Rough seas: Will PH ‘lawfare’ work vs China?

From Rappler (Dec 13): Rough seas: Will PH ‘lawfare’ work vs China?

Legal and foreign affairs experts say the outcome of the Philippines' arbitration case is uncertain, and Manila must work harder on diplomatic and military tracks

 

LEGAL GAMBIT. The Philippines takes China to court. Will it get the Asian superpower to comply with a ruling favoring Manila? File photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA

 

In the so-called David versus Goliath disputes in the South China Sea, China holds the sticks and carrots. From gunboat to money diplomacy, it seizes the upper hand over its smaller neighbors. Yet the Philippines is slinging its own stone: international law. How far will this shot go?

 

The Philippines made history by being the first country to legally challenge China’s expansive sea claims. A strategy that analysts refer to as “lawfare,” Manila resorted to arbitration as China flexes its military muscle in disputed areas. The argument of Filipino officials goes: international law is “the great equalizer” and “right is might.”

Yet China rejects the case and snubs a December 15 deadline to respond. Its refusal to participate sparks questions on whether Beijing will comply with a decision favorable to the Philippines. If not, will Manila get the “enduring solution” it is after?

“There’s not as much of a benefit as you might imagine. It seems very powerful. It’s a legal case. It’s not futile but it’s hard to imagine the perfect outcome for the Philippines happening – China saying, ‘Oh sorry, we’ll comply,’” said American international law professor Julian Ku of Hofstra University in New York.

Ku and foreign affairs experts tell Rappler that questions on the enforcement of the ruling, and the tribunal’s power to decide the case make the Philippines’ legal gambit uncertain. They say the Philippines must work harder on other channels to make the case effective, and to keep the Asian giant at bay.

CHINA’S RECLAMATION. The Philippines releases this photo in May of China’s alleged reclamation in Johnson South Reef in the South China Sea, warning it may be building an airstrip. Photo courtesy of the Department of Foreign Affairs

 

‘China oddly disrespectful’

The row over the South China Sea spans decades and successions of leaders. China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan contest the strategic sea where around half of the world’s freight cargo passes, and the site of coveted fishing areas, and potential rich deposits of oil and gas.

NO BASIS. Legal scholars worldwide say China's 9-dash line is ambiguous and has no legal basis. Map courtesy of the US State Department

 

As China rises to superpower status and grows aggressive, the waters are a possible global flashpoint. A Pew Research Center survey released in July showed that most Asians are concerned that the territorial disputes could lead to military conflict, with Filipinos topping the list at 93%.

After protracted negotiations and military skirmishes, the Philippines’ legal case is a novel tack. In January 2013, the Aquino administration brought China to arbitration under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Manila and Beijing are parties to UNCLOS, known as the constitution for oceans and seas.

A lawyer with experience in international litigation and arbitration, Ku said the case was initially a game-changer.

“It’s the first time this process has been used for any topic in relation to the South China Sea. The reason why it’s also important is China has never been involved in any type of international litigation involving sensitive topics like this. It’s a big test for the law of the sea, and also for China,” Ku told Rappler in an interview in Long Island, New York.

Yet the professor said that arbitration works best when both parties agree to have the tribunal settle the dispute. China believes the tribunal has no jurisdiction or power to decide the case.

Ku said China’s stand is “oddly disrespectful.” After all, it opted into the treaty. “Even if the tribunal does not have jurisdiction, they at least have the power to decide whether or not they have the power. It’s a little circular but China agreed to at least that much. But by not participating even in that process, it’s disrespectful.”

Clark Alejandrino, former director of Ateneo de Manila University’s Chinese Studies Program, explained why Beijing is averse to having an international body rule on the dispute.

“China feels no need to seek a third party. It has the ability to assert sovereignty through their military and clearly, we don’t. It also sets a precedent. If they submit to arbitration here, they will have to do so in other territorial disputes and they don’t want that,” said Alejandrino, now a history doctoral student in Georgetown University in Washington DC.

The case also surprised China because President Benigno Aquino III took the “hard line” and challenged its “consistent strategy” to keep its sea claims ambiguous.

“It represents a very distinct break from the past,” Alejandrino said. “This is not what previous administrations did. There have been conflicts but each side would try to minimize the media attention, exchange a few diplomatic barbs, but it would die down. But this one is different, precisely because Aquino has not backed down.”

While his predecessors agreed to joint exploration, Aquino insists it is high time to settle the row. The President ordered the filing of the case after China seized Scarborough Shoal following a tense standoff in 2012. That same year, his government renamed the parts of the sea it claims as the “West Philippine Sea.”

“This problem has been put on the back burner for far too long and that’s why in the Philippines’ case, we want a resolution for this,” Aquino said.

CASE TRIGGER. The Philippines’ counsel Paul Reichler says China’s seizure of Scarborough Shoal in 2012 was ‘the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back’ which led to the filing of the case. 1997 AFP photo of Scarborough Shoal

 

Rocks or islands? But who owns them?

The Philippines is banking on arbitration to resolve the dispute. To win, it has to convince the tribunal on two fronts: jurisdiction and merits. What are the odds?

Sean Mirski, Supreme Court Chair of the Harvard Law Review, summarized the Philippines’ claims as follows in an article in the journal The National Interest:

1. That China’s 9-dash line is unlawful under UNCLOS
2. That many maritime features claimed by China do not generate a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as Beijing asserts
3. That China repeatedly violated the Philippines’ rights under UNCLOS

In the second claim, the Philippines wants the tribunal to declare that the maritime features are merely rocks, not islands. The distinction has practical implications.
Unable to support human or economic life, rocks only generate a 12-mile territorial sea under UNCLOS. Above water at high tide, islands generate an EEZ where a state has the exclusive right to explore and exploit resources like fish, oil, and gas.

China argues that the Philippines cannot ask the tribunal to decide on the nature of the features without first determining who owns them. The catch is that territorial sovereignty is beyond the scope of the sea treaty.

Another Chinese argument on jurisdiction is that asking the court to recognize the maritime features as part of the Philippines’ EEZ is tantamount to what is called maritime boundary delimitation. When it ratified the treaty in 1996, China identified maritime delimitation as an exception to dispute settlement.

