From the CPP Website (Apr 25): Aquino is engaging in the cheapest form of anti-NPA propaganda--CPP
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today castigated the Aquino regime for “engaging in the cheapest form of anti-NPA propaganda in the vain effort to justify its failure to seriously engage the revolutionary forces in peace negotiations and cover-up its failure to address the socio-economic problems of the people that are at the root of the raging armed conflict in the Philippines.”
The CPP issued this statement in reaction to the statements issued earlier by Malacañang claiming that the New People’s Army (NPA) is not interested in peace negotiations and has supposedly lost all ideology and “resorted to banditry”.
“If the leaders and members of the NPA were driven only by the selfish aim of enriching themselves, they would instead simply join the government and allow themselves to be used by the criminal scalawags posing as politicians, officers of the military and police, judges and big bureacrats,” said the CPP.
“The biggest bandits in the Philippines are those in the Aquino regime and its big business sycophants who fund the election kitties of their favored politicians, manipulate election results, dish out and receive state favors, tax exemptions and juicy contracts to the detriment of the Filipino people.”
“The Aquino regime has resorted to the cheapest anti-NPA propaganda line of painting the armed revolutionary movement as banditry in the desperate hope of disparaging the justness of the revolutionary cause and undermining the legitimacy of the political structures of governance built by the people’s democratic mass organizations in the revolutionary areas,” added the CPP.
“At various levels, the people’s government functions as a democratic state that is governed by laws and policies that advance the people’s long-standing aspirations in the economic, political, security, cultural and other fields.”
“Aquino and his cohorts are peeved by the fact that the people’s organs of political power exercises government functions and issues policies regulating the conduct of the reactionary elections in order to protect the rights and welfare of the people,” pointed out the CPP.
“They are doubly peeved by the fact that most of the reactionary politicians and political candidates actually abide by these policies.” The CPP said the armed political scoundrels who refuse to abide by the policies of the people’s democratic government are in the minority.
The CPP also laughed off claims by Aquino’s spokesperson that the revolutionary armed movement is simply engaging in “attention grabbing activities” in launching tactical offensives.
“The Aquino regime and its armed forces desperately try to downgrade the current strength of the revolutionary forces by endlessly repeating the lie that the NPA had 25,000 fighters in 1986 and that there are now only 4,000 to 5,000. The fact is that the NPA had only around 6,000 high powered firearms in 1986-1987.
“As it continues to seize the initiative and intensify the people’s war, the NPA is set to surpass its previous peak strength in the 1980s within the current presidential term of Aquino, if it is not cut short by an upheaval of mass protests before 2016.”
http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20130425_aquino-is-engaging-in-the-cheapest-form-of-anti-npa-propaganda-cpp
Friday, April 26, 2013
CPP/NDF: 1002nd Bde persistent military operations, bristled with more NPA tactical offensives
Posted to the CPP Website (Apr 26): 1002nd Bde persistent military operations, bristled with more NPA tactical offensives
Ka Efren
Spokesperson
NDFP Far South Mindanao Chapter
AFP’s 1002nd Brigade continues to be a mercenary and protector of agribusiness plantations and large-scale mining companies owned by multinational corporations (MNC) and local big businessmen in Far South Mindanao. In defense of its masters, the 1002nd brigade persistently conducts military operations within or near the area owned, controlled and dominated by these foreign and local big businesses. This clearly showed the puppetry and subservience of the AFP to the foreign monopoly capitalists and to the big comprador bourgeoisie and landlords on one hand, and its trickery, brutality, fascism and terrorism against the people on the other hand.
The first four months of 2013 is characterized by a massive and sustained combat operations in combination with the continued application of peace and development outreach program (PDOP) of the 27th IB, 39th IB, 73rd IB, 57th IB, 72nd Cadre Battalion, 2nd SR Battalion, CAFGUs and PNP’s Regional Public Safety Battalion 12 within and surrounding the areas of XSTRATA-SMI, Dole Philippines, SUMIFRU, San Miguel Energy Corportion, T’boli Mining Corporation and LOOC Mining.
Inclusive of these military operations are 40 barangays of 17 towns in the provinces of Davao del Sur, North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. The size of these combat operations is ranging from company to battalion and lasted from a minimum of five day to 14 day operation. Almost every two weeks, 1002nd brigade mobilized its battalions in clearing operations in order to secure the properties, top management personnel and business activities of foreign and local agribusiness plantations and mining corporations.
While protecting foreign and local big businesses, 1002nd brigade continues to wreck havoc on the lives and livelihood of peasants and other poor people in the militarized areas. The mayhem and human rights violations created by the 1002nd brigade’s brute force against the local people compelled them to resist and raised their active participation in waging the peoples’ war. Thus, the New People’s Army in Far South Mindanao was able to launch several counter attacks, based on the ever widening and deepening of revolutionary mass base, against the offensive blows unleashed by the fascist troops.
While Christian believers, especially the Roman Catholic Church, was observing the celebration of Holy Week, but the 39th IB and 73rd IB were busy conducting combat operations in the hinterlands of Sarangani and Davao del Sur provinces in a desperate objective of smashing the guerrilla fighters of NPA Front 75. Instead of trouncing the Red fighters, the fascist troops of 73rd IB sustained two killed and one wounded in action when they were ambushed by a platoon of NPA guerrillas last March 27 (Holy Wednesday) at 2:30 PM in sitio Camogna, Brgy, Tamban, Malungon Sarangani Province. One of the two killed in action was identified as 2nd Lt. Jagar of 73rd IB.
The ambush happened after a squad of guerrilla fighters of the same front successfully dis-armed a despotic landlord and a barangay councilor of Kinangan, Malita, Davao del Sur two days earlier. The Red fighters seized one .45 caliber pistol and one .357 caliber revolver in the said action. As retaliation, 10th ID of Eastern Mindanao Command of the AFP launched a two day indiscriminate aerial bombing and artillery firing, thus forcing tens of civilian families of sitio Camogna and other neighboring sitios to evacuate and seek refuge to their relatives in nearby communities.
Also, at noontime of April 14 a squad of guerrilla fighters of Front 75 arrested and killed an intelligence agent of 73rd IB named Sayaw Tanggi in Sitio Malaya, Brgy. Alegria, Alabel, Sarangani. Seized from his position was a 12 gauge shotgun. Sayaw Tanggi, a legitimate military target of NPA as intelligence agent of AFP, also found guilty beyond reasonable doubt by a revolutionary court of Alabel, Sarangani province for his direct participation in the Lampasak Massacre (17 victims including children) of October 1985, double murder of March 1990, landgrabbing, robbery and cattle rustling. All of these cases were filed against him in a revolutionary court and were tried in absentia because he was resisting arrest and went hiding from revolutionary authorities. He was arming himself and took refuge under the 73rd IB and became an active intelligence agent of the AFP.
Meanwhile, the Mt. Alip Command of NPA Guerrilla Front 72 inflicted several casualties against the operating troops of 39th IB and 57th IB when the Red fighters launched a sniping operation in April 10 and 11 in Brgy. Luayon, Makilala, North Cotabato. One of the seriously wounded among the casualties of the reactionary armed forces was 2nd Lt. Alejo of 39th IB. In response, 1002nd Bde indiscriminately bombed the area, where the attack of NPA Red fighters took place, using rocket launchers from two attack helicopters. These aerial bombing resulted to damage of properties including a hectare of rubber with more or less 400 matured plants, obstruction of works of rubber plant tappers and farmers of barangays Luayon, Sta. Felomina, New Baguio, and Bato, all in Makilala town. And, while on the way to their command post, a platoon of 57th IB riding in a military vehicle was hit by an anti-personnel command detonated explosive blasted by a demolition team of NPA Mt. Alip Command at around 7:50 evening of April 14 in Brgy. Malasila, Makilala. It caused undetermined number of casualties on the said AFP troops.
In Brgy. Upper Suyan, Malapatan, Saranggani province, Red fighters of Alex Ababa Command of NPA Front 71 initiated an encounter, twice, against a commando platoon of 1002nd Brigade last April 13, 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM respectively. No casualties on both sides. But, the masses in the area noticed that the said enemy troops were equipped with protective gears – a bullet proof vest. On the same day, a duo of Red fighters seized one M16 armalite rifle without firing a single shot from one of the 73rd IB’s soldiers resting at that time in Sitio Solkili, Upper Suyan. The two guerrillas pretended as civilians, mingle with the local people, and with the enemy too, until they saw an opportunity to take the M16 rifle of the sleeping soldier of 73rd IB.
