Friday, March 29, 2019

Retards in the Government 95

It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption and murder in Philippine politics. 



Duterte said he weighed in on the issue, saying honesty as an election issue would depend if telling the truth would bring good or would just create trouble. 
“It depends. It depends. If you’re hanging by the thread, of what good use would it be, if it’ll just create trouble,” he said in an ambush interview at the sidelines of the 122nd Philippine Army Anniversary in Taguig, City. 
“There are things left unsaid and there are things which you can answer correctly. Okay?” he added.
Yes, sometimes telling the truth creates trouble because it reveals what a scoundrel you really are.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1099124/ombudsman-asked-to-probe-fund-use-in-puerto-princesa
Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron could face graft and grave misconduct charges after a complaint was filed against him at the Office of the Ombudsman. 
Citing a Commission on Audit (COA) report, a certain Mansueto Fuentes called on the Ombudsman to investigate numerous irregularities in Bayron’s use of public funds.
Efforts to get the side of Bayron for the last two days have been futile. 
In a 38-page complaint filed at the Office of the Ombudsman on March 12, Fuentes said that based on a December 2017 COA report, COA regional director Ma. Corazon S. Gomez found 28 instances of major violations of COA rules and circulars by the city government. 
Citing the same COA report, Fuentes said Bayron, as mayor, invested P1.7 million in time deposits instead of using the amount for programs and projects. 
Another P2.5 million in loans were acquired “without proper debt management policies” and a total of P147.8 million in infrastructure projects under the Kalsada Program was spent in violation of the government procurement law. 
The COA report also enumerated other discrepancies in Puerto Princesa’s finances, including at least P107 million in unliquidated cash advances to city officials and a cash deficit of P129 million.
Hundreds of millions of pesos misspent by city government? I'm shocked I tell you. Shocked!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1099627/bir-officer-two-others-collared-for-extortion-nbi
NBI Director Dante Gierran named the suspects as Reynaldo Lojuco, Revenue Officer 2 assigned at BIR’s office in Plaridel, Bulacan; Sheila Marie Santiago; and Kim Cariño. They were collared for allegedly extorting money from a man with pending tax cases. 
According to NBI, the arrest of the suspects stemmed from a complaint against Lojuco, who allegedly asked money from the complainant in exchange for the suppression of his tax case, which was previously provisionally dismissed by Caloocan Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 50. 
Lojuco allegedly threatened the complainant that he will revive the latter’s tax case should he fail to pay him P300,000. 
NBI said Lojuco allegedly further demanded the same amount for the complainant’s other three cases pending before BIR. 
The complainant negotiated that the amount be paid in three monthly payments to which Lojuco agreed.
This taxman wanted P1.2 million in bribes! 
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1099625/cop-nabbed-for-taking-bribe-in-processing-of-id-cards-for-security-guards
A policeman was arrested in an entrapment operation in Camp Crame for allegedly receiving cash in exchange for expediting the processing of identification cards of 32 security guards. 
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde announced on Monday the arrest of Senior Inspector Gerry Manuel Revecho, assigned at the ID Production Section of the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA). 
According to Albayalde, an entrapment was set against Revecho by agents of the PNP Counter-Intelligence Task Force, Civil Security Group, and Intelligence Group inside the SOSIA office on Friday (March 22). 
Albayalde said Revecho received P20,000 in marked cash from a CITF agent who posed as a representative of a security agency. The money was reportedly for expediting the processing of the identification cards of the security guards.
The word entrapment is thrown around often when speaking of PNP operations and surely that is wrong. Entrapment is when the cops set someone up to commit a crime they would not normally commit and the practice is illegal. What is meant in the above PNP operation is just a standard trap.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1099296/coa-affirms-disallowance-of-p8-1m-for-mwss-execs
The Commission on Audit (COA) has denied the appeal of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to reconsider its earlier notice of disallowance covering some P8.1 million in meal allowances granted to MWSS officials in 2012 and 2014. 
In a notice of disallowance dated June 30, 2014, the COA said the MWSS payment of meal allowances were P8,173,730 in excess of the approved amount.
According to the decision, the MWSS petition for review was submitted 362 days after the original notice of disallowance. 
“Based on the foregoing, petitioners had already exhausted the reglementary period of six months or 180 days to file the petition for review,” the decision said.
P8 million in meal allowances is a lot of money.


Amid accusations by a former New People’s Army (NPA) rebel claiming Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo is linked with the rebel group and previously ordered killings in the town, the Moises Padilla municipal police have filed murder charges against the detained town official. 
Based on documents provided by police, the charges were filed last week before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Bacolod City. 
Also included in the charges were Adrian Villaflor and Moreto Flores, both of whom are residents of Barangay Quintin Remo in the said town. 
In the complaint affidavit filed by former NPA rebel Jully Opiar, he claimed Garcia-Yulo ordered the killing of Magdaleno Grande in January 2016 after reportedly receiving word he had informed Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña about her security aides being involved with illegal drugs, which eventually resulted in their termination from service. 
He also claimed the vice mayor was a member of the NPA’s “Kangaroo Court” and used the rebels as her “muscle and personal goons” in order to add the names to the NPA’s “hitlist.”
A Vice Mayor allegedly linked to the NPA and accused of a murder from 2016.


https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1099664/duterte-drug-problem-in-ph-has-worsened
“Things have worsened. My policemen are at the brink of surrendering,” he said in a speech on Sunday night during the campaign rally of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-laban) in Cagayan de Oro. 
“You can see the headlines — every day billions worth of drugs are entering the country. Look at the main screen and the crawler, the running news at the bottom. It’s always about drugs, drugs, and drugs,” he added. 
“Don’t believe that it’s one billion. The next day there will be another one-point-three billion. That’s just an excuse. That’s a bait,” he said. 
“Actually there are other billions coming in. The Philippines is contiguous, island for island. There are seven thousand islands. Just choose where you want to land,” he added. 
“In the end, we will be like Mexico. We will be controlled by drug cartels. The Sinaloa has already entered the country and that is why drugs are being thrown in the Pacific. The same is happening in the West,” he said.
Obviously the drug war has not stopped drugs. Billions worth of shabu keep coming into the country and the PDEA acknowledges China is a major source. Will Duterte ever stop coddling the Chinese?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1099691/panelo-show-proof-fishers-being-harassed-in-panatag
The Philippines is bent on filing a diplomatic protest if it is proven that the Chinese Coast Guard is driving away Filipino fishermen from Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Monday. 
“They have to show proof that’s being done now [again]. If that is being done, certainly we will protest. We will not allow our countrymen to be subjected to that kind of harassment,” he said. 
He added: “If there was a negotiation, there was an agreement not to touch them (fishermen). And then one incident, two incidents violate this agreement, then we have to tell them (Chinese) and they will have to correct it.”
Let's get real here.  Even if there were video and audio showing the Chinese navy driving away and shooting at and even killing Filipino fisherman this administration would throw up its hands and say, "What can we do!?"

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/03/27/1904899/dilg-exec-admits-narco-list-release-may-affect-probe
An official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) admitted that the investigation on the 46 politicians implicated in the illegal drug trade could be affected by the release of their names to the public. 
DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III agreed when asked over The Chiefs on Cignal TV’s One News if the investigation on the criminal aspect could be derailed as the politicians involved will be more careful with their activities after