From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 19): Communists junk localized peace talks
The National Democratic Front, the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has ruled out “localized peace talks,” the government’s preferred method of negotiations to deal with the decades-old communist insurgency.
Luis Jalandoni, the lead negotiator of the NDF peace panel, on Tuesday said the units of the New People’s Army (NPA)—the armed wing of the CPP—operating in different parts of the country “are not authorized to engage in peace negotiations.”
The policy is observed by all local units of the communist movement, Jalandoni said in an e-mail interview from his base in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
On May 8, the CPP declared its full support and recognition of the NDF peace negotiating panel which is representing the party in the peace talks with the government.
“Not a single unit of the NPA or leadership committee of the CPP will fall for the Aquino regime’s localized peace talks scheme,” the CPP said in a statement.
Jalandoni said localized peace talks “do not constitute a new approach.”
“It is actually an old worn-out futile attempt of the reactionary government to split the revolutionary movement and deceive the people,” he said.
Teresita Deles, the presidential peace adviser, earlier said the government was pursuing discussions to resume the negotiations using a new approach, which was taken to mean the “localized peace talks.”
She said the new approach would not involve the government panel which had been dealing with the NDF in the on-and-off talks.
Deles said the shift in strategy would focus on the pivotal role of the affected communities and other peace stakeholders.
Ramcey Astoveza, chief of the Agta tribe in the Sierra Madre mountains in northern Quezon province, declared support for the localized peace talks.
But for it to succeed, all local officials and affected communities should be actively involved, he said. Finding a peaceful end to the conflict should not be left only to the military and NPA combatants, he said.
Astoveza said the indigenous people should be actively involved in all forms of peace negotiations.
“We want our voices to be heard. The armed protagonists have long been killing each other right inside our communities and oftentimes, we become their hapless victims and our inherent peaceful living is their collateral damage,” he said.
Lt. Col. Neil Anthony Estrella, spokesman of the Southern Luzon Command, challenged all local chief executives in Southern Tagalog and Bicol to come forward and declare support for the peace talks.
“In our common pursuit for peace, there should be no fence sitters. We’re all stakeholders here, particularly the local officials because they are representatives of their respective communities who have long been suffering from NPA atrocities,” Estrella said.
The Inquirer asked several Quezon mayors by text if they would support localized peace talks, but no one had replied by press time.
Jalandoni maintained that pursuing peace talks at the local level was bound to fail, citing past failed attempts with communist splinter groups like the Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) and the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA), which he branded as “fake peace talks.”
“They have become part of the AFP machinery, just like the Cafgus (Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit). It has meant the pocketing of the people’s tax money by corrupt civilian and military officials and the producing of so-called surrenderees,” Jalandoni said.
He called on the Aquino administration to return to the negotiating table and resume the peace talks with the NDF.
The talks hit another impasse after the two panels accused each other of reneging on agreements reached during the so-called “special track” that the rebel group had proposed to salvage the talks.
The special track required that the communists give up their preconditions for the talks to resume. However, the NDF backtracked in February and demanded as a precondition the release of detained communist rebels.
Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, meanwhile, said the military wanted to end the armed conflict now and not wait another three years before a peace agreement was reached with the communist rebels.
“We want to end the armed struggle now and stop the killings and the extortion activities (by the NPA). Don’t we want to end the conflict now and not wait another three years (for peace)?” Bautista said in an interview.
Bautista made the comment in reaction to Jalandoni’s statement that the insurgents would rather wait for the next administration to negotiate a peace deal since the prospects for peace with the Aquino administration had dimmed.
Meanwhile, President Aquino has tapped the government’s chief negotiator with the communist rebels to head the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
Alexander Padilla, a health undersecretary, took over as president and CEO of PhilHealth effective June 13.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/429085/communists-junk-localized-peace-talks
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Sison: ‘Sobriety, willingness to talk’ may break impasse in NDFP peace talks with gov’t
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 19): Sison: ‘Sobriety, willingness to talk’ may break impasse in NDFP peace talks with gov’t
Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Sobriety and the willingness to talk could break the deadlock in the peace negotiations between the Aquino administration and communist insurgents, exiled Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison said Wednesday.
“If the GPH (Government of the Philippines) somehow shows sobriety and willingness to talk, the NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) will not hesitate to open wide the door for peace negotiations between the duly authorized panels,” Sison,
NDFP chief political consultant, said in reply to an e-mail sent by the Inquirer on Wednesday asking him if the communist panel planned to invite government representatives to an informal meeting to settle the kinks that hinder the resumption of the peace negotiation.
Sison maintained it was the government, specifically pointing to Teresita Deles, head of the Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, who made the announcement on the termination of the peace negotiations last April.
“It should be the GPH side, especially at the level of President [Benigno] Aquino [III], who should send us an emissary who is mutually respected by the GPH and NDFP,” said Sison, who is now living in self-exile in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
He said President Aquino could send a “positive message to the NDFP” through Norwegian Special Envoy Ture Lundh. Norway has been mediating the on-and-off negotiations since 2001.
“Sooner than you expect, the NDFP panel might even be the one sending someone to Manila to ascertain what is the real sentiment of President Aquino,” he told this correspondent.
Sison noted that the NDFP panel “has no record of rejecting a mutually respected emissary.”
“The NDFP has also repeatedly declared that the peace negotiations are in principle going on if no side has given a formal notice of termination to the other side,” Sison asserted.
The NDFP is the political arm of the CPP. Its armed wing, the New People’s Army, has been waging sporadic war against the government for the past 44 years, considered as the world’s longest-running Maoist inspired rebellion.
When asked what the government should do to show its sincerity and what the NDFP has to give in return to the gesture, Sison said the “GPH should show willingness to comply with existing agreements.”
“If it does not, the NDFP sees no point in negotiating and making agreements with the GPH,” Sison added.
The NDFP and OPAPP websites show 18 agreements, joint statements and communiqués signed by both parties since the start of the peace negotiation in 1992 up to 2004, when the talks collapsed because both parties were adamant in pushing for their respective preconditions before for resuming the talks.
“The agreements determine the obligations of the negotiating parties. Compliance with agreements is what any side should do to please the other side,” Sison said.
On June 16, Luis Jalandoni, head of the NDFP panel, declared that if the government would continue to refuse to resume the peace talks, the communist insurgents would have no option but to wait for the end of Aquino’s term and continue to fan the flames of armed revolution nationwide.
On April 30, Deles announced a “new approach” to ending the communist rebellion by bringing the negotiations to the local level, especially among the communities most affected by the conflict.
The new approach, according to Deles, would not involve the government peace panel to pave the way for the “localized” peace talks, thus effectively terminating the negotiations with the NDFP.
