Kalinaw News: 108 Former NPA Supporters starts the year with Livelihood Starter Kit from TESDA Davao de Oro

Posted to Kalinaw News (Jan 9, 2020): 108 Former NPA Supporters starts the year with Livelihood Starter Kit from TESDA Davao de Oro (By 66th Infantry Battalion)



NEW BATAAN, DAVAO DE ORO – As a new year begins so as the life of 108 former NPA supporters who received livelihood starter kits from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Davao de Oro during the first municipal flag raising ceremony of the year at Brgy. Poblacion, Maragusan, were given to the 45 graduates of Cake Making Training held last September 10 to 20, 2019.

Beforehand, there were 40 starter kits were earlier released to the beneficiaries of Brgy Tagugpo, Pantukan last January 2, 2020. TESDA will also be giving 23 welding machines this month to the beneficiaries of the same barangay making up a total of 108 beneficiaries.

This program is part of the Executive Order Nr. 70 the Whole-of-Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict that prioritizes Former Rebels (FR), former members of Underground Mass Organizations (UGMO) and Indigenous People (IP) in giving basic needs and services.

It can be recalled that last December 5, 2019, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD) gave Cash-for-work assistance to 33 FRs based in New Bataan by providing them community-based employment including cleaning public places and tree-planting. Furthermore, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region XI also rendered Emergency Employment Program where 300 residents of Brgy Manurigao, New Bataan received a stipend amounting to the minimum wage of the days that they worked for the road maintenance in their community.

“Give a man a fish, and he will be hungry again tomorrow; but teach him to catch a fish and he will be richer all his life,” 1LT FRANCIS HERNAEZ, Alpha Company Commander, 66 th Infantry Battalion quoted a Chinese proverb as part of his message to the beneficiaries during the first municipal flag raising ceremony of Maragusan.

LTC ROMAN S MABBORANG, Commander of 66 th Infantry Kabalikat Battalion told the 33 FRs during the Cash-for-work program to encourage their former comrades to go back to the folds of the law. “These are just few of the benefits provided by the government through the Executive Order Nr. 70. These trainings and programs help the community appreciate the value of hard work and let them realize how workers and small capitalists suffer from extortion of the threat groups. Your 66IB will continuously and untiringly support these programs until the community achieved sustainable peace,” LTC MABBORANG added.

https://www.kalinawnews.com/108-former-npa-supporters-starts-the-year-with-livelihood-starter-kit-from-tesda-davao-de-oro/

AFP-CRS: Filipinos condemn the CPP-NPA

Posted to the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Civil Relations Service (AFP-CRS) Website (Jan 7, 3030): Filipinos condemn the CPP-NPA



Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija – On 26th December, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) celebrated its 51st founding anniversary of leading the conduct of terroristic activities against the Filipino people. It is their pre-planned program of action to conduct rallies during their anniversary to paint negative issues against the government in different corners of the country. However, this year, instead of CPP supporters marching in the streets, pro-government people are the one protesting in the streets, condemning the CPP.

In the area of responsibility of the 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division, Philippine Army, simultaneous indignation rallies were conducted by people of all walks of life across Region 1 and Region 3. During the rallies, they expressed their outrage against the CPP-NPA atrocities, such as, killing people, sabotaging government development and peace programs, and conducting banditry in the guise of romanticized false revolutionary ideals.

Thousand people gathered in Bayanihan Park, Angeles City, Pampanga to express their negative sentiments against the CPP-NPA. The gathering was supported by the Philippine National Police Regional DirectoR, Police Brigadier General Rhodel O. Sermonia, who personally joined the rally together with, personnel of the Army, and other government officials. While in Guimba, Nueva Ecija, around 100 people led by government officials, PNP and 69th Infantry Battalion personnel also conducted rally against the CPP-NPA atrocities.

In Candon City, Ilocos Sur, 500 people, together with personnel of the 81st Infantry (Spartan) Battalion; personnel of Provincial Police Office of Ilocos Sur; the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); Local Government Units (LGU) in the 2nd District of Ilocos Sur; members of Youth For Peace Movement (YFP); and, members of Timpuyog iti Umili Karayan Buwaya (TUKB). It was graced by the Acting City Mayor of Candon City, Kristelle Singson.

Moreover, around 800 people joined the rally held in the San Fernando City, La Union. It was attended by Governor Francisco “Pacoy” Ortega III, and majority of LGU leaders. Also present were contingents from the AFP; PNP; DILG-La Union; and PDEA of La Union.

Among the highlights of the activity were the testimonies of former rebels who recounted the sufferings they inflicted among the people when they were still inside the CPP ambit, like extortions, and forcing people to follow their rules; the hardships they endured when they were active members of the NPA; as well as the distortions of facts by the left-leaning organizations.

Having heard of the sentiments of the people during the rallies conducted, Major General Lenard T. Agustin AFP, Commander, 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division, said, “Indeed, with the concerted efforts embodied in Executive Order No. 70, we have turned the table and now witness the irony of times; instead of CPP mass supporters marching and shouting anti-government chants and slogans, we now see people who are tired of violence, and angry parents why their children are being recruited by CPP to join the armed struggle. This is a manifestation that our people are no longer blinded and deceived by CPP.”

https://afpcrs.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/filipinos-condemn-the-cpp-npa/

NDF/Sison: Highest military subordinates of Duterte oppose resumption of GRP-NDFP peace negotiations

Jose Maria Sison propaganda statement posted to the National Democratic Front Philippines (NDFP or NDF) Website (Jan 8, 2020): Highest military subordinates of Duterte oppose resumption of GRP-NDFP peace negotiations

By Jose Maria Sison
NDFP Chief Political Consultant

The highest military subordinates of Duterte (national security adviser Esperon, defense secretary Lorenzana, DILG secretary Ano, OPAPP secretary Galvez and AFP chief of staff Santos) are opposed to the resumption of peace negotiations between duly-authorized panels of the GRP and NDFP and have made the following declarations:

1. They can destroy the CPP and NPA before the end of the Duterte regime despite the failure of all previous regimes to destroy the people’s revolutionary movement and the repeated failure of the current Duterte regime to comply with its deadlines for destroying said movement.
2. They oppose peace negotiations in a neutral venue abroad but favor negotiations for the surrender of the CPP, the NPA and entire revolutionary movement in a Philippine venue under the control and manipulation of the regime and its armed minions.
3. They can stage fake localized peace talks despite the glaring fact that all organs of the CPP and commands of the NPA at all levels have publicly rejected and condemned such fakery.
4. They are happy with, and enjoy the escalating conditions of oppression and exploitation under the semicolonial and semifeudal ruling system of big compradors, landlords and corrupt bureaucrats who are servile to the imperialist powers, their banks and monopoly firms.
5. They shun social, economic and political reforms to realize full independence, democracy, social justice and all-round development and they are most vehemently against genuine land reform and national industrialization.

In view of the foregoing, the Filipino people should not be surprised if the GRP-NDFP will not be resumed in the twilight years of the Duterte regime. Either Duterte has been pretending to be for peace negotiations all along or he fails as commander-in-chief to put in line his military subordinates for the resumption of the peace negotiations.

Even before the end of the reciprocal unilateral ceasefire agreement last January 7, the Duterte regime’s military and police minions have been calling for war and blood and have been making offensive deployments against the Filipino people and revolutionary forces throughout the archipelago.

The Filipino people and their revolutionary movement are compelled by their enemy to defend themselves and carry out counter-offensives. Their enemy is fully responsible for sabotaging and preventing the resumption of the peace negotiations. They are justified to wage the new democratic revolution through protracted people’s war. ###

https://ndfp.org/highest-military-subordinates-of-duterte-oppose-resumption-of-grp-ndfp-peace-negotiations/

CPP/NPA-Abra:Saluduhan ang Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas!

NDF-Cordillera People's Democratic Front (CPDF) propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jan 8, 2020): Saluduhan ang Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas!

FLORENCIO BALUGA

SPOKESPERSON

NPA-ABRA

NEW PEOPLE'S ARMY

JANUARY 08, 2020

Mabuhay ang maika-51 taong anibersaryo ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas. Nakikiisa ang buong rebolusyonaryong hanay at lahat ng pulang mandirigma sa ilalim ng Agustin Begnalen Command NPA-Abra sa pagbubunyi at pagsaludo sa mga naipong tagumpay ng ating Pambansa Demokratikong Rebolusyonaryon sa buong kapuluan. Ito ay patunay lamang na kahit anong reaksyunaryong rehimen ang maglunsad ng pinakamasasahol na pasistang OPLAN ay nanatiling pinakamamahal ng masang anakpawis at hindi nila hahayaang magapi ang bukod tangi nilang Partido Komunista.

