Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Laude camp asks DOJ to junk Pemberton petition for review with view to dismiss

From InterAksyon (Jan 6): Laude camp asks DOJ to junk Pemberton petition for review with view to dismiss

The camp of murdered transgender Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude on Tuesday asked Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima to junk the petition for review filed by US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton seeking the dismissal of the murder case against him.

In their comment to Pemberton's petition, Laude's sister, Marilou, said there is no basis to grant the petition as she asked De Lima to uphold the findings of the city prosecutor of Olongapo City charging the US serviceman with murder before Branch 74 of the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

The petition said the prosecutor's findings against Pemberton were backed up by sufficient evidence — both documentary and testimonial in nature — to support his indictment.

"Contrary to the allegations of respondents, the presentation of all pieces of evidence in this case was made in accordance with rules governing preliminary investigation," the petition filed by the family's counsel, Harry Roque Jr. said.

The Laude family said they are fully in accord with the findings of the city prosecutor that the killing of Jennifer was attended by the qualifying, aggravating circumstances of treachery, abuse of superior strength and cruelty.

Pemberton earlier petitioned De Lima to junk the prosecution's resolution, saying the latter failed to present or show evidence against him other than conjectures and speculations of alleged witnesses.

The Olongapo City RTC has deferred the trial of the controversial case, including the arraignment of Pemberton, citing the petition for review that he filed.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/102469/laude-camp-asks-doj-to-junk-pemberton-petition-for-review-with-view-to-dismiss

Abu Sayyaf leader arrested in Basilan

From InterAksyon (Jan 7): Abu Sayyaf leader arrested in Basilan



Imran Mijal, suspected Abu Sayyaf leader, arrested in Basilan 6 January 2015. RONDA DEL BASILAN/InterAksyon.com

Authorities on Tuesday afternoon arrested a leader of the Abu Sayyaf group in Barangay Marang Marang, Sumisip, Basilan.

Arrested past 5 p.m. was Imran Mijal alias Boh, who is implicated in various crimes, said Col. Eliglen Villaflor, commander of the 4th Special Forces Battalion.

Among these crimes include bombing, kidnapping, extortion, and killing soldiers and civilians.

He was arrested in his residence, where an M16 rifle, grenades, a .45 caliber pistol, and hundreds of bullets were recovered.

The suspect is currently being treated in a hospital for bullet wounds he sustained in his shoulder when he resisted arrest.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/102496/abu-sayyaf-leader-arrested-in-basilan

Rocket attacks hit Ampatuan houses in Maguindanao

From the Mindanao Examiner BlogSpot site (Jan 7): Rocket attacks hit Ampatuan houses in Maguindanao

A series of rocket attacks that target a powerful political clan has wounded a civilian in the restive province of Maguindanao in the Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines, officials told The Manila Times on Tuesday.

Officials said the rockets exploded at the back of the house of Akmad Ampatuan, a former mayor of Datu Salibo town; and his son Maroph, the acting mayor of Shariff Aguak town, the clan’s stronghold.

The clan’s patriarch Andal Ampatuan and his sons and other family members are facing multiple murder charges after being implicated in the massacre of 58 people, including 32 journalists and media workers in Maguindanao on 2009.

The attack on the mayor and his father was believed connected to politics after both politicians had turned their back on the Ampatuan patriarch.

The wounded civilian, Ali Dimaludin, was rushed to hospital after being hit by shrapnel from the recent attacks.

Officials, citing intelligence reports, have tagged Tamano Mamalapat, a former rebel commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed a peace accord with Manila last year.

Just last month, gunmen also ambushed Akmad’s convoy and wounding him and two of his bodyguards in Guindulungan town, also in Maguindanao.

Ampatuan’s convoy was heading to Shariff Aguak when gunmen attacked the politician’s vehicle.  No individual or group claimed responsibility for the attack, but Maguindanao has been the center of violence in recent months following a spate of gun attacks and killings perpetrated by rebels and armed groups actively operating in the troubled province.

