‘Abandoned’ insurgent leads arms cache recovery

From the Daily Tribune (Feb 1, 2024): ‘Abandoned’ insurgent leads arms cache recovery

When the communist guerillas retreated, Doming was left behind and was subsequently captured by the government troops

CATBALOGAN CITY — An individual believed to be a member of the New People’s Army who was abandoned by his fleeing comrades during an encounter led government troops to the place where the communist guerillas hid their firearms and ammunition.

The encounter happened between troops from the 43rd Infantry “We Search” Battalion and a squad of NPA in the hinterlands of Barangay Palanit, San Isidro, Northern Samar, last 27 January 2024.

A report from the 8th Infantry Division said the troop captured alias Doming/Nitoy, a member of Squad 1, Sub-Regional Guerilla Unit, Sub-Regional Committee Emporium, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee.

He was found to have a standing warrant of arrest for the crime of murder issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 20 on 10 October 2015.

The 8ID said that prior to the encounter, the troops were conducting a focused military operation after receiving information from the residents about the presence of an armed group extorting residents in the said barangay, when they were fired upon by the group of alias Doming.

When the communist guerillas retreated, Doming was left behind and was subsequently captured by the government troops.

During an interview, Doming revealed the location of an arms cache of the NPA in the hinterlands of Sitio Kahidwangan, Barangay Happy Valley, San Isidro, Northern Samar. Seized were an M16 rifle and a short plastic magazine.

Lieutenant Colonel Nasser Arojo, Commanding Officer of the 43IB, attributed the success of the operation to the timely and relevant information provided by the residents as he acknowledged that the cooperation of the residents led to the capture of alias Doming and the recovery of the arms cache containing high-powered firearms.

“This is a clear indication that the community appreciates the efforts of the government and has decided to support the fight of ending the local communist armed conflict,” Arojo said.

Meanwhile, 8th Infantry Division commanding general Major General Camilo Z. Ligayo also encouraged the remaining communist guerillas and the community to unite and work together towards the upliftment of socio-economic conditions especially in far-flung communities.

Read more at: https://tribune.net.ph/2024/02/02/abandoned-insurgent-leads-arms-cache-recovery

Marcos grants amnesty to rebel, insurgent groups

 From the Manila Bulletin (Feb 2, 2024): Marcos grants amnesty to rebel, insurgent groups (By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS)

In line with this goal, President Marcos, issued several proclamations that granted amnesty to several groups to entice them to return to the fold of the law

One of the Marcos administration’s priorities is to pursue lasting peace in the country. In line with this goal, President Marcos, on Nov. 22, 2023, issued several proclamations that granted amnesty to several groups to entice them to return to the fold of the law.

Proclamation No. 403 granted amnesty to the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB) members who have committed crimes punishable under the Revised Penal Code and special penal laws, specifically those committed crimes in pursuit of their political beliefs.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos

It, however, did not cover certain crimes such as kidnap for ransom, massacre, rape, terrorism, drug-related charges, violations of the Geneva Convention of 1949, and gross violations of human rights, among others.

Proclamation No. 404 granted amnesty to former Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) members who have committed crimes such as those related to rebellion or insurrection, sedition, assault, resistance and disobedience to a person in authority, alarms and scandals, and illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, or explosives, among others.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/2/2/marcos-grants-amnesty-to-rebel-insurgent-groups-1

Suspected NPA rebel killed in Camarines Sur clash

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Feb 3, 2024): Suspected NPA rebel killed in Camarines Sur clash (By: Ma. April Mier-Manjares)

LEGAZPI CITY — A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was killed in an encounter in Presentacion, Camarines Sur early Friday.

Police Brig. Gen. Andre Perez Dizon, Bicol regional police director, identified the fatality as Wilmer Señar, alias “Lucky,” an alleged member of Platoon 2 of Komiteng Larangan Gerilya 1, Sub Regional Committee 2.

Dizon said when the members of 83rd Infantry Batallion of the Philippine Army were conducting an intelligence operation, they had a chance encounter with the rebels in Barangay Lidong at 10:50 a.m.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1898394/suspected-npa-rebel-killed-in-camarines-sur-clash-3

2 more shabu dealers linked to Mindanao terrorists busted

From the Philippine Star (Feb 1, 2024): 2 more shabu dealers linked to Mindanao terrorists busted (By John Unson)

Shabu peddler Piping Guialodin Makmod, who was entrapped in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, is now locked in a police detention facility. Philstar.com / John Unson

COTABATO CITY — Two shabu peddlers suspected of sharing earnings to violent religious extremists fell in separate entrapment operations in two adjoining towns in Maguindanao del Norte on Wednesday.

