the President in his engagements. Since economy and defense talk are bound to take prominence, members of the economic and defense clusters of the Cabinet are expected to be part of the official visit.

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos is also expected to accompany the President, as in previous trips. It’s unclear if their sons – one of whom is a high-ranking freshman legislator – will be flying in with them to Washington DC. The President’s adults sons have joined him in official trips in the past, including the September 2022 working visit to the US.

Business leaders will also be flying into DC for the official visit, although neither the Palace nor the Foreign Affairs Department have disclosed the names of those joining the business delegation of the trip. Sabine Aboitiz, Marcos’ friend who heads the Private Sector Advisory Council, led the business delegation during the President’s first visit to the US in September 2022.
The threat of arrest?

There continues to exist a standing contempt judgment against Marcos in connection with a human rights class suit against his late dictator-father. But as President of the Philippines, he enjoys diplomatic immunity.

His first visit to the US as chief executive for the UNGA went by without any hitches, at least in relation to US authorities.

Where to, next?

Seemingly unfazed by criticism that he’s traveled too much not even a year into office, the US trip is just one of three trips he’s making in May 2023. Following the official visit, Marcos will go to London to attend the coronation of King Charles III.

He then heads to Labuan Bajo in Indonesia, where the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit will be held.

The US visit will be Marcos’ fourth trip in 2023 alone. All in all, he has been to nine countries – the US, twice – since assuming office in June 2022. Aside from the UK and Indonesia visits after the US, Marcos is expected to visit France for a state visit and the US again in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/things-to-know-marcos-jr-official-visit-united-states-may-2023/

US expects business engagement, ‘military enhancements’ from Philippine summit

From Rappler (Apr 30, 2023): US expects business engagement, ‘military enhancements’ from Philippine summit (By REUTERS)

A senior US administration official says it is impossible to underestimate its strategic importance of the Philippines, although the relationship is more than just about security

WASHINGTON, DC, USA – At a summit on Monday, May 1, US President Joe Biden and Philippines counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are expected to reach agreements on greater business engagement, as well as “military enhancements” amid shared concerns about China, a senior Biden administration official told Reuters.

Marcos is due in the United States on Sunday, April 30, for a four-day visit that Philippines official say is aimed at reaffirming the special relationship between the Philippines and the United States, which are long-time allies.

The senior US administration official said it was impossible to underestimate its strategic importance of the Philippines, although the relationship was more than just about security.

“We will roll out some deliverables during the next week that will highlight business engagement but also some military enhancements as well,” he said on Saturday, April 29.

The official said that as part of moves to boost commercial ties, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo would a lead a presidential business delegation to the Philippines.

While Marcos was seeking good relations with both China and the United States, Manila was increasingly concerned about “provocative” diplomacy by Beijing and seeking stronger ties with allies, he said.

“We’re seeking not to be provocative, but to provide both moral and practical support for the Philippines as they try to make their way in a complex Western Pacific,” the official said. “Their geographic position is critical,” he added.

Experts say Washington sees the Philippines as a potential location for rockets, missiles and artillery systems to counter a Chinese amphibious invasion of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

Marcos’ Washington visit comes after Philippines on Friday, April 28, accused China’s coast guard of “dangerous maneuvers” and “aggressive tactics” in the South China Sea, in another maritime confrontation between the two countries, despite a visit to Manila this weekend by Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

In the face of such pressure from China, the Philippines and the United States have rapidly stepped up defense engagements, including large-scale military exercises and a recent expansion of U.S. access to Philippine bases. China has objected to the bases agreement.
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Marcos’ official US visit: What you need to know

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said after the first combined meeting of top US and Philippines defense officials earlier this month that it was “too early” to discuss what assets the United States would like to station at bases in the Philippines.

It is a delicate issue for Manila, not only because of its concerns about China, its main trading partner, but given domestic opposition to US military presence in the past.

The two sides did agree to complete a road map in coming months for the delivery of U.S. defense assistance to the Southeast Asian nation over the next five to 10 years.

Alluding to the difficult period in bilateral relations under Marcos’ predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, the official said Monday’s summit would be part of efforts to build the “habits of alliance management” back to levels of the 1970s and 1980s.

“It is an attempt to build a new relationship that will obviously have important security elements, but … the idea and goal while President Marcos is in town is to demonstrate other elements.”

