WESTMINCOM: WestMinCom celebrates 13th anniversary in Zambo City

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) Website (Sep 7, 2019): WestMinCom celebrates 13th anniversary in Zambo City

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City- September 6, 2019
Security counterparts and stakeholders graced the series of activities launched by Western Mindanao Command in celebration of its 13th anniversary in Zamboanga City yesterday, September 6.




Christian and Muslim personnel attended the interfaith service officiated by Command Chaplain Colonel Sanuan Akkuh, Post Catholic Chaplain Lt. Col. Reynaldo Narisma, and Evangelical Chaplain Captain Alexander Almeron.



Brig. Gen. Francisco Ariel Felicidario III, WestMinCom’s deputy commander for administration, led officers, enlisted personnel, and civilian employees during the interfaith service held at WestMinCom gymnasium at 7am yesterday.

“We come together and offer this interfaith service in gratitude of the blessings we received and the feats we made as we celebrate our 13th anniversary today. We pray that we may accomplish more and gain headway in our security campaign in the area,” said WestMinCom Commander Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana.



At 10am today, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, Jr., and Lt. Gen. Sobejana led the wreath-laying ceremony in honor of the fallen heroes of WestMinCom’s Joint Task Forces Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, ZamPeLan, and Central.

“We pay tribute and honor the lives and services of our fallen brothers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of peace. There is no greater way to honor them than by carrying on the good work they left behind,” said Lt. Gen. Sobejana.

WestMinCom personnel and stakeholders also gathered during the anniversary ceremony held at WestMinCom gymnasium.

“We are celebrating 13 years of excellence, accomplishments, and continued transformation of WestMinCom to be the best and do its best always in its service to the people of Mindanao,” said Brig. Gen. Felicidario.

The AFP Chief of Staff conferred the AFP Transformation Roadmap Institutionalization Pathway (AFPTR) Proficient Status on WestMinCom for establishing functional AFP Transformation Roadmap systems and processes.

The WestMincom, through Lt. Gen. Sobejana, also received the Gold Trailblazer Award for garnering 94.6% in the AFP Transformation Roadmap Institutionalization Pathway.



Lt. Gen. Sobejana and the AFP Chief of Staff signed the AFP Transformation Roadmap Pledge of Commitment during the said event.

Military and civilian personnel were also recognized for their meritorious service and contribution to the accomplishment of the WestMinCom’s mission.



“Applying the right winning combination of approaches and force mix to address the challenges posed by various threat groups here in our joint area of operation, the WestMinCom has yielded remarkable outcomes,” said Lt. Gen. Sobejana. “I would like to commend all the forces of WestMinCom. If it had not been for your undying commitments and sacrifices, this unit will not be placed in the pedestal.”

He also recognized the support extended by the people of Mindanao to the security campaign of the command.

“The true meaning of peace is people empowerment in addressing challenging environment and for progress is a patriotic response to opportunities geared to reinvigorated and economically sustained society,” added Lt. Gen. Sobejana. “With your constant help and support, I am optimistic that we can achieve our goals confidently and decisively as we carry out our tasks using the guidelines set forth by the DSSP Kapayapaan and the AFP Transformation Roadmap.”

During said ceremony, former members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Abu Sayyaf, Local Terrorist Communist Terrorist Groups received financial assistance from military officials.

Gen. Madrigal congratulated the WestMinCom for its numerous accomplishments, citing its operational gains against lawless groups and the headway it’s making in its peace and development campaign in Mindanao.

Source: PIO Western Mindanao Command

http://www.westmincom.com/westmincom-celebrates-13th-anniversary-in-zambo-city/

Interpol to be tapped by government for Sison’s arrest

From the Manila Bulletin (Sep 7, 2019): Interpol to be tapped by government for Sison’s arrest

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will coordinate with the International Police (Interpol) to arrest Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison, who has been on self-exile in the Netherlands, after a Manila court ordered for his apprehension over his alleged involvement in a Leyte massacre three decades ago.



Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)

Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson, said they will also work with concerned government agencies to serve the warrant of arrest issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 against 37 others including Sison’s wife, Juliet, and top National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultants over the infamous Inopacan massacre allegedly perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) in 1985.

“We are elated as the victims’ families are for the issue of arrest warrant by the court against Mr. Jose Ma. Sison, his wife, and 36 others for the mass murder by the NPA of people who were suspected of being government spies,” Arevalo said in a statement Saturday.

“As for those who are, like Mr. Sison, outside the country, we may not be able to serve the warrant right away as they are outside our jurisdiction. But we are not without recourse. We will coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, the International Police and other relevant agencies for the service of the warrant of arrest or other legal recourse available,” he added.

The court issued the warrant of arrest for 15 counts of murder against Sison and 37 others on August 28. A copy of the court order was made available to the media on Friday.

READ MORE: Court orders arrest of Joma, 37 others

The Inopacan massacre, according to Arevalo, claimed the lives of about 300 residents in Leyte province who were allegedly members of the CPP-NPA.

The victims are believed to be killed by their colleagues in a purging activity also dubbed as Oplan “Venereal Disease” on suspicions that they were serving as spies for the military.

