Tabak’ Division ships more relief goods to ‘Yolanda’ victims

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 14): ‘Tabak’ Division ships more relief goods to ‘Yolanda’ victims
 
The First Infantry “Tabak” Division has shipped another 30 tons of relief goods as it continues its effort in providing assistance to the victims of super typhoon “Yolanda” in the Visayas.

Task Force Zamboanga Peninsula-Lanao (Zampelan) commander Lt. Col. Jose Randolf Sino Cruz said Friday that the 30 tons of relief goods were airlifted by C-130 cargo plane in two batches directly to Roxas City from this city.

The First Infantry “Tabak” Division, where Sino Cruz is also the Civil-Military Operation chief, is based in the nearby town of Labangan, this province.

Sino Cruz said the first batch of the 30 tons shipment was airlifted Thursday and the second batch around 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Sino Cruz said the shipment of the 30 tons of relief goods have brought to a total of 210 tons of food stuffs and other relief items that were shipped to the Visayas from Zamboanga Peninsula.

The relief goods were collected through the program dubbed as “Oplan Tabang Visayas” conceptualized by First Infantry Division commander Brig. Gen. Virgilio Felicito Trinidad, Jr.

The shipment of relief goods in the past weeks were delivered in the following communities; Barangays Bagong, Gaas, Danao, Mahayahay, and Quezon, Ormoc City; Barangays Conlapay, Buli, Caghalo, Confabi, Camansi, Macalpi, Paray-un and Tinaguban, Carigara town, Leyte; and, Barangay Masorayao, Konangga town, Leyte.

Trinidad expressed his deepest appreciation to the overwhelming response of the different stakeholders who responded to the call in spirit of “Bayanihan” in providing humanitarian aid to those affected by “Yolanda.”

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=596638

All set for transfer of 278 Zambo jail MNLF detainees to Metro Manila

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 14): All set for transfer of 278 Zambo jail MNLF detainees to Metro Manila

City Legal Officer Jesus Carbon said all is set for the transfer of the 278 Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) detainees from this city to a detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City.

Carbon said that they are just waiting for the availability of a C-130 cargo plane to transport the detainees from the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm here to Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.

“We hope that by Christmas they will be transferred,” Carbon, a retired judge, said citing everything is ready except for the availability of the plane.

At present, the C-130 cargo planes of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are being utilized for humanitarian aid transport for the “Yolanda” victims in the Visayas region.

The move is in compliance with the Supreme Court order to transfer the venue of trial and detention of the MNLF rebels to Camp Bagong Diwa for security reasons.

Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said the presence of the MNLF detainees at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm continues to pose security risks to residents of this city who remain traumatized by the 20-day conflict last September.

Primarily charged with rebellion/insurrection and violations of the international humanitarian law in connection with the three-week long standoff in the city which started on September 9 is Nur Misuari, Habier Malik, Bas Arki, Assamin Hussin, and several other commanders.

Meanwhile, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) warden Chief Insp. Julius Arro they have readied security plan to ensure the orderly transfer of the MNLF detainees to Camp Bagong Diwa.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=596783

Gunmen fail to take P5-M from Maguindanao provincial treasurer in an ambush

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 14): Gunmen fail to take P5-M from Maguindanao provincial treasurer in an ambush

Unidentified armed men tried but failed to take away the more than P5 million cash money the Maguindanao provincial treasurer was carrying with him when he was ambushed Friday afternoon, police said.

Senior Supt. Rodelio Jocson, Maguindanao police director, said the money was found intact although provincial treasurer Osmenia Bandila and his two police escorts were wounded in the ambush in Sitio Pansol, Barangay Macasampen, Guindulungan, Maguindanao.

Jocson said Bandila was heading toward the Maguindanao provincial capitol in Buluan, Maguindanao from Cotabato City carrying with him the payroll of provincial employees when about 10 gunmen positioned on one side of the highway opened fire at his group at about 2:30 p.m.

Bandila's escort, identified only as Police Officers 1 Tan and Dalit, although wounded, managed to fire back, forcing the gunmen to flee, leaving behind the yellow passenger jeep they were supposed to use as getaway vehicle.

"The gunmen who remained unidentified were after the cash money Bandila was carrying," Jocson told reporters.