The official said the US planned to enhance trilateral dialogue with Japan and the Philippines, and Marcos would have discussions at the Pentagon about joint maritime patrols.

“We will and have stepped up our broader regional security discussions with the Philippines on all the issues in the South China Sea and elsewhere,” the official said, a reference to Manila’s disputed maritime claims with China and other nations.

Separately, the official said no final decision had been made on whether Biden would stop in Papua New Guinea next month as part of stepped-up engagement with the Pacific-island region, but Washington was “in active discussions no matter what about our direct high-level interactions with the Pacific.”

https://www.rappler.com/world/us-canada/us-expects-business-engagement-military-enhancements-philippine-summit/

Marcos: Philippines won’t be ‘staging point’ for military action in Indo-Pacific

From Rappler (Apr 1, 2023): Marcos: Philippines won’t be ‘staging point’ for military action in Indo-Pacific (By BEA CUPIN)

The Philippines' role in the region is to 'work for peace,' says President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. while en route to the United States for an official visit

ON BOARD PRESIDENTIAL PLANE – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday, April 30, said he will not let the Philippines “be used as a staging point” for military action, ahead of a bilateral meeting with United States President Joe Biden at the White House.

“Our role [in the region] is simple, in the Philippines, we work for peace. We work for peace. We’ll not encourage any provocative action that will involve the Philippines by any other country. We will not allow that to happen. We will not allow the Philippines to be used as a staging post for any kind of military action,” said Marcos in a chance interview with media on board the presidential plane.

Marcos and his delegation will be landing at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sunday, East Coast time. His official visit to the US kicks off with a bilateral meeting with Biden the following day, then an “expanded meeting” with Cabinet officials.

Marcos’ visit to the US – the first of the Philippine President in over a decade – happens as geopolitical tensions rise.

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WATCH: Marcos leaves Manila for official visit to the US
Prior to flying out via PR001, Marcos speaks to the public and the media for his departure statement

Marcos’ official US visit: What you need to know
The Philippine President is set to visit the US for the second time in under a year

The Philippines is a key player in the region, partly due to its strategic location. This is also why Manila’s decision to open up four more military bases to Americans may have a huge impact.

The four new bases bring to nine the total number of Philippine military bases that Americans have access to under the two countries’ Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. These bases also happen to face the South China Sea and Taiwan, a flashpoint for tensions in the region.

Access to Philippine military bases means American troops may preposition their assets in those strategic areas.

China has criticized the US, saying that its military presence is making the situation in the region worse. Marcos, in response to China’s qualms, said it need not worry so long as nobody attacks the Philippines.

China’s envoy to Manila recently “advised” the Philippines to reject “Taiwan independence” if it cared about Filipinos working in Taiwan. Marcos downplayed this as a case of being “lost in translation.”

The Philippine President has, thus far, made it a point to be close to both the US and China – calling a future without the US unimaginable while promising a “new golden age” in relations with Beijing.
Defense treaty

The US and the Philippines are signatories to a defense treaty that can compel either country to come to the other’s defense in case of an attack. During a visit to Manila in November 2022, US Vice President Kamala Harris vowed the US would defend the Philippines in case of an attack in the South China Sea.

Marcos wants an “update” to the 71-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty.

“The conditions under which the Mutual Defense Treaty was written, the original one, are completely different from the conditions we are facing now. China has become very dominant in the region. The United States has become less so. But then, the other players – ASEAN member states and all the Asian states – have also changed their position in the world,” said the President.

Marcos said that ultimately, he wants to lean on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which the US, in its Indo-Pacific strategy, sees as a key leader in the region.

The regional bloc operates on the principle of centrality, non-interference, and consensus – values that critics have said contribute to its inability to flex its true power.

ASEAN leaders are set to meet in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, for a summit in the second week of May.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/ferdinand-marcos-jr-says-philippines-not-staging-point-military-action-indo-pacific/

Marcos leaves for 5-day official US visit

From Rappler (Apr 30, 2023): Marcos leaves for 5-day official US visit (By BEA CUPIN)

Marcos will meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House to kick off the visit

MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Sunday, April 30, left Manila for a days-long visit to the United States that would “reaffirm” the Philippines’ “special relationship” with its one-time colonizer.

Malacañang and the Foreign Affairs department earlier said defense and the economy would be top priorities during the visit to Washington DC from April 30 to May 4.

