Sunday, July 30, 2023

CPP/NDF-KASAMA-Rizal: Labanan ang Korap, Pahirap, Papet at Pasistang Rehimeng US-Marcos II

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Jul 27, 2023): Labanan ang Korap, Pahirap, Papet at Pasistang Rehimeng US-Marcos II (Fight the Corrupt, Torture, Puppet and Fascist Regime US-Marcos II)
 


Katipunan ng mga Samahang Manggagawa-Rizal
NDF-Rizal
National Democratic Front of the Philippines

July 28, 2023

Sa unang taon at ikalawang State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Marcos Jr., wala pa rin makabuluhang pagbabago sa buhay ng mga maralita at mamamayan taliwas sa kanyang mga ipinangako. Bagkus ay lalung lumala ang kanilang kalagayan dulot ng mataas na presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin, mababang sahod, kalunos-lunos na kalagayan sa mga pabahay, kawalan ng maayos na serbisyong panlipunan at malubhang paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng mga indibidwal at mga legal na demokratikong mga organisayon na bumabatikos sa rehimen. Habang naghihirap ang mamamayan, sunod-sunod naman ang pagpapasarap ng pekeng pangulo sa mga maluluhong byahe nya sa ibang bansa upang ibenta ang Pilipinas sa mga dayuhang mamumuhunan.

Dagdag pahirap din ang talamak na koruspyon at panunumbalik ng mga kroni ng mga Marcos. Sa pamamagitan ng pagratsada sa Maharlika Investment Fund, magkakamal ito ng kalahating trilyong piso mula sa mga bangko ng gubyerno. Ibig sabihin, gagamitin ang pera ng taumbayan, ng mga magsasaka at iba pang sektor para ipuhunan at ipautang sa mga lokal at dayuhang kumpanya sa real estate, mining, housing, energy atbp. na ang higit na makikinabang ay ang mga kaalyado at kroni ng mga Marcos. Katulad na lamang ng pagbigay kay Enrique Razon Jr. ng Malampaya natural gas facility sa loob ng 15 taon, ang mga Aboitiz sa industriya ng kuryente at ang mga Romualdez sa industriya ng media.

Si Enrique Razon Jr. din ang nasa likod ng Wawa-Violago Dam na mahigpit na tinututulan ng mga magsasaka at maralita sa Rizal dahil bukod sa pagpapalayas sa kanilang mga lupain at sakahan ay mapanganib ito sa kalikasan na maaaring magdulot ng pagbaha at landslide katulad na lamang ng insidente nito lamang Hulyo 17 na kumitil sa buhay ng isang ginang sa Antipolo City. Nagpapatuloy rin ang konstruksyon ng Kaliwa Dam sa kabila ng pagtutol ng marami nating kababayan at mga kapatid nating katutubong Dumagat. Bukod sa perwisyong maidudulot nito sa ating kalikasan, kamakailan lang ay nabalitang hindi binabayaran ng tamang pasahod ang mga manggagawa dito.

Sa loob ng isang taon na hinawakan ng pangulo ang Department of Agriculture, lalung tumaas ang presyo ng mga pagkain katulad ng bigas, sibuyas, itlog, mantika, asukal at iba pa. Higit na naghirap ang ating mga magsasaka sa pagpasok sa Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) na lalung magtatali sa importasyon sa halip na suportahan ang sariling lokal na produksyon. Ang P20 per kilo na bigas ay panlilinlang lamang at ilusyon ng pangulo dahil wala naman itong ginagawa upang suportahan ang lokal na produksyon at ipatupad ang tunay na reporma sa lupa. Bagkus ay nakaasa sa pag-aangkat sa mga dayuhan.

