Misuari’s temporary liberty ends April 27; MNLF working on extension

From MindaNews (Apr 22): Misuari’s temporary liberty ends April 27; MNLF working on extension

The six-month temporary liberty granted by the court to Nur Misuari, founding chair of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) ends on April 27 but the MNLF is working for its extension.

“Ma-extend Maas” (Misuari’s temporary liberty will be extended), Randolph Parcasio, chair of the peace implementing panel of the MNLF-Misuari faction, said in a text message to MindaNews Friday afternoon. MindaNews asked if he had filed a motion to seek extension but he has not responded as of 6 p.m.

The court gave Misuari temporary liberty “to allow him to attend peace talk sessions with the
government.”



President Rodrigo Roa Duterte meets with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Prof. Nur Misuari at the Presidential Guest House in Davao City on March 27, 2017. RENE LUMAWAG/Presidential Photo

Parcasio and the government’s implementing panel chair, Underscretary Nabil Tan, the Deputy Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, have yet to meet formally although they have met informally at least four times.

Secretary Jesus Dureza, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said the panels will meet in early May.

“There’s a plan for that mechanism that engages the MNLF of chairman Nur Misuari and the government panel to officially make a call on the President so that they get some marching orders from the President in accordance with the President’s peace roadmap,” he told MindaNews on Thursday.

“There are two dates in early May that are proposed, depending on the availability of the President,” he said.

Judge Ma. Rowena Modesto-San Pedro of the Pasig Regional Trial Court in Pasig City in an order dated October 27, 2017 granted the “motion to suspend proceedings and enforcement of warrants of arrest against Misuari” for a period of six months from October 27, “unless sooner lifted by the court.”

Warrants of arrest had been issued against Misuari and 59 others for rebellion and violation of Republic Act 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and other Crimes against Humanity following the September 2013 stand-off in Zamboanga City between his followers and government troops that left 137 persons dead, 251 injured and 118,889 of the city’s 807,000 population displaced, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s October 2, 2013 report.

The Department of Justice, the City of Zamboanga and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process made no object to Misuari’s motion to the court.

San Pedro said the Court “acknowledges that the matter of peace talks is exclusively within the realm of the Executive Department,” and that as manifested by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), it is a “top priority of the current administration.”

Misuari signed the December 23, 1976 Tripoli Agreement under the Marcos administration and the September 2, 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) under the Ramos administration.

The MNLF split into three factions — MNLF under Misuari, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under Salamat Hashim and the MNLF Reformist Group under Dimas Pundato — after then President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., using his martial law powers, set up two autonomous regions – in Central and Western Mindanao – instead of one as agreed upon in the 1976 Tripoli pact.

The agreement provided for the creation of an autonomous region comprising 13 provinces and nine cities in Mindanao and Palawan; in Mindanao — Basilan, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur – and Palawan and its Puerto Princesa City.

With the creation of new provinces and conversion of towns into cities, that autonomy area now comprises 16 provinces and 16 cities – 15 provinces and 15 cities of that out of Mindanao’s 27 provinces and 33 cities.

When Marcos was ousted and President Corazon Aquino took over, she went to Sulu to meet with Misuari and re-start the peace process. No peace agreement was forged but the 1987 Constitution under the Aquino administration provided for the creation of autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras.

The “Final Peace Agreement” was finally forged under the Ramos administration, on September 2, 1996.

Running under the administration’s party, Misuari was elected governor of the ARMM a week later, on September 9, 1996. He served as Governor starting September 30 that year and was supposed to have ended his three-year term in March 1999 but stayed on on holdover capacity until November 2001 becasue Congress failed to pass the law that would have amended RA 6734, the Organic Act creating the ARMM, to incorporate provisions in the 1996 peace pact.

Congress reset the ARMM polls several times, and Misuari sat as ARMM Governor on holdover basis from March 1, 1999 until he was arrested off Sabah in November 2001, days before the ARMM election, for alleged illegal entry, following a rebellion he allegedly led in Zamboanga City and Sulu. He has since called for the reclamation of Sabah.

