Alleged NPA ‘militia’ surrenders in Quezon province

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (May 4, 2023): Alleged NPA ‘militia’ surrenders in Quezon province (By: Delfin T. Mallari Jr.)

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

LUCENA CITY — An alleged member of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) “people’s militia” surrendered on Wednesday to the government in Macalelon town in Quezon province.

The Army’s 85th Infantry Battalion reported on Thursday, May 4, that the rebel returnee surrendered to the police and Army soldiers.

The former rebel also surrendered one M16 rifle loaded with 12 bullets and one hand grenade.

The report said the surrenderer was part of the NPA unit that staged an ambush in 2017 on Army soldiers in Barangay Cogorin in Lopez town.

The attack left one soldier dead and two others wounded.

The military refers to the “people’s militia” as part of the insurgent’s mass base, which secures the NPA rebels while in the community. Sometimes, they are armed to reinforce the communist guerrillas during encounters.

On Dec. 13 last year, Macalelon, located in the Bondoc Peninsula, became the first municipality in the province to be granted a “Stable Internal Peace and Security” or insurgency-free status. The Bondoc Peninsula is a known former NPA bailiwick in Southern Tagalog.

The government authorities are preparing the assistance for the former rebel in his reintegration protocol under the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.

A rebel returnee can avail himself of firearm remuneration and housing, medical care, loans, and legal assistance, among other forms of help from the government.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1764793/alleged-npa-militia-surrenders-in-quezon-province

The Philippines’s once-proud Maoist insurgents are out of ammo

Posted to the Economist (May 4, 2023): The Philippines’s once-proud Maoist insurgents are out of ammo

The New People’s Army is a relic of all sorts of political stupidity

Last month the guerrilla leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) ordered its units all over the Philippines to give a 21-gun salute to two fallen heroes. Yet this martial display was diminished by an instruction to give the salute silently, either because the army is out of bullets or for fear a fusillade would alert the police. The few hundred fighters who duly lined up (and presumably whispered “bang”) are all that remains of a once-formidable Maoist insurgency. The NPA was launched 54 years ago to overthrow an American-backed president, Ferdinand Marcos. It is now on the brink of yielding to his son and successor, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos.

The guerrillas are a relic of all manner of idiotic politics. At its strongest, the NPA, the armed wing of the shadowy Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), had an estimated 25,000 fighters. It threatened American troops stationed in the Philippines during the cold war. It was cited by Marcos to justify his long and increasingly tyrannical rule. Yet after he was toppled by a popular uprising in 1986, in which the guerrillas played no part, the restoration of democracy and faster economic growth made armed revolution less appealing to young Filipinos. As the NPA‘s ranks dwindled, its leaders became increasingly lost in arcane ideological debate (leading to important revisions, such as the purgative “Second Great Rectification Movement” of the 1990s). Their fighters meanwhile turned to extorting “revolutionary taxes” from local firms....

[Retired Analyst Note: A subscription is required to read the full article.]

https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/05/04/the-philippiness-once-proud-maoist-insurgents-are-out-of-ammo

Troops net NPA guns in Bukidnon, Surigao

 From the Manila Times (May 5, 2023): Troops net NPA guns in Bukidnon, Surigao (By Cris Diaz)

CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City: State forces seized four high-powered firearms and war materiel from the communist New People's Army (NPA) in two separate clashes in the provinces of Bukidnon and Surigao del Sur on April 30 and May 2, 2023, respectively, the military reported on Tuesday, May 2.

The troops from the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion under the operational control of the 901st Infantry Brigade encountered the communist rebels believed to be from the supposedly weakened Guerilla Front 30 of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee on May 2.

The operation resulted in the capture of an AK-47 rifle and a hand grenade in Barangay Maitum, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur.

Members of the 1st Special Forces Battalion, led by Lt. Col. Roger Anthony Nuylan Jr. of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, also captured three M16 rifles, magazines and ammunition, backpacks and medical kits after a 25-minute firefight against an estimated 30 fully armed NPA fighters from the Sub-Regional Committee 5 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee at Sitio Cambangon, Barangay Lilingayon, Valencia City, Bukidnon on Sunday, April 30.

Brig. Gen. Michelle Anayron Jr., commander of the 403rd Brigade, lauded the military's resiliency and dedication to insulate communities from the communist threat in Bukidnon.

The military launched various operations in the past weeks against NPA rebels in Northern Mindanao.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/05/05/regions/troops-net-npa-guns-in-bukidnon-surigao/1889974

NPA rebel killed, civilian hurt in NegOcc clash

From Panay News (May 5, 2023): NPA rebel killed, civilian hurt in NegOcc clash (By DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAG)

BACOLOD City – A New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was killed while a civilian was wounded after in a gun battle that erupted between the insurgents and soldiers of the Philippine Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion in the boundary of Himamaylan City and Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental on Wednesday afternoon, May 3.

Authorities have yet to identify the rebel as of this writing.

A wounded female civilian has also not yet been identified although authorities noted that her wound is non-life threatening. She was hit by a stray bullet.

Meanwhile, a total of 200 families from Sitio Paloypoy, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City were forced to flee due to the encounter.

Brigadier Gen. Orlando Edralin, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IBde), said the gun battle began at around 5 p.m. Elements of Alpha Company of the 94IB encountered at least 15 NPA rebels.

It lasted for 20 minutes until the rebels were forced to retreat, Edralin said.

Two soldiers from the 94IB were also wounded, although Edralin said they were in stable condition and recovering at a hospital.

Edralin said they were continuing their pursuit operations against the fleeing rebels as of press time.

Meanwhile, Kabankalan City’s Mayor Benjie Miranda said they distributed food packs to 200 displaced families sheltering at the covered court of the city’s Barangay Hilamunan.

Executive Assistant Jane Fabruga also visited the families representing Himamaylan City’s Mayor Raymund Tongson.

The families were told to stay put for now at the Barangay Hilamunan covered court while awaiting an “all clear” from both the 94IB and local law enforcement.

https://www.panaynews.net/npa-rebel-killed-civilian-hurt-in-negocc-clash/

Student recruit, 2 other communist rebels killed in Cagayan clash

From the Manila Times (May 5, 2023): Student recruit, 2 other communist rebels killed in Cagayan clash (By Franco Jose C. Baroña)

THREE members of the New People's Army (NPA), including a student who was allegedly recruited into the armed movement, were killed in an encounter with government forces in Cagayan on Wednesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) reported on Friday.

Maj. Al Anthony Pueblas, acting Nolcom Public Information Office chief, said troops of the 501st Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army's 5th Infantry Division encountered around 20 members of the Komiteng Probinsya Cagayan and Isabela, Komiteng Rehiyon Cagayan Valley at Sitio Bigoc in the village of Alucao, Sta Teresita Cagayan on May 3 resulting in the deaths of two NPA members and the recovery of two R4 rifles, one M16 rifle, and one M653 rifle during the clash.

Maj. Pueblas said one of those killed was Alyas Morga, who was identified as a student from the University of the Philippines (UP).

