Duterte mulls hiring hatchet men, mercenaries to destroy Abu Sayyaf

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Sep 4): Duterte mulls hiring hatchet men, mercenaries to destroy Abu Sayyaf

Piñol: President focused on bandit group's annihilation



President Rodrigo Duterte declares a state of lawlessness in Mindanao and orders more police and military checkpoints on the island. (SCREENGRAB OF RTVM VIDEO)

President Rodrigo Duterte wants the fight with the Abu Sayyaf to end in the bandit group’s annihilation that he is even willing to hire fearless hatchet men or mercenaries to make this happen, according to a ranking Cabinet official said.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said in a Facebook post on Sunday that during a meeting with security officials and some Cabinet members that started Saturday evening and ended about 4 a.m. on Sunday, Duterte was so furious at the Abu Sayyaf’s terror attacks, especially in the wake of the bomb attack here on Friday.

“If I have to hire the Gurkhas to help us fight the Abu Sayyaf, I am willing to do it,” Piñol quoted Mr. Duterte as saying during the meeting held at Enclaves in Matina, which he had also attended.

He said the President was referring to the Nepali Gurkhas, who had earned the respect of the British for being fearless during the Gorkha War of 1814-1816.

The Nepali Gurkhas were akin to the French Legion, which were close to, but were not considered mercenaries under the Geneva Convention.

Piñol said Mr. Duterte had acknowledged that the Abu Sayyaf and other extremist groups were “products of historical injustices” but their recent actions – such as the beheading of kidnap victims and bomb attacks – called for the use of force.

“There’s no other option. These people are like germs, which must be eliminated,” Piñol quoted the President as saying about the Abu Sayyaf.

“You started this. I wanted to talk to you but you leave me with no choice,” Duterte said, according to Piñol.



President Rodrigo Duterte stares at the ground of the Davao City night market where 14 were killed and around 60 were wounded on Sept. 2, 2016. (SCREENGRAB OF RTVM VIDEO/ Courtesy of Presidential Communications)

“The President, who was obviously hurting from the terror attack which left (14) people dead, including a young child, and over 60 others wounded, however, called on the nation to prepare for reprisals from the terror group similar to the bombing at Davao City’s Roxas (Avenue),” Piñol said.

But he said the “sacrifices to be made” would “address this problem once and for all.”
“The bombing in Davao City (on Friday evening) served as the proverbial last straw that broke the camel’s back,” Piñol said of the President’s new position.

The military has sent nearly 10,000 troops to Sulu in a bid to combat the Abu Sayyaf, which has recently killed 15 soldiers. Since August 26, the military said it has killed 30 bandits in the island-province.  http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/812829/duterte-mulls-hiring-hatchet-men-mercenaries-to-destroy-abu-sayyaf

Remains of police officer abducted by NPA exhumed

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Sep 4): Remains of police officer abducted by NPA exhumed
KIDAPAWAN CITY – The remains of a police officer who was abducted by New People’s Army guerrillas in Makilala, North Cotabato in June were exhumed in Barangay Sto. Niño here on Saturday.

Relatives of the police officer, along with members of the police’s Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco), exhumed the remains of Police Officer 1 Romeo Solana after the NPA confirmed the location of his grave, said Vice Mayor Bernardo Piñol Jr.

It was not known when and why Solana was killed in captivity.

“I am not at liberty to divulge the details of the killing,” Piñol said.

Marjorie, the police officer’s wife, said she was stunned to learn of his death because the NPA had pledged to send her husband home alive.

“We waited for so long to be reunited, we didn’t expect that he was already dead,” Marjorie said.

Solana, a police intelligence officer, left their home in Barangay Malasila in Makilala town on June 1 for duty at the North Cotabato Public Safety Coy headquarters in Barangay Amas here. But the NPA abducted him on his way to work.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/812766/remains-of-police-officer-abducted-by-npa-exhumed

4 persons hunted over Davao blast

From the Manila Times (Sep 5): 4 persons hunted over Davao blast

GOVERNMENT forces have launched a manhunt for four “persons of interest” who may have had a hand in the Davao City night market bombing that killed 14 people and injured dozens.

Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), disclosed on Saturday night that security forces were looking into the involvement of two females and a male, who witnesses said could have planted and detonated the improvised explosive that tore through the bustling market at the heart of Davao city Friday night.

He did not disclose other details, but said authorities, particularly intelligence personnel, were cross-matching the persons’ identities with a list of 10 wanted terrorists.

The head of Davao police on Sunday described how a man was seen leaving a bag with the bomb inside at the market while being followed by two women.

Police are searching for the three—and possibly a fourth person—over the bombing, which has been widely blamed on the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group.

Sr. Supt. Michael John Dubria told reporters the man had gone for a massage in the market and left the bag in that area.

“We believe the improvised explosive device exploded when the person left,” he said, adding that the two women had been following the man.

Another person may have detonated the device with a cellular phone, he suggested.
He would not say who was behind the blast but said the bomb, using a mortar shell, was similar to those used by “threat groups” in the troubled central region of Mindanao.

Chief Insp. Andrea de la Cerna, spokeswoman of a task force investigating the explosion, said they were not ruling out other motives for the attack.

“We have copies of the CCTV (closed-circuit television), we have eight possible witnesses but we have named no one [as suspects],” she told AFP.

More weight on Sayyaf angle

 The PNP is giving more weight on the suspected involvement of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group in the blast, but is also looking at the angle of a business dispute over the distribution of stalls at the night market on Roxas Avenue, de la Rosa said.

Illegal drug traders may have also been involved, said Col. Edgard Arevalo, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office, in an interview.

Arevalo noted that based on the assessment of the Davao Regional Peace and Order Council and chiefs of city and provincial police offices, “there is a big probability that the Abu Sayyaf is the main suspect.”

“But no one is concluding that it was indeed the Abu Sayyaf or businessmen. The bottomline is the investigation is ongoing to determine conclusively if the Abu Sayyaf was involved, or businessmen due to the inequitable distribution of stalls,” he said.

Flip-flop

 Arevalo pointed out that the Abu Sayyaf had flip-flopped on its statement claiming responsibility for the Davao City bombing.

“They admitted it earlier only to retract and pointing to their ally as responsible. Then, later in the day, they claimed it again,” he said.

The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, covering Western and Central Visayas, has declared a red alert “in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for the state of lawless violence.”