Plainclothes policemen first arrested Kenny Malagel in Barangay Awang in Datu Odin Sinsuat after selling P300,000 worth of shabu to anti-narcotics operatives disguised as drug dependents.

The sting that led to Malagel’s arrest was laid by officials and personnel of the Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipal Police Station with the help of civilian informants privy to his shabu peddling activities.

Two of Malagel's relatives in the hostile Salibo town in Maguindanao del Sur had told reporters that he is related to three commanders in the province of the Dawlah Islamiya, which is operating in the fashion of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Several hours after Malagel was arrested in Datu Odin Sinsuat, policemen led by Lt. Col. Esmael Madin entrapped shabu dealer Piping Guialodin Makmod in Barangay Narra in Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao del Norte, an operation that resulted in the confiscation from him of P2,000 worth of shabu and a .45 caliber pistol.

Makmod's companion, initially identified only as Balundo, managed to run away when he sensed that they had sold their illegal merchandise to non-uniformed members of the Sultan Kudarat municipal police force led by Madin.

Barangay officials said Balundo's real name is Zahir Ameruddin, a distant relative of Kagui Karialan, leader of one of three factions in the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

Madin, who is Sultan Kudarat's municipal police chief, said the entrapment operation was launched after relatives of Makmod reported his distribution of shabu in secluded villages in the municipality.

Investigators and intelligence agents in the Datu Odin Sinsuat and Sultan Kudarat police forces are now validating reports about the connections of Malagel and Makmod with the outlawed Dawlah Islamiya and the BIFF, known for coddling drug traffickers in exchange for money.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/02/01/2330213/2-more-shabu-dealers-linked-mindanao-terrorists-busted

5 years after its birth, Bangsamoro autonomous region struggles to control violence

From the BenarNews (Feb 2, 2024): 5 years after its birth, Bangsamoro autonomous region struggles to control violence (By Camille Elemia and Jeoffrey Maitem)

Former Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels participate in a decommissioning process where they turned in their weapons, in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao province, Philippines, Aug. 3, 2023.  Jeoffrey Maitem/BenarNews

An autonomous Muslim region in the southern Philippines that came out of a peace deal is struggling to end violence five years after being established and 15 months before its first-ever elections, analysts and the region’s top leader told BenarNews.

Weapons in the hands of many armed groups including former rebels and private armies, combined with the slow trickle of funds from Manila meant to lift the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) out of poverty, remain challenges, they said.

“We have to admit there are many loose firearms in Bangsamoro,” Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim told BenarNews during an interview in his office at Cotabato City on Wednesday. “We have struggles with the decommissioning of combatants and the politicians’ private armies.”

Murad, who became leader of the BARMM when it came into being on Feb. 26, 2019, previously headed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest among guerrilla groups in the southern Philippines. It waged a separatist war with Manila until it opted for autonomy under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, a peace deal signed in March 2014.

That agreement included a so-called normalization program, to be undertaken by the central government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and a Joint Normalization Committee. The program mandates the decommissioning of combatants and their firearms and the disbanding of politicians’ private armed groups.

Since its creation, the BARMM government has decommissioned only two-thirds of its target of 40,000 combatants and 7,000 firearms – a pace that analysts and politicians criticized as slow. Murad admitted there had been no progress on the private armies.

Murad blamed the national government for inadequate funding of the normalization program.

Under the peace agreement, the national government must give former combatants a one-time cash assistance of 100,000 pesos (U.S. $1,783) as well as jobs, education and housing assistance. Murad said many of these promises had yet to be met.

“Almost all of that, except the cash assistance, has not been delivered by the government. The problem is that there is no budget for the normalization track,” Murad said.

  

Murad Ebrahim, the former rebel leader who leads the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, is interviewed in Cotabato city, southern Philippines, Jan.31, 2024. [Camille Elemia/BenarNews]

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPPRU), which is tasked to oversee the peace process, has to “solicit” from individual agencies to get funds for the services, Murad said.

“The government has to act so the normalization process will succeed,” he said.

In 2024, OPAPPRU has an approved budget of 7 billion pesos ($124.8 million), with 901 million pesos ($16 million) allotted specifically for the BARMM’s normalization program. In previous years, the agency had been operating with an average overall budget of only 800 million pesos ($14.2 million).