Ang ating mga maralita sa kalunsuran ay patuloy na tinataboy at dinadahas. Katulad na lamang sa Kasiglahan Village sa Rodriguez Rizal. Mula nang ipinaglaban nila na magkaroon ng pabahay at matagumpay na inokupa ito ay kinampuhan na sila ng 80th IBPA. Gayunrin sa Tibagan sa Taytay, Rizal. Pagpagslang, iligal na pagkulong, harassment, red-tagging at sapilitang pagpapasuko ang sagot ng rehimen sa ating mga maralita na ang tanging hangad lamang ay magkaroon ng disenteng pabahay, kabuhayan at libreng serbisyong panlipunan. Nariyan din ang pagsunog ng hinihinalang bayaran ng SM Holdings sa mga komunidad sa Sito Malanim, Barangay Dela Paz sa Antipolo City noong Hulyo 7 upang sila ay mapalayas sa kabila ng may ligal na laban pa sila dito.

Ang mga maralita at mga manggagawa ay patuloy na nanlilimos ng dagdag sahod sa mga kapitalista subalit mumong kwarenta pesos lamang ang ibinigay. Inutil at walang magawa ang rehimen US-Marcos II sa karaingan ng mga mamamayan subalit ibayong pagpapakatuta naman sa imperyalistang US habang nakikipagmabutihan din sa China. Dinagdagan pa ng mga base militar ng mga Kano ang ating bansa sa ilalim ng Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Mula nang maupo si Marcos II ay sunod-sunod na ang naganap na mga joint military exercises sa ating bansa. Bagay na lumalabag sa ating soberanya at naglalagay sa ating bansa sa peligro oras na magirian ang US at China. Inutil din at walang magawa ang rehimen upang ipagtanggol at protektahan ang West Philippine Sea mula sa China.

Patuloy ang paglubha ng kalagayan ng karapatang pantao sa Rizal. Wala pa rin katarungan sa anim nating mga kababayang pinaslang noong Bloody Sunday Massacre sa Southern Tagalog. Dumarami ang iligal na inaaresto at sinasampahan ng gawa-gawang kaso. Sa kasalukuyan ay mayroong walong bilanggong pultikal ang lalawigan, apat rito ay mga katutubong Dumagat at ang iba ay mga magsasaka at kababaihan. Dumarami ang biktima ng harassment, red-tagging, sapilitang pagpapasuko at mass disaffiliation. Mayroon din higit sa sampung komunidad sa Rizal ang militarisado at bantay sarado ng 80th IBPA na tila ba Batas Militar. Ito ay sa mga lugar kung saan binanbatayan nila ang mga development projects ng kanilang mga among kapitalista katulad na lamang ng Wawa-Violago Dam at Kaliwa Dam.

Kaya sa isang taon ng rehimeng US-Marcos II at ikalawang SONA, paigtingin natin ang ating mga pakikibaka. Tanging sa sama-samang pagkilos at rebolusyonaryong lakas maisusulong ang demokratikong interes ng sambayanang Pilipino. Abutin ang pinakalamalawak na masa, mga propesyunal, kabataan, taong simabahan, mga empleyado, maliliit na negosyante atbp. upang itakwil at labanan ang korap, pahirap, papet at pasistang rehimeng US-Marcos II.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/labanan-ang-korap-pahirap-papet-at-pasistang-rehimeng-us-marcos-ii/

CPP/NDF-PKM-Cagayan: ‘Walang tulong mula sa US, EDCA’ – Gov. Mamba

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Jul 27, 2023): ‘Walang tulong mula sa US, EDCA’ – Gov. Mamba ('No help from the US, EDCA' - Gov. Mamba)



Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Magbubukid-Cagayan
NDF-Cagayan
NDF-Cagayan Valley
National Democratic Front of the Philippines

