From Update.Ph (Apr 17): FA-50PH performance impresses Americans, likened to F-16
Seeing Balikatan action for the first time, the country’s newly-acquired South Korean-made FA-50PH “Fighting Eagle” light-interim fighter aircraft gave an impressive showing during the aerial phase of the annual military maneuvers aside from impressing American pilots.
This was disclosed by Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesperson Col. Araus Roberto Musico in a message to the PNA Saturday.
“The Americans [were] impressed. The combined flight exercise involved interception simulation where our FA-50 jets flew against other fighter jets acting as aggressors (two Hawker Hunters served that part) because of sophisticated navigation and detection equipment, our FA-50s were able to easily spot and intercept the aggressors with the assistance of AWACS (airborne warning and control system) serving as airborne controllers,” he added.
This year’s Balikatan exercises formally started April 4 and ended on April 15.
The aerial phase of the maneuvers took place during Balikatan’s first week.
“Generally, the Americans were surprised with the aircraft’s performance, even going further to say that it is similar to a lesser degree than the F-16 (General Dynamics F-16 ‘Fighting Falcon’),” Musico added.
The Philippines has a 12 FA-50PH order from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) worth PHP18.9 billion.
The first two units arrived last Nov. 28 with the remaining 10 to be delivered during 2016 and 2017.
http://www.update.ph/2016/04/fa-50ph-performance-impresses-americans-likened-to-f-16/4377
Sunday, April 17, 2016
US, Philippines conducting joint air patrols to West Philippine Sea
From Update.Ph (Apr 17): US, Philippines conducting joint air patrols to West Philippine Sea
Defense secretaries of Philippines and United States have visited US supercarrier USS John C. Stennis in West Philippine Sea. The two officials flew to the Stennis via a US V-22 Osprey from Palawan April 15.
The American defense secretary said his presence was a message to the Philippines about the strength of the US-Philippine alliance and the US commitment to the region.
That message, Carter said, is “the United States intends to continue to play a role out here that it has for seven decades – keeping peace and stability, which has allowed the Asian miracle of prosperity and political and economic development, each according to their own wishes to happen.”
“We want to reduce tensions, but we also want everybody in the region to be able to rise and develop in their own way – including the Philippines, by the way, which happens also to be a longstanding and very staunch treaty ally of the United States,” Carter said.
Carter earlier said that some US Air Force personnel and aircraft will remain in the Philippines on a rotational basis after their participation in this year’s Balikatan exercise. This is part of of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Aircraft staying in Philippines are five A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and one MC-130H Combat Talon aircraft.
Carter said 200 airmen will continue the joint training conducted during Balikatan. They will conduct flight operations in the area, including the West Philippine Sea, and lay the foundation for joint air patrols to complement ongoing maritime patrols, he said.
Joint US-Philippines maritime patrols in West Philippine Sea started March.
http://www.update.ph/2016/04/us-philippines-conducting-joint-air-patrols-to-west-philippine-sea/4380
Defense secretaries of Philippines and United States have visited US supercarrier USS John C. Stennis in West Philippine Sea. The two officials flew to the Stennis via a US V-22 Osprey from Palawan April 15.
The American defense secretary said his presence was a message to the Philippines about the strength of the US-Philippine alliance and the US commitment to the region.
That message, Carter said, is “the United States intends to continue to play a role out here that it has for seven decades – keeping peace and stability, which has allowed the Asian miracle of prosperity and political and economic development, each according to their own wishes to happen.”
“We want to reduce tensions, but we also want everybody in the region to be able to rise and develop in their own way – including the Philippines, by the way, which happens also to be a longstanding and very staunch treaty ally of the United States,” Carter said.
Carter earlier said that some US Air Force personnel and aircraft will remain in the Philippines on a rotational basis after their participation in this year’s Balikatan exercise. This is part of of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Aircraft staying in Philippines are five A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and one MC-130H Combat Talon aircraft.
Carter said 200 airmen will continue the joint training conducted during Balikatan. They will conduct flight operations in the area, including the West Philippine Sea, and lay the foundation for joint air patrols to complement ongoing maritime patrols, he said.
Joint US-Philippines maritime patrols in West Philippine Sea started March.
http://www.update.ph/2016/04/us-philippines-conducting-joint-air-patrols-to-west-philippine-sea/4380
President Aquino determined to end Abu Sayyaf threat, says Palace official
From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 16): President Aquino determined to end Abu Sayyaf threat, says Palace official
"Buong-buo ang determinasyon ng Pangulo at ng pamahalaan na bigyan na ng mariing dagok at mawakasan na itong mga pananakot na ginagawa ng (Abu Sayyaf), dahil batid naman natin ang ating Sandatahang Lakas ay nakapagdagdag na ng kanilang mga kagamitan," Secretary Coloma told reporters during a press briefing at the Palace.
"Sapat ang kagamitan ng ating mga Sandatahang Lakas. Sapat din ang kanilang pagsasanay. Mataas ang moral ng ating mga kasundaluhan kaya’t pinaiigting ang paglaban sa kanila," he added.
The Palace official pointed out that the area controlled by the rebels has been reduced due to the completion of the Basilan Circumferential Road.
"Totoong lumiliit na ‘yung lugar na pwede nilang pagkilusan dahil sa mga importanteng proyektong pangimprastruktura na nakumpleto na ng ating pamahalaan, katulad ng Basilan Circumferential Road," he said, noting that the island province of Basilan is now encircled by a concrete highway.
“Meron pang kasunod na proyekto diyan ang ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) natin, in coordination with DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), sina Governor Mujiv Hataman. Ang tawag doon sa proyekto ay ang Transcentral Road Project. Nauna ‘yung sa kapaligiran, ngayon naman ‘yung sa gitna. Sa gitna mismo ng isla, merong mga bulubunduking bahagi doon, may Transcentral Road Project naman para talagang mag-improve ‘yung connectivity,” he explained.
Coloma reiterated that the government will not allow the armed group to continue its illegal activities.
"Hindi natin pwedeng pahintulutan na magpatuloy sila sapagkat tuwing sila ay makakakuha -- through extortion, through kidnap-for-ransom activities -- ng mga malalaking halaga ng salapi, ito rin ang ginagamit nila para magpatuloy ang kanilang tiwaling mga ginagawa na labag sa batas at ang paghahasik ng ligalig sa ating mga mamamayan, Kaya’t buong-buo ang determinasyon ng pamahalaan hinggil diyan," he said.
On a Singaporean expert’s claim that the Islamic State (ISIS) was behind the deadly encounter in Basilan, Coloma pointed out that rebel groups used to say that they have links with the Al Qaeda but these days, they say they have links with the ISIS.
“Kinakailangan meron silang branding na ganoon para makilala sila, para katakutan sila… Pero kung tutuusin, titingnan natin what these groups really are -- ang talagang generic characterization natin ay these are opportunists, mercenary groups na hindi dapat bigyan ng puwang sa ating bansa,” he said.
“Dapat sila ay labanan sa fullest extent na magagawa natin… Kasi habang ibinabandera natin, ito ay ISIS, Al Qaeda, para bang binibigyan pa natin sila ng puwang. Samantalang sa katotohanan ay sila naman ay mga oportunista at mga mersinaryong grupo na walang lugar sa ating bansa.”
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1141460723590/president-aquino-determined-to-end-abu-sayyaf-threat-says-palace-official
President Benigno S. Aquino III is determined to put an end
to the threat posed by the Abu Sayyaf Group, Communication Secretary Herminio
Coloma, Jr. said on Friday.
"Buong-buo ang determinasyon ng Pangulo at ng pamahalaan na bigyan na ng mariing dagok at mawakasan na itong mga pananakot na ginagawa ng (Abu Sayyaf), dahil batid naman natin ang ating Sandatahang Lakas ay nakapagdagdag na ng kanilang mga kagamitan," Secretary Coloma told reporters during a press briefing at the Palace.
"Sapat ang kagamitan ng ating mga Sandatahang Lakas. Sapat din ang kanilang pagsasanay. Mataas ang moral ng ating mga kasundaluhan kaya’t pinaiigting ang paglaban sa kanila," he added.
The Palace official pointed out that the area controlled by the rebels has been reduced due to the completion of the Basilan Circumferential Road.
"Totoong lumiliit na ‘yung lugar na pwede nilang pagkilusan dahil sa mga importanteng proyektong pangimprastruktura na nakumpleto na ng ating pamahalaan, katulad ng Basilan Circumferential Road," he said, noting that the island province of Basilan is now encircled by a concrete highway.
“Meron pang kasunod na proyekto diyan ang ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) natin, in coordination with DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), sina Governor Mujiv Hataman. Ang tawag doon sa proyekto ay ang Transcentral Road Project. Nauna ‘yung sa kapaligiran, ngayon naman ‘yung sa gitna. Sa gitna mismo ng isla, merong mga bulubunduking bahagi doon, may Transcentral Road Project naman para talagang mag-improve ‘yung connectivity,” he explained.
Coloma reiterated that the government will not allow the armed group to continue its illegal activities.
"Hindi natin pwedeng pahintulutan na magpatuloy sila sapagkat tuwing sila ay makakakuha -- through extortion, through kidnap-for-ransom activities -- ng mga malalaking halaga ng salapi, ito rin ang ginagamit nila para magpatuloy ang kanilang tiwaling mga ginagawa na labag sa batas at ang paghahasik ng ligalig sa ating mga mamamayan, Kaya’t buong-buo ang determinasyon ng pamahalaan hinggil diyan," he said.
On a Singaporean expert’s claim that the Islamic State (ISIS) was behind the deadly encounter in Basilan, Coloma pointed out that rebel groups used to say that they have links with the Al Qaeda but these days, they say they have links with the ISIS.
“Kinakailangan meron silang branding na ganoon para makilala sila, para katakutan sila… Pero kung tutuusin, titingnan natin what these groups really are -- ang talagang generic characterization natin ay these are opportunists, mercenary groups na hindi dapat bigyan ng puwang sa ating bansa,” he said.
“Dapat sila ay labanan sa fullest extent na magagawa natin… Kasi habang ibinabandera natin, ito ay ISIS, Al Qaeda, para bang binibigyan pa natin sila ng puwang. Samantalang sa katotohanan ay sila naman ay mga oportunista at mga mersinaryong grupo na walang lugar sa ating bansa.”
