NPA warns candidates with goons

From the Visayan Daily Star (Feb 11): NPA warns candidates with goons

The Leonardo Panaligan Command of the New People's Army in central Negros ordered the arrest and punishment of candidates for the May 9 elections, who possess firearms and are maintaining armed goons.

 

In a tape-recorded statement, rebel spokesman Ka JB Regalado, said the order of arrest covers all candidates aspiring for local and national positions in the government.

 

Regalado said the use of guns and maintaining private armed goons may be used by candidates to intimidate the people for their personal interest.

 

The Commission on Election is also verifying raw information on presence of armed men in the 1st and 5th districts of Negros Occidental.

 

Senior Supt. William Senoron, officer-in-charge of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said they only monitored the presence of armed rebels in the hinterlands.

 

The campaign period for candidates vying for national positions started Feb. 9, while that for local candidates will start on March 25.

 

The Philippine Army and National Police vowed to go after those who undermine the electoral process in Negros island.

 

Regalado issued the warning as he admitted that they were responsible for the death of a certain Kingsley Sangilan on Jan. 10 in Sitio Bonacao, Brgy. Mandapatan, La Libertad, Negros Oriental.

 

He linked Sangilan to a murder incident in 2012, among others.

 

Regalado also warned those who engage in the illegal drug trade, that they will not hesitate to punish them.

 

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2016/February/11/topstory2.htm

KMU slams AFP over murder of activist-farmer’s sister, rights violations in ComVal

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 11): KMU slams AFP over murder of activist-farmer’s sister, rights violations in ComVal

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte – The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno in Southern Mindanao region slammed the military on Wednesday, for the spate of killings and human rights violations in Compostela Valley, including Tuesday’smurder of a sister of an activist-farmer there.

The military has not commented on allegations that suspected security forces were behind the killing of Jennifer Villasante Erbito in Compostela town.

However, it said the KMU had no basis to accuse soldiers of attacking civilian communities in Pantukan and Mabini towns and killing a miner in the process.

The 43-year-old Erbito was tending her banana cue stall at Purok 12 in Barangay Poblacion when shot by a man around 11:30 a.m., the police said.

Chief Insp. Kristopher Sabsal, Compostela police station chief, said cops have started investigating the killing. He has also confirmed Erbito’s sister is a member of the militant Compostela Farmers’ Association (CFA).

Amado Albaciente, Erbito’s common-law husband said his live-in partner had no known enemies.  He added she was a coordinator for the government’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) program in their community and as far as he knew, she did not encounter any problem in that work.

“We condemn the latest killings attributed to this blood-thirsty US-Aquino regime that kills at will and with impunity in the name of big corporate mining and agricultural interests,” said KMU chair Carlo Olalo, adding that Erbito’s killing came just days after the murder of an anti-mining activist and community leader Teresita Navacilla in Pantukan town.

Rights group Karapatan has accused the military of killing Navacilla to silence her strong opposition to the entry of the Filipino-Canadian mining firm, Nadecor-St. Augustine, in Kingking village, Pantukan, but the mining firm denied the allegations, calling these “baseless and mere fabrication.”

“Navacilla was an effectual liaison between the (firm) and the small-scale miners and was a recipient of various corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects of the company,” the mining firm said in a statement.

But Olalo said:  “Compostela Valley is a resource-rich province targeted for plunder by foreign corporations in connivance with local capitalists, landlords and politicians. As a result, the province is marred by heavy military presence creating a climate oppressive to people’s democratic rights, including their right to organize and form unions and associations. Military repression of workers’ rights in Compostela Valley is not new and sadly, has not stopped.”

Hanimay Suazo, spokesperson of Karapatan-Southern Mindanao, said soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 46th and 71st Infantry Battalions also conducted indiscriminate firing and bombings in mining and civilian communities in Mabini and Pantukan towns also on Tuesday, resulting in the death of a small-scale miner and the wounding of several civilians.

Suazo said soldiers also fired rifle grenades toward civilian communities in Post 4, Napnapan village, Pantukan town, damaging a house and a chapel, and soldiers allegedly ordered a stop to the mining operations.

But the military on Wednesday said an encounter had ensued between Army troops and New People’s Army rebels in Pantukan, resulting in the death of an alleged rebel identified as Ronel Paas alias Dondon, 35; and the wounding of several others, among them a 14-year old identified as Dong.

Capt. Rhyan Batchar, public affairs chief of the army’s 10th Infantry Division, said Corporal Boskie Carcellar was also wounded following an encounter at Tagdangua village.

“The soldiers were running after a group of rebels led by alias Raden, who were responsible for the series of atrocities in Pantukan when the troops chanced upon some 20 rebels, triggering a 20-minute firefight,” said Batchar.

An assault rifle believed to be left behind by the fleeing rebels was recovered at the encounter site, the military official said.

He said some of the rebels who fled in the thick of battle sought refuge inside the mining pits and were pursued by soldiers but the government troops could not catch up with the insurgents as the tunnels were extensive and narrow.