Based on reports, Morga attempted to escape from the terrorist group last January due to the hardships he experienced in the organization, but was unsuccessful due to unfamiliarity with the mountainous area of Hacienda Intal in Baggao, Cagayan. His attempt to escape was later discovered by his comrades.

In a separate incident, the 503rd Infantry Brigade encountered members of the Komiteng Larangang Gerilya Baggas, Ilocos Cordillera Regional Committee, resulting in the death of one NPA member and the recovery of an M16 rifle.

Pueblas said as the troops were conducting clearing operations in Sitio Biguc on Wednesday, they were able to recover various enemy materials that included five magazines of M16, 122 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, two commercial radios, two bandoliers, one power bank, one cooking pot, two backpacks, four cellphones, three chargers, eleven SIM cards, and subversive documents.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/05/05/news/student-recruit-2-other-communist-rebels-killed-in-cagayan-clash/1890051

PRO-13 nets 256 NPA rebels in first quarter

From the Manila Bulletin (May 5, 2023): PRO-13 nets 256 NPA rebels in first quarter (By MIKE CRISMUNDO)

BUTUAN CITY – The Police Regional Office-13 reported on Friday, May 5, that the counter-insurgency campaign and peace and development program in the Caraga region are gaining headway with the arrest and surrender of 256 New People’s Army rebels from January 1 to March 31 this year.

PRO-13 Director Police Brig. Gen. Pablo G. Labra II, citing records from the PRO-13 Regional Operations Division (ROD), said 63 of them were apprehended in manhunt operations for various crimes.

Among those nabbed were high-ranking officials of the Guerrilla Front Committee 4-B of the Northcentral Mindanao Regional Command considered as regional Top 1 most wanted person (MWP), regional Top 2 MWP, and regional Top 3 MWP, for multiple attempted murders.

Labra said 193 others surrendered and the PRO-13 helped them avail of benefits under the government’s Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

Police recovered 113 firearms and 73 explosive devices from the arrested rebels and surrenderers.

According to Labra, these accomplishments weakened the Guerrilla Front 19 (WGF19) Sub-Regional Committee Southland of the CPP-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee, which was once notorious for recruiting indigenous people and minors in Caraga.

Labra said the campaign to end the armed struggle in the Caraga is gaining ground because of these achievements.

“We are already strategically winning in our counter-insurgency campaign and our peace and development program,” Labra said.

“The collapse of CTG creates a window for us to proclaim that our collective efforts against terrorism become successful in Caraga region,” he added.

“With the help of the different local government units, Philippine Army, all support units, community, and stakeholders in the entire process, their defeat is inevitable.”

https://mb.com.ph/2023/5/5/pro-13-nets-256-npa-rebels-in-first-quarter

Clash forces some Kabankalan residents to flee

From the Sun Star-Bacolod (May 5, 2023): Clash forces some Kabankalan residents to flee (By TERESA D. ELLERA)

(Google map)

KABANKALAN City Mayor Benjie Miranda confirmed Thursday, May 4, that the city government extended assistance to some residents affected by an encounter between the New People's Army and government troopers on Wednesday, May 3.

Miranda said he dispatched some vehicles to transport some residents back to their respective houses.

He said about 150 residents of Barangay Hilamonan evacuated Wednesday after a thirty minute encounter between the suspected rebels and troopers belonging to the 94th Infantry Battalion.

He said a civilian was reportedly wounded in the crossfire.

Some 65 residents stayed at the covered court in the city proper, 68 at a chapel, and 15 individuals at another evacuation center. The residents are from Sitio Cotcot, Paloypoy, Tapian, and Cabangahan.

Miranda said the affected residents were given food packs by the city government, while the Regional Office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development also extended some augmentation assistance.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1960435/bacolod/local-news/clash-forces-some-kabankalan-residents-to-flee

Gov’t, MILF told: Hasten breakup of armed groups

 Posted to the Philippine Daily Inquirer (May 5, 2023): Gov’t, MILF told: Hasten breakup of armed groups (By: Bong S. Sarmiento)

DISPLACED Evacuees from Datu Saudi-Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, seek shelter in an elementary school in Barangay Dapiawan to escape recent clashes sparked by infighting among former Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas. —PHOTO COURTESY OF RAPID EMERGENCY ACTION ON DISASTER INCIDENCE-BARMM

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Global think tank International Crisis Group has called on the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which currently leads the interim Bangsamoro government, to hasten implementation of the milestones defined in the landmark 2014 peace deal they signed, especially the dismantling of private armed groups (PAGs) of local political elites.

In a 46-page report titled “Southern Philippines: Making Peace Stick in the Bangsamoro” released on Monday, Crisis Group noted that “with only two years before the 2025 election season kicks off, time is running out to achieve the peace deal’s goals.”

“The paramount goals are for national and regional authorities to defuse local conflicts, ensure that MILF rebels continue to hand in their weapons, support their full transition to civilian life and disarm the ubiquitous clan militias,” Crisis Group said.

“The closer authorities get to these objectives, the smoother the path will be toward the 2025 parliamentary elections, and successful completion of the decadeslong effort to bring peace and autonomy to the Bangsamoro,” it added.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will hold its first parliamentary elections in 2025, simultaneous with the national and local elections. It was supposed to be held in May 2022, but was rescheduled by then President Rodrigo Duterte when he signed into law Republic Act No. 11593.

The postponement effectively extended the life of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) for another three years, up to mid-2025. The BTA is the interim government of the Bangsamoro region, which was created in 2019 following the ratification of RA 11054 or the Organic Law for the BARMM.

“For lasting peace to take hold, national and interim regional authorities must quell violent instability and speed up elements of the peace process that are behind schedule,” said Georgi Engelbrecht, Crisis Group’s senior analyst and author of the report.

In its report, Crisis Group said that a successful Bangsamoro peace process “would of course be most keenly felt in the region, but its symbolism would likely resonate beyond the Philippines, given the extent to which the Bangsamoro has become an example of a negotiated, democratic approach to addressing long-term conflict.”

“A model for what can be achieved through an inclusive and democratic effort to resolve a longstanding conflict, the Bangsamoro deal must not be allowed to fail—both for those who benefit from it, and those who stand to emulate it,” Engelbrecht said.

Threats

He pointed out that at present, threats to the Bangsamoro peace process are coming from within the region such as community disputes, clan feuds and intra-MILF clashes, which should not be overlooked.

Last week, more than 3,000 families fled Datu Saudi-Ampatuan town in Maguindanao del Sur as supporters of warring former MILF commanders clashed over a long-standing dispute, an incident that has been regularly recurring.

Under the administration of President Marcos, Crisis Group noted that the Bangsamoro peace process, despite many obstacles, was progressing—and facing perils as well.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1765004/govt-milf-told-hasten-breakup-of-armed-groups

ASG man gives up after 13 years of fighting

 From the Manila Times (May 5, 2023): ASG man gives up after 13 years of fighting (By Al Jacinto)

ZAMBOANGA CITY: An Abu Sayyaf fighter, branded by security officials as "notorious," has surrendered to the Philippine Navy in Zamboanga City, after 13 years as a member of the pro-Islamic State terrorist group.

The Navy said Benjamin Husin, also known as Sabar, was operating in Sulu, but had been hiding here after escaping a military campaign in the province.