Also in December, an unidentified assailant also fired a rifle grenade on the mansion of Shariff Aguak Mayor Zahara Upam Ampatuan, who was recently implicated in the massacre. Zahara has denied the charges against her, but has gone into hiding because of threats to her life.

The attack on Zahara’s mansion caused little damage as the grenade exploded on the sprawling compound.

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2015/01/rocket-attacks-hit-ampatuan-houses-in.html

Philippine troops capture BIFF camp, kill 20 rebels

From the Mindanao Examiner BlogSpot site (Jan 7): Philippine troops capture BIFF camp, kill 20 rebels



Troops fire cannons on BIFF targets in Maguindanao province in the restive Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo - Mark Navales)

Troops killed more than a dozen rebels and captured their camp following a firefight in the restive province of Maguindanao in the Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines, officials said on Tuesday.

Officials said the security forces assaulted the encampment of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the village of Midpandakan in General SK Pendatun town and captured the base used by rebels under Sukarno Sapal as springboard to attack military posts in the province.

"Meron kaming natanggap na reports from our commanders na 20 ang nasawi sa BIFF at this is a big blow on the part of the terror group as they lost is considered one of their main encampments," Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, a spokeswoman for the 6th Infantry Division, told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.

There were no reports of military casualties, according to Petinglay.

She said the campaign against BIFF started over the weekend and is continuing in Maguindanao, a known stronghold of the rebel group which broke away with the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front that a signed a peace accord with Manila last year.

She said Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, ordered an intensified operation against the BIFF.

“The 6th Infantry Division and the local police force are seriously running after this terrorist group. We assure the public the government will never falter and will continue to look after the welfare of the civilians,” Pangilinan was quoted as saying.

Colonel Melquiadez Feliciano, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade, said the captured camp was also being used by the BIFF as its training base. He said troops fired more than a dozen cannon rounds to the base. He said the rebels were also behind recent attacks in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces.

There was no immediate statement from the separatist rebel group, but it previously warned of more attacks in the troubled region.

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2015/01/philippine-troops-capture-biff-camp.html

Why reduced South China Sea tension is possible in 2015

From the Philippine Star (Jan 6): Why reduced South China Sea tension is possible in 2015

The long-standing rivalry over maritime zones in the South China Sea will not be settled but may simmer down this year, analysts say.

Robert Farley, professor at University of Kentucky's Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, believes that the import-oriented trend in the oil industry can affect how rival claimants China and its smaller neighbors such as the Philippines see economic prospects of the key waterway.

"The decline in oil prices may make energy exploration in the South China Sea a less lucrative prospect, and conceivably could contribute to a dialing back of maritime tensions in the region," Farley said in an analysis on The Diplomat.

University of Macau professor Dingding Chen agrees with Farley in his observation on the negative correlation of oil prices and the South China Sea promise.

"One piece of good news ... might be that declining oil prices would make oil exploration in the South China Sea less profitable and thus reduce the likelihood of conflict between concerned countries in the short term," Chen said.

In an analysis released by Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, Chinese foreign policy expert Nicholas Khoo said that a milestone in Philippines-United States relations softened China's assertiveness in the disputed sea.

Khoo said that the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, forged in 2014 between the US and its oldest Asian ally immediately preceded a "more positive Chinese stance."

"Chinese Premier Li Keqiang mooted an idea to make 2015 'the year of China-ASEAN maritime Cooperation'," he noted.

"The Philippines' Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin has claimed that since EDCA was signed, Chinese naval forces have been deterred from harassing the resupply of a ship deliberately scuttled by the Filipino Navy on Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea," Khoo added.

Khoo pointed out, however, that important questions remain to be answered this year.

The international arbitral tribunal ruling on the Philippines versus China case is expected by late 2015 or early 2016, while a binding Code of Conduct between China and ASEAN may possibly see the light of day this year.

While optimism in the contentious maritime area abounds, the Council on Foreign Relations, another US-based think tank, sees a 50-50 chance of a military clash between China and one or more claimants occuring this year.

The CFR's Center for Preventive Action upgraded from low to moderate the likelihood of territorial and jurisdictional disputes in the South China Sea escalating into fighting.

