Off-duty soldier killed in midday shooting in Maguindanao

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (May 18, 2019): Off-duty soldier killed in midday shooting in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY — An off-duty Muslim soldier returning to his base after a midday prayer was shot dead by two gunmen along the national highway in Datu Odin Sinsuat (DOS), Maguindanao on Friday afternoon, the military said on Saturday.

Killed was Army Staff Sergeant Miranda Lumbatan, 45, assigned with the Army’s 38th Infantry Battalion and residing in Talitay, Maguindanao.

Lieutenant Colonel Sabri Lakibul, DOS police chief, said the soldier, who was unarmed and in civilian clothes, was walking back to the military detachment in Sitio Daywan, Barangay Tanuel after attending a midday prayer at a Mosque nearby, when gunmen riding in tandem on a motorcycle shot him about 12:45 p.m.

Lumbatan fell on the roadside with gunshot wounds in his chest and back from a caliber .45 pistol.

The suspects sped away toward the DOS town center.

He was rushed to a medical facility in Cotabato City but died before reaching the hospital, said Lakibul.

Lakibul said the motive and identities of the attackers remained unknown.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1120607/off-duty-soldier-killed-in-midday-shooting-in-maguindanao

First localized task force to deal with Communist rebels created

From the Manila Bulletin (May 18, 2019): First localized task force to deal with Communist rebels created

The government has created a localized task force that will deal with Communist rebels operating in CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), the first in the country since the Duterte administration cancelled the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). and opted for localized negotiations.



CPP-NPA (MANILA BULLETIN)

Brig. Gen. Edward Carranza, CALABARZON regional police office director, said the task force will be composed of various government agencies that would push for both the operation and negotiation aspects in dealing with the NPA.

Named Regional Task Force To End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC), Carranza said it was the first Task Force created in the country to address armed conflict between the government and communist rebels.

“The best weapon to address insurgency in the country is the implementation of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) while intensifying the interventions and campaign plans to address the elements of insurgency,” said Carranza, quoting what Interior Secretary Eduard Ano told them.

The task force is composed of 21 government agency members in CALABARZON headed by the Presidential Adviser for Southern Luzon.

Lt. Col. Chitadel Gaoiran, spokesperson of the CALABARZON regional police, said several discussions were conducted during the creation of the task force, among them is the threat situation update, campaign overview and updates on Tabletop Exercise on Convergence.

“Members of the Task Force share the same issues and concerns during the open forum and emphasized the need of appointing Focal Person for each government member agency; the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for Conditional Transitional Grants; and the release of Funds for the Former Rebels’ (FR) financial assistance,” said Gaoiran.

Carranza said the creation of the RTF-ELCAC in CALABARZON will be replicated by other regions to create sectoral unifications were conflicts were identified.

“Twelve clusters under the Regional Task Force will be formed. They will conduct series of meetings and workshops aligning in the composition of the National Task Force,” said Interior and Local Governments Secretary Eduardo Año.

“This a convergence effort of everyone as we are doing this with the ‘Whole of the Government Approach. We will however make sure that the Local Government Units will take the lead to suppress the problems on insurgency in the country,” he added.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/05/18/first-localized-task-force-to-deal-with-communist-rebels-created/

BCDA: A staunch partner for progress

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (May 18, 2019): BCDA: A staunch partner for progress

A year after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption and the pullout of the American military in the country in 1991, the government regained control of the military base lands and undertook the base conversion program through the creation of the Bases and Conversion Development Authority (BCDA.)

The projects in the former military bases have become some of the major drivers of growth in the country and have been a contributor to the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

In May 1992, then President Corazon Aquino signed Republic Act No. 7227, or the “Bases Conversion and Development Act,” that formed BCDA, which was mandated to transform the lands previously used as United States military reservations into economic centers of growth.

BCDA was primarily created to address the economic consequences of four major disasters: Baguio earthquake (1990), Mt. Pinatubo eruption (1991), pullout of the American military bases (1991) that dislocated thousands of workers, and the series of attempted coups (1987 to 1992), which pushed the national economy to the brink of collapse.

Under the law, proceeds from the sale of portions of military camps in Metro Manila shall be used for the following: transfer and construction of new camps, AFP modernization program and housing loan as well as livelihood assistance for uniformed personnel and their families (32.5 percent); conversion and commercial use of Clark and Subic military reservations (50 percent); and long-term housing loan assistance for the affected settlers near the military bases in Metro Manila and cities of Olongapo and Angeles (5 percent).

