Joma, Digong set meeting in Europe

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (May 12): Joma, Digong set meeting in Europe



RENDEZVOUS IN EUROPE Jose Maria Sison,Communist Party of the Philippines founder, hopes to meet presumptive President RodrigoDuterte in Europe before the latter assumes office in Malacañang. INQUIRER FILEPHOTO

Exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison is looking forward to meet Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte in Europe before he assumes the presidency.

On his Facebook (FB) page on Wednesday, Sison also urged Duterte to order the arrest of President Aquino and Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad for plunder in connection with the alleged misuse of the congressional Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

He said the President and Secretary Abad were “responsible for looting and unprecedented corruption” in the allocation of  the PDAF, or pork barrel, which the Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional.
 “It is the hope that we can meet before his oath-taking as he promised during my Skype conference with him on April 25. He said he would come soon after [he is elected President],” Sison said in an online interview with the Inquirer on Wednesday on his anticipated meeting with Duterte.

Sison said representatives of the CPP and Duterte were holding preparatory talks for the visit, the date of which he did not disclose.

“I expect to meet President Duterte soon in Europe, whether the meeting is preceded by, concurrent with or followed by preliminary meetings of the GPH (Government of the Philippines) and NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) negotiating panels,” Sison said.

The CPP leader hopes that the meeting would be held before Duterte’s oath-taking on June 30.

Video recording

Sison sent a video recording of his Skype conversation with Duterte, where the Davao mayor mentioned his plan to visit the CPP leader based in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Duterte, in the video recording, said his meeting with Sison was aimed at preparing the agenda for the resumption of peace talks and threshing out related issues.

Sison, in the Inquirer interview, also welcomed the declaration of Duterte’s spokesperson, Peter Laviña, that the incoming President may release jailed communist rebels.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse on Tuesday, Laviña also disclosed that Duterte would allow Sison and other exiled communist leaders to return to the country for the resumption of the peace talks and to review the status of political prisoners.
“Of course, I am hoping for the release of all political prisoners,” Sison said.

“They have long been unjustly detained on false charges of common crimes by the Arroyo and Aquino regimes,” he added.

Their release, Sison said, “will be conducive to an immediate mutual ceasefire and cooperation and the accelerated negotiation of the comprehensive agreements on social, economic and political reforms.”

He said the release of political prisoners had been done during the administrations of Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos.

Sison said communist rebels were open to the crafting of a new democratic Constitution and to Duterte’s proposal to study federalism as a form of government for the country.

Political will

In a previous interview, Sison said “political will,” for the sake of peace, is key to end the more than 40 years of armed conflict between the government and the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the CPP.

Also earlier, Luis Jalandoni, chair of the NDFP peace panel, said the return to the peace table would depend on the release of political prisoners and “peace consultants.”

Among the 528 political prisoners and 17 NDFP consultants are spouses Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, whom the government tagged as top officials of the CPP-NPA. The two were arrested in Cebu province in March 2014.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/785188/joma-digong-set-meeting-in-europe

Could Autonomy Bring Lasting Peace in Southern Philippines?

From Economy Watch (May 11): Could Autonomy Bring Lasting Peace in Southern Philippines?

 

Securing a lasting peace in the southern Philippines has been an ongoing problem for the Philippine government. Marginalised Moros in the southern Philippines have legitimate grievances against the Philippine government. This much the Philippine government has recognised in signing peace agreements, most recently with the insurgent group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Muslim indigenous peoples or Moros have organised themselves and fought in a war that has killed 120,000 and displaced 3.25 million people over the last four decades. The Philippine government needs the resources of Moro lands.

The MILF has conceded this in agreeing to pursue autonomy under the framework of the Philippine Constitution. In the last two years, the peace talks have reached a point where government troops and the MILF are conducting joint operations against other armed groups in Mindanao.

However, the MILF is after something else, a law that enables them to determine their own future. The Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) implements the signed peace agreements by building a Bangsamoro ministerial government to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The theory is that a self-governing Bangsamoro given more economic and political powers can uplift the Philippines’ poorest region. Endorsed by the President in September 2014, the BBL was expected to pass the bicameral legislature under the current Aquino administration.

However, Aquino himself authorised Oplan Exodus in January 2015, an operation to pursue an alleged terrorist with a US$5 million bounty on his head in Mamasapano, without coordinating with the MILF. The result was the killing of 44 elite police, 17 MILF members, five civilians and the death of the BBL in Congress.