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1141460723590/president-aquino-determined-to-end-abu-sayyaf-threat-says-palace-official
Former MILF combatants undergo livelihood training
From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 17): Former MILF combatants undergo livelihood training
On June 16, 2015, 145 former MILF combatants underwent the (initial) decommissioning process in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao with the ceremonial turnover of 51 high-powered and 24 crew-serve weapons of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). These decommissioned combatants underwent a registration, verification, and validation process and were provided with socio-economic packages to assist them in their transformation to peaceful civilian lives.
Out of the 145 decommissioned combatants, 133 decided to undergo different sets of skills training programs that were conducted by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as part of the socio-economic track of the normalization process. The skills trainings include bread and pastry production, driving, carpentry, cookery, motorcycle/small engine repair, dressmaking/tailoring, automotive servicing, electrical installation and maintenance, and entrepreneurial skills training.
Aside from these, the former combatants also underwent trainings on Values Transformation and remedial classes on reading, writing and numeracy. They were also provided with cash-for-training assistance by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“With the assistance of the TESDA, DepEd and the Department of Social Work and Development and other government agencies, the decommissioned combatants are now accomplishing their respective trainings to prepare them towards transformation to unarmed civilians,” said GPH peace panel chair Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer.
Ferrer said that the active participation of the former combatants in the entire training and in the normalization process “shows their sincerity in peace-building and in concretely transforming from an armed group into peaceful, civilian lives.”
She also reiterated that despite the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), “we are still pushing for these activities for the government remains committed to what have been agreed upon in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.”
“Even though the proposed BBL was not passed by the 16th Congress, the gains achieved in the Bangsamoro peace process throughout the decades have been tremendous. There is solid basis for the people of the Bangsamoro to remain hopeful and continue looking forward toward a better, peaceful future,” she added.
“The skills and entrepreneurial training program offers great opportunities for the decommissioned combatants,” said Hadzer Birowa, director of the socio-economic unit of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
Birowa said the skills they learned, along with the livelihood packages that they will receive upon the completion of the entire training program, is envisioned to prepare them for sustainable livelihood when they fully transform from being combatants and mainstreamed into civilian communities.
Abdulaziz Andik, one of the decommissioned combatants who has devoted 39 years to fighting, chose to train in carpentry. He shared his feelings on the decommissioning program:
“Napakaganda ng training na ito kasi magagamit ko siya para sa mga anak ko saka mapagkakakitaan ko rin dun sa lugar namin. Kaya nagpapasalamat din kami sa mga nagtiyagang nagturo sa amin na mabigay nila yung kaalaman nila kahit na medyo nahihirapan sila magturo kasi nga matanda na kami kaya mabagal lang yung pag-iintindi ko pero pinipilit namin kasi gusto naming matuto saka para sa pamilya naman namin ito.”
Another trainee, Hadji Usman Akmad, retold his long history in the Bangsamoro army. He first became a member of the Ansarul Islam in 1971, then joined the Black Shirts, and for 39 years, was part of the Moro National Liberation Front. Now, as a member of the MILF, Hadji Usman is a decommissioned combatant.
At 73, he enrolled in the dressmaking course to help his only daughter in her small tailoring business. He feels positive towards the decommissioning program. “Masaya ako dahil wala na ako sa kabundukan. Pwede na akong pumunta sa Cotabato na walang sabit dahil civilian na ako.”
After choosing their training courses, each participant underwent a 35-day training (30-day skills and 5-day entrepreneurial) in different sites[1]. Starter toolkits will be given to them on April 25 this year upon completion of the entire program.
The Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) assistance will be delivered based on the counselling activities done and validated during home visitations.
Atty. Teodoro C. Pascua, TESDA Deputy Director General for Operations emphasized that the trainings designed for the decommissioned combatants are unique and special for it involved entrepreneurial skills and provision of tool kits. (OPAPP)
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1141460811038/former-milf-combatants-undergo-livelihood-training
One hundred and thirty-three former Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) combatants have successfully completed their skills training and
entrepreneurship program. The training series for decommission combatants is
part of the implementation of the agreement under the Terms of Reference of the
Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
On June 16, 2015, 145 former MILF combatants underwent the (initial) decommissioning process in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao with the ceremonial turnover of 51 high-powered and 24 crew-serve weapons of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). These decommissioned combatants underwent a registration, verification, and validation process and were provided with socio-economic packages to assist them in their transformation to peaceful civilian lives.
Out of the 145 decommissioned combatants, 133 decided to undergo different sets of skills training programs that were conducted by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as part of the socio-economic track of the normalization process. The skills trainings include bread and pastry production, driving, carpentry, cookery, motorcycle/small engine repair, dressmaking/tailoring, automotive servicing, electrical installation and maintenance, and entrepreneurial skills training.
Aside from these, the former combatants also underwent trainings on Values Transformation and remedial classes on reading, writing and numeracy. They were also provided with cash-for-training assistance by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“With the assistance of the TESDA, DepEd and the Department of Social Work and Development and other government agencies, the decommissioned combatants are now accomplishing their respective trainings to prepare them towards transformation to unarmed civilians,” said GPH peace panel chair Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer.
Ferrer said that the active participation of the former combatants in the entire training and in the normalization process “shows their sincerity in peace-building and in concretely transforming from an armed group into peaceful, civilian lives.”
She also reiterated that despite the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), “we are still pushing for these activities for the government remains committed to what have been agreed upon in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.”
“Even though the proposed BBL was not passed by the 16th Congress, the gains achieved in the Bangsamoro peace process throughout the decades have been tremendous. There is solid basis for the people of the Bangsamoro to remain hopeful and continue looking forward toward a better, peaceful future,” she added.
“The skills and entrepreneurial training program offers great opportunities for the decommissioned combatants,” said Hadzer Birowa, director of the socio-economic unit of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
Birowa said the skills they learned, along with the livelihood packages that they will receive upon the completion of the entire training program, is envisioned to prepare them for sustainable livelihood when they fully transform from being combatants and mainstreamed into civilian communities.
Abdulaziz Andik, one of the decommissioned combatants who has devoted 39 years to fighting, chose to train in carpentry. He shared his feelings on the decommissioning program:
“Napakaganda ng training na ito kasi magagamit ko siya para sa mga anak ko saka mapagkakakitaan ko rin dun sa lugar namin. Kaya nagpapasalamat din kami sa mga nagtiyagang nagturo sa amin na mabigay nila yung kaalaman nila kahit na medyo nahihirapan sila magturo kasi nga matanda na kami kaya mabagal lang yung pag-iintindi ko pero pinipilit namin kasi gusto naming matuto saka para sa pamilya naman namin ito.”
Another trainee, Hadji Usman Akmad, retold his long history in the Bangsamoro army. He first became a member of the Ansarul Islam in 1971, then joined the Black Shirts, and for 39 years, was part of the Moro National Liberation Front. Now, as a member of the MILF, Hadji Usman is a decommissioned combatant.
At 73, he enrolled in the dressmaking course to help his only daughter in her small tailoring business. He feels positive towards the decommissioning program. “Masaya ako dahil wala na ako sa kabundukan. Pwede na akong pumunta sa Cotabato na walang sabit dahil civilian na ako.”
After choosing their training courses, each participant underwent a 35-day training (30-day skills and 5-day entrepreneurial) in different sites[1]. Starter toolkits will be given to them on April 25 this year upon completion of the entire program.
The Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) assistance will be delivered based on the counselling activities done and validated during home visitations.
Atty. Teodoro C. Pascua, TESDA Deputy Director General for Operations emphasized that the trainings designed for the decommissioned combatants are unique and special for it involved entrepreneurial skills and provision of tool kits. (OPAPP)
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1141460811038/former-milf-combatants-undergo-livelihood-training
): Police, military on heightened alert to ensure public security, says Coloma
From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 17): Police, military on heightened alert to ensure public security, says Coloma
The Palace assured that the country’s police and security forces are maintaining their constant state of watchfulness to ensure the safety of the public at all times.
“Walang dapat ikabahala at hindi dapat maligalig ang ating mga mamamayan. Tinitiyak ng ating kapulisan at mga pwersang pangseguridad, na maayos ang paglatag ng mga hakbang para tiyakin ang seguridad ng lahat," Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said during a press briefing in Malacañang.
According to news reports last week, parts of an improvised explosive device (IED) were found in a backpack left behind in a bus by a passenger who boarded at the Coastal Road in Baclaran and alighted at Ortigas Avenue.
“These are actually components ng isang improvised explosive device. Hindi naman ito isang buong IED components na noong sinuri ng ating mga awtoridad ay parang pinagsama-sama lamang at parang gawa ng mga prankster o mga amateur,” Secretary Coloma explained.
He however reiterated that the authorities are taking this seriously.
"Pero hindi naman natin binabalewala ang kahit anong bagay, kahit nga ganito nga ang itsura, dahil hindi naman dapat din tayo maging complacent," he said.
Coloma noted that last year’s Papal visit and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting have proven the government’s capability to maintain peace and security.
"Tulad ng ating naging karanasan noong pagbisita ng Santo Papa at noong APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, buo ang determinasyon ng pamahalaan na panatilihin ang kapayapaan at seguridad sa ating bansa sa tulong at pakikiisa ng ating mga Boss," he added.
The Palace official nonetheless called on the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with the authorities in observing precautionary measures.
"Hinihimok natin ang ating mga kababayan na manatiling mapagmatyag at makipagtulungan sa mga awtoridad sa pagsunod sa mga ipinapatupad na mga hakbang sa pag-iingat," he said.
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1141460723642/police-military-on-heightened-alert-to-ensure-public-security-says-coloma
The Palace assured that the country’s police and security forces are maintaining their constant state of watchfulness to ensure the safety of the public at all times.
“Walang dapat ikabahala at hindi dapat maligalig ang ating mga mamamayan. Tinitiyak ng ating kapulisan at mga pwersang pangseguridad, na maayos ang paglatag ng mga hakbang para tiyakin ang seguridad ng lahat," Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said during a press briefing in Malacañang.
According to news reports last week, parts of an improvised explosive device (IED) were found in a backpack left behind in a bus by a passenger who boarded at the Coastal Road in Baclaran and alighted at Ortigas Avenue.
“These are actually components ng isang improvised explosive device. Hindi naman ito isang buong IED components na noong sinuri ng ating mga awtoridad ay parang pinagsama-sama lamang at parang gawa ng mga prankster o mga amateur,” Secretary Coloma explained.
He however reiterated that the authorities are taking this seriously.
"Pero hindi naman natin binabalewala ang kahit anong bagay, kahit nga ganito nga ang itsura, dahil hindi naman dapat din tayo maging complacent," he said.