Ipinagdiwang natin ang selebrasyong ito sa pamamagitan ng pagtatanghal ng mga rebolusyonaryong kultura, pinarangalan ang ating mga rebolusyonaryong bayani at inaral ang mga makabuluhang tagumpay na nakamit mula ng naitatag at yumabong ang Partido sa buong bansa at sa ating rehiyong Ilocos-Cordillera. Tinugon ito ng mga kabataan ng kanilang pagpapasya na sumapi sa Bagong Hukbong Bayan.

Sa ilalim ng reaksyunaryong rehimen ng US-Duterte, matalas na naimarka sa sambayanan ang saligang katangian ng pagiging marahas, pasista at mapanlinlang na paghahari nito. Walang tanging ibang mapag-aasahan ang mamamayan kundi ang kanilang matibay na pagkakaisang ipaglaban ang batayang karapatan sa kabuhayan, sibil at hustisyang panlipunan. Ang Bagong Hukbong Bayan ang pinakamalakas na sandata ng masa upang gapiin ang kontra-mamamayang patakaran at programa ni Duterte.

Walang makabuluhang pagbabago sa kalagayan ng mamamayan. Lubog sa kahirapan ang mga magsasaka sa probinsya. Maliban sa hindi makatarungang hatian sa upa sa lupa, mababang sahod, tampok na suliranin ang kawalan ng sapat na patubig na nagiging sanhi ng taunang pagbagsak ng dating nang mahinang ani ng palay. Dagdag pa sa pagpapahirap ang iskemang NGP dahil sistematikong inaangkin ng gubyerno ang ansestral na lupain at pagbabawal sa kanilang magkaingin na syang tanging pangdagdag sa butil na pangkonsumo.

Walang plano ang reaksyunaryong gubyerno na paunlarin ang kabuhayan ng magsasaka at pambansang minorya bagkus pawang programa para sa interes lamang ng iilang burukratang pulitiko at malalaking panginoong maylupa ang pinaglilingkuran nito. Ang ganitong karalitaan ay sinasakayan at pinatitindi pa ng mga sagadsaring warlord na pinangungunahan ng pamilyang Bernos-Valera at Balao-as. Sila ang lubos na nakikinabang sa pondo ng bayan para sa kanilang maluhong pamumuhay at ang mga pondong ito rin ang ginagamit sa pagbili ng boto at prinsipyo ng mga Abrenio kapalit ng pagiging sunud-sunuran at pagkaalipin.

Ang mga kabuktutan ng pulitiko sa Abra na nagdudulot ng matinding kahirapan ng masa ay pilit nilang pinagtatakpan at dinidepensahan sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagsabawatan sa militar at pagpapalakas ng pribadong armadong grupo. Bagamat ang karamihan sa lokal na gubyerno sa munisipyo at sentrong bayan ay ikinahihiya ang kanilang presidente. Hangga’t maari ay gusto nilang matapos na termino ni Duterte at umaasang hindi na muli pang mailuklok sa poder. Ito ang totoong saloobin ng mga taong nagtatrabaho sa pamahalaan. Ang ibig sabihin nito hindi nagiging epektibo ang militaristang mando ng NTF-ELCAC sa ilalim ng tinaguriang “Whole-of-Nation-Approach” dahil mismong ang mga nasa lokal na pamahalaan ay nagiging target ng panggigipit at pananakot ng kontra-mamamayang gera ni Duterte.

Ang taong 2020 at mga susunod pa ay nagiging mas mainam ang kalagayan para sa pagsusulong ng ating Digmaan Bayan. Ang hindi malutas na krisis ng malakolonyal at malapyudal na sistema ay mas lalo pang pinapalala dulot ng krisis ng pandaigdigang krisis ng kapitalismo kung saan ipinapasa nito sa mga Pilipino ang sobrang kapital at sobrang produksyon sa pamamagitan ng pagkatali sa internasyunal na utang at bangkaroteng patakaran sa ekonomya at pulitika. Mas lalong malalantad ang kabulukan ni Duterte dahil sa patuloy nitong pangangayupa sa dikta ng amo nitong imperyalismo. Malalantad pa ng husto ang anomalya sa hanay ng AFP at PNP sa kanilang sagad sa butong pagiging tuta ng imperyalistang Estados Unidos.

Nanawagan ang Agustin Begnalen Command sa lahat ng kabataan at mamamayan na ibayong palakasin ang ating armadong pakikibaka bilang pangunahing sandata ng uring anakpawis sa paggapi sa mapagsamantala at mapang-aping sistema. Kaakibat ng armadong pakikibaka kailangan nating ibayong palakasin ang rebolusyong agraryo sa upang pawiin pyudalismong ugat ng pagkakaapi ng magsasaka, isulong at ipaglaban ang kagalingan ng lahat ng maralita. Ang tunay na repormang agraryo at ang pambansang industryalisasyon ang tanging paraan para umunlad ang bayang malaya sa dikta ng dayuhan. Katugon ng armadong paglaban ang pagtatayo at pagpapalakas ng ating Demokratikong Gubyernong Bayan, ito ang tunay na demokrasya dahil ang mithiin ng mayoryang magsasaka, manggagawa, at lahat ng demokratikong uri ang pangunahing ipinaglalaban at itinataguyod. Makakamit natin ang ganap na tagumpay sa pamamagitan ng ubos-kayang pagpupunyagi sa ating Digmaan Bayan.

Mabuhay ang Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas!

Mabuhay ang Rebolusyong Pilipino!

Sumapi sa Bagong Hukbong Bayan!

Isulong ang Pambansa Demokratikong Rebolusyon, hanggang sa tagumpay!

https://cpp.ph/statement/saluduhan-ang-partido-komunista-ng-pilipinas/

CPP/NDF & NPA-Negros: Unabated AFP military operations amid ceasefire declaration

NDF-Negros/NPA-Negros Island propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jan 8, 2020): Unabated AFP military operations amid ceasefire declaration

BAYANI OBRERO

SPOKESPERSON

NDF-NEGROS

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT OF THE PHILIPPINES

JUANITO MAGBANUA

NPA-NEGROS ISLAND

APOLINARIO GATMAITAN COMMAND)

NEW PEOPLE'S ARMY

JANUARY 08, 2020

To build favorable grounds for the resumption of peace talks, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) both declared reciprocal unilateral ceasefires effective on December 23, 2019 until January 7, 2020.

But the NDF in Negros received reports of continuing violations of the facist troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of human rights and also of their ceasefire declaration.

According to Ka Bayani Obrero, spokesperson of NDF-Negros, this manifests the dubious sincerity of the Duterte regime regarding peace talks resumptions.

“Because the fascist elements of the state carry on implementing combat operations in communities especially in the mountainous areas of the peasants to persistently spread terror, threats and harm on the Negrosanons,” Obrero added.

The Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the New People’s Army (AGC-NPA) Regional Operational Command in Negros has listed several violations of the AFP’s ceasefire order and more than that proof of de facto martial in Negros Island.

“This simply shows that Duterte has no control over his bloodthirsty and warmongering dogs in the military and police,” said Ka Juanito Magbanua of the AGC-NPA.

From December 23, 2019 to January 7, 2020, the following are recorded confirmed reports regarding movement and operations of troops under the 303rd Brigade in Negros Island:

1. December 24, 2019 – Brgy. Mansablay, Isabela, Negros Occidental; 1 rio truck full of 62nd IB troops

2. December 27, 2019 – Sitio Kuyawyaw, Brgy. Inolingan, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental; 21 troops of the 62nd IB

3. December 27, 2019 – Sitio Oway-oway and Sitio Binataan, Brgy. Quinten Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental; 21 troops of the 62nd IB

4. December 27, 2019 – Sitio Tibobong, Brgy. Quinten Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental; 30 troops of the 62nd IB

5. December 28, 2019 – Sitio Tiyos, Brgy. Quinten Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occiental; 33 troops of the 62nd IB

6. December 30, 2019 – Sitio Saisi, Brgy. Tan-awan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental; 62nd IB troops

7. December 31, 2019 – Sitio Bayi, Sitio Cande-is and Sitio Ulitaw, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental; 62nd IB troops

8. December 31, 2019 – Sitio Tanquinto and Hacienda Amparo, Brgy. Mabini, Escalante City, Negros Occidental; 20 troops of the 79th IB headed by Maj. Tupaz

9. January 1-3, 2020 – Sitio Pisok, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental; 62nd IB troops

10. January 3, 2020 – Sitio Brodjen, Brgy. Malasibog, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, 14 troops of the 79th IB

11. January 6, 2020 – Brgy. Paitan, Escalante City, Negros Occidental; 40 troops of the 79th IB

Apart from these recorded incidents, there were also reports of troop movement and operations of the 11th IB under the 302nd Brigade and the PNP at Brgy. Talalac in Sta. Catalina and other municipalities of the 3rd district of Negros Oriental.

