NEFM, TF Seahawk exercise to test maritime preparedness ends

From the Mindanao Times (Nov 8, 2021): NEFM, TF Seahawk exercise to test maritime preparedness ends (By RHODA GRACE SARON)

Photo courtesy of Tactical Operations Wing Eastern Mindanao

THE NAVAL Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) and Joint Task Force Seahawk conducted the “Maritime Inter-Agency Exercise 2021-02” on Nov. 5 at Barangay Punta Bilar, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte.

NFEM spokesperson, Lt. Nicheru Brien Claudio, said the Maritime Inter-Agency Exercise 2021-02 seeks to enhance synergy and test the interoperability of participating maritime agencies during the conduct of maritime security operations.

NFEM commander Carlos Sabarre led the exercise, together with Coast Guard District North Eastern Mindanao, PNP Maritime Group Regional Maritime Unit XIII (PNP MG RMU XIII), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources XIII (BFAR XIII), Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), and Provincial Protection and Order Council (PPOC).

Two scenarios were tackled for capability demonstration:

First, AGR702 was monitored by the Littoral Monitoring Station (LMS) Surigao performing unusual voyage patterns about five nautical miles off the coast of Punta Bilar and was subsequently reported to the Eastern Mindanao Command (EMC) and Joint Task Force Seahawk.

Following the coordination with the Coast Guard District North Eastern Mindanao, a radio challenge was initiated, to which the AGR702 failed to respond, resulting in the execution of a maritime interdiction operation.

JTF Seahawk deployed Philippine Navy C90 Aircraft (NV394) to verify the situation, as well as BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS17) and MRRV4401 to conduct maritime patrol and Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) as a proactive measure. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the AGR702 was smuggling cocaine in and out of the country.

The inspection team of MRRV4401 seized the vessel and its crew, manned the ship, and transported it to the nearest port for proper disposition.

In the second scenario, the PNP Maritime Unit XIII in Surigao City reported that a number of armed men were spotted harboring a house in Punta Bilar, and were later confirmed to be violent extremists planning to disrupt the city’s peace and order.

With this information, JTF Seahawk dispatched the Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) team of Naval Special Operations Unit 7 (NAVSOU) for the execution of Special Operations (SPECOPS), eventually resulting in the neutralization of the enemies, including their leader.

However, two of their comrades escaped on a speedboat, and a hot pursuit operation ensued that escalated to a firefight between the pursuing law enforcers and the terrorists.

During the exchange of fire, one assailant from the speedboat was thrown overboard, and the PNP MG RMU XIII vessel caught fire.

As part of the Maritime protocol, the preservation of life is always paramount. Thus, the Maritime Law Enforcement team of PNP MG RMU XIII conducted Search and Rescue, and Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC), while the MRRV4401 of CGDNEM extinguished the fire on the stricken vessel.

The demonstration also showcased the Passing Exercise of the participating units, which included the Multi-Mission Patrol Boats 3030 and 3032 of the BFAR XIII, the tactical watercraft 04 and 37 of PNP MG RMU XIII, the Patrol Boat 151 and BRP Tubbataha (MRRV4401) of the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy SEAL Team (NAVSOU 7) onboard the Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB), BRP Hilario Ruiz (PC378), BRP Rafael Pargas (PC379), BRP Gregorio Velasquez (AGR702), BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS17) and NV394 of the Philippine Navy.

The closing ceremony was held at the Battle of Surigao Strait Memorial and Museum in Barangay Punta Bilar. Surigao City Mayor Ernesto U. Matugas Jr was the guest of honor and speaker, but was represented by Atty. Manuelito D. Delani, Surigao City legal officer. Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, Eastern Mindanao Command commander, delivered the closing remarks of the Maritime Inter-Agency Exercise 2021-02.

https://mindanaotimes.com.ph/2021/11/08/nefm-tf-seahawk-exercise-to-test-maritime-preparedness-ends/

Iqbal: Only 400 out of supposed 6,000-strong Bangsamoro joint peace security team trainer

From MindaNews (Nov 7, 2021): Iqbal: Only 400 out of supposed 6,000-strong Bangsamoro joint peace security team trainer (By BONG S. SARMIENTO)

A 6,000-strong Joint Peace Security Team (JPST) tasked to secure peace in the Bangsamoro communities is supposed to have been set up in line with the normalization process of the 2014 peace agreement between government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) but as of November 6, 2021, the JPST has only 300 to 400 persons trained, Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the MILF peace implementing panel and education minister in the Bangsamoro region, said.

The number represents less than 10% of the target number of 6,000.

“If you compare the 300 to 400 (who have been trained) with the 6,000 (JPST target members), it’s very, very way behind,” he said in a virtual press conference Saturday for Phase 3 of the Decommissioning of MILF Combatants and Weapons.

Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) who will be decommissioned arrive at the Old Capitol complex in Simuay, Sultan Kudarat on Saturday, September 7, 2019, for the launch of the second phase of the decommissioning process. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO

Intended for deployment to various parts of the five-province, three-city region, the 6-000 strong force as agreed upon by the government and the MILF, is composed of 3,000 members of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) and 3,000 government troops — 1,600 policemen and 1,400 soldiers.