A few days later, Malacañang firmly declared that a ceasefire agreement should be signed first before it agrees to a resumption of the peace talks.
The communist rejected the demand and cited the signed agreement that provides for no pre-conditions during the peace talks.
Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda also blamed the NDFP for having “killed” the negotiations with its preconditions and demands.
Last week, Fidel Agcaoili, NDFP spokesman, accused Deles of sabotaging the peace talks. Malacañang defended Deles and accused the rebels of not showing good faith and sincerity at the negotiating table.
Jalandoni disputed the government claim that the negotiations had already reached a dead end.
He insisted that the peace talks had not been effectively terminated due to the lack of written notice of termination which should be sent by one of the parties as stipulated in the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig) signed by the two sides in 1995.
Communist leaders maintained that joint agreements forged in more than 20 years of negotiations should remain in effect and be respected by both sides.
The communist leaders also rejected the concept of localized peace talks, the government’s preferred method of negotiations, and claimed that the scheme also aims to split the revolutionary movement and deceive the people.
Negotiations between the communist rebels and the government have been stalled since 2004, giving rise to continued human rights violations, according to human rights watchdog Karapatan.
In the two years of the Aquino presidency, Karapatan said it has documented 137 victims of extrajudicial killings, including 14 victims of enforced disappearances, 72 of torture and 269 of illegal arrests, mostly attributed to state security forces.
A military report, meanwhile said nearly 400 people, majority of them civilians, have been killed in encounters between NPA and government troops and other alleged atrocities since 2011.
Meanwhile, the Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC), a non-government institution serving children and families who are victims of state violence in the Philippines, appealed to the Aquino administration to return to the negotiation table.
“CRC looks for sincerity and genuineness from the Aquino government to uphold just and lasting peace for the future of the Filipino children,” Jacquiline Ruiz, CRC executive director, said in a statement.
Ruiz expressed alarm over the growing number of human rights violations involving children.
She said last year CRC documented 12 cases of killing, four children used as guides in military operations, 10 children arrested, detained and tagged as members of the NPA and hundreds of children affected by the continuing attacks and encampment of the military in schools in remote areas.
In a recent report, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, expressed concern over the use of children as operatives, informants and messengers in conflict areas, recruited by terror groups, militant organizations and even state agents.
The UN official said some 26 children were recruited as soldiers, messengers and informants in conflict zones while dozens of other minors were slain and maimed in militant attacks and gunfights in the country last year.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/429685/sison-sobriety-willingness-to-talk-may-break-impasse-in-ndfp-peace-talks-with-govt
Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Sobriety and the willingness to talk could break the deadlock in the peace negotiations between the Aquino administration and communist insurgents, exiled Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison said Wednesday.
“If the GPH (Government of the Philippines) somehow shows sobriety and willingness to talk, the NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) will not hesitate to open wide the door for peace negotiations between the duly authorized panels,” Sison,
NDFP chief political consultant, said in reply to an e-mail sent by the Inquirer on Wednesday asking him if the communist panel planned to invite government representatives to an informal meeting to settle the kinks that hinder the resumption of the peace negotiation.
Sison maintained it was the government, specifically pointing to Teresita Deles, head of the Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, who made the announcement on the termination of the peace negotiations last April.
“It should be the GPH side, especially at the level of President [Benigno] Aquino [III], who should send us an emissary who is mutually respected by the GPH and NDFP,” said Sison, who is now living in self-exile in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
He said President Aquino could send a “positive message to the NDFP” through Norwegian Special Envoy Ture Lundh. Norway has been mediating the on-and-off negotiations since 2001.
“Sooner than you expect, the NDFP panel might even be the one sending someone to Manila to ascertain what is the real sentiment of President Aquino,” he told this correspondent.
Sison noted that the NDFP panel “has no record of rejecting a mutually respected emissary.”
“The NDFP has also repeatedly declared that the peace negotiations are in principle going on if no side has given a formal notice of termination to the other side,” Sison asserted.
The NDFP is the political arm of the CPP. Its armed wing, the New People’s Army, has been waging sporadic war against the government for the past 44 years, considered as the world’s longest-running Maoist inspired rebellion.
When asked what the government should do to show its sincerity and what the NDFP has to give in return to the gesture, Sison said the “GPH should show willingness to comply with existing agreements.”
“If it does not, the NDFP sees no point in negotiating and making agreements with the GPH,” Sison added.
The NDFP and OPAPP websites show 18 agreements, joint statements and communiqués signed by both parties since the start of the peace negotiation in 1992 up to 2004, when the talks collapsed because both parties were adamant in pushing for their respective preconditions before for resuming the talks.
“The agreements determine the obligations of the negotiating parties. Compliance with agreements is what any side should do to please the other side,” Sison said.
On June 16, Luis Jalandoni, head of the NDFP panel, declared that if the government would continue to refuse to resume the peace talks, the communist insurgents would have no option but to wait for the end of Aquino’s term and continue to fan the flames of armed revolution nationwide.
On April 30, Deles announced a “new approach” to ending the communist rebellion by bringing the negotiations to the local level, especially among the communities most affected by the conflict.
The new approach, according to Deles, would not involve the government peace panel to pave the way for the “localized” peace talks, thus effectively terminating the negotiations with the NDFP.
A few days later, Malacañang firmly declared that a ceasefire agreement should be signed first before it agrees to a resumption of the peace talks.
The communist rejected the demand and cited the signed agreement that provides for no pre-conditions during the peace talks.
Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda also blamed the NDFP for having “killed” the negotiations with its preconditions and demands.
Last week, Fidel Agcaoili, NDFP spokesman, accused Deles of sabotaging the peace talks. Malacañang defended Deles and accused the rebels of not showing good faith and sincerity at the negotiating table.
Jalandoni disputed the government claim that the negotiations had already reached a dead end.
He insisted that the peace talks had not been effectively terminated due to the lack of written notice of termination which should be sent by one of the parties as stipulated in the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig) signed by the two sides in 1995.
Communist leaders maintained that joint agreements forged in more than 20 years of negotiations should remain in effect and be respected by both sides.
The communist leaders also rejected the concept of localized peace talks, the government’s preferred method of negotiations, and claimed that the scheme also aims to split the revolutionary movement and deceive the people.
Negotiations between the communist rebels and the government have been stalled since 2004, giving rise to continued human rights violations, according to human rights watchdog Karapatan.
In the two years of the Aquino presidency, Karapatan said it has documented 137 victims of extrajudicial killings, including 14 victims of enforced disappearances, 72 of torture and 269 of illegal arrests, mostly attributed to state security forces.