The Charlie Coy of 27th IB, commanded by 1st LT. Wayagwag, sustained three killed and undetermined number of wounded in action when they were ambushed by a platoon of Junito Banda Command of NPA Front 73 at 2:00 PM of April 16 in Sitio Pulanglupa, Brgy. Takonel, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The ambush transpired after the Red fighters received information from the masses that a platoon of 27th IB’s Charlie Coy was heading towards their location. Without any delay, the Red fighters set up an ambush with anti-personnel command detonated explosive. The ambush lasted for more or less fifteen minutes. The guerrilla fighters withdrew without casualty. This recent military offensive of Front 73 against AFP troops slammed the 1002nd brigade’s propaganda and psy-ops that the NPA in South Cotabato is negligible.
Andres IIicot Command of Guerilla Front 74 launched five consecutive harassments and sniping against operating troops of 39th IB in April 20-23 in Sitio Blasan, Brgy. Malawanit, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur. The enemy troops sustained one killed in action and undetermined number of wounded. The 39th IB was on their fifth day of operations when the Red fighters started harassing them. Kannemer Foods International, a multinational agribusiness company, is targeting more than 1000 hectares of land in Sitio Blasan for its various high value and export crops.
This latest intensification of NPA’s counter offensives against the brute force of 1002nd brigade is one of the many manifestations of NPA’s defense of the peoples’ rights and welfare. Thus, ascertaining once again that the NPA is the true people’s army, not the deceptive, fascist and mercenary AFP.###
http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20130426_1002nd-bde-persistent-military-operations-bristled-with-more-npa-tactical-offensives
Ka Efren
Spokesperson
NDFP Far South Mindanao Chapter
AFP’s 1002nd Brigade continues to be a mercenary and protector of agribusiness plantations and large-scale mining companies owned by multinational corporations (MNC) and local big businessmen in Far South Mindanao. In defense of its masters, the 1002nd brigade persistently conducts military operations within or near the area owned, controlled and dominated by these foreign and local big businesses. This clearly showed the puppetry and subservience of the AFP to the foreign monopoly capitalists and to the big comprador bourgeoisie and landlords on one hand, and its trickery, brutality, fascism and terrorism against the people on the other hand.
The first four months of 2013 is characterized by a massive and sustained combat operations in combination with the continued application of peace and development outreach program (PDOP) of the 27th IB, 39th IB, 73rd IB, 57th IB, 72nd Cadre Battalion, 2nd SR Battalion, CAFGUs and PNP’s Regional Public Safety Battalion 12 within and surrounding the areas of XSTRATA-SMI, Dole Philippines, SUMIFRU, San Miguel Energy Corportion, T’boli Mining Corporation and LOOC Mining.
Inclusive of these military operations are 40 barangays of 17 towns in the provinces of Davao del Sur, North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. The size of these combat operations is ranging from company to battalion and lasted from a minimum of five day to 14 day operation. Almost every two weeks, 1002nd brigade mobilized its battalions in clearing operations in order to secure the properties, top management personnel and business activities of foreign and local agribusiness plantations and mining corporations.
While protecting foreign and local big businesses, 1002nd brigade continues to wreck havoc on the lives and livelihood of peasants and other poor people in the militarized areas. The mayhem and human rights violations created by the 1002nd brigade’s brute force against the local people compelled them to resist and raised their active participation in waging the peoples’ war. Thus, the New People’s Army in Far South Mindanao was able to launch several counter attacks, based on the ever widening and deepening of revolutionary mass base, against the offensive blows unleashed by the fascist troops.
While Christian believers, especially the Roman Catholic Church, was observing the celebration of Holy Week, but the 39th IB and 73rd IB were busy conducting combat operations in the hinterlands of Sarangani and Davao del Sur provinces in a desperate objective of smashing the guerrilla fighters of NPA Front 75. Instead of trouncing the Red fighters, the fascist troops of 73rd IB sustained two killed and one wounded in action when they were ambushed by a platoon of NPA guerrillas last March 27 (Holy Wednesday) at 2:30 PM in sitio Camogna, Brgy, Tamban, Malungon Sarangani Province. One of the two killed in action was identified as 2nd Lt. Jagar of 73rd IB.
The ambush happened after a squad of guerrilla fighters of the same front successfully dis-armed a despotic landlord and a barangay councilor of Kinangan, Malita, Davao del Sur two days earlier. The Red fighters seized one .45 caliber pistol and one .357 caliber revolver in the said action. As retaliation, 10th ID of Eastern Mindanao Command of the AFP launched a two day indiscriminate aerial bombing and artillery firing, thus forcing tens of civilian families of sitio Camogna and other neighboring sitios to evacuate and seek refuge to their relatives in nearby communities.
Also, at noontime of April 14 a squad of guerrilla fighters of Front 75 arrested and killed an intelligence agent of 73rd IB named Sayaw Tanggi in Sitio Malaya, Brgy. Alegria, Alabel, Sarangani. Seized from his position was a 12 gauge shotgun. Sayaw Tanggi, a legitimate military target of NPA as intelligence agent of AFP, also found guilty beyond reasonable doubt by a revolutionary court of Alabel, Sarangani province for his direct participation in the Lampasak Massacre (17 victims including children) of October 1985, double murder of March 1990, landgrabbing, robbery and cattle rustling. All of these cases were filed against him in a revolutionary court and were tried in absentia because he was resisting arrest and went hiding from revolutionary authorities. He was arming himself and took refuge under the 73rd IB and became an active intelligence agent of the AFP.
Meanwhile, the Mt. Alip Command of NPA Guerrilla Front 72 inflicted several casualties against the operating troops of 39th IB and 57th IB when the Red fighters launched a sniping operation in April 10 and 11 in Brgy. Luayon, Makilala, North Cotabato. One of the seriously wounded among the casualties of the reactionary armed forces was 2nd Lt. Alejo of 39th IB. In response, 1002nd Bde indiscriminately bombed the area, where the attack of NPA Red fighters took place, using rocket launchers from two attack helicopters. These aerial bombing resulted to damage of properties including a hectare of rubber with more or less 400 matured plants, obstruction of works of rubber plant tappers and farmers of barangays Luayon, Sta. Felomina, New Baguio, and Bato, all in Makilala town. And, while on the way to their command post, a platoon of 57th IB riding in a military vehicle was hit by an anti-personnel command detonated explosive blasted by a demolition team of NPA Mt. Alip Command at around 7:50 evening of April 14 in Brgy. Malasila, Makilala. It caused undetermined number of casualties on the said AFP troops.
In Brgy. Upper Suyan, Malapatan, Saranggani province, Red fighters of Alex Ababa Command of NPA Front 71 initiated an encounter, twice, against a commando platoon of 1002nd Brigade last April 13, 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM respectively. No casualties on both sides. But, the masses in the area noticed that the said enemy troops were equipped with protective gears – a bullet proof vest. On the same day, a duo of Red fighters seized one M16 armalite rifle without firing a single shot from one of the 73rd IB’s soldiers resting at that time in Sitio Solkili, Upper Suyan. The two guerrillas pretended as civilians, mingle with the local people, and with the enemy too, until they saw an opportunity to take the M16 rifle of the sleeping soldier of 73rd IB.
The Charlie Coy of 27th IB, commanded by 1st LT. Wayagwag, sustained three killed and undetermined number of wounded in action when they were ambushed by a platoon of Junito Banda Command of NPA Front 73 at 2:00 PM of April 16 in Sitio Pulanglupa, Brgy. Takonel, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The ambush transpired after the Red fighters received information from the masses that a platoon of 27th IB’s Charlie Coy was heading towards their location. Without any delay, the Red fighters set up an ambush with anti-personnel command detonated explosive. The ambush lasted for more or less fifteen minutes. The guerrilla fighters withdrew without casualty. This recent military offensive of Front 73 against AFP troops slammed the 1002nd brigade’s propaganda and psy-ops that the NPA in South Cotabato is negligible.
Andres IIicot Command of Guerilla Front 74 launched five consecutive harassments and sniping against operating troops of 39th IB in April 20-23 in Sitio Blasan, Brgy. Malawanit, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur. The enemy troops sustained one killed in action and undetermined number of wounded. The 39th IB was on their fifth day of operations when the Red fighters started harassing them. Kannemer Foods International, a multinational agribusiness company, is targeting more than 1000 hectares of land in Sitio Blasan for its various high value and export crops.
This latest intensification of NPA’s counter offensives against the brute force of 1002nd brigade is one of the many manifestations of NPA’s defense of the peoples’ rights and welfare. Thus, ascertaining once again that the NPA is the true people’s army, not the deceptive, fascist and mercenary AFP.###
http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20130426_1002nd-bde-persistent-military-operations-bristled-with-more-npa-tactical-offensives
Soldiers hit policemen in Quezon murder case
From Business World (Apr 24): Soldiers hit policemen in Quezon murder case
SOLDIERS HAVE sought clearance from a murder case by claiming that their police colleagues in the operation tampered with evidence to show that a shoot-out occurred with the criminal group.