Earlier, the AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command, Western Mindanao Command and the government’s anti-coup force, the Joint Task Force NCR, declared a red alert status following the blast.

http://www.manilatimes.net/4-persons-hunted-over-davao-blast/284006/

Nepal Army Chief Chhetri off to Philippines

From the Himalaya Times (Sep 4): Nepal Army Chief Chhetri off to Philippines

Lieutenant General Baldev Raj Mahat (right) sees Chief of Army Staff Rajendra Chhetri off at the Tribhuvan International Airport as the latter is leaving for the Philippines, in Kathmandu, on Saturday, September 3, 2016. Photo: Nepal Army DPR

 

Chief of Army Staff Rajendra Chhetri left for the Philippines to participate in the Annual Chiefs of Defence Conference (CHOD) 2016 on Saturday.

 

The CHOD, jointly organised by the United States Pacific Command and Philippine Army, is an annual conference of military chiefs of Asia-Pacific region.

The conference is going to be held on September 5-7 in Manila, the Capital of Philippines this year, the Nepal Army Directorate of Public Relations informed in a statement today.

Lieutenant General Baldev Raj Mahat saw General Chhetri at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu yesterday.

After participating in the CHOD, General Chhetri would directly go to Seoul in South Korea for the Defence Expo Korea 2016 organised by Republic of Korea Army.
The expo would be held from September 7 to 10.

According to the NA DPR, such programmes would help elevate mutual relationship between Nepal Army and armies of other friendly nations to a new height.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Mahat would take charges as the Acting Army Chief in Chhetri’s absence, the statement informed.

Chhetri would return from the visit on September 11, according to the statement.

https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/nepal-army-chief-rajendra-chhetri-off-philippines/

Killing of 4 farmers hit

From The Standard (Sep 4): Killing of 4 farmers hit

The militant peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas on Sunday condemned the “massacre” of four farmers by alleged armed goons of a politician in Nueva Ecija.

KMP chairman Joseph Canlas said the suspects were allegedly affiliated with Palayan City Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas, whom he accused of being involved in landgrabbing.

“We condemn in the strongest terms this apparent massacre of farmers inside the Fort Magsaysay. This latest assault adds to the long list of rights abuses committed by landlord politicians against the peasantry who are struggling for genuine land reform and asserting their right to the lands,” Canlas said.

Reports coming from the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon (AMGL) said the victims—Baby Mercado, Violeta Mercado, Eligio Barbado and Gaudencio Bagalay—were doing their farm chores inside the disputed 3,100-hectare Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation in Nueva Ecija when armed men started to shoot at them.

“These killings related to land dispute in Fort Magsaysay cause further alarm especially since the victims are ordinary, unarmed farmers who are only exercising their legitimate, democratic rights,” Canlas added.

The Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation was awarded to farmers under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program on Nov. 5, 1991.

“By virtue of a 1991 Deed of Transfer between the Department of National Defense and the Department of Agrarian Reform, some 6,000 peasants and other residents should have acquired ownership of the lands they live on and till. But the Certificates of Land Ownership Award were rendered useless because it failed to defend the farmers’ rights over the lands,” Canlas said.

“Since 2008, the military, particularly the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army has been instrumental in denying Fort Magsaysay farmers of their rights to own the lands by asking the cancellation of the CLOAs,” the peasant leader added.

The KMP has called on the Department of Agrarian Reform and the committees on human rights of both houses of Congress to probe the killing.

http://thestandard.com.ph/news/-main-stories/top-stories/215262/killing-of-4-farmers-hit.html

South China Sea claims will be elephant in the room at the G20 summit

From Global Risk Insights (Sep 4): South China Sea claims will be elephant in the room at the G20 summit

When the meeting of the G20 is convened on September 4th in Hangzhou, its Chinese hosts hope to keep the conversation germane to the prevailing issues of the global economy. This may be especially difficult given China’s recent actions in the South and East China Sea. 



China’s territorial claims and military activities have become increasingly brazen. In July, China responded to The Hague’s judgement in favor of Filipino territorial claims to the Spratly Islands with complete disregard. Subsequently, there are signs that regional tolerance of China’s activities is running out and may come to a head during the G20 negotiations.

Indonesia

During its recent Independence Day celebrations, Indonesia took the provocative step of sinking a number of Chinese fishing vessels to protest sovereign territorial disputes in the South China Sea. China has tacitly claimed control of the area of the Natuna Islands allowing its fishing vessels to operate at will, flaunting Indonesian territorial fishing rights.

Indonesia has, until recently, proven conciliatory towards Beijing. China has surpassed the United States as the chief source of foreign direct investment in Indonesian infrastructure, leverage it has used to temper reaction to its expanding territorial claims over the South China Sea. This leverage, however, may have reached a tipping point as Indonesian President Joko Widodo held a cabinet meeting aboard a warship patrolling the waters around the Natunas, demonstrating to Beijing that it will not tolerate further exploitation of its territorial waters.

Philippines

While not a G20 member, the Filipino government has expressed continued concern for the Chinese development of military infrastructure on the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. While the Philippines recently had their territorial claims to the islands and surrounding waters legally reinforced by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), China has dismissed the ruling undermining the court’s authority. Following the ruling, Vietnam, which also claims territorial rights to the Islands, quickly positioned rocket launchers to five bases within range of Chinese airstrip development.

Heightening tensions further, China also claims territorial rights to Scarborough Shoal, a group of islands also claimed by the Philippines. China recently permitted its fisherman to harvest from the Philippine waters around the Shoal, further antagonizing the island nation.

India

As a member of the G20, India will have a significant seat at the G20 table at a time when Indian-Chinese relations appear to be cooling. China recently vetoed India’s attempt at entering the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), an international group which attempts to control and prevent nuclear proliferation. India’s irritation with Beijing over this move coupled with Chinese activities in the South China Sea have served to drive India closer to the United States on matters requiring international cooperation.

Following the Hague’s ruling on the legal jurisdiction of the Spratly Islands, India vocally defended it against Chinese dismissal saying, “As a state party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show utmost respect for UNCLOS which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans.” India has sent additional signals of its displeasure with Chinese actions when it announced the signing of a defense pact with the United States last week to mutually address growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

Japan

Similar to China’s actions in the Philippine Scarborough Shoal, it has also permitted fishing in Japan’s Senkaku Islands.  Japan is also a member of the G20, thus tensions surrounding the territorial dispute threaten to cloud the meeting this week. China’s Ambassador to Japan has been called in several times to protest both Chinese fishing vessels and Coast Guard cutters in the area of the Senkakus. Japan has also communicated to Beijing that ties has “deteriorated markedly” because of the repeated violations of the historically Japanese territorial waters.

