CPP/NPA-Central Negros: Peke nga Engkwentro sa Central Negros, Ginahinabon sang AFP sa ila Kapalpakan

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 8, 2023): Peke nga Engkwentro sa Central Negros, Ginahinabon sang AFP sa ila Kapalpakan (Fake Encounter in Central Negros, the AFP is Covering Up their Misery)

 


JB Regalado

Spokesperson

NPA-Central Negros (Leonardo Panaligan Command)

Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)

New People's Army

August 08, 2023

Wala huya nga nagapalayag si Lt. Col. William Pesase sang 62nd IB kag B/Gen. Orlando Edralin sang 303rd Bde PA sa publiko nga may natabo nga engkwentro sa tunga sang Leonardo Panaligan Command-New People’s Army (LPC-NPA) kag 62nd IB sa Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental kag Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental sadtong Agosto 5. Linubid nga mga kabutigan kag patalang sa publiko ang ini nga mga pahayag sang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) agud hinabunan ang ila desperasyon kag kapalpakan sa pagwasak sang rebolusyonaryong kahublagan sa ila mga Focused Military Operations sa isla ilabe na sa Central Negros.

Wala sang lehitimo nga engkwentro sa tunga sang NPA kag tropa militar sa Sityo Li-ong, Brgy Imelda, Guihulngan City sadtong Agosto 5, alas 5:00 sang kaagahon. Wala man sang yunit sang NPA sa lugar. Ang matuod, tatlo ka lupok sang mortar halin sa Brgy. Villegas Army Detachment ang nagpukaw sa mga residente sang Brgy Nagsaha, Imelda, Balugo, Magsaysay kag Villegas tanan sang Guihulngan City. Halin alas 5:00 sang kaagahon tubtob alas 6:30 sang aga ang linupok sang mortar tuga sang patarasak nga pagpamomba sang 62nd IB ang nagkugmat sa nagakatulog pa nga mga residente sa lugar. Nagtuga ini sang kahalitan sa mga pananom kag kasapatan sang mga mangunguma sang nagtupa sa kalasangan sang “Issi”nga nahamtang sa boundary sang nasambit na nga mga baryo.

Indi man engkwentro ang natabo sa Sityo Cansimba, Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla alas 9:00 pasado sadtong Agosto 5. Ang kamatuoran, hungod nga ginpaarakan sang tropa sang 62nd IB ang balay sang pamilya Blasco. Nagresulta sang pagkasamad ni Jonasio “Joe” Blasco, mangunguma kag amay sang nasambit nga pamilya. Bisan pilason si Blasco naninguha ini nga magpalayo sa naga-ulan nga bala halin sa pasistang militar. Sang nakita sang militar si Joe nga pilason, liwat nga ginpaarakan sang luthang tubtob nadulaan sang kabuhi ang biktima.

Indi katapo sang NPA si Jonasio Blasco. Simple nga mangunguma kag sibilyan si Blasco sa lugar. Biktima siya sang redtagging nga iskema sang mapintas nga estado halin pa sadtong tuig 2014. Ginapasibangdan siya sang militar nga suporter sang NPA rason sang pagkadislokar sang ila pangabuhian.

Taliwas sa ginawakal sang uhaw sa dugo, dalok sa ranggo kag mga butigon nga si Pesase kag Edralin sang AFP sa isla sang Negros. Indi kalinong ang gina-usoy nga banas sang AFP kundi terorismo, pasismo kag lunsay pagpamintas sa pumuluyong Negrosanon.

Mag-isa….maghimakas indi mahadlok! Hublasan ang pasismo sang rehimeng US-Marcos Jr! Isulong ang inaway banwa tubtob sa kadalag-an!

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/peke-nga-engkwentro-sa-central-negros-ginahinabon-sang-afp-sa-ila-kapalpakan/

CPP/CIO: Stand up to the Chinese Titan and American Colossus

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 8, 2023): Stand up to the Chinese Titan and American Colossus

 


Marco Valbuena

Chief Information Officer

Communist Party of the Philippines

August 08, 2023

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) joins the Filipino people in denouncing the interdiction operation by water-cannon attack conducted by a China’s Coast Guard ship over the weekend against a much smaller Philippine supply boat and coast guard vessel.

China’s action is completely unacceptable considering that it was carried out well within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines and put to risk the lives of the Filipino crewmen. The Philippine boats were on a mission to deliver supplies to soldiers stationed at military outpost at the Ayungin Shoal, which the International Arbitral Tribunal ruled to be part of the Philippine’s exclusive economic zone.

This is not the first time that Philippine boats were subjected to hostile action by China’s armed vessels. Such operations which violate Philippine sovereignty have been going on for over a decade now. The most vulnerable to China’s aggression are Filipino fishing boats who have been repeatedly driven away by armed Chinese vessels from their fishing grounds, especially in the Scarborrough Shoal, which has long been shared by Filipino and Chinese fishermen. In addition, Chinese industrial fishing has intensified in areas within and around the West Philippine Sea which have resulted in the dislocation of small Filipino fishermen.

The Filipino people must manifest their indignation against China’s antagonistic acts against Philippine sea vessels, plunder of marine resources and gross violations of the country’s sovereignty. They must build the broadest possible local and international united front to demand China to respect the 2016 ruling of the IAT which dismissed China’s 9-dash claim and upheld the Philippines’ rights to its exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf.

Moreover, the Filipino people must protest the timidity of the Philippine government in the face of China’s antagonistic acts, while refusing to make active international political and diplomatic initiatives to more aggressively defend the country’s sovereignty, and instead merely following the baton of the US government.

At the same time, the Filipino people must resist the push of pro-US militarists who wish to exploit the situation to justify further increasing the reliance of the country’s military forces on US military funding and arms sales, heightening US military presence in the country, intensifying US war provocations, raising the temperature of US-China military conflict and drawing the Philippines into a possible hot war.

Over the past decade, the imperialist powers US and China have trampled on Philippine sovereignty in playing their superpower rivalry. On the one hand, China has intensified its military presence in the South China Sea in the face of heightened US military presence since the “Asia pivot” declaration of the US in 2011. On the other hand, the US has intensified its military presence in the Philippines, as well as in South Korea, Japan, and others along its so-called “first island chain” strategy of “encircling China.” The US has been hyping up Taiwan “independence” to provoke China.

The Filipino people cannot defend the country’s sovereignty against the Chinese titan by allowing themselves to be under the power of the US colossus. To do so is not to defend the Philippine sovereignty, rather is to further retrograde the country’s status as an American neocolony.

Instead, the Filipino people must raise the urgent demand for the imperialist powers to demilitarize the South China Sea by removing their armed vessels in the area to allow cargo and civilian vessels to freely sail through these international waters, and give Filipino fishermen all the freedom to harvest marine resources, without fear of interdiction or reprisal, and for the Philippines to enjoy security within its land and territorial seas.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/stand-up-to-the-chinese-titan-and-american-colossus/

CPP/NPA-Central Negros: 62ndIB, Desperado nga Nagpamomba sa Binukid kag Kalasangan sa Guihulngan City

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 6, 2023): 62ndIB, Desperado nga Nagpamomba sa Binukid kag Kalasangan sa Guihulngan City (62ndIB, Desperately Bombarded Farms and Forests in Guihulngan City)

 


JB Regalado

Spokesperson

NPA-Central Negros (Leonardo Panaligan Command)

Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)

New People's Army

August 06, 2023

Nakugmat kag namuragmuragan ang nagakatulog pa nga mga residente sang mga barangay sang Nagsaha, Balugo, Magsaysay, Villegas kag Imelda, tanan sakop sang Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental sang asud-asod nga nabatian sini ang tatlo ka dalagko nga lupok halin sa Brgy. Villegas Army Detachment alas 5:00 tubtob 6:30 sang aga, Agosto 5. Halos isa ka oras kag tunga ang mabatian nga paglinupok sang mortar. Nagtupa ang mortar tanan sa lasang sang “issi” (ginatawag sang Guihulnganon sa nasambit nga lasang) nga nahamtang sa mga border sang Brgy. Nagsaha, Villegas, Magsaysay kag Imelda.

Ang lasang sang “Issi” ang may mga pananom sang mangunguma kaangay sang kararuton kag utanon. Samtang ang mga karabaw, baka kag kanding sang mga residente sa palibot sang lasang ang dira man ginapanglawig kag ginapaharab.

Dako ang kabalaka sang pumuluyo sa ila seguridad kag pangabuhian sa lugar bangud tubtob subong wala pa nila mausisa ang ila uma kag kasapatan bangud sang kahadlok tuga sang patarasak nga pagpalupok sang mortar sang militar. Samtang ara man gihapon ang presensya sang militar sa lugar nga nagapang-interogar sa mga residente kag nagapalupad sang mga drones.

Ang patarasak nga pagpamomba sang 62nd IB kag 7th RMFB sa Guihulngan City makaduha na ka beses nga ila ginhimo sa sini lamang nga semana. Agosto 3 alas 8:00 pasado sang aga-patarasak nga nagpalupok sang grenade launcher ang katapo sang 7th RMFBn sa Brgy. Magsaysay.

Nadumduman Oktubre 31, 2022-dose (12) man ka mortar ang patarasak nga ginpalupok sang 62nd IB sa Mount Cansanda nga nahamtang sang boundary sang Brgy. Balugo kag Brgy. Magsaysay, Guihulngan City.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/62ndib-desperado-nga-nagpamomba-sa-binukid-kag-kalasangan-sa-guihulngan-city/

CPP/CIO: Condemn the AFP for bombing peasant farms in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 6, 2023): Condemn the AFP for bombing peasant farms in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental

 


Marco Valbuena

Chief Information Officer

Communist Party of the Philippines

August 06, 2023

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemns the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for bombing mountain farms in several villages in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental yesterday morning, which put civilian lives in danger and showed utter disregard for the people’s economic rights.

