More soldiers fielded vs Maute group

From the Sun Star-Cagayan de Oro (Sep 8): More soldiers fielded vs Maute group



CAGAYAN DE ORO. Major General Gerrado Barrientos Jr, 1st Infantry ‘Tabak’ Division Commander of the Philippine Army, welcomes soldiers of the 49th Infantry Battalion from 9th Infantry Division based in the Bicol Region during welcome ceremonies in Pawak, Saguiran, Lanao del Sur Wednesday, September 7. The 49th IB will augment troops already operating against the Maute Group. (Richel V. Umel)

MORE soldiers have began arriving in Marawi City over the weekend to take part in operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-inspired Maute Group whose known bases are in the hinterlands of Lanao del Sur.

The soldiers, members of the 49th Infantry Battalion of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division based in the Bicol Region, will be under the operational control of the 103rd Infantry Brigade and will augment the two infantry battalions and an armor battalion currently stationed at Kampo Ranao in Marawi City.

Major General Gerrardo Barrientos, in his message to the troops, said the troop build-up is part of Proclamation 55, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last September 4, declaring a state of national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao.

Barrientos said the added troops which will be utilized to go after the Maute Group and will also assist local government units sustain peace and order in their respective areas.

“Kapag hindi natin maayos ang mga problemang ito, this problem will be passed on to the next generations at syempre hindi tayo papayag,” Barrientos said.

Barrientos said the troops will also take part in the manhunt for the 23 escaped inmates of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Jail in Marawi City.

About 50 heavily armed members of the Maute group had raided the local jail on August 27 and freed eight of their comrades.

Fifteen other detainees, held for other serious offenses, also escaped in the raid.
The military had earlier said that the cities of Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro are possible targets of local terrorist groups and warned civilians to be vigilant.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into possible leads that can help them identify the persons or group behind the blast in Davao City that killed 14 people, PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa said Wednesday.

Dela Rosa said that they are looking at the materials used in creating the improvised explosive device (IED) as it bears the mark of bomb expert Zulkifli Bin Hir, also known as Marwan.

"Pinagbasehan doon 'yung trademark nung IED na mortar round, so 'yun ang pinakabasehan nila and iba 'yung trademark nung ibang grupo. Kanya-kanyang signature 'yung mga bombmaker. 'Yung ganun, it can be traced back to the Central Mindanao area where maraming naturuan si Marwan doon," he said.

He said the creators of the IED are "most likely" to be students of Marwan, who was killed in a police operation on January 2015 in Maguindanao. Marwan was popular for training would-be bombers.

Dela Rosa said investigators are yet to complete the artist's sketch of suspects as some witnesses are still confined in the hospital due to the injuries obtained in the bomb attack.

Dela Rosa said the PNP is also verifying reports that the Maute Group, Abu Sayyaf Group, and Ansar Khalifa's group have connived.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/local-news/2016/09/08/more-soldiers-fielded-vs-maute-group-496398

ARMM aids close to 4,000 families displaced by Sulu violence

From InterAksyon (Sep 8): ARMM aids close to 4,000 families displaced by Sulu violence



A soldier stands beside a evacuees under a makeshift shelter in Sulu. (ARMM HEART photo)

Close to 4,000 families from five towns in Sulu who have been displaced by the ongoing campaign against the Abu Sayyaf have been given relief by the Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The ARMM HEART said a total of 3,985 families are staying in evacuation centers or with relatives.

Aside from relief packs, the evacuees were also given medical attention, ARMM HEART said.

The military has deployed thousands of troops to Sulu for the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf on orders of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte has placed the country under a “state of national emergency on account of lawless violence” following last Friday’s bomb blast in Davao City that killed 14 persons and wounded dozens of others.

Aside from the bombing, the declaration cited the ongoing offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and the beheading by the extremists of hostages.

http://interaksyon.com/article/132246/armm-aids-close-to-4000-families-displaced-by-sulu-violence

Davao blast: What we know so far

From Rappler (Sep 8): Davao blast: What we know so far

Police are now hunting down one suspect and at least 3 'persons of interest'    

ROXAS NIGHT MARKET. The Davao blast kills 14 and injures 70 more. File photo by Manman Dejeto/Rappler

Friday evening, September 2 was supposed to be just another busy night of food, friends, and the occasional P100-massage along Roxas Street in Davao City when an explosion occurred, claiming the lives of at least 14 and injuring 70.

