From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Apr 7): ‘Not a penny over $1.4M for Tubbataha
damage’
Officials of the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) will not ask for more than
the $1.4 million (about P60 million) fine slapped on the United States following
the grounding of its warship in Tubbataha Reef.
“[The fine of] $1.4 million is but a slap on the wrist, as the salvage
operation has been estimated to cost close to $45 million,” said Tubbataha park
superintendent Angelique Songco in a statement.
“However, we respect the rule of law and this is the fine stipulated. The
Tubbataha Management Office will not ask for anything more,” she said.
Songco told Agence France-Presse that she is “not worried about criticism
(for the small amount).”
“We are not trying to put one over them and we hope they will do the same
with us,” she said. “We don’t want to be dishonest. It is just a simple
process—measure it correctly and then they pay. That is all. It is very
straightforward.”
She said a letter requesting compensation would be sent to the US embassy
next week.
The United States has apologized for the mishap and said it would cooperate
in addressing the damage.
The commanding officer and three crew members of the USS Guardian were
relieved of their duties over the grounding, the US Navy announced last week.
A team of divers and researchers from the TMO and World Wide Fund for
Nature–Philippines just finished assessing the damage to the reef caused by the
Jan. 17 grounding of the USS Guardian. Tubbataha is a World Heritage Site
located in middle of the Sulu Sea.
Salvors finished extricating the last of the 68-meter Guardian on March 30.
It had to be dismantled piece by piece so it could be lifted without damaging
the reef further.
According to the report of the assessment team, “results indicate the damaged
area spans 2,345.67 square meters—smaller than the 4,000 square meters
originally estimated by an American team,” WWF-Philippines said in a statement.
Under Republic Act No. 10067, or the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act of
2009, a fine of about $600 or P24,000 per square meter of damaged reef is
mandatory.
“Further park rule violations boosted the final total to slightly less than
P60 million, or roughly $1.4 million,” the organization said.
WWF-Philippines vice chair and chief executive officer Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan
said the fine to be paid to TMO should help it build “a significant endowment
fund to sustain its operations through the years.”
“The basic issue here is not tourism. It is food security. This fresh
infusion of funds will allow TMO to concentrate on putting the money to good
use—from building a better Ranger Station to upgrading their capacity to manage
the country’s most productive coral reef,” he said.
“Let us settle what must be settled, learn what must be learned, and move
forward,” Tan said.
The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park protects almost 100,000 hectares of high
quality marine habitats containing three atolls and a large area of deep sea.
Home to whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles and Napoleon wrasse, the park
supports more than 350 species of coral and almost 500 species of fish. For
this, it has been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).
The reserve also protects one of the few remaining colonies of breeding
seabirds in the region, according to Unesco.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/71393/not-a-penny-over-1-4m-for-tubbataha-damage
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Pols wooing MILF get turned away, says Iqbal
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Apr 7): Pols wooing MILF get turned away, says Iqbal
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) chief peace negotiator said here “a lot” of politicians had been courting the rebel group to bolster their candidacies among the Moros.
“A lot of politicians have been wooing the MILF for support in the 2013 midterm balloting,” said Mohagher Iqbal in a radio interview on Thursday.
Iqbal, however, did not identify the politicians or the positions they were aspiring to.
But he said the MILF turned them away as the group’s policy of nonintervention in elections remained in effect despite it having signed a preliminary agreement for the establishment of a Bangsamoro government.
Iqbal said the MILF instead told the politicians to support the peace process because their positive stance could convince Moro voters to support their political bids.
Make it a priority
“[They should make it one of their] priority issues during the campaign period,” he said.
Iqbal said that while the MILF as an organization maintained its policy of not endorsing any candidate, it was not preventing its members from casting their ballots.
He said the rebel group had also made it clear to politicians that they could freely campaign in MILF territories at anytime, without having to shell out money for a “revolutionary tax.”
Iqbal said the MILF’s only interest these days is the success of the peace negotiations.
Beside security forces
This was also why, he said, the MILF would help to ensure that the balloting would be peaceful and orderly.
He said MILF guerrillas would be deployed alongside soldiers and policemen to help maintain the peace during the elections.
“In cooperation with the government and its military and police units, the MILF will help ensure safe and fair elections,” he said.
Iqbal said the MILF believed a peaceful balloting would also help the peace process.
In the past, the peace talks were repeatedly threatened by clashes, a number of which occurred during election season.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/386501/pols-wooing-milf-get-turned-away-says-iqbal
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) chief peace negotiator said here “a lot” of politicians had been courting the rebel group to bolster their candidacies among the Moros.
“A lot of politicians have been wooing the MILF for support in the 2013 midterm balloting,” said Mohagher Iqbal in a radio interview on Thursday.
Iqbal, however, did not identify the politicians or the positions they were aspiring to.
But he said the MILF turned them away as the group’s policy of nonintervention in elections remained in effect despite it having signed a preliminary agreement for the establishment of a Bangsamoro government.
Iqbal said the MILF instead told the politicians to support the peace process because their positive stance could convince Moro voters to support their political bids.
Make it a priority
“[They should make it one of their] priority issues during the campaign period,” he said.
Iqbal said that while the MILF as an organization maintained its policy of not endorsing any candidate, it was not preventing its members from casting their ballots.
He said the rebel group had also made it clear to politicians that they could freely campaign in MILF territories at anytime, without having to shell out money for a “revolutionary tax.”
Iqbal said the MILF’s only interest these days is the success of the peace negotiations.
Beside security forces
This was also why, he said, the MILF would help to ensure that the balloting would be peaceful and orderly.
He said MILF guerrillas would be deployed alongside soldiers and policemen to help maintain the peace during the elections.
“In cooperation with the government and its military and police units, the MILF will help ensure safe and fair elections,” he said.
Iqbal said the MILF believed a peaceful balloting would also help the peace process.
In the past, the peace talks were repeatedly threatened by clashes, a number of which occurred during election season.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/386501/pols-wooing-milf-get-turned-away-says-iqbal
How US gathers tips, info on wanted global terrorists
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Apr 7): How US gathers tips, info on wanted global terrorists
From the Philippine jungles to unruly areas of Pakistan and the deserts of Iraq, simple matchbooks and posters are proving an effective tool in the United States hunt for the world’s most wanted men.
Since its launch in 1984, the Rewards for Justice program run by the Diplomatic Security bureau of the US Department of State has paid out $125 million in rewards to 80 people for information leading to the capture of terrorists.
Pictures of the wanted men are printed on posters, matchbooks and pens along with messages in the local dialects asking for information and providing instructions on how to forward tips or ring a hotline.
More modern methods to pass the messages are also used, such as Twitter and Facebook, along with a dedicated website and mobile phone alerts.
On top of the program’s wanted list today is al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, with a reward of up to $25 million for information leading to his capture.
After Bin Laden
The Egyptian doctor, who took over as al-Qaida leader after US commandos shot Osama Bin Laden dead in May 2011, has been indicted for his role in the 1998 twin bombings of US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
He is one of 53 people the US is seeking to bring before the courts for terror attacks, and who now have a price on their heads.
“The genesis of this program actually came about as a result of the bombings of our embassy in Kuwait and of our facilities in Beirut,” Kurt Rice, acting assistant director for diplomatic security, told AFP.
“The government after that decided we had to look for another tool to try and get information and bring these people to justice,” he said.
Last month Alabama-born Omar Hamami, dubbed the rapping jihadist, became one of five Americans on the list, wanted for ties to the al-Qaida linked Shebab insurgents evading capture in Somalia.
Cold cases still good
The program is also still seeking information on cases in which the trail appears to have gone cold, including the 1983 attack on the Marine Corps barracks in Beirut and the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Despite the dangers, the rewards can be tantalizingly huge in impoverished countries.
One informant received $30 million for leading the US to Uday and Qusay Hussein, the sons of the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Thanks to the tip, the two were tracked down in July 2003 by a secretive special operations task force sent in to capture them in northern Mosul. A four-hour fire fight ensued, in which both men were killed.
Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, the 1993 bomber of the World Trade Center, was caught after someone picked up a matchbook bearing his picture in Pakistan and tipped off the US embassy in Islamabad.
Yousef, nephew of the self-confessed architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was arrested by Pakistani forces in 1995 and extradited to the United States. He was tried and sentenced to two life sentences.
“This program is fairly simple, it’s fairly elegant, it saves lives,” said Rice. “All we are trying to do is give people an outlet, because people intrinsically often just want to help.
He stressed that confidentiality was key to protecting the identities of the informants. “We’ve given this money out, and that obviously makes them a target wherever they are in the world,” he said.
The size of the reward depends on how critical the information is to the wanted person’s capture and is determined by an interagency committee which then recommends an amount to the secretary of state.
Filipinos got $5M
A group of Filipinos in 2007 shared in a $5-million reward for helping to find one of the ranking leaders of the Abu Sayyaf, Khadaffy Janjalani, and then identify his body after he was killed in a shoot-out with Philippine forces.
And while the Diplomatic Security bureau cannot provide physical protection for informants, it has helped relocate some of them to safer places, including the United States.
Since 2001, the program has also focused on prevention as well as on tracking down those already accused of terrorist acts.
“We would rather save lives than solve crimes. Of course solving the crimes is critical to us, but if we can stop them, if we can prevent them, that’s fantastic,” Rice said.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/386505/how-us-gathers-tips-info-on-wanted-global-terrorists
From the Philippine jungles to unruly areas of Pakistan and the deserts of Iraq, simple matchbooks and posters are proving an effective tool in the United States hunt for the world’s most wanted men.
Since its launch in 1984, the Rewards for Justice program run by the Diplomatic Security bureau of the US Department of State has paid out $125 million in rewards to 80 people for information leading to the capture of terrorists.
Pictures of the wanted men are printed on posters, matchbooks and pens along with messages in the local dialects asking for information and providing instructions on how to forward tips or ring a hotline.
More modern methods to pass the messages are also used, such as Twitter and Facebook, along with a dedicated website and mobile phone alerts.
On top of the program’s wanted list today is al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, with a reward of up to $25 million for information leading to his capture.
After Bin Laden
The Egyptian doctor, who took over as al-Qaida leader after US commandos shot Osama Bin Laden dead in May 2011, has been indicted for his role in the 1998 twin bombings of US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
He is one of 53 people the US is seeking to bring before the courts for terror attacks, and who now have a price on their heads.
“The genesis of this program actually came about as a result of the bombings of our embassy in Kuwait and of our facilities in Beirut,” Kurt Rice, acting assistant director for diplomatic security, told AFP.
“The government after that decided we had to look for another tool to try and get information and bring these people to justice,” he said.
Last month Alabama-born Omar Hamami, dubbed the rapping jihadist, became one of five Americans on the list, wanted for ties to the al-Qaida linked Shebab insurgents evading capture in Somalia.
Cold cases still good
The program is also still seeking information on cases in which the trail appears to have gone cold, including the 1983 attack on the Marine Corps barracks in Beirut and the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Despite the dangers, the rewards can be tantalizingly huge in impoverished countries.
One informant received $30 million for leading the US to Uday and Qusay Hussein, the sons of the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Thanks to the tip, the two were tracked down in July 2003 by a secretive special operations task force sent in to capture them in northern Mosul. A four-hour fire fight ensued, in which both men were killed.
Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, the 1993 bomber of the World Trade Center, was caught after someone picked up a matchbook bearing his picture in Pakistan and tipped off the US embassy in Islamabad.
Yousef, nephew of the self-confessed architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was arrested by Pakistani forces in 1995 and extradited to the United States. He was tried and sentenced to two life sentences.
“This program is fairly simple, it’s fairly elegant, it saves lives,” said Rice. “All we are trying to do is give people an outlet, because people intrinsically often just want to help.
He stressed that confidentiality was key to protecting the identities of the informants. “We’ve given this money out, and that obviously makes them a target wherever they are in the world,” he said.
The size of the reward depends on how critical the information is to the wanted person’s capture and is determined by an interagency committee which then recommends an amount to the secretary of state.
Filipinos got $5M
A group of Filipinos in 2007 shared in a $5-million reward for helping to find one of the ranking leaders of the Abu Sayyaf, Khadaffy Janjalani, and then identify his body after he was killed in a shoot-out with Philippine forces.
And while the Diplomatic Security bureau cannot provide physical protection for informants, it has helped relocate some of them to safer places, including the United States.
Since 2001, the program has also focused on prevention as well as on tracking down those already accused of terrorist acts.
“We would rather save lives than solve crimes. Of course solving the crimes is critical to us, but if we can stop them, if we can prevent them, that’s fantastic,” Rice said.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/386505/how-us-gathers-tips-info-on-wanted-global-terrorists
Kato men owns up to attack near Cotabato school
From the Philippine Star (Apr 7): Kato
men owns up to attack near Cotabato school
Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) opened fire with 40-mm grenade projectiles near a public school in North Cotabato’s Midsayap town Friday night, the group’s fourth attack in Central Mindanao in four days.
No one was reported killed or wounded in the attack, but the explosions sent dozens of villagers running for their lives.
The BIFF, through spokesman Abu Misry Mama, said the attack was in retaliation for the recent death of one of their members, whom soldiers arrested in Maguindanao for driving an unregistered motorcycle. The BIFF bandit was later found dead.
Mama, in an interview with Catholic station dxMS here, warned of more attacks, saying they would not allow what they consider as summary execution of their members.
Senior Superintendent Rudelio Jocson, Maguindanao police director and the public affairs chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division Col. Dickson Hermoso said they did not hear any report on any BIFF member who had been killed by soldiers.
The BIFF also claimed responsibility for the recent raids on two Army detachments and a roadside outpost also in this city.
http://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/04/07/927715/kato-men-owns-attack-near-cotabato-school
Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) opened fire with 40-mm grenade projectiles near a public school in North Cotabato’s Midsayap town Friday night, the group’s fourth attack in Central Mindanao in four days.
No one was reported killed or wounded in the attack, but the explosions sent dozens of villagers running for their lives.
The BIFF, through spokesman Abu Misry Mama, said the attack was in retaliation for the recent death of one of their members, whom soldiers arrested in Maguindanao for driving an unregistered motorcycle. The BIFF bandit was later found dead.
Mama, in an interview with Catholic station dxMS here, warned of more attacks, saying they would not allow what they consider as summary execution of their members.
Senior Superintendent Rudelio Jocson, Maguindanao police director and the public affairs chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division Col. Dickson Hermoso said they did not hear any report on any BIFF member who had been killed by soldiers.
The BIFF also claimed responsibility for the recent raids on two Army detachments and a roadside outpost also in this city.
http://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/04/07/927715/kato-men-owns-attack-near-cotabato-school
Omaya elders recall destructive past; Predict brighter future
From the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS) (Apr 4): Omaya elders recall destructive past; Predict brighter future
Florderisa DeDios’ great, great granddaughter, left, is one of more than 100 students who will attend the new Omaya Elementary School. Philippine and U.S. Air Force engineers are working together to build a new schoolhouse for the local community. The Omaya schoolhouse is one of eight engineering civic action projects (ENCAP) being performed by Combined/Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force (CJCMOTF) units in support of exercise Balikatan 2013.Balikatan 2013 (BK13) is an annual Philippine-U.S. bilateral exercise. Humanitarian assistance and training activities enable the Philippine and American service members to build lasting relationships, train together and provide assistance in communities where the need is the greatest. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chris Fahey/RELEASED).
SAN NARCISO, Philippines - From where her porch used to sit Florderisa DeDios remembers when the schoolhouses, her home and the rest of her Omaya neighborhood in the San Narciso Municipality was consumed by volcanic ash following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
“We were nervous … very nervous,” recalled DeDios. “We were all panicking, and we couldn’t decide where to go because we didn’t know where we could go. There were a lot of people who evacuated to different places. We stayed here, because we didn’t have anywhere else to go. We stayed right here on the mountain.”