Ku said that sovereignty and maritime delimitation are Manila’s main obstacles.
“The weakness with the Philippines’ position is that everyone knows and the Philippine government itself sometimes calls this essentially a sovereignty or territorial dispute. At the heart of this is ultimately, does China or the Philippines have sovereign rights to these different features in the South China Sea? Those kinds of questions cannot be heard by the tribunal,” Ku said.

While jurisdiction is under question, the Philippines has a strong case on the merits of its focal claim: China’s 9-dash line. Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio brands the line “utterly without basis in international law.” This is the consensus of legal experts worldwide, which the US asserted in a recent study.

China’s absence does not mean the process is faulty or one-sided. UNCLOS requires the tribunal to study Beijing’s position, detailed in books, journals, and a position paper whose release it timed right before the deadline. Unlike in US cases, a party cannot win by default.

The tribunal is expected to decide in early 2016. Ku foresees 3 scenarios for the arbitral award or ruling: no jurisdiction, full jurisdiction, and a split decision.

“The worst case scenario is the Philippines will lose on jurisdiction. This shouldn’t affect the merits of their claims, though. For China, the worst case scenario is that it loses on the merits and would have to face the decision of whether to comply with the tribunal.”

http://www.rappler.com/nation/77910-philippines-arbitration-china-analysis

10 Navy couples tie knots at Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 13): 10 Navy couples tie knots at Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown

As part of the of the Philippine Navy's traditional month-long celebration of Christmas and other religious activities, 10 navy personnel simultaneously tied the knots with their partners during a mass wedding ceremony held at Holy Child Chapel, Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown, Taguig City on Saturday.

Coming from different units of the PN, the couples uttered their vows, witnessed by Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Jesus C. Millan; Vice Commander, Rear Admiral Caesar C. Taccad, Philippine Fleet Commander; Rear Admiral Jaime S. Bernardino, Philippine Marine Corps Commandant; Major Gen. Rustico Guerrero, Deputy Commandant; Brigadier Gen. Jose Johriel Cenabre, Naval Combat Engineering Brigade Commander; Commodore Elmer C. Carrillo and members of Headquarters, Philippine Navy (HPN) Staff who also stood as principal sponsors.

This activity aims to sustain the religious consciousness as regards to the importance and sanctity of marriage among PN personnel and their dependents.

A month earlier, the Navy received the Family Values Award from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (CJCLDS) in recognition of the command’s programs in advancing the standard of morality and values of its personnel.

The programs included mass weddings, marriage enrichment seminars and spiritual enhancement seminars that were regularly being conducted by the PN through the Office of the Naval Chief Chaplain under the leadership of Col. Benifranco M. Rada.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=715932

Why Specks of Land in the South China Sea Are Fueling Tensions Between Beijing and Its Neighbors

From the Book Talk section of the National Geographic (Dec 11): Why Specks of Land in the South China Sea Are Fueling Tensions Between Beijing and Its Neighbors

New book reveals that Beijing's claims to the South China Sea are a recent invention.



An officer looks on as his Vietnamese Coast Guard vessel is flanked in May 2014 by a Chinese Coast Guard ship in disputed waters west of the Paracel islands. Vietnam sought support from neighboring nations to force China to withdraw an oil rig it had set up in waters claimed by both nations. Photograph by Oanh Ha, Bloomberg via Getty Images

 

They have names like Pigeon Reef, West Sand, Taisho-To, and Scarborough Shoal. Most are no more than outcrops of rock poking out of the sea. Most have never been inhabited. Few have any direct economic value. If not for the perceived fish and oil wealth in the waters around them, the spat over these specks in the South China Sea would read like the bizarre disputes between Lilliput and Blefuscu in Gulliver's Travels.

But for Beijing, the battle for these remote islands is part of a wider geopolitical aim: control over the entire South China Sea and its potential resource wealth. Tensions are rising. In August a Chinese Navy fighter plane buzzed a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon, narrowly missing it. Two months earlier, an armed Chinese vessel chased and sank a Vietnamese fishing boat. China is also at loggerheads with Japan and the Philippines, which the U.S. is obligated under treaty to defend.

 

Speaking from his home in London, Bill Hayton, author of The South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia, explains how China is a victim of its own propaganda, why the South China Sea is also crucial to American interests, and how "peace parks" could save collapsing fish stocks and defuse military tensions.

 

The Nanhai, as the South China Sea is known, has always had a deep meaning to the Chinese. Explain its significance.

 

Its meaning has been projected backwards. One of the things I learned researching the book was how the southern part of China related to Southeast Asia in a way that other parts of China didn't.

 

For a long time it was seen as a frontier place, from which only bad things came. For the first few thousand years of the South China Sea trade, it was Malays and Indians and Arabs who did most of the trading. It was only relatively late, roughly after the tenth century, that the Chinese got in on the act.

 

But it was always seen with ambivalence by the imperial court. The idea that the South China Sea belongs to China only emerges as a nationalist idea in the 20th century and has been projected backwards in history.

 

You write about the Arab dhow found off Belitung Island in Indonesia, which National Geographic covered in 2009. How did it change our understanding of historical trade along the Maritime Silk Route?

 

It shows how specialized and sophisticated the trade between China and the Middle East already was by then. You have pottery with Islamic motifs being custom made for markets separated by thousands of miles of dangerous sea. It's not just the province of explorers. This is a maritime trade. And we can tell from the different products and where they were distributed in the boat that this ship must have visited several ports, picking up different cargoes along the way. So we get a sense of how these places were connected in a thriving trade more than a thousand years ago.

 

Filipino and U.S. soldiers taking part in joint military exercises in the Philippines examine spent ammunition during a mock assault scenario, as regional tensions rise over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Photograph by Dennis M. Sabangan, EPA

The focus of your book is the disputes over a number of islands, many of them barely more than outcrops of rock. Give us a brief tour of the hot spots.

 

There are three main areas. There are the Paracel Islands, which are disputed between China and Vietnam. China now occupies all of them. Then there are the Spratly Islands in the south, which are disputed between China and Vietnam, but also Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, and to a degree Indonesia. The third layer is the Scarborough Shoal, which is disputed between China and the Philippines.

 

The problem is that no one is actually willing to clarify their claims and say, We were the first ones to stick our flag on this island—because they don't have the evidence. The first time a Chinese official set foot on the Paracel Islands was probably June 6, 1909, the first time on the Spratly Islands was December 12, 1946. The Vietnamese probably stuck their flag in the Spratly Islands as an independent country in 1956, although the French had been there before them. The Philippines came much later, in the 1970s. (Learn more about a local Vietnamese ethnic group known as the Cham, whose members remain wary of taking sides in the South China Sea dispute.)

