AFP wants 72 hours more to go after rebels

From the Manila Standard Today (Mar 5): AFP wants 72 hours more to go after rebels
 

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines asked for a 72-hour extension of its all-out offensive against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters after the Islamist fighters disappeared in the area of operation in Maguindanao and allegedly sought refuge in areas controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The Army’s Sixth Infantry Division made the request for an extension of the operation as the Maguindanao provincial board approved a resolution declaring the entire province under a state of calamity after 41,000 residents fled the operation which is now on its sixth day.

“[But] the BIFF camps are now empty,” said Absalom Cerveza, spokesman of the Moro National Liberation Front which also has former members in the area.

“The military cannot find the BIFF because they had already fled to different MILF controlled areas in Maguindanao,” Cerveza said, citing reports from MNLF commanders in the area.

Even military spokesman Col. Harold Cabunoc confirmed that the military also suspects that BIFF members have sought refuge with their relatives in the MILF.

“That is one of the challenges,” Cabunoc said when told of the information from the MNLF. “But we are closely working with the local government officials, up to the barangay officials, and also with the MILF. They committed to help us,” Cabunoc said.

The disappearance of the BIFF rebels was also a puzzle to the militray because they had earlier gained control of all key roads in Maguindanao and North Cotabato, including remote civilian communities, and they encountered no BIFF.

But Cerveza explained that the BIFF, like the MILF and MNLF in past clashes, could easily have fled the area by stashing their firearms in hiding places and mingling with the thousands of civilians who have been moving out of the area.

After disarming themselves, he said the BIFF could have joined the preemptive evacuation of at least three barangays in Maguindanao before the military unleased air and artillery fire on known BIFF positions.

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM executive secretary and Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team chairperson, said they have recorded a total of 8,236 families, or 41,180 individuals, who were displaced by the fighting from 11 of Maguindanao’s 36 towns.

Maguindanao provincial board member Asnawi Sinsuat Limbona said they had already approved a resolution declaring the state of calamity that would enable the provincial government to use the provincial calamity fund.

Provincial Board Member Bobby Katambak said Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu was expected to sign the resolution on Wednesday even as the provincial government attended to the needs of the refugees through relief and rehabilitation teams led by provincial budget officer Lynette Estandarte.

At the same time, 6th ID commander Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan said he need a 72-hour extension of the operation because there were still 350 BIFF members in their area of operation.

Local bodies overseeing the ceasefire between the government and the MILF approved the extension, after which the military were able to clear a suspected BIFF training facility at a school in Brgy. Kitango in Datu Saudi town.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/03/05/afp-wants-72-hours-more-to-go-after-rebels/

MILF breakaway group kills 2 troops in market

From the Oman Tribune (Mar 5): MILF breakaway group kills 2 troops in market

Police on Wednesday reported that suspected sympathisers of a breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) shot and killed two soldiers inside a public market in Maguindanao province in volatile Mindanao.

The killings were followed by an announcement that government forces captured another camp of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in the town of Mamasapano, Maguindanao in their continuing offensive against the outlawed group.

Meanwhile, Senior Inspector Akmad Sarico, the police chief, said the two soldiers were buying from a stall inside the public market in the town of Buldon also in Maguindanao on Monday night when they were slain.

Citing testimonies of witnesses, Sarico said two “youthful looking men” believed to be sympathisers of the BIFF came from behind and shot each of the victims on the head, killing them on the spot.

He added the assailants took advantage of the confusion that ensued to grab the M16 rifle of one of the victims before the fled. The other victim was unarmed, he said.

At the same time, Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay, the regional military spokesman, reported that government forces captured another BIFF camp in their continuing offensive against the BIFF opposed to the historic agreement between the government and the MILF, which called for the establishment of a new Bangsamoro autonomous region in Mindanao.

Petinglay said the soldiers captured on Sunday the camp located just eight kilometers from another BIFF encampment in the town of Mamasapano, Maguindanao, the scene of the January 25 encounter that killed 44 elite police commandos sent to arrest international terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan who was also confirmed to have been killed.

The first camp, Petinglay said, was believed to be a training ground and “bomb factory” of the BIFF following the seizure of materials used in the manufacture of improvised explosives used to sow terror and violence in wide areas of Mindanao.

At the same time, Petinglay disclosed they received reports that many of the BIFF members had sought refuge with their close relatives belonging to the MILF to escape from the continuing military offensive against them.

But Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF chief peace negotiator, denied the report, saying: “We have checked it and it’s not true. It cannot happen because we have repositioned our troops in Maguindanao to give way to the military operation.”

Separately, President Benigno Aquino has appealed to members of the Senate and the House of Representatives not to dilute the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) aimed at bringing just and lasting peace to Mindanao.

“President Aquino’s appeal is, don’t dilute to such an extent the substance would no longer be there,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma told a Malacanang Palace media briefing.

Separately, Aquino spent about three hours meeting commandos before installing a new commander for the elite unit. It was the first such meeting since the clash.

Aquino asked the commandos to await results of a formal investigation to answer their questions, but promised to acquire more equipment and pour more resources into training the force, Lazo said.
http://www.omantribune.com/index.php?page=news&id=185538&heading=Asia

Moro Islamic Liberation Front men in videos identified

Asia One (Mar 5): Moro Islamic Liberation Front men in videos identified



Screengrab from alleged SAF shooting video.

 Several members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) involved in the Jan. 25 killing of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos in Mamasapano have been identified, the Inquirer learned on Wednesday.

Among those identified were rebels who appeared on videos of the clash that showed the execution of wounded SAF commandos, one of several sources who have knowledge of the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the Mamasapano tragedy said.

