Monday, June 13, 2016

Philippine Army chief proud of unit's current state

From ABS-CBN (Jun 13): Philippine Army chief proud of unit's current state



Philippine Army Scout Rangers. Photo courtesy of AFP Facebook page

While conceding that they would welcome any help that could improve the health and medical services of the Philippine Army, Lt. General Eduardo Año, the army commanding general, said that the current state of the army--whether in terms of medical services or combat power--is still something he is proud of, and is at par with its regional counterparts.

In one of his earlier statements, incoming president Rodrigo Duterte declared that he opted to sell the presidential ship, BRP Ang Pangulo, and use the proceeds to improve the medical needs of the soldiers. He also said he wanted to convert the use of the presidential choppers into medical and casualty evacuation assets, to put an end to wounded soldiers dying before they can be rescued.
 
 
BRP Ang Pangulo. Photo courtesy of malacanang.gov.ph

Año said the army state of affairs is no longer as dire as some may think. He, however, said he appreciates the sentiments of the incoming commander-in-chief.

"Sa tingin ko, ine-emphasize lang ng ating incoming president yung kanyang concern sa welfare ng sundalo natin. Especially 'yung mga sundalo natin na nasa frontlines," Año said. "I think hindi naman literally ganun yung ibig sabihin, ang ibig sabihin noon, let us find all the means to improve further the medical services of our people in order to lower the mentality rate of our soldiers."

Last year alone, 119 soldiers of the Philippine Army perished in battle, while more than 500 were wounded.
 
GKN Simba Armoured Personnel Carrier. Photo courtesy of AFP Facebook page

Año said there have been many acquisitions under the AFP Modernization Program that addresses these medical needs. For instance, 60 field ambulances have been delivered, and are now being used in the areas of conflict.
The first batches of remote controlled armored personnel carriers have also been delivered, with more to be delivered by the end of the year. Assets like these minimize the risk of injury and death of soldiers on the battlefield, because they provide protection to the troops about to enter the conflict areas, and the infrared capabilities allow them to detect enemy presence even in the dark, and even at a distance.

"Kung iko-compare natin 'yung ating army nung mga unang panahon, at saka ngayon, napakalaking kaibahan because of our modernization program, " said Ano. "At par tayo with our Southeast Asian brothers."

Earlier today, the Armed Forces and Police Savings and Loan Association Incorporated (AFPSLAI) donated a portable hematoma detection machine to the Philippine Army, a piece of equipment that soldiers themselves requested for.

"Ngayon malalaman nila kung anong klaseng emergency ang kinakaharap nila sa paggamit ng machine na ito. Maliit siya, mobile, so pwede mong dalhin sa frontline," said retired Lt. General Virgilio Domingo, a former deputy chief of staff of the AFP, and now President and CEO of AFPSLAI.

"Sa unang aksidente, o kaya ay mga sugat sa ulo, malalaman mo ngayon kung anong klaseng intervention ang pwedeng gawin ng doctor. Malalaman mo kung meron siyang - sa aking pagkakaintindi - blood clot, brain clot," he said.

The army had actually requested for eight of these machines, and the AFPSLAI said they would work on eventually completing the army's wishlist.

Apart from that, the AFPSLAI also donated two electronic jeepneys for possible use at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and inside the headquarters of the Philippine Army. An sport utility vehicle (SUV) was also donated for the army's finance services section.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/13/16/philippine-army-chief-proud-of-units-current-state

Photo: Protest

From The Standard (Jun 14): Photo: Protest



Members of the group  Bayan protested in front of the US Embassy in Manila on Monday. They warned  the US not to intervene in the plan of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte to hold peace talks with the communist National Democratic Front.

http://thestandard.com.ph/news/-news-in-photos/208165/protest-160614.html

Sayyaf dumps head of murdered Canadian in Southern Philippines

From the Mindanao Examiner (Jun 14): Sayyaf dumps head of murdered Canadian in Southern Philippines
 
Security forces have recovered the severed head of Canadian national Robert Hall who was executed by the ISIS-linked Abu Sayyaf group in southern Philippines, the military said.

It said the head was discovered by civilians outside a Catholic church in the town of Jolo in Sulu, one of five provinces under the volatile Muslim autonomous region, where Hall, 50, was killed Monday afternoon.

Army Major Filemon Tan, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, said the head is now in the custody of police forensic experts. He said Hall’s body is still missing.

It was unknown why the police and military failed to arrest those who dumped the head in Jolo despite the huge presence of security forces in the town.

The military and the provincial government condemned the brutal murder of Hall which coincided during the holy month of Ramadan.

He was the second Canadian hostage beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf since April after it killed 68-year old John Ridsdel in Sulu when it failed to get ransoms from their families and their government. Ridsdel’s severed head was also dumped in Jolo hours after he was murdered.

The Abu Sayyaf demanded P300 million for each of the hostages, who were kidnapped along with Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, 56, and his Filipina girlfriend, Maritess Flor on September 21 last year on Samal Island in Davao Oriental province and brought by boat to Sulu.

The military said operations against the Abu Sayyaf will continue. “Tuloy-tuloy naman ang focused military operation natin, intell-driven naman ito at the same time ino-obserbahan rin natin at nire-respeto ang ating mga kapatid na Muslim sa panahon ng Ramadhan,” said Col. Noel Detoyato, a military spokesman.

The military’s Western Mindanao Command under General Mayoralgo dela Cruz did not give any details of the on-going operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu. President Benigno Aquino has previously ordered a massive assault on the jihadist group also blamed for the spate of terrorism there.

Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman also denounced Hall’s murder. “It has only been a week since Ramadan began, and it is appalling that this holy month we set aside for prayer and reflection has been already been violated by extremists here and abroad, as they wage violence in the name of our faith,” he said.

Hataman said the extremists claim to follow the faith while they go against Islam’s message of peace and humanity.  He said their betrayal of Islam knows no bounds that even in the most holy days of Ramadan; they turn a time meant for prayers and contemplation into days of fear and horror. 

“Violence cannot and must not be so easily associated with one people, race, or culture. Many try to distort the Islam we know by heart, and it is our responsibility to make the truth of Islam known to people.  Those who tread the path of violence and claim to do it in the name of Islam are, without question, merely men of sin who distort a faith that stands for peace,” he added.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also denounced Hall’s murder and branded the killing as “vicious acts of hatred and violence.” He praised Hall’s family for their strength of character in their resilience in the face of what he described as a terrible situation.

“This is a grievous loss for them, and their country mourns with them,” Trudeau said in a brief press conference in the foyer of the House of Commons, according to Canada’s CBC News.

http://mindanaoexaminer.com/sayyaf-dumps-head-of-murdered-canadian-in-southern-philippines/

DWDD: BANTAY KAPAYAPAAN | 203Bde in Mindoro has a New Commander

From DWDD AFP Civil Relations Service Radio Website (Jun 8): BANTAY KAPAYAPAAN | 203Bde in Mindoro has a New Commander



CAMP GUILLERMO NAKAR, Lucena City (DWDD) – Colonel Antonio G. Parlade, Jr assumed command of the Mindoro-based 203rd Infantry (Bantay Kapayapaan) Brigade morning of June 8, 2016 in a simple Change of Command Ceremony at HQS 203rd Infantry Brigade in Bansud, Oriental Mindoro presided by 2ID Commander Major General Romeo G. Gan.