Last week, three soldiers, including a young lieutenant, were killed in two clashes between rebels and the 46th IB troops in Pantukan. Two soldiers were also hurt.

Batchar said “the Army has been coordinating with the Commission on Human Rights and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to look into the case of alias Dong, who can be considered as a child-warrior.”
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/763789/kmu-slams-afp-over-murder-of-activist-farmers-sister-rights-violations-in-comval

Sulu ‘sultan’ still staking claim over Sabah

From the Star Online (Feb 11): Sulu ‘sultan’ still staking claim over Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: The self-styled Sulu sultanate is maintaining its claim over Sabah with the newly- installed “sultan” Phugalon Kiram II pushing for a conference to resolve the issue.

The sultanate’s spokesman Abraham Idjirani said they would be pursuing a peaceful resolution of their claim.

“The sultan’s concern is to find a resolution to this long-standing dispute and the way forward is an international conference on the matter,” he told The Star in a telephone interview from Manila on Wednesday.

He said the conference should seek to address the sultanate’s sovereignty and proprietary issues over Sabah.

He said that besides officials from the sultanate, the Philip-pines and Malaysia, the conference should include representatives of the natives of Sabah who were among the main stakeholders of the matter.
He said the sultanate had written to the Malaysian government for such a conference, but had not received any official response as yet.

Phugdalon Kiram II was installed as the 35th “sultan” of Sulu and North Borneo on Feb 6.

The “sultan” who was known as Datuk Phugdal adopted the name of his great grandfather Sultan Phugdalon to thwart other claimants to the Sulu sultanate lineage.

His brother Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram had led some 200 gunmen of the Royal Sulu Army in the occupation of Kg Tanduo in Lahad Datu on Feb 12, 2013 before Malaysian security forces moved in to flush them out.

He fled to the Philippines in early April 2013 and died months later in Tawi Tawi.
Some 60 people, including nine Malaysian security personnel, were killed in the operations against the gunmen.

Another 30 people, including the son of Phugdal’s brother, Esmail Kiram – Datu Amir Bahar Husin Kiram – were detained and were subsequently charged with various offences, including waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Their trial is currently under way.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/02/11/sulu-sultan-still-staking-claim-over-sabah-new-leader-seeks-international-conference-to-resolve-matt/

BIFF commander, declared dead in 2014, arrested in Cotabato City

From InterAksyon (Feb 10): BIFF commander, declared dead in 2014, arrested in Cotabato City



File photograph of Army troops engaged in an operation against the BIFF, by Dennis Arcon, InterAlsyon.com.

Reports reaching Manila indicated that a commander of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a splinter group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), who had been declared dead by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in January 2014, was arrested with his son Tuesday night in Cotabato City.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Resituto Padilla, acknowledged the military's blunder in reporting at the time about the death of Hassan Indal alias Abu Azam, who was BIFF's 4th division commander and concurrent vice-chairman of the BIFF.

"Mukhang hindi po 'yun na-verify at kaya naging subject po ito ngayon ng isang operasyon ... We'll have to look at that report again, I'm not aware if that was reported back as having been unverified," Padilla said.

But this time, Padilla said they're certain, because the arrested suspect was positively identified by the locals.

"Mukhang ito po yata ang taong tinutukoy na nasa arrest warrant kasi nandun po 'yung anak niya pati (It looks like this was the person indicated in the arrest warrant, as even the son was there, too)," he said.

At around 11:45 p.m. troops from the 5th Special Forces Battalion led by Lt Col. Rannie Sevilla raided Indal's suspected hiding place in Barangay Motehr Kalangalan.

In a report, BIFF spokesman Abu Misry Mama confirmed the arrest of Indal and his son, who, the military did not identify.

Confiscated from the Indals were a Baby Armalite (Mi16), a caliber .45 pistol, a hand grenade, and assorted ammunition.

On Friday last week, the Army's 6th Infantry Division reported that some 20 BIFF fighters were killed in a firefight that lasted almost eight hours, from 4:40 p.m. to well after midnight.

Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division (6ID) public affairs officer, said, however, that there was no accurate body count of the slain BIFF fighters, as the information received was based only on reports from civilians who allegedly saw the rebels carrying away their dead and wounded as they retreated from the encounter site.

The series of firefights after that also wounded an Army captain and a Private first class.

Padilla said higher headquarters have ordered 6th ID commander Maj Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan to deploy more troops to places where there is reported build-up of BIFF troops.

After a hiatus of one year due to the absence of major military offensives, the BIFF seems to have regrouped and regained strength to mount new waves of attack.

From February to March 2015, just a few days after the massacre of 44 commandos of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, President Benigno Aquino declared all-out war and ordered the 6th ID to decimate the BIFF, resulting in the death of 96 rebels and six soldiers and scores of wounded.

The military then claimed the offensives had tremendously weakened the BIFF's command and control structure as they were flushed out of their major camps and pushed deep into the marshlands away from civilian communities.

The all-out war was prompted by in-fighting between the BIFF and MILF that displaced 25,000 residents in Pikit, North Cotabato, aside from verified and confirmed intelligence reports that the BIFF was coddling terrorist leader Basit Usman and Malaysian terrorist Amin Baco.