"Not all but several names of Moro rebels who participated in the Mamasapano incident, including some of those who appeared on the videos obtained by the NBI, were already with the Department of Justice investigating team," said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak publicly on the matter.

The DOJ investigative team led by State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera and National Bureau of Investigation agents went to Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, last week and talked to several witnesses to the daylong fighting between SAF commandos and guerrillas from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the MILF.

Forty-four SAF commandos, 18 MILF guerrillas and five civilians were killed in the fighting that marred a successful Philippine National Police mission to take down international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias "Marwan."

The Inquirer sources said the Moro rebels on three videos of the clash were identified because they called each other by name.

One source said that of the three videos, only the six-minute footage showing a SAF commando being shot at close range was uploaded to the Internet. The video went viral on social media, sparking widespread public anger.

Two other videos

"Two other videos obtained by the NBI had not been uploaded and had not been seen by the public showed Moro rebels collecting the firearms and personal belongings of the dead SAF members," the source said.

"The other video also showed Moro rebels stripping the SAF members of their uniforms, boots and pants except for their underwear," the source added.

The Moro rebels on the videos were speaking in the Maguindanao dialect and they were identifiable because their images were clear, another source said.

The NBI tracked down at least three people, all of them non-Muslims, who had copies of the original videos that came from various areas in Mindanao, the source said.

The holders of the video cooperated with the NBI, submitting their laptops and cell phones to investigators for forensic investigation, the source said.

They insisted, however, that they did not know who took the videos, claiming they got the videos on their cell phones and laptops through Bluetooth, the source said.

Original form The NBI said earlier that the videos had not been tampered with. NBI computer experts said the materials in the agency's possession were in their original form.

The video of the SAF commando being shot has been taken down following appeals from Philippine National Police officials for its removal from the Internet.

A source said the videos were subjected to a frame-by-frame analysis by the NBI-Cybercrime Division and the results of the forensic examination were submitted to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

Barbaric acts De Lima earlier said that the video would be part of the evidence in filing cases against the people responsible for the deaths of the 44 SAF commandos.

Under international humanitarian law, "circumstances" like an armed conflict cannot be used to justify "barbaric and cruel" acts punishable by law, she said.

http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/moro-islamic-liberation-front-men-videos-identified

Maguindanao cops hunting down 2 men in murder of 2 soldiers

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): Maguindanao cops hunting down 2 men in murder of 2 soldiers

The Maguindanao Philippine National Police has launched a province-wide manhunt against two teenagers who shot dead two soldiers in Barangay Poblacion here Monday night, police said Wednesday.

”We have information of their whereabouts, we are talking to the suspects’ parents for them to surrender peacefully,” Senior Inspector Sarico Akmad, Buldon town police chief.

Akmad said Corporal Nerger Pinero of Libungan, North Cotabato, and PFC Jamalil Bolaybolay of Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, were in civilian clothes but Pinero was carrying his M-16 Armalite rifle while Bolaybolay was unarmed.

As the two soldiers were approaching the market place, two teenagers appeared from behind and shot Pinero in the head. Bolaybolay tried to grab Pinero’s rifle but he too was shot.

Civilians rushed the victims to a hospital in Parang, Maguindanao where they were pronounced dead.

Akmad described the suspects as about 18 to 20 years old and one of them was armed with cal. 45 pistol.

”The motive was clearly ‘agaw-armas’ but we are also looking at other motives,” Akmad said.

Buldon was not part of the areas where a massive law enforcement operation is being conducted by the military in Maguindanao.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=741118

Police: Abu Sayyaf’s UTG behind bomb blast in front of Lamitan City Church

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): Police: Abu Sayyaf’s UTG behind bomb blast in front of Lamitan City Church

The local police have tagged the Abu Sayyaf’s Urban Terrorist Group (UTG) as the ones responsible in the bomb explosion in front of a church in this city.

Senior Insp. Gean Gallardo, local police chief, disclosed Wednesday that investigation showed the motive of the improvised bomb explosion is extortion.

The improvised bomb exploded around 9:10 p.m. Friday in front of the Saint Peter’s Church along Quezon Boulevard in Barangay Maganda, this city.

However, Gallardo said that the church was not the target of the UTG members but the gasoline stations operating in this city.

Gallardo said the UTG members have preferred to place the improvised bomb in front of the church since the gasoline stations were heavily guarded.

Meanwhile, he disclosed they have strengthen the security of this city in coordination with the military forces to prevent a repeat of the incident.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=741096

11 NPA rebels yield in Sarangani

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): 11 NPA rebels yield in Sarangani

At least 11 alleged New People’s Army (NPA) rebels have surrendered to government troops in Sarangani Province in the last two weeks following a series of negotiations.

Lt. Col. Ronnie Babac, commander of the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion, said Wednesday the rebels mainly decided to lay down their arms after getting tired of their uncertain situation in the mountains.

He said the returnees started to send surrender feelers following the encounter in Barangay Datal Anggas in Alabel town last Feb. 15 that led to the killing of their seven comrades.

Among those killed was NPA leader Tolentino Bariquit alias Kumander Brigol, who was secretary of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 75.

“Some of them surrendered as they were not given proper medical attention by their comrades after being wounded in the encounter,” he said in radio interview.

Babac said the returnees were members of the NPA’s Fronts 71 and 75, which are operating in the hinterlands of Sarangani and Davao Occidental provinces.

Nine of them were from the Front 75 and two were from Front 71, he said.

The official said the returnees are being assisted by their unit and would later be endorsed for inclusion into the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).

CLIP reintegrates former rebels into the social mainstream and uplifts their socio-economic conditions to enable them to become active partners in the local development.