On Monday, Beijing state media reported a new supply ship, Sansha I, went on its maiden voyage to help efforts "to defend China blue territory and protecting its interests in the sea."

"The Sansha I can cover all of the South China Sea and reach more islets and reefs in the remote Zhongsha and Nansha groups," the report quoted Feng Wenhai, the vice mayor of Sansha, a prefecture China considers to include Philippine-claimed Spratly Island Group.

RELATED: Top US diplomat questions China's construction in disputed sea

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/01/06/1410091/why-reduced-south-china-sea-tension-possible-2015

At least 20 rebels killed in Maguindanao: military

From the Philippine Star (Jan 6): At least 20 rebels killed in Maguindanao: military

At least 20 members of a renegade Muslim rebel group were reportedly killed as government forces shelled and assaulted their training camp in Maguindanao, the military said today.

Jo-ann Petinglay, public affairs officer of the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said the military started delivering artillery rounds on the camp of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters ( BIFF) around 6:15 a.m Monday after learning its presence through intelligence tip.

She said the camp serves as the training base of BIFF members who attacked two military detachments in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat last Saturday, leaving a soldier dead and three others wounded.

After the 30-minute shelling, Petinglay said combined soldiers and policemen moved in into the camp, home of the BIFF's 2nd Division. This ensued firefight with about 50 BIFF men that lasted for about two hours.

She said the BIFFs, under one Sukarno Sapal, alias Jok, withdrew after the fighting, dragging with them their 20 fatalities.

Petinglay said they did not recover any enemy body because it is the practice of the group to recover their dead for burial in keeping with Muslim religious tradition.

The BIFF has carried out many deadly attacks in a bid to disrupt the peace negotiations between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government.

The BIFF is the armed wing of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement which broke away from the MILF in 2010 as a result of disagreements over the conduct of peace talks with the government.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/01/06/1410173/least-20-rebels-killed-maguindanao-military

(UPDATE) Recovered US drone not surveillance equipment: military

From the Philippine Star (Jan 6): (UPDATE) Recovered US drone not surveillance equipment: military

The Philippine military confirmed today that the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was recovered by local fishermen off Polilio island in Quezon was owned by the US counterpart.

However, a spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was immediate in saying that the US Navy aerial target drone recovered last Sunday was not a surveillance equipment.

Harold Cabunoc, military's public affairs office chief, said that the AFP sought explanation from the US regarding the drone.

He said the drone  with serial number BQ55079 is a Northrop BQM- 74E Chukar that is used to simulate enemy missiles and aircraft during naval exercises.

"This was used during US Navy exercises in the Pacific around the area of Guam and washed to our shores by the ocean's currents and tides," Cabunoc said.

Currently, he said there are no bilateral military exercises between the Philippines and the United States that employ this type of training equipment.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/01/06/1410243/update-recovered-us-drone-not-surveillance-equipment-military

Government open to CPP-NPA demands

From the Manila Times (Jan 6): Government open to CPP-NPA demands

THE government is willing to negotiate with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and may consider the release of at least five rebel leaders for the sake of peace, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said on Tuesday.

The government, Gazmin stressed, is serious in its desire to talk peace with the communist leadership. Negotiations are ongoing for the possible resumption of peace talks between the government and the CPP-NPA-NDF.

“Yan naman ay under negotiation, pwedeng pag-usapan, pwedeng ibigay, pwedeng hindi. Depende yan sa usapan but ang importante rito both parties are amenable to sitting down and talk to each other,” Gazmin said.

“We will have to weigh the options if it is fair or will it accomplish our objective, then we will do it,” he added.

The CPP-NPA-NDF has earlier demanded the unconditional release of rebel leaders, including Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma and Allan Jasminez.

NDF head Luis Jalandoni claimed that the Tiamzons have immunity from arrest as provided under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantee for the duration of the peace negotiations.

But the Armed Forces of the Philippines had said the NDF had repeatedly demanded the release of political prisoners but later on abandoned peace negotiations.

