De Lima cautious on proposed temporary freeze on Misuari, Kato warrants

From InterAksyon (Sep 16): De Lima cautious on proposed temporary freeze on Misuari, Kato warrants



AFP file photo

Reacting to a proposal from Cagayan de Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said the idea of seeking a temporary freeze on the arrest warrant against Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari and Ameril Umbra Kato of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

The proposed temporary lifting of the arrest warrants, said Rodriguez, is meant to make it possible for them to attend consultations on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that will need thorough study by multiple sectors in Muslim Mindanao.

DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima said the proposal is not an easy matter to begin with, considering its legal implications and also since it concerns warrants issued by the courts, "as well as the fact that there is no precedent for such matter."

"I don’t know yet if it will be legally defensible, so there really is a need for the DOJ to study the proposal," De Lima said, adding that she made the various implications clear to Rodriguez.

"That -- to study the issue -- is our only commitment," she affirmed, articulating that DOJ cannot yet commit its support to the proposal.

Misuari is the subject of a warrant issued by a Zamboanga City court for rebellion and violation of International Humanitarian Law following the September 2013 siege undertaken by his followers on the city, which left hundreds dead and injured, and razed large portions of Zamboanga City to the ground before government troops successfully ended the three-week siege.

Kato on the other hand is facing murder and arson charges before the North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte Regional Trial Courts.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/95510/de-lima-cautious-on-proposed-temporary-freeze-on-misuari-kato-warrants

Army ‘Tabak’ Division partners with Project BOSS for humanitarian mission in South

From the Mindanao Examiner BlogSpot site (Sep 16): Army ‘Tabak’ Division partners with Project BOSS for humanitarian mission in South



The Philippine Army’s 1st Infantry Division is partnering with Project BOSS or Brotherhood Operation Surgical Services for free cataract and cleft lip and palate operation in southern Philippines.

Bel Yenko, president of the Alpha Phi Omega, Southern Zamboanga Alumni Association (APO-SOZA-ALAS), and prime mover behind Project BOSS, met recently with Brig. Gen. Gerardo Barrientos, the Division commander, and discussed the joint humanitarian project.

He said Col. Victor Tanggawohn, chief of the Division’s G7, served as focal person for the Project BOSS. “They will start taking census, before we could set up schedule, which might be most likely towards the end of the year or early next year,” Yenko told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

Barrientos, a decorated commander, is a staunch advocate of mercy mission and active in pro-poor programs. And Yenko and his wife, Babes Rota, are known humanitarian workers and have been helping many patients in Mindanao and other parts of the country in partnership with various organizations.

Yenko also worked closely in the past with previous commanders of the 1st Infantry Division based in Zamboanga del Sur’s Labangan town.









Bel Yenko, president of the Alpha Phi Omega, Southern Zamboanga Alumni Association and prime mover behind Project BOSS, during a meeting recently with Brig. Gen. Gerardo Barrientos, commander of the 1st Infantry Division. 

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2014/09/army-tabak-division-partners-with.html

MILF: UNYPAD Holds Forum on Peace Process

Posted to the MILF Website (Sep 16): UNYPAD Holds Forum on Peace Process



The Coastal Chapter of the United Youth for Peace and Development, Inc. (UNYPAD) in partnership with the political committee officials of Malabang conducted a Multi-Sectoral Forum on Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Peace Process on September 11, 2014 at China Town, Malabang, Lanao del Sur.
  

Omair Saripada, UNYPAD chairman for coastal provincial chapter, disclosed that the activity is part of advocacy of the UNYPAD on the on-going MILF-GPH Peace Process to raise the awareness of the community about the status of the peace negotiations especially that the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) was already submitted to the congress.

Not speaking as a Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT) Member but as a UNYPAD President, Rahib Kudto said that “resolving conflict is an individual’s concern or responsibility, and so every should do something for as it needs a collective effort....”

“The proposed BBL is a law that will govern the affairs of the Bangsamoro people and other inhabitants of the Bangsamoro,” Kudto said.