The program also seeks to contribute towards the achievement of the goal of permanent peaceful closure of all armed conflicts with non-state armed groups.

In the last three years, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the provincial government of Sarangani Province already assisted a total of 379 former NPA rebels through the CLIP.

The former rebels received various livelihood assistance ranging from Php5,000 to Php50,000 each.

 

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=741282

AFP chief honors soldiers who rescued SAF men in Mamasapano encounter

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): AFP chief honors soldiers who rescued SAF men in Mamasapano encounter

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. on Wednesday awarded the Army officers and men who were involved in reinforcing and extracting the 84th Special Action Company (Sea Borne) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Mamasapano encounter last January 25.

Captain Joann Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said an Army officer and four enlisted personnel were awarded with Gold Cross Medal while another Army officer and an Enlisted Personnel were awarded with the Bronze Cross Medal for gallantry in action which led to the retrieval and rescue of the members of 84th SAC.

At the time the Army rescued members of SAF, the commando had already suffered eight Killed In Action (KIA), 11 Wounded In Action (WIA) and 17 unharmed policemen who were already suffering from fatigue and out of ammunition.

An infantryman who led a section during the rescue operation was also promoted on the spot. He was Sgt. Whilmer Jaranilla of 62nd Division Reconnaissance Company.

The police commandos killed Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias “Marwan” but lost 44 brave police officers in the process.

Catapang, in his message, said the officers and soldiers deserved recognition for dutifully fulfilling their duties despite the risk involved in their given tasks and responsibilities.

The AFP chief also lauded the 6th ID officers and men “for doing a good job in preserving peace in Central Mindanao.”

Accompanying Catapang in his visit to 6th ID for briefing on the status of manhunt operation against lawless elements, was a group of Medical and Dental Team to conduct medical mission to different evacuation areas in Maguindanao starting Thursday.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=741383

Troops, ASG clash anew in Sulu

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 5): Troops, ASG clash anew in Sulu

The government forces have clashed anew with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) as law enforcement operation continues in the island province of Sulu, military officials said Thursday.

Capt. Ma. Rowena Muyuela, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, disclosed the latest skirmish erupted around 12 noon Wednesday in Sitio Bud Bunga, Barangay Pasul, Patikul, Sulu.

Muyuela said the troops from the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion under the Joint Task Group Sulu were conducting law enforcement operation encountered when they clashed with about 80 ASG bandits at Sitio Bud Bunga, Barangay Pasul, Patikul.

Muyuela said there was no reported casualty on the government side while it is believed the ASG have suffered casualties.

Fourteen ASG were killed and 19 wounded since the start of the offensive last week against them in Sulu.

Before the clash, three soldiers were killed while six others were wounded when the ASG set off an improvised bomb fashioned out as a landmine along the road linking Barangays Pansul and Panglayahan, Patikul.

Col. Alan Arrojado, Joint Task Group Sulu commander, said the soldiers were on a convoy bringing resupply provisions to the security elements tasked to secure a road project along Pansul and Panglayahan road when they tripped on a landmine.

Arrojado the troops returned fire and engaged the ASG in a firefight.

“Immediately, we sent reinforcement to the engaged troops. There were reports that the bandits suffered number of casualties as they fled from the encounter site. Our troops are pursuing them,” he added.

He said the wounded personnel were airlifted to Camp General Teodolfo Bautista Trauma Hospital in Barangay Busbus, Jolo, Sulu.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=741547

2 to six Bell 412EP helicopters to be delivered this August

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): 2 to six Bell 412EP helicopters to be delivered this August

A minimum of two to a maximum of six Bell 412EP combat utility helicopters are scheduled to be delivered this coming August.

This was confirmed by Department of National Defense (DND) undersecretary for finance, modernization and materiel Fernando Manalo in an interview with the PNA.

"We are looking at the minimum delivery of two units to a maximum of six," he said.

The arrival of these aircraft is expected to beef up the transportation and lift capability of the Philippine Air Force.

In March 2014, the Philippines signed a Php4.8 billion contract with Canadian government for the delivery of eight Bell 412EP helicopters.

"Three of these eight helicopters will be configured as VIP helicopters for the coming APEC meet in September," Manalo earlier said.

These new helicopters are intended to replace the five aging Bell 412 helicopters of the Office of the President which were acquired during the time of President Fidel V. Ramos.

The Bell 412EP is capable of carrying 14 passengers and is capable of flying at a maximum speed of 140 knots (around 259 kilometers), cruise speed of 122 knots (226 kilometers per hour) and a range of 402 nautical miles (745 kilometers).

It is powered with an enhanced Pratt and Whitney PT6T-3D Twin Pac.

The helicopters will be acquired government-to-government through Candian Commercial Corporation.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=741043

Contributions for fallen SAF members, all voluntary - AFP spokesperson

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): Contributions for fallen SAF members, all voluntary - AFP spokesperson

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday clarified that monetary contributions, intended for the loved ones and families of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers slain during the Jan. 25 encounter in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao, is purely voluntary.

AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla said a Php30- contribution will be levied on those troopers who have agreed to donate portions of their daily Php150 subsistence allowance.

Deductions will be only effective for one day and effective only this month.

Troopers interested to hand over part of their subsistence allowance are free to contact or communicate with their respective finance officer.

The AFP spokesperson said the money that will be turned over to the Philippine National Police as soon as the collection is made final.

Padilla also said that donations of subsistence allowance was not new as the AFP did it during the wake of the Al-Barka incident where 19 Special Forces troopers were killed during an encounter with MILF in October 2011, and in the aftermath of Typhoons Sendong also in 2011, Pablo in 2012, and Yolanda in 2013.

