Philippine Veterans Week observance underway from April 5 to 11

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 5): Philippine Veterans Week observance underway from April 5 to 11

As the nation formally started observing the annual Philippine Veterans Week on Sunday, the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) joined in honoring the heroism and patriotism of Filipino veterans past and present.

The week-long observance of the 73rd Araw ng Kagitingan and the Philippine Veterans Week from April 5 to 11 is an occasion to honor the Filipino War Veterans who died or served the country and today’s Filipino soldiers for their dedication to duty and country.

Early Sunday, Army commander Lt. Gen. Hernando DCA Iriberri led the Sunrise Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City signaling the commencement of the Philippine Veterans Week.

This was followed by the wreath-laying ceremony and floral offering with DND Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin as the guest of honor and speaker.

Senior military officers, other members of the military, Philippine National Police, World War II veteran and postwar veteran leaders, members of the sons and daughters of the Veteran Federation of the Philippines, representatives from the youth sectors, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Taguig City local government unit, representatives from the different government agencies and non-government organizations were present during the activity.

Meanwhile, a brigade-size parading contingent, composed of personnel from the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy (Fleet and Marines) and Philippine Air Force, tendered a Testimonial Review in honor of the Veterans at the Hunters ROTC Guerrilla Parade Ground with Rep. Leopoldo N. Bataoil of the 2nd District of Pangasinan as the guest speaker.

The veterans and their widows, military personnel, guests and visitors gathered at the HPA Grandstand for the review.

The celebration of the Araw ng Kagitingan and the Philippine Veterans Week is pursuant to Executive Order 203, designating April 9 as Araw ng Kagitingan, and Presidential Proclamation No. 466 declaring April 5-11 as the Philippine Veterans Week.

The celebration, led by the Steering Committee on National Observances and its inter-agency Technical Working Committee (TWC), aims to promote, preserve and memorialize the principles, ideals and heroic deeds of the Filipino veterans as a means to enhance patriotism and love for country, especially among the youth of the land.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=750454

Malacanang welcomes US' support in pushing West Philippine Sea claim

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 5): Malacanang welcomes US' support in pushing West Philippine Sea claim

The Palace welcomed the support from the US after an American navy official said the US military is ready to respond to threats by China in the Asia Pacific region.

“Lahat naman po ng nag-aalay ng suporta ay malugod nating tinatanggap at napatunayan na po sa mga nakaraang pagkakataon na ang Estados Unidos ay isa sa mga kaibigang bansa ng Pilipinas na nagbibigay ng kongkretong suporta at nakita po natin ito noong tayo ay dumaan doon sa mga hamon ng Typhoon Haiyan o ‘Yolanda’ at ng iba pang mga naunang kalamidad,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a radio interview Sunday.

Asked to comment whether the Philippine government considers China’s building of structures in the West Philippine Sea a threat, Coloma insisted that all claimants must observe the status quo until maritime entitlements are resolved.

The country’s position is the crafting of a binding Code of Conduct in West Philippine Sea to ease the tension in the contested territory, Coloma told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

“Sa bahagi ng lahat ng mga bansang mayroong maritime entitlement claims sa South China Sea o West Philippine Sea, ang panawagan natin ay dapat na magkaroon muna ng malinaw at maipatutupad na Code of Conduct,” he said.

China’s so-called reclamation activities that lead to the construction of permanent structures are contrary to the Philippines’s basic principle, he added.

“Dahil hindi pa naman nareresolba ang mga maritime entitlement claims, hindi dapat na nagkakaroon ng mga ganyang aktibidad, at malinaw din po ang ating pahayag na ang posisyon ng Pilipinas ay para sa mapayapa at diplomatikong pagturing sa mga usaping katulad ng inyong nabanggit.”

Admiral Harry Harris of the US Pacific Fleet said his country is prepared to respond to threats against the security and stability of the Asia-Pacific region in the face of China’s undisputed land reclamation in the West Philippine Sea.