The military however said that even if it is against the release of detained communist leaders, the decision rests with the President.

http://www.manilatimes.net/government-open-cpp-npa-demands/153578/

Kin of cops held by NPA want troop pullout for safe release of captives

From MindaNews (Jan 6): Kin of cops held by NPA want troop pullout for safe release of captives

The wives and relatives of three policemen who were snatched by the New People’s Army in Surigao del Norte almost two months ago on Monday asked the military for a troop pullout from the province’s hinterlands to facilitate the safe release of their loved ones.

“I’m asking the military to abide by the Suspension of Military Operations for the quick and safe release of our husbands because news reports said military operations are still ongoing. We’re afraid that our loved ones would be endangered and this (operation) is preventing the release of the captives,” Matosalem L. Polvorosa, wife of PO3 Democrito Polvorosa Jr. said in Cebuano.

PO1 Jonry Amper’s wife, Christine, and relatives of PO1 Marichel Unclara Contemplo, another captive policeman, aired a similar appeal.

Amper was taken in Malimono town last Nov. 12 while Polvorosa and Contemplo were seized in Alegria town last Nov. 16.

Amper was driving his XRM Honda motorbike in Barangay Bunyasan in Malimono town at 9:45 a.m. on Nov. 12 when he was flagged down by at least eight heavily armed suspected NPA members. He was believed to have been brought to the mountainous part of Barangay Tinago, also in Malimono.

The rookie cop was conducting discreet surveillance on reports that unidentified armed men were roaming in Bunyasan.

Four days after, Polvorosa and Contemplo were abducted on the way to Barangay Pungtod aboard a patrol car supposedly for a meeting with personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and local residents for the Pantawid Pampamilyang Pilipino Program.

In an email sent to MindaNews on December 21, National Democratic Front-Mindanao said they will release all the nine “prisoners of war” they were holding at the time.

Of the nine captives, only the three police officers from Surigao del Norte have remained in the hands of the NPA, said Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, spokesperson of NDF-Mindanao.

Madlos told MindaNews during the 46th Anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on December 26 in Marihatag, Surigao del Sur that military operations in Surigao del Norte continued despite the SOMO declaration preventing the release of the remaining captives.

He said government forces were still deployed in Claver, Gigaquit, Bacuag, Placer, Tubod and Alegria towns and some parts of Agusan del Norte.
The government issued a unilateral declaration of ceasefire from the Christmas season to the visit of Pope Francis this month.

The NDF on the other hand declared a shorter truce, from Dec. 24-26, Dec. 31-Jan. 1 and Jan. 15-19.

“We ask the government to be sincere in their declaration of suspension of military operations and the suspension of police operations from December 18, 2014 to January 19, 2015 to pave the way for the safe release of the captives in as soon as possible,” Madlos said.

On Tuesday, MindaNews called Lt. Col. Arsenio Sadural, commanding officer of 30th Infantry Battalion based in Bad-as, Placer, Surigao del Norte but he failed to answer the call.

Sadural also did not reply to a text on the alleged presence of troops in the mountains around Surigao del Norte.

Bishop Rhee Timbang, of the Philippine Independent Church in Surigao del Norte said his group also called on the military higher-ups for a troop pullout.

Timbang heads the third party facilitators that successfully negotiated for the release of four policemen abducted by the NPA also in Alegria town in July last year.

“We made this call since the military itself admitted its continued presence in mountain communities for its Community Organizing for Peace and Development program,” he said.

Minutes after he said this, a military official from of the 4th Infantry Division called the bishop via his mobile phone to assure there would be no movements of troops.

The bishop responded that he and his group would look into it.
Other personalities also called for a troop pullout in the area for the safe release of the captives.

Former Surigao del Norte provincial board member Atty. Victor Bernal said had the military suspended their operations and had the Provincial Crisis Management Committee acted decisively, the captives would have been long released.

“In short, the Provincial Crisis Management Committee and the military which is always pursuing the captors are the ones who don’t want the release [of the captives]. If possible, Governor [Sol] Matugas should ask the Philippine Army in Bad-as to stop the military operations,” Bernal said in Cebuano.

He urged Matugas to convene the committee to convince the military to stop their operations.