Money collected was used in the relief of the affected families.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=741275

New PNP-SAF Commander vows “to boost morale of SAF”

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): New PNP-SAF Commander vows “to boost morale of SAF”

“We will boost the morale of the Special Action Force”.

This is the statement of the new PNP-SAF Director Police Chief Superintendent Moro Virgilio Lazo during simple turnover ceremonies led by President Benigno Aquino III at NCRPO Headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City, Wednesday morning.

Aquino witnessed the installation of a PNP-SAF chief for the first time considering that the President usually just attends turnover ceremonies for the PNP’s Chief.

Lazo thanked President Aquino for trust in appointing him as SAF command. "I am grateful, honored and humbled."

Lazo said that he would raise the morale of the SAF following the death of its 44 operatives in a firefight with Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

” Ayusin natin yung morale ng SAF especially yung nangyari nitong incident we will be having rebuilding, practically not really re-train but to continue ongoing training,” Lazo, who replaced Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, who assumed command as acting SAF commander following the relief of Director Getulio Napeñas over the Mamasapano incident.

Both Lazo and Taliño belong to Philippine Military Academy Maharlika Class 1984.

Lazo was a SAF member himself from 1984 to 1989 and 2010 to 2013.

Upon his graduation from the PMA in 1984, he joined the SAF until 1989. He rejoined the elite police unit again as the chief of directorial staff or No. 3 man of SAF from May 2010 to February 2013.

”I am so excited to be back home.... may the force be with us all,” he noted, who hails from Ilocos Norte, was a member of former Fidel V. Ramos' Presidential Security Group. His first assignment was in May 1984, as a junior officer of SAF's first Special Action company.

Lazo served as deputy regional director for administration and OIC of the Region 1 police and later chief of the Firearms and Explosive Office (FEO) prior to his being named SAF director.

Sr. Supt. Bucks Felix of the PNP Directorate for Operations will replace Lazo at the FEO.

 

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=741278

Task Force 'Kalinga' activated to help displaced people in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): Task Force 'Kalinga' activated to help displaced people in Maguindanao
 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has activated Task Force "Kalinga" to provide medical care for the people displaced by the ongoing government offensive against the Bangsamorong Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) brigands in Maguindanao.

AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla, in a briefing on Wednesday, said the task force personnel would help medical teams from towns affected by the fighting and local and international aid agencies.

Task Force"Kalinga" is composed of military doctors, dentists and nurses.

About 41,000 persons have been affected in the ongoing anti-BIFF operations in Maguindanao.

These people are primarily living in Mamasapano, Datu Unsay, Shariff Aguak, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Datu Salibo, and Datu Saudi Ampatuan.

The towns of Rajah Buayan and Datu Hoffer also have evacuees, but are only serving as host to those who came from other towns.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=741292

Military now chasing new Muslim armed group

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): Military now chasing new Muslim armed group

Pursuit operations are now being conducted against members and leaders of the so-called "Justice For Islamic Movement (JFIM)," reportedly a splinter group of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

This was disclosed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla Wednesday.

The group is being headed by a certain Mohammad Ali Tambako, a former BIFF commander, who was earlier pinpointed as one of the protectors of Filipino bomb-maker Basit Usman and his five foreign cohorts, four of which are Indonesian and the other one, an Arab-looking individual.

Padilla said that efforts are underway to neutralize this new group as they constitute a threat to the peace and security in Maguindanao and other nearby provinces.

He said the JFIM was formed last November 2013 after Tambako and the BIFF leadership had some ideaological differences.

He added that Tambako's group had an estimated 70 armed fighters at its roster.

JFIM is now allegedly operating in Mamasapano and Shariff Aguak towns in Maguindanao and Pikit, North Cotabato.

Padilla said it is also possible that Usman could have taught some members of the JFIM in the art of bomb-making and handling as Tambako's group was the one operating the improvised explosive device factory which was captured and destroyed by the military last March 1.

He is also not discounting the possibility that the JFIM is also providing bombs to BIFF.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=741316

Norway supports peace process, takes active role in the decommissioning process

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 4): Norway supports peace process, takes active role in the decommissioning process

"Norway remains fully committed to support efforts and keep the path of peace in the Philippines on track. I commend the efforts of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to undertake the decommissioning process. The decommissioning is an important component of the whole normalization process as laid out in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro," said Ambassador of Norway to the Philippines Erik Forner.

The Norwegian government takes active role to contribute to the decommissioning of MILF weapons and combatants through the following:

-- Deployment of Norway’s expert as vice-chair for the establishment of the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) in the person of retired Brigadier General Jan Erik Wilhelmsen. He was previously involved in peacekeeping operations in Barbados, Central Sudan, El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, Nigeria, and Yugoslavia;

-- Deployment of additional experts in the IDB Headquarters; and

-- Deployment of additional experts in the IDB-verification and monitoring assistance teams (VMAT) that will take charge of the security of the assembly and processing areas and/or the arms storage area for the decommissioning process.

"Lasting peace is fundamental in bringing development and stability in Mindanao, for the benefit of the entire population of the Philippines. The alternative to peace is continued conflict. Armed conflicts not only takes lives; it also creates and intensifies poverty. It is our wish that the Philippines overcomes the Mamasapano tragedy and unite to support the peaceful resolution of the armed conflict in Mindanao," said Ambassador Forner.