In 2006, the military discovered a mass grave in Inopacan town where the skeletal remains of the victims were unearthed.

“This is a crime against humanity. Though it’s too early to claim victory, we are happy for the Filipino people, especially for the families of the victims of this heinous crime, because the wheels of justice shall begin to grind,” Arevalo said.

In a social media post, Sison lashed back at the government and called the Inopacan massacre a “cruel joke” and “fake.”

“The long drawn Inopacan case of ‘walking skeletons’ is a cruel joke at the expense of patriotic and progressive activists,” he said.

“The current news splash about the fake Inopacan murder charge is intended by the Duterte regime to draw away the public attention from the scandalous release of 2,000 criminals convicted of drug trading, murder, rape and other heinous crimes,” he added.

However, Arevalo said the military is “firm” as ever “to hunt down these terrorists who perpetrated these dastardly, cowardly and devilish acts.”

“We are sure that the long arm of the law will soon catch up with Mr. Sison and his cohorts,” he concluded.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/09/07/interpol-to-be-tapped-by-government-for-sisons-arrest/

MILF’s Murad: Decommissioning is not surrender

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Sep 7, 2019): MILF’s Murad: Decommissioning is not surrender



Some of the 1,060 combatants of the MILF who will be decommissioned on Saturday, Sept. 7, are aging warriors who dedicated their lives fighting in the battlefields to attain Moro self-rule. (Photo by Bong Sarmiento, Inquirer Mindanao)

COTABATO CITY –– “We have not given up on our struggle.”

This was the declaration of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leader Murad Ebrahim as more than a thousand of its fighters begin the transition to full civilian life today in a decommissioning process mandated by a peace deal with the government.

“We are not surrendering. Decommissioning is not tantamount to surrendering,” said Ebrahim, who is also Chief Minister of the interim Bangsamoro government.

Under the terms of a peace deal signed on March 2014, the MILF will hand in its firearms, disband its armed wing, and pursue its political goals through democratic means.

“I would like to emphasize that the decommissioning doesn’t mean we have given up on what we used to fight for,” Ebrahim emphasized.

About 1,060 former MILF combatants, 920 firearms, and 20 high-powered were set to be decommissioned Saturday afternoon, September 7, at the old provincial capitol in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.



Part of the cache of firearms that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is handing in for decommissioning. (Photo by Bong Sarmiento, Inquirer Mindanao)

President Duterte was expected to grace the historic event.

“The decommissioning is our first step in achieving our goal to return our combatants to a civilian and productive life.”

Each of the decommissioned combatants will receive from the government a socio-economic assistance package worth at least about P1 million.

Six government-acknowledged MILF camps and communities will also be transformed into peaceful, productive and resilient communities.

“Through these interventions, our former combatants will be able to return to mainstream society. We will be able to transform from a revolutionary group into a political organization,” Ebrahim said.

Ebrahim said they were sincere and fully committed to fulfilling their obligations and responsibilities in the peace agreement and were now working with the government to achieve their goal of peace and development for the Bangsamoro.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1162067/milfs-murad-decommissioning-is-not-surrender

Shariah lawyer slain inside mosque in Midsayap, Cotabato

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Sep 7, 2019): Shariah lawyer slain inside mosque in Midsayap, Cotabato

MIDSAYAP, Cotabato –– Authorities have launched a manhunt against one of two men who shot dead a Shariah lawyer shortly after performing a mid-day prayer inside a mosque here Friday, Sept. 6.

Colonel Maximo Layugan, Cotabato provincial police director, said the police manhunt is founded on a good lead.

Lt. Colonel Bernard Tayong, provincial police spokesperson, identified the victim as Datu Khadaffy Dilangalen Blao, 30.

Blao and several other faithful were inside the mosque in Barangay Olandang for the Friday noon prayer when a man wearing a bull cap arrived, pumped bullets on the victim, and fled aboard a motorcycle driven by an accomplice.

Blao died on the spot from bullet wounds in the head and body.

Police investigators found empty shells of cal. 45 pistol.

Datu Quezon Blao, the victim’s father, said the gunman was not a resident of the village and not known to any one of them.

Police said the murder could have been related to “rido” or family feud involving Blao’s family and another family in Midsayap.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1162072/shariah-lawyer-slain-inside-mosque-in-midsayap-cotabato

War's over: MILF hands over guns to peace panel

From the Manila Standard (Sep 8, 2019): War's over: MILF hands over guns to peace panel

Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao—Muslim rebels in the mainly Catholic Philippines began handing over their guns to independent foreign monitors Saturday, as part of a peace treaty aimed at ending a decades-long separatist insurgency that has left about 150,000 people dead.

RETIRING RITES. Rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front board a bus before heading to weapons decommissioning ceremony at Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat Saturday. AFPJust over a thousand guerrillas are turning in 940 weapons in a single day, in a graduated decommissioning process that aims to turn the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the country’s largest rebel force, into a regular political party.

The fighters demobilized on Saturday represent a symbolic first step toward retiring what MILF says is a force of 40,000 fighters in the coming years.