“... (W)e witnessed police operatives tampering [with] the evidence, by firing the guns of the occupants of the SUV (sports utility vehicle) in the air,” according to a 58-page joint counteraffidavit filed last week by the soldiers and released to media only yesterday.
Members of the military and the police in Case Operational Plan (Coplan) Armado were last month charged with multiple murder complaints before the Department of Justice (DoJ) over the Jan. 6 incident in Atimonan, Quezon that killed 13 persons, including suspected illegal gambling operation leader Victor Siman.
The alleged rubout -- a term used to silence an opponent -- was an offshoot of rivalry over operations of an illegal numbers game called jueteng.
The soldiers implicated in the alleged rubout were Lt. Col. Monico Abang, Capt. Erwin Macalinao, 1Lt. Rico Tagure, Cpl. Rogelio Tejares, Privates First Class Michael Franco, Alvin Roque Pabon, Ricky Jay Borja, Melvin Lumalang and Gil Gallego, and Privates Marc Zaldy Docdoc and Emergin Barrete.
The policemen were Chief Supt. James Melad, Supt. Hansel Marantan, Sr. Insp. John Paolo Carracedo, Arturo Sarmiento, Ramon Balauag, Timoteo Orig, Joselito De Guzman, Carlo Cataquiz, Eduardo Oronan, Nelson Indal, Al Bhazar Jailani, Wryan Sardea, Rodel Talento and Chief Insp. Grant Gollod.
According to the National Bureau of Investigation, the soldiers “conspired” with the police to neutralize Siman.
However, the military said that if they conspired with the police “we [the military] would not have disclosed what we saw, taking into consideration that the police actions may be considered as our own act.”
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=Soldiers-hit-policemen-in-Quezon-murder-case&id=69210
SOLDIERS HAVE sought clearance from a murder case by claiming that their police colleagues in the operation tampered with evidence to show that a shoot-out occurred with the criminal group.
“... (W)e witnessed police operatives tampering [with] the evidence, by firing the guns of the occupants of the SUV (sports utility vehicle) in the air,” according to a 58-page joint counteraffidavit filed last week by the soldiers and released to media only yesterday.
Members of the military and the police in Case Operational Plan (Coplan) Armado were last month charged with multiple murder complaints before the Department of Justice (DoJ) over the Jan. 6 incident in Atimonan, Quezon that killed 13 persons, including suspected illegal gambling operation leader Victor Siman.
The alleged rubout -- a term used to silence an opponent -- was an offshoot of rivalry over operations of an illegal numbers game called jueteng.
The soldiers implicated in the alleged rubout were Lt. Col. Monico Abang, Capt. Erwin Macalinao, 1Lt. Rico Tagure, Cpl. Rogelio Tejares, Privates First Class Michael Franco, Alvin Roque Pabon, Ricky Jay Borja, Melvin Lumalang and Gil Gallego, and Privates Marc Zaldy Docdoc and Emergin Barrete.
The policemen were Chief Supt. James Melad, Supt. Hansel Marantan, Sr. Insp. John Paolo Carracedo, Arturo Sarmiento, Ramon Balauag, Timoteo Orig, Joselito De Guzman, Carlo Cataquiz, Eduardo Oronan, Nelson Indal, Al Bhazar Jailani, Wryan Sardea, Rodel Talento and Chief Insp. Grant Gollod.
According to the National Bureau of Investigation, the soldiers “conspired” with the police to neutralize Siman.
However, the military said that if they conspired with the police “we [the military] would not have disclosed what we saw, taking into consideration that the police actions may be considered as our own act.”
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=Soldiers-hit-policemen-in-Quezon-murder-case&id=69210
NDF issues ‘final warning’ to legislator, cousin
From the Business Mirror (Apr 25): NDF issues ‘final warning’ to legislator, cousin
THE National Democratic Front in Eastern Visayas (NDF-EV) has issued a final warning to Liberal Party Rep. Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar and his cousin, gubernatorial candidate Javier Zacate, for their alleged “counter-revolutionary and anti-people crimes,” saying they will now be subject to revolutionary justice.
THE National Democratic Front in Eastern Visayas (NDF-EV) has issued a final warning to Liberal Party Rep. Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar and his cousin, gubernatorial candidate Javier Zacate, for their alleged “counter-revolutionary and anti-people crimes,” saying they will now be subject to revolutionary justice.
In guerrilla parlance, it means both Evardone and Zacate are deemed to be legitimate targets by the New People’s Army (NPA), the people’s militia and even the special partisan units in the urban areas.
The warning was aired by NDF-EV Spokesman Fr. Santiago Salas on April 25 after saying that the rebel movement “has been investigating the crimes of the Evardone-Zacate tandem.”
Zacate used to be mayor of Sulat town.
“Evardone and Zacate are partners both in politics and in crime,” Salas said.
“They both enriched themselves in office as well as through masterminding criminal activities. The Evardone-Zacate tandem also violates the guidelines for electoral access in revolutionary areas by bringing along soldiers to secure and support their campaign sorties. Despite the many opportunities the people’s democratic government gave them to change their rotten ways, these hoodlums persist with impunity. Enough is enough,” he added.
Salas slammed Evardone as “a plunderer who became enormously rich at the expense of the people.”
“Ben Evardone is one of the richest congressmen while Eastern Samar is the poorest province in the region and the fourth poorest in the country. He looted the P173-million loan to the province in 2006 meant to buy equipment and for other purposes. His political reign in Eastern Samar is characterized by anomalous projects, purchases and disbursements. He also opened the province to mining projects that pretended to be small-scale but were in reality large-scale because of sheer number. He also backed the human-rights violations of the military and actively contributed to the surrender campaign against the NPA known as the Social Integration Program (SIP). Evardone even funded the setting up of military intelligence networks in Dolores and Can-avid towns,” the NDF regional spokesman said.
Salas described Zacate “as a known criminal and corrupt official.”
“Javier Zacate has been arrested for involvement in kidnapping-for-ransom to enrich himself as well as support his political candidacy. He also faced corruption charges as Sulat mayor. For several years, he has been misrepresenting himself as a member of the revolutionary movement to extort money from businessmen. Recently, he extorted P500,000 from a contractor to fund his gubernatorial campaign. Zacate commits his crimes with impunity because of his connections to Evardone and the military,” Salas said.
He added that Evardone and Zacate have been campaigning with widespread military support and security, thus putting the people at risk as well as violating the territorial integrity of the revolutionary areas.
“The people in the towns of Oras, Dolores, Arteche and San Policarpio have been complaining of widespread military operations whenever Evardone and Zacate conduct their campaign sorties. Bringing goons and soldiers during political campaigns inside the revolutionary territories seriously violates the guidelines for electoral access in the said areas,” Salas said.
He said that the NPA in Eastern Samar is authorized to disarm and dismantle the goons of Evardone and Zacate and to take offensive actions against their military and police backers.
“Who do Evardone and Zacate think they are? They are just a couple of crooks and criminals who have been coddled by a ruling system that is rotten to the core. The people of Eastern Samar have long been demanding to be rid of these scoundrels through the elections or any other means. The NPA will surely take offensive action against the continuous violations of Evardone and Zacate’s goons and military backers which are both legitimate targets. Evardone and Zacate are also warned by the people’s democratic government to cease, desist and account their counterrevolutionary and anti-people activities. This is their final warning and no appeal is possible,” Salas also said.
Rebels take army soldier in Southern Philippines
From the Mindanao Examiner (Apr 26): Rebels take army soldier in Southern
Philippines
New People’s Army rebel captured a government soldier in the southern Philippines where the communist rebel group launched a series of offensive against military targets in the troubled region.
Daniel Ibarra, a spokesman for the rebel group, said NPA forces captured Pfc. Jesus Tomas, Jr, who is a member of the 71st Infantry Battalion, in the village of Elizalde in Compostela Valley’s Maco town.
He said Tomas was part of a three-man supply team of the army.
“Prisoner-of-war Tomas is currently undergoing investigation for his involvement in counterrevolutionary and anti-people activities,” Ibarra said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
He said the capture of Tomas also coincided with the attack on the soldier’s unit and police forces in Compostela Valley’s Mabini town in retaliation to the brutal killing of an eight-year old Roque Antivo and two other children by government troops.
“The (New) People's Army will continue to inflict blows versus the enemy, especially in its weakest points, and take POWs, fortify people's defense against the onslaught of the rabid Oplan Bayanihan and expose the rotten US-Aquino regime. Abusive police and military men and officers are legitimate targets, and undesirable elements in the communities are subject to the NPA and regulations of the People's Democratic Government,” Ibarra said, referring to the government's anti-insurgency campaign which is supported by the United States.
The NPA has been waging a separatist war the past decades.
http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/04/rebels-take-army-soldier-in-southern.html
New People’s Army rebel captured a government soldier in the southern Philippines where the communist rebel group launched a series of offensive against military targets in the troubled region.