The artillery shelling was mounted by the 62nd Infantry Battalion from their detachment in Barangay Villegas starting at 5:00 a.m. and lasted until 6:30 a.m. The bombs landed in the forested area around the border of Barangay Nagsaha, Villegas, Magsaysay and Imelda. The area is being used by local farmers as vegetable farms.

The hour and a half-long bombardment is barefaced state-terrorism unleashed by fascist troops under the 62nd IB. These bombings carried out by the AFP within the proximity of peasant communities endangers the lives of civilians in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.

Residents are traumatized by the artillery shelling and many are forced to stay in their homes, concerned about their safety. As of earlier today, they have yet to check on their farms and farm animals for fear that soldiers will mount another round of shelling.

Soldiers of the 62nd IB and the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s 7th Regional Mobile Force Battalion have swarmed several villages in Guihulngan, pestering the peasant masses, disturbing local peace, disrupting the people’s livelihood and causing economic hardships.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/condemn-the-afp-for-bombing-peasant-farms-in-guihulngan-negros/

CPP/NPA-Sorsogon: Terorismo ng Estado sa Sorsogon, Lalong Lumalala

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 6, 2023): Terorismo ng Estado sa Sorsogon, Lalong Lumalala (State Terrorism in Sorsogon, Getting Worse)

 


Samuel Guerrero

Spokesperson

NPA-Sorsogon (Celso Minguez Command)

Bicol Regional Operational Command (Romulo Jallores Command)

New People's Army

August 06, 2023

Noong Agosto 4, alas 10:00 ng gabi pinaulanan ng bala ng dalawang elemento ng 31st IBPA ang bahay ni ABC President at Punong Barangay na si Erwin Vista ng Alin, Donsol, Sorsogon. Nangyari ito ilang araw matapos iparating ni kapitan sa CO ng 31st IBPA na nakabase sa Pangpang, Donsol ang tungkol sa pagkakalat ng basura ng mga militar at pag-iwan ng dumi sa CR ng Evacuation Center ng barangay. Ilang araw na ginawang baraks ng mga militar ang nasabing pasilidad habang naglulunsad ang mga ito ng RCSP operation sa nasabing barangay at mga karatig nito.

Marami ang nakasaksi na ang nagpaulan ng bala sa bahay ni kapitan ay umuwi sa Pangpang detatsment sakay ng motorsiklo matapos ang pangyayari.

Sa halip na disiplinahin ang mga bastos na tauhan, lumalabas na minasama ng CO ang ipinaabot na lehitimong reklamo ni kapitan. Malinaw din na paglabag sa kondukta ng digma ang paggamit ng mga militar sa mga pampublikong pasilidad tulad ng evacuation center bilang baraks.

Kinaumagahan matapos ang nasabing insidente, gumawa ng drama ang kaaway sa barangay Tongdol sa parehong bayan. Pinagalitan ng nag-ooperasyong militar ang punong barangay dito dahil sa diumano’y nakatagong mga armas sa kanilang barangay. Binantaan din si kapitan na mananagot ito kapag may makuhang armas sa lugar. Pagkatapos nito ay inutusan ng mga militar ang ilang tanod at iba pang opisyal ng barangay na maghukay sa itinuro nilang lugar para kunin ang isang M14 rifle at mga bala na militar din ang nagbaon.

Ang ganitong mga pangyayari ay patunay lamang na hindi nauubusan ng pakana ang AFP upang pagtakpan ang kabiguan nilang paluhurin ang masa at buong rebolusyonaryong kilusan sa probinsya ng Sorsogon.

Nitong ring buwan ng Hulyo sapilitang tinipon ng mga militar ang mahigit 30 sibilyan mula sa mga barangay ng De Vera, Baras at Alin sa parehong bayan at muli na namang pinasumpa bilang mga surenderi. Ayon sa mga sibilyan una na silang pinasumpa noong Oktubre 2021, kasabay ng pangakong tulong para sa kabuhayan at pangkaunlarang proyekto sa kanilang barangay.

Subalit hanggang ngayon wala kahit isa man lang sa mga pangako ang natupad, wala kahit piso mula sa pondo ng E-CLIP ang naibigay sa mga sibilyang pilit na pinasurender. Malaking kasinungalingan din ang ipinagyayabang mga militar at NTF-ELCAC na P20 milyong badyet sa bawat barangay sa ilalim ng Barangay Development Program (BDP) dahil hanggang sa ngayon ay wala pang nakikitang proyekto sa nabanggit na mga barangay.

Sa ganito, nananawagan ang CMC – NPA Sorsogon sa mamamayang Sorsoganon na huwag matakot na ilantad at labanan ang mga panlilinlang at maruming pakana ng AFP/PNP na pinamumunuan ng korap at pasistang rehimen ni Bongbong Marcos Jr. na pumiperwesyo at naglalagay sa panganib sa buhay ng mga sibilyan at opisyal ng barangay.

Laging nakahanda ang CMC – NPA Sorsogon sa pagtupad ng tungkuling ipagtanggol ang mamamayan at papanagutin ang mga berdugong AFP/PNP na patuloy ng naghahasik ng panlilinlang at terorismo sa mamamayan.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/terorismo-ng-estado-sa-sorsogon-lalong-lumalala/

CPP/NPA-Palawan: Mga Krimen ng MBLT-4 sa mamamayan ng Palawan

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 5, 2023): Mga Krimen ng MBLT-4 sa mamamayan ng Palawan (MBLT-4 Crimes against the people of Palawan)



NPA-Palawan (Bienvenido Vallever Command)

Southern Tagalog Regional Operational Command (Melito Glor Command)

New People's Army

August 05, 2023

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/mga-krimen-ng-mblt-4-sa-mamamayan-ng-palawan/

CPP/NPA-South Central Negros: Nagalala nga pangpang-abuso sang 94th IB sa mga mangunguma

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 5, 2023): Nagalala nga pangpang-abuso sang 94th IB sa mga mangunguma (Worried about the abuse of farmers by the 94th IB)

 


Dionesio Magbuelas

Spokesperson

NPA-South Central Negros (Mt. Cansermon Command)

Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)

New People's Army

August 05, 2023

Ginakundenar sang Mt. Cansermon Command-New People’s Army (MCC-NPA) ang mga sunud-sunod nga pagpanghalit kag pagpang-atake sa mga katapo sang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) kag Philippine National Police (PNP) sa mga inosenteng sibilyan nga nagapakita sang ila ka desperado bangud sa kapaslawan nga wasakon ang NPA kag ang bilog nga rebolusyonaryo nga kahublagan sa sini nga tuig.

Halos duha na ka semana nga nagatuga sang kahadlok sa mga sibilyan ilabi na sa mga mangunguma sa nabukid nga bahin sang Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental ang ginapatigayon nga operasyon militar sang mga katapo sang 94th IB kag PNP Himamaylan City halin pa sa ulihi nga semana sang Hulyo.

Nag-agum sang madamu nga bunol sa kalawasan bangud sa pagpangastigo matapos nga gindetiner kag gin-imbestigar sa mga tropa sang 94th IB kag PNP si Nono Balsimo, 40 kapin ang pangedaron, isa ka mangunguma, sa Sityo Cunalom, sa amu nga barangay sa ulihi nga semana sang Hulyo. Suno sa report sang mga residente sa lugar, may lima pa ka mangunguma ang gin-imbestigar kag ginkastigo sa mga nasambit nga militar bangud ginpasibangdan sila nga mga katapo ukon supporter sang NPA.

Samtang, sa nagligad nga inadlaw, ginpahug sang mga soldado sang 94th IB kag ginhambalan nga patyon kag sunogon sila Bansong Pacheco kag Kokoy Bayles, lunsay mga mangunguma sa Sityo Cunalom. Ginpasibangdan man sila nga may angot sa NPA.

Amu man ang naaguman sa iloy ni Pacheco nga si Gamay, isa ka elder sang Indigenous People (IPs), nga gin-imbestigar kag ginpahug sa nasambit nga militar matapos nagpangolekta sang donasyon sa ila kaupdanan sang SORAB (isa ka inisyatiba sang pagbinuligay nga ginpadalagan sang lokal nga estasyon sang radyo) bangud may bululigan nga myembro nga nasunugan sa katambi sini nga Brgy. Buenavista. Gindudahan sang mga tropa sang 94th IB nga ang iya nakolekta nga mga donasyon ginhatag kuno sa NPA kag ginhambalan si Gamay nga, “total dalagku naman ang imo kabataan, bisan madula ka, mabuhi lang na sila.” Grabe ang kahadlok sang mag-iloy sa mga pagpamahug sang nasambit nga militar sa ila kabuhi. Nagdulhog sa estasyon sang pulis ang mga biktima para magpa-blotter sa mga kalakasan nga ginhimo sa ila sa Sityo Cunalom.

Madumduman nga sa sini man nga tion, gindakop si Lodorico But-ay kag ginpasibangdan nga opisyal sang yunit milisya sang NPA.

Tubtob subong nagapadayon gihapon amg pagpang-atake sang 94th IB kag PNP sa mga komunidad sang mga tumandok kag sa mga mangunguma sa amu nga erya. Ang ila presensya nagtuga sang kahadlok sa pumuluyo kag mas naglala ang pagpang-abuso sa mga tropa militar. Ang ini nga pasista nga mga hinimoan mas nagadugang sa kaimulon kag kapigaduhon sang pumuluyo.

Dapat indi magkahadlok kag mas pabakuron ang paghiliusa sang mga mangunguma kag pumuluyo. Dapat ibuyagyag ang mga pagpang-abuso kag pasismo sang bayaran nga 94th IB kag PNP.

Pasabton ang berdugo kag bayaran nga 94th IB kag PNP sa mga brutalidad kag mga kalapasan sa tawhanon nga kinamatarung nga ila ginkomiter batok sa pumuluyo!