Coloma noted that last year’s Papal visit and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting have proven the government’s capability to maintain peace and security.
"Tulad ng ating naging karanasan noong pagbisita ng Santo Papa at noong APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, buo ang determinasyon ng pamahalaan na panatilihin ang kapayapaan at seguridad sa ating bansa sa tulong at pakikiisa ng ating mga Boss," he added.
The Palace official nonetheless called on the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with the authorities in observing precautionary measures.
"Hinihimok natin ang ating mga kababayan na manatiling mapagmatyag at makipagtulungan sa mga awtoridad sa pagsunod sa mga ipinapatupad na mga hakbang sa pag-iingat," he said.
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1141460723642/police-military-on-heightened-alert-to-ensure-public-security-says-coloma
Detained farmers freed on bail; lawyers question validity of arrest
From MindaNews (Apr 16): Detained farmers freed on bail; lawyers question validity of arrest
All 81 persons detained in the aftermath of the April 1 violent dispersal of a three-day barricade in Kidapawan City have been released on bail as of Saturday noon, lawyer Joel Mahinay, Davao City chapter chair of the Union of Peoples Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) told MindaNews.
A total of 81 persons were detained on April 1 — among them a 78-year old grandmother and three pregnant women. They were charged with “direct assault upon an agent of a person in authority” after the dispersal that left farmer Darwin Sulang dead, as well as welder Enrico Fabligar who happened to pass by, and scores wounded from among the protesters, police and firemen. Lito Salon, another farmer who returned home on March 31 after two days at the barricade, was rushed to a hospital in neighboring Antipas town on April 3 and expired on April 4 due to heat stroke, his family was told.
The barricade was set up to demand, among others, the release of 15,000 sacks of rice for drought-stricken farmers in the towns of Arakan, Antipas, Magpet, Makilala, M’lang, President Roxas and Tulunan and the city of Kidapawan.
[
FREED. Father Peter Geremia, assistant parish priest of Arakan in North Cotabato talks to detained farmers awaiting arraignment for alleged “direct assault” at the municipal court in Kidapawan City on April 14, 2016. The defense team moved to defer arraignment as they are still questioning the validity of the arrest. All 81 farmers detained in the aftermath of the April 1 violent dispersal in Kidapawan City have been released as of Saturday, April 16. MIndaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO
Of the 81 detained, one turned out to be a minor and was brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) while three were released upon payment of P12,000 bail bond each on April 8, leaving 77 persons still in detention when the motion to reduce bail filed on April 8, was first heard on April 11.
Judge Rebecca Elena de Leon of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities in Kidapawan City on Wednesday ordered the reduction of the P12,000 bail to P6,000 each “without prejudice to the evaluation by the court of additional documents to support your further reduction of the bail.” The accused had asked the court to reduce the bail to P2,000 each.
Mahinay told MindaNews on Wednesday that money had been raised from donations, including those coming from movie and television celebrities, for the bail of the 77.
But no release was done on Wednesday afternoon as most of the detained did not have ID cards.
On Thursday morning, Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon, chair of the Commission on Human Rights told MindaNews that since the bail hearing had been completed, “it is important for government to do everything possible to facilitate the release of the persons from temporary custody in order for people who have been deprived of their liberty to go on with their lives pending the legal processes taking their due course.”
“While showing proof of identification may be needed to accomplish this – it should be pursued by imposing the least burden possible to guarantee their freedom,” he said.
One of the defense lawyers, Gregorio Andolana, legal counsel of the Diocese of Kidapawan and a member of the Committee on Legal Aid of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines told MindaNews that the problem of ID cards was solved on Thursday when they told the court that the accused would submit their personal information sheet (PIS) “fully validated by Fr. Peter Geremia and /or Rev. Ernie Ramos – the bondsmen.”
Andolana said the judge immediately approved “so as not to delay the liberty of the accused on bail.”
Motion to Quash
Ten of the 77 detained were freed on bail on April 14; 65 more on Friday, April 15, including the 78-year old Valentina Berdin and the three pregnant women; while two were left behind Friday “since release papers were misplaced by court personnel,” Mahinay said.
Mahinay went to the provincial jail in Amas, Kidapawan City on Saturday morning “to bring out the two prisoners left” – Ponciano Paonil of Barangay Kabalantian in Arakan and Ruben Mangga of Barangay Binoongan also in Arakan.
Last Thursday, the defense team comprising the UPLM, Andolana, Orlando Dano of the Public Attorneys Office (PAO), the National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL) and the Public Interest Law Center, opted to withdraw an earlier motion to determine probable cause and instead filed a “motion to quash the information” for lack of jurisdiction on the persons of accused who, Andolana said were “arbitrarily arrested and arbitrarily detained.”
He explained to MindaNews that the accused were “under warrantless arrest on April 1 and were not informed of their Constitutional rights to be informed of the reasons of their arrest, to be assisted by a lawyer of their own choice and not be arbitrarily detained beyond 18 hours.”
He said the case was filed only on April 4, beyond the 18-hour detention period for the charge of direct assault which is punishable by prision correccional medium or from two years, four months and one day to four years.”
Andolana said Judge de Leon denied their motion to quash. The defense filed a motion for reconsideration which will be heard on April 25.
Accountability
In a press statement, another member of the defense team, Atty. Sarah Villamor of the NUPL, said Alfie Awe and Darwin Magyao, both wounded, were released Friday “but reportedly boarded the vehicle owned by the Mayor of Arakan.”
Villamor said that according to reports, the two were discharged from the Madonna Hospital in the afternoon of April 13 and transferred to the lock-up cell of the Kidapawan Police Station.
She said they will continue to monitor the whereabouts of Awe and Magyao, and their condition.
Awe and Magyao were subjects of a motion filed on April 5 by Dionesio Alave, president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines North Cotabato chapter “for the immediate transfer of hospital confinement” from the Madonna Hospital in Kidapawan to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.
In the same press statement, Jerry Alborme, spokesperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) North Cotabato thanked the support groups, for their “unconditional and best efforts to give aid.”
“It gives us strength, seeing that we are not alone in our struggle. The peoples’ lawyers of the NUPL, Public Interest Law Center and the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers of Mindanao, along with paralegals from Karapatan in collaboration with allied local lawyers have toiled day and night just to ensure the speedy release of the farmers unjustly jailed,” he said.
But Alborme said their “long march to justice had just begun” as they are “not content with seeing our famished farmers freed.”
He said they want North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Talino-Mendoza, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista and Sr. Supt. Alexander Tagum, provincial police chief who was relieved from his post effective April 5 pending investigation, be held accountable.
“Only when they have been relieved from duty and put behind bars can we say that justice has been achieved,” he said.
The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights will continue its probe on the Kidapawan dispersal on April 20.
http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2016/04/16/detained-farmers-freed-lawyers-question-validity-of-arrest/
All 81 persons detained in the aftermath of the April 1 violent dispersal of a three-day barricade in Kidapawan City have been released on bail as of Saturday noon, lawyer Joel Mahinay, Davao City chapter chair of the Union of Peoples Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) told MindaNews.
A total of 81 persons were detained on April 1 — among them a 78-year old grandmother and three pregnant women. They were charged with “direct assault upon an agent of a person in authority” after the dispersal that left farmer Darwin Sulang dead, as well as welder Enrico Fabligar who happened to pass by, and scores wounded from among the protesters, police and firemen. Lito Salon, another farmer who returned home on March 31 after two days at the barricade, was rushed to a hospital in neighboring Antipas town on April 3 and expired on April 4 due to heat stroke, his family was told.
The barricade was set up to demand, among others, the release of 15,000 sacks of rice for drought-stricken farmers in the towns of Arakan, Antipas, Magpet, Makilala, M’lang, President Roxas and Tulunan and the city of Kidapawan.
[
FREED. Father Peter Geremia, assistant parish priest of Arakan in North Cotabato talks to detained farmers awaiting arraignment for alleged “direct assault” at the municipal court in Kidapawan City on April 14, 2016. The defense team moved to defer arraignment as they are still questioning the validity of the arrest. All 81 farmers detained in the aftermath of the April 1 violent dispersal in Kidapawan City have been released as of Saturday, April 16. MIndaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO
Of the 81 detained, one turned out to be a minor and was brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) while three were released upon payment of P12,000 bail bond each on April 8, leaving 77 persons still in detention when the motion to reduce bail filed on April 8, was first heard on April 11.
Judge Rebecca Elena de Leon of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities in Kidapawan City on Wednesday ordered the reduction of the P12,000 bail to P6,000 each “without prejudice to the evaluation by the court of additional documents to support your further reduction of the bail.” The accused had asked the court to reduce the bail to P2,000 each.
Mahinay told MindaNews on Wednesday that money had been raised from donations, including those coming from movie and television celebrities, for the bail of the 77.
But no release was done on Wednesday afternoon as most of the detained did not have ID cards.
On Thursday morning, Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon, chair of the Commission on Human Rights told MindaNews that since the bail hearing had been completed, “it is important for government to do everything possible to facilitate the release of the persons from temporary custody in order for people who have been deprived of their liberty to go on with their lives pending the legal processes taking their due course.”
“While showing proof of identification may be needed to accomplish this – it should be pursued by imposing the least burden possible to guarantee their freedom,” he said.
One of the defense lawyers, Gregorio Andolana, legal counsel of the Diocese of Kidapawan and a member of the Committee on Legal Aid of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines told MindaNews that the problem of ID cards was solved on Thursday when they told the court that the accused would submit their personal information sheet (PIS) “fully validated by Fr. Peter Geremia and /or Rev. Ernie Ramos – the bondsmen.”
Andolana said the judge immediately approved “so as not to delay the liberty of the accused on bail.”
Motion to Quash
Ten of the 77 detained were freed on bail on April 14; 65 more on Friday, April 15, including the 78-year old Valentina Berdin and the three pregnant women; while two were left behind Friday “since release papers were misplaced by court personnel,” Mahinay said.
Mahinay went to the provincial jail in Amas, Kidapawan City on Saturday morning “to bring out the two prisoners left” – Ponciano Paonil of Barangay Kabalantian in Arakan and Ruben Mangga of Barangay Binoongan also in Arakan.
Last Thursday, the defense team comprising the UPLM, Andolana, Orlando Dano of the Public Attorneys Office (PAO), the National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL) and the Public Interest Law Center, opted to withdraw an earlier motion to determine probable cause and instead filed a “motion to quash the information” for lack of jurisdiction on the persons of accused who, Andolana said were “arbitrarily arrested and arbitrarily detained.”