Norway has for several years been a part of the International Monitoring Team supervising the ceasefire in Mindanao. It is also the third-party facilitator of peace talks between the Philippine Government and the communist movement.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=741109

Army units recover fragmentation grenade recovered in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 5): Army units recover fragmentation grenade recovered in Maguindanao

Troopers from the 6th Infantry Division's Joint Task Force Central successfully recovered a Mark 2 fragmentation grenade during law enforcement operations in Barangay Iginagampong, Datu Unsay town, Maguindanao Wednesday.

Capt. Jo-anne Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the explosive was owned by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who occupied and blocked the national highway in the said barangay.

Recovery took place during clearing operations in the area.

An all-out offensives against the BIFF is being undertaken by the Joint Task Force Central and the Philippine National Police.

 
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=741472

132 individuals fromDavao Del Norte, Compostela Valley benefit from Army's ALS initiative

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 5): 132 individuals from Davao Del Norte, Compostela Valley benefit from Army's ALS initiative

In line with its community development missions, 132 individuals, of various ages, from Davao Del Norte and Compostela Valley have successfully graduated from the Army's Alternative Learning System (ALS).

ALS and the accredited equivalency Army Literacy Patrol System (ALPS) is a joint undertaking of the Department of Education and the Compostela Valley-based 10th Infantry Division which aims to provide accredited learning opportunity to people of varying ages.

Graduation of the 132 ALS beneficiaries took place at 72nd Infantry Battalion headquarters in Barangay Tuburan, Mawab town, Compostela Valley last week, 10th Infantry Division spokesperson 1st Lt. Vergel Lacambra said.

"Poverty is not a hindrance to success,” said 50-year old Alexandra Casas, one of the ALS beneficiaries, upon receiving her diploma.

Of the 132 graduates, 54 students came from Visayan Village, Tagum City, Davao Del Norte while 78 came from Barangay Mipangi, Nabunturan town, Compostela Valley.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=741481

2 NPA leaders bagged in joint AFP, PNP operations in Caloocan

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 5): 2 NPA leaders bagged in joint AFP, PNP operations in Caloocan

Two New People's Army (NPA) leaders wanted for a series of crimes in Quezon, Antique, and Occidental Mindoro, were arrested by combined elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) during operations in Caloocan Wednesday night.

Arrested were Emmanuel Bacarra and Ruben Saluta, AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said.

Both are NPA commanders operating in Mindoro and Panay, respectively. They carried out extortion activities like burning of buses and facilities in their localities.

"The said personalities (also) have criminal records ranging from murder to arson and were issued warrants of arrest by courts in provinces Quezon, Antique and Occidental Mindoro (Criminal cases nos. 2646-S, 14-6573-C to 14-6573-C and Z-1405)," he added.

Records also show that the two were also charged for violating Republic Act No. 6968, otherwise known as the Anti-Rebellion Act of the Philippines.

"Our operatives have been working on these cases for several months to identify the suspects engaged in different criminal activities in Southern Tagalog Regions. Our operatives from PNP and AFP shared intelligence information, compared notes until they were able to positively identify these personalities," Cabunoc added.

He said that law enforcers have ensured that the basic rights of the suspects were protected during their arrest.

"The AFP and PNP will continuously work together to protect the people from lawless elements, to bring justice and to maintain peace and order in our communities," Cabunoc said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=741518

VIDEO | MILF insists on 3rd-party probers for Mamasapano; its internal report clears all members

From InterAksyon (Mar 5): VIDEO | MILF insists on 3rd-party probers for Mamasapano; its internal report clears all members



MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal at a House hearing on the Mamasapano debacle. TV5 SCREENSHOT

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday pushed its proposal to have an independent body probe the Mamasapano incident in order to ensure public confidence in the credibility of the investigation's outcome.

The police Board of Inquiry created right after the Jan. 25 mission - where 44 PNP Special Action Force on an anti-terrorist mission who figured in a firefight with MILF rebels were killed - is expected to submit its report on Friday, March 6.

Meanwhile, the MILF's internal investigation report showed none of the MILF members was at fault in the 10-hour gunfight, as all of them were just defending themselves after the police commandos strayed into their territory.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said they respect government's own investigation, but would not be surprised if the BOI report favors the policemen who were deployed to apprehend Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Filipino bomb-maker Abdul Basit Usman in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao.  That is why, he stressed, they were batting for an independent body inquiring into the case.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the deliberations on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which caps the four-year negotiations with the MILF, should not be delayed in the course of getting justice in the Mamasapano case.

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III agrees. He said a two-track approach is best: Congress continues to review and debate the draft BBL, while the process of finding the truth and giving justice to victims in the Mamasapano case continues.

A member of the government peace panel, Senen Bacani, said scuttling the BBL would mean wasting four years of negotiations with the rebel group, which has been waging war in the South for 17 years.

[Video report]

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106267/video--milf-insists-on-3rd-party-probers-for-mamasapano-its-internal-report-clears-all-members

PNoy holds 3-hour dialog with SAF as new chief takes command of elite police unit

From InterAksyon (Mar 4): PNoy holds 3-hour dialog with SAF as new chief takes command of elite police unit



The incoming SAF chief, Chief Supt. Moro Virgilio Lazo (left), introduces President Aquino to the outgoing officer in charge, CSupt. Noli Talino, at the turnover rites in Camp Bagong Diwa. Lazo headed the PNP's Firearms and Explosives Office before being tapped to head the SAF, where he once served. MALACANANG PHOTO BUREAU

A returning officer of the PNP's Special Action Force has been appointed its new chief in simple rites witnessed Wednesday by President Benigno Aquino III, who held a nearly three-hour, closed-door dialogue - with some tense moments as both sides pressed each other for answers - with members of the elite police unit before the turnover.

State-owned media, however, quoted Palace officials as saying the prolonged exercise was intended to tease out the details about the Mamasapano debacle  in order to rebuild the SAF.