The remaining amount is remitted to the National Treasury.

Housing projects built by the BCDA for those displaced by its projects include Diego Silang Village, Philippine Centennial Village and Dreamland Subdivision in Taguig City, as well as the 50-ha Philippine Army Village in Capas, Tarlac province.

In 1993, BCDA made its first sale of land when the Philippine National Oil Co. and the Department of Energy acquired a Fort Bonifacio land for P307 million. In the same year, the Wallace Air Station became the Poro Point Special Economic and Freeport Zone in San Fernando City, La Union. It is now home to the 65-ha Mediterranean-inspired Thunderbird Resorts.

In 1994, BCDA started the Heritage Park project, an exclusive memorial park in Fort Bonifacio. Three years later, the town of Morong in Bataan, including the 365-ha Philippine Refugee Processing Center (PRPC), became the Morong Special Economic Zone. PRPC was converted into Bataan Technology Park, also a tourist destination because of its museums, shrines and temples.

In 1999, BCDA turned over 63 ha of land in Villamor Air Base for the construction of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City. By the turn of the century, BCDA sealed landmark deals with property giants Ayala Land Inc. and Megaworld Corp.

A 25-year lease agreement for the 9.8-ha lot in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) was given to Ayala for the construction of Market! Market! mall. The deal generates a fixed lease of P117 million a year. Another 11.7-ha lot was awarded to Ayala for its residential development Serendra.

BCDA partnered with Megaworld for the conversion of the 24.5-ha Villamor Gateway Center into Newport City. Right across Naia Terminal 3, Newport City projects include Resorts World Manila, the entertainment capital of the township; the Newport Performing Arts Theater; hotels such as the all-suite Maxims Hotel, Marriott Hotel, Sheraton, Hilton, Savoy, and Belmont; and a number of luxury residences.

One of BCDA’s infrastructure projects is the 94-km Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), which was opened in April 2008 after a three-year construction. It cuts travel time to economic hubs in Central Luzon such as the Clark International Airport, Subic seaport, Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Clark Freeport Zone.

Included in the current administration’s “Build, Build, Build” initiative is the new passenger terminal at the Clark International Airport. As of April, this expansion project is 53 percent complete, according to BCDA. The new terminal is seen to increase passenger capacity to 12 million from the current 4.2 million passengers.

A second runway that will double the capacity of the airport is also in the works, according to a BCDA report.

Meanwhile, the upcoming metropolis north of Clark is called the New Clark City and spans more than 9,000 ha. It is envisioned to be a modern metropolis, where nature, lifestyle, business, education and industries converge. Previously known as Clark Green City during the Aquino administration, the project was expected to help attract investments, generate more jobs, boost the economy and sustain inclusive growth.

https://business.inquirer.net/270846/bcda-a-staunch-partner-for-progress

AFP marks anniversary of Benham Rise renaming

From the Philippine Star (May 18, 2019): AFP marks anniversary of Benham Rise renaming

Highlighted by a simple flag-raising ceremony at Casiguran Bay aboard the Philippine Navy’s BRP Davao del Sur, the event was followed by the send-off of vessels from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to conduct maritime patrol around the Philippine Rise, a 13-million hectare underwater plateau located in the northeastern seaboard of the country.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines-Northern Luzon Command (AFP-Nolcom) celebrated the second anniversary of the renaming of Benham Rise to Philippine Rise on Thursday.

Highlighted by a simple flag-raising ceremony at Casiguran Bay aboard the Philippine Navy’s BRP Davao del Sur, the event was followed by the send-off of vessels from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to conduct maritime patrol around the Philippine Rise, a 13-million hectare underwater plateau located in the northeastern seaboard of the country.

“The celebration commemorates the second anniversary of the renaming of Benham Rise to Philippine Rise last May 16, 2017 and the sixth year after the Philippine Rise was awarded to the country and it was granted sovereign rites by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) by the United Nations over said maritime area last April 2012,” Nolcom spokesman Maj. Ericson Bulosan said.

Nolcom also hosted a maritime forum with fishermen in Casiguran, Aurora during the event, where maritime safety and pertinent laws and programs as well as initiatives for fishing and the welfare of people living on shoreline communities were discussed.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/05/18/1918860/afp-marks-anniversary-benham-rise-renaming

‘NPA rebel’ arrested in NegOcc

From Panay News (May 18, 2019): ‘NPA rebel’ arrested in NegOcc



Members of 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army recovered these items in a rebel encampment in Barangay Minautok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental on May 15. PHOTO COURTESY OF 303RD INFANTRY BRIGADE/PHILIPPINE ARMY

BACOLOD City – An alleged member of New People’s Army (NPA) was arrested in Escalante City, Negros Occidental.