Officials at the office did not immediately respond to a BenarNews request for comment.

The delay in benefits has already caused resentment among ex-combatants, which could create additional threats, analysts said.

Rommel Banlaoi, a counter-terrorism analyst, said that the slow rate of decommissioning would be “another challenge for security teams in Mindanao.”

“And I am afraid that the armed threats will emanate from those remaining combatants because they are raising serious issues that can undermine peace and order,” Banlaoi told BenarNews.

“Threats are evolving into a new form. My assessment is very alarming for those not yet decommissioned because these combatants can be a source of another form of violence in Mindanao, especially after the 2025 election in BARMM,” he said.

Bangsamoro 2025 elections, clan wars

The Council for Climate and Conflict Action, an NGO, sees the prospect of conflicts this year tied to the potentially highly charged parliamentary elections in Bangsamoro and in other communities across the Philippines in 2025.

“The preparation for the 2025 elections and the polls itself may ignite further violence and cause widespread human cost as former rebels, political warlords, and traditional elites vie for political power at the national, regional, and local level,” the council said in a Jan. 27 statement sent to BenarNews.

The group said any legislative move in the interim parliament would be seen as a political move “to ensure the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s win in the region.”

This includes gerrymandering, which resulted in the creation of three new municipalities from the towns of Datu Odin Sinsuat and Sultan Kudarat – a move opposed by local mayors as these are the only areas in the province of Maguindanao del Norte “that are not politically allied” with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The October 2023 village elections in BARMM, the council said, were “the bloodiest elections recorded in the last decade.”

“Election-related violence is often intertwined or has escalated to clan feuding, and vice versa,” it said, adding that “violent extremism” persists.

At least six people were killed. They were “not candidates, they were mere voters,” George Garcia, chairman of the Commission on Elections, said at the time.

Banlaoi, the counter-terrorism analyst, said that terrorism in the region has not been totally eradicated.

“My current assessment of terrorism threat in the Philippines is that threats are diminishing, but not disappearing,” he said, citing the weakening of the Abu Sayyaf Group in the island provinces of Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi along with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao.

Still, a bomb exploded during a Catholic Mass at a university gymnasium in Marawi City in December 2023, killing four and injuring 72 others. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

The military has said that the bombing was an apparent retaliation for offensives that killed two senior militants.

https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/violence-concerns-02012024123627.html

The December 2023 Marawi Bombing and the Region’s Unending Terror Threat

From The Diplomat (Feb 2, 2024): The December 2023 Marawi Bombing and the Region’s Unending Terror Threat (By Jasminder Singh and Muhammad Haziq Jani)

The deadly bombing of a Catholic Mass in Marawi City ended years of relative peace in Mindanao. It is a reminder of the need for continued vigilance.



Law enforcement investigate the scene of a bombing at Mindanao State University, Marawi, December 3, 2023. Credit: Facebook/Provincial Government of Lanao Del Sur

On December 3, terrorists from the Islamic State (IS) affiliate Daulah Islamiyah Philippines (DIP) detonated an improvised explosive device during a Catholic mass in Marawi City. DIP claimed responsibility for the attack which killed four and wounded 50 civilians who attended the mass in a gymnasium at Mindanao State University. The venue hosts many Christian students, despite being located in a Muslim-majority region of the Philippines.

IS-affiliated terrorists in the Philippines, including DIP, have conducted a number of other bombings in recent years, such as the bombing of two buses in North Cotabato in 2022 as well as roadside bombings in Basilan in the Sulu Archipelago the year prior. However, DIP has more recently been incapacitated by constant military operations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) aimed at eradicating the group. More than 1,000 militant Islamists – some affiliated to IS – have also surrendered to government authorities since the five month-long counter-siege to recapture Marawi from terrorist control in 2017. Many have cited exhaustion, hunger, fear, disillusionment with the terrorist treatment of civilians and extremist doctrines, the loss of leaders, and the growing irrelevance of militancy given the success of the Bangsamoro peace process since 2014.

Despite counterterrorism gains and the post-war rejection of militancy and violence by Marawi’s residents, the December 2023 attack marked the unwelcomed return of terrorist activity in a city that had only recently began to show signs of recovery. The blast also coincided with the fourth day of the Mindanao Week of Peace, an annual inter-religious event that was in its 26th year.

