Tuesday, April 2, 2024

CPP/CIO: The NPA must fight more to defend oppressed Filipinos, and to stop US from dragging PH in war against China

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Mar 31, 2024): The NPA must fight more to defend oppressed Filipinos, and to stop US from dragging PH in war against China
 

This article is available in Pilipino

Marco Valbuena\\
Chief Information Officer
Communist Party of the Philippines

March 31, 2024

1.The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) and all revolutionary forces roundly reject Gen. Romeo Brawner call for Red fighters to abandon the armed struggle. The need to wage armed struggle is now greater than ever before amid the worsening socioeconomic conditions and oppression of the Filipino people and threats to the country’s sovereignty.

For the broad masses of peasants, workers, and other toiling people suffering from land grabbing, economic dispossession, low wages, joblessness, and other forms of gross social injustice, waging armed struggle now is ever more just and necessary. The US-Marcos regime has aggravated the situation of the people by serving the interests of foreign capitalists to the detriment of the Filipino people’s welfare and rights.

Under Marcos, the fascist reactionary armed forces has become even more aggressive and brutal in driving the peasant masses and indigenous minorities from their land to allow mining companies, plantations, real estate, energy and other infrastructure projects to expand their environmentally-destructive business operations.

Only by having the New People’s Army can the peasant masses effectively fight back against the onslaught of foreign and big business economic aggressors. In the interest of the broad toiling masses, the armed struggle can never be abandoned. To fight with arms is the only way for the oppressed to defend their life and dignity and fight for a better future.

2. In the face of increasing danger of the Philippines being dragged by the US military to its conflict with China, there is even greater need for the NPA to fight vigorously. The NPA must further intensify the armed struggle to help prevent US plans to fully utilize the country as a springboard for its acts of aggression. The US imperialists want to see an end to the NPA’s armed struggle so it can fully utilize the AFP as a pawn in its plans of aggression and hegemonic expansion.

General Brawner is a remorseless US mouthpiece when he declared in his statement that “external forces”, clearly referring to China, “undermine Philippine sovereignty and challenge our rights.” Brawner is utterly hypocritical to claim defending the country’s freedom against external forces when as chief of the armed forces, he has opened a number of AFP camps to give foreign military forces from the US extraterritorial rights to station its troops and military equipment, and turn the country’s land and water as their playground.

The US military forces in the Philippines have been using the AFP and the Philippine Coast Guard to raise the temperatures of military conflict in the West Philippine Sea through joint patrols, as well as US-backed “supply missions.” These operations are succeeding in pushing back against China’s incursions into Philippine maritime territory, but are being done at the expense of allowing US and its NATO allies to position their naval forces in Philippine waters.

The US plans to turn Marcos into a new Zelensky–a shameless beggar of military and economic aid from the US and NATO. They want to portray Marcos as a defender of Philippine freedom against the “empire”, while actually turning the Philippines into a protectorate of US-led Western imperialist powers, against their imperialist rival China.

Over the next few days or weeks, the Marcos regime is set to receive a major shipment or deployment of US military equipment for use of the AFP to turn it into a more aggressive force against China. This is timed with US plans to hold the Balikatan exercises in April as cover to deploy more of its troops in the country’s outlying islands, from the northernmost tip of Batanes, to the westernmost tip of Palawan. Even now, the US has already deployed Special Operations Forces in the Kinmen Island in the Taiwan Strait, a mere five kilometers off the eastern coast of Xiamen, China.

The Filipino people reject claims of the US imperialists of being “friends, allies, and partners” of the Philippines. It is utterly repugnant at all levels for the Marcos regime to ally itself to the number one terrorist who has connived with the Zionists in Israel in raining bombs and missiles on the civilian population of Palestine in Gaza, killing more than 32,000, more than half of whom are children. The US and Israel has also been supplying bombs to the AFP to carry out the same terrorist act in the Philippine countryside. The same imperialist US is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos during the US war of occupation of the Philippines, and the subsequent plunder of the country’s economic and human resources.

All the patriotic and revolutionary forces of the Filipino people must heighten their struggle for national freedom and draw inspiration from their long history of resistance to US military intervention and war–from the anti-colonial war of the early 1900s, to the mass protests leading to the eviction of US military bases and American troops in 1991.

Presently, they must vigorously resist US schemes and resist the plans to drag the country into US war provocations against China. Such a scenario will endanger the lives of the Filipino people and further place the country’s fate in the hands of the US imperialists.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/the-npa-must-fight-more-to-defend-oppressed-filipinos-and-to-stop-us-from-dragging-ph-in-war-against-china/

CPP/NPA-Central Luzon ROC: Pasistang AFP, bigong pulbusin ang NPA!

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Apr 3, 2024): Pasistang AFP, bigong pulbusin ang NPA! Fascist AFP, failed to pulverize the NPA!
 


Central Luzon Regional Operational Command
New People's Army

April 03, 2024

Habang tila sirang-plakang paulit-ulit na inihahayag ng AFP na pupulbusin nila ang NPA sa katapusan ng Marso, paulit-ulit din silang napapahiya sa bawat enkwentro. Wala ni isang nasugatan sa hanay ng NPA sa naganap na engkwentro sa Barangay Galintuja, Aurora noong Marso 22, 2024.