Asked why the number of trained members is very small, Iqbal told MindaNews on Sunday that this was because of the disruptions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic last year and the funding requirements.

Also, the training facilities, such as Camp SK Pendatun, headquarters of the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao cannot accommodate a large number of trainees all at the same time because of the small or limited space, he added.

“If we liken it to the speed of a car, perhaps we are running at a slow speed of 30 kph (kilometers per hour),” he told MindaNews.

The normalization phase is part of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the peace deal signed by the government and the MILF in 2014 after 17 years of negotiations.

At the core of the normalization phase is the decommissioning of 40,000 MILF combatants and their weapons. It also includes the transformation of at least six recognized MILF camps into productive economic zones.

Executive Order 79 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 24, 2019, ordered the Department of National Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to direct the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, respectively, to designate member of the JPST, in coordination with the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), the MILF’s armed wing.

The JPST shall serve as the operating units of the transitional components of the normalization program, it said.

In August 2019, the AFP and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) forged a memorandum of agreement for the former to provide basic military training to 3,000 BIAF combatants in order to prepare them as members of the JPST.

Under the normalization aspect of the CAB, MILF combatants will be decommissioned as key milestones of the peace agreement are achieved.

Phase 1 of the decommissioning process took place in June 2015, in the presence of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. It involved 145 MILF fighters and 75 high-powered weapons.

Phase 2 commenced in September 2019 with President Duterte gracing the event. It was completed in March 2020 with the decommissioning of 12,000 MILF combatants, at least 2,100 assorted weapons and at least 500 ammunition.

Phase 3 will start on Monday, 8 November, at the Old Provincial Capitol in Barangay Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, the same venue for the 2015 and 2019 decommissioning rites. It will involve 14,000 MILF combatants, or 35 percent of its forces, and about 2,500 weapons.

Undersecretary David Diciano, chair of the government peace implementing panel, said Phase 3 of the decommissioning process was supposed to start last year but the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 hampered its implementation.

The Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB), which is led by Turkey, is overseeing the deactivation of MILF fighters and their weapons.

William Hovland, IDB vice chair, said the body is eyeing to process at least 7,000 MILF combatantas between November 8 and December 17, 2021 at 175 combatants per day. The rest will be processed next year.

“During the (Phase 3) decommissioning process, IDB and other normalization mechanisms or units will ensure compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols,” he said.

https://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2021/11/iqbal-only-400-out-of-supposed-6000-strong-bangsamoro-joint-peace-security-team-trained/

Full military honors for 2 soldiers killed in NegOcc clash

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov , 2021): Full military honors for 2 soldiers killed in NegOcc clash (By Nanette Guadalquiver)\

HERO. Troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion accord military honors to their fallen comrade, Corporal Biencent John Trero, at Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental on Saturday (Nov. 6, 2021). Trero was one of two soldiers killed during a clash with communist-terrorists in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental on Nov. 3. (Photo courtesy of 79IB, Philippine Army)

The remains of the two Philippine Army soldiers who died in a clash with communist-terrorists in central Negros on Nov. 3 were brought home by their colleagues on Saturday afternoon.

Corporal Biencent John Trero and Private Cesar Ian Eleuterio of the 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) based in Sagay City were deployed alongside the members of the 62nd Infantry Battalion in an operation against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebels in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.

In a statement on Sunday, Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, commanding officer of 79IB, extended his sympathies to the bereaved families and said their deaths will serve as motivation and inspiration for the military to accomplish their mission.

“Both will be given full military honors befitting of a hero during their wake and on interment,” he said. “We vow to be more relentless in our peace and development effort to end the local armed conflict not only in Moises Padilla, but in Negros Occidental as a whole.”

The fatalities and four wounded soldiers were airlifted to Cebu City following the encounter, according to 1st Lt. Dansan Camua, civil-military operations officer of the 79IB.

Trero’s remains arrived at Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City and brought to the family home in Barangay To-oy, Himamaylan City while Eleuterio’s body was flown to Roxas City Airport en route to his residence in Barangay Jaena Norte in Jamindan, Capiz.

During the arrival, they were accorded military honors by troops of the 79IB and 12IB, respectively.

Trero, 35, has two sons, aged 5 and 2, with wife Erlyn, while the 27-year-old Eleuterio was unmarried.

Camua said the four wounded soldiers are now in stable condition in a private hospital in Cebu City.

The troops launched a combat operation on Wednesday afternoon to foil the CPP-NPA’s planned extortion activities and destruction of the farm-to-market road at the boundary of Moises Padilla and Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

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

The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the National Democratic Front as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and separate part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1159024

IP rep says justice served following Ka Oris’ death

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov , 2021): IP rep says justice served following Ka Oris’ death

Slain Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army leader Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos (right) with wife, Myrna Sulatre (alias Maria Malaya/Iyay/Emang) (Facebook photo)

Justice has been served after the death of Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, commander and spokesperson of the National Operations Command (NOC) of the New People’s Army (NPA), in the hinterlands of Sitio Gabunan, Impasugong, Bukidnon on Oct. 30.

This, according to Datu Renato Sumbongan, the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of Malaybalay City, Bukdinon, in a news release of the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion (8IB) on Sunday.