He explained to MindaNews that the accused were “under warrantless arrest on April 1 and were not informed of their Constitutional rights to be informed of the reasons of their arrest, to be assisted by a lawyer of their own choice and not be arbitrarily detained beyond 18 hours.”
He said the case was filed only on April 4, beyond the 18-hour detention period for the charge of direct assault which is punishable by prision correccional medium or from two years, four months and one day to four years.”
Andolana said Judge de Leon denied their motion to quash. The defense filed a motion for reconsideration which will be heard on April 25.
Accountability
In a press statement, another member of the defense team, Atty. Sarah Villamor of the NUPL, said Alfie Awe and Darwin Magyao, both wounded, were released Friday “but reportedly boarded the vehicle owned by the Mayor of Arakan.”
Villamor said that according to reports, the two were discharged from the Madonna Hospital in the afternoon of April 13 and transferred to the lock-up cell of the Kidapawan Police Station.
She said they will continue to monitor the whereabouts of Awe and Magyao, and their condition.
Awe and Magyao were subjects of a motion filed on April 5 by Dionesio Alave, president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines North Cotabato chapter “for the immediate transfer of hospital confinement” from the Madonna Hospital in Kidapawan to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.
In the same press statement, Jerry Alborme, spokesperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) North Cotabato thanked the support groups, for their “unconditional and best efforts to give aid.”
“It gives us strength, seeing that we are not alone in our struggle. The peoples’ lawyers of the NUPL, Public Interest Law Center and the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers of Mindanao, along with paralegals from Karapatan in collaboration with allied local lawyers have toiled day and night just to ensure the speedy release of the farmers unjustly jailed,” he said.
But Alborme said their “long march to justice had just begun” as they are “not content with seeing our famished farmers freed.”
He said they want North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Talino-Mendoza, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista and Sr. Supt. Alexander Tagum, provincial police chief who was relieved from his post effective April 5 pending investigation, be held accountable.
“Only when they have been relieved from duty and put behind bars can we say that justice has been achieved,” he said.
The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights will continue its probe on the Kidapawan dispersal on April 20.
http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2016/04/16/detained-farmers-freed-lawyers-question-validity-of-arrest/
2 radical militants captured in Zamboanga City
From the Mindanao Examiner (Apr 17): 2 radical militants captured in Zamboanga City
http://mindanaoexaminer.com/2-radical-militants-captured-in-zamboanga-city/
Security forces captured 2 radical militants in separate
operations in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines
Police said an Abu Sayyaf member, Johan Jaalam, was nabbed
Saturday near KCC Mall, but details the operation was not made public, although
officials said the militant is facing a string of criminal charges.
A leader of the militant group Rajah Solaiman Movement –
Melquiades Abrera II – was also captured on Friday and that an automatic pistol
and two grenades were seized from him by policemen and soldiers who tracked him
down in the village
of Santa Barbara
Chief Inspector Rogelio Alabata, a regional police
spokesman, has confirmed the arrest of Abrera, a native of Antipolo City
in Luzon . He said Abrera, also known as
Mikhail Abdulasis Abrera, was one of the planners of the Rajah Solaiman
Movement, blamed for terrorism in the Philippines
It was not immediately known whether Abrera was planning to
attack in Zamboanga or not, but Alabata said police launched a follow up
operation here.
The Rajah Solaiman Movement, founded by Ahmed Santos, a
Christian who converted to Islam, seeks to establish an Islamic state in the Philippines
In June 2008, Washington
designated Santos
They were all captured separately in the Philippines and had
been implicated in ransom kidnappings and many bombings and deadly attacks on
civilian targets, including the February 2005 Valentine’s Day bombings that
left dozens of civilians dead and injured, the August 2005 twin bombings in
Zamboanga City, which wounded 26 people; the Super Ferry bombing in February
2004 that killed over 100 people, and February 2003 bombing of the Awang
airport in Maguindanao.
Its members were involved in several plots to bomb
high-profile targets, as well, including Manila public utilities, tourist
areas, and the U.S. Embassy in Manila Philippines
http://mindanaoexaminer.com/2-radical-militants-captured-in-zamboanga-city/
Malaysia wants joint naval patrol, air surveillance with Philippines, Indonesia due to Abu Sayyaf kidnappings
From the Mindanao Examiner (Apr 17): Malaysia wants joint naval patrol, air surveillance with Philippines, Indonesia due to Abu Sayyaf kidnappings
Malaysia
has proposed joint maritime patrols and aerial surveillance with the Philippines and Indonesia
in the Sulu Sea at the border of Sabah ,
reports said.
http://mindanaoexaminer.com/malaysia-wants-joint-naval-patrol-air-surveillance-with-philippines-indonesia-due-to-abu-sayyaf-kidnappings/
Defense Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the Malaysia would tackle the piracy and kidnapping
problems in the Sulu Sea with his Filipino counterpart Voltaire Gazmin and
Ryamizard Ryacudu, of Indonesia
The same approach was also initiated by Malaysia Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to address piracy in the Strait of Melaka
“It is time the same approach is taken to ensure safety in
the Sulu Sea as kidnappings are on the rise in the sea, it not only affects
Malaysia, but also the neighboring countries,” Hishammuddin told reporters over
the weekend on the sideline of a sports festival in Johor’s Kluang district.
There was no immediate statement from Manila
on the proposal, but the Philippines
signed border patrol agreements with both Malaysia
and Indonesia Malaysia and Indonesia
But despite this, Abu Sayyaf rebels have kidnapped Malaysian
and Indonesian nationals in Sabah and in the
waters of Tawi-Tawi. And since 2000, the Abu Sayyaf intruded into Sabah and
kidnapped dozen 21 mostly European hostages in the posh Sipadan resort and
ransomed off the victims to Malaysia
and Libya
And the kidnappings continue unabated – due to the failure
of Philippine police forces in the Muslim autonomous region to which Tawi-Tawi
belongs, and the Western Mindanao Command – formerly Southern Command – to
prevent or put a stop to the daring Abu Sayyaf intrusions in Sabah .
On March 26, Abu Sayyaf rebels kidnapped 10 Indonesian crew
of the tugboat Brahma 12 off Tawi-Tawi and then four more Malaysian crew men of
the tugboat MasFive 6 were kidnapped in Sabah ’s
Semporna district. And recently, they also seized four Indonesian tugboat Henry
crew members off Tawi-Tawi.
The Abu Sayyaf is also holding Dutchman Ewold Horn, who was
kidnapped in Tawi-Tawi; Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Norwegian
Kjartan Sekkingstad – who were all seized from the posh resort of Samal Island
The Abu Sayyaf demanded P21 million each for
the Canadians and Norwegian and threatened to kill them if ransoms are not paid
by their family and governments on April 25.
http://mindanaoexaminer.com/malaysia-wants-joint-naval-patrol-air-surveillance-with-philippines-indonesia-due-to-abu-sayyaf-kidnappings/
FA-50PHs gave impressive showing during 'Balikatan' exercises -- PAF spokesperson
From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 17): FA-50PHs gave impressive showing during 'Balikatan' exercises -- PAF spokesperson
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=877258
Seeing "Balikatan" action for the first time, the
country's newly-acquired South Korean-made FA-50PH "Fighting Eagle"
light-interim fighter aircraft gave an impressive showing during the aerial
phase of the annual military maneuvers aside from impressing American pilots.
This was disclosed by Philippine Air Force (PAF)
spokesperson Col. Araus Roberto Musico in a message to the PNA Saturday.
"The Americans (were) impressed. The combined flight
exercise involved interception simulation where our FA-50 jets flew against
other fighter jets acting as aggressors (two Hawker Hunters served that part)
because of sophisticated navigation and detection equipment, our FA-50s were
able to easily spot and intercept the aggressors with the assistance of AWACS
(airborne warning and control system) serving as airborne controllers," he
added.
This year's "Balikatan" exercises formally started
April 4 and ended on April 15.
The aerial phase of the maneuvers took place during
"Balikatan's" first week.
"Generally, the Americans were surprised with the
aircraft's performance, even going further to say that it is similar to a
lesser degree than the F-16 (General Dynamics F-16 'Fighting Falcon'),"
Musico added.
The Philippines
The first two units arrived last Nov. 28 with the remaining
10 to be delivered during 2016 and 2017.
The FA-50PHs has a top speed of Mach 1.5 or one and a half
times the speed of sound and is capable of being fitted air-to-air missiles,
including the AIM-9 "Sidewinder" air-to-air and heat-seeking missiles
aside from light automatic cannons.
It will act as the country's interim fighter until the Philippines
It's design is largely derived from the F-16 "Fighting
Falcon", and they have many similarities: use of a single engine, speed,
size, cost, and the range of weapons.
KAI's previous engineering experience in license-producing
the KF-16 was a starting point for the development of the F/A-50.
The aircraft can carry two pilots in tandem seating. The
high-mounted canopy developed by Hankuk Fiber is applied with stretched
acrylic, providing the pilots with good visibility, and has been tested to
offer the canopy with ballistic protection against four-pound objects impacting
at 400 knots.
The altitude limit is 14,600 meters (48,000 feet), and
airframe is designed to last 8,000 hours of service.
There are seven internal fuel tanks with capacity of 2,655
liters (701 US
An additional 1,710 liters (452 US
Trainer variants have a paint scheme of white and red, and
aerobatic variants white, black, and yellow.
The F/A-50 uses a single General Electric F404-102 turbofan
engine license-produced by Samsung Techwin, upgraded with a full authority
digital engine control system jointly developed by General Electric and Korean
Aerospace Industries.
The engine consists of three-staged fans, seven axial stage
arrangement, and an afterburner.
Its engine produces a maximum of 78.7 kN (17,700 lbf) of
thrust with afterburner.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=877258
Saturday, April 16, 2016
MILF: Editorial -- Bloodletting continues in Mindanao
Editorial posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (Apr 15): Editorial -- Bloodletting continues in Mindanao
Precious blood continues to pour in Mindanao, as fighting on several fronts proceeded unabated. It is not a question of whose blood are wasted; they are still precious blood --- and should not be shed at all if there is a way to stop it. On April 9, 18 Philippine Army soldiers killed, with 53 more wounded, during the April 9 firefight with 120 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) gunmen in Barangay Baguindan, Tipo Tipo, Basilan. This is not to include those who died during firefights with ASG in Sulu, BIFF in Maguindanao, and ISIS-oriented youths in Butig, Lanao del Sur.