Earlier, in April 2001, 15 top MNLF leaders stripped Misuari of the chairmanship of the MNLF, set up the Executive Council to lead the MNLF but made him Chairman Emeritus. Misuari called them traitors.

RA 9054, the law that amended RA 6734 and was supposed to have incorporated provisions of the 1996 FPA, lapsed into law in March 2001 under the Arroyo administration, even as the MNLF had opposed its passage as it would, according to them, render the ARMM even less autonomous than the ARMM under RA 6734.

Parouk Hussin, MNLF Foreign Affairs chief and one of the members of the MNLF Executive Council, was elected ARMM Governor in November 2001.

In 2006, a decade after the signing of the FPA, a Tripartite Review among the government, MNLF and Organization of Islamic Cooperation which brokered the talks in the 1970s and 1990s, was launched to review the implementation of the FPA.

The first Tripartite meeting was held in Jeddah in November 2007 and subsequent reviews were done until January 2016, with 42 consensus points reached on provisions that would be amended in RA 9054.

Only three issues are to be resolved under the Duterte adminstration: the authority of a regional government to supervise and control strategic minerals; transitional mechanism and territory.

The other factions of the MNLF, led by Muslimin Sema of Maguindanao and now by Yusoph Jikiri, also of Sulu like Misuari, have agreed on incorporating the consensus points into the Bangsamoro Basic Law that will be drafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) composed of representatives from the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The MILF signed with government the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) in October 2012 and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) in March 2014.

In 2015 at the MILF’s Camp Darapanan, Maguindanao, the MILF and MNLF-Sema faction. signed a Joint Declaration that the provisions of the 1996 peace pact with teh MNLF be fully implemented and that the MNLF and MILF peace acgreements be converged.

The Duterte administration’s peace and development roadmap proposed by the OPAPP and approved by the President in July pushed for the expansion of the BTC membership from 15 to 21 supposedly to get the MNLF factions into the drafting body that would craft a draft “converged” or “harmonized” law.

The BTC has three members from the MNLF under Sema-Jikiri.

In November, Dureza announced a separate peace implementing panel for Misuari’s MNLF faction.

http://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2017/04/misuaris-temporary-liberty-ends-april-27-mnlf-working-on-extension/

Military, terror groups engage in gun battle in Lanao del Sur

From ABS-CBN (Apr 22): Military, terror groups engage in gun battle in Lanao del Sur

Military forces engaged joint members of the Maute and the Abu Sayyaf groups in a gun battle in Barangay Gakap, Piagapo town in Lanao del Sur on Saturday morning.

No casualties were reported as of posting time.

The firefight was the result of continuous military operations against the terrorists, the army said.

Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herera, Tabak 1st Division spokesperson, confirmed that the Maute and Abu Sayyaf have joined forces as both groups are historically allies.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines used airstrikes to overwhelm the two groups.

Herera said Joint Task Force Kampilan, led by Brigadier Generals Joselito Bautista and Nixon Fortes, has been conducting operations to contain the terrorists in the area, adding that the military is following directives from President Rodrigo Duterte.

Herera said they are also confirming whether the Abu Sayyaf is still led by Isnilon Hapilon, who was first reported killed in Butig 2 months ago.

The military has also secured vital installations that may be targeted by the terrorist group to divert the authorities' attention.

The local government unit has evacuated about 200 families.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/22/17/military-terror-groups-engage-in-gun-battle-in-lanao-del-sur

2 new clashes in Bohol: 4 more Sayyaf members dead

From The Freeman (Apr 22): 2 new clashes in Bohol: 4 more Sayyaf members dead



Authorities retrieve the body of Joselito Melloria, the point person of the Abu Sayyaf in Bohol, following an encounter in Clarin town yesterday afternoon. Hours later, three more members of the terrorist group were killed in a separate encounter. Photo Courtesy Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio

CEBU, Philippines - Four more members of the Abu Sayyaf were killed in a firefight between the group and government troops in Clarin town in Bohol yesterday.