“Sa pagpanguna ni Ka Oris sa una, ang mga lumad (IP) nailad nga mokuyog kanila, duna pay namatay apil nga tribal leaders nga matud pa dunay kalapasan kanila ug naa usab mga equipment nga ilang gipang sunog. Isip IPMR sa syudad sa Malaybalay nagatuo ako nga nakab-ot na namo ang hustisya sa iyang kamatayon (Headed by Ka Oris before, the IPs were deceived to join them, there were tribal leaders killed because of alleged violations against them, and there were many equipment burned. I believe that we have already received justice after his death),” Sumbongan said.

For decades, the 74-year-old Madlos led terroristic activities, especially in Mindanao, and was recorded as the most wanted NPA commander in the country.

He faced multiple criminal cases such as robbery with double homicide, damage to properties, murder, and frustrated murder that involved countless innocent civilians, including indigenous peoples (IP) members, Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (CAA) members, and soldiers.

Lt. Col. Edgardo Talaroc Jr., 8IB commander, said IP members, soldiers, and the CAA have long been waiting for justice.

“Now, they already achieved it,” he said as he called on the remaining communist terrorist groups to return to the fold of the law.

“We will be relentless in our operation in order for us to attain long-lasting peace and development. It will be better for you to benefit from the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program for your new life with your family,” Talaroc added, referring to the program that grants financial assistance to former rebels.

Madlos, also a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Central Committee and spokesperson of the National Democratic Front (NDF)–Mindanao, was killed with a rebel medic and communications officer Eighfel Dela Peña alias Pika/Maui in an encounter with the combined troops of the 8IB, 1st Special Forces Battalion, and 88th IB under the 403rd Infantry Brigade.

The communist leader tested positive for Covid-19 two days after his death and was cremated before he was turned over to Impasugong officials.

Troops also recovered one M14 rifle, one KG9 rifle, and ammunition of different caliber, other war materiel, and assorted personal belongings.

Myrna Sulatre (alis Maria Malaya, Iyay, and Emang), the wife of Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos and secretary/spokesperson of the NPA’s Northeastern Mindanao Regional Command (PNP-13 photo)

Mere propaganda

Peace advocate Joy “Ka Amihan” Saguino, a former rebel leader, condoled with the family of Madlos but said the fight for social justice that insurgents claim is nothing but a fragment of propaganda.

“I have also been in the same situation where my comrades fell in the battlegrounds, believing that violence is the only solution to the society’s turmoil. I have also witnessed the cruelty of the group I once served towards people who are not receptive to the communist agenda and those labeled as “traitors and enemies” of the revolution,” she said in a statement on Oct. 31.

“Memories of violence are still vivid every time I reflect on what I had gone through for 11 years,” she added.

Wanted

Government forces are also hunting Madlos’ wife, Myrna Sulatre (alis Maria Malaya, Iyay, and Emang), the secretary and spokesperson of the NPA’s Northeastern Mindanao Regional Command.

She has likewise been charged with multiple murder raps.

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

The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the NDF as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and separate part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1159035

Troops non-partisan in 2022 polls: Army chief

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 8, 2021): Troops non-partisan in 2022 polls: Army chief (By Priam Nepomuceno)

Philippine Army chief, Lt. Gen. Andres Centino (File photo courtesy of Philippine Army)

MANILA – Philippine Army (PA) commander, Lt. Gen. Andres Centino, assured that all officers and enlisted personnel of the service will remain non-partisan in next year's elections.

“We have always been a professional organization and we abide by that. And I suppose in the coming elections, we will again be called together with the Philippine National Police as part of the main organization tapped by the Comelec (Commission on Elections),” he said in an interview with CNN Philippines over the weekend.

Earlier, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reminded troops to remain neutral and non-partisan ahead of the May 2022 elections and military personnel are not allowed to campaign for any candidate.

The Omnibus Election Code prohibits soldiers from engaging in any partisan political activity.

“The national and local elections are drawing near. While we continue to conduct security operations, we must ensure that all personnel will exercise the right of suffrage. All are required to register for the upcoming elections,” Centino said.

The Army, he said, is committed to complying with the Commander-in-Chief's (President Rodrigo Duterte) order to end local conflicts before the end of his term in 2022.

“We are ensuring that all our ground forces are capable and ready to comply with this mandate. Be assured that the Philippine Army will continue to serve with pride in serving the people and securing the land," Centino added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1159043

8 Palawan villages benefit from BDP: Esperon

 From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 8, 2021): 8 Palawan villages benefit from BDP: Esperon (By Priam Nepomuceno)

National Security Adviser and NTF ELCAC vice chairperson, Hermogenes Esperon Jr. (File photo)

Some eight barangays from Palawan are benefiting from the Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

"Sa taon pong ito walong barangay sa lalawigan ng Palawan ang nagpapatupad ng mga BDP projects. Sa susunod na taon, mayroon pong 54 dito sa Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), 35 sa Palawan (This year, eight barangays in Palawan are now implementing BDP projects. Next year, there will be 54 in Mimaropa, with 35 for Palawan)," National Security Adviser and NTF-ELCAC vice chairperson Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said during his visit to the Regional Task Force (RTF)-ELCAC 4-B in Puerto Princesa, Palawan last November 4.

Esperon said for 2022, around 1,406 barangays from various parts of the country will be benefiting from the BDP.