July 27, 2023

Nalunod at tinangay na ng rumaragasang tubig-baha ang pangako ng gubyerno at EDCA na “disaster relief missions at humanitarian assistance.” Apat na araw na mula nang unang tumama sa kalupaan ng Cagayan ang super bagyong Egay, nakalabas na ito ng PAR at may nagbabadya na namang sama ng panahon ngunit sa kasamaang-palad, “Walang tulong mula sa US at sa EDCA.” Ito ang pahayag ni Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba sa panayam sa kanya ni Sheryl Cosim sa programa nito sa One PH noong Miyerkules, July 26. Bagamat bukas naman daw ang gubernador sa mga maaaring tulong ng US sa pamamagitan ng EDCA, sa kasalukuyan ay wala pa ito. Maging ang tulong mula sa national government ay usad-pagong at kulang na kulang pa rin. Wala ring marinig na piyok mula sa EDCA site sa Gamu, Isabela gayung tinamaan din ito ng mga hambalos ni Egay.

Sa pananalasa ni Egay sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon, ang prubinsya ng Cagayan na napailalim sa tropical cyclone wind signal no. 4, ang isa sa mga pinakahinagupit nito na nagdulot ng malawakang pinsala sa agrikultura at imprastraktura. Batay sa inisyal na tala ng Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO-Cagayan) noong Hulyo 28, alas-11 ng umaga, aabot na sa ₱462 milyon ang kabuuang pinsala sa agrikultura samantalang ₱862 milyon naman sa imprastraktura.

Bagamat nakalabas na sa Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) ang bagyo, nananatiling lubog pa rin sa baha ang ilang bahagi ng lalawigan at umabot sa 43,000 indibidwal ang inilikas. Nagmula ang mga ito sa 291 barangay na saklaw ng 25 bayan (sa kabuuang 28 bayan sa buong prubinsya). May mga lugar pa ring walang linya ng kuryente at pahirapan ang transportasyon dahil sa mga lumubog na tulay at natumbang mga puno.

Matatandaang ibinibida ng US-Marcos Jr ang pagdadagdag ng EDCA sites “to address disaster-related event” at sabi pa ni US-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, “meet the needs of the Philippines in the event of a crisis like a natural disaster or a requirement to rapidly provide humanitarian assistance.” Anyare? Batay sa plano ng US, tinatayang maglalaan ito ng $70-100 milyon o halos ₱4-6 bilyon para sa implementasyon ng EDCA. Kung ilalaan ang naturang halaga para tunay na disaster response at humanitarian assistance, kaya nitong ibangon ang lahat ng mga naapektuhan sa iba’t ibang sektor hindi lamang sa prubinsya kundi maging sa ibang mga rehiyon. Sabagay, ano nga bang aasahan ng mga Pilipino sa pagbibida ng pangulong sinungaling at puro retorika?

Samantala, paglalagay ng suka at asin sa sugat ang kahalintulad ng “tulong” ng Department of Agriculture (DA) na sa halip na tulungang makabangon ang mga magsasakang pinadapa ng kalamidad, lalo silang ilinulubog sa utang. Batay sa DA, maaaring makautang ang mga magsasaka sa halagang ₱25,000 upang makapagsimulang muli. Ipokritong gubyerno! Nalugi na nga ang mga magsasaka sa inutang na puhunan sa pagtatanim, papatungan na naman ito ng utang upang tuluyan silang isadlak at ibaon. Sa kabila ng food insecurity, sadyang walang pagpapahalaga ang gubyerno ni US-Marcos Jr sa mga magsasaka ng Cagayan Valley gayung pangatlo ang rehiyon sa nag-aambag sa produksyon ng palay at mais o 13.6% ng kabuuang pambansang produksyon noong 2021.

At dahil “overprepared” diumano ang gubyerno, sabi sa SONA, sa pagharap sa natural disasters, “nag-monitor” lang si Marcos Jr habang ka-toast ng alak ang hari at punong ministro ng Malaysia. Habang ang kanyang mga “mino-monitor” ay nagmamakaawa o halos maglumuhod na nawalan o nasiraan ng tahanan, namatayan ng mga alagang hayop, nasiraan ng mga gamit pamproduksyon, natabunan ng putik ang ekta-ektaryang tumutubong mais, at nadelubyo ang kabuhayan. Dagdag na pasaning krus ito sa malalang implasyon, mababang sahod at kawalan ng trabaho sa marami, mataas na interes sa utang at parusang tikag. Halos mawalan o talagang nawalan na ng pag-asa at tiwala ang mga maralita na tutugunan ng gubyerno ang kanilang mga kagyat na pangangailangan upang makabangon.