Sa takot na mapahiya, minanipula ang balita at social media. Walang inakong kaswalti ang magkasanib na batalyong nag-ooperasyon—84th IB at 91st IB. Habang nagpapakalat naman ng mga pekeng balita at letrato ng mga sundalong patay at sunog ang katawan ang kanilang mga troll accounts sa Facebook para palabasing “terorista” ang NPA.

Sa labis na desperasyon ng AFP, mga walang kalaban-labang masa ang kanilang pinagdidiskitihan. Mula pa Disyembre 2023, walang patid na nanghahalihaw na sa kagubatan ang mga sundalo at pulis sa probinsya ng Aurora. Nagpakat ng mga RCSP o Retooled Community Support Program sa 10 baranggay para maghasik ng teror sa masa. Binabantaang kakasuhan at raratratin ng bala ang sinumang magbibigay ng tulong o magpapatuloy ng NPA. Labis na pangamba rin ang dulot sa mga masa ng madalas nilang pagpapalipad ng drones sa mga pook obrahan. Ipinagbabawal ang pagbabaon ng maraming bigas sa mga bukid. Sinisita maging mga pinamiling paninda ng may mga tindahan. Ginigipit at tinatapakan ang otoridad maging mga opisyal ng barangay. Mas masahol pa sa panahon ng batas militar at pananakop ng mga Kastila ang pagkontrol ng sundalo sa populasyon. Inoobliga ang lahat na magpagawa ng cedula at dalhin ito saanman magpunta. Pinakikialaman ng sundalo maging ang personal na buhay ng masa. Ultimo bumibisitang kamag-anak sa bahay ay inoobligang iulat sa sundalo.

Hindi pa nasapatan sa dulot ng perwisyo ng ilang buwan nang operasyon, pilit pang inaabala ang mga masa sa trabaho para obligahing dumalo sa mga papulong ng sundalo at pilit na paniwalain sila sa itim na propaganda laban sa NPA.

Bukod dito, ginagamit din nila ang estilo ng pagpapanggap para linlangin ang masa. Ngunit sila’y bigo, pagkat kilala ng masa kung sino ang tunay na terorista. “Marami sila kadua, mga nakabota rin tapos ganyan sa damit nyo, yung iba butas-butas pa, pero nahalata naming hindi NPA dahil tinapak-tapakan nila ang tanim namin at hinarabas pa ang mga kamote,” ani ng isang magsasaka.

Taliwas sa pahayag ng AFP na tinip ng mga sibilyan ang NPA, sa katunayan ay mga masa mismo ang umalalay sa mga kasama na ligtas na makalayo sa lugar.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/pasistang-afp-bigong-pulbusin-ang-npa/

Saturday, March 30, 2024

DSWD execs hold dialogue with ex-Dawlah Islamiyah members to improve peace and development programs

From the Journal Online (Mar 26, 2024): DSWD execs hold dialogue with ex-Dawlah Islamiyah members to improve peace and development programs



DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan Tanjusay hands over financial aid to an ex-member of Dawlah Islamiyah through the agency’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, during a dialogue held in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur from March 19 to 20. Usec. Tanjusay said the Marawi City dialogue was the third leg of the DSWD’s benchmarking study on former combatants of non-state armed groups to improve its case management strategy for peace and development.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) officials led by Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns (ISPSC) Alan Tanjusay has conducted a dialogue with former members of the Dawlah Islamiyah in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur from March 19 to 20 as part of their efforts to improve the agency’s peace and development programs.

“The focus group discussions and interviews with ex-members of the non-state armed group are part of DSWD’s continuing efforts to enhance the case management strategy for peace and development through a series of field visits and benchmarking activities,” Usec. Tanjusay said on Tuesday (March 26).

“These series of activities are based on the directive of Secretary Rex Gatchalian for the Department to identify effective ways to provide psychosocial interventions for long-term behavioral outcomes of ex-combatants instead of short-term cash assistance only,” he said.

Tanjusay said the DSWD team met with adult ex-members who had been recruited as children by the Dawlah Islamiyah, as well as with young widows of the armed group’s commanders who were killed in clashes with government troops.


Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) officials led by Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan Tanjusay engage former members of the Dawlah Islamiyah in a dialogue held in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur from March 19 to 20. Usec. Tanjusay said the series of field visits and dialogues with ex-members of the non-state armed group are part of DSWD’s continuing efforts to enhance the case management strategy for peace and development.

“The goal of the activity is to gather inputs from those directly involved, and package these into a module that can help social workers and other professionals provide better services to children and women in armed conflict,” he said.

“Through the dialogue, we want to identify the factors that pushed them to engage in violent extremism at such a young age and know how their combat experience affected them. After the discussion, the DSWD team also debriefed the respondents following the protocols of ethical research involving human subjects,” the DSWD official said.

The former Dawlah Islamiyah members also received cash aid through the agency’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.

Usec. Tanjusay said the dialogue with former Dawlah Islamiyah members was the third leg of the DSWD’s benchmarking study on former combatants of non-state armed groups to improve its case management strategy for peace and development.

