From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 9): 8 foreigners among remaining Maute terrorists in Marawi: AFP
Some eight foreigners are among the estimated 40 Maute Group terrorists remaining in Marawi City, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año said late Sunday.
These foreign terrorists are acting as leaders of the remaining lawless elements, he added.
The AFP chief said the report is based on the information provided by local residents.
He added that these men are suicidal, prompting the military to exert extra care in the ongoing operations to avoid a backlash on the estimated 40 hostages.
Fighting in the city started May 23 after government forces attempted to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and his cohorts.
As of October 6, the number of slain Maute terrorists was placed at 753 along with 155 government forces killed in action.
Recovered enemy weapons included 805 firearms and 14 improvised explosive devices. At least 47 civilians have been killed in the conflict while those rescued stood at 1,750.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012169
Monday, October 9, 2017
Duterte sacks 2 PNP 'narco-generals'
From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 9): Duterte sacks 2 PNP 'narco-generals'
President Rodrigo Duterte has dismissed two high ranking police officials he earlier accused of being involved in the illegal drug trade.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella named the two officials as former National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao; and former Quezon City Police District (QCPD) head, Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio.
“In line with the President's promise to render the nation crime and corruption free, he has dismissed from service two presidential appointees who are officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP),” Abella said in a Palace briefing Monday.
“A decision signed by the Executive Secretary last Thursday, has found Police Chief Superintendent Edgardo G. Tinio and Police Director Joel Pagdilao administratively liable for serious neglect of duty and serious irregularity in the performance of duty, and have been duly dismissed,” he said.
Pagdilao and Tinio were among the five active and retired PNP officials publicly accused by Duterte in July last year as alleged protectors of the drug trade.
The others were Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz, and retired Chief Superintendent Vicente Loot,who became mayor of Daanbantayan in northern Cebu, and retired PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Marcelo Garbo.
Abella said the President decided to dismiss the two police officers after evidence showed that both generals deliberately refused, without cause, to perform their duties as police officers allegedly resulting in the proliferation of the drug trade in their areas of jurisdiction.
However, the Palace official said there are no indications yet if criminal charges would be filed against the dismissed PNP officials.
“As far as I know, these are administrative charges only and that they have been let go. We’re not yet privy whether there are enough evidence to file criminal charges against them,” Abella said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012203
President Rodrigo Duterte has dismissed two high ranking police officials he earlier accused of being involved in the illegal drug trade.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella named the two officials as former National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao; and former Quezon City Police District (QCPD) head, Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio.
“In line with the President's promise to render the nation crime and corruption free, he has dismissed from service two presidential appointees who are officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP),” Abella said in a Palace briefing Monday.
“A decision signed by the Executive Secretary last Thursday, has found Police Chief Superintendent Edgardo G. Tinio and Police Director Joel Pagdilao administratively liable for serious neglect of duty and serious irregularity in the performance of duty, and have been duly dismissed,” he said.
Pagdilao and Tinio were among the five active and retired PNP officials publicly accused by Duterte in July last year as alleged protectors of the drug trade.
The others were Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz, and retired Chief Superintendent Vicente Loot,who became mayor of Daanbantayan in northern Cebu, and retired PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Marcelo Garbo.
Abella said the President decided to dismiss the two police officers after evidence showed that both generals deliberately refused, without cause, to perform their duties as police officers allegedly resulting in the proliferation of the drug trade in their areas of jurisdiction.
However, the Palace official said there are no indications yet if criminal charges would be filed against the dismissed PNP officials.
“As far as I know, these are administrative charges only and that they have been let go. We’re not yet privy whether there are enough evidence to file criminal charges against them,” Abella said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012203
Body formed to expedite cases committed vs cops, soldiers
From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 9): Body formed to expedite cases committed vs cops, soldiers
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday signed an agreement creating the Inter-Agency Committee on Legal Action (IACLA).
The agreement was signed during the conduct of the 20th AFP-PNP National Joint Peace and Security Coordination Council meeting in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and AFP Chief of Staff Eduardo Año signed the agreement which will expedite the prosecution of cases against the New People’s Army (NPA) and other armed groups that commit atrocities against the PNP and the AFP.
According to Police Director Camilo Cascolan, chief of the PNP Directorate for Operations, even before the agreement, the PNP and the AFP already had the so-called Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG), which pursued cases against rebels and bandits.
Cascolan noted that the IALAG was abolished in 2012 and the PNP created the Committee on Legal Action, but it was not as effective as the IALAG which it replaced.
PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detection Management Director Augusto Marquez explained that there are 2,504 cases of atrocities committed against the policemen and soldiers in the countryside which were recorded from January 2012 to July 2017, of which only 292 cases are considered “cleared” or “solved."
Marquez noted that this was a very low level of performance in the prosecution of those who commit atrocities against policemen and soldiers.
He said the newly-created IACLA is geared towards solving the big backlog of unresolved cases against the NPA and other enemies of the state.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012196
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday signed an agreement creating the Inter-Agency Committee on Legal Action (IACLA).
The agreement was signed during the conduct of the 20th AFP-PNP National Joint Peace and Security Coordination Council meeting in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and AFP Chief of Staff Eduardo Año signed the agreement which will expedite the prosecution of cases against the New People’s Army (NPA) and other armed groups that commit atrocities against the PNP and the AFP.
According to Police Director Camilo Cascolan, chief of the PNP Directorate for Operations, even before the agreement, the PNP and the AFP already had the so-called Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG), which pursued cases against rebels and bandits.
Cascolan noted that the IALAG was abolished in 2012 and the PNP created the Committee on Legal Action, but it was not as effective as the IALAG which it replaced.
PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detection Management Director Augusto Marquez explained that there are 2,504 cases of atrocities committed against the policemen and soldiers in the countryside which were recorded from January 2012 to July 2017, of which only 292 cases are considered “cleared” or “solved."
Marquez noted that this was a very low level of performance in the prosecution of those who commit atrocities against policemen and soldiers.
He said the newly-created IACLA is geared towards solving the big backlog of unresolved cases against the NPA and other enemies of the state.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012196
Data, circumstances needed in filing raps vs AFP personnel: Año
From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 10): Data, circumstances needed in filing raps vs AFP personnel: Año
While it welcomes any complaints against its abusive members, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff Gen. Eduardo Año said groups planning to do so must provide the military pertinent data and circumstances so it can launch an investigation.
Año issued this statement in wake of a United Nations Security Council report claiming that the AFP was involved in the alleged killing 11 children sometime in 2016.
"Regarding (the UN report), the AFP welcomes any complaint just provide us the data, circumstance and we will conduct the investigation. We do not condone any extra-judicial killing or violation of human rights (as) from top up to the lowest unit of our troops in the field, we have a designated human rights officers," he added.
Also, Año said the leftist groups often file unverified reports against the military, hence, his desire for complainants to give exact data and circumstances.
The AFP chief added that complaints similar to those mentioned above should be filed in the proper forum.
"We have a Commission of Human Rights so welcome any filing of cases against our personnel," he stressed.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012279
While it welcomes any complaints against its abusive members, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff Gen. Eduardo Año said groups planning to do so must provide the military pertinent data and circumstances so it can launch an investigation.
Año issued this statement in wake of a United Nations Security Council report claiming that the AFP was involved in the alleged killing 11 children sometime in 2016.
"Regarding (the UN report), the AFP welcomes any complaint just provide us the data, circumstance and we will conduct the investigation. We do not condone any extra-judicial killing or violation of human rights (as) from top up to the lowest unit of our troops in the field, we have a designated human rights officers," he added.
Also, Año said the leftist groups often file unverified reports against the military, hence, his desire for complainants to give exact data and circumstances.
The AFP chief added that complaints similar to those mentioned above should be filed in the proper forum.
"We have a Commission of Human Rights so welcome any filing of cases against our personnel," he stressed.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012279
NPA attacks, extortion hinder resumption of peace talks -- AFP
From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 10): NPA attacks, extortion hinder resumption of peace talks -- AFP
The time is not yet right for the government to pursue peace negotiations with the New People's Army rebels.
This was emphasized by AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año as he noted the continued extortion activities and attacks by the rebels -- targetting civilian and soldiers, instead of convincing the government of their desire to return to the peace table and resolve armed conflict.
"For now, the situation, I think is not conducive to have a peace negotiation (because) instead of doing some confidence measures (or) actions, ang ginagawa nila lalo pa nilang pinag iigting yung pag atake (What they do is intensify the attacks)," he said.
He said the government is more than willing to resume the stalled peace negotiations -- but only if the rebels also reciprocate the willingness.
"Yung condition lang naman natin at ng Presidente ay Number 1, stop nila ang extortion at saka yung burning and then ceasefire tayo and then we can talk (Our number one condition which is the same as that of the President is for them to stop their extortion and burning activities, then we can have a ceasefire and then we can talk)," he said.
Peace talks with the rebel group were terminated last Feb. 4 following a series of unprovoked attacks against civilian and military targets nationwide.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012278
The time is not yet right for the government to pursue peace negotiations with the New People's Army rebels.
This was emphasized by AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año as he noted the continued extortion activities and attacks by the rebels -- targetting civilian and soldiers, instead of convincing the government of their desire to return to the peace table and resolve armed conflict.
"For now, the situation, I think is not conducive to have a peace negotiation (because) instead of doing some confidence measures (or) actions, ang ginagawa nila lalo pa nilang pinag iigting yung pag atake (What they do is intensify the attacks)," he said.
He said the government is more than willing to resume the stalled peace negotiations -- but only if the rebels also reciprocate the willingness.
"Yung condition lang naman natin at ng Presidente ay Number 1, stop nila ang extortion at saka yung burning and then ceasefire tayo and then we can talk (Our number one condition which is the same as that of the President is for them to stop their extortion and burning activities, then we can have a ceasefire and then we can talk)," he said.
Peace talks with the rebel group were terminated last Feb. 4 following a series of unprovoked attacks against civilian and military targets nationwide.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012278
Sunday, October 8, 2017
List of possible Año successors submitted to Pres. Duterte
From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 9): List of possible Año successors submitted to Pres. Duterte
The names of the four possible successors to outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año, who is scheduled to retire on October 26, has been submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte.
"The Board of Generals has already submitted the names of three-star generals to the President (as early as) last week," said Año in an interview late Sunday.
Año, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983, will retire in two weeks after reaching the mandatory military retirement age of 56.
He said the announcement may be made a few days before his retirement. While not naming those on the list, the AFP chief said all of the nominees are "qualified to be Chief of Staff" and has the necessary leadership credentials.
"They are senior leaders, they have risen from the ranks, they have the experience, they have what we say leadership material, and they are well-respected. Any one of them will do good for the AFP," he said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012168
The names of the four possible successors to outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año, who is scheduled to retire on October 26, has been submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte.
"The Board of Generals has already submitted the names of three-star generals to the President (as early as) last week," said Año in an interview late Sunday.
Año, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983, will retire in two weeks after reaching the mandatory military retirement age of 56.
He said the announcement may be made a few days before his retirement. While not naming those on the list, the AFP chief said all of the nominees are "qualified to be Chief of Staff" and has the necessary leadership credentials.