Asked about the possibility of the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) by the Supreme Court (SC), Kudto said, “SC can do that if legally reasonable but I hope it will consider the possible consequences of its decision.”
“I am optimistic that the government will really find way to finally put the conflict in Mindanao into total closure by implementing what it has committed to the Bangsamoro,” he added.

He explained that the delay of the submission of BBL to the congress can be considered as constructive delay rather than destructive one.

“The President just wanted to be sure the constitutionality of the proposed BBL that his office will submit to the congress so that it will have a judicious passage,” Kudto pointed out.

Kudto urged everybody to take part in the efforts for finding a lasting political solution to the Bangsamoro question so that peace will finally reign Mindanao. 

Asked about the place and role of Sultanate in the Bangsamoro Parliament, Kudto said, “there is no reserved seats for Sultans in the parliament but they can create a political party, and if they will win the majority seats, then, they will form or lead the government or, at least, they will be having their representatives in the parliament.

The Non-violent Peace Force (NP) based in Iligan, Lanao del  Norte, Baisanie Macabuat, National Chairperson of the UNYPAD’s Women Affairs Committee, and Anwar Saluwang, Director of the UNYPAD’s Development Management Center, also graced the activity.

Engr. Camar P. Mauyag and Hizami C. Amerol had played a very important part to have made the activity possible.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/1210-unypad-holds-forum-on-peace-process

MILF: Legislators move beyond partisan politics, vow for swift passage of Bangsamoro Law

Posted to the MILF Website (Sep 16): Legislators move beyond partisan politics, vow for swift passage of Bangsamoro Law



As President Benigno S. Aquino III led the submission of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to leaders of Congress, solons in the majority and minority blocs expressed the importance of unity and moving beyond partisan politics for Congress to take on its monumental role to pass a law that is key for achieving peace in southern Philippines.

Senators Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Nancy Binay, and Vicente Sotto III expressed their commitment to the enactment of the draft BBL, asserting confidence that the process will be spared from unnecessary distractions and delays rooted in politics.

 

“This is an opportunity for us to find a true and lasting peace and nobody will want to squander such an opportunity,” said Marcos in an interview with the press following the ceremonial handover of the draft BBL to Congress staged in Malacañang.

Binay, for her part, acknowledged the draft measure as “a significant step towards our pursuit of lasting peace in Mindanao.”

Sotto commented that the Bangsamoro proposal is “very promising” and will be key to achieving sustainable development in Mindanao once the island’s issues are settled.

The draft BBL was officially turned over by President Benigno S. Aquino III to Congress in a simple ceremony staged in Malacañan Palace. Once passed into law and ratified through a plebiscite, it will install and operationalize a parliamentary form of government that will replace what is currently the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Going beyond political differences

Marcos, who heads the Senate Committee on Local Government, acknowledged that political differences will create inevitable bumps along the way, in light of existing regional, tribal politics in the south. However, he insisted that the success of the Bangsamoro bill will be hinged in a bipartisan process that will take into account all possible perspectives and positions.

“The Bangsamoro law will seek to acknowledge the differences in cultures, religions, and laws [in the region],” Marcos clarified.

“[Our work is to find out] how to incorporate those differences into the larger system of government of the Republic of the Philippines.”

To this end, Marcos said that he will ensure that hearings on the proposed basic law will be held in Manila and in the ARMM alike.

“It would not be right if the Bangsamoro law will be reviewed in light of concerns and opinions voiced out in Manila alone,” he said.

“My approach to this process is simple: We will allow everyone who wants to say something or has an opinion that is valid and reasonable a venue to make their case.”

Noting the tight timeline left for legislators to pass the Bangsamoro bill into law, Marcos pointed out that the process will be urgent, yet deliberate.

“We must take full advantage of this chance. We must get this right, so we will examine every aspect of it to make sure that, in the end, it will contribute to a true and lasting peace that will benefit our entire country.”
Historic opportunity for peace

Senate President Franklin Drilon also emphasized the historic role and opportunity to help achieve peace in southern Philippines through the passage of the BBL.