Earlier, the DSWD team visited conflict-affected communities in Sulu, where the Abu Sayyaf Group used to operate; and interviewed former members of the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA), a CPP-NPA breakaway group in Mt. Province.

Joining Usec. Tanjusay during the dialogue were DSWD Field Office-10 (Northern Mindanao) Assistant Regional Director for Operations Ronald Cui, Assistant Regional Director for Administration Salmah Basher, and peace and development focal persons.

https://journal.com.ph/dswd-execs-hold-dialogue-with-ex-dawlah-islamiyah-members-to-improve-peace-and-development-programs/

BARMM commemorates 10-year-old peace accord, Murad cites gains

From Rappler (Mar 29, 2024): BARMM commemorates 10-year-old peace accord, Murad cites gains (By ROMMEL REBOLLIDO)



BARMM Chief Minister Al Haj Murad Ebrahim says the 2014 peace pact opened the doors to correcting historical injustices and dismantling oppressive systems in the region

MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines – A veteran Moro fighter, 63-year-old Abubakar Usop, continues to report for guard duty to help secure the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat town and the communities around it.

Darapanan is where Moro Islamic Liberation Front leaders, who are now government officials and lawmakers, chose to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro (CAB), a peace accord on March 27, 2014, that led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Usop, like many of his colleagues in the Darapanan security detail, is not from Darapanan but has come to render guard duty for 15 days and wait to be replaced with another group.

“We have to make sure that all is safe here,” he said on Wednesday, March 27, pointing out the big difference in what they do now compared to recent years.

“There is now peace, and people here can sleep undisturbed,” said the survivor of the government’s all-out offensives against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front more than a decade ago.

Declining poverty rate

During the commemoration rites on Wednesday, March 27, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, who is also the Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman, said the CAB signing during the presidency of the late Benigno Aquino III in 2014 opened the doors to “correcting historical injustices and dismantling oppressive systems,” which hindered the development of the region and its people.

Expressing gratitude to past and present leaders of the country for their support in implementing the CAB, Ebrahim said the new Bangsamoro government was able to “reduce the region’s poverty rates, increase investments, make available employment opportunities, and work for the opening of economic activities.”

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show a significant decline in BARMM’s poverty incidence by 29.8% in 2021 from 54.20% in 2018. This was accompanied by a 56% increase in investments.

Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said the CAB symbolizes the government’s desire to uplift the lives of the Bangsamoro people and transform their areas into peaceful, progressive, and resilient communities.
Survivor’s story

A few meters from the gates of the camp where the commemoration rites were being held, 32-year-old college student Zoraini Rashid tended to her uncle’s small sari-sari (variety) store.

Rashid told Rappler that in her desire to help her family, she decided to remain single, “so I can freely work with the intention to lift my siblings and parents out of poverty.”

Left with no other option, her parents had to agree with her decision to work as a domestic in the Middle East to be safe from the frequent armed clashes in their town in Talayan, Rashid said as she narrated her story of dodging bullets as a young girl.


DISPLAY. Zoraini Rashid tends to her uncle’s small store with an Moro Islamic Liberation Front flag conspicuously displayed in Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat. Rommel Rebollido/Rappler

On her return from abroad in 2018, Rashid opted to stay with her relatives in Darapanan for security reasons even as she observed that “malaki ang pinagbago, wala nang giyera, nakakapagaral na ako (there is a big difference now, no more war, I can go to school).”

She is about to complete a course in Islamic Studies at the Cotabato State University, made possible by the free education program of the Bangsamoro government. Free education means free tuition only, no allowance or stipend.

Rashid wanted to be a physician, a childhood dream, but she said, “Hindi na kakayanin, tumatanda na ako at wala nang pera (I can’t afford it anymore. I’m getting old, and I don’t have the money for it).”
Can gains be sustained?

Abet Soledo, 53, a resident of Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, also fled the fighting during the government’s all-out war launched by the administration of then-president Joseph Estrada.

He went to work abroad as a utility worker for a carpet dealer in Saudi Arabia and returned home when he learned that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Philippine government came to a truce in 2014.

“Nakabalik ako tapos na ang giyera, hindi talaga maganda ang giyera (I was able to return when the war was over; war is really no good),” Soledo said, recalling the days when his family would evacuate to avoid hostilities.

Soledo said it was good that the Bangsamoro stood their ground and fought.

Asked about the ongoing celebration, he said, “Wala nang giyera, tahimik na. (No more war, it is already peaceful).”

He, however, had no answer when asked if he thought the present gains can be sustained.

In nearby Datu Odin Sinsuat town, also in Maguindanao del Norte, residents fled their homes on Monday, March 25, to avoid fighting between a group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The Muslim-majority region will hold its first parliamentary elections since its creation, simultaneously with the mid-term national and local elections, next year. The International Crisis Group, based in Brussels, earlier cautioned that armed groups and political disputes ahead of the 2025 elections pose potential threats to BARMM’s stability.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/barmm-commemorates-decade-old-peace-accord-murad-cites-gains/

Friday, March 29, 2024

Philippines reminds China: We’re not aggressors in West Philippine Sea

From Rappler (Mar 29, 2024): Philippines reminds China: We’re not aggressors in West Philippine Sea (By BEA CUPIN)



'China’s defense ministry statement clearly reflects their isolation from the rest of the world on their illegal and uncivilized activities in the West Philippine Sea,' says the Department of National Defense

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ defense department reminded its Chinese counterpart on Friday, March 29, that Filipinos are not the “aggressors” in the South China Sea.