A military report, meanwhile said nearly 400 people, majority of them civilians, have been killed in encounters between NPA and government troops and other alleged atrocities since 2011.
Meanwhile, the Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC), a non-government institution serving children and families who are victims of state violence in the Philippines, appealed to the Aquino administration to return to the negotiation table.
“CRC looks for sincerity and genuineness from the Aquino government to uphold just and lasting peace for the future of the Filipino children,” Jacquiline Ruiz, CRC executive director, said in a statement.
Ruiz expressed alarm over the growing number of human rights violations involving children.
She said last year CRC documented 12 cases of killing, four children used as guides in military operations, 10 children arrested, detained and tagged as members of the NPA and hundreds of children affected by the continuing attacks and encampment of the military in schools in remote areas.
In a recent report, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, expressed concern over the use of children as operatives, informants and messengers in conflict areas, recruited by terror groups, militant organizations and even state agents.
The UN official said some 26 children were recruited as soldiers, messengers and informants in conflict zones while dozens of other minors were slain and maimed in militant attacks and gunfights in the country last year.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/429685/sison-sobriety-willingness-to-talk-may-break-impasse-in-ndfp-peace-talks-with-govt
AFP denies using children in operations
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 19): AFP denies using children in operations
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan: Surprised. PHOTO/A2C Bryan Bautista/ AFP PAO
Surprised by a United Nations report that said it was among the armed groups in the country that used children in their operations, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated it was not its policy to endanger the lives of children in conflict zones.
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan said Tuesday that according to the UN report, it was the Abu Sayyaf, Moro Islamic Liberation Front and New People’s Army that “were considered persistent perpetrators” because they had been reported to have recruited and used children in situations of armed conflict for the past five years.
Tutaan said it was actually the military that initiated an investigation into the allegation that the Army’s 56th Infantry Battalion had forced two boys to serve as guides to help find an NPA camp in North Cotabato in July 2012.
The military, he said, found that the battalion had not committed an infraction.
Tutaan assured the public the military would not use children in its security operations.
“We are 101-percent committed to preventing the use and exploitation of children in armed conflict,” Tutaan told reporters.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/429103/afp-denies-using-children-in-operations
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan: Surprised. PHOTO/A2C Bryan Bautista/ AFP PAO
Surprised by a United Nations report that said it was among the armed groups in the country that used children in their operations, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated it was not its policy to endanger the lives of children in conflict zones.
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan said Tuesday that according to the UN report, it was the Abu Sayyaf, Moro Islamic Liberation Front and New People’s Army that “were considered persistent perpetrators” because they had been reported to have recruited and used children in situations of armed conflict for the past five years.
Tutaan said it was actually the military that initiated an investigation into the allegation that the Army’s 56th Infantry Battalion had forced two boys to serve as guides to help find an NPA camp in North Cotabato in July 2012.
The military, he said, found that the battalion had not committed an infraction.
Tutaan assured the public the military would not use children in its security operations.
“We are 101-percent committed to preventing the use and exploitation of children in armed conflict,” Tutaan told reporters.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/429103/afp-denies-using-children-in-operations
What’s really is going on in Sabah?
From Malaya (Jun 20): What’s really is going on in Sabah?
THE Sultanate of Sulu yesterday said clashes erupted on Tuesday in Sabah between its supporters and Malaysian security forces, the second such incident since Sunday although Malaysia dismissed such reports.
Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, said the firefight took place between 7 and 8 p.m. Tuesday in Labbiyaw in Lahad Datu town involving some 200 of their fighters and Malaysian security forces.
Idjirani said he learned of the firefight when Kiram’s brother, Agbimuddin who has been leading the sultanate’s supporters since February, called up yesterday.
“This is a chance encounter just like last Sunday’s firefight. Our Royal Security Forces (as the Kirams called their armed supporters in Sabah) battled the Malaysian forces for about 30 minutes,” he said.
He said Agbimuddin did not disclose if his forces sustained casualties.
Kiram’s camp had also claimed that last Sunday’s encounter took place in Dangan Tungko, Sabah with no reported casualties.
Earlier, Idjirani said only 166 had been left of Kiram’s original supporters but he claimed they were reinforced by more than 1,000 “volunteers” from Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, which both the Philippine and Malaysian governments denied.
In the latest encounter, Idjirani said Kiram’s supporters were forced to retreat because Malaysia’s forces were more numerous and better armed. “They had to save on bullets and strength,” he added.
But the Malaysian military’s Eastern Sabah Command (ESSC), in reports published in the Star Online Malaysia, denied the Kirams’ claim of fresh clashes.
The report quoting ESSC chief Mohammad Mantek said offensive operations against the Sulu fighters have stopped.
“No such thing happened. Nothing at all,” Mantek was quoted as saying adding that the claims of firefights are only “meant to cause trouble.”
Malaysia last March claimed it has effectively broken the back of the sultanate’s forces.
But Idjirani insisted, “Of course, they would not admit such incidents took place as they wanted to create an impression that Sabah is peaceful and our supporters are already decimated.”
http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/news/nation/34065-whats-really-is-going-on-in-sabah
THE Sultanate of Sulu yesterday said clashes erupted on Tuesday in Sabah between its supporters and Malaysian security forces, the second such incident since Sunday although Malaysia dismissed such reports.
Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, said the firefight took place between 7 and 8 p.m. Tuesday in Labbiyaw in Lahad Datu town involving some 200 of their fighters and Malaysian security forces.
Idjirani said he learned of the firefight when Kiram’s brother, Agbimuddin who has been leading the sultanate’s supporters since February, called up yesterday.
“This is a chance encounter just like last Sunday’s firefight. Our Royal Security Forces (as the Kirams called their armed supporters in Sabah) battled the Malaysian forces for about 30 minutes,” he said.
He said Agbimuddin did not disclose if his forces sustained casualties.
Kiram’s camp had also claimed that last Sunday’s encounter took place in Dangan Tungko, Sabah with no reported casualties.
Earlier, Idjirani said only 166 had been left of Kiram’s original supporters but he claimed they were reinforced by more than 1,000 “volunteers” from Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, which both the Philippine and Malaysian governments denied.
In the latest encounter, Idjirani said Kiram’s supporters were forced to retreat because Malaysia’s forces were more numerous and better armed. “They had to save on bullets and strength,” he added.
But the Malaysian military’s Eastern Sabah Command (ESSC), in reports published in the Star Online Malaysia, denied the Kirams’ claim of fresh clashes.
The report quoting ESSC chief Mohammad Mantek said offensive operations against the Sulu fighters have stopped.
“No such thing happened. Nothing at all,” Mantek was quoted as saying adding that the claims of firefights are only “meant to cause trouble.”
