From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 2): Catbalogan-based 8th ID receives 242 new troopers
The Catbalogan City-based 8th Infantry Division's capability to conduct defense and humanitarian assistance missions was augmented with the deployment of 242 recently graduated privates.
This was disclosed by 8th Infantry Division public affairs office chief 1st Lt. Cherry M. Junia in a statement Thursday.
Send-off ceremonies for these new military personnel took place at Openiano Field, Camp Vicente Lukban, Catbalogan City.
"The newly enlisted privates will report to the line units of the 8th Infantry Division in Eastern Visayas and units deployed in Mindanao to carry out their mandated task in sustaining operation against any lawless elements that disturbed the peace and development of our nation," Junia added.
As this develops, 8th Infantry Division assistant commander Brig. Gen. Cesar Idio told the new soldiers to fulfill their constitutional mandate.
“As new soldiers, love and take care of your profession. Your job will bring a better life not only for you but also for your family. Likewise, respect each human rights, rule of law and international humanitarian law. Always remember, the security of the people lies on you. May the Lord bless you every day to bring you success in your chosen profession,” Idio added.
From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 1): Muslim legislators condemn ASG beheading of German captive
Muslim lawmakers at the House of Representatives condemned the beheading by the Abu Sayyaf Group of a 70-year old German national, Juergen Kantner.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has confirmed that Kantner German was beheaded last February 26 after his government refused to pay the bandits' PHP30-million ransom demand.
"We have finally received information from reliable sources confirming that Mr. Juergen Gustav Kantner was mercilessly and inhumanly murdered by the evil KFR (kidnap-for-ransom) Abu Sayyaf Group," AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said in a message to the PNA.
In a statement on Wednesday, the lawmakers said that the Muslim community does not support “such brutal barbaric acts done not only to a foreigner but to any innocent person”.
"These acts of terrorism are not in accordance with Islamic region or way of life to which we as representatives of our people here in the Philippines belong," the group said.
The lawmakers also called for the public to spare the Muslim people from unfair generalization or unfounded discrimination.
Kantner was kidnapped by the ASG bandits while his yacht "Rockall" was cruising off Sulu waters last November.
His companion, 56-year-old Sabine Mertz, was shot and killed by the bandits and allegedly raped.
From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 2): PAF formally accepts 2 brand-new FA-50PHs
The Philippine Air Force on Thursday formally accepted the two brand-new FA-50PH "Fighting Eagle" jet fighters, which arrived in Clark Air Base, Pampanga last February 22.
Acceptance ceremonies took place at the Haribon Hangar of the said facility.
PAF spokesperson Col. Antonio Francisco said the jet aircraft, with tail numbers 005 and 006, was formally accepted by Air Logistic Command head Major Gen. Arnold Mancita.
Prior to the acceptance rites, the FA-50PHs undergone a series of acceptance flights by end-user test pilots with the presence of PAF Technical Inspection Acceptance Committee, Francisco added.
With the delivery of the pair, only six more FA-50PHs remain to be delivered to the PAF.
The PAF's 12-plane order from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is worth PHP18.9 billion.
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.
The FA-50PHs will act as the country's interim fighter until the Philippines get enough experience of operating fast jet assets and money to fund the acquisition of more capable fighter aircraft.
The FA-50PH 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 FA-50PHs.
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 gallons), five in the fuselage and two in the wings.
An additional 1,710 liters (452 US gallons) of fuel can be carried in the three external fuel tanks.
Trainer variants have a paint scheme of white and red, and aerobatic variants white, black, and yellow.
The FA-50PHs 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 KAI.
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.
From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 1): PHL Army to recruit 13,910 troops for 2017
The Philippine Army will recruit 13,910 new soldiers this year to fill up various units, its spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao said Wednesday.
He said the distribution of the recruitment will be 349 officers (2nd lieutenant); 8,892 soldiers for the special quota as approved by the President; 1,069 soldiers for the newly organized 54th Engineer Brigade; and 3,600 soldiers representing the annual quota replacement in the Army.
Hao said most of the new recruits will fill up the Army infantry, cavalry and artillery units, while others will fill up the engineering, communication, logistics, and other administrative functions of the Army.
Of the total number of recruits, 10 percent will be allocated for female recruits, and 5 percent will come from Indigenous Peoples.
Once a candidate soldier is recruited and becomes a trainee, he or she will receive a gross monthly income of PHP16,852.