The stakes are high. This is, after all, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte, where he had served as mayor for over 2 decades. He wants answers, and wants them fast.

Below is what Rappler has gathered so far about the bombing from police sources, local government officials, and previous news reports as of September 7, 2016.

What happened on September 2, 2016?

Davao City police chief Senior Superintendent Michael John Dubria said “one person” carried the explosive device inside a bag.

He – they’ve already identified him as male, about 5'7" tall – went for a massage in one of the stalls at the night market. He did not finish the massage and “left hurriedly," leaving behind a bag, based on witnesses' testimonies. (READ: Davao blast: Man with backpack leaves after massage)

DAVAO BLAST SUSPECT. A composite sketch of the suspect, based on testimonies of witnesses. PNP photo

 

“We believe that the improvised explosive device (IED) exploded when he left,” said Dubria, who leads efforts to probe the blast.

Police have yet to pinpoint the exact time the suspect arrived at the massage area or what time he left the bag containing the IED. But they're certain that all these things happened “a few minutes” before the actual blast, which occurred at 10:17 pm.

After the bombing, Davao City’s emergency responders arrived. The injured were taken to various hospitals in the city and the dead were recovered from the blast site.

Different police teams – Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), Explosives Ordnance Division (EOD) personnel, among others – swept the blast site for evidence.

At least two government officials, one of them Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, later on admitted to having received reports of a supposed bomb threat days prior to the blast.

Paolo Duterte, the President’s son, said that he received information of an attack in either Davao or General Santos City at least two days before September 2. But the vice mayor said he opted to keep quiet given that he was asked not to pass the information around, according to an Inquirer report.

Interior Department Secretary Ismael Sueno said he, too, received an intelligence report about an alleged plan of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to launch a terror attack.

It remains unclear what specific steps were taken by government officials in the wake of these intelligence reports, but Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa was quick to downplay criticism amid allegations local authorities – police included – did not do enough to prevent the blast.

“Now is not the time for finger pointing,” said Dela Rosa, adding that even the best of intelligence bureaus – the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency, for instance – were not immune to terror attacks.

Nonetheless, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte relieved Task Force Davao Colonel Henry de Leon. She also appointed Benito de Leon, a retired military general, as the new chief of Davao's Public Safety and Security Command Center.

WHAT EXPLODED?

A little less than 24 hours after the bombing, Dela Rosa announced that it was an improvised explosive device (IED) that exploded at the night market. The IED, he said, was a 60-millimeter mortar round.

Dubria would later present to media fragments of the mortar round that had been recovered from victims of the blast.

By Tuesday, September 6, the investigation would show that two mortar rounds – 60 mm round and another 81 mm round – were used in the blast.

PNP photo

 

According to Dubria, the IED was detonated using a cellular phone. The initial theory is that the man who left behind the bag containing the IED was the one who also detonated it.

 

Dela Rosa, former Davao City police chief, is no stranger to bombings. He was an intelligence officer during the 2003 bombing of Sasa Warf in the city. The incident was blamed on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which at that time had yet to strike a peace deal with the government.

A couple of years later, an IED was detonated at the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal, killing a 12-year-old boy and injuring 5 others. The Abu Sayyaf claimed responsibility for the blast. Dela Rosa was also an intelligence officer during the so-called Ecoland Valentine’s Day bombing.

He was city police chief in 2013 when two explosions occurred at SM City in Ecoland and Gaisano Mall of Davao in Bajada. (READ: A history of bombings in Davao City)

IS A TERROR GROUP BEHIND IT?

Many were quick to point to the ASG as the culprit. It's been the target of intensive military operations in Sulu. Some 8,000 soldiers have since been deployed to the province to run after ASG members.

Duterte himself said days before the blast that he “expected retribution” from the group. (READ: Who's behind the Davao bombing?)

The ASG, through its supposed spokesperson Abu Rami, claimed responsibility for the blast. While officials were initially quick to acknowledge the claim, they grew lukewarm toward it later on.

BLAST SURVIVORS. President Rodrigo Duterte visits survivors of the deadly Davao City blast. File photo by Kiwi Bulaclac/PPD

 

Dela Rosa said a day after that among the primary angles they were looking into were the intensified military operations in Sulu. “This might be a diversionary move to ease up the pressure that they have been experiencing in Sulu,” he said.