“On the other hand, NPA units in Negros Island firmly followed and adhered to the ceasefire order of the CPP Central Committee and the NPA National Operational Command,” Magbanua said.

However, added Magbanua, within the ceasefire period, the NPA remained in active defense mode against treacherous attacks of the AFP referring to incidents in other regions where despite the ceasefire declaration Duterte’s fascist troops continue their traitorous movements and attacks and then attributing these to the NPA.

The AGC-NPA congratulated all NPA guerrilla fronts and the entire revolutionary forces in Negros for succesfully holding celebrations on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines despite massive military operations in the Island.

“The NPA Negros Regional Operational Command is resolute and strong in its position for the resumption of peace talks but we remain prepared and on guard against counterrevolutionary schemes of the fascist troops of the state and their imperialist masters,” said Magbanua.###

https://cpp.ph/statement/unabated-afp-military-operations-amid-ceasefire-declaration/

CPP/NDF-CPDF: Galvez is talking to his own shadow! Rejoinder to the OPAPP’s dream of an insurgent-free Cordillera region

NDF-Cordillera People's Democratic Front (CPDF) propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jan 8, 2020): Galvez is talking to his own shadow! Rejoinder to the OPAPP’s dream of an insurgent-free Cordillera region

SIMON 'KA FILIW' NAOGSAN

SPOKESPERSON

CORDILLERA PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT OF THE PHILIPPINES

JANUARY 08, 2020

In a vain attempt to outshine the prospect of the resumption of peace talks between the NDF and the GRP, peace spoilers in the Cordillera wish to steal the show. They undertook a preposterous effort to showcase that local peace talks is the best policy the reactionary regime has taken. Thus, they ridiculously chose the CPLA as their counterpart in the “local peace talks” in the Cordillera.

As the US-Duterte regime is increasingly becoming politically isolated not only from the Filipino people but also from his imperialist patrons, his generals and retired military officials positioned in government are frenziedly competing among themselves for a slice of the proverbial pie before the ship sinks. Ret. General Galvez of OPAPP and his enterprising partner generals in the Philippine Army’s 5th Infantry Division are also cooking up their own brand of gimmick while supposedly implementing the NTF-ELCAC counter insurgency program. Parroting the oft-repeated “localized peace talks” line, they picked up the highly discredited CPLA-CBAd and baptized their unholy partnership as “KA BODONG” chaired by MGen. Pablo Lorenzo of the 5th ID to declare a silly dream of a “road map for an insurgency free Cordillera region come 2022”.

This latest outrageous initiative once again exposes the truncated military mind-set in “ending the communist armed conflict.” They keep the root causes of the raging civil war unaddressed while perpetuating rule of landlords and comprador bourgeoisie along with their imperialist masters over a rotten semi-feudal and semi-colonial Philippine society. It is no wonder that the reactionary government and its armed forces continue to resurrect the decomposing CPLA-CBAd as an adjunct for its counter-insurgency operations by projecting them as a legitimate rebel group to supposedly prove the success of their localized peace talks.

There is money in war! This seems to be the dictum guiding these generals in trying to revive a discredited and discarded killing machine in the form of the CPLA-CBAd to misrepresent the Cordillera people as an appendage in their bloody war plan from 2020 to 2022 funded by the US-Duterte regime. A good business, indeed! The cheap trick smacks of showbiz-like nonsense, packaged as an entertainment presentation of the Duterte regime talking to itself.

It can be recalled that the the CPLA have already surrendered themselves when they forged the bogus “sipat” with the Cory regime in 1986 and have been officially integrated to the AFP and its paramilitary forces as CAFGUs during the Arroyo regime.

The CPLA’s kilometric record of human rights violations include murders of mass leaders of progressive people’s organizations, hostile acts against tribes that are tantamount to inciting tribal wars, harassments and intimidations of communities they suspect to be supporting the CPP-NPA-CPDF. Their involvement in land grabbing, squatting and other lumpenic malfeasance and arrogance prompted the local government of Baguio City and the province of Benguet to pass resolutions declaring them persona non grata in 2016 and 2019 respectively. These undesirable activities are all contrary to their claim that they are for peace in the region.

As always, the reactionary government and its Armed Forces keep coddling the CPLA as willing lapdogs. Well, there is money in garbage!

‘Recycling’ was definitely the word of the year in 2019. Confiscated drugs were recycled by the ninja cops. Fake surrenderees were recycled by the corrupt military and police officials. Old pictures were recycled by low-skilled Photoshop trying-hards like the disgraced Masbate flop. Now, we add recycling of fake “localized peace talks”.

The US-Duterte regime’s “road map to make the region insurgency free by 2022” is plain day dreaming. Utilizing the CPLA-CBAd as a force multiplier is a worn out story line. They have been functioning as such since 1986 upon their surrender. Galvez and the 5th ID’s backing of the CPLA will abet their anti-people and criminal activities. They will certainly be the force multiplier for peace spoilers. In the end, the CPLA-CBAd will surely be thrown to the dustbin of Cordillera history as traitors in the struggle for the right to self-determination and democracy. ###

https://cpp.ph/statement/galvez-is-talking-to-his-own-shadow-rejoinder-to-the-opapps-dream-of-an-insurgent-free-cordillera-region/

CPP/NDDF-CPDF: CPDF: Onwards to victory!

NDF-Cordillera People's Democratic Front (CPDF) propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jan 8, 2020): CPDF: Onwards to victory!

SIMON 'KA FILIW' NAOGSAN

SPOKESPERSON

CORDILLERA PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT OF THE PHILIPPINES

JANUARY 08, 2020

On the occasion of the 51st anniversary celebration of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the Cordillera People’s Democratic Front (CPDF) joins ranks with the rest of the revolutionary mass organizations and the Filipino people in extending warmest militant greetings to the CPP for its achievements this year against the US-Duterte regime and in the overall advancement of the people’s democratic revolution. Moreover, we extend our collective revolutionary salutation to the martyrs and pioneers of the revolution. Their sacrifices and martyrdom serve as inspiration and a beacon for new revolutionaries to follow. Had it not been for them, the revolution could not have attained its advances and victories.

In the Cordillera region, even while at the incipient period of the reestablishment of the CPP, recruitment of party members commenced among the workers in mining areas and factories and youth-students in the urban and town centers, and among the peasants, elders and peacepact holders in the tribal communities. Under the CPP’s absolute leadership, the New People’s Army (NPA) thrived in different parts of the region amidst the upsurge of the revolutionary mass movement among the national minorities. The heroic armed and unarmed struggles of the Bontoc and Kalinga tribal communities against the imperialist funded Chico River Megadams and the Tinggians of Abra against the Cellophil Resources Corporation highlighted the rapid advance of revolutionary mass movement in the Cordillera in the 1980s. The correct line of the revolutionary movement in leading these campaigns was wholly embraced by the national minorities and subsequently led to their support and active participation in advancing the armed revolution. This resulted in the extensive organizational buildup of the CPDF through the establishment of chapters among communities and tribal elders from the various tribes of the Cordillera. Through the leadership of the CPP, the CPDF has been steadfast in uniting the national minorities struggle for self-determination and democracy in the Cordillera under the program of the people’s democratic revolution. Even during the darkest days of the Balweg-led CPLA’s terrorism against the people, the CPP and CPDF have successfully repudiated the bankrupt indigenist line of the CPLA and exposed its role as a tool of the state in the sell-out of Cordillera struggle, suppression and terrorism of national minorities. Up to present, the CPDF remains at the helm of forging the Cordillera people’s unity in advancing our campaigns and struggles along with the entire Filipino people’s struggle for national freedom and democracy. If not for the courageous and unified struggles of the people of the Cordillera against the onslaught of imperialist plunder since these past decades, the Cordillera would have been long pillaged completely.

After the ouster of the dictator Marcos, the pseudo-democratic regimes that successively took the reins of the puppet government have proven themselves no different. Neoliberal policies and fascism have been continuously implemented in the Cordillera as elsewhere exacerbating national oppression and non-recognition of our right to self-determination, resulting in different forms of plunder of ancestral lands, displacement, destruction of livelihood, culture and traditions of the communities. But the worst of them all is the present US-Duterte regime that has been characterized by brutal fascism and total subservience to US and Chinese imperialism. National minorities’ ancestral lands are increasingly being plundered and pimped out to local ruling class and their imperialist masters as project sites for large dams, geothermal and other energy projects. Duterte’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ flagship projects include the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project and the Chevron-Aragorn Geothermal Project, both located in Kalinga. Aside from these major projects, other energy projects are on deck or temporarily stalled either due to actual or perceived opposition from the concerned communities, uncompleted requirements or awaiting entry of focused military operations for their armed escorts. Added to these are the various applications for mining projects, which would cover almost 61% of the land area of the Cordillera. These projects are relentlessly pursued only after militarizing the area and employing tactics of cooptation and machination against the concerned tribe.