Police identified him as 49-year-old Rem Lanie Pintor of Barangay Balintawak, Escalante City.

He was believed to be one of the NPA fighters involved in a firefight against 79th Infantry Battalion troopers of the Philippine Army in Barangay Mina-utoc, Calatrava, Negros Occidental last May 15, a police report showed.

A hand grenade rifle was recovered from Pintor’s possession, it added.

He was detained in the Escalante City police station’s custodial facility, facing charges.

https://www.panaynews.net/npa-rebel-arrested-in-negocc/?fbclid=IwAR1QcFrSqDC1qQXBAOGev6J5L4gEDY3FvS13PUBInHxyEFdrt3j3fmfkkDs

Army pursuing PAGs in Maguindanao, firearms recovered

From the Philippine News Agency (May 18, 2019): Army pursuing PAGs in Maguindanao, firearms recovered

SEIZED WEAPONS. Military officials from the Army’s 6th Infantry Division inspect the assorted high powered guns and explosives seized by government forces from private armed groups in Talitay, Maguindanao on Friday (May 17, 2019). The 6th ID is continuously pursuing the armed groups in the area. (Photo courtesy of 6ID)

The commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) has ordered the 90th Infantry Battalion (90IB) to continue pursuing private armed groups (PAGs) in Maguindanao believed to be in possession of more high-powered guns and explosives.

The directive of 6ID chief, Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, came after the seizure of high-powered firearms, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, homemade bombs, a caliber 50 machine gun, and fatigue uniforms on Friday.

“The 6ID would continue to neutralize all the PAGs operating in Maguindanao if they do not surrender peacefully,” Sobejana said in a statement released also on Friday.

The Army-led Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) has been campaigning against loose firearms since 2018. To date, more than 2,000 assorted high-powered guns have been turned over to the military with the help of local government executives.

The soldiers were pursuing a band of gunmen in barangays Bentan and Kilalan, both in Talitay, after they repeatedly clashed since Tuesday over the results of elections when they discovered a trail of PAGs lairs in the area.

Soldiers found five M-16 rifles, four M-653 rifles, three Garand rifles, four M-203 grenade launchers, one shotgun, one Carbine rifle, one KG-9 automatic rifle, two Thompson rifles, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and a .50-caliber sniper rifle along the escape route of the gunmen who hastily left upon learning government forces were closing in on them.

Also recovered were t-shirts printed with the name and face of one of the local candidates.

Sindatuk Salilama Ubal, a resident of Talitay, told reporters that the armed hostilities involved the supporters of vice mayor-elect Montasir Sabal and Sedik Ameril, a former regional lawmaker of the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Both local politicians are included on President Rodrigo Duterte’s narco-list in 2016. Ubal said one group, led by Commander Kalbo, were followers of Sabal while the other was led by Commander Sitti Mike that supports Ameril.

“They have internal arrangement before the elections but someone reportedly violated that agreement that led to firefight,” Ubal said, adding sporadic skirmishes lasted for three days until the military intervened.

Ubal said he was not privy to the agreement that politicians forged. The conflict sent about 70 families fleeing to safer grounds, he said, adding that the Army extended aid to affected families.

Lt. Col. Crizaldo Fernandez, commander of 90IB, said his men were sent to pacify the warring gunmen after civilians reported the hostilities.

When the soldiers arrived in the area Thursday afternoon, the warring groups silenced their guns and dispersed, forcing the soldiers to return to the headquarters.

“They thought the soldiers had already left the village of Bentan,” Fernandez told reporters, adding that government troopers actually hid in the bushes and stayed there overnight until Friday morning.

“The gunmen sped off on board motorized boats into the marshland after seeing the soldiers,” he added.

Fernandez said the soldiers are helping the police find Sabal, who went into hiding three years ago after denying he was into illegal drugs.

His name resurfaced after a relative filed his candidacy for vice mayor of Talitay during last year’s filing.

Sabal was not seen in town during the campaign period but got elected with the help of his brother Abdulwahab, the elected mayor of Talitay.

