Remains of 2 NPA victims exhumed in Surigao Norte

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): Remains of 2 NPA victims exhumed in Surigao Norte (By Alexander Lopez)



VICTIMS OF NPA ATROCITY. The remains of a militiaman and former village councilor who were abducted and killed in April 2019 by suspected communist New People’s Army rebels are exhumed Tuesday (June 9, 2020) in the hinterland village of Ima in Sison town, Surigao del Norte. Mayor Karissa R. Fetalvero-Paronia said it’s time for NPA rebels and their supporters to weigh their options. (Photo grab from Sison on the Rise Facebook Page)

Authorities on Tuesday exhumed the remains of a member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and a village councilor who were abducted and killed by communist rebels in April last year, the mayor of Sison town in Surigao del Norte said.

Mayor Karissa R. Fetalvero-Paronia said the bodies were discovered in a shallow grave at Barangay Ima following the revelation of a former communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebel who recently surrendered to the government.

“These are the remains of a CAFGU member and a former village councilor from Barangay Gacepan, Sison town. They were missing since last year but recently, through a revelation made by a former rebel, their remains were finally found and recovered,” Paronia told the Philippine News Agency Wednesday (June 10).

Present during the exhumation were barangay officials, soldiers from the Army's 30th Infantry Battalion and the Philippine National Police (PNP), the mayor said.

“The families of the victims now want justice. Those responsible for these killings must face charges,” Paronia said.

She said the wife of the CAFGU member was still nourishing her newly-born baby when her husband was abducted and eventually killed by suspected NPA members.

The wife of the former village councilor who was also killed by the rebels, she said, now serves as Barangay Health Worker (BHW) in the village.

Paronia said the local government has already extended support to the families of the victims especially in the processing of papers for the proper turnover of the remains.

“They identified all of the belongings found in the grave site and certain that the remains belong to their missing family members,” she added.

She also urged the residents in Sison, especially those in far-flung villages, to support the continuing efforts of the government to end the local communist armed conflicts.

“Please be aware always especially in the recruitment of the NPA among our youth and the indigenous peoples (IPs). These sectors are the targets of recruitment of the NPA,” the mayor said.

She added that the government, under the leadership of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, is waging war against terrorism and that the people must extend support to such endeavor.

“To our people in Sison, especially those who continue to support the NPA, it is time for us to think and weigh our options. The government has done everything to provide the necessary help to you and your communities through programs, projects and services,” Paronia said.

The NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105485

Army engineers render decontamination missions in Cebu

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): Army engineers render decontamination missions in Cebu (By John Rey Saavedra)



DECONTAMINATION MISSION. A member of the 53rd Engineer Brigade of the Philippine Army sprays decontaminant on the luggage of 94 cadets of the Bureau of Fire Protection who arrived at the Cebu City pier last June 2, 2020. The Brigade Civil-Military Operations Officer, Major Jonathan Esnara, said they have conducted five major decontamination missions in Cebu to augment efforts to contain Covid-19. (Photo courtesy of 53rd Engineer Brigade CMO)

The 53rd Engineer Brigade of the Philippine Army has conducted five major decontamination activities in Cebu as part of its contribution to the local government units' efforts against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Major Jonathan Esnara, the Brigade’s civil-military operations officer, said they are still preparing for more decontamination missions since their five successful disinfecting procedures at three different facilities.

“The Brigade has organized a decon (decontamination) team composed of 12 personnel, ready (for) on-call deployment upon request of the OCD-7 (Office of the Civil Defense-Central Visayas) and DOH-7 (Department of Health-Region 7),” Esnara told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday.

He said the team conducted decontamination assistance at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport during the arrival of 124 overseas Filipino workers from Manila on June 5.

Last May 25, the Army engineers also decontaminated the airport vicinity to help out in the send-off of tourists and locally stranded individuals on board “sweeper flights”.

The same decontamination assistance was rendered upon the arrival of 94 newly graduated cadets of the Bureau of Fire Protection from Region 4A Training Center who arrived at a pier here on board the St. Frances Xavier, 2Go Supercat on June 2.

According to him, the Brigade also rendered two decontamination activities at the Don Bosco Retreat House in Talisay City on March 5 and April 24.

To fully equip the soldiers with proper procedures, they were subjected to a “decontamination ready response unit training” conducted by both the OCD-7 and DOH-7 at the Department of Public Works and Highways Training Hall at the South Road Properties.

“The Brigade’s decontamination team has also undergone one-week basic medical aidman training,” Esnara said.

The CMO officer said the Central Command “dictates the tempo of operations related to Covid-19 and dictates the priority area to be supported in collaboration with the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease.”

He also said all the decontamination activities of the Brigade were conducted in coordination with the local government units whose personnel supervised and monitored the activities.

Esnara also said the Brigade personnel utilized personal protective equipment (PPE) like suits, face shields, and boots that are locally fabricated by the unit. “Some of the equipment, like the sprayer, and others were donated by the DOH-7 and from former Army engineers.