He said the US will act on threats against its national interests as well as its allies from a position of strength.

China claims most of the sea and its coral reefs, rocks and sandbars competing with other claimants such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Aside from pushing for an enforceable Code of Conduct, the Philippines has filed an arbitration case in the international tribunal. China opposed the move saying it will not participate in the arbitration being spearheaded by the Philippines.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=750497

MILF: Moro leaders urged to unite for peace in Mindanao

Posted to the MILF Website (Apr 4): Moro leaders urged to unite for peace in Mindanao

One of the leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) urged Moro leaders particularly fellow MNLF to unite and support the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

During a peace forum in Sarangani Province on March 31, 2015, Uttoh Salem Cutan, an MNLF leader from Southern Mindanao, said, “We will reap nothing if we keep disunited.”  

He said the Bangsamoro Basic Law is not for single group only but for all the sectors in Mindanao including Christians and Indigenous Peoples.

“Let’s give peace a chance,” Cutan, also former Executive Director of the Southern Philippine Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD), further urged.

Cutan added, “Rest assured, everybody will be part of the BBL.” He said the law will also protect the peace agreement the MNLF signed with the government in 1996.

He said the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and 1996 GPH-MNLF Peace Agreement will be incorporated with the BBL.

The measure which is now in Congress for deliberation is hoped to be passed into law by June this year. 

Peace Advocates and various groups from different sectors have been urging the lawmakers to pass the BBL.

Cutan, which also currently serves as the vice-chair of the Local Monitoring Team- Sarangani, noted the effort of the government to resolve the Mindanao problem.

He urged other Moro leaders to heed to the call of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the unity of the Bangsamoro.

The OIC, an influential pan-Islamic body comprised of 57 member states which facilitated the GPH-MNLF peace process also hosts the Bangsamoro Coordination Forum aimed to bring together the MNLF and MILF to discuss their issues and find common ground between the peace pacts they separately signed with the government. 

More than five hundred constituents of Sarangani and nearby towns joined the peace forum organized by the Office of the Governor through its Sulong Sarangani Program.

Government Chief Peace Negotiator Professor Miriam Coronel Ferrer and Senen Bacani, GPH Panel Member, were the resource persons in the peace forum.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/830-moro-leaders-urged-to-unite-for-peace-in-mindanao

MILF: Ferrer: Peace process is important in terms of economic and social dev’t of Mindanao

Posted to the MILF Website (Apr 4): Ferrer: Peace process is important in terms of economic and social dev’t of Mindanao



“Peace process is important in terms of economic and social development of this land (Mindanao),” Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Chairperson of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) Peace Panel, said in a peace forum at the Provincial Gymnasium of Sarangani on March 31, 2015.

The government chief negotiator said President Aquino is serious in the peace process and that the trust of business and international communities is already gained. She also hopes the new autonomous government will “give way to the participation of all.”

“We hope normalcy returns in Mindanao and farmers can till their lands,” Coronel-Ferrer told more than five hundred constituents of Sarangani Province who attended the peace forum. She noted there are still armed groups who extort farmers.

Coronel-Ferrer, together with fellow GPH Panel Member, explained the GPH-MILF peace process mechanism.

The Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been engaged in peace negotiation for 17 years. 

One of the major outputs of the talks was the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law which is now in Congress for deliberation and hoped to be passed into law by June this year. 

The BBL will pave way for the creation of new Bangsamoro political entity which embodies the aspirations of the Moro people.

Coronel-Ferrer noted that others fear that the basic law “will tear us apart.” 

She explained that should there will be fund, “it will not go to the MILF but to the people who will be elected by the Bangsamoro constituents.”

“Very clear the MILF will be transformed into civil society group,” Coronel Ferrer added.

Should the Bangsamoro government be established, she said other groups like the Moro National Liberation Front can participate and even form a political party.

Coronel-Ferrer said the review process on the peace deal with the MNLF was delayed after the Zamboanga siege.

“With talks and understanding, we can find solutions and we have no choice but to be united and be developed,” she pointed out. 