Both terrorists had slipped away from the SAF operation dubbed "Oplan Exodus" that neutralized on January 26, 2015 the Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Abdhir, alias Marwan, but also led to the loss of lives on the part of 44 SAF commandos at the hands of hundreds of combined fighters of the MILF, BIFF and private armed groups in Barangay Tukanalipao.

The MILF later claimed it had killed Usman after he resisted arrest, while the latest reports indicated Baco had rejoined the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in southern Mindanao.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/123914/biff-commander-declared-dead-in-2014-arrested-in-cotabato-city

The dangers posed by SouthEast Asia’s Jihadi returnees

From the Malaya Mail Online (Feb 10): The dangers posed by SouthEast Asia’s Jihadi returnees (by Jasminder Singh)

Of the more than 1,000 South-east Asian combatants for the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria, together with 2,000 to 3,000 camp followers, some are poised to return home in the near future. This is likely to have serious political and security implications for the region.

The majority of South-east Asian fighters are from Indonesia and Malaysia, with a token presence from Thailand, the Philippines and possibly Myanmar. About 70 South-east Asians are believed to have been killed in combat, while another 200 or so are said to have returned.

Many of the returnees in South-east Asia were captured in transit en route to Syria. For example, more than 170 Indonesians were detained on the Turkish-Syrian border before they could cross into Syria.

What is in store for South-east Asia with IS returnees is far more serious than the Afghan returnees in the 1980s. Only a coordinated regional policy will be able to manage this potentially grave threat.
This is because South-east Asia will have to overcome a regional and extra-regional terrorist threat under the auspices of Katibah Nusantara, the IS affiliate in the region, besides many South-east Asians fighting for other groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra, an Al Qaeda affiliate.

While, for some, the aim was to permanently stay in the so-called Islamic State under its self-appointed Caliph, the geo-political and military realities, however, have dictated that many return home, with more likely to join the train. Many have returned because of disillusionment with the IS.
For them, the dream of an Islamic paradise was shattered by the brutalities and atrocities they witnessed, especially the beheadings and wanton killings of civilian Muslims, Shias and Sunnis alike.
The highly disciplined, demanding and rigorous lifestyle of the IS was something many had not expected, especially in an environment where South-east Asians were a minority.

Many who also hoped for glamorous jobs and assignments were given menial tasks that also disenchanted them, forcing them to abandon the IS.

Danger of the returnees 

The danger posed by the IS returnees is three-fold. The first is dealing with individuals who have adopted and been exposed to the radical ideology of the IS; it promotes intolerance and hatred towards non-believers, who can be killed for not accepting its ideology.

The fear is that the returnees who are steeped in radical ideology would promote the “ISISification” of South-east Asian religious tenets and practices, leading to cognitive and ideological shifts that would promote inter- and intra-religious conflicts.

It would also lead to the spread of the IS ideology and propaganda in an attempt to win new adherents. With many issues and challenges facing local Muslims, this could pose a danger to moderate mainstream Islam in the region.

Secondly, there is also the danger that the returnees would be accepted as natural leaders of militant movements in the home country, as happened following the return of fighters from Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s. The returnees’ prestige of having fought in “Bumi Allah” (God’s Land) can be expected to draw many recruits who have already been radicalised towards the cause of the IS, and greater radicalisation and terrorism.

The battle-hardened and ideologically fortified returnees, with experience of having lived in the “Islamic Caliphate”, would also be able to act as a powerful magnet to recruit supporters and fighters for local militant groups and even the IS.

Finally, and probably the most dangerous consequence, could be the launching of terrorist operations at home by these returnees. Armed with battlefield experience, adept in technical skills of weapons handling, and bombmaking, including the killing of combatants and civilians, these combat veterans will pose an existential threat to their home countries and the wider region.

They may want to continue their violent struggle against local political and religious leaders, and communities dubbed as “enemies of Islam”, and pursue a struggle in support of the IS as part of its effort to establish an Islamic Caliphate. There is also the possibility of other combatants from outside South-east Asia entering the region in support of regional operations, as seen with the Uighurs’ support for Indonesian militants.

There are at least three scenarios of possible actions by returnees:

1.  Regroup in the Philippines with old Jihadi networks such as Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the Philippines;
2.  Resume violence and sectarian conflict in Indonesia and other parts of South-east Asia;
3.  Target foreigners in the region, including foreign embassies, and iconic Western economic and political interests such as hotels and shopping malls. Revive dormant groups such as Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia, Rohingya Solidarity Organisation, Arakan Rohingya National Organisation and the Pattani United Liberation Organisation. Escalate domestic violence against governments seen as pro-Western or being anti-Islamic.
The returnees’ military attacks could possibly be undertaken through the following avenues:
a.  By a single terrorist, either local or external;
b.  By a single group, say the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT);
c.  By a combination of groups as is currently ongoing in the Philippines involving the BIFF, Abu Sayyaf Group, MILF faction, Ansar Khalifa Philippines, and various Malaysian and Indonesian elements; and/or
d.  By a combination of local and external terrorists, say a joint operation between the MIT and Uighurs.