He said some of the PPE were donated by the members of the Multi-Sectoral Advisory Board of the 53rd Engineer Brigade.

In a statement, Brigade commander, Col. Gerardo Catindoy, said his unit “will always heed the call to take part in undertaking precautionary measures to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 with partner agencies and local government units”.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105495

Anti-terror bill 'preserves security, freedom' in PH

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): Anti-terror bill 'preserves security, freedom' in PH (By Che Palicte)



Jose Nelson Sala Sr., Philippine Councilors’ League interim national president. (Photo grabbed from Tata Sala's Facebook Page)

The Philippine Councilors’ League (PCL) said the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 would boost security and preserve freedom in the country against terrorists.

Jose Nelson Sala Sr., PCL interim national president, said in a statement on Tuesday the league strongly supports the bill as it is time to address the threat of terrorism and to "protect the security of the Filipino family."

“We have witnessed the sowing of terrorism in various parts of the world. Their work is not new to us because even in our country, we have seen their inhumane attacks and merciless slaughter of innocent lives,” Sala said.

Sala said the bill would prevent the "kidnapping and recruitment of the youth" by rebels "to join their group as well as engage in their terroristic activities."

He said the provisions in the bill would address the "escalating threat of terrorism" and address--if not eliminate--its root causes.

“It is known to us that foreign terrorists have come to the Philippines to expand and continue their violent and terroristic activities. With the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, there will be means to curb the spread of terrorism and to prevent the Philippines from being a fortress of terrorists,” Sala said.

He said the bill would make Filipinos enjoy more "the blessings of democracy," such as the freedom to travel around the country without fear of becoming a victim of terroristic acts.

“Now, most of all, we need this bill because terrorism has no choice on the victims, time, or places. Let us not wait that we or our loved ones will be the victim for us to act. We will support the passage of this bill for the Filipino family and for the future generations,” the councilor said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105524

Troops thwart NPA extortion in remote Zambo Norte villag

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): Troops thwart NPA extortion in remote Zambo Norte village (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)



EXTORTION THWARTED. Troopers of the Army's 44th Infantry Battalion clash on Tuesday (June 9, 2020) against a group of communist New People's Army in Sitio Waloangka, Barangay Tinuyop, Leon Postigo, Zamboanga del Norte. Soldiers recovered two high-powered firearms and other war materials following the encounter. (Photo courtesy of 44th Infantry Battalion)

Government troops have thwarted an extortion activity of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels after engaging the guerillas in a firefight in the hinterlands of Zamboanga del Norte, officials said Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Don Templonuevo, the Army’s 44th Infantry Battalion (IB) commander, said the encounter broke out Tuesday afternoon while the troops were checking on the reported extortion activities of the NPA in Sitio Waloangka, Barangay Tinuyop, Leon Postigo town.

“Our troops received information from the locals (residents) of the continued extortion activities of the NPAs in the far-flung sitios of the said barangay,” Templonuevo said.

He said no one was killed or wounded on the government side during the five-minute firefight that led to the recovery of an AK-47 assault rifle, an M16A1 “baby Armalite”, and subversive documents with high intelligence value.

Col. Leonel Nicolas, commander of the Army's 102nd Infantry Brigade, said the 44IB has deployed troops to track down the fleeing NPA rebels, who scampered at the height of the firefight.

Nicola underscored the "active participation of the local populace" in the government’s campaign to end the communist armed conflict.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Generoso Ponio, commander of the Army's 1st Infantry Division, commended the troops for displaying "competence in warfighting against the NPA rebels".

“We are now regaining the grounds of NPAs exploited communities as well as gaining the trust and confidence of the local populace with the sincerity of the government in its pursuit of genuine peace,” Ponio said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105512

More local execs see anti-terror bill’s value: ULAP chief

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): More local execs see anti-terror bill’s value: ULAP chief (By Marita Moaje)



Quirino Governor and President of Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) Dakila Cua (Photo grabbed from Dax Cua FB page)

More local government executives express backing on the proposed anti-terrorism bill, Quirino Governor and Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) president Dakila Cua said Wednesday.

“Informally, napag-uusapan sa mga chat groups, nag-uusap-usap na para bang ano ba 'yung tingin nyo diyan (this is being discussed informally, on what they think about the bill). I think in general I would say about 80 percent are supportive, mas maraming nakakakita ng value to anti-terrorism bill (most of the local executives see the value of the anti-terrorism bill),” Cua said in an interview.

Cua, who heads ULAP, an umbrella organization of leagues of local government units (LGUs) and locally elected government officials, however, said some executives have reservations with the measure while others think that it still needs improvement.

While he understands the apprehensions of some people on the measure, Cua said any law may be subjected to abuse, even the simplest ones such as traffic laws, but that the government does its best to serve and protect the people.