The Mamasapano clash demonstrated how the government talks peace with the MILF, but does not fully trust them as partners in Mindanao. Partly due to unethical media coverage, the dominant public discourses after Mamasapano betray a lack of concern among politicians and the general public about finding a lasting resolution to the conflict in Mindanao, and mirror the Islamophobia often present in global anti-terror campaigns. Perhaps one silver lining of the crossfire in Mamasapano might be renewed public interest in the BBL and its contents.

When Congress resumed BBL deliberations, it was in the form of the Basic Law on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR). A House of Representatives ad-hoc committee voted 50–17 in favour of the BLBAR in May 2015. The Senate, on the other hand, was in no hurry. The Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes reported that the BBL requires substantial revision to withstand Supreme Court scrutiny, delaying proceedings until it was too late.

Senators who suspect that the BBL is unconstitutional include Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Grace Poe, who both ran for president in this week’s election, as well as Allan Peter Cayetano, Chiz Escudero and Bongbong Marcos, who are contenders for vice president.

Still, the binding peace agreements signed by the government and the MILF compel the next Congress to take up BBL and determine its form. Not just any law will do. Peace advocates and the MILF have criticised the current BLBAR as not being compliant with existing peace agreements.

In the current version, the powers of the Bangsamoro entity are weakened by the presence of national government institutions. BLBAR grants the Bangsamoro government limited autonomy, only slightly besting the ARMM in sharing powers with the national government.

The most significant points of the BBL are provisions for economic policies based on social justice and sustainable development (Article XIII), which were pared down in the last version. So far, land reform and creation of new industries are still in the BLBAR. However, if Philippine laws and contracts such as the Mining Act of 1995 and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade prevail in the Bangsamoro, these provisions either will cause contradictions in Philippine law or will be relegated to mere rhetoric.

If provisions for social justice and sustainable development are only rhetorically endorsed, this will be a disservice to the struggle of the Moro peoples. A rhetorical BBL will not solve the conflict in Mindanao, and will frustrate the Moro people’s hopes for peace and development in their remaining ancestral domains.

At most, a symbolic BBL will reconfigure the power holders in the Bangsamoro while reinforcing Moro elite rule. At worse, it will fuel the recruitment drives of armed groups such as the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Abu Sayyaf Group. The MNLF’s renewed vigour and Abu Sayyaf’s escalated extremism suggest that the BBL alone will not stop violence in Mindanao.

The push to end the conflict in Mindanao must go beyond the BBL in the next Congress. The Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) recommends ‘dealing with the past’ as a joint endeavour of the national government and the Bangsamoro authorities and institutions. Established by the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the TJRC was mandated to study and recommend steps towards reconciliation in Mindanao.

Their thorough 2016 report demonstrates that with or without the BBL, historical injustices in the Bangsamoro, including land dispossession, serious human rights violations and impunity, must be addressed to provide the necessary conditions for peace in the southern Philippines.

http://www.economywatch.com/features/Could-Autonomy-Bring-Lasting-Peace-in-Southern-Philippines0511.html

Philippine militants release second group of Indonesian hostages

From The Star Online (May 12): Philippine militants release second group of Indonesian hostages



Welcome news: Widodo, accompanied by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (left) and military chief Gatot Nurmantyo, speaking during a press conference at the presidential palace in Jakarta to announce the release of the sailors. — EPA

Four Indonesian sailors kidnapped by suspected militants in the strife-torn southern Philippines were released yesterday, the second group of Indonesian hostages to be freed this month.

Gunmen abducted the sailors on the high seas off the east coast of Sabah on April 15, shooting and wounding another crew member.

Philippine rebel group Abu Sayyaf was suspected of having carried out the kidnapping, the latest in a recent spree of abductions that saw them behead a Canadian hostage last month.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced in Jakarta that the men had been released and were in good health.

 

“The hostage release was successfully conducted due to good cooperation between the Indonesian government and the Philippines,” he said.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Rene Almendras thanked the Indonesian government for the “very close coordination” that helped secure the release of the hostages, and said efforts were aided by a recent deal aimed at halting the surge in abductions.

Foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreed last week to launch joint patrols of a key waterway between their countries and to set up a hotline to communicate faster in emergencies and improve intelligence sharing. The hostages were dropped off outside the house of local politician Abdusakur Tan on Jolo, a mountainous and jungle-clad island in the far south of the Philippines known to be an Abu Sayyaf stronghold.

Tan – the governor of Sulu province, which includes Jolo – said members of a Muslim rebel group had helped negotiate the release. The Indonesians’ release was secured through “persuasion and joint efforts of the military and police, and the local and provincial government. No ransom was paid for the freedom of the Indonesians”.