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/nagalala-nga-pangpang-abuso-sang-94th-ib-sa-mga-mangunguma/

CPP/NDF-Jalandoni: EU should re-examine the human rights record of the Marcos regime

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 4, 2023): EU should re-examine the human rights record of the Marcos regime

 


Luis Jalandoni

Chief International Representative

National Democratic Front of the Philippines

August 04, 2023

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) is disheartened with the declaration of EU President Ursula von der Leyen that the human rights environment under Marcos Jr.’s administration has been “much better.”

Marcos Jr. gloated as he declared that “…the Philippines and EU are like-minded partners through our shared values of democracy, sustainable and inclusive prosperity, the rule of law, peace and stability, and human rights.” This is clearly a distortion of reality.

The EU’s change of perception is difficult to understand because the European Parliament adopted the resolution on human rights in the Philippines in 2022 that urged the Government of the Philippines among others to:end the red-tagging of organisations and individuals to communist groups by the authorities including human rights and environmental defenders, journalists, trade union activists and church and humanitarian workers;
end the political harassment of Senator Leila De Lima, to order her immediate and unconditional release, and to prosecute in fair trials those found to be responsible for her arbitrary detention and other human rights violations committed against her;
immediately carry out impartial, transparent, independent, and meaningful investigations into all extrajudicial killings, and;
ensure investigations into and prosecutions of all senior police and politicians where there is reasonable suspicion that they have direct and/or command or superior responsibility for crimes under international law and other serious violations and abuses of human rights amend or repeal legislation which continues to discriminate against women and to promote and protect women’s rights.

Moreover, the resolution called on EU member States to refrain from all exports of arms, surveillance technology and other equipment that can be used for internal repression by the Philippine authorities.

There has been no change in form and substance of Marcos Jr’s campaign of suppression from those of his predecessors.

Under his watch, there were 94,448 victims of human rights violations in 954 separate cases. This translates to two victims per day from June 30, 2022, to June 30 this year.

Despite the dismissal of most cases filed against her, Senator Leila De Lima is still in prison facing endless trumped-up court cases.

Instead of ending impunity in red-tagging of human rights and environmental defenders, Marcos Jr. empowered impunity of the government’s witch-hunt machinery, the National Task Force- to End Local Communist Conflict (NTF-Elcac). He appointed the Vice President and his cabinet members in key positions in the Task Force. The NTF-Elcac orchestrates state-instigated terrorism.

Marcos Jr. further enables impunity in human rights violation with his decision to totally disengage from the International Criminal Court (ICC), rejecting accountability for rampant human rights violation of his predecessor, Duterte. Marcos Jr. is coddling human rights violators in his government. This should be reflected upon by the EU, considering that all its member states are affiliates and supporters of the ICC.

The EU should re-evaluate its tendency to be drawn into the US war preparation against China involving the Philippines. If ever war breaks out between the US and allies against China, a much bigger humanitarian crisis than the current US/NATO proxy war against Russia will ensue.

The immigration crisis faced by Europe and the severe economic crisis experienced by peoples of the world is mainly due to wars instigated by the US against its rival superpowers. #

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/eu-should-re-examine-the-human-rights-record-of-the-marcos-regime/

CPP/NPA-Central Negros: RMFB-7 kag 62nd IB sa Guihulngan City, Padayon Nagalapas sa CARHRIHL

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 4, 2023): RMFB-7 kag 62nd IB sa Guihulngan City, Padayon Nagalapas sa CARHRIHL (RMFB-7 and 62nd IB in Guihulngan City, Continuing to Violate CARHRIHL)

 


JB Regalado

Spokesperson

NPA-Central Negros (Leonardo Panaligan Command)

Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)

New People's Army

August 04, 2023

Agosto 2, alas 9:00 sang gab-i, may 30 ka tropa sang 62nd IB ang nagatiner sa mga kabalayan sa Sityo Tambis, Brgy. Tacpao, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

Agosto 3, alas 6:00 sang aga, may presensya man sang 30 ka tropa militar sa Sityo Cambadlis, Brgy Imelda, Guihulngan City. Alas 11:00 sang aga sa amu gihapon nga petsa, may presensya man sang berdugong tropa nga nagatiner sa eskwelahan sang Sityo Agulang, Brgy. Villegas, Guihulngan City. Ginhimo nga kampo militar ang nasambit nga buluthuan.

Agosto 4, alas 5:00 sang kaagahon, may kolum sang militar nga nagatiner sa mga kabalayan sa Sityo Mandi-e Dako, sakop sang Brgy Magsaysay, Guihulngan City.

Samtang patarasak naman nga nagpalupok sang grenade launcher ang mga katapo sang 7th Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFBn) sa Sityo Amaga, Brgy. Balugo, Guihulngan City kag Sityo Mandi-e Dako, Brgy. Magsaysay, Guihulngan City alas 8:00 pasado sang aga, Agosto 3.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/rmfb-7-kag-62nd-ib-sa-guihulngan-city-padayon-nagalapas-sa-carhrihl/

CPP/NPA-Central Negros: Katapo sang 7th RMFB sa Guihulngan City, Pilason

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 4, 2023): Katapo sang 7th RMFB sa Guihulngan City, Pilason (7th RMFB member killed in Guihulngan City)

 


JB Regalado

Spokesperson

NPA-Central Negros (Leonardo Panaligan Command)

Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)

New People's Army

August 04, 2023

Pilason ang isa ka kàtapo sang 7th Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFBn-PNP) sa Guihulngan City sang ginharas sang Leonardo Panaligan Command-New People’s Army (LPC-NPA) ang detachment sini nga nahamtang sa Sityo Hinugpayan, Barangay Luz, Guihulngan City, Negros Oridental alas 10:00 sang gab-i, Agosto 2.

Ang 7th RMFB sa Guihulngan City ang responsable sa madata nga pagpamahug sa mga mangunguma kag sibilyan sa mga barangay sang Linantuyan, Balugo, Magsaysay, Hinakpan kag Luz tanan sang Guihulngan City. Masami nagapangsita sa pumuluyo sa tion sang tsekpoynt kada Huwebes nga adlaw. Responsable kag kakunsabo man ini sang 62nd IB sa patarasak nga pagpamomba sa Mount Cansanda nga nahamtang sa border sang Barangay Balugo kag Barangay Magsaysay, Guihulngan City sadtong Oktubre 31, 2022 nga nagtulod sa mga mangunguma sa lugar nga magbakwit. Ini man nga yunit sang PNP ang kakunsabo sang pasistang 62nd IB sa pagmasaker sa pamilya Ramirez sang Sityo Napiluan, Barangay Quinten Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental diin patay si Julieven Ramirez kag asawa sini nga si Evelyn Meren sadtong Mayo 20. Kadungan sini ang hungod man nga pagpatay kay Ruben Obidas (sibilyan) sang amo gihapon nga lugar kag hors de combat nga si Ka Dagger (Alvin Bayno) nga katapo sang NPA.

Ilunsar ang lapnagon nga taktikal nga opensiba! Ipadayon ang paghatag sang nagakaigo nga hustisya sa mga biktima sang terorismo sang estado! Silotan ang pasistang AFP, PNP kag rumpagon ang korap nga NTF-Elcac!

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/katapo-sang-7th-rmfb-sa-guihulngan-city-pilason/

CPP/NPA-Northern Negros: 79IB nga nagpailang NPA, nangransak!

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Aug 3, 2023): 79IB nga nagpailang NPA, nangransak!

 


Cecil Estrella

Spokesperson

NPA-Northern Negros (Roselyn Pelle Command)

Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)

New People's Army

August 03, 2023

Wala’y undang ang pasistang estado sa pagyatak sa tawhanong katungod sa mga sibilyan. Sa norte nga bahin sa Negros, padayon ang pagpangatake sa mga komunidad sa mga mag-uuma ug mamumuo sa katubhan.

Kusganong gikundena sa Roselyn Jean Pelle Command-New People’s Army (RJPC-NPA) ug tibuok rebolusyonaryong pwersa sa North Negros ang pagpangransak nga gihimo sa mga wala’y ulaw nga tropa sa estado nga nagpa-ila pa gyud isip mga katapo sa NPA sa mga panimalay sa duha ka pamilya sa mamumuo sa kampo sa Escalante City, Negros Occidental niadtong Hulyo 18.

Mga alas 6 sa buntag sa nasambit nga petsa, niabot ang dul-an 60 ka elemento sa #DiMasaligan79IB, kuyog ang mga hangol-sa-kwarta nga mga traydor sa rebolusyon, ug dungan nga gipang-ransak ang duha ka mga panimalay sa Barangay Tamlang ug Barangay Malasibog.

Sa Sityo Alangahag, Barangay Tamlang sakop sa nasambit nga syudad, nidiretso ang 12 ka pasistang tropa nga wala ga-uniporme sa panimalay ni Rosalie Magbanua, minyo ug may duha ka menor de edad nga bata, ug gi-ukay ang iyang panimalay. Nagpaila isip NPA ang mga pasistang militar ug nangita sa gibilin kuno nga high-powered rifle (HPR) sa NPA sa panimalay. Dihay pipila ka pasistang militar nga naka-uniporme nga ni-pusisyon sa bungtod duol sa balay.

Sa parehong oras sa kasikbit nga barangay, sa Sityo Bautista, Barangay Malasibog, niadto usab sa panimalay ni Edgar Gimang ang laing kapin kun kulang 30 ka armado. Nagtrabaho siya sa kampo (katubhan) sa pag-abot sa pasistang tropa nga ming-utingkay sa mga kagamitan sa iyang balay. Pag-abot niya, gipangitaan ni Gimang og search warrant ang mga nanaka sa iyang panimalay apan walay mapakita nga mga dokumento.