Counter measures 

It has become clear that no one state can manage the threat posed by the IS. It will require regional and international cooperation, including the need to get assistance from Turkey and Iraq to send captured local fighters back for charges.

To begin with, states would need strong legislation to criminalise citizens fighting for terrorist groups, involvement in war or military operations other than for national purpose, and even pledging of loyalty to another state as an act of betrayal and crime.

In addition to strong and deterrent punishment, South-east Asians should be stripped of their citizenship for participating in criminal acts on behalf of another state. There would also be the need for effective de-radicalisation measures in order to rehabilitate and reintegrate returnees into the society at large.

The danger posed by the “Daesh Alumni” (as IS-linked militants are also referred to) and returnees is real, and this should be addressed head-on to prevent these ideological and battle-hardened individuals from causing damage to their respective societies.

This would, however, require an ASEAN-wide effort to neutralise the threat from the IS in the region.

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/what-you-think/article/the-dangers-posed-by-southeast-asias-jihadi-returnees-jasminder-singh

GPH-MILF peace panels meet in KL after non-passage of BBL

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 10): GPH-MILF peace panels meet in KL after non-passage of BBL

The government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels began on Wednesday a two-day special meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, following the failure of Congress to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), the primary legislative measure needed for the conclusion of the long-drawn peace negotiations between the state and Moro rebels.

Government chief negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer last week told reporters that the two panels would meet anew as soon as the “emotions” felt after the non-passage of the BBL is settled.

In his opening statement at the special meeting, Mohagher Iqbal, MILF’s chief negotiator, was straightforward in saying that there is “widespread frustration on the ground by our people and members of the MILF” as result of the failure of government, particularly Congress, to pass the BBL.

READ: Malaysia not giving up on Mindanao peace process – envoy

“In view of this, the MILF and government shall jointly find ways and means to address this dangerous situation and avoid actions that may increase the frustrations,” Iqbal said.

He emphasized that both the government and the MILF “must provide them hope that there is a chance” that a Bangsamoro law would be passed “whoever the next President would be.”

Iqbal said the BBL must remain compliant with the peace agreement, called the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), signed between the government and the MILF in 2014.

“This must be in the form of firm and unequivocal commitment from government that it shall continue to comply with its obligations under the CAB, particularly on the passage of the CAB-compliant BBL, which is a unilateral obligation of government,” Iqbal said.

READ: KL not giving up on Mindanao peace

“On the part of the MILF, we assure everyone including the international community that we will adhere to the CAB and comply with its obligations. And finally, in order to preserve the gains of the peace process, government and MILF should journey together in faithfully implementing the CAB, guided by the principle of ‘as is, where is.’ In other words, the most immediate step is either the BBL will be refilled in Congress or a new basic law, faithful to the letter and spirit of the CAB, will be crafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), which will most likely have new faces as members. This is the only way forward,” Iqbal said.

The proposed BBL is the key legislation that would have created a new autonomous Bangsamoro region, a downgrade from the independent state fought for by the Moro rebels since the 1970s.

The Bangsamoro autonomous region would take the place of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), agreed between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the 1996 peace pact, but which remains mired in poverty and underdevelopment.http://globalnation.inquirer.net/136336/gph-milf-peace-panels-meet-in-kl-after-non-passage-of-bbl

Moro rebel killed, 3 wounded in clash between MILF, Army in Maguindanao

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 10): Moro rebel killed, 3 wounded in clash between MILF, Army in Maguindanao
A Moro rebel was killed while a 15-year-old civilian, another rebel and a government soldier were wounded when fighting erupted between members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Army soldiers in the town of Datu Saudi in Maguindanao on Wednesday morning.

Von Al Haq, vice chair for military affairs of the MILF, said the fighting started at 10 a.m. after government forces who were conducting pursuit operations against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, allegedly entered without any coordination an identified base of the group’s 105th Base Command.

“We were shocked when we received reports about the incident because we were informed about the ongoing military operations against the BIFF and we told the AFP through the ceasefire mechanism to be careful because we have a base near the area,” Al Haq said.
He said the MILF was confident that there would be no complications because they have informed the military about the location of the 105th Base Command under Commander Haon.

“The MILF immediately activated our ceasefire committee to pacify the fighting. We also asked the International Monitoring Team to help troubleshoot the problem,” Al Haq said.

Another rebel was reportedly wounded while a government soldier was also hurt in the encounter.
The heavy firefight ended around noon after a total ceasefire was implemented.

“Both the MILF and the government, through the help of the IMT, should investigate why this incident happened despite our efforts to inform about the location of our forces,” Al Haq said.

The MILF initially requested that the operating government troops temporarily pull out from the area so that an organized ceasefire could be enforced to prevent further casualties.

Despite the death of a fighter, the MILF said that the peace agreement was not going to be disrupted.

The MILF leadership expressed optimism that the encounter would be resolved and would not escalate.