“The world has seen and knows that the Filipino people are not aggressors. We will never seek a fight or trouble. Neither will we be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience,” the Department of National Defense (DND) said in a statement.

The DND was reacting to China’s defense ministry, who said in a statement on Thursday, March 28, that Manila’s “harassment and provocations [were] the immediate cause of the recent escalation of the South China Sea issue.”

“China’s defense ministry statement clearly reflects their isolation from the rest of the world on their illegal and uncivilized activities in the West Philippine Sea. It also shows the inability of the Chinese government to conduct open, transparent, and legal negotiations. Their repertoire consists only of patronizing and, failing that, intimidating smaller countries,” said the Philippines’ defense department.

Other Stories

Manila asks Beijing: Are you sincere in promoting South China Sea peace?
(1st UPDATE) In its protest to China, Manila reminds the Asian superpower that it 'has no right to be in Ayungin Shoal'

China causes ‘heavy damage’ on Philippine resupply ship in Ayungin Shoal – AFP
(3rd UPDATE) The Philippine military says a Chinese Maritime Militia boat, with the help of Chinese rigid-hulled inflatable boat, 'deployed and installed floating barriers to prevent further entry of any vessels in the shoal'

After Ayungin harassment, China tells PH: Prepare ‘to bear all potential consequences’
(UPDATED) The Philippines, meanwhile, says it 'will not be deterred – by veiled threats or hostility – from exercising our legal rights'


The Chinese defense ministry’s statement was released to media in Manila shortly after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced a “countermeasure package” in the face of China’s “open, unabating, and illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks.”

Marcos, in a post on his social media accounts, said the plan was a result of meetings with Philippine defense officials, as well as communication with allies in the international community.

The Philippine President, in his statement, added: “We seek no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends, but we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. Filipinos do not yield.”

The latest exchange between the two Asian countries are indicative of rising tensions between Manila and Beijing over activities in the West Philippine Sea, which includes the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.

China insists practically the entire South China Sea is theirs, ignoring a 2016 arbitral award that deemed this claim illegal.

Under Marcos – in direct contrast to his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte – the Philippines has been more assertive in protecting its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, as well as exposing China’s harassment whenever Filipinos conduct missions in those waters.

Last Saturday, March 23, three soldiers were hurt and a civilian supply ship was badly damaged after the China Coast Guard used water cannons against the smaller Unaizah May 4. Just weeks before, the same wooden supply ship was damaged for the same reason.

But the March 2024 incidents in the West Philippine Sea are only the latest in a long list of maritime confrontations between the two countries. The Philippines has reported collisions, dangerous maneuvers, and blocking attempts, particularly during missions to bring supplies to a military outpost in Ayungin Shoal, as well as attempts to bring supplies to fisherfolk in Scarborough Shoal.

Both features are just a little over 100 nautical miles from Philippine shores.

Under Marcos, too, the Philippines has upped defense ties with its allies and partners – most notably the United States, which China accuses of “interference” in the South China Sea. Marcos has repeatedly said issues in the South China Sea must be viewed beyond the lens of the US-China competition, and as the Philippines’ assertion of its own interests.

China has also lashed out at journalists who join Philippine missions to Ayungin Shoal, claiming “manipulation” of video and reports. Journalists in the Philippines have hit back, calling Beijing’s allegations a “barefaced lie.”

https://www.rappler.com/philippines/defense-department-statement-china-sea-dispute-march-29-2024/

94IB CAA awarded at Philippine Army 127th founding anniversary

From the Visayan Daily Star (Mar 25. 2024): 94IB CAA awarded at Philippine Army 127th founding anniversary (By GILBERT P. BAYORAN)


National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. presents the Command Plaque to CAA-I Jordan Quiador during the Awarding Ceremony of Army’s exemplary individuals, stakeholders, and People’s Organizations on March 22, at the Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command, Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac.* PA photo

The Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion stepped into the limelight during the 127th founding anniversary on March 22 at Camp O’Donnell in Capas, Tarlac, after one of its Cafgu Active Auxiliary was adjudged Best CAA of the Year.

Lt. Col. Van Donald Almonte, 94IB commander, said that CAA Jordan Quiador, also known as Miguel, got the prestigious award, in recognition of his significant role throughout numerous combat operations and civil-military initiatives, including community engagements and information dissemination, in central Negros.

The 94IB was credited by the Philippine Army for the dismantling of Central Negros 2 guerilla front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, and contributed also to the dismantling of KR NCBS Regional Strike Force.

In a statement, Almonte said CAA Quiador’s journey from a life entrenched in armed conflict, to becoming a symbol of courage and resilience within our ranks, “serves as a powerful testament that change is possible, even in the most challenging circumstances.”