Pila ka adlaw sa wala pa ang pagpang-ransak, aduna sab mga armadong lalaki nga ming-adto ni Gimang sa iyang gitrabaho nga katubhan. Kakuyog ang pipila ka mga trabahante, pugos siya nga gipahapa aron dis-armahan. Sundang ug ubang kahimanan pang-uma ang dala ni Gimang ug mga trabahante ug walay nakuha nga armas ang mga militar. Tungod sa sunod-sunod nga atake nga niresulta sa grabeng kahadlok, nabughat ang asawa ni Gimang ug nasakit sulod sa pila ka adlaw.

Si Magbanua ug Gimang, mga yanong mamumuo sa kampo. Mga myembro sila sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka mga kooperatiba nga natukod resulta sa kadaugan sa pakigbisog sa katawhan sa North Negros (partikular sa Escalante City) para makaangkon og uma nga pangabuhian. Kanhi napailalom sa NFSW (National Federation of Sugar Workers) ang ilang mga koop ug, sa wala pa gi-atake sa militar, malinawn ang ila pagpangabuhi ug pangabuhian. Gipasanginlan sila sa militar nga mga tigsuporta sa NPA ug karon gipangitaan og gibilin kuno nga armas sa NPA.

Dili bag-o ang taktika sa #DiMasaligan79IB nga pagpangilad sa mga residente ug gapaila nga katapo sa NPA para hugawan ang imahe sa NPA ug para kuhaon ang simpatiya sa masa. Usa ka insidente aning pagpakaron-ingnon sa #DiMasaligan79IBPA niadtong 2022 ang hulga nga pagpatay sa usa ka negosyante sa Cadiz City, Negros Occidental kung dili mohatag sa ilang gipangayo nga dakung kantidad sa kwarta. Laing panghitabo niadtong Oktubre 2022 sa Calatrava, Negros Occidental, diin nailad ang usa ka residente nga katapo sa NPA ang iya gikaatubang, apan human ang pila ka oras, nag-abot ang dul-an 200 ka pasistang tropa sa estado ug naglunsad og operasyon kombat. Tungod sa kahadlok, namatay ang nasambit nga residente human ang pila ka adlaw.

Mahinumduman usab nga naa sa Escalante City, Negros Occidental ang opisina sa NTF-Elcac sa Negros diin sukad 2019, kuyog ang #DiMasaligan79IB, nang-atake sa mga ekonomikanhong kadaugan sa pakigbisog sa katawhan sa North Negros paagi sa pagkumbert sa mga kooperatiba o asosayon sa mga mangunguma ngadto sa mga Masaligan Farmers/Fisherfolks Association, pagpundo sa armadong tropa sa mga istraktura sa kooperatiba (opisina, galingan, ubp.), pagpanghulga, iligal nga pag-aresto, pagtanum og ebidensya, pugos nga pagpasurender sa tibuok kooperatiba/asosasyon, ug ekstrahudisyal nga pagpatay.

Walay lauman ang pasistang estado kung dili ang padayon nga pagsukol sa katawhan, hilabi na ang katawhang Escalantehanon. Usa ang mga taga-Escalante nga kaniadto nitindog ug nakigbisog batok sa kaimulon, kagutom ug martial law ni Marcos Sr nga nagpakita sa iyang kabangis kaniadtong Setyembre 20, 1985 sa giila nga Escalante Masaker.

Hagit sa katawhan sa Escalante, ug sa tibuok katawhan sa North Negros, atubangan sa laing pasistang Marcos, nga maghiusa ug ipadayun ang singgit sa mga namartir sa Escalante Masaker: MAKIGBISOG, DILI MAHADLOK!

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/79ib-nga-nagpailang-npa-nangransak/

AFP Chief Brawner wants vigilance in cyberspace to protect PH youth from radicalization

From the Manila Standard (Aug 8, 2023): AFP Chief Brawner wants vigilance in cyberspace to protect PH youth from radicalization (By Vince Lopez)

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. has called for vigilance in cyberspace to protect the youth against radicalization.

Brawner led an oath-taking ceremony of the AFP Cyber Group in connection with the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Month at the AFP General Headquarters at Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon CIty.

AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (second from right) and other officers and enlisted personnel take their oath during the commemoration of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Month at the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Monday. AFP Photo

The AFP Chief also referenced Republic Act 11188 or the “Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict” in calling for enhanced capabilities and operations in cyberspace.

“With our focused military operations, we are confident that the continuous eradication of the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) will soon result in total victory and peace in our land. However, the enemies no longer stay in the highlands but are now emerging through cyberspace – radicalizing our youth,” Brawner said.

“I encourage you to stay vigilant, strengthen our cyberspace capabilities, and further synchronize our operations within cyberspace realms.” he added.

The AFP is joining the commemoration of the International Humanitarian Law Month this August and the observance of the International Humanitarian Law Day on August 12.

This year’s celebration is themed “IHL: Gabay sa Makataong Pagsulong ng Kapayapaan,” which highlights the continuous and essential significance of IHL in promoting peace and protecting the rights and dignity of individuals impacted by armed conflicts.

“IHL is an essential part of the fabric of our society. It is a reminder that certain rules must be respected even amidst war. At this point, allow me to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all of you for protecting our countrymen, especially during our combat operations. We, the AFP, are always committed to upholding these rules, and we will continue to do so in the years to come,” the general added.

“On behalf of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, I join the whole nation in commemorating the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) this month of August. The soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines, and civilian human resources of the AFP reiterate our pledge and commitment towards the promotion of and adherence to the provisions of the International Humanitarian Law,” he said.

https://manilastandard.net/news-flash/314358234/afp-chief-brawner-wants-vigilance-in-cyberspace-to-protect-ph-youth-from-radicalization.html

U.S., Philippine Air Forces to train together during Pacific Airlift Rally

Posted to Pacific Air Forces (Aug 8, 2023): U.S., Philippine Air Forces to train together during Pacific Airlift Rally

U.S. Pacific Air Forces alongside the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and Philippine Disaster Management personnel will participate in Pacific Airlift Rally, a biennial, multinational, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise at Clark Air Base, Aug. 14-18, 2023.

The exercise goal is coalition building and promoting airlift interoperability to support regional multinational responses to real-world HA/DR scenarios.

Two U.S. Air Force 374th Airlift Wing C-130J Super Hercules and associated Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan, will support the exercise. Philippine and Japanese C-130H models will also participate in PAR 23.

In support of HA/DR operations, the multinational members will conduct field training exercises focusing on container delivery and personnel airdrop, cargo loading, airdrop rigging, and critical patient movement. An airlift operations tabletop exercise will cover aircraft staging and HA/DR mission planning.

The exercise includes subject matter expert exchanges regarding austere and expeditionary medicine, ground evacuation, in-flight emergency response, C-130 aircraft maintenance, base defense, force protection, chaplain, and military band engagements.

The U.S. military continues to strengthen relationships with regional Allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific through operations such as Pacific Airlift Rally to preserve peace and stability in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

More than 90 PACAF members and approximately 50 PAF personnel will participate in the 14th iteration of Pacific Air Lift this year. Approximately 14 countries will be involved in PAR-23.

https://www.pacaf.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3485796/us-philippine-air-forces-to-train-together-during-pacific-airlift-rally/

AFP reviewing exchange program that trains senior officers in Beijing

From the Manila Standard (Aug 9, 2023): AFP reviewing exchange program that trains senior officers in Beijing (By Joyce Pangco Pañaresand and Macon Ramos-Araneta)

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is studying the concerns raised over an exchange program that sends Filipino military officers to China – including whether to discontinue it – amid Beijing’s continued incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

“We are looking at that issue. We are doing a thorough study,” AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar told Manila Standard in a phone interview.

“That (whether to discontinue the program) is part of the (study) requirements given to another staff,” he added.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, chairman of the Senate Defense Committee, said he has asked the AFP to submit a report on the military exchange program that is paid for in full by the Chinese government.

Senator Francis Tolentino described the military exchange program as “very alarming” while Senator Raffy Tulfo said it was a “slap in the face of Filipinos” amid China’s aggressive acts.

Tulfo said the exchange program gives China an opportunity to “infiltrate” the AFP hierarchy.

“Stop the government program sending AFP officials to China for studies and training,” Tulfo said during Monday’s hearing on proposed amendments to the decades-old National Defense Act.

“So, they have an allowance from the Chinese government? It must have an allowance – like for billeting, lodging, accommodation,” Tolentino said.

“You will receive a patch if you graduate, and you must learn and sing the national anthem of the People’s Republic of China. Alarming indeed… With the tensions in the West Philippine Sea, I don’t think it’s good to send our officers there,” he added.

Defense Senior Undersecretary Irineo Espino said only officers with the rank of lieutenant colonel or higher apply for the yearlong training in China.

The Philippines on Monday summoned Beijing’s envoy to protest the use of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said

“Our secretary of Foreign Affairs summoned Ambassador Huang (Xilian) today and gave him a note verbale including pictures (and) video about what happened and we are awaiting their reply,” Mr. Marcos said.

“The position of China, of course, is they say ‘this is ours so we are defending it’ and we, for our part, are saying ‘no, we own it so we are defending it.’ So that becomes a gray area that we are discussing.”

The incident happened Saturday as the Philippine Coast Guard escorted charter boats carrying food, water, fuel, and other supplies for Filipino soldiers stationed at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the Spratly Islands.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually. It has ignored a 2016 international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

https://www.manilastandard.net/news/top-stories/314358564/afp-reviewing-exchange-program-that-trains-senior-officers-in-beijing.html

Opinion: Still no peace talks. What’s to be done?

Opinion piece posted to Rappler (Aug 7, 2023): [OPINION] Still no peace talks. What’s to be done? (By SOLIMAN M. SANTOS JR)

It's been two years since a land mine explosion by communist rebels killed innocent civilians in Masbate. Where's justice?