We are not a prophet of doom, but if the incoming administration does not continue the process to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in Congress chances that more and more radical groups will emerge and engage the government in many more fronts.
One can argue that the blood of ASG, BIFF, and ISIS-oriented youths or simply terrorists, kidnappers, or radicals are not worthy to save, because anyway they are enemies of the state; or more lightly, they do not engage in peace process with the government. This is absolutely outside the point. The point is that while everybody knows the way to stop or minimize this blood-letting is through the honest implementation of commitment of government, say the passage of the BBL, the decision-makers, who are mostly belonging to the vested interest groups, use every means to frustrate it. In their very nature, vested interest groups are selfish, monopolistic, and greedy. They want to maintain or control an existing system or activity from which they derive private benefit. The fear the people, especially the Moros, who are always tagged as “secessionists”.
Clearly, the decision-makers preferred to drag the resolution of the conflict and enjoy on the process, rather than resolve it by implementing what has been agreed by the Parties, say the establishment of genuinely autonomous Bangsamoro entity in Mindanao, but they lose their privileges and gains out of the current system and status quo.
What worsens the situation and dims the horizon is the difficulty facing the MILF. Its moral ascendancy is thinning down because its thesis that the best way to resolve the conflict in Mindanao is through political negotiation does not hold currency. It is being questioned as a good policy; and worse, the MILF is branded as “being fooled” by the government.
In a situation where there is high state of frustration, radicalisation of ideas and approaches is the necessary consequence. The pattern is clear in many instances. Look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As the conflict drags on for several decades, and the two-state solution is not moving due to Israeli’s arrogance and expansionist policies, several new groups emerged: Hamas, and a dozen more radical groups both Islamic, Christian, and leftists. The original 7-member organizations Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) has been accused rightly or otherwise of being compromised too far, the consequence of being a very moderate organization. Similarly, from 1972 to 1977, there was only one liberation organization in Mindanao, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). As the resolution of the conflict protracts, mainly due to government’s non-compliance, there came into being the MNLF Reformist Group, the Islamic Command Council, Committee of 15 or MNLF-Sema Wing, MNLF Isnaji Wing, the MILF, and now the BIFM/BIFF, Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), ISIS-oriented youths.
With this developing situation, the government has to make a decision. Which is preferable an endless chaotic situation where there is virtually civil war in Mindanao or as quickly as possible pass the BBL with the MILF (and the various MNLF factions on board) as partners in peace, progress and development in Mindanao. And more importantly, with the guns silenced in Mindanao, the government can train its focus on the South China where China is steadily gaining ground. In this particular instance, decisive leaders are required. This makes the forthcoming presidential elections very relevant.
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/editorial/25-january-16-23/682-bloodletting-continues-in-mindanao
Precious blood continues to pour in Mindanao, as fighting on several fronts proceeded unabated. It is not a question of whose blood are wasted; they are still precious blood --- and should not be shed at all if there is a way to stop it. On April 9, 18 Philippine Army soldiers killed, with 53 more wounded, during the April 9 firefight with 120 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) gunmen in Barangay Baguindan, Tipo Tipo, Basilan. This is not to include those who died during firefights with ASG in Sulu, BIFF in Maguindanao, and ISIS-oriented youths in Butig, Lanao del Sur.
One can argue that the blood of ASG, BIFF, and ISIS-oriented youths or simply terrorists, kidnappers, or radicals are not worthy to save, because anyway they are enemies of the state; or more lightly, they do not engage in peace process with the government. This is absolutely outside the point. The point is that while everybody knows the way to stop or minimize this blood-letting is through the honest implementation of commitment of government, say the passage of the BBL, the decision-makers, who are mostly belonging to the vested interest groups, use every means to frustrate it. In their very nature, vested interest groups are selfish, monopolistic, and greedy. They want to maintain or control an existing system or activity from which they derive private benefit. The fear the people, especially the Moros, who are always tagged as “secessionists”.
Clearly, the decision-makers preferred to drag the resolution of the conflict and enjoy on the process, rather than resolve it by implementing what has been agreed by the Parties, say the establishment of genuinely autonomous Bangsamoro entity in Mindanao, but they lose their privileges and gains out of the current system and status quo.
What worsens the situation and dims the horizon is the difficulty facing the MILF. Its moral ascendancy is thinning down because its thesis that the best way to resolve the conflict in Mindanao is through political negotiation does not hold currency. It is being questioned as a good policy; and worse, the MILF is branded as “being fooled” by the government.
In a situation where there is high state of frustration, radicalisation of ideas and approaches is the necessary consequence. The pattern is clear in many instances. Look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As the conflict drags on for several decades, and the two-state solution is not moving due to Israeli’s arrogance and expansionist policies, several new groups emerged: Hamas, and a dozen more radical groups both Islamic, Christian, and leftists. The original 7-member organizations Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) has been accused rightly or otherwise of being compromised too far, the consequence of being a very moderate organization. Similarly, from 1972 to 1977, there was only one liberation organization in Mindanao, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). As the resolution of the conflict protracts, mainly due to government’s non-compliance, there came into being the MNLF Reformist Group, the Islamic Command Council, Committee of 15 or MNLF-Sema Wing, MNLF Isnaji Wing, the MILF, and now the BIFM/BIFF, Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), ISIS-oriented youths.
With this developing situation, the government has to make a decision. Which is preferable an endless chaotic situation where there is virtually civil war in Mindanao or as quickly as possible pass the BBL with the MILF (and the various MNLF factions on board) as partners in peace, progress and development in Mindanao. And more importantly, with the guns silenced in Mindanao, the government can train its focus on the South China where China is steadily gaining ground. In this particular instance, decisive leaders are required. This makes the forthcoming presidential elections very relevant.
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/editorial/25-january-16-23/682-bloodletting-continues-in-mindanao
MILF: JICA, PhilRice-Midsayap, Cotabato hold 12th Implementers’ Meeting
Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (Apr 15): JICA, PhilRice-Midsayap, Cotabato hold 12th Implementers’ Meeting
Midsayap, North Cotabato - The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)-Midsayap Experimental Station held one day meeting on Thursday, April 14, at PhilRice-Midsayap Conference Hall, Midsayap, NorthCotabato.
The program is under the JICA Technical Cooperation Project (TCP5) called “Rice-Based Farming Technology Extension Project for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)”. This project started in 2012 that is aimed at enhancing the government’s capacity in delivering agricultural extension services to improve rice-based farming technology in target areas by training105 agricultural extension workers, holding on-site training, among others.
The ultimate goal of the project is to increase food sufficiency and household income, thereby contributing to the improvement of livelihood and building peace in the region. The said project will be implemented until March 2017.
The meeting focused on strategies of each province In the implementation of activities for the last year of its operations (2016-2017).
Dr. Sailila E. Abdula, Project Director of PhilRice-Midsayap said, “We really want to know your strategy in this phase. If we do monitoring work, we know what we want to monitor specially on our implementation.”
“This is the last year of TCP5 and we want to perfect our implementation,” he added. However, a project implementation strategy may vary in different areas; “Tawi-Tawi is different from Maguindanao setting and we have to think other approaches,” Abdula pointed out.
“This project is part of our social responsibility. It doesn’t mean that JICA’s support will end and everything will be gone, no, that is not our objective,” said Abdula.
He also stressed that if the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is passed [in the 17th Congress], it will boost economic prosperity in Mindanao.
“I hope the BBL will materialize because that will benefit us here [in Mindanao],” Abdula said.
The TCP5 M&E Officer of PhilRice-Midsayap, Mr. Jesrel O. Edraira presented their plans in doing monitoring activity.
“We are using modern technology for data gathering,” said Edraira. “An ‘app’ was developed for this particular monitoring and this would really help in fast and accurate results,” he said.
The output of the monitored programmed will be processed by this technology and will be analyzed further by an analyst.
“We hired a programmer for this monitoring tool. We will enter a data like the names of farmers, their ID numbers, and other basic information to the tablet, if encoded, we just enter a key and it will automatically send to central base and becomes easy to process,” Edraira explained.
Dr. Abdula emphasized that the very basic output of that monitoring and evaluation activity is to know if farmers were able to increase or decrease their yield and net income as basis of impact in adopting the technology.
Mr. Wifredo Collado, the Rice Crop Manager (RCM) focal person introduced the RCM approach. “The Rice Crop Manager is a decision-making tool and its purpose is to increase the rice yield and income of famers in the Philippines by providing recommendations to the farmers on what is the best thing to do in farming activities,” Collado said.
On RCM, the farmers will be advised on proper nutrient management, right application of fertilizer and other knowledge on farming.
The technology he said was initiated by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). An inquiry could be done using computer and smartphone that is connected to internet through this web browser http://webapps.irri.org/ph/rcm/.
Among other agenda in the meeting were presentations and discussions of plans and strategies for year 5 implementation. For the JICA-PhilRice activities in Maguindanao province was discussed by Mr. Nashrullah Patadon. There are 28 project sites in Maguindanao covered by the program.
Mr. Basher Macaumbang presented the proposed activities for the province of Lanao del Sur and identified 25 project sites, Ms. Sherwina Lukman for Tawi-Tawi province, Mr. Ilmie H. Ibama for Basilan province and Mr. Baltazar Jauhari for Sulu province.
Meantime, a film on successful implementation of RCM was shown in the meeting.
The film is entitled “Finding Solutions to the Effects of Climate Change” depicting farmers of Barangay Bugawas, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on how they coped-up with negative impact of climate change like the ‘el-niño’ or drought and how their farming activities improved when they engaged in Rice Crop Management that eventually increases their harvest.
Also in attendance were JICA Cotabato Project Office Field Coordinator Ms. Samrah Karon-Patadon, this writer who represented the Bangsamoro Transition Commission Socio-Economic Office (BTC-SEO), Tong Abas, Center Manager of ARMMIARC, and Ms. Theodora L. Briones of PhilRice Central Experimental Station who facilitated the planning session.
Midsayap, North Cotabato - The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)-Midsayap Experimental Station held one day meeting on Thursday, April 14, at PhilRice-Midsayap Conference Hall, Midsayap, NorthCotabato.
The ultimate goal of the project is to increase food sufficiency and household income, thereby contributing to the improvement of livelihood and building peace in the region. The said project will be implemented until March 2017.
The meeting focused on strategies of each province In the implementation of activities for the last year of its operations (2016-2017).
Dr. Sailila E. Abdula, Project Director of PhilRice-Midsayap said, “We really want to know your strategy in this phase. If we do monitoring work, we know what we want to monitor specially on our implementation.”