It was the President's second attempt to thaw relations with SAF members since the January 25 anti-terrorist mission that left 44 of the elite police commandos dead and dealt the President his worst crisis thus far. Wednesday's dialogue was more productive than his first "pep talk" with the SAF members at dawn of January 30, where state video showed Mr. Aquino repeatedly prodding the SAF commandos to speak up, even air grievances, only to be greeted with sullen expressions and silence.

On Wednesday, according to officials who attended the dialogue, the SAF members were more vocal, airing concerns about how resource constraints kept them from doing their tasks well and exposed them to undue risk, including from - as sources disclosed - a lot of problems with their ammunition. They also discussed concerns about usage of leaves, training, and other professional issues, said one source.

The SAF members also kept pressing the President about why no military reinforcements came, thus leaving the blocking force, the 55th Special Action Company, at the mercy of the well-armed, numerically superior elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro islamic Freedom Fighters.

Yet another source said there was restiveness among the SAF, as the President needled them about minute operational details, at one point saying that the mission should have been aborted and reset. The decisions on the ground of Supt. Raymond Train, one of the survivors, were also the focus of the President's critique, he added.

But first, according to the sources, the SAF members were also keen on having the President acknowledge clearly that their mission was a success, given that the Mamasapano operations ultimately led to the killing of the Malaysian terrorist  Zulkifli bin Hir, aka "Marwan", believed to have been behind the Bali Bombings in Indonesia.

The SAF members were apparently bothered that President Aquino's publicized SMS response to suspended police chief Alan Purisima on that fateful morning had reflected an angry president who felt that getting Marwan was not enough, because the other target, bomb-maker Abdul Basit Usman, got away. In response, the President reportedly explained to the SAF men on Wednesday the context of his text messages to Purisima, and gave the SAF full credit for bagging Marwan.

Turnover sees 'Balik-SAF' officer as new chief

After the dialogue, the President witnessed the assumption of the SAF command by Chief Supt. Moro Virgilio Lazo, who had been until Wednesday the chief of the PNP's Firearms and Explosives Office. Lazon takes over from officer-in-charge Noli Talino. The latter had taken over after SAF chief Getulio Napenas was sacked over the January 25 Mamasapano debacle.

 

In brief remarks on assuming the top SAF post, Lazo thanked the President for his trust, while assuring the men and women of the elite police unit he would do his best to lead them.

"I am grateful, honored, and humbled to head SAF," Lazo said. He said he was "excited to be back home, excited to work again with you," addressing directly the members of the SAF.

Together, he added, he hoped they could continue pursuing their "commitment to be vanguards of peace."

Lazo is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1984, under "Class Maharlika."

Lazo spoke right after the turnover of the command symbol, property and equipment - rites witnessed by the President. The turnover was led by  PNP Officer in Charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Esoina, and assisted by Chief Supt. Talino.

The President arrived at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City at 10 a.m., and was welcomed by DILG Secretary Mar Roxas,  Espina,  P/Dir. Carmelo E. Valmoria, Regional Director, PNP-NCRPO, and Deputy Director General MarceloGarbo, Chief Directorial Staff.

PNoy underscores importance of rebuilding SAF

Meanwhile, the state-owned Philippines News Agency quoted Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. as saying the President underscored the need to rebuild the capability of the SAF as an elite unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The President made the comment after his three-hour meeting with SAF officials and troopers at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Secretary Coloma Jr. said the meeting focused on a review of the operations or "Oplan Exodus" conducted to arrest international terror suspect Zulkifli bin Hir as "Marwan" and Basit Usman in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25.

”This review is essential in identifying points for improvement in the conduct of similar operations,” Coloma said in a statement.

”The President emphasized the importance of rebuilding the capability of SAF as an elite unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on account of the vital role it performs,” he added.

The PCOO chief said President Aquino also pledged support for the acquisition of the needed equipments and resources for the SAF troopers.

Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who was present at the meeting, said SAF troopers were able to talk to the President about their work-related concerns.

Among the concerns the troopers brought up were their lack of leave from work and the lack of hazard pay for some SAF members.

Secretary Roxas added that the President gave the PNP a deadline to resolve the matter.

“Binigyan ng Pangulo ng malinaw na timeline na within 30 days ay isumite sa kanyang tanggapan, ibig sabihin nakadaan na ito sa PNP, nakadaan na sa NAPOLCOM (National Police Commission) bago dumating sa Tanggapan ng Pangulo, within 30 days, itong mga bagay na ito,” he said.

The Senate hearings on Mamasapano showed that upon advice of former PNP chief Alan Purisima, the sacked SAF chief, Getulio Napenas, carried out Oplan Exodus - the mission to get Marwan and Usman - without prior coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The 392-man SAF team was able to neutralize Marwan but the SAF troopers encountered the combined forces of the MILF and the BIFF.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106234/pnoy-holds-3-hour-dialog-with-saf-as-new-chief-takes-command-of-elite-police-unit

Samar mayor seeks security after Army bares NPA 'extortion'

From InterAksyon (Mar 5): Samar mayor seeks security after Army bares NPA 'extortion'



 Calbayog Mayor Ronaldo Aquino (file photo from calbayog.gov.ph)

The mayor of a city in Samar has asked the military and police to tighten security after the Army claimed some groups have been allegedly been providing funds to communist rebels.

At the meeting of the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council, Calbayog Mayor Ronaldo Aquino requested the Army’s 8th Infantry Division and the Samar provincial police office to intensify their intelligence operations against extortion activities of the New People’s Army in the city.