Sa mahabang panahon, pamalagiang problema na ng mga magsasaka at mamamayan ng Cagayan Valley ang malawakang pagbaha. Ngunit hanggang ngayon ay wala pa ring istratehikong solusyon at kahit intermedyang hakbang ang pamahalaan upang tugunan ang problemang ito. Hinding-hindi sasapat o kakasya ang ilang pirasong noodles na laging pampalubag-loob sa mga nasalanta.

Ngayong may paparating na namang sama ng panahon at inaasahan ang El Nino sa malaking bahagi ng bansa, kasaysayan na ang magpapatunay, na hindi mga mersenaryong sundalo – puti man o kayumanggi, bomba, kanyon, armas at bala ang solusyon at kailangan ng mamamayan.

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/walang-tulong-mula-sa-us-edca-gov-mamba/

CPP/NPA-Central Negros: Hors de Combat Ginpatay sang 62nd IB sa Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (Jul 27, 2023): Hors de Combat Ginpatay sang 62nd IB sa Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla (Out of Combat, Killed by the 62nd IB in Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla)
 


JB Regalado
Spokesperson
NPA-Central Negros (Leonardo Panaligan Command)
Negros Island Regional Operational Command (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command)
New People's Army

July 27, 2023

Indi lehitimo nga engkwentro ang natabo sa tunga sang Leonardo Panaligan Command-New People’s Army (LPC-NPA) kag tropa sang 62nd IB sa Sityo Balunggay, Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental sadtong Hulyo 20, pasado alas 11:00 sang gab-i. Taliwas ini sa ginasugid sang militar ilabi na ni Lt. Col. William Pesase sang 62nd IB nga nagalukot sang balas sa pagbinutig upod sa mga manogtaghol sang 303rd Bde PA sa pagpamuno ni B/Gen. Orlando Edralin.

Medical leave and status ni Marvic Ebarle (Ka Bryan) sa NPA bangud sang iya naagum nga pilas sa tuhod sa natabo nga kontra-opensiba nga ginhimo sang isa ka yunit sang LPC-NPA batok sa tropa sang 62nd IB sadtong Hunyo 13, sa Sityo Cupad, Barangay Macagahay, Moises Padilla. Si Ka Bryan ang gina-atipan ni Romy Catasio sang Sityo Inarawis, Barangay Quintin Remo, nga isa sa mga suod nga abyan ni Ka Bryan. Samtang nagabantay sang masakyan nga motor si Ka Bryan kag Catasio, gulpi man nag-abot ang color gray nga van kag wala kaluoy nga ginpaniro ang duha ka biktima.

Si Ka Bryan kag Catasio ang lunsay mga biktima sang kapintas sang pasista kag berdugo nga mga katapo sang 62nd IB idalum sa polisiya sini nga “wala dakpon nga buhi sa NPA.”

Mabaskog gid nga ginakondenar sang LPC-NPA ang over-kill kag patraydor nga pagpatay sang berdugo nga 62nd IB kay Romy Catasio, isa ka sibilyan, kag Marvic Ebarle (Ka Bryan), hors de combat ukon wala ikasarang magbato nga Pulang hangaway.