Colonel Parlade replaced Colonel Gavin D. Edjawan who is climbing the ladder in the military leadership as incoming Assistant 9th Infantry Division Commander in Bicol Region.

Prior to his new command position, Colonel Parlade was the Executive Officer of the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, J3. He was also the former Army Spokesperson in 2011. He graduated at the Philippine Military Academy in 1987.

Also present during the ceremony were Occidental Mindoro Board Member Hon Ulysses Javier; Executive Assistant of Occidental Mindoro Governor Dr. Romeo G. Infantado; and Police Region 4-B Deputy Regional Commander PSSupt Ramon C. Apolinario.

“Upon assuming command of the Brigade early last year, I lived up to the guidance of my commander, General Gan, thank you sir. And I wouldn’t able to accomplish so much without the support of the officers and men of 203rd Infantry Brigade and its OPCON units,” said Colonel Edjawan during his relinquishment of command speech.

The AFP Southern Luzon Command welcomes Colonel Parlade in ots AOR.

SOLCOM believes that his experience, trainings, service reputation and professional acumen makes him the most fitting senior officer to get the job done in Mindoro. PAO SOLCOM / MCAG

http://dwdd.com.ph/2015/52381-2/

DWDD: TRANSFORMING FORCE | Annual Philippine Air Force Symposium Tackles Territorial Dispute

From DWDD AFP Civil Relations Service Radio Website (Jun 9): TRANSFORMING FORCE | Annual Philippine Air Force Symposium Tackles Territorial Dispute

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) held its annual symposium to spearhead the celebration of its 69th Anniversary at the Marriot Grand Ballroom with the theme, “Breaking Barriers, Realizing Aspirations toward a Jointly Engaged Transforming Force for Greater Peace and Security”.

The symposium was said to address the complex security challenges that are arising at the West Philippine Sea. Such problems are not only faced by the PAF but by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in general.

Gathering spectators from various sectors, the symposium was attended by senior leaders, military officials, members of the academe and other groups that are directly connected to the country’s security and development. Aside from local officials, foreign military officials even from China were also invited.

As a key speaker and guest of honor of the symposium, Honorable Justice Antonio Carpio, Senior Associate Justice of Supreme Court of the Philippines, discussed various topics such as Rule of Law, Regional Security, and the West Philippine Sea itself.

Lieutenant General Yoshinari Marumo, Vice Chief of Staff of Japan Air Self-defense Force (JADSF), on the other hand, shared his experiences in developing air defense architecture.

Lastly, Major General Michael Compton, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander of Pacific Air Forces, elaborated on the role of airpower in ensuring freedom of navigation in the open seas.

The annual Air Force Symposium also showcased the organization’s new and improved capabilities with both displays of actual and mock equipment. They also used the gathering as a platform to engage foreign and local defense leaders on the diverse topics regarding airpower.

http://dwdd.com.ph/2015/transforming-force-annual-philippine-air-force-symposium-tackles-territorial-dispute/

DWDD: STRONGER BOND | Stormtroopers ignites Media-Military Partnership

From DWDD AFP Civil Relations Service Radio Website (Jun 9): STRONGER BOND | Stormtroopers ignites Media-Military Partnership



CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan, Samar (DWDD) Recognizing the role of media in the society as one of the pillars of democracy, the 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division, Philippine Army ignited its partnership with the media practitioners all over the Region through fellowship and Boot Camp at 801st Brigade Headquarters, Camp Eugenio, Brgy Fatima, Hinabangan, Samar from June 04 to 05.

The two-day activity was graced by Maj. Gen. Jet B. Velarmino, AFP, Commander 8ID as guest of honor and speaker together with his wife, Mrs. Imelda D. Velarmino, Col. Cesar M. Idio, Assistant Division Commander and other officers and men of the Stormtroopers family who intermingled with more than forty media practitioners.

media 1
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Aside from the usual social gathering, 8ID facilitated the boot camp that allowed the media participants to experience a short, intensive, rigorous but fun-filled and exciting course of training. It includes basic marksmanship, obstacle and rope course challenge, unit run and other team-building activities which gave the participants a taste of military life.

media 6 media 7

According to Maj. Gen. Velarmino, the activity was an opportunity for the media and the military to strengthen their camaraderie. He emphasized that media should not be treated as an enemy but an ally in resolving conflict and a partner in accomplishing the Army’s mandated mission and pursuit for genuine reform and transformation.

“The 8th Infantry Stormtroopers Division, highly acknowledge the importance of their professionalism and their ability to show impartiality, fairness, and responsibility as media practitioners.  Without the media, our earnest commitment and sincere efforts as protectors of the region to attain a just and lasting peace will never be realized and recognized and most of all winning the hearts and minds of the people will never be possible.”He added. 8 DPAO / MCAG

http://dwdd.com.ph/2015/stronger-bond-stormtroopers-ignites-media-military-partnership/

MILF: Treason and inciting to sedition raps against GPH, MILF Peace negotiators and BTC Commissioners dismissed by Ombudsman

Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (Jun 11): Treason and inciting to sedition raps against GPH, MILF Peace negotiators and BTC Commissioners dismissed by Ombudsman



The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the treason and inciting to sedition cases filed against Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles, peace negotiators led by Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and Mohagher Iqbal, and members of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) in connection with the peace agreement signed by the government with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) filed by former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and three others, the Philippine News Agency said in its report on June 8.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved a resolution on 17 May 2016, that Ombudsman Investigator Fatima Kristine Franco affirmed the case referral resolution of the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office on 22 October 2015 recommending the dismissal of the treason and sedition cases filed by the complainants because they failed to prove the accusations.

In their complaints filed with the Manila City Prosecutors’ Office, they alleged that Deles and members of  the government negotiating panel, including the members of the MILF negotiating panel, and several other government officials, including Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, who was the first chair of the GPH peace panel, and the commissioners of the BTC who drafted the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), committed treason and the crime of inciting to sedition for pushing for and in getting the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signed by the government and in pushing for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which would implement the CAB.

Welcoming the decision of the Ombudsman, Sec. Deles said that the dismissal of the cases is an affirmation of then thorough legal processes. “On behalf of my colleagues in government who persevered to secure this peace agreement in the Bangsamoro, we thank the Ombudsman for upholding justice in these cases filed against us. This is a fitting endorsement so that efforts to secure peace in the Bangsamoro could continue in the next administration,” Deles said.

She noted that the proposed BBL “is clearly a document inciting peace, justice, order, unity, and goodwill among all peoples.”
                               
“Contrary to the baseless accusations levelled against us, the CAB and the BBL sought to promote peace and progress in the Bangsamoro and the entire country,” Deles said.

For her part, Ferrer welcomed the dismissal of the charges, saying that the complaint was evidently a nuisance case that wasted the time and money of government institutions and unduly harassed the peace negotiators and the BTC commissioners.

In dismissing the cases, the Ombudsman upheld the findings of the Manila City Prosecutors’ Office that the charges filed by Atienza lacked merit and deserved to be dismissed.

http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/19-national/769-treason-and-inciting-to-sedition-raps-against-gph-milf-peace-negotiators-and-btc-commissioners-dismissed-by-ombudsman

MILF: Muslim students org invites Bangsamoro youth for Mindanao-wide Ramadhan Camp

Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (Jun 12): Muslim students org invites Bangsamoro youth for Mindanao-wide Ramadhan Camp



A Muslim students organization invites Bangsamoro tertiary students from all over Mindanao to participate in the 5th Ramadhan Camp 2016 with the theme “Muslim Youth: Today's Emblem for a Better Ummah (Community)”, to be held at Notre Dame of Marbel University in Koronadal City this July 2-3.