“What is important is we live peacefully,” she added. 

Bacani said there is no provision in the BBL for the integration of members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) to the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). “Those who qualify in the requirements however, can apply,” he said. 

The chief government negotiator said the rights of the Indigenous Peoples and women is guaranteed to be respected in the Bangsamoro. “We assure voices of the women be heard,” she said.

She also assured there will be reserved seats in the parliament for the IPs and women sectors.

For the audience to further understand the peace talks, a multi-media presentation was shown highlighting significant and brief information on the peace process.

Coronel-Ferrer thanked the provincial government of Sarangani for the efforts to make the public understand the ongoing peace negotiation between the government and the MILF.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/829-ferrer-peace-process-is-important-in-terms-of-economic-and-social-dev-t-of-mindanao

Night curfew extended again for Sabah east coast

From the Star Online (Mar 30): Night curfew extended again for Sabah east coast

KOTA KINABALU: The dusk-to-dawn sea curfew in Sabah's east coast has been extended for another two weeks to boost continuing efforts to curb cross-border criminal and smuggling activities.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said the 7pm-to-5am curfew has been extended from March 31 to April 15 under Section 31(4) of the Police Act 1967.

The police chief said continuation of the curfew that has been in place for more than eight months was to ensure the continued security and safety of tourist, fishermen and the people in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone).

He said security forces were also better placed to monitor any groups trying to enter the east coast waters illegally to carry out cross-border crimes including human and firearms smuggling,

Jalaluddin said that the sea curfew in the east coast districts had the support of resort operators and the fishing industry, as it proved effective in maintaining security in the area that was hit by at least three cross-border kidnappings last year.

Fishermen should obtain their permits from respective district police chiefs to carry out their activities during the curfew imposed three nautical miles from the shoreline.

The curfew covers Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Kunak and Tawau.

Security forces put in place a curfew on July 18 in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone after the July 12 attack at the Mabul Water Bungalows in Semporna, when a policeman was killed and another kidnapped by a cross-border group.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/03/30/Sabah-Esszone-curfew-extended/

The silent heroism of Army troops

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Apr 5): The silent heroism of Army troops



A WOUNDED Cpl. Daniel Pajarilla, with wife, Mary Lanie, and daughter, Quincy, herself ill with a rare blood disease . PHOTO FROM 6TH INFANTRY DIVISION
It was the 10th night of the all-out offensive in Maguindanao province and Cpl. Daniel Pajarilla and his unit were in a defensive position at a tactical command post in the village of Madia in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town.

The sound of gunfire was getting closer and the tension was visible in the soldiers’ sweat.

An explosion hit their position, forcing Pajarilla to jump and then crawl under a truck for cover.

Like the rest of his team, Pajarilla opened fire, aiming at members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who were advancing.

He could barely move, however. A sharp and burning pain in his stomach and leg made him immobile, according to Pajarilla in an interview at his hospital bed.
All Pajarilla could do was shout for help.

Two other members of Pajarilla’s team were wounded, including a junior officer who was hit by an explosive while opening the hatch of an armored vehicle.

In the ambulance, Pajarilla was overcome by a single thought: “I need to be alive for my daughter.” His daughter, Quincy, 6, is sick with a rare blood disease.

Quincy was diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) three years ago.

ITP is a rare condition characterized by a low platelet count resulting in bruising and bleeding.

The cause and cure for ITP are still undetermined.

Despite the disease, however, Quincy excelled in class, making it to the top of her Grade 1 class and winning three awards in her school in Lebak town, Sultan Kudarat province—best in English, best in science and best in math.

Quincy and her mother, Mary Lanie, quickly proceeded to the medical facility at the 6th Infantry Division in Datu Odin Sinsuat town, Maguindanao, where Pajarilla had been taken for treatment.

Seeing her father writhe in pain, Quincy jumped to hug him to comfort the wounded soldier.