He also served as a "spotter" of the Abu Sayyaf under Alhabsy Misaya in Zamboanga City.

"During an encounter in 2017, Sabar sustained gunshot wounds. After years of being involved in a series of encounters and ambuscades against government troops, he eventually decided to surrender and live a normal life with the hopes of reuniting with his family," it also said, adding that the former terrorist also handed his Garand rifle and a clip of magazine.

He was then presented to Rear Admiral Donn Anthony Miraflor, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao.

"The surrenderer also underwent a medical checkup at Camp Navarro General Hospital and will be duly turned over to Joint Task Force-Zamboanga for proper documentation for appropriate disposition and the surrenderer's possible inclusion in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program," the Navy said.

"The continuing surrender of ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) members is a testament to the government's continuous efforts in ensuring peace and security in the region. It is hoped that this success will encourage more extremists to lay down their arms and surrender, leading to lasting peace and stability in the area," it added.

The Navy did not say how long Husin has been hiding here or whether he was involved in previous terror attacks here.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/05/05/regions/asg-man-gives-up-after-13-years-of-fighting/1889971

Kalinaw News: 4ID captures 4 NPA firearms anew in recent military operations

From Kalinaw News (May 3, 2023): 4ID captures 4 NPA firearms anew in recent military operations

CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City – The intensified military operations of the 4th Infantry Division has resulted in the capture of four (4) high-powered firearms and war materiel of the communist terrorist group (CTG) in two (2) separate clashes in the provinces of Bukidnon and Surigao del Sur on April 30 and May 2, 2023.

The troops of the 1st Special Forces Battalion led by Lt Col Roger Anthony E Nuylan Jr under the operational control of the 403rd Infantry Brigade have captured three (3) M16 Rifles, magazines and ammunitions, backpacks, medical kits, and assorted personal belongings after a 25-minute firefight against an estimated 30 fully armed combined elements of Platun Ipad and Platun Huawei of Sub-Regional Committee 5 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee at Sitio Cambangon, Barangay Lilingayon, Valencia City, Bukidnon on Sunday, April 30, 2023.

“We have been tracking the same terrorist group we encountered last April 12 in Bubong, Lanao del Sur. They continue evading our troops due to exhaustion with limited ammunition and food supplies. But we will pursue them, we will not give them breathing space until they realize the futility in fighting the government and that the only option left for them is to surrender voluntarily,” Lt. Col. Nuylan added.

403rd Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Michelle B Anayron Jr, lauded the efforts of 1SFBn, particularly their resiliency and dedication to insulate communities from CTG threats and influence and sustain the peace in the province of Bukidnon.

“We will not allow the communist terrorists to stage atrocities and extortion activities in the province of Bukidnon. As I direct our troops to conduct relentless military operations, I urge the populace to join us in this fight. On our collective efforts and solidarity, we can prevent these terrorists from spreading terror and disrupting our peace-loving communities. To the remaining CTG members in Bukidnon, heed our call, it’s not yet too late, we are here to help you. Avail the E-CLIP of the government, and together let’s achieve long-lasting peace,” said BGen Anayron Jr.

Meanwhile, troops of the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion under the operational control of the 901st Infantry Brigade encountered more or less 10 CPP-NPA Terrorists (CNTs) believed to be members of the weakened Guerilla Front 30 of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) yesterday afternoon, May 2, 2023, which resulted in the capture of an AK-47 Rifle, a Hand Grenade and assorted personal belongings and supplies in Brgy Maitum, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur.

901st Brigade Commander Brig, Gen. George Banzon disclosed that their troops responded to persistent reports of concerned civilians regarding the presence of the CTGs roaming around in the said barangay extorting food supplies and conducting teach-ins for recruitment.

Various military operations were launched in past weeks to hunt down remnants of the CTG as 4ID continues to step up pressure against the CTG to isolate them from the civilian communities and entice more surrenderers. 4ID Commander, Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II, emphasize that his troops will use all available resources and the necessary force to quell these remaining terrorists. He also stated that 4ID shall be relentless in combat and non-combat operations to finally win the peace for the safety and well-being of the people.

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/4id-captures-4-npa-firearms-anew-in-recent-military-operations/?fbclid=IwAR2mZto4ZLadFdHRE-AoIAs8zHBO5s-rwyM-MyguJB2V4E1hSxgpXNCCUuo

Kalinaw News: 6 local terrorist yield in Maguindanao del Norte

From Kalinaw News (May 3, 2023): 6 local terrorist yield in Maguindanao del Norte

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – May 3, 2023

Five members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and a member of the Daulah Islamiyah-Turaife Group chose to return to the fold of the law and hand over their firearms to the military in Maguindanao del Norte on May 2, 2023.

The continuous conduct of focused and civil-military operations by the 92nd Infantry Battalion and the ameliorating support of the local government and the peace-loving people of Maguindanao del Norte led to the surrender of the former violent extremists at the 1st Brigade Combat Team headquarters in Barangay Pigcalagan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte.

Surrendered personalities handed over three 7.62mm Sniper rifles, one Springfield Garand rifle, one 40mm Grenade Launcher, and one Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher. All surrendered HPFAs were turned over to the Brigade Support Battalion, 1BCT for safekeeping.

The former violent extremists were presented to 1BCT Commander Brig. Gen. Leodevic Guinid; the local government officials of Pigkawayan, Libungan, and Midsayap; Ministries of Public Order and Safety, and Interior and Local Government of BARMM; and the PNP counterparts.

According to Joint Task Force Central Commander, Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, all FVEs underwent initial processing for validation to qualify them to avail of benefits and programs from the BARMM government. This was spearheaded by the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) and the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) of BARMM.

“We are encouraging the remaining militants to lay down their arms and join the government in working for the coveted peace and progress here in Mindanao,” Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, Commander of Western Mindanao Command, said. “Rest assured that we will employ more pressure on the ground to force the local terrorist to cross the line.”









[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/6-local-terrorists-yield-in-maguindanao-del-norte/?fbclid=IwAR23ubRmI4fP0Gy01W2fv4HkmlwwigkawhgQpKMKJBouXiNEPWaqb-grvLA

Kalinaw News: Troops recover high-powered firearm following clash in Lanao del Sur

From Kalinaw News (May 4, 2023): Troops recover high-powered firearm following clash in Lanao del Sur

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – May 4, 2023

Army troops recovered a high-powered firearm following a short armed confrontation with members of the Daulah Islamiyah-Lanao (DI-Lanao) on Tuesday afternoon, May 2.

Troops of the 51st Infantry Battalion acted on a report that DI-Lanao leader Abu Zacariah was sighted traveling onboard a white Mitsubishi Adventure. A vehicular patrol was conducted to search for the subject vehicle. Operating troops saw the subject vehicle parked along the road in Barangay Gadongan, Pualas, Lanao del Sur.

While checking on the veracity of the information, more or less ten DI-Lanao members opened fire. The armed confrontation lasted shortly after which the enemies scampered in different directions.

No one was hurt on the government side while the casualties on the enemy side are yet to be determined.

Troops scoured the clash site and recovered one M60 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with 140 rounds of ammunition.