"They are senior leaders, they have risen from the ranks, they have the experience, they have what we say leadership material, and they are well-respected. Any one of them will do good for the AFP," he said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012168
New Marawi commander is an urban warfare veteran
From Anadolu Agency (Oct 7): New Marawi commander is an urban warfare veteran
Major General Danilo Pamonag liberated Southern Philippines’ Zamboanga City from rebel attack in 2013
The battle for the complete liberation of Southern Philippines Islamic City of Marawi is now being led by Major General Danilo Pamonag, an urban warfare veteran.
He led the liberation of Southern Philippines’ Zamboanga City from a rebel attack in 2013.
Pamonag on Friday assumed the new post as Joint Task Force (JTF) Marawi Chief Vice Major General Rolando Bautista was appointed as the new Philippine Army chief.
"I will continue to help the people of Marawi to bring normalcy in the city by ending the conflict the soonest possible time," said Pamonag as quoted by Rappler, a Philippine-based online-news portal.
Pamonag is currently the chief of the Philippine Army Special Operations Command, the unit that oversees elite forces such as the Scout Rangers, Special Forces, and the Light Reaction forces.
He has been assisting Bautista in Marawi since the onset of the crisis because of his experience in leading the military operations during the deadly 2013 Zamboanga siege which lasted more than one month and saw the death of at least 300 people, mostly rebels.
The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a Muslim rebel group that had signed a peace agreement with the Philippines government in September 1996, laid siege to Zamboanga City in September 2013 in protest to the peace deal entered into by the government with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), then the country's largest Muslim rebel organization.
Pamonag will oversee the clearing operations and the safe return of the more than 200,000 civilians displaced by the firefights between the government troops and the combined forces of the Daesh-linked Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups in Marawi.
Even as military claims that the crisis in Marawi is about to end, another soldier was killed by a sniper fire on Friday which brought the total fatalities from the government side to 155.
The clashes which have been dragging for more than four months have seen more than 955 deaths, mostly militants.
http://aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/new-marawi-commander-is-an-urban-warfare-veteran/929222
Major General Danilo Pamonag liberated Southern Philippines’ Zamboanga City from rebel attack in 2013
The battle for the complete liberation of Southern Philippines Islamic City of Marawi is now being led by Major General Danilo Pamonag, an urban warfare veteran.
He led the liberation of Southern Philippines’ Zamboanga City from a rebel attack in 2013.
Pamonag on Friday assumed the new post as Joint Task Force (JTF) Marawi Chief Vice Major General Rolando Bautista was appointed as the new Philippine Army chief.
"I will continue to help the people of Marawi to bring normalcy in the city by ending the conflict the soonest possible time," said Pamonag as quoted by Rappler, a Philippine-based online-news portal.
Pamonag is currently the chief of the Philippine Army Special Operations Command, the unit that oversees elite forces such as the Scout Rangers, Special Forces, and the Light Reaction forces.
He has been assisting Bautista in Marawi since the onset of the crisis because of his experience in leading the military operations during the deadly 2013 Zamboanga siege which lasted more than one month and saw the death of at least 300 people, mostly rebels.
The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a Muslim rebel group that had signed a peace agreement with the Philippines government in September 1996, laid siege to Zamboanga City in September 2013 in protest to the peace deal entered into by the government with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), then the country's largest Muslim rebel organization.
Pamonag will oversee the clearing operations and the safe return of the more than 200,000 civilians displaced by the firefights between the government troops and the combined forces of the Daesh-linked Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups in Marawi.
Even as military claims that the crisis in Marawi is about to end, another soldier was killed by a sniper fire on Friday which brought the total fatalities from the government side to 155.
The clashes which have been dragging for more than four months have seen more than 955 deaths, mostly militants.
http://aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/new-marawi-commander-is-an-urban-warfare-veteran/929222
Saturday, October 7, 2017
UN removes MILF from list of armed groups recruiting children
From GMA News (Oct 7): UN removes MILF from list of armed groups recruiting children
The United Nations (UN) has announced the removal of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) from its list of armed groups recruiting and using children.
A report by the UN Secretary-General presented in August but publicly released on Friday, a total of 1,869 children have been disengaged from the ranks of the MILF.
This recent disengagement is a part of a series of ceremonies that started in February.
The positive development for the MILF is on account of the UN-MILF Action Plan, an agreement with the armed group and UN's children's agency UNICEF that sought to end child recruitment and use by the armed group, according to a statement by UNICEF Philippines on Saturday.
The statement said the Action Plan, signed in 2009, was completed at the beginning of 2017, upon the fulfillment of a six-point roadmap.
The UNICEF statement said such a disengagement will facilitate the access of the nearly more than 1,800 children previously entangled in armed conflict to appropriate social services such as health, education, and protection.
“The MILF’s commitment to protect and promote the rights of children in their communities continues today, even as they are delisted from the UN report," said UNICEF Philippine representative Lotta Sylwander in the statement.
"Fostering lasting peace for children involves continued vigilance by all concerned, including the government, civil society, elders, parents and children themselves to ensure they are not involved in or used in armed conflict,” Sylwander added.
The same report, meanwhile, said that bandit groups Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and the communist group New People's Army are still on the list of groups that have "not put in place measures during the reporting period to improve the protection of children."
The UN said, meanwhile, that the "victory toward realizing children's rights" in the country is just one part of the picture.
The same UN report verified statistics of "grave violations" to children's rights, including 14 confirmed deaths at the hands of both the military and non-state armed groups.
Beyond the killings and injuries verified by the report, thousands more have been displaced by armed conflict over the years. In 2017 alone, the months-long battle in Marawi has displaced approximately 359,000 individuals, 205,000 of them children, according to the UNICEF statement.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/628665/un-removes-milf-from-list-of-armed-groups-recruiting-children/story/
The United Nations (UN) has announced the removal of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) from its list of armed groups recruiting and using children.