IS Propaganda

Aside from claiming responsibility for the attack, IS-affiliated terrorist media followed up with propaganda in Tagalog that seems to suggest that the attacks were intended as retaliation for the deaths of 21 DIP members in counter-terrorism operations last year. These included Mudzrimar Sawadjaan, the bomb expert behind the 2019 bombing of a cathedral in Jolo, Sulu province, and Faharudin Pumbuaya Pangalian, the alleged then-leader of DIP. The propaganda raised several concerns.

First, DIP highlighted the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as a significant target. In a statement released after the attacks under the name “Abu Abdullah al-Ansari,” DIP blamed MILF for working with the AFP to identify DIP hideouts in the counter-operations that led to the deaths of 18 DIP terrorists. The video also highlighted a previous attack on a MILF position to emphasize this point. Following AFP counter-operations during December 7-9, DIP attacked the MILF, killing a MILF commander and a baby. Targeting MILF and MILF members’ relatives in retaliation is unlikely to discourage MILF-AFP cooperation. However, it could disincentivize the decommissioning of the MILF if there are no assurances of protection from the AFP. There is also the risk of the DIP obtaining weapons and materials with which it build future bombs.

Second, IS capitalized on the bombing to call for a hijrah (migration) of Muslims to join DIP on the East Asia front, labelling the Philippines as a “field of jihad.” This call was published in al-Naba, IS’ Arabic newsletter on December 7. While it is unlikely that IS has the ability to mount something on the scale of the 2017 Marawi siege, the call for migration underscores the fears of experts and officials from neighboring countries that the bombing will inspire jihadists in the region to travel to Mindanao to wage further violent attacks. The 2019 suicide bombing of the church in Jolo was conducted by an Indonesian couple. The call for hijrah could also encourage transborder cooperation between IS supporters. The movement of foreign terrorists to the Philippines is also something that cannot be precluded.

Implications

Following the attack, as well as the sort of messaging emanating once again from IS propaganda, Southeast Asian countries, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia, which share maritime borders with the Philippines, should remain vigilant against the movement of terrorist supporters into Mindanao.

On the ground, AFP and MILF must continue to put pressure on the DIP’s fighters, which already has their backs against the wall. Despite the bombing, the recruitment pool for DIP has thinned and will remain so as long as the jihadists’ lives remain dreadful and unsustainable. As it is, DIP is relying on a shrinking recruitment base comprising family members, relatives from the same tribe or clan, children, and women. AFP could consider proactive programs to counter violent extremism that intervene before the often naive new prospects get recruited, especially at a time when DIP leaders are in hiding, or busy with fighting.

At the same time, the more fundamental issues that continue to draw potential recruits to the terrorist cause must be addressed. Here, a key issue is the rehabilitation of Marawi City, which, following its destruction and the subsequent in-flow of aid, remains far from complete, standing as a physical reminder of the damage wrought by the state on IS.

There remain many other vectors that generate recruits for the jihadi struggle. These vectors are both home-grown, such as the need to reconstruct Marawi City, the ongoing Christian-Muslim issues, and the antipathy towards the AFP. However, another factor is the rise of the “green wave” of Islamic political successes in Indonesia and Malaysia, which may impact upon the ongoing conflict in Mindanao. The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict may also provide new ground for recruits to join the jihadist struggle against the Philippines government, which is seen to be supporting Israel against Hamas in particular and Palestinians in general.

The December 2023 bombing in Marawi demonstrated that the conflict with radicalized Islamists remains a long-term concern and issue for governments in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. A further concern is the potential to involve jihadists from the region to join in the struggle in the Philippines or even for the potential of the conflict being exported to neighboring states. While addressing the domestic issues remains a primary imperative for each affected nation, inter-state cooperation is the only way forward to address this obstinate security issue.
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[Jasminder Singh is an Associate Research Fellow with the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) and Muhammad Haziq Jani is a Senior Analyst with the Studies of Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme, respectively, at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.]

[Muhammad Haziq Jani is a Senior Analyst with the Studies of Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme.]

https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/the-december-2023-marawi-bombing-and-the-regions-unending-terror-threat/

OPAPRU pilots localized normalization program for Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants in Basilan

 From the Manila Bulletin (Jan 26, 2024): OPAPRU pilots localized normalization program for Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants in Basilan (By MARTIN SADONGDONG)

OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (middle) and Basilan Gov. Hajiman Salliman Hataman (second from right) lead the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the pilot implementation in Basilan of the localized normalization program for former Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants held at Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City on Jan. 26, 2024. Also in photo are (L-R) Presidential Assistant for Bangsamoro Transformation David Diciano; Lt. Gen. William Gonzales, commander of Western Mindanao Command; and Basilan Provincial Treasurer Majad Daggong. (Photo by OPAPRU)

To sustain the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the provincial government of Basilan on Friday, Jan. 26, for the pilot implementation of the localized "normalization program" for former Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants.