"Siguro kung wala ka namang gagawing related sa mga terrorist movement wala ka naman sigurong dapat ikabahala (Maybe if you are not doing anything related to the terrorist movement, then there is nothing to fear). I think there are enough safeguards in our system, not only in this law but in other laws,"said Cua, also former Quirino representative.

Cua said the bill is widely talked about because it is relevant to the times, citing terrorist attacks all over the world, and various governments, including the Philippines, try to address the problem and create measures to protect the people.

The government must have the means and the capability to preempt, act accordingly, and secure our people.

“Sa tingin ko kasi bilang isang governor, importante that the government has the means to act when it has to act. Hindi pwedeng lampa ang gobyerno na anjan na yung krisis di pa sya makagalaw. Di pwede na sa ganitong klase ng sitwasyon lalo na kung maramihang buhay na ng ating kababayan ang pinag-uusapan , kailangan mabigyan ng kakayahan ang gobyerno na mag preempt o ma prevent ang mga terrorist attacks against our people (I believe that as a governor, it is important that the government has the means to act when it has to act. The government should not be weak when there is already a crisis and the government could not do anything. The government must have the means to preempt or prevent terrorist attacks against our people),” Cua said.

If terrorist attacks and threats were not present, he said, then we do not need an anti-terror law.

Cua said at this point, it is undeniable that terrorist attacks threaten public security and human lives.

“I understand that there are some worries, some concerns, nauunawaan natin yan,(we understand that) but then again kung ako ang tatanungin mas mabuting may kakayanan ang gobyerno na maging (For me, it is better that the government has the capability to be) preemptive and preventive in terms of terrorist attack," he said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed that a copy of the bill was transmitted to Malacañang on Tuesday and that the legal department of the Office of the Executive Secretary has started reviewing its provisions.

In light of questions on President Rodrigo Duterte's move to certify the bill as urgent amid the coronavirus pandemic, he pointed out that “terrorists did not stop their nefarious activities” amid the health crisis.

Roque cited the recent attacks launched by alleged members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao and the Abu Sayyaf Group in Patikul, Sulu, and various instances where communist rebels attacked soldiers assisting aid distribution.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105526

Local execs appeal for passage of anti-terror bill

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): Local execs appeal for passage of anti-terror bill (By Marita Moaje)



Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang (upper left), Tuguegarao City Mayor Jefferson Soriano (upper right), San Mateo, Isabela Mayor Gregorio Alipio Pua (lower left), and Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona (lower right)

With the anti-terrorism bill up for the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte, local executives in various provinces in the country called for its passage as they appeal for their constituents to support the measure “for the protection of the people."

Davao Oriental Governor and chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council 11 Nelson Dayanghirang expressed his strong support for the measure, saying this will boost the country’s campaign in the fight against terrorism.

“This is an urgent and essential concern. Ensuring the safety and well-being of the Filipino people is an agenda that cannot be ignored and postponed. This will allow for the consistent strides toward peace and development," he said in a statement Wednesday.

Dayanghirang added that only those who are indifferent and sympathize with the terrorists will oppose the bill.

The bill was approved by the Senate last February while the House of Representatives passed it on third and final reading last week after President Duterte certified it as urgent.

Tuguegarao City Mayor Jefferson Soriano and San Mateo, Isabela Mayor Gregorio Alipio Pua both declared their support on the passage of the bill, noting that peace and harmony will help the country progress.

“I also appeal to our constituents in Tuguegarao City to support the Anti-Terrorism Bill that aims to provide a strong legal backbone to protect the life, liberty, and property of the Filipino people against the threat of terrorism,” the two officials said in their statement.

The anti-terror bill is seen to provide more teeth to the law against terrorism and effectively repeals the Human Security Act of 2007.

It seeks to provide a strong legal backbone to support the country's criminal justice response to terrorism, provide law enforcers much-needed tools to protect the people from the threat of terrorism, and at the same time, safeguard the rights of those accused of the crime.

Meanwhile, Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona said he thoroughly studied the bill before voting for it.

“I studied the bill prior to voting and voted accordingly because this is the best weapon we will have to deter the dreaded terrorist acts planned against malls and other public places by extremists,” he said.

With the bill submitted to Malacanang, President Duterte has 30 days to either sign the bill into law or veto it.

The measure may also lapse into law after 30 days of receipt without the chief executive signing it.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105543

Army chief says anti-terror bill to help cut funding for Reds

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): Army chief says anti-terror bill to help cut funding for Reds (By Priam Nepomuceno)



Philippine Army commander, Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay. (File photo)

The proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 will allow the government to cut sources of financial and logistical support for communist terrorist groups, Philippine Army (PA) commander, Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay said Wednesday.

"It would enable us because you know they (communist terrorist groups) are still espousing armed violence to bring about change in our society, in our country. And of course, in doing so, they need support, they need finance and logistics support from other sectors so this bill would also enable us to cut that umbilical cord so that it could, and we could prevent and hopefully, finally end this communist insurgency," Gapay said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

Section 25 of the bill mandates that the proposed Anti-Terrorism Council "shall automatically adopt the United Nations Security Council Consolidated List of designated individuals, groups of persons, organizations, or associations designated and/or identified as a terrorist, one who finances terrorism, or a terrorist organization or group".