A report by the UN Secretary-General presented in August but publicly released on Friday, a total of 1,869 children have been disengaged from the ranks of the MILF.
This recent disengagement is a part of a series of ceremonies that started in February.
The positive development for the MILF is on account of the UN-MILF Action Plan, an agreement with the armed group and UN's children's agency UNICEF that sought to end child recruitment and use by the armed group, according to a statement by UNICEF Philippines on Saturday.
The statement said the Action Plan, signed in 2009, was completed at the beginning of 2017, upon the fulfillment of a six-point roadmap.
The UNICEF statement said such a disengagement will facilitate the access of the nearly more than 1,800 children previously entangled in armed conflict to appropriate social services such as health, education, and protection.
“The MILF’s commitment to protect and promote the rights of children in their communities continues today, even as they are delisted from the UN report," said UNICEF Philippine representative Lotta Sylwander in the statement.
"Fostering lasting peace for children involves continued vigilance by all concerned, including the government, civil society, elders, parents and children themselves to ensure they are not involved in or used in armed conflict,” Sylwander added.
The same report, meanwhile, said that bandit groups Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and the communist group New People's Army are still on the list of groups that have "not put in place measures during the reporting period to improve the protection of children."
The UN said, meanwhile, that the "victory toward realizing children's rights" in the country is just one part of the picture.
The same UN report verified statistics of "grave violations" to children's rights, including 14 confirmed deaths at the hands of both the military and non-state armed groups.
Beyond the killings and injuries verified by the report, thousands more have been displaced by armed conflict over the years. In 2017 alone, the months-long battle in Marawi has displaced approximately 359,000 individuals, 205,000 of them children, according to the UNICEF statement.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/628665/un-removes-milf-from-list-of-armed-groups-recruiting-children/story/
Malaysia arrests 3 Filipinos in anti-terror raid
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Oct 8): Malaysia arrests 3 Filipinos in anti-terror raid
Malaysian police said Saturday they have detained four locals and four foreigners suspected of militant activities, the latest arrest of alleged Islamic extremists in the Muslim-majority country.
The group, who include three Filipinos and one Albanian, were detained between September 27 and October 6 in the states of Sabah, Selangor and Perak, police said.
Fears have been growing in Malaysia that Muslim militants are ramping up their activities, inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS) group and a conflict in Marawi city in the neighboring Philippines between jihadists and authorities.
In the Sabah raid, two Malaysians and three Filipinos were arrested, national police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said in a statement.
“They were suspected of helping terrorist elements of the Abu Sayyaf Group infiltrate Malaysia via Sabah,” he said in a statement, referring to a militant group which operates in the southern Philippines.
The 35-year-old Albanian, a lecturer at a university, was arrested in Selangor and is alleged to have had links to IS.
The final arrests were of one man suspected of trying to organize attacks on places of worship, and a second who allegedly sought to recruit people to a local extremist group.
Malaysia, which has rounded up hundreds of suspected Islamic militants in recent years, has not suffered a major terror attack in decades.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/160750/news-malaysia-militants-islamists-isis-muslim-terror-jihad-filipinos-albanian-sabah-marawi-abu-sayyaf
Malaysian police said Saturday they have detained four locals and four foreigners suspected of militant activities, the latest arrest of alleged Islamic extremists in the Muslim-majority country.
The group, who include three Filipinos and one Albanian, were detained between September 27 and October 6 in the states of Sabah, Selangor and Perak, police said.
Fears have been growing in Malaysia that Muslim militants are ramping up their activities, inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS) group and a conflict in Marawi city in the neighboring Philippines between jihadists and authorities.
In the Sabah raid, two Malaysians and three Filipinos were arrested, national police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said in a statement.
“They were suspected of helping terrorist elements of the Abu Sayyaf Group infiltrate Malaysia via Sabah,” he said in a statement, referring to a militant group which operates in the southern Philippines.
The 35-year-old Albanian, a lecturer at a university, was arrested in Selangor and is alleged to have had links to IS.
The final arrests were of one man suspected of trying to organize attacks on places of worship, and a second who allegedly sought to recruit people to a local extremist group.
Malaysia, which has rounded up hundreds of suspected Islamic militants in recent years, has not suffered a major terror attack in decades.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/160750/news-malaysia-militants-islamists-isis-muslim-terror-jihad-filipinos-albanian-sabah-marawi-abu-sayyaf
Eight suspected militants nabbed in anti-terror swoop
From The Star Online (Oct 7): Eight suspected militants nabbed in anti-terror swoop
One of the suspects arrested in Sandakan on Sept 27.
KUALA LUMPUR : Eight suspected militants, including five with links to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), were detained following a major swoop in three states, said Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.
The Inspector-General of Police said the suspects were nabbed by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division in Sabah, Selangor and Perak between Sept 27 and Oct 6.
In the first series of arrests, two Malaysians, two Filipinos and another Filipino with a Malaysian Permanent Resident status were arrested in Sandakan, Sabah on Sept 27.
"We believe they were making travel arrangements for ASG militants into Malaysia.
"This is a follow up to the arrests of ASG militants on Sept 14," Mohamad Fuzi said in a statement on Saturday.
The IGP said a 35-year-old Albanian man, who is a guest lecturer at a local public university was also detained in Selangor on Oct 1.
"Intelligence indicated that he has connections with Islamic State (IS) militants overseas," he said.
The remaining two suspects detained were those previously arrested over terror connections in February 2013.
The country's top cop said one of the suspects - a 53-year-old man- was also a former Internal Security Act detainee.