If enlisted, the new private will receive a starting gross monthly income of PHP23,204 plus a number of allowances and benefits.
Hao said the Army will prioritize its recruitment in the following order -- graduates of Military Science 43 and Advanced ROTC; college graduates or those who completed at least 72 units in college; and high school graduates who possess technical and vocational skills needed by the Army.
An applicant must be a natural-born Filipino citizen; at least 18 to 23 years old on the date of appointment as candidate soldier; at least 5'0" or 60 inches in height; single and without child; of good moral character; passed the Philippine Army Aptitude Test Battery / Armed Forces of the Philippines Service Aptitude Test; passed the pre-qualifying physical fitness test and physical medical exam; and must be physically and mentally fit for military training.
All interested applicants are advised to visit any of the Army Recruitment Centers in Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila; Camp Lapu-Lapu, Cebu City; and Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City.
Hao advised applicants to bring with them identification cards, NBI clearance, and other pertinent documents.
They may also visit the Philippine Army website at www.army.mil.ph for further details.
From GMA News (Mar 1): Suspected NPA rebels raze container van in Agusan del Sur
Suspected rebels belonging to the New People's Army on Tuesday burned a container van carrying bananas in Rosario, Agusan Del Sur, a report on Unang Balita on Wednesday said.
The driver of the container van said that it was around 3 p.m. when the alleged rebels had intercepted them.
They were immediately told to alight from the vehicle before the alleged rebels razed the container van.
Military forces condemned the said act saying it was opposed to the call of the armed rebels for the resumption of peace talks with the government.
The NPA, meanwhile, has yet to comment on the issue.
From The Standard (Mar 1): AFP: Air assets to wipe out Sayyaf
THE Philippines’ air assets will be used for the first time to boost the military’s campaign to crush the Abu Sayyaf bandits, President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday.
He made the statement as he apologized to the German government and to the German people after their fellow German Jurgen Gustav Kantner was executed by the terrorists on Sunday after the deadline passed to pay the P30-million ransom they had been demanding.
“For the first time, we [will be] using air assets [that we did not use before because of] the problem of collateral damage,” Duterte told reporters in a chance interview on Tuesday FRIGHTFUL FINISH. A video grab Monday of 70-year-old Jurgen Kantner, held for three months, being beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in Mindanao after a deadline to pay ransom had passed. It was the second time Kantner had been abducted, the first along with his partner, Sabine Merz, by Somali pirates for nearly two months in 2008. Mark Navales Armed Forces Chief Eduardo Año said the forces tasked to rescue Kantner actually chanced on a group of Abu Sayyaf bandits holding him during the critical hours before his beheading, but the bandits escaped in the nick of time.
Foreign Affairs on Tuesday condemned “in the strongest terms” the beheading of Kantner, who was executed three months after he was kidnapped in Southern Mindanao.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs is greatly saddened by the death of Mr. Juergen Gustav Kantner,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said in a statement.
“We condemn, in the strongest terms this cruel and inhuman act by the Abu Sayaf Group.”
Ozamis Archbishop Martin Jumoad said Kantner’s execution was a “sad moment for all people who respect and value life.”
“When does God’s justice fall upon them so that they may see the light? Are they really believers of one God or money is the one they adore?” Jumoad said.
Duterte insisted on the need to improve on the military’s night-flying capability to track down the terrorists.
“Well, we need equipment. Until such time that we have the fast boats, the eight remaining frigates or whatever, that was ordered from Japan, but we paid for it, actually ... and we plan to purchase more helicopters,” Duterte said.
OUT OF HARM’S WAY. Philippine marines inspect a passenger jeepney at a checkpoint in Indanan, Sulu as the military pressed its pursuit of Abu Sayyaf gunmen who beheaded their German hostage Jurgen Kantner. AFP
“The numbers, I would not want to tell you now but I have to improve on our night-flying capability. We’re nearing to it.”
In a speech before alumni of the Philippine Military Academy during their homecoming earlier this month, Duterte told the security forces to use all government resources to protect Mindanao from the Abu Sayyaf.
“The Sulu-based ASG is focused on kidnap-for-ransom. The Basilan-based ASG under [Isnilon] Hapilon remains focused on assimilating the IS violence today,” Duterte said.