PO2 Samsudin Ugca, Guindulungan police administrator, said Bandila was on board a grey Toyota Fortuner with license plate LGU-150 when the ambush occurred.

He said Bandila and his escorts were all wounded but not in critical condition. All are recuperating at a private hospital in Cotabato City.

Initial Army investigation said the gunmen belonged to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters who operate in the mountains of Talayan-Guindulungan towns.

Police and Army personnel have been deployed as road security to prevent highway robberies during the coming holidays.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=596765

President Aquino: Capture of NPA land mine factory to prevent injuries to noncombatants

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 14): President Aquino: Capture of NPA land mine factory to prevent injuries to noncombatants

President Benigno Aquino III on Friday night said the capture of a land mine factory of the communist New People’s Army by government forces in Agusan del Sur province in Mindanao will prevent injuries to innocent civilians.

The President lauded the state forces (the Eastern Mindanao Command) that discovered and captured the facility last Wednesday (December 11), saying the Philippine government is a signatory to an international agreement against the use of land mines.

“It has prevented injuries especially to noncombatants,” he said, noting such land mines had wounded many innocent civilians who should have been spared from the fighting.

He added the discovery of the factory is “a very significant find,” with more than 100 assembled mines and components.

President Aquino said land mines had been very destructive even to those not involved in fighting between government forces and the NPAs.

But he also noted the National Democratic Front insisted that there are “exemptions” where certain types of mines are legal.

“Bakit pa (kailangan ng distinctions) kung mines are indiscriminate? Theoretically dapat ang combatants lang ang napapasok sa sagupaan, pero itong mga landmines, in particular, marami nang napinsala na hindi mga combatants (Why make a distinction when mines are indiscriminate? In theory, only combatants should be involved in fighting. But these land mines kill or injure people regardless of whether they are combatants or not),” he said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=0&sid=&nid=0&rid=596833

Pres. Aquino airs concern over China's Air Defense Identification Zone, advocates rules-based approach to territorial disputes

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 14): Pres. Aquino airs concern over China's Air Defense Identification Zone, advocates rules-based approach to territorial disputes

President Benigno Aquino III on Saturday aired concern over China’s recent establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) along with recent claims by Chinese officials that such zones may be replicated.

In his statement at the session of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit here, the President also called for a peaceful and rules-based approach to resolving territorial disputes including those with China.

“The Philippines’ call for peace and stability in our region is amplified by recent developments in the East China Sea, on establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone which raises concerns over international civil aviation, safety and security,” he said.

“We all should view with greater concern the recent pronouncements of Chinese officials that China will establish other ADIZs in due course,” he also said.

President Aquino said the Philippines is pursuing a two-track approach to disputes in the sea “known-by-many-names.”

Such an approach is both peaceful and rules-based and the Philippines is advocating conclusion of the legally binding code of conduct as soon as possible, he said.

“To resolve disputes, we are pursuing arbitration. The Philippines views arbitration as an internationally recognized forum for the peaceful settlement of disputes. In addition to clarifying entitlements and the corresponding obligations, arbitration promotes the rule of law and redounds to the benefit of all parties,” he said.

He also said that as Japan and ASEAN move to deepen their partnership, they must keep in mind they can maximize opportunities for growth but only in a “wider regional international community in which all nations adhere to the rule of law and work to promote peace and stability.”

“It is therefore incumbent upon all of us to remain committed to the principles of international law and to continue to engage each other in a positive and productive manner as we tread the straight path to mutual prosperity and advancement in the Asia-Pacific,” he said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=596839

NOW IT'S SEOUL VS TOKYO | S. Korea slams Japan's video claim on disputed islet

From InterAksyon (Dec 12): NOW IT'S SEOUL VS TOKYO | S. Korea slams Japan's video claim on disputed islet



South Korea has condemned Japan for publishing a video in 10 languages challenging its sovereignty over a tiny group of islets at the heart of a territorial dispute, demanding Tokyo remove it.

The film, published Wednesday by the Japanese foreign ministry on its own website and on YouTube, insists the islets in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), called Dokdo by Seoul and Takeshima by Tokyo, are its own.

The 90-second clip is subtitled and dubbed in 10 languages including English, Korean, Chinese, French, Spanish, and Arabic -- described Seoul's de facto control over the islets as "illegal."