The MILF said the clash was not in any way connected to the refusal of the present Congress to legislate the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which was aimed at facilitating the full implementation of the peace agreements between the rebel group and the government.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/763593/rebel-killed-3-wounded-in-clash-between-milf-army-in-maguindanao

GPH, MILF peace panels meet in KL for “ways forward”

From MindaNews (Feb 10): GPH, MILF peace panels meet in KL for “ways forward”

The peace panels of the government (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are back in Kuala Lumpur for a two-day meeting that started February 10, to discuss “ways forward” in the peace process after the Aquino administration’s failure to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

In his opening speech titled “As is, where is,” a copy of which was e-mailed to MindaNews from Kuala Lumpur, Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the MILF peace panel said that in the next administration (which will start noon of June 30, 2016), “the most immediate step is either the BBL will be refiled in Congress or a new basic law, faithful to the letter and spirit of the CAB (Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro) will be crafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), which will most likely have new faces as members. This is the only way forward.”

Iqbal is concurrent BTC chair.

MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, however, told MindaNews on January 26 that there will be no re-drafting of the BBL because “it’s already an agreed version. Napagkasunduan na.”

He said the “agreed version” of the draft BBL will be re-filed in the next Congress.

The “agreed version” is the version submitted by the BTC to the Office of the President (OP), vetted by the agencies concerned and finalized with the OP and the principals – President Benigno Aquino III and MILF chair Murad – before it was submitted to Congress in ceremonial rites held in Malacañang on September 10, 2014.

Murad said if the next Congress changes parts of the draft BBL, they are open to the changes or improvements “as long as it will not contradict the CAB…. as long as it will comply with the CAB.”

Know history

MindaNews asked GPH peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer for a copy of her speech but as of 5 p.m. no copy has been sent or posted on the website of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

But in her statement on February 3, when Congress adjourned without passing the BBL, Ferrer urged politicians and fellow citizens “to take the time to study the history of the conflict and the peace process so as to get a better understanding of the road map and our unflinching efforts to see it through.”

She said members of her panel “will do everything in the remaining time we have to ensure that the infrastructure for implementing the peace accord are fully functional so that the next administration will be in a good position to carry forward the full implementation of the agreement.”

Ferrer said the roadmap laid out in the CAB “remains viable even as we shall now be crafting adjustments in the timeline.”

Iqbal blamed the non-passage of the BBL on the “structural and systemic” problem and on how the “elite vested interests opposed to the Bangsamoro” used the Moro people’s “disunity and political fragmentation as an effective weapon for the continuing oppression of our people.”

“Do not despair”

He urged Bangsamoro leaders to unite. “When will we wake up to see that they are using divide and conquer tactics against us? When will we wake up to see that until we transcend ourselves and offer it in the service of the larger and more important task of liberation, we shall never succeed to prevent the political, economic and socio-cultural extinction of the Bangsamoro people?”

He commended President Aquino and the GPH peace panel for “negotiating with us in good faith and for pushing the negotiations closer to what is required to bring justice and reconciliation.”

“We have learned our lessons. The problem is structural and systemic,” he said.

He said that even if the BBL was not passed under the Aquino administration, “there should be no doubt about this — the Bangsamoro will be established, insha Allah. Truth, justice, and goodness will always prevail. It is only a matter of time.”

He said their resolve, patience and determination to build the Bangsamoro is “stronger and more passionate than ever” and the non-passage of the BBL “does not weaken us” but “strengthens us.”

Addressing the Bangsamoro people, he said: “Do not despair. Do not be disheartened. Be patient. We shall overcome. Console yourselves. The struggle for liberation is a long path. We need to prepare for a long and arduous journey. But it will be worth it. There is an end to our sacrifices and sufferings. Your MILF has struggled and negotiated for you. This is for you, for your children and your children’s children.”

To the Filipino people, Iqbal said: “Let us work together overcome the barriers to peace, justice and reconciliation.”

“Dangerous situation”

He thanked the diplomatic corps and international community for their “continued solidarity and support to the cause of peace and reconciliation” and third party- facilitator Malaysia for its facilitation and mediation and for “the esteem that you have bestowed on us.”

He said Malaysia is “a big brother to us!”

He acknowledged the “widespread frustration on the ground by our people and members of the MILF” because of the failure to pass the BBL, and how the communities “have accused the government of resorting again to delaying tactic and just managing the conflict in Mindanao.”

Iqbal said the GPH and the MILF will jointly find ways “to address this dangerous situation and avoid actions that may increase the frustrations.”

Next president

“We must provide them hope that there is chance for passage of CAB- compliant BBL whoever will be the next president. This must be in the form of firm and unequivocal commitment from government that it shall continue to comply with its obligations under the CAB, particularly on the passage of CAB-compliant BBL, which is a unilateral obligation of government.”

On the part of the MILF, Iqbal assured they will “adhere to the CAB and comply with its obligations.”

He said what is needed to preserve the gains of the peace process is for both sides to “journey together in faithfully implementing the CAB, guided by the principle of ‘as is, where is.’”