“During this visit, we will reaffirm our commitment to fostering our long-standing alliance as an instrument of peace and as a catalyst of development in the Asia-Pacific region and for that matter the rest of the world,” Marcos said.

“I intend to convey to President Biden and his senior Cabinet officials that the President is determined to forge an ever stronger relationship with the United States in a wide range of areas that not only address the concerns of our times, but also those that are critical to advancing our core interests. These areas include food security, agricultural productivity development, and digital economy, energy security, climate change, cybersecurity as well as ensuring our resilience from threats to our economy, including global supply chain disruptions and economic coercion,” he added.

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WATCH: Marcos leaves Manila for official visit to the US
Prior to flying out via PR001, Marcos speaks to the public and the media for his departure statement

Marcos’ official US visit: What you need to know
The Philippine President is set to visit the US for the second time in under a year

US urges China: Stop harassing Philippine vessels
The United States calls on China 'to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct' after the recent incident near the Ayungin Shoal

PR001, a Philippine Airlines plane chartered especially for the visit, left the Villamor Airbase past 1:30 pm. The plane is expected to arrive in the US late afternoon Sunday, April 30 (East Coast time).

In Washington DC, Marcos is set to hold his second bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden on May 1 at the White House. He will also join an “expanded” meeting with Cabinet officials. Marcos is set to meet with legislators and different American companies, in separate occasions although the Palace has yet to disclose who he will be meeting with.

The visit concludes with a speaking engagement with Washington DC-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies on May 4.

Marcos flies to Washington just as regional geopolitical tensions – many of them with the Philippines right in the center – rise.

In early April, Malacañang announced the Philippines would open four more military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) of the two countries.

China, with whom the US is competing for dominance in the global sphere, expressed alarm over the move, accusing Americans of making tensions in the region worse. The four new sites means the US can preposition its assets closer to the West Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, and Taiwan.

Marcos responded by saying there’s no need to worry about US military presence in the Philippines if the country is attacked.

China’s top Manila envoy Huang Xillian recently advised the Philippines to stand against “Taiwan independence” if it cared about the Filipinos working in Taiwan. While Marcos downplayed Huang’s statements as being lost in translation, others saw it as a barely-veiled threat.

While Marcos has declared a future of the Philippines without the US unimaginable, he’s also promised a “new golden age” marked by “maturity” in its relationship with China.

Yet China’s aggressions in the South China Sea have worsened – a little over a month after his January 2023 state visit to Beijing, Marcos summoned Huang over a laser-pointing incident that nearly harmed Filipinos in the sea.

Ties with the US, particularly when it comes to defense, have also tightened under Marcos, who graced the largest-ever Balikatan days before flying to Washington DC.

Marcos himself alluded to the return to close Philippine-US ties, pointing out in his speech that he was the first Philippine president to visit Washington DC in over a decade.

Marcos will be joined by key Cabinet members, including those under the defense and economic clusters. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will be joining Marcos during the visit as well.

After the US visit, Marcos will fly to the United Kingdom to attend the coronation of King Charles III, and then to Indonesia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. While he is abroad, Vice President Sara Duterte is government caretaker, according to Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/ferdinand-marcos-jr-departure-united-states-may-2023/

US urges China: Stop harassing Philippine vessels

From Rappler (Apr 30, 2023): US urges China: Stop harassing Philippine vessels (By REUTERS)

The United States calls on China 'to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct' after the recent incident near the Ayungin Shoal

WASHINGTON, USA – The United States urged China on Saturday, April 29, to stop harassing Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, pledging to stand with the Philippines after another maritime confrontation between the two Asian countries.

“We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct,” the US State Department said in a statement.

The Philippines on Friday, April 28, accused China’s coast guard of “aggressive tactics” following an incident during a Philippine Coast Guard patrol close to the Philippines-held Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), a flashpoint for previous altercations located 105 nautical miles (195 kilometers) off its coast.

China on Sunday, April 30, said it was willing to handle maritime differences with countries of concern in the South China Sea through friendly consultations and warned the United States against interference.

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“The US, as a country outside of the region, must not interfere with the South China Sea matter or use the South China Sea matter to sow discord among regional countries,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in a written statement.