The governor did not reply when asked by MindaNews through text to comment on Bernal’s statements.

http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2015/01/06/kin-of-cops-held-by-npa-want-troop-pullout-for-safe-release-of-captives/

3 cops still captives of NPA as Surigao Norte gov, AFP reject ceasefire, troop pullout

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jan 6): 3 cops still captives of NPA as Surigao Norte gov, AFP reject ceasefire, troop pullout

SURIGAO CITY, Philippines – The hardline stance taken by Surigao del Norte Gov. Sol Matugas and the military top brass has set back the scheduled release of three policemen who, for almost two months now, have been held captive by New People’s Army rebels.

Bishop Rhee Timbang of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, one of the third-party negotiators, said the refusal of Matugas and the military to give in to the rebel’s demand for a troop pullout and ceasefire were to be blamed for the “long overdue” release of the policemen.

Timbang, who with members of the negotiating team, met with the wives and relatives of the captives on Monday here, said the ball has been thrown into the court of Matugas, chair of the Provincial Crisis Management Committee, and the military as the rebels have agreed to release its captives.

But judging from the pronouncements of Matugas and troop movements on the ground, Timbang said prospects for the release have become bleak.

“We already made a breakthrough for the release yet the governor and military are taking a hardline stance,” Timbang said.

On Monday, National Democratic Front Mindanao spokesperson Jorge Madlos issued a statement saying the military and Matugas should get their act together or else the NPA would hold the captives further and subject them to revolutionary investigations.

Madlos said no release would ever take place if the military would refuse the NPA conditions.

“We had suspended our investigation against the Prisoners of War. The revolutionary movement has no other pre-conditions except for troop pullout and implementation of ceasefire,” Madlos said.

According to Madlos , the NDF leadership already signed last month an order granting the immediate release from its custody of PO1 Jonry Amper, PO3 Democrito Polvorosa and PO1 Marichel Contemplo.

The three were separately snatched by communist rebels on November 2 and 16 in 2014 in Malimo and Alegria towns.

However, heavy military presence and continued rescue attempts in five towns where the release was supposed to take place led the rebels to cancel the scheduled release on December 23 .

Matosalem, wife of Polvorosa, aired her appeal to Matugas to concede and not to allow the military to dictate the negotiations, saying the safety and lives of her husband and that of other captives were at stake.

“Please don’t prolong our agony. I cant wait to see my husband again,” she said, sobbing in tears while being shown a three-minute video clip of her husband under rebel custody.

Timbang said he and the members of the negotiating team were not losing hope the government would change its mind and break the deadlock.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/662619/3-cops-still-captives-of-npa-as-surigao-norte-gov-afp-reject-ceasefire-troop-pullout

CPP: US drone in Quezon indicates US surveillance and intervention—CPP

Anti-US propaganda statement posted to the CPP Website (Jan 6): US drone in Quezon indicates US surveillance and intervention—CPP

Logo.cpp
Communist Party of the Philippines
 
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today said the recovery of a US Navy drone off the coast of Quezon indicates continuing US surveillance and intervention in the country.

The drone, recovered by fishermen in Patnanungan, Quezon last January 4, has property markings of the US Navy. It is similar to a drone recovered by fishermen off the coast of Masbate last 2013. “The US embassy has described these as aerial target drones, which, however, can be easily custom-fitted with surveillance equipment.”

“The US military, in connivance with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), has been flying and operating surveillance drones in the Philippines for more than ten years now, in clear and outright violation of Philippine sovereign airspace,” said the CPP.

“US drone surveillance has been targetting operations of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the hope of feeding intelligence information to the AFP,” pointed out the CPP. Similar crash landings of US drones have occurred over the past several years.

“The Filipino people condemn US military intervention in counter-guerrilla operations in the Philippines,” said the CPP. “The US has long been making use of the AFP in its proxy war against the Filipino people’s anti-imperialist forces.”