Daniel Ibarra, a spokesman for the rebel group, said NPA forces captured Pfc. Jesus Tomas, Jr, who is a member of the 71st Infantry Battalion, in the village of Elizalde in Compostela Valley’s Maco town.
He said Tomas was part of a three-man supply team of the army.
“Prisoner-of-war Tomas is currently undergoing investigation for his involvement in counterrevolutionary and anti-people activities,” Ibarra said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
He said the capture of Tomas also coincided with the attack on the soldier’s unit and police forces in Compostela Valley’s Mabini town in retaliation to the brutal killing of an eight-year old Roque Antivo and two other children by government troops.
“The (New) People's Army will continue to inflict blows versus the enemy, especially in its weakest points, and take POWs, fortify people's defense against the onslaught of the rabid Oplan Bayanihan and expose the rotten US-Aquino regime. Abusive police and military men and officers are legitimate targets, and undesirable elements in the communities are subject to the NPA and regulations of the People's Democratic Government,” Ibarra said, referring to the government's anti-insurgency campaign which is supported by the United States.
The NPA has been waging a separatist war the past decades.
http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/04/rebels-take-army-soldier-in-southern.html
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Photo: 40 years of rebellion
From the Manila Standard Today (Apr 24): Photo: 40 years of rebellion
Supporters of the communist group National Democratic Front hold a lightning rally on a street in Santa Cruz, Manila, denouncing the government. The NDF celebrates its 40th foundation day today. Danny Pata
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/04/24/40-years-of-rebellion/
Supporters of the communist group National Democratic Front hold a lightning rally on a street in Santa Cruz, Manila, denouncing the government. The NDF celebrates its 40th foundation day today. Danny Pata
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/04/24/40-years-of-rebellion/
Sulu Sultan fears new KL attacks
From the Manila Standard Today (Apr 24): Sulu Sultan fears new KL attacks
The Sulu sultanate on Tuesday expressed fears the Malaysian government will renew its attacks on the sultan’s royal security force now in Sabah once the Malaysian election is over.
Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, said that although there is a lull in the fighting between the RSF and Malaysian troopers, they expect clashes to erupt soon, especially with the RSF beefing up its force with 1,000 fighters from Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.
“I expect clashes to happen soon. At the moment, the Malaysians are very busy with their upcoming election and do not want to disturb Sabah where there are more than 600,000 Bangsa Suluk residents and voters,” he said, referring to long-time Filipino Muslim residents of Sabah.
Although the Suluks are registered voters in Malaysia, they still maintain strong ties with Sulu, according to Idjirani.
Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is running for reelection in the May 5 Malaysian general election is afraid of offending them, Idjirani said. “It might cost him votes,” Idjirani said.
The sultanate earlier announced that at least 1,000 fighters from Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi have landed in Sabah to augment the royal forces and conduct guerilla warfare against the Malaysian forces.
Idjirani said the armed volunteers, mostly members of the Moro National Liberation Front, are fully-armed and some of them carry anti-tank weapons.
At present, Idjirani said the 400-strong RSF led by the sultan’s brother, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, remain mobile in Lahad Datu evading Malaysian security units.
“They have retreated a bit and have taken positions away from Kampung Tanduo and Tanjung Batu,” he said.
Idjirani said the Malaysian military have strengthened their positions at Tawau, which is Sabah’s third largest town after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan to capture arriving reinforcements.
Hajib Mujaha Hashim, chairman of the MNLF’s Islamic Command Council earlier said the volunteer MNLF fighters are seasoned guerilla fighters.
“They (reinforcement) are experienced in guerilla warfare. They are there not officially as MNLF but we could not prevent MNLF forces from going there and reinforcing the royal army of the Sultanate of Sulu in the area,” Hashim said.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/04/24/sulu-sultan-fears-new-kl-attacks/
The Sulu sultanate on Tuesday expressed fears the Malaysian government will renew its attacks on the sultan’s royal security force now in Sabah once the Malaysian election is over.
Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, said that although there is a lull in the fighting between the RSF and Malaysian troopers, they expect clashes to erupt soon, especially with the RSF beefing up its force with 1,000 fighters from Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.
“I expect clashes to happen soon. At the moment, the Malaysians are very busy with their upcoming election and do not want to disturb Sabah where there are more than 600,000 Bangsa Suluk residents and voters,” he said, referring to long-time Filipino Muslim residents of Sabah.
Although the Suluks are registered voters in Malaysia, they still maintain strong ties with Sulu, according to Idjirani.
Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is running for reelection in the May 5 Malaysian general election is afraid of offending them, Idjirani said. “It might cost him votes,” Idjirani said.
The sultanate earlier announced that at least 1,000 fighters from Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi have landed in Sabah to augment the royal forces and conduct guerilla warfare against the Malaysian forces.
Idjirani said the armed volunteers, mostly members of the Moro National Liberation Front, are fully-armed and some of them carry anti-tank weapons.
At present, Idjirani said the 400-strong RSF led by the sultan’s brother, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, remain mobile in Lahad Datu evading Malaysian security units.
“They have retreated a bit and have taken positions away from Kampung Tanduo and Tanjung Batu,” he said.
Idjirani said the Malaysian military have strengthened their positions at Tawau, which is Sabah’s third largest town after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan to capture arriving reinforcements.
Hajib Mujaha Hashim, chairman of the MNLF’s Islamic Command Council earlier said the volunteer MNLF fighters are seasoned guerilla fighters.
“They (reinforcement) are experienced in guerilla warfare. They are there not officially as MNLF but we could not prevent MNLF forces from going there and reinforcing the royal army of the Sultanate of Sulu in the area,” Hashim said.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/04/24/sulu-sultan-fears-new-kl-attacks/
US Navy execs told to answer reef cases
From the Manila Standard Today (Apr 24): US Navy execs told to answer reef cases
The Supreme Court has approved a petition for a writ filed by a multi-sectoral group seeking higher penalties against and the criminal prosecution of the US Navy officers aboard a minesweeper that ran aground on the Tubbataha Reef on Jan. 17.
The writ, however, is procedural in nature and does not have the effect of a temporary restraining order. It only ordered the respondents in the case to answer the petition within 10 days of receiving it.
The high court also did not immediately issue a temporary environment protection order that was being sought by the petitioners on the UNESCO world heritage site.
But the Court remanded the case to the Court of Appeals “for hearing, reception of evidence and rendition of judgment.”
The respondents in the case are Scott Swift in his capacity as commander of the US 7th Fleet; Mark Rice, the commanding officer of the minesweeper USS Guardian, the government officials led by President Benigno Aquino III, the military and the members of the Cabinet.
The USS Guardian damaged about 2,000 square meters of the Tubbataha Reef when it ran aground after its officers ignored the warnings of the reef’s minders that they were entering a protected site.
The ship was then removed piece by piece, and its last section was taken out on March 29. Its officers were relieved a few days later.
The petitioners in the case are seeking a fine against the United States that is 12 times the initial estimate of the Philippine government.
They say the just compensation for the damage to the Tubbataha Reef is between $16.8 million and $27 million and not $1.4 million, citing the $15 million that the US Navy paid to the state of Hawaii after the USS Port Royal went aground in 2009 and damaged a reef in Oahu, which is bigger but not a World Heritage Site like the Tubbataha. They say the Tubbataha’s biodiversity concentration is 2.3 times more than the Oahu reef’s.
The petitioners also want to prosecute the respondents in the case, saying the US Navy cannot invoke immunity under the Visiting Forces Agreement. They also want the Supreme Court to stop the military exercises between the Philippine and US forces.
The petitioners in the case include Bishop Pedro Arigo of Puerto Princesa, Bishop Deogracias Iniguez Jr. of Caloocan, Frances Quimpo, the group Kalikasan Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Bayan Muna and the Kilusang Mayo Uno.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/04/24/us-navy-execs-told-to-answer-reef-cases/
The Supreme Court has approved a petition for a writ filed by a multi-sectoral group seeking higher penalties against and the criminal prosecution of the US Navy officers aboard a minesweeper that ran aground on the Tubbataha Reef on Jan. 17.
The writ, however, is procedural in nature and does not have the effect of a temporary restraining order. It only ordered the respondents in the case to answer the petition within 10 days of receiving it.
The high court also did not immediately issue a temporary environment protection order that was being sought by the petitioners on the UNESCO world heritage site.
But the Court remanded the case to the Court of Appeals “for hearing, reception of evidence and rendition of judgment.”
The respondents in the case are Scott Swift in his capacity as commander of the US 7th Fleet; Mark Rice, the commanding officer of the minesweeper USS Guardian, the government officials led by President Benigno Aquino III, the military and the members of the Cabinet.
The USS Guardian damaged about 2,000 square meters of the Tubbataha Reef when it ran aground after its officers ignored the warnings of the reef’s minders that they were entering a protected site.