The first encounter occurred early afternoon while the second one occurred hours later at around 8 p.m.

Clarin is situated next to Inabanga town where soldiers and police clashed during the Holy Week. That encounter led to the death of five Abu Sayyaf members and four government troops.

Bohol Provincial Police Director Felipe Natividad identified the fatality in the afternoon clash as Joselito Melloria a.k.a Ali, the Abu Sayyaf’s point person in the island.

Melloria reportedly suffered a wound to his left ear and right part of his chest, said Fernando Peroramas, the chief of the Clarin Police Station. He also reportedly had older wounds, which he may have incurred in the previous encounter.

“The combined troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police successfully conducted law enforcement operations that resulted to the death of one lawless element in Bohol and the recovery of one high-power firearm. The encounter took place eleven days after the first skirmishes with the same group in a remote barangay in Inabanga, Bohol,” reads the joint statement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

“In the encounter that took place in Sitio Lagsing, Barangay Bacani, Clarin, Bohol at 12:50 p.m. today, April 22, 2017, Joselito Melloria a.k.a. Abu Ali was killed. After the death of Muammar Askali a.k.a. Abu Rami on April 11, 2017 in Sitio Yraya, Barangay Napo, Inabanga of same province, Melloria, being a native of the province assumed command and led the group in its attempt to escape the pursuing government troops. His death led the group with no leader and direction,” the statement reads further.

Late last night, Peroramas confirmed to The Freeman that three more Abu Sayyaf members were killed in a second encounter at around 8 p.m. But the names of the fatalities were not yet available as of press time.

The second encounter occurred in Barangay Caboy, still in Clarin town.

It was early yesterday morning when authorities received a report from a resident in Clarin about the presence of alleged Abu Sayyaf members in the town.

After validating the information, a group of soldiers and policemen proceeded to the area at midday.

At 2 p.m., the Clarin police received a message from the field that said, “Ok, chief. Ongoing pa ang bakbakan.”

By 3 p.m., the firefight subsided and police would confirm later that Melloria got killed. However, six Abu Sayyaf members managed to flee and government troops continued to pursue them until in the evening.

Ike Mascarin from the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (NDRRMO) said an estimated 1,000 people were evacuated from the six barangays, including Nahawan, Kantuyok, Villaflor, Bacani, Ihan, and Uob.

Mayor Allen Ray Piezas of Clarin facilitated the evacuation to the Cultural Center in the town.

Government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also released aid to the affected barangays and provided food to the residents evacuated.

Several health stations were also opened.

Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto said the group was reportedly hiding in a cave in Barangay Bacani following the encounter in Inabanga last April 11.

He said the group reportedly planned on entering Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol, to disrupt the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit meetings there but was too weak to carry its operation out. Aside from this, security in the island was heightened and the group reportedly did not get support from residents.

“Weak na gyud ang ilang grupo kay wala naman ang ilang lider. Aduna say samad ang uban,” Chatto said.

Despite this positive development, Chatto urged the public to continue being vigilant.

“Be vigilant lang gyud ang katawhan, mabinantayun dili lang mukumpiyansa… ug adunay unfamiliar faces nga makit-an, i-report dayon kay anaa man ang atong kapulisan nga mo-validate sa mga information,” Chatto said.

In the same statement the AFP and PNP issued yesterday, the agencies said:

“The vigilance of the community played the vital role in thesuccess of the operations. The continuous flow of information coming from the civilian communities led the government forces to the exact location where the armed (group) was temporarily hiding. With their support, we are confident we can totally eliminate the threat in Bohol.”

At the height of the encounter yesterday, roads in Sagbayan town leading to Clarin and Inabanga were closed to avoid having motorists being caught in the crossfire.

Chatto said it is not impossible that Abu Sayyaf members from outside Bohol will attempt to rescue their comrades but assured authorities are prepared.