 

But it's not so much the islands that are valuable. It's the spaces in between them. That's where the fish and possible oil reserves might lie. So there's no incentive for the countries to try to limit their claims. They're at the stage where they want to make their claims as expansive as possible.

 

Deng Xiaoping famously said that the islands of the South China Sea "have belonged to China since ancient times." Is there any merit to that claim?

 

As late as the 1890s Chinese officials in Guangdong Province were denying responsibility for the islands. There was a case in 1898 where two British ships got wrecked on the Paracel Islands, and pirates looted the wreck. The British complained. But the governor of Guangdong Province denied all knowledge of the islands. Maps of that period don't mention the islands either.

 

Everything changes in 1909, when a Japanese merchant is discovered digging up guano on Pratas Island, between Hong Kong and Taiwan. Because of the negative feeling toward foreign exploitation in China in the wake of the Boxer Rebellion, this provoked a huge nationalist backlash, leading to boycotts of Japanese products and the decision to make the Japanese merchants leave.

 

And it's only in 1909 that the Chinese authorities start taking an interest in the South China Sea. If one looks at the names of the islands in Chinese, it's clear many of them are simply translations of the British names. So, for example, Jinyin Dao in the Paracels is the Chinese for "Money Island." The word "Money" actually comes from William Taylor Money, chief superintendent to the Bombay Marine, the navy of the English East India Company.

 

 

Vietnamese and Chinese ships shadow each other in the South China Sea off Vietnam, where China had installed a deepwater drilling rig that Vietnam condemned as illegal.

Photograph by Nguyen Minh, Reuters/Corbis

 

China has recently embarked on a major underwater archaeology program aimed at identifying the 2,000 or so shipwrecks off its coasts. How is maritime history being exploited to bolster territorial claims?

 

The director of the Underwater Archaeological Research Centre has been pretty open that what he's doing is intended primarily to bolster China's claims to the islands. This is not disinterested scholarship. He sees his purpose as a nationalistic one. So there's an unfortunate but mutually beneficial arrangement between the government, which wants to bolster its claims to islands, and the archaeologists, who are looking to increase their ability to do underwater excavations. But if the archaeology becomes subject to a political agenda, then the scholarship won't be reliable.

 

Tell us about the Selden Map—and how cartography has shaped the present conflicts.

 

The Selden Map is fascinating because its history tells us an awful lot about the links between Southeast Asia and Europe at the time. It's a Chinese-made map, although where it was actually made is still not settled. It was called the Selden Map because it was bequeathed to the Bodleian Library in Oxford by John Selden, who was also one of the founders of international maritime law.

 

Quite how it came into his possession is not yet known. Selden was connected to the English East India Tea Company, and he may well have known the person who stole the map—we assume it was stolen or raided from the Chinese owners. The map itself is richly decorated in the Chinese style, with images of landscapes and trees and plants. But what's also clear is that it contains navigational instructions.

 

Is this the origin of the so-called U-shaped line?

 

The U-shaped line, or Nine-Dotted Line, as it is also known, emerges much later, out of the nationalist anxiety of the early 20th century, when the old empire is overthrown by the modern Chinese republic. Up to then, China's borders had never been clearly delineated.

 

Then in the early decades of the 20th century, Chinese cartographers attempted to show where the rightful boundaries of China should lie, which were, incidentally, well beyond its current boundaries. You can see this in a whole series of maps produced by the Shanghai Cartographic Society. And this is the origin of the U-shaped line.

 

You say that the battle for these islands represents "psychology and perception trumping any practical benefits." Can you expand on that?

 

The islands themselves are not worth exploiting. Once upon a time merchants mined guano as agricultural fertilizer. But those deposits have long since gone. What is at stake is the fisheries and perceived oil wealth. There are some oil prospects in part of the disputed areas. But the idea that this is some vast new Saudi Arabia waiting to be tapped is not borne out by the evidence.

 

 

Philippine Marines monitor the Spratly Islands in August 2014, watching for surveillance by Chinese patrol vessels. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and several other countries have claimed sovereignty over the islands. Photograph by The Asahi Shimbun, Getty

 

So it's all about nationalism?

 

China has convinced itself that it's the rightful owner of the South China Sea and that anybody else's claim is invented, and secondary. From that basic belief, we get a whole series of actions, which have alarmed the region. Like installing oil rigs off the coast of Vietnam. These actions are all predicated on the idea that the South China Sea belongs to China.

 

What I try to show in the book is how this sentiment only emerged in the first part of the 20th century. Nonetheless, it's clear that it's deeply held. Chinese school textbooks tell children that China has three million square nautical miles of maritime territory.

The official map of the country has also been changed to show the U-shaped line in its entirety. Basically, the Chinese government is believing its own propaganda.

 

The U.S. has recently beefed up its presence in the South China Sea, and there have been repeated near collisions with Chinese fighter planes. How close are we to a regional war?

 

I think we're a long way away from that. But it's clear the Chinese don't want the Americans as close to their coast as they are. The American position is that the Law of the Sea gives them a perfect right to sail up to within 12 nautical miles of the Chinese coast and do whatever they like. That includes listening to submarines or flying surveillance missions along the coast. The Chinese are trying to stop this, which is why we've had confrontations in the air as recently as August.

 

The South China Sea is vital to the U.S. as a military power and also in terms of commercial shipping. It's vital that the seaways are open for energy shipments and all the products of world trade that go backwards and forwards. The U.S. Navy can't just abandon them and trust that the Chinese are going to look after them. And this is where America's desire to be a world power bumps up against China's desire to be a regional power and control what it sees as its maritime backyard.

 

You end the book with an alternative vision of mutual cooperation in the South China Sea. Imagine it for us.

 

If the islands weren't there, everybody could agree to draw up zones where, according to the Law of the Sea, they were beneficiaries of the oil and fishing rights. The Philippines could get access to much needed energy sources. And the different countries could talk about managing fish stocks. Fish stocks face a potential catastrophic decline from overfishing. But since no country is willing to recognize the other countries' authority to regulate fishing, there's no overall body taking control.