"We gravely protest the publication of the video... and strongly demand that Japan remove these videos immediately," Seoul's foreign ministry said in a statement released late Wednesday.

"We will never tolerate Japan's attempt to violate our territorial sovereignty and will respond resolutely," it said.

The Japanese foreign ministry website also published a multi-language leaflet to accompany the video, arguing that Japan's connection to the islets stretches back more than 200 years.

Japan and South Korea have bickered for decades over control of the islets. The row escalated last year following a surprise visit by then South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak. In October, South Korea carried out a military exercise there.

Relations have also been strained by other issues of contention arising from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.

Japan is embroiled in a separate row with China over another set of disputed islands, in the East China Sea.

Japan's foreign ministry also published this week a video reasserting its claim on the islands -- called Senkaku by Tokyo and Diaoyu by Beijing -- in 10 languages.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/76707/now-its-seoul-vs-tokyo--s--korea-slams-japans-video-claim-on-disputed-islet

Sagada insists town is 'zone of peace,' drives Army out

From InterAksyon (Dec 13): Sagada insists town is 'zone of peace,' drives Army out



Howitzers of the Army's 50th Infantry Battalion deployed to Lake Danum in Sagada, Mountain Province are seen in these photos taken on December 4. The battalion has since moved out after the local government insisted on their right to maintain the town as a zone of peace. (photo by Arthur L. Allad-iw, Northern Dispatch)

The Army's 50th Infantry Battalion has pulled out of Sagada town, Mt. Province after local officials insisted on their right to maintain the noted tourist destination as a 'zone of peace' barred to armed soldiers and communist rebels.

The military moved into the town after New People’s Army guerrillas ambushed a convoy of policemen on the boundary of Barangay Aguid, Sagada and Barangay Mainit, Bontoc in August.

After the incident, the Air Force carried out strikes on suspected rebel lairs in Barangay Aguid, which was protested by Sagada residents who said the bombs were falling on a vital watershed and near villages.

On December 2, the Sagada town council unanimously passed Resolution 110-2013 calling on the Army to pull out.

Two days after, council members, led by Vice Mayor Benjamin Capuyan went to the 50th IB camp at Lake Danum to deliver the resolution to battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Richard Sibayan but the officer was not around.

But Mayor Eduardo Latawan Jr. and his secretary, Robert Pangod, also called Sibayan to inform him of the resolution.

The battalion has since moved its camp to Babalaan in Tadian town.

The Sagada council’s resolution reminded Sibayan of the long-standing memorandum of agreement declaring the town a zone of peace and the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ commitment to respect this.

The passage of the resolution was prompted by concerns the continued presence of the soldiers would threaten the safety of participants of the provincial scout jamboree held by the Department of Education and the local Pine Tree Festival at Lake Danum from December 12-15.

“Armed conflict would endanger the lives of the participants on the activities and the general public,” the resolution said.

Sagada Councilor Jaime G. Dugao said in an interview that local officials will always assert the right of Sagada to remain a zone of peace.

“It is the will of the umili (residents) in the town,” he stressed.

Earlier, Dugao slammed Northern Luzon Command chief Major General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. for a statement saying Sagada can no longer be considered a zone of peace because the NPA allegedly turned areas in the town into a training ground and staging area for carrying out attacks against government troops.

“Catapang’s statement undermines the people’s quest for a peaceful ‘ili’ (village),” Dugao said.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/76830/sagada-insists-town-is-zone-of-peace-drives-army-out

NEAR 'ENCOUNTER' BARED | US, Chinese warships in near collision in South China Sea

From InterAksyon (Dec 14): NEAR 'ENCOUNTER' BARED | US, Chinese warships in near collision in South China Sea



A Chinese naval vessel came dangerously close to a US warship during a tense incident in the South China Sea last week, US military officials said Friday.

The USS Cowpens, a guided missile cruiser, was forced to maneuver to avoid a collision with the Chinese ship that had crossed directly in front of it and halted, according to naval officers and defense officials.

China's amphibious dock ship came less than 500 yards (meters) from the American warship, a defense official said.

"This encounter happened in international waters in the South China Sea on Dec. 5," the defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said in an email.

"Eventually, effective bridge-to-bridge communication occurred between the US and Chinese crews, and both vessels maneuvered to ensure safe passage," the official said.

The official said the Cowpens had been "in the vicinity" of China's new aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, when the incident occurred.