On March 7, a day after Pajarilla was wounded, he was airlifted to V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City, separating him from his wife and child.

Mary Lanie and Quincy could only worry.

Soldiers and their families are all too well aware of the risks of being in the battlefield. Getting killed is part of the job.

But some soldiers are complaining about the scant attention, and help, they receive, comparing their plight with that of members of the police Special Action Force who were killed or wounded in an operation to capture or kill international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao, on Jan. 25.

Since the all-out offensive against the BIFF started on Feb. 25, at least six soldiers, including a Scout Ranger captain, have been killed and 31 others wounded.

News about their sacrifice doesn’t catch attention.

“We will die silently because we believe this is all but part and parcel of our job,” said a military officer, who asked that he not be identified for not being authorized to discuss the issue.

“Soldiers have already died in many parts of the country since the Mamasapano incident but none of the families spoke ill of the support given to them,” the officer said.

Pajarilla’s case is an example, the officer said.

Pajarilla and his family, he said, “have been struggling financially, reaching the point of pawning his entire salary to be able to support and find a cure for Quincy.”

The situation has driven Pajarilla and his wife to virtually beg for support, asking for money from members of Pajarilla’s battalion, neighbors and friends “just to keep Quincy alive,” the officer said.

Pajarilla’s case is not isolated.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/683531/the-silent-heroism-of-army-troops

CHR report to tackle US role in Mamasapano

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Apr 5): CHR report to tackle US role in Mamasapano



Commission on Human Rights chair Loretta Ann Rosales INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

A third report on the police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, in January will address the influence foreigners apparently have over the Aquino administration’s campaign against foreign terrorists, according to the country’s top human rights official.

Loretta Ann Rosales, chair of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), said the commission has pursued an independent investigation into the secret mission to get international terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir (alias Marwan) and Amin Baco, and Filipino bomb maker Basit Usman, on Jan. 25.

That operation killed Marwan but Usman and Baco escaped. Succeeding firefights, however, led to the death of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) police commandos, 17 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters and three civilians, including an 8-year-old girl.

Rosales said the CHR report, which would be released later this month, would differ from those of the board of inquiry (BOI) and because it was drawn up “through the lens” of international war crime regulations.
 
Shared info, equipment

But she said the agency would look into details pointed out by the BOI and the Senate regarding “American influence in the operations on Jan. 25.”

Police officials tasked to coordinate the operation had confirmed that it shared information, training and equipment with the United States, Rosales said, quoting the previous reports.

The CHR report would try to determine “to what extent had American involvement affected the decisions and the behavior [of government officials] at the operational level [of anti-terror missions],” Rosales told the Inquirer shortly after she and CHR officials launched this town’s Human Rights Action Center and Rule of Law.

“When we are talking about cooperation [among countries in order to] address international terrorism, what standards do we follow? We have to have standards,” she said.

She said this should be clearly stipulated and defined in treaties like the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

The American presence has revived questions about the US government’s reported use of drones, Rosales also said.

“We have talked to [Mindanao] residents. When they hear the sound of what could be drones, they get scared because it usually means something bad follows,” she said.

When asked, Rosales acknowledged that her agency’s report may trigger the same political fallout that attended the release of the BOI and Senate reports and the results of investigation conducted by the MILF.

MILF peace talk

“I don’t want to preempt [our] investigation but that (the peace agreement with the MILF) was a major concern. For example, I asked the police yesterday (March 30) why they requested artillery in what should have been a conventional combat operation. And they replied that it was necessary because terrorists wage guerrilla warfare in rebel-controlled territories,” she said.

Rosales said matters involving suspected terrorists should be clarified in the peace negotiations.

Brutality

The report would also address the reported brutality that left many of the slain SAF men mutilated or dismembered following the battle with armed groups in Mamasapano as they tried to leave the area, she said.

She said the CHR has coordinated with the Philippine National Police’s human rights desk, as well as acting PNP chief, Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina Jr., to access autopsy reports and forensic examinations.