From the Malay Mail Online (Feb 28): Pro-Islamic State militants re-emerge as Philippine nightmare
Government troops conduct checkpoint operations for the German kidnap victim who was believed to be executed by Islamist militant group Abu Sayyaf in Indanan town, Sulu province February 27, 2017. — Reuters pic
With ultra-fast boats, millions in ransom payments and sympathetic locals, pro-Islamic State militants on lawless southern Philippines islands who beheaded a German hostage this week have re-emerged as one of the nation’s top threats.
The Philippines is planning to bring in foreign maritime forces to help fight the Abu Sayyaf, after a kidnapping spree that has raised fears the waters around its island strongholds may descend into a Somalia-like haven for pirates.
Declarations by key leaders of the Abu Sayyaf, a loose network of militants backed by local criminals and corrupt officials, of allegiance to the Islamic State group have further stoked alarm.
“The nation’s problem, the biggest threat, I would say, in the coming years it would be terrorism. It’s sure to come,” President Rodrigo Duterte said recently.
In an interview with AFP in February, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana listed the Abu Sayyaf and other “terrorist” groups that have pledged allegiance to IS as the Philippines’ top internal security threat.
“We are trying to put more effort into suppressing the growth of ISIS in the south,” Lorenzana said.
Over the past two years the Abu Sayyaf has been involved in kidnapping dozens of people in increasingly brazen attacks mostly on foreign cargo vessels, but also on coastal tourist resorts in the south and neighbouring Malaysia.
The militants yesterday posted a video online of them beheading Jurgen Kantner, a 70-year-old German sailor who was abducted from his yacht in southern Philippine waters three months earlier.
They killed him after a demand for a ransom of 30 million pesos (RM2.6 million) was not met.
Two Canadian hostages kidnapped from yachts moored at a marina on a tourist island in the southern Philippines in 2015 were also beheaded last year after demands for ransoms of similar amounts went unfulfilled.
Pirates’ haven -The Abu Sayyaf is holding 19 other foreigners on its remote southern island strongholds of Sulu and Basilan, according to the military.
Most of them are Vietnamese, Indonesian and Malaysia sailors abducted from cargo vessels in or near the Sulu and Celebes seas.
To counter, the Philippines has said it is looking to Chinese and American forces to help patrol waters in the area, which also includes a busy international shipping channel called the Sibutu Passage.
Separately, the Philippines is in talks with Malaysia and Indonesia for joint patrols.
In his interview with AFP, Lorenzana said the Philippine naval and coast guard vessels could do little to catch the pirates’ boats, which travelled at speeds of more than 80 kilometres (50 miles) an hour.
“The Abu Sayyaf has better boats than us,” Lorenzana said.
Turning points
The Abu Sayyaf’s spike as a kidnapping threat can be traced back to two events in 2014, according to security analysts.
One was the winding back of a US military programme to train Philippine forces on how to counter the Abu Sayyaf, and provide intelligence. The programme saw a rotating force of about 600 troops stationed in the south.
It ended in June 2014 after local Islamic extremists had “largely devolved into disorganised groups”, according to a US government statement at the time.
Previously the Abu Sayyaf was regarded as a much bigger threat. It was accused of involvement in the 2004 bombing of a ferry in Manila that killed more than 100 people and other deadly attacks, as well as high-profile kidnappings.
During the 12 years of the American presence the Abu Sayyaf’s numbers were cut from more than 1,000 to about 300, according to Philippine military estimates then, and many of its top leaders were killed or detained.
“The departure of the US advisers led to a steady resurgence of the ASG (Abu Sayyaf) and eventually the emergence of two dozen IS-centric groups,” Rohan Gunaratna, a Singapore-based regional terrorism expert, told AFP today.
Also in 2014 the Abu Sayyaf had one of their biggest paydays ever, claiming to have secured the full ransom of more than US$5 million dollars for releasing two German sailors kidnapped that year.
That, and subsequent paydays worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, enabled the kidnappers to buy better weapons and boats, as well as pay local Muslim communities that harbour and protect them, according to analysts.
“The community celebrates when there’s delivery of ransom. They kill cows, goats in festivity,”Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research in Manila, told AFP.
Banlaoi and other analysts said corrupt politicians and security forces were also involved, getting a share of payouts and ensuring the Abu Sayyaf survived military offensives.
Piracy and armed robbery in the Asian region has been evolving over time. The definitions of ‘piracy’ (in accordance with UNCLOS) and ‘armed robbery against ships’ (in accordance with IMO) can be found in Annex A. The Asian region in this guide refers to the area as marked on Marsec Charts Q6112 and Q6113 (Annex B).