Dubria, meanwhile, refused to declare that a terror group was behind it.

The police are exploring all possibilities. The perpetrators could be an “isolated group,” or a “disgruntled group having grudges [toward] different persons,” according to Dubria.

Dela Rosa added to the list the possibility of it being an act of “narco terrorism.”

“If the Abu Sayyaf can kidnap people for money, they can also bomb people for money. It’s all about money. So if I’m a rich drug lord, I can pay the Abu Sayyaf. I can pay them and tell them to plant bombs,” he said in Camp Crame on Monday, September 5.

Another possibility the police are looking at? Conflict among vendors at the popular night market.

WHO ARE POLICE PURSUING?

There are at least 4 "persons of interest" – either blast suspects or people who could identify the suspect – in the probe.

So far, the police are focused on the main suspect – the man who left the bag containing the IEDs. (READ: Police release sketch of suspect in Davao blast)

Police have identified at least 8 witnesses, who they are keeping away from the public eye. Footage from at least 8 closed circuit television (CCTV) units in the area is also being reviewed.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/145497-davao-blast-investigation

PHL's newest, largest ship leads naval blockade vs. Abu Sayyaf in Sulu

From GMA News (Sep 8): PHL's newest, largest ship leads naval blockade vs. Abu Sayyaf in Sulu

The Philippine Navy has deployed its newest and largest vessel, the BRP Tarlac, to lead the naval blockade against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in its reported plan to escape via the Sulu Sea.



A report of Jun Veneracion on "Unang Balita" on Thursday said the BRP Tarlac will serve as the command and control ship of the Navy in its operations against the bandits.

The report said the Navy has yet to encounter any ASG insurgents in the area but is preparing for any eventuality in case the group receives reinforcements from nearby Basilan province.

[Video report]

Naval commanders will direct the operations of smaller ships 24/7 from BRP Tarlac.

The Navy also said it will pursue any suspicious sea vessel to check its passenger and cargo manifest. It can also capture any suspicious vessel without the necessary documents.

Equipped with the latest technology, BRP Tarlac also has an AugustaWestland 109 helicopter with combat support and aerial surveillance capabilities for both day or night flying missions.

BRP Tarlac, which the Philippine Navy welcomed in May this year, has modern navigation and surface search radar, air search radar, an electronic warfare system, electro-optical fire control system and combat management system.

 

The ship has an enclosed hangar for a 10-ton helicopter and its flight deck can carry two 10-ton helicopters.

 

The BRP Tarlac is part of a P3.87-billion, two-vessel contract between the Philippine government and an Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL Persero.

 

 http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/580598/news/nation/phl-s-newest-largest-ship-leads-naval-blockade-vs-abu-sayyaf-in-sulu

Death toll in Sulu clashes climbs to 32 ASG

From CNN Philippines (Sep 8): Death toll in Sulu clashes climbs to 32 ASG



(File photo) The Armed Forces of the Philippines has deployed 7,000 troops to Sulu in its campaign to put an end to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

Two more Abu Sayyaf members were killed Tuesday afternoon as government troops stepped up efforts to go after the bandit group in Sulu, the military's Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) said Wednesday.

This brings the death toll to 32 on the side of the bandits since August 26, after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the armed forces to "search and destroy" the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). A furious Duterte issued the directive after the group beheaded an 18-year-old hostage in Jolo.



Duterte: Abu Sayyaf can be crushed in a week

The Wesmincom said combined troops of the 35th and 21st Infantry Battalions engaged about 30 ASG members in the mountainous areas of Patikul, Sulu on Tuesday.

The firefight lasted for half an hour.

An undetermined number of ASG members were also wounded, but the government troops suffered no casualty, according to the Wesmincom.

The ASG came from an earlier firefight that same day day with soldiers of the 45th Infantry Battalion.

"Reports gathered from civilians in the vicinity confirmed two ASG killed being carried by their companions for burial," the Wesmincom said in a statement.

The slain ASG were led by known subleaders Jamiri Jaong Jawhari and Basaron Arok, it added.

"There will be no letup in the effort to rescue the remaining hostages," BGen. Arnel dela Vega, Commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, said in a statement. "Our priority is the safe rescue of the victims and protection of local communities in Sulu against terrorists and criminal elements."

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman BGen. Resituto Padilla earlier said the "high-value" kidnap victims of the Abu Sayyaf are held by its bigger sub-groups, like the team led by Radullan Sahiron.