Organized by Muslim Students Organization (MSO) – Notre Dame of Marbel University, the annual event aims to foster unity and inspire fellow Muslim youth in the different regions of the country of their role as students and followers of Islamic faith as well.

MSO started hosting Ramadhan Camp from school-wide to region-wide. With hope that such noble activity will be emulated in other parts of Mindanao, the organizers decided to invite Muslim youth from outside Region 12.

The encampment further aims on enriching and strengthening the hearts, minds and bodies of the students, which specifically aspires on inspiring the Muslim youth and by promoting awareness about their position in performing Da’wah and as a young Muslim in the community.

MSO believes that the goals of the activity can be achieved through Deen (religious) education, reflection, arts and crafts, strong enforcement of separation of male and female, team work, and by worshipping the Almighty in congregation at one place that will transpire in the said event.

As an organization aiming and striving for excellence, the Muslim student body received the Most Outstanding Organization Award in the University Gawad ng Parangal, and on the Short-listed Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations, MSO was among the Top 30 out of 365 Youth Organizations in the Philippines.

Fasting during the blessed month of Ramadhan is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Muslims also take the opportunity to pray more, meditate, reflect, increase sharing of their blessings to the needy, read the Holy Qur’an and learn Islamic knowledge through participating in Da’wah activities and listening to lectures of Ulama over radio.

In observing fasting, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and engaging in carnal acts from dawn till sunset.

Fasting also serves as training for Muslims to practice self-restraint, thus overcoming his personal desires and avoiding committing sins.

http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/21-southern-mindanao/772-muslim-students-org-invites-bangsamoro-youth-for-mindanao-wide-ramadhan-camp

MILF: MILF hopes Bangsamoro Peace process will ‘not be relegated’ in Duterte Administration

Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (Jun 12): MILF hopes Bangsamoro Peace process will ‘not be relegated’ in Duterte Administration



Expressing high regards to President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte’s positive outlook on the importance of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) passage “to appease the Bangsamoro people,” the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is optimistic that the Bangsamoro peace process will not be relegated in the next administration.

In an official statement issued yesterday (June 11), MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said, “With the advent of a new administration on June 30, 2016, we are confident that the Bangsamoro peace process will not be relegated in status, as it has proven to be potentially the most viable solution to address conflict arising from historical injustices committed against our people.”

The MILF chief recalled Duterte’s statement during the campaign that the BBL could be a possible template for federalism and his declaration made during the last Presidential debate in April 2016 that “nothing can appease the Bangsamoro until the BBL is passed.”

“The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) remains committed in its continued pursuit to find long-lasting peace and development in Mindanao,” the statement said.

“We support the MILF Peace Panel with the signing of the Declaration of Continuity of the Partnership of the GPH and MILF in the Bangsamoro Peace Process, the Terms of Reference for the Establishment of the Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund (BNTF), and the Terms of Reference of the Project Board of Mindanao Trust Fund for the Six Previously Acknowledged MILF Camps (MTF-RDP Camps Project) during the two-ay Special Meeting of the Panels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on May 29-30, 2016,” said the statement.

According to the statement, “The MILF pledges to exert efforts in undertaking its obligations to fully implement the commitments under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), building upon all the gains and achievements secured in the Bangsamoro peace process through years of negotiations. It is important to sustain the traction that we have managed to develop toward the anticipated success of this political settlement.”

“The MILF maintains its position that the CAB-based Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) needs to be immediately passed into law, not only because it effectively addresses the peculiarities unique to the Bangsamoro that are not necessarily found in other prospective federal states,” pointed out in the statement.

“Notwithstanding the unpredictable political landscape that contributed to the stalling of the implementation of the CAB and the non-passage of the BBL, we acknowledge the efforts of President Aquino and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, and the GPH Peace Panel pertaining to the peace process.”

Chairman Murad also expressed in the statement the Front’s gratitude to the Government of Malaysia, the Malaysian Facilitator, and the individuals and countries comprising the various infrastructures and peace process mechanisms and partners in the international community.

The Philippine Congress failed to pass the BBL, the legal translation of the peace deal between the Philippine Government and the MILF that would have paved way for the establishment of the desired Bangsamoro autonomous government before the stint of outgoing President Aquino ends.

http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/20-central-mindanao/773-milf-hopes-bangsamoro-peace-process-will-not-be-relegated-in-duterte-administration

IED found in N. Cotabato garbage dumpsite

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 13): IED found in N. Cotabato garbage dumpsite

GARBAGE COLLECTORS IN MIDSAYAP, NORTH COTABATO ON SUNDAY NIGHT HAD THE GREATEST "HAUL" IN LIFE THAT COULD HAVE COST THEIR LIVES - AN IMPROVISED BOMB AMONG A PILE OF GARBAGE.

SUPT. TOM TUZON, MIDSAYAP TOWN POLICE CHIEF, SAID ONE OF THE GARBAGE COLLECTORS ON A NIGHT SHIFT ALERTED THE POLICE ABOUT HIS DISCOVERY, A POWERFUL IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE.

HE SAID THE MAN, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED, FOUND THE IED FASHIONED FROM 81 MM MORTAR IN THE FILE OF GARBAGE IN BARANGAY MALAMOTE, MIDSAYAP, NORTH COTABATO AT 9:00 P.M.

QUOTING GARBAGE GATHERERS, TUZON SAID THEY LAST LOADED SACKS OF GARBAGE NEAR THE TOWN'S OLD TERMINAL AND PROCEEDED TO THE DUMP SITE IN BARANGAY MALAMOTE.

HE SAID THE MAN FOUND SOMETHING HEAVY IN A PLASTIC BAG, CIRCULAR AND HAVE SOME WIRES.

"HE SUSPECTED IT COULD BE A BOMB SO THEY ALERTED THE POLICE," TUZON SAID.

ARMY AND POLICE BOMB EXPERTS CONFIRMED IT WAS AN IED WITH MOBILE PHONE AS TRIGGERING MECHANISM.

"THE IED WAS LIVE AND COULD EXPLODE ANYTIME BEFORE IT WAS FOUND," TUZON ADDED.

TUZON APPEALED TO THE RESIDENTS NOT TO TINKER WITH ANYTHING THEY SUSPECT AS A BOMB. INSTEAD, THEY SHOULD ALERT THE POLICE OR LOCAL OFFICIALS TO AVOID ACCIDENTS.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=894410

MILF reiterates commitment to peace in Mindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 13): MILF reiterates commitment to peace in Mindanao

Leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Monday reiterated their commitment to the Mindanao peace process, at the same time expressing confidence the incoming Duterte administration will sustain the gains of the southern Philippines peace process.

In a statement released here Monday, MILF chieftain Al Haj Murad said the MILF remained committed and will religiously abide by the provisions of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

“We are confident that the Bangsamoro peace process will not be relegated in status, as it has proven to be potentially the most viable solution to address conflict arising from historical injustices committed against our people,” Murad said.

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, during the campaign period, had repeatedly vowed to correct what he said was historical injustice to Bangsamoro in the country.

Murad also expressed confidence the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), the proposed enabling law that will fully implement the CAB, will see "light" during the Duterte government.