"Alam po ninyo iyong 1,406 na barangay ay inaprubahan na ni Pangulong Duterte noong bang Marso sa Tacloban at ipinalagay niya sa National Expenditure Program (NEP) sa halagang PHP28.1 billion. Kasi, PHP20 million per barangay (You know, those 1,406 barangays were already approved by President Duterte last March in Tacloban and included in the NEP with the sum of PHP28.1 billion. This because each barangay will be allocated PHP20 million (for their BDP projects)," he added.

The PHP20 million allocated per barangay will be spent for BDP core projects like farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water and sanitation systems, livelihood programs, and health stations.

Esperon said this initiative is supported by the League of Provinces of the Philippines and the League of Municipalities.

"Sinulatan nila ang Senado. Aprubado na ito sa House of Representatives (They already have written to the Senate. It (BDP) is already approved by the House of Representatives)," he added.

He also clarified that the BDP is only part of Duterte's key programs like free irrigation, improved Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), 'Build, Build, Build', free tuition fee, universal health care, anti-illegal drugs, anti-crime, anti-graft, and corruption campaigns.

Esperon also lauded the Palawan provincial government headed by Governor Jose Alvarez for spearheading development initiatives in the province even before the creation of the NTF-ELCAC.

He was referring to the Regional Peace and Order Council, the precursor of the NTF-ELCAC in the province that was started by Alvarez.

Esperon added that the NTF-ELCAC has grown stronger with the help of the 17 RTFs.

Each RTF is headed by one Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS).

The CORDS for Mimaropa is Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

"Kaya sa lakas ng NTF-ELCAC sa organisasyon at saka gawain, gusto lang natin ipaalam at ipaalala sa mga communist terrorists na nangangarap pa rin na magtatagumpay sila, nasa sa panahon ng 2016 hanggang 2021, mayroon nang 1,953 na nasawi sa labanan sa hanay nila (And due to the organizational strength and efforts of the NTF-ELCAC, we would like to remind all terrorist communists who are dreaming of victory that from 2016 to 2021, around 1,953 of their ranks were killed in encounters with the military)," he added.

Aside from battle losses, Esperon said 3,844 New People's Army (NPA) regulars and 19,000 mass-based supporters, militia, underground mass organization members have surrendered due to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) along with some 2,573 assorted firearms.

Another victory for the government side, he said, is the neutralization of Jorge Madlos alias "Ka Oris" who was killed in an encounter in the hinterlands of Impasug-ong, Bukidnon last October 30.

Madlos is also the commander of the NPA's National Operations Command, directing the operations of the communist terrorists nationwide.

"At kaya naman sa mga operations na ito, wala ng Guerilla Front sa Palawan eh. Inuubos ni Governor eh. At alam ko iyong dalawang Guerilla Front dito sa Mimaropa ay mahina na. Takbo nang takbo. Alam natin na nasa Mindoro sila ngayon baka bukas tatakbo na naman (And due to these operations, there are Guerilla Fronts in Palawan. The Governor is quickly eliminating them and I knew that the two Guerilla Fronts in Mimaropa are already weak due to their constant running. We knew that they are in Mindoro now, maybe tomorrow, they will run again (to another place)," Esperon said.

The BDP is the hallmark program of the NTF-ELCAC with the end goal of bringing development to former Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA conflict-affected and geographically isolated communities.

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

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1159048

WESTMINCOM: Eight communist terrorists surrender to soldiers in Sultan Kudarat

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) Facebook Page (Nov 6, 2021): Eight communist terrorists surrender to soldiers in Sultan Kudarat

4th Civil Relations Group
Yue38stteSlr0dlauyi a0ot rm9:3gc5 dAM ·

Eight communist terrorists surrender to soldiers in Sultan Kudarat

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – November 04, 2021

Eight members of the communist terrorist group surrendered to the military in Sultan Kudarat on November 3, 2021. The eight submitted themselves to the soldiers at the Headquarters of the 7th Infantry Battalion, Old Capitol Compound, Barangay Kalawag II, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat. The identities of the former rebels are withheld for their security.

 
According to Western Mindanao Command Chief, Maj. Gen. Alfredo Rosario, Jr., the surrendered personalities felt that it is time for them to end their armed struggle after realizing that their sacrifice is not worth it. “I am positive that the others will soon follow and we encourage them to do so, before it’s too late.” Maj. Gen. Rosario, Jr. stated.

 
The former rebels handed over their firearms including an M14 rifle with magazine and five ammunition, two cal. 30 Garand rifles with six clips loaded with 45 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one Browning automatic rifle (BAR) with magazine loaded with four rounds of 30mm ammunition; one cal. 45 pistol with magazine; and two 12-gauge Shotguns.

 
Lt. Col. Romel Valencia, Commanding Officer of 7IB said the eight were members of the Far South Mindanao Regional Committee (FSMRC). “Their successful surrender is attributable to the collaborative efforts of the 7IB, Bagumbayan PNP, Senator Ninoy Aquino PNP, and Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police Office,” Lt. Col. Valencia said.

 
The surrendered personalities are currently undergoing custodial debriefing while the surrendered firearms and other war materials were deposited at 7IB headquarters for safekeeping.