Due to his overzealous obsession for tyrannical rule and hatred for any type of opposition, Duterte has vented his all-out rage against the revolutionary movement – the most staunch and formidable nemesis of the whole system. Duterte has signed Executive Order 70, creating the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), and consequently formed the counterparts from the regional down to the barangay levels. With this, Duterte has turned and weaponized the entire civilian bureaucracy into a military junta, wielding it as a weapon for further suppression and fascism against the people. Limited funds of the bankrupt regime that should be allocated for meager social services at the local level are diverted instead to fund the counter-insurgency program, pushing the LGUs and line agencies to bear the burden of accomplishing the mission impossible to end the raging civil war in the countryside. As a result, the Filipino people are further bled dry through the ever increasing tax impositions, deprived furthermore of basic social services while Duterte and his sycophants are enriching themselves.

Despite the regime’s muckraking, it cannot hide the fact that the armed revolutionary movement has been continuously growing and advancing in the face of the worsening crisis of the whole semi-colonial and semifeudal system. The CPP, the revolutionary party of the proletariat persevered in leading the national-democratic revolution with a socialist perspective for 51 years now and continues to reap the support and respect of the oppressed and exploited Filipino people.

The CPDF, as a member organization of the National Democratic Front, is more resolute than ever in advancing our struggle for self-determination and democracy that can only be attained by striving even harder to advance the people’s war to the next higher stage until final victory. As we rally strongly behind, CPDF is confident that through the political leadership of CPP, the people’s war will gain more victories, until total victory is achieved in the entire country.

Long live the Communist Party of the Philippines!
Advance the national-democratic revolution to final victory!
Advance to higher level and build more chapters of the CPDF!
Long live the armed struggle of the people!
Oust the US-Duterte regime!

https://cpp.ph/statement/cpdf-onwards-to-victory/

CPP/NDF-CPDF: The surrender campaign of the US-Duterte regime is a big fat pocket!

NDF-Cordillera People's Democratic Front (CPDF) propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Website (Jan 8, 2020): The surrender campaign of the US-Duterte regime is a big fat pocket

SIMON 'KA FILIW' NAOGSAN

SPOKESPERSON

CORDILLERA PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT OF THE PHILIPPINES 

JANUARY 08, 2020

The comical episodes on fake surrenders in the country unfold day by day. For pure psywar, the corrupt military and civilian officials continue to make money from the various trickery feigning success of their counterrevolutionary war against the national democratic revolution.

Propaganda and psychological warfare comprised a large component part of the Oplan Kapanatagan of the US-Duterte regime in its pipe-dream to end the communist armed conflict. Duterte, like his idol – the fascist dictator Marcos, nurture his psywar operatives along Hitler’s chief propagandist Joseph Goebbel’s strategy: that even sheer falsehood and half-truths if propagated repeatedly will in the end be accepted as truths. During the heyday of his rule, Marcos had his gang of Goebbels propping up his brutal dictatorship. When Marcos became acutely isolated from the broad masses of the Filipino people, his martial law propagandists grew ineffective, were replaced one after the other until his US masters found in him a puppet liability beyond tolerance, hence his ignominious ouster.

However, in the internet era that we are now, even ordinary citizens who have access to mainstream, alternative, and social media can plainly figure out truths from untruths, factual from fake, real from the imagined. Much more for an awakened, patriotic and struggling citizenry, shenanigans are easily spotted specially if done excessively. It will certainly backfire. This was the case of the clumsily photoshopped presentation of the more than “300 surrenderees” in Masbate. This exposé earned the ire of netizens, media and the reading public. It exposed the military’s flagrant hoodwinking handiwork to keep the public misinformed and the fakery of the surrender campaign of the US-Duterte regime and the attendant Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) as a corruption racket of AFP/PNP generals.

The guilty scheming Maj. Aguilar was quick to apologize publicly and made a more outrageous alibi that it was an honest mistake, purportedly to protect the identity of the surrenderees and the AFP spokesperson professed further that it was an isolated case. Well that was overdosing the public with more lies.

Up here in the Northern Luzon, similar gimmickry cum milking cow ventures are glaring proof that the Masbate hullabaloo was not at all an isolated case. In the Ilocos-Cordillera region, as with other regions of the country, people are being subjected to different forms of coercion to force them to submit to this dubious program. In order to meet their quota and project a prettified scenario that they are winning the war and in the process, get a share of the reward money, officers and personnel of the AFP concoct numerous schemes in order to present “surrenderees” and gloatingly project them to the media. One comical incident was the case of fake surrender of Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Abra and Isabela peasants. Under pain of being falsely accused as NPA supporters, they were transported aboard military trucks to the headquarters of the 5th Infantry Division in Gamu, Isabela. They were ushered in a huge hall set like a dining room. But alas! No food was served in the finely arranged dining table. Instead, various types of guns were laid in each table ranging from the rusty homemade short arms, hunting guns, to the high caliber sort of rifles. All 72 of them were presented as surrenderees before President Duterte during his visit in September 2018.

After the well documented fake surrender, the peasants were served little food packed in small cellophane bags. A few of them received P15,000 each and were transported back to their respective communities. They were told that another surrender batch of their barriomates will follow soon.

In this case, the corrupt officials of 5th ID were not only fooling the public, they were even fooling their own commander-in-chief!

On the other hand, police officials show off their separate exhibits. Take the case of an Abra fake mass surrender. Ten civilians from Sallapadan, Abra were summoned by PNP Provincial Dir. PCol. Alfredo A. Dangani in the provincial police headquarters in Bangued where they were forced to take oath as surrenderees and had their group picture taken despite the barrio folks’ protestation. Obviously, no one would ever believe that a 74 year-old man and women elderlies would ably qualify as militia members! Joining the fray rather brazenly was PCol. Job Russel Balaquit, the PNP Provincial Director of Kalinga. For failing to get civilians to sing his tune, he arrested four women elderlies from Barangay Buaya in Balbalan, Kalinga in the evening of October 24, 2019, brought them to Camp Juan Duyan, Tabuk City and presto! He already had four surrenderees up his sleeve the following morning. The dossiers of the four dated as far back as the Marcos period. What a comedy indeed!

It is also noted that most of these supposed surrenderees were recycled as they were presented as such in previous periods. Clearly, this scheme was to pad the lists of supposed surrenderees to gain larger amounts to fatten their pockets leaving the surrenderees to a next possible round of surrender summon.

Clearly, corrupt psywar operatives in the AFP and PNP are more interested with stealing people’s money allotted for E-CLIP. Unlike Goebbels who successfully manipulated German minds to worship Hitler like God, the crooks are not concerned if their commander in chief appears even more silly before the entire Filipino people.

With these numerous machinations being exposed, no one would ever believe these long running lies of the AFP-PNP sycophants except themselves and their fascist masters. In the face of the increasing exploitation and oppression, the people’s resistance will further intensify. More and more will be compelled to join swelling ranks of the revolutionary forces. As long as the basic problems of the people are not addressed, the armed revolution will continue to surge forward in the countryside. The national-democratic revolution continuously grows with the support of the people, and no amount of fascism, militarization and sham campaigns can turn back its advance. On the other hand, the AFP-PNP’s losing course shall run parallel with the downhill path of the US-Duterte regime, and their infamy shall lead to their downfall.

Oust the US-Duterte regime!
Fight against fascism and tyranny!
Expose the sham surrender campaign of the AFP!

https://cpp.ph/statement/the-surrender-campaign-of-the-us-duterte-regime-is-a-big-fat-pocket/

March busiest month last year with 18 arrests over militant activities – CP

From the Borneo Post Online (Jan 8, 2020): March busiest month last year with 18 arrests over militant activities – CP

KOTA KINABALU: March 2019 was the busiest month for the Sabah police when their made back-to-back arrests of individuals involved in Daesh militant activities.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah (pic) said between January and September of 2019, a total of 18 people, including locals, were arrested by police for their involvement in Daesh militant activity.

“January 2019 saw one foreign person arrested by police for militant activity, followed by 13 arrests made in March involving 12 Philippines nationals and a local.