“The MILF remains committed in its continued pursuit of long-lasting peace and development in Mindanao,” Murad added.

“The MILF pledges to exert efforts in undertaking its obligations to fully implement the commitments under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, building upon all the gains and achievements secured in the Bangsamoro peace process through years of negotiations,” Murad said.

“It is important to sustain the traction that we have managed to develop toward the anticipated success of this political settlement,” he added.

The MILF, the largest Muslim rebel group in southern Philippines, has dropped bid for independence in lieu of genuine right to self-determination.

It has been religiously observing the cessation of hostilities agreement with the Philippine military and vowed to continue doing so during the upcoming government of a Mindanaon leader - Duterte.

Like Duterte, the MILF has repeatedly reminded its followers and the Bangsamoro people to do away with illegal drugs, describing it as "Haram" (forbidden) and anti-Islam.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=894595

CA upholds conviction of terrorists in Awang airport bombing

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 14): CA upholds conviction of terrorists in Awang airport bombing

The Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld the conviction of several members of the notorious Rajah Solaiman Movement in connection with the Awang Airport bombing in Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao in 2003.

In a 24-page ruling written by Associate Justice Marie Christine Azcarraga-Jacob, the CA's Special 16th Division denied the appeal filed by Zulkifli/Julkifli alias Donis/Doni, Ofracio/Ahmad Faisal, Taufiq Rifqui, Feliciano Delos Reyes alias Box and Dinno Amor Pareja alias Khaleel who sought to set aside the ruling rendered by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 154 finding them guilty of the crime of murder with double attempted murder.

On Feb. 20, 2003 at around 2:30 p.m., a loud explosion rocked the airport where Sgt. Nelson Corpuz was killed while many others were injured.

Several houses were burned and the airport's terminal building was damaged.

Investigation showed that the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device that was placed in a white Suzuki multicab, which was parked in a restaurant that was placed across the entrance gate of the airport.

The incident led to the arrest of the accused as well as their conviction.

In its April 20, 2016 ruling released on Monday, the CA said that "appellants were properly convicted of the complex crime of murder with double attempted murder and should thus be meted out a single penalty."

However, in view of the enactment of Republic Act No. 9346, which prohibits the imposition of death penalty, the CA said that "the penalty for the crime should, therefore, be reduced to reclusion perpetua without eligibility for parole."

The CA also ruled that the award of moral damages be modified and increased to Php 75,000 for the heirs of Sgt. Corpuz, Haydee Bello and Luna Umpal.

Concurring with the ruling were Associate Justices Ricardo Rosario and Ramon Paul Hernando.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=894696

Military confirms beheading of Canadian hostage

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 14): Military confirms beheading of Canadian hostage

The Western Mindanao Command on Tuesday has confirmed that Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits have beheaded their remaining Canadian hostage Robert Hall on the afternoon of June 13.

Major Filemon Tan, WESMINCOM spokesperson, issued this statement after the head of a Caucasian-looking male, possibly Hall, was discovered by civilians in front of the gate of the Jolo Cathedral around 8:45 p.m.

"(The head) was recovered by the Sulu PNP and brought to Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista (in Jolo)," he added.

Tan said the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) extends its sincerest condolences and commiserate with the family and relatives of the slain kidnap victim.

"Their loss is our loss too. We feel their pain because we also lost soldiers, brothers in arms in trying to rescue them. The brutal murder and inhuman execution of the victim by these evil terrorists shows their true color," he added.

What the ASG have done is clearly un-Islamic and a violation of the teachings of Mohammad, Tan stressed.

"(These violent acts) do not in any way represent our peaceful Muslim brothers who are true believers of Islam. Their criminal act disregarded even the sacred period of Ramadan. This group showed us their true nature and the evil they truly are," he pointed out.

Tan said the AFP will work relentlessly with its police counterparts to continue to find, neutralize or arrest and hold these criminals accountable for their crimes.

Hall was beheaded after both the Philippine and Canadian governments ignored the 3 p.m. June 13 deadline of the ASG which stipulated that they will execute one of the hostages if the PHP600 million ransom was not paid.

Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingtad and Filipina Marites Flor, Hall's girlfriend, and fellow Canadian John Ridsel were snatched by the ASG at a posh resort in Samal Island last Sept. 21.

The ASG beheaded Ridsel last April 25 after the Philippine and Canadian governments refused to pay his PHP300 million ransom.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=894717

Analysts Probe Whether Abu Sayyaf Has Pledged Allegiance To ISIS

From NPR (Jun 13): Analysts Probe Whether Abu Sayyaf Has Pledged Allegiance To ISIS

In the Philippines, the recent beheading of a Canadian citizen re-focused attention on Abu Sayyaf, an al-Qaida-linked group, that now, some say is turning toward ISIS.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: And I'm Steve Inskeep with questions about the loyalties of an extremist group. The group is in the Philippines. Reports say that the militant group has killed a Canadian hostage today, after a ransom payment was not made. Back in April, this same group beheaded another Canadian. The hostage takers are from a group called Abu Sayyaf, a onetime affiliate of al-Qaida. Some now say the group is leaning toward the Islamic State. Michael Sullivan reports from Manila.

MICHAEL SULLIVAN, BYLINE: It'd be easy to dismiss the Abu Sayyaf as common criminals, the remnants of a once formidable group hunted down by U.S. special forces and the Philippine army after 9/11. It would be easy, but it might be a mistake.

SIDNEY JONES: Yes, it's been a mistake for a long time to write them off.

SULLIVAN: That's Sidney Jones. She tracks Southeast Asia militant groups as director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta. Yes, the Abu Sayyaf was driven from their stronghold on the southern island of Basilan, she says, but then they came back.

JONES: After fracturing into about seven different factions, some of them began moving back to Basilan. And now when we're looking at where ISIS support is strongest in the southern Philippines, it's actually on Basilan, the site of the U.S. triumphant victory in eradicating Abu Sayyaf forces.

(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO)

SULLIVAN: In January, four militant groups banded together to declare their allegiance to ISIS in the slickly produced video that shows a well-armed line of soldiers marching through the jungle, swearing their fealty to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

(SOUNDBITE OF VIDEO)

ISNILON HAPILON: (Foreign language spoken).

SULLIVAN: One of the men who spoke was Isnilon Hapilon, one of Abu Sayyaf's longtime leaders still wanted by the U.S. government.

MARIA RESSA: He was always their ideological leader. He's the guy who declared allegiance to ISIS. And he's been made the leader of four other groups now preparing to become a wilayah or a province of ISIS.

SULLIVAN: Maria Ressa is with Rappler in Manila and the author of a book about Southeast Asia terror groups. And, says Sidney Jones in Jakarta...

JONES: Unlike Indonesia, the Philippines ISIS supporters actually control territory on Basilan, which raises the prospect - this could turn into a regional training center. It raises the prospect - this could be a refuge.

SULLIVAN: And that territory? They seem to be willing to fight to keep it.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

SULLIVAN: In April, the Philippines armed forces got mauled in a pitched battle with Islamist militants on Basilan, a fight the militants claimed to have captured on this video. At least 19 soldiers were killed. Five rebels died. And in this and other recent battles, not all the rebel dead were Filipino.

BOOGIE MENDOZA: There was a Moroccan who was killed in Basilan. There was an Indonesian killed in (unintelligible). There was a Malaysian killed in Basilan also and others.