In all, dozens of homes, acres of crops, expensive irrigations systems, businesses, places of worship, schools – an entire community – was buried under the falling ash. Atop the ground where the suffocated neighborhood once sat, a blue cross stands. For more than 20 years, the chapel beneath this cross has been buried in a tomb, encased by ash. Before the eruption, the cross served as a beacon, towering above a Catholic church once rich with frequenters and filled with beautiful holy relics. Now, the 3-foot cross surrounded by shrubs, stands as a reminder to Barangay Captain Onofre Soler of what his friends and neighbors have overcome.
“When Mt. Pinatubo erupted, it was dark for two days,” he said waiving to the sky. “After the disaster, most people stayed because they relied on the mountain and their farms to survive. The town issued tidal wave warnings and then two years later another storm hit and the remaining parts of the barangay were buried under ash that came down from several landslides. With God’s blessing, our barangay has been improving ever since.”
Now, more than 20 years later, both DeDios and Soler have watched their Barangay almost fully recover.
“Our roads are now nearly all paved, we have a mineral water system for the town’s drinking water and education has always been really important to us. So, when we heard Exercise Balikatan was coming to build us a new school, we were all really excited.”
The neighbors who once shared loss now share enthusiasm as they all await completion of the new Omaya schoolhouse. DeDios’ great,-great-granddaughters are one of many local Barangay children who watch the combined team of U.S. and Philippine Air Force engineers work through blistering heat to construct the split-level dual-classroom building – one of several engineering civic action projects undertaken during Balikatan 2013.
Since the original schoolhouses remain buried under nearly 40-feet of ash and a river, Omaya has used two separate schoolhouses to hold studies. The main building sits at the river’s edge, about 100-feet below the other. When the Philippine storms surge through the province, the rising river raises concerns for the children’s safety. The new schoolhouse will sit on an elevated piece of the school’s property, free from the rising river water. This important aspect of the planning will help ensure the children will be free from that danger.
“Education is the only legacy we can offer our children,” said Omaya mother Marylin Palaylay. “We don’t have much money or belongings, so their inheritance is knowledge. Nothing can ever take it away.”
Many U.S. engineers from the visiting 773rd Civil Engineering Squadron in Alaska come from, or have worked in, impoverished areas. A chance to know the community, interact and understand what people like DeDios, Soler and Palaylay have endured, gives them a chance to grasp the impact a single schoolhouse can have. This has given troops like Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Hughes a larger appreciation for his service.
“I feel very blessed to be here and to help these people with their situation.” said Hughes. “They appreciate our help very much. They’re out here every day watching us, giving us thumbs up and saluting us each day we show up. Anything we need, they are here to help us and that feels really great.”
The Omaya schoolhouse is one of eight engineering civic action projects being performed by Combined/Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force units in support of exercise Balikatan 2013.
Balikatan 2013 is an annual Philippine-U.S. bilateral exercise. Humanitarian assistance and training activities enable the Philippine and American service members to build lasting relationships, train together and provide assistance in communities where the need is the greatest.
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/104589/omaya-elders-recall-destructive-past-predict-brighter-future
Florderisa DeDios’ great, great granddaughter, left, is one of more than 100 students who will attend the new Omaya Elementary School. Philippine and U.S. Air Force engineers are working together to build a new schoolhouse for the local community. The Omaya schoolhouse is one of eight engineering civic action projects (ENCAP) being performed by Combined/Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force (CJCMOTF) units in support of exercise Balikatan 2013.Balikatan 2013 (BK13) is an annual Philippine-U.S. bilateral exercise. Humanitarian assistance and training activities enable the Philippine and American service members to build lasting relationships, train together and provide assistance in communities where the need is the greatest. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chris Fahey/RELEASED).
SAN NARCISO, Philippines - From where her porch used to sit Florderisa DeDios remembers when the schoolhouses, her home and the rest of her Omaya neighborhood in the San Narciso Municipality was consumed by volcanic ash following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
“We were nervous … very nervous,” recalled DeDios. “We were all panicking, and we couldn’t decide where to go because we didn’t know where we could go. There were a lot of people who evacuated to different places. We stayed here, because we didn’t have anywhere else to go. We stayed right here on the mountain.”
In all, dozens of homes, acres of crops, expensive irrigations systems, businesses, places of worship, schools – an entire community – was buried under the falling ash. Atop the ground where the suffocated neighborhood once sat, a blue cross stands. For more than 20 years, the chapel beneath this cross has been buried in a tomb, encased by ash. Before the eruption, the cross served as a beacon, towering above a Catholic church once rich with frequenters and filled with beautiful holy relics. Now, the 3-foot cross surrounded by shrubs, stands as a reminder to Barangay Captain Onofre Soler of what his friends and neighbors have overcome.
“When Mt. Pinatubo erupted, it was dark for two days,” he said waiving to the sky. “After the disaster, most people stayed because they relied on the mountain and their farms to survive. The town issued tidal wave warnings and then two years later another storm hit and the remaining parts of the barangay were buried under ash that came down from several landslides. With God’s blessing, our barangay has been improving ever since.”
Now, more than 20 years later, both DeDios and Soler have watched their Barangay almost fully recover.
“Our roads are now nearly all paved, we have a mineral water system for the town’s drinking water and education has always been really important to us. So, when we heard Exercise Balikatan was coming to build us a new school, we were all really excited.”
The neighbors who once shared loss now share enthusiasm as they all await completion of the new Omaya schoolhouse. DeDios’ great,-great-granddaughters are one of many local Barangay children who watch the combined team of U.S. and Philippine Air Force engineers work through blistering heat to construct the split-level dual-classroom building – one of several engineering civic action projects undertaken during Balikatan 2013.
Since the original schoolhouses remain buried under nearly 40-feet of ash and a river, Omaya has used two separate schoolhouses to hold studies. The main building sits at the river’s edge, about 100-feet below the other. When the Philippine storms surge through the province, the rising river raises concerns for the children’s safety. The new schoolhouse will sit on an elevated piece of the school’s property, free from the rising river water. This important aspect of the planning will help ensure the children will be free from that danger.
“Education is the only legacy we can offer our children,” said Omaya mother Marylin Palaylay. “We don’t have much money or belongings, so their inheritance is knowledge. Nothing can ever take it away.”
Many U.S. engineers from the visiting 773rd Civil Engineering Squadron in Alaska come from, or have worked in, impoverished areas. A chance to know the community, interact and understand what people like DeDios, Soler and Palaylay have endured, gives them a chance to grasp the impact a single schoolhouse can have. This has given troops like Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Hughes a larger appreciation for his service.
“I feel very blessed to be here and to help these people with their situation.” said Hughes. “They appreciate our help very much. They’re out here every day watching us, giving us thumbs up and saluting us each day we show up. Anything we need, they are here to help us and that feels really great.”
The Omaya schoolhouse is one of eight engineering civic action projects being performed by Combined/Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force units in support of exercise Balikatan 2013.
Balikatan 2013 is an annual Philippine-U.S. bilateral exercise. Humanitarian assistance and training activities enable the Philippine and American service members to build lasting relationships, train together and provide assistance in communities where the need is the greatest.
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/104589/omaya-elders-recall-destructive-past-predict-brighter-future
Ambassador Harry Thomas on Korea crisis: US committed to peace
From InterAksyon (Apr 6): Ambassador Harry Thomas on Korea crisis: US committed to peace
While tensions between the two Koreas continue, United States Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas on Friday said that the American government is very much committed to peace.
“We are committed to peace. Clearly, you have seen that since President (Barack) Obama has taken office, he has worked with allies for consensus,” he added.
The US envoy made this statement during Friday’s opening ceremonies for “Balikatan 2013” which took place at the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Commissioned Officers Club in Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Thomas also said that over 80 countries have agreed to the latest UN Security Council resolution condemning North Korea and sanctions have been imposed.
“And that is how we have worked with our allies on that. So, we will continue to do that,” the US Ambassador stressed.
When asked on what will be the role of US forces now in the Philippines once an attack is made by North Korea, Thomas replied, “We never deal with hypothetical (questions).”