“Gi-presume nato nga naay mo-rescue nila nga mga kauban pero mas gipahugtan pa nato ang security ug ang ang atong intelligence unit adunay technology nga mo-trace sa ilang movements. Ang ato usab katawhan, nitabang kanato sa pag-report dayun sa mga makuhang impormasyon,” he said.

http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2017/04/23/1693092/2-new-clashes-bohol-4-more-sayyaf-members-dead

3 more Abu Sayyaf members killed in nighttime encounter in Bohol

From ABS-CBN (Apr 22): 3 more Abu Sayyaf members killed in nighttime encounter in Bohol

 Soldiers on the lookout for possible Abu Sayyaf activity during a military operation in Clarin town, Bohol, Saturday afternoon. At the end of the day, the military said 4 Abu Sayyaf members were killed, including Joselito Melloria, a terrorist sub-leader. Dave Responte

Three more Abu Sayyaf group members were killed in Clarin town, Bohol on Saturday night, the military has confirmed.

Their remains were delivered to Clarin Funeral Homes for identification.

At about 9 p.m., soldiers of the 2nd Light Reaction Company encountered the group in Barangay Catuyok, and killed 3 of its members and recovered weapons.

Captain Jojo Mascariñas, spokesperson of the 302nd brigade, said the three initially escaped the gunfight and their bodies were later found on a hill in Barangay Caboy.

 

Authorities have advised residents to remain vigilant, as the military pursues Abu Sayyaf members still at large in Bohol.

On Saturday afternoon, Joselito Melloria, an Abu Sayyaf sub-leader, was killed in a firefight with troops in Barangay Bacani in Clarin.

Melloria, alias Abu Alih, was said to have guided the Abu Sayyaf in Inabanga town, Bohol for a known kidnap-for-ransom plot. Abducting foreign nationals and locals have been the group's main source of funding.

 

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/22/17/3-more-abu-sayyaf-members-killed-in-nighttime-encounter-in-bohol

NPA’s bomb shop uncovered in Masbate

From the Manila Bulletin (Apr 20): NPA’s bomb shop uncovered in Masbate

The military has uncovered a bomb workshop of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay San Antonio, Milagros, Masbate recently.

Lt. Col. Redentor E. Cabanizas, commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the army’s 9th Infantry Division, said the bomb facility of the NPA was found last Saturday during clearing operations after a gun battle with the rebels in the area.

Cabanizas reported to the Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) that the facility has the capacity to produce hundreds of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), including landmines.

He said the NPA’s use of landmines is a clear violation of the Ottawa Convention (Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention), prohibiting any group from using anti-personnel mines or bombs that cause death and injury of people.

http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/04/20/npas-bomb-shop-uncovered-in-masbate/

Russian Warships in the Philippines Put Military Ties in the Spotlight

From The Diplomat (Apr 21): Russian Warships in the Philippines Put Military Ties in the Spotlight

A look at what a recent goodwill visit means within the context of a budding defense relationship.

On Thursday, two naval vessels from the Russian Pacific Fleet arrived in Manila for a four-day goodwill visit that will last until April 23. The arrival of the guided-missile cruiser Varyag and the large sea tanker Pechenga, which are on a broader naval mission across the Asia-Pacific, has once again drawn attention to the warming defense ties between Russia and the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte.

Warship visits are frequent and routine occurrences for several of the Philippines’ other partners, and Russian vessels have docked in Manila a few times before even before Duterte was inaugurated as president last June. But such interactions are scrutinized now more so in the past because Duterte, a self-avowed socialist, has been looking to diversify his country’s ties away from Washington and towards other countries, including Beijing and Moscow (See: “The Limits of Duterte’s US-China Rebalance”). The would be quite striking if it occurs: the Philippines has not been a traditional defense partner for Russia in the past given its decades-long alliance with the United States as codified by the Mutual Defense Treaty in 1951.