Sahiron is among the most wanted terrorists of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, with a $1 million bounty on his head.

His group killed 15 soldiers in a bloody clash on August 29, as the country commemorated Heroes' Day.

[Video report]

Duterte repeatedly said he is determined to dismantle the Abu Sayyaf.

The AFP has deployed 7,000 troops in Sulu, the biggest force tapped against the ASG since it was formed in the early 1990s.

http://cnnphilippines.com/regional/2016/09/08/Sulu-clashes-Abu-Sayyaf.html

Sulu, Basilan residents now helping gov’t in fight against ASG

From the Manila Bulletin (Sep 8): Sulu, Basilan residents now helping gov’t in fight against ASG

Desire for genuine progress and peace is prompting many residents in Sulu and Basilan to help the government in its ongoing campaign against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

GUARDED MOMENTS – Members of Task Force Davao stand guard in front of the San Pedro Cathedral Sunday as Dabawenyos tried to return to normal life, two days after Friday’s deadly explosion at the night market on Roxas Avenue. (Keith Bacongco)/Manila Bulletin

This was disclosed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo in a briefing Wednesday.

He added that this desire for genuine development, progress and peace is gradually negating the ASG advantage in terrain, blood relations with the communities they are operating in, and forced recruitment.

“More and more residents (Sulu and Basilan) are now eager to end the bandit threat as they are now seeing the government’s massive efforts to eliminate the ASG,” the military official stressed.

As of this posting, brigands killed in the ongoing operation in Sulu are placed at 32 killed with many others wounded.

Arevalo said the decision to help government forces is exemplified by the decision of many “Barangay Police Action Team” members to press harder to defend their communities and concerned civilians to report ASG presence in their respective areas.

“There will be no let up in the effort to rescue the remaining hostages. Our priority is the safe rescue of the victims and protection of local communities in Sulu against terrorists and criminal elements,” Joint Task Force Sulu commander Brig. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega earlier said.

“Local folks are gradually helping in protecting their own communities against the ASG scourge and showing defiance against the bandits,” he added.

Dela Vega stressed that they are confident that more and more people in Sulu, including local government unit officials, community and religious leaders will cooperate in giving timely and accurate information to stop the un-Islamic and barbaric acts of ASG.

It may be recalled that the latest victim beheaded by the ASG, Patrick Almodovar is a local Muslim resident whose mother is a Tausug.

“We call on the Abu Sayyaf to stop these kidnappings and killings which are all violations of the Koran and against Islam as pointed out by Islamic scholars worldwide,” Dela Vega concluded.

http://www.mb.com.ph/sulu-basilan-residents-now-helping-govt-in-fight-against-asg/

Japan PM Abe, ASEAN leaders exchange views on South China Sea

From InterAksyon (Sep 8): Japan PM Abe, ASEAN leaders exchange views on South China Sea



Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives at the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos September 7, 2016.REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states found limited common ground on Japanese concerns about China's expansionary activities in the South China Sea at their summit Wednesday in Vientiane.

The 10 members of ASEAN, which met Tuesday and Wednesday, include countries involved in territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea as well as those inclined to back Beijing in light of its massive assistance to the bloc's less-developed economies.

During the talks running just more than an hour, Abe reiterated Japan's position backing a ruling by an international arbitration tribunal in July that rejected China's territorial claims to most of the South China Sea.

According to a Japanese official, Abe told the leaders that China has made continued attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo in the last several months.

In response to ASEAN members' commitment to maintaining dialogue aimed at peacefully resolving territorial disputes with China, Abe said such dialogue should be carried out according to international law and on the basis of maintaining self-restraint, the official said.

According to the official, several of the ASEAN leaders shared a similar stance on the South China Sea issue to that expressed by Abe, and none objected to it.

But the official refused to clarify whether any of the leaders made an explicit mention of the July ruling.

Some of the leaders mentioned the need for self-restraint in the South China Sea but did not mention China by name, the official said, while one spoke of the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the East China Sea, where Japan has its own issues with China over the Tokyo-controlled, Beijing-claimed Senkaku Islands.

Since the ruling, China has argued that the South China Sea issue is none of Japan's business. In response, Abe stressed to the ASEAN leaders that the waterway is an especially vital sea lane for Japan, the official said.