Two years after the 6 June 2021 Masbate land mine incident, which resulted in the New People’s Army (NPA) admission of killing two Absalon family members and injuring another who was a minor, it is time to go beyond the usual propaganda and counter-propaganda by the protagonists of the local communist armed conflict.

Going beyond that may have to do more with seeking truth, accountability and justice rather than achieving peace that resolves that armed conflict more politically than militarily, if that can be helped, to significantly reduce the human and economic costs to the country.

Peace, if it can be helped. But both sides are clearly not disposed to honest-to-goodness peace negotiations to resolve their armed conflict. Just ask them or their top leaders.

President Bongbong Marcos, Vice President Sara Duterte, and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año are all going for the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) way of simply ending the local communists, especially the top central and regional leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). They have junked national-level peace talks in favor of “localized peace efforts” to win over the local-level CPP-NPA rank-and-file, and their local mass bases.

And those top Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) security officials say that they are winning this war. Even some independent observers say the “communists [are] crumbling in the Philippines.”

So, why still talk peace with them, especially the hardline top leaders who stick to a protracted people’s war (PPW) via the armed struggle?

‘Second US-Marcos regime’

But the CPP-NPA also says they are winning this war, despite admitted setbacks in some guerrilla fronts and the undeniable loss in the field or due to illness of a significant number of senior leaders, including octogenarian CPP guru Jose Maria Sison himself and his successor leaders the septuagenarian spouses Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria, in the past year.

The more than five decades protractedness of their people’s war is seen by the CPP-NPA as a reaffirmation rather than a refutation of its correctness, because it has continued to survive, persevere, and even thrive, regularly replenished by new blood from the student youth and the peasantry.

The two most recent CPP and NPA anniversary statements, post-Sison, hardly mentioned peace talks even as a tertiary tactic under the PPW strategy, currently waged against “the second US-Marcos regime.”

Sison’s widow Julieta de Lima, who is the Interim Chairperson of the peace panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) which is led by the CPP and NPA, had already said last year “There is yet no basis for the resumption of the GRP-NDFP peace talks… So far Marcos II wants to continue Duterte’s all-out war policy and the revolutionary movement has no choice but to fight the counterrevolution.” The CPP has, in fact, called on the NPA at its 54th anniversary last March 29 to “Stir up and spread the flames of people’s war for national freedom and democracy,” though admittedly still in the PPW first stage which is the strategic defensive. Two more stages to go: strategic stalemate and then strategic offensive.

In the meantime, what is to be done? What can be done?

Accountability and justice

We had already previously advocated that both sides should follow the rules of war as one of the paths to peace – a minimum necessary trust and confidence building measure of addressing concerns arising from continuing armed hostilities by way of better respect for human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL).

These are, among others, matters of truth, accountability and justice. The problem is that both sides cannot be relied on for the truth because this is the proverbial first casualty in war, where propaganda is more important than the actual military or human rights-IHL score.

Both sides also do not trust each other’s mechanisms for accountability and justice, and so they both assert their own respective mechanisms to deal with their violations of the laws.

But their respective justice systems do not inspire enough confidence in them.

MUST READ: [OPINION] On the new Masbate incidents: Here we go again

Let us take the Masbate land mine incident as a case in point.

On the government side, this case has reached the Philippine courts where it is still undergoing trial. There are no less than six cases against all 24 alleged NPA Masbate elements led by Eddie Rosero a.k.a. “Ka Star” – one crime against humanity (RA 9851), one war crime (RA 9851), two counts of murder, one attempted murder, and one terrorism charge (RA 11479). Initially, there were two other criminal charges: illegal possession of firearms (RA 10591) and of explosives (RA 9561), but the Masbate City Prosecution Office dismissed them as already “absorbed” in the other charges.

The terrorism case is being heard in RTC Branch 23 Naga City because this is the Supreme Court-designated lone “Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC)” for the Bicol region, while all the five other remaining cases are being heard in court of origin RTC Branch 48 Masbate.

Against this segmented or disjointed arrangement, we wonder whether all the cases had better be consolidated in just one court for considerations of consistency, convenience and economy for the courts, the prosecution and the defense.

Actually, before the transfer of the terrorism case to the Naga ATC, the Masbate court had already rendered a Demurrer Resolution acquitting the first arrested accused alleged NPA spotter Mariel Suson, who is a public elementary school teacher, in all six cases due to the materially inconsistent and not credible testimony of the lone prosecution witness who purportedly identified her.

Thereafter, several more accused were arrested or surrendered voluntarily, including two more Suson sisters. Their cases are still be heard before the Masbate court (the five non-Terrorism cases) and the Naga ATC (the lone Terrorism case).

In the meantime, early last May 9, a certain Dindo Monsanto alias “Boy” or “Ka Ruel,” alleged commanding officer of the Regional Operations Command (ROC) of the Bicol Regional Party Committee (BRPC) and also a member of the Central Committee (CC) of the CPP, was arrested in Malabon City by a collaborative Philippine Army (PA) 9th Infantry Division (9ID) and Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) targeted operation.

The 9ID said Monsanto “played a pivotal role in coordinating and executing” several major operations of the CPP-NPA in the country, including the Masbate landmining incident. The problem is that he is not among the named 25 accused Eddie Rosero, et al., with no other accused listed by only an alias name, no accused alias “Boy” and “Ka Ruel” that may correspond to Monsanto.

This new development, aside from the above-said segmented or disjointed trials of the related terrorism and non-terrorism cases arising from just one incident, as well as the early dismissal of the dubious charges against a public elementary school teacher, certainly do not inspire confidence in the government’s cases against the charged perpetrators of the Masbate landmining incident.

Will these cases result in justice deserved by the two killed and one injured civilian victims and their Absalon family, and by the true NPA perpetrators? (Next: Go beyond propaganda, render justice)

[Soliman M. Santos Jr. is a retired judge of the Regional Trial Court of Naga City, Camarines Sur; a longtime human rights and IHL lawyer as well as a peace advocate on both the Communist and Moro fronts; and author of several books on those fronts of war and peace, the latest being How do you solve a problem like the GRP-NDFP peace process? Part 2 (2022) published by Sulong Peace Inc., Quezon City.]

https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/opinion-still-no-peace-talks-communists-what-is-to-be-done/

Opinion: Challenge to NPA: Go beyond propaganda, render justice

Opinion piece posted to Rappler (Aug 8, 2023): [OPINION] Challenge to NPA: Go beyond propaganda, render justice (By SOLIMAN M. SANTOS JR)

The communist rebels' continued silence on the 2021 killing of Absalon family members in Masbate raises concerns about 'revolutionary impunity'

Part 1
[OPINION] Still no peace talks. What’s to be done?

A core issue in the Masbate land mine incident is the communist guerrillas’ quest for justice, or “revolutionary justice.”

It will be recalled that five days after, on June 11, 2021, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), through its chief international epresentative Luis Jalandoni and its negotiating panel interim chairperson Julieta de Lima, issued the following statement: “NDFP expresses condolences to the Absalon family, asserts its authority and duty to investigate the case.”

They said: “It is correct for the people and all other entities to expect the investigation of the Masbate incident within the NPA command structure and within frameworks of the CPP, NDFP and the People’s Democratic Government. Under the responsibility and direction of the NDFP and within the legal system of the People’s Democratic Government, the investigation must be started and completed within the NPA command structure to fully and completely establish the facts and prepare any appropriate charges before any procedure to prosecute and try the case before the military court of the NPA or people’s court.”

They stressed that the NDFP “will make sure that certain questions are answered by a thoroughgoing investigation. The questions include the following: 1) If true, which NPA unit and personnel are involved?; 2) Is there no case of the enemy committing the crime and falsely ascribing it to the NPA?; and 3) Is there no local feud involved? There should be no rush to judgment, presumption or insinuation to the effect that the entire revolutionary movement and entire revolutionary forces are guilty of a criminal offense, negligence or error for which certain individuals may be liable on the basis of a full and complete investigation. Crimes or errors of individuals cannot be taken against the whole organization or movement.”

It’s been nothing but dedma (getting ignored) by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-NDFP since then. To ask again whatever happened to their promised investigation is like speaking to a wall or to the wind.

One cannot but think how this continuing silence instead speaks volumes about the CPP-NPA-NDFP sense of transparency, accountability, and justice, or lack of it. What is at stake here is not only primarily the justice that the Absalon family cries for, but also the consequential credibility of the CPP-NPA-NDFP and their so-called “revolutionary justice” system.

MUST READ:[OPINION] Whatever happened to the NDFP investigation of the Masbate Incident?

This system will also be judged by at least the minimum judicial standards applicable to the prosecution and punishment of criminal offenses related to the armed conflict per the 1977 Protocol II of the Geneva Conventions which the CPP-NPA-NDFP avow adherence to. Will this system allow independent competent observers such as human rights lawyers and peace advocates? It is correct for the people to expect knowing more about this system being the harbinger of an offered alternative future.

Can this system render justice? Can it be trusted to render justice? Is it revolutionary justice or “revolutionary impunity”?

Coddling vs punishing own forces

Impunity, just like wisdom, is not the monopoly of one side.

In fact, on the government side, its prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity under RA 9851 appears to be selectively limited to rebel (e.g. NPA, MNLF, Maute Group) perpetrators.

There appear to be no such war crimes and crimes against humanity cases prosecuted against government soldiers and police officers. Surely, not all of them were/are immaculately clean in terms of counter-insurgency operations? In the same way that not all police officers and drug enforcement agents were immaculately clean in the Duterte “war against drugs” now being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor (OTP).

This ICC investigation, prosecution, and trial would proceed if it were established that the Philippines is “unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out the investigation or prosecution” of crimes against humanity in the Duterte drug war. On the other hand, might the CPP-NPA-NDFP be “unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out the investigation or prosecution” of its NPA-Masbate Jose Rapsing Command (JRC) Red commanders and fighters who perpetrated the Masbate land mine incident two years ago?