The stand-off ended peacefully but underscored tensions between the United States and China, which escalated after Beijing last month declared an expanded "air defense identification zone" in the East China Sea.

Last week's confrontation occurred in the strategic South China Sea, where Beijing has aggressively moved to push for control over territory claimed by other countries in the region.

The US military has repeatedly vowed to keep operating in international waters and airspace, and has increased its presence in Southeast Asia over the past year as a counter-balance to Beijing's more assertive regional stance.

China has declared an economic exclusion zone in part of the western Pacific, but the United States considers the area international waters beyond Beijing's control.

US military leaders have warned that China's air defense zone could aggravate tensions and possibly trigger a dangerous incident.

Washington has refused to recognize the air zone and flew a pair of B-52 bombers through the area without notifying Beijing in advance.

The defense official renewed calls for bolstering military relations between the two countries to prevent misunderstandings.

"US leaders have been clear about our commitment to develop a stable and continuous military-to-military relationship with China," the defense official said.

"Whether it is a tactical at-sea encounter, or strategic dialogue, sustained and reliable communication mitigates risk of mishaps, which is in the interest of both the US and China."

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/76825/near-encounter-bared--us-chinese-warships-in-near-collision-in-south-china-sea

Alleged NDF consultant not covered by immunity pass

From the Mindanao Examiner blog site (Dec 13): Alleged NDF consultant not covered by immunity pass

Contrary to the claim of KARAPATAN, alleged National Democratic Front consultant Eduardo Sarmiento, who has been sentenced by a Filipino court to a 40-year jail term, is not covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees or JASIG, a government statement said Friday.

It said Sarmiento was not included in any of the JASIG lists submitted by the NDF to the GPH Panel in 2001 and 2004.

The NDF claimed that Eduardo Sarmiento is in the 2001 JASIG list carrying the assumed name of “Leah Samar”.  However his release is subject to the conditions agreed upon by the GPH and NDF in the Oslo Joint Statement signed on 21 February 2011, as follows: “Based on the Joint Notes dated January 18, 2011, the GPH shall continue to work on appropriate measures to effect the expeditious release or all or most of the 14 NDF listed JASIG consultants and personalities before the second round of formal talks, subject to verification as provided in the JASIG Supplemental Agreement dated June 26, 1996, (underscoring provided) or on the basis of humanitarian and other practical reasons.”

The required verification process to confirm the identities of members of this group using assumed names, including Eduardo Sarmiento, failed. In July 2011 representative of both Panels met in The Netherlands, together with the Norwegian Third Party Facilitator and the Archbishop of Utrecht, to verify if the NDF’s detained alleged consultants were indeed JASIG-covered, the government said.

"They agreed to open a sealed envelope stored in a safety deposit box by the parties in 2003. The envelope was supposed to hold the photos and real names of NDF consultants using aliases. But upon opening, the envelope did not contain actual photos but only diskettes which the NDF claimed to have contained the photos. However, the NDF could not decrypt the diskettes," the statement said.

As a logical consequence of the failure of the verification process due to the NDF’s non-compliance with its requirements, JASIG has been rendered inoperative for those using assumed names and aliases. However, JASIG remains effective for those NDF personalities using real names, including those who have been recognized by the GPH as involved in the peace negotiations.

"As it has consistently done in the past, the GPH has been releasing detainees based on its judicial and legal processes, and as part of confidence-building measures for the talks. In view of the above, we reiterate that Eduardo Sarmiento is not covered by the JASIG," it said.

http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/12/alleged-ndf-consultant-not-covered-by.html

NPA: We did it

From the Mindanao Examiner blog site (Dec 13): NPA: We did it



Communist rebels on Friday owned up a daring raid on a police station in Bukidnon province in the southern Philippines and boasted the confiscation of assorted government weapons.

Isabel Fermiza, a spokesperson for the New People’s Army, said 5 policemen were also killed and wounded in the raid on the Kibawe town’s police headquarters on December 12.

“Enemy casualties would have not occurred had the police opted to leave the NPA untouched when the latter conducted the raid and disarming of the PNP municipal headquarters,” she said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

Fermiza said an undetermined number of government reinforcement from the Regional Mobile Group and the 8th Infantry Battalion were also hit by the NPA’s “command detonated explosives” an hour after rebels fled.