It should be noted that piracy and armed robbery in Asia differs significantly from that of Somalia-based piracy. While Somalian-based pirates generally attacked ships in order to hijack them and then hold the crew for ransom, the type of criminal activity occurring in Asian waters generally revolves around theft of personal property and hijacking of ships for the purpose of cargo theft. Although the common modus operandi in the region has not changed significantly in the last decade, there were some trends in recent years which have attracted attention. The Tug Boats and Barges (TaB) Guide Against Piracy and Sea Robbery launched in January 2013 was a response to the increase in number of incidents involving tug boats and barges between 2008 and 2012. A spike in the number of incidents involving oil cargo theft from 2014-2015 prompted the release of the Guide for Tankers Operating in Asia against Piracy and Armed Robbery Involving Oil Cargo Theft in November 2015. Beyond the more specific trends involving particular types of ships, it is notable that the last four years (2012-2015) has witnessed a general increase in the number of boardings involving all types of ship while underway and at certain ports and anchorages in Asia. Refer to Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC)’s website (www.recaap.org) for updates on incidents and trends.
With attacks becoming more widespread and in some cases violent, the maritime community has requested a comprehensive guide which covers all types of ships operating in Asian waters. This guide encompasses the TaB Guide Against Piracy and Sea Robbery and Guide for Tankers Operating in Asia against Piracy and Sea Robbery Involving Oil Cargo Theft; and will take into consideration the occurrence of incidents involving all types of ship while underway and at ports and anchorages in Asian waters.
Posted to the Hellenic Shipping News (Mar 1): After failed rescue effort Philippines president apologizes for German hostage death
The number of attacks on vessels in the Sulu and Celebes Sea have surged recently with a corresponding increase in the severity of the attacks. In a recent incident six crew members were abducted with one crewman being shot dead. The International Fusion Centre (IFC) has now reported a total of 37 incidents in this area, of which 17 have included abduction of crew, since January 2016.
Littoral states are also considering the establishment of a high security corridor along the Sulu Sea however this has not yet been agreed.
Members are recommended to follow IMO’s Guidance to ship owners and ship operators, shipmasters and crews on preventing and suppressing acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships MSC.1/Circ.1334 .The following specific precautionary measures are recommended:
If a viable option consider alternate routing to avoid transiting the area.
Prior to entering the area conduct a risk assessment, brief crew and conduct a drill, prepare and test an emergency communication plan.
Proceed at maximum sustainable speed whist in the area.
Maintain good communications via VHF Channels 08 and 16 with littoral law enforcement agencies and the IFC. A map and contact details of the relevant local authorities is attached at Annex A of the IMO Guidance referenced above.
Activate the ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS). This should be restricted to ship’s identity, position, course, speed, navigational status and safety related information.
Increase vigilance in watch-keeping and deploy additional lookouts.
Use CCTV cameras for coverage of vulnerable areas (if available).
Keep ship’s whistle and fog horn ready for immediate use.
Secure or lift external ladders to prevent their use and to restrict external access to the bridge.
Deploy appropriate Ship Protection Measures with reference to the ReCAAP guide. There is a high incidence of kidnap for ransom cases and vessels can considerably reduce the chances of crew being kidnapped by having an effective citadel and practiced citadel drills
Evasive manoeuvres have also been proven to deter perpetrators in the reported incidents in this specific area.
Consider restricting personnel access to upper decks and bridge wings during Sibutu Passage transits, so as to not present a target for potential small-arms fire. All non-essential personnel should be located in a secure part of the ship where practicable.
From Deutsche Welle (Feb 28): After failed rescue effort Philippines president apologizes for German hostage death
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said troops came close to rescuing a German hostage held for three months. Duterte commiserated with the German people.
President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte apologized on Tuesday for the beheading of German hostage Jurgen Gustav Kantner at the hands of militant separatist group Abu Sayyaf.
The group released a video of the 70-year-old's grisly death on Monday, after a deadline for his ransom had passed, but the Philippines military said it came close to rescuing Kantner.
"I am very sorry that the hostage or a national of your country has been beheaded. I sympathize with the family. I commiserate with the German people," Duterte said at a news conference.
"We really tried our best. We have been there, the military operation has been going on for some time already but we have failed,"he said. He stressed that the Philippine government policy of not paying ransoms would be maintained. Payments would just enable the militants to grow in number, he said.