Fernandez said the Army will not stop in hunting down Sabal and the PAGs.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1070149

DILG chief welcomes 20 ex-Reds back to gov't fold

From the Philippine News Agency (May 18, 2019): DILG chief welcomes 20 ex-Reds back to gov't fold



BACK TO THE FOLD OF THE LAW. DILG Secretary Eduardo Año (center) is joined by members of the multiagency Regional Task Force To End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) in the Calabarzon Region during the formal turnover rites of 20 surrendered rebels who are now under the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program providing livelihood assistance to the rebels as they live normal lives, during the RTF-ELCAC conference at the Police Regional Office (PRO4A) multipurpose hall, Camp Gen. Vicente Lim, Calamba City on May 17, 2019. (Photo by Saul E. Pa-a)

CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Calamba City -- Around 20 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were officially welcomed during turnover rites Friday and placed under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), the government’s “best weapon” to address insurgency in the country.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo M. Año led the rites after presiding the closed-door conference of the multi-agency Regional Task Force To End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) in the Calabarzon Region, at the multi-purpose hall in this camp.

The Calabarzon RTF-ELCAC is the first of its kind to be organized in the country by the local chief executives, line agency regional directors, military and police top brass aimed at ensuring an effective and efficient implementation of Executive Order 70 signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

The President's directive institutionalizes the “Whole-of-Nation Approach” in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace through the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, prompting the Calabarzon multi-agency to form its regional and localize adoption of the anti-insurgency National Peace Framework.

With the turnover of the 20 former rebels, Año has underscored E-CLIP as the “best weapon” to address insurgency while intensifying interventions and campaign plans and provide a more comprehensive orchestration of related peace efforts and initiatives through a convergence of national agencies and LGUs, military, police and various sectors of the civil society organizations.

“This a convergence effort of everyone as we are doing this with the ‘Whole of the Government Approach. We will however make sure that the Local Government Units will take the lead to suppress the problems on insurgency in the country,” the DILG Secretary stressed.

Año spearheaded the symbolic distribution of the E-CLIP assistance to the 20 former rebels, 17 of whom are members of the Militia ng Bayan, the NPA’s armed wing, who received PHP15,000 each as immediate assistance while the three other NPAs each received the PHP immediate assistance and another PHP50,000 as livelihood assistance.

The 20 former rebels were then affiliated with Ganap na Kasapi ng Partido (GK), Milisyang Bayan (MB), Kontak, Baseng Masa and Organisadong Masa under Sub-Region Military Area (SRMA-4A) operating in the provinces of Laguna, Rizal, and Quezon.

With the anti-insurgency regional task force, Calabarzon has been cascading the Task Force roles to the provincial levels in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon to address issues and concerns especially in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) through the creation of clusters patterned after the National Task Force to concentrate on specific issues.

Año lauded the Calabarzon RTF-ELCAC and ordered its replication by other regions to create sectoral unifications were conflicts were identified.

“We will form the 12 clusters under the Regional Task Force and conduct series of meetings and workshops aligning in the composition of the National Task Force,” he directed.

During the two-hour conference, members of the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID), AFP and the 202nd Brigade presented updates on the threat situation, anti-insurgency campaign overview, RTF-ELCAC 4A activities and updates on the convergence tabletop exercise while the DILG representative underscored the mandate of the Regional Peace and Order Council.

Task Force members also raised their concerns and assessed the need of designating a Focal Person for each government member agency; tackled the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for Conditional Transitional Grants as well as the release of funds for the Former Rebels’ (FR) financial assistance.

RTF-ELCAC is composed of 21 government agency members in the Calabarzon, headed by the Presidential Adviser for Southern Luzon Sec. Jose Maria Nicomedes F. Hernandez, who also acts as chairperson with DILG Calabarzon Regional Director Manuel Q. Gotis who serves as head of the Secretariat.

Meanwhile, the operating teams from the Regional Intelligence Division, Police Regional Office CALABARZON were awarded the ‘Medalya ng Kadakilaan (PNP Heroism Medal) in recognition for their exemplary conduct in the negotiations that led to the surrender of the rebels and the turnover of assorted firearms, ammunition and explosives from October 2018 to January 2019.

NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1070172

Left-leaning party-list groups lose hold in 2019 polls

From the Philippine News Agency (May 18, 2019): Left-leaning party-list groups lose hold in 2019 polls

Left-leaning groups that once dominated the party-list race fell back in the 2019 mid-term polls, giving way to the Tulfo brothers-backed Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) to rise on top.

As of 4:53 a.m. Saturday, at least 98.05 percent of election returns were already transmitted from precincts and ACT-CIS leads the pack with 2,605,809 votes.

The group’s nominees are Eric Yap, Jocelyn Tulfo — wife of Raffy, Erwin’s brother, and Rowena Niña Taduran.