Currently being implemented at the national level, the normalization program is a key component of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) which aims to decommission 40,000 Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters and transform them into "peaceful and productive civilians" and their areas into "progressive and resilient communities", according to Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr.

The agreement seeks to localize the implementation of the normalization program through the "Localizing Normalization Implementation" (LNI) concept. The signing was led by Galvez and Basilan Governor Hajiman Salliman Hataman at the Eisenhower Hall inside the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) Headquarters at Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City.

The OPAPRU said that the LNI concept presents a "locally-led and national government/inter-agency-supported structure" to implement the normalization program.

It seeks to strike a balance between enriching competencies and authorities already exercised by local government units (LGUs) under Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) under RA 11054 or Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which operationalizes the CAB.

OPAPRU Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. signs the Pledge of Commitment for the pilot implementation in Basilan of the normalization program for former Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants during a ceremony at Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City on Jan. 26, 2024. (Photo by OPAPRU)

"As members of our community, we must join forces and work hand-in-hand to ensure the smooth and effective delivery of programs and projects that aim to address the different aspects of the normalization program which include security, socio economic development, confidence-building, and transitional justice, as well as political participation," Galvez said.

The OPAPRU further explained that the LNI concept largely depends on the local structure of the communities and as such, its framework is designed to adjust and adapt to certain peculiarities in terms of the capacities and needs of LGUs.

The LNI's community-driven approach "empowers local communities, promotes inclusivity, and ensures that development efforts are sustainable and effective," the OPAPRU noted.

Governor Hataman said the "inspiration" for the implementation of the LNI in Basilan came from the provincial government’s campaign against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a militant organization that was based in the province.

"That time, there was no proper policy on how to deal with members of the Abu Sayyaf who are willing to [go] mainstream back to the society. Then, this snowballs, as we implement the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Management Program," he said, referring to an intervention program by the LGU and local law enforcement agencies that sought to eradicate loose firearms in Basilan.

At present, Hataman said the provincial government of Basilan and the Philippine Army's 101st Infantry Brigade headed by Brig. Gen. Alvin Luzon has already stenciled at least 4, 500 firearms and recovered 500 firearms in the island-province.

"We need to level up our peace interventions. The result of LNI will help in the overall peace of the island province of Basilan, the BARMM regional government, and the country," Hataman said.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/26/opapru-pilots-localized-normalization-program-for-moro islamic liberation front-combatants-in-basilan#google_vignette

5 ASG members surrender in Zamboanga City

From the Sun Star-Zamboanga (Jan 29, 2024): 5 ASG members surrender in Zamboanga City

FIVE members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) have surrendered to the authorities in Zamboanga City, the police reported Monday, January 29, 2024.

Police Colonel Alexander Lorenzo, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director, said the five ASG members surrendered in Rio Hondo village on Saturday, January 27.

Lorenzo identified the five ASG surrenderers as the following: Amil Ingil Hamja, 60; Parad Enggil Hamja, 63; Jomil Hamja Abduharim alias Along Abduharim, 32; Romil Hamja Abduharim alias Alit Abduharim, 32; and, Ramil Isa Hamja alias Ramel Ammih, 29, all residents of Kasanyangan village.

Lorenzo said they turned over a Garand rifle and a calilber .38 revolver with five ammunition for the revolver.

He said the five ASG surrenderers were followers of detained ASG sub-leader Injimar Mangkabong alias Bensal Jakare and the late ASG sub-leader Najir Arik, who were involved in terroristic atrocities in Sulu.

He said they are also known for their kidnapping activities targeting both local and foreign individuals.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/zamboanga/5-asg-members-surrender-in-zamboanga-city#google_vignette

Philippines brings supplies to Ayungin in ‘flawless’ mission

 From Rappler (Feb 2, 2024): Philippines brings supplies to Ayungin in ‘flawless’ mission (By BEA CUPIN)

It is the first confirmed rotation and resupply mission to the outpost in Ayungin Shoal in 2024

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines on Friday, February 2, completed a rotation and resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, its makeshift military outpost in Ayungin Shoal.