This is the second time that Russian warships have arrived in the Philippines under the Duterte administration, following the visit of Russian anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs and sea tanker Boris Butoma for a five-day port visit in early January, which Duterte toured (See: “Why Are Russian Warships in the Philippines?”). This visit will feature several Russian interactions with Philippine counterparts, along with a shipboard tour of the Varyag over the weekend and a concert at a park.

The development comes ahead of Duterte’s visit to Moscow, which has been scheduled for May 25. The trip is expected to feature discussions on defense, including the potential signing of a defense agreement between the two sides. Given how little Moscow and Manila were doing before and how much both sides have been rhetorically playing up the potential for closer ties, the trip will be watched closely. Ahead of the visit, Russian ambassador to the Philippines Anatolyevich Khovaev said earlier this month that Russia was willing to share its “experience, arms, weapons, and other necessary equipment” as well as training and joint military exercises to help the Philippines cope with threats including terrorism, piracy, and drug trafficking.

That said, as I have emphasized before, it is still early days and there are some clear limits inherent in strengthening ties on the defense side, whether it be interoperability when it comes to arms or costs with respect to certain kinds of equipment (See: “The Limits of Russia-Philippines Military Relations”). That is why, at least thus far, rhetoric has often outpaced reality. Given the momentum in the bilateral defense relationship we have seen thus far though, that could change sooner rather than later.

http://thediplomat.com/2017/04/russian-warships-in-the-philippines-put-military-ties-in-the-spotlight/

Soldiers seize NPA camp in CamSur

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Apr 22): Soldiers seize NPA camp in CamSur

Government troops overran a camp allegedly belonging to the New People’s Army (NPA) in Del Gallego town in Camarines Sur after a two-hour-long firefight, the Army said in a belated report Saturday.

Captain Randy Llunar, public affairs officer of Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division, said the camp was seized following an encounter between soldiers from the 92nd Division Reconnaissance Company and rebels in Barangay (village) Bagong Silang, Del Gallego at around 7:10 a.m. Thursday.

The camp, which had tents that could accommodate no fewer than 50 people, was taken over by soldiers after the occupants withdrew and scampered away.

He said that they learned the existence of the camp through text messages from civilians which enabled them to locate and monitor the rebels’ activities and plan out the operations against them.

Llunar said troops were able to seize an M16A1 rifle, a rifle grenade, two improvised explosive devices, a detonator and 200 meters of wire along with a bacpack with personal belongings. No one was hurt from the government side.

Llunar said that the troops are continuously conducting a pursuit operation against the rebels.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/891069/soldiers-seize-npa-camp-in-camsur

Grandma, 2 kids die in Philippine encounter

From The Gulf Today (Apr 22): Grandma, 2 kids die in Philippine encounter

A 70-year-old grandmother and two of her grandchildren, aged 11 and 9, were killed when they were caught in the crossfire during a clash between government forces and members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) on the island province of Masbate in the Bicol Region.

Senior Inspector Maria Luisa Calubaquib, the provincial police spokesman, identified the grandmother as Lolita Peita who died with her two grandchildren amid hints they were used as “human shields” by the rebels.

Calubaquib also reported that a relative of the victims, a widower and also aged 70, was wounded in the encounter that occurred on Thursday afternoon in a remote village in the town of Cawayan, Masbate.

Calubaquib said a team of Army soldiers were on security patrol when they clashed with the rebels in the village described by the military as an “NPA lair” where it was not unusual for the insurgents to use residents as “human shields” during encounters with government forces.

Also in Masbate, the military reported its discovery of an NPA bomb factory during recent clearing operations in another remote village in the town of Milagros.

The facility was capable of manufacturing hundreds of improvised explosive devices including landmines used by the insurgents in their attacks on military and police camps, according to the military.

The NPA with about 4,000 members is the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines that has been waging a Maoist-style insurgency against the government for close to 50 years, considered The longest in Asia and the Pacific.

When he took over Malacanang Palace on June 30, 2016, President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte initiated the resumption of peace talks with the Maoists through their political arm the National Democratic Front (NDF) Oslo, Norway which has been brokering the negotiations.