“The war is over... I have no firearms left,” Paisal Abdullah Bagundang, 56, a self-described veteran of more than 100 firefights with government security forces since the 1970s, told AFP.

But the disarmament will take time to make an impact in a place where violence is an almost daily threat.

But Hadji Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the MILF and now chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said ‘We have not given up; decommissioning is not tantamount to surrender”—as the process of decommissioning armed dissidents began.

Ebrahim said decommissioning, as provided in both the Bangsamoro Organic Law (Republic Act 11054) and in an annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), “does not mean that we have given up what we have been fighting for.”

Instead, Murad said, “We are working with the government to achieve our goals of peace, development, and progress.”

Murad said a total 1,060 would be initially decommissioned out of 11,000 combatants, currently being validated by the Independent Decommissioning Body.

A total of189 RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) anti-armored personnel carrier launchers were turned over to the IDB in ceremonies witnessed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte said his “administration is investing on peace, for without peace there can be no real progress to look forward to in these areas.”

“We are fulfilling government promises; the promises made by the previous administrations, and the new promises committed under my administration,” the Chief Executive said.

Secretary Carlito Galvez of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPPRU) said the Duterte administration had the firm commitment to support and help Moro communities attain progress.

Galvez said the government and the MILF, as well as the peace stakeholders, were “celebrating another milestone in the peace process.''

This, Galvez said, is the return to the mainstream society of combatants from the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) which will pave the way for the transformation of their lives, their families and their communities.

Normalization package

On Friday, Galvez and Director-General Isidro Lapena of the Technical Skills Development Authority signed a Memorandum of Agreement for OPAPP and Tesda to “jointly undertake skills training and development for the decommissioned combatant, and members of their families and communities to help them transform into being productive members of the mainstream society.”

Ariel Hernandez, co-chairman of the Joint Philippine Government-MILF Committees on the Normalization, lauded Tesda for committing substantial funding resources in support of the decommissioning programs.

Each combatant will receive P100,000 in cash, and packages of assistance consisting of health programs for their families, education scholarship slots for them or their children, and modest livelihood projects.

Galvez was optimistic the decommissioned combatants or members of their families could reap the fruits of human development, as potential bets to pool of human resources that investors from Japan would be needing in the near future.

“It is the President’s desire to give these communities a chance to become a showcase of peace and transformation,” Galvez pointed out.

Murad said the Philippine government and the MILF had identified seven decommissioning processing areas for IDB, and these are the five government-recognized MILF camps in Central Mindanao, one in Davao del Sur, and one in Basilan.

The peace panels of the Government of the Philippines and the MILF peace have jointly created an IDB to oversee the process of decommissioning of MILF forces and weapons.

IDB forms key part of the normalization structure. The IDB is composed of foreign experts from Turkey, Norway, and Brunei, representatives from the two parties and National Staff.

Turkey Ambassador to the Philippines Fatih Ulusoy, IDB chairman, said firearms turned over to the body will be stored and “put beyond use.”

The Turkish envoy said the IDB commends the Philippines and MILF panels “for reaching another milestone in the peace process” and that working on “weapons collection, retrieval and storage” formed part of its “unwavering commitment to serve both parties, with full adherence to confidentiality, impartiality, and integrity.”

The other IDB members are: William Hovland of Norway, vice-chairman, normalization international expert Lt. Col. Sherpor Nezam bin Abdul Ghapor of Brunei, and local experts. Jack Abas; Jannati Mimbantas, both MILF representatives; and Prof. Mario Aguja and Lt Gen Rey Ardo, government representatives.

A bomb hidden in a parked motorcycle exploded near a public market in Isulan town early on Saturday, just hours before President Duterte was to witness the decommissioning ceremony some 40 kilometers away in Sultan Kudarat.

Police said eight people were injured in the attack by unknown suspects.

The decommissioning process “should not lead to expectations that it is going to result in a major deceleration in attacks,” said Francisco Lara, senior conflict adviser for Asia at watchdog group International Alert, noting that the general public in the region are also armed.

Officials hope putting rebel weapons “beyond use” will nudge the region away from the mindset that gun-ownership is essential to ensuring survival.

About a third of MILF combatants and their weapons are to be retired in the first phase of the decommissioning process.

“In order to have an enduring peace, we have to change the mindset of the people,” Duterte peace adviser Carlito Galvez told reporters Friday.

RETIRING RITES. Others fritter away time and anxiety, some wondering what the future would be hence. AFPEach retired fighter will receive a million pesos (about $19,000) worth of cash, scholarships, health insurance, and training to become productive civilians. With AFP

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http://manilastandard.net/news/top-stories/304409/war-s-over-milf-hands-over-guns-to-peace-panel.html

MILF combatants and firearms decommissioned; Duterte accepts gun from MILF chair

From MindaNews (Sep 8, 2019): MILF combatants and firearms decommissioned; Duterte accepts gun from MILF chair

COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 08 September) — The chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) handed over, at the start of the decommissioning of 30% of the MILF’s firearms and combatants on Saturday, an Israeli-made Tavor assault rifle to President Rodrigo Duterte as “a token of our very strong appreciation for what he has done to the Bangsamoro people and our homeland.”

Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim gave the token during the implementation of the Phase 2 of the Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) at the gymnasium of the old provincial capitol in Simuay, Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao.

Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao hands over a firearm as the MILF’s token of appreciation for the President’s strong political will to implement the peace agreement signed in 2014. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO

The MILF turned over 920 high-powered firearms including 81mm mortars; crew-mounted caliber 50 machineguns; and RPG 7 rocket launchers to the International Decommissioning Body (IDB) headed by Turkey.

The former rebel group also turned over 600 rounds for the RPG 7 rocket launchers, which Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez described as “significant considering how deadly the weapon was for government tanks and personnel.”

“We will continue to uphold our part of the bargain,” Ebrahim said.

He profusely thanked President Duterte for “his steadfast support” in the passage of RA 11054 or the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and its ratification during a plebiscite early this year.

“We are giving him a token. This token represents our appreciation, our very strong appreciation for what he has done to the Bangsamoro people and our homeland,” he said as he handed over the gray Pelican case containing the rifle to President Duterte.

Murad told MindaNews

Phase 2 of the four-phase Normalization process under the Annex on Normalization signed by government and the MILF under the CAB, involves the decommissioning of 30% of the MILF’s 40,000-member Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) and 30% of its claimed 7,000 MILF-owned firearms.

Altogether under Phase 2, a total of 12,000 combatants and 2,100 firearms will be decommissioned from September 7 until March or April next year, the processing done in eight decommissioning areas, in the MILF’s own camps.

The rest of the 40,000 combatants and 7,000 firearms will be decommissioned in the next two phases.

Ebrahim said the 1,060 MILF combatants who were decommissioned would now have a chance to live peaceful and productive lives because of government’s support.

He said the MILF mujahideens were trained to fight for their homeland.

“For many years our trainings were grounded by armed struggle. We will now face a different kind of struggle to transform ourselves into civilians,” Ebrahim said.

President Duterte said he is satisfied with the implementation of the normalization process.

Duterte said the decommissioning of firearms is a step in the right direction.

“This is a huge step in achieving lasting peace,” Duterte said

Duterte assured Ebrahim and the MILF former combatants that the government will support them in their quest for productive lives.

The government promised each of the MILF combatants who would be decommissioned a package worth a million pesos from the government, consisting of 100,000 cash, scholarships and other socio-economic benefits for him, his family and his community.

Abdullah Yosop, 53, an MILF fighter from Camp Rajamuda in Pikit, North Cotabato welcomed this support.

“Me and my brothers can go back to tilling our land which we have neglected after we became mujahideens,” Yosop said.

Yosop and four of his brothers were among the 1,060 MILF fighters that were decommissioned last Saturday.

Yosop said he and his brothers chipped in money to buy an M14 assault rifle for P80,000.

He said they would take turns in their duties with the MILF, always sharing the rifle among them.

Yosop said the rifle was also useful to them to protect them from roving bandits.

Banditry and ridos were among the reasons cited by MILF why many of their fighters were still holding on to their privately-owned firearms.

https://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2019/09/milf-combatants-and-firearms-decommissioned-duterte-accepts-gun-from-milf-chair/

Police eye extortion in Sultan Kudarat blast

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Sep 8, 2019): Police eye extortion in Sultan Kudarat blast

ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines — Police are eyeing extortion as the primary motive behind the explosion at the public market here on Saturday morning that injured eight people.

“Possible motive is extortion but we are not discounting possible involvement of extremists. We are still investigating,” said Lt. Col. Joven Bagaygay, Isulan police chief.

Bagaygay said that Mayor Marites Palasigue received on Monday a call from a group asking for money so the town would be spared from bombing.

The group demanded a monthly “protection money” of P250,000, Bagaygay told the Inquirer.

While not naming the group, Bagaygay described it as also the one responsible for previous bomb attacks in the town.

The improvised explosive device (IED) used in the blast was placed in a row of parked motorcycles in front of the town public market and went off around 7 a.m.

8 injured

The Isulan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office identified those injured as Niño Virgo, 28; Jaren Amigo, 24; Jay Carnaso, 30; off-duty militiaman Jomar Aquino, 31; Nasim Gulano, 24; and traffic enforcer Terencio Cagadas, 35, all of Isulan, Sultan Kudarat; Gerald Cartagena, 28, of Surallah, South Cotabato; and Richard Arancillo, 45, of New Lagao, Tacurong City.

Based on closed-circuit television footage obtained by the police, the bomb was planted the night before the blast by a male dressed up as a female. The bomber got to the area on a motorcycle and left the explosive device beside a parked motorcycle at the market, Bagaygay said.

“We will enhance the footage for possible identification of the suspect,” Bagaygay added.

Prior to the blast, Bagaygay noted that text messages have been circulating about an impending bomb attack on the town, similar to the information he was fed when he assumed his duties as the town’s police chief in May.