Partial and unofficial results from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) transparency server also showed that progressive groups who were consistently on a high vote in the previous elections dropped significantly this year compared to 2016.

The progressive groups that are mostly part of the Makabayan bloc are the following with their corresponding number of votes, as of this posting Friday:

Gabriela – from 1,367,795 votes in 2016 to only 444,635 in 2019;

ACT Teachers – from 1,180,752 votes in 2016 to only 392,674 votes in 2019;

Kabataan – from 300,420 votes in 2016 to only 194,745 votes in 2019;

Anakpawis – from 367,376 votes in 2016 to only 145,771 votes in 2019;

Gabriela, ACT Teachers, and Kabataan lost voters, except for their ally Bayan Muna that almost doubled in 2019 at 1,107,134 from only 604,566 in the previous polls.

The Makabayan bloc’s low ratings can reportedly be attributed to communist leader Jose Maria Sison’s video disclosing that they are the legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and are essential to the continued survival of the rebellious group.

In an earlier interview, Major Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr., AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, said the video is a proof of Bayan Muna and Makabayan bloc’s link with communists.

He said left-leaning party-list groups at the House of Representatives cannot deny being front organizations of the CPP-NPA because Sison himself named them as his progressive allies in his video and their groups’ names in revolutionary websites.

"Ito rin ang patuloy na sinasabi ni Jose Maria Sison tungkol sa kanyang mga 'progresibong kaalyado na makikita natin lahat sa International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS) at rebolusyonaryong website (This is also mentioned by Jose Maria Sison about his progressive allies we see in International League of Peoples Struggles and in revolutionary websites)," he added.

The public was also urged not to support party-list groups allied with communist rebels, as President Rodrigo R. Duterte ordered government troops to “destroy” the decades-old insurgency.

In this year's polls, there are 134 party-list groups vying for the 59 seats in the House of Representatives (HOR).

Out of a total of 181 party-lists which registered for this year's mid-term polls, 47 got disqualified.

A group needs to get at least 2 percent of the total party-list votes to earn a seat at the HOR. What remains of the 59 seats will then be distributed among party-list groups that got more than 2 percent.

As of current tally, party-list groups that obtained the 2-percent vote threshold to get a seat in Congress are ACT-CIS with 2,605,809 or 9.45 percent; BAYAN MUNA with 1,108,199 or 4.02 percent; AKO BICOL with 1,046,186 or 3.79 percent; CIBAC with 923,734 or 3.35 percent; ANG PROBINSYANO with 765,343 or 2.78 percent; 1-PACMAN with 709,868 or 2.57%; MARINO with 675,829 or 2.45 percent; and PROBINSYANO AKO with 627,533 or 2.28 percent.

The party-list system, which was implemented in 1995, through the Party-list System Act (Republic Act No. 7941), aims to give marginalized and underrepresented sectors a voice in Congress.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1070095

Polls show Pinoys don't like NPA-allied solons anymore: NYC chair

From the Philippine News Agency (May 18, 2019): Polls show Pinoys don't like NPA-allied solons anymore: NYC chair



The recently-concluded mid-term elections for party-list groups show that Filipinos no longer prefer legislators allied with the New People's Army (NPA), the chair of the National Youth Commission (NYC) said Friday.

"More Filipinos voted for Duterte Youth than Kabataan because they don’t like NPA-allied congressmen anymore. More Filipinos voted for Duterte allies than opposition members because the nation is confident with President (Rodrigo) Duterte," Ronald Cardema said in a Facebook post addressed to Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago.

Cardema said they will respect the law on substitution after he initially planned to replace his wife, Ducielle Marie Suarez Cardema, as the nominee for the congressional seat. He added that President Duterte and the Commission on Elections will not allow any irregularity contrary to Leftist groups' claims of rigged mid-term elections.

"Thank you for citing the law on substitution, we will not break that law. Duterte Youth Party-list will just crush all of your NPA-allied Representatives in the Philippine Congress because you are using your government office to fund mobs who are taking over (stealing) government housing units and mobilizing the youth against our government and our government troops. The majority doesn’t like you anymore," he said to Elago.

He called on Elago to accept the results of the elections.

"Accept the will of the majority of the Filipino People and accept the results of your cherished democracy," he said.

Elago, in an earlier Facebook post, expressed outrage and called for a protest to the Duterte Youth nominee substitution.

Latest partial and unofficial election results on Saturday showed Duterte Youth having 345,759 votes compared to Kabataan's 194,745 votes with 98.05 percent of election returns already counted.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1070139