“To all of us, we should not let this historic opportunity to pass without achieving the purpose of peace. This may not come again if we don’t take advantage of this opportunity. We will respect the Philippine Constitution (in passing the BBL), but let us also be conscious of the aspirations of our people in Mindanao.”

As a manifestation of the unity of lawmakers for peace, Drilon said that the minority in the Senate will co-sponsor the BBL. Same with Drilon, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. had earlier given his support for the swift passage of the BBL as a top priority measure in this administration.

Present during the ceremony were members of the Senate, House of Representatives; Cabinet; Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) Chair Mohagher Iqbal and commissioners; Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles; GPH peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, and peace panel member Yasmin Busran-Lao.
Bangsamoro law, a triumph for all Filipinos

Aquino referred to the transmittal of the draft BBL as a triumph for all Filipinos. He said that through the proposed BBL, “we have taken yet another step towards a more peaceful and more progressive Mindanao.”

“Now that we have a proposed bill, I fully believe that it is in accordance with our Constitution and with the principles of our framework agreement, and that it reflects our shared efforts towards growth that leaves no one behind,” Aquino said.

Aquino assured that whether Moros, Lumads, or Christians, “the BBL was crafted to be fair, just, and acceptable to all.”
Deles in a statement said that the transmittal of the BBL to Congress is a turning point in our national quest for peace. She said she “expects and look forward to vigorous public discussions of the provisions of the BBL.”

Coronel-Ferrer in her statement said “We trust that our esteemed lawmakers, cognizant of the historic import of this process, would view the submitted draft with open hearts and minds, and would take on the monumental responsibility of bringing forth the Bangsamoro with seriousness of purpose and urgency.”

Iqbal, for his part, said that he is “happy with the results” of the engagements between the BTC and the Office of the President to arrive at a mutually acceptable draft BBL. He said that “there is no other option for the MILF and for government but to move forward” in the peace process.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/1209-legislators-move-beyond-partisan-politics-vow-for-swift-passage-of-bangsamoro-law

MILF: Pledging allegiance to flag takes time – Iqbal

Posted to the MILF Website (Sep 15): Pledging allegiance to flag takes time – Iqbal



YESTERDAY ( September 10, 2014), when the national anthem was played, President Aquino and all those on the stage at Malacañang’s Rizal Hall placed their right hands over their hearts-except for one man.

Mohagher Iqbal, chief negotiator of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), faced the Philippine flag as a sign of respect, but did not place his hand over his heart.

NOT YET

Pledging allegiance to the country and flag of the government he had fought for decades would take time, even with a peace agreement signed and the draft of a bill that would establish a Bangsamoro autonomous region submitted to Congress by the President.

The meaning of the gesture of Iqbal and his fellow MILF members when the national anthem was played went largely unnoticed.

Certainly, the INQUIRER learned, it was not an act of defiance. It was a process, not something that could be imposed right away even if the MILF and the government were close to completing the peace process.

Malacañang informed

THE INQUIRER learned that at the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro at the Palace in October 2012, the MILF informed Malacañang protocol of this peculiarity when it confirmed its officials would attend the event.

The MILF said its officials, led by its chair, Murad Ebrahim, would stand at attention and face the Philippine flag as a sign of respect.

The MILF also said that, indeed, the Moros were Filipinos.

Iqbal told the INQUIRER yesterday that there was really “no intention” behind his not placing his hand over his heart when the national anthem was played.

“I have been with the struggle for 40 years and then all of a sudden you are under the glare of the cameras. There is no intention there, “Iqbal said.

He spent 17 of those 40 years as the MILF’s chief negotiator in the peace process.

It does take time to adopt it, according to Maguindanao (1st District) and Cotabato City Rep. Sandra Sema, wife of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Muslimin Sema.

MNLF, too

It also took a while before Sema’s husband and his fellow members of the MNLF learned to place their hands over their hearts as a symbol of allegiance to country and flag, even after they reached a peace agreement with the government in 1996.

“There’s a confidence-building measure that comes with it because they have fought for so long,” Sema said.