 

John McManus, who works for the American Coral Reef Center, has suggested the idea of a peace park, which could both demilitarize the area and be a place where fish stocks could recover. But it's not getting anywhere, because that would mean everybody would have to take a step back from their nationalist positions.

 

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141211-south-china-sea-beijing-tensions-culture-world-ngbooktalk/

Military says Dinagat Islands 'insurgency-free'

From the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 12): Military says Dinagat Islands 'insurgency-free'

SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has declared the province of Dinagat Islands as rebel-free.

The announcement was made during the recently held Provincial Peace and Order Council Meeting here.

402nd Brigade commander B/Gen. Jonathan Ponce explained that the province was declared as “insurgency-free province” due to zero presence of elements from the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and National Democratic Fronts (CPP-NPA-NDF) in the province.

Ponce also declared the province as "Ready for Development Status" which means that the province has now the privilege to receive developmental assistance from the national government through the Philippine Army.

In relation to this, the province was already allocated P3 billion from the national government for road network project and soon to be downloaded to the province to be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2731418358895/military-says-dinagat-islands-insurgency-free-

Gov’t troops seize 13 guns of Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu

From the Zamboanga Today (Dec 13): Gov’t troops seize 13 guns of Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu

Government troops have seized firearms from the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militan group in a law enforcement operatios in Indanan town in the southern island province of Sulu.

Capt. Rowena Muyuela, spokesperson of the military’s Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), said the Joint Task Group Sulu, while conducting law enforcement operations, recovered in plain view 13 firearms, assorted magazines, ammunitions and bandoleers in Barangay Mangis.

 

The recovery of firearms of the Abu Sayyaf comes amid of intensifying search and rescue operation for the remaining foreign and Filipino hostages believed being held captive in Sulu.

 

Last Saturday morning, Dec. 6, a Swiss birdwatcher Lorezon Vinciguerra held captive by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu for more than two years escaped after taking advantage of the confusion caused by a government bombardment of Abu Sayyaf positions in the village of Kulambu in Talipao town to spring his escape.

 

Vinciguerra had been on a bird watching expedition with Dutchman Ewold Horn and Filipino Ivan Sarenas when they were abducted by the Abu Sayyaf in Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi in February 2012.

 

Sarenas, at the onset of their captivity had been able to escape by jumping off the motor-outrigger that was taking them to Sulu from Tawi-Tawi.

 

The military said in the light of the successful escape of Vinciguerra, the operations by the military in Sulu will continue until Horn, is released.

 

Also Tuesday, Abu Sayyaf freed one of their Malaysian captives, Chinese fish breeder Kun Mun Hua, alias Chan Sai Chuin, in Sitio Timahu, Barangay Tubig Dakula in Indanan town.

 

Prior to his release, Hua, 32, abducted by the Abu Sayyaf from his fish farm in Sapong Kunak, Malaysia, on June 16, had been taken by captors to Sulu and held captive for 177 days in the province.

 

“According to Colonel Alan Arrojado, Commander, Joint Task Group Sulu, military troops recovered one M14 with M203 attached, one 9MM, one Caliber .45 pistol, four M16 and three M14 rifles, one AK 47; one Barrett rifle, and one M4 rifle,” Muyuela said in a press statement.

 

The troops continue to cordon the area to prevent extrication of lawless elements operating in Indanan, Sulu, said Lieutenant General Rustico O. Guerrero, Commander, Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom).

 

“AFP closely works with Philippine National Police (PNP) and Local Government Unit (LGU) in the conduct of relentless law enforcement operations in the province of Sulu, Guerrero said.

 

http://www.zamboangatoday.ph/index.php/top-stories/19440-govt-troops-seize-13-guns-of-abu-sayyaf-group-in-sulu.html

‘Payoff eyed in Bukidnon blast’

From the Manila Standard Today (Dec 12): ‘Payoff eyed in Bukidnon blast’

Rural Transit Mindanao bus line hit a second time

MARAMAG, Bukidnon—Governor Jose Maria Zubiri on Wednesday said extortion was likely behind Tuesday’s bombing of a Rural Transit Mindanao bus at the front gate of the Central Mindanao University here.

Gov. Jose Maria Zubiri

In a security briefing with police and military officials, he said the attack that killed at least 10 people and injured 41 others had the footprint of the RTM bus blasted an improvised explosive device last November 6 on the national highway in Maramag town.

Citing bomb squad reports, Zubiri said the IED was a mortar round that used a mobile phone to trigger detonation.

Major Christian Uy, spokesman of the 4th Infantry Division, said investigation was on going even as the social media had postings of a group named Kalifa Islamiya Mindanao (KIM) claiming to have masterminded the assault.

Zubiri said the latest bombing could not be faulted on the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has denied any involvement.

Students from Central Mindanao University call for a stop to violence in a
rally on December 11, 2014 at the school’s main gate where a bomb
exploded inside a bus a day earlier, leaving at least 10 people dead and
41 others injured. LANCE BACONGUIS

“We cannot believe that the BIFF could do such thing, we just celebrated our 100 years as a province and during the month long celebration where thousands of visitors came, if it was their intention to harm people, they could have done that at that time,” he said, absolving the New People’s Army.

“It is not the handiwork of the NPA. It is not their style to harm people.” Regional Police Director Isagani Genabe also told a local radio station that findings were still inconclusive.

While RTM management denied being fleeced, Zubiri said the first bombing appeared to indicate otherwise.

“The November 6 bombing could have been a warning to RTMI, where four people were injured in the early evening attack,” he said.

Added public safety measures include permanent checkpoints with K-9 units including the civilian militia at entry points of Davao, Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro and Agusan provinces.

“We have been voted for three times as the most peaceful province across the country and this (bombing) has totally changed that,” he said, adding that he has asked the bus firm to extend financial assistance the victims.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/12/12/-payoff-eyed-in-bukidnon-blast-

Military asked to investigate ‘anti-AFP’ memes

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Dec 12): Military asked to investigate ‘anti-AFP’ memes



Note by Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc of the AFP Public Affairs Office addressed to a certain Cassandra Pod.


Military correspondence from Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc of the AFP Public Affairs Office leaked on Facebook.


Military correspondence from Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc of the AFP Public Affairs Office leaked on Facebook.



Military correspondence from Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc of the AFP Public Affairs Office leaked on Facebook.