However, Abu Sayyaf does not normally release hostages without a ransom.
The Philippine military said the freed Indonesians were taken to a military base for medical check-ups.

“Arrangements are now being finalised for the handover of the Indonesian nationals to Indonesian authorities,” it added in a statement.

The group were abducted from a tugboat carrying coal that was sailing from Cebu in the Philippines back to Tarakan in Indonesian Borneo. Six other seamen, including the wounded man, managed to escape.

On May 1, 10 Indonesian sailors kidnapped five weeks earlier were also released on Jolo, and told harrowing tales about how the militants threatened to slit their throats.
The Abu Sayyaf militants are still holding at least seven other foreign hostages – four Malaysians, a Canadian tourist, a Norwegian resort owner and a Dutch birdwatcher.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2016/05/12/abu-sayyaf-frees-four-sailors-philippine-militants-release-second-group-of-indonesian-hostages/

Gov’t won’t be able to wipe out Sayyaf

From Tempo (May 12): Gov’t won’t be able to wipe out Sayyaf

The Aquino government is unable to promise to totally wipe out the Abu Sayyaf Group before the end of its term.

Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said security forces would continue to relentlessly pursue the Abu Sayyaf elements but it would be unfair to impose a deadline.

“We are determined to pursue this effort but it will not be reasonable to give a forecast or specific target dates because it is not that simple,” Coloma said in Filipino when asked by reporters if the ASG problem could be resolved before President Aquino steps down from office.

“Let’s just say that up to its final minute, this administration will do everything necessary, will do its best to ensure the safety and welfare of Filipinos against forces sowing terror in the country,” he added.

At present, Coloma said joint military and law enforcement operations have been launched to recover the hostages taken by the Abu Sayyaf Group in the south. He said these operations are “sensitive” so details cannot be disclosed to the public yet.

“But our countrymen can be assured that these criminal elements will face the full force of the Republic,” Coloma said.

Aquino earlier authorized intensified pursuit operations against the Abu Sayyaf following the beheading of a Canadian hostage John Ridsdel.

Aquino said he would devote his energy “towards ensuring that, at the very least, this will be a very seriously degraded problem that I will pass on to my successor.”

Apart from targeting to kidnap boxing champ Manny Pacquiao and television host Kris Aquino, the President also revealed there have been threats against his own life from the Abu Sayyaf Group.

“I credit our security services for putting these threats to bed with both professionalism and discretion,” Aquino said.

http://www.tempo.com.ph/2016/05/12/news/main/govt-wont-be-able-to-wipe-out-sayyaf/

DFA: AFP-Indon coordination led to release of 4 Abu captives

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (May 12): DFA:  AFP-Indon coordination led to release of 4 Abu captives

Foreign Secretary Jose Almendras said on Wednesday the close coordination between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Indonesia helped facilitate the release of the four remaining Indonesian hostages by the Abu Sayyaf.

“We thank the Indonesian government, particularly Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, for the very close coordination since this morning,” said Secretary Almendras in a statement on Wednesday.

He lauded the cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Indonesia as key in meeting the objective of getting back the Indonesians alive and safe.

The foreign affairs chief said the Philippines had a trilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Indonesia and Malaysia to strengthen efforts to combat criminal activities.

Last April 25, Canadian citizen John Ridsdel was beheaded by his Abu Sayyaf captors.

Hostages who remain in the hands of Abu Sayyaf include Canadian Robert Hall, Hall’s Filipino girlfriend, Marites Flor, and a Norwegian, Kjartan Sekkingstad as well as other Filipinos.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/139401/dfa-coordination-between-afp-indonesia-led-to-safe-release-of-4-from-abu-sayyaf

Next Philippine Leader Could Change S. China Sea Policy

From the Maritime Executive (May 10): Next Philippine Leader Could Change S. China Sea Policy

China's Foreign Ministry called Tuesday for the next leader of the Philippine government to join in a "path of healthy development" to manage the two nations' bilateral relations. The ministry's wish could come true: analysts suggest that the likely winner of the election is an unknown when it comes to foreign policy, and on the South China Sea dispute, he has given mixed signals for his intentions. 

The Philippines and China are engaged in a dispute over Chinese claims in the South China Sea, especially in the Spratly Islands, and the Philippines expects a ruling on the disagreement from the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague sometime this month. Observers expect that the court is likely to rule in favor of the Philippines; China has refused to participate or to recognize the validity of the case, and it is as yet unclear whether China will abide by the ruling.