“This is the last year of TCP5 and we want to perfect our implementation,” he added. However, a project implementation strategy may vary in different areas; “Tawi-Tawi is different from Maguindanao setting and we have to think other approaches,” Abdula pointed out.
“This project is part of our social responsibility. It doesn’t mean that JICA’s support will end and everything will be gone, no, that is not our objective,” said Abdula.
He also stressed that if the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is passed [in the 17th Congress], it will boost economic prosperity in Mindanao.
“I hope the BBL will materialize because that will benefit us here [in Mindanao],” Abdula said.
The TCP5 M&E Officer of PhilRice-Midsayap, Mr. Jesrel O. Edraira presented their plans in doing monitoring activity.
“We are using modern technology for data gathering,” said Edraira. “An ‘app’ was developed for this particular monitoring and this would really help in fast and accurate results,” he said.
The output of the monitored programmed will be processed by this technology and will be analyzed further by an analyst.
“We hired a programmer for this monitoring tool. We will enter a data like the names of farmers, their ID numbers, and other basic information to the tablet, if encoded, we just enter a key and it will automatically send to central base and becomes easy to process,” Edraira explained.
Dr. Abdula emphasized that the very basic output of that monitoring and evaluation activity is to know if farmers were able to increase or decrease their yield and net income as basis of impact in adopting the technology.
Mr. Wifredo Collado, the Rice Crop Manager (RCM) focal person introduced the RCM approach. “The Rice Crop Manager is a decision-making tool and its purpose is to increase the rice yield and income of famers in the Philippines by providing recommendations to the farmers on what is the best thing to do in farming activities,” Collado said.
On RCM, the farmers will be advised on proper nutrient management, right application of fertilizer and other knowledge on farming.
The technology he said was initiated by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). An inquiry could be done using computer and smartphone that is connected to internet through this web browser http://webapps.irri.org/ph/rcm/.
Among other agenda in the meeting were presentations and discussions of plans and strategies for year 5 implementation. For the JICA-PhilRice activities in Maguindanao province was discussed by Mr. Nashrullah Patadon. There are 28 project sites in Maguindanao covered by the program.
Mr. Basher Macaumbang presented the proposed activities for the province of Lanao del Sur and identified 25 project sites, Ms. Sherwina Lukman for Tawi-Tawi province, Mr. Ilmie H. Ibama for Basilan province and Mr. Baltazar Jauhari for Sulu province.
Meantime, a film on successful implementation of RCM was shown in the meeting.
The film is entitled “Finding Solutions to the Effects of Climate Change” depicting farmers of Barangay Bugawas, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on how they coped-up with negative impact of climate change like the ‘el-niño’ or drought and how their farming activities improved when they engaged in Rice Crop Management that eventually increases their harvest.
Also in attendance were JICA Cotabato Project Office Field Coordinator Ms. Samrah Karon-Patadon, this writer who represented the Bangsamoro Transition Commission Socio-Economic Office (BTC-SEO), Tong Abas, Center Manager of ARMMIARC, and Ms. Theodora L. Briones of PhilRice Central Experimental Station who facilitated the planning session.
MILF: OIC disappointed over BBL non-passage, urges CAB implementation in next admin
Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (Apr 16): OIC disappointed over BBL non-passage, urges CAB implementation in next admin
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its grave disappointment over the failure of Philippine Congress to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) despite the assurances of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and urged Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) implementation in the next administration during its 13th Islamic Summit Conference in Istanbul, Turkey held on April 10-15, 2016.
“The Conference expressed grave disappointment that the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) Bill was not passed by the Philippines Congress despite the assurances of the Government of the Philippines (GPH),” the communiqué said. The pan-Islamic body called for the immediate re-filing of this legislation by the next administration and passed by the next Congress.
OIC is the second largest intergovernmental body after the United Nations that is comprised of 57-member states. The Islamic international body conveyed its disappointment in the Final Communiqué of the Summit issued during the culmination of the big event attended by the OIC-countries heads of state.
The Conference recognized the efforts of the GPH, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the GPH on the Bangsamoro Peace Process and urged the Two Parties to “preserve its gains, particularly the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and uphold the implementation of the CAB in the next administration.”
It further said, “The Conference commended the efforts of the Secretary General during his official visit to the Philippines from 17-20 April 2015 to urge the President and congressional leaders to ensure the passage of an undiluted BBL.”
“The Conference also commended the efforts made by the negotiating panels of the GPH and the MILF on 10-11 February 2016 in Kuala Lumpur to continue with the peace process whilst recognizing that the non-passage of the BBL has adversely affected the timeline of establishing the Bangsamoro entity.”
According to the communiqué, “the Conference urged the GPH and the MILF to agree on a clear timeline for the resumption of the implementation of the CAB in the next administration to avoid prolonged uncertainties and tension on the ground. The Conference appealed for both Parties not to open any opportunity for extremist groups to strengthen their foothold in the Southern Philippines.”
“The Conference urged GPH to implement developing programmes despite the non-passage of the BBL which is the key to the implementation of the CAB and peace in Southern Philippines,” it further stated.
Signed by the GPH and the MILF in 2014, the CAB provides the passage of the BBL by the lawmakers. If passed, the measure will lay down the establishment of the Bangsamoro government that will provide the Bangsamoro people self-rule which they have been yearning for.
The peace process has been facilitated by the Malaysian government.
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/76-international/683-oic-disappointed-over-bbl-non-passage-urges-cab-implementation-in-next-admin
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its grave disappointment over the failure of Philippine Congress to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) despite the assurances of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and urged Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) implementation in the next administration during its 13th Islamic Summit Conference in Istanbul, Turkey held on April 10-15, 2016.
OIC is the second largest intergovernmental body after the United Nations that is comprised of 57-member states. The Islamic international body conveyed its disappointment in the Final Communiqué of the Summit issued during the culmination of the big event attended by the OIC-countries heads of state.
The Conference recognized the efforts of the GPH, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the GPH on the Bangsamoro Peace Process and urged the Two Parties to “preserve its gains, particularly the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and uphold the implementation of the CAB in the next administration.”
It further said, “The Conference commended the efforts of the Secretary General during his official visit to the Philippines from 17-20 April 2015 to urge the President and congressional leaders to ensure the passage of an undiluted BBL.”
“The Conference also commended the efforts made by the negotiating panels of the GPH and the MILF on 10-11 February 2016 in Kuala Lumpur to continue with the peace process whilst recognizing that the non-passage of the BBL has adversely affected the timeline of establishing the Bangsamoro entity.”
According to the communiqué, “the Conference urged the GPH and the MILF to agree on a clear timeline for the resumption of the implementation of the CAB in the next administration to avoid prolonged uncertainties and tension on the ground. The Conference appealed for both Parties not to open any opportunity for extremist groups to strengthen their foothold in the Southern Philippines.”
“The Conference urged GPH to implement developing programmes despite the non-passage of the BBL which is the key to the implementation of the CAB and peace in Southern Philippines,” it further stated.
Signed by the GPH and the MILF in 2014, the CAB provides the passage of the BBL by the lawmakers. If passed, the measure will lay down the establishment of the Bangsamoro government that will provide the Bangsamoro people self-rule which they have been yearning for.
The peace process has been facilitated by the Malaysian government.
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/76-international/683-oic-disappointed-over-bbl-non-passage-urges-cab-implementation-in-next-admin
MILF: MILF appeals to OIC to sustain and strengthen the support to peace efforts in Southern Philippines
Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (Apr 16): MILF appeals to OIC to sustain and strengthen the support to peace efforts in Southern Philippines
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During the 13th Islamic Summit Conference in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey on April 14-15, 2016, the Chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Al Haj Murad Ebrahim appealed to member-states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to sustain and strengthen the support to peace efforts in Southern Philippines by way of persistently influencing the next Philippine Government to immediately pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in the next congress and faithfully implement the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) through the agreed road map of implementation as well as in the humanitarian and socio-economic development programs.
“The collective and individual efforts of the OIC and its member states will strengthen political pressure to the incoming government to prioritize the resolution of the Mindanao conflict and the Bangsamoro Question which has been dragging on for more than four decades”, Murad added.
In his message, the MILF chair expressed his gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chair of the 13th Islamic Summit Conference, His Majesty King Salman Bin Abduladziz of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Iyad Ameen Madani, Chair of the OIC, and other heads of Islamic States for inviting the MILF to the 13th Islamic Summit Conference.
The full text of Chairman Murad’s message reads as follows:
I am humbled by the opportunity to be invited to the 13th Islamic Summit Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). At the same moment, I am expressing my personal as well as the collective gratitude of our Bangsamoro People for giving us the opportuniy to bring to the attention and care of Your Excellencies the prevailing situations in the Bangsamoro Homeland which is geographically situated in southern part of the Philippines.
We the Bangsamoro and our struggle for our right to self-determination has always been favored by this august assembly of Muslim countries, both the present and the past, to have occupied distinct pages of the history of the OIC.
As early as the Third Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in 1972 at Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Bangsamoro cause has unceasingly received the goodwill, solidarity and support of the OIC, be they moral, diplomatic, economic, religious, cultural, material and/or political in nature. For all of those assistance, we are perpetually indebted and grateful.
We the Bangsamoro continue to assert our inalienable right to chart our political future and pursue our development as a distinct people, nay as a nation different from the dominant Filipino nation but living within the broader Philipine state.
In the name of our most cherished Islam and our God-given freedom, our ancestors resisted Spanish invasion for more than 300 years beginning 1578 when the Spanish conquistadores met in the battle fields, for the first time, our valiant warriors in the island of Sulu where Islam set its stronghold since the thirteenth century”.
For almost 50 years beginning the 1900s, our ancestors also resisted the Americans under whose tutelage of early Filipino politicians resulted to the massive legalized land-grabbing of Bangsamoro ancestral domain as well as the lands inhabited, since time immemorial, of Mindanao’s indigenous peoples.
After World War II and under the then newly-independent Philippine Republic, which annexed immorally and unjustly the Bangsamoro homeland under the Philippine state, we were almost on the brink of losing our own national identity and culture, including our Islamic faith and tradiitons, because of the onslaught of integration policies vigorously pursued by the Philippine government.
When integration into the Filipino nation, which is predominantly Christian, did not succeed, a genocidal policy was used against us in the late 60s.
Massacres against defenseless Bangsamoro civilians were committed by the Philippine Constabulary as well as by government-organized and supported militias. We had no recourse but to arm and defend ourselves. It was in 1969 that Bangsamoro youth, myself included, decided to form a revolutionary front to protect our people, homeland and Islam against an oppressive government.