According to Maj. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, Commander of Joint Task Force ZamPeLan, troops are in pursuit of the fleeing terror group members to prevent them from creating havoc in the peaceful communities.

Western Mindanao Command Chief, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, commended the troops of JTF ZamPeLan for their prompt response to the report. “Rest assured that we will continue our deliberate efforts to clear the communities from threat.


#StrongUnitedReliable
#PhilArmy
#ARMY126

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/troops-recover-high-powered-firearm-following-clash-in-lanao-del-sur/?fbclid=IwAR2r1N2tdBrPC2M8r_DdarlMK8hPnLgEN6VE1p7eW5Tq8mO0aiZLvNyx4RY

Kalinaw News: Mga bala at ilan pang personal kagamitan, narekober sa encounter site sa Santa Teresita, Cagayan

From Kalinaw News (May 4, 2023): Mga bala at ilan pang personal kagamitan, narekober sa encounter site sa Santa Teresita, Cagayan (Ammunition and some other personal equipment, recovered at the encounter site in Santa Teresita, Cagayan)

𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐑 𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐀 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐙, 𝐔𝐩𝐢, 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐮, 𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐚 – Patuloy ang isinagawang clearing operation ng 501st Infantry Brigade sa nangyaring engkwentro kahapon sa So Biguc, Brgy Alucao, Santa Teresita, Cagayan na ikinasawi ng dalawang teroristang NPA na kung saan ang isa ay nakilala na sa alyas na ‘Morga’, isang estudyante ng pretihiyosong unibersidad sa Manila.

Ang sagupaan ay tumagal ng isang oras bago umatras ang nasa dalawampung miyembro ng KomProb Cagayan at KomProb Isabela, Komiteng Rehiyon – Cagayan Valley (KR-CV) patungong Timog-Silangang direksyon at iniwan ang dalawang kasama na nasawi sa labanan.

Maliban sa dalawang R4 rifles, isang M16 rifle at isang M653 rifle na narekober sa pinangyarihan ng engkwentro, nabawi din ang mga sumusunod: (5) Magazines ng M16; (122) 5.56mm ammunition; (2) Commercial Radios; (2) Bandoliers; (1) power bank; (1) cooking pot; (2) back packs; (4) Cellphones; (3) chargers; (11) Sim Cards; at mga subersibong dokumento.

Ayon kay Col Ferdinand Melchor Dela Cruz, Bde Commander ng 501st Bde, malaki ang papel ng bawat residente upang tuluyang mabura ang presensiya ng mga teroristang NPA hindi lamang sa Sta Teresita kundi sa buong probinsya ng Cagayan.

Sa mga ganitong pangyayari ay patuloy ang pagsikip ng lugar na ginagalawan ng teroristang grupo kaya’t hinihikayat ng opisyal ang mga natitira pang rebelde na magbalik-loob na sa pamahalaan.

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/%F0%9D%90%8C%F0%9D%90%86%F0%9D%90%80-%F0%9D%90%81%F0%9D%90%80%F0%9D%90%8B%F0%9D%90%80-%F0%9D%90%80%F0%9D%90%93-%F0%9D%90%88%F0%9D%90%8B%F0%9D%90%80%F0%9D%90%8D-%F0%9D%90%8F%F0%9D%90%80%F0%9D%90%8D/?fbclid=IwAR1wnrx5-sgFmceHOx36e_HHsTYMu3BrE2j0uf2nZam4QD8U-GN-PDp7Rdk

Kalinaw News: "Dating Milisyang Bayan, sumuko dalaang armas at pampasabog"

From Kalinaw News (May 4, 2023): "Dating Milisyang Bayan, sumuko dalaang armas at pampasabog" ("Former Town Militia, Surrendered with Weapons and Explosives")

Isang dating Milisyang Bayan sa ilalim ng PLATUN REYMARK mula sa bayan ng Macalelon ang sumuko sa 85th Infantry (SANDIWA) Battalion at PNP kanina ika -3 ng Mayo taong kasalukuyan. Kasabay sa isinuko ng dating Milisyang Bayan ang isang M16 rifle, isang magazine na may labindalawang bala at isang hand grenade.

Ayon sa sumuko, kasama sya sa mga NPA na nagsagawa ng pananambang sa tropa ng 85IB sa Brgy Cogorin, Lopez, Quezon noong taong 2017 kung saan isa ang nasawi at dalawa (2) ang nasugatan sa ating kasundaluhan.

Matatandaan na noong nakaraang taon, matapos lagdaan ang Memorandum of Understanding na nagdedeklara sa bayan ng Macalelon bilang isang Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) o Insurgency-free ay tuloy-tuloy na ang pakikipagkaisa ng mga mamamayan sa layunin ng ating pamahalaan na panatilihing SIPS ang nasabing bayan. Pang apat na sa matataas na kalibre ng baril ang nasabing M16 rifle sa mga naisuko sa pamahalaan mula nung nadeklara na SIPS or Insurgency-free ang naturang bayan.

Ayon kay Ltc Joel R Jonson ang Battalion Commander ng 85IB, ang sunod sunod na pagsuko ng mga dating Milisyang Bayan na kasama ang mga naiwan na armas ay nagpapatunay lamang na wala na ang idelohiyang itinanim sa kaisipan ng masa at taos puso na sa mga dating nalinlang ng komunistang CPP-NPA-NDF ang pagsuko sa pamahalaan kalakip nito ang pakikipagtulungan sa ating kasundaluhan upang makamit ang tunay na kapayapaan at kaunlaran sa ika tatlo at ika apat na distrito ng Quezon.

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/__trashed-274/?fbclid=IwAR2ZK0Jh3O6HnT23oJFXGElUlgEyiT19jv7vXXDwDyzQIgCPA9rhZL4gdPM

Kalinaw News: Mga gamit pandigma at personal na kagamitan ng mga NPA, narekober sa lalawigan ng Cagayan

From Kalinaw News (May 5, 2023): Mga gamit pandigma at personal na kagamitan ng mga NPA, narekober sa lalawigan ng Cagayan (Weapons of war and personal equipment of NPAs recovered in Cagayan province)

Bukod sa dalawang R4 rifles, isang M16 rifle at isang M653 rifle na narekober ng kasundaluhan sa pinangyarihan ng engkwentro sa Sitio Biguc, Brgy Alucao, Santa Teresita, Cagayan ay nakuha rin sa encounter site ang iba’t-ibang bala ng baril, limang magazines ng M16, dalawang radio, dalawang bandoliers; isang power bank; isang cooking pot; dalawang back packs; apat na cellphones; tatlong chargers; labing isang SIM cards; at mga subersibong dokumento.

Kaugnay nito, patuloy pa rin ang isinasagawang hot pursuit at clearing operation ng 501st Infantry Brigade sa nangyaring engkwentro kahapon sa nabanggit na lugar na ikinasawi ng dalawang teroristang NPA na kung saan ang isa ay nakilala na sa alyas na ‘Morga’, isang estudyante ng prestihiyosong unibersidad sa Manila.