An Army intelligence officer who spoke to the Inquirer said the IED has the signature of a Moro extremist group that also set off similar bombs here in the past.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1162144/police-eye-extortion-in-sultan-kudarat-blast

Bombing at Philippine Market Overshadows Weapons Handover by MILF Fighters

From BenarNews (Sep 7, 2019): Bombing at Philippine Market Overshadows Weapons Handover by MILF Fighters

A government soldier inspects a vehicle at a checkpoint in Cotabato city, southern Philippines, ahead of an official ceremony to demobilize hundreds of former MILF guerrillas, Sept. 7, 2019, Sept. 7, 2019. [Froilan Gallardo/BenarNews]

A bomb explosion injured at least eight people at a marketplace in the southern Philippines on Saturday, authorities said, as ex-Muslim rebels in the region prepared to surrender their weapons and demobilize under a peace deal with Manila.

Authorities said they suspected that an insurgent faction opposed to the peace agreement and linked with the Islamic State extremist group may have carried out the bombing, which occurred shortly after 7 a.m. in Isulan, a town in Sultan Kudarat province.

The bomb struck hours before President Rodrigo Duterte and other government officials gathered to witness the decommissioning of slightly more than a thousand ex-combatants with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), who turned over hundreds of firearms. The ceremony took place in Simuay, a district in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao, another province in the south.

“We are still determining the group behind the blast, but there is a likelihood it could be the BIFF,” said Maj. Arvin Encinas, a local spokesman for the military, referring to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which splintered from MILF and rejected a peace deal struck between MILF and Manila in 2014.

BIFF kept fighting for a separate Muslim state in the southern Mindanao region. It later pledged allegiance to Islamic State and endorsed an IS-linked siege of the southern Philippine city of Marawi two years ago.

The bomb went off outside the Manolette bread shop in Kalawag 3, a village in Isulan, said Lt. Col. Joven Bagaygay, a local police spokesman.

CCTV footage obtained by police showed a man disguised as a woman leaving a bag with the bomb next to motorbikes that were parked outside the bakery, Bagaygay said.

“We will enhance the footage for possible identification of the suspect,” he said.

Eight civilians were injured in the explosion, officials said.

The bombing on Saturday was an attempt to disrupt the historic handover of weapons and decommissioning of the MILF fighters, said Von Al Haq, a former MILF spokesman who is now a deputy minister for transportation and communication in the regional autonomous government.

“Although it has no direct effect on our event, we have to be firm,” Al Haq told BenarNews.

Al Haq could not affirm that MILF’s former comrades in the BIFF were behind the bombing, but he said no other group was capable of carrying out such an audacious attack.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels wait for transportation to a weapons decommissioning ceremony at Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat town, Maguindanao province, southern Philippines, Sept. 7, 2019. [AFP]

Duterte: ‘A huge step’

The so-called “decommissioning” of 1,060 former MILF forces on Saturday night was part of the peace agreement that MILF and Manila reached five years ago.

The first phase of the decommissioning happened in 2015, and involved 145 combatants and 75 weapons.

Apart from those ex-MILF fighters who turned in their weapons during Saturday’s ceremony, officials said another 35 percent of the MILF force would be decommissioned next year, with the remainder to follow between 2021 and 2022.

By its own estimates, MILF has as many as 30,000 to 40,000 fighters in its ranks.

“Today, we mark another important milestone in the history of the Bangsamoro peace process. It truly warms my heart that we are able in our promise to be a more inclusive, accountable and transparent government for the Bangsamoro,” President Duterte said in a speech at the decommissioning ceremony, where piles of firearms turned over by the MILF fighters were displayed.

Duterte took office two years after the administration of Benigno Aquino III agreed to the peace deal with MILF.

“This is a huge step in achieving lasting peace,” Duterte said, assuring the demobilized MILF members of his government’s ongoing support for them.

The group’s chairman, Murad Ebrahim, today heads an 80-member team that leads the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“We will continue to uphold our part of the bargain,” Ebrahim told the crowd during Saturday’s ceremony.

The BARMM zone is made up of at least five southern provinces, where MILF will oversee self-rule until local voters elect their own parliament by 2022.

A majority of voters in those five provinces ratified the autonomous region through a plebiscite held in January and February on a law that granted autonomy to areas controlled by MILF.

The referendum was the final step in the peace pact that was signed five years ago and aimed to settle decades of bloodshed in the Mindanao region.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law, as it is known, gave the impoverished Philippine south an expanded autonomous area and offered self-determination to the nation’s four million Muslims by empowering them to elect their own parliament.

The bombing on Saturday morning, however, was a reminder that the Philippine south remains a volatile region despite the 2014 peace deal.

Earlier this week, the military conceded that the armed forces were still hunting for dozens of foreign Islamic militants believed to be on the loose in the region. Last month, a first batch of 225 ex-MILF fighters began basic training at a Philippine army camp to prepare to become part of a joint security team tasked with going after pro-IS gunmen in the south.

The attack in Sultan Kudarat province on Saturday morning came after two suicide bombers, one of them a Filipino militant, killed six people by setting off explosives at a military camp on southern Jolo Island in late June. In January, an Indonesian couple blew themselves up in killing 23 people at a church in Jolo, authorities said.