Gapay added that the New People's Army (NPA) is well within the definition of terrorism in the proposed measure as they have killed civilians and uniformed personnel using treachery, and violence.

"They have killed innocent civilians, even us in the security sector employing treachery, you know, ambushes and using IEDs (improvised explosive devices), they (also) have bombs, and I don't think with that they are no different (with the) other terrorists, so they are included because they are well within the definition of what terrorism means, who terrorists are in this new anti-terror bill," he added.

Under the bill, terrorism is committed when a person commits acts intended to cause death or injury to any person or endangers a person's life, engages in acts intended to cause extensive damage or destruction to a government facility, public place or private property and critical infrastructure among others.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff, Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. said the measure is not targeting any specific group.

“The proposed law is not targeting any specific organization, group, or individual. But if any of them commits an act or acts which are included in the definition of Terrorism, then they will be prosecuted and penalized under the proposed law,” Santos said in a statement.

The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United Kingdom, the European Union, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105467

'SAF 44' widows seek amendment of ‘indemnification’ rule in HSA

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): 'SAF 44' widows seek amendment of ‘indemnification’ rule in HSA (By Priam Nepomuceno)



A screenshot of a page from the soon-to-be-released book of former Tarlac governor and Philippine Army reserve colonel Margarita "Tingting" R. Cojuangco

Some of the widows of the "SAF 44" personally wrote to concerned government authorities to request for an amendment or repeal of a provision of Republic Act (RA) 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007 (HSA) that mandates the payment or indemnification of PHP500,000 for every day a person acquitted of terrorism charges is imprisoned or detained.

This was revealed in the soon-to-be-released book titled "SAF 44", written by former Tarlac governor and Philippine Army reserve colonel Margarita "Tingting" R. Cojuangco.

Some of the "SAF 44" widows found this provision "anathema" to the underlying constitutional policy of affording protection to life, liberty, and property that they decided to air their concerns to Solicitor General Jose Calida and members of Congress to repeal this provision of the law.

These women also found the atrocities resulting from acts of terrorism "despicable".

"It is beyond telling that the crime of terrorism, in every facet, grievous, and its effect, severe and serious, compared to crimes defined and penalized under the Revised Penal Code. It is therefore beyond comprehension that the persons charged, or would be charged under RA 9372, would eventually be acquitted (since the elements are hard to prove) and receive as much as PHP500,000 for every day of imprisonment, when the indemnification under RA 7309 is only up to PHP10,000," SAF 44 widows Merlyn Gamutan, Rachel Sumbilla, Adelisa Bedua, Kristine Clemencio, Mimi Tayrus, Lhea Tabdi, Margaret Tulnuan, and Melanie Duque said in their letter.

This portion of the letter was contained in parts of the book forwarded by Cojuangco to the Philippine News Agency Tuesday.

The widows were referring to Republic Act 7309 mandating the creation of a ‘Board of Claims’ under the Department of Justice for victims of unjust imprisonment or detention and victims of violent crimes.

The fallen SAF troopers who died in the Mamasapano clash in 2015.

Section 4 of the law states that the “in all other cases, the maximum amount for which the Board may approve a claim shall not exceed PHP10,000 or the amount necessary to reimburse the claimant the expenses incurred for hospitalization, medical treatment, loss of wage, loss of support or other expenses directly related to injury, whichever is lower”.

Meanwhile, Section 50 of the HSA stipulates that the amount of damages shall be automatically charged against the appropriations of the police agency or the Anti-Terrorism Council that brought or sanctioned the filing of the charges against the accused.

"Our laws should mean to deter wrongdoing, and its penalty is a discouragement for the commission of crimes ahead. In the same manner, our laws, to be effective, should be just and fair for everyone. Our laws should not be the source of exaltation and refuge for known terrorists and criminals. Along this line, we respectfully move the amendment/repeal of Section 50 of Republic Act 9372 be proposed and duly endorsed," the widows said in their letter.

"SAF 44" refers to the 44 members of the Philippine National Police SAF killed-in-action during the operation launched to neutralize Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker Zulkifli Abdhir alias "Marwan" and other Malaysian terrorists in Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25, 2015.

Aside from the SAF troopers, the 12-hour gun battle left 17 Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters forces and five civilians dead.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105504

Anti-terror bill to free PH from claws of terrorism: group

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): Anti-terror bill to free PH from claws of terrorism: group (By Lade Jean Kabagani)

A multi-sectoral group said Wednesday enacting into law the proposed anti-terrorism bill will help liberate the people from the threats of violent extremism and radicalism, as it called the signing of the measure "timely" for the upcoming Independence Day commemoration on June 12.