Lubos gid nga ginapasidunggan sang LPC-NPA upod sa malapad nga rebolusyonaryong masa sa Central Negros ang pagkamartir ni Ka Bryan sa rebolusyon. Ang pagkamabinuligon sa hanay sang masa kag kalmante nga kinaiya ni Ka Bryan ang ginahanduraw sang bug-os nga rebolusyonaryong kahublagan sa larangan gerilya. Si Ka Bryan ang matuod nga hangaway sang banwa nga naga-alagad sa masa nga wala sang nagapatunga nga kondisyon. Hugot siya nga naga-angot sa masa; nagapukaw, naga-organisa kag nagapahulag sa masa sa paggiya batok sa pagpanghimulos kag pagpamigos sang mga despotiko kag manug-agaw sang duta nga mga agalon sa lugar. Nagsakripisyo sang iya kaugalingon kag pamilya lamang mahatag ang demokratikong kinamatarung kag interes sang mga mangunguma sa pagdepensa kag pag-angkon sang duta nga palangabuhian sa pihak sang paghingabot sa iya kabuhi sang pasistang militar kag inutil nga rehimen US-Duterte sang nagligad nga mga tinuig kag sa subong nga rehimen US-Marcos II.

Ginadayaw kag taas kamao man nga ginapasidunggan sang LPC-NPA si Romy Catasio nga naghalad sang iya kaugalingon nga kabuhi sa banas sang rebolusyon. Siya ang sulundon sang kaangay niya nga mangunguma kag abyan nga boluntaryo kag muklat sa iya papel sa pag-atipan sang NPA nga nagamasakit diin ginakilala sini nga amu ang matuod nga suldado sang pumuluyo nga ginahimuslan kag ginapigos.

Ka Bryan kag Romy Catasio, kamo ang amon inspirasyon sa pagpadayon sa rebolusyon!
Kamo ang amon buhi nga handumanan!
Mabuhay ang tanan nga mga rebolusyonaryong martir!

https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/hors-de-combat-ginpatay-sang-62nd-ib-sa-barangay-montilla-moises-padilla/

Saturday, July 29, 2023

WESTMINCOM: Operating troops discover enemy lair in Sultan Kudarat

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) Facebook Page (Jul 26, 2023): Operating troops discover enemy lair in Sultan Kudarat

Operating troops discover enemy lair in Sultan Kudarat
Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – July 26, 2023

Troops of the 37th Infantry Battalion discovered an abandoned enemy lair in Barangay Limulan, Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat on July 24, 2023.

While conducting a decisive military operation, soldiers sighted the abandoned lair with an estimated area of 300 square meters that can accommodate more or less 15 persons. Said lair is believed to have been abandoned for two days based on the traces left by the occupants.
 
Operating troops scoured the area and recovered enemy personal belongings.
 
Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, Commander of Joint Task Force Central, commended the troops for this accomplishment. “It bespeaks of our relentless efforts to end terrorism in our area of operation.”
Troops destroyed the lair and continued to track down the enemies.

“Our Joint Task Forces continue to gain grounds in our campaign against terrorism and insurgency. Rest assured that we will maintain the same zeal to ensure the safety and security of the people, especially those in the remote communities that are prone to abuse and exploitation of the enemies of the state,” Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, Commander of Western Midnanao Command, said.
 
###
#SupportOurTroops
#SundaloSalamatsaSerbisyo
#AFPyoucanTRUST
#TeamAFP
#TeamWestMinCom
#WholeofNationApproach
Office of the Vice Governor Hja. Nurunisah Abubakar Tan
Municipality of Pata, Sulu
BARMM Governors' Caucus - Sulu
Province of Sulu
Maimbung Municipal Government
Ministry of Interior and Local Government- SULU
Sulu Police Provincial Office
Jolo Municipal Government
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Governor Ann K. Hofer
Divina Grace C. Yu
Province of Lanao del Norte
Mayor Charlotte Dumanjug-Panal
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Sakur Tan
Tawi-Tawi Provincial Government
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LGU-Dimataling Agriculture Office
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IGMAT - Molave, Zamboanga del Sur
I Love Yu Distrito Dos Zambosur
LGU Lake Wood Tourism, Culture & Arts
LGU Labangan
6th Infantry "Kampilan" Division, Philippine Army
1st Infantry "Tabak" Division, Philippine Army
Alakdan Division
603rd Infantry - Persuader Brigade
Naval Forces Western Mindanao
JTF Zamboanga
54th Engineer "Sarangay" Brigade, PA
37th Infantry “Conqueror” Battalion