Malaysia last March claimed it has effectively broken the back of the sultanate’s forces.
But Idjirani insisted, “Of course, they would not admit such incidents took place as they wanted to create an impression that Sabah is peaceful and our supporters are already decimated.”
http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/news/nation/34065-whats-really-is-going-on-in-sabah
ICG: The Philippines: Dismantling Rebel Groups
From the International Crisis Group (Jun 19): The Philippines: Dismantling Rebel Groups
For the full report go to the following URL: http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/asia/south-east-asia/philippines/248-philippines-dismantling-rebel-groups.pdf
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The future of thousands of fighters is at stake following an historic deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The government, MILF leaders and donors worry that rebel soldiers could slip back into violence. Successful implementation of a pact that addresses the political grievances of the Muslim minority in the south may be enough for some, but others could take up guns again under the banner of another group, or because of criminal interests, land disputes or warlord politics. Often, specialists prescribe disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) – a process that secures weapons, returns ex-combatants to communities, and helps them find jobs – to promote reconciliation and build peace. In the Philippines, however, DDR is strongly associated with counter-insurgency. The October 2012 agreement with the MILF does not mention it. Elsewhere, the government is dabbling in DDR-esque socio-economic assistance to two smaller rebel groups with pre-existing peace agreements. Manila needs to think hard about whether DDR as practised internationally can be carried out.
The 1986 pact with the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) and a 2000 deal signed with the Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayo Brigade (RPA-ABB) are among the Philippines’ many peace agreements that never lived up to their promise. Both times, the government tried to rehabilitate the rebels but in ways that did little to improve security. The military was given a free hand to repurpose the CPLA as paramilitaries, and the government looked the other way while the RPA-ABB freelanced as vigilante-style police and guns for hire. Programs that could have provided alternative sources of livelihood, such as agricultural cooperatives, either failed or were never carried out. Both groups remained armed as their peace processes shuddered to a halt. Manila was lucky that despite their dissatisfaction, neither the CPLA nor the RPA-ABB had any interest in attacking the state; their priority was extracting benefits from the government to satisfy disgruntled members.
President Benigno Aquino III, who took office in 2010, breathed life into the MILF negotiations, without forgetting about other rebel groups. He was willing to spend time and money on the CPLA and RPA-ABB for two reasons. First, the Philippine government lacks credibility when talking peace, because Manila has repeatedly backpedalled on or did not implement core provisions in agreements with the MILF’s predecessor, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), as well as with the CPLA and RPA-ABB. President Aquino believed that one way he could prove his sincerity in the MILF process – the central pillar of his peace agenda – was to keep promises his predecessors had made to others. Secondly, the peace process office, which manages negotiations with non-state armed groups, wanted to incorporate DDR lessons from abroad as it wrapped up the loose ends of the CPLA and RPA-ABB agreements. A “closure agreement” was signed with the former in July 2011; negotiations with the latter are underway.
The Aquino government’s closure processes with these two groups have been haunted by the mistakes of years past. The peace process office had no mandate to revisit the political terms of the old pacts. It tried to find new ways of delivering and monitoring socio-economic assistance, such as gathering data on beneficiaries. These improvements are real, yet implementation has been painstakingly slow. Meanwhile, set ways of thinking about rebel weapons persist. For years, the military ran ineffective, stand-alone weapons buybacks for counter-insurgency purposes. Under Aquino, the civilian-led peace process office has more control, but struggles to escape this tainted legacy. It has moved away from a cash-for-guns model and towards livelihood support for ex-combatants. Government officials dealing with CPLA and RPA-ABB matters, and even some military officers, describe these changes in the language of DDR.
DDR is meant to focus on ex-combatants to create an environment conducive to building institutions to enforce the rule of law, protect human rights and foster development. Both the CPLA and the RPA-ABB cause problems, but it is hard to justify assistance to either group as a prerequisite to, for example, strengthening the judiciary and reforming the police. The Aquino government is interested in best international practices from DDR on some technical matters, but it has no strategy that connects assistance to former rebels to making communities more peaceful and secure in the long run. It did not integrate into the two closure processes the lax enforcement of gun laws and the public’s lack of confidence in the military and police. The peace process office spent hours discussing CPLA and RPA-ABB weapons, while illegal firearms remain widely available, and private armies of local politicians operate with impunity. In the southern Philippines, the same problems exist, but in a much more explosive environment.
The MILF, because of its numbers and might, as well as the level of violence and international support to the peace process, is a case apart. Its fighters have good reasons to hold onto their guns until the government can convince them it will scale down the presence of the military and other state-aligned forces in Mindanao. The best way forward for the MILF and Manila may be to develop a shared vision for improving security. The government’s attempt to draw inspiration from DDR for the two closure processes has so far led to middling results at best. Replicating them in Mindanao is unlikely to advance the peace process in a meaningful way.
RECOMMENDATIONS
To further the objectives of President Aquino’s peace agenda
To the government of the Philippines:
1. Minimise the risks of former rebels working as hired guns for politicians by revoking executive order 546 (which permits the arming of civilian militias by local officials as “force multipliers” for the police).
2. Develop a policy on the disposition of CPLA and RPA-ABB guns that clarifies whether they will be destroyed.
To donors and external partners:
3. Press the Philippine government to develop a timeframe for dismantling the Civilian Armed Force Geographical Units (CAFGU).
4. Assist the Philippine government in creating an environment conducive to the demilitarisation of the MILF, by offering support for:
To remedy problems in the CPLA and RPA-ABB closure agreements
To the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP):
5. Disclose the criteria used for verifying CPLA members and permit others who meet these same criteria but were not included on the list compiled in November 2011 to participate in programs offered under the closure agreement.
6. Limit strictly the arming of RPA-ABB members under the reservist law to as short a period as possible and state explicitly how long these “defense units” will be permitted to exist.
7. Clarify in writing the interim security arrangements for both CPLA and RPA-ABB members, and jointly review them regularly until both closure agreements are fully implemented.
Jakarta/Brussels, 19 June 2013
http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/south-east-asia/philippines/248-the-philippines-dismantling-rebel-groups.aspx
For the full report go to the following URL: http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/asia/south-east-asia/philippines/248-philippines-dismantling-rebel-groups.pdf
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The future of thousands of fighters is at stake following an historic deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The government, MILF leaders and donors worry that rebel soldiers could slip back into violence. Successful implementation of a pact that addresses the political grievances of the Muslim minority in the south may be enough for some, but others could take up guns again under the banner of another group, or because of criminal interests, land disputes or warlord politics. Often, specialists prescribe disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) – a process that secures weapons, returns ex-combatants to communities, and helps them find jobs – to promote reconciliation and build peace. In the Philippines, however, DDR is strongly associated with counter-insurgency. The October 2012 agreement with the MILF does not mention it. Elsewhere, the government is dabbling in DDR-esque socio-economic assistance to two smaller rebel groups with pre-existing peace agreements. Manila needs to think hard about whether DDR as practised internationally can be carried out.