“The US-designed and -directed Oplan Bayanihan of the AFP and the Aquino regime have brought great hardships to millions of Filipinos who have borne the brunt of militarization in the countryside and widespread abuses of human rights.”

http://www.philippinerevolution.net/statements/20150106_us-drone-in-quezon-indicates-us-surveillance-and-intervention-cpp

US: Drone from Guam war games; CPP: It’s a spy plane

From the Daily Tribune (Jan 7): US: Drone from Guam war games; CPP: It’s a spy plane

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) yesterday said the recovery off the coast of Quezon of a drone which the United States Navy claimed it owns was a clear indication of the continuing US surveillance and intervention in the country.

The drone, recovered by fishermen in Patnanungan, Quezon last Jan. 4, has property markings of the US Navy. It is similar to a drone recovered by fishermen off the coast of Masbate in 2013.

The American ownership of the drone was confirmed in a statement by the US Embassy in Manila.

“(The drone found) is an expended BQM-74E Aerial Target that was launched during naval exercise Valiant Shield 2014 which took place Sept. 15-23 in the waters off Guam,” the statement added.

The aerial target does not carry weapons and is not used for surveillance, the statement claimed. “The BQM-74E Aerial Target is used by surface ships and aircraft during exercises to help train our sailors in a realistic environment that provides the best possible training,” the US Embassy said.

“During the exercise, all aerial operations were conducted in international airspace or with appropriate coordination and approval in Guam airspace,” the statement went.

The drone is now under the custody Patnanungan Municipal Police Station.

It was the second incident involving the recovery of a US Navy drone in Philippine territory.

In January 2013, a similar aircraft was recovered by the Philippine Navy in Sitio Tacdugan, San Jacinto, Masbate.

The CPP said that the US, in connivance with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), has been flying surveillance drones in the country.

“The US military, in connivance with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), has been flying and operating surveillance drones in the Philippines for more than ten years now, in clear and outright violation of Philippine sovereign airspace,” said the CPP.

US drone surveillance has been targetting operations of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the hope of feeding intelligence information to the AFP,” pointed out the CPP.

The CPP said that similar crash landings of US drones have occurred over the past several years.

“The Filipino people condemn US military intervention in counter-guerrilla operations in the Philippines. The US has long been making use of the AFP in its proxy war against the Filipino people’s anti-imperialist forces,” the CPP said.

“The US-designed and -directed Oplan Bayanihan of the AFP and the Aquino regime have brought great hardships to millions of Filipinos who have borne the brunt of militarization in the countryside and widespread abuses of human rights,” it added.

The US Embassy junked insinuations that the drone was used for surveillance.

Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon of Kabataan suggested that the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the US Navy may be conducting covert military surveillance operations in Quezon.

Ridon said the drone was recovered by local officials in the island town of Patnanungan, Quezon on Sunday afternoon.

The lawmaker claimed Washington’s covert military surveillance activities undermine Philippine sovereignty and President Barack Obama should explain what the crashed drone was doing in Quezon.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier confirmed that US Navy surveillance planes are conducting routine maritime patrol in the contested areas of the West Philippine Sea.

However, Quezon is nowhere near the West Philippine Sea, Ridon argued.

“These revelations may constitute serious breaches in both local and international law and severely lambasts our national sovereignty. Even citing the Visiting Forces Agreement as justification would be a stretch,” he added.

“We fear that the US military is exploiting the growing tension in the Philippine Sea to deploy spy planes and warships in our territory. In the guise of protecting the Philippine claim over the disputed shoals and reefs, the US military may in fact be surveying the area to assess the value of its oil and mineral reserves which their country surely has interest in,” Ridon explained.

“While there is a need for us to strengthen our hold over territories that China has systematically grabbed from us, we should be wary of other foreign countries intervening in the conflict, particularly the US – a country that has aggressively pursued economic and political supremacy in Asia-Pacific in recent years,” he noted.

The youth legislator has called on Washington to account for the deployment of surveillance drones in the Philippines.

“This issue should not pass unnoticed. This is our national sovereignty being trampled right under our noses. Foreign military operations in our seas and skies, even in the guise of support, should be condemned rather than tolerated,” Ridon said.

The discovery of the US spy plane also reignited the issue of US spy operations in the Philippines through the US National Security Agency’s (NSA) Mystic program.