The completed mission was confirmed in a post on X, formerly Twitter, by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla.

Padilla, in a tweet that’s since been deleted, said: “Mission accomplished! Today, we executed a flawless rotation and resupply operation for BRP Sierra Madre. Teamwork, precision, and dedication at its best.”

It was the first completed resupply by sea in 2024 following a bilateral meeting between the Philippines and China, wherein both sides agreed to improve the use of a communication mechanism to avoid untoward incidents at sea.

“The Philippines’ resupply of BRP Sierra Madre at 2nd Thomas Shoal today seems to have encountered virtually no resistance from China,” noted maritime defense expert Ray Powell, who is also Project Myoushu Team Lead of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation.

China earlier claimed that it “allowed” an air drop of supplies to the Sierra Madre, but the AFP has refused to confirm or deny that supplies were delivered through air.

Ayungin Shoal is a feature well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) within the South China Sea, referred to as the West Philippine Sea. The BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era warship that was purposefully ran aground in 1999, serves as the Philippine military outpost there.

China claims practically the entire South China Sea, and sees resupply missions as violations of its sovereignty. Beijing has also refused to recognize a 2016 Arbitral Ruling that sided with the Philippines and deemed its sweeping claim of the South China Sea as invalid.

At least once a month, the Philippines conducts rotation and resupply missions to Ayungin to rotate troops who are stationed there for months at a time, and to bring supplies for their daily needs.

What would have been the first mission of 2024 was scrapped due to a “technical difficulty” in one of the supply ships that required minor repairs.

Missions in the latter part of 2023 were tense and, often, precarious because of harassment from the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia. Navy-contracted ships, escorted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), would have to weave through Chinese ships to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre.

CCG ships in the past had subjected Philippines vessels to harassment, shadowing, and watercannoning. Collision incidents have also been reported by Philippine authorities.

The Philippines put a spotlight on China’s “gray zone” behavior through its transparency initiative by releasing videos and photos of China’s actions, and embedding Philippine journalists in PCG vessels.

The AFP did not give any other details about the mission as of posting.

https://www.rappler.com/philippines/brings-supplies-ayungin-shoal-flawless-mission-february-2024/

Ayungin resupply mission goes unhampered

From Palawan News (Feb 2, 2024): Ayungin resupply mission goes unhampered (By Gerald Ticke)

Unaiza Mae 1 during the resupply mission on February 2, 2024.

“The latest rotation and reprovision (RORE) mission to the BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea proceeded unchallenged and unimpeded, as stated by AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla.”

“Mission accomplished! Today, we executed a flawless rotation and resupply operation for BRP Sierra Madre. Teamwork, precision, and dedication at it’s best,” Padilla said in a social media post which she later removed.

Earlier today, SeaLight Director at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation’s Ray Powell also said he has observed different scenarios in the West Philippine Sea after Philippine Coast Guard Vessels BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan arrived at Sabina Shoal and was met by only one China Coast Guard Vessel 520.5 He said the resupply mission “seems to have encountered virtually no ressitance from China.”

Powell also said around 17 Chinese militia vessels were also monitored nearby but stayed west of Mischief Reef and did not conduct their usual blocking and intimidation against the PCG vessels as well as the civilian resupply boat Unaiza May 1.

“Very different… Philippines resupply to 2nd Thomas Shoal China’s usual blockade hasn’t materialized-almost all militia staying back by Mischief Reef. Whatever deal the 2 sides made in Shanghai must have dialed down China’s aggression,” Powell said in his post.

“BRP Cabra approaching 2nd Thomas Shoal but BRP Sindangan hanging back by Sabina Shoal. Maybe because China is not blockading because only one resupply vessel (Unaiza May 1) with others (UM2 and M/L Kalayaan) damaged in recent encounters or combo of both factors,” he added referring to the civilian resupply boats used by the PCG in previous resupply missions.

UM2 and M/L Kalayaan sustained damages after they were water cannoned by CCG vessels during the RORE mission in December last year.

He however noted that while only the 17 militia vessels and only one CCG vessels were sighted in the area, there are still other vessels that might have just intentionally turned off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) which makes them impossible from the radar of other vessels.