"We believe he has been recruiting inmates in Tapah Prison and planned to launch attacks at places of worship belonging to Muslims, Christians and Hindus.
"His aim was to incite religious and race conflicts in the country," he said, adding that the suspect is said to have protected one of Tandzim Al-Qaeda Malaysia (TAQM) militants, who is still at large.
Mohamad Fuzi said the other suspect - a 37-year-old man - is believed to have recruited two Malaysians to join TAQM with the help of the first suspect.
Both suspects were detained on Oct 6, he added.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/10/07/eight-suspected-militants-nabbed-in-anti-terror-swoop/
One of the suspects arrested in Sandakan on Sept 27.
KUALA LUMPUR : Eight suspected militants, including five with links to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), were detained following a major swoop in three states, said Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.
The Inspector-General of Police said the suspects were nabbed by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division in Sabah, Selangor and Perak between Sept 27 and Oct 6.
In the first series of arrests, two Malaysians, two Filipinos and another Filipino with a Malaysian Permanent Resident status were arrested in Sandakan, Sabah on Sept 27.
"We believe they were making travel arrangements for ASG militants into Malaysia.
"This is a follow up to the arrests of ASG militants on Sept 14," Mohamad Fuzi said in a statement on Saturday.
The IGP said a 35-year-old Albanian man, who is a guest lecturer at a local public university was also detained in Selangor on Oct 1.
"Intelligence indicated that he has connections with Islamic State (IS) militants overseas," he said.
The remaining two suspects detained were those previously arrested over terror connections in February 2013.
The country's top cop said one of the suspects - a 53-year-old man- was also a former Internal Security Act detainee.
"We believe he has been recruiting inmates in Tapah Prison and planned to launch attacks at places of worship belonging to Muslims, Christians and Hindus.
"His aim was to incite religious and race conflicts in the country," he said, adding that the suspect is said to have protected one of Tandzim Al-Qaeda Malaysia (TAQM) militants, who is still at large.
Mohamad Fuzi said the other suspect - a 37-year-old man - is believed to have recruited two Malaysians to join TAQM with the help of the first suspect.
Both suspects were detained on Oct 6, he added.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/10/07/eight-suspected-militants-nabbed-in-anti-terror-swoop/
Reds can negotiate with another President – Duterte
From the often pro-CPP online publication the Davao Today (Oct 6): Reds can negotiate with another President – Duterte
President Rodrigo Duterte said it would take another president to seal a peace accord with the communists.
During the change of command ceremony of the Philippine Army at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City Thursday, October 5, the President said he is not inclined to resume the peace talks with the NDFP because of the string of attacks conducted by the New People’s Army against government forces.
“Eh kung para lang sa bayan, okay ‘yan [If it’s for the country, that’s okay] But the way that it is now, ayaw ko [I won’t] And maybe it would take some time to… maybe another President to do it,” Duterte said.
The NPA is the armed-wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
“We are fighting NPA (New People’s Army). At this stage, I am not ready to talk to them because it is not good for the country. If it is good for the country, I’m okay with it. But for now, I don’t like it,” Duterte pointed out.
Duterte said that he used to listen to the political opinions of exiled NDF leader Jose Maria Sison. He admitted, however, that his political ideals changed over time as he grows old.
“I used to listen to Sison. Of course, you have ideals; on what you want the world to be. But when you get older, you would know that this is not really possible, that life is really unfair,” Duterte added.
While the Duterte administration is seemingly adamant on pursuing the peace talks with the communists, the NDFP, CPP’s political arm, released recently the executive summary of its draft Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER).
The NDFP said its version of the CASER is provides “concrete” and “doable” steps towards uplifting the lives of the people from poverty, exploitation, and underdevelopment.
The 11-page executive summary raised salient points on the implementation of genuine agrarian reform to ending rural poverty, and pushed rapid development in the countryside, among others.
Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza previously said that once the peace talks resume, both Parties would have their own versions of CASER which he branded to as the “center” of the peace talks between the government and NDFP.
http://davaotoday.com/main/politics/reds-can-negotiate-with-another-president-duterte/
In this file photo taken on April 6, 2017, the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines concluded the fourth round of talks at the Radisson Blu Palace Hotel in Noordwijk Aan Zee in the Netherlands. Negotiators of the government and the NDFP raised their arms with the third party facilitator from the Royal Norwegian Government. L-R: NDFP peace panel Chairperson Fidel Agcaoili, NDFP Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison, Norwegian Special Envoy to the Philippine Peace Process Elisabeth Slattum, Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza and GRP Chief Negotiator Silvestre Bello III. (Zea Io Ming C. Capistrano/davaotoday.com)
President Rodrigo Duterte said it would take another president to seal a peace accord with the communists.
During the change of command ceremony of the Philippine Army at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City Thursday, October 5, the President said he is not inclined to resume the peace talks with the NDFP because of the string of attacks conducted by the New People’s Army against government forces.
“Eh kung para lang sa bayan, okay ‘yan [If it’s for the country, that’s okay] But the way that it is now, ayaw ko [I won’t] And maybe it would take some time to… maybe another President to do it,” Duterte said.
The NPA is the armed-wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
“We are fighting NPA (New People’s Army). At this stage, I am not ready to talk to them because it is not good for the country. If it is good for the country, I’m okay with it. But for now, I don’t like it,” Duterte pointed out.
Duterte said that he used to listen to the political opinions of exiled NDF leader Jose Maria Sison. He admitted, however, that his political ideals changed over time as he grows old.
“I used to listen to Sison. Of course, you have ideals; on what you want the world to be. But when you get older, you would know that this is not really possible, that life is really unfair,” Duterte added.