Rosales said she offered to help Espina strengthen evidence required when the police build a case against people they believed were responsible for the botched operation, and the death of the policemen.

Rosales tasked lawyer Harold Kub-aron to visit the widows and families of 14 slain SAF members who were from the Cordillera, two of them from La Trinidad town.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/120306/chr-report-to-tackle-us-role-in-mamasapano/

Troops thwart Sayyafs bombing attempt

From the Sun Star (Apr 4): Troops thwart Sayyafs bombing attempt

MARINE forces have averted a plan of the Abu Sayyaf bandits to set off an improvised bomb during a clearing operation in the hinterlands of Sulu, an official said Friday.

The troops safely defused an improvised explosive device (IED) placed by the Abu Sayyaf bandits inside a hut at Sitio Gabban in the village of Kabuntakas, Patikul, Sulu.

Ensign Chester Ian Ramos, Task Force Zambasulta information officer, said the Marine Battalion Landing Team-10 (MBLT-10) troops were conducting clearing operation around 9 a.m. Friday when they noticed an IED triggering device.

Ramos said the IED was buried on the ground inside the hut in an area, which is believed to be an encampment of the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

Ramos said the Marines’ explosive ordnance demolition (EOD) team recovered an ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO)-type improvised bomb with 81-millimeter mortar ammunition as the main charge and mechanical pressured-type triggering device.

He said the troops also recovered two empty cartridges, 81-mm and two empty cartridges 60-mm in the area.

“The IED was buried inside the hut with a set of flashlight placed on the ceiling to inflict casualty to curious person who will attempt to check the flashlight,” he said.

He said the troops have also found newly-built huts with a lecture area, lookout post, and anti-artillery dug-ins during the clearing operations.

The discovery of the IED came a day after the Marine troops killed in a clash two Abu Sayyaf bandits in the nearby village of Danag, Patikul, Sulu.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/zamboanga/local-news/2015/04/04/troops-thwart-sayyafs-bombing-attempt-400779

Pentagon Gang strikes again, takes 4 captives

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Apr 5): Pentagon Gang strikes again, takes 4 captives

A group of gunmen, believed to be members of the Pentagon Gang and based in Maguindanao, is holding at least four persons captive, including an architect, after snatching them in the town of Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao province on March 29.

Authorities confirmed the kidnapping only on Saturday.

Senior Supt. Rolen Balguin, city police director, identified the captives as Jason Cababayao, whose family owns J Trade Concrete Products and Construction Supply in General Santos City; architect Raulito Suyom Jr.; Francis Wong and Rho Steven.

Balquin said based on the initial details of the case, the victims were heading to this city in a white Mitsubishi Strada pickup on March 29, when they were stopped by armed men along the national highway in Shariff Aguak.

He said the victims were to meet a client here.

Facebook post

Wong, on his Facebook page, wrote (unedited) at 6:56 a.m. on March 29 that he was “Off to Cotabato City with my partners project meeting with Raulito Suy-Suy Suyom Jr. Jason Cababayao Rho Steven—feeling blessed.”

It was the last post he made in his Facebook account before the kidnapping.

Balquin said there had been reports the suspects had already made contact with the captives’ families and are demanding a P10-million ransom. He said, however, that the reports are still being double-checked.

He said the police’s antikidnapping group had taken the lead in the investigation and is determining the identities of the suspects.

But past cases of kidnappings here had been pinned on the so-called Pentagon Gang, which has links with the Abu Sayyaf.

The Pentagon Gang had been founded in the 1980s by former Moro National Liberation Front commander Faisal Marohombsar, who was later slain in a clash with government troops. It operates through smaller cells that are spread throughout Mindanao.

In Central Mindanao, the gang is headed by Alonto Tahir, a diabetic former Moro rebel leader.

Past victims

Among the gang’s previous victims include Italian priest Fr. Giuseppe Piarantoni, who was snatched on Oct. 17, 200, while celebrating Mass in Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur.