Leaked documents from National Security Agency (NSA) contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden last year exposed the existence of Mystic, a spying program developed by the NSA for surveillance operations in several countries, which include the Bahamas, Mexico, Kenya, the Philippines, and another unnamed country.

According to the website The Intercept, which published the documents provided by Snowden, Mystic was “established in 2009 by the NSA’s Special Source Operations division, which works with corporate partners to conduct surveillance.”

Documents in the Snowden archive describe it as a “program for embedded collection systems overtly installed on target networks, predominantly for the collection and processing of wireless/mobile communications networks.”

One of the leaked documents that pertain to Mystic revealed that the program serves as “legitimate commercial services for telcos” while covertly doing “signal intelligence,” thus leading to speculations that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is involved in its operation.

Ridon has earlier filed House Resolution No. 1164, which urged the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Committee on Information and Communications Technology to conduct a joint congressional inquiry to investigate and ascertain the scope of Mystic and “other similar spying programs that have yet to be exposed.”

“The mere existence of a large-scale spy program that monitors the content of text messages in the Philippines reveals the US government’s double standards with regard to defense and security,” Ridon said.

“While the US continually peddles lopsided agreements such as the newly-inked Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) as a way to supposedly boost the Philippines’ national defense, the US government is at the same time covertly expanding its web of intelligence through aerial and mobile snooping – a move that is inimical to the Philippines’ very own national security,” he added.

“In no instance can surveillance by a foreign power over another sovereign state be justified. Congress must not only demand an explanation from the US government with regard to surveillance programs like Mystic, but also compel US officials to disclose the real scope and breadth of Washington’s spy operations in the country,” Ridon stressed. 

Air cover, sniper teams to be posted along Pope Francis' arrival route --AFP chief

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 6): Air cover, sniper teams to be posted along Pope Francis' arrival route --AFP chief

As part of measures to secure Pope Francis during his Jan. 15-19 Apostolic Visit to the country, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said that air cover and sniper teams will be posted along Roxas Blvd. on the day of his arrival.

He made this statement during Tuesday's New Year Call by key military officials at the AFP Commissioned Officers' Club in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Catapang said the airspace along the stretch of Roxas Blvd. will be cleared of all aircraft except those involved in securing the Pope.

The Pontiff is scheduled to arrive late in the afternoon of Jan. 15 at Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

He and his convoy will proceed to Roxas Blvd. toward the Apostolic Nunciature in Malate, Manila.

Catapang said sniper teams will be posted on six or eight high-rise buildings along the path of the Pontiff's entourage.

The AFP chief said that these sniper teams will monitor the area for possible threats and if needed, to neutralize them.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=722105

AFP to deploy 6,000 to 7,000 troops to secure Pope Francis

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 6): AFP to deploy 6,000 to 7,000 troops to secure Pope Francis

The Armed Forces of the Philippines(AFP) will deploy 6,000 to 7,000 soldiers to secure Pope Francis during his stay and visit to Manila, Tacloban and Palo in Leyte from Jan. 15 to 19.

This is aside from the peacekeeping contingents from the Golan Heights, Liberia and Haiti who recently returned to the country, and the 5,000 reservists who will be mobilized for the event.

AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang during Tuesday's New Year's Call at the AFP Commissioned Officers Club in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, however, clarified that they are yet to detect any security threat for the Pontiff's visit, adding that their greatest concern is the so-called "people surge" or the attempt of the public to get near or personally see Pope Francis at close range.

"(That's why) we are putting up barricades (in the areas he will visit), hopefully, the people will understand that they will all have a chance to get a glimpse of the Pope," Catapang said.

He also reminded the public to avoid putting Pope Francis, who is known to break security protocol to interact with the people, in any "difficult situation."

Despite the lack of security threats, Catapang said that they are looking at every possibility.

"In the military, we call this 'wargaming'," the AFP chief stressed.