“Two Indonesians were separately arrested for militant activity in May and July, while two locals were detained for their involvement in Daesh in September,” said Omar at a press conference yesterday.

Omar added that the district of Tambunan recorded the highest arrests with seven, followed by Semporna with six, Keningau with three, and Kota Kinabalu and Tenom with one each.

“To address the militant threats especially kidnapping in Sabah, our special forces will continue to monitor and detect movements of kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) groups or Abu Sayyaf group that are infiltrating Sabah’s east coast.

“Based on our latest information, KFR and Abu Sayyaf groups have been detected moving between Pulau Andulingan and Pulau Sitangkai, which is the closest to Lahad Datu and they are armed with firearms,” he said.

Omar added that the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) is currently recruiting new members in the southern Philippines, believed to strengthen the group following geo-political changes in the Mindanao region.

“We are monitoring this development closely as it is important to Sabah’s security.

“We will increase our intelligence to monitor the Deash militants who may have retaliated following the death of their leader, Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi, during a US military operation in Syria last October,” said Omar.

https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/01/08/march-busiest-month-last-year-with-18-arrests-over-militant-activities-cp/

More than 3,500 brgys to benefit from P20 billion in gov’t development projects – Esperon

From the Manila Bulletin (Jan 8, 2020): More than 3,500 brgys to benefit from P20 billion in gov’t development projects – Esperon (By Genalyn Kabiling)

The government will set aside around P20 billion to implement development projects in hundreds of barangays affected by the Communist insurgency this year, according to National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.



National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
(JANSEN ROMERO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

Esperon said the government intends to allot P20 million each for the development projects in 842 barangays cleared of rebel influence while P1.5 million for 2,739 barangays under insurgency threat.

The fund request made by Esperon under the “Retooled Community Support Program” had been approved by President Duterte during a Cabinet meeting last Monday.

“We have 842 barangays that we have cleared of the influence of the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) or the Communist Terrorist Group( CTG). We are allocating at least P20 million for each barangay for development projects as approved by the President,” Esperon said in an interview with Manila Bulletin.

“There are 2,739 barangays threatened by CTG expansion activities. We are allocating P1.5 million each for development. These development projects will be put in place in 2020,” said Esperon, vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

The projects include farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water and sanitation system, national greening program, health facilities, and livelihood programs.

With the implementation of the development projects, he said they hope the Communist rebels will return to the fold of the law, or will be forced out of the barangays.


“The NPA also loses the support of the people. Instead of being mass base of NPA, they become productive citizens living in peaceful communities,” he added.

Esperon assured that the government would continue to clear other barangays of the CTG threat.

“While delivering the development projects in 2020, another 609 barangays influenced by CTG will be cleared by our team through the Retooled Community Support Program,” he said.

He said the government team used to be composed of soldiers and policemen but will now be led by a concerned mayor or other local government officials. “The military and PNP take a secondary role and secure the largely civilian components/teams of the RCSP,” he said.

He said the development projects for 609 barangays are expected to deliver in 2021.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/01/08/more-than-3500-brgys-to-benefit-from-p20-billion-in-govt-development-projects-esperon/

NDF, New People’s Army accuse AFP of violating ceasefire deal

From the Sun Star-Bacolod (Jan 8, 2020): NDF, New People’s Army accuse AFP of violating ceasefire deal

THE National Democratic Front (NDF) and the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels accuse the military of committing violations of the unilateral ceasefires.

In a joint statement of Ka Bayani Obrero, NDF-Negros spokesperson, and Ka Juanito Magbanua, AGC-NPA Negros spokesperson, accuse the military of unabated operations amid ceasefire declaration.

To build favorable grounds for the resumption of peace talks, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) both declared reciprocal unilateral ceasefires effective on December 23, 2019 until January 7, 2020.

According to Ka Bayani Obrero, spokesperson of NDF-Negros, said such move of the military manifests the dubious sincerity of the Duterte regime regarding peace talks resumptions.

The Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the New People’s Army (AGC-NPA) Regional Operational Command in Negros has listed several violations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s ceasefire order.

“This simply shows that Duterte has no control over his military and police,” said Ka Juanito Magbanua of the AGC-NPA.

The rebels recorded the alleged movement and operations from December 23, 2019 to January 7, 2020, of troops under the 303rd Brigade in Negros Island:

1. December 24, 2019 - Brgy. Mansablay, Isabela, Negros Occidental; 1 rio truck full of 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) troops

2. December 27, 2019 - Sitio Kuyawyaw, Brgy. Inolingan, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental; 21 troops of the 62nd IB

3. December 27, 2019 - Sitio Oway-oway and Sitio Binataan, Brgy. Quinten Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental; 21 troops of the 62nd IB

4. December 27, 2019 - Sitio Tibobong, Brgy. Quinten Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental; 30 troops of the 62nd IB

5. December 28, 2019 - Sitio Tiyos, Brgy. Quinten Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occiental; 33 troops of the 62nd IB

6. December 30, 2019 - Sitio Saisi, Brgy. Tan-awan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental; 62nd IB troops

7. December 31, 2019 - Sitio Bayi, Sitio Cande-is and Sitio Ulitaw, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental; 62nd IB troops

8. December 31, 2019 - Sitio Tanquinto and Hacienda Amparo, Brgy. Mabini, Escalante City, Negros Occidental; 20 troops of the 79th IB headed by Maj. Tupaz

9. January 1-3, 2020 - Sitio Pisok, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental; 62nd IB troops

10. January 3, 2020 - Sitio Brodjen, Brgy. Malasibog, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, 14 troops of the 79th IB

11. January 6, 2020 - Brgy. Paitan, Escalante City, Negros Occidental; 40 troops of the 79th IB

Apart from these recorded incidents, there were also reports of troop movement and operations of the 11th IB under the 302nd Brigade and the PNP at Brgy. Talalac in Sta. Catalina and other municipalities of the 3rd district of Negros Oriental, the rebels further alleged.

“On the other hand, NPA units in Negros Island firmly followed and adhered to the ceasefire order of the CPP Central Committee and the NPA National Operational Command,” Magbanua said.

However, added Magbanua, within the ceasefire period, the NPA remained in active defense mode against treacherous attacks of the AFP referring to incidents in other regions where despite the ceasefire declaration Duterte’s fascist troops continue their traitorous movements and attacks and then attributing these to the NPA.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1839153

Duterte urged to stop all-out war, resume peace talks

Posted to the pro-Communist Party of the Philippines/National Democratic Front/New People's Army (CPP/NDF/NPA) online propaganda publication Bulatlat (Jan 7, 2020): Duterte urged to stop all-out war, resume peace talks (By Ronalyn V. Olea)

Xandra Bisenio calls for the release of all NDFP consultants. (Photo by Carlo Manalansan / Bulatlat)

“If there’s an opportunity [for peace talks to continue], we will support it. But we also know that the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] is hell-bent on continuing its militarist approach.”
MANILA – Xandra Bisenio held a photograph of her father Rey Claro Casambre, a peace consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), as she joined a protest action in front of Camp Aguinaldo, headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, January 7.

Bisenio’s father is one of NDFP consultants arrested and detained on trumped-up criminal charges.

As the ceasefire between the government troops and communist guerrillas ended today, families of political prisoners like Bisenio and progressive groups see a possible resumption of peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the NDFP.

“If there’s an opportunity [for peace talks to continue], we will support it,” Bisenio told Bulatlat in an interview. “But we also know that the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] is hell-bent on continuing its militarist approach,” she said, citing Executive Order No. 70, which mandates the creation of National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Bisenio lamented that EO 70 has resulted in extrajudicial killings of civilians and other human rights violations.

In a statement, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) called on President Rodrigo Duterte to ignore the “peace spoilers” and proceed with the resumption of formal peace talks.

Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. branded AFP Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. as “peace spoilers.”

Lorenzana and Esperon have publicly opposed the recentl-concluded holiday truce and the resumption of formal talks with the Reds. Both officials and Galvez insist that Executive Order 70, which calls for the localized peace talks, is the way to go.

Bayan’s Reyes slammed these pronouncements, saying the “peace spoilers oppose the resumption of peace talks out of an arrogant and mistaken belief that the CPP-NPA-NDFP is a spent force and that the armed conflict can be defeated through rehashed counterinsurgency strategies that have failed since the Marcos era.”

Progressives criticize what they call as peace spoilers in a protest action, Jan. 7. (Photo by Carlo Manalansan / Bulatlat)

Reyes also pointed out that the said military officials want to impose unreasonable and impractical conditions for the talks such as the NPA’s surrender and laying down of arms, or for the talks to be held in the Philippines. These issues, he said, have already been resolved in the past.