According to ASEAN sources, the ASEAN post-summit chairman's statement compiled by Laos will likely stop short of specifically referring to the case, following the precedent its foreign ministers set in a joint communique at their meeting in July.

The leaders also affirmed the need to work cooperatively to combat the threat of terrorism in Asia, including by homegrown terrorists, and fortify cybersecurity.

Abe announced that Japan will provide 45 billion yen ($444 million) through various avenues over the next three years to fund measures to improve counter-terrorism capabilities across Asia, combat violent extremist groups and promote socioeconomic development to support stable societies.

Japan will also support the training of 2,000 counter-terrorism experts over the next three years to those ends.

Touching on the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community late last year, Abe expressed Japan's resolve to continue to support enhanced economic integration in ASEAN through "high-quality" infrastructure investment, according to Japanese officials.

Tokyo has been emphasizing the quality of its infrastructure development in an apparent effort to distinguish its investment in emerging economies from that of China.

The leaders agreed on the establishment of a Japan-ASEAN women's empowerment fund to support microfinance, to be managed by selected Japanese private-sector investors, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

According to the Japanese government, the first disbursement for the fund is scheduled for October. The fund will then distribute investment and loans to microfinance entities in each eligible country, which will in turn reach small businesses run mainly by women.

http://interaksyon.com/article/132237/japan-pm-abe-asean-leaders-exchange-views-on-south-china-sea

WATCH | PNP bares details of bomb used in Davao attack; eyes narco-politicians

From InterAksyon (Sep 8): WATCH | PNP bares details of bomb used in Davao attack; eyes narco-politicians



Davao City personnel clean up the blast site on Roxas night market hours after a "twin-bomb" - using two types of mortars detonated by a cell phone - exploded, killing 14 people and wounding over 60 otehrs. INTERAKSYON.COM FILE

The special investigation task group of the Philippine National Police has released a sketch of bomb used in Friday night's explosion at the Roxas night market in Davao City that killed 14 people and injured over 60 others.

The PNP sketch shows two types of mortar used in the attack: a 60-millimeter and an 81-millimeter type.

Both were attached to a cell phone that served as the switch.

A 9-volt battery served as the power source.

This type of explosive device can instantly kill, police said, all persons within its 4-square-meter radius.

Besides the terrorism angle and the possible role of drug lords affected by the tough war on illegal drugs, authorities are also looking into the possibility that terrorist groups have now branched out into the illiicit drug trade.

According to Director Adzar Albani, of the Region 11 office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), among those possibly behind the Davao blast are "yung mga terrorist groups na gumagamit na rin ng droga and then naging source narin ng funding nila yung drugs [those terrorist groups who also use drugs and then used the drug trade as their source of funds]."

It's also possible, authorities said, that the narco-politicians of Lanao and Maguindanao whom President Duterte earlier mentioned may behind the attack.

Both provinces are in Central Mindanao region, where bombs are being fabricated for sale, officials pointed out.

Albani said, "there are about 12 mayors in Lanao and Maguindanao alone. So [there are big] players there. We are zeroing in on people who have links to drugs and have the capability to finance any terroristic activity."

On Tuesday,police raided the site of a "factory" for improvised explosive devices in Mlang, North Cotabato.

They seized one grenade and materials for bomb-making. They arrested the caretaker, but the house owner escaped.

HERE'S NEWS5 VIDEO REPORT BY RENZ ONGKIKO:

[Video report]

http://interaksyon.com/article/132235/watch--pnp-bares-details-of-bomb-used-in-davao-attack-eyes-narco-politicians

PNP meets security heads of malls, schools, hotels amid rash of 'bomb threats'

From InterAksyon (Sep 8): PNP meets security heads of malls, schools, hotels amid rash of 'bomb threats'

The Philippine National Police met Wednesday the security managers of malls, schools and hotels in connection with the rash of bomb threats days after a deadly night-market explosion killed 14 people in Davao City.

Even though all the bomb threats received since Friday night's Davao blast turned out to be negative, authorities are not taking any chances.

Typical of the rash of threats is a Facebook chat giving details of an alleged bomb threat targeting one of the country's biggest mall chains.

According to the chat, supposedly coming from a source in the mall management, they received a call from the Abu Sayyaf demanding $15 million. Supposedly, the ASG warned that if they don't get the money within one week, they will blow up the mall.