Catapang also expressed confidence that the AFP, along with the Philippine National Police, will be able to successfully hurdle the security challenge posed by the Pontiff's visit.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=722119

PAF recommends 'no-fly zone' for Manila, Tacloban, Palo during Pope Francis visit

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 6): PAF recommends 'no-fly zone' for Manila, Tacloban, Palo during Pope Francis visit

In line with efforts to secure Pope Francis during his Jan. 15 to 19 visit in the country, Philippine Air Force (PAF) chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado on Tuesday said that they will recommend to President Benigno S. Aquino III that a "no-fly zone" be implemented on the airspaces of Manila, Tacloban and Palo, Leyte.

Essentially, this means that no aircraft can be allowed to fly above these cities as long as activities involving Pope Francis are ongoing.

"So far (this) is our position, to ensure the safety and security of the Pope," Delgado said.

He added that approval of the "no-fly zone" will come from the Chief Executive.

Delgado stressed that all available air assets in Manila, Tacloban and Palo will be deployed to ensure maximum security for Pope Francis.

Earlier, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said that air cover will be provided to the Pontiff and his convoy while trekking the estimated 10 kilometer distance from Villamor Air Base, Pasay City to the Apostolic Nunciature in Malate, Manila on Jan. 15

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=722133

US admits to owning target drone found in Quezon

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 6): US admits to owning target drone found in Quezon

The drone found off the coast of Patnanungan Islet, Quezon last Jan. 4 belongs to the US Navy.

This was confirmed by the US Embassy in Manila, in a statement, Tuesday.

"(The drone found) is an expended BQM-74E Aerial Target that was launched during naval exercise Valiant Shield 2014 which took place Sept. 15-23 in the waters off Guam," it added.

The aerial target does not carry weapons and is not used for surveillance.

"The BQM-74E Aerial Target is used by surface ships and aircraft during exercises to help train our sailors in a realistic environment that provides the best possible training," the US Embassy said.

"During the exercise, all aerial operations were conducted in international airspace or with appropriate coordination and approval in Guam airspace.

The drone was initially sighted by a barangay official of the locality but due to bad weather condition, they could not reach the area at once.

The drone is now under the custody Patnanungan Municipal Police Station.

It was the second incident involving the recovery of a US Navy drone in Philippine territory.

In January 2013, a similar aircraft was recovered by the Philippine Navy in Sitio Tacdugan, San Jacinto, Masbate.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=722196

DND vows to boost HADR capabilities in 2015

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 6): DND vows to boost HADR capabilities in 2015

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Tuesday vowed to boost their humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities (HADR) this year.

This is to ensure that the country will have the capability to safeguard its citizens during the onslaught of natural and man-made calamities.

"We must likewise continuously re-assess and strengthen our protective and survival techniques and strategies, to ensure that our citizens are kept from harm during the onslaught of natural disasters and calamities," Gazmin stressed during New Year's Call in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City Tuesday morning.

The order is very timely considering that the DND and its attached agencies, like the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), are the primary responders in any calamities.

And in anticipation of the forthcoming national elections in May 2016, Gazmin reminded all military personnel to strictly abide with their constitutional mandate that they should not be involved in partisan politics.

"Rest assured that, as you do your job, the national leadership will ensure the welfare of our soldiers through congressional initiatives that would grant them additional benefits. Recently, our soldiers were granted increase in their subsistence allowance from Php90 to Php150," he said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=722188

3rd Infantry Division deploys unit to Leyte to help secure papal visit

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 6): 3rd Infantry Division deploys unit to Leyte to help secure papal visit

The Capiz-based 3rd Infantry Division has deployed a unit consisting of nine officers and 257 enlisted personnel to help in the ongoing security preparations for Pope Francis' visit to Leyte on Jan. 17.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Gayas, 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson, said the contingent is headed by Lt. Col. Marion Sison.

He added that these troops shall serve as augmentation to the Joint Task Force “Pope” created by the Central Command to conduct security operations and assist in the maintenance of peace and order and ensure the safety and successful visit of Pope Francis in Tacloban and Palo, Leyte.

The Pontiff and his entourage will be in the Philippines from Jan. 15 to 19.

"As the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia, Filipino devotees are very eager to meet and see the Pope in person. During his stay in the country, the Pope will also visit the victims of super typhoon 'Yolanda' in Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte," Gayas said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=722382