Socioeconomic reforms urgent

Bisenio, who also serves as the head of IBON’s Media and Communication Department, said that the resumption of talks, particularly the negotiations for socioeconomic reforms, would benefit the majority of the Filipino people who are even more “burdened with economic woes.” She noted that Duterte has been “subservient to foreign powers and has served the interest of the local oligarchy to the detriment of the poor.”

Before Duterte ordered the termination of formal talks with the NDFP, both parties were discussing the draft of Comprehensive Agreement on Socioeconomic Reforms (Caser).

Esperon recently criticized the NDFP’s draft of Caser, saying it “do (sic) not directly reflect the best interest of the nation,” but that of the National Democratic Front (NDF), its allied organization Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), and the armed wing New People’s Army (NPA). “For one, their CASER was crafted with the goal of turning the Philippine economic model to nationalist and socialist,” Esperon said.

Bisenio said Caser really means “land reform, developing rural ares, building our own industries, making the environment a conduit not a victim of development, advancing rights and welfare, just taxation and other fiscal policies as well as having an independent economy which will benefit millions of Filipinos.”

She said that only those who benefit from the status quo would strongly reject the resumption of peace talks.

https://www.bulatlat.com/2020/01/07/duterte-urged-to-stop-all-out-war-resume-peace-talks/

Visit of China Coast Guard chief a diplomatic matter, AFP chief says

From GMA News Online (Jan 8, 2020): Visit of China Coast Guard chief a diplomatic matter, AFP chief says (By ANNA FELICIA BAJO)

The visit of the chief of the China Coast Guard (CCG) next week is a diplomatic matter, according to the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday.
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"That is a diplomatic matter with the government. Kami naman kahit sinong pumunta rito with pure intention we'll have good, we should have good relations here to all the foreign Armed Forces," Lieutenant General Felimon Santos Jr. told reporters.

"It will all depend on the policy of the government basta huwag lang ma-endanger ang national security natin," he added.

China Coast Guard chief Major General Wang Zhongcai is set to visit the Philippines from January 13 to 17, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Other CCG officials will be part of the visit too, the PCG added.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/721476/visit-of-china-coast-guard-chief-a-diplomatic-matter-afp-chief-says/story/

Ceasefire failed to create positive atmosphere for peace talks–Solcom

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jan 8, 2020): Ceasefire failed to create positive atmosphere for peace talks–Solcom (By Delfin T. Mallari Jr.)

An Army official claimed that the just-concluded holiday ceasefire between government forces and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels failed to create a conducive atmosphere for the resumption of the peace negotiations.

“No positive effect to the peace talks happened during the ceasefire,” Colonel Dennis Cana, public information officer of the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) based in Camp Nakar, said in an interview on Wednesday.

He claimed that the Maoist-inspired guerrillas just took advantage of the 16-day cessation of armed hostilities “to recruit, consolidate their waning forces and engage in extortion activities.”

Cana said communist insurgents in Southern Tagalog and Bicol
regions used the ceasefire during the Christmas season by extorting money and material things from their targets.

He said the mass extortion activities were disguised as “namamasko” or Christmas gift solicitations.

“Historically, the extortion activities of these communist terrorists intensify during the Christmas ceasefire,” Cana said.

He said the rebels’ alleged targets in “Yuletide gifts solicitations” were government project contractors, politicians, local government officials, businessmen with interest in the so-called rebel-influenced areas, illegal loggers and miners, and others.

“Once a target refused, his business interest becomes a mark for punitive actions, most often in the form of arson,” Cana said.

There was no means to immediately verify and validate the claims of the military.

But in the past, several government project contractors and
politicians in Quezon province admitted that the NPA rebels were asking them to provide cash or in-kind donations during Christmas.

Cana claimed that the truce period could have provided support to the government’s call for the NPA rebels to give up the armed struggle and surrender.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1210309/ceasefire-failed-to-create-positive-atmosphere-for-peace-talks-solcom

Cagayan gov’t provides jobs to rebel returnees

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jan 8, 2020): Cagayan gov’t provides jobs to rebel returnees (By Oliver T. Baccay)



TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Jan. 8 (PIA) - - Twenty-one former rebels are now enjoying working with the provincial government here following the commitment of the Local Government Unit (LGU) to help improve the lives of the rebel returnees.

Governor Manuel N. Mamba said provision of jobs is one of the programs embedded under the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), aside from the livelihood opportunities and other government interventions intended for the former rebels.

Gov. Manuel Mamba (right) presents the programs and projects that the provincial government will undertake for 2020 during the Tipon-Tipan sa PIA program hosted by Oliver Baccay (left) of PIA Cagayan. (by PIA)

“There are also other nine returnees who are on the process to be given assistance. We are doing this because we want them to feel that the government is with them,” Mamba said.

He clarified that he doesn’t want to give dole-out assistance to anyone because he believes that providing long term intervention is the key to human development rather than giving one-time financial assistance that may not last long.

He also lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s 'whole of the nation approach' to end local communist armed conflict which is now being implemented nationwide through the collaboration of all sectors of the society.

“This is a very nice approach because all agencies are basically helping to eliminate illegal activities, corruptions and ill-governance that may lead to atrocities led by the left-leaning groups. All agencies are now taking their part to curb insurgencies,” the governor said.

Mamba, who sits as the chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), also rally to all government agencies and LGUs to bring the government resources closer to the grassroots that will lead to human and economic developments.

He said the provincial government here has been implementing the 'No Barangay and No Town Left Behind' program which provides funds direct to the barangays and the towns for any development programs and projects that are felt need by the people in the communities. (MDCT/OTB/PIA 2-Cagayan)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1032395

Tagalog News: May martial law o wala, mas paiigtingin pa ng militar ang seguridad sa Caraga

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jan 8, 2020): Tagalog News: May martial law o wala, mas paiigtingin pa ng militar ang seguridad sa Caraga (By Jennifer P. Gaitano)

LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Enero 8 (PIA) - Tiniyak ng militar ang patuloy na pagpapatupad ng mahigpit na seguridad kahit hindi na pinalawig pa ang batas militar sa Mindanao.

Ayon kay Brigadier General Maurito Licudine, commander ng 402nd Brigade, Philippine Army, magpapatuloy ang kanilang regular na operasyon at mas paiigtingin pa ang seguridad ng bawat komunidad lalo pa at pinapatupad din ang Executive Order 70 o ang whole-of-nation approach sa pagsugpo ng insurhensiya sa bansa.

Dagdag ng opisyal, marami na ring mga sumusukong miyembro ng New People's Army bitbit ang kani-kanilang high-powered firearms upang mamuhay ng normal at mapayapa kasama ang kanilang pamilya na may maayos na pangkabuhayan.

“May martial law o wala dito sa Mindanao, patuloy pa ring sisiguruhin ng Philippine Army ang seguridad at kaayusan sa rehiyon ng Caraga,” ani ni Licudine.

Dagdag pa ng opisyal, mas magiging maunlad ang rehiyon ng Caraga, maging ang ibang rehiyon sa Mindanao kung mapapanatiling payapa at ligtas ang mga mamamayan dito. Mas marami pang investors na papasok sa lugar.

Sinabi naman ni Col. Allan Hambala, commander ng 401st Brigade na marami ng programa't serbisyo mula sa gobyerno ang pinapakinabangan ngayon ng mga dating rebelde, maliban pa sa ayuda na kanilang matatanggap sa kanilang pagsuko.

Isa na dito ang ipinatayong half-way house sa Agusan del Sur para sa pagbabagong buhay ng mga sumukong rebelde.

Patuloy din nilang tutugisin ang iba pang miyembro ng Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) at masugpo ang kanilang idinudulot na karahasan at pang-aabuso sa mga sektor lalu na sa mga Indigenous Peoples.

“Naka-alerto pa rin ang ating kapulisan at Army at mananatiling nakatutok sa pagsiguro ng proteksyon at seguridad ng mamamayan,” sabi ni Hambala.

Matatandaan din na nagpahayag ng kanyang suporta si Butuan Bishop Most Reverend Cosme Damian Almedilla sa pagpapatupad ng Martial Law sa Mindanao.

“Kung makabubuti naman ang maidudulot ng Martial Law sa Mindanao, susuportahan natin ang implementasyon nito,” pahayag ni Bishop Almedilla. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1032449

Task Force-ELCAC continues to make a difference in hinterland folks’ lives

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jan 8, 2020): Task Force-ELCAC continues to make a difference in hinterland folks’ lives (By PIA-8)

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan 7 (PIA) -- For the 361 residents of Barangay Hibacaan in the remote, landlocked town of San Jose de Buan in Samar province, January 4, 2020 was a special day.