"Sa panahong gugunitain natin ang ating anibersaryo ng kalayaan, nararapat lang na isabatas na ang anti-terrorism bill (As we commemorate the anniversary of our freedom, the anti-terrorism bill should also be passed)," Jose Pepe Goitia, Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI) secretary-general, said in a statement.

Goitia said the Filipino people deserve freedom against the tyranny, oppression, violence, killings of innocents, and the long-standing armed insurgency brought by communist groups, Islamic extremists, and other rebel organizations in the country.

The legislation of the proposed anti-terrorism bill, he said, is key to end all forms of terrorism.

"Ito ay isang legislative measure na magpapalaya sa tao sa kuko ng terorismong banyaga (This is a legislative measure that would free people from claws of global terrorism)," Goitia said.

He said acts of terrorism must be stopped to allow people to live peacefully, stressing that the proposed bill does not discount inviolable rights.

The proposed bill is not a step toward martial law, he said, but a solution to the long-running insurgency, among other issues, in the country.

Goitia said the public should not cast doubt on the contents of the bill because safeguard measures against human rights violations are in place.

"Malinaw namang kinikilala ng batas sa mga Bill of Rights sa 1987 Constitution at may mekanismo itong nakalatag sa potential na paglabag ang Anti-Terrorism council (it is clearly stated in the 1987 Constitution under Bill of Rights that the Anti-Terrorism Council has mechanisms in place for potential human rights violations)," he said.

He said the rule of law will reign supreme in the end.

"Sibilyan pa rin ang maghahari, batas pa din ang mangingibabaw, karapatang pantao pa din po ang mananaig (Civilians will still rule, law will still prevail, human rights will dominate)," he said.

He lamented that militant organizations are just using the measure for political agitation and propaganda against the government, amid a surge in petitions to veto the bill.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105494

PSG remains on ‘high-alert’ over PRRD’s health, safety

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): PSG remains on ‘high-alert’ over PRRD’s health, safety (By Azer Parrocha)



President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (Presidential photo)

The Presidential Security Group (PSG) will stay on “high-alert” status over the health and safety of President Rodrigo R. Duterte despite the easing of quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila.

In a statement on Wednesday, PSG commander Col. Jesus Durante III said all health and safety protocols would continue to be enforced within the Palace and other areas frequented by the President.

"With the implementation of the general community quarantine (GCQ) in the National Capital Region, the Presidential Security Group will still maintain all safety protocols and measures currently enforced inside the PSG Compound and the whole Malacañang Complex,” Durante said.

He said all screening procedures initially established would still be in effect, such as the “mandatory rapid antibody detection testing and disinfection of engagement areas.”

On top of this, Durante said there would be other existing health security protocols, such as the "no invitation, no entry" policy that is imposed on all visitors and guests.

He said events with the possible attendance of Duterte would only be restricted to small group private meetings while engagements that require large crowd gatherings would be discouraged.

“PSG will never let its guard down. It shall remain on high-alert status until the environment is safe for the President,” Durante said, assuring that the group would continue to provide the utmost protection for the President “not only during this Covid-19 crisis but at all times.”

He also appealed to the public to remain steadfast and obedient in following all quarantine guidelines.

Last month, Durante reassured those who have contracted or are suspected of being carriers of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cannot go near the President.

He noted that Duterte had no exposure to one of his security aides who had tested positive for Covid-19 but has already recovered.

About 160 PSG personnel tested positive after undergoing rapid antibody tests since March. They underwent the 14-day mandatory quarantine and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests.

After the RT-PCR tests, Durante said only one of the 160 PSG troops was confirmed to have acquired Covid-19.

“This lone personnel has long recovered from the virus,” he said in a statement on May 20.

Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Zamboanga City, Davao City, Albay, Cebu City, and Mandaue City are under GCQ until June 15.

The rest of the country is under modified GCQ, the last quarantine classification before the shift to new normal.

Duterte, who is currently in Davao City, is expected to return to Manila “much earlier,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview over DZRH.

He was initially scheduled to hold a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) in Davao City on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte postponed his June 11 meeting and would instead meet with the IATF-EID members in Manila on June 15.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105497

Poland stands with PHL in defense, development

From the Business Mirror (Jun 10, 2020): Poland stands with PHL in defense, development (By Jarosław Szczepankiewicz / Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Philippines)

Szczepankiewicz

(Exclusive to ENVOYS&EXPATS)

I AM pleased to share with the BusinessMirror’s ENVOYS&EXPATS my thoughts on crucial international issues while inside the newly built modern office of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Manila. For the first time in history, Poland has fully established the seat of a diplomatic mission in Manila.

(I may confirm that the offices are functional, modern and spacious. The interior design follows the traditional Polish artistic movement called “Unism,” which adds an exotic and aesthetic flavor to the surroundings.)

Let us start with the worrying situation in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea. The People’s Republic of China (PROC) seized the moment to increase its influence by means that are not in-line with rules based on international order. It continues to pursue maritime expansionism in the disputed waters by establishing administrative districts there, escalating confrontations with the Philippines, Japan and Malaysia, then blocking Vietnamese fishing rights, and even creating tension in its shared land border with India.