Implications of Chinese actions

While China has stated it will not discuss activities in the South and East China Seas at this week’s G20, lingering regional concerns will likely negatively impact cooperation and may, nevertheless, spill out into the negotiating process despite China’s preference. This is because, while China chooses to regard its actions as an exercise in sovereignty, these actions have real economic consequences.

Each year over $5.3 trillion of commerce passes through the disputed waters, over one quarter of global annual commerce. These sea routes may become increasingly unstable as militarization of the region continues and regional diplomatic relations grow icy. Outside of the United States, China’s 3 largest export markets are countries bordering the South and East China Seas. A deterioration in relations could jeopardize these vital partnerships at a time when the Chinese economy is flagging.

In addition to China’s sovereign claim to these vital shipping routes, the area of the South China Sea off the coast of Malaysia is rich in resources, particularly oil and gas. Claims of Chinese sovereignty over these waters may be a precursor to domestic energy exploration. While global prices are currently low, China remains set to overtake the United States this year as the largest global importer of oil. While China does not currently have the capacity to tap this reserve, claims to a large domestic energy source in the South China Sea may provide the country with long-term energy security to fuel a maturing economy.

Another sure economic consequence of these activities is a renewed focus on passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Marketed in the United States as a means of setting the rules of Pacific commerce before China does so, recent Chinese aggression has begun to and will continue to strengthen relations between the United States and a number of regional actors. Regional instability may also drive significant Asian economic actors not currently signatories of the TPP to consider membership, such as South Korea.

http://globalriskinsights.com/2016/09/g20-south-china-sea/

Another bombing in Mindanao: NGCP tower in Cotabato targeted

From Coconuts Manila (Sep 4): Another bombing in Mindanao: NGCP tower in Cotabato targeted



Less than 24 hours after the bombing in Davao City, which claimed the lives of at least 14 people and injured more than 60, authorities confirmed another bombing incident in Mindanao.

The explosion targeted a tower of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines in the town of Carmen, Cotabato, on Saturday evening, Sep 3. Cotabato is about four hours away from Davao City.

ABS-CBN News reports that the tower remains operational and the explosion occurred far away from residential areas.

Cotabato provincial police spokesperson Supt. Bernard Tayong confirmed to GMA News that the explosion happened at around 6pm in Barangay (village) Kitulaan.

According to the same GMA News report, rebel group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters claimed responsibility for the NGCP bombing, but authorities are still confirming these claims as of posting.

No records of injuries or fatalities have been reported.

http://manila.coconuts.co/2016/09/04/another-bombing-mindanao-ngcp-tower-cotabato-targeted

ESSCOM ready to face possibility of Abu Sayyaf fleeing to Sabah

From the Borneo Post Online (Sep 4): ESSCOM ready to face possibility of Abu Sayyaf fleeing to Sabah

TAWAU: The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) is ready to face any possibility of Abu Sayyaf terrorists fleeing to Sabah, says ESSCOM commander DCP Datuk Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid.

This followed the announcement by the Philippines government to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in southern Philippines on a large scale.

“We welcome the action taken by the government of the Philippines and we are prepared to face the possibility of the people from the southern region or  hunted Abu Sayyaf members fleeing to Sabah,” he told Bernama here yesterday.

He was asked on the commitment and efforts taken by the Philippines government to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf in that country.

Wan Abdul Bari said ESSCOM noted and followed developments on the matter and daily operations to monitor the national waters, which would be ongoing at sea and on land in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE).

He said ESSCOM personnel and assets had been directed to monitor any suspicious movements such as smuggling activities or the possibility of cross border attacks.

“On land, we conduct weekly operations of three to four days, some have already entered Sabah as we also know that some of them may have family ties with the population in this state,” he added.

ESSZONE covers an area of 1,733.7km long and 100,000 sq km comprising 10 districts — Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Kinabatangan, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau.

Yesterday, Philippine Daily Inquirer reported the number of Philippine troops running after the Abu Sayyaf in the southern island province of Sulu was expected to swell to about 9,000 by next week.

It followed shortly after 15 soldiers were slain by the Abu Sayyaf in fierce clashes this week in Jolo, it added. — Bernama

http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/09/04/esscom-ready-to-face-possibility-of-abu-sayyaf-fleeing-to-sabah/

Five things to know about the Abu Sayyaf Group

From GMA News (Sep 3): Five things to know about the Abu Sayyaf Group

Some Philippine officials on Saturday said the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the Islamic militant group notorious for kidnapping both Filipinos and foreigners, was allegedly responsible for a deadly night market bombing in Davao City that killed at least 14 people.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno on Saturday alerted "all concerned units to be on the lookout for possible diversionary tactics to be carried out" by the ASG after the group allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack in Davao City, hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte.

However, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), also on Saturday, declined to confirm that the ASG was responsible for the explosion in Davao City.

"That act of owning the explosion is something we expect the ASG to claim," AFP public affairs office chief, Marine Col. Edgard Arevalo, said in a statement.

As many remain unaware about who the ASG really are, here are five key questions and answers about the group:

Who are they?

The group is a radical offshoot of a Muslim separatist insurgency that has claimed more than 120,000 lives in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines since the 1970s.

It was established in the 1990s with funds from a relative of former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Several Abu Sayyaf units have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group that holds vast swathes of Iraq and Syria but analysts say they are more interested in funding than ideology.

How dangerous are they?

The Abu Sayyaf is blamed for deadly bombings, including an attack on a ferry in Manila Bay in 2014 that claimed 116 lives in the country's deadliest terror assault.

It is also notorious for kidnappings for ransom, murdering foreign and local hostages if huge sums are not paid.

The Abu Sayyaf beheaded an American man in 2002, a Malaysian last year, and two Canadians in April and June.

The United States lists the group as a "foreign terrorist organisation".

The military estimates its forces to number 400, down from an original 1,000 fighters.

Where are they based?

Abu Sayyaf's strongholds are the Muslim-populated islands of Jolo and Basilan in the far south of the Philippines, about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Manila.

Sallying forth in fast boats from the islands, the Abu Sayyaf snatches victims and hides them among sympathetic Muslim communities, many of whom have received money from the militants.

In recent months, the group expanded its activities to include high seas kidnappings of sailors in waters bordering the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

What's been done to defeat them?

From 2002-2014, the US deployed Special Forces advisers to train and provide intelligence to Filipino troops but scaled back after the Pentagon concluded the group had lost the ability to launch international attacks.

Several Philippine presidents have declared wars on the Abu Sayyaf. Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia also agreed on joint patrols to prevent kidnappings at sea.
But millions of dollars in ransom money, assistance from locals, and their mastery of the terrain have helped the Abu Sayyaf evade government pursuit.

Why do authorities believe they carried out Friday's attack?