It was the graduation day for some 74 residents who were given the opportunity to be trained on Organic Hogs Raising, Organic Fertilizer Production and Bread Making.

This will provide them livelihood oppotunities for sustainable income or supplemental income, thanks to the Samar Provincial Task Force-ELCAC Poverty Reduction Livelihood and Employment Cluster headed by TESDA Samar and the San Jose de Buan Municipal Task Force-ELCAC.

On this day, the Cluster members had to travel two and a half hours from Catbalogan to San Jose de Buan town proper and another 25 minutes to Hibacaan.

At the Hibacaan Covered Court, the candidates for graduation, 24 for Bread Making, 25 for Production of Organic Fertilizer and 25 for Organic Hog Raising, were waiting.

The Graduation Ceremony with the Distribution of Allowance for the participants and Distribution of Tool kits for Organic Fertilizer Production was participated by TESDA Samar headed by Engr. Enrico C. Banario, Provincial Director; DepEd; SOS Children's Village Calbayog; LGU of San Jose de Buan, Samar headed by Mayor Joaquin R. Elizalde; 801st Infantry Brigade under Col. Camilo Z. Ligayo, Commander, together with the 87IB under Lt. Col. Reynaldo B. Balido Jr, Commander.

The tool kits which were distributed to each graduates of Organic Fertilizer Production consist of 1 pc Knapsack sprayer, 1 pc Weighing scale, 1 pc Shovel, 1 pc spading fork, 1 pc Sprinkles and 1 pc Measuring cup.

To recall, the Eastern Visayas Regional Task Force on Ending Local Armed Conflict through the Samar Provincial Task Force, conducted barangay consultation at Barangay Hibacaan, San Jose de Buan, Samar on September 26, 2019.

The barangay consultation was conducted in order to identify and validate the livelihood programs needed by the residents as part of the efforts of the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster of the Task Force through the Samar Provincial Task Force in coordination with the San Jose de Buan Municipal Task Force.

Barangay Hibacaan has been identified as one of the priority areas for convergence in the implementation of the whole of nation approach as mandated by EO No. 70. (PIA-8)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1032441

Tagalog News: Panawagan sa pagsuko ng NPA, idinaan sa rally sa San Vicente

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jan 8, 2020): Tagalog News: Panawagan sa pagsuko ng NPA, idinaan sa rally sa San Vicente (By Leila B. Dagot)

Sama-samang lumagda sa 'pledge of commitment' bilang pagdedeklarang persona non grata sa CPP-NPA-NDF ang mga lumahok sa Indignation Rally na idinaos sa bayan ng San Vicente. Nasa larawan sina Municipal Mayor Amy Roa Alvarez (dulong kanan), SFO2 Christine Dahon, Municipal Fire Marshal (pangalawa sa kanan), MLGOO Rustico Dangue ng DILG - San Vicente (pangalawa sa kaliwa), at Police Major Aldrico Nangit, hepe ng Municipal Police Station. (Larawan mula sa LGU-San Vicente)

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan, Enero 8 (PIA) -- Nagkaisa kahapon ang bumubuo ng lokal na pamahalaan ng bayan ng San Vicente sa lalawigan ng Palawan, pulisya, sundalo, mga opisyales ng barangay, kasama ang Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), at pribadong sektor para sa isang ‘indignation rally’.

Layon ng aktibidad na mahikayat ang mga miyembro ng New People’s Army (NPA) na bumaba, isuko ang kanilang mga armas at magbalik-loob sa gobyerno.

“Ang indignation rally na ito ay hindi tuwirang pakikibaka kundi panghihimok o panghihikayat sa kanila [NPA] na bumaba, ang mga kasama natin na nasa bundok na katulad din natin, walang ibang nilalayon kundi ang kabutihan ng bawat isa,” paliwanag ni Municipal Local Government Officer (MLGO) Rustico Dangue ng DILG- San Vicente.

Ang gawain ay bilang pagsuporta rin sa Executive Order No. 70 ni Pangulong Rodrigo R. Duterte na naglalayong wakasan ang armadong pakikibaka ng rebeldeng grupo, at isulong ang kapayapaan.

“Ang gusto natin ngayon ay maipaabot ang iisang mensahe, na bilang kapwa Pilipino, ang ating mga kapatid na ito ay patuloy sila na bumaba upang mayakap natin at makaisa,” dagdag pa ni Dangue.

Ang programa ay may temang 'Mamamayan ng San Vicente, Sama-sama upang Labanan ang Terorismo, Karahasan, at Kriminalidad para sa Kapayapaan', na sinimulan sa pamamagitan ng motorcade patungo sa covered gym ng munisipyo kung saan idinaos ang gawain.

Samantala, bilang suporta ng lahat ng mga punong barangay at mamamayan, na umaabot sa mahigit 700, dumalo at nakiisa ang mga ito sa pagtitipon. (LBD/PIAMIMAROPA-Palawan)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1032426

2 NPA leaders nabbed; 6 yield in Sarangani, SoCot

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 8, 2020): 2 NPA leaders nabbed; 6 yield in Sarangani, SoCot (By Richelyn Gubalani)



Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, Police Regional Office-Region 12 spokesperson. (File photo courtesy of PRO-12)

Two alleged leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) were arrested while six other rebels and sympathizers surrendered in joint police and military operations in Sarangani and South Cotabato provinces.

Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-12, said Wednesday NPA leaders Ngo Magaw and Bwen Malantaw were nabbed in a manhunt operation around 6 a.m. Tuesday in Barangay Batian in Maitum, Sarangani.

Capellan said Magaw was a team leader of the Segunda-Platoon Samsung and Malantaw of Platoon Primera, both under the Guerilla Front 73-Musa of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao Region.

Capellan said the two were arrested by elements from the PRO-12, Sarangani Police Provincial Office and the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion based on a standing warrant of arrest in connection with the murder of a Pastor Jun Sebastian in Barangay Kalaneg, Maitum on Dec. 15 last year.

“They were tagged by witnesses as directly responsible for the killing of Sebastian,” the police official said in a report.

Capellan said the investigation is ongoing on the involvement of the suspects, who are currently in the custody of the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU)-12, in other previous atrocities in the area.

In South Cotabato, Capellan said four NPA cadres and two members of its “white area committee” surrendered around 5 a.m. last Monday in Sitio Tibuyong, Barangay Lamfugon in Lake Sebu town.

He said the six decided to yield following a series of negotiations by RIU-12 personnel, in coordination with the provincial government of South Cotabato.

The two “white area committee” members, who were identified as aliases “Pam” and “Lucy,” served as organizers and teachers of a defunct school for indigenous peoples operated by the Center for Lumad Advocacy Networking Services, which is reportedly allied with the NPA.
Capellan said the four other surrenderers -- identified as aliases “Fanok,” “John Mark,” “John John” and “Marjun” -- were former members of Platoons Samsung and Primera of the Front 73.

He said they gave up two hand grenades, a caliber .45 pistol loaded with six bullets, and a caliber .38 revolver.

In a statement, Brig. Gen. Alfred Corpus, PRO-12 director, said they expect more NPA rebels to surrender in the coming months.

Corpus said intelligence operations and support activities are ongoing in line with the implementation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70, which seeks to “end the communist local armed conflict” through convergence efforts of government agencies under the “whole-of-nation approach.”

Since he assumed as PRO-12 director last year, Corpus said a total of 110 NPA rebels surrendered, arrested, or "neutralized."

“This number shows the extent of the commitment of PRO-12 to end the atrocities of these communist terrorists. I hope that those who were deceived and swayed to join them will see the light in the government’s efforts and go back to the folds of law,” he added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1090296

Suspected NPA rebels torch civilian-owned trucks in Agusan Sur

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 8, 2020): Suspected NPA rebels torch civilian-owned trucks in Agusan Sur (By Alexander Lopez)



Google map of Prosperidad town, Agusan del Sur.

Suspected members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) burned two civilian-owned dump trucks and a hauler vehicle in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, police said.

The Agusan del Sur Provincial Police Office said the incident took place around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday (January 8) in Barangay Libertad, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

Damaged during the incident were a Fuso dump truck and an Isuzu flat-bed hauler owned by Jose Necresio Torrejas Orapa, 50, a businessman and resident in the area; and a Hyundai dump truck owned by Jun Cadiz, resident of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur.
Police said residents in the area were awakened by the incident, and some of them tried to put out the fire but were prevented by the armed men.

Prosperidad's municipal police said it was still conducting an investigation as of posting time to determine the motives of the perpetrators including the total damages.

The provincial police of Agusan del Sur said the suspected NPA members belong to the Guerrilla Front 19 operating in the area.