Tumagal ang sagupaan ng isang oras bago umatras ang nasa dalawampung miyembro ng KomProb Cagayan at KomProb Isabela, Komiteng Rehiyon – Cagayan Valley o KR-CV patungong Timog-Silangang direksyon at iniwan ang dalawang kasama na nasawi sa labanan.

Inihayag naman ni Col Ferdinand Melchor Dela Cruz, Brigade Commander ng 501st Infantry Brigade na malaki ang papel ng bawat residente upang tuluyang mabura ang presensiya ng mga teroristang NPA sa buong probinsya ng Cagayan.

Muli namang hinikayat ng opisyal ang mga natitira pang NPA na magbalik-loob na sa pamahalaan.

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/%f0%9d%97%a0%f0%9d%97%9a%f0%9d%97%94-%f0%9d%97%9a%f0%9d%97%94%f0%9d%97%a0%f0%9d%97%9c%f0%9d%97%a7-%f0%9d%97%a3%f0%9d%97%94%f0%9d%97%a1%f0%9d%97%97%f0%9d%97%9c%f0%9d%97%9a%f0%9d%97%a0%f0%9d%97%94/

Kalinaw News: 1 NPA killed, 2 soldiers wounded in Himamaylan clash

From Kalinaw News (May 5, 2023): 1 NPA killed, 2 soldiers wounded in Himamaylan clash

CAMP GERONA, Murcia, Negros Occidental – One (1) unidentified NPA Terrorist member was killed while two (2) soldiers were wounded and firearms were seized after an encounter transpired between the government forces of 94IB and members of CPP-NPA-Terrorists (CNTs) at Sitio Ulo-Tuburan, Brgy Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on May 03, 2023 (Wednesday).

Troops of the 94th Infantry Battalion under the leadership of Lt Colonel Van Donald Almonte, Battalion Commander responded to the reports of the locals regarding the presence of Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) who are roaming around and extorting in the areas of Brgy Hilamonan, Kabankalan City and Brgy Buenavista of Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on May 03, 2023 (Wednesday).

Accordingly, more or less 15 Communists NPA Terrorists from SDG Platoon of Central Negros 2, Komiteng Rehiyon – Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) were encountered by the troops and the firefight lasted for about 20 minutes and enemy scampered in different directions leaving behind their dead comrade at the encounter site.Troops were able to seized the following war materials: One (1) M653 5.56mm rifle, 1 short M16 magazine, 6 rounds 5.56 live ammunitions, 1 M14 magazine, 3 rounds 7.62mm live ammunitions, 7 rounds cal.38 live ammunitions, 4 rounds 12 gauged shotgun live ammunitions, 1 backpack, 1 combat boot, 3 tumblers, 1 canteen water, assorted medicines, assorted foodstuffs, personal belongings and subversive documents.

CDRRMO of Himamaylan City together with PNP facilitated the retrieval of the cadaver of the NPA members for further identification and was brought to nearest funeral home.

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Orlando D Edralin, 303rd Infantry (Brown Eagle) Brigade Commander lauded the efforts of the 94IB troopers for their prompt action to the reported presence of the armed group and prevented them from conducting atrocities against the local residents in the area. He also commended the vigilance of the local populace in helping and giving the troops accurate and significant information indicating their concern for the peace and order of their community. “The local populace of Brgy Buenavista’s cooperation with our troops manifests their genuine desire for a CPP-NPA-free community. With the locals’ overwhelming support, we are confident that a peaceful and progressive Negros Island can be achieved,” BGen Edralin added.

The 303rd Brigade Commander also called on the remaining NPAs to surrender with their firearms and avail the goverment reintegration program like E-CLIP for them to start a new and normal life with their families.

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/one-1-npa-killed-2-soldiers-wounded-in-himamaylan-clash/

Kalinaw News: 3 high-powered firearms recovered in a clash in Butuan City

From Kalinaw News (May 5, 2023): 3 high-powered firearms recovered in a clash in Butuan City

CABADBARAN CITY, Agusan del Norte- three (3) high-powered firearms were recovered in an exchange of fires between communist terrorist group (CTG) and the troops of the 29th Infantry (Matatag) Battalion, Philippine Army at the vicinity of So Tubuhon, Brgy Bugsukan, Butuan City on May 3, 2023.

Prior to the said encounter, the unit received several tips from concerned citizens of So. Mandalayag, Brgy Pianing, Butuan City and displeased local residents from the neighboring areas regarding the presence of the CTG in the barangay who were extorting foodstuff and demanding all kinds of supplies. Reportedly, the residents of the barangay can no longer withstand the danger that the CTGs are subjecting them.

Acting on the information, the troops conducted combat operations that resulted to the encounter against more or less ten (10) CTG members of Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda 21C, Weakened Guerilla Front21, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC). After exchange of fires that lasted for 40 minutes, the troops recovered two (2) AK47 Rifles, one (1) M16A1 Rifle, assorted ammunition, foodstuff and subversive documents with high intelligence value that were left by the fleeing CTG.

According to LtCol Cresencio Gargar, Commanding Officer of 29IB, “We launched the combat operations in swift response to the information given by concerned civilians and residents to us. Rest assured that we will intensify our pursuit operations to chase down the fleeing CTG who scampered in different directions. I call on the members of the CPP-NPA to lay down your arms and surrender peacefully for the sake of your families. The only remaining option for you now is to return to the folds of the law and mainstream society to live a peaceful and normal life. We will perform our mandate in eradicating terrorist groups to maintain peace and order and foster development in Agusan del Norte.”

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/3-high-powered-firearms-recovered-in-a-clash-in-butuan-city/

Kalinaw News: Government forces seize high-powered firearms during checkpoint operation in North Cotabato

From Kalinaw News (May 4, 2023): Government forces seize high-powered firearms during checkpoint operation in North Cotabato

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – May 4, 2023

Joint AFP and PNP forces seized high-powered firearms during a checkpoint operation at Grebona Patrol Base, Libungan, North Cotabato on Thursday morning, May 4.

Troops of the 34th Infantry Battalion and PNP Libungan flagged down a silver Toyota Vios with plate number NXB742 driven by Norudin Usop and ridden by his wife Guianbai Demalelai and their children who are both minors.

Seized from their possession were ten M16 rifles, ten lower receivers for R4 rifles, five barrels for 5.56mm rifles, two handheld radio(s), and six pairs of handguard cover for M16 rifle.

Usop and his family were going towards Cotabato City from Manila via Surigao City. They were intercepted by the operating troops while they were traversing the Bukidnon-Alamada-Libungan Highway.

Based on the initial investigation, the arrested personality was a courier of a gun-running group, who are selling illegal firearms to PAGs and other armed groups in North Cotabato and Maguindanao Provinces. The mastermind of the gun-running network is still the subject of the ongoing investigation.

Western Mindanao Command Chief, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido commended the troops for this significant accomplishment. “Your armed forces continue to assist the police in the intensified conduct of law enforcement operations to deter crimes and contain lawless elements operating in our area of operation.”