The South China Morning Post reported in April that the People's Liberation Army expected to begin dredging and land reclamation activity at Scarborough Shoal in the Spratly Islands later this year - a decision that would be seen as an act of open defiance if the court should rule against them.

has signaled that he will enter  But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang called instead for a plan for "dual-track" negotiations.  Under this alternative, nations "directly concerned" in maritime disputes would reach diplomatic agreement, while regional body ASEAN and outside actors (including the United States) would remain aside to "jointly maintain peace and stability."

The probable winner of the Philippine presidential election, Rodrigo Duterte – referred to in the press as "the Punisher" and  "Duterte Harry" for his brash style and aggressive stance on crime – has suggested that he would ride a Jet Ski to plant a Philippine flag on disputed island claims. However, Duterte has also said that he would be open to adjusting the Philippines' stance if China were interested in making investments. "Build us a railway just like the one you built in Africa, and let's set aside disagreements for a while," he said in February. He has also expressed skepticism about the arbitration process, and has left open the possibility for bilateral – rather than multilateral – negotiations with China.

http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/next-philippine-leader-could-change-stance-on-china

Guiani siblings win in Cotabato City, MILF son takes a councilor seat

From InterAksyon (May 11): Guiani siblings win in Cotabato City, MILF son takes a councilor seat



The Guiani siblings vying for mayor and vice mayor seats in Cotabato City won.

On Tuesday, a day after the elections, incumbent and third-term Cotabato City Mayor Japal Guiani Jr. and his sister Vice Mayor Atty Cynthia Guiani- Sayadi were proclaimed winners.

This is a first in Cotabato City that siblings took the two top elective positions of the city.

Both thanked their supporters for their trust and support in their leadership.
They also promised to continue the projects begun in the city.

The Guianis defeated Moro National Liberation Front Chairman Datu Muslimin Sema and incumbent Vice Mayor Hadji Abdullah Andang.

Aside from the siblings, the winning councilors were also formally proclaimed at the Sangguniang Panglungsod (city council).

In relation to this, Johari “Butch” Abu, son of Moro Islamic Liberation Front Vice Chairman Ghadzali Jaafar, won a seat as city councilor. 

http://interaksyon.com/article/127605/guiani-siblings-win-in-cotabato-city-milf-son-takes-a-councilor-seat

Sison: Interview with Prof. Jose Maria Sison on the Election of Duterte as President

Posted to the Website of Jose Maria Sison, founder and chief ideologue of the Communist Party of the Philippines (May 11): INTERVIEW WITH PROF. JOSE MARIA SISON ON THE ELECTION OF DUTERTE AS PRESIDENT

 

By Angel Tesorero
Correspondent of Khaleej Times
Dubai, UAE
May 10, 2016

Halong Filipino-English ang tanong ko, pero pasagot na lang po sa English. tapos pahingi rin po ng profile pic nyo at kung may photo kayo with Duterte mas maganda (or maghahanap na rin kami ng photo ni Duterte nung nakaraang pinalaya ang 5 POWs)

1) Assessment: Bakit naging run-away winner si Duterte? Is this a protest vote against the current administration? Did the Left contribute to Duterte’s win?

JMS: Duterte became a landslide winner because he responded to the people’s clamor for change and voiced out their protest against the Aquino regime, its corruption and criminality, especially the widespread drug trade. He captured the protest vote because he clearly and strongly opposed the Aquino regime and its presidential candidate Mar Roxas.

The Left contributed to the victory of Duterte because it opposed the US-Aquino regime strongly and for a long time against its puppetry, corruption, brutality and mendacity. But the Grace Poe Independent Party chosen by the Makabayan Coalition was soft on the Aquino regime even if it was occasionally critical of some Aquino cabinet officials during the campaign.

2) You said you are planning to return should Duterte win, when will this happen?

JMS: I will return to the Philippines if Duterte fulfills his promise to visit me. I must be sure of the substantial grounds for my return home. I can easily return home if Duterte releases all the political prisoners unjustly imprisoned by Arroyo and Aquino in violation of the Hernandez political offense doctrine and JASIG and if there is an agreement on mutual ceasefire, cooperation and the acceleration of the peace negotiations to address the roots of the civil war.

3) Duterte was your student (in Lyceum, which subject?); he was a member of KM and he said he will be the first Leftist/ Socialist president – how was he as a student? He said he’s an anti-oligarch, did you personally contribute in the molding of his political views?