Officials said the Abu Sayyaf was likely to carry out Friday's bombing in retaliation for a military offensive Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte declared last week to "destroy" the group.

National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Abu Sayyaf has a history of launching attacks outside Sulu when pinned down in intense government operations.

The Abu Sayyaf claimed responsibility for three bomb attacks in 2005 -- one in Davao, one in a nearby city and a third in Manila -- that killed eight people.

The Abu Sayyaf said it conducted the 2005 attacks in response to an offensive against it at that time.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/580025/news/nation/five-things-to-know-about-the-abu-sayyaf-group

Filipino Muslims condemn fatal blast in Duterte’s city

From Anadolu Agency (Sep 3):  Filipino Muslims condemn fatal blast in Duterte’s city

Bombing in Philippine president’s hometown that killed 14, injured 71 in Davao City claimed by Abu Sayyaf militants

Filipino Muslim leaders have condemned an explosion claimed by a Daesh-linked militant group that killed 14 people and prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare a “state of lawlessness” Saturday.

 

A bomb exploded at a night market late Friday in southern Davao City -- where Duterte served 22 years as mayor -- leaving 14 people dead and 71 others injured.

 

Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao released a statement Saturday calling the Abu Sayyaf militant group the "biggest traitor of Islam".

 

"We [Mindanaoans] are no strangers to such incidents, and we know the fear and sorrow that come with these tragedies," he said, expressing his sympathy toward the blast victims and solidarity with the people of Davao City.

 

"Islam does not condone the spilling of blood. The murder of innocent people has no place in Islam. Acts of terrorism are not and will never be the way toward unity and progress," he stressed.

 

Earlier in the day, Duterte told reporters in the city that his declaration did not amount to imposing martial law, but rather ramping up military and police presence countrywide to combat terror threats and to step up the campaign against illegal drugs and other criminality.

 

"These are extraordinary times. We are trying to cope up with a crisis now," GMA News quoted Duterte as saying, while refraining from confirming which group was responsible.

 

"It's not martial law but I am inviting now the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the military and the police to run the country in accordance with my specifications," he added.

 

The country’s one-time largest Muslim rebel group, which is engaged in an ongoing peace process with the government, also condemned the bombing and offered to assist Duterte’s administration in whatever way possible Saturday.

 

"The MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] leadership condemns the bomb attack in Davao City,” its vice chairman, Ghazali Jaafar, was quoted as saying by news broadcaster ABS-CBN.

 

“This attack, which has resulted in the loss of many lives, should not have been done by someone in the right mind."

 

A self-proclaimed spokesman for the Abu Sayyaf, Muamar Askali, told local radio station DZMM that the group owned up to the deadly attack, describing it as a "call for unity” to fighters amid a military offensive against the militants.

 

He insisted that the act was not aimed at diverting security forces’ attention from operations in the troubled majority Muslim island provinces of Sulu and Basilan -- a claim disputed by the national police chief.

 

Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa said police suspect the Abu Sayyaf was behind the attack, which he described as a "diversionary move" intended to “ease up the pressure that they have been experiencing in Sulu".

 

The bombing comes after an Aug. 29 military operation in Sulu left 15 soldiers and 30 Abu Sayyaf members dead.

 

Since 1991, the Abu Sayyaf -- armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles -- has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortion in a self-determined fight for an independent province in the Philippines.

 

It is one of two militant groups in the south who have pledged allegiance to Daesh, prompting fears during the stalling of a peace process between the government and the MILF that it could make inroads in a region torn by decades of armed conflict.

 

http://aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/filipino-muslims-condemn-fatal-blast-in-duterte-s-city/640481

Efforts to secure lasting peace in southern Philippines to continue, defence minister says

From the Malay Mail Online (Sep 3): Efforts to secure lasting peace in southern Philippines to continue, defence minister says
















Hishammuddin said the government would continue to monitor closely the development of the peace process in southern Philippines. — AFP pic

The struggle to find a peace process in southern Philippines will continue despite the loss of individuals who contributed to the process such as the late Tengku Datuk Abdul Ghafar Tengku Mohamed.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the demise of Tengku Abdul Ghafar was a big loss, especially in the context of finding peace in Mindanao with the new Philippines leader President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Whoever is involved in the earlier peace process, needed to carry on and the loss of those who left earlier do not mean the mission for peace undertaken thus far cannot proceed,” he told reporters here today.

Hishammuddin said the government would continue to monitor closely the development of the peace process in southern Philippines.

“The peace process in southern Philippines has implications not only in Mindanao because if it is not properly handled, it can affect the security and stability of the region,” he said.

Earlier, he conveyed his condolences to the family of the late Tengku Abdul Ghafar who passed away at his residence yesterday.

Tengku Abdul Ghafar was the Malaysian facilitator for the peace process between the Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Earlier, Hishammuddin who is Umno vice president, declared open the Johor Baru delegates’ meeting, which was also attended by its division chief Tan Sri Shahrir Samad. — Bernama

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/efforts-to-secure-lasting-peace-in-southern-philippines-to-continue-defence

Amnesty, ceasefire, reforms up for 2nd round of formal peace talks

From the pro-CPP online propaganda publication Bulatlat (Sep 3): Amnesty, ceasefire, reforms up for 2nd round of formal peace talks

“The positive outcome of the formal talks held in Oslo, Norway last week removed the animosity and over suspicion left behind by the two previous administrations.” — Benito Tiamzon

Peace consultants of the National Democratic Front (NDFP) Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Tiamzon are looking forward to the next round of formal talks between the government and the NDFP. (Photo by Ronalyn V. Olea/ Bulatlat)

Peace consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) are looking forward to the second round of formal peace talks with the government.

Speaking in a press conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Sept. 3, Benito Tiamzon said they are happy with the resumption of GRP-NDFP formal peace talks after five years of impasse.

Benito said the positive outcome of the formal talks held in Oslo, Norway last week “removed the animosity and over suspicion left behind by the two previous administrations.”

Benito said the first round of formal talks was the easiest. He said he expects the next rounds of talks to be tough.

The “Joint Statement on the Resumption of the Formal Peace Talks in the Peace Negotiations” signed by both parties contains five major points.

First is the reaffirmation of previously signed agreements. Second is the reconstitution of the NDFP’s list of individuals protected by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees. Third is the fast tracking of the peace process and setting the timeline for the completion of the remaining substantive agenda for the talks. Fourth is the recommendation for President Rodrigo Duterte to declare amnesty for the release of all political prisoners. Fifth is developing their separate unilateral ceasefire orders into a single unified bilateral document within 60 days after the signing of the Oslo Joint Statement.