While the Duterte administration is seemingly adamant on pursuing the peace talks with the communists, the NDFP, CPP’s political arm, released recently the executive summary of its draft Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER).
The NDFP said its version of the CASER is provides “concrete” and “doable” steps towards uplifting the lives of the people from poverty, exploitation, and underdevelopment.
The 11-page executive summary raised salient points on the implementation of genuine agrarian reform to ending rural poverty, and pushed rapid development in the countryside, among others.
Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza previously said that once the peace talks resume, both Parties would have their own versions of CASER which he branded to as the “center” of the peace talks between the government and NDFP.
http://davaotoday.com/main/politics/reds-can-negotiate-with-another-president-duterte/
Suspected communist rebels torch heavy equipment in Cagayan
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Oct 7): Suspected communist rebels torch heavy equipment in Cagayan
About 30 suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) set ablaze several construction equipment in an attack at a construction site on Saturday in Cagayan town, Santa Teresita, the military said.
The armed group, believed to be communist rebels, burned two backhoes and a dump truck at about 6:30 a.m. in Barangay (village) Dungeg, said Lt. Col. Camilo Saddam, 17th Infantry Battalion commander.
The dump truck and a backhoe belonged to the DDP Construction company while the other back hoe was registered to Tiboc Construction. Both firms operate quarries for local construction projects.
Two company caretakers were allegedly held by the armed men but were released after the arson.
Saddam said the armed group fled to the foothills near Gonzaga town.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/936295/suspected-communist-rebels-torch-heavy-equipment-in-cagayan-military-cagayan-crime-regions-rebels
About 30 suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) set ablaze several construction equipment in an attack at a construction site on Saturday in Cagayan town, Santa Teresita, the military said.
The armed group, believed to be communist rebels, burned two backhoes and a dump truck at about 6:30 a.m. in Barangay (village) Dungeg, said Lt. Col. Camilo Saddam, 17th Infantry Battalion commander.
The dump truck and a backhoe belonged to the DDP Construction company while the other back hoe was registered to Tiboc Construction. Both firms operate quarries for local construction projects.
Two company caretakers were allegedly held by the armed men but were released after the arson.
Saddam said the armed group fled to the foothills near Gonzaga town.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/936295/suspected-communist-rebels-torch-heavy-equipment-in-cagayan-military-cagayan-crime-regions-rebels
Opinion: It’s still the long road to peace
Opinion piece by Brian Martin in The Star Online (Oct 6): It’s still the long road to peace
“IF all political initiatives are exhausted, then we will take up arms again,” the diminutive man in the bush jacket says in a measured tone, softly but firmly.
His words sent a chill down my spine because Ghazali Jaafar, the vice chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), made his point in a heavily fortified compound, surrounded by his militia, all armed to the teeth.
His words sent a chill down my spine because Ghazali Jaafar, the vice chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), made his point in a heavily fortified compound, surrounded by his militia, all armed to the teeth.
The group of 12 international journalists, The Star included, have been invited by Ghazali to be given a briefing on MILF’s struggle and the peace process in Southern Philippines. The fortified compound is about 30 minutes away by car on narrow roads from Cotabato City, the capital of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Ghazali and his group are currently in advanced negotiations with the Philippines government to once and for all bring peace to this poverty and war-stricken region. The key to this process is the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), a Bill currently being debated in congress that if passed, will create a new autonomous political entity that will replace the ARMM, basically giving the Moro the right to govern their own lands.
While President Rodrigo Duterte has pledged his support for the BBL, there is a possibility that Congress will not support the Bill: hence, Ghazali’s insistence that the MILF will be forced to take up arms again.
Our group has been welcomed with warmth and kindness, but there is no mistaking the tension in the air. To get to the compound we had to pass a number of checkpoints, manned by soldiers carrying M16s. Along the way, there were signboards identifying the Philippines’ most wanted terrorists, mostly from the Maute Group currently doing battle with the Philippines armed forces in Marawi City, about four hours to the north of Cotabato.
“We are totally against the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group and in fact we are helping the armed forces by creating a ‘peace corridor’ to help people escape from the war zone. We have also mobilised our troops to provide clothes and supplies to victims of the war,” Ghazali told us.
The war in Marawi has now breached the four-month mark, despite President Duterte’s assurances that it would end in September. More than 800 people have been killed in the fighting, which has also left much of the urban centre in ruins, with buildings either burned to the ground or damaged in fire fights. It has also spawned a humanitarian crisis, with more than 400,000 people displaced from Marawi and nearby towns.
But Marawi is just the latest flashpoint in Mindanao, an area that has seen armed conflict intermittently for the last 400 years. Islam had already taken root then, with a governance structure in the form of sultanates, and this was the only region that thwarted attempts by the Spanish colonial forces to subjugate them in the 16th century.
The Spanish-American War in 1898 did little to improve the situation in Mindanao. The Americans passed a series of land laws that favoured settlers and private corporations at the expense of the Moros.
After the Philippines gained independence, a series of land resettlement programmes further accelerated the dispossession. The declaration of martial law in 1972 by President Ferdinand Marcos transformed the conflict from a simmering rebellion into a full-blown war.
Ghazali himself, and MILF chairman Hashim Selamat, were part of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that took up arms at that time, but dissatisfied with the direction of the MNLF under Nur Misuari, Hashim and Ghazali broke away in 1977 to form the MILF.
Ghazali and his group are currently in advanced negotiations with the Philippines government to once and for all bring peace to this poverty and war-stricken region. The key to this process is the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), a Bill currently being debated in congress that if passed, will create a new autonomous political entity that will replace the ARMM, basically giving the Moro the right to govern their own lands.
While President Rodrigo Duterte has pledged his support for the BBL, there is a possibility that Congress will not support the Bill: hence, Ghazali’s insistence that the MILF will be forced to take up arms again.