The ship was then removed piece by piece, and its last section was taken out on March 29. Its officers were relieved a few days later.
The petitioners in the case are seeking a fine against the United States that is 12 times the initial estimate of the Philippine government.
They say the just compensation for the damage to the Tubbataha Reef is between $16.8 million and $27 million and not $1.4 million, citing the $15 million that the US Navy paid to the state of Hawaii after the USS Port Royal went aground in 2009 and damaged a reef in Oahu, which is bigger but not a World Heritage Site like the Tubbataha. They say the Tubbataha’s biodiversity concentration is 2.3 times more than the Oahu reef’s.
The petitioners also want to prosecute the respondents in the case, saying the US Navy cannot invoke immunity under the Visiting Forces Agreement. They also want the Supreme Court to stop the military exercises between the Philippine and US forces.
The petitioners in the case include Bishop Pedro Arigo of Puerto Princesa, Bishop Deogracias Iniguez Jr. of Caloocan, Frances Quimpo, the group Kalikasan Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Bayan Muna and the Kilusang Mayo Uno.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/04/24/us-navy-execs-told-to-answer-reef-cases/
NPA defy Aquino mandate, intensifies operations in Compostela Valley
From the Manila Bulletin (Apr 24): NPA defy Aquino mandate, intensifies operations in Compostela Valley
The New People’s Army (NPA) is seemingly testing the patience of President Aquino after renewing its tactical offensive by firing a grenade launcher on a police station and abducting a soldier in Compostela Valley.
This developed as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) ordered its armed wing, NPA, to intensify the conduct of roadblocks in an apparent taunt to Aquino’s instruction for a crackdown on all NPA checkpoints following the ambush on 78-year old Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona, mother of Sen. Teofisto Guingona, on Saturday that left two of her civilian escorts dead and inflicted injuries on the lady local chief executive.
Senior Supt. Camilo Cascolan, director of the Compostela Valley police, said the first attack occurred at around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday when communist rebels fired a grenade launcher towards the Mabini Police Station.
“The explosive hit the second floor of outside the building and its glass window,” said Cascolan, noting that the there was no reported casualty during the blast.
“The grenade launcher was fired at the time when there was a power outage in the area,” he added.
At around 7 a.m. Wednesday, a group of communist rebels engaged the operatives of the 71st Infantry Batallion in Barangay Elizalde in Maco town.
There was also no reported casualty in the clash but Cascolan said another group of rebels abducted a soldier who was on the way to the public market.
“There were three of them but the two other soldiers were able to escape,” said Cascolan.
In a statement, the CPP said it has ordered the NPA to enforce the prohibition against the bearing of firearms by election candidates and their escorts while campaigning in areas within what it described as “jurisdiction of the people's democratic government”.
“The CPP dismissed Aquino's orders as empty bluster which the AFP and PNP are incapable of enforcing. The armed forces and police personnel of the reactionary government are thinly stretched and cannot possibly cover all areas under the jurisdiction of the people's organs of political power,” the statement read.
"In accordance with the policies issued by the people's democratic government, the New People's Army can setup checkpoints or roadblocks as part of its retinue of measures to maintain peace and order and ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of the masses against the dirty and violent conduct of the reactionary elections,” it added.
The 4,000-strong NPA has been waging more than four decades of armed struggle against the government, which in turn, has been encouraging the group to go back to the negotiating table. The recent peace talks, however, hit a snag.
http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=9064&sid=1&subid=5
The New People’s Army (NPA) is seemingly testing the patience of President Aquino after renewing its tactical offensive by firing a grenade launcher on a police station and abducting a soldier in Compostela Valley.
This developed as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) ordered its armed wing, NPA, to intensify the conduct of roadblocks in an apparent taunt to Aquino’s instruction for a crackdown on all NPA checkpoints following the ambush on 78-year old Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona, mother of Sen. Teofisto Guingona, on Saturday that left two of her civilian escorts dead and inflicted injuries on the lady local chief executive.
Senior Supt. Camilo Cascolan, director of the Compostela Valley police, said the first attack occurred at around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday when communist rebels fired a grenade launcher towards the Mabini Police Station.
“The explosive hit the second floor of outside the building and its glass window,” said Cascolan, noting that the there was no reported casualty during the blast.
“The grenade launcher was fired at the time when there was a power outage in the area,” he added.
At around 7 a.m. Wednesday, a group of communist rebels engaged the operatives of the 71st Infantry Batallion in Barangay Elizalde in Maco town.
There was also no reported casualty in the clash but Cascolan said another group of rebels abducted a soldier who was on the way to the public market.
“There were three of them but the two other soldiers were able to escape,” said Cascolan.
In a statement, the CPP said it has ordered the NPA to enforce the prohibition against the bearing of firearms by election candidates and their escorts while campaigning in areas within what it described as “jurisdiction of the people's democratic government”.
“The CPP dismissed Aquino's orders as empty bluster which the AFP and PNP are incapable of enforcing. The armed forces and police personnel of the reactionary government are thinly stretched and cannot possibly cover all areas under the jurisdiction of the people's organs of political power,” the statement read.
"In accordance with the policies issued by the people's democratic government, the New People's Army can setup checkpoints or roadblocks as part of its retinue of measures to maintain peace and order and ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of the masses against the dirty and violent conduct of the reactionary elections,” it added.
The 4,000-strong NPA has been waging more than four decades of armed struggle against the government, which in turn, has been encouraging the group to go back to the negotiating table. The recent peace talks, however, hit a snag.
http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=9064&sid=1&subid=5
PNP planning crackdown on NPA operations despite limited resources
From the Manila Bulletin (Apr 23): PNP planning crackdown on NPA operations despite limited resources
With limited personnel and resources, the Philippine National Police (PNP) wants to strategize operations against the communist rebels in eastern part of Mindanao.
And as far as he is concerned, PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima wants to make the police presence felt in areas where the New People’s Army (NPA) is getting its funds and other supplies.
“They are engaged in extortion activities and they would naturally go in areas where they get their resources like mining and plantations in eastern Mindanao,” said Purisima.
Purisima made the statement in reaction to the series of tactical offensives of the NPA in eastern Mindanao, from harassments of police and military detachments, ambuscades, to abduction of policemen and militiamen.
On Monday, no less than President Aquino ordered the crackdown on all checkpoints set up by the communist rebels in response to the ambush on the convoy of the mother of Teofisto Guingona III, Mayor Ruth Guingona, in Gingoog City that left two people dead and two others wounded, including the local chief executive herself.
Purisima, however, admitted the difficulty in tracking down the “checkpoint” set up by the communist rebels, saying the NPA checkpoints are usually being set up in areas and during the time that they know government troops could not easily catch them.
“Their so-called checkpoints are not permanent compared to the ones being set up by the PNP and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines). They usually do it in the absence of policemen and soldiers,” said Purisima.
As such, the official wants to focus police operations and intelligence build up in the companies and establishments that are usually being victimized by the communist rebels in their alleged extortion activities.
Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo, Jr., PNP spokesman, said they are expecting the deployment of elite police forces to run after the communist rebels in eastern Mindanao.
On Monday, the military said a battalion of soldiers, composed of roughly 500 people, will be deployed in Misamis Oriental to track down and contain the movement of the local communist rebels. Gingoog City is in Misamis Oriental.
“We have forces dedicated for that job (operations against NPA) and these will certainly be tapped with the order of the President,” said Cerbo.
The official is referring to the Special Action Force and Public Safety Battalion and Company whose personnel are all trained in counter-insurgency operations.
The 4,000-strong NPA has been waging more than four decades of armed struggle against the government. The group reached its peak in the 1980s with some 26,000 members across the country.
http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=8934&sid=1&subid=2
With limited personnel and resources, the Philippine National Police (PNP) wants to strategize operations against the communist rebels in eastern part of Mindanao.
And as far as he is concerned, PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima wants to make the police presence felt in areas where the New People’s Army (NPA) is getting its funds and other supplies.
“They are engaged in extortion activities and they would naturally go in areas where they get their resources like mining and plantations in eastern Mindanao,” said Purisima.
Purisima made the statement in reaction to the series of tactical offensives of the NPA in eastern Mindanao, from harassments of police and military detachments, ambuscades, to abduction of policemen and militiamen.
On Monday, no less than President Aquino ordered the crackdown on all checkpoints set up by the communist rebels in response to the ambush on the convoy of the mother of Teofisto Guingona III, Mayor Ruth Guingona, in Gingoog City that left two people dead and two others wounded, including the local chief executive herself.
Purisima, however, admitted the difficulty in tracking down the “checkpoint” set up by the communist rebels, saying the NPA checkpoints are usually being set up in areas and during the time that they know government troops could not easily catch them.
“Their so-called checkpoints are not permanent compared to the ones being set up by the PNP and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines). They usually do it in the absence of policemen and soldiers,” said Purisima.