He added that his job as diplomat “is to work toward peace."
However, Thomas said that President Obama, US Secretary of State John Kerry, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel have made clear the United States policy "that we are not going to permit North Korea to become a nuclear state or be able to target the United States."
"We are very capable of defending ourselves," he emphasized.
"Right now, we are at peace, let us find ways to maintain that peace," Thomas said.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58789/ambassador-harry-thomas-on-korea-crisis-us-committed-to-peace
While tensions between the two Koreas continue, United States Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas on Friday said that the American government is very much committed to peace.
“We are committed to peace. Clearly, you have seen that since President (Barack) Obama has taken office, he has worked with allies for consensus,” he added.
The US envoy made this statement during Friday’s opening ceremonies for “Balikatan 2013” which took place at the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Commissioned Officers Club in Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Thomas also said that over 80 countries have agreed to the latest UN Security Council resolution condemning North Korea and sanctions have been imposed.
“And that is how we have worked with our allies on that. So, we will continue to do that,” the US Ambassador stressed.
When asked on what will be the role of US forces now in the Philippines once an attack is made by North Korea, Thomas replied, “We never deal with hypothetical (questions).”
He added that his job as diplomat “is to work toward peace."
However, Thomas said that President Obama, US Secretary of State John Kerry, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel have made clear the United States policy "that we are not going to permit North Korea to become a nuclear state or be able to target the United States."
"We are very capable of defending ourselves," he emphasized.
"Right now, we are at peace, let us find ways to maintain that peace," Thomas said.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58789/ambassador-harry-thomas-on-korea-crisis-us-committed-to-peace
READ THEIR LIPS | No link between PH-US war exercise and North Korea, insists AFP
From InterAksyon (Apr 6): READ THEIR LIPS | No link between PH-US war exercise and North Korea, insists AFP
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated Saturday that the ongoing joint military drills with the United States was not connected to or directed at North Korea.
AFP deputy spokesman Major Emmanuel Garcia said the Balikatan exercises, which opened Friday, was planned long before and focused on humanitarian assistance and development including community health engagements, infrastructure and road repair and disaster response.
"Balikatan is not directed towards nor against any nation," Garcia said.
Top US and Filipino military officials dismissed any connection between the military exercises and the tension in the Korean peninsula. US officials also steered clear of media queries if they would redeploy to the Korean peninsula their assets now in the Philippines, if tension escalates.
Garcia said the exercises were being done to "upgrade the skills and knowledge of both countries' soldiers, and enhancing interoperability of both militaries in responding appropriately, not only in combat but most importantly to calamities and disasters."
In a side interview after the Balikatan exercises opened Friday, Foreign Affairs Secretary said the Philippines would render “assistance” to the US under the terms of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), but he declined to provide details when asked by reporters if the “assistance” could include allowing a temporary re-basing arrangement with Washington, whose two largest overseas military bases were once hosted by the Philippines, until 1991.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58804/read-their-lips--no-link-between-ph-us-war-exercise-and-north-korea-insists-afp
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated Saturday that the ongoing joint military drills with the United States was not connected to or directed at North Korea.
AFP deputy spokesman Major Emmanuel Garcia said the Balikatan exercises, which opened Friday, was planned long before and focused on humanitarian assistance and development including community health engagements, infrastructure and road repair and disaster response.
"Balikatan is not directed towards nor against any nation," Garcia said.
Top US and Filipino military officials dismissed any connection between the military exercises and the tension in the Korean peninsula. US officials also steered clear of media queries if they would redeploy to the Korean peninsula their assets now in the Philippines, if tension escalates.
Garcia said the exercises were being done to "upgrade the skills and knowledge of both countries' soldiers, and enhancing interoperability of both militaries in responding appropriately, not only in combat but most importantly to calamities and disasters."
In a side interview after the Balikatan exercises opened Friday, Foreign Affairs Secretary said the Philippines would render “assistance” to the US under the terms of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), but he declined to provide details when asked by reporters if the “assistance” could include allowing a temporary re-basing arrangement with Washington, whose two largest overseas military bases were once hosted by the Philippines, until 1991.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58804/read-their-lips--no-link-between-ph-us-war-exercise-and-north-korea-insists-afp
NPA initiated Butuan Good Friday encounter, joint inquiry concludes
From InterAksyon (Apr 6): NPA initiated Butuan Good Friday encounter, joint inquiry concludes
BUTUAN CITY – The Police Regional Office or PRO 13 here released the findings of the joint investigation on the Good Friday encounter, pointing to the New People’s Army (NPA) as the instigator of the incident that led to the death of two militiamen and endangered thousands of civilians in Sitio Iyao, Barangay Anticala.
Police Chief Supt. Getulio Napenas, regional director PRO13, revealed the report and conclusion of the joint investigating body that was created right after the March 29 clash, which happened as people were marking Good Friday.
“The investigating body concluded that the encounter was initiated by the NPA and not between the elements of the 3rd Special Forces (SF) and the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB), contrary to what the other side claimed,” said Napenas.
Napenas noted the result of the investigation was based on a technical and scientific process conducted by the joint task force led by the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) and a team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
"The militiamen that was killed was together with the SF team providing perimeter security while on the other side of the 3rd station of the cross was our RPSB team. Measurement of the bullet trajectory gathered by SOCO in the crime scene suggests it was not fired based on the position of both security teams but from a third party,” he said.
The police regional director also added that police personnel in the area during the encounter even heard someone shout, “Kuhaa ang armas sa naigo,” believed to be a conversation between one of the alleged assassins and his comrade,whom he was directing to get the firearm of the dead militiaman.
The PRO13 also revealed that their regional investigation and detection team did not participate in the fact-finding body to assure the credibility of the investigation.
The joint investigation body was created after Jorge Madlos, better known as Ka Oris, spokesman of the National Democratic Front-Mindanao, called for an inquiry, claiming the attack was not initiated by the NPA and suggesting it was a misencounter between government troops.
Far from fiction
The PRO 13 also warned the public against believing rumors after several scenarios on text messages and on social media sites began circulating.
"Several unscrupulous individuals began fabricating stories on what really happened. A story like it was just a grand design by the soldiers and the police as a propaganda campaign against the NPA; or the devotees were ambushed by government forces. Several even suggested an assassination attempt or a plot to discredit certain individuals. These are all fiction, stories meant to distort the truth,” said PSupt Martin Gamba, public information officer PRO13. “The truth is far from fiction, it was not a TV soap opera drama that was just created but lives of people were at stake on that fateful morning.”
Probability of misencounter
Gamba said the investigation report revealed there was indeed a probability of a misencounter between security forces, but this did not persist for long.
“The report suggested that there was indeed a probability of a misencounter between government forces but it was for a very brief period of time after fatal shots were fired that killed the two militiamen. Both the SF and RPSB teams immediately recognized each other through password and countersign, averting further injury and loss of life through friendly fire,” said Gamba.
Payback time
"I don’t think the killing of the two militiamen was by chance, it was a payback. The killed militiamen, Ariel Andohoyan and Ernie Darasin, were members of the Special Civilian Active Auxiliary (SCAA). They were our guides when we conducted our operation in the area leading to the capture of two large NPA camps in Sitio Patagon in barangay Anticala earlier last March,” said Nepanas.
The police regional director believes the bullet was meant for the two militiamen since the first sniper shot immediately took down the SCAA.
“According to the soldiers in the field, the two brave SCAA’s who were killed were very effective in their work in guiding the SF’s in their operations. We are certain that they were the targets of the NPA,” he said.
This was confirmed by 1st Lieutenant Joe Patrick Martinez, commanding officer of the 42nd Civil Military Operations Company. He said the slain SCAAs were part of the team that led the SF in capturing the NPA camps in the same barangay where they were killed.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58807/npa-initiated-butuan-good-friday-encounter-joint-inquiry-concludes
BUTUAN CITY – The Police Regional Office or PRO 13 here released the findings of the joint investigation on the Good Friday encounter, pointing to the New People’s Army (NPA) as the instigator of the incident that led to the death of two militiamen and endangered thousands of civilians in Sitio Iyao, Barangay Anticala.