Sema told the INQUIRER that there was no question about President Aquino’s intention to herald just and lasting peace in Mindanao.

But Filipinos should also take time to understand who and what is the Bangsamoro, she said.

“It’s time to understand each other and support each other,” Sema said.

Bangsamoro identity

Article 2 of the draft Bangsamoro law provides for a Bangsamoro identity.

Those who at the time of conquest and colonization were considered natives or original inhabitants of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago and its adjacent islands, including Palawan province, and their descendants, whether of mixed or full blood have the right to identify themselves as Bangsamoro by ascription or self-ascription,” the draft law says.

Their spouses and children are also Bangsamoro.

Indigenous people will have the freedom of choice and this shall be respected, according to the draft law.

The Bangsamoro parliament will also “adopt the official flag, emblem, and anthem of the Bangsamoro” as part of the Bangsamoro identity.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said that as a Philippine government entity, the Bangsamoro was “authorized to have its own flag under Section 44 of the Republic Act No. 8491,” the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/1208-pledging-allegiance-to-flag-takes-time-–-iqbal

MILF: Zamboanga City gov't. vows vigilance over possible inclusion in Bangsamoro

Posted to the MILF Website (Sep 15): Zamboanga City gov't. vows vigilance over possible inclusion in Bangsamoro



 

Local officials and legal experts in Zamboanga City called for vigilance over the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), citing the city does not remain off the hook from possible inclusion in the new Bangsamoro region. 

The statement comes despite support from the world for the efforts of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in ending the Moro problem in southern Philippines.

Lawyer Vic Solis said there are provisions in the core territory of the draft BBL that may soon find its way for the inclusion of the city.

He said under the draft BBL, Zamboanga City, which opted out in two referenda on the autonomous region in Mindanao, was not included. However, Solis said that it was explicit in the draft BBL under Sections 2 and 3 of Article III that it takes at least 10 percent of the registered voters on areas contiguous and outside of the territory to subject them to participate in the plebiscite.

He said the territorial waters 12 nautical miles under the proposed BBL will also overlap with the municipal waters of the other non-Bangsamoro areas, which under the national law provides 15 kilometers of municipal waters.

Solis called on the House representatives of the city to be vigilant on the passage of the draft.

“We have to be vigilant regardless of our party affiliation,” Solis said over a local radio here.

Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has directed the city legal office to study the BBL and called her constituents to have “a responsible informed conscience by studying the implications of the BBL in its presentation.”

Salazar said the city stands united with its two district representatives Reps. Celso Lobregat and Lilia Nuño to ensure that its 98 barangays will not be fragmented.

“We will never allow them to take the city just because of this 10 percent petition. We appealed that we Christians, Muslims and lumads should really be united in our aspirations to keep Zamboanga under one flag, one nation and one Republic of the Philippines,” Salazar said. 

Days after Congress received the draft BBL, social media is still abuzz with statements of support from the world stage.

Among those who expressed their support were diplomats from the international community who took to Twitter in expressing their admiration of the sincerity of the Philippine government and the MILF, which earlier signed a landmark peace agreement.

United States (US) Ambassador to the Philippines Philip S. Goldberg said that the US government remains committed to the southern peace process. “[The US government] welcomes the BBL submission to Congress, [and will] continue to support peace and stability in Mindanao,” he said.

Bill Twedell, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, tweeted: “Australia is committed to supporting the pursuit for peace in Mindanao and welcomes mutually acceptable Bangsamoro Basic Law in Congress.”

In a statement from its embassy in Manila, Switzerland congratulated the Philippine government and the MILF and expressed its commitment “as an active partner to support the establishment of the Bangsamoro.”

Canada's Ambassador to the Philippines Neil Reeder also issued a statement on Wednesday, saying that his government “welcomes the submission of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law to Congress.”

“This and the pending substantive debate on the bill are important steps in the process aimed at achieving lasting peace and long-term prosperity in Mindanao,” he said. The message was also posted on the official Twitter account of the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines.