SULLIVAN: Boogie Mendoza is a former police general with lots of counterinsurgency experience in the southern Philippines. To this day, he says, his government still won't admit ISIS exists in the country, that the old actors have new friends. Maria Ressa.

RESSA: If you think about ISIS as a virus, the virus is here. And if the conditions that are conducive to the growth of this virus remain, then it will grow.

SULLIVAN: Nobody is suggesting ISIS will eventually overrun the southern Philippines. But Ressa says that doesn't mean the local wannabes aren't a threat here and in neighboring Indonesia. There hasn't been a mass casualty attack in the region for more than a decade. The last, the 2004 SuperFerry bombing in the Philippines - more than 100 people were killed. The culprit? Abu Sayyaf. For NPR news, I'm Michael Sullivan in Manila.

[Copyright © 2016 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
 
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Abus mock Duterte, behead Canadian

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 14): Abus mock Duterte, behead Canadian

ABU BRUTALITY Canadian Robert Hall was reported killed by the Abu Sayyaf after the deadline lapsed for the payment of ransom. He is shown here with his live-in partner, Maritess Flor, who is being held captive by the Abu Sayyaf. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

ABU BRUTALITY Canadian Robert Hall was reported killed by the Abu Sayyaf after the deadline lapsed for the payment of ransom. He is shown here with his live-in partner, Maritess Flor, who is being held captive by the Abu Sayyaf. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Abu Sayyaf kidnappers on Monday announced that they had beheaded another Canadian hostage in Sulu province, taunting incoming President Rodrigo Duterte on his promise to exert his best efforts to recover him alive.

The body of mining consultant Robert Hall will just be discovered somewhere in Jolo, the capital town of Sulu, Abu Raami, spokesperson of the notorious bandit group, told the Inquirer.

“We assure that the body will be brought to Jolo for everyone to see,” Raami said. “We cannot jeopardize our location.”
Armed men seized Hall, Canadian John Ridsdel, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipino Maritess Flor from an exclusive marina in the Island  Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte province on Sept. 21 last year, and handed them over later to the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

The kidnappers beheaded Ridsdel on April 25 after they failed to get a P300-million ransom.

In Manila, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it was still verifying the death of Hall, several hours after the 3 p.m. deadline for payment of a P600-million ransom for him and the other hostages lapsed.

“As of now, we have no confirmed information regarding that. I have contact with the Western Mindanao Command and the information is that they are just continuing with their support operations,” said Col. Noel Detoyato, chief of the AFP public affairs office.

Government action

Malacañang gave assurance that it was firm in its bid to go after the Abu Sayyaf and rescue the hostages.

“Our focused military and law enforcement operations continue without letup with the objective of rescuing the hostages and holding their captors accountable for their crimes,” Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a text message to reporters.

Coloma made it clear that the government had “not wavered in its determination to deal with the kidnap-for-ransom problem.”

The Canadian government said it had received the sad news of Hall’s execution.
Rachna Mishra, deputy director for media relations of Canada Global Affairs, said her government was in close contact with Philippine authorities on the matter.

“We are pursuing all appropriate channels to seek further information and are in close contact with Philippine authorities,” Mishra said in an e-mail to the Inquirer.

Appeals for help

Some four hours before his captors reported his death, Hall repeatedly appealed for the Philippine government’s help.

“Please get us all out of here. We hope the Philippine government will do all to get us all out here, do what they can to get us out of here,” he said in a phone interview with the Inquirer on  Monday morning.

“If Duterte wants to help us, help us to get out of here,” he said.

At the time of the interview, Hall could not say what would happen to him and his fellow hostages if the deadline for ransom payment expired. He said he was informed that their lives might end that day.

At 3:10 p.m., Raami told the Inquirer by phone that even with the observance of the holy month of Ramadan, the Abu Sayyaf leadership had decided to behead Hall to serve as a challenge to Duterte.

Duterte to Trudeau

The incoming President, in a press conference last month, said he had apologized to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the death of Ridsdel and “assured the Canadian  government that Ridsdel will be the last (hostage killed by the Abu  Sayyaf).”

“I said, ‘Mr. Prime Minister, please accept my apology for the incident. I  am very sorry for the incident that happened which resulted in the killing of your national and we will try our very best to see to it that nothing of this nature will happen again,” Duterte recalled telling Trudeau.

“And you are rest assured that when the time comes, we will be able to  apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice. There will be a time when  I say, ‘surrender and release all hostages,’” he added.

On Monday, there was no immediate reaction from Duterte’s media aides. They earlier said he was not holding interviews and press conferences as his way of boycotting media that have been critical of him.

“Now we are left with Maritess (Flor) and this Norwegian. Ransom is P300 million and we have two, that means P600 million,” Raami said.

He said the group had kept its lines open since the day it announced the June 12 deadline through a video released on May 30. “No one listened,” he said.

Interview with hostages

Flor, 38, also called on the government to help the hostages. “We don’t want a repeat of what happened to Ridsdel,” she said in an interview on Monday morning.

Their captors were hurting them, she said. “They maul us. They slap me.”

Sekkingstad said he was able to speak with his brother on Sunday night.

“We do our best, but it’s not enough to meet their demand. We don’t know for sure. Four of us start with and when deadline not met, one was beheaded. We are kept in the dark. I really don’t know what is happening,” Sekkingstad said in a separate phone interview.

Flor’s mother, Flordelisa, told the Inquirer on  Monday morning that her only hope was Duterte. “We are now totally leaving our daughter’s life in the hands of Duterte. I  hope he can save her,” she said.

She said she was told by government agents who visited her home in Bukidnon province that apart from the efforts of the present administration, Duterte was also trying to help the kidnap victims.

Abu Sayyaf video

On May 22, the Abu Sayyaf released a video featuring its unkempt, emaciated hostages begging Duterte to save them from being beheaded.

Detoyato said the last information the military received about the victims’ condition was from the most recent video uploaded last month by the kidnappers.

He denied that the military was part of any negotiation and that it did not monitor any negotiation efforts between the victims’ families and the Abu Sayyaf.

Asked if the AFP would be surprised if the kidnappers would carry out killings during Ramadan, Detoyato said: “They don’t observe any religious practices, they will violate anything.”

Ulama reaction

The National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) condemned the beheading of Hall as “un-Islamic” and “inhuman.” It also criticized local politicians for allegedly not doing their part in working with security forces to ensure the safe release of the victims.

“We are saddened, too, by the insensitivity of the government, especially  the LGUs from regional to provincial to municipal to barangay, and their  lack of cooperation with the PNP and the AFP to eliminate this terrorist  group,” said Alih Aiyub, national secretary general of the NUCP.

Sulu Vice Gov. Abdusakur Tan described the beheading as “a beastly  and un-Islamic act just for their greed for money.”

“They are animals,” Tan told the Inquirer.

Dr. Samsula Adju, chair of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Global Roving Diplomacy and Peace Advocacy, said that if Hall was indeed beheaded, “maybe they did not listen to the MNLF’s request” not to kill the hostages.