As such, the official wants to focus police operations and intelligence build up in the companies and establishments that are usually being victimized by the communist rebels in their alleged extortion activities.
Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo, Jr., PNP spokesman, said they are expecting the deployment of elite police forces to run after the communist rebels in eastern Mindanao.
On Monday, the military said a battalion of soldiers, composed of roughly 500 people, will be deployed in Misamis Oriental to track down and contain the movement of the local communist rebels. Gingoog City is in Misamis Oriental.
“We have forces dedicated for that job (operations against NPA) and these will certainly be tapped with the order of the President,” said Cerbo.
The official is referring to the Special Action Force and Public Safety Battalion and Company whose personnel are all trained in counter-insurgency operations.
The 4,000-strong NPA has been waging more than four decades of armed struggle against the government. The group reached its peak in the 1980s with some 26,000 members across the country.
http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=8934&sid=1&subid=2
Soldier honored
From the Manila Bulletin (Apr 24): Soldier honored
The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has honored and awarded a Filipino soldier with the UN Mission Service Medals at the UNMOGIP headquarters in Islamabad.
The award was bestowed on Major Ricado M. Lucero Jr. who served as UNMOGlP’s Chief Operations Officer and the third-in-command of the mission since February 2012. His tour-of-duty had been extended twice this year. UNMOGIP has a pending request for the further extension of the tour of duty of Major Lucero until August, 2013.
Major General Young Bum Choi, UNMOGIP’s Chief Military Observer and Head of the Mission, informed Philippine Ambassador to Pakistan Domingo D. Lucenano Jr. at the sidelines of the awarding ceremony that he has chosen Lucero as his “right hand man” because of the Filipino’s professional military training and competence. UNMOGIP has been operating in the Kashmir region for over 60 years.
http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=9010&sid=1&subid=2
The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has honored and awarded a Filipino soldier with the UN Mission Service Medals at the UNMOGIP headquarters in Islamabad.
The award was bestowed on Major Ricado M. Lucero Jr. who served as UNMOGlP’s Chief Operations Officer and the third-in-command of the mission since February 2012. His tour-of-duty had been extended twice this year. UNMOGIP has a pending request for the further extension of the tour of duty of Major Lucero until August, 2013.
Major General Young Bum Choi, UNMOGIP’s Chief Military Observer and Head of the Mission, informed Philippine Ambassador to Pakistan Domingo D. Lucenano Jr. at the sidelines of the awarding ceremony that he has chosen Lucero as his “right hand man” because of the Filipino’s professional military training and competence. UNMOGIP has been operating in the Kashmir region for over 60 years.
http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=9010&sid=1&subid=2
Marines to Misamis Or.
From Malaya (Apr 24): Marines to Misamis Or.
Two battalions pitted vs. 70 NPAs
A BATTALION of Marines is being deployed to Misamis Oriental in the wake of last Saturday’s ambush of the convoy of Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona, wife of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. and mother of Sen. Teofisto Guingona III.
The deployment followed the call of Sen. Teofisto Guingona Jr. for increased police and military presence in the province after the ambush staged by the New People’s Army, which left two bodyguards of the mayor dead.
The Marines will be in addition to the Army’s 58th Infantry Battalion which is currently deployed in the province.
A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the usual operational setup is “one on one,” or one battalion (about 500 men) per province. The exception is in high-risk areas like Maguindanao, Sulu and Basilan where several battalions are deployed to address threats which include the Abu Sayyaf.
In Misamis Oriental, the only threat group is the NPA, and only about 60 to 70 NPA rebels are operating there, the official said.
The deployment of the additional forces was apparently decided on by the military hierarchy on the request of Senator Guingona who belongs to President Aquino’s Liberal Party. “That would be the reason,” he said.
Senator Guingona has also asked the Commission on Elections to place the province in its list of election hot spots. His request has also been granted.
Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. said, “We already placed it as an area of immediate concern…That is a big deal already since it is the second stage.”
Based on PNP guidelines, there are four degrees of concern this election -- area of concern, area of immediate concern, area of great concern, and those needed to be placed under Comelec control.
“This is really a matter of the police and military. We just got involved a little since it involved a mayor,” Brillantes also said.
Guingona said Monday Brillantes had committed to consider the province an election hot spot.
The Marine battalion is arriving today or tomorrow in Misamis Oriental, according to Maj. Leo Bongosia, spokesman of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division. It will be placed under the operational control of the 4th ID.
He said the battalion is coming from Metro Manila, and part of the unit already arrived in Butuan City yesterday morning. He said the troops are undergoing orientation before their actual deployment.
The headquarters of the Marine Corps is based in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City where the 3rd Marine Battalion recently underwent mandatory retraining and refurbishing.
Bongosia said 4th ID commander Maj. Gen. Nestor Añonuevo described the deployment of the Marines as a “big boost to the present troops (in the province) in the conduct of security operations.”
He said there are few soldiers in the province, resulting in gaps in the operations, “so we have to fill in that gap.”
Bongosia said the deployment of the Marines is in compliance with a directive issued by higher headquarters Monday night. He said the plan was discussed right after the ambush of Guingona’s convoy.
He said the Marines would help secure the elections and the communities, and “perhaps negate any hostile plan of the NPA or any armed group that may (sow violence) in the elections.”
Senator Guingona has raised the issue of “checkpoints” being set up by the NPA, and asked why the military is “allowing” the practice.
In a statement issued Sunday, an NPA spokesman said the mayor’s convoy ignored an NPA “checkpoint” and fired at NPA rebels manning it.
Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz, newly installed chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said what the NPA put up was a “roadblock” and not a “checkpoint.”
He said a checkpoint is put up by the military and the police who flag down and check commuters passing by, and with no specific target.
“What the NPAs did was a deliberate roadblock. These (roadblocks) are designed to harass or ambush certain targets, whether politicians or military. They know who are passing in a certain area at a certain time so they put up the roadblock,” he said.
Cruz said the rebels apparently knew that Mayor Guingona went to the interior part of the city so they put up the roadblock. “They know that she is going to pass again that area so they waited for her (at the roadblock),” he said.
Asked how the military would prevent such moves by the rebels, Cruz said politicians should inform the military when going to certain areas “so that we will provide area security and route security in the area where they will pass.”
Brillantes said the Comelec believes the NPA should not be allowed to set up checkpoints.
“Even if it is not the elections, the NPA should not have checkpoints,” he said.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/news/nation/29482-marines-to-misamis-or
Two battalions pitted vs. 70 NPAs
A BATTALION of Marines is being deployed to Misamis Oriental in the wake of last Saturday’s ambush of the convoy of Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona, wife of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. and mother of Sen. Teofisto Guingona III.
The deployment followed the call of Sen. Teofisto Guingona Jr. for increased police and military presence in the province after the ambush staged by the New People’s Army, which left two bodyguards of the mayor dead.
The Marines will be in addition to the Army’s 58th Infantry Battalion which is currently deployed in the province.
A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the usual operational setup is “one on one,” or one battalion (about 500 men) per province. The exception is in high-risk areas like Maguindanao, Sulu and Basilan where several battalions are deployed to address threats which include the Abu Sayyaf.
In Misamis Oriental, the only threat group is the NPA, and only about 60 to 70 NPA rebels are operating there, the official said.
The deployment of the additional forces was apparently decided on by the military hierarchy on the request of Senator Guingona who belongs to President Aquino’s Liberal Party. “That would be the reason,” he said.
Senator Guingona has also asked the Commission on Elections to place the province in its list of election hot spots. His request has also been granted.
Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. said, “We already placed it as an area of immediate concern…That is a big deal already since it is the second stage.”
Based on PNP guidelines, there are four degrees of concern this election -- area of concern, area of immediate concern, area of great concern, and those needed to be placed under Comelec control.
“This is really a matter of the police and military. We just got involved a little since it involved a mayor,” Brillantes also said.
Guingona said Monday Brillantes had committed to consider the province an election hot spot.
The Marine battalion is arriving today or tomorrow in Misamis Oriental, according to Maj. Leo Bongosia, spokesman of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division. It will be placed under the operational control of the 4th ID.
He said the battalion is coming from Metro Manila, and part of the unit already arrived in Butuan City yesterday morning. He said the troops are undergoing orientation before their actual deployment.
The headquarters of the Marine Corps is based in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City where the 3rd Marine Battalion recently underwent mandatory retraining and refurbishing.
Bongosia said 4th ID commander Maj. Gen. Nestor Añonuevo described the deployment of the Marines as a “big boost to the present troops (in the province) in the conduct of security operations.”
He said there are few soldiers in the province, resulting in gaps in the operations, “so we have to fill in that gap.”
Bongosia said the deployment of the Marines is in compliance with a directive issued by higher headquarters Monday night. He said the plan was discussed right after the ambush of Guingona’s convoy.