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/government-forces-seize-high-powered-firearms-during-checkpoint-operation-in-north-cotabato/

Kalinaw News: 74th IB discovers NPA arms cache in hinterland Brgy Magsaysay, Mapanas, Northern Samar

From Kalinaw News (May 4, 2023): 74th IB discovers NPA arms cache in hinterland Brgy Magsaysay, Mapanas, Northern Samar

CAMP VICENTE LUKBAN, CATBALOGAN CITY – THE TROOPS OF 74TH INFANTRY BATTALION DISCOVERED AN ARMS CACHE BURIED BY THE COMMUNIST-NPA-TERRORISTS (CNTS) IN THE HINTERLAND OF BRGY. MAGSAYSAY, MAPANAS, NORTHERN SAMAR.

Following a tip from a Former Rebel (FR) about the location of the arms cache, the troops were able to unearth 6 anti-personnel mines (APMs), one homemade shotgun, and one AK47 rifle with a magazine loaded with ammunitions.

The discovery of the arms cache especially the APMs is a proof that the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) are still blatantly violating the Law of Armed Conflict and the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

The use of APMs has long been banned since the 1997 Ottawa Convention, a convention on the use of mines as weapons in warfare because it can cause superfluous injury and has psychological effects on the victims.

There are four kinds of violations under the Ottawa Convention, the production, transport, stockpiling, and the use of Anti-Personnel Mines.

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/camp-vicente-lukban-catbalogan-city-the-troops-of-74th-infantry-battalion-discovered-an-arms-cache-buried-by-the-communist-npa-terrorists-cnts-in-the-hinterland-of-brgy-magsaysay-mapanas-north/

No request for Filipino troops from US if war erupts over Taiwan – Marcos

From CNN Philippines (May 5, 2023): No request for Filipino troops from US if war erupts over Taiwan – Marcos (By Lisbet Esmael, CNN Philippines)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 5) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he did not receive any request from the United States government for possible deployment of Filipino troops to assist in combat operations should the tension between China and Taiwan escalate to war.

“The short answer is no,” the president said when asked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies forum on Friday.

Marcos also noted that the US “never brought up” the possibility that the new sites in Luzon identified for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) would be used “as staging areas for any offensive actions against any countries.”

“The United States has never said that this is a possibility and we’ve also made it clear to our end that this is not the purpose of those sites and this is not the way that they will be used,” he explained.

Marcos reiterated that the EDCA was meant to step up the country’s preparedness for disasters, stressing the Philippines is vulnerable to climate change.

The additional four EDCA sites are located in Cagayan, Isabela, and Palawan.

China earlier rejected the Philippines’ move to expand the military presence of the US, especially amid the rising tension over Taiwan.

But the president said that he guaranteed Chinese Foreign Minister Qiin Gang that the EDCA sits would not be tapped for military attack.

“These are not intended to be military bases to attack, to move against anyone, any country, not China, not any country… again we turn back to the simple concept of our foreign policy and it is we’re continuing work that we would like to be involved in the pursuit of peace and that continues to be the case,” Marcos said.
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/5/5/marcos-filipino-troops-taiwan-war.html

Cordillera group urges gov’t to surface IP rights defenders

From Rappler (May 3, 2023): Cordillera group urges gov’t to surface IP rights defenders (By SHERWIN DE VERA)

'We express deep concern for the safety and well-being of Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil de Jesus,' says the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – A Cordillera rights group has called on the government to surface to two individuals whom they believe are under the custody of law enforcement after they went missing on April 28.

“We express deep concern for the safety and well-being of Dexter Capuyan and Gene Roz Jamil de Jesus,” said Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) in a May 3 urgent alert.

CHRA said the last reported contact from their peers was last Friday, 9 pm, somewhere in Taytay, Rizal.

The CHRA also appealed for public support to locate them and ascertain their situation.

“We believe that state security units have them in custody and fear for their safety and well-being. We urge whoever holds them to surface them immediately, respect their rights and treat them humanely,” the group said.

Capuyan is an Igorot from La Trinidad, Benguet, while De Jesus, a resident of Bulacan, last communicated with his family at 7:36 pm on April 28, according to his mother’s social media post.

“Napakahirap para sa aming pamilya ang bagay na ito. Ilang araw nang dala-dala namin ang matinding pag-aalala. Pinipilit na maging normal ang pagharap sa lahat ngunit sa likod ay puno ng paghihinagpis. Sana ay magkaroon na ng linaw ang paghahanap,” De Jesus’ mother, Ditz, said in the post.

(This is very hard for our family. We have been deeply worried for several days now. We try our best to face all these despite our pain. We hope we can see the light in our search.)
Rebel leader?

Capuyan is among the individuals named in the list of alleged leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army released by the Department of National Defense and Department of the Interior and Local Government. Authorities are offering an P1.85-million bounty for his arrest.

Government agencies claim that the 56-year-old Capuyan is an ranking officer of the Chadli Molintas Command NPA Ilocos Cordillera.

Capuyan was among the more than 600 individuals named in the Department of Justice petition to proscribe the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization. His name was removed when state prosecutors trimmed the number of respondents to eight. A Manila court junked the petition in September 2022.

He was also implicated in the February 2015 New People’s Army ambush against a military and police convoy in Quirino, Ilocos Sur, resulting in five soldiers’ killed and six others wounded
Student leaders

Capuyan and De jesus were former University of the Philippines Baguio students.

Capuyan served as the editor-in-chief of the student publication, Outcrop, and the League of Filipino Students chairperson in the early 1980s.

De Jesus, a Communication Major in Journalism cum laude, was the chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Students and the UP Baguio Council of Leaders before graduating in 2016. He also served as the Cordillera regional coordinator of the National Union of Students of the Philippines.

According to his family’s post, he is currently the information and networking officer of the Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples.

Leia Castro-Margate, a former instructor of De Jesus in UP Baguio, described him as a “good writer.”

“He was the kind of student you would be proud of as a teacher, didn’t neglect his studies while still serving the people outside school work. He is not just as activist for show but someone who walks the talk,” she said in an online interview.

“He was very humble and down to earth,” Castro-Margate added.

[Retired Analyst Note: The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) is a suspected Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) front group. The CHRA is a member of the main CPP human rights umbrella front organization KARAPATAN,  Also mentioned in the article is the League of Filipino Students (LFS), a radical student organization and a CPP front. This group is a member of the main CPP-affiliated umbrella multisectoral front organization the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-New Patriotic Alliance).]

https://www.rappler.com/nation/cordillera-group-urge-government-surface-indigenous-peoples-rights-defenders/

US issues guidelines on defending Philippines from South China Sea attack

Posted to Rappler (May 4, 2023): US issues guidelines on defending Philippines from South China Sea attack (By REUTERS)

The guidelines are a first since the Mutual Defense Treaty was signed in 1951 and follows scores of Philippine diplomatic protests in the past year over what it calls China's 'aggressive' actions and threats against its coast guard

MANILA, Philippines – The United States has laid out in clear terms the extent of its defense treaty commitments to the Philippines, issuing new guidelines that refer specifically to attacks in the South China Sea, including on its coast guard.

The six-page “bilateral defense guidelines” agreed in Washington on Wednesday, May 3, follow a renewed push under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to update the Mutual Defense Treaty with the former colonial ruler, at a time of increased tension and maritime confrontation with China.