An investigation is being sought to track down an anonymous Facebook account that has been posting memes supposedly mocking the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

A letter reportedly from Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc of the AFP Public Affairs Office and requesting a formal investigation into the matter was recently leaked online. The letter, dated November 27, also asked that active military officers and personnel caught liking, sharing and commenting on Facebook posts created by Cassandra Pod and Choly Abila Cabanban be subjected to an investigation. Sources at Camp Aguinaldo have confirmed the authenticity of the letter.

 

Pod and Cabanban posted the memes, or text or images designed to go viral on social media, on Facebook.

 

Leaked Cabunoc correspondence

 

A certain Jose Gatsby posted a copy of the AFP letter at the “This is the true Anti-corruption page” Facebook page last December 10.

 

“How to use government resources to do your bidding when someone attacks you on Facebook: 1.) Build up a case and make it sound really bad 2.) Cite the rules and regulations so your people cannot comment or like. 3.) Mention the names of those who you want to be targeted. Send a letter to the AFP chief to let the [Intelligence Service AFP] investigate and build a case. 5.) Sit back and let events unfold,” Gatsby said in his Facebook post.

 

The letter from Cabunoc was addressed to AFP chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr.

According to the leaked copy, Catapang acknowledged receiving the letter last November 29.

 

“The memes circulating in the internet are purposely circulated as a public mockery to the [AFP chief and Chief PAO] and the AFP as an institution. Some of the messages are deceiving and intended to generate reactions from netizens,” part of the letter read.

 

The document said the AFP also wants to investigate whether Pod is an organic member of the AFP. If she is, legal sanctions may be pursued.

 

“In her posts, Cassandra Pod is also portraying herself as ‘defending the cause’ of ordinary soldiers by orchestrating noble projects such as Christmas Cards for Soldiers. However, she has also demonized the AFP, the organization where these soldiers belong, through her discriminating and humiliating memes. It is believed that she intentionally pursues these ‘pro-soldier’ projects to portray herself as a true friend of the soldiers and to gain ‘followers’ whom he/she can use to attack the AFP as an institution. It is believed that this person is either an active military personnel or a dependent,” the letter said.

 

Cabunoc recommended “a thorough investigation”  to identify the officers who have liked, shared and commented the posts and be sanctioned with appropriate punishments.

 

“As active members of the organization, soldiers are duty-bound to follow military rules and regulations whether in person or in social media,” he wrote.

 

In recent months, Cabunoc has engaged in heated exchanges with some netizens on Twitter over Marc Sueselbeck, the fiancé of slain transgender Jennifer Laude.

 

Sueselbeck tried to enter the detention center of Joseph Scott Pemberton, the suspected killer of Laude, by climbing the fence of the highly guarded facility at Camp Aguinaldo.

 

No comment

 

Sought for reaction, Cabunoc declined to comment but instead said that an official statement would be released once the results of the investigation are out.

 

In Cabunoc’s office, notes supposedly intended for Pod were seen posted on a wall.

“I was so surprised why you hate me so much and you are using all your power and connections to destroy me and my family. I did my best to find you and ask for your forgiveness for whatever sins I committed to you but I failed,” Cabunoc said in a note titled, “Victory jump, Dr. Cassandra Pod!”

 

“I don’t know you and we have not met but you did everything so that I will notice you. You want me to feel so sorry about myself because I’m not good looking like you and your husband….I have already forgiven you both, doctor. The mighty Allah has his own ways of serving justice in his own design. Oh, please don’t forget the golden rule: Do not do unto others what you don’t want done unto you,” the note said.

 

Relieved?

 

In the note, Cabunoc also hinted that he would be relieved of his post.

 

“You have succeeded in getting rid of me here, Mr. and Ms. Beautiful couple, but you won’t succeed in derailing my pursuit to institute reforms in the Armed Forces. No matter what the obstacles are, I will always fight for what is right,” Cabunoc said.

http://technology.inquirer.net/39875/military-asked-to-investigate-anti-afp-memes

Bukidnon bus bombing suspect linked to previous bombings in North Cotabato

From the Manila Times (Dec 13): Bukidnon bus bombing suspect linked to previous bombings in North Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY: The suspect in the Bukidnon bus bombing was previously involved in bombing attacks in North Cotabato, arrested but escaped.

Police authorities in Bukidnon has identified a man who allegedly planted an improvised bomb in a Rural Transit Bus and set it off on Dec. 9 that left 10 dead and 42 others wounded.

Macmod Manibpil, who was linked to previous bus bombings in North Cotabato, was earlier reported to be from Mlang town.

But Mayor Joselito Pinol denied Manibpil was from his town.

Senior Inspector Jiselle Lou Longakit, Bukidnon police spokesperson, said Manibpil was linked to the Kabacan bus bombing in 2006, arrested but managed to escape from North Cotabato jail. After his escape, he joined the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a ragtag bandits that broke out with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MMILF).

Longakit said Manibpil and Dawtin Gendang, suspect in the Nov. 6 bombing of another Rural Bus, also in Bukidnon, remain at large. Four persons were wounded in the Nov. 6 blast.

The police spokesperson said police special tracker team had been sent to locate the two suspects.

As in previous bombing incidents, the BIFF, through Abu Misry Mama, earlier denied involvement in the bus bombing.

Longakit said the motive could be extortion since the Rural Transit Mindanao Incorporated, operator of Rural Bus, admitted to authorities they have been receiving extortion demand and received threats that one of its units will be bombed for refusal to provide “protection money.”

Pinol said Macmod Manibpil is a resident of Barangay Nuangan, Kidapawan City and not the town of Mlang.

Mayor Pinol said Manibpil was arrested due to his alleged participation in the Kidapawan Bus Terminal and LBC bombings in October of 2003.

The twin Kidapawan bombings claimed at least a dozen lives and hurt several passengers and bystanders.Mayor Pinol said that his source told him that Manibpil was facing multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder and multiple attempted murder cases filed in Kidapawan City Regional Trial Court.

“I’ve asks my barangay chairmen but they don’t know this man. But when I ask my sources from the authorities they confirmed to me that Manibpil is from Kidapawan City,” Mayor Pinol said.

The Bukdinon police said Manibpil was tagged in the bombing after two witnesses confirmed a man with the same features as Manibpil, seen with a bull cap, was seen boarding the bus carrying a backpack but later left.