JMS: He was my student in Political Thought in the Lyceum of the Philippines in the late 1960s. He became a member of the Kabataang Makabayan. He describes himself as a socialist and promises to be the first Left president . He talks against the oligarchs. As a student, he was modest and laid back but he learned much. He himself told me so. I am very proud to have a part in his political moulding against imperialism and the local oligarchs. I hope that he will actually serve the Filipino people in their fight for national liberation, democracy, social justice, development

4) Did you personally congratulate your student after you’ve learned of his impending win?

JMS: Yes, I congratulated him through Arlyn dela Cruz, news director of Radyo Inquirer, and Sonny Mallari of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. They interviewed me as soon as the results of the exit polls became known and the Comelec count showed the strong trend in favor of Duterte.

5) How do you think will the progressive movement (Makabayan bloc in Congress) deal with a Duterte presidency? How will the revolutionary forces also deal with him?

JMS: I think that the Makabayan bloc will support all the patriotic and progressive policies and acts of the Duterte presidency. I hope that there will be a government of national unity, peace and development. The revolutionary forces will be very often in touch with Duterte after an agreement is made on mutual ceasefire, cooperation and acceleration of peace negotiations is made. We shall have reciprocal advisors and liaison officers.

6) What are the prospects of peace talks between a Duterte administration and the NDFP? What should he do to address social and economic reforms, peace and order, social justice?

JMS: The prospects seem to be bright at the moment. But Duterte as well as his negotiators should meet with the NDFP representative as soon as possible. There should be comprehensive agreements on social justice and economic reforms as well as on political reforms. The NDFP immediately supports the campaign of Dutere against corruption and criminality. We look forward to the arrest and trial of Aquino, Abad and other corrupt high officials and the eradication of the drug trade and kidnapping for ransom.

7) Duterte rode high on the issue of anti-criminality (actually, for OFWs this is their number one concern, based on my interviews with them), but his opponents are projecting him as a punisher and a dictator-in-the-making. Do you think Duterte will resort to an iron-fist rule? He’s campaign salute/ sign (clinched fist, ready to punch) might be seen as a conditioning for an iron-fist rule.

JMS: I think that the campaign against criminality can be carried out without violating due process and other human rights. Only those armed and dangerous suspects who violently resist arrest can be killed by the arresting police units. Duterte has repeatedly made this point clear. He has even taunted the racist policemen in the US for whimsically killing blacks.

8) The OFWs (and I can say in particular for our kababayans in Dubai) are ecstatic over Duterte’s win. Why do you think Duterte is popular among OFWs? There was no political party nor machinery but OFWs volunteered to work for Duterte’s campaign. Some people have even taken a month off to serve as poll watchers during the month-long Filipino overseas voting here in Dubai

JMS: Duterte was able to capture the protest sentiment of the electorate. The people have been long fed up with the Aquino government, the corruption and rampant criminality. That’s why there is magnetism between Duterte and his followers. That is also true with his followers among the OFWs in The Netherlands.

9) On another note, what can you say about Bongbong Marcos’ “strong showing” in the elections?

JMS: Bongbong was strong for a while because he also opposed the much hated Aquino regime. But Leni Robredo was also effective in condemning the brutality and corruption of the Marcos fascist dictatorship and the complicity of Bongbong Marcos in hiding the billions of dollars stolen by Marcos from the people. She demanded from him the return of the loot to the people.

10) People here who voted for Duterte voted either for Cayetano (because he is the running mate) and Marcos (because they also see him as strong leader). Why do voters have this kind of view?

JMS: I have already pointed out that Bongbong Marcos benefited from a strong opposition to the Aquino government. One more thing: he had more financial resources than Cayetano in propagandizing himself. Cayetano also did not focus on himself but on defending Duterte from attacks.

11) Do you honestly think you can come home? There are several ‘rightists’ in Duterte’s camp, and he even mentioned former general Esperon will be included in his cabinet?

JMS: I have already said before that I must be sure first of the substantial grounds for my return home. I will not dive into any situation in which the Duterte government is still unsettled and there are unwieldy elements who are inside or outside of that government and who violently oppose my homecoming. I am most useful abroad in the negotiation of the comprehensive agreements on social, economic and political reforms.

12) And finally, how will you compare Duterte to Trump (some media entities are calling Duterte as the Asian Trump); and Duterte to socialist presidents in Latin America.

JMS: Instead of analyzing any kind of namecalling relative to Duterte, I would rather test and find out soon how far he can serve the best interests of the Filipino people. I give him the benefit of a doubt when I prefer to wish that he proves himself Left ala Hugo Chavez. I also enjoy much of his sense of humor but not necessarily all his jokes.
Please feel free to add more, if you think I missed anything.