Curiously, the supposed source within mall management gave a "well-meaning" advice to people not to visit the mall.

The mall in question denied to police that they got such a "threat" from the Abu Sayyaf, but are verifying the source of the FB rumor.

Meanwhile, the mall security managers admitted that their current practice of just poking into bags with a stick is not enough to flush out hazardous items.

The PNP thus advised them to install metal detectors and K9 units in their most crowded spots.
At Wednesday's meeting of the PNP with the security managers of malls, hotels and schools, PNP chief Gen. Ronald dela Rosa appealed to those receiving threats or messages to promptly forward these to authorities.

"Please don't panic. For all you know, ito'y kagagawan lang ng mga estudyante na ayaw lang pumasok sa paaralan [this may just be the handiwork of students who don't want to attend classes]. What I can assure you is that PNP is doing its job," said dela Rosa.

Meanwhile, the security managers of schools are also investigating the rash of bomb threats that have hit several Metro Manila schools this week.

In a statement, the Department of Education earlier said it requested the PNP to increase police visibility around schools, even though the bomb threats so far have turned out negative. DepEd also directed all school officials to be alert at all times.

The Eastern Police District and Pasig police also met with barangay officials, building administrators and security officers in the Ortigas business district, and reminded them of standard operating procedures: among others, not to simply pick up abandoned stuff in public places, as such may explode.

The security officers were told to quickly call 911 or the nearest police station for help.

http://interaksyon.com/article/132236/pnp-meets-security-heads-of-malls-schools-hotels-amid-rash-of-bomb-threats

DND releases photos of Chinese boats at Scarborough before ASEAN meet with China premier

From InterAksyon (Sep 7): DND releases photos of Chinese boats at Scarborough before ASEAN meet with China premier



Chinese coast guard motorboats block a Filipino fishing vessel from approaching Scarborough Shoal. (AFP file)

The Department of National Defense released pictures on Wednesday showing what it said were Chinese boats near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, just hours before leaders of Southeast Asian nations were due to meet China's premier in Laos.

There was no explanation for the timing of the release, but it came two days after Manila expressed "grave concern" about the increasing number of Chinese vessels around Scarborough and demanded an explanation from Beijing's ambassador.

A Philippine official said the release of the photographs and a map was ordered by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who is at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Vientiane.

China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei -- the last four ASEAN members -- claim parts or all of the resource-rich South China Sea, making it a hotspot of regional tension.

The 10 images and map were sent by email to journalists, many of whom are in Vientiane for the ASEAN summit. The ASEAN leaders were due to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday, although it was unclear if the row over the South China Sea would be openly addressed.

The move by the Philippines comes after a spat with the United States, its main ally. President Rodrigo Duterte criticized US President Barack Obama, prompting the cancellation of a meeting between the two leaders in Laos.

China has repeatedly blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually.

The United States says it has no position on the territorial dispute, but has conducted freedom of navigation patrols close to Chinese-held islands, to Beijing's anger, while China has been bolstering its military presence there.

Few rocks

Although Scarborough Shoal is merely a few rocks poking above the sea, it is important to the Philippines because of its tranquil waters and rich stocks of fish. Manila says China's blockade of the shoal is a violation of international law.

The dispute has become more significant since the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled on July 12 that no one country had sovereign rights over activity in the Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground for Chinese, Filipino and Vietnamese.

China has refused to recognize the ruling by the court in The Hague.

Duterte wants China to abide by the ruling but he had pledged not to raise the issue during the meeting in Laos. He wants to smooth the way for bilateral negotiations and last month sent former President Fidel Ramos as his special envoy to meet Chinese representatives in Hong Kong.

A draft ASEAN communique seen by Reuters on Monday listed eight points related to the South China Sea, but made no mention of the ruling.

However, Lorenzana said ahead of the summit that a Philippine air force plane had flown over the shoal and spotted more boats than usual in a flotilla China has maintained since seizing the shoal after a tense standoff in 2012.

Lorenzana said the presence of six Chinese vessels in addition to coastguard ships in the area was "a cause of grave concern."

A security official traveling with Duterte said it was a challenge for the government to explain why Filipino fishermen cannot go back and fish in the area when The Hague had ruled that Scarborough was a fishing ground for all.

"We won in the arbitral court, but we could not enforce it, how can we explain that to our own fishermen?" said the official, who declined to be named.