He said the Marines would help secure the elections and the communities, and “perhaps negate any hostile plan of the NPA or any armed group that may (sow violence) in the elections.”
Senator Guingona has raised the issue of “checkpoints” being set up by the NPA, and asked why the military is “allowing” the practice.
In a statement issued Sunday, an NPA spokesman said the mayor’s convoy ignored an NPA “checkpoint” and fired at NPA rebels manning it.
Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz, newly installed chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said what the NPA put up was a “roadblock” and not a “checkpoint.”
He said a checkpoint is put up by the military and the police who flag down and check commuters passing by, and with no specific target.
“What the NPAs did was a deliberate roadblock. These (roadblocks) are designed to harass or ambush certain targets, whether politicians or military. They know who are passing in a certain area at a certain time so they put up the roadblock,” he said.
Cruz said the rebels apparently knew that Mayor Guingona went to the interior part of the city so they put up the roadblock. “They know that she is going to pass again that area so they waited for her (at the roadblock),” he said.
Asked how the military would prevent such moves by the rebels, Cruz said politicians should inform the military when going to certain areas “so that we will provide area security and route security in the area where they will pass.”
Brillantes said the Comelec believes the NPA should not be allowed to set up checkpoints.
“Even if it is not the elections, the NPA should not have checkpoints,” he said.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/news/nation/29482-marines-to-misamis-or
Marantan breaks silence, says Atimonan massacre normal police operation
From the Daily Tribune (Apr 24): Marantan breaks silence, says Atimonan massacre normal police operation
Beleaguered police officer Hansel Marantan has formally denied the multiple murder charges filed against him and other police and military men before the Department of Justice (DoJ) for the killings of more than a dozen men in Atimonan, Quezon on Jan. 6.
In his 22-page counter affidavit Marantan echoed his earlier insistence that the deaths of businessmen Vic Siman and his group occurred in a “legitimate operational plan formulated to neutralize syndicated and organized groups in the region.”
His fellow respondent, former Region IV-A police director Chief Supt. James Andres Melad, made the same claim.
“I merely acted in the fulfillment of my duty as a police officer, or in the lawful exercise of a right or office… The death of the 13 occupants was never planned. It was a chanced occurrence,” Marantan said.
Marantan, who remains confined at the Philippine National Police General Hospital, also challenged the credibility of the three eyewitnesses that led the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) into concluding the incident was a “rubout.”
Citing lack of ample evidence, he also belied allegation that there was conspiracy among the uniformed men to kill Siman and his group stemming from a supposed turf war on jueteng operations in Southern Tagalog.
“I specifically and vehemently deny the motive imputed to me in the NBI executive report. The conclusions in the report are actually conjectures or speculations without any iota of evidence or proof, testimonial or documentary, adduced to support the same,” Marantan stressed.
Finally, he questioned the active participation of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in the NBI probe, pointing out that she even “acted as movie director, so to speak, during the re-enactment.”
“If truth be told, Secretary De Lima has been after my neck from the time she became the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights... in connection to a police operation sometime in 2005,” he alleged.
Marantan answered the charges before the DoJ despite his plea to suspend the preliminary investigation (PI) being conducted by a panel led by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva.
In an urgent motion, he told the DoJ panel of a petition he filed with the Supreme Court (SC) last April 8 questioning the conduct of the NBI probe, which he said violated his constitutional right to due process.
He asked the panel to observe “judicial courtesy” and await the ruling of the high court on his petition before proceeding with the PI.
In his petition, Marantan asked the high court to issue a temporary restraining order enjoining the DoJ from proceeding with the PI.
He cited an earlier statement of De Lima that the incident was “definitely no shootout,” which he said was a “prejudgment of the case.”
He believes the DoJ should instead pass the case to the Office of the Ombudsman for a fair and just investigation.
Melad appeared before the DoJ to also deny the charges against them. He presented Supt. Glenn Dumlao, head of the Regional Public Safety Battalion of Region IV-A, as witness and insisted the operation was legitimate and sanctioned by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.
The charges were filed last month after fact-finding probe of NBI showed — based on accounts of three eyewitnesses and physical and forensic evidence — that some of the victims were already lying on the ground, slumped on the seat or ready to surrender but were still shot dead by operatives.
Investigators, who pointed to “jueteng turf war” as possible motive behind the killings, also cited proofs of tampering of the crime scene.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/13286-marantan-breaks-silence-says-atimonan-massacre-normal-police-operation
Beleaguered police officer Hansel Marantan has formally denied the multiple murder charges filed against him and other police and military men before the Department of Justice (DoJ) for the killings of more than a dozen men in Atimonan, Quezon on Jan. 6.
In his 22-page counter affidavit Marantan echoed his earlier insistence that the deaths of businessmen Vic Siman and his group occurred in a “legitimate operational plan formulated to neutralize syndicated and organized groups in the region.”
His fellow respondent, former Region IV-A police director Chief Supt. James Andres Melad, made the same claim.
“I merely acted in the fulfillment of my duty as a police officer, or in the lawful exercise of a right or office… The death of the 13 occupants was never planned. It was a chanced occurrence,” Marantan said.
Marantan, who remains confined at the Philippine National Police General Hospital, also challenged the credibility of the three eyewitnesses that led the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) into concluding the incident was a “rubout.”
Citing lack of ample evidence, he also belied allegation that there was conspiracy among the uniformed men to kill Siman and his group stemming from a supposed turf war on jueteng operations in Southern Tagalog.
“I specifically and vehemently deny the motive imputed to me in the NBI executive report. The conclusions in the report are actually conjectures or speculations without any iota of evidence or proof, testimonial or documentary, adduced to support the same,” Marantan stressed.
Finally, he questioned the active participation of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in the NBI probe, pointing out that she even “acted as movie director, so to speak, during the re-enactment.”
“If truth be told, Secretary De Lima has been after my neck from the time she became the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights... in connection to a police operation sometime in 2005,” he alleged.
Marantan answered the charges before the DoJ despite his plea to suspend the preliminary investigation (PI) being conducted by a panel led by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva.
In an urgent motion, he told the DoJ panel of a petition he filed with the Supreme Court (SC) last April 8 questioning the conduct of the NBI probe, which he said violated his constitutional right to due process.
He asked the panel to observe “judicial courtesy” and await the ruling of the high court on his petition before proceeding with the PI.
In his petition, Marantan asked the high court to issue a temporary restraining order enjoining the DoJ from proceeding with the PI.
He cited an earlier statement of De Lima that the incident was “definitely no shootout,” which he said was a “prejudgment of the case.”
He believes the DoJ should instead pass the case to the Office of the Ombudsman for a fair and just investigation.
Melad appeared before the DoJ to also deny the charges against them. He presented Supt. Glenn Dumlao, head of the Regional Public Safety Battalion of Region IV-A, as witness and insisted the operation was legitimate and sanctioned by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.
The charges were filed last month after fact-finding probe of NBI showed — based on accounts of three eyewitnesses and physical and forensic evidence — that some of the victims were already lying on the ground, slumped on the seat or ready to surrender but were still shot dead by operatives.
Investigators, who pointed to “jueteng turf war” as possible motive behind the killings, also cited proofs of tampering of the crime scene.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/13286-marantan-breaks-silence-says-atimonan-massacre-normal-police-operation
Reds dare Noy to remove all rebel checkpoints
From the Daily Tribune (Apr 24): Reds dare Noy to remove all rebel checkpoints
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) taunted President Aquino to make good his “empty bluster” to dismantle communist checkpoints all over the country as the rebel political group said neither the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) nor the Philippine National Police (PNP) is capable of carrying out Aquino’s order.
The CPP said in a statement the AFP and the PNP are incapable of enforcing the presidential order to get rid of checkpoints established by its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA) in various parts of the country in the aftermath of the ambush of Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona, wife for former Vice President Teofisto Guingona.
“Malacañang and its cohorts are only deluding themselves in making assertions that there is only one political authority in the country,” the CPP said in a statement.
“The CPP dismissed Aquino’s orders as empty bluster which the AFP and PNP are incapable of enforcing…the armed forces and the police personnel of the reactionary government are thinly stretched and cannot possibly cover all areas under the jurisdiction of the people’s organs of political power,” the CPP said.
Last Saturday, Mrs Guingona’s group was on its way back to Gingoog City proper after attending a barangay fiesta when NPA rebels fired upon her vehicle along Barangay Binakalan, Ginggoog City, resulting in the killing of three of civilians.
Mrs Guingona sustained minor injuries while a policeman-escort was also wounded.
The NPA, through Jorge Madlos, immediately admitted responsibility over the ambush and claimed that Mrs Guingona’s vehicle ignored an NPA checkpoint, prompting communist fighters to shoot.
Aquino vowed to find the armed group that attacked Guingona and her companions and bring them to justice.