The MNLF was instrumental in last month’s release of 14 Indonesians and  four Malaysians held by the Abu Sayyaf.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/140122/abus-mock-duterte-behead-canadian

Abu Sayyaf beheads another Canadian hostage

From Rappler (Jun 13): Abu Sayyaf beheads another Canadian hostage

Robert Hall is beheaded by the group in Sulu as the deadline for ransom payment lapses

BEHEADED. Robert Hall (L) is the second of 3 foreign hostages killed by the Abu Sayyaf in recent months. Also pictured is John Ridsdel (R), killed back in April; and Kjartan Sekkingstad (C), still held hostage. Photos from the Philippine National Police

BEHEADED. Robert Hall (L) is the second of 3 foreign hostages killed by the Abu Sayyaf in recent months. Also pictured is John Ridsdel (R), killed back in April; and Kjartan Sekkingstad (C), still held hostage. Photos from the Philippine National Police

The Abu Sayyaf terror group killed another foreign hostage Monday, June 13.

An intelligence officer of Joint Task Force Sulu confirmed that Canadian Robert Hall was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf in Talipao, Sulu.

The group's spokesperson Abu Raami also confirmed the beheading, according to a report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

This comes after the lapse of a deadline for ransom payment for Hall, as well as two other hostages, Kjartan Sekkingstad and Marites Flor.

The Abu Sayyaf was demanding P600 million in ransom for the 3 hostages.

In April, the group killed Canadian John Ridsdel after a ransom deadline passed.

Ridsdel, Hall, Sekkingstad, and Flor were abducted in September 2015 from a resort on Samal Island, hundreds of kilometers from the Abu Sayyaf's traditional strongholds.

The group has been blamed for the worst terror attacks in Philippine history.

Although its leaders have pledged fealty to ISIS, analysts say they are more focused on lucrative kidnappings-for-ransom than on setting up a caliphate.

The Abu Sayyaf are also believed to be holding a Dutch bird-watcher and 4 Filipinos, seized in separate raids. They last released 4 Malaysian hostages last June 8.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/136282-abu-sayyaf-beheads-canadian-hostage-robert-hall

Trudeau says Canadian hostage in Philippines likely killed

From InterAksyon (Jun 13): Trudeau says Canadian hostage in Philippines likely killed

The Canadian government has "compelling reason to believe" that one of its citizens kidnapped by Islamic militants in the southern Philippines nearly nine months ago has been killed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday.

"It is with deep sadness that I have reason to believe that a Canadian citizen, Robert Hall, held hostage in the Philippines since September 21, 2015, has been killed by his captors," Trudeau said in a statement.

Members of the notorious kidnap-for-ransom Abu Sayyaf gang had said they would murder Hall if they did not receive P300 million ($6.5 million) ransom by Monday.

"While Canadian officials are working closely with authorities in the Philippines to formally confirm Mr. Hall's death, we have compelling reason to believe that reports to this effect are, unfortunately, true," Trudeau said.

"The vicious and brutal actions of the hostage-takers have led to a needless death. Canada holds the terrorist group who took him hostage fully responsible for this cold-blooded and senseless murder."

Hall was among four people abducted in September last year from aboard yachts at a tourist resort on Samal island in the southern Philippines.

Another Canadian who was abducted at the same time, John Ridsdel, was beheaded in April after a similar ransom demand of P300 million was not paid.

In the Philippines, authorities would not confirm Hall had been killed.

"No formal report has reached me. I cannot confirm that," regional military spokesman Major Filemon Tan told AFP.

President Benigno Aquino cancelled a public engagement on Monday to receive updates about the hostages, but no facts about their fate had yet been verified, his spokesman said in a statement.

The fates of the two other people abducted at the Samal resort -- Hall's Filipina girlfriend Marites Flor and Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad -- were not known.

Listed by the United States as a terrorist organisation, the Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of Islamic militants that was founded in the early 1990s with money from Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.

It is regarded as one of the most radical offshoots of a Muslim separatist insurgency in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines that has claimed more than 100,000 lives since the 1970s.

Lucrative kidnap business

The Abu Sayyaf is believed to have just a few hundred armed followers but authorities regard it is as one of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the Philippines.

Its leaders have in recent years declared allegiance to the Islamic State group that holds vast swathes of Iraq and Syria.

But security analysts believe the leaders are chiefly focused on getting money from kidnappings-for-ransom rather than waging a religious war.

Abu Sayyaf gangs have earned many millions of dollars from kidnapping foreigners and Filipinos since the early 1990s.

Aquino vowed after Ridsdel's death that security forces would "neutralize" the Abu Sayyaf, but a fresh offensive involving thousands of troops apparently had little impact.

The Abu Sayyaf has for years withstood repeated military offensives against it, surviving by using the mountainous, jungle terrain and support of local Muslim communities to its advantage.

From 2002-2014, the US deployed Special Forces advisers to train and provide intelligence to Filipino troops, which led to the killing or arrest of many Abu Sayyaf leaders.

But the Abu Sayyaf went on a sustained kidnapping spree after the Americans left.
The Abu Sayyaf has abducted 44 Filipinos and foreigners since last year in at least 16 separate incidents, according to Pacific Strategies and Assessments, a regional risk assessment organisation.

The Abu Sayyaf was reported to have earned hundreds of thousands of dollars for the kidnapping and release of 18 Indonesian and Malaysian sailors in recent months.

One of the Abu Sayyaf's biggest recent windfalls is believed to have come in 2014 when it claimed to have been paid more than $5 million for the release of a German couple abducted from aboard their yacht in the southwest Philippines.

http://interaksyon.com/article/129001/trudeau-says-canadian-hostage-in-philippines-likely-killed

Chinese coastguard harassed us during Panatag flag stunt: PH protesters

From InterAksyon (Jun 13): Chinese coastguard harassed us during Panatag flag stunt: PH protesters



Chinese coastguard ship intercepts group from Kalayaan ATIN ITO on their way to Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal). Photograph from Kalayaan ATIN ITO Facebook page.

Filipino protesters said Monday that Chinese coastguard ships blocked and sprayed them with water as they sailed to a disputed shoal in the West Philippine Sea (or South China Sea) to plant a Philippine flag for independence day.

China claims most of the strategic and resources-rich sea, and has controlled Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal), just 230 kilometers (145 miles) off the coastal province of Zambales since a 2012 standoff with the Philippine Navy.

The Kalayaan Atin Ito (Freedom This is Ours) group said 16 of its members arrived near the shoal early on Sunday, Philippine independence day, and their boat was promptly blocked by two Chinese coastguard vessels.



Photograph from Kalayaan ATIN ITO Facebook page.

"Five of us attempted to swim to the rock to plant the Philippine flag and the UN flag but they harassed us," the group's coordinator Vera Joy Ban-eg, told AFP via text message.

"They chased us with their two speed boats and blocked our path, sprayed water on us. Two of the swimmers however were able to reach the ring of the shoal and raised the Philippine flag."

The incident comes at a particularly tense time in the long-running dispute between the Philippines and China over Scarborough Shoal and other parts of the sea claimed by both.

China insists it has sovereign rights to nearly all of the sea, even waters close to the shores of its neighbors. Aside from the Philippines, other claimants include Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

President Benigno Aquino's administration has taken China to a UN-backed arbitration tribunal in a bid to have Beijing's territorial claims declared illegal.

A ruling is widely expected over the next few weeks, although China does not recognize the arbitration and has reacted angrily to the Philippines' legal efforts.

Kalayaan Atin Ito has organized trips to Philippine-claimed or -controlled South China Sea islands in the past, sending 47 Filipino youths by boat to Filipino-garrisoned Thitu Island in the Spratly group in December.