He added that the transition of Quiador’s from conflict to contribution, “underscores the belief that mending ways is never too late.”

Col. Eufracio Malig, former deputy commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, was also conferred with an Outstanding Achievement Medal by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, who was assisted by AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido.

Dr. Ramel Uy, Chief Executive Officer of 5K Broadcasting Company, Clinica De Alternativo Medicina, and Wellness Center Incorporated, was also among the stakeholder awardees.

Uy owns 44 radio stations nationwide and produces popular herbal products.

He contributed to the 3rd Infantry Divisions’ and the Philippine Army’s peace campaign by donating state-of-the-art Radio Broadcasting Studios to disseminate accurate and timely public information that increased public awareness on government peace, security, and development efforts.*

https://visayandailystar.com/94ib-caa-awarded-at-philippine-army-127th-founding-anniversary/

Negros Occ. declared in state of Stable Internal Peace Security

From the Visayan Daily Star (Mar 26. 2024): Negros Occ. declared in state of Stable Internal Peace Security (By GILBERT P. BAYORAN)


Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, who presided over the RPOC 6 meeting held in Bago City on March 25, awards a certificate of appreciation to Mayor Nicholas Yulo.* Capitol PIO photo

The Regional Peace and Order of Western Visayas yesterday declared Negros Occidental in a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS), during its 1st quarter meeting held in Bago City.

At the same time, Negros Oriental will also be declared under SIPS status, said Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, chairperson of the RPOC Western Visayas.

However, this doesn’t mean that the Philippine Army will be leaving the province. They will still be around, according to Lacson.

According to the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, all five guerrilla fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Negros Island have been dismantled.

Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, 3ID, disclosed that a SIPS status in a locality would attract investments, generate jobs, and bring more opportunities to its people, while Lacson said that investors will feel more secure investing in Negros Occidental.

Achieving the SIPS status shows that the campaign against local terrorist group is really gaining ground, said Lacson, who presided over the quarterly RPOC 6 meeting held in Bago City, Negros Occidental.

After the approval of SIPS status in the regional level, Lacson said it will be presented to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for his approval, with a target date of either next month or May, and the declaration is expected to be made in Negros Island.*

https://visayandailystar.com/negros-occ-declared-in-state-of-stable-internal-peace-security/

Pro-IS militants yield in Southern Philippines

Posted to the Mindanao Examiner (Mar 27, 2024): Pro-IS militants yield in Southern Philippines

COTABATO CITY – Over a dozen pro-IS fighters in southern Philippines have surrendered to the military with security officials saying the Islamists belonged to the Dawlah Islamiya and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.



A photo released by the Western Mindanao Command shows the weapons surrendered by pro-IS fighters in the southern Philippines.

Lt. Gen. William Gonzales, chief of Western Mindanao Command here, said eight members of the Dawlah Islmiya and seven from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, all based in Maguindanao del Sur province, also yielded high-powered weapons.

“Surrendered personalities handed over various firearms, including one 81mm mortar, two Barret Cal. 50 Sniper rifles, two M14 rifles, one M16 rifle, one M653 rifle, one Garand rifle, one Cal. 7.62mm Sniper rifle, one Cal. 50 Sniper rifle, one Cal. 5.56mm Sniper rifle, one Cal. 30 Sniper rifle, and one Cal. 45 pistol,” he said.


“The surrender of the local terrorists is a result of the collaborative efforts of the military, the local government units, stakeholders, and the peace-loving citizens of Maguindanao del Sur,” he added.

It was unclear if any of those who surrendered were involved in the recent ambush of four soldiers in the village of Tuayan 1 in Datu Hoffer town. The soldiers were travelling in a civilian vehicle and returning to their base when gunmen attacked them with automatic weapons

The province is a stronghold of the Dawlah Islamiya and Bangsamoro Moro Islamic Freedom Fighters, blamed by authorities for the spate of deadly attacks on military and civilian targets in the South.

https://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com/2024/03/pro-is-militants-yield-in-southern.html

Wescom troops to continue WPS resupply missions amid challenges

Posted to the Mindanao Examiner (Mar 27, 2024): Wescom troops to continue WPS resupply missions amid challenges

ARMED FORCES of the Philippines (AFP) chief, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., told troops of the Palawan-based Western Command (Wescom) to continue persevering with their rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) and other missions aimed at ensuring the country's sovereign rights despite challenges in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

"What you are doing here has strategic implications. The whole world is watching us so let us continue with our determination and resolve to accomplish our mission and the conduct of our RORE operations,” Brawner said during his visit to the Wescom headquarters in Puerto Princesa City on Tuesday.

Brawner also checked on the condition of wounded personnel and awarded those who contributed to RORE missions.

Three military personnel were reported injured in the March 23 RORE mission to the Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) which was stationed in Ayungin Shoal last March 23, following a water cannon attack by the China Coast Guard on the civilian resupply vessel Unaizah May 4 (UM4).

Brawner was accompanied by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan during his visit to the Wescom headquarters.

The PCG is providing ships to escort the RORE missions to Ayungin Shoal.