Almost saved by troops
Military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano told reporters that his troops fought with the Abu Sayyaf militants holding Kantner a day before he was killed but about six gunmen managed to remove him from the battle scene near the town of Indanan on the island of Sulu.
Ano said the militants behind the beheading were led by a young commander, Moammar Askali, who uses the nom de guerre Abu Rami.
An intelligence report found Askali pushed for Kantner's death, but other militants wanted to wait for a ransom payment of 30 million pesos (566,000-euros or US$599,000), according to a report by the AP news agency.
Duterte said his government had taken several steps to combat a wave of kidnappings by Muslim militants, including sending a request to China to help patrol the international waters bordering the southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia - the scene of many piracy incidents and abductions.
"I asked China if it can contribute to patrolling because the might of China in terms of sea power is a huge one," he said, adding China did not respond to his request.
The man was captured from his yacht while sailing in the southern Philippines with his wife, who was killed during the kidnapping
Outrage in Germany
Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned "this abominable act, which shows once again how inhumane and without conscience these terrorists act," she wrote in a statement. "We must all stand together to fight against them."
Video footage appeared to show Kantner slumped on a grassy lot with a man holding a knife to his neck.
"Now they'll kill me," the man said before he was murdered.
Islamic separatists Abu Sayyaf, a loose network of militants based in the Philippines' remote southern islands, has defied more than a decade of US-backed military operations seeking to eradicate it. Lucrative kidnapping sprees have been undertaken by the group in recent years.
Authorities believed Abu Sayyaf to be holding about 20 other hostages. In the past the group had freed several in return for ransom payments.
In 2000 the group abducted 21 tourists, including a German family, from a diving island in Malaysia. They were released after a ransom payment. In 2004 the group killed 116 people in an attack on a ferry in the Philippines. In 2014 the group abducted a German couple from their sailing yacht and released them after several months. This year, two Canadians were abducted and decapitated.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 28): Eastern Visayas Army steps up support to anti-drug war
Soldiers in Eastern Visayas have intensified their support to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's (PDEA) fight against illegal drugs in the region.
Major Gen. Raul Farnacio, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division has assigned a special unit to help the anti-narcotics agency in the conduct of anti-illegal drugs operations.
The joint forces of the military and PDEA, according to Farnacio, has been running after high-value targets and street level drug traders.
“It’s only the policemen who are not actively engaged in anti-illegal drugs campaign. In our case, the campaign did not stop and we even dedicated a special unit for that,” said Farnacio.
Last week, soldiers and PDEA agents arrested five drug personalities in five separate anti-drug operations in Tacloban and Maasin cities, resulting to seizure of suspected shabu, cash and several drug paraphernalia.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the police to suspend its anti-drug operations and focus on the war against police scalawags. The order stemmed from the recent killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo allegedly by policemen inside Camp Crame.
The Chief Executive’s directive prompted the Philippine Army to step up its support to PDEA’s anti-drug campaign.
From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 28): Duterte meets young ASG kidnap victim in Malacañang
An eight-year old kidnap victim from Zamboanga Sibugay was reunited with his parents in the presence of President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañan on Tuesday following seven months of captivity from the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu.
Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza presented the child to President Duterte. He was abducted with his family in Zamboanga Sibugay in August last year and was freed last Monday.
The family was brought to Sulu after they were kidnapped. The mother, Nora, was released in August 22 after paying a small amount, according to Dureza. Elmer, the father, was freed last Nov. 13 after handing over Php 1 million, thinking the son will also be released.
Dureza said the family sold everything, including their sari-sari store, and borrowed from friends and relatives to raise the ransom money.
Dureza said he was instructed by the President to work for the release of the boy and with the help of Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members, was eventually reunited with his parents.
Dureza said the boy will undergo psychiatric trauma treatment, noting that the President will also assist the family so they can start a new life away from Mindanao.
The family, whose life was in shambles after selling all possessions, decided to leave Zamboanga Sibugay and relocated with relatives outside Metro Manila, according to Dureza.
He also clarified that no ransom money was paid in freeing the boy since the family no longer has the money after disposing its source of livelihood.
President Duterte expressed his gratitude to Secretary Dureza, and Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan for their humanitarian job.
The President however said that there will be a lot of work to do in freeing some reported captives saying, “I would like to assure everybody that for as long as there is violence being perpetrated, the Republic of the Philippines will continue with its military operations.”