The 1986 pact with the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) and a 2000 deal signed with the Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayo Brigade (RPA-ABB) are among the Philippines’ many peace agreements that never lived up to their promise. Both times, the government tried to rehabilitate the rebels but in ways that did little to improve security. The military was given a free hand to repurpose the CPLA as paramilitaries, and the government looked the other way while the RPA-ABB freelanced as vigilante-style police and guns for hire. Programs that could have provided alternative sources of livelihood, such as agricultural cooperatives, either failed or were never carried out. Both groups remained armed as their peace processes shuddered to a halt. Manila was lucky that despite their dissatisfaction, neither the CPLA nor the RPA-ABB had any interest in attacking the state; their priority was extracting benefits from the government to satisfy disgruntled members.
President Benigno Aquino III, who took office in 2010, breathed life into the MILF negotiations, without forgetting about other rebel groups. He was willing to spend time and money on the CPLA and RPA-ABB for two reasons. First, the Philippine government lacks credibility when talking peace, because Manila has repeatedly backpedalled on or did not implement core provisions in agreements with the MILF’s predecessor, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), as well as with the CPLA and RPA-ABB. President Aquino believed that one way he could prove his sincerity in the MILF process – the central pillar of his peace agenda – was to keep promises his predecessors had made to others. Secondly, the peace process office, which manages negotiations with non-state armed groups, wanted to incorporate DDR lessons from abroad as it wrapped up the loose ends of the CPLA and RPA-ABB agreements. A “closure agreement” was signed with the former in July 2011; negotiations with the latter are underway.
The Aquino government’s closure processes with these two groups have been haunted by the mistakes of years past. The peace process office had no mandate to revisit the political terms of the old pacts. It tried to find new ways of delivering and monitoring socio-economic assistance, such as gathering data on beneficiaries. These improvements are real, yet implementation has been painstakingly slow. Meanwhile, set ways of thinking about rebel weapons persist. For years, the military ran ineffective, stand-alone weapons buybacks for counter-insurgency purposes. Under Aquino, the civilian-led peace process office has more control, but struggles to escape this tainted legacy. It has moved away from a cash-for-guns model and towards livelihood support for ex-combatants. Government officials dealing with CPLA and RPA-ABB matters, and even some military officers, describe these changes in the language of DDR.
DDR is meant to focus on ex-combatants to create an environment conducive to building institutions to enforce the rule of law, protect human rights and foster development. Both the CPLA and the RPA-ABB cause problems, but it is hard to justify assistance to either group as a prerequisite to, for example, strengthening the judiciary and reforming the police. The Aquino government is interested in best international practices from DDR on some technical matters, but it has no strategy that connects assistance to former rebels to making communities more peaceful and secure in the long run. It did not integrate into the two closure processes the lax enforcement of gun laws and the public’s lack of confidence in the military and police. The peace process office spent hours discussing CPLA and RPA-ABB weapons, while illegal firearms remain widely available, and private armies of local politicians operate with impunity. In the southern Philippines, the same problems exist, but in a much more explosive environment.
The MILF, because of its numbers and might, as well as the level of violence and international support to the peace process, is a case apart. Its fighters have good reasons to hold onto their guns until the government can convince them it will scale down the presence of the military and other state-aligned forces in Mindanao. The best way forward for the MILF and Manila may be to develop a shared vision for improving security. The government’s attempt to draw inspiration from DDR for the two closure processes has so far led to middling results at best. Replicating them in Mindanao is unlikely to advance the peace process in a meaningful way.
RECOMMENDATIONS
To further the objectives of President Aquino’s peace agenda
To the government of the Philippines:
1. Minimise the risks of former rebels working as hired guns for politicians by revoking executive order 546 (which permits the arming of civilian militias by local officials as “force multipliers” for the police).
2. Develop a policy on the disposition of CPLA and RPA-ABB guns that clarifies whether they will be destroyed.
To donors and external partners:
3. Press the Philippine government to develop a timeframe for dismantling the Civilian Armed Force Geographical Units (CAFGU).
4. Assist the Philippine government in creating an environment conducive to the demilitarisation of the MILF, by offering support for:
a) training a new Bangsamoro police force;
b) reducing the availability of weapons in Mindanao; and
c) strengthening judicial systems.
To remedy problems in the CPLA and RPA-ABB closure agreements
To the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP):
5. Disclose the criteria used for verifying CPLA members and permit others who meet these same criteria but were not included on the list compiled in November 2011 to participate in programs offered under the closure agreement.
6. Limit strictly the arming of RPA-ABB members under the reservist law to as short a period as possible and state explicitly how long these “defense units” will be permitted to exist.
7. Clarify in writing the interim security arrangements for both CPLA and RPA-ABB members, and jointly review them regularly until both closure agreements are fully implemented.
Jakarta/Brussels, 19 June 2013
http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/south-east-asia/philippines/248-the-philippines-dismantling-rebel-groups.aspx
6 U.S., PHL ships to participate in this year's CARAT exercises
From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): 6 U.S., PHL ships to participate in this year's CARAT exercises
Six naval vessels, including fourU.S.
ships, will be participating in this year's "CARAT" exercises which
will be held in the northern part of the West Philippine
Sea starting this June 27 up to July 2.
Naval Forces Northern Luzon public affairs officer Ensign Bernard Sabado said theU.S. will deploy
four ships with a complement of 500 men while the Philippines
Drills that are included in this year's CARAT exercise include live fire, maritime interdiction, ship boarding and seizure, and aerial surveillance
Sabado added that there will be also "in-port" activities at the formerU.S. bases in Subic
Bay and Clark Field, as well as at the Philippine Marine base in Ternate, Cavite
This year's exercises will be held amidst increasing aggressive moves ofChina in the West Philippine Sea which include
the placing of buoys off Panatag (Scarborough )
Shoal which prevented Filipino fishermen from fishing there.