Adjustments in resupply missions eyed

Meanwhile, Brawner said that RORE missions for troops manning the BRP Sierra Madre will continue as adjustments will be made for the next operation.

"Definitely, tuloy yung ating RORE mission dahil yung (our RORE missions will continue because the) BRP Sierra Madre is considered a commissioned Philippine Navy (PN) ship at mga nakatao po dito ay mga sundalo ng (those who man the ship are soldiers of the) AFP so it is our duty to continue bringing supplies to them to sustain them in their operations and to make sure that their morale, their welfare is taken care of," he said in an interview with reporters at Wescom headquarters.

The AFP chief also said they are now talking with the PCG, PN, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and other government agencies on what steps to prevent a repeat of the March 23 incident.

"So we will be adjusting our operations but definitely hindi po namin pwedeng sabihin kung ano po yung mga adjustments na yun (but definitely, we won't be telling anyone about those adjustments)," he stressed.

Brawner also said the March 23 incident is not only the "most dangerous" but also marks the first time that a Filipino resupply ship was prevented from closing in on the BRP Sierra Madre.

However, despite severe damage to the vessel and injuries to some of its crew, the AFP chief said the RORE mission was still classified as a "partial success" as they were still able to conduct a rotation of personnel and delivered some of the supplies through RHIB or rigid-hulled inflatable boat.

"But then again, we are all of course concerned because of the amount of aggressiveness that was shown during the latest resupply mission," he added.

Based on reports, pressure from the CCG water cannoning against UM4 was so strong that it hurled bodily one of the crew aboard and injured him.

This crew member, however, hit a wooden partition that have prevented him from being thrown overboard. (Priam Nepomuceno)

https://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com/2024/03/wescom-troops-to-continue-wps-resupply.html

US slams latest Chinese aggression in WPS, reaffirms commitment to MDT

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 24, 2024): US slams latest Chinese aggression in WPS, reaffirms commitment to MDT (By Darryl John Esguerra)



RESUPPLY MISSION. Philippine Navy soldiers transfer essential cargoes from Unaizah May 4 and BRP Cabra to the BRP Sierra Madre off Ayungin Shoal on Saturday (March 23, 2024). The resupply boat Unaizah May 4 was damaged by yet another water cannon attack by the China Coast Guard. (Photo courtesy of AFP)

MANILA – The United States (US) has denounced China for its "dangerous actions" that could destabilize the region and disregard international law after Chinese Coast Guard’s (CCG) water cannon attack that severely damaged a Philippine vessel and injured its crew members during a routine resupply (RORE) mission to the country’s outpost in Ayungin Shoal.

The US State Department has also reaffirmed its commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the US and the Philippines.

“The United States reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft – including those of its Coast Guard – anywhere in the South China Sea,” US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement dated March 23.

The seven-decade old defense pact dictates that the US and the Philippines would support each other if either of them were to be attacked by an external party.

The Philippines’ National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) reported Saturday morning that CCG vessels, along with Chinese maritime militia vessels, “acted recklessly and dangerously” against the country’s resupply boat Unaizah May 4 (UM4) and its Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) escort vessels.

This ended with two CCG ships water cannoning the UM4, causing severe damage to the boat and injuries to the Filipino crew members onboard.

The NTF-WPS said the Chinese vessels even attempted to obstruct the PCG escort vessels from providing immediate relief and assistance to the disabled UM4 and its crew, but the PCG ships were able to break through and provide medical attention to the injured crew.

To complete the RORE mission, BRP Sierra Madre which serves as the Philippines’ outpost in Ayungin Shoal, deployed rigid-hulled inflatable boats to UM4 to ferry personnel.

READ: PH resupply boat heavily damaged after another CCG water cannon attack

READ: Filipino crew injured; PH reprimands China over latest harassment

According to Miller, China’s actions “are destabilizing to the region and show clear disregard for international law,” adding that the 2016 Arbitral ruling clearly disregarded Beijing’s expansive claims to the waters around Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) and that the submerged reef is clearly within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

“As provided under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the 2016 arbitral decision is final and legally binding on the PRC (People’s Republic of China) and the Philippines, and the United States calls upon the PRC to abide by the ruling and desist from its dangerous and destabilizing conduct,” the US official said.

The Philippines, along with Southeast Asian neighbors Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, along with China, which is claiming virtually the entire resource-rich region, including maritime features in the West Philippine Sea that are well within Manila’s EEZ.

Japan stands with PH

Meanwhile, the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines has also expressed “grave concern” over what it described as China’s “repeated dangerous actions” in the South China Sea.

“Japan stands in solidarity with the PH as confirmed at the (Japan-PH-US) Vice Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in this week,” the embassy said in an X (Twitter) post.

The incident comes ahead of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s visit to Washington where he is set to hold a trilateral leaders’ summit with his US and Japanese counterparts on April 11.

According to the White House, Marcos, US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Fumio will discuss a broad range of areas, including economic and security cooperation, among others.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1221425

PH security exec to Reds: Consider gov't amnesty grant

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 26, 2024): PH security exec to Reds: Consider gov't amnesty grant (By Priam Nepomuceno)



National Security Adviser Eduardo Año (PNA file photo)

MANILA – National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año on Tuesday renewed his call for remnants of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) to avail of the amnesty program offered by the government.