Earlier, Lieutenant Colonel Seigfred Tubalado, commander of the 43rd Infantry Battalion, said documents recovered during a clash with the NPA in Leyte October last year 2014 contained a summary of the rebels’ “tax” collections from various groups, businesses and government offices in Calbayog.

Citing the document, Tubalado said the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines allegedly collected a conservative estimate of P1.2 million total monthly in “revolutionary taxes” from groups in Calbayog.

A supposed breakdown showed the rebels taking P250,000 from business groups, P200,000 from fisherfolk, P200,000 from transport groups and another P250,000 from villages under their influence.

Most of those who gave to the rebels did so under threat of retaliation if they refused, the Army officer claimed.

However, the military said it continues to validate the contents of the alleged rebel ledger.

While Aquino did not confirm or deny the document’s contents, he said they had not detected ay rebel presence or activity in Calbayog.

Nevertheless, the military and police have set up joint checkpoints in the city.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106274/samar-mayor-seeks-security-after-army-bares-npa-extortion

Military now chasing members of splinter group of BIFF

From InterAksyon (Mar 5): Military now chasing members of splinter group of BIFF



Mohammad Ali Tambako, a former BIFF commander, is said to be the head of the Justice For Islamic Movement (JFIM). (Photo: Dennis Arcon, InterAksyon.com)

Pursuit operations are now being conducted against members and leaders of the so-called "Justice For Islamic Movement (JFIM)," reportedly a splinter group of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

This was disclosed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla Wednesday.

The group is being headed by a certain Mohammad Ali Tambako, a former BIFF commander, who was earlier pinpointed as one of the protectors of Filipino bomb-maker Basit Usman and his five foreign cohorts, four of which are Indonesian and the other one, an Arab-looking individual.

Padilla said that efforts are underway to neutralize this new group as they constitute a threat to the peace and security in Maguindanao and other nearby provinces.

He said the JFIM was formed last November 2013 after Tambako and the BIFF leadership had some ideological differences.

He added that Tambako's group had an estimated 70 armed fighters at its roster.
JFIM is now allegedly operating in Mamasapano and Shariff Aguak towns in Maguindanao and Pikit, North Cotabato.

Padilla said it is also possible that Usman could have taught some members of the JFIM in the art of bomb-making and handling as Tambako's group was the one operating the improvised explosive device factory which was captured and destroyed by the military last March 1.

He is also not discounting the possibility that the JFIM is also providing bombs to BIFF.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106273/military-now-chasing-members-of-splinter-group-of-biff

2 alleged NPA commanders nabbed in Caloocan - AFP

From InterAksyon (Mar 5): 2 alleged NPA commanders nabbed in Caloocan - AFP

Two alleged communist rebel commanders, one from Mindoro, the other from Panay, were arrested by police and military agents in Caloocan City Wednesday night, the Armed Forces said Thursday.

Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc, chief of the AFP public affairs office, said Emmanuel Bacara and Ruben Saluta are the subjects of several warrants of arrest issued by courts in Quezon, Antique and Occidental Mindoro, where they are facing charges ranging from arson to murder.

They are also facing rebellion charges.

Cabunoc said the arrests came after several months of collaboration between the military and police.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106282/2-alleged-npa-commanders-nabbed-in-caloocan---afp

Usman, 5 foreign terrorists with BIFF breakaway group, says AFP spokesman

From InterAksyon (Mar 4): Usman, 5 foreign terrorists with BIFF breakaway group, says AFP spokesman



File photo of Basit Usman from US State Department

 

Filipino bomb-making expert Basit Usman, the sidekick of slain international terror suspect Zulkifli Abdhir alias Marwan, and five foreign terrorists working with him are being protected by an armed group that broke away from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), the target of an ongoing "all-out” military offensive in Central Mindanao, the spokesman of the Armed Forces said Wednesday.

Usman, who survived the January 25 Special Action Force operation to get Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” in Mamasapano, Maguindanao and the five foreigners -- four Indonesians and an “Arab-looking individual,” all linked to the Jemaah Islamiyah network -- are now with the Justice for Islamic Movement (JIM) led by Mohammad Ali Tambako, according to AFP's Colonel Restituto Padilla. 

He said the information that the military had received from informants in Mamasapano, Pikit, Shariff Aguak and other Maguindanao towns indicated that JIM, which split from the BIFF in November 2013, had about 70 followers.

The BIFF was formed by Ameril Umbra Kato, former commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s 105th Base Command. Kato broke away from the MILF after disagreeing over the direction of the peace talks with the government.

[Video report]

Meanwhile, Padilla also clarified that the bomb-making devices seized from an abandoned camp discovered in Maguindanao on Monday and earlier reported to belong to the BIFF actually were actually owned by JIM.

The AFP spokesman said JIM was protecting Basit's group so that the latter could train JIM on how to make bombs.‘Yon po ang kanilang nakukuhang benepisyo sa pagpapatuloy ng kanilang proteksyon sa grupo ni Basit."

"At kung hindi natin uusigin ito at hindi natin bibigyan ng pansin maaring hindi magwawakas ang laging pambobomba sa iba’t-ibang lugar lalo na sa public places na ang nagiging biktima ay kaawa-awang mga sibilyan [And if we do not pursue them they would continue bombing public places and victimize innocent civilians]," said Padilla.

This, he said, was the reason for the relentless military operations that had, thus far, displaced more than 40,000 people and led Maguindanao officials to place the province under a state of calamity.

“Ang atin pong opensiba ay isinasagawa lang natin dahil po gusto nating magkaroon ng patuloy na katahimikan sa mga lugar na ito [Our offensive is being undertaken because we want continuing peace in these places],” Padilla said. 