Wilma Tiamzon said the second round of formal talks scheduled on Oct. 8 to Oct. 12 will discuss the details of the amnesty proclamation for the release of political prisoners, the mechanisms for the joint bilateral ceasefire and the frameworks for socio-economic and political and constitutional reforms.

Benito said they hope that Duterte will fulfill his promise of releasing all political prisoners as this would further advance the peace negotiations between the two parties.

Wilma said that they expect the release of the three NDFP consultants from the National Bilibid Prison before the second round of talks. She is referring to Eduardo Sarmiento, Leopoldo Caloza and Emeterio Antalan. The NDFP has maintained that the three consultants were convicted of crimes they did not commit.

Wilma said both parties are willing to see eye to eye about socio-economic reforms for the benefit of the Filipino people. She cited agrarian reform, national industrialization, national sovereignty and independent foreign policy as specific issues to be discussed by the negotiating panels.

Asked about the alleged violations by the military to unilateral ceasefire, Benito said the challenge is for both parties to overcome the separate, unilateral ceasefire declarations and work towards a joint bilateral ceasefire.

“What is needed is to remove the conditions that lead to armed encounters. There should be clear mechanisms on how to resolve incidents of violations,” Benito said.

Benito said there are forces who are against addressing the roots of the armed conflict.
Wilma called on the Filipino people to support the peace talks. She said they will hold consultations in different parts of the country.

The NDFP represents underground organizations such as the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (NPA) in peace talks with the government.
The CPP and the NPA have been waging an agrarian revolution for more than four decades.

http://bulatlat.com/main/2016/09/03/amnesty-ceasefire-reforms-2nd-round-formal-peace-talks/

Bicol soldiers join war on terror

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Sep 4): Bicol soldiers join war on terror



A SOLDIER prepares to hug his child at a military camp in Pili, Camarines Sur province, prior to boarding a C-130 plane that would take them to Lanao del Sur to join the fight against terrorist groups in the wake of an order by President Duterte for a full scale war on the Abu Sayyaf and other terror groups in Mindanao. JUAN ESCANDOR JR./INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

PILI, CAMARINES SUR -- Heeding an order from President Duterte to launch a full-scale war on terror groups operating in Mindanao, an Army battalion left here on Saturday to join a massive military operation against members of the Abu Sayyaf and Maute group, which are being held responsible for a series of kidnappings and terror attacks in parts of Mindanao.

Maj. Gen. Manolito Orense, former head of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division and now commanding officer of the military’s Southern Luzon Command (Solcom), would be in Butig, Lanao del Sur province, where the Maute group operates.

He said the Maute group had been a longtime security problem in the Lanao del Sur area. Members of the group have pledged loyalty to the international terrorist group Islamic State (IS).

The Philippine National Police in Bicol was placed on full alert on Saturday in response to the President’s declaration of a state of lawlessness in the country following the bombing in a Davao City night market that killed at least 10 people and wounded scores of others.

Senior Insp. Ma. Luisa Calubaquib, regional PNP spokesperson, said the highest state of alert has been declared in the region, which would put the entire regional police force on 24-hour duty.

The nationwide full alert declaration by Malacañang required all police regional directors, provincial police directors, including hundreds of chiefs of police, to closely supervise and step up security measures in airports, seaports, bus and public utility terminals, malls and public places.

The Maute group had been tagged in a daring raid on the Lanao del Sur provincial jail to spring members of the group that had been detained there. A total of 23 inmates were sprung from the jail during the raid on Aug. 27.

While Abu Sayyaf had issued a denial of involvement in the Davao bombing, authorities are closely looking at the group that is also involved in a spate of kidnappings and beheadings.

Orense said the 49th Infantry Battalion would reinforce the 101st Brigade in providing security in the Lanao area after the raid on the provincial jail in Lanao del Sur.

Orense said the 49th IB was selected for its record in combat, discipline and teamwork. But he admitted that the situation in Mindanao is different from that in Bicol.

Lt. Gen. Ferdinand Quidilla, commanding officer of the 9th ID, called on the people of Southern Luzon to join the condemnation of the terror attack in Davao City.

“We solicit also the support of the local peace and order councils for our quest to have a safe and secure community,” he said.

Calubaquib, quoting a directive from the PNP central office, said all regional and provincial, city, town police units were directed to fortify all police stations, detachments and camps against possible terror attacks.

They were also directed to set up checkpoints and deploy police patrols in public places and areas where people converge. Patrols were also ordered in sites of vital infrastructure installations such as power and communication lines.

Police checkpoints would be set up in all major road networks in the six provinces of Bicol.

While conducting checkpoints, police were ordered to exercise extreme caution and told to coordinate with the military and other agencies.

Earlier, the National Bureau of Investigations here issued a warning to the public to be cautious in going to malls following unconfirmed reports about a possible attack by suicide bombers from Mindanao who are out to sow terror in Legazpi City.

The NBI later lifted the alarm status after it found the report to be a hoax.

The Joint Police Security Coordinating Council (JPSCC) would hold simulation and communication exercises for effective coordinated security measures soon.

Quidilla said the full alert status would not have an impact on the ceasefire with the New People’s Army.

“The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) shall continue to perform its mandate of protecting the people and the communities through the conduct of security operations focused on the neutralization of threats to national security such as the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) and other terrorist groups, and the protection of communities,” Quidilla said.

Quidilla said soldiers would also ensure “the security of government facilities, military camps, development and economic infrastructures and flagship projects against any armed attacks or sabotage.”

He said the military would continue to support law enforcement operations to ensure peace and order in communities in the entire region.

The battalion of soldiers was given departure honors.

Josephine Clamonte, wife of Sgt. Jimmy Clamonte, was holding back her tears during the sendoff ceremony for the 49th IB. She said she was worried because it is the first time her husband is deployed in Mindanao.

“I am used to having my husband deployed somewhere else. But this is different because it is in Mindanao,” Josephine said.

Clamonte’s two sons wept as they embraced their father to say goodbye.

But for Cpl. Michael Babul, the deployment to Mindanao is a blessing in disguise because his family is in nearby Iligan City.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/812576/bicol-soldiers-join-war-on-terror

AFP CLARIFICATION Only Mindanao in full alert, rest of PHL under heightened alert

From GMA News (Sep 3): AFP CLARIFICATION Only Mindanao in full alert, rest of PHL under heightened alert

The Armed Forces of the Philippines clarified Saturday morning that only the whole of Mindanao is under a full alert status and not the whole country, this after the deadly blast in Davao City Friday night that left at least 15 people dead.