Panatag Shoal is only 124 kilometers away from Zambales and well within the country's 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536269
Six naval vessels, including four
Naval Forces Northern Luzon public affairs officer Ensign Bernard Sabado said the
Drills that are included in this year's CARAT exercise include live fire, maritime interdiction, ship boarding and seizure, and aerial surveillance
Sabado added that there will be also "in-port" activities at the former
This year's exercises will be held amidst increasing aggressive moves of
Panatag Shoal is only 124 kilometers away from Zambales and well within the country's 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536269
2 NPA rebels surrender in Davao Del Norte
From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): 2 NPA rebels surrender in Davao Del Norte
Tired of the incessant and causeless fighting, two New People's Army (NPA) rebels voluntarily surrendered to the 60th Infantry Battalion of the 10th Infantry Division in Barangay Dona Andrea, Asuncion town, Davao Del Norte last June 17.
Capt. Raul Villegas, 10th Infantry Division deputy spokesperson, reported on Thursday that the two rebels personally gave themselves up to 60th IB commander Lt. Col. Llewelyn R. Binasoy.
He identified the surrenderees as Dante Galang and Jomie Andoy, members of the NPA's "PBC 4" armed unit.
Villegas stated the two men decided to give themselves up after realizing that their families do not have a future in the NPA ranks.
"(They also found out) that the promises of (their leaders) of changing society were all lies and that they were forced to inflict suffering to innocent civilians instead of helping the community," he added.
Binasoy, in a statement, said he welcomed the two NPA rebels in their camp.
"They made the right decision. This only reflects that the ideology of communism is a dead ideology and the NPA members are already demoralized," he said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536210
Tired of the incessant and causeless fighting, two New People's Army (NPA) rebels voluntarily surrendered to the 60th Infantry Battalion of the 10th Infantry Division in Barangay Dona Andrea, Asuncion town, Davao Del Norte last June 17.
Capt. Raul Villegas, 10th Infantry Division deputy spokesperson, reported on Thursday that the two rebels personally gave themselves up to 60th IB commander Lt. Col. Llewelyn R. Binasoy.
He identified the surrenderees as Dante Galang and Jomie Andoy, members of the NPA's "PBC 4" armed unit.
Villegas stated the two men decided to give themselves up after realizing that their families do not have a future in the NPA ranks.
"(They also found out) that the promises of (their leaders) of changing society were all lies and that they were forced to inflict suffering to innocent civilians instead of helping the community," he added.
Binasoy, in a statement, said he welcomed the two NPA rebels in their camp.
"They made the right decision. This only reflects that the ideology of communism is a dead ideology and the NPA members are already demoralized," he said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536210
Troopers kill suspected lawless element in Compostela Valley
From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): Troopers kill suspected lawless element in Compostela Valley
Troopers from the 71st Infantry Battalion, a field unit of the 10th Infantry Division, have killed a suspected member of a lawless group during an encounter in Pantukan,Compostela
Valley Province
Wounded in the 9:00 a.m. clash in Sitio Sapang Tinaw, Barangay Tibagon in Pantukan was an Army trooper who was not identified.
Capt. Raul Villegas, 10th Infantry Division deputy spokesperson, said soldiers tried to save the severely wounded man. Apparently, the lawless element was abandoned by his companions but took the latter's automatic rifle.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536338
Troopers from the 71st Infantry Battalion, a field unit of the 10th Infantry Division, have killed a suspected member of a lawless group during an encounter in Pantukan,
Wounded in the 9:00 a.m. clash in Sitio Sapang Tinaw, Barangay Tibagon in Pantukan was an Army trooper who was not identified.
Capt. Raul Villegas, 10th Infantry Division deputy spokesperson, said soldiers tried to save the severely wounded man. Apparently, the lawless element was abandoned by his companions but took the latter's automatic rifle.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536338
BRP Ramon Alcaraz concludes Panama Canal crossing
From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): BRP Ramon Alcaraz concludes Panama Canal crossing
BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), the second Hamilton-class cutter in Philippine service, has successfully concluded herPanama Canal
crossing Tuesday night (American time).
This was revealed by Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic Thursday.
The ship is the sister ship of the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15).
With this achievement, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz becomes the first Filipino warship to cross the historic waterway under her own power.
"She passed by Panama Canal Tuesday evening (American time) and is now enroute forSan Diego , California
Fabic said that the BRP Ramon Alcaraz is expected to reach the latter port before the end of June.
The Philippine frigate entered the Panama Canal Zone during the weekend or almost five days after her June 10 departure inCharleston , South Carolina
The 82-kilometer Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean (via the Caribbean Sea) to thePacific Ocean .
It cuts across theIsthmus of Panama and is
a key conduit for international maritime trade.
Prior her arrival at the Panama Canal Zone, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz made a brief stopover at Mayport, Florida and successfully test fired her 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon and conducted speed trials which she attained the speed of 25 knots without any difficulty.
The ship's top speed is place between 29 to 31 knots.
The Filipino warship is expected to reach thePhilippines
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536488
BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), the second Hamilton-class cutter in Philippine service, has successfully concluded her
This was revealed by Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic Thursday.
The ship is the sister ship of the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15).
With this achievement, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz becomes the first Filipino warship to cross the historic waterway under her own power.
"She passed by Panama Canal Tuesday evening (American time) and is now enroute for
Fabic said that the BRP Ramon Alcaraz is expected to reach the latter port before the end of June.
The Philippine frigate entered the Panama Canal Zone during the weekend or almost five days after her June 10 departure in
The 82-kilometer Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean (via the Caribbean Sea) to the
It cuts across the
Prior her arrival at the Panama Canal Zone, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz made a brief stopover at Mayport, Florida and successfully test fired her 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon and conducted speed trials which she attained the speed of 25 knots without any difficulty.
The ship's top speed is place between 29 to 31 knots.
The Filipino warship is expected to reach the
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536488
Escape, evasion tactics part of military training - AFP
From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): Escape, evasion tactics part of military training - AFP
There is nothing wrong with the decision of 1st Neven Canitan to evade the New People's Army (NPA) force who captured five of his unarmed men in Sitio Lubas, Barangay Paquibato, Paquibato District,Davao City
AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala issued this statement after the rebels called Canitan's action plain cowardice.
The latter and his men are members of the 10th Infantry Division's 60th Infantry Battalion.
"Soldiers, regardless of rank, are taught to escape if captured by enemy forces or evade them (if caught by superior forces)," he added.
The same doctrine is drilled into every soldier serving in almost all of the world's armed services.
In the British Army, soldiers are taught that even unsuccessful escape attempts can unbalance the enemy force as it forces the latter to double the number of guards assigned to secure prison facilities, hence cutting down the number of able-bodied combatants.
Zagala added that Canitan only followed his training when the latter decided to evade after finding something fishy about the rebel checkpoint that earlier accosted them.
The AFP public affairs chief also added that Canitan cannot also be accused of abandonment as no actual fighting took place.