IS, which claimed responsibility for both attacks, had appointed local militant Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan as leader of its branch in the Philippines after his predecessor, Isnilon Hapilon, was killed in October 2017, at the end of the five-month battle of Marawi.

President Rodrigo Duterte (center) joins Moro Islamic Liberation Front leader Ebrahim Murad (left) in inspecting decommissioned firearms in Sultan Kudarat town, southern Philippines, Sept. 7, 2019. [Froilan Gallardo/BenarNews]

https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/bomb-attack-09072019074813.html

Duterte says MILF fighters’ decommissioning ‘huge step’ for Mindanao peace

From Politiko Mindanao (Sep 7, 2019): Duterte says MILF fighters’ decommissioning ‘huge step’ for Mindanao peace



President Rodrigo Duterte said the decommissioning of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants was a “huge step” to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao.

Duterte graced Saturday, September 7, the decommissioning of 1,060 MILF fighters and of their weapons in a ceremony in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

“I take pride in the fact that we have made significant progress in the implementation of the agreements arising from the Comprehensive Agreement on [the] Bangsamoro, including the very important Annex on Normalization that covers the decommissioning process. This is indeed a huge step towards our goal of achieving lasting peace for Mindanao,” he said in a speech.

He assured the MILF combatants that the government will always assist then as they reintegrate into society and enjoy fruitful and productive civilian lives.

“I look forward to having you as government’s partners as we take further strides in securing lasting peace and order in Mindanao,” the President said. #

https://mindanao.politics.com.ph/duterte-says-milf-fighters-decommissioning-huge-step-for-mindanao-peace/

Decommissioning of MILF combatants, weapons begins; Duterte to witness rites

From MindaNews (Sep 7, 2019): Decommissioning of MILF combatants, weapons begins; Duterte to witness rites

Seven months after the organic law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was ratified in a plebiscite, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will turn over at least 920 high-powered firearms to the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) on Saturday afternoon.

BARMM Chief MInister and concurrent MILF chair Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim told a media forum on Friday that along with the firearms, at least 1,060 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the military wing of the MILF, will also be decommissioned in a ceremony that will be attended by President Rodrigo Duterte at the gymnasium of the old provincial capitol in Simuay, Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao.

Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez. Jr. and Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and concurrent chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front answer questionson the decommissioning of MILF combatants and firearms in a media forum at the BARMM compound in Cotabato City on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO

Under the four-phase Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signed by government and the MILF in 2014, Phase 2 which is “from the completion of the validation of MILF forces up to the ratification of the Bangsamoro Basic Law” involves, among other components, the decommissioning of 30% of the MILF combatants and weapons.

The MILF claims it has 40,000 combatants and 7,000 MILF-owned weapons. Thirty per cent of that under Phase 2 is 12,000 combatants and 2,100 weapons to processed in eight decommissioning sites between September 7 and March or April next year.

Murad said the 920 firearms that would be decommissioned Saturday will include 20 heavy weapons and seven shoulder-fired RPG 7 launchers.

“We want to show our sincerity and full commitment to the peace agreement we signed with the Philippine government,” Murad said.

Turkish Ambassador Fatih Ulusoy, chair of the IDB, will receive the firearms at the gym in the old provincial capitol in Simuay, the same venue of the ceremonial turnover of 20 crew-served weapons and 55 high-powered firearms to the IDB, as well as the decommissioning of 145 combatants in June 2015 in rites also attended by the President, then Benigno Simeon Aquino III.

The IDB will then seal and store the firearms in container vans and placed in Secured Areas Storage Area (SASA) in Camp Abubakar, the MILF’s main camp taken by the government during the Estrada administration’s “all-out war” against the MILF in 2000.

Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez said the decommissioning of MILF combatants and firearms will be done in eight other areas in Mindanao until March or April next year.

Galvez said the next areas targeted for decommissioning are the MILF camps Omar in Matanog, Maguindanao and Rajahmuda in Pikit, North Cotabato.

“This will be followed in MILF Camp Bilal in Lanao del Norte; Camp Bushra in Butig town, Lanao del Sur; Camp Salman in Zamboanga del Norte and Basilan,” Galvez said.

Galvez said each of the MILF combatants who would be decommissioned would receive a package worth a million pesos from the government, consisting of 100,000 cash, scholarships and other socio-economic benefits for him, his family and his community.

He said the package would help the combatants become “peaceful and productive civilians.”

Murad said the MILF is committed to decommission 40,000 combatants and 7,000 firearms. He said the 7,000 firearms are owned by the MILF while other MILF fighters own the rest of the guns.

“We estimated that 30 percent of our fighters own a firearm or two,” he said.

Murad said many of these fighters are adopting a “wait and see” attitude on the implementation of the peace process and the changes it would bring to them and their communities.

https://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2019/09/decommissioning-of-milf-combatants-weapons-begins-duterte-to-witness-rites/

TESDA allots P275M to capacitate decommissioned MILF fighters

From MindaNews (Sep 7, 2019): TESDA allots P275M to capacitate decommissioned MILF fighters

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has allotted P275 million to help transform former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MIF) become productive members of mainstream society.

TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña revealed the amount shortly after the signing of a memorandum of agreement between his agency and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) on Friday.

“We have programmed the amount of P275 million for the entire BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao)…. An initial group of former MILF combatants will be trained as trainors,” he said in an interview.

TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña and OPAPP Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. (4th and 5th from left, respectively) sign the MOA on the Socio-economic Assistance for the Decommissioned Combatants under the Normalization phase of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. MindaNews photo by BONG S. SARMIENT0\

BARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi, the cities of Marawi, Lamitan and Cotabato and 63 villages in North Cotabato.

The OPAPP and the BARMM government will jointly conduct a study to identify the trainings that will be given to the ex-MILF fighters, he said.

Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr. said the partnership with TESDA will undertake initiatives in line with the normalization aspect of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the Duterte administration’s peace and development agenda.

Under the MOA, OPAPP and TESDA shall adopt conflict-sensitive and peace promoting approaches in Bangsamoro communities and assist the decommissioned members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the MILF’s armed wing, transition into civilian lives and facilitate the transformation of six MILF camps into peaceful and productive communities through skills training and development.

“These interventions aim to assist the MILF-BIAF members in making the smooth transition to peaceful and productive civilian life,” Galvez said.

He noted their initiatives are anchored on the normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the final peace agreement between the government and the MILF.

Under the CAB, the parties agreed for the decommissioning of MILF combatants, which is part of the normalization phase, as key milestones of the peace agreement are achieved.

Lapeña stressed that TESDA is committed to provide the decommissioned MILF combatants with appropriate skills that will enable them to pursue a sustainable livelihood.

“The TESDA is committed in providing training assistance para iyong ating mga kapatid, in this transformation process, ay magkaroon ng mas magandang oportunidad sa buhay,” Lapeña added.

https://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2019/09/tesda-allots-p275m-to-capacitate-decommissioned-milf-fighters/

7 wounded in motorcycle bomb blast in Mindanao

From the Mindanao Examiner (Sep 7, 2019): 7 wounded in motorcycle bomb blast in Mindanao

At least 7 people were wounded in a motorcycle bomb explosion ahead of the surrender Saturday of over a hundred Muslim rebels in southern Philippines.

The powerful blast occurred outside a market in the town of Isulan in Sultan Kudarat province which was previously bombed by Muslim extremist group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a breakaway faction of the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).





Surveillance camera footage shows the parking area outside the Isulan public market before and after the motorcycle bomb explosion on September 7, 2019. (Mindanao Examiner)

The MILF, which signed an interim peace deal with Manila in 2014, is set to surrender hundreds of assorted weapons to the government as part of the “decommissioning” process.

The motorcycle, rigged with explosives, was parked outside the market when it went off and wounded those nearby, including a traffic constable. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the terror attack, but it occurred even as the whole southern region is under an extended martial rule.

It was unclear how the bomber managed to sneak into the town, passing through several police and military checkpoints and road blocks and left the motorcycle bomb undetected by authorities.

In April, over a dozen people were injured when a motorcycle rigged with explosives also went off outside the Carlito’s Chicken restaurant in Isulan town. The blast coincided with the town’s 61st founding anniversary.

A similar attack – claimed by the Islamic State – also occurred in August last year when a motorcycle bomb exploded outside a row of shops in Isulan and wounded several civilians. The BIFF was believed to have carried out the two previous bombings and possibly the latest attack. It was not immediately known if the attack was connected to the surrender of the MILF rebels to the government.

Security forces have been fighting several Islamist militant groups in the southern region where President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the armed forces to crush terrorism.

Leaders of the BIFF have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, also claimed responsibility for last year’s attack in the town. The BIFF, whose members were mostly former Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters, is one of several pro-ISIS militant groups fighting for the establishment of a caliphate on Mindanao.

Security forces have been fighting militant groups in the southern region the past years. The blast occurred following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to the armed forces to crush terrorism.

The MILF said a total of 1,060 combatants from about 40,000 fighters – and their weapons will be decommissioned. It said the decommissioning process will help the rebels return to the fold of the law and establish a civilian life.

Rebel chieftain Murad Ebrahim, who is also the Chief Minister of the Muslim autonomous region, said the weapons will be handed over to the independent decommissioning body headed by Turkish Ambassador Fatih Ulusoy.

After their surrender, the rebels will each receive at least P100,000 from the Duterte government and a socio-economic assistance package of up to P1 million. (Mindanao Examiner. With additional report from Rhoderick Beñez.)

https://mindanaoexaminer.com/7-wounded-in-motorcycle-bomb-blast-in-mindanao/

Army intensifies security awareness in Surigao Norte

From the Philippine Information Agency (Sep 6, 2019): Army intensifies security awareness in Surigao Norte (By 30IB, Philippine Army)

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte -- The 30th Infantry (Python) Battalion (30IB), Philippine Army recently conducted a Security Awareness Symposium to the Civic Welfare Training Services (CWTS), Literacy Training Services (LTS) and Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) students of Surigao State College of Technology (SSCT) held at the SSCT Main Campus, this city.