JMS: You have already asked many questions. Thank you.

Shukran (thank you in Arabic), Prof. Sison

http://josemariasison.org/interview-with-prof-jose-maria-sison-on-the-election-of-duterte-as-president/

Sison: President-elect Duterte through the eyes of his mentor

Posted to the Website of Jose Maria Sison, founder and chief ideologue of the Communist Party of the Philippines (May 11): President-elect Duterte through the eyes of his mentor

 

Khaleej Times got in touch with his mentor Jose Maria Sison, the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines and Duterte's former college professor. AdTech Ad

Rodrigo Duterte – who is known for his deadpan wit and wry humour – describes himself as the first leftist-socialist Philippine president. What does he stand for? What do people expect from the presumptive 16th President of the Philippines?

Khaleej Times got in touch with his mentor Jose Maria Sison, the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines and Duterte’s former college professor, to get a glimpse of his political ideology and upcoming plans.

In an online interview, Sison outlines the policies the Davao City mayor, an open critic of the outgoing Aquino regime, is likely to adopt to establish law and order in the country. The former professor has a message for Duerte opponents who call him the Asian Trump: Duterte will be Philippines’ Hugo Chavez.

Early days

Remembering the early days of the anti-oligarch, who advocates extra-judicial killings to eradicate criminality in society, 77-year-old Sison said: “As a student, he was modest and laid back but he learned much. I am very proud to have a part in his political moulding against imperialism and the local oligarchs.

“I hope that he will actually serve the Filipino people in their fight for national liberation, democracy, social justice, development.

“(Duterte) was my student in Political Thought at the Lyceum of the Philippines in the late 1960s. He became a member of the Kabataang Makabayan (patriotic Filipino youth group),” Sison added.

Sison, who has been living as a political exile with his family in The Netherlands for the past three decades, said: “I will return to the Philippines if Duterte fulfils his promise to visit me.

“I can easily return home if Duterte releases all the political prisoners unjustly imprisoned by (former president) Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and (outgoing) President Benigno Aquino Jr. and if there is an agreement on mutual ceasefire, cooperation and the acceleration of the peace negotiations to address the roots of the civil war.”

Speaking from Utrecht, Sison admitted that “the (Philippine) Left contributed to the victory of Duterte because it opposed the US-backed Aquino regime strongly and for a long time against its puppetry, corruption, brutality and mendacity.”

Speaking from Utrecht, Sison said: “Duterte became a landslide winner because he responded to the people’s clamour for change and became their voice to protest against the Aquino regime, its corruption and criminality, especially the widespread drug trade.

Not an Asian Trump

The exiled communist leader also cautioned those calling Duterte as the ‘Asian Trump’.

“Instead of analysing any kind of name-calling, I would rather test and find out soon how far he can serve the best interests of the Filipino people,” Sison said.

“I give him the benefit of a doubt when I prefer to wish that he proves himself a true leftist like Hugo Chavez (former socialist president of Venezuela). I also enjoy much of his sense of humour but not necessarily all his jokes.”

Champion of peace

During the campaign period Duterte vowed to order an immediate ceasefire to pave the way for the resumption of peace talks with communist rebels and militant groups in Mindanao, south of Philippines. “The revolutionary forces will be very often in touch with Duterte after an agreement is made on mutual ceasefire, cooperation and acceleration of peace negotiations. We shall have reciprocal advisers and liaison officers.”

“The Makabayan (progressive) bloc (in congress) will support all the patriotic and progressive policies and acts of the Duterte presidency. I hope that there will be a government of national unity, peace and development.

On his campaign against criminality, Sison said: “I think that the campaign against criminality can be carried out without violating human rights. Only those armed and dangerous suspects who violently resist arrest can be killed by the arresting police units.

Duterte has repeatedly made this point clear. He has even taunted the racist policemen in the US for whimsically killing Blacks.”

No doubt, the new president’s biggest challenge is how to bring about social justice and equitable economic development.

http://josemariasison.org/president-elect-duterte-through-the-eyes-of-his-mentor/

Joma Sison hopes to end exile under Duterte admin

From GMA News (May 12): Joma Sison hopes to end exile under Duterte admin

Philippine communist rebel leader Jose Maria Sison has expressed hopes of ending nearly three decades in exile under the new presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.

Sison, 77, fled to Europe soon after peace talks failed in 1987 and has stayed abroad since, while one of Asia's longest-running insurgencies continued to claim thousands of lives.