The mayor added that Manibpil was detained at the Cotabato Provincial Jail, in Barangay Amas, Kidapawan but was able to escape when armed men stormed the jail facility in February 2, 2007.

At least 47 inmates bolted the jail, including three high-profile inmates involved in series of bombing activities in North Cotabato and other parts of Mindanao.

The three suspected bombers were identified as Datu Ali Sultan, Guido and Mundos.
At least 25 armed men believed to be members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) stormed the jail and fired M-203 grenade launcher, destroying the concrete wall of the jail facility to bolt out companions.

Police are also trying to link the two suspects in the Kabacan and Mlang bombings last month that left four dead and 45 others wounded.

http://www.manilatimes.net/bukidnon-bus-bombing-suspect-linked-to-previous-bombings-in-north-cotabato/148508/

Two NPAs yield in Misamis

From the Mindanao Times (Dec 10): Two NPAs yield in Misamis

TWO NPA rebels turned over their firearms to elements of the 58th Infantry Battalion in Claveria, Misamis Oriental on Monday.The soldiers could not reveal their names but claimed that both are operating in Claveria town. They brought with them one M4 carbine and one M1 carbine, respectively.

Accordingly, the two surrendered due to differences in policies and in-fighting among the cadres, especially on the conduct of tactical offensives, as well as the hardship of being away from their families.

Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command, observed the rising number of surrenderees since October this year.

“We have noticed the increase of NPAs surrendering with firearms since October this year with November posting as the highest with 10 firearms, the 46 surrenderees we accounted since October yielded a total of 22 firearms or a ratio of one out of two surrenderees surrendered firearm,” Baladad said.

The surrenderees will likely receive remuneration of P75,000 and P20,000 for the rifles. The former NPA rebels will also be enrolled in the Misamis Oriental Integration Program,

Baladad repeated his offer to the NPAs to lay down their arms and live a peaceful life and avail of the livelihood program and other assistance offered by the government.

“We are again calling on our brothers who are continuously deceived by the communist propaganda to lay down their arms. We ensure you that we will work with other stakeholders for you to start a new life and join your family in the mainstream society,” Baladad said.

http://mindanaotimes.net/two-npas-yield-in-misamis/

Secessionists behind bus blast—President

From the Manila Standard Today (Dec 13): Secessionists behind bus blast—President

President Benigno Aquino III confirmed here on Friday that the bus bombing in Bukidnon that killed 10 people and injured dozens of others was perpetrated by a secessionist group that wants to derail the government’s peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Aquino made the confirmation as US Ambassador Philip Goldberg condemned last Tuesday’s bombing and said Washington would continue to work with the Philippine government against terrorism.

“We all need to work together as we all do with the government of the Philippines to work against that kind of terror,” Goldberg said. “We have long standing counter-terrorism cooperation with the Philippines.”

“We train together, we’ve exercised together. We’ve advised the Philippines about counter-terrorism and measures to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and our special operations forces have worked together for a long time so we continue that effort,” Goldberg said.

Aquino on the other said lawmen have already identified the blast suspect as Macmod Manibpil, an alleged member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

Aquino said Manibpil had already been arrested in 2006, but was able to escape the North Cotabato provincial jail in February 2007. He has since been tagged in several bombing attacks in Central Mindanao.

Without giving operational details, Aquino said the government will train its guns on the secessionist group after the military’s campaign against the Abu Sayyaf.

“They will no longer have safe havens. And I expect a number of results soon,” the President said.

Aquino said he has spoken with the heads of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police as well as with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II for possible target hardening in Bukidnon.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/12/13/secessionists-behind-bus-blast-president/

Inclusion of 39 North Cotabato barangays in BBL highlights public hearing in Midsayap

From MindaNews (Dec 13): Inclusion of 39 North Cotabato barangays in BBL highlights public hearing in Midsayap

MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato -- Questions on the possible implications of including 39 barangays in North Cotabato in the Bangsamoro dominated the House public hearing on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in this town Friday.

The 39 barangays belong to the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigcawayan and Pikit, which voted for inclusion in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao during the 2001 plebiscite. Some of these barangays are not contiguous to the ARMM.

Zamboanga City Rep. Celso Lobregat said the inclusion of the 39 barangays is perhaps the most crucial for the province because it is not allowed in the constitution.

Lobregat argued it cannot be done unless the entire province votes yes for their inclusion in the Bangsamoro region.

He cited Article 10, Section 10 of the constitution that states: “No province, city, municipality, or barangay may be created, divided, merged, abolished, or its boundary substantially altered, except in accordance with the criteria established in the local government code and subject to approval by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite in the political units directly affected.”

But while Lobregat said the issue may cause problems for the BBL, he conceded before the predominantly Moro audience that the bill would be passed “because they have the numbers”. The crowd applauded his statement.

Lobregat pointed out that not all of the 39 barangays are contiguous, citing barangay Manarapan in Carmen which sits in the middle of the municipality.

“If you need help, where will you go since you will no longer be part of North Cotabato? Where will you run to? They will say, the Bangsamoro Parliament will change the law and only then will they say where you belong,” he said in Filipino.

“Hindi sigurista yan, that is your right,” he said, adding they may or may not join the Bangsamoro.

His statement drew both applause and jeers from the crowd.

“Karapatan nyo na pumalakpak, karapatan nyo na mag-boo,” Lobregat gamely shot back.

Opt in, opt out

Alamada Vice Mayor Samuel Alim clarified if it is possible for a municipality to opt out after it has joined the Bangsamoro.

Government peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer responded: “Mas mahirap sumali ang hindi kasali at mas mahirap lumabas kapag nakasali” (Harder to join if you’re not included, and harder to go out if you’re included).

During the hearing in Davao City, the local government of Wao in Lanao del Sur appealed to the House ad hoc committee on the BBL to hold a plebiscite in their municipality because they wanted to opt out of the ARMM.

Town councilor Al Belotendos told Mindanews that should they opt out, they wanted to be a part of North Cotabato.

“But we will not insist on the plebiscite just in case it will not be granted. What is important is that we are showing our position now so that we will not be blamed as well when Bangsamoro government fails, Belotendos explained.

Most critical

While acknowledging that the public hearing here is perhaps the liveliest and well attended, members of the House of the Representatives also admitted that the crowd was the most critical.