“He may be a son of a bitch, but he’s OUR son of a bitch” – was/is the old protect-our-own syndrome. Both the NPA and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have a long way to go to reach the exemplary level of organizational self-accountability and self-discipline of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) shown in its 2020 inquiry into the unlawful killings by its own special forces for counter-terrorism in Afghanistan, with likely eventual prosecution.

Can the NPA and the AFP rise to the challenge of emulating that kind of organizational self-accountability and self-discipline? Your military contest in the field of battle against each other might as well be also a “contest” of which side is better in compliance with human rights and IHL, in following the rules of war, in fighting cleanly, in observing military discipline, in rendering accountability and justice. May that kind of better side win, as it should.

The sides of this war are really not only the warring parties or forces of the government and of the CPP-NPA-NDFP. There is also the side of the general public or civilian population, especially in the local countryside communities affected by the armed conflict of the two main protagonist sides. It is the human security interests of the local communities and people there in conflict areas that are served by human rights and IHL. Ultimately, it is the people who will judge which between the two warring sides is better serving and protecting them.

This will have a bearing on the eventual end of the local communist armed conflict, whether by military victory/defeat or by a political process that need not be limited to the usual mode of peace negotiations. 

[Soliman M. Santos Jr is a retired judge of the Regional Trial Court of Naga City, Camarines Sur; a long-time human rights and IHL lawyer as well as a peace advocate on both the Communist and Moro fronts; and author of several books on those fronts of war and peace, the latest being How do you solve a problem like the GRP-NDFP peace process? Part 2 (2022) published by Sulong Peace Inc., Quezon City.]

https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/opinion-challenge-to-npa-go-beyond-propaganda-render-justice/

23 ex-ASG members receive E-CLIP assistance

From the Sun Star-Zamboanga (Aug 8, 2023): 23 ex-ASG members receive E-CLIP assistance

ZAMBOANGA. Brigadier General Alvin Luzon, 101st Infantry Brigade commander, shake hands with some of the former Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members who receive their Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) assistance from the government. A total of 23 former ASGs, also known as Former Violent Extremists (FVEs), received financial assistance in a ceremony last week held at Camp Luis Biel that houses the headquarters of the 101st Infantry Brigade in Tabiawan village, Isabela City, the capital of Basilan. (SunStar Zamboanga)

A TOTAL of 23 former members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, also known as Former Violent Extremists (FVEs), in Basilan province have received financial assistance from the government, through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-clip).

In a statement, the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade said the 23 recipients were the first batch to be granted E-clip assistance in Basilan province.

The E-clip assistance was distributed to the 23 recipients in a ceremony last week held at Camp Luis Biel that houses the headquarters of the 101st Infantry Brigade in Tabiawan village, Isabela City, the capital of Basilan.

The distribution of the assistance was in collaboration between Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; Basilan Governor Jim Hataman-Salliman; Brigadier General Alvin Luzon, 101st Infantry Brigade commander; and, Police Colonel Carlos Madronio, Basilan police director.

As a brief history, the 101st Infantry Brigade started its effort in processing the documentary requirements of the Former Violent Extremists (FVEs) in November 2021.

The E-clip Committee and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office had series of meetings, cascading, and data profiling for the immediate implementation of the E-clip.

The hardships and efforts of the implementing partners of E-clip finally resulted to the granting of P15,000 for immediate assistance and P50,000 for livelihood assistance to the 23 FVEs to reintegrate themselves and become productive members of the society.

Luzon said the giving of E-clip assistance does not only signifies the fulfillment and commitment of the government, but also marks the continuance and furtherance of giving importance of the government to the FVEs.

Luzon also emphasized that the campaign for peace and development in Basilan will continue in order to attain lasting peace.

The distribution of the E-clip assistance of the FVEs were witnessed by military and police officials based in Basilan and officials from BARMM.(SunStar Zamboanga)

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1969158/zamboanga/local-news/23-ex-asg-members-receive-e-clip-assistance

A New Filipino Leader for Southeast Asia’s Islamic State

From The Diplomat (Aug 9, 2023): A New Filipino Leader for Southeast Asia’s Islamic State (By Zam Yusa)

It’s not clear if Abu Turaife can garner support from IS adherents in the region and galvanize local militants or whether pro-IS groups in the Philippines are on the decline.



Philippine Soldiers practice room clearing techniques during counterterrorism training in support of Balikatan 2017 at Fort Magsaysay in Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija, May 11, 2017.Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel James Lewis

The recent announcement of a new Filipino leader of the Islamic State (IS) terror group in Southeast Asia has generated a buzz in the online sphere.

Esmael Abdulmalik, also known as Abu Turaife, the leader of the Turaife faction, one of the two pro-IS factions of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) terror group in the southern Philippines, was touted recently by pro-IS media channels as the new emir.

Abu Turaife allegedly stepped up to the regional IS top spot after the killing of his predecessor, Maute Group leader Faharuddin Hadji Sattar, also known as Jer Mimbantas and Abu Zacharia, in a Philippine military operation in June of this year.

Analysts offered differing opinions on whether Abu Turaife would galvanize support for the terror group in the Philippines and the wider region.

“The announcement was very concerning, but predictable,” Ulta Levenia Nababan, the lead researcher at Jakarta-based think tank Galatea, told The Diplomat.

“According to my research findings with Semar Sentinel [a think tank] in 2019, he was indeed very influential. I did not manage to meet him, but I met his senior, Kagi Karialan, and made a short observation of the Turaife camp in Maguindanao province.

“Kagi Karialan had 50-100 men but Abu Turaife had around 100-200 militias because he was hosting remnants of the Marawi siege from the Maute Group after they were defeated in Marawi.”

Kagi Karialan is the moniker of Mohidin Animbang, who leads the non-IS-aligned Karialan faction of the BIFF, a splinter from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a former rebel group which now administers an autonomous region called the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The Maute Group, along with another pro-IS group, the Abu Sayyaf Group, laid siege to the southern city of Marawi in 2017 in an attempt to establish a territory for the so-called Islamic State East Asia (ISEA) wilayat, or province, which reportedly encompassed the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

A fierce five-month urban battle ensued before Philippine government troops retook the city from the clutches of the IS militants in October of that year.

According to Ulta, Karialan further said that Turaife welcomed foreign terrorist fighters mainly from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and some Arab nations after the Marawi siege. Karialan said he was unsure about their nationalities, though he knew they were not Filipinos.

“Before they [Turaife and Karialan] broke up, Turaife also offered Karialan to host those foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) in exchange of funds from ISIS but Karialan rejected it,” said Ulta, who conducted field research in Mindanao in 2019.

“I think, with this new designation for Turaife, it would again open up the possibility of more foreign terrorist fighters into the southern Philippine terrorism movement or conflict. My assessment is that Turaife is still very keen to welcome those FTFs and fight with them against the Philippine government.”

Ulta said last year’s information indicated Abu Turaife was injured in attacks by the Philippine military, but has likely now recovered and is again raising tensions in the region.

“Also those terrorists who were under the Anshar Khalifah Philippines or AKP previously led by Tokboy Maguid are now with Turaife,” said Ulta, referring to another local terror group aligned with IS.

“This is why I think Turaife as a new IS emir will bring new tension in the region and probably will provoke Southeast Asian nationals to join him.”

A Philippines-based analyst said Abu Turaife’s appointment was unexpected but still logical. 

“Last year, he was very sick and this has led some to believe he actually died. Not many jihadists from the last seven years are alive, so if there was a choice, then Turaife is natural – combining credibility as a preacher, fighter and someone who already became a name,” said Georgi Engelbrecht, senior Philippines analyst at the International Crisis Group.

“Most of his fighters are relatives and as a Maguindanaon, he may not have a lot of soft power over Maranaos or the Tausugs. Given the Abu Sayyaf (ASG) in Sulu is in disarray in any case, and the Maute remnants are also without a leader after Zacharia’s killing, we can probably expect each theater to focus on their own issues,” explained Engelbrecht, referring to the two major ethnic groups in Mindanao.

Engelbrecht said the position of emir is highly symbolic, but in terms of operational capabilities, the militants are under serious pressure as they would need more adaptive and creative leaders.

“Turaife is old school and an old guard, so we know it will be difficult for him to both operate on his own in central Mindanao, let alone control fighters elsewhere,” he said.

“I think the loss of Salahuddin Hassan was also a big disadvantage to the militants. At some point, he and Turaife were not even in one organization, it seemed he did his own thing. In any case, after he died, some of his men returned back to Turaife while others ventured out,” Engelbrecht added, referring to another slain Filipino IS leader for the region.

Despite his potential menace, Abu Turaife is confronted with the formidable task of convincingly asserting his emirship and gaining the unwavering allegiance of his followers, said a Malaysian analyst.

“We know that he had been turned down for the role before, which signals his reluctance to take charge for his own reasons. The fact the group continues to follow the declaration protocol, confusing as it was, suggests their belief in the relevance of their existence to the expansion efforts of IS in the region,” Munira Mustaffa, executive director and principal consultant at Chasseur Group, told The Diplomat.

“This is notwithstanding the overall diminishing and weakening of the organization, and I supposed the counterterrorism efforts have not been substantial enough to quell its persistence or cease its potential resurgence. Its militant members, stubbornly optimistic, continue to operate as an active insurgency, despite the ongoing Philippine military pressure.”

Munira, a former analyst at Malaysia’s Southeast Asia Regional Centre of Counterterrorism, said it remains uncertain whether Abu Turaife’s announced leadership will substantially affect or influence any militants in Malaysia, considering their divergent political agendas and long-term and short-term objectives.

“The prospect of receiving support from Malaysia appears slim due to these preference divergences,” she said. “The fact that this announcement is unofficial implies a detachment from the operational priorities of central IS, suggesting the general status of IS in the region is dwindling and that they are now, or have been, operating independently from IS.