Año, also chair of the National Security Council (NSC), said this invitation is open to all rebels wishing to reunite with their families and loved ones and integrate with mainstream society.

"The National Amnesty Commission has begun accepting applications for amnesty after Congress concurred with the Amnesty Proclamation of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. This is a significant development and a game changer in ending the more than 50-year communist armed conflict in the country," he said in a statement.


Año also said the amnesty program will allow these rebels to build a peaceful and brighter future for themselves and their families.

"We encourage all the remaining active members of the armed rebel groups to seize and embrace this chance for reconciliation and renewal of hope as we all work together towards lasting peace and development," he added.

The NSA also noted that thousands of former NPA members and their Militia ng Bayan have already surrendered in 2023 alone, marking a major success to integrate former rebels into the society.

He also noted that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict is on track to dismantle all remaining weakened guerilla fronts before the end of the year.

"Choosing to apply for amnesty by laying down arms and returning to the fold of the law is in itself an act of courage that stands to benefit not only former rebels individually, but also contributes to the healing, progress, and stability of our country," he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1221541

PBBM, US lawmakers tackle geopolitical issues, economic ties

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 26, 2024): PBBM, US lawmakers tackle geopolitical issues, economic ties (By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos)



COURTESY CALL. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. welcomes the United States congressional delegation led by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Tuesday (March 26, 2024). Marcos and the US lawmakers discussed economic ties, as well as the geopolitical issues faced by both countries. (Photo from Malacañang Press Corps Pool)

MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday discussed with the United States (US) congressional delegation, led by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the economic relations of and the geopolitical challenges faced by Manila and Washington.

Part of the Gillibrand-led delegation that paid Marcos a visit at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Tuesday afternoon were Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Roger Marshall, Mark Kelly, Cynthia Lummis, and Michael Bennet, as well as New York's 13th congressional district Rep. Adriano Espaillat.

During the meeting, Marcos thanked the US lawmakers for spending some time to visit the Philippines.

“It is particularly important, I suppose, I could say since you have come in the middle of your rather topsy-turvy political cycle going on right now,” he told the US congressional delegation.

“I hope that the time that you will spend here will be a productive time where we are able to discuss further the situation concerning the Philippines and the geopolitical complications that we are facing presently. So, thank you once again for your visit,” Marcos added.

Gillibrand said their visit is part of the US commitment to strengthen ties, especially on economic relations.

She also stressed that the US sees the Philippines as an important ally, acknowledging the Filipinos’ contributions to America’s progress and further advancement.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for welcoming us. We are delighted to be in your beautiful country. We arrived yesterday and have been just filled with optimism and hope for the future. And we're so grateful for our years of friendship. We're grateful for the steadfast partnership we have economically. We're grateful to have you as an ally,” Gillibrand said.

Gillibrand also expressed the US’ appreciation for the essential role of four million Filipinos residing and working in America, saying they are “at the forefront” of their healthcare, technology, and armed services.

She said the US is looking forward to exploring “extraordinary” opportunities with the Philippines, especially in the fields of economy, energy, rare earth minerals and commerce.

“These are important alliances for us and we want to continue to grow on that. We want to build on the trip that Secretary Romando just had here with a number of executives from our companies. So, we're grateful for that,” Gillibrand said.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo led a high-level mission to Manila on March 11 and 12, joined by 21 American business leaders.

Gillibrand said the US also shares a similar concern with the Philippines when it comes to China’s “aggression” in the highly contested South China Sea.

Cabinet secretaries present during the meeting were Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, and Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was also in the Philippines on March 18 and 19, affirming the US is committed to and focused on dealing with the pressing issues in the Indo-Pacific, adding that its engagement with the Philippines is crucial to work on a number of challenges.

He emphasized that the alliance between the US and the Philippines is “more than rock solid."

Marcos is set to attend the first-ever trilateral summit with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington on April 11 to advance agenda on defense, security and economic interests.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1221565

India backs PH move to uphold rights over SCS

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 26, 2024): India backs PH move to uphold rights over SCS (By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora)



INDIAN SUPPORT. A Chinese Coast Guard ship blasts a Filipino resupply boat with water cannon in Ayungin Shaol on March 5, 2024. Visiting Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar on Tuesday (March 26) said India supports the Philippines’ defense of its national sovereignty amid ongoing South China Sea disputes. (Photo courtesy of AFP Facebook)

MANILA – India supports the Philippines’ defense of its national sovereignty amid ongoing South China Sea disputes, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar reiterated days after the latest harassment by China in Ayungin Shoal.

A much-larger China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel blasted a Filipino resupply boat with water cannon on Saturday.

The CCG also attempted to obstruct the resupply mission to troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre by placing a floating barrier at the northwestern entrance of Ayungin Shoal’s lagoon.

Despite these, the mission was accomplished.

In a press conference at a Pasay City hotel on Tuesday, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of abiding by the international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“We regard UNCLOS 1982 as very important. We regard it as the constitution of the seas. We believe that all parties must adhere to it,” he said.