“The diligent efforts of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process continue to bring new hope for an era of opportunity for the people of Mindanao, the people of the Philippines and partners in the surrounding region,” Reeder said.

“Together with the international community, Canada remains committed to being an active partner in continuing our support for the establishment and implementation of the Bangsamoro,” he added. 

President Benigno S. Aquino III transmitted the draft BBL to Congress on Wednesday in Malacañang. Speaker of the House of Representatives Feliciano Belmonte Jr. led lawmakers Thursday in filing the draft in Congress. The draft law is now known as House Bill 4994. 

The foreign leaders also described the submission of the BBL as a crucial achievement in ensuring peace. 

The Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre) said they congratulate the Philippine government and the MILF, as well as the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) “for reaching another major milestone in the Mindanao peace process with the formal submission." 

The HD Centre is part of the International Contact Group, the third-party monitoring group for the peace negation of the Philippine government and the MILF. The HD Centre had been assisting the parties to reach a mutually acceptable draft bill.

United Kingdom-based International Alert said it “fully supports the Bangsamoro Basic Law bill and encourages the Philippine Congress to swiftly ensure its passage into law.” 

“We have received a gift of peace that can fulfill the genuine aspirations of the Bangsamoro and enable families and communities to start life anew in an atmosphere of certainty, stability, and security.  Let us make good use of it,” it said.

“We call upon Congress to move quickly and enact a law that can facilitate the transition from violent conflict to a lasting peace. The same spirit that moved the GPH and MILF panels to arrive at a peace agreement should prevail among congressmen and senators in the legislation of this new law. The grant of full and genuine autonomy to the Bangsamoro must be upheld,” it said. 

“We agree that the bill should be scrutinized according to the principles of sovereignty and constitutionality. Yet we also believe that this framework is inadequate and should not be used as an excuse to reject the law. We also need to view the Bangsamoro with a lens focused on justice, inclusivity, and prosperity. These are the desires of the Bangsamoro people, and they have waited long enough.” 

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/1207-zamboanga-city-govt-vows-vigilance-over-possible-inclusion-in-bangsamoro

CPP: On the transfer of Palparan to the Army headquarters

Propaganda statement posted to the CPP Website (Sep 16): On the transfer of Palparan to the Army headquarters

Communist Party of the Philippines

 

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemns in the strongest terms possible the transfer of the fascist butcher (ret.) Gen. Jovito Palparan to military detention at the AFP Custodial Center in Fort Bonifacio.

Palparan’s transfer to the military headquarters is a grave insult to the thousands victimized by military abuses committed by the soldiers and paramilitary forces he commanded.

Palparan’s homecoming is only the latest privilege accorded him by the Aquino regime since his “arrest” last August. Under his military custodians, Palparan is bound to enjoy even more liberties and special treatment.

The Filipino people demand justice for all the abuses committed by General Palparan and his men. They continue to look towards the revolutionary system as the ultimate option to achieve their quest.

Indeed, General Palparan has been indicted before the people’s courts for his direct responsibility for scores of murders and abductions of unarmed activists as well as other military abuses and grave violations of international humanitarian law.

The standing order for General Palparan’s arrest remains in effect and will be carried out by the New People’s Army (NPA) at an opportune time in the future.

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20140916_on-the-transfer-of-palparan-to-the-army-headquarters

(UPDATE) 4 killed as militiamen clash with leftist rebels in Davao

From the Philippine Star (Sep 15): (UPDATE) 4 killed as militiamen clash with leftist rebels in Davao

At least four people were killed after fighting erupted between tribal militiamen and members of the leftist rebel group New People's Army (NPA) yesterday, Philippine army and police officials said today.

Carl Omar Fiel, town police chief, said two members of the Alamara tribal militia were also wounded in the fighting in Gupitan village, Kapalong town in Davao del Norte province.

Fiel said Alamara militiamen under a certain Ongging Mansaloon engaged about 20 NPA guerrillas in a firefight at around 4 p.m. local time. The two-hour clash resulted in the death of Mansaloon' s 21-year-old son and three leftist rebels. The chieftain and another tribal militiaman were injured.