The Ayungin Shoal is home to a small military contingent aboard a rusty World War II-era US ship that was intentionally grounded in 1999 to reinforce the Philippines’ territorial claims. In February, the Philippines said a Chinese ship had directed a “military-grade laser” at one of its resupply vessels.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, with a “nine-dash line” on maps that stretches more than 1,500 kilometers off its mainland and cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. An international arbitral ruling in 2016 dismissed that line as having no legal basis.

China’s foreign ministry on Friday said the Philippine vessels had intruded into Chinese waters and made deliberate provocative moves.

The State Department said Washington “stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order.”

https://www.rappler.com/nation/united-states-urges-china-stop-harassing-philippine-vessels-april-2023/

7 alleged NPA members killed, firearms seized in Northern Samar clash

From Rappler (Apr 30, 2023): 7 alleged NPA members killed, firearms seized in Northern Samar clash (By RICKY BAUTISTA)

Captain Jefferson Mariano of the 8th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, says the operation was conducted in the hinterlands of Barangay Santander in Bobon

CATBALOGAN, Philippines – Seven alleged members of the New People’s Army were killed and four firearms were recovered during a Joint Focused Military Operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the hinterlands of Barangay Santander in Bobon, Northern Samar on Sunday, April 30.

Captain Jefferson Mariano, chief of the 8th Infantry Division (8ID) Public Affairs Office, said the operation, which was coordinated with the local police, was conducted after civilians tipped the “passing” of the armed rebels in the outskirts of said village.

Captain Mariano said more or less 40 rebel-members of the Sub-Regional Guerilla Unit (SRGU) and remnants of the dismantled Front Committee-2 (FC-2), Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) Emporium, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) led by Mario Sevillano alias Durok, a notorious NPA leader who is allegedly behind numerous atrocities in the areas of Northern Samar, clashed with troops under 803rd Brigade early morning, today.

“The terrorist’s hideouts were heavily fortified and surrounded by prohibited anti-personnel mines that prompted the troops to call for close air and artillery support,” Mariano said.

After the gun battle, which lasted about 30 minutes, government soldiers recovered seven unidentified cadavers and seized one R4 rifle, two M16 rifles, one AK47 rifle, an anti-personnel mine banned by international humanitarian law, and subversive documents.

“Clearing efforts are ongoing as of this reporting and troops on the ground see heavy bloodstains along their route of withdrawal which indicates” the suffering of heavy casualties. Mariano said.

The 8ID could not provide photos or identification of the casualties as troops are still in the area processing the encounter site.

Meanwhile, Mariano said in a statement that Bobon Mayor Reny Celespara are calling for the remaining members of the NPA to come down and surrender to the law.

Celespara, as quoted by the military, called on the NPA members to surrender and help the government in its initiatives.

“Ang gobyerno lokal, probinsya, at national ay naririto po, handang tumulong sa inyong pagbabagong-buhay at upang maipagpatuloy ang progreso ng ating bayan para sa inyong pamilya at sa buong bayan,” Celespara said. (The local, provincial, and national governments are here, ready to help in building you a new life, and so you can continue the country’s progress, for your families and for the whole country.)

JTF Storm and 8th Infantry Division Commander Major General Camilo Ligayo said the success of the operation was made possible through the recent efforts to clear the barangays in which they operated in.

“We urge the remaining members of [the NPA] to lay down their arms and go home to their families; the government is willing and eager to help you to start a normal life,” Ligayo added.

The military said the group encountered by the 803rd Infantry Brigade is notorious for several atrocities, such as ambuscades, extortions, and killings in Northern Samar.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/visayas/alleged-npa-members-killed-firearms-seized-northern-samar/

US tells China: ‘Desist from provocative, unsafe conduct’ in West Philippine Sea

Posted to Panay News (May 1, 2023): US tells China: ‘Desist from provocative, unsafe conduct’ in West Philippine Sea

A Chinese Coast Guard ship blocked a Philippine patrol vessel (highlighted in circle) in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), causing a near collision in waters where Beijing’s vast claims have alarmed the US and its allies. BBC

MANILA — The United States said on Sunday it stands with the Philippines following reports of alleged harassment and intimidation of Beijing coast guards to the country’s patrol vessel in the West Philippine Sea.

“The United States stands with The Philippines in the face of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Coast Guard’s continued infringement upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea,” the US said in a press statement.