DzBB's Manny Vargas quoted AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla as saying that only the whole of Mindanao is under full alert status because of the bandit Abu Sayyaf Group's threat, especially in Jolo, Sulu.

Padilla also said that military forces in the Visayas and Luzon are on heightened alert. He made the clarification for proper guidance of all the forces on the ground.

President Rodrigo Duterte early Saturday morning declared a "state of lawless violence" in the country hours after an explosion ripped through a popular night market in Davao City, and killed at least 15 people as of Saturday morning and hurt 60 others wounded.

"It's not martial law but I am inviting now the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the military and the police to run the country in accordance with my specifications," he added, noting that he will not be suspending the writ of habeas corpus.

Specifically, Duterte said he was allowing searches of motor vehicles at checkpoints.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/579992/news/nation/only-mindanao-in-full-alert-rest-of-phl-under-heightened-alert

Countries issue travel warnings after Davao bombing

From Rappler (Sep 4): Countries issue travel warnings after Davao bombing

At least 5 countries issue travel warnings after the Davao City explosion that killed 14 and left more than 60 others wounded   



DAVAO BOMBING. An explosion hit a night market in Davao City on September 2, 2016, killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 60 others. Photo by Manman Dejeto/Rappler

A number of foreign countries have alerted their citizens not to travel to parts of the Philippines in the wake of the blast in Davao City where at least 14 people were killed and more than 60 others injured.

The United States Embassy has "temporarily suspended all official travel to Mindanao" despite no direct threat against US citizens in the country.

"The Embassy encourages all US citizens to remain vigilant and employ sound personal security measures as you go about your day. The Embassy will continue to monitor the current state of affairs in the Philippines and will release additional messages as needed," it said in its travel advisory.

Canada has also warned its citizens against traveling to Mindanao and Sulu.

"There is no nationwide advisory in effect for the Philippines. However, you should exercise a high degree of caution due to an ongoing terrorist threat to Westerners and Western interests," said the Canadian government.

The British Embassy, on the other hand, advised against "all but essential" travel to Eastern Mindanao where Davao City is. British citizens are also advised to refrain from traveling to the rest of the island.

"There is a high threat from terrorism, including kidnapping. There has been an increase in kidnapping of foreign nationals since late 2015. It's likely that terrorist groups continue to plan kidnap operations against western nationals in the region. You should remain vigilant at all times," said the British Embassy.

Australian citizens traveling to the Philippines are advised to exercise a "high degree of caution" while those going to Eastern Mindanao may "reconsider [their] need to travel." Those heading to Central and Western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Sulu area, are advised not to go instead.

Meanwhile, Singaporeans in the Philippines are cautioned to "exercise vigilance, and monitor the local news and instructions of the local authorities." (For updates on the Davao blast, check Rappler's live blog)

http://www.rappler.com/nation/145142-travel-advisories-davao-explosion-september-2016

Blast at South Cotabato vice mayor's home – police

From Rappler (Sep 4): Blast at South Cotabato vice mayor's home – police

(UPDATED) Two persons riding a motorcycle threw an object onto the roof of the home of Polomolok Vice Mayor Eliazar Jovero; an explosion followed seconds later, police say   



An explosion occurred at the house of Polomolok, South Cotabato Vice Mayor Eliazar Jovero late Saturday evening, September 3.

According to initial police reports, one of Jovero's security personnel saw two persons riding a blue motorcycle, who stopped in front of the residence at 9:30 pm. One of the riders then threw a hand grenade that hit the house's roof, where an explosion happened seconds later.

After the blast, the riders drove off, heading to the adjacent town of Tupi, according to the initial report.

The house ceiling was partly damaged but no casualty was reported in the incident.

The case is now under investigation.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/145136-south-cotabato-vice-mayor-house-blast

A history of bombings in Davao City

From Rappler (Sep 4): A history of bombings in Davao City

The city has endured a number of bombings in the past few decades



MOURNING. A national flag is placed among flowers as residents offer prayers for bomb blast victims at a night market, during a memorial at the site in Davao City, September 3, 2016. Photo by Stringer/AFP

It has not always been smooth and easy in Davao City, now Mindanao's trade and commerce hub.

Since the early 1980s, the dark days when the city was turned into a virtual "killing fields" for communist rebels, Davao has been witness to bombings of all types so that at some point, when he was still mayor, President Rodrigo Duterte would say that "bombings have been seasonal" in the city.

A total of 73 people have been killed while 551 others have been injured in 8 major explosions in the city, the latest of which was the September 2, 2016 night market blast, which killed 14 people. (For the latest updates on the Davao blast, check Rappler's live blog.)

Below is a list of 7 past explosions to hit Davao:

April 19, 1981, Easter Sunday

Two grenades were lobbed at San Pedro Cathedral.

 

The bomb killed 17 churchgoers and wounded 157. It was the first bombing incident in the country after Martial Law was lifted in January 1981.

 

December 28, 1993, Sunday

The San Pedro Cathedral was again the target, with 3 grenades thrown inside the crowded church while Fr. Bong Dublan was saying his homily for the 6 pm Mass. He saw the grenade that was thrown but was too shocked and speechless to react.

The incident killed 6 people and wounded 151.

 

Eight hours after the incident, a suspected Christian militant bombed a mosque. No one was hurt.

 

Duterte was then on his second elective term as mayor.

 

May 16, 2002, Thursday

An explosion occurred inside the room of one Michael Terrence Meiring, an American, at the Evergreen Hotel. Meiring identified himself as a treasure hunter, and even joked that he was part of the "CIA." Hotel staff told investigators that Meiring brought with him a metal box and warned them not to touch it.

 

The explosion broke his legs. He was later taken from the Davao Doctor's Hospital by agents claiming to be members of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 

The incident angered Duterte as he criticized the United States for being disrespectful. The so-called FBI agents just barged into the hospital, ignoring questions from police authorities who were assigned to watch Meiring.

 

March 4, 2003, Tuesday

Unidentified men used an improvised explosive device to bomb the waiting area at the old Davao International Airport terminal, killing 22 people and wounding 155 others.

 

The government blamed "Muslim terror groups," in particular Jemaah Islamiyah, for the bombing. American and Australian investigators took part in the police investigation of the incident.

 

The bombing happened amid controversy over the Philippines' participation in the US-led "war on terror."

 

Then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo created the independent Mindanao Truth Commission in October that same year to investigate the incident and other related terrorist attacks. Later that year, President George Bush visited Philippines and affirmed support for Mrs Arroyo's anti-terror campaign in Mindanao.

 

April 3, 2003, Thursday

Barely a month after the Davao airport bombing, another powerful bomb exploded, this time at the entrance of Sasa Wharf.