She said rebel forces confiscated 7 automatic rifles and six pistols form the police arsenal, including transceiver radios and uniforms.

“Thursday’s tactical offensive not only aimed to secure the much-needed firearms that would enable the NPA sub-regional command to develop more fighting platoons. The NPA raid in Bukidnon was also meant to punish an abusive police unit and an army unit responsible for the forced recruitment of paramilitary Cafgus and building of Army detachments in several parts of Bukidnon. The masses have successfully struggled against Cafgu conscription in guerrilla base areas and guerrilla zones, as the Army’s Special Operations Teams conduct abusive operations in the province,” she said.

“As the US-Aquino regime suffers from political isolation and incur the people’s wrath due to corruption, inutility and failure to solve the worsening economic crisis, the revolutionary movement continues to take the political-military initiative in advancing the revolutionary struggle to a higher stage while persevering to build and strengthen the People’s Democratic Government,” she added.

The NPA has been waging a secessionist war for many decades now and peace talks with different Filipino governments were unsuccessful.

http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/12/npa-we-did-it.html

OIC backs implementation of GPH-MILF framework deal

From the Mindanao Examiner blog site (Dec 14): OIC backs implementation of GPH-MILF framework deal

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its support to the full implementation of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and called for the integration of peace gains achieved in the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

In a resolution adopted during the 40th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers held on December 9 to 11 here, the body urged the OIC Secretary General “to exert his efforts to find common grounds between the Parties to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the 1996 Agreement on the implementation of the 1976 Peace Agreement and develop a mechanism to ensure that the gains of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement on the implementation of the 1976 Peace Agreement are preserved and the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and its Annexes are fully implemented with the end goal of integrating the gains achieved in these peace agreements in the Bangsamoro Basic Law.”

Signed by the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in October 2012, the FAB serves as the blueprint for the establishment of the Bangsamoro political entity that will replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The Bangsamoro Basic Law, once ratified, will enable the entrenchment of the new region.

The OIC also recognized “the peace efforts between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for reaching a comprehensive agreement that would help improvement of the situation of Muslims in Mindanao region” and hoped that the FAB “would be concluded in line with 1976 Tripoli Peace Agreement.”

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Undersecretary Jose Lorena, Office of the Executive Secretary Undersecretary Nabil Tan, Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria Alex Lamadrid, and Atty. Zoilo A. Velasco of DFA represented the Philippine government in the OIC meeting.

Seguis remarked that based on the OIC resolution, “it seems that the organization is accepting the FAB as the framework or mechanism for convergence of the two peace tracks with the MNLF and the MILF.”

The OIC sits as an observer in the GPH-MILF peace negotiations. It also facilitates the Tripartite Implementation Review of the 1996 FPA between the government and the MNLF.

“The OIC apparently is accepting already the convergence framework being proposed by the GPH,” Seguis added.

Meanwhile, he confirmed that MNLF faction chair Nur Misuari, who has a standing warrant of arrest in the Philippines, “was not present in the meeting and there was no MNLF delegation that showed up.”

Next tripartite meet

Seguis, who had an opportunity to deliver a statement at the plenary, appealed to the OIC members to support the continuation of the 5th Tripartite Implementation Review meeting. The said meeting, which was supposed to be held last Sept. 16, was postponed upon the request of Misuari “due to the incident in Zamboanga City.”

“The Government is committed to pursue the implementation of the substantive agreements reached by the parties during the Tripartite Implementation Review,” he said adding that the FAB, which was signed last year, envisions a future Bangsamoro region that is “neither exclusive to the MNLF nor the MILF.”

The holding of the next tripartite meeting was supported by the OIC who, in its statement, called on its Secretary General and the Peace Committee for Southern Philippines (PCSP) to hold another session of the tripartite meeting to overcome “pending major difficulties.”

New GPH-MILF milestone

Seguis also conveyed to the OIC the recent milestone in the Philippine peace process with the signing of the GPH-MILF power-sharing agreement.

“The Annex on Power-Sharing recently signed already opens up the possibility of converging the achievements of both GPH-MNLF and GPH-MILF peace processes, setting a path for a coordinated implementation of both peace agreements for the benefit of the entire Bangsamoro,” he stated.