But in order for the military to be effective, the President said the soldiers would need new equipment as well as fast boats, frigates and more helicopters.
“We plan to purchase more helicopters. The numbers, I would not want to tell you now but I have to improve on our night-flying capability. We’re nearing to it,” the President said.
But for those in Mindanao who want reintegration or ceasefire, the President reiterated that it is also his desire to adopt a federal system of government.
PRRD expresses sympathies to Kantner's family
At the same time, the President extended his sympathies to the family of German national Jurgen Gustav Kantner, who was brutally murdered by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.
“I am very sorry that the hostage or a national of your country has been beheaded. I sympathize with the family. I commiserate with the German people,” President Duterte said.
The President also told Kantner’s family and the German government that his administration really tried its best to secure the safety of the victim.
The President also tackled the anti-illegal drug campaign, saying that he has ordered Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Ronald Dela Rosa during Monday’s command conference to recruit patriotic young men in the PNP to be the members of the task force.
“Every station should have one pero ‘yung piling-pili, ‘yung walang mga kaso at walang history ng corruption,” he said.
From InterAksyon (Feb 28): US envoy stresses peaceful resolution in South China Sea
US Ambassador Sung Kim greets President Rodrigo Duterte in this January 2017 file photograph from the Philippine News Agency.
While United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim was noncommittal on what specific action his country will take in the event China proceeds to build structures on disputed Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea just west of Zambales Province, he nevertheless stressed US interest in the peaceful resolution of issues among all claimant states in the disputed waters.
Kim was the keynote speaker at the general membership meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) Tuesday at the Peninsula Manila hotel in Makati City.
Ambassador Kim said that the US was not a claimant in the maritime disputes, but it hopes that countries would refrain from taking unilateral actions, such as building structures and intensifying militarization. He added that the US cares deeply about respect for fundamental rights, like freedom of navigation.
In relation to this, Kim clarified that the US has no problems with the Philippines or any other country working to improve relations with China, amid the misconception that it was opposed to President Rodrigo Duterte's efforts to broaden ties with Beijing.
"That's not at all correct," the ambassador said.
Nevertheless, he assured the audience that the alliance between the US and the Philippines remained strong, and that the military trainings and exercises planned for this year would push through. The USwas also communicating with officials of the Philippine Army to ensure that they are prepared for any external threat.
Kim was confident that the strong partnership between the two countries would continue, given that the security environment at the moment was "complex". When asked if the U.S. would remove visa requirements for Filipinos heading to the US as proof of how much the North American country valued its relationship with the Asian nation, Kim said that U.S. law lays out strict requirements for a country to be included in a visa-waiver program. Unfortunately, the Philippines did not meet the requirements currently.
"But this is not permanent," he pointed out. "So we may find that a few years from now, the Philippines would meet all the requirements and would be included in the visa waiver program."
Nonetheless, he guaranteed that the Embassy was working very hard to make the visa application process as painless and efficient as possible, even as he reported that they processed over 200,000 non-immigrant visas in 2016.
Is the BPO industry in trouble?
Kim also fielded questions about whether the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the Philippines would be affected by President Donald Trump's "America first" thrust, and said that it was too early to tell whether the new administration would implement policies directly relevant to BPO operations of U.S. companies in the Philippines.
He said there were many reasons why US companies chose to establish operations here, as Filipino employees were "very capable", "smart", and fluent in English. The labor cost was also "reasonable".
Kim predicted that there would be no "dramatic" changes in the operations of U.S. companies in the Philippines, but if there was anything that would make an impact, it would be technology advancement - Artificial Intelligence, in particular - and not Washington's policies.
On the drug war
Kim was also asked if US businessmen were concerned that the Philippines was becoming an unstable environment to do business in, given the drug war.
He said that it was a big issue, but added that he has told President Duterte that the US understood the challenges he was facing, and why he was trying to curb the drug, crime, and corruption problems. But there were concerns about how some aspects of Duterte's campaign were being practiced.
Kim added that the drug war was particularly relevant. As companies make decisions about further investments and expanding operations in the Philippines, they have to consider what was happening on the ground.
"It's a complicated situation, obviously," he said. There were businessmen who were confident about the prospects in the Philippines, but there was also concern back in the U.S. headquarters about how they should be managing their operations.