Police Chief Supt. Getulio Napenas, regional director PRO13, revealed the report and conclusion of the joint investigating body that was created right after the March 29 clash, which happened as people were marking Good Friday.
“The investigating body concluded that the encounter was initiated by the NPA and not between the elements of the 3rd Special Forces (SF) and the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB), contrary to what the other side claimed,” said Napenas.
Napenas noted the result of the investigation was based on a technical and scientific process conducted by the joint task force led by the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) and a team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
"The militiamen that was killed was together with the SF team providing perimeter security while on the other side of the 3rd station of the cross was our RPSB team. Measurement of the bullet trajectory gathered by SOCO in the crime scene suggests it was not fired based on the position of both security teams but from a third party,” he said.
The police regional director also added that police personnel in the area during the encounter even heard someone shout, “Kuhaa ang armas sa naigo,” believed to be a conversation between one of the alleged assassins and his comrade,whom he was directing to get the firearm of the dead militiaman.
The PRO13 also revealed that their regional investigation and detection team did not participate in the fact-finding body to assure the credibility of the investigation.
The joint investigation body was created after Jorge Madlos, better known as Ka Oris, spokesman of the National Democratic Front-Mindanao, called for an inquiry, claiming the attack was not initiated by the NPA and suggesting it was a misencounter between government troops.
Far from fiction
The PRO 13 also warned the public against believing rumors after several scenarios on text messages and on social media sites began circulating.
"Several unscrupulous individuals began fabricating stories on what really happened. A story like it was just a grand design by the soldiers and the police as a propaganda campaign against the NPA; or the devotees were ambushed by government forces. Several even suggested an assassination attempt or a plot to discredit certain individuals. These are all fiction, stories meant to distort the truth,” said PSupt Martin Gamba, public information officer PRO13. “The truth is far from fiction, it was not a TV soap opera drama that was just created but lives of people were at stake on that fateful morning.”
Probability of misencounter
Gamba said the investigation report revealed there was indeed a probability of a misencounter between security forces, but this did not persist for long.
“The report suggested that there was indeed a probability of a misencounter between government forces but it was for a very brief period of time after fatal shots were fired that killed the two militiamen. Both the SF and RPSB teams immediately recognized each other through password and countersign, averting further injury and loss of life through friendly fire,” said Gamba.
Payback time
"I don’t think the killing of the two militiamen was by chance, it was a payback. The killed militiamen, Ariel Andohoyan and Ernie Darasin, were members of the Special Civilian Active Auxiliary (SCAA). They were our guides when we conducted our operation in the area leading to the capture of two large NPA camps in Sitio Patagon in barangay Anticala earlier last March,” said Nepanas.
The police regional director believes the bullet was meant for the two militiamen since the first sniper shot immediately took down the SCAA.
“According to the soldiers in the field, the two brave SCAA’s who were killed were very effective in their work in guiding the SF’s in their operations. We are certain that they were the targets of the NPA,” he said.
This was confirmed by 1st Lieutenant Joe Patrick Martinez, commanding officer of the 42nd Civil Military Operations Company. He said the slain SCAAs were part of the team that led the SF in capturing the NPA camps in the same barangay where they were killed.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58807/npa-initiated-butuan-good-friday-encounter-joint-inquiry-concludes
HOPE IN REEF | Tubbataha shows sign of early healing; park chief defends smaller bill for US Navy
From InterAksyon (Apr 6): HOPE IN REEF | Tubbataha shows sign of early healing; park chief defends smaller bill for US Navy
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines – Experts revealed Friday that the Tubbataha Reef has shown early signs of recovery, 10 weeks after the ill-fated grounding incident of the US Navy minesweeper vessel USS Guardian in the protected area.
In a presentation to the Protected Area Management Board, Philippine-led joint assessment team members were pleased to note that the reef has shown indications that it can naturally heal amid the 2,345.67 square meters of coral rubble the incident left in the area.
"Based on the findings of the assessment team, the reef is very healthy. The number of fish that are actually managing the growth of the algae in the area is impressive and we are very hopeful that if we allow natural regeneration to continue, theTubbataha will heal itself,” said Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, Vice Chair and CEO of World Wildlife Fund Philippines.
The experts also believe that human intervention to aid the recovery of the reef is unnecessary.
The Tubbataha Management Office expressed high hopes with the conclusions of the assessment team. “The TMO has the support of the finest coral reef scientists in the country and I think, arguably in the region. And when this scientist tell us na ayos na yan, mangyayari yon [that this is fine, then we know that is happening],” said Tubbataha Park Superintendent Angelique Songco.
Members of the Assessment Team meanwhile, said that the incident could have been worse, and lauded the US Navy for handling the incident responsibly.
"One thing we should be thankful for is that the ship was made of wood. If it were made of metal, the damage could have been three times worst. The response was great. The salvage operation was very professional. There was so much effort to avoid further damage ” said Dr. Cleto Nañola of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao.
Although another series of assessment dives will be conducted, the Tubbataha Manangement Office said it will be purely for academic purposes.
"Tubbataha is the control system. It is the standard by which reefs all over the country are being judged and they want to really study how fast is the recovery of Tubbataha in this unfortunate incident,” said Tan.
US Navy to be billed P58M
Reef manager Songco said he Philippines will ask the US to pay P58 million ($1.4 million) in compensation for damage caused by the warship, based on the rate of damage per square meter provided for by law.
The concluding assessment made by Philippine agencies including the coast guard put the damaged reef area at least 2,345 square meters (25,240 square feet), just a little over half of the area earlier assessed by the US Navy, or 4,000 sq.m.
Songco said a letter requesting compensation would be sent to the US embassy next week, stressing this is the amount required by a law passed to protect the reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site in a remote area of the Sulu Sea.
Straightforward process; no overcharging
"We don't want to be dishonest. It is just a simple process: measure it correctly and then they pay. That is all. It is very straightforward," she told AFP.
Earlier estimates said as much as 4,000 square metres of the reef had been destroyed when the USS Guardian minesweeper ran aground on Tubbataha on January 17 but Songco said their studies found the damage was less than feared.
It took the salvage teams until March 29 to remove the last of the 223-foot (68-metre) USS Guardian, which had to be cut into pieces so it could be lifted clear without damaging the reef further.
The incident stirred nationalist anger with demands that the United States pay a large amount of compensation for damaging the reef, which is world renowned for its rich marine life.
But Songco said they would only ask for the required amount based on the affected area.
"I am not worried about criticism (for the small amount). We are not trying to put one over them and we hope they will do the same with us," she said.
She said the last of the salvage ships had left Tubbataha but a team of US Navy divers and a US vessel remained in the area, assessing the damage.
The United States has apologised for the mishap and said it would cooperate in addressing the damage.
The commanding officer and three crew of the USS Guardian were relieved of their duties over the grounding, the US Navy announced earlier this week.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58811/hope-in-reef--tubbataha-shows-sign-of-early-healing-park-chief-defends-smaller-bill-for-us-navy
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines – Experts revealed Friday that the Tubbataha Reef has shown early signs of recovery, 10 weeks after the ill-fated grounding incident of the US Navy minesweeper vessel USS Guardian in the protected area.
In a presentation to the Protected Area Management Board, Philippine-led joint assessment team members were pleased to note that the reef has shown indications that it can naturally heal amid the 2,345.67 square meters of coral rubble the incident left in the area.
"Based on the findings of the assessment team, the reef is very healthy. The number of fish that are actually managing the growth of the algae in the area is impressive and we are very hopeful that if we allow natural regeneration to continue, theTubbataha will heal itself,” said Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, Vice Chair and CEO of World Wildlife Fund Philippines.
The experts also believe that human intervention to aid the recovery of the reef is unnecessary.
The Tubbataha Management Office expressed high hopes with the conclusions of the assessment team. “The TMO has the support of the finest coral reef scientists in the country and I think, arguably in the region. And when this scientist tell us na ayos na yan, mangyayari yon [that this is fine, then we know that is happening],” said Tubbataha Park Superintendent Angelique Songco.