The only way to deal with China is a strong and unified pressure from the international community. The Philippines needs strong alliances with the United States as well. Suspending the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement on June 1, “in the light of political and other developments in the region,” is a very positive move. This country shall find the right balance between pragmatic engagement with China and defense of traditional Philippine values: democracy, sovereignty and respect of international law.

The autonomous status of Hong Kong is another point of contention. The China-wide People’s Representatives’ Assembly voted in May 2020 on a resolution to amend the Hong Kong Basic Law in the field of security. The new legislation enables PROC services to operate in the territory of the previously autonomous administrative unit in instances of “betrayal, terrorism, separatism and foreign intervention” which, given free interpretation, in practice, provides these services with the possibility of unlimited surveillance and repression of Hong Kong residents.

The shortening of Hong Kong’s autonomy by more than half the time, which China had committed to comply with in the 1997 Joint China-British Declaration, puts its credibility as a partner of international arrangements under a big question mark. We may expect mass emigration from Hong Kong, relocation of numerous American and European companies to other countries, and the city’s loss of intermediary status in the Western trade and capital exchange with China.

Fortifying the AFP, PAF
THE loss of several Philippine shoals to China, which are now artificial islands, is sufficient justification to improve rapidly the country’s defense capabilities. Despite financial restrictions stemming from the spread of the pandemic, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is moving forward with the Armed Forces of the Philippines’s modernization program.

THE purchase of 16 S-70i combat-utility helicopters manufactured by the Polish Aviation Works-Mielec (PZL-Mielec) is an excellent example of cooperation between our two countries. By the end of 2020, PZL-Mielec will hand over the first six units of S-70i Black Hawk helicopters to the PAF under a contract signed in 2019.

In addition, a fully armed version of the S-70i matches the needs of the PAF expressed in its program. The commonality between the armed Black Hawk and the already contracted 16 S-70is for the PAF combat-utility helicopter program will further enhance sustained cost-efficiencies between the two fleets. Armed S-70is are already in commission in three countries: the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Colombia.

Apart from complying with the PAF’s acquisition budget, the Armed Black Hawk S-70i has low flight-hour and sustaining costs for training sessions, spare parts and ground support, as well as high-flight availability. PZL-Mielec can meet the PAF’s schedule with the first Armed Black Hawk delivery in initial operating capability in June 2022, with the remaining aircraft and full operating capability within 2023.

Moreover, the draft of the memorandum of understanding covering the implementing agreement on Defense Cooperation between Poland’s Ministry of National Defense and the Philippines’s Department of National Defense is being finalized and should be available for signing by both parties soon.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/06/10/poland-stands-with-phl-in-defense-development/

Police in Southern Philippines Kill Suspected Kidnap Gang Leader

From BenarNews (Jun 9, 2020): Police in Southern Philippines Kill Suspected Kidnap Gang Leader

Philippine Maj. Gen. Corleto Vinluan (right) talks to rescued British national Allan Hyrons and his Filipino wife, Wilma, inside a military camp in Jolo, southern Philippines, Nov. 25, 2019.  Armed Forces of the Philippines, Joint Task Force Sulu via AP

Police in the southern Philippines announced Tuesday that they had killed the suspected leader of a Filipino kidnap-for-ransom gang responsible for abductions of a retired Australian serviceman in 2011 and a British resort owner last year.

The suspect, identified as Maulana Aburi Akil and also known as Mamay, was a sub-leader of a Muslim gang with ties to militants from the Abu Sayyaf Group operating in Zambaonga del Sur province, regional police chief Brig. Gen. Jesus Cambay Jr. said.

Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and a task force made up of police and military intelligence units carried out a raid targeting Akil’s hideout in the province but the suspect initially escaped, Cambay said.

“However, pursuing forces tracked down the suspect and engaged in another shootout at about 7:35 a.m. Monday that resulted in his death,” the regional police chief said.

“Mamay Aburi is the sub-leader of LLE-KFRG operating in Zamboanga del Sur and linked with the Sulu-based ASG,” Cambay said, using an abbreviation for the “lawless element-kidnap for ransom group.”

Monday’s raid that led to Akil’s death took place in Poblacion Muslim, a barangay or district of Titay, a municipality in Zamboanga Sibugay province.

Akil was involved in the December 2011 kidnapping of Australian traveler Warren Rodwell in Ipil town, Zamboanga Sibugay, and the October 2019 kidnapping of British resort owner Allan Arthur Hyrons and his Filipina wife, Wilma, in Zamboanga del Sur province, police said.
The Hyrons were rescued after a month in captivity while Rodwell was held for 15 months before being freed after his family paid a small “board and lodging fee” – a euphemism for ransom.

Aburi was also named in a list of 21 suspected militants who appeared in a wanted poster released by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM), a state in nearby Malaysian Borneo. The poster called for coordination with the Philippine authorities in the arrest of the suspects, Cambay said.