 

The incident, which the government blamed on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), killed 16 people, including 4 policemen and a nun, and injured 46.

 

February 14, 2005, Monday

At around 6 pm, an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT). The incident killed a 12-year-old boy and left 5 others wounded.

 

The DCOTT bombing occurred almost simultaneously with the bombings in the cities of Makati and General Santos.

 

The Abu Sayyaf claimed responsibility.

 

September 13, 2013, Tuesday

At around 9 pm, two simultaneous explosions rocked movie theaters at SM City in Ecoland and Gaisano Mall of Davao in Bajada.

 

No fatalities. A handful of moviegoers sustained minor injuries.

 

This followed explosions in Cagayan de Oro City and Cotabato City in July of the same year.

 

Through all these attacks, Davaoeños have become much stronger and united.
On Saturday, September 3, during the memorial Mass for the victims of the night market bombing, Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles stressed: "Evil invaded our beloved city, but we must stay strong and united because we are Davaoeños."

http://www.rappler.com/nation/145158-history-bombings-davao-city

PNP eyes 3 suspects in Davao blast

From InterAksyon (Sep 4): PNP eyes 3 suspects in Davao blast

The Philippine National Police is looking into the involvement of two females and a male as three persons of interest in last Friday's explosion, according to PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa.

In a press conference Saturday evening at Police Regional Headquarters in Camp Catitipan, Dela Rosa said witnesses pointed to three persons who could have left or blown off an improvised explosive device (IED).

Dela Rosa, however, would not give further details on the three personalities. He was not also sure if the three are still in the city.

Dela Rosa said they are cross-matching the three personalities with a gallery of 10 terrorists.

Dela Rosa said they were also waiting for the post-blast report of the Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit.

Initial findings, Dela Rosa said the IED was crafted from a mortar round based on the fragments taken from the blast area.

According to him, the explosive is closely similar to the signature IED of Abdul Manap Mentang, the suspect in the Valentine's Day bombing of the Davao City Ecoland Terminal in 2005.

Mentang remains at-large, but Dela Rosa said it is possible he was involved in the Sept. 2 night market explosion in Roxas Friday.

Meanwhile, PRO XI Director Manuel Gaerlan confirmed they have eight witnesses who could help in their investigation, but refused to give their identities.

Dela Rosa met with members of the Regional Peace and Order Council and chiefs of city and provincial police offices.

http://interaksyon.com/article/132092/pnp-eyes-3-suspects-in-davao-blast

NGCP tower bombed in Cotabato province

From InterAksyon (Sep 4): NGCP tower bombed in Cotabato province



A transmission tower in Cotabato province was bombed Saturday afternoon, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said.

The NGCP said the bomb failed to topple Tower 103 of the Kibawe-Tacurong 138kV line in Barangay Kitulaan, Carmen town, but put it out of commission temporarily.

The firm said "restoration ofTower 103 will commence as soon as the area is secured."

It appealed to the public, the government and local community leaders "to help identify the perpetrators of the bombings to prevent longer power interruptions."

http://interaksyon.com/article/132095/ngcp-tower-bombed-in-cotabato-province

CIA behind Philippine bombing: Rebels

From the Mindanao Examiner (Sep 4): CIA behind Philippine bombing: Rebels

Philippine rebels on Sunday have blamed the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and rightist groups opposed to President Rodrigo Duterte’s rule for the deadly bombing in Davao City that left dozens of civilian casualties.

Siegfried M. Red, a spokesman for the Communist Party of the Philippines, said the CIA instigated the September 2 bombing of a crowded night market along Roxas Avenue that killed at least 14 people and injured over 60 others.

Police and military investigators found fragments of mortar bomb in the area and bolstered suspicion that an improvised explosive device was used in the attack in Duterte’s hometown.

“The bombing was carried out and masterminded by no other than the world’s greatest terrorist – the US imperialist hegemony which is threatened by the Duterte government’s positive gestures toward the country’s anti-imperialist revolutionary forces and Duterte’s consistent pronouncements against U.S. intervention in Philippine affairs,” Red said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

“The heinous attack in downtown Davao City, home to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, was clearly the handiwork of peace saboteurs, ultra-rightists AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) cliques, and big drug lords — all anti-Duterte forces that conspire with U.S. imperialism to subvert the Duterte government. The September 2 bombing is wrought by the bloody hands of the U.S. war machinery’s black operations,” he added.

Red said initial the attack had the signature of the CIA.

“It is hardly coincidental that initial investigations have found similarities on the explosion device used on Friday’s bombing to the explosives found in the wreck of CIA agent Michael Meiring’s hotel room in Davao City and the ones used in the Davao International Airport and the Sasa Wharf bombings in March and April 2003 respectively,” he said.

Red was referring to the American national who was wounded in an accidental explosion while assembling improvised bombs at Evergreen Hotel in May 2002. Meiring, who had links with Muslim rebel groups in Mindanao, was rescued by U.S. agents from the Davao Medical Mission Hospital and smuggled out of the country in a private plane.

He said: “Duterte himself, has been a witness to how the U.S. terrorist network and its puppet fascist reactionary wreaked havoc in Davao City more than a decade ago. Disgruntled junior officers of the AFP divulged that the US-Arroyo regime masterminded the (previous) bombings that killed 38 and wounded 180 people.”

The Abu Sayyaf has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but later on denied as behind the attack. It earlier threatened to attack military and civilian targets and said the Abu Sayyaf will bring the war on Duterte’s soldiers. 

Red also alleged that the CIA is backing the Abu Sayyaf to stir anti-Muslim sentiments in the Philippines. “A CIA-backed terrorist group was quick to admit its responsibility in the bombing, a scripted rejoinder to sow further enmity against majority of Muslims who want just peace. U.S. imperialism has always employed terror tactics to stir anti-Muslim sentiments and prelude its greater military intervention in countries that challenge its dominance and exploitation,” he said.

He said Washington and its rightist and militarist cliques in the Philippines are opposed with Duterte’s peace talks with the communist rebel group New People’s Army and its allies, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.

“Clearly, US imperialism and its rightist and militarist cliques in the country are not happy with how the Duterte government is shaping its pro-peace governance as shown in the great strides in the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front, and as demonstrated by Duterte’s peace overtures with the MNLF and MILF,” Red said.

He said communist rebel forces are supportive of Duterte’s peace process and ready to fight U.S. intervention and peace saboteurs in the Philippines. “The CPP supports the resounding call of the Filipino people for a just and lasting peace. It is prepared to command the Red fighters and enjoin all revolutionary forces to defend civilians against attacks from US war hawks, peace saboteurs, rabid rightist cliques of the AFP and PNP, and other fascist enemies of the people,” Red said.