The grave situation then in Southern Philippines in the early years of 70s was denounced by Fourth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in 1973 at Benghazi, Libya.
We could have fought and won the war, which we almost did, but we heeded the appeal made by the OIC in Resolution Number 18 of the Fifth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in 1974 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We agreed, and continue to do so after almost 42 years, to find the most just, peaceful, civilized and negotiated political settlement to the Bangsamoro Question.
Your Excellencies, over this long period of time, our search for lasting and durable peace in the Bangsamoro homeland has already produced milestone agreements, notably the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, 1996 Final Agreement on the Implementation of the Tripoli Agreement, the 2001 Tripoli Agreement on Peace and lately the 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
One may wonder why, in spite of four decades and several agreements already, the Bangsamoro Question or Problem is still not resolved.
The main reason, of course, is that all the aforementioned agreements have not been implemented properly because of the insincerity on the part of the Philippine government to comply faithfully with the letter and spirit, text and context of said agreements.
It is worth recalling that after the December 23, 1976 Tripoli Agreement, the Eight, Ninth and Tenth Foreign Ministers Conferences as well as the succeeding ones all clearly put the blame on the Philippine Government for the collapse of talks and ceasefire as well as repeatedly called on the Philippine Government to honor its commitment under the binding international agreement.
Admittedly, the peace talks took on a protracted character. But even with the conclusion of the 1996 Final Agreement on the implementation of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, and the signing of the 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the same dilatory approach is again growing evident in the manner of implementing these Agreements.
Take for instance the two-year old Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). The CAB serves as convergence of all the Peace Agreements of the Bangsamoro with the Government of the Philippines. It has to be translated into a legal document in the form of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, a process that is purely internal to the Government of the Philippines and an integral part of its commitments. Yet, even if the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law was already submitted on September 10, 2014 the Congress of the Philippines failed to enact it into law. The sad thing is that time was wasted away because oftentimes there was no quorum in both the Lower and Upper Houses of the Congress of Philippines whenever the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law was calendared in their agenda. Filipino spoilers of the peace process likewise worked very hard to prevent the passage of the Law.
As a result, the unacceptable status quo remains --- the same status quo that continues to deprive the Bangsamoro of their aged-old right to govern themselves in the light of their belief, historical experience, and acceptable prevailing democratic norms.
Thus, there is still no immediate end in sight to the sufferings of the Bangsamoro, which we have continuously endured for the last 40 years or more. The present charter of the so-called Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao can never deliver us from insecurity and violence, neither can it truly empower us to such an extent that we can decide our own affairs, nor can it return to us the control over our natural resources to such an extent that the latter would be use for our own development.
Since 1968, not less than 150,000 lives have been lost to the armed conflict and multi-billion pesos worth of properties were damaged, many of them already beyond repair. Even inspite of the peace talks, hostilities continued to happen on the ground especially when negotiation is in impasse.
Your Excellencies, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or MILF, which I am privileged to lead since 2003 upon the demise of our Founder and shaheed Ustadz Salamat Hashim (Allahu Yarham), took cognizance of your positive response, as contained in the Cairo Final Communiqué of the Twelfth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed between the MILF and GPH under the facilitation of the Government of Malaysia. We joined Your Excellencies in affirming the need to relate the FAB to the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, more concretely by providing in the subsequent Annex on Power Sharing the consideration for specific powers already contained in previous agreements, as well as the review process of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement.
We highly appreciate the efforts of the OIC, through its Secretary-General and some Member States particularly Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Libya, Brunei and Egypt, in sustaining the peace processes as well as in extending humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation and development programs to at least lessen in certain degree the sufferings of the people in the affected areas. Other members of the International Community, such as the United Kingdom, Japan, the European Union and a number of its member-states, as well as Canada, Australia and others continue to actively support and play their roles in the structure of the peace process. United Nations agencies are also actively participating. However all these socio-economic efforts remain inconclusive until a political settlement addressing the root cause of the problem will be emplaced.
The Bangsamoro Basic Law is the key to the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. It would put in place the much-needed political solution to the Bangsamoro Problem. But the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law might render all the Agreements as futile and may even engender massive frustration, extremism and radicalism. Further delay in the process will hasten the radicalization of our people and increase the chance of the so-called “Islamic State” or IS group to consolidate and win more adherents in the area. It is now evident that the IS and/or IS inspired group are capitalizing the frustration of the Bangsamoro people over the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law to recruit more adherents and sympatizers especially among the youth and are moving towards the formation of a so called “ Islamic State Wilayah” in the Southeast Asia Region. Southern Philippines is very strategic to them and the conflict in the area could be easily capitalized.
The present devastation and destruction resulting from conflict and war in the Islamic World is already huge and very alarming. We need to exert every effort to ensure that such a situation will no longer be carried on to other areas.
Your Excellencies, we do not want the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro to suffer the same fate as the previous agreements. We always adhere to our conviction that the most civilized way to resolve conflict is through negotiated political settlement. In this respect, we cannot be faulted. Inspite of all setbacks, we have struggled to conclude an agreement that embodies the legitimate aspirations of our people. We could not ask for more except that the Government of Philippines demonstrates its sincerity and political will to honor and implement its commitments.
Your Excellencies, the Bangsamoro people are standing as one under the banner of the Bangsamoro Coordinating Forum or BCF. We commend the OIC Secretary-General for working actively in promoting the Unity of the Bangsamoro Ummah and other people in the area, as well as in providing for a mechanism for the convergence of the different peace agreements of the Bangsamoro with the Philippine government. We likewise express our utmost appreciation and gratitude to the Prime Minister of Malaysia H.E. Dato’ Seri Tun Razak and his government for the continued strong commitment and support to the GPH-MILF peace process and the final resolution of the conflict and war in Southern Philippines.
We reaffirm our solidarity to the people of Palestine and the struggles of Muslim Communities and Minorities in non-OIC Member States.
Lastly, we reiterate our gratitude to the OIC Secretary General and the host country Turkey for their facilitation for us to be in this Islamic Summit as well as for their continued strong support to the GPH-MILF peace process.
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/76-international/684-milf-appeals-to-oic-to-sustain-and-strengthen-the-support-to-peace-efforts-in-southern-philippines
{
During the 13th Islamic Summit Conference in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey on April 14-15, 2016, the Chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Al Haj Murad Ebrahim appealed to member-states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to sustain and strengthen the support to peace efforts in Southern Philippines by way of persistently influencing the next Philippine Government to immediately pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in the next congress and faithfully implement the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) through the agreed road map of implementation as well as in the humanitarian and socio-economic development programs.
In his message, the MILF chair expressed his gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chair of the 13th Islamic Summit Conference, His Majesty King Salman Bin Abduladziz of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Iyad Ameen Madani, Chair of the OIC, and other heads of Islamic States for inviting the MILF to the 13th Islamic Summit Conference.
The full text of Chairman Murad’s message reads as follows:
I am humbled by the opportunity to be invited to the 13th Islamic Summit Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). At the same moment, I am expressing my personal as well as the collective gratitude of our Bangsamoro People for giving us the opportuniy to bring to the attention and care of Your Excellencies the prevailing situations in the Bangsamoro Homeland which is geographically situated in southern part of the Philippines.
We the Bangsamoro and our struggle for our right to self-determination has always been favored by this august assembly of Muslim countries, both the present and the past, to have occupied distinct pages of the history of the OIC.
As early as the Third Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in 1972 at Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Bangsamoro cause has unceasingly received the goodwill, solidarity and support of the OIC, be they moral, diplomatic, economic, religious, cultural, material and/or political in nature. For all of those assistance, we are perpetually indebted and grateful.
We the Bangsamoro continue to assert our inalienable right to chart our political future and pursue our development as a distinct people, nay as a nation different from the dominant Filipino nation but living within the broader Philipine state.
In the name of our most cherished Islam and our God-given freedom, our ancestors resisted Spanish invasion for more than 300 years beginning 1578 when the Spanish conquistadores met in the battle fields, for the first time, our valiant warriors in the island of Sulu where Islam set its stronghold since the thirteenth century”.
For almost 50 years beginning the 1900s, our ancestors also resisted the Americans under whose tutelage of early Filipino politicians resulted to the massive legalized land-grabbing of Bangsamoro ancestral domain as well as the lands inhabited, since time immemorial, of Mindanao’s indigenous peoples.
After World War II and under the then newly-independent Philippine Republic, which annexed immorally and unjustly the Bangsamoro homeland under the Philippine state, we were almost on the brink of losing our own national identity and culture, including our Islamic faith and tradiitons, because of the onslaught of integration policies vigorously pursued by the Philippine government.
When integration into the Filipino nation, which is predominantly Christian, did not succeed, a genocidal policy was used against us in the late 60s.
Massacres against defenseless Bangsamoro civilians were committed by the Philippine Constabulary as well as by government-organized and supported militias. We had no recourse but to arm and defend ourselves. It was in 1969 that Bangsamoro youth, myself included, decided to form a revolutionary front to protect our people, homeland and Islam against an oppressive government.
The grave situation then in Southern Philippines in the early years of 70s was denounced by Fourth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in 1973 at Benghazi, Libya.
We could have fought and won the war, which we almost did, but we heeded the appeal made by the OIC in Resolution Number 18 of the Fifth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in 1974 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We agreed, and continue to do so after almost 42 years, to find the most just, peaceful, civilized and negotiated political settlement to the Bangsamoro Question.
Your Excellencies, over this long period of time, our search for lasting and durable peace in the Bangsamoro homeland has already produced milestone agreements, notably the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, 1996 Final Agreement on the Implementation of the Tripoli Agreement, the 2001 Tripoli Agreement on Peace and lately the 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
One may wonder why, in spite of four decades and several agreements already, the Bangsamoro Question or Problem is still not resolved.
The main reason, of course, is that all the aforementioned agreements have not been implemented properly because of the insincerity on the part of the Philippine government to comply faithfully with the letter and spirit, text and context of said agreements.
It is worth recalling that after the December 23, 1976 Tripoli Agreement, the Eight, Ninth and Tenth Foreign Ministers Conferences as well as the succeeding ones all clearly put the blame on the Philippine Government for the collapse of talks and ceasefire as well as repeatedly called on the Philippine Government to honor its commitment under the binding international agreement.
Admittedly, the peace talks took on a protracted character. But even with the conclusion of the 1996 Final Agreement on the implementation of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, and the signing of the 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the same dilatory approach is again growing evident in the manner of implementing these Agreements.