Small militant groups and kidnap-for-ransom gangs operate outside the command structure of the Abu Sayyaf, the Philippine south’s most notorious Muslim gang that specializes in abductions, bombings and beheadings.

A faction of the Abu Sayyaf on Jolo Island is commanded by Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, the de facto leader of the Islamic State extremist group in the Philippines. He is wanted for planning a spate of deadly attacks in the southern Philippines since last year, including a twin suicide bombing that killed 23 people at a church in Jolo in January 2019.

Sawadjaan took over from Isnilon Hapilon, himself an Abu Sayyaf commander who led pro-Islamic State militants during a five-month siege of the southern city of Marawi in 2017. Hapilon was killed toward the end of the battle of Marawi in October that year.

https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/militant-killed-06092020143850.html

Abu Sayyaf 'member' killed, 3 others nabbed in anti-drug ops

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 10, 2020): Abu Sayyaf 'member' killed, 3 others nabbed in anti-drug ops (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)



KILLED. An alleged member of the Abu Sayyaf Group was killed while two of his companions arrested in an anti-drug operation Sunday (June 7, 2020) in Barangay Tubig Basag, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. Some PHP340,000 worth of suspected shabu, a .45-caliber pistol with ammunition, marked money, and illegal drug paraphernalia were seized during the anti-drug operation. (Photo from Facebook of PDEA-9)

An alleged member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) was killed while three others arrested in separate anti-drug operations in Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga Sibugay provinces, an official said Wednesday.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 9 (PDEA-9) Director Emerson Margate, identified the slain ASG member as Bensal Aradi, and the arrested individuals as Mahmud Ainal, 42; Najil Sangkula, 35; and, Madal Ladang.

In a report to PDEA Director-General Wilkins Villanueva, Margate said Aradi was killed in a shootout during an anti-drug operation around 4:30 p.m. Sunday in Barangay Tubig Basag, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

Margate said the shootout broke out after Aradi opened fire and prompted the authorities to return fire, killing the alleged ASG member.

He said Ainal of Sangkula, who was with Aradi during the buy-bust operation, was arrested by the joint operatives of PDEA, police, and the military.

He said the joint operatives have recovered some 50 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated market value of P340,000, one .45-caliber pistol with live ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and marked money.

The PDEA-9 director said Ladang was arrested in another buy-bust operation around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in Purok Orchids, Barangay FL Peña, Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Margate said confiscated from Ladang were some PHP13,600 worth of suspected shabu, a tricycle, and marked money.

Margate said appropriate charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against the arrested suspects.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105453

Opinion: Communists get P1.9B from telcos, other firms

Opinion piece posted to the Manila Times (Jun 10, 2020): Communists get P1.9B from telcos, other firms (By Rigoberto D. Tiglao)

THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has extracted P1.9 billion from private companies, the bulk of it from the country’s telecommunication (telco) firms, which explains to a large extent the survival of this armed insurgency.

The data was retrieved from memory flash drives found in the quarters of party Chairman Julius Giron — known in inner party circles as Ka Nars — who was killed last March 13 in a Baguio suburb, allegedly by a military intelligence unit supported by local police.

According to the data, “telecom” gave P1.4 billion to the CPP out of the P1.9 billion total from companies described as from the transport, manufacturing, tobacco and power industries, as well as from candidates for elective posts (“one-time deals”).

Left, the late Communist Party chairman Giron and his memory drives

The telecom industry is a duopoly, consisting of Smart Communications Inc., mainly owned through several corporate layers by Indonesian tycoon Anthoni Salim and United States investors, and Globe Telecom Inc., in which the Ayala clan and Singapore Telecom are the biggest shareholders.

It is not clear for what exact time period the P1.9 billion was generated by the communists. Giron, who made the accounting, took over the party chairmanship when Benito Tiamzon was captured in 2014. He had also taken over the party’s finance commission that receives and allocates its funds. In 2016, he set up a so-called “economic strike force” to intensify its extortion — “revolutionary taxation” is the party’s euphemism — from private companies.

The disclosure of these huge funds the communists have generated from private firms, National Security Council sources claimed, is another strong argument for the Anti-Terrorism bill (the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020) , which was Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s brainchild.

Material support

Section 12 of the bill stipulates that those providing such funds (“material support” defined in Section 3) “shall be liable as principal to any and all terrorist activities committed” by terrorists or terrorist organizations.

The CPP and its New People’s Army (NPA) have already been declared terrorist organizations under Presidential Proclamation 374, series 2017, by the US State Department and the European Union Council. The proposed law penalizes terrorism or membership in a terrorist organization with life imprisonment without parole.

The Anti-Terrorism bill therefore imposes the same penalty of life imprisonment to owners of firms giving funds to the CPP, whether they were coerced to do so or not.

Firms which have been giving money to the CPP and the NPA of course do this through their lower officials — such as their security officers and lawyers — liaising with terrorists’ intermediaries. Because of the proposed law with its severe penalties, company owners and their officials would be deterred in continuing giving money to the CPP, as the penalty would be so stiff.