But in February this year, Duterte ordered the cancellation of the talks as he accused the insurgents of violating the unilateral ceasefire they had declared by killing and kidnapping soldiers and policemen.

The president also ordered the military to use all available government resources including newly-acquired attack helicopters to go after the insurgents he had described as “terrorists”

http://gulftoday.ae/portal/66ae7cf1-196a-415e-ad77-7ae6b9646092.aspx

Army chides NPA for propaganda ploy

From the Sun Star-Davao (Apr 21): Army chides NPA for propaganda ploy

THE Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division (ID) said that the New Peoples' Army (NPA) forced the two captured soldiers to wear their military uniforms when they were released as a propaganda ploy.

 

Captain Rhyan Batchar, 10th ID spokesperson said in a press statement issued Friday, April 21, that the release of the two soldiers on Wednesday at Colonsabak, Matanao, Davao del Sur while wearing their battle dress uniform (BDU) was orchestrated.

 

"This is the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA's vain attempt to cover up the treacherous and insincere abduction of the soldiers who were unarmed and in civilian clothes in the midst of the peace talks and ceasefire," Batchar said.

 

  The government's troops under the 39th Infantry Battalion, who were earlier released, were identified as Sergeant Solaiman Calucop and Private First Class Samuel Garay.

 

They were abducted by the NPA last February 2 in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat, while the ceasefire was still in effect.

 

  He cited that this is contrary to their usual practice of releasing their kidnapped, wearing shirts with a marked Prisoner of War.

 

During debriefing after their release, the soldiers said it was the NPA who ordered them to wear their BDU during the release.

 

They were even told to wear these while in captivity, but they refused to.

 

Batchar said that Calucop has a uniform in his bag when he was abducted while Garay's wife Jessa Mae was asked by a certain Joy Mirasol of Karapatan to bring her husband's BDU on the day of the release.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2017/04/21/army-chides-npa-propaganda-ploy-537817

Gov’t trooper killed in Surigao del Sur gun battle

From the Manila Bulletin (Apr 22): Gov’t trooper killed in Surigao del Sur gun battle

A government trooper was killed in a gun battle with the communist insurgents in Pongon area, San Agustin town, Surigao del Sur.

Surigao del Sur | credit wikipedia | Manila Bulletin

A sketchy report reaching the police regional headquarters said an undetermined number of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were believed either killed or wounded in the gun battle with government troops.

A flash report received by the operation center of Northeastern Mindanao Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) based at Camp Rafael C. Rodriguez from Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office (PPO) also said that elements of 7th Special Forces Company (7thSFC) are still in hot pursuit of the fleeing NPA rebels, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Killed in the gunbattle was identified as Cpl. Augosto D. Rigor.

In an initial report from Surigao del Sur PPO said elements of 7th SFC led by Cpl. Allan G. Gabanit were conducting security and combat patrol when they engaged an undetermined number of NPA rebels at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The rebels were believed members of CPP-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee whose commander is still unknown, the report said.

As of this posting, elements of 7th SFC are still conducting hot pursuit operations against the fleeing rebels in Pongon area of that same municipality, report from Surigao del Sur PPO added.

http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/04/22/govt-trooper-killed-in-surigao-del-sur-gun-battle/

South China Sea: Did China Coast Guard Deny Philippine Fishermen Access to Union Bank?

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 22): South China Sea: Did China Coast Guard Deny Philippine Fishermen Access to Union Bank?

Philippine authorities are investigating an incident near Gaven Reef, where China has built an artificial island.

Philippine authorities are working to confirm reports that Chinese Coast Guard vessels harassed and drove away Filipino fishermen at Union Bank in the Spratly group in the South China Sea. According to early reports, Chinese Coast Guard vessels fired warning shots to deny fishermen access to disputed waters. The location of the incident, which occurred on Thursday, is close to Gaven Reef, which is home to one of China’s seven artificial islands in the Spratly group.