Strong women
Meanwhile, Kim was also able to touch on the subject of women empowerment, which he was "very, very proud of".
This included getting involved in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence with the United Nations, and a lineup of activities the Embassy would be holding in March for Women's History Month.
He said he was an advocate for women empowerment because he has two daughters and has worked with strong women, including former US Secretaries of State Hilary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice.
From the Mindanao Times n(Feb 28): Careful consideration
Mayor Sara reads NPA reply but yet to comment
MAYOR Sara Duterte is carefully considering the counter-proposal of the New People’s Army (NPA) for a possible localized peace dialogue.
“The Mayor has already read the reply of the NPA to her previous offer,” said City Information Office head Jefry Tupas Sunday night.
“Right now, she is carefully looking into it and will come up with a statement in the coming days.”
Rigoberto Sanchez, the NPA regional operations command for southern Mindanao, in a rejoinder to Mayor Duterte’s offer, said the rebel group is willing to meet with her at a mutually agreed time and date in any NPA-controlled territory within the city.
“The NPA would gladly discuss any matter that she would like to take up with the revolutionary movement, the duties and responsibilities of the people’s democratic government, the role of the NPA, the on-going all-out war of the AFP and the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations,” Sanchez said.
Mayor Duterte offered her hand of peace to the NPA after a series of skirmishes hit earlier this month in Paquibato and Calinan districts, which killed at least 12 and wounded around 20 AFP troopers.
“The revolutionary forces recognize Sara Duterte’s willingness to talk to the NPA as a group and not to individuals amid the growing public clamor to resume the suspended GRP-NDFP peace negotiations and achieve substantial gains in the peace process,” Sanchez said.
However, Sanchez questioned Sara’s remaining trust with the military, quoting her as saying she would “leave everything to the AFP” if the talks failed.
“Mayor Sara must know by now that the AFP is a corrupt, wily and mercenary organization that makes a mockery of the peace process and continuously sabotages her father’s and the NDFP’s efforts at peace every chance it gets,” Sanchez said.
“Furthermore, we are optimistic that Mayor Sara would judiciously discern the realities of the civil war, not merely through the statistics of AFP casualties and its civilian victims but by seeing the imperative to address the roots of the armed conflict.”
Mayor Duterte earlier said that her offer for a dialogue would be limited only to her jurisdiction of Davao City and would welcome dialogues not from individual surrenderees but the NPA “as a group.”
From the Mindanao Times (Feb 28): Troops clashed with NPAs anew
GOVERNMENT soldiers clashed with the New People’s Army in Asuncion, Davao del Norte and Kiamba, Sarangani on Sunday, Feb. 26.
Two bodies of communist rebels and two AK-47 firearms were recovered by soldiers in the encounter site in Asuncion.
Capt. Rhyan Batchar, spokesperson of 10th Infantry Division, said troops from 60th Infantry Battalion engaged around 20 rebels of Guerilla Front 33 in a 40-minute firefight in Sitio Alungan, Barangay Sangayen, Asuncion around 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Two MG520 attack helicopters supported the troops with rocket fires at the position of the NPA rebels.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, at around 12:45 p.m., troops of 27th Infantry Battalion engaged in a five-minute firefight the NPA belonging to Guerrilla Front 73 at Sitio Tulad, Barnagay Nalus, Kiamba, Sarangani.
Reports reaching the 10th ID revealed that families near the encounter sites have evacuated to safer grounds.
Military and PNP checkpoints have been established in different areas to prevent the NPA from fleeing the area.
Maj. Gen. Rafael Valencia, 10ID commander, lauded the troops for their accomplishments.
“We must press on the fight and put more pressure on the NPA until they finally realized that armed struggle is not the solution to our problems,” he added.
In related news, Lt. Erwin Bugarin, civil- military operations officer of 8th Infantry Battalion, said the first incident happened around 5:40 p.m. when armed men stormed the office of a hydro-electric power plant in Barangay Lumbayao, Valencia City, Bukidnon.
They planted an improvised explosives device inside the building and fired gunshots on their way to escape.
At around 10 p.m. of the same day, undetermined number of NPAs burned two spray trucks of Davco Agri Venture Corporation in Barangay Merangiran, Quezon, Bukidnon and immediately fled from the scene.
“They no longer act on their ideals these are simply terroristic act,” Bugarin said. In doing so, they are no less a terrorists who does nothing but instill fear to the people making their extortion activities unquestioned.”