“[W]e firmly support Philippines in the upholding of its national sovereignty -- our position is very clear.”

Jaishankar is in Manila for a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.

His itinerary includes a courtesy call on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and a meeting with the Department of National Defense.

India's reiteration follows more than 20 other foreign governments backing Manila after the incident between the CCG and the Philippine resupply mission on March 23.

The incident resulted in injuries to Filipinos aboard Unaizah May 4.

Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the European Union, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States have also released statements expressing either support or concern about the dangerous maneuvers and use of water cannons by China in the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1221591

PH-India dialogue on maritime issues in the works: DFA

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 26, 2024): PH-India dialogue on maritime issues in the works: DFA (By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora)



MARITIME COOPERATION. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo (right) and visiting Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar hold a joint press conference after their bilateral meeting at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on Tuesday (March 26, 2024). The Philippines and India have agreed to accelerate maritime cooperation. (PNA photo by Ben Briones)

MANILA – The Philippines and India have agreed to accelerate maritime cooperation and hold an inaugural dialogue soon, which will cover potential partnerships from marine environment protection down to security.

The Track 1 or government-to-government maritime dialogue was formally announced by Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo after his bilateral meeting with visiting Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar on Tuesday.

“Our cooperation is growing in the sense that not only are we pursuing newer activities, such as training and joint committee meetings, but also exploring other ways where we can contribute to the security of both our countries as well as to ensure that the Indo-Pacific region remains open and peaceful, and is a region of peace and development,” he said in a joint press conference at Sofitel Manila.

Manalo said Manila also hopes to collaborate with New Delhi on ensuring the safety of Indian and Filipino seafarers, especially those manning the merchant vessels plying the Red Sea.

No specific timeline has been set yet, but Manalo said the inaugural dialogue will take place in Manila.

Jaishankar, for his part, emphasized India’s readiness to build on its existing maritime partnerships with Manila.

“There's a lot of work to be done here —there's environmental work, there’s ecological work, there’s security work,” he said.

“At the end of the day, every country has the right to uphold and enforce its national sovereignty and I think that is something that we have also discussed,” he added.

The upcoming talks follow the Track 2 or informal dialogue among Filipino and Indian maritime stakeholders in September last year, which laid out potential areas for India-Philippine collaboration, including on maritime domain awareness, shipping and seafaring, search and rescue, law enforcement, and environmental protection, among others.

‘Samudra Paheredar’

Also on Tuesday, Jaishankar hosted Filipino government officials on board the Indian Coast Guard Ship Samudra Paheredar, currently docked in Manila to enhance cooperation on coast guard functions and maritime pollution response with the country.

The Indian top diplomat said this visit alone shows India’s commitment to work with Manila on marine environment protection as well as search and rescue.

In a speech, he said Manila and New Delhi share a number of maritime challenges not only on these domains but also on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

“Like-minded countries of the Indo-Pacific should be doing more with each other,” he added.

On top of maritime, India and the Philippines continue to bolster ties on defense, development, agriculture, food security, affordable healthcare, and infrastructure.

Manalo said the Philippines is also keen to begin closer cooperation with India on science and technology, space and financial technology, particularly on financial inclusivity.

On tourism, he said Manila is planning to launch the e-visa system for Indian nationals “in the very near future”.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1221602

CAB signing paved way for regional peace, development - OPAPRU

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 27, 2024): CAB signing paved way for regional peace, development - OPAPRU (By Priam Nepomuceno)



OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (PNA file photo)

MANILA – The signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has heralded the start of peace and development in the region, said Secretary Carlito Galvez, of the Office of the Presidential Adviser Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), on Wednesday.

"With the signing of the CAB a decade ago, the GPH and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front   embarked on a historic journey that has brought us closer to our shared goal of fostering greater peace, development and stability in the region," Galvez said in his message on the 10th anniversary of the CAB signing.

Galvez also said the pact has dramatically transformed the socioeconomic and socio-political landscape of the Bangsamoro region and the rest of Mindanao.

"The 10th anniversary of the CAB is a celebration of what we have achieved and a reaffirmation of our pledge to continue building a future anchored on peace, prosperity, and solidarity for all. Together, as we stand united in purpose and action, we can ensure that this beacon of hope will shine brighter than ever," the OPAPRU chief emphasized.

He added that the agreement paved the way for a future filled with hope and the promise of a better life for the Bangsamoro people and all Filipinos.

"The establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has been a cornerstone achievement under the CAB, providing a framework for governance that respects the diversity and rights of its people while fostering an environment conducive to economic growth, social equity, and peace," the OPAPRU chief stressed.

Galvez also said progress in the decommissioning process, the strengthening of democratic institutions, and the implementation of development programs aimed at uplifting the living conditions of "our Bangsamoro brothers and sisters" are all major accomplishments that have contributed greatly to the normalization process for Moro Islamic Liberation Front  combatants, their families and communities.

"As we look to the future, let us remember that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of justice, opportunity, and understanding. We must nurture and defend this peace, build bridges where walls once stood, and forge a path of progress that honors the sacrifices of Bangsamoro brothers and sisters to build a better and brighter tomorrow," he added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1221612