“I am personally elated by the turn of events. The snowball of CTG submission is an affirmation of the group’s downfall,” Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, Commander of Joint Task Force Central said.

 
From January 2021 to date, JTF Central successfully neutralized a total of 108 CTG members of which 1 was killed, 105 surrendered, and two were apprehended. The unit also reported a total of 166 firearms gains 29 of which are high-powered and 137 are low-powered.

 
“I would like to congratulate our Joint Task Force Central for this accomplishment. I am well aware of your efforts to end terrorism and insurgency in Central Mindanao. Your numerous successes are the rewards of your sacrifices. For that, I once again congratulate you all,” Maj. Gen. Rosario, Jr. further stated.

 
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WESTMINCOM: Ex-MILF combatants get financial aid from BARMM

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) Facebook Page (Nov 6, 2021): Ex-MILF combatants get financial aid from BARMM

4th Civil Relations Group
8Ye9s0fSp35terd8a13y99 atr 93:33 A32M ·


EX-MILF COMBATANTS GET FINANCIAL AID FROM BARMM

Some 60 former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) from Camps Bilal and Busrah in Lanao provinces each received Php10,000 financial aid from the Ministry of Public Order and Safety’s (MPOS) Peacebuilding Towards Normalization program.

This intervention is intended for the vulnerable and marginalized sectors, such as the MILF combatants who did not qualify in the decommissioning program of the national government.

MPOS’ Director-General Atty. Al-Rashid L. Balt and Peace Program Officer Sittie Janine Gamao led the distribution of cash assistance for the beneficiaries on Sunday, October 31, in Marawi City.

Gamao told the former combatants that the Bangsamoro Government will continuously help those who have struggled to achieve sustainable peace in the region.

“Iba-iba man tayo ng pamamaraan sa pagkamit ng kapayapaan… lubos kaming nagpapasalamat sa mga katulad ninyo na kung saan sa loob ng ilang taon ay pinaglaban ang kapayapaan sa ating mga komunidad lalo na ang kapakanan naming mga kababaihan,” said Gamao.

MPOS targets a total of 180 former combatants from the six MILF recognized camps in the region as embodied in Executive Order 79 under the Annex on Normalization.

Identified beneficiaries will go through profiling, capacity building, listening sessions, social healing, and provision of assistance.

“Pagkatapos nung profiling, nag-evaluate at nagkaroon tayo ng capacity building sa kanila, more on kung paano ma-normalize yung buhay nila… Parang journey of life siya na activity, pinashare natin sa kanila ano yung mga karanasan nila,” Gamao added.

MPOS is also set to distribute the same cash aid to beneficiaries in Camp Abubakar in Barira Municipality and Camp Rajamuda in Pikit town on November 9, while former combatants in Camp Omar in Datu Hoffer and Camp Badre will receive theirs on November 10.

MILF Front Commanders and Members of Parliament Basit “Jannati Mimbantas” Abbas and Abdullah “Commander Bravo” Macapaar were also present during Sunday’s event.

“We are very thankful to our leaders in the Bangsamoro Government for not neglecting us and to our Front Commanders Jannati Mimbantas and Commander Bravo for their continued guidance among former combatants,” said one of the beneficiaries in his native language.

 | Bangsamoro Government | Bangsamoro Information Office | Ministry of Public Order and Safety
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WESTMINCOM: 55IB conducts outreach program

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) Facebook Page (Nov 6, 2021): 55IB conducts outreach program

4th Civil Relations Group
8Ye9s0fSp35terd8a13y99 atr 93:30 A32M ·

55IB CONDUCTS OUTREACH PROGRAM

SAGUIARAN, LANAO DEL SUR—On Monday, November 1, 2021, the 55th Infantry (VIGILANT) Battalion, 1st Infantry (TABAK) Division, Philippine Army headed by Ltc Franco Raphael H Alano in partnership with the Inner Wheel Club Philippines headed by Ms Rasmila M Cosain, Senior Education Program Specialist conducted an Outreach activity at Headquarters, 55th Infantry (VIGILANT) Battalion, Brgy. Pawak, Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur.

Children and parents from Brgy Lumbayanague and Brgy Pawak both of Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur were the beneficiaries of said activity. A total of eighty (80) children received Hygiene Kits, School Supplies and Story Books. The Inner Wheel Philippines composed of civilian volunteers from different walks of life, facilitated the conduct of psycho-social activities. They also discussed the importance of wearing mask and maintaining personal hygiene and other health awareness that is helpful during this pandemic period. All activities were conducted with the observance of the current health protocols.

The 55IB together with the partners and stakeholders will continue to extend their effort and strong commitment to accomplish its mission to promote peace and development in Lanao del Sur.

The said activity was held in connection with the upcoming 36th Founding Anniversary of the 55IB on November 07, 2021.

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Eastmincom gets 4 Blackhawk helicopters

From the Philippine Star (Nov 7, 2021): Eastmincom gets 4 Blackhawk helicopters (By Edith Regalado and Ralph Edwin Villanueva)

The Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has received four new S-70i Blackhawk helicopters.

Eastmincom chief Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol said the new air assets would enhance the mobility of government troopers in the fight against communist terrorist groups as well as in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

“The arrival of these Blackhawk choppers happened at a very opportune time to aid our hardworking troops in the pursuit of genuine peace and development in Eastern Mindanao,”Almerol said.