"I will return to the Philippines if Duterte fulfils his promise to visit me," the Netherlands-based Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder said in comments posted on his Facebook page late Wednesday.

"The prospects (for peace talks) seem to be bright at the moment."

Sison, a political science professor, established the party in December 1968 and it launched a guerrilla campaign three months later.

The rebellion has left at least 30,000 people dead, by official account.

The New People's Army is believed to have fewer than 4,000 soldiers, down from a peak of 26,000 in the 1980s, according to the military. However, it retains support among the deeply poor in the rural Philippines.

President Benigno Aquino III shelved peace talks in 2013, accusing the rebels of insincerity in efforts to achieve a political settlement.

The talks got bogged down after the communists demanded the release of all of their jailed comrades, which the Aquino government rejected.

Duterte, who was Sison's student at a Manila university in the 1960s, is the longtime mayor of the southern city of Davao. Some of the communists strongholds today are near Davao, and Duterte has maintained relations with them.

Last week, local television station ABS-CBN released footage of Duterte chatting with Sison via Skype on his laptop.

"I'm a socialist," said Duterte, who leads the partial and unofficial tally of election results.

The network said the chat took place shortly after communist rebels freed five police hostages last month in Davao.

Peace hopes

Duterte signalled after Monday's vote that he was ready to release some jailed rebels and restart peace negotiations.

Sison said in the comments posted on Facebook he had congratulated Duterte via an intermediary on his win and called for the resumption of peace talks, a ceasefire, the release of political prisoners, and the "arrest and trial of Aquino."

Sison's comments were a transcript of an interview he gave to Dubai's Khaleej Times newspaper.

Sison said he hoped to return home after Duterte was sworn into office on June 30, but the communist leader added the new government must first take steps to ensure his personal safety.

"I will not dive into any situation in which the Duterte government is still unsettled and there are unwieldy elements... who violently oppose my homecoming," he added.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a Duterte critic and former military rebel, warned last week that Duterte could face a coup if he shut down Congress.

Trillanes warned some in the military were "strongly averse" to Duterte's long-standing ties with communists, and that the reaction "could be violent."

Duterte may visit Sison in The Netherlands to push forward the peace process, but no schedule had been confirmed, his spokesman, Peter Laviña, told reporters in Davao on Thursday.

Lavina also said Duterte would consider communist figures for his Cabinet.

"The country needs to unite. We need everyone's help. There are plenty of talents within the nationalist and democratic movement as well as the underground CPP-NPA so we will see," he said, referring to the political and military wings of the communist movement. 

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/566014/news/nation/joma-sison-hopes-to-end-exile-under-duterte-admin

4 Indonesian hostages freed by Abu Sayyaf

From Malaya Business Insight (May 12): 4 Indonesian hostages freed by Abu Sayyaf



FOUR Indonesians seized by the Abu Sayyaf last month have been released and were turned over yesterday to the military by the local government of Jolo, Sulu.

The four, all crewmembers of the tugboat Henry, were abducted by the Abu Sayyaf off Tawi-Tawi last April 15.

They are apart from another group of Indonesian tugboat crewmembers kidnapped in March off Tawi-Tawi and released on May 1.

Details of the release of the four Indonesians were unclear but reports said the four were dropped off by unidentified men in front of the house of Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan in Jolo.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said the release was due to the efforts of both Philippine and Indonesian authorities.

“We thank the Indonesian government, particularly Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, for the very close coordination since this morning. We thank the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Indonesia for their coordination,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Rene Almendras said in a statement.

He said the coordination was achieved “because of the trilateral meeting in Yogyakarta, Indonesia of the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as the Armed Forces of the three countries to combat these criminal activities.”

AFP spokesman Brig Gen. Restituto Padilla said the four Indonesians were turned by Tan to the Western Mindanao Command at around 2 p.m. yesterday.

The four were   brought to Camp Teodulfo Bautista in barangay Busbus, Jolo, Sulu for medical examination prior to their turnover to Indonesian authorities.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/4-indonesian-hostages-freed-abu-sayyaf

Photo: Challenge

From The Standard (May 12): Photo: Challenge



In this March 30, 2016 US Navy handout photo, the guided missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) transits the Philippine Sea. The US on May 10, 2016, sailed a warship close to a disputed South China Sea reef Beijing has built up into an artificial island, officials said, prompting China to express ‘dissatisfaction and opposition.’ Guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence navigated within 12 nautical miles of the Fiery Cross Reef, occupied by China and also claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines, the Pentagon said. ‘This operation challenged attempts by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam to restrict navigation rights around the features they claim,’ Pentagon spokesman Commander Bill Urban said in a statement.  AFP

http://manilastandardtoday.com/news/-news-in-photos/205420/challenge-20160512.html

China deploys 2 jets, 3 warships to intercept American destroyer

From Update.Ph (May 11): China deploys 2 jets, 3 warships to intercept American destroyer

The Chinese Defense Ministry said the People’s Liberation Army has dispatched two J-11 fighter jets and three warships – a guided missile destroyer, a guided missile frigate, and a frigate – to intercept a United States vessel that sailed close to Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef in West Philippine Sea and warned it to leave on Tuesday, May 10.