The government has previously said it acknowledges the group's patriotism, but has discouraged such trips, owing to safety concerns.

The group posted video clips and pictures of its latest trip on its Facebook wall.

One clip showed a group of young men and women singing the Philippine national anthem while they stood on the deck of a wooden-hulled boat flying Philippine and United Nations flags.

A larger, white-hulled vessel is seen shadowing the Filipino vessel from behind.

Ban-eg said 15 Filipino youths and an American national took part in the protest sail, but did not identify the foreigner beyond calling the person a "volunteer".

A Chinese embassy spokeswoman in Manila told AFP it may comment later.

http://interaksyon.com/article/128984/chinese-coastguard-harassed-us-during-panatag-flag-stunt-ph-protesters

Severed head believed to be of Canadian held by Abu Sayyaf found in front of Jolo Cathedral

From InterAksyon (Jun 13): Severed head believed to be of Canadian held by Abu Sayyaf found in front of Jolo Cathedral



Robert Hall. PHOTO FROM SITE WEBSITE

A severed head, believed to be that of Canadian hostage of Abu Sayyaf Robert Hall, was found Monday night in front of a church in Jolo, Sulu as government failed anew to rescue him and his fellow kidnap victims despite thousands of soldiers deployed to go after the estimated 200-man terror group.

“At around 8:45 p.m. today, the head of what seems to belong to a Caucasian-looking male believed to be that of Canadian kidnap victim Robert Hall was found in front of the gate of the Jolo Cathedral by civilians in the area and were recovered by the Sulu PNP (Philippine National Police) and brought to Kuta Heneral Teodolfo Bautista (KHTB),” Major Filemon Tan, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said in a statement.

“We extend our sincerest condolences and commiserate with the family and relatives of the slain kidnap victim. Their loss is our loss too. We feel their pain because we also lost soldiers, brothers in arms, in trying to rescue them,” he added.

Tan clarified though that it will be the police that would issue a confirmatory statement if the severed head was that of Hall’s through DNA test and confirmation from his family.

On Sunday, the Abu Sayyaf issued a statement that was posted on the SITE Intelligence Group website it would torture Hall and Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad if their relatives failed again to deliver the P600 million they were demanding in exchange for hostages' safe release.

According to Tan, the terrorists beheaded Hall 15 minutes after the 3 p.m. deadline.
Sekkingstad and Hall’s Filipina girlfriend, Marites Flor, are still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf. Their companion, John Ridsdel, a Canadian, was beheaded in April.

All four hostages were abducted in September 2015 at the Ocean View Samal Resort managed by Hall in Barangay Camudmud, Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS). The abductors brought them to Sulu.

The military said it is hell-bent to rescue Sekkignstad and Flor and all other hostages of Abu Sayyaf.

The beheading of Hall may be a taunt by the Abu Sayyaf to incoming President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, who reportedly plans to declare martial law in Sulu and Basilan as a strategy to eliminate the terror group which the military estimates to number about 400 men only.

http://interaksyon.com/article/129006/severed-head-believed-to-be-of-canadian-held-by-abu-sayyaf-found-in-front-of-jolo-cathedral

Abu Sayyaf kills Canadian hostage

From MindaNews (Jun 13): Abu Sayyaf kills Canadian hostage

A Canadian who was held hostage by the bandit group Abu Sayyaf has been killed in Sulu on Monday, media reports say.

Robert Hall, who was kidnapped in September along with three others, was killed after the 3:00 p.m. deadline for the payment of a P600-million ransom expired, Philippine security sources told foreign and local news organizations.

Kidnapped with Hall from a resort in Samal Island were his Filipina partner Marites Flor, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Canadian John Ridsdel.

They were brought to Sulu, and Ridsdel, a former mining executive, was beheaded on April 25 after a ransom deadline lapsed.

The Philippine and Canadian governments have declared they won’t give in to the ransom demand.

http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2016/06/13/abu-sayyaf-kills-canadian-hostage/

Military operations continue vs Abu Sayyaf

From the Mindanao Examiner (Jun 13): Military operations continue vs Abu Sayyaf

The Philippine military said operations against the Abu Sayyaf continue after reports broke out Monday that jihadists had killed a Canadian hostage in Sulu, one of five provinces under the restive Muslim autonomous region.

Col. Noel Detoyato, a military spokesman, said they are still verifying reports that Robert Hall was killed by his captors after the 3 p.m. deadline lapsed on Monday.

The Abu Sayyaf has recently warned that it would kill one of their hostages if ransoms for the hostages are not paid or if the military launch a rescue mission. “If nobody will contact us to arrange our ransom demand or the military conducts an operation, air strikes or artillery attacks or any violations against us, we will hurt and torture the hostages, Inshallah,” it said.

In April, the jihadist group beheaded Canadian John Ridsdel, 68, in Sulu after his family failed to pay the P300 million ransoms the Abu Sayyaf demanded. 

Ridsdel was kidnapped by 10 gunmen from the resort island of Samal in Davao del Norte province in September 21 last year along with Hall, 50; and a Norwegian man Kjartan Sekkingstad, 56, and his Filipina girlfriend, Maritess Flor.

Detoyato said: “Meron nga lumabas na information tungkol sa insidente pero alam ninyo ngayon na ang Armed Forces ay itutuloy lang natin ang ating suporta sa operations. Pero yun impormasyon na lumabas na yan iko-consider na namin yan para sa further confirmation.”

“Lahat ng mga iyan ay iko-consider natin para sa verification. Kasi isa yan sa mga batayan natin para ma-confirm ang mga report. Tuloy-tuloy naman ang focused military operation natin, intell-driven naman ito at the same time ino-obserbahan rin natin at nire-respeto ang ating mga kapatid na Muslim sa panahon ng Ramadhan.”

The military’s Western Mindanao Command under General Mayoralgo dela Cruz did not give any details of the on-going operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu. President Benigno Aquino has previously ordered a massive assault on the jihadist group also blamed for the spate of terrorism there.

Prior to the reported killing of Hall, members of the Filipino communities in Canada released a statement pleading with the Manila to rescue the hostages.

“Our group, the Pinoy in Canada Patriotic Movement, is a non-profit organization born and organized in full patriotic fervor in the wake of the upcoming Duterte administration in the Philippines. We are composed of Filipino leaders and volunteers who are active members of the Filipino-Canadian community in GTA Ontario. We fully support the incoming administration of Rodrigo Duterte, and fervently hope that kidnappings and the existence of terrorist groups will be eradicated in the Philippines on his watch,” it said.

Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman also issued a statement on Hall’s murder. Below is the full text of his statement.

“It has only been a week since Ramadan began, and it is appalling that this holy month we set aside for prayer and reflection has been already been violated by extremists here and abroad, as they wage violence in the name of our faith. The refuge and shelter we share as Muslims has become a strange place for others. Extremists claim to follow the faith while they go against Islam’s message of peace and humanity. Their betrayal of Islam knows no bounds that even in the most holy days of Ramadan, they turn a time meant for prayers and contemplation into days of fear and horror. Now, as we receive reports of the Abu Sayyaf killing yet another one of its hostages, we express our deepest condemnation against this act of pointless violence and terrorism.”