Our group has been welcomed with warmth and kindness, but there is no mistaking the tension in the air. To get to the compound we had to pass a number of checkpoints, manned by soldiers carrying M16s. Along the way, there were signboards identifying the Philippines’ most wanted terrorists, mostly from the Maute Group currently doing battle with the Philippines armed forces in Marawi City, about four hours to the north of Cotabato.
“We are totally against the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group and in fact we are helping the armed forces by creating a ‘peace corridor’ to help people escape from the war zone. We have also mobilised our troops to provide clothes and supplies to victims of the war,” Ghazali told us.
The war in Marawi has now breached the four-month mark, despite President Duterte’s assurances that it would end in September. More than 800 people have been killed in the fighting, which has also left much of the urban centre in ruins, with buildings either burned to the ground or damaged in fire fights. It has also spawned a humanitarian crisis, with more than 400,000 people displaced from Marawi and nearby towns.
But Marawi is just the latest flashpoint in Mindanao, an area that has seen armed conflict intermittently for the last 400 years. Islam had already taken root then, with a governance structure in the form of sultanates, and this was the only region that thwarted attempts by the Spanish colonial forces to subjugate them in the 16th century.
The Spanish-American War in 1898 did little to improve the situation in Mindanao. The Americans passed a series of land laws that favoured settlers and private corporations at the expense of the Moros.
After the Philippines gained independence, a series of land resettlement programmes further accelerated the dispossession. The declaration of martial law in 1972 by President Ferdinand Marcos transformed the conflict from a simmering rebellion into a full-blown war.
Ghazali himself, and MILF chairman Hashim Selamat, were part of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that took up arms at that time, but dissatisfied with the direction of the MNLF under Nur Misuari, Hashim and Ghazali broke away in 1977 to form the MILF.
Since then, they have been involved in intermittent conflict with the armed forces, probably peaking in 2000, when then-President Joseph Estrada declared all-out war against the MILF, which resulted in the displacement of more than a million people.
Since 2010, the MILF has observed a ceasefire, but dissatisfaction with the slow process towards full autonomy has led to other rebel groups emerging – notably, the aforementioned Maute Group, the al-Qaeda-inspired Abu Sayyaf Group, an MILF-offshoot the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah.
But Ghazali is convinced that the other rebel groups will lay down their arms once the Bangsamoro Basic Law is passed in congress.
“We are already in negotiations with the leadership of these groups. Once the Bill is passed, our plan is to disband all groups and merge with the MILF to form a United Bangsamoro Justice Party that will provide political leadership for Mindanao,” he told us.
Ghazali’s confidence, though, appears to be misplaced. The Islamic State influence has grown considerably in Southern Philippines since 2014 and in fact, the Government has identified 20 other terrorist cells inspired by Islamic State that are now operating there.
Since 2010, the MILF has observed a ceasefire, but dissatisfaction with the slow process towards full autonomy has led to other rebel groups emerging – notably, the aforementioned Maute Group, the al-Qaeda-inspired Abu Sayyaf Group, an MILF-offshoot the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah.
But Ghazali is convinced that the other rebel groups will lay down their arms once the Bangsamoro Basic Law is passed in congress.
“We are already in negotiations with the leadership of these groups. Once the Bill is passed, our plan is to disband all groups and merge with the MILF to form a United Bangsamoro Justice Party that will provide political leadership for Mindanao,” he told us.
Ghazali’s confidence, though, appears to be misplaced. The Islamic State influence has grown considerably in Southern Philippines since 2014 and in fact, the Government has identified 20 other terrorist cells inspired by Islamic State that are now operating there.
Solicitor-General Jose Calida was quoted by the Philippines Inquirer as saying these terror cells have already launched attacks in Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga and Davao, and their main objective is to remove the whole of Mindanao from its allegiance to the Philippine Government.
“This alone is proof enough that the goal of these lawless elements is not merely to sow fear and panic to the populace but to actually establish a stronghold in the Mindanao region,” Calida said, justifying the imposition of martial law in the whole of Mindanao until the end of the year.
This writer believes that the end of armed conflict in Southern Philippines does not completely hinge on the passing of the BBL. It will take years before IS-inspired terror cells are rooted out and lasting peace is finally achieved.
“This alone is proof enough that the goal of these lawless elements is not merely to sow fear and panic to the populace but to actually establish a stronghold in the Mindanao region,” Calida said, justifying the imposition of martial law in the whole of Mindanao until the end of the year.
This writer believes that the end of armed conflict in Southern Philippines does not completely hinge on the passing of the BBL. It will take years before IS-inspired terror cells are rooted out and lasting peace is finally achieved.
Maguindanao locals join military in clearing communities of improvised explosives
From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Oct 7): Maguindanao locals join military in clearing communities of improvised explosives
The Army here said civilians in conflict-affected area in Maguindanao are helping the government clear their communities of improvised bombs supposedly planted by an ISIS-inspired group.
A proof of this, according to Lt. Colonel Gerry Besana, chief of the 6th Infantry Divisions Civil Military Operations (CMO) Battalion, was the surrender of civilians of un-exploded ordnance they found in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao on Friday.
The Army and its allies, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), have been fighting against a Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) faction.
The clashes that started in late July have left at least 50 fatalities from both the MILF and the BIFF.
Fighting erupted when the BIFF tried to hoist ISIS black flag in MILF identified communities in Barangays Andavit and Tee in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.
The MILF sent Task Force Ittihad (Unity) to the two villages to convince the outlawed group not to hoist ISIS flag. Instead, the BIFF set off bombs that left 10 MILF injured. The incident triggered a sporadic firefight.