He added that the decision to stop the offensive would depend on ground commanders.  

 

“Base sa kanilang mission na naibigay, kung sila ay magsasabi na na-achieve na nila ang kanilang objectives, sila ay magsasabi na kailangan nang itigil [Based on their mission, they will determine if they have achieved their objectives and say if the operations have to stop],” he said.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106258/usman-5-foreign-terrorists-with-biff-breakaway-group-says-afp-spokesman

2 army commanders slain in Sayyaf ambush in Philippines

From the Mindanao Examiner BlogSpot site (Mar 4): 2 army commanders slain in Sayyaf ambush in Philippines

Abu Sayyaf rebels ambushed a military convoy on Wednesday in the southern Filipino province of Sulu and killing two army commanders and an infantry man.

The ambush in Patikul town also wounded at least 6 soldiers, but military and police officials did not release any information into the daring attack that occurred on a highway in the village of Pansul.

The attack occurred the same day after Philippine military chief General Gregorio Catapang inspected troops in the province. 

Mindanao Examiner sources in the province said two lieutenants and one sergeant were slain in the attack. And sources identified the wounded as Sergeant Julieto Payumo, Privates First Class Ramil Akiatan, Je-ar Sumagang, Nasser Adian, Samuel Quinones and Corporal Carlos Baguio.  

The soldiers were on three trucks – two KM450 and one M35 – when rebels detonated a roadside bomb and then opened fire on security forces. The ambush sparked a firefight between troops and rebels and only stopped after military reinforcement arrived to rescue the embattled soldiers.

The troops came from an inspection and were heading back to their camp when the Abu Sayyaf attacked them.

Provincial police chief Abraham Orbita did not answer phone calls by journalists who were trying to get details of the ambush. The Western Mindanao Command under General Rustico Guererro confirmed the ambush and said troops clashed with at least 80 Abu Sayyaf gunmen.

Security forces have launched a fresh offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu in an effort to flush them out from the province.

Authorities have tagged the Abu Sayyaf as behind the spate of bombings and kidnappings in the restive Muslim autonomous region.

After his visit to Sulu, Catapang, accompanied by Guerrero, also flew to Maguindanao province where he pinned medals to five soldiers - one officer and four infantrymen - during an inspection at the 6th Infantry Division with its commander General Edmundo Pangilinan.

The soldiers were among those who helped rescue police commandos who clashed with Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Mamasapano town on January 25. The fighting killed 44 Special Action Force commandos, 18 MILF rebels and 5 BIFF and seven civilians were also slain in the violence.

One soldier,Sergeant Whilmer Jaranilla, of 62^nd Division Reconnaissance Company, who led a small team during the rescue operation, was also promoted on the spot.

 

 

 

Philippine military chief General Gregorio Catapang, accompanied by Western Mindanao Command chief General Rustico Guerrero, inspected troops in Maguindanao province where he pinned medals to five soldiers - one officer and four infantrymen - during an inspection at the 6th Infantry Division with its commander General Edmundo Pangilinan. The soldiers were among those who helped rescue police commandos who clashed with Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Mamasapano town on January 25. The fighting killed 44 Special Action Force commandos, 18 MILF rebels and 5 BIFF and seven civilians were also slain in the violence. (Mindanao Examiner Photo - Mark Navales) 

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2015/03/2-army-commanders-slain-in-sayyaf.html

AFP overruns another BIFF camp in Maguindanao

From InterAksyon (Mar 4): AFP overruns another BIFF camp in Maguindanao

The military has overrun yet another camp of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao, where an all-out offensive was launched last week to deny sanctuary to foreign terrorists believed to be holding out there.

The abandoned BIFF camp was found in Sitio Tatapan, Barangay Kitango in the town of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, by elements of the 37th Infantry Battalion and 14th Mechanized Company of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade.

According to Captain Joanne Petinglay, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, the soldiers found various gun parts, tripods for .50 caliber machine guns, antennae of handheld radio, assorted bullets and even paraphernalia for methampethamine hydrochloride or shabu.

Also discovered were attack plans of the BIFF on civilian targets in adjacent provinces, as divertionary tactics.

The latest BIFF camp placed under AFP control is about 8 kms away from the first camp discovered in Barangay Dasikil, in Mamasapano, Maguindanao - scene of the Jan. 25 anti-terrorist mission that led to a firefight with Moro rebels and the deaths of 44 police commandos.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106250/afp-overruns-another-biff-camp-in-maguindanao

3 soldiers killed, 6 hurt in Sulu blast as AFP chief checks campaign in province vs Abu Sayyaf

From InterAksyon (Mar 4): 3 soldiers killed, 6 hurt in Sulu blast as AFP chief checks campaign in province vs Abu Sayyaf

Three Army soldiers were killed and six others were wounded when a military convoy was struck by a landmine in Patikul, Sulu late Wednesday morning.

The ambush happened the same day Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. visited Sulu to check on the military’s campaign against the Abu Sayyaf in the province.

Colonel Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesman, said the convoy of two KM45O troop carriers and one M35 truck was carrying troops of the 32nd Infantry Battalion to resupply and secure a road construction project when the landmine exploded along the Pansul-Pangalayahan Road in Barangay Pansul, around 11:55 a.m.

Padilla said he could not confirm reports that two of the fatalities were officers even as he acknowledged that the loss was “saddening on the part of the Armed Forces” and underscored the fact that “the dangers faced by our troops on the ground as they continue with their mission remains high.”

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106256/3-soldiers-killed-6-hurt-in-sulu-blast-as-afp-chief-checks-campaign-in-province-vs-abu-sayyaf