The Philippine military was cautious in assessing the incident early on, describing “alleged harassment” by the Chinese vessels. Others have been less charitable to China. For example, Rep. Gary Alejano, a Philippine congressman, condemned “in the strongest terms” the “aggressive acts” of the Chinese Coast Guard in the incident, according to the Inquirer. Gen. Eduardo Año, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, has said the incident is under investigation.

A Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson meanwhile noted that Manila would seek to raise the issue with China through bilateral channels should the incident be verified. “With the current positive momentum in PH-China relations, we have mechanisms in place where the Philippines can raise such issues. This includes the bilateral consultation mechanism, which is meant to tackle issues of concern in the West PH Sea,” DFA Spokesperson Robespierre Bolivar told reporters, using the Philippine name for the South China Sea.

The incident comes two weeks after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called on Philippine troops to move to occupy unoccupied features in the South China Sea. Though China and the Philippines have seen a broader bilateral rapprochement since Duterte’s inauguration last year, the latest incident emphasizes that Chinese maritime law enforcement vessels continue to exercise influence in disputed waters, including at Scarborough Shoal.

Last year, in July, Manila saw an international tribunal rule in its favor and against Beijing in a 2013 case concerning maritime entitlements and the status of features in the South China Sea. The arbitral tribunal’s award also found China’s capacious nine-dash line claim invalid under international law. Both China and the Philippines have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Earlier in March, Chinese oceanographic survey activities at Benham Rise, an underwater plateau east of the Philippine island of Luzon, in the Philippine Sea, drew scrutiny. China ultimately said it respect the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the area and Duterte said the incident had been “blown out of proportion.” Nevertheless, the reaction in the Philippines demonstrated continuing public opinion sensitivities regarding Chinese maritime activities in disputed and settled waters alike.

http://thediplomat.com/2017/04/south-china-sea-did-china-coast-guard-deny-philippine-fishermen-access-to-union-bank/

2ID army top brass host '1st Media Fellowship 2017'

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 22): 2ID army top brass host '1st Media Fellowship 2017'

Around 40 journalists from the Calabarzon Region and Mindoro were feted to the two-day 1st Media Fellowship 2017 and fun shoot fest which culminated Saturday by top brass of the Philippine Army (PA) 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) at the military army camp here.

In his message at Friday’s media fellowship dinner, Major General Rhoderick M. Parayno, 2ID commander said they have hosted the first media fellowship as “our gesture of appreciation to the media for helping us in serving the communities and peoples of the region.”

Brigadier General Glorivine R. Dida, the 2ID assistant division commander also thanked the camp’s defense press corps and regional media whom he referred to as “the windows of our house for the people to see out there”.

The 2ID officials and military personnel treated the region’s working press to basic rules of gun safety, firing and shooting techniques.

They also engaged media to fun shoot fest by the contending teams of Tanay (2ID HQ) which romped off with the championship, 85th IB, 202nd Brigade and Team PNA at the camp’s firing range.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=981810

Defense dept. supports Lopez's commitment to protect environment

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 22): Defense dept. supports Lopez's commitment to protect environment

The defense department has expressed strong support for Environment Secretary Gina Lopez's steadfast commitment to the genuine protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development in the Philippines.

"The Department of National Defense (DND) welcomes all initiatives that will help uplift the lives of our countrymen and bring livelihood to our communities. In fact, the main goal of our Philippine Defense Transformation Roadmap 2028 is the attainment of a more credible defense posture that will lead to national development," Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement Saturday.

While waiting for official communications on how the DND could help the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) establish “E3 (ecological, economic, and educational) Zones” across the country, the defense chief urged Lopez to encourage her "friends" from the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) to take this chance to lay down their arms, stop all their criminal and terrorist activities and become legitimate citizens of the Philippines.

"Kung gusto talaga tumulong ng CPP-NPA, bitawan na nila ang kanilang mga armas, itigil ang extortion, at magbalik-loob na sa lipunan (If the CPP-NPA truly wants to help, they should lay down their arms, stop the extortion, and return to mainstream society)," Lorenzana added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=981736

Three more ASG members killed in Bohol clash

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 22): Three more ASG members killed in Bohol clash

Three more members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, who made the botched incursion last April 11, were killed during a firefight with government security forces in the hinterlands of Clarin, Bohol Saturday.