Colonel Harold Cabreros, commander of the Philippine Army's 1003rd Infantry Brigade, said several rifles and improved explosives were also recovered at the site of the encounter.

Last month, the 100-strong Alamara declared a "pangayaw" or tribal war against the NPA guerrillas whom the group accused of committing human rights abuses and violating tribal culture in Gupitan - an upland village rich in timber.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/09/15/1369446/update-4-killed-militiamen-clash-leftist-rebels-davao

Goldberg: US watching Isis in PH

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Sep 16): Goldberg: US watching Isis in PH



US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg: Watching. AFP FILE PHOTO

Manila and Washington are both keeping close tabs on reports of the terror group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis), recruiting fighters in the Philippines, particularly in Mindanao, US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said on Monday.

In a separate interview with the Inquirer, the splinter group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) on Monday confirmed that it had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and was in constant communication with the group, including its leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.

In a phone interview, BIFF spokesperson Abu Misry Mama said the group feared that the US government’s pronouncement about neutralizing Isis would affect Mindanao, and that its declaration of a “war on terror” against the Islamic State would launch proxy or direct hostilities in other countries outside the Middle East, including the Philippines.

“Are we afraid? Yes, we are afraid. But we are ready to defend ourselves if ever they will attack us,” Mama said.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Embahada held at the US Embassy in Manila, Goldberg said the US was “concerned about the idea of Isis trying to recruit foreign fighters all around the world.”

Possible recruitment places

Goldberg added that the US was aware of foreign fighters from the US, United Kingdom, Europe and Australia who had gone to the Middle East, and that Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia could also be “possible places for recruitment” by Isis.

“It’s everywhere, including the West,” the ambassador said of Isis’ recruitment efforts.

“We’ve taken note of the public announcements that have been made by some groups in the southern Philippines about Isis, but I don’t want to say that we have no information to indicate that there have been fighters going to the Middle East. (W)hat I’m saying (is that) we and the Philippine government are watching it very closely and it concerns us, wherever it may be taking place,” Goldberg said.

Degrade, destroy

US President Barack Obama last week declared war against the group, following its execution of two American journalists and, more recently, a British aid worker. The US is now leading a global alliance to fight the terror group and said that it was moving ahead with its strategy to “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State that the US called a terrorist organization.

Mama scored the US “war on terror” and recalled how it had been used before in the Philippines.

“Remember… the Filipino-American War? Mindanao was not annexed by the Americans because our ancestors bravely fought using their bolos,” the BIFF spokesperson said, adding that the “tactic” was also employed during martial law.

“Lately, when we were still with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), we were able to engage Filipino soldiers with Americans (among) them,” Mama said. The MILF, he added, had also recovered guns allegedly from Americans after fighting them in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.

The rebel leader described the guns as “balikatan,” claiming that these were the firearms used by American troops during the Balikatan joint military exercises.

Very dangerous

Mama added that one of the BIFF’s concerns was the use of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones by foreign troops in Mindanao.

“We saw (them) flying over our heads before. (They’re) very dangerous for the communities,” Mama said.

In 2002, militant organizations criticized the massing of foreign troops in Mindanao that the US government had tagged the “second front of the war on terror.”

Both the Philippine and US governments had denied that American forces were joining combat operations and said that their presence was only for joint military exercises.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/111155/goldberg-us-watching-isis-in-ph

Palparan transfer draws fire from Church group

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Sep 15): Palparan transfer draws fire from Church group

The advocacy group Promotion of Church People’s Response decried Monday the decision of a court in Bulacan to place retired Major General Jovito Palparan in the custody of the Philippine Army instead of the provincial jail, saying it was a display of military dominance over civilian authority.

“Also, it shows the explicit enjoyment of General Palparan of the special treatment given to him by the Aquino administration,” said PCPR general secretary Nardy Sabino in a statement.

He demanded that instead of providing security to a violator, the government must move to protect human rights victims and their families.

“We demand that security be given to the human rights victims and their family and not to the violators…. Let justice roll like flowing river and righteousness like a never ending stream,” he added.