In a speech during a meeting with local leaders and residents of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental near the ambush site, Aquino said he issued a directive to law enforcement agencies to pursue the group behind the violence.
The other day, Aquino instructed the AFP to dismantle road blocks set up by the NPA particularly in supposed areas they group control.
Deputy Presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said that while the government’s intention was to stop illegal activities of the rebel group, the AFP has limitations and doesn’t have the resources to guard all hot spots in the country.
“Given the limitations of the forces that we have, the military cannot be in all hot spots of the insurgents, that is the reason for our call to local candidates to provide us with information that would help the AFP in their operations,” Valte said.
The Palace official also appealed to candidates campaigning for the May 13 elections to reject the demand of the NPA for them to pay “permit-to-campaign” fees.
“We have consistently asked local candidates not to succumb to these demands and to report any of these—for lack of a better word—’requests for payments’ to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) so the proper response can be made in those particular areas,” she said.
Reports said the NPA has been demanding from candidates substantial fees for permission to campaign in the areas where the rebel group operates.
The government ordered the deputation of law enforcement agencies as well as the AFP to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible conduct of the May 13 automated national and local elections.
However, the CPP said the NPA will continue to set up checkpoints within its areas of operations as it reiterated its warning against politicians who want to campaign within their strongholds not to carry firearms.
“The CPP reiterated its order for the NPA to enforce the prohibition against the bearing of firearms by election candidates and their escorts while campaigning in areas within the jurisdiction of the people’s democratic government,” the CPP said.
The CPP said that the “NPA can set up checkpoints or roadblocks as part of its retinue of measures to maintain peace and order and ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of the masses against the dirty and violent conduct of the reactionary elections.”
The AFP deployed a battalion of Marines in Misamis Oriental following the ambush against Guingona that resulted in the killing of three of her aides.
Maj. Leo Bongosia, spokesman of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division (ID), confirmed the deployment of an additional battalion of Marines in Misamis Oriental but claimed that the sending of fresh troops in the area was primarily meant for the upcoming May 13 elections and not specifically due to the ambush against Mrs Guingona.
“That’s true. The AFP added troops in Misamis Oreintal but the reason behind that is not because of what happened to Mayor Ruthie Guingona but the primary thrusts given to the additional troops is for the incoming elections,” said Bongosia.
However, Bongosia admitted that the deployment of fresh troops in Misamis Oreintal was only decided after President Aquino’s pronouncement for the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to dismantle New People’s Army (NPA) checkpoints in various parts of the country.
“Not necessarily in response to the ambush but in general situation in Misamis Oriental,” said Bongosia.
Bognovia admitted that 4th ID troops are “thin in numbers” considering their deployment.
“There is some gap…so we have to fill in that gap,” said Bongosia.
The NPA admitted responsibility over the ambush against Mrs Guingona’s group last Saturday night along Barangay Binakalan, Ginggoog City. Three civilian aides of the mayor were killed while she and a policeman-escort were wounded.
The military spokesman stressed that the 4th ID welcomed the additional troops as huge boost for the conduct of security and development operations in the area and also for the maintenance of peaceful and orderly elections next month.
Bongosia said that a battalion of Marines will be arriving in Misamis Oriental by today or Thursday.
The Marines, Bongosia said, would be placed under the operational control of the 4th ID, led by Maj. Gen. Nestor Anonuevo.
Presently, the Army’s 58th Infantry Battlion (IB) is the one responsible over Misamis Oriental province.
For his part, Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) chief Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz urged political candidates to coordinate with government security forces when campaigning.
“Before they go to certain places, we should be informed beforehand and we will provide area security and route security along their route,” said Cruz, who has direct supervision over 4th ID.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/13289-reds-dare-noy-to-remove-all-rebel-checkpoints
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) taunted President Aquino to make good his “empty bluster” to dismantle communist checkpoints all over the country as the rebel political group said neither the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) nor the Philippine National Police (PNP) is capable of carrying out Aquino’s order.
The CPP said in a statement the AFP and the PNP are incapable of enforcing the presidential order to get rid of checkpoints established by its armed wing the New People’s Army (NPA) in various parts of the country in the aftermath of the ambush of Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona, wife for former Vice President Teofisto Guingona.
“Malacañang and its cohorts are only deluding themselves in making assertions that there is only one political authority in the country,” the CPP said in a statement.
“The CPP dismissed Aquino’s orders as empty bluster which the AFP and PNP are incapable of enforcing…the armed forces and the police personnel of the reactionary government are thinly stretched and cannot possibly cover all areas under the jurisdiction of the people’s organs of political power,” the CPP said.
Last Saturday, Mrs Guingona’s group was on its way back to Gingoog City proper after attending a barangay fiesta when NPA rebels fired upon her vehicle along Barangay Binakalan, Ginggoog City, resulting in the killing of three of civilians.
Mrs Guingona sustained minor injuries while a policeman-escort was also wounded.
The NPA, through Jorge Madlos, immediately admitted responsibility over the ambush and claimed that Mrs Guingona’s vehicle ignored an NPA checkpoint, prompting communist fighters to shoot.
Aquino vowed to find the armed group that attacked Guingona and her companions and bring them to justice.
In a speech during a meeting with local leaders and residents of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental near the ambush site, Aquino said he issued a directive to law enforcement agencies to pursue the group behind the violence.
The other day, Aquino instructed the AFP to dismantle road blocks set up by the NPA particularly in supposed areas they group control.
Deputy Presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said that while the government’s intention was to stop illegal activities of the rebel group, the AFP has limitations and doesn’t have the resources to guard all hot spots in the country.
“Given the limitations of the forces that we have, the military cannot be in all hot spots of the insurgents, that is the reason for our call to local candidates to provide us with information that would help the AFP in their operations,” Valte said.
The Palace official also appealed to candidates campaigning for the May 13 elections to reject the demand of the NPA for them to pay “permit-to-campaign” fees.
“We have consistently asked local candidates not to succumb to these demands and to report any of these—for lack of a better word—’requests for payments’ to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) so the proper response can be made in those particular areas,” she said.
Reports said the NPA has been demanding from candidates substantial fees for permission to campaign in the areas where the rebel group operates.
The government ordered the deputation of law enforcement agencies as well as the AFP to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible conduct of the May 13 automated national and local elections.
However, the CPP said the NPA will continue to set up checkpoints within its areas of operations as it reiterated its warning against politicians who want to campaign within their strongholds not to carry firearms.
“The CPP reiterated its order for the NPA to enforce the prohibition against the bearing of firearms by election candidates and their escorts while campaigning in areas within the jurisdiction of the people’s democratic government,” the CPP said.
The CPP said that the “NPA can set up checkpoints or roadblocks as part of its retinue of measures to maintain peace and order and ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of the masses against the dirty and violent conduct of the reactionary elections.”
The AFP deployed a battalion of Marines in Misamis Oriental following the ambush against Guingona that resulted in the killing of three of her aides.
Maj. Leo Bongosia, spokesman of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division (ID), confirmed the deployment of an additional battalion of Marines in Misamis Oriental but claimed that the sending of fresh troops in the area was primarily meant for the upcoming May 13 elections and not specifically due to the ambush against Mrs Guingona.
“That’s true. The AFP added troops in Misamis Oreintal but the reason behind that is not because of what happened to Mayor Ruthie Guingona but the primary thrusts given to the additional troops is for the incoming elections,” said Bongosia.
However, Bongosia admitted that the deployment of fresh troops in Misamis Oreintal was only decided after President Aquino’s pronouncement for the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to dismantle New People’s Army (NPA) checkpoints in various parts of the country.
“Not necessarily in response to the ambush but in general situation in Misamis Oriental,” said Bongosia.
Bognovia admitted that 4th ID troops are “thin in numbers” considering their deployment.
“There is some gap…so we have to fill in that gap,” said Bongosia.
The NPA admitted responsibility over the ambush against Mrs Guingona’s group last Saturday night along Barangay Binakalan, Ginggoog City. Three civilian aides of the mayor were killed while she and a policeman-escort were wounded.
The military spokesman stressed that the 4th ID welcomed the additional troops as huge boost for the conduct of security and development operations in the area and also for the maintenance of peaceful and orderly elections next month.
Bongosia said that a battalion of Marines will be arriving in Misamis Oriental by today or Thursday.
The Marines, Bongosia said, would be placed under the operational control of the 4th ID, led by Maj. Gen. Nestor Anonuevo.
Presently, the Army’s 58th Infantry Battlion (IB) is the one responsible over Misamis Oriental province.
For his part, Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) chief Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz urged political candidates to coordinate with government security forces when campaigning.
“Before they go to certain places, we should be informed beforehand and we will provide area security and route security along their route,” said Cruz, who has direct supervision over 4th ID.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/13289-reds-dare-noy-to-remove-all-rebel-checkpoints
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