"So, we wanted to talk to China and resolve the issue, but the situation like this is making it more difficult. The president is asking what is China's intentions in the area?"



















 http://interaksyon.com/article/132208/dnd-releases-photos-of-chinese-boats-at-scarborough-before-asean-meet-with-china-premier

Corroborative

From the Mindanao Times (Sep 7): Corroborative

Task Force gets sketches of persons of interest in night market blast

THE SPECIAL Investigation Task Group Night Market has now the sketches of the four persons of interest in the Roxas explosion that killed 14 people and injured 70 others.

 

Police regional director, Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, the task group supervisor, said witnesses gave “corroborative descriptions” of the persons of interest — two males and two females — to the artists who are making the composite illustrations.

 

One of those four persons of interests was pointed to have carried the bag that contained the bomb, Gaerlan told reporters yesterday at the Davao City Police Office’s headquarters at Camp Quintin Merecido along San Pedro Street.

 

He admitted that they could not yet “conclusively” say that the three others have direct participation in the bombing because the evidence against them was “circumstantial.”

 

The police regional director refused to name the witnesses for security reason. He said some of the witnesses are among the injured victims.

 

“Two of the witnesses gave corroborative descriptions,” Gaerlan said.

 

He said that they are already enhancing the sketches — from manual to digital stage.

Gaerlan said they will release the sketches once those are completed.

 

The police regional head said the persons of interest could only be considered as suspects in the bombing after the evaluation of the task group.

 

Gaerlan also revealed that the improvised explosive device used was made up of two mortar ammunitions – a 60 mm and an 81 mm.

 

“This means that it really intends to hurt,” Gaerlan said. “It aims for maximum casualty.”

He said the suspects are extreme. “They really meant to harm.”

 

Gaerlan said the task force was able to reconstruct part of the mortar through the fragments recovered from the bodies of some victims and in the crime scene.

 

Based on the reconstruction, Gaerlan said they learned that the two mortar ammunitions were fused into one.

 

He said the device used was a cellphone-detonated bomb based on the theory of post-blast investigators.

 

“We were able to recover a SIM pack holder and a micro-SD memory card,” he said, adding that they did not find anymore the SIM pack.

 

Col. Henry Robinson, the axed commander of Task Force Davao, had said that the mortar shell they recovered was already rusty, meaning it’s already old.

 

Robinson said such use of mortal shell is a signature of the bombers in Maguindanao and Lanao.

 

“There’s a group there that is ISIS-inspired,” he said. “We call them the Al Khobar Maute group and Al-Khalipa Pilipinas. For now, we are evaluating if there’s an alliance.”

 

http://mindanaotimes.net/corroborative/

Another battalion sent off to Sulu

From the Mindanao Times (Sep 7): Another battalion sent off to Sulu

THE 10TH Infantry Division yesterday already ordered some personnel movement after sending off more soldiers under the 68th Infantry Battalion to help crush the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu.

 

Maj. Gen. Rafael Valencia, the division commander, told reporters in an interview at Tactical Operations Group (TOG-XI) that since there are already three battalions deployed to the Western Mindanao Command, their manpower is stretched thin.

 

The 68th IB operates in Talaingod, Davao del Norte and parts of San Fernando, Bukidnon .

 

The 69th Infantry Battalion and 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion were already deployed earlier.

 

“I have not heard whether the two battalions earlier already engaged (the ASG), but they are now in Sulu,” he said.

 

The 10th Infantry Division has 12 battalions under its command.

 

Meanwhile, he said that security in the region won’t be hampered because of diminished personnel.

 

“We have unilateral ceasefire with the CPP-NPA-NDF so the number o military operations has already reduced, so we have enough forces to cover all areas of responsibility of the division,” he said.

 

“Our operations for now are on counter-terrorism like checkpoints, patrols in urban centers and intelligence operation,” he added.

 

http://mindanaotimes.net/another-battalion-sent-off-to-sulu/

2 Sayyafs killed in latest fighting in Philippines

From the Mindanao Examiner (Sep 7): 2 Sayyafs killed in latest fighting in Philippines

The Philippine military on Wednesday said troops killed 2 Abu Sayyaf militants in gunfight in Patikul town in Sulu, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao.

It said the soldiers from the 35^th and 21^st infantry battalions clashed Tuesday with about 30 militants under Abu Sayyaf sub-leaders Jamiri Jawhari and Basaron Arok in Danag village.