“In other words, the most immediate step is either the BBL will be refiled in Congress or a new basic law, faithful to the letter and spirit of the CAB, will be crafted by the BTC, which will most likely have new faces as members. This is the only way forward,” Iqbal said.

Unacceptable status quo

Re-filing the draft BBL as Murad indicated means saving on time since the next administration is expected to pass the BBL before 2018, to give at least a year’s transition period until the May 13, 2019 election of the first set of officials of the Bangsamoro.

The GPH and MILF peace panels under the Aquino administration agreed that the “status quo is unacceptable” and that they would work for the creation of a new autonomous political entity called the Bangsamoro to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The CAB provides that as soon as the BBL is ratified, the ARMM is deemed abolished to give way to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) that will govern the area under a parliamentary system until the first Bangsamoro officials elected supposedly on May 9, 2016, assume their post on June 30, 2016.

The ARMM, which is holding its election on May 9, 2016, will continue to operate and will have another election on May 13, 2019 if the BBL is not passed by early 2018.

The non-passage of the BBL under the Aquino administration is also affecting the decommissioning of MILF weapons and forces as the percentages of decommissioning are tied up with political milestones, such as the passage of the BBL.

http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2016/02/10/gph-milf-peace-panels-meet-in-kl-for-ways-forward/

Editorial: The casualty: BBL

Editorial from the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 10): Editorial: The casualty: BBL

Depending on how you count the number of the dead in the cornfields and marshlands of Mamasapano, Maguindanao, it is possible to argue that the Bangsamoro Basic Law was either the 45th casualty, or the 65th, in the tragic encounter a year ago. When Deputy Speaker Pangalian Balindong of the House of Representatives spoke two weeks ago of regretfully closing “the book of hope for the passage” of the BBL, he recognized that the death of 44 Special Action Force troopers plus those of 17 Moro Islamic Liberation Front regulars and three civilians was a blow against the proposed law.

“Because of the Mamasapano [incident], many of those who supported the BBL wittingly or unwittingly punished the Moro people by denying us the required votes and even the quorum to deliberate on the BBL,” Balindong said in a privilege speech.

We have argued before that the Aquino administration undermined its own historic legacy—a painstakingly crafted comprehensive peace treaty with the MILF—through its mishandling of the special operation to arrest or kill the Malaysian bombmaker Marwan. The terrorist was killed, but 44 elite police troopers died in the process, the worst single loss of life in the history of the Philippine National Police. The responsibility lies squarely on the administration.

But we also hold that while the BBL was grievously wounded by the operation that ignored both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the MILF, the government’s counterpart in the peace process, it did not sustain a fatal blow in Mamasapano.

The chambers of Congress could still have saved it. After the hysteria of the widely followed hearings in both the Senate and the House, the leaders of Congress could still have mustered the political will, the strategic foresight, above all the sense of historical responsibility, to engineer its passage.

Instead, Congress became the center of political posturing: Lawmakers who had previously basked in the stage-by-stage achievement of the peace treaty were among the first to paint themselves with the colors of the bloodstained flag. The discussion in both the corridors and the sessions halls turned, absurdly, into the alleged lack of participation or consultation in the making of the proposed law. This was a brazen lie, but repeated, asserted authoritatively, often enough, it took on the shape of truth.

One set of statistics, shared by the government peace panel in an emphatic position paper a few months after the Mamasapano tragedy, should serve to clarify matters. Between 2010 and May 2015, the panel had “conducted and participated in a total of five hundred fifty three consultation activities … in order to shed light on the developments in the peace process with the MILF as well as to share and gather information, positions, and insights from the various stakeholders.” More to the point, the panel noted that of the 553 consultations, it had met with “representatives and supporters” of the Moro National Liberation Front 10 times, with the sultanates in Mindanao six times, with indigenous peoples 32 times, and with “leaders and officials” of local governments some 100 times.

The idea, then, that the Bangsamoro Basic Law was produced through an unconsultative process was a canard, but it was readily accepted and circulated in the corridors and session halls of Congress. It formed part of the rationalization that allowed legislators, even those closely allied with the administration, even those whose names were listed as sponsors of the landmark measure, to let the BBL die.

Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, the chief government negotiator, did not mince words when the 16th Congress adjourned for the election break without passing the bill. “The sheer indifference and chronic absenteeism of majority of the legislators manifested in the lack of quorum almost on a daily basis in the House of Representatives, and the prolonged and repetitive interpellation of opposites ate up the remaining sessions.”

She added: “In the Senate, the intermittent absence of the bill sponsor and the remaining interpellator stalled the deliberation.”

Severely wounded in Mamasapano, the BBL died on the floor of the legislature—its blood spreading on the marble, as absent lawmakers fanned themselves in their partitioned offices.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/92746/the-casualty-bbl

Malaysia assures continuing support for peace process

From the Manila Bulletin (Feb 9): Malaysia assures continuing support for peace process

BULUAN, Maguindanao – A Malaysian envoy said here on Tuesday his government will continue to support the 17-year Mindanao peace process despite the congressional bypass of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

“We will continue to support the initiative of the people and the government of the Philippines in the peace process. That means, even without BBL as long as there is support from the people and the government, we will continue to help search for long lasting peace in Mindanao,” Malaysian Consul General Abdullah Zawawi Tahir said.