Palparan, who was called “The Butcher” by political activists, was arrested in a house in Sta. Mesa, Manila last month after more than two years in hiding.

The former commander of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division is standing trial at the Malolos Regional Trial Court in connection with the disappearance of UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, who were last seen in Hagonoy town in Bulacan in June 2006.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/638185/palparan-transfer-draws-fire-from-church-group

3 suspected NPA rebels killed, 2 govt troops hurt in Davao Norte clash

From GMA News (Sep 15): 3 suspected NPA rebels killed, 2 govt troops hurt in Davao Norte clash

Three suspected members of the New People's Army were killed, while two government troops were wounded following a clash in Davao del Norte over the weekend, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said.

 

In a news release on Monday, the AFP's Eastern Mindanao Command said around 5:45 p.m. Sunday, troops from the Army's 10th Infantry Division's 72nd Infantry Battalion engaged an undetermined number of communist rebels at Sitio Poiton in Barangay Gupitan in Kapalong town.

 

The operating troops recovered an AK-47 assault rifle, an M16 rifle, an improvised explosive device as well as a hand grenade from the rebels.
 

Meanwhile, the two wounded members of the CAFGU were taken to the nearest hospital for treatment, the AFP said.

 

According to Col. Harold Cabreros, who heads the 1003rd Infantry Brigade, they will coordinate with the local government in Kapalong "for the proper disposition of the three NPA cadavers."

 

Cabreros said he instructed the soldiers to maintain security particularly in Kapalong, where residents including the indigenous people "Lumad" were "abused and deceived" by the CPP-NPA, the news release said.

 

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/379274/news/regions/3-suspected-npa-rebels-killed-2-govt-troops-hurt-in-davao-norte-clash

DAR turns over 25 Pamana projects to Zamboanga farmers

From the Business Mirror (Sep 15): DAR turns over 25 Pamana projects to Zamboanga farmers

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently turned over 25 projects under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) project to agrarian-reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) in Zamboanga del Sur.

 

The projects are aimed at spurring rural development and promoting peace and order in conflict areas.

 

For Zamboanga del Sur, the projects include water systems, postharvest facilities, solar and stilt dryers, farm implements and cattle fattening, among others.

 

Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Arturo Soria said the finished project was turned over to the barangay chairmen of the 25 villages in Dinas town, where the 25 ARBOs are operating.

 

These include multipurpose buildings for barangays Bacawan, Benuatan, Nian, Guinicolalay, Don Jose, Songayan, Pisaan and Lower Dipaya; water systems for barangays Kinakap, Ignacio Garrata, Legarda Uno, Dos and Tres, and Dimaya Proper.

 

Soria added that cattle for fattening were distributed for farmers in Dongos; six mud boats and a hand tractor for East Migpulao; tire path for Poblacion; solar dryer for Sumpotan and Sambulawan, stilt dryer for Locuban; and water systems for Sagacad, Legarda Uno, Old Mirapao and Nangka.

 

DAR-Western Mindanao Regional Director Julita Ragandang said 1,896 farmer-beneficiaries, comprising 6,088 households with an estimated 34,000 population, would directly benefit from the projects.

 

Randang added that the projects represent the initial offering out of the 166 projects that are being implemented by the DAR under the supervision of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

 

“They serve as DAR’s legacy to the public under the Pamana Phase 1 project in agrarian-reform areas,” Ragandang said.

 

http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/regions/38789-dar-turns-over-25-pamana-projects-to-zamboanga-farmers

US to announce compensation for Tubbataha damage ‘soon’

From GMA News (Sep 15): US to announce compensation for Tubbataha damage ‘soon’

An announcement will be made “soon” by the US government on the compensation for the damage caused by an American warship on internationally-famous Tubbataha Reef off Palawan province, Washington’s envoy to Manila said Monday.

 

Washington has offered compensation to the Philippines for the damage caused by the USS Guardian, which the Philippine government estimated to cost around P58 million or $1.3 million.