A security spokesman, quoting reports from civilians in the village, claimed the bodies of slain militants were taken by their companions and that many others had been wounded in the clash.

But there were no civilians in the area because villagers had fled their homes for fear they would be caught up in the crossfire or mistaken for militants. The military said the operations against the Abu Sayyaf were continuing and that over 30 gunmen had been killed since the offensive against the notorious group began last month.

Many civilians in the town have armed themselves and joined the government-backed militia group called Barangay Police Action Team (BPAT) originally organized during the time of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Sulu Governor Sakur Tan to protect civilian communities from Abu Sayyaf atrocities.

The incumbent Governor Toto Tan said he will help BPAT members secure permits for their weapons and told them to strictly follow the law and use their firearms to secure and protect their villages against Abu Sayyaf attacks.

Many towns also have its own BPAT which is being supervised by their mayors and police authorities.

Civilians have been providing authorities with information on the Abu Sayyaf and are supporting the government action against the militant group, blamed by the police and military for the spate of brutal killings of innocent people and ransom kidnappings in the restive region.

http://mindanaoexaminer.com/2-sayyafs-killed-in-latest-fighting-in-philippines/

Soldier wounded in new bombing in Mindanao

From the Mindanao Examiner (Sep 7): Soldier wounded in new bombing in Mindanao



Philippine authorities raid a hideout of suspected bomb-makers in Mlang town in North Cotabato province and arrested Jokrie Andong Buisan in this photo provided by the provincial police.

A government soldier was wounded following a roadside explosion in the restive province of Maguindanao in the Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines, officials said on Wednesday.

Officials said 5 more improvised explosives were recovered by soldiers and policemen in the towns of Datu Odin Sinsuat and Sultan Kudarat.

No individual or group claimed responsibility for the foiled attacks, but this coincided with police information that the recent bombing in Davao City was probably the handiwork of the Malaysian militant Jemaah Islamiya and the local Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and followers of slain Malaysian bomber Zulkifli Abdhir alias Marwan.

Several jihadist groups are actively operating in Maguindanao and its neighboring provinces which authorities said were behind numerous bombings in the region.

Authorities were also hunting down two brothers – Guiamadel and Anwar Sandigan – who are known bomb-makers in North Cotabato province, who escaped a recent raid by soldiers and policemen in the town called M’lang. 

One of the brothers’ henchman, Jokrie Buisan, was arrested and that the raiders seized a fragmentation grenade and materials used in the manufacture of improvised explosives, including cell phones, blasting caps and black powder. 

It was not immediately known whether the trio had anything to do with the bombing in Davao City that killed 15 people and injured over 60 civilians at a crowded night market there.

http://mindanaoexaminer.com/soldier-wounded-in-new-bombing-in-mindanao/

Army calls for vigilance following Maguindanao bombing attempt

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 7): Army calls for vigilance following Maguindanao bombing attempt

Military forces in Maguindanao have been placed on heightened alert as soldiers put up more checkpoints following President Duterte's declaration of state of lawlessness.

Colonel Earl Baliao, commander of 601st Infantry Brigade, also urged the public to be vigilant and quickly alert authorities about suspicious luggage, bags and plastic shopping bags left unattended in public places.

Baliao said a concerned citizen named Norodin alerted elements of the 37th Infantry Battalion about what he found at a roadside in Barangay Rebuken, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

"We need people like him, cooperate with our forces to prevent injuries and death in this situation," Baliao said.

When bomb experts checked on the unattended plastic bag, it turned to be composed of three improvised bombs fashioned from 60 mm mortar with two-way radio as triggering mechanism.

To ensure public safety while the deactivation process was on going, soldiers shut down portions of the Cotabato-Davao highway for two hours.

Baliao said the explosives have the "signatures" of outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), saying the same explosives were used by the lawless group in the past.

The discovery of three power IEDs in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao came about eight hours after another IED was set off by suspected BIFF in Barangay Lower Salbu, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

The IED went off at 9:30 a.m. while soldiers of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion were conducting foot patrol following the implementation of declaration of state of lawless by President Duterte in the aftermath of Friday's Davao bombing.

Colonel Warlito Limet, commander of 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion, blamed the BIFF for the roadside bombing and called on the public to report suspicious items in populated areas or roads frequented by civilians.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=920782