There was no immediate statement from the U.S. Embassy or the Philippine government on these allegations, but Filipino journalists also received text messages from their cell phones, saying the CIA was behind the bombing to sabotage Duterte’s peace efforts.

“Good evening everyone, I do not believe the Davao bombing was ASG (handi)work. May(roon) earlier warnings daw to the younger (Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio and Vice Mayor Paolo) Dutertes. Pag ASG, I am sure di na mag-warning pa. I think there is now a rightist operation aided by the CIA to sabotage PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte). There might be more (bombings) in the near future,” the message said, which came from an unknown person.

Duterte has declared a state of lawless violence in the Philippines following the bombing. And Washington quickly condoled with the families of the victims and offered to assist the Philippines in the investigation into the attack.

“The United States offers deep condolences to the families and other loved ones of the victims of the explosion in the Philippines’ Davao City, and our thoughts and prayers are with the injured,” said U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price. “We understand that local authorities continue to investigate the cause of the explosion in the night market, and the United States stands ready to provide assistance to the investigation.” 

But Duterte rejected the U.S. offer to help in the investigation, saying, the local police can handle the probe. The President, who inspected the site of the bombing before sunrise, allayed fears by some sectors that his declaration of state of lawless violence would result to indiscrimitae arrests and human rights violations.

“It’s not martial law, but I am inviting now the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the military and the police to run the country in accordance with my specifications. Simula ngayon, I am declaring now, lahat, state of lawless violence – it’s not martial law, no such thing until – there is a threat against the people and against the nation,” he told reporters covering the situation in Davao.

The mayor said they will not be terrorized by the attack and called on the locals to unite and remain vigilant. “We will not be terrorized by this heinous crime and I call on all Dabawenyos to unite and let us help each other rise from this senseless incident. Let us remain vigilant, please report any and all suspicious activity, no matter how insignificant it may seem,” Carpio said.

Governor Mujiv Hataman, of the Muslim autonomous region, has condemned the attack and branded the Abu Sayyaf as “the biggest traitor of Islam.”

“We are no strangers to such incidents, and we know the fear and sorrow that come with these tragedies. We are one with Davao City in this time of grief. In the fight for peace, we will not falter.”

“Acts of terror have no place in a country that tirelessly hopes for peace and stability. Time and again, this group has proven to be the biggest traitor of Islam, their activities are purely betrayal of the values and principles we hold dear as a peace-loving people,” Hataman said, adding, Islam does not condone the “spilling of blood” and that the murder of innocent people has no place in Islam.

http://mindanaoexaminer.com/cia-behind-philippine-bombing-rebels/

Reds blame US for Davao blast

From MindaNation (Sep 4): Reds blame US for Davao blast



The Southern Mindanao Regional Party Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Saturday condemned the deadly bombing in Davao City, blaming it on the United States which it said is threatened by President Rodrigo Duterte’s “positive gestures” towards the communist movement.

In a statement signed by a certain Siegfried M. Red, the CPP said it condemned the “US-imperialist instigated bombing of the night market in Roxas Avenue, Davao City at 9 pm, September 2, which claimed the lives of 15 civilians and critically injured 67 others.”

(Note: The actual official count of fatalities from the Davao City Police Office is 14.)

The statement said the CPP and the New People’s Army (NPA) were also commiserating with the families of the victims of “the worst attack which hit the country since the Davao bombings of 2003.”

The CPP said the bombing was carried out and masterminded by “no other than the world’s greatest terrorist: the US imperialist hegemony which is threatened by the Duterte government’s positive gestures toward the country’s anti-imperialist revolutionary forces and Duterte’s consistent pronouncements against US intervention in Philippine affairs.”

“The heinous attack in downtown Davao City, home to… President Rodrigo Duterte, was clearly the handiwork of peace saboteurs, ultra-rightists AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) cliques, and big drug lords — all anti-Duterte forces that conspire with US imperialism to subvert the Duterte government,” it added.

Without citing sources, the CPP said it was “hardly coincidental that initial investigations have found similarities on the explosion device used on Friday’s bombing to the explosives found in the wreck of CIA agent Michael Mering’s hotel room in Davao City and the ones used in the Davao International Airport and the Sasa Wharf bombings in March and April 2003 respectively.”

Read about Michael Meiring here.

The CPP also said the admission allegedly made by the Abu Sayyaf, which it called “a CIA-backed terrorist group,” was “a scripted rejoinder to sow further enmity against majority of Muslims who want just peace.”

“US imperialism has always employed terror tactics to stir anti-Muslim sentiments and prelude its greater military intervention in countries that challenge its dominance and exploitation,” the group added.

“Clearly, US imperialism and its rightist and militarist cliques in the country are not happy with how the Duterte government is shaping its pro-peace governance as shown in the great strides in the peace negotiations between the GRP and the National Democratic Front, and as demonstrated by Duterte’s peace overtures with the MNLF and MILF,” the CPP said.

http://mindanation.com/4282/reds-blame-us-davao-blast/

Cops, Army take steps to prevent bombings of NGCP towers

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 4): Cops, Army take steps to prevent bombings of NGCP towers
 

Police and military authorities in North Cotabato have taken steps to secure steel towers of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) after authorities discovered Saturday an attempt to topple down these structures.

Chief Inspector Julius Malcontento, police chief of Carmen, North Cotabato, said Army bomb experts have confirmed that an improvised explosive device was used in an attempt to bring down NGCP Steel Tower No. 103 in Barangay Kitulaan.

"Based on findings, the attempt took place more than a month ago based on the corrosion in the structure," Malcontento quoted an Army report.

He said authorities are still determining who could be possibly behind the attempt.

NGCP Tower 103 carries the 169 KV line from Kibawe substation in Bukidnon to Tacurong sub-station in Tacurong City, passing by the town of Carmen in North Cotabato.

"We have taken steps to prevent similar attempt," Malcontento told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Sunday.

Carment town hosts about 35 NGCP steel towers, some of which, have been bombed in recent years.

Malcontento said residents told the police of what they noticed was a cut in the beams and parallel bars of the steel structure.

Malcontento said village officials have been helping the police monitor the vicinity of the structures as part of community efforts to prevent power outages.

"Everybody suffers when a tower is toppled down, so the community has been helping us," he added.

In April, two NGCP towers were separately bombed in the same village but the towers were not toppled. Three improvised bombs were set off by still unidentified men at the foot of Tower 95 and 96 in Barangay Kitulaan.

 http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=919981