“Imagery and video recently published in the media is a stark reminder of PRC harassment and intimidation of Philippine vessels as they undertake routine patrols within their exclusive economic zone. We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct. The United States continues to track and monitor these interactions closely,” it added.

On April 28, the country and China blamed each other for the near-collision of two of their coast guard ships near the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

According to reports, Manila said a China Coast Guard ship used “dangerous maneuvers” to block the 44-meter BRP Malapascua of the Philippine Coast Guard sailing toward Ayungin.

The US also cited its mutual defense commitments to the country under the 1951 US Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

“The United States stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order and reaffirms that an armed attack in the Pacific, which includes the South China Sea, on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of the Coast Guard, would invoke US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 US Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” the US said.

Meanwhile, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu, called for “peace, stability, and respect” in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in the WPS.

“Concerned by further reports of unprofessional and dangerous conduct against the Philippines in its Exclusive Economic Zone. Australia reiterates our call for peace, stability, and respect for UNCLOS in the South China Sea, a vital international waterway,” Yu wrote in a Twitter post on Sunday. (Faith Argosino © Philippine Daily Inquirer, with a report from Reuters)

https://www.panaynews.net/us-tells-china-desist-from-provocative-unsafe-conduct-in-west-philippine-sea/

Captured rebel faces multiple arrest warrants

From the Visaayan Daily Star (May 1, 2023): Captured rebel faces multiple arrest warrants (By GILBERT P. BAYORAN)

Leonido Montero

A member of the New People’s Army, captured by Army soldiers following an encounter on April 28 at Sitio Malatanglad, Barangay Budlasan, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, was found to have numerous pending arrest warrants.

The captured rebel identified as Leonido Montero, with aliases of Dindo and Lindo, has pending arrest warrants for murder, illegal possession of firearms and explosives, as well as violations of the Omnibus Election Code.

Montero was denied bail by Guihulngan Judge Eric Anthony Ateniao Dumpilo, for murder charges and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Aside from the capture of Montero, the encounter also claimed the life of Anthony Curson, alias Ka Miguel, and the recovery of two .45 caliber pistols with magazines containing ammunition, and four bags containing personal belongings.

The encounter between 62IB soldiers and the group of Curson and Montero, which lasted for several minutes, ensued several days after Rogelio Posadas, secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, also died in an encounter with 94th Infantry Battalion soldiers at the boundary of Binalbagan and Isabela in Negros Occidental.

Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, lauded the timely information relayed to the 62IB headed by Lt. William Pesase, which prevented them from terrorizing residents in the area who are not supportive to them.

https://visayandailystar.com/captured-rebel-faces-multiple-arrest-warrants/

Army commander to MILF: spare the civilians

From MindaNews (Apr 30, 2023): Army commander to MILF: spare the civilians (By FERDINANDH B. CABRERA)

COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 30 April) — The commander of 6th Infantry Division has warned warring base commands of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to spare the civilians or face military action.

Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, 6th ID chief and concurrent head of the Joint Task Force-Central said armed elements of the MILF’s 105th and 118th base command have brought misery to residents in the villages of Madia, Iligan, Dapiawan, Gawang and nearby communities in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Magauindanao del Sur, even during the holy month of Ramadan.

  

Map courtesy of Google

At least eight persons died, several houses were burned, and roads closed due to the armed conflict. The local government reported 2,000 families or about 11,000 residents displaced.

“We informed MILF commanders that if they will not leave these affected places, they might face our forces and we don’t want to reach to that point,” he told members of the Kampilan Division Press Corps during a fun shoot on Friday.

Rillera said they let the MILF settle the dispute in accordance with the peace process mechanisms. The MILF and government signed on March 27, 2014 the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), a peace pact reached after 17 years of negotiations.

He said the military and police responded to the calls of civilians and other groups to disengage the warring groups. The MILF’s armed component, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, under which the base commands operate, is in the process of decommissioning of combatants and weapons, as part of the peace agreement.

“There’s a lot of civilians who are suffering. We let them know where we stand, that we are for the peace effort and we are for those innocent civilians,” Rillera said.

Reports reaching the military said the recent conflict traces its roots to the dispute between Hawn Sindtuk of the MILF’s 105th base command and Datu Bobby Adam of the 118th base command over accusations of killings on both sides.