https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=302921439073904&set=a.273716101994438

https://www.facebook.com/westmincomafp2021/

WESTMINCOM: Communist terrorist neutralized; high-powered firearms seized in Sultan Kudarat

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) Facebook Page (Jul 28, 2023): Communist terrorist neutralized; high-powered firearms seized in Sultan Kudarat

Communist terrorist neutralized; high-powered firearms seized in Sultan Kudarat
Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – July 28, 2023

Military troops recovered the dead body of one communist terrorist group remnant and seized two high-powered firearms following the armed confrontations in Sultan Kudarat on July 27, 2023.
 
“The Joint Task Force Central continues to employ more pressure on the remaining CTG members to gain more enemy strongholds and dismantle their groups,” JTF Central Commander, Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera said.
 
While conducting a decisive military operation (DMO) in Barangay Limulan, Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat, troops of the 37th Infantry Battalion engaged an undetermined number of communist terrorist group remnants under the Sub-Regional Committee Daguma, Far South Mindanao Region. 

Likewise, while troops of the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion were establishing a blockade, they encountered the withdrawing enemies. The firefight lasted for 20 minutes, after which the CTG remnants scampered in different directions.
 
The consecutive encounters resulted in the death of one CTG remnant and the seizure of two M14 rifles with magazines and ammunition, one hand grenade, and one backpack with personal belongings.
The cadaver of the slain enemy was turned over to Kalamansig Municipal Police Station for proper identification and disposition.
 
“While we intensify our DMOs, we still encourage the remaining members of the CTG and other threat groups to lay down their arms and start a peaceful life with their families,” Western Mindanao Command Chief, Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, said.
 
#supportourtroops
#SundaloSalamatsaSerbisyo
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Office of the Vice Governor Hja. Nurunisah Abubakar Tan
Municipality of Pata, Sulu
Province of Sulu
Maimbung Municipal Government
Ministry of Interior and Local Government- SULU
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LGU Labangan
1st Infantry "Tabak" Division, Philippine Army
603rd Infantry - Persuader Brigade
JTF Zamboanga
54th Engineer "Sarangay" Brigade, PA
Naval Forces Western Mindanao
Alakdan Division



https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=304105418955506&set=a.273716101994438

https://www.facebook.com/westmincomafp2021/

WESTMINCOM: Communist terrorist group member yield to troops in Cotabato

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) Facebook Page (Jul 28, 2023): Communist terrorist group member yield to troops in Cotabato

Communist terrorist group member yield to troops in Cotabato
Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – July 28, 2023

A member of the communist terrorist group yielded to the troops in Cotabato on July 26, 2023.
Alias Joko, a member of Squad 3, Platoon Fury, Sub-Regional Committee 5, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, surrendered to the 34th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Guiling, Alamada, Cotabato at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Lt. Col. Rey Rico, Commanding Officer of 34IB, welcomed the former rebel back to the mainstream society.
 
The surrendered personality was subsequently presented to Brig. Gen. Donald Gumiran, Commander of the 602nd Infantry Brigade. Brig. Gen. Gumiran attributed this success to the collaborative efforts of the military units under the 602Bde and the 11th Brigade of the Bangsamoro Armed Forces - Moro National Liberation Front (BAF-MNLF).
 
During the initial debriefing, the former rebel revealed that he was starving and having a hard time evading the military forces. Feeling tired and weary, he decided to surrender to the government forces.
 
Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, Commander of Western Mindanao Command, urged the other CTG remnants to do the same. “It is always best to end conflicts without firing a single bullet. It is high time for them to lay down their arms and surrender for the chance of living a peaceful life with their family and loved ones.”
 
#supportourtroops
#SundaloSalamatsaSerbisyo
#AFPyoucanTRUST
#teamAFP
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Office of the Vice Governor Hja. Nurunisah Abubakar Tan
Municipality of Pata, Sulu
Province of Sulu
Maimbung Municipal Government
Ministry of Interior and Local Government- SULU
Sulu Police Provincial Office
Jolo Municipal Government
LGU Parang Sulu
Municipality of Patikul Sulu
Governor Ann K. Hofer
Divina Grace C. Yu
Province of Lanao del Norte
Mayor Charlotte Dumanjug-Panal
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I Love Yu Distrito Dos Zambosur
LGU Lake Wood Tourism, Culture & Arts
LGU Labangan
1st Infantry "Tabak" Division, Philippine Army
603rd Infantry - Persuader Brigade
JTF Zamboanga
54th Engineer "Sarangay" Brigade, PA
Naval Forces Western Mindanao
Alakdan Division



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https://www.facebook.com/westmincomafp2021/

WESTMINCOM: WestMinCom Chief expresses appreciation to contributions of US counterpart

Posted to the Western Mindanao Command (WESTMINCOM) Facebook Page (Jul 29, 2023): WestMinCom Chief expresses appreciation to contributions of US counterpart

WestMinCom Chief expresses appreciation to contributions of US counterpart
Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – July 29, 2023

Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, Commander of Western Mindanao Command, presented a Command Plaque and awarded medals to the outgoing officers and personnel of the Special Operations Task Force 511.2 on July 28, 2023.

The award of Military Merit Medal was presented to Maj. David Heuwetter III of the United States Marine Corps, the outgoing commanding officer of the SOTF 511.2. Other recipients of the award include all the outgoing officers and enlisted personnel of the team.
 
Lt. Gen. Galido presented the awards during the exit call of the team on Friday. The Chief of Unified Command Staff, Col. Emmanuel Cabasan, and other WMC officers graced the ceremony held at the Laong Laan Hall at Camp Navarro, Calarian, this city.
 
The WestMinCom Commander commended the US forces for their successful mission in the Philippines. Lt. Gen. Galido also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the US troops for their support to the WestMinCom, particularly in enhancing the knowledge and skills of the Filipino soldiers. “Their expertise contributed to the effective implementation of our campaign against terrorism and other criminalities in our area of operation.”
 
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Swimming in circles – the quest for a South China Sea code of conduct

Posted to the Straits Times (Jul 24, 2023): Swimming in circles – the quest for a South China Sea code of conduct (By Ian Storey)

Two decades on, talks between Asean and China continue and are supposed to accelerate, but real progress is nowhere in sight


Chinese fishing vessels swarming near Iroqouis Reef and Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea on June 30. PHOTO: ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES

Tracking events in the South China Sea is a bit like watching the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, a comedy in which a self-centred TV weather reporter is forced to relive the same day over and over again.

The movie was so successful that its title quickly passed into the English vernacular to describe a repetitive series of negative experiences, seemingly without any prospect of improvement.

It has certainly been Groundhog Day in the South China Sea over the past six months.

China’s survey ships, coast guard vessels and maritime militia have repeatedly intruded into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. Earlier in July, China tried again to prevent the Philippines from resupplying its troops on Second Thomas Shoal. In the same week, Vietnam banned a movie and a TV drama series because it thought they contained images depicting China’s nine-dash line. In 2023, the US Navy continued to conduct Freedom of Navigation Operations in the Paracels and Spratlys.

When Indonesia took over the Asean chairmanship in January, it sought to tamp down tensions by pledging to speed up talks between the 10-nation bloc and China on the Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea.

Jakarta appears to have achieved a modicum of success. Earlier in July, it announced that Asean and China had completed the second reading of the negotiating text (the first reading was completed in July 2019) as well as a set of guidelines to accelerate talks on future drafts.