No wonder then that the party has launched an intense campaign against the Anti-Terrorism bill to the extent of spreading false information about it, through their organizations, even universities where they have strong party organizations, and through politicians sympathizing with their cause — like senators Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan, the only senators who voted against the Senate bill.

Source of strife

The huge funds the CPP has raised, ironically, have become a source of strife within the party, a military intelligence document claimed:

“In 2014, prior to their arrest, then-Chairman Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma Austria [who is the party’s chief financial officer] were being questioned by the Central Committee for the millions of undisbursed funds collected by the party from the donations under the guise of disaster response and humanitarian assistance for the victims of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in 2013. The couple has not justified the distribution and whereabouts of the said millions of funds causing unrest and distrust among the central leadership of the party and its rank and file.”

The report continued: “The arrest in 2014 of the Tiamzon couple was a result of the information provided by their members who were fed up [with] the corruption inside, especially on how the party leadership used the funds of the organization for personal gains. This was further validated by revelations of apprehended National Democratic Front consultants stating that indeed the couple was under investigation for malversation of funds.”

On the other hand, “while heading the party, Giron has been accused by the loyalists of the Tiamzon couple who are now occupying positions in the Central Committee. They reported that Giron facilitated the procurement of private properties, business investments and opening of bank accounts without the knowledge of Politburo members.”

Intelligence

I had already written back in 2018, based on claims by intelligence officials, that since the start of this decade, the telcos have capitulated to the CPP-NPA’s demands for extortion money so it would not destroy or damage their 20,000 cell towers spread all over the country, many of which are in far-flung areas too distant for the police or the military to protect.

The huge amounts the telcos have been giving the communists, now validated by information in their chairman’s documents, would explain why the insurgency has persisted.

The CPP-NPA wouldn’t last a month without substantial funds, since full-time cadres and an armed force, expensive safe-houses, ammunition and rifles require a lot of money. It’s sheer fiction that poor farmers in the countryside voluntarily finance the communists.

In the 1970s, it was the anti-Marcos oligarchs and local politicians (and the Communist Party of China until the mid-1970s) who financed the fledgling CPP-NPA. From the 1980s to 1990s, loggers, mining firms, small businesses in provinces where the CPP-NPA was strong, and, significantly, their network of both local and international nongovernment organizations were its main financiers. Contrast that to the formerly bigger insurgency, the FARC in Columbia, which until its peace settlement in 2016, drew its finances from cocaine production.

It is some quirk of history that the communists in the past several years have been mainly funded by telecom companies, whose profits are mostly generated from cellphone usage, which despite its hi-tech nature require cell-sites in far-off rural areas.

Cheaper

The telcos have rationalized that it is cheaper to pay the NPA than hire heavily armed private security guards, who have proven again and again to be so quick to surrender to communist terrorists.

This is of course a condemnable case of treason, as they put profits to be more important than the country’s welfare. They prefer to pay off the insurgents when they could very well afford to hire the best security personnel in the world to guard their cell-sites.

We will continue to be a pathetic weak state, the only country in Southeast Asia with an insurgency killing our soldiers and police, if we can’t even get our supposedly law-abiding businessmen to stop funding the communists.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/06/10/opinion/columnists/topanalysis/communists-get-p1-9b-from-telcos-other-firms/730659/

Labor leader linked to CPP-NPA nabbed in Cadiz City village

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 10, 2020): Labor leader linked to CPP-NPA nabbed in Cadiz City village (By: Carla Gomez)

Police present Gaspar Davao and the alleged items recovered from him following his arrest on Tuesday, June 9. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

A labor leader, who allegedly served as a high-ranking official of the Northern Negros Front of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army, was arrested in Barangay Caduha-an, Cadiz City around 7 p.m. on June 9.

Gaspar “Aldong” Davao, 55, a resident of Barangay Pinapugasan, Escalante City, was on board a public utility van when arrested by joint elements of the Cadiz City police and the 79th Infantry Brigade for allegedly violating the Cadiz City ordinance requiring the wearing of face masks, he said.

Lt. Col. Robert Mansueto, Cadiz City police chief, said Davao alighted from the vehicle and prodded policemen to arrest and subdue him while allegedly trying to draw a fragmentation grenade from his sling bag.

Recovered from Mansueto were a fragmentation grenade, antigovernment documents, P14,000 in cash, eight cellular phones, cash transactions, letters, a newsletter of the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command, receipts, and other confidential records.

Upon verification from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Davao, Mansueto said they found out that Davao was identified as the Northern Negros Front White Area secretary and finance office.

But the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan or Bayan Negros said Davao is not a rebel but a labor leader of the National Federation of Sugar Workers in northern Negros Occidental.

Bayan said Davao was on his way home from a Bayan meeting in Bacolod City when arrested.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1289152/labor-leader-linked-to-cpp-npa-nabbed-in-cadiz-city-village