"The incident involves unarmed peace and development team members. Their sole purpose was to help depressed communities in the areas they are assigned to. Their purpose is not for combat, hence 1st Lt. Canitan cannot be accused of abandonment," he pointed out.
This was also bore out by the instance that Canitan's men approached the rebel checkpoint to identify themselves and their mission.
Zagala also assured the families of the captured soldiers that they would do everything in their authority to safely recover the captured military personnel.
"It is our duty to them as personnel of the AFP," he stressed.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536328
There is nothing wrong with the decision of 1st Neven Canitan to evade the New People's Army (NPA) force who captured five of his unarmed men in Sitio Lubas, Barangay Paquibato, Paquibato District,
AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala issued this statement after the rebels called Canitan's action plain cowardice.
The latter and his men are members of the 10th Infantry Division's 60th Infantry Battalion.
"Soldiers, regardless of rank, are taught to escape if captured by enemy forces or evade them (if caught by superior forces)," he added.
The same doctrine is drilled into every soldier serving in almost all of the world's armed services.
In the British Army, soldiers are taught that even unsuccessful escape attempts can unbalance the enemy force as it forces the latter to double the number of guards assigned to secure prison facilities, hence cutting down the number of able-bodied combatants.
Zagala added that Canitan only followed his training when the latter decided to evade after finding something fishy about the rebel checkpoint that earlier accosted them.
The AFP public affairs chief also added that Canitan cannot also be accused of abandonment as no actual fighting took place.
"The incident involves unarmed peace and development team members. Their sole purpose was to help depressed communities in the areas they are assigned to. Their purpose is not for combat, hence 1st Lt. Canitan cannot be accused of abandonment," he pointed out.
This was also bore out by the instance that Canitan's men approached the rebel checkpoint to identify themselves and their mission.
Zagala also assured the families of the captured soldiers that they would do everything in their authority to safely recover the captured military personnel.
"It is our duty to them as personnel of the AFP," he stressed.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=536328
Mabanta retires as 3ID commanding general
From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): Mabanta retires as 3ID commanding general
The commanding general of the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division (3ID), Philippine Army inPanay
Island
Maj. Ray C. Tiongson, spokesperson of 3ID, said Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. left the Army unit command after reaching the mandatory age retirement of 56 on June 20, 2013.
He said Army Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Essel Soriano graced the turnover ceremony held Wednesday morning at the headquarters of the 3ID in Camp Macario Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Jonas Sumagaysay took over as the acting commander following the retirement of Mabanta who steered the helm of the 3ID for the past 16 months.
It was learned that the 3ID has the overall supervision of various Army units operating in Panay andNegros islands
including those in the island-province of Siquijor.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=536336
The commanding general of the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division (3ID), Philippine Army in
Maj. Ray C. Tiongson, spokesperson of 3ID, said Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. left the Army unit command after reaching the mandatory age retirement of 56 on June 20, 2013.
He said Army Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Essel Soriano graced the turnover ceremony held Wednesday morning at the headquarters of the 3ID in Camp Macario Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Jonas Sumagaysay took over as the acting commander following the retirement of Mabanta who steered the helm of the 3ID for the past 16 months.
It was learned that the 3ID has the overall supervision of various Army units operating in Panay and
Rebels reject mayor's plea to release 5 soldiers
From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): Rebels reject mayor's plea to release 5 soldiers
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Mindanao has rejected Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's call to release the five Army soldiers abducted by New Peoples Army (NPA) rebels in Paquibato District last June 17.
“We regret to inform Mayor Sara Duterte that we cannot heed to her request since there are still processes to be made,” Jorge Madlos alias Ka Oris said.
Duterte-Carpio earlier asked the NPAs to release the five soldiers since “it doesn’t have any positive contribution to the city. It only adds to their notoriety.”
The incident only worried the family of the soldiers, the mayor added.
The soldiers identified as Corporal Emmanuel Emmanuel A Quezon, Privates First Class Ronald Gura, Donato Estandia, and Private Marteniano Pasiagas Jr. were on their way to the market to purchase some supplies when blocked by the rebels in Bangkaan, Paquibato District.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=536337
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Mindanao has rejected Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's call to release the five Army soldiers abducted by New Peoples Army (NPA) rebels in Paquibato District last June 17.
“We regret to inform Mayor Sara Duterte that we cannot heed to her request since there are still processes to be made,” Jorge Madlos alias Ka Oris said.
Duterte-Carpio earlier asked the NPAs to release the five soldiers since “it doesn’t have any positive contribution to the city. It only adds to their notoriety.”
The incident only worried the family of the soldiers, the mayor added.
The soldiers identified as Corporal Emmanuel Emmanuel A Quezon, Privates First Class Ronald Gura, Donato Estandia, and Private Marteniano Pasiagas Jr. were on their way to the market to purchase some supplies when blocked by the rebels in Bangkaan, Paquibato District.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=536337
Agusan del Sur incident a summary execution -- PNP
From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): Agusan del Sur incident a summary execution -- PNP
The five victims of shooting in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur NPA attack on a rubber plantation and a church Tuesday morning was a summary execution and not due to a shootout, a police official said in a press conference Thursday morning.
Supt. Alex Uy, the medico-legal of the Crime Laboratory 13, who conducted the autopsy said four of the victims were all shot at close range based on the gunpowder burns he found at the entrance of the gunshot wounds.
"This indicates that they were shot at close range. They also had their hands tied behind their backs so they didn't have the chance to fire a gun, nor to resist or to defend themselves," he said.
He added only victim Jun Tria was not tied but sustained gunshot wounds in his right foot and left forearm which was broken -- possibly hit by a high-powered firearm.
Uy said severe blood loss could have caused his death as he was said to have died before reaching the local hospital.
He was the one who reportedly was able to escape.
The PNP in the region reacted to the statement of George Madlos alias "Ka Oris" in a local radio interview last night that the NPAs just fired back in retaliation as they were first fired upon by the victims.
"There was no encounter or a shootout between the two groups. The victims were haplessly and helplessly shot by the perpetrators," said Supt. Martin M. Gamba, the chief spokesperson of PRO 13.
It should be recalled that about 40 armed men believed to be NPA guerillas attacked a rubber plantation owned by Esperanza town Mayor Leonida Manpatilan at Sitio Camarangan, Barangay Hawilian of the said town 10 a.m. Tuesday. Two caretakers, Angel Cosan and Danny Linonsag, were shot dead by the attackers and burned a bulldozer owned by Shanalynne Corporation.