Quoting from the last provision of the annex, he pointed out that it calls on the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) to “undertake an inventory of the powers and consider the proposed recommendations from the review process of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement for possible inclusion in to the Bangsamoro Basic Law…”

The GPH and the MILF will hold their next round of talks in January to finalize the remaining annex on normalization and an addendum on the Bangsamoro waters. The BTC for its part has been conducting consultations with various stakeholders of the Bangsamoro in drafting the Basic Law.

“The opportunity for a genuine and comprehensive peace in Mindanao is just within arm’s reach. We ask OIC’s help in realizing this, mindful of the new realities and of no less than the best interest of the entire Bangsamoro people,” said Seguis.

http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/12/oic-backs-implementation-of-gph-milf.html

Bomb explodes outside house of Philippine mayor

From the Mindanao Examiner blog site (Dec 14): Bomb explodes outside house of Philippine mayor

Unidentified men exploded an improvised bomb outside the house of a Filipino mayor in the southern province of Basilan, but officials said there was no casualties from Saturday’s blast.

The explosive, assembled from a mortar round, detonated around 2 a.m., near the house of Isabela Mayor Cherry Akbar, whose husband Wahab Akbar, a lawmaker, was killed in a bomb attack at the entrance of the House of Representatives in Manila in November 2007.

Captain Jefferson Somera, a spokesman for the army’s 1st Infantry Division, said the blast left a two meter crater. “Two motorcycle men were spotted in the area prior to the explosion and we are closely working with the local police to determine the identities of the bombers,” he told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

Other reports said a second improvised bomb which did not explode was also recovered by authorities.

It was unknown if Akbar was the target of the explosion. But if she was, why would the bombers detonate the bomb outside her house instead of the sprawling compound of the politician.

Last year, a motorcycle rigged with explosives was also detonated outside Akbar’s house in Sunrise village while the convoy of her political rival Abdulbaki Ajibon, who was unhurt from the blast.

http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/12/bomb-explodes-outside-house-of.html

NDF consultant gets 40 years for illegal possession of firearms

From the Philippine Star (Dec 13): NDF consultant gets 40 years for illegal possession of firearms

A consultant of the communist-led National Democratic Front (NDF) was sentenced last Wednesday to 40 years in prison by a Muntinlupa City regional trial court for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

The human rights group Karapatan said the conviction of NDF consultant Eduardo Sarmiento by Judge Myra Bayot Quiambo of Muntinlupa RTC Branch 203 was in violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) that was signed in 1995 by representatives of the Philippine government and the NDF.

According to Karapatan, as a consultant to the peace process Sarmiento is covered by JASIG, having been involved in the peace negotiations between the government and the NDF since 1986, representing the Eastern Visayas region.

“Sarmiento should have been released as early as 2011, had the Aquino government fulfilled its commitment, contained in the February 2011 Oslo GPH-NDFP Joint Statement, to release ‘most, if not all, political prisoners.’ In fact, Sarmiento should have not been arrested at all,” said Karapatan in a statement.

Karapatan said that Sarmiento’s arrest on Feb. 24, 2009 was faulty because it was warrantless and the evidence found on him was allegedly planted.

The group said Sarmiento’s arresting officers claimed they had two warrants of arrest for arson and for multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder issued by the Catbalogan Regional Trial Court Branch 29 and of the Municipal Trial Court of Paranas, Samar, respectively.

Sarmiento was later charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives for allegedly carrying a brown bag with one fragmentation grenade.

Karapatan said Sarmiento had a P2-million bounty on his head which was supposedly awarded to an informant. At the time of his arrest, Sarmiento was in Manila for consultations. He was arrested near a mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa by joint elements of the army intelligence and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/12/13/1267571/ndf-consultant-gets-40-years-illegal-possession-firearms

MILF: BLMI-Conciliation Resources hold consultations with MILF members

From the MILF Website (Dec 13): BLMI-Conciliation Resources hold consultations with MILF members

 

The Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI) and Conciliation Resources (CR) with support from the European Union (EU) conducted a two (2) day consultations from December 4-5, 2013 at the BLMI Training Hall on “Promoting Public Participation on the Peace Process” with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as a pilot program.
  

The activity is part of full swing public engagements on the basic law being crafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC). The Commission is in tie-up with civil society organization based on a memorandum of understanding between the BTC and the CSO’s.  This activity at the BLMI will be followed by a series of consultations in Moro communities of as far as the island provinces and western Mindanao provinces. 