Apparently, this was caused by the fears of many in the First District of the province that the proposed law may suffer the same fate as the botched Memorandum Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) in 2008, which led to renewed war and displacements after it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Lawyer Roland Jungco, a member of the municipal council here, said that some provisions of the proposed law must be explained well to the common people before it will be passed.

“I have read this but I have some confusion in the law even if I’m a lawyer, how much more the ordinary people?” Jungco said.

While the local government is willing to campaign for the passage of the BBL, he added they have yet to clarify some provisions in the proposed law. “How can we campaign and convince people about something that we don’t understand. Because we can’t get rid of legal issues.”

The town official asked ad hoc committee chair Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City to let Lobregat clarify some of his questions.

Jungco cited Article XV, Section 6 of the BBL, which reads: “Plebiscite Question. The question to be asked of the voters in the plebiscite shall be as follows: ‘Do you approve of the Bangsamoro Basic Law?’”

Lobregat said this question should only be asked to voters in the ARMM. Speaking in Filipino, he suggested that the question for those outside of the ARMM should be “Do you want to join the Bangsamoro?”

But Jungco said that that question would be misleading.

Asked by Jungco if he was confused with the BBL, Lobregat chuckled and said: “Medyo na-confuse.”

Lobregat said that if the proposed law contains provisions that are believed to be unconstitutional, then it should be clarified now before it is ratified.

As in the other public hearings, the lawmaker from Zamboanga City also asked the crowd in the local dialect if they wanted peace. The crowd cheered and raised their hands.

But when he asked who among them have read the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the four Annexes and the BBL, only a fewpeople raised their hands.

Unlike MOA-AD

North Cotabato First District Rep. Jesus Sacdalan said the BLL will not suffer the fate of the MOA-AD.

Lobregat and Sacdalan, who was then the provincial governor, were among those who questioned the constitutionality of the MOA-AD before the Supreme Court.

At least 1,500 people gathered inside the municipal gymnasium for the 29^th public hearing and consultation of the BBL. Some local government officials from the nearby towns and a few representatives of indigenous peoples in the province also attended.

Zaynab Ampatuan, executive director of Moro Peoples Core, expressed confidence the BBL would be passed, saying the consultation process has been comprehensive unlike the MOA-AD which was kept from the public.

“This is better because the gray areas are now being discussed and they are listening to the voices of the people on the ground,” Ampatuan told Mindanews.

http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2014/12/13/inclusion-of-39-north-cotabato-barangays-in-bbl-highlights-public-hearing-in-midsayap/

'I KNEW I HAD TO GET OUT' | Swiss describes moment he decided to escape from Abu Sayyaf captors

From InterAksyon (Dec 12): 'I KNEW I HAD TO GET OUT' | Swiss describes moment he decided to escape from Abu Sayyaf captors



File photo of Swiss birdwatcher Lorenzo Vinciguerra with Philippine military officers

A Swiss man who escaped from Islamic militants in the Philippines described Friday the moment he decided he could not spend a third Christmas in captivity, as he returned home to Zurich.

Lorenzo Vinciguerra, a 49-year-old birdwatcher kidnapped in February 2012, escaped on Saturday after a fierce struggle with one of his captors over a machete and a frantic run to freedom under gunfire.

Speaking to reporters at Zurich airport after flying in Friday morning, Vinciguerra said it was a "huge relief" to be back home and thanked all those who had worked behind the scenes to try to secure his release.

Looking frail and gaunt but apparently having recovered from an injury to his cheek, he said he decided on his birthday last month that he could stay no longer.

"I knew I had to get out," he said, according to the ATS news agency, adding that he seized his chance when his kidnappers were celebrating a wedding.

Vinciguerra said he now wanted to spend some time with his family. "I've missed so much," he said.

The Philippines military said Vinciguerra took advantage of a pre-dawn assault by soldiers on his Abu Sayyaf abductors in the jungles of the remote southern island of Jolo to make his bold escape.

They said that one of the kidnappers caught up with him as he ran away and there was a scuffle over his machete, resulting in Vinciguerra being slashed on the cheek and stabbing the other man in the head.

There were unconfirmed reports that the man later died.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/101071/i-knew-i-had-to-get-out--swiss-describes-moment-he-decided-to-escape-from-abu-sayyaf-captors

Vietnam dips feet in Philippines’ arbitration case over South China Sea dispute

From the Business World (Dec 12): Vietnam dips feet in Philippines’ arbitration case over South China Sea dispute

The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it is “studying Vietnam’s submission and its possible implications” after Hanoi filed its position to an arbitration tribunal initiated by Manila over the festering dispute that involves several countries.

Vietnam’s latest involvement in the arbitration case was “something new,” DFA Spokesperson Charles C. Jose said in a text message.

Mr. Jose issued these remarks on Friday after Reuters reported that China and Vietnam have clashed again over competing claims in the South China Sea.

China has said repeatedly it will not participate in the case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, branding it an underhand attempt to exert political pressure over territory which is inherently Chinese.

China's foreign ministry, in a statement released late on Thursday, called on Vietnam to respect China's sovereignty, which it said had historical basis.

China will not change its position of not taking part in the arbitration, the ministry said.

Vietnam's foreign ministry said it had submitted its point of view to the court to ensure it pays attention to “our legal rights and interests.”

Vietnam has historical proof and the legal basis to support its claims, and rejects China's “unilateral” claims, it added.

A statement posted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted spokesman Le Hai Binh as saying: "To protect its legal rights and interests in the East Sea which may be affected in the South China Sea Arbitration case, Viet Nam has expressed its position to the Tribunal regarding this case, and requested the Tribunal to pay due attention to the legal rights and interests of Viet Nam."

China claims about 90 percent of the South China Sea, displaying its reach on official maps with a so-called nine-dash line that stretches deep into the maritime heart of Southeast Asia.

Mr. Binh reiterated that the country's “consistent position” is to “fully reject China’s claim over the Hoang Sa and Troung Sa archipelagoes and the adjacent waters, as well as China’s claiming of ‘historic rights’ to the waters, sea-bed, and subsoil within the “dotted line” unilaterally stated by China.

Truong Sa refers to the Spratly Islands claimed by the three countries, as well as Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. Hoang Sa, meanwhile, refers to the Paracel Islands, which is claimed by Vietnam, China, and Taiwan.