“Of course certainly AIS-dark vessels we can’t see (e.g., CCG 5203) but those we can detect have kept their distance,” he said.

https://palawan-news.com/ayungin-resupply-mission-goes-unhampered/

AFP, PNP boost joint efforts vs insurgency in Visayas

Posted to Panay News (Feb 2, 2024): AFP, PNP boost joint efforts vs insurgency in Visayas (By Ruby P. Silubrico)

Private First Class Rodelo Alfanza, who died in Tubungan, Iloilo encounter, was laid to rest in a private cemetery in Barangay Bato, Sagay City, Negros Occidental on Jan. 28, 2024. A gun salute was held to honor Alfanza’s committed and dedicated service to the Philippine Army and the nation. PHILIPPINE ARMY SPEARHEAD TROOPERS FACEBOOK PHOTO

ILOILO City – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have bolstered cooperation to address the insurgency problem and maintain peace and order throughout the Visayas region.

Major General Marion Sison, commander of Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), and Major General Robert Rodriguez, chief of Area Police Command Visayas (APC), vowed to tighten their operations this year against insurgents.

Sison said they don’t want to kill rebels and they keep on convincing those in the mountains to surrender and avail themselves of the government’s livelihood program.

“But if they continue to refuse our offer to surrender peacefully, we have no choice but to run after them. We will hunt them until they realize na walang magandang patutungohan ang kanilang pakipaglaban,” the 3ID commander added.

According to the 3ID, for January alone they recorded five encounters – one in Iloilo and four in Negros island – that resulted in the death of four rebels and one surrenderer.

The government troops also seized four high-powered and four low-powered firearms.

However, one soldier died and another was wounded following an encounter with New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Igpaho, Tubungan, Iloilo on Jan. 17

The troops of the 61st Infantry (Hunter) Battalion clashed with the members of Puregold (SYP) Platoon, SPF, KR-Panay, led by Nahum “Bebong” Camariosa that resulted in the death of Private First Class Rodelo Alfanza and wounding of Sergeant Ernie Dionson.

Despite this, Rodriguez is optimistic that insurgency in the Visayas will be resolved soon especially with the cooperation of the community.

“Nagapati ako nga tanan may katapusan kag sooner ang mga rebelde nga ara sa mga bukid, maga-surrender. Madamo ang programa sang gobyerno para sa ila if ever mag-surrender kag mangabuhi sila sang malinong,” Rodriguez said.

Records from the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) showed that for the month of January, 18 rebels had surrendered, four were arrested through arrest warrants and two were killed during operations.

The PRO-6 also seized a total of 20 firearms that include four high-powered and 16 low-powered guns./PN

https://www.panaynews.net/afp-pnp-boost-joint-efforts-vs-insurgency-in-visayas/

AFP remains non-partisan amidst remarks of ex-president

Posted to Panay News (Feb 2, 2024): AFP remains non-partisan amidst remarks of ex-president Duterte

The Armed Forces of the Philippines reiterated its non-partisan stand in view of the recent falling out between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. Philippine Daily Inquirer / Joan Bondoc

MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated its non-partisan stand in view of the recent falling out between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.

The AFP was linked to the recent controversy after Duterte claimed that the military knows Marcos’ alleged drug use.

“We would like to reiterate in terms of this topic … that we remain united, we remain professional and we are non-partisan,” AFP spokesperson Col. Fransel Margareth Padilla said in a regular press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo.

Padilla also said that the AFP will just “continue to have our focus in terms of our mission to end our local terrorist insurgency problem and transition ultimately to territorial defense.”

The spokesperson clarified that the AFP only conducts drug tests for its own troops and has no mandate to conduct such things outside its personnel, adding that this responsibility could fall under the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

“We are concerned with our own troops on how we can check them on these things, so we have our regular drug checks for our own troops,” Padilla said.

For its part, PDEA on Monday said Marcos was never on the government watch list for illegal drugs. (John Eric Mendoza © Philippine Daily Inquirer)

https://www.panaynews.net/afp-remains-non-partisan-amidst-remarks-of-ex-president-duterte/

Pregnant NPA member surrenders

From Negros Now Daily (Feb 2, 2024): Pregnant NPA member surrenders (By GILBERT P. BAYORAN)

Another member of the New People’s Army (NPA), who is pregnant, surrendered to the Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Mantiquil, Siaton, Negros Occidental on Jan. 31.

Ruzela Casilao, alias Maine, 22, a remnant of the dismantled South East Front (SEF) of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, was the third female rebel in a family way, who recently abandoned the armed struggle after serving the NPA for almost three years, the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) said in a statement.