Tahir, accompanied by fellow Malaysian diplomats and his family, came here to stand as principal guest and keynote speaker on the grand opening of Maguindanao’s Fifth Sagayan Festival yesterday.

In his speeches at the opening rites for the annual feast and the Maguindanao Trade Expo, a major highlight of the Sagayan Festival, Tahir said Malaysia’s role as third party facilitator in the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has enhanced diplomatic ties between Kuala Lumpur and Manila.

 

He said the peace process also enriched the foundation of the Brunei-Indonesia- Malaysia-Philippines East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), a quadripartite socio-cultural and economic cooperation founded in the early 1990s.

Through the BIMP-EAGA channels, Malaysia has invested more than P5 billion in the Philippine agriculture and tourism industries in 2015 alone, Tahir said.

Much of those investments were poured into ARMM areas, notably Maguindanao – a province which has the major enclaves of the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), according to ARMM officials.

Because the Mindanao peace process could still provide more benefits to the country and the southern Muslim provinces, Tahir called for the need to sustain the development and peace trend with or without the passage of the BBL under the Aquino government.

The Malaysian envoy was particular about the gains made by Maguindanao from the peace process, saying that in his travels across Mindanao four years ago, he observed the woeful road conditions and slow pace of development in the province.

“This time, wide concrete roads and vast agricultural plantations have been in place at a pace that’s 85 percent complete,” he said.

When asked by local reporters about his government’s stance about the failure of the Aquino administration to legislate the BBL, Tahir said challenge would depend upon the Filipino people.

“Basically, we do not know what’s going to happen next. Only the people of the Philippines will determine the right path for the peace. As far as the Malaysian role, we will continue to support the initiative of the people and the government of the Philippines in the peace process,” Tahir said.

He said at least 200 key stakeholders in the BIMP-EAGA will convene in Davao City on Feb. 24-26 to discuss various concerns including possibly some recommendations for cohesive approaches to peace.

http://www.mb.com.ph/malaysia-assures-continuing-support-for-peace-process/

Firefight between gov’t, MILF forces erupts in Maguindanao

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 10): Firefight between gov’t, MILF forces erupts in Maguindanao
A firefight between members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and government forces broke out in the town of Datu Saudi in Maguindanao on Wednesday morning.

Von Al Haq, vice chair for military affairs of the MILF, said the fighting started at around 10 a.m. after government forces, who are on a pursuit operation against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), intruded into an identified base of the group’s 105th Base Command.

“We were shocked when we received reports about the incident because we were informed about the ongoing military operations against the BIFF and we told the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) through the ceasefire mechanism to be careful because we have a base near the area,” Al-Haq said.

He explained that the MILF was confident that there will be no complications because they have informed the military about the location of the 105th Base Command under Commander Haon.

“The MILF immediately activated our ceasefire committee to pacify the fighting. We also asked the International Monitoring Team (IMT) to help troubleshoot the problem,” Al Haq said.

Sources said that the ceasefire mechanism is now using all means to stop the fighting including the help of both peace panels, however, sporadic firefight is still going on as of press time.

Reports said that a government soldier was wounded in the incident while an MILF member was killed.

“Both the MILF and the government through the help of the IMT should investigate why this incident happened despite our efforts to inform about the location of our forces,” Al Haq said.

The MILF said that the peace agreement still stands and that the leadership is optimistic that the incident will be resolved and will not escalate.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/763548/firefight-between-govt-milf-forces-erupts-in-maguindanao

23 rebels surrender since January 2016

From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 10): 23 rebels surrender since January 2016

A total of 23 rebels returned to the folds of the law since January 1 this year from various fronts in the regions of Davao and Socksargen.

Captain Rhyan Batchar, spokesperson of the 10th Infantry Division attributed the surrender to the open arms policy being offered by the local government units and the soldiers to those thinking of leaving the armed struggle.

He said the military has also intensified its security operations in the countryside making the rebels to be always on the run.

Soldiers under the 10th ID were involved in a series of encounters with rebel forces last week in the provinces of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental.

Batchar identified the latest to surrender in their aliases as Pablo 21, Borjack 18, and Boboy, members of the front 71 of the New People’s Army Far South Mindanao Region.

They surrendered to the authorities in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental.

Major General Rafael Valencia, commander of the 10th ID welcomed the former rebels and assured fair treatment from the government.

He also vowed to run after rebels who continue the armed struggle.

“We hope that the active rebels will follow their former comrades.  The rebel movement has caused a lot of broken families, lives wasted and denial of peace and development in communities,” he said.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2381455066116/23-rebels-surrender-since-january-2016-

Philippines to Acquire Frigates with License to Manufacture

From the Manila Channel (Feb 9): Philippines to Acquire Frigates with License to Manufacture

A Supplemental Bid Bulletin was published by the Department of National Defense (DND) on 2 February, informing bidders of changes in the bidding documents of the Frigate Acquisition Program for the Philippine Navy. The bulletin also covers the Technical Specifications of the Frigate Acquisition, which is essential to prospective bidders to take part in the program.