China has warned Vietnam before against getting involved in the arbitration case, the first time China has been subjected to international legal scrutiny over the waters.

Anti-Chinese violence flared in Vietnam in May after a $1 billion deepwater rig owned by China's state-run CNOOC oil company was parked 240 km (150 miles) off the coast of Vietnam.

Since then, though, China has sought to make amends with Vietnam.

In October, the Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario and Vietnamese Foreign Affairs Minister Pham Binh Minh met at the sidelines of the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) 10th Summit in Milan, Italy. According to the DFA, the two ministers urged other ASEM partners to support the implementation of the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

The agreement, signed by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) and China in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 2002, states that parties should resolve the dispute by peaceful means and exercise self-restraint on activities seen to escalate tensions.

Mr. del Rosario had also solicited the support of ASEAN and the United Nations for the country's Triple Action Plan (TAP), calling for the cessation of activities in the contested area as an immediate response, the implementation of the aforementioned Code of Conduct as an intermediate approach, and the settlement of disputes in accordance to international law as a final action.

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=vietnam-dips-feet-in-philippines&rsquo-arbitration-case-over-south-china-sea-dispute&id=99541

Espina assumes command of National Police

From the Business Mirror (Dec 12): Espina assumes command of National Police

INTERIOR Secretary Manuel Roxas II, in his capacity as chairman of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), on Friday designated Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina as officer in charge (OIC) of the National Police to prevent disruption in the police service as a result of the suspension of Director General Alan Purisima.

 

Roxas made the announcement in his first appearance at the National Police general headquarters in Camp Rafael Crame, Quezon City, two days after his office served the Ombudsman order placing Purisima on six months’ preventive suspension.

 

In naming Espina as the OIC of the National Police, Roxas said he was making sure that there would be no disruption in the police organization and in the services that it was administering, particularly on the campaign against criminality.

 

While acknowledging that the force is in a unique situation as a result of the suspension of Purisima, which Roxas declined to comment on further, he said the organization is strong and solid, and there is “no interruption in the chain of command.”

 

“Dindo Espina is the OIC, and there should be no interruption. There should be no doubt when it comes to the implementation of orders in the national headquarters,” Roxas said.

 

Espina, who is Purisima’s classmate at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), is currently the No.  3 man in the police force, being the deputy chief for operations.

 

Espina belonged to the top 10 percent of PMA Class of 1981, while Purisima belonged to the lowest 10 percent.

 

The second-highest position in the organization, deputy chief for administration, has been vacated following the retirement of Deputy Director General Felipe Rojas on Friday last week.

 

With the retirement of Rojas, it is expected that there would be a major movement of rank and positions in the force, with Espina seen to inherit the post that was vacated by Rojas.

 

However, Roxas said there had been no promotions and designations yet, and it is up to President Aquino to make the announcement.

 

He said the force must not be affected by the suspension of its chief, and should continue its work by focusing on its law-enforcement activities, particularly that the country was beset by a series of events during the past days, including the bombing of an RTMI bus in Bukidnon province on Wednesday, wherein 10 passengers were killed.

 

The country is also busy preparing for the visit of Pope Francis early next month.

 

Roxas said despite Purisima’s suspension, he can still return after serving it.

 

The Ombudsman ordered the suspension of Purisima over the contract that the Philippine National Police entered with courier company Werfast, which was tapped to deliver licenses and permits of gun holders.

 

Early this week Purisima asked the Court of Appeals to stop his suspension.

He claimed that the implementation of the suspension order by the  Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)  was “illegal and without basis, as the National Police is not administratively under the DILG.”

 

He claimed that the Ombudsman’s order should have been implemented by the Napolcom, which exercises administrative control and supervision over the force. Roxas is the ex officio chairman of the Napolcom, being the interior secretary.

 

Meanwhile, Senate President Franklin Drilon said that, with two momentous events facing the country next year—the papal visit and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial Meetings and Summit—President Aquino must finally decide Purisima’s fate.

 

“You know, it is time that the President decides Purisima’s fate because during the next month, in 2015, there are two big events in the country—the arrival of Pope Francis in January and the Apec ministerial meeting and summit halfway through the year,” Drilon said.

 

“In an organization such as the National Police, where authority and leadership is strictly observed, Purisima’s suspension would turn the force into a ‘headless’ body,” said Drilon, a close ally of Mr. Aquino.

 

He said that such big events require constant security monitoring that would need, not an OIC, who has limited powers, but a regular head with full authority.

 

He said an OIC could not appoint any personnel or implement a reshuffle. “Tali ang kamay ng kung sino man ang OIC ngayon—si General Espina yata—ngayong lalo pa na kailangan nating pag-igtingin ang seguridad sa susunod na taon.”

 

“The President must decide a replacement now, at the very least not an OIC but an acting National Police chief.”

 

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/espina-assumes-command-of-national-police/

Gang sub-leader in Warren Rodwell kidnapping arrested in Philippines

From the Mindanao Examiner BlogSpot site (Dec 12): Gang sub-leader in Warren Rodwell kidnapping arrested in Philippines



Australian Warren Rodwell during his captivity in this screen grab from the last video released by the Abu Sayyaf. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Police are holding a criminal gang sub-leader, whose group was linked to the kidnapping of an Australian man 3 years ago in Zamboanga Sibugay province in southern Philippines.

Police said Hassim Calon, alias Ging-Ging Calon and Hussein Ali, was arrested on December 11 in the village of Tenan in Ipil town where Warren Rodwell was kidnapped in December 2011. 

Calon is one of the sub-leaders under the group of Barahama Ali, a commander of the former rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation which signed a peace accord with Manila in March this year. Authorities had implicated Ali to the kidnapping of Rodwell, an accusation denied by the MILF.

Police said Calon, who is facing a string of criminal charges for kidnappings, is currently being interrogated in an unknown location.

It was not immediately known whether Calon took part in the kidnapping of Rodwell, who was seized by at least 5 gunmen disguised as policemen.

The foreigner was eventually handed over or sold by the kidnappers to the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan province.

Rodwell, who was married to a Filipino woman, Miraflor Gutang, was freed on March 2013 after his brother and sisters paid a huge ransom to the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group which is notorious for beheading their victims who cannot pay ransoms.

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2014/12/gang-sub-leader-in-warren-rodwell.html