In December last year, two pregnant members of the dismantled SEF, identified as alias “Sarah” and “Aubrey,” also surrendered, after they were rescued by troops of 11IB and Philippine National Police in Barangay Tayak, also in Siaton.

“Ka Aubrey” recently gave birth to her third child at a hospital in Dumaguete City, after reuniting with her two other minor children, whom she had not met for three years.

Casilao, 22, a finance and logistics officer of SEF Squad 2, decided to surrender due to hardships and demoralization among the remaining members, the 3ID further said.

“The series of surrenders by top cadres and members in Negros strongly manifest that the collaborative efforts of various government instrumentalities and the strong support of civil society organizations are effective in resolving the root causes of the insurgency problem,” it added. | GB

https://negrosnowdaily.com/pregnant-npa-member-surrenders/

Army eyes declaration of Negros in ‘stable internal peace, security’

From Negros Now Daily (Feb 1, 2024): Army eyes declaration of Negros in ‘stable internal peace, security’ (By GILBERT P. BAYORAN)

The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID) is eyeing to recommend the declaration of Negros Island being in a state of “stable internal peace and security” by the end of the first quarter this year.

The 3ID earlier declared the dismantling of all five New People’s Army (NPA) guerilla fronts in Negros Island.

However, the focused military operations against the remnants are ongoing to prevent them from recovering their lost territories and recruiting new members, Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, 3ID public affairs head, said in a statement.

First to be declared as dismantled more than two years ago was the South East Front, followed by the Northern Negros Front in 2022, Central Negros 1 and 2 as well as South West Front in 2023.

In a statement, Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, 3ID commander, said the series of surrenders in Negros Island since the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in December 2018 is a testament to the government’s efficiency in addressing the root causes of insurgency.

“If we can maintain this trend and with the commitment and cooperation of our partners and stakeholders, we can already recommend the declaration of Negros Island in a state of ‘stable internal peace and security’ by the end of this quarter,” he added.

Last month, two rebel remnants died while another surrendered, following an encounter in La Castellena, which also led to the recovery of six high-powered firearms and explosives. | GB

https://negrosnowdaily.com/army-eyes-declaration-of-negros-in-stable-internal-peace-security/

NPA loses 10 members, 14 firearms after series of encounters in AgNor

From the Mindanao Daily News Network (Feb 2, 2024): NPA loses 10 members, 14 firearms after series of encounters in AgNor

NPA loses 10 members, 14 firearms after series of encounters in AgNor

BANCASI, Butuan City – The New People’s Army in Agusan del Norte has faced another setback after one (1) member of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered and revealed the location of the six (6) high-powered firearms to the 23rd Infantry Battalion, Operational Control unit of the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade at H23IB, Jamboree Site, P-6, Brgy Alubihid, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte on February 1, 2024.

Recently, series of armed encounters transpired between the 23IB and the remnants of Platoon 2, Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad (SRSDG), Sagay, Sub-Regional Committee 3 (SRC-3) of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) that resulted in the neutralization of the Ten (10) NPA members, seizure of high-powered firearms and other personal belongings.

Consequently, in more than two weeks’ time, another NPA member identified as Jerome Amparo Marapao alias Mark, a medic of the Platoon 2, Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad (SRSDG), Sagay, Sub-Regional Committee 3 (SRC-3) of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) surrendered to 23IB, and revealed the location of the firearms that were hidden at Sitio Malambago, Brgy. Sangay, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. Subsequently, a follow-through operation was conducted which resulted in the discovery of six (6) AK47 Rifles, one (1) cal. 45 pistol, and other war materiel.

According to alias Mark, their hardships were immense, and the sacrifices often seemed endless. Also, he realized that the ideology he once embraced failed to align with the pursuit of genuine progress and unity he had long been fighting for. This proves that the relentless focused military operations of the 402Bde and 23IB has triumphed against the dwindling forces of the local insurgents in the Province of Agusan del Norte.

Brigadier General Adonis Ariel G Orio, Commander of the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade, said “Many of NPA members are now following the call for a long-lasting and genuine peace that further weakens the NPA organization. However, the 402nd Infantry Brigade will not cease to intensify our operations to track and pursue the remaining communist rebels here in Agusan del Norte and the rest in our Area of Responsibility. We will stay vigilant as we urge you to abandon the armed struggle, rebuild your family, happy and without fear.”

https://mindanaodailynews.com/npa-loses-10-members-14-firearms-after-series-of-encounters-in-agnor/