The group was also blamed for the 2001 kidnapping of five Chinese engineers working on a government irrigation project in North Cotabato.

Although the gang appeared to have lain low, it continues to be a threat and is behind a string of kidnappings in Mindanao.

In 2007, the gang snatched five engineers working for the Philippine National Oil Company in North Cotabato.

In October 2013, it struck again in this city and seized an Indian national who operates a mall in Central Mindanao areas.

Mike Khemani, of the Sugni chain of stores, escaped from captivity about two months later.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/683534/pentagon-gang-strikes-again-takes-4-captives

Rebel killed, soldier hurt in Sorsogon clash

From the Philippine Star (Apr5): Rebel killed, soldier hurt in Sorsogon clash

A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla was killed while an Army trooper was wounded in an encounter in Magallanes town in Sorsogon last Thursday.

Pfc. Richard Tablate was rushed to the Sorsogon Doctors’ Hospital for treatment while the military has yet to identify the slain rebel.

Tablate and his companions from the Army’s 31st Infantry Battalion (IB) were verifying reports about the presence of armed men in Barangay Tagas when they clashed with a band of insurgents, said Col. Cesar Idio, chief of the 903rd Infantry Brigade.

Idio said the rebels set off an improvised explosive device (IED), but no one was hurt in the blast.

Troops recovered two M-16 Armalites, an IED and five backpacks at the scene of the encounter.

Meanwhile, two soldiers and a civilian were killed while six others were wounded in another NPA attack in San Miguel town in Surigao del Sur last Wednesday.

The fatalities were identified as Sgt. Luisilo Pastor, Cpl. Rey Gerzon and Danilo Bendanilo, a civilian.

The wounded victims, including five soldiers and a civilian, were rushed to a hospital for treatment.

The soldiers were in four military trucks when they were ambushed by a band of rebels in Barangay Mahayag.

The civilians were passing by the area when they were hit by stray bullets, Capt. Jasper Gacayan, spokesman for the Army’s 401st IB, said.  

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2015/04/05/1440337/rebel-killed-soldier-hurt-sorsogon-clash

4 injured in Zambo blast

From the Philippine Star (Apr 5): 4 injured in Zambo blast



Police officers inspect a pickup truck destroyed in an explosion in Zamboanga City Friday.  STAR/Roel Pareño

Four persons were wounded when a bomb exploded near a police station here Friday night.

The victims were identified as Marvin Esperat, Magdalena Joaton, Ofelia Enriquez and Victor Bartolome. They were rushed to different hospitals for treatment.

The blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) left in a pickup truck that was impounded near the station in Barangay Ayala, Senior Inspector Karib Muharram, Station 10 police commander, said.

Muharram said the incident occurred at about 7:50 p.m. and destroyed the truck, a Nissan Navarra (KDY 493), which was linked to a kidnapping and illegal drugs case.

The explosion, which damaged the glass windows of the police station and a house beside it, occurred minutes after the police conducted a regular security briefing.

Muharram believes the attack was drug-related, citing the arrest earlier of a member of an illegal drug syndicate.

Meanwhile, police officers on Thursday deactivated an IED found near a government hospital in Cotabato City.

A grenade was also found several meters away from the IED.

Senior Superintendent Rolen Balquin, chief of the city police, said an informant tipped them off about the grenade near the gate of the Cotabato Regional Medical Center.

Responding police officers found the grenade and a bag several meters from it.

The bag reportedly contained a homemade bomb fashioned from a 60-mm mortar equipped with a timing device that can be detonated from a distance.

Balquin said they were still investigating the incident.

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2015/04/05/1440344/4-injured-zambo-blast

IED blast related to detention of 2 inmates – Zamboanga City mayor

From GMA News (Apr 4): IED blast related to detention of 2 inmates – Zamboanga City mayor

The improvised explosive device blast in front of Zamboanga City's Ayala Police Station on Good Friday had something to do with the detention of two high-profile inmates at the station, city mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said in a Facebook post.