Two of the new air assets are stationed at the Tactical Operations Wing-Eastern Mindanao Davao Air Station in Barangay Sasa.

The two other helicopters were brought to the Tactical Operations Group regional headquarters at Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro.


The AFP also deployed Blackhawk helicopters to the Western Mindanao Command for its operations against terrorists in Mindanao.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/11/07/2139587/eastmincom-gets-4-blackhawk-helicopters

MILF admits members at fault for uncoordinated troop movement in Maguindanao

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Nov 6, 2021): MILF admits members at fault for uncoordinated troop movement in Maguindanao (By: Bong S. Sarmiento)

KORONADAL CITY—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has admitted that its members were at fault when they traveled bringing high-powered weapons in Maguindanao last Nov. 1.

Von Alhaq, spokesperson of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), the MILF’s armed-wing, said they are willing to face the investigation to be conducted by the International Monitoring Team (IMT), the Malaysian-led international body that mainly monitors the implementation of the ceasefire accord between the MILF and the government.

“There’s a lapse on the part of the MILF commander. He forgot to coordinate their movement with the CCCH. We are admitting that it’s a pure ceasefire violation,” Alhaq said in Filipino.

CCCH stands for the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities.

Under the implementing guidelines of the 1997 GPH-MILF agreement on the general cessation of hostilities, it prohibits the massive deployment and/or movement of state and MILF forces which are not normal administrative functions and activities.

The guidelines also provide that the movement of MILF forces outside their identified areas, as jointly determined by the CCCH, shall be coordinated by concerned MILF commanders to the government forces’ commanders for prior clearance.

In keeping with a 2014 peace deal, the BIAF is undergoing phased decommissioning of its forces and weapons.

Alhaq said the Maguindanao police office is filing a complaint regarding the apprehension of at least 35 heavily-armed MILF members and their firearms in Datu Odin Sinsuat town last Nov. 1.

According to Alhaq, the ceasefire violation complaint will be investigated by the IMT, vowing that they would respect the body’s decision on the matter.

He said the MILF members apprehended by state forces belonging to the 105th Base Command were in a convoy on their way home to Talitay town from Sultan Kudarat, via Kabuntalan.

Lt. Col. John Paul Baldomar, spokesperson of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the apprehended MILF members have been released from custody but their firearms remain with the military.

Baldomar said the heavily-armed MILF members were apprehended at a checkpoint along the national highway.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1511398/milf-admits-members-at-fault-for-uncoordinated-troop-movement-in-maguindanao

On the brink of defeat

 Posted to the Business Mirror (Nov 7, 2021): On the brink of defeat (By RENE ACOSTA)

Top military officials see end of terror group in Mindanao

THE military has declared that it may take some time before the Daulah Islamiyah (DI), the local front of the Islamic State (IS) in the country, could recover following a series of setbacks the extremist group has sustained, the latest of which was the slaying of Salahuddin Hassan, its overall leader.

In fact, the group, the military predicted, may not even be able to withstand its latest loss.

The once-progressive Islamic city of Marawi, after IS-inspired, home-grown terrorist groups ended their siege, is shown in this June 15, 2018, file photo. The military says it is steadily winning the pushback against these groups.

Hassan, the so-called emir of the DI-Philippines, was neutralized during a joint operation by policemen and soldiers in Maguindanao a week ago, according to the military.

He died just months after assuming the mantle of leadership of the DI-Philippines following the military’s killing of Hatib Hadjan Sawadjaan in Sulu in July last year.

The death of Hassan was a strategic accomplishment for the military, coming at a time when the terrorist group, intent on reorganizing for yet another offensive following its defeat in Marawi City, is already on the retreat from its traditional grounds in Western Mindanao, particularly Lanao del Sur and Sulu.

“This is a significant blow against the DI and another victory in our thrust against terrorism. With their leader now dead, the terrorist group will certainly crumble,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Jose Faustino Jr.

Demise?

COL. Pedro Balisi, commander of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Brigade and leader of the operating troops who got Hassan, also believes that the death of the emir will lead to the demise of IS’s local front in Mindanao.

Other military officials see Hassan’s death as greatly weakening the leadership of, and creating a vacuum within, the local front of the IS.

The terrorist group’s search for a new emir—who should be both dedicated and notorious—may not be too easy since most of its potential leaders have also been neutralized in Sulu and Lanao del Sur: Exactly why the group had turned to Hassan, who had previously operated in Central Mindanao and not in Western Mindanao.

“Our hard work and focus in putting our resources to defeat the armed group has come to fruition. I urge you to sustain our operational gains,” Army chief Lt. Gen. Andres Centino said in his address to soldiers in the aftermath of Hassan’s death and even that of Mindanao-based communist rebel Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos.

‘Very telling’

FOR the military, the killing of Hassan in Maguindanao was “very telling.” It confirmed that the DI is already at the lowest ebb in its operations on its traditional grounds in Western Mindanao like Sulu and Lanao provinces, and the group is in retreat.

It also confirmed that the Lanao-based Maute group, from which the bulk of DI’s original members emanated, has degenerated into an insignificant force.