Bohol Provincial Police Office Chief Supt. Felipe Natividad confirmed that among those killed was Inabanga native, Joselito Melloria, the alleged contact and guide of the bandits in the April 10 landing in Inabanga town.

Melloria reportedly married a Muslim woman, converted to Islam and joined the ASG and was tagged as the group’s guide in infiltrating Inabanga, Bohol.

The town proper of Clarin is 16 kilometers from the town proper of Inabanga, where government troops figured in a firefight with ASG members on April 11 in Sitio Ilaya, Barangay Napo.

The April 11 encounter resulted in the death of five suspected ASG members, three soldiers and a policeman.

Among those killed in the encounter was Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Maumar Askali, alias Abu Rami. Chief Supt. Noli Talino, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 director, said the gunfight started around 12 noon Saturday in Sitio Lagising, Barangay Bacane, Clarin town, Bohol.

The firefight is still ongoing, he said.

Talino said the ASG members who figured in an encounter with government troops in Clarin, Bohol were the remnants of the clash in the mountains of Inabanga, Bohol.

Authorities earlier said the botched landing was an attempt to kidnap tourists in Bohol and thus gain additional funding for the group.

Reports said among the government troops operating in Clarin are members of the Clarin Police Station, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Special Weapons and Tactics, the Provincial Intelligence Branch Bohol and the Military Intelligence Group.

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Lorenzana orders beefing up of offensive, intel ops against terrorists

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 22): Lorenzana orders beefing up of offensive, intel ops against terrorists

So that the Philippines will not become the next ISIS Wilayah (territory or province), the Department of National Defense (DND) has ordered all military intelligence units to intensify their operations against the terrorists and their sympathizers in the Philippines.

"In fulfillment of President Rodrigo Duterte's to address that concern, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been directed to intensify its intelligence gathering activities on ISIS inspired groups and their supporters not only within our borders but also beyond," said DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

He said these efforts were inspired by the Chief Executive's concern that after the illegal drug menace, terrorism has became the next greatest threat in the Philippines, citing stronger ISIS connections with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits and Maute Group, who in turned are always planning to conduct fresh atrocities against the civilians in Mindanao.

Just recently, the AFP has conducted several hard-hitting operations against ASG Isnilon Hapilon, the professed ISIS leader in the Philippines, in his Butig town, Lanao Del Sur enclave, severely wounding the bandit chief aside from causing numerous casualties among his followers last Jan. 26.

The wounded ASG leader is notorious for beheading captives, bombing population and business centers and other atrocities in various parts of Mindanao.

And so that ISIS will not gain a concrete foothold in the Philippines, Lorenzana has also instructed the Philippine intelligence community to coordinate closely with their ASEAN counterparts so that the threat can be totally nipped in the bud.

"Our intelligence community are actively engaged with their ASEAN counterparts and other foreign counterparts as well as local folks in our communities so that this menace will be kept in check before it takes solid root," the DND chief added.

Aside from this, constant military operations are always being undertaken against the ASG and other ISIS adherents to keep them off balance and always on the run.

This is emphasized by the incumbent AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año's self-appointed six-month deadline to totally eradicate the lawless groups in Mindanao.

This order has been punctuated by frequent operations against the bandits, resulting in numerous deaths and casualties among the ASG members and their allies.

"Furthermore, the AFP has increased its operational tempo against the terrorists so that they will not have any breathing room in the areas they are in," the DND chief added.

And as further support, Lorenzana also cited the recent trilateral patrol agreement with Malaysia and Indonesia so that terrorist activities in the common maritime areas in the Sulu Sea will be stopped.

"We have launched the trilateral patrols with Malaysia and Indonesia to curtail the terrorists operations in the Sulu Sea," he added.

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