In a text message to the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday, 1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo Punsalan, civil-military operations officer of the Army's 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn), said they are also investigating the incident.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1090332

Westmincom monitors Daesh-inspired groups

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 8, 2020): Westmincom monitors Daesh-inspired groups (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) has strengthened its intelligence monitoring to prevent possible sympathy attacks by Daesh-inspired groups amid the heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, an official said.
This came after newly-installed Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff, Lt. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. directed to closely watch the threat groups that have sympathetic relations with other countries like Iran and Iraq.

“The order of the higher headquarters is to monitor all the threat groups, particularly the sympathizers within the area, who are Daesh-inspired groups,” Maj. Arvin John Encinas, Westmincom information officer, said on Wednesday.

Encinas said that among those being closely monitored is the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), which earlier pledged allegiance to the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known in Arabic as Daesh.

The founder of the ASG, Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, was known to have undergone training in Syria and has reportedly fought alongside Osama Bin Laden against the Russian forces in Afghanistan in the late 80s.

Janjalani, who founded the ASG in 1991, was killed in a clash with police forces on December 18, 1998 in the outskirts of Lamitan City, Basilan. The ASG had been involved in bomb attacks in key areas of the country in the past years.

Encinas said the other Daesh-inspired group being monitored is the Dawlah Islamiya, formerly known as the Maute group.

The group was founded by brothers Abdullah and Omar Maute in 2012 in Butig, Lanao del Sur. Both died in clashes against government troops.

Encinas said government troops are continuously pursuing the ASG bandits in the Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi areas, and the Dawlah Islamiya in Lanao del Sur.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1090330

BRP Gabriela Silang ready to repatriate OFWs in Middle East

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 8, 2020): BRP Gabriela Silang ready to repatriate OFWs in Middle East



BRP Gabriela Silang (PCG photo)

Even before reaching the Philippine waters after its commissioning to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the offshore patrol vessel, BRP Gabriela Silang, is all-set for its first-ever mission — to repatriate overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in case hostilities erupt in the Middle East.

BRP Gabriela Silang left Saint-Nazaire, France for its maiden voyage on Dec. 30, 2019, and was initially scheduled to reach the Philippines on Feb. 10, 2020.

“Mahalaga para sa amin ang kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan na nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa. Makakaasa po kayo na nakatutok ang PCG sa mga nangyayari sa Middle East para masiguro ang kaligtasan ng ating mga makabagong bayani (The welfare of our OFWs is important to us. Be assured that the PCG is monitoring the situation in the Middle East)," PCG Commandant Admiral Joel Garcia said.

Currently docked at Malta Freeport, BRP Gabriela Silang and its 35 crew members are now preparing to sail to the Middle East, specifically to Oman or Dubai, to ensure the safety and security of OFWs through ferry missions.

In case of conflict, OFWs will be brought to safer ports where they may be airlifted, as the need arises.

Considered as the largest and most advanced aluminum hull OPV in the world to date, the BRP Gabriela Silang can ferry approximately 500 people at one time.

According to the PCG, the vessel has a range of 8,000 nautical miles at 15 knots and an endurance of up to five weeks of operation. It has an excellent sea keeping ability and maneuverability on top of the great comfort it offers for people onboard.

The PCG will also deploy 18 additional crew members to assist BRP Gabriela Silang in its mission in the Middle East.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1090288

E-CLIP better option than fighting gov’t forces: DND official

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 8, 2020): E-CLIP better option than fighting gov’t forces: DND official (By Priam Nepomuceno)



Defense Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu. (File photo)

Surrendering and availing of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) is a better option than battling it out with better trained and equipped government troops, a Department of National Defense (DND) official said Wednesday.

"Returning to the fold of the law is still the better option for members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and Militia ng Bayan (MB) members rather than living in the mountains and fighting against more heavily equipped and better-trained government forces," Defense Undersecretary and Task Force Balik Loob (TFBL) chairperson Reynaldo Mapagu said in a statement.

He said surrendering is the better option for these communist rebels and supporters as the military vowed to conduct a more aggressive campaign against them.

Earlier, newly-installed Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. vowed to pursue an aggressive campaign against the communist terrorists.

With this, the TFBL chair said the New People's Army (NPA) will have little to no chance at all to win against determined government security forces.

“If the NPA and MB members surface now, they are guaranteed to preserve their lives, and at the same time, can be reunited with their families,” Mapagu said.

"They can also enroll in the E-CLIP and avail of its benefits, which are not only for them but for their family members as well,” Mapagu added.

Benefits under the E-CLIP include cash assistance, education, livelihood training, housing, and employment assistance, as well as loan processing for business capital.

He also guaranteed that he, together with the lead and partner agencies of TFBL, will continue to work together to expedite the granting of benefits to all former rebels.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1090287

2 battalions proposed to help repatriate Mideast OFWs: DND

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 8, 2020): 2 battalions proposed to help repatriate Mideast OFWs: DND (By Priam Nepomuceno)



READY FOR REPATRIATION. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday (Jan. 8, 2020), says the deployment of two battalions to the Middle East, as proposed by President Rodrigo Duterte, would be solely to facilitate the evacuation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Iraq. This comes after escalating tensions between the United States and Iran following the death of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad on January 3. (PNA photo by Priam Nepomuceno)
MANILA -- The deployment of two battalions to the Middle East, as proposed by President Rodrigo Duterte, will be solely to facilitate the evacuation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Iraq, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Wednesday.

"Ang idea ni Presidente is magpadala tayo dun just in case na kailangan ng mga tao natin ng proteksyon (The idea of the President is to sent troops there just in case our people will need protection). The two battalions will not be there to engage in combat to anybody but to facilitate or help assist in the repatriation of the OFWs, especially in Iraq," Lorenzana said in an interview with reporters shortly after the Department of National Defense (DND) - Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) New Year's Call in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

These troops will come from the Philippine Marine Corps and the Philippine Army's Special Operation Command.

A battalion is composed of about 350 to 500 officers and enlisted personnel.

Lorenzana, however, said these troops can also protect the Filipino evacuees and those helping them in the repatriation.

When asked whether they have Rules of Engagement for these soldiers, he said there is none to date.

"Wala pa ngayon dahil we are still in the planning stage. We are still preparing the troops tapos si (Foreign Affairs) Secretary (Teodoro) Locsin naman ay nakikipag-negotiate, nakikipag-ugnayan sa mga ibang bansa dun kung ano ba yung kailangang mga papeles para pumasok yung mga tao natin and other logistics kasi magpapadala tayo ng barko at mga eroplano -- saan sila magla-landing, saan sila magdo-dock, so yung mga refurbishment, refueling, supplies, lahat yun aayusin natin (There is none for now because we are still in the planning stage. We are still preparing the troops while Secretary Locsin is currently negotiating and coordinating with other countries on what documents are needed before the entry of our people and other logistics because we are going to send ships and airplanes -- where they will land or dock. We will arrange all the refurbishment, refueling, supplies)," Lorenzana added.

All Filipinos in Iran and Iraq, even those in Libya, who are willing to come home due to the tensions in the Middle East, will be brought home, especially if they are in danger.

Lorenzana said the greatest challenge is to convince the OFWs to go home as they don't want to leave their jobs.

"But hopefully, we will be able to convince them -- if their lives are in danger -- to come home," he added.

When asked on when repatriations would start, Lorenzana said a brand-new Philippine Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel, the BRP Gabriela Silang, which is now in Malta after leaving Saint-Nazaire, France last December, is headed for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and is expected to be there by Thursday.

"We will hold them there for a while so that if we will use it as a shuttle (of OFWs) from Iran or Iraq to Qatar and then from there we can maybe charter a plane or charter ships to bring them home," he said.

Lorenzana noted that other assets can be used to transport the OFWs, such as two landing docks, the BRP Tarlac (LD-601) and BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602), which were acquired from Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL PERSERO in 2016 and 2017, are capable of carrying 500 troops or passengers.

Also earmarked for repatriation missions in the Middle East are two Air Force Lockheed C-130 cargo planes and an EADS CASA C-295 medium transport.

Lorenzana said that there are plans to use commercial planes and cruise ships in the planned repatriation should many OFWs opt to go home.

"Kung marami talaga ang sabi ni Presidente at saka ni (Department of Finance) Secretary (Carlos) Dominguez (If there are really many OFWs who want to go home, the President and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said, we might lease or hire (a) cruise ship, alam mo yung (You know a) cruise ship, mga 3,500 ang capacity nyan (It has a capacity of 3,500 passengers). Ngayon kung kunti-kunti lang, siguro (Now, if there are only few OFWs, maybe) we can charter a plane," the DND chief said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1090312