The DI had been operationally inactive during the past months in Western Mindanao, with only the three factions of the Central Mindanao-based Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) allied with the IS putting up an irregular show of force in Maguindanao. The DI is made up of loose local terrorist groups.

The last time the DI proved it was still around in Western Mindanao was when soldiers in Lanao del Sur engaged the group after sighting 30 of its members in the forested area of Madamba and Madalum in August this year.

Right after the relatives of Sawadjaan were killed in a mid-sea operation in Sulare, Parang, Sulu in November last year, Joint Task Force Sulu commander Major Gen. William Gonzales declared that the group’s operations in the province may have been over.

Three of those killed were Sawadjaan’s cousins: Mannul Sawadjaan, Dave Sawadjaan and Madzmar Sawadjaan. Of the three, Mannul was identified as the likely successor of Sawadjaan after his death.

“The death of these seven ASG members, particularly Mannul and Madzmar, will significantly affect the local terrorist group’s organizational hierarchy operations…. Mannul is highly respected within the group,” said Gonzales at that time.

Sawadjaan assumed the leadership of the IS after the death of Isnilon Hapilon during the siege of Marawi City in 2017.

With the death of Hassan and the Sawadjaans, it may be hard for the group to scout for leaders who could steer the terrorist group in Mindanao to possibly rise again, especially given that the three factions of the BIFF are also on the run in Maguindanao.

Hassan, former leader and founder of the Al-Khobar terrorist group before he shifted to the DI, was a Jemaah Islamiyah-trained bomber and was responsible for numerous bombings in Mindanao, including the Davao night market attack, which killed 14 people.

[Images courtesy of Garudeya | Dreamstime.com and AP/Aaron Favila]

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/11/07/on-the-brink-of-defeat/

ELCAC allots funds for Barangay Development Program

From Palawan News (Nov 6, 2021): ELCAC allots funds for Barangay Development Program (By Patricia Laririt)

[UPDATED] National security adviser Hermogenes Esperon said on Thursday during his visit to Puerto Princesa that 35 barangays in Palawan will receive their Barangay Development Program (BDP) funds in 2022.

For this year, the provincial government has already received the amount of P160 million for the 2021 BDP for eight barangays, according to a letter from the Bureau of Treasury (BOT) obtained by Palawan News.

The barangays with ongoing BDP projects are Samariniana, Salogon, Saraza, and Amas in Brooke’s Point; Abaroan, Dumarao, and Magara in Roxas, and Kemdeng in San Vicente. Each received P20 million.

The BDP, which is the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) flagship program, aims to fund improvements in barangays that have been reportedly affected by the armed insurgency.

Esperon said in a speech that there are currently eight barangays in Palawan implementing their BDP, and also bared plans for next year’s BDP allocation.

The Notice of 

Authority to Debit Account Issued addressed to Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez regarding the P160 million that will cover the funding requirement for the implementation of priority programs and projects from the NTF ELCAC.

READ RELATED STORY: Eight barangays in Palawan to benefit from P500M BDP fund for socio-economic projects

“Sa taong ito, walong barangay ng Palawan ang nagpapatupad ng mga barangay development projects. Sa susunod na taon, mayroong 54 dito sa MIMAROPA, 35 sa Palawan. Sa kabuuan, mayroong 1,406 barangays sa buong bansa na makikinabang sa BDP sa 2022,” he said.

He added that President Rodrigo Duterte already approved the BDP budget for the 1,406 barangays in 2022 as early as March this year, and is already in the national expenditure program for the amount of P28.12 billion.

Esperon previously reported to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that around P500 million worth of projects in the MIMAROPA region is now in the implementation stage. Nationwide, a total of 822 barangays were targeted as recipients for the 2021 BDP, with a total of P16.28 million worth of funding from the national government.

According to the task’s force website, the BDP is meant to fund projects such as farm-to-market roads, school building construction, water and sanitation systems, health clinics, reconstruction of public spaces, and electrification of rural communities.

https://palawan-news.com/elcac-allots-funds-for-barangay-development-program/

Army trains more reservists to boost security vs. ASG in Sulu

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 6, 2021): Army trains more reservists to boost security vs. ASG in Sulu (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

MORE RESERVISTS. The trainees stand in formation as they listen to the instructions given by one of the training staff in this undated photo. The Army Reserve Command on Saturday (Nov. 6, 2021) said another batch of 300 Tausugs is being trained to further boost the community-based security forces against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits in Sulu. (Photo courtesy of the 11th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office.

Some 300 Tausugs are undergoing a 45-day Basic Citizen Military Training (BCMT) to become members of the community-based security forces against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits in the province of Sulu.

Lt. Col. Andres Soriano, Army Reserved Command’s (ARESCOM) 906th Community Defense Center commander, said in a statement Saturday the trainees, belonging to the BCMT Class 02-2021, are being trained on basic soldiery and relief and rescue operation in Barangay Liang, Patikul, Sulu.

“The course shall also include subjects on disaster response, moral virtues, patriotism, and discipline that will arm them with knowledge on how to assist in their community in terms of socio-economic development,” Soriano said.

Laurel Ahajan, 40, one of the trainees, thanked ARESCOM for the opportunity to join the reserve force.