According to the bulletin, the Philippine government is now acquiring two (2) Frigates with design that the Philippine Navy can legally own or have the license to build in the future. The revised specification also stated that the frigates should have a length of at least 92 meters long and a displacement of at least 2000 tons.

The frigates to be acquired should also be capable of surviving at Sea State 7. This is a notch higher than the previous specification of Sea Sate 6. There is no degradation of anti-air, anti-surface, and electronic warfare capabilities at Sea State 5, and no degradation of anti-submarine capacities at Sea State 4.

The frigates must be able to accommodate 12-ton helicopter units at flight deck, and have a hangar for a 10-ton helicopter.

The DND also became more specific on items such as hull form and layout, weapons, radar, and propulsion systems.

As of this writing, six firms are qualified to bid based on their eligibility during the first stage bidding held in 2013: NavantiaSepi (Spain), STX Offshore and Shipbuilding (South Korea), Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (South Korea), Hyundai Heavy Industries Inc. (South Korea), Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (India), STX France SA.

The schedule of submission to bid is set on 16 February.

http://www.manilachannel.com/military/philippines-to-acquire-frigates-with-license-to-manufacture/

Rebels told to return to fold of law

From the Baguio Midland Courier (Feb 9): Rebels told to return to fold of law

The Philippine Army based here enjoins rebels to return to the mainstream and embrace the programs and services of the government that will provide them a better and peaceful life.

In a radio interview, Corporal Sherwin Acson of the 54th Infantry Battalion Civil-Military Operations Unit said the government has many programs for rebels who surrender.

One of these programs is the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP), a priority program for the promotion of peace and order and development to the people and the country as a whole.

CLIP beneficiaries can avail of PhilHealth enrolment; P2,700 initial support while processing needed documents; P15,000 immediate assistance; free livelihood training; and P50,000 livelihood aid, Acson said.

For surrendered firearms, he added payments range from P2,000 to P214,000, depending on the kind, caliber, model, and number of ammunitions of firearms.

Acson said any NPA member who intends to surrender can just approach or contact relatives, or a trusted person or official in the community who can facilitate their surrender to the government.

He assured the safety and rights as citizens of those will surrender. The 54th IB in coordination with the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office will also provide them temporary shelter while their papers are being processed.

http://baguiomidlandcourier.com.ph/ifugao.asp?mode=%20archives/2016/february/2-7-2016/ifug2-Rebels-told-to-return-to-folds-of-law.txt

‘BIFF commander, 3 Moro rebels killed, 7 hurt in clash with Army in Maguindanao’

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 9): ‘BIFF commander, 3 Moro rebels killed, 7 hurt in clash with Army in Maguindanao’

At least four rebels were killed and seven others were hurt as fighting between government forces and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) resumed Tuesday.

Fighting erupted at about 8 a.m. near the road leading to the Datu Salibo town from Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, both in Maguindanao, forcing government forces to close portions of the highway.

“Roads were closed for the safety of the public,” Insp. Noel dela Cruz, Datu Salibo town police chief, told reporters.
 Col. Felicisimo Budiongan, commander of the 1st Mechanized Brigade, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that among those killed was BIFF commander Mamandra Guino, also known as Abu Sufian.

Budiongan said Guino died when his group clashed with soldiers around 10 a.m. in the village of Sambulawan in Datu Salibo town.

“The number of enemy fatalities came from the civilians themselves,” he said.

“The rebels have split into two groups. One was monitored heading toward the area of Pikit (in North Cotabato), while the other stayed to block the implementation of the dredging project,” he added.

Abu Misri Mama, BIFF spokesperson, confirmed Guino was killed, and was the lone fatality.

Capt. Joann Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said Tuesday’s firefight erupted when government forces on board armoured personnel carriers (APCs) forced their way into the dredging site where the two dredging equipment were torched by the BIFF.

The BIFF fired several sniper shots using the Barret Cal. 50 as six military APCs were moving forward.

The Army retaliated using cal. 50 and cal. 30 machineguns.

On Monday, Mama told the Philippine Daily Inquirer they would shoot anyone coming closer to the project site where the two backhoes were stalled.

Quoting reports from the grounds and intelligence information, Lt. Col. Warlito Limet, of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion, said two-way radio communications monitored by the Army showed the rebel fatalities could be more.

Thousands of civilians have deserted the villages of Butalo, Tee and Sambolawan, all in Datu Salibo, since Friday when the BIFF tried to take over the project site.

Mama admitted they attacked the workers and the equipment because the project proponents failed to settle right of way claims of land owners.

The project, funded through the development funds of Maguindanao 2nd district Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, aims to establish a flood control canal to spare farmlands and residential areas during rainy season.

Since February 5, when the fighting started, at least three soldiers have been wounded, while more than 10,000 civilians have evacuated to safer ground.

The BIFF broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2008. 

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/763239/biff-commander-3-moro-rebels-killed-7-hurt-in-clash-with-army-in-maguindanao