The one-day activity is in partnership with the SSCT and 1503rd (Surigao del Norte) Community Defense Center, 15th (Caraga) Regional Community Defense Center Group (15RCDG), Army Reserve Command.

This was conducted to the incoming freshmen students during the National Service Training Program (NSTP) General Orientation and Registration, as part of the school's curriculum.

Civil-Military Operations Acting Officer 1Lt. Wilfredo F. Quilang of 30IB enlightened the students regarding the Communist New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) infiltration in the schools.

He emphasized the CNTs deceptive tactics and how they use deceit and lies to organize the folks in the barrios and the students in school campuses.

He also said that one of the duties of the Philippine Army is to educate and inform the young people regarding the nature of the CNTs and their deceptive and manipulative recruitment strategy.

“The youth is among the target sectors for radicalization to pursue the CNTs' agenda. We must protect them from being used by the terrorists, please bear in mind that the CNTs do not believe that there is an Almighty God that's why they are not afraid of their evil acts. Love of God must be our priority so that we will not be swayed by their deceptions and lies, “ Lt. Quilang said.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Villarosa, commanding officer of 30IB said that "the youth is the hope of the nation, and in partnership with key stakeholders, we must help enlighten the minds of the young people so that they will not be easily swayed by the sweet promises of the terrorist groups."

Lt. Col. Villarosa added that the national security awareness campaign of the Philippine Army is part of the symposium where participants will be informed and be made aware of the local terrorists groups that exist in the country. (30IB-Philippine Army/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1026420

61IB hosts assembly of former rebels

From the Philippine Information Agency (Sep 6, 2019): 61IB hosts assembly of former rebels (By 61IB CMO-Philippine Army)

CAMP MONTECLARO, Miagao, Iloilo, Sept. 6 - At least 50 Former Rebels (FRs) attended the 4th General Assembly of Federation for Reforms, Initiatives, Empowerment, Nation-Building and Development (FRIENDs)here.

The event for the former rebels, who are members of different FR associations from the six towns of the first district of Iloilo including Leon in the 2nd district of the province, was held at the Headquarters of 61st Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army on August 31, 2019.



The assembly was highlighted by the lectures about government programs, specifically of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), that could be availed of by former rebels.

“This is our way of helping our former rebels to have a normal life by connecting them to the right agencies,” said 61st IB Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Joel Benedict Batara.

Batara added that “They started their programs before I assumed as Commanding Officer of the 61IB, so I am continuing the efforts and will support them on whatever assistance the unit may provide.”

The activity is an annual event of the former rebels to come together and update on their programs and projects, as well as elect the new set of officers of the federation.

Present during the activity include Miagao mayor Macario Napulan, former Congressman Richard Garin, who actively supported various programs and projects of the FRs; Tubungan, Iloilo Sangguniang Bayan member Medalla Balandra, who represented the municipal mayor of the said town, and Miagao Public Employment Service Officer Emelyn Tano. (JBG/1Lt Hazel Joy M. Durotan)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1026963

US, PH conduct assault amphibious vehicle subject matter expert exchange

Posted to the Philippine Information Agency (Sep 7, 2019): US, PH conduct assault amphibious vehicle subject matter expert exchange

US Marines from the 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, conducted an Assault Amphibious Vehicle subject matter expert exchange with the Philippine Marine Corps and Navy in order to further develop a shared understanding of amphibious operations. The exchange was conducted in preparation for the annual bilateral military exercise Kamandag 3.

This exchange marks a milestone in the relationship between the U.S. Marine Corps, Philippine Marine Corps, and Philippine Navy and allows for increased opportunities for future interoperability training in the Indo-Pacific region. It is the first time the Philippine Marine Corps launched their AAVs from a Philippine Navy amphibious ship and transited from ship to shore.

1st Lt. Malcolm Dunlop, an AAV platoon commander with the 4th Marine Regiment, participated in the event and reflected on its benefits to the U.S. - Philippine relationship.

“This subject matter expert exchange is an invaluable opportunity for us to coordinate and train with our Philippine Marine Corps and Navy partners for Kamandag 3 and other future operations,” said Dunlop.

The 3rd Marine Division and the Philippine Marine Corps Armor Battalion have been working together on AAV integration for amphibious operations over the past eight years. This process includes events like developing appropriate facilities for the AAVs, conducting training on operating and maintaining the vehicles, and developing standard operating procedures for the vehicle’s employment.

AAVs have a very diverse set of capabilities. They can be used for counter terrorism, mechanized assault, as well as humanitarian assistance operations, explained James Bolt, an exercise planner for III Marine Expeditionary Force, who has been heavily involved in developing the U.S.-Philippine Marine Corps relationships. He went on to describe how AAVs are favored by Philippine and U.S. forces for their ease of naval landings in contested environments and their ability to deploy in the event of a natural disaster.

“Marines are amphibious by nature and this is the capability U.S. Marines are known for,” said Bolt. “This capability for the Philippine Marines will increase our interoperability and ability to work together through the complex nature of amphibious operations in the Indo-Pacific region.” (US Embassy in Manila)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1027014