 

Environmentalists and militant groups have filed a complaint against the US before the Supreme Court to demand for compensation after the US vessel ran aground the reef in January 2013, damaging over 4,000 square meters of the coral outcrop.

 

“We are going through the last phase of the review. You know whenever something like this happens, it requires various legal and other review and I am convinced that very soon, we will have an announcement to make,”  Ambassador Philip Goldberg told a media forum at the US Embassy in Manila.

 

Goldberg said the US government received and took note of the Philippines’s review and recommendations while US officials conducted its own investigation.

 

The US military had to dismantle the ship to remove it and to prevent further damage to the reef, which is a United Nations-declared world heritage site.

 

The US military has since relieved the ship’s officers and crew for the incident, saying they failed to adhere to standard navigation procedures.

 

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/379272/news/nation/us-to-announce-compensation-for-tubbataha-damage-soon

Guv: Give peace a chance

From the Visayan Daily Star (Sep 15): Guv: Give peace a chance

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. is apparently not giving up on his call to the leaders and members of the New People’s Army to give peace a chance.

 

This was noted after government negotiating panel chairman Alexander Padilla announced that he will support any attempt or endeavor of the local government executives to explore localized peace talks with the local insurgents.

 

Marañon said that ever since, he has been trying to reach out to misguided Negrenses, who are still in the mountains and fighting against the government, to join him in the fight against poverty, and not against each other.

 

He reiterated his offer to provide medical assistance to ailing former priest Frank Fernandez, alleged by the military to be the secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros, and reportedly suffering from a lingering illness.

 

Padilla said Friday that the holding of localized peace talks, that may be initiated by local government executives, is welcome especially when the resumption of peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front stalled again.

 

More than 100 ex-rebels and their families have availed of financial and livelihood assistance from the provincial government of Negros Occidental, since 2011, military records show.

 

Meanwhile, Undersecretary Maria Cleofe Gettie Sandoval of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said that the government is poised to sign a closure agreement with the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (Tabara Paduano Group), that had signed a peace agreement in 2000.

 

Sandoval said the PAMANA project, founded on the ideals of participation and inclusion, is changing people’s lives.

 

In a statement from the OPAPP, Sandoval cited the hiring of 95 former RPA-ABB members as forest guards, through the partnership of PAMANA and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

 

In the RPM-P/RPA/ABB peace tracks, scholarships under the Commission on Higher Education’s Study Grant Program and health insurance coverage by PhilHealth have also ensured that family and kin of former combatants, as well as immediate community members, have basic social protection benefits, Sandoval said in the OPAPP statement.

 

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/September/15/topstory8.htm

House approves bill defining Philippine maritime zones on committee level

From AngMalaya (Sep 15): House approves bill defining Philippine maritime zones on committee level

House Bill 4889, Philippine Maritime Zones Act, was approved on House of Representatives committee level Thursday, September 11.

Francisco Ashley L. Acedillo of Magdalo party-list, Rodolfo G. Biazon from Muntinlupa, Jose F. Zubiri III of Bukidnon 3rd district, and House committee on foreign affairs chairman Al Francis C. Bichara of Albay 2nd district introduced the bill.

“The passage of this proposed legislative measure aims to provide for the necessary flexibility in the enactment of subsequent laws pertinent to the rights and obligations to which the Philippines is entitled and may exercise over its maritime zones in accordance with the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” as introduced by four lawmakers.

The bill says Philippine maritime zones include internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

The bill states that 12 nautical miles from the baseline or low-water line will be the country’s territorial sea, for contiguous zone – 24 nautical miles from the baseline, exclusive economic zone will be 200 nautical miles from the baseline, and for the continental shelf, 200 nautical miles from the baseline, including the seabed and subsoil of submarine areas.

“The Philippines shall exercise sovereign rights over this area, including the right to explore and exploit living and nonliving, organic and inorganic resources in accordance with the UNCLOS and other existing laws and treaties,” states in the proposed law.

http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2014/09/15/4377-house-approves-bill-defining-philippine-maritime-zones-on-committee-level