The guidelines were a first since the treaty was signed in 1951 and follow scores of Philippine diplomatic protests in the past year over what it calls China’s “aggressive” actions and threats against its coast guard.

The guidelines said the bilateral treaty commitments would be invoked if either is attacked specifically in the South China Sea and also if coast guard vessels were the target.

It was also updated to include references to modern forms of warfare, including “grey zone tactics,” which China is accused of using to assert its claims to sovereignty. The guidelines did not mention China specifically.

“Recognizing that threats may arise in several domains – including land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace – and take the form of asymmetric, hybrid, and irregular warfare and grey-zone tactics, the guidelines chart a way forward to build interoperability in both conventional and non-conventional domains,” according to the Pentagon.

‘Warning to China’

The South China Sea, a waterway vital to global trade, has become a major flashpoint in the increasingly testy relationship between China and the United States.

The guidelines send a “warning” to China against targeting the Philippine coast guard said Rommel Ong, former vice commander of the Philippine navy and a professor at the Ateneo School of Government.

Julio Amador, head of the Foundation for the National Interest, a Manila-based think-tank focusing on strategic and security issues, said of the security guidelines “It’s clear that it will give China some pause.”

China’s foreign ministry on Thursday said it opposed the use of bilateral defense treaties to interfere in the South China Sea, which “should not be a hunting ground for external forces”.

The guidelines were released during visit to Washington this week by Marcos, which included talks with counterpart Joe Biden.

Marcos also met Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who told him “we will always have your back, in the South China Sea or elsewhere in the region.”

Ties with the United States have deepened under Marcos, who in February granted its military access to more of his country’s bases, prompting accusations from China that the deal was “stoking the fire” of regional tension.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/united-states-issues-guidelines-defending-philippines-south-china-sea-attack/

US defense chief promises Marcos: ‘We will always have your back in the South China Sea’

From Rappler (May 4, 2023): US defense chief promises Marcos: ‘We will always have your back in the South China Sea’ (By BEA CUPIN)

During a Pentagon meeting, President Marcos and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin commit to an ‘increased tempo’ of joint patrols to ‘support the Philippines’ lawful exercise of its rights in the South China Sea'

WASHINGTON DC, USA – Following full military honors at the Pentagon, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was promised by no less than the American defense chief that the US would “always have your back in the South China Sea or elsewhere in the region.”

Marcos and his delegation – Cabinet members, business leaders, and friends and family also in the administration, among others – went to Pentagon Wednesday morning, May 3, for a meeting with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Marcos was accorded full military honors upon arrival.

“President Biden has made clear our commitment to the defense of the Philippines is ironclad. And let me tell you once again that our Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed attacks on our armed forces, coast guard vessels, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific including anywhere in the South China Sea,” said Austin, in opening statements sent to the media before their closed-door meeting.

“So, make no mistake Mr. President, we will always have your back in the South China Sea or elsewhere in the region,” he added.

According to a readout from the US Department of Defense (DOD), Austin and Marcos “discussed plans to swiftly operationalize the four new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in Northern Luzon and Palawan,” referring to the four Philippine sites that have been opened to American troops and assets.

The two also agreed to an “increased tempo of combined maritime activities,” such as joint patrols, “to support the Philippines’ lawful exercise of its rights in the South China Sea.” Austin also reiterated the US’ commitment to helping improve the Philippines’ defense capabilities.

Both leaders, according to the DOD, “discussed ways to coordinate more closely with like-minded nations – including Australia and Japan – to strengthen shared principles.” The two singled out the “rule of law, freedom of the seas, and respect for territorial sovereignty,” as shared principles.

Defense ties have been top on the agenda in many of Marcos’ engagements with US officials while in Washington DC – from a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden to breakfast with US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Washington is Manila’s only defense treaty ally, while Manila is Washington’s oldest in the Indo-Pacific. The Philippines is also only one of five treaty allies in the region, which the Biden administration has paid extra attention to in recent years.

Conflict – both open and brewing – in the Asia Pacific, in Marcos’ own words, have resulted in “arguably the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world right now.”

The Philippines is in the middle of it – its west coast faces the South China Sea, which China has claimed in almost its entirety. China’s aggressions against the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea have intensified recently, despite Marcos and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s promise of a “new golden age” in China-Philippine relations.

Manila is also a strategic location in the event of Chinese aggression in democratically-governed Taiwan.

With less than a year in office, Marcos has stepped up and intensified relations with the US, especially related to defense. Aside from the four new EDCA sites, the Marcos administration hosted the largest-ever Balikatan, annual military exercises between the Philippines and the US, to date.

Experts have said that the EDCA sites – totaling nine bases – could be launching points for military action, should Taiwan be attacked by China.

Yet Marcos has insisted that the EDCA sites would not be used for offensive actions, and that the Philippines would not be the staging point for military action in the region. – Rappler.com

READ:
Marcos in the White House: Manila back in Washington’s arms

https://www.rappler.com/nation/united-states-defense-chief-promises-marcos-jr-have-back-south-china-sea/

‘Meddling’ in the South China Sea? China didn’t allude to us, says Marcos

From Rappler (May 5, 2023): ‘Meddling’ in the South China Sea? China didn’t allude to us, says Marcos (By BEA CUPIN)

In a press briefing wrapping up his official visit to the US, the Philippine president says his strategy to keep good ties with China is no different from his plan to keep good relations with the US

WASHINGTON DC, USA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. downplayed Beijing’s reaction to recently released bilateral security guidelines between Washington and Manila by telling media that Beijing was chastising the US and not the Philippines.

“Well, I do not think… as representing…as a Filipino and representing the Philippines, I don’t feel alluded to. How can anyone say that we are not party and interest in all of these issues?” said Marcos on Thursday, May 4 in a media forum to wrap up his five-day official working visit to the US.

On May 3, following a meeting between Marcos and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon, the US released bilateral defense guidelines that build on the 71-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty between Manila and its former colonizer.

READ: US issues guidelines on defending Philippines from South China Sea attack

In response, China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said “China firmly opposes any country’s move to meddle in the South China Sea issue to harm China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests by citing the guidelines.”

Other Stories

US issues guidelines on defending Philippines from South China Sea attack
The guidelines are a first since the Mutual Defense Treaty was signed in 1951 and follows scores of Philippine diplomatic protests in the past year over what it calls China's 'aggressive' actions and threats against its coast guard

US defense chief promises Marcos: ‘We will always have your back in the South China Sea’
During a Pentagon meeting, President Marcos and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin commit to an ‘increased tempo’ of joint patrols to ‘support the Philippines’ lawful exercise of its rights in the South China Sea'

The guidelines cover a wide range – from a commitment to sharing real-time information on the South China Sea, joint patrols, and helping upgrade Philippine maritime assets. Given Manila’s proximity to Taiwan and the South China Sea, experts see it as a guide for the US to help the Philippines in defending itself from China.

The document itself makes no mention of China or the People’s Republic of China but mentions the South China Sea several times, which Beijing has practically claimed in its entirety.