Salazar identified one of the the high-profile inmates as the son of Margani Samla a.k.a. "Bin Laden", one of the city's 10 most wanted who allegedly has links to the drug and gun-for-hire trades.
Salazar also identified the three people injured in the blast:

Marvin Esperat, 14,
Ofelia Eusebio, 77, and
Magdalena Araneta, 61.

Meanwhile, City police chief Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro said that the IED used ammonium nitrate with fuel oil, and that it was planted in an abandoned vehicle.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/464198/news/regions/ied-blast-related-to-detention-of-2-inmates-zamboanga-city-mayor

Bomb blast hits Zamboanga City police station

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 4): Bomb blast hits Zamboanga City police station

Police and military authorities are conducting thorough probe to establish the motive as well as unmask the suspects behind Good Friday’s improvised bomb explosion at a police station in this city.

Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro, Zamboanga City police director, said three people were injured in the explosion of an improvised explosive device (IED) around 7:55 p.m. Friday in front of the Police Station 9 in Barangay Ayala.

One of the three victims was identified as Marvin Esperat, 14, the son of a civilian employee with the police station.

Esperat was critically injured and has immediately undergone surgery.

The other two victims identified as Magdalena Araneta, 61 and Ofelia Enriquez, 71, were slightly injured.

They were passing by on their way home when the IED exploded.

Casimiro said initial investigation showed the IED was placed on an impounded pick-up vehicle parked in front of the police station.

Casimiro said the explosive ordnance demolition (EOD) have yet to establish the type of IED used although the blast site is positive for ammonium nitrate.

The blast shattered window glasses of the police station and a nearby house.

The police station was said to have received threats after they detained three persons arrested in an anti-drug campaign.

Meanwhile, Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has assured that the city government will shoulder the medical expenses of the victims.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=750229

Army condemns BIFF attack on DSWD office in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 4): Army condemns BIFF attack on DSWD office in Maguindanao

The military’s 6th Infantry Division on Saturday condemned the rifle grenade attack on a government relief agency building in a remote village here on Thursday.

Capt. Joann Petinglay, speaking for the 6th ID, said the attack was launched by members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) toward a building of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Barangay Pagatin.

The DSWD building houses relief goods for internally displaced persons and was guarded by government forces.

As a result, four soldiers belonging to the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion were wounded.

The suspects used 40 mm rifle grenade fired about 200 meters away at 9 p.m.

Fighting in Maguindanao’s four adjoining towns have slowed down with the BIFF conducting hit and run attacks against government forces.

While AFP chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang has ordered the termination of massive law enforcement operations against the BIFF, the Army will continue its “small scale” offensives with the help of local government officials who vowed to provide information on BIFF’s activities.

Petinglay said all the BIFF encampments that fell to government hands are now occupied by government forces.

These encampments are situated within what the Army called “SPMS box” which refers to the towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Salibo), Mamasapano and Shariff Saydona, all in Maguindanao.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=750244

7ID, PRO3, disaster councils brace for 'Chedeng'

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 4): 7ID, PRO3, disaster councils brace for 'Chedeng'

FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija -- The Philippine Army's 7th Infantry Division (7ID) has deployed personnel to coordinate with local disasters risk reduction and management councils in preparation for the expected landfall of typhoon "Chedeng" in Central Luzon.

Major Gen. Glorioso Miranda, 7ID commander, said the command has instituted coordinative effort with the provincial disaster risk reduction and management councils (PDRRMCs) of every province as well as its city and municipal counterparts within the command's area of responsibility.

"We have this structure of cooperation even before the disaster," Miranda said.

The army, he said, have dedicated some units or personnel and equipment to undertake disaster response operations.

Chief Superintendent Ronald Santos, officer in charge of Philippine National Police's (PNP's) Regional Police Office 3, said their personnel are also readied as early as the news about the possible effect of "Chedeng" in the region.

"We are one with the thrust of the national government to keep a zero casualty during calamity," Santos said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=750282