Police reports from Agusan del Sur Police Office also mentioned that the said group proceeded to Km. 7, Barangay Milagros and attacked the "Pinagbuklod" Church, a fellowship of Christian believers in the area. Three others were accordingly shot in the area with hands tied behind their backs and at close range. They were identified as Felipe Hadraque, a former Philippine Army member, Remy Polintan, a resident of Barangay Milagros and Jun Tria. The NPAs then, burned another seven heavy equipments in the area owned by Shanalynne.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=536369
The five victims of shooting in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur NPA attack on a rubber plantation and a church Tuesday morning was a summary execution and not due to a shootout, a police official said in a press conference Thursday morning.
Supt. Alex Uy, the medico-legal of the Crime Laboratory 13, who conducted the autopsy said four of the victims were all shot at close range based on the gunpowder burns he found at the entrance of the gunshot wounds.
"This indicates that they were shot at close range. They also had their hands tied behind their backs so they didn't have the chance to fire a gun, nor to resist or to defend themselves," he said.
He added only victim Jun Tria was not tied but sustained gunshot wounds in his right foot and left forearm which was broken -- possibly hit by a high-powered firearm.
Uy said severe blood loss could have caused his death as he was said to have died before reaching the local hospital.
He was the one who reportedly was able to escape.
The PNP in the region reacted to the statement of George Madlos alias "Ka Oris" in a local radio interview last night that the NPAs just fired back in retaliation as they were first fired upon by the victims.
"There was no encounter or a shootout between the two groups. The victims were haplessly and helplessly shot by the perpetrators," said Supt. Martin M. Gamba, the chief spokesperson of PRO 13.
It should be recalled that about 40 armed men believed to be NPA guerillas attacked a rubber plantation owned by Esperanza town Mayor Leonida Manpatilan at Sitio Camarangan, Barangay Hawilian of the said town 10 a.m. Tuesday. Two caretakers, Angel Cosan and Danny Linonsag, were shot dead by the attackers and burned a bulldozer owned by Shanalynne Corporation.
Police reports from Agusan del Sur Police Office also mentioned that the said group proceeded to Km. 7, Barangay Milagros and attacked the "Pinagbuklod" Church, a fellowship of Christian believers in the area. Three others were accordingly shot in the area with hands tied behind their backs and at close range. They were identified as Felipe Hadraque, a former Philippine Army member, Remy Polintan, a resident of Barangay Milagros and Jun Tria. The NPAs then, burned another seven heavy equipments in the area owned by Shanalynne.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=536369
Aquino wants study on Filipino peacekeepers done before deciding to continue tours of duty
From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20): Aquino wants study on Filipino peacekeepers done before deciding to continue tours of duty
President Benigno S. Aquino III wants a study on Filipino peacekeepers' ability to carry on with their assigned tasks abroad done before deciding whether to recall or allow them to continue with their respective tours of duty.
The President said in a press briefing after keynoting the 115th Founding Anniversary of the Department of Public Works and Highways inManila
The President said he wanted the rules of engagement refined and the necessary equipment provided for all peacekeepers as well as all threats defined in the study.
"Kapag tinapatan ba sila ng tangke, may kakayahan tayo? Magkakaroon tayo ng anti-armor. Kapag meron bang aircraft na magte-threaten sa kanilang position, meron na rin tayong kinukuhang anti-aircraft. Ano ba ang puwede ninyong gawin habang observer kayo para naman pangalagaan ang sarili mong seguridad?" the President said.
"Kapag na-satisfy tayo in all of those conditions e magiging tenable iyong mission, puwede sila manatili doon para tulong na rin sa buong mundo. Pero kapag hindi naman tayo pinagkalooban noong ating mga hiling e hindi ko iri-risk ang ating tropa na manatili doon kung hindi nila kakayanin iyong misyon," he added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=536461
President Benigno S. Aquino III wants a study on Filipino peacekeepers' ability to carry on with their assigned tasks abroad done before deciding whether to recall or allow them to continue with their respective tours of duty.
The President said in a press briefing after keynoting the 115th Founding Anniversary of the Department of Public Works and Highways in
The President said he wanted the rules of engagement refined and the necessary equipment provided for all peacekeepers as well as all threats defined in the study.
"Kapag tinapatan ba sila ng tangke, may kakayahan tayo? Magkakaroon tayo ng anti-armor. Kapag meron bang aircraft na magte-threaten sa kanilang position, meron na rin tayong kinukuhang anti-aircraft. Ano ba ang puwede ninyong gawin habang observer kayo para naman pangalagaan ang sarili mong seguridad?" the President said.
"Kapag na-satisfy tayo in all of those conditions e magiging tenable iyong mission, puwede sila manatili doon para tulong na rin sa buong mundo. Pero kapag hindi naman tayo pinagkalooban noong ating mga hiling e hindi ko iri-risk ang ating tropa na manatili doon kung hindi nila kakayanin iyong misyon," he added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=536461
NPA rebel killed in clash in Southern Philippines
From the Mindanao Examiner (Jun 20): NPA rebel killed in clash in Southern Philippines
A communist rebel was killed and a government soldier wounded in a clash that erupted in Compostela Valley province in southern Philippines, officials said Thursday.
Captain Severino Vicente David, a spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the fighting occurred in the village of Tibagon in Pantukan town where the rebels were allegedly harassing the locals.
“Government troops responded to civilian complaints of NPA harassment and extortion activities in the area. The encounter resulted to killing of one NPA member whose identity is still unknown while one soldier was wounded in action,” he said, adding troops clashed with about 40 rebels.
He identified the wounded soldier as Private First Class William Casillan, Jr.
David said the soldier was taken to a military hospital in Davao City while the body of the slain rebel had been brought to a funeral house in Pantukan town.
The rebel group is still holding 5 soldiers it captured recently in Davao City.
The NPA has been fighting for the government for decades now for the establishment of a separate state in the country.
http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/06/npa-rebel-killed-in-clash-in-southern.html
A communist rebel was killed and a government soldier wounded in a clash that erupted in Compostela Valley province in southern Philippines, officials said Thursday.
Captain Severino Vicente David, a spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the fighting occurred in the village of Tibagon in Pantukan town where the rebels were allegedly harassing the locals.
“Government troops responded to civilian complaints of NPA harassment and extortion activities in the area. The encounter resulted to killing of one NPA member whose identity is still unknown while one soldier was wounded in action,” he said, adding troops clashed with about 40 rebels.
He identified the wounded soldier as Private First Class William Casillan, Jr.
David said the soldier was taken to a military hospital in Davao City while the body of the slain rebel had been brought to a funeral house in Pantukan town.
The rebel group is still holding 5 soldiers it captured recently in Davao City.
The NPA has been fighting for the government for decades now for the establishment of a separate state in the country.
http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/06/npa-rebel-killed-in-clash-in-southern.html
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