“I would like to stress that the South China Sea is the shared home for countries in the region, not a hunting ground for forces outside the region. When regional countries are committed to mutual trust, solidarity, cooperation and properly handling differences, they have in their hand the key to peace and stability in the South China Sea,” said Mao in a May 4 press conference.

Asked to react to Mao’s statements, Marcos said it was only “right and proper” for the Philippines to find ways to “strengthen our capabilities” and to “find and forge partnerships” both with the US government and the American private sector.

“We in the Philippines need to do this if we are going to go forward and find new opportunities for our people at hindi naman masasabi na walang karapatan ang Pilipinas na gawin lahat ‘yun (it cannot be said that the Philippines has no right to do all these). Kaya’t ‘yang statement na ‘yan ay sa palagay ko ay hindi naka-direct sa Pilipinas (So that statement isn’t directed towards the Philippines),” Marcos added.

The Philippines is one of several countries that finds itself in the middle of the growing competition between Washington and Beijing. Even as Marcos has stepped up ties with the US, he’s also kept China close and even promised a “new golden age” in relations with Beijing.

His strategy to keep good ties with China, said Marcos, is no different from his plan to keep good ties with the US. “Our foreign policy is almost simplistic when I describe it because our foreign policy is based on the pursuit of peace, our foreign policy is based on the promotion of our national interest,” he said.

Yet dynamics between Manila and Washington are far from comparable to ties with Beijing. Despite the promised “new golden age,” Chinese aggressions have only intensified in the South China Sea.

The Philippine Coast Guard has been especially active in reporting these incursions – most notably, a laser-pointing incident and most recently, a near-collision in those volatile waters.

The Asian neighbors had promised communication mechanisms to ease tensions in the South China Sea, but Marcos recently said China has yet to submit the names of its representatives. Still, said the Philippine president, “disengagement is not an option,” he said in a forum hosted by a Washington-based think tank. – Rappler.com

READ: US defense chief promises Marcos: ‘We will always have your back in the South China Sea’

https://www.rappler.com/nation/marcos-jr-response-china-reaction-philippines-united-states-bilateral-defense-guidelines/

Murad clueless on claim about Mangudadatu ally’s appointment

From Rappler (May 5, 2023): Murad clueless on claim about Mangudadatu ally’s appointment (By ROMMEL REBOLLIDO)

BARMM interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim says only he can appoint a regional minister, and a vacant seat in the BTA is reserved for an MILF member

GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) interim Chief Minister Ahod Balawag “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim on Thursday, May 4, expressed surprise over Maguindanao del Sur Governor Mariam Mangudadatu’s announcement that one of her political allies would be the next environment and energy minister of the special region, saying he was clueless about that supposed plan.

The post was held from 2019 to 2022 by former BARMM senior minister Abdulraof Macacua, who was recently appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as officer-in-charge slash governor of Maguindanao del Norte.

After his stint as head of the environment ministry, Macacua’s deputy minister, Akmad Brahim, took over as head of the BARMM’s Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy {MENRE).

Mangudadatu spoke about the supposed plan during a news conference in Buluan town on Wednesday, May 3, when she announced her change of heart about the appointment of Macacua and other OICs, and that she wanted to mend her strained relations with the Ebrahim-led regional government so that they could collaborate.

Mangudadatu also said Sharifudin Tocao Mastura will soon assume office as the region’s environment and energy minister and as a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), which was supposedly an agreement reached when she and other appointees in the two new Maguindanao provinces took their oath in Malacanang on April 28.

Mastura is a member of a political family that is part of a Mangudadatu-led coalition of political clans in the Maguindanao provinces.

The 26-year-old Mastura, a certified public accountant, topped the 2022 race for provincial board seats of the now-defunct Maguindanao province under the Nacionalista Party (NP).

He was also elected regional president of the BARMM Board Members’ League and was among those who had planned to serve in the Maguindanao del Norte legislature. But instead of him, another Mastura, former Sultan Mastura town mayor Armando Mastura, was appointed as a member of the new provincial board.

According to Mangudadatu, Mastura was already preparing his documents ahead of his appointment to the BTA and the region’s environment ministry.

Ebrahim, however, said he was not privy to the supposed agreement about Mastura’s appointment.

“Hindi pa namin napaguusapan ni Presidente (The President and I have yet to discuss that matter),” he told reporters.

Ebrahim also pointed out that the BARMM chief minister, and not the President, is the appointing power when it comes to positions in the regional cabinet.

“Normally, the rule is that it is the chief minister who appoints a minister, not anymore the President,” he said.

He also said a vacant position in the BTA, based on the rule, is one of the 41 seats reserved for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the former rebel group that struck a peace agreement with the government. Ebrahim is the MILF chairman, and Mastura is a non-member of the former rebel group.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/murad-clueless-claim-about-mariam-mangudadatu-ally-appointment/

Marcos says US access to Philippines bases not meant for ‘offensive action’

From Rappler (May 5, 2023): Marcos says US access to Philippines bases not meant for ‘offensive action’ (By REUTERS)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tells the Center for Strategic and International Studies that the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement that allows access to bases in the Philippines was conceived to deal with the effects of climate change

WASHINGTON DC, USA – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday, June 4, his agreement this year to grant the United States access to more military bases in his country was not intended for use for “offensive action” against any country.

Speaking to a US think-tank in Washington, Marcos said he had made that point to Chinese officials during recent talks. He also said the US had not asked the Philippines to provide troops in case of war between China and the US over Taiwan.

Marcos told the Center for Strategic and International Studies that the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) that allows access to bases in the Philippines was conceived to deal with the effects of climate change.

“The foreign minister of China just visited with me…and I told him and I assured him that no, these are not…intended to be military bases to attack, to move against anyone, any country, not China, not any country,” Marcos said.

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He said use of EDCA bases for “offensive action” would be outside the parameters of what Manila had discussed with the United States and added that Washington had never brought up the possibility that they would be used as “staging areas” for offensive action against any country.

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Manila’s ties with Washington have deepened under Marcos and he granted the US military access to four more bases in February, something China said was “stoking the fire” of regional tension.

Experts say the United States sees the Philippines as a potential location for rockets, missiles and artillery systems to counter a Chinese amphibious invasion of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said after a meeting of the defense and foreign ministers of the United States and the Philippines last month that it was “too early” to discuss what assets the United States would like to station at Philippine bases.

Marcos came to Washington for a summit with President Joe Biden seeking clarity on the extent of Washington’s commitment to protect his country under a 1951 security pact, amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, where Manila has rival claims to Beijing’s, as well as tensions over Taiwan and North Korea.

Biden said after their meeting on Monday, May 1, the US commitment to the defense of its ally was “ironclad,” including in the South China Sea, and after a visit by Marcos to the Pentagon on Wednesday the two sides issued a six-page document of “bilateral defense guidelines” laying out the extent of US commitments to the Philippines under their 1951 mutual defense treaty.

Marcos said relations between Washington and Manila were back on a “normal road of partnership” and needed to evolve to make them more responsive to present and emerging challenges.

Under his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, relations with US had soured as Duterte turned the Philippines sharply away from its former colonial ruler and built closer ties with Beijing.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/marcos-jr-says-united-states-access-philippines-bases-not-for-offensive-action/