About 100 participants from Maguindanao comprising information officers and political committee officers, with 25 participants each from the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), women and youth sector attended the program.

On November 30, 2013 the BTC and CR signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the BTC office between BTC Chair Mohagher Iqbal and Kristian Herbolzeimer of Conciliation Resources. This agreement aims to promote public participation on the peace process also known as 5P’s.

CR have eight (8) partners conducting public engagements on the ground in order to let the public know what the BTC is doing and the feedbacks that it gathers from the public in connection with the drafting of the BBL. Once the BTC completes the crafting of the basic law it will be submitted to President Benigno C. Aquino III for certification as “urgent” bill and transmits the same to congress so that both chambers have ample time to enact it into law.

The consultation started with a recital of verses from the Holy Qur’an followed by opening remarks. Atty. Haron Meling, Chief Executive Assistant of BTC Chair Iqbal lectured on the ministerial form of government and mentioned some activities of the BTC in recent weeks.

“Paragraph 2 of Article 1 of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) provides that the government of the Bangsamoro shall have a ministerial form. The parties agree to entrench an electoral system suitable to a ministerial form of government. The electoral system shall allow democratic participation, ensure accountability of public officers primarily to their constituents and encourage formation of genuinely principled political parties.”

There are four thematic issues or concerns that have been discussed or presented during the workshop such as; governance, territory, security, and Shari’ah Law.

Currently, the BLMI is intensifying its efforts by conducting capacity building activities and promoting peoples’ awareness on the peace process and other concerns. The participants were also challenged to encourage the Bangsamoro people in state building endeavors as stipulated in the FAB.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/711-blmi-conciliation-resources-hold-consultations-with-milf-members

British Navy ship completes PH aid mission, goes home

From ABS-CBN (Dec 13): British Navy ship completes PH aid mission, goes home

The British Royal Navy amphibious helicopter carrier, HMS Illustrious, has completed its disaster relief mission in the Philippines and is now on its way to back to the United Kingdom.

The carrier, dubbed "Lusty", has been in the Philippines since November 25 delivering relief goods and giving assistance to Filipinos affected by super typhoon Yolanda (international code name: Haiyan).

The British government said that as of December 6, the HMS Illustrious has aided 12,823 people, delivered 68.2 tons of food, over 2,000 bags of rice and 76 disaster relief packs containing tools and supplies. It said members of the ship’s company have been ashore, camping out among communities to provide sustained assistance.

"Royal Navy personnel, Royal Marines commandos and Army engineers have worked closely together to repair buildings, fishing boats, engines and generators," it said.
Surgeon Lieutenant James Baker said he was part of an assistance team deployed to Calagnaan Island in Iloilo.

"We were tasked to help repair a building damaged by the typhoon. It was hard work; safely removing the old structure and replacing it with one that we manufactured using locally-sourced bamboo," he said.

"We then used tarpaulin transported to the site by helicopter to provide a temporary roof. It is measures like this that are among the most vital in the recovery process. It helps restore the sense of normality that Typhoon Haiyan had disrupted," he added.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin thanked members of the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Armed Forces personnel who participated in the aid mission.

"No amount of words can precisely express our most profound gratitude for the noble deeds of HMS Illustrious and the British sailors in extending utmost assistance to the victims of that deadly natural disaster which has ravaged many islands of our archipelago. We can only thank you from the depths of our hearts and treasure your most appreciated help in our trying moments that has in no small way eased the pains and sufferings of our affected countrymen," he said in a statement.

UK Secretary of State for Defense Philip Hammond said he is extremely proud of the British military’s hard work in support of humanitarian relief in the Philippines.

"I am grateful to the RAF detachments and the crews of HMS Illustrious and HMS Daring for their swift distribution of aid during the disaster relief operation and am pleased that the DFID will continue to support the recovery effort."

HMS Illustrious began her return journey to the UK this week after a stopover in Manila to re-supply.

The UK Government is providing over £60 million in humanitarian support to help aid get through to hard to reach areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

The British public also contributed over £73 million through an appeal from the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC), a group of 14 UK aid charities.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/12/13/13/british-navy-ship-completes-ph-aid-mission-goes-home