“In contrast, IS remains an enduring problem in the Middle East and Africa,” she added. “Therefore, the IS brand in Southeast Asia, the so-called ISEA, may hold some symbolic value, but it might not have any substantive value beyond that.”

Similarly, Engelbrecht said he believed that apart from a short buzz in the online sphere, there will not be substantive reaction on the ground to the announcement.

“Turaife’s relatives and perhaps the members of Salahuddin Hassan’s group would try to get a boost out of it, but the Maute remnants and the ASG have other things to focus on,” he said.

“I’m not sure if there will be a competition to Abu Turaife even though the Maranaos would probably wonder why not another Maranao replaced Zacharia.”

Engelbrecht said IS has definitely weakened in Mindanao.

“Usually, these movements are also tied to the legitimacy of the peace process and the overall sphere of things. Should the BARMM underperform and issues between government and the MILF remain at times tense, then it might get revitalized,” he said.

“The key date for this is 2025. But again, not all frustrated rebels would jump on a jihadist alternative,” said Engelbrecht, referring to the year the Bangsamoro Parliament election is scheduled to take place in BARMM.

“Well, the usual caveats – all politics and conflict are highly local, there are mixed results from government/regional interventions and you cannot kill an idea by force. A key period to watch will be the village elections in late October this year.

“I feel ISEA / Southeast Asia is not much of a priority (for IS) anymore.”

A spokesman for a military command in Mindanao said they have not received any information on Abu Turaife as the new leader of IS in the Philippines and the region but operations against the various terror groups were ongoing.

“We have decisive military operations, intel operations and civil-military operations to neutralize these terrorists like DI, BIFF and Abu Sayyaf Group,” Maj. Andrew Linao, the spokesperson for the Western Mindanao Command, told The Diplomat.

“We are also declaring areas clear of terrorists and ready for further developments like Sulu province and Zamboanga peninsula.”

DI is short for Dawlah Islamiyah or Islamic State, an umbrella term for pro-IS terror groups. It is also sometimes used to refer to the Maute Group.

The Philippine military in July announced that the southern island province of Sulu had been cleared of Abu Sayyaf bandits, although sub-leader Mudzrimar Sawadjaan, also known as Mundi, a bomb expert wanted by the Philippines and Malaysia, is still at large was reportedly last seen in Basilan province.

He was tagged in suicide bombings in Sulu including by Indonesian IS terrorists.

The newly installed Philippine military chief, Gen. Romeo Brawner, also in July said the nation expects to see total victory against Moro militants by the year’s end, a familiar statement made by almost all previous chiefs during their respective tenures.

Whether Abu Turaife will garner support from IS adherents in the region and galvanize local militants to support him back home, and whether pro-IS groups in the Philippines will cease to exist by the year’s end or remain, only time will tell.

[Zam Yusa is a Malaysian journalist based in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, who focuses on Southeast Asian terrorism and counterterrorism issues.]

https://thediplomat.com/2023/08/a-new-filipino-leader-for-southeast-asias-islamic-state/

Malaya: No promise made to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal

From CNN Philippines (Aug 8, 2023): Malaya: No promise made to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal (By Bamba Galang)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 8) — The National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday denied the Philippines made a commitment to remove BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal as claimed by China.

"The PH has not and will never enter into any agreement abandoning its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over Ayungin Shoal,” NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.

BRP Sierra Madre, a US Navy ship used during World War II, has been at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999 and was intentionally grounded there to serve as a military outpost in the contested waters.

According to a statement by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Manila made a commitment to remove the vessel, but has yet to act on it.

It also accused the Philippines of wanting to permanently occupy the Ayungin Shoal.

A former Defense chief further said that there was no promise made to China to remove the almost eight-decade-old warship, which ran aground in 1999.

"Hindi naman pwede na manggaling sa amin ang pangako eh kami nga ang nagsadsad noon [We cannot make that promise because we were the ones who put it there]. We never promised them anything," also former senator Orlando Mercado told CNN Philippines.

Mercado lamented the current state of the commissioned vessel at Ayungin, which he described as a "manifestation of lack of continuity."

Also called the Second Thomas Shoal, Ayungin is located 104 nautical miles west of Palawan and is well within the Philippines' 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Philippines maintains it has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Kalayaan island group, which China is also claiming through its nine-dash line.

A 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling, however, invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. The tribunal largely ruled in favor of the Philippines in areas of its EEZ and continental shelf that are being claimed by China.

According to security expert Raymond Powell, China has been resorting to aggression whenever there are resupply missions going to Ayungin because it is part of its overall strategy to take over the shoal.

“The reason they’re blockading the Sierra Madre is because they want to make it uninhabitable," he told CNN Philippines' The Source on Tuesday.

"So, eventually, once the Philippine Navy leaves the Sierra Madre, whether it breaks up, slides off the shoal, simply becomes untenable, that gives China essentially possession of the shoal,” Powell also said.

Speaking to reporters, Malaya said it is the responsibility of the Philippines to maintain Sierra Madre not only to ensure the country keeps its presence, but also for the benefit of the troops based there.

“What we are doing is purely supply of our troops there," he emphasized. "As I said, sila nga nagmi-militarize ng mga ibang mga kapuluan (they are even militarizing some islands). Tayo, (For us) we are just supplying our troops to maintain our presence in the shoal."

On Aug. 5, the China Coast Guard (CCG) fired water cannon at Philippine vessels en route BRP Sierra Madre to bring supplies to military troops there.

Even prior to this, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela told CNN Philippines' The Source in another interview that the CCG was already seen shadowing Manila’s vessels deployed in Escoda Shoal while waiting for the resupply ships from Palawan.

Tarriela said the CCG obviously planned its moves as the number of Chinese ships intercepting the Philippine contingency gradually increased to six, which was the first time ever.

“They conducted dangerous maneuvers, blocking the Philippine Coast Guard and there was a need for the commanding officer to order the engine to stop at tsaka mag-backing kasi otherwise babangga sila (and to do backing otherwise they will crash),” he also said, noting that the distance then of one Chinese vessel was 10 meters.

Had the water cannon also directly hit the resupply boat, it could possibly have capsized, Tarriela said.

This was not the first time the CCG used water cannons against Philippine vessels, with the first one being in 2021.

While the Philippines also has its own water cannons, Tarriela said these are only used for firefighting.

Aside from filing diplomatic protests and deploying more vessels to support the resupply missions, Tarriela said modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PCG is vital to ensure Filipinos are well-equipped during these kinds of situations.

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/8/8/ph-no-promise-to-remove-brp-sierra-madre.html

Sending supplies to BRP Sierra Madre within PH rights, cannot be meddled with

From CNN Philippines (Aug 8, 2023): Sending supplies to BRP Sierra Madre within PH rights, cannot be meddled with (By CNN Philippines Staff)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 8) — Only essentials to sustain troops are brought to the BRP Sierra Madre, according to a National Security Council (NSC) official, who stressed that carrying supplies to the vessel at Ayungin Shoal is within the Philippines’ rights and cannot be interfered with.

“Ang dinadala natin doon ay mga bagay na kailangan ng ating tropa. We are not bringing things that are not essential,” NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya told the media on Tuesday.

“Kung anuman yung mga kailangan nilang dalhin, we are well within our rights na dalhin yun, at hindi tayo pwedeng diktahan kung ano yung mga dadalhin natin at hindi natin dadalhin,” Malaya added.

[Translation: What we are bringing there are things that our troops need. We are not bringing things that are not essential. Whatever we need to bring, we are well within our rights to bring that, and we cannot be dictated to what we can and cannot bring.]

The Chinese Coast Guard earlier said it fired water cannons at Philippine vessels en route to Ayungin Shoal to block them for carrying “illegal building materials” and breaking into waters under China’s jurisdiction.

“Sila nga nagmimilitarize ng ibang mga pulo, naglalagay ng kung ano anong radar tapos batteries [Them, they militarize other islands, installing some kind of radar and batteries]. Tayo, we are just supplying our troops to maintain our presence in the shoal,” the NSC official said.

The commissioned vessel is situated at Ayungin, also known as the Second Thomas Shoal, which is 104 nautical miles west of Palawan and lies within the Philippines' 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Philippines claims sovereignty and control over the Kalayaan island group, which China insists is under its jurisdiction via its “nine-dash line” claim.

A 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling, however, invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. The tribunal largely ruled in favor of the Philippines in areas of its EEZ and continental shelf that are being claimed by China.

Malaya also pointed out that it is the Philippines’ responsibility to maintain the BRP Sierra Madre “for the benefit of our troops there” and failure to do so reflects negligence on the part of the national government.

China ‘impeded’ PH’s legitimate resupply mission

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) asserted that the BRP Sierra Madre serves as a permanent station for Filipino military troops sent to preserve and secure the country's rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that Manila made a commitment to remove the vessel but has yet to act on it. Malaya also denied this.

The DFA further emphasized that the resupply mission and repair of the BRP Sierra Madre are “part of regular operations in line with domestic and international law.”

According to the DFA, the recent water cannon incident “impeded” the country’s “legitimate and regular activities” in its own EEZ, violating the 1982 United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea, the 2016 South China Sea arbitration, among other international maritime laws.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) made the same statement, stressing that the Philippines will continue “protecting and upholding [its] legal maritime entitlements.”

“The Philippines demands that China immediately stop its coercive, unlawful, and unjustifiable activities in our maritime zones,” the NTF-WPS said in a statement.

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/8/8/Supplies-to-Sierra-Madre-PH-rights-cannot-be-meddled.html

China tells Philippines to remove grounded warship in South China Sea

From Rappler (Aug 7, 2023): China tells Philippines to remove grounded warship in South China Sea (By REUTERS)

(2nd UPDATE) 'The Philippines will never abandon our post in Ayungin Shoal,' says National Security Council Director General Jonathan Malaya,

China told the Philippines on Monday, August 7, to remove its grounded warship from the Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, in the South China Sea after blocking two Manila supply ships with water cannons over the weekend as both sides asserted their claims of the area.