The MILF’s Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities and other local leader peace partners had brokered a truce several times, including one during Ramadan but a few days later, the armed conflict raged again. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera / MindaNews)

https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2023/04/army-commander-to-milf-spare-the-civilians/

New PNP chief eyes reshuffle of senior officials

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 30, 2023): New PNP chief eyes reshuffle of senior officials (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)

(PNA file photo)

MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. has started reviewing the performance of key officials that may eventually lead to a reshuffle of top positions.

PNP's Public Information chief, Col. Redrico Maranan, said Acorda wants to see the "statistics of the accomplishments" of PNP commanders before making a decision on the possible movement.

"As of now, there is no major reshuffle that is happening. He wants to see first the performance of field commanders. He said he's going to look at the numbers," Maranan said in a radio interview on Sunday.

The Chief PNP will go through the accomplishments of all regional directors first, which will be used as his basis on whether to effect organizational movement or not.

Acorda’s predecessor, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin (ret.), effected a major reshuffle involving 80 generals and colonels just a week into his appointment in August last year.

But Maranan said this may not happen in the case of Acorda, at least for now.

Should there be organizational change, it will happen because several senior officials are soon to retire, Maranan said.

"We need to fill up the vacancies that will be caused by these retirements. Many third-level officers (colonels and generals) are retiring this year and because of that, we cannot avoid minor reassignments," he said.

Meanwhile, senior officers need to wait a little more for the approval of their promotions as they are being carefully reviewed.

The PNP leadership wants to make sure that officers who will be promoted are cleared from involvement in illegal activities, particularly drugs, Maranan said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200459

C. Visayas reservists undergo 'operational readiness' drills

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 30, 2023): C. Visayas reservists undergo 'operational readiness' drills (By John Rey Saavedra)

OPERATIONAL READINESS. Col. Edgar Mangabay, 7RCDG group commander, speaks before the reservists from the 701st Ready Reserve Battalion during the assembly test coinciding with the 44th National Reserve Week opening at Camp Lapu-Lapu, Cebu City on Saturday (April 29, 2023). Mangabay said the event highlights effort to strengthen their capabilities in times of conflicts and emergencies. (PNA photo by John Rey Saavedra)

CEBU CITY – About 1,000 reservists in Central Visayas have undergone capability enhancement activities over the weekend with the aim to strengthen the territorial force in times of war and emergencies, an Army official said on Sunday.

Col. Edgar Mangabay, group commander of the 7th Regional Community Defense Group (7RCDG) of the Philippine Army Reserve Command, said the 44th National Reservist Week (NRW) this year is geared towards ensuring operational readiness and capabilities of the region’s reserve force.

“The reserve force is the base for AFP’s (Armed Forces of the Philippines) expansion, particularly for nation-building efforts, disaster relief operations and socio-economic development assistance. NRW is held to institutionalize skills and capability build-up of ready reserve units through proper accounting and fill-up,” Mangabay told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.

Mangabay lauded the reservists from the 1901st Ready Reserve Infantry Brigade and the 701st Ready Reserve Battalion for reviewing their marksmanship capabilities in a “record firing” training in Camp Lapu-Lapu.

On Saturday, the reservists participated in the symposium, humanitarian and disaster response (HADR) emergency drills, and held a static display of reservists and Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) assets and capabilities at the SM Seaside and Ayala Center.

In his keynote speech during Saturday’s event, Cebu City Councilor Donaldo Hontiveros underscored the importance of building a strong and adaptive reserve force that can respond to any threats.

“Let us continue to work together, to train and prepare, and to be ready to answer the call whenever duty calls. Whether we serve in uniform or as civilians, let us never forget the importance of service to our nation, our communities, and our fellow citizens,” Hontiveros told the reservists attending the NRW event hosted by the Visayas Command.

Central Visayas has four Ready Reserve Battalions each in Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor supervised by the 701st Community Defense Center (CDC) while the 7RCDG oversees the 1901st Ready Reserve Brigade, led by Brig. Gen. Erik Miguel Espina.

Lt. Col. Ryan Braza, 7RCDG operations head, said their office, through its provincial CDCs, oversees 42 Army ROTC units in different colleges and universities comprising 21,000 cadets.

Apart from the 7RCDG, the Naval Reserve Center and Air Force Reserve Center are also directing reservist and ROTC affairs in the region.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1200442