“This is not what Islam stands for, and we refuse to let this turn us against our fellow Filipinos – not at a time when Ramadan teaches us sympathy, compassion, and love. Violence cannot and must not be so easily associated with one people, race, or culture. Many try to distort the Islam we know by heart, and it is our responsibility to make the truth of Islam known to people. Those who tread the path of violence and claim to do it in the name of Islam are, without question, merely men of sin who distort a faith that stands for peace. They are not our people. Our response to these attacks against our faith can be found in Islam itself: as Muslims we are taught that to kill one man means to kill all of humanity, and to save one man means to save all of humanity. It is then imperative for us work to together as Muslims in making sure that the criminals behind these acts of violence are made accountable to our people in the courts of law, and to save those who might fall into the hands of these men who do nothing but evil. Let us pray for those who will forever be changed by this day, and let us stand together as we build and rebuild our faith in the midst of those who try to tear us apart.”

http://mindanaoexaminer.com/military-operations-continue-vs-abu-sayyaf/

Gazmin: BRP Gregorio Velasquez crew one of the most experienced in Philippine Navy

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 13): Gazmin: BRP Gregorio Velasquez crew one of the most experienced in Philippine Navy

The 30 officers and enlisted personnel manning survey ship BRP Gregorio Velasquez can now be considered as one of the most experienced seagoing crews in the Philippine Navy after their successful trans-ocean from the United States to the Philippines.

"With you are the wealth of knowledge and expertise, the rare skills in navigation and ship handling techniques, for which the Filipino seafarers are very well known for. Kudos to the ship's complement of BRP Gregorio Velasquez, you are now genuine seadogs," Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin's speech, read by defense undersecretary Honorio Azcueta, during the arrival and welcoming ceremonies for the ship at Pier 13, Manila South Harbor last June 10.

BRP Gregorio Velasquez left Guam by June 2 and arrived in Manila Bay by 11 a.m. last June 8.

The ship arrived in Guam last May 28. It left San Diego, California last April 27 after being formally transferred to the Philippine Navy.

Aside from helping map the country's vast maritime domains, the BRP Gregorio Velasquez will also help develop the PN's anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability.

The Navy did not give specifics on this but the PN is in the process of developing its ASW capability after signing a contract to acquire two AW-159 "Wildcat" anti-submarine helicopters with AgustaWestland last March.

The contract is worth PHP5.360 billion, lower than the stated PHP5.4 billion.

These helicopters are expected to be deployed among the PN's large ships which include the two Gregorio Del Pilar-class frigates and incoming two strategic sealift vessels, of which one is expected to be delivered this month, and the BRP Gregorio Velasquez.

The R/V Melville was used in the 1976 movie King Kong, starring Jessica Lange.

It was used specifically because of its Hypoid propulsion drive (at that time), which allowed it to move sideways.

This type of drive is used on research vessels for station keeping in the ocean over drill and coring sites.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=894374

PAF in the market for C-295 environment systems

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 13): PAF in the market for C-295 environment systems

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is in the market for manufacturers capable of supplying it with PHP5,061,388 worth of spare parts needed for the maintenance of the environment systems of its brand-new Airbus Military C-295 medium transport aircraft.

Pre-bid conference is on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at the PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

Meanwhile, submission and opening of bids is on July 7, 9:00 a.m. at the same venue, PAF bids and awards committee chair Brig. Gen. Nicolas Parilla said.

The PAF has three C-295 aircraft in its inventory. All three are assigned to the 220th Airlift Wing which is based in Mactan, Cebu. All three planes are worth Php5.3 billion.

The 220th Airlift Wing of the PAF will operate and maintain the above-mentioned aircraft.

The PAF uses the medium lift aircraft for tactical and medium airlift requirements, and are essential to internal security operations in ferrying personnel and logistical requirements of different line/combat units to any part of the country.

The timely deployment of troops and supplies is vital to ensure the success of any military operations.

The Airbus Military C-295 is a new generation, very robust and reliable, highly versatile tactical airlifter able to carry up to nine tonnes of payload or up to 71 personnel, at a maximum cruise speed of 260 kt /480 km/h.

Fitted with a retractable landing gear and a pressurized cabin, it can cruise at altitudes up to 25,000 ft, while retaining remarkable short take-off & landing (STOL) performance from unprepared short, soft and rough airstrips, as well as low level flight characteristics.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=894478

DND-GA looking for PHP2.2-M worth of propellant powder

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 13): DND-GA looking for PHP2.2-M worth of propellant powder

The Department of National Defense-Government Arsenal (DND-GA), which is headquartered in Limay, Bataan is looking for manufacturers capable of supplying it with PHP2,250,000 worth of propellant powder.

It will be use for the creation of 5.56mm match ammunition.

Winning bidders must be able to supply the items within 30 calendar days.

Pre-bid conference is scheduled on June 20, 11:00 a.m. at the Government Arsenal Metro Manila Liaison Office, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Propellant powder fill the interior of an ammunition cartridge or the chamber of a gun or cannon, leading to the expulsion of a bullet or shell.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=894438

Canada announces additional humanitarian assistance to conflict areas in Mindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 13): Canada announces additional humanitarian assistance to conflict areas in Mindanao

The Government of Canada announced it is providing Cad$ 1.25 million (approx. PhP 43 million) in humanitarian assistance to support those living in conflict areas in Mindanao.

This funding will be provided to Action Against Hunger (ACF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and will contribute to improve food security, health, living conditions, livelihoods and emergency-preparedness in Zamboanga and Maguindanao.

The funding forms part of the Canadian government’s commitment of Cad$ 331.5 million in humanitarian support to the world’s most vulnerable, recently announced by Canada’s Minister of International Development Marie-Claude Bibeau at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey.

Canada’s support will help meet immediate life-saving needs and address unprecedented humanitarian challenges, including those in the Philippines,” Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines Neil Reeder said.

This new funding will help the most vulnerable in more than 32 countries, including the Philippines. Support will be provided to 25 experienced humanitarian partners, including a variety of United Nations humanitarian agencies, the Red Cross and non-governmental organizations, as well as Canadian organizations, that are addressing complex humanitarian situations.

“Given the size of current humanitarian needs, Canada is committed to working with all partners — including those at the local level — to combine our strengths and maximize the impact we have on humanitarian crises. We are especially concerned with women and girls, who are often the most vulnerable in crises. That is why they are at the heart of Canada’s humanitarian response,” Ambassador Reeder added.

Cad$ 500,000 will be provided to the ACF to improve food security for more than 3,000 people displaced by conflict in Zamboanga and Maguindanao. This will include the provision of unconditional cash grants to meet their basic needs, focusing on assisting pregnant and lactating women and households with children aged 6-23 months, and provision of quick impact livelihood support through cash transfers and the appropriate training.

“This is another significant step in lifesaving and humanitarian assistance with the support of the Government of Canada especially to conflict-affected people in Zamboanga and Maguindanao. This makes Canada’s support very unique and strategic in such a critical situation,” ACF International country director Javad Amoozegar said.

The Cad$ 750,000 in assistance to the ICRC will provide medical care and physical rehabilitation to detainees and weapon-wounded patients through six ICRC-trained/supported health facilities, and non-food items to up to 160,000 and food items to up to 50,000 conflict/violence-affected people. It will also ensure emergency water and sanitation services to up to 33,000 conflict/violence-affected people, cash grants to up to 12,500 conflict/violence-affected people and livelihood inputs to up to 25,000 conflict/violence-affected people. (Approx: Cad$ 1= PhP 35)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=894457