“Extending help to other people is not a new thing to me since I am a member of the Kabalikat Civicom, whose purpose is almost similar to that of the reservists,” Ahajan said.

The Kabalikat Civicom is the largest group of responsible and active radio communicators engaged in public assistance particularly during disasters and natural calamities or whenever there is a need to ensure public comfort and convenience.

“I decided to join the reservists to gain more knowledge and learn new skills and above all is to help my own province,” Ahajan added.

Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, 11th Infantry Division commander, noted the number of interested Tausugs to join the reservist has increased.

Gonzales said the BCMT Class 01-2021, which is the first-ever Ready Reserve Infantry Battalion in Sulu, consisted only of 215 Army reservists, three of which are reservist officers.

The BCMT 02-2021 is the second batch of reservists the Army trained in Sulu.

“Many individuals were inspired to join the reservists that’s why the second batch reached 300 members. These volunteers undergoing training will also be part of the Ready Reserve Infantry Battalion,” Gonzales said.

“I'm glad seeing that we have volunteers from all walks of life. They consist of old, young, men and women. There are farmers and some are office personnel,” he said.

Soriano said the training of the BCMT Class 02-2021 will end on December 14.

However, he said those who have full-time jobs and are only available to attend during weekends will graduate after completing 45 days program of instruction.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1158959

Ka Oris terrorist, not revolutionary martyr: anti-commie groups

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 6, 2021): Ka Oris terrorist, not revolutionary martyr: anti-commie groups (By Lade Jean Kabagani)

BERDUGO, NOT MARTYR. Members of anti-communist groups refer to slain NPA leader5 Jorge Madlos alias Ka Oros as a terrorist, not a revolutionary martyr, during a rally outside the Commission on Elections main office at the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila on Nov. 5. The groups also urged the disqualification of party-list groups Kabataan and Gabriela from the 2022 elections because of their links with the CPP-NPA-NDF. (Contributed photo)

Anti-communist groups composed of parents on Saturday urged militant groups and youth organizations to stop romanticizing the late ranking New People's Army (NPA) leader Jorge Madlos alias "Ka Oris" as a revolutionary martyr.

In an interview, League of Parents of the Philippines (LPP) chair Remy Rosadio said Madlos' death should serve as a warning to the members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and remaining NPA rebels "that engaging in the armed revolution will only lead them to a darker path".

"He is not a revolutionary martyr. NPA is the armed wing of the CPP. Madlos is a terrorist and a top leader of the communist terrorist group. Why would call him a martyr if he is making people suffer? How can you call him a martyr if he lures our children to go against their parents?," Rosadio said, referring to militant organizations "glorifying Madlos' struggles" during his time in the revolutionary armed movement.

She said CPP-NPA sympathizers should weigh in on the atrocities and violence committed by NPA rebels against innocent individuals before "calling Madlos a revolutionary martyr."

Instead of romanticizing a rebel's death, she said the CPP-NPA and the National Democratic Front (NDF) should "caution their members that armed conflict will never give solutions to these societal problems."

"We want to have a communist-free country for the sake of our children and for the next generation," she added.

Meanwhile, Yakap ng Magulang founder Relissa Santos Lucena said Madlos death serves as another downed instrument of the communist terrorists in its recruitment of new members.

Undeserved praises

"Ang sino mang nabubuhay sa baril ay mamamatay din dito (Whoever live with guns will die into it)," she said, noting that the Madlos doesn't deserve all the praises given to him by some militant organizations.

Lucena said Madlos has done nothing for the country but "put his fellow Filipinos in suffering conditions," by leading NPA extortion activities, kidnappings, and killings of civilians.

She added that Madlos' death "only showcases" the government's strong commitment to ending the long-standing atrocities of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

"Naipakita natin sa CPP-NPA-NDF na mas malakas ang gobyerno at kayang kaya silang ikahon ng gobyerno sa tulong ng mamamayang Pilipino (This only shows that the government is stronger than the CPP-NPA-NDF and that the government can corner them with the help of the Filipino people)," said Lucena, whose daughter Alicia Jasper or AJ was recruited by militant group Anakbayan and went missing for years.

AJ was reunited with her family on April 20 this year but was again taken from her family.

Meanwhile, Liga Independencia Pilipinas spokesperson Nolan Tiongco said, "a revolutionary martyr will die in the name of his beloved nation and his comrades."

But, with the CPP-NPA's revolution, Tiongco added that "no one among them should be called as a martyr".

"There is no such thing as revolutionary martyrs that have bloodstains in their hands, the blood that comes from their comrades, blood from ordinary civilians, and blood from extortions. Their kind of revolution is not martyrdom. They are terrorists," Tiongco said.

He said nothing happened with more than 53 years of the CPP-NPA's armed revolution.

"How can it be that joining NPA is a martyrdom if they are recruiting more members through deceptions," he said.

Tiongco questioned CPP-NPA's use of "anti-personnel mines (APMs) in their attacks that is a violation of International Humanitarian Law.

"Using landmines is not martyrdom. That's why they are red-tagged because they are covered with the red blood of their victims," he said.

Madlos was the commander and spokesperson of the NPA National Operations Command and NDF in Mindanao.

He died in an encounter between NPA rebels and government troops in Bukidnon on October 30.

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

The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the NDF as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and separate part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1158995