The Philippines accused the Chinese coast guard of blocking and firing water cannons at a Philippine military supply ship on what it said was a routine troop rotation and resupply mission on Saturday for the Philippine warship, a rusty World War Two-era American ship that a handful of troops live aboard.

China said it had earlier told Manila not to send ships to the Second Thomas Shoal and not to send “construction materials used for large-scale repair and reinforcement” to the warship after it learned of this recent supply plan, the Chinese coast guard said in a statement on Monday.

MUST READ: Nations call out China over ‘dangerous, provocative’ acts in West PH sea

China also urged the Philippines to restore the Second Thomas Shoal and said it had allowed transport of daily necessities including food to the grounded ship, according to the Chinese statement, adding that it had used the water cannon to avoid collision from a direct interception.

China reiterated the call on Tuesday, August 8. “China once again urges the Philippine side to immediately remove the warship from Second Thomas Shoal and restore it to its unoccupied state,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Jonathan Malaya, Assistant Director General of the Philippines’ National Security Council, repeated comments he made on Monday, saying, “The Philippines will never abandon our post in Ayungin Shoal.”

“We urge China not to escalate matters by water cannons or military-grade lasers, which places Philippines lives at risk, but by sincere negotiations and other diplomatic means,” he added.

The Philippines in 1999 intentionally grounded the warship to stake its claim to the Second Thomas Reef, a submerged reef that is part of the Spratly islands in the South China Sea.

China over the weekend said it had “indisputable” sovereignty of the area and urged the Philippines to stop infringing activities in this waters.

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday that the country continued to assert its sovereignty and territorial rights despite challenges in the South China Sea.

Marcos said the Philippines had relayed its complaint against China.

No one was injured in the maritime incident, but the Philippines is thinking of next steps to resupply troops.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and the Spratly island, which consists of many islets, reefs banks and shoals and lie in the center of South China Sea and along major shipping lanes.

The island is claimed by China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/china-tells-philippines-remove-grounded-warship-ayungin-shoal/

China didn’t pick up phone during water cannon incident in West Philippine Sea – DFA

From Rappler (Aug 7, 2023): China didn’t pick up phone during water cannon incident in West Philippine Sea – DFA (By BEA CUPIN)

The Department of Foreign Affairs, in its protest, asks China to 'reciprocate with the same sense of urgency' that Manila shows when Beijing calls

MANILA, Philippines – Even after several months of statements and interviews hyping communication mechanisms to avoid “mishaps” in the West Philippine Sea, when it mattered the most on August 5, Beijing wasn’t there to answer the call.

The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in its note verbale or formal protest over an August 5 blocking and water cannoning incident in the South China Sea, “expressed disappointment” over not being able to reach its Chinese counterpart right away.

“The Philippines, through the DFA, also expressed disappointment that the DFA was unable to reach its counterpart to the maritime communication mechanism for several hours while the incident was occurring,” said DFA Spokesperson Teresita Diaz in a rare joint press conference on Monday, August 7.

Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian was summoned by Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro Monday morning or two days after China Coast Guard and Chinese militia ships tailed, blocked, then directed water cannons toward Philippine ships en route to Ayungin Shoal for a resupply mission.

Solar power is particularly suited to coping with summer heat as the sun's radiation is strongest around the hottest part of the day, when electricity demand for cooling is also at its highest

Footage from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Armed Forces of the Philippines showed Chinese ships blocking or sailing dangerously close to smaller, more vulnerable Philippine ships. PCG Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said the Chinese boats’ intention was to separate the Armed Forces of the Philippines-commissioned vessels carrying supplies from the PCG boats that served as their escorts.

The Chinese vessels were relentless in blocking the PCG boat and the commissioned “indigenous” boat, preventing half of the supplies from reaching Ayungin Shoal, where a grounded warship serves as the Philippines’ outpost in the West Philippine Sea.

Manila also “expressed the hope that the Chinese side will reciprocate with the same sense of urgency the communication initiated by the Philippines as has been demonstrated by the Philippines when receiving communications initiated by the Chinese side,” said Daza.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself pushed for the creation of a “direct communication line” between the foreign ministries of Manila and Beijing to avoid “miscalculations” in the West Philippine Sea. But in May 2023, ahead of a trip to Washington DC and after a near-collision between the Philippine Coast Guard and the China Coast Guard, Marcos said China had yet to finalize their side of the communications mechanism.

Even as Marcos and Chinese President Xi Jinping promised a “new golden age” in bilateral ties, Beijing has not let up in its aggressive moves in the South China Sea, including in areas part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The August 5 incident is also not the first time China has harassed Philippine ships. In February 2023, barely a month after visiting Xi in Beijing, Marcos summoned Huang over a laser-pointing incident in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippine Coast Guard has also reported incidents of blockages, harassment, and near collisions in the months since.

The Philippines has filed 35 protests against China in 2023, according to the DFA.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/dfa-protest-china-did-not-pick-up-phone-water-cannon-incident-west-philippine-sea/

FACT CHECK: US not involved in water cannon incident in West Philippine Sea

From Rappler (Aug 8, 2023): FACT CHECK: US not involved in water cannon incident in West Philippine Sea

A YouTube video falsely claims that the US deployed two F-35 fighter jets after Chinese vessels water bombed Philippine ships in the West Philippine Sea

Claim: The US deployed two F-35 fighter jets to the West Philippine Sea upon detecting the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel that fired water cannons at Philippine ships.
Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video containing the claim has 31,281 views as of writing. A channel with 322,000 subscribers uploaded the video on August 7, two days after the blocking and water cannon incident in the West Philippine Sea.

The video bore the title “Lagot kayo ngayon! Barko ng China na nambomba ng water cannon ginulat ng isang USF-35 sa WPS.”  (You’re in trouble now! Chinese ship that fired a water cannon startled by a USF-35 in WPS.)

The video’s description also implied that the US deployed two F-35B fighter aircraft after its amphibious assault ship USS America spotted the CCG vessel.

The facts: There were no reports from news sources or announcements from the US embassy in the Philippines, the Philippine Navy, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the US Navy, nor the US Coast Guard supporting the claim that a US assault ship and F-35 fighter jets were involved in China’s actions against the vessels of the PCG and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

What happened: According to the PCG, a Chinese coast guard vessel blocked and fired water cannons at the PCG vessels. The vessels were escorting the AFP ships on a resupply mission to military troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, which remains grounded on Ayungin Shoal. No American ship or aircraft were reported to be involved in the incident that happened on August 5.

As a result of China’s harassment, the Philippine vessel was unable to complete its mission. The incident is the latest hostile act of the Chinese in the West Philippine Sea, or part of the South China Sea within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

No US ship or aircraft in the video: In the actual video footage released by the PCG and the office of Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, only the Philippine vessels and the CCG ship were at the scene.

US stand on the incident: On August 6, the United States released a statement affirming its support for the Philippines and condemning China’s latest act.

“Such actions by the [People’s Republic of China] are inconsistent with international law and are the latest in repeated threats to the status quo in the South China Sea, directly threatening regional peace and stability,” the statement read.

The US also called on China to abide by the 2016 arbitral ruling in favor of the Philippines that struck down China’s expansive claims over the South China Sea.

Recent transits: F-35s were last seen in the vicinity of the South China Sea during the Marine Aviation Support Activity, a joint military exercise between the US and the Philippines held last July 6 to 21. Banar News reported that two F-35s flew over Zambales on July 13 as part of the drill, which took place just days after Chinese vessels “followed, harassed, and obstructed” PCG ships en route to Ayungin Shoal.

Meanwhile, the USS America docked in Manila last March, the first time that the warship made a port call in the Philippines. – Ailla Dela Cruz/Rappler.com

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/united-states-not-involved-water-cannon-incident-west-philippine-sea/#cxrecs_s

New Army chief says soldiers should be skilled beyond ‘tools of violence’

From Rappler (Aug 7, 2023): New Army chief says soldiers should be skilled beyond ‘tools of violence’ (By RYAN MACASERO)

Mindanao veteran Lieutenant General Roy Galido assumes the top post in the Philippine Army

MANILA, Philippines – Lieutenant General Roy Galido, the new Philippine Army chief, said that one of his priorities in his new role is to skill soldiers beyond “tools of violence.”

“Let us produce soldiers who are not just skilled in tools of violence and managing violent environments, but soldiers who can also be future civil servants and skilled workers so that they will not be prey to soldiers of fortune syndrome,” he said during the Philippine Army’s change of command ceremony in Taguig City on Monday, August 7.

Galido took the helm of the Philippine Army from General Romeo Brawner Jr., who was recently appointed Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff.

“Most importantly, the best moral boosting activity that we will give our personnel is to make sure the family is happy,” Galido added.

Galido knows the cost of violence as he lost his brother, who was also a soldier, in an armed encounter in 1990.

“I don’t want the soldiers to experience what I experienced in 1990 when my brother went home,” the new Army chief said.

“I will not fail you,” Galido told President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who attended Monday’s change of command ceremony.

The President in his speech commended the “good work” Galido put in in his previous role as head of the Western Mindanao Command. Galido belongs to the “Bigkis Lahi” Class of 1990 and spent the bulk of his career in Mindanao.

“I look forward to working with you further and I am confident that you will guide the Army to reach more milestones in our campaign to end in our country the insurgency and [terrorism] threat, as well as to address the lingering and emerging threats to…our national security,” Marcos said.

During his speech, Galido also mentioned the importance of the mental well-being of soldiers, echoing the priorities of Brawner, who said that aside from enhancing defense and combat capabilities, “we shall look after the welfare and make sure their [soldiers] families are well taken care of.”

Brawner also pushed for better mental health programs for soldiers when he was Army chief.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/new-army-chief-galido-assumes-post-august-7-2023/