The Chinese ministry said described the move by US military as provocation and intends “to disrupt the regional situation and reap gains from it, and further proved that China’s construction of defense facilities on – islands and reefs in the Spratly Islands is totally justified and very necessary.”

Kagitingan Reef is a Chinese government-held reef, part of Spratly Islands in West Philippine Sea. The Chinese government has created a fake island over the said reef and has built an airfield.

“USS William P. Lawrence exercised the right of innocent passage while transiting inside 12 nautical miles of Fiery Cross Reef, a high-tide feature that is occupied by China, but also claimed by the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam,” US Defense Department said in a statement.

US Defense Department spokesman Bill Urban, in a report from Reuters, said that the pass by Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence was meant to “challenge excessive maritime claims of some claimants in the South China Sea.”

“These excessive maritime claims are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea convention in that they purport to restrict the navigation rights that the United States and all states are entitled to exercise,” Urban said.

http://www.update.ph/2016/05/china-deploys-2-jets-3-warships-to-intercept-american-destroyer/5487

Navy’s first strategic sealift vessel to arrive in three days

From Update.Ph (May 11): Navy’s first strategic sealift vessel to arrive in three days



The Philippine Navy (PN)’s first strategic sealift vessel (SSV) is expected to arrive off Manila this coming May 14. This was disclosed by PN spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna Wednesday in a message to the PNA.

Her arrival is well in time with the PN’s 118th founding anniversary on May 20.
He added that the SSV, which is named BRP Tarlac (LD-601), departed the PT PAL (Persero) shipyard in Surabaya, Indonesia last Monday.

“The ship will anchor at designated area and crew will undergo Custom Immigration and Quarantine before she will dock at Pier 13 on May 16,” Lincuna stressed.

Prior departure, BRP Tarlac has successfully concluded her sea trials, he added. Sea trials refer to the testing phases which aims to check the performance of all machineries and equipment of the SSV.

“It is also conducted to check and measure the ship’s general performance and seaworthiness,” he added.

The Philippines has a two-SSV order with PT PAL (Persero) for PHP3,870,000,000 which is sourced from the AFP Modernization Fund.

http://www.update.ph/2016/05/navys-first-strategic-sealift-vessel-to-arrive-in-three-days/5505

Navy’s research vessel BRP Gregorio Velasquez now at Pearl Harbor

From Update.Ph (May 11): Navy’s research vessel BRP Gregorio Velasquez now at Pearl Harbor  



The Philippine Navy’s first dedicated research vessel BRP Gregorio Velasquez (AGR 702) is currently at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The Department of Foreign Affairs said BRP Gregorio Velasquez arrived at the historic Pearl Harbor on May 7.

The reaserach vessel will continue its sail home tomorrow, May 12. It will make another stop in Guam and then sail to the Philippines.

DFA said officers and crew of BRP Gregorio Velasquez received lei garlands as symbols of aloha from the officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu led by Consul General Gina Jamoralin and Captain Rey dela Cruz, AFP Liaison Officer to US Pacific Command and some members of the Fiipino community led by Mr. Allan Alvarez, President of the Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee of Hawaii (PCCH).

BRP Gregorio Velasquez commanding officer Commander Edwin Nera said that he and his crew were looking forward to visit Hawaii after a nine-day journey at sea from San Diego.

The vessel, formerly R/V Melville, was officially transferred from United States Navy to Philippines during a ceremony April 27 at Naval Base San Diego.

The Philippine Consulate General staff and Filipino community members were given a briefing and tour of the research vessel.

Aside from helping map the country’s vast maritime domains, BRP Gregorio Velasquez will also help develop the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, Navy spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna previously said. “Also, said vessel will enhance capacity and build capability to support the environmental protection efforts and exploration of the country for economic purpose,” Lincuna added.

http://www.update.ph/2016/05/navys-research-vessel-brp-gregorio-velasquez-now-at-pearl-harbor/5507