Neither the guidelines nor the second reading have been published. However, informed sources suggest that there might be less to both than meets the eye.

The guidelines are essentially an agreement to increase the frequency of meetings of the Asean-China Joint Working Group – which is tasked with drawing up the COC – to four or more a year. Curiously it also includes an aspirational deadline of three years to complete the talks but without specifying an exact timetable.

The second reading itself consists of a preamble (which was already finalised in 2022) and some basic principles the 11 parties had already agreed on, including that the Code should be in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).

The main difference between the first reading and the second is that provisional agreement has been reached on a few more paragraphs. However, in order to get to that point, the negotiators skirted around a set of contentious issues which are proving to be quite intractable.

The stumbling blocks

The first of these is the geographical scope of the agreement. The nub of the problem here is China’s nine-dash line, which Beijing uses to demarcate its expansive territorial and jurisdictional claims in the South China Sea. None of the South-east Asian claimants accept the legal basis of the nine-dash line because it violates their maritime rights enshrined in Unclos.

In 2016, a United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal agreed with them, ruling that the U-shaped line was incompatible with Unclos. On the seventh anniversary of that ruling in July, China reiterated that it would not abide by the tribunal’s judgment.

If China insists on including the nine-dash line in the discussions on the geographical scope of the agreement, the South-east Asian claimants will continue to push back. It seems unlikely that China will drop its insistence that the nine-dash line be included in the discussions. After all, if China takes every opportunity to promote the line in popular culture, why would it not do so in inter-governmental negotiations?

The second problem is whether the COC should include a list of prohibited activities, such as land reclamation, the militarisation of occupied atolls and harassing ships belonging to other claimants. Some South-east Asian countries, especially Vietnam, are very keen on doing this, but China is less so because it is through actions such as these that it tries to enforce its claims.

But if the COC is to add value to the non-binding 2002 Asean-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the South China Sea, it needs to include a list of tension-generating activities the claimants should desist from.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Banding with friends: The Philippines’ ace in sea row with China
Catching dreams or chasing shadows for South China Sea Code of Conduct

The third problem is the legal status of the Code. If it is legally binding, it should presumably include mechanisms to referee disputes between the claimants and impose penalties on those who violate it. Some Asean members may deem this approach too confrontational. Therein lies the dilemma: If the COC has no legal force, a violator can act with impunity; if the Code is non-binding and voluntary, it will not be a step up from the DOC, which is the whole point of the COC.

The fourth problem is China’s demand, included in the first reading, that the littoral states cease cooperation with foreign energy companies in “disputed” waters. China seems to have inserted this provision in an attempt to coerce other countries into signing joint development agreements with Chinese companies.

The South-east Asian claimants view this gambit as an egregious violation of their sovereign rights under Unclos. But it is hard to see how China would agree to drop this provision because to do so would fundamentally undermine its own jurisdictional claims.

In short, the second reading does not appear to have moved the COC dial very much. Agreement has been reached on some paragraphs, but the most contentious issues are still unresolved. As such, it looks likely that the talks will drag on for at least several more years before final agreement is reached – if it can be reached at all.

In Groundhog Day, the main character is able to break the monotonous time loop only after he finds happiness by improving his behaviour and falling in love. Judging by recent events, love, happiness and better behaviour are all a distant prospect in the South China Sea, as is the COC.

[Dr Ian Storey is a senior fellow with the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute. This is an edited version of an article published in Fulcrum, the commentary and analysis website of the institute.]

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WESCOM: LOOK | "Wings of Friendship"

Posted to the Western Command (WESCOM) Facebook Page (Jul 25, 2023): LOOK | "Wings of Friendship"

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163 takes WESCOM troops to a rare MV-22 Osprey ride in the Palawan skies, fostering camaraderie and friendship among allies.







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