Besana said the military was elated with the good gesture of the civilians. The act of turning over the IEDs to authorities, he said, in turn save civilians from unnecessary injury or death in their localities.
“Approximately five kilograms of assorted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) believed to be made by followers of Abu Toraypi were surrendered by civilians to the personnel of the Civil-Military Operations Battalion in Sitio Gadong, Barangay Pagatin 2, Datu Salibo, Maguindanao on Friday,” Colonel Besana said.
He said it was the result of the massive information campaign being conducted in support to the 601st Infantry Brigade and 6th ID’s campaign against the terror group in the area.
“The IEDs pose great hazards and threats to the civilians in the area. It is being used by the BIFF to inflict casualties to pursuing AFP soldiers and MILF fighters and to protect them in their strongholds which were recently cleared after fierce clashes for more than two months now,” Besana added.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/936289/maguindanao-locals-join-military-in-clearing-communities-of-improvised-explosives-army-maguindanao-conflict-isis-biff
The Army here said civilians in conflict-affected area in Maguindanao are helping the government clear their communities of improvised bombs supposedly planted by an ISIS-inspired group.
A proof of this, according to Lt. Colonel Gerry Besana, chief of the 6th Infantry Divisions Civil Military Operations (CMO) Battalion, was the surrender of civilians of un-exploded ordnance they found in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao on Friday.
The Army and its allies, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), have been fighting against a Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) faction.
The clashes that started in late July have left at least 50 fatalities from both the MILF and the BIFF.
Fighting erupted when the BIFF tried to hoist ISIS black flag in MILF identified communities in Barangays Andavit and Tee in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.
The MILF sent Task Force Ittihad (Unity) to the two villages to convince the outlawed group not to hoist ISIS flag. Instead, the BIFF set off bombs that left 10 MILF injured. The incident triggered a sporadic firefight.
Besana said the military was elated with the good gesture of the civilians. The act of turning over the IEDs to authorities, he said, in turn save civilians from unnecessary injury or death in their localities.
“Approximately five kilograms of assorted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) believed to be made by followers of Abu Toraypi were surrendered by civilians to the personnel of the Civil-Military Operations Battalion in Sitio Gadong, Barangay Pagatin 2, Datu Salibo, Maguindanao on Friday,” Colonel Besana said.
He said it was the result of the massive information campaign being conducted in support to the 601st Infantry Brigade and 6th ID’s campaign against the terror group in the area.
“The IEDs pose great hazards and threats to the civilians in the area. It is being used by the BIFF to inflict casualties to pursuing AFP soldiers and MILF fighters and to protect them in their strongholds which were recently cleared after fierce clashes for more than two months now,” Besana added.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/936289/maguindanao-locals-join-military-in-clearing-communities-of-improvised-explosives-army-maguindanao-conflict-isis-biff
Trooper killed by sniper fire in Marawi raises government death toll to 155
From the Manila Bulletin (Oct 7): Trooper killed by sniper fire in Marawi raises government death toll to 155
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday said that another soldier was killed when he was hit by sniper fire in the continuing battle in Marawi City.
AFP spokesman Major Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. said the death of the still unidentified soldier brought to 155 the total number of government soldiers killed in the Marawi conflict which is nearing its fifth month on October 23.
Joint Task Force Marawi said a total of 753 Islamic State-inspired Maute Group terrorists have so far been killed in the fighting while recovered firearms number 805. The killed civilians remain at 47 while those rescued have reached 1,750.
“Early this (Friday) morning, we had an incident when we were operating in an area and incurred another casualty through sniper fire. And it’s a sad development because we were expecting that as we engaged more in these remaining areas and have better control of the peripheral areas, we’d be able to minimize that,” General Padilla said during the Mindanao Hour in Malacañang.
Padilla said fighting continues in an area of about seven to eight hectares in Marawi. “This is where most of the encounters with the enemy are occurring,” he said. “Unfortunately, we still face a very tenacious enemy who is determined to defend their area,” he added.
With regards to the rescue of 17 hostages – nine men and eight women – General Padilla said, “There were conflicting reports that some were surrenderees from the inside. I’d like to correct that. This might have been a mix-up between the hostages that were rescued and they may have been alluding to the nine men.”
Padilla also said that based on the debriefing done on the individuals, the remaining hostages number about 40, while the Maute-ISIS members are about 40 to 50.
The information learned from the debriefing of the rescued hostages, he said, is a very important factor in the planning for the remaining areas held by the terrorists, Padilla said.
Joint Task Force Marawi said a total of 753 Islamic State-inspired Maute Group terrorists have so far been killed in the fighting while recovered firearms number 805. The killed civilians remain at 47 while those rescued have reached 1,750.
“Early this (Friday) morning, we had an incident when we were operating in an area and incurred another casualty through sniper fire. And it’s a sad development because we were expecting that as we engaged more in these remaining areas and have better control of the peripheral areas, we’d be able to minimize that,” General Padilla said during the Mindanao Hour in Malacañang.
Padilla said fighting continues in an area of about seven to eight hectares in Marawi. “This is where most of the encounters with the enemy are occurring,” he said. “Unfortunately, we still face a very tenacious enemy who is determined to defend their area,” he added.
With regards to the rescue of 17 hostages – nine men and eight women – General Padilla said, “There were conflicting reports that some were surrenderees from the inside. I’d like to correct that. This might have been a mix-up between the hostages that were rescued and they may have been alluding to the nine men.”
Padilla also said that based on the debriefing done on the individuals, the remaining hostages number about 40, while the Maute-ISIS members are about 40 to 50.
The information learned from the debriefing of the rescued hostages, he said, is a very important factor in the planning for the remaining areas held by the terrorists, Padilla said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)