Take for instance the two-year old Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). The CAB serves as convergence of all the Peace Agreements of the Bangsamoro with the Government of the Philippines. It has to be translated into a legal document in the form of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, a process that is purely internal to the Government of the Philippines and an integral part of its commitments. Yet, even if the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law was already submitted on September 10, 2014 the Congress of the Philippines failed to enact it into law. The sad thing is that time was wasted away because oftentimes there was no quorum in both the Lower and Upper Houses of the Congress of Philippines whenever the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law was calendared in their agenda. Filipino spoilers of the peace process likewise worked very hard to prevent the passage of the Law.
As a result, the unacceptable status quo remains --- the same status quo that continues to deprive the Bangsamoro of their aged-old right to govern themselves in the light of their belief, historical experience, and acceptable prevailing democratic norms.
Thus, there is still no immediate end in sight to the sufferings of the Bangsamoro, which we have continuously endured for the last 40 years or more. The present charter of the so-called Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao can never deliver us from insecurity and violence, neither can it truly empower us to such an extent that we can decide our own affairs, nor can it return to us the control over our natural resources to such an extent that the latter would be use for our own development.
Since 1968, not less than 150,000 lives have been lost to the armed conflict and multi-billion pesos worth of properties were damaged, many of them already beyond repair. Even inspite of the peace talks, hostilities continued to happen on the ground especially when negotiation is in impasse.
Your Excellencies, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or MILF, which I am privileged to lead since 2003 upon the demise of our Founder and shaheed Ustadz Salamat Hashim (Allahu Yarham), took cognizance of your positive response, as contained in the Cairo Final Communiqué of the Twelfth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed between the MILF and GPH under the facilitation of the Government of Malaysia. We joined Your Excellencies in affirming the need to relate the FAB to the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, more concretely by providing in the subsequent Annex on Power Sharing the consideration for specific powers already contained in previous agreements, as well as the review process of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement.
We highly appreciate the efforts of the OIC, through its Secretary-General and some Member States particularly Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Libya, Brunei and Egypt, in sustaining the peace processes as well as in extending humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation and development programs to at least lessen in certain degree the sufferings of the people in the affected areas. Other members of the International Community, such as the United Kingdom, Japan, the European Union and a number of its member-states, as well as Canada, Australia and others continue to actively support and play their roles in the structure of the peace process. United Nations agencies are also actively participating. However all these socio-economic efforts remain inconclusive until a political settlement addressing the root cause of the problem will be emplaced.
The Bangsamoro Basic Law is the key to the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. It would put in place the much-needed political solution to the Bangsamoro Problem. But the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law might render all the Agreements as futile and may even engender massive frustration, extremism and radicalism. Further delay in the process will hasten the radicalization of our people and increase the chance of the so-called “Islamic State” or IS group to consolidate and win more adherents in the area. It is now evident that the IS and/or IS inspired group are capitalizing the frustration of the Bangsamoro people over the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law to recruit more adherents and sympatizers especially among the youth and are moving towards the formation of a so called “ Islamic State Wilayah” in the Southeast Asia Region. Southern Philippines is very strategic to them and the conflict in the area could be easily capitalized.
The present devastation and destruction resulting from conflict and war in the Islamic World is already huge and very alarming. We need to exert every effort to ensure that such a situation will no longer be carried on to other areas.
Your Excellencies, we do not want the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro to suffer the same fate as the previous agreements. We always adhere to our conviction that the most civilized way to resolve conflict is through negotiated political settlement. In this respect, we cannot be faulted. Inspite of all setbacks, we have struggled to conclude an agreement that embodies the legitimate aspirations of our people. We could not ask for more except that the Government of Philippines demonstrates its sincerity and political will to honor and implement its commitments.
Your Excellencies, the Bangsamoro people are standing as one under the banner of the Bangsamoro Coordinating Forum or BCF. We commend the OIC Secretary-General for working actively in promoting the Unity of the Bangsamoro Ummah and other people in the area, as well as in providing for a mechanism for the convergence of the different peace agreements of the Bangsamoro with the Philippine government. We likewise express our utmost appreciation and gratitude to the Prime Minister of Malaysia H.E. Dato’ Seri Tun Razak and his government for the continued strong commitment and support to the GPH-MILF peace process and the final resolution of the conflict and war in Southern Philippines.
We reaffirm our solidarity to the people of Palestine and the struggles of Muslim Communities and Minorities in non-OIC Member States.
Lastly, we reiterate our gratitude to the OIC Secretary General and the host country Turkey for their facilitation for us to be in this Islamic Summit as well as for their continued strong support to the GPH-MILF peace process.
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/76-international/684-milf-appeals-to-oic-to-sustain-and-strengthen-the-support-to-peace-efforts-in-southern-philippines
MILF: Two BIAF members wounded by SAF snipers in Basilan
Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (Apr 14): Two BIAF members wounded by SAF snipers in Basilan
Isabela City, April 13, 2016. As military operations to hunt and neutralize the Abu Sayaaf Group (ASG) continue in Basilan, two members of Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF) were wounded by snipers of Special Action Force (SAF) while they were cooking their breakfast in Barangay Bohespiang, Albarka, Basilan, around 8AM yesterday.
The victims are identified as Hamid A. Astana, 28 yrs. old, and Ibni Amjani, 26 years old.
Barangay Bohepiang is known to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as an area of the MILF. The GPH-MILF Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) agreed that the BIAF will encamp in the said village while the military are pursuing the ASG in Baguindan, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.
The BIAF could not believe that SAF would fire at them despite constant coordinations with the military through the ceasefire mechanism.
Astana in confined and being treated at the Western Mindanao Command Hospital in Zamboanga City, while Ibni Amjani is confined at the Infante Hospital in Isabela City, Basilan.
The exchanged of fire lasted for about 20 Minutes before it ceased after the CCCH GPH-MILF intervened..
Meanwhile, three civilians captured by the military were allegedly tortured, one of them died of severe injuries. The other two who claimed to be members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are still in custody. The claim of MILF membership by the two captured civilians was confirmed by the MILF hierarchy.
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/73-westhern-mindanao/680-two-biaf-members-wounded-by-saf-snipers-in-basilan
Isabela City, April 13, 2016. As military operations to hunt and neutralize the Abu Sayaaf Group (ASG) continue in Basilan, two members of Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF) were wounded by snipers of Special Action Force (SAF) while they were cooking their breakfast in Barangay Bohespiang, Albarka, Basilan, around 8AM yesterday.
Barangay Bohepiang is known to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as an area of the MILF. The GPH-MILF Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) agreed that the BIAF will encamp in the said village while the military are pursuing the ASG in Baguindan, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.
The BIAF could not believe that SAF would fire at them despite constant coordinations with the military through the ceasefire mechanism.
Astana in confined and being treated at the Western Mindanao Command Hospital in Zamboanga City, while Ibni Amjani is confined at the Infante Hospital in Isabela City, Basilan.
The exchanged of fire lasted for about 20 Minutes before it ceased after the CCCH GPH-MILF intervened..
Meanwhile, three civilians captured by the military were allegedly tortured, one of them died of severe injuries. The other two who claimed to be members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are still in custody. The claim of MILF membership by the two captured civilians was confirmed by the MILF hierarchy.
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/73-westhern-mindanao/680-two-biaf-members-wounded-by-saf-snipers-in-basilan
MILF not endorsing any candidate, too
From the Philippine Star (Apr 16): MILF not endorsing any candidate, too
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will not endorse any candidate in the upcoming elections even if some presidential bets went to its headquarters in Maguindanao recently.
The 10,000-strong MILF stressed that it is keeping a “hands-off policy” on the elections because the candidates’ policy on Mindanao is more important than personalities.
“The official policy of the MILF is not only not to endorse any candidate, but more seriously, not to participate in Philippine elections,” the MILF said in an editorial posted on Lurawan, its website.
“For us, what is most important is not the person but the policy he or she would pursue on the armed conflict in Mindanao and the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) if any of them wins the presidency. It is good to build bridges now than later,” it added.
The proposed BBL will implement the peace agreement signed between the government and the MILF in 2014. The bill aims to form a new Bangsamoro entity in Mindanao with enhanced political and economic powers and provide for its basic structure of government.
The measure is one of the priority bills of the Aquino administration, but Congress failed to pass it into law partly due to lack of time and questions on its constitutionality.
The MILF said all candidates who have sought dialogues with its leaders have vowed to push for the passage of the BBL in Congress if elected into office.
The presidential aspirants who wanted to meet with MILF leaders were Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II and Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Duterte visited the MILF’s administrative base in Camp Darapanan in Maguindanao last Feb. 27 while Roxas did the same on March 31.
“The five presidential aspirants Vice President Jejomar Binay, Secretary Mar Roxas, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Grace Poe, and Sen. Miriam Santiago are treated as ‘friends’ of the MILF. We make no distinctions between them,” the group added.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/04/16/1573383/milf-not-endorsing-any-candidate-too
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will not endorse any candidate in the upcoming elections even if some presidential bets went to its headquarters in Maguindanao recently.
The 10,000-strong MILF stressed that it is keeping a “hands-off policy” on the elections because the candidates’ policy on Mindanao is more important than personalities.
“The official policy of the MILF is not only not to endorse any candidate, but more seriously, not to participate in Philippine elections,” the MILF said in an editorial posted on Lurawan, its website.
“For us, what is most important is not the person but the policy he or she would pursue on the armed conflict in Mindanao and the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) if any of them wins the presidency. It is good to build bridges now than later,” it added.
The proposed BBL will implement the peace agreement signed between the government and the MILF in 2014. The bill aims to form a new Bangsamoro entity in Mindanao with enhanced political and economic powers and provide for its basic structure of government.
The measure is one of the priority bills of the Aquino administration, but Congress failed to pass it into law partly due to lack of time and questions on its constitutionality.
The MILF said all candidates who have sought dialogues with its leaders have vowed to push for the passage of the BBL in Congress if elected into office.
The presidential aspirants who wanted to meet with MILF leaders were Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II and Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Duterte visited the MILF’s administrative base in Camp Darapanan in Maguindanao last Feb. 27 while Roxas did the same on March 31.
“The five presidential aspirants Vice President Jejomar Binay, Secretary Mar Roxas, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Grace Poe, and Sen. Miriam Santiago are treated as ‘friends’ of the MILF. We make no distinctions between them,” the group added.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/04/16/1573383/milf-not-endorsing-any-candidate-too
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