Members of the Assessment Team meanwhile, said that the incident could have been worse, and lauded the US Navy for handling the incident responsibly.
"One thing we should be thankful for is that the ship was made of wood. If it were made of metal, the damage could have been three times worst. The response was great. The salvage operation was very professional. There was so much effort to avoid further damage ” said Dr. Cleto Nañola of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao.
Although another series of assessment dives will be conducted, the Tubbataha Manangement Office said it will be purely for academic purposes.
"Tubbataha is the control system. It is the standard by which reefs all over the country are being judged and they want to really study how fast is the recovery of Tubbataha in this unfortunate incident,” said Tan.
US Navy to be billed P58M
Reef manager Songco said he Philippines will ask the US to pay P58 million ($1.4 million) in compensation for damage caused by the warship, based on the rate of damage per square meter provided for by law.
The concluding assessment made by Philippine agencies including the coast guard put the damaged reef area at least 2,345 square meters (25,240 square feet), just a little over half of the area earlier assessed by the US Navy, or 4,000 sq.m.
Songco said a letter requesting compensation would be sent to the US embassy next week, stressing this is the amount required by a law passed to protect the reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site in a remote area of the Sulu Sea.
Straightforward process; no overcharging
"We don't want to be dishonest. It is just a simple process: measure it correctly and then they pay. That is all. It is very straightforward," she told AFP.
Earlier estimates said as much as 4,000 square metres of the reef had been destroyed when the USS Guardian minesweeper ran aground on Tubbataha on January 17 but Songco said their studies found the damage was less than feared.
It took the salvage teams until March 29 to remove the last of the 223-foot (68-metre) USS Guardian, which had to be cut into pieces so it could be lifted clear without damaging the reef further.
The incident stirred nationalist anger with demands that the United States pay a large amount of compensation for damaging the reef, which is world renowned for its rich marine life.
But Songco said they would only ask for the required amount based on the affected area.
"I am not worried about criticism (for the small amount). We are not trying to put one over them and we hope they will do the same with us," she said.
She said the last of the salvage ships had left Tubbataha but a team of US Navy divers and a US vessel remained in the area, assessing the damage.
The United States has apologised for the mishap and said it would cooperate in addressing the damage.
The commanding officer and three crew of the USS Guardian were relieved of their duties over the grounding, the US Navy announced earlier this week.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58811/hope-in-reef--tubbataha-shows-sign-of-early-healing-park-chief-defends-smaller-bill-for-us-navy
Source: Chinese fighter jets have reportedly flown over West Philippine Sea thrice last week
From InterAksyon (Apr 6): Source: Chinese fighter jets have reportedly flown over West Philippine Sea thrice last week
Chinese fighter jets have reportedly flown over the West Philippine Sea three times a week after a landing ship tank—also from China—intruded into one of the islets of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), highly placed military sources told InterAksyon.com.
“The intrusions allegedly happened last week and early this week. Local fishermen who reported the incident claimed the fighter jets were always in tandem,” said the source who was not authorized to speak on the matter.
All the three airspace violations took place at the Kalayaan Island Group, a municipality of Palawan composed of 7 islets and 2 reefs found within the West Philippine Sea. Led by Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon, the area lies within oil-rich Spratly Islands (South China Sea) that China is claiming.
It is also being claimed by Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia.
The source said it was not clear if the Russian-made multirole fighter jets were part of the Chinese naval drill that was slated recently in the South China Sea and “deliberately” flown over KIG.
For his part, the spokesman for WPS and other naval special concerns said there was a report by the commander of the Naval Forces West (NAVFORWEST) based in Palawan to Flag-Officer-in-Command (FOIC) Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.
However, there was not mention about fighter jet intrusion, Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said.
“There was a fresh report submitted by our NAVFORWEST commander Commodore Joseph Rustom Peña to the FOIC but it has no mention of such incident of intrusion,” Arevalo said.
He said the Navy conducts regular territorial sovereignty patrol missions in the WPS but he did not say how many patrol ships are roaming around the area.
Arevalo also said that the Philippine military is capable of detecting high-flying jets intruding into the country’s airspace.
“Yes, we are capable of that through our Coast Watch System,” Arevalo said. “But I have to check on that if our CWS has activated in the Palawan area. We have this kind of monitoring system in the south, the one that we have in Zamboanga City.”
In view of the report, Arevalo said his office will still have to verify first the alleged violation of airspace before issuing any further statement.
More two weeks before the Friday opening of the 2013 PH-US Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises, local fishermen claimed ships with Chinese markings entered KIG during night and allegedly unloaded construction materials on the shallow part of an islet.
The military reacted by sending ships and aircraft to verify the report but no longer issued a statement about the matter.
Meanwhile, some 8,000 Filipino and American soldiers were deployed in Luzon, particularly in Zambales and Tarlac, for the April 5-17 joint military exercises.
Previously, US government and high-ranking military officials visited the country amid the rising tensions between claimants of the disputed Spratlys. This is aside from the bellicose North Korea about its nuclear threat against the US, South Korea, and possibly Japan.
This year alone, 8 warships such as nuclear-capable submarines and destroyers had visited Manila. The USS Tortuga, an amphibious dock landing ship, is currently anchored at Subic Bay in Zambales for the Balikatan.
The military said a squadron of F/A-18 Hornets supersonic fighter jets is also expected to arrive at Clark Air Base in Pampanga to join exercises. Earlier, 20 US aircrafts had already arrived at the military facility.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58814/source-chinese-fighter-jets-have-reportedly-flown-over-west-philippine-sea-thrice-last-week
Chinese fighter jets have reportedly flown over the West Philippine Sea three times a week after a landing ship tank—also from China—intruded into one of the islets of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), highly placed military sources told InterAksyon.com.
“The intrusions allegedly happened last week and early this week. Local fishermen who reported the incident claimed the fighter jets were always in tandem,” said the source who was not authorized to speak on the matter.
All the three airspace violations took place at the Kalayaan Island Group, a municipality of Palawan composed of 7 islets and 2 reefs found within the West Philippine Sea. Led by Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon, the area lies within oil-rich Spratly Islands (South China Sea) that China is claiming.
It is also being claimed by Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia.
The source said it was not clear if the Russian-made multirole fighter jets were part of the Chinese naval drill that was slated recently in the South China Sea and “deliberately” flown over KIG.
For his part, the spokesman for WPS and other naval special concerns said there was a report by the commander of the Naval Forces West (NAVFORWEST) based in Palawan to Flag-Officer-in-Command (FOIC) Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.
However, there was not mention about fighter jet intrusion, Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said.
“There was a fresh report submitted by our NAVFORWEST commander Commodore Joseph Rustom Peña to the FOIC but it has no mention of such incident of intrusion,” Arevalo said.
He said the Navy conducts regular territorial sovereignty patrol missions in the WPS but he did not say how many patrol ships are roaming around the area.
Arevalo also said that the Philippine military is capable of detecting high-flying jets intruding into the country’s airspace.
“Yes, we are capable of that through our Coast Watch System,” Arevalo said. “But I have to check on that if our CWS has activated in the Palawan area. We have this kind of monitoring system in the south, the one that we have in Zamboanga City.”
In view of the report, Arevalo said his office will still have to verify first the alleged violation of airspace before issuing any further statement.
More two weeks before the Friday opening of the 2013 PH-US Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises, local fishermen claimed ships with Chinese markings entered KIG during night and allegedly unloaded construction materials on the shallow part of an islet.
The military reacted by sending ships and aircraft to verify the report but no longer issued a statement about the matter.
Meanwhile, some 8,000 Filipino and American soldiers were deployed in Luzon, particularly in Zambales and Tarlac, for the April 5-17 joint military exercises.
Previously, US government and high-ranking military officials visited the country amid the rising tensions between claimants of the disputed Spratlys. This is aside from the bellicose North Korea about its nuclear threat against the US, South Korea, and possibly Japan.
This year alone, 8 warships such as nuclear-capable submarines and destroyers had visited Manila. The USS Tortuga, an amphibious dock landing ship, is currently anchored at Subic Bay in Zambales for the Balikatan.
The military said a squadron of F/A-18 Hornets supersonic fighter jets is also expected to arrive at Clark Air Base in Pampanga to join exercises. Earlier, 20 US aircrafts had already arrived at the military facility.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58814/source-chinese-fighter-jets-have-reportedly-flown-over-west-philippine-sea-thrice-last-week
Navy confirms 2 unidentified fighter jets intrude into PH airspace
From InterAksyon (Apr 6): Navy confirms 2 unidentified fighter jets intrude into PH airspace
Two unidentified fighter jets intruded into the country's airspace, Col. Edgard Arevalo, designated Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea and other special naval concerns, confirmed on Saturday.
“Naval operating forces in Palawan have reported sightings of two unidentified aircraft passing at high speed and high altitude over the vicinity of Pagasa Island,” Arevalo said.
Arevalo said the sightings were affirmed by Commodore Joseph Rustom Pena, commander of the Naval Forces West based in Puerto Princesa City, in his report to Flag-Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.
The aircraft, which "headed north coming from the southwest direction," were spotted on Thursday, April 4, at 9:50 a.m., according to Arevalo. The intrusion happened a day before the opening of the 2013 Balikatan exercises of some 8,000 Filipino and Americam soldiers in Luzon.
The Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brune,i and Malaysia are claiming portions of the territories in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). China claims the whole area.
Earlier, military sources disclosed to InterAksyon.com the airspace intrusion of alleged Chinese Sukhoi fighter jets in the West Philippine Sea.
“The intrusions allegedly happened last week and early this week. Local fishermen who reported the incident claimed the fighter jets were always in tandem,” the source said.
The source added that the three airspace violations happened in Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), a municipality in Palawan composed of seven islets and two reefs found within the West Philippine Sea. The area lies within the oil-rich Spratly Islands being claimed by China.
The source said it was not clear if the Russian-made multirole fighter jets were part of the Chinese naval drill that was slated recently in the South China Sea and “deliberately” intruded over KIG.
More than two weeks before the Friday opening of the Balikatan exercises, local fishermen claimed ships with Chinese markings entered KIG at night and allegedly unloaded construction materials on the shallow part of an islet.
The Intrusion of suspected Chinese fighter jets into the West Philippine Sea is not new, though.
In May 2011, the military confirmed that two unidentified aircraft intruded into Philippine airspace, three weeks before the arrival of the US Carrier Strike Group 1 led by its mother-ship USS Carl Vinson in the country for a visit."
Philippine Air Force (PAF) insiders said the “unidentified” aircraft were Mig-29 “Fulcrum” jets that buzzed over two PAF OV-10 conducting reconnaissance mission in the Spratlys.
They said the Chinese aircraft had threatened the two PAF planes. The incident was the second intrusion of Chinese forces after the March 2011 incident in the Reed Bank where two Chinese Navy gunships harassed a group of oil explorers led by the Department of Energy.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58828/navy-confirms-2-unidentified-fighter-jets-intrude-into-ph-airspace
Two unidentified fighter jets intruded into the country's airspace, Col. Edgard Arevalo, designated Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea and other special naval concerns, confirmed on Saturday.
“Naval operating forces in Palawan have reported sightings of two unidentified aircraft passing at high speed and high altitude over the vicinity of Pagasa Island,” Arevalo said.
Arevalo said the sightings were affirmed by Commodore Joseph Rustom Pena, commander of the Naval Forces West based in Puerto Princesa City, in his report to Flag-Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.
The aircraft, which "headed north coming from the southwest direction," were spotted on Thursday, April 4, at 9:50 a.m., according to Arevalo. The intrusion happened a day before the opening of the 2013 Balikatan exercises of some 8,000 Filipino and Americam soldiers in Luzon.
The Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brune,i and Malaysia are claiming portions of the territories in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). China claims the whole area.
Earlier, military sources disclosed to InterAksyon.com the airspace intrusion of alleged Chinese Sukhoi fighter jets in the West Philippine Sea.
“The intrusions allegedly happened last week and early this week. Local fishermen who reported the incident claimed the fighter jets were always in tandem,” the source said.
The source added that the three airspace violations happened in Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), a municipality in Palawan composed of seven islets and two reefs found within the West Philippine Sea. The area lies within the oil-rich Spratly Islands being claimed by China.
The source said it was not clear if the Russian-made multirole fighter jets were part of the Chinese naval drill that was slated recently in the South China Sea and “deliberately” intruded over KIG.
More than two weeks before the Friday opening of the Balikatan exercises, local fishermen claimed ships with Chinese markings entered KIG at night and allegedly unloaded construction materials on the shallow part of an islet.
The Intrusion of suspected Chinese fighter jets into the West Philippine Sea is not new, though.
In May 2011, the military confirmed that two unidentified aircraft intruded into Philippine airspace, three weeks before the arrival of the US Carrier Strike Group 1 led by its mother-ship USS Carl Vinson in the country for a visit."
Philippine Air Force (PAF) insiders said the “unidentified” aircraft were Mig-29 “Fulcrum” jets that buzzed over two PAF OV-10 conducting reconnaissance mission in the Spratlys.
They said the Chinese aircraft had threatened the two PAF planes. The incident was the second intrusion of Chinese forces after the March 2011 incident in the Reed Bank where two Chinese Navy gunships harassed a group of oil explorers led by the Department of Energy.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58828/navy-confirms-2-unidentified-fighter-jets-intrude-into-ph-airspace
NPA captures ex-soldier in Comval
From Rappler (Apr 6): NPA captures ex-soldier in Comval
DAVAO CITY, Philippines - Barely a day after the New People’s Army (NPA) released PO3 Ruben Nojapa Jr in Comspotela Valley, an ex-soldier was nabbed in a checkpoint manned by communist fighters in Mabini town on Wednesday morning, April 3.
Ka Daniel Ibarra, spokesperson of the ComVal-Davao Gulf Sub-regional Command of the NPA, said 25-year-old Pfc Mark Anthony Conception was captured at around 6 in the morning.
However, Ibarra said their investigation shows that Conception is no longer on active duty under the 71st Infantry Battalion.
“While under NPA custody, the custodial force found, upon further perusal of his enlistment papers, that Conception was not anymore in active military duty as of December 2012,” Ibarra said.
The NPA said the custodial unit would immediately facilitate the release of Conception.
“Thus, his release from NPA custody shall be undertaken soon once conditions on the ground warrant a safety reunion with his family,” Ibarra said.
The communist revolution in the Philippines is the longest running in Asia. The rebels observed its 44th founding anniversary on March 29.
Peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the rebels began in 1986, after dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted, but the on-again, off-again talks have not moved beyond minor agreements.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/25645-npa-captures-ex-soldier-comval
DAVAO CITY, Philippines - Barely a day after the New People’s Army (NPA) released PO3 Ruben Nojapa Jr in Comspotela Valley, an ex-soldier was nabbed in a checkpoint manned by communist fighters in Mabini town on Wednesday morning, April 3.
Ka Daniel Ibarra, spokesperson of the ComVal-Davao Gulf Sub-regional Command of the NPA, said 25-year-old Pfc Mark Anthony Conception was captured at around 6 in the morning.
However, Ibarra said their investigation shows that Conception is no longer on active duty under the 71st Infantry Battalion.
“While under NPA custody, the custodial force found, upon further perusal of his enlistment papers, that Conception was not anymore in active military duty as of December 2012,” Ibarra said.
The NPA said the custodial unit would immediately facilitate the release of Conception.
“Thus, his release from NPA custody shall be undertaken soon once conditions on the ground warrant a safety reunion with his family,” Ibarra said.
The communist revolution in the Philippines is the longest running in Asia. The rebels observed its 44th founding anniversary on March 29.
Peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the rebels began in 1986, after dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted, but the on-again, off-again talks have not moved beyond minor agreements.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/25645-npa-captures-ex-soldier-comval
Elusive Negros rebel leader nabbed at Comelec checkpoint
From Rappler (Apr 6): Elusive Negros rebel leader nabbed at Comelec checkpoint
BACOLOD CITY, Philippines - An elusive and notorious leader of the New Peoples Army (NPA) in southern Negros was arrested at a Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoint Friday night, April 5.
Reniel Cellon, known as "Ka Kumpol," was arrested with his wife and 4 other suspected communist rebels for violating the election gun ban. They were intercepted in barangay Dancalan, Ilog town of Negros Occidental.
Ilog police chief Senior Inspector Joshua Villasis said they were carrying the following:
- a .45 caliber pistol with five magazines of ammunition
- a Walter PPK caliber .22 pistol with three magazines of ammunition
- rifle grenade
- a fragmentation grenade
- hundreds of ammunition for M16 assault rifle
Villasis said assorted subversive documents like extortion letters were also recovered inside their vehicle.
Cellon was tagged by the military as the commander of the Sentro de Grabidad platoon of the SouthWest Front Committee of Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros. His wife, Mary Jane Magkilat, is known in the communist movement as "Ka Chin-Chin."
The other 4 suspected rebels were identified as: Jose Sonny Boy Ditomal, Rodrigo Marikasa, Antonio Estaniel and Edfan Gonzales. All 4 denied links with the NPA.
Cellon and his wife also have pending arrest warrants for murder and frustrated murder in connection with the 2011 death of an Army lieutenant in Cauayan town, according to Villasis.
Military records show Cellon led a number of NPA encounters and assassination activities against the 61st and 47th Infantry Battalion. He was tagged as the leader of the group that ambushed 2Lt Jose Angelo Esguerra and the group that raided and destroyed mining firm properties in Sipalay City.
His wife Mary Jane Magkilat is said to be the head of the Education Bureau of the South West Front Committee. She was arrested in March 2012 by the 47th Infantry Battalion in Kabankalan City. But because there was no arrest warrant against her at the time, the Philippine Army was forced to release her.
Military records show Magkilat is also the political officer of the rebel unit that is commanded by her husband.
All 6 were charged on Friday before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Negros Occidental in Bacolod City for violation of the Comelec gun ban and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Cellon and Magkilat were denied bail because of the pending murder charges against them. They were immediately sent to the Provincial Jail in Bago City.
Villasis said there was a brief chase between police and military personnel and the 6 suspects on board a Suzuki Carry vehicle, which stopped about 30 to 50 meters away from the checkpoint.
When they tried to inspect, Villasis said the vehicle tried to flee towards Candoni. The vehicle was later cornered at Km. 105 in Brgy. Dancalan, Ilog. Its occupants did not put up a fight.
The 29th Balikatan exercise kicks off at Camp Aguinaldo
From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 6): The 29th Balikatan exercise kicks off at Camp Aguinaldo
The 29th Balikatan military exercise between the Philippines and the United States formally started yesterday.
Among the officials present at the opening ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo were Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert Del Rosario, US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr, Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Emmanuel Bautista.
More than 8,000 combined Philippine and U.S. personnel will participate in the exercise, which will take place at various locations throughout Luzon. The exercise will consist of humanitarian civic assistance projects, senior leader engagements, a command post exercise, field training exercises, and maritime security and ship drills to enhance Philippine-U.S. military interoperability and build military-to-military relations.
Held annually in the Philippines, Balikatan exercise characterizes the longstanding Philippine-U.S. partnership, deeply rooted in cooperation and a shared commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty, a statement from the US Embassy said.
During the opening ceremony, Ambassador Thomas noted the strong collaboration between the Philippine and U.S. militaries in the aftermath of super-typhoon Pablo four months ago. “Through that tragedy, we saw the best of our partnership,” he said. “Members of the U.S. Armed Forces were here in the Philippines planning for this Balikatan exercise when Pablo began its destruction. Within seven hours of the request from the Philippine Government to assist with the typhoon relief, the first U.S. aircraft arrived here in Manila to begin rescue operations,” said Ambassador Thomas.
Balikatan 2013 will end on April 17.
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1751365182399
The 29th Balikatan military exercise between the Philippines and the United States formally started yesterday.
Among the officials present at the opening ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo were Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert Del Rosario, US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr, Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Emmanuel Bautista.
More than 8,000 combined Philippine and U.S. personnel will participate in the exercise, which will take place at various locations throughout Luzon. The exercise will consist of humanitarian civic assistance projects, senior leader engagements, a command post exercise, field training exercises, and maritime security and ship drills to enhance Philippine-U.S. military interoperability and build military-to-military relations.
Held annually in the Philippines, Balikatan exercise characterizes the longstanding Philippine-U.S. partnership, deeply rooted in cooperation and a shared commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty, a statement from the US Embassy said.
During the opening ceremony, Ambassador Thomas noted the strong collaboration between the Philippine and U.S. militaries in the aftermath of super-typhoon Pablo four months ago. “Through that tragedy, we saw the best of our partnership,” he said. “Members of the U.S. Armed Forces were here in the Philippines planning for this Balikatan exercise when Pablo began its destruction. Within seven hours of the request from the Philippine Government to assist with the typhoon relief, the first U.S. aircraft arrived here in Manila to begin rescue operations,” said Ambassador Thomas.
Balikatan 2013 will end on April 17.
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1751365182399
Phl to ask P58.3M from US for damages to Tubbataha
From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 6): Phl to ask P58.3M from US for damages to Tubbataha
The Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB) is seeking P58.3 million from the United States for damages to the coral reefs when its minesweeper USS Guardian run aground in January.
A demand letter for payment of the reef damage will be issued to the United States navy through the Department of Foreign Affairs at the soonest possible time according to TPAMB.
The computation was concluded Friday afternoon based on what is in Republic Act 10067 or the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act. The law states that a fine of P12,000 per square meter is mandatory, and another P12,000 per square meter to be prescribed for rehabilitation.
Based on the result of the assessment, the actual reef damage was measured to have reached 2,345.67 square meters which is smaller than the earlier estimate of 4,000 square meters.
“The difference in the estimates of the damage area was in the methodology used, but the one used yesterday was more accurate using shaped polygons which follow the natural contours of the reefs,” said Jose Lorenzo Tan, CEO of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippines and TPAMB member.
The joint assessment team conducted the actual survey and inspection of the affected areas on April 3-4 composed of marine scientists and experts from the Tubbataha Management Office, WWF Philippines, UP Marine Science Institute and a marine expert from the US Navy.
He said that according to the Filipino scientists there was less damage due to the fact that the hull of the minesweeper was made of wood. “There could have been bigger damage had it been made of steel,” said Tan.
He said that the TPAMB acknowledges the efforts of the US navy in the handling and the conduct itself of the salvage operation which explored all possibilities to prevent further damage.
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=711365163761
The Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB) is seeking P58.3 million from the United States for damages to the coral reefs when its minesweeper USS Guardian run aground in January.
A demand letter for payment of the reef damage will be issued to the United States navy through the Department of Foreign Affairs at the soonest possible time according to TPAMB.
The computation was concluded Friday afternoon based on what is in Republic Act 10067 or the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act. The law states that a fine of P12,000 per square meter is mandatory, and another P12,000 per square meter to be prescribed for rehabilitation.
Based on the result of the assessment, the actual reef damage was measured to have reached 2,345.67 square meters which is smaller than the earlier estimate of 4,000 square meters.
“The difference in the estimates of the damage area was in the methodology used, but the one used yesterday was more accurate using shaped polygons which follow the natural contours of the reefs,” said Jose Lorenzo Tan, CEO of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippines and TPAMB member.
The joint assessment team conducted the actual survey and inspection of the affected areas on April 3-4 composed of marine scientists and experts from the Tubbataha Management Office, WWF Philippines, UP Marine Science Institute and a marine expert from the US Navy.
He said that according to the Filipino scientists there was less damage due to the fact that the hull of the minesweeper was made of wood. “There could have been bigger damage had it been made of steel,” said Tan.
He said that the TPAMB acknowledges the efforts of the US navy in the handling and the conduct itself of the salvage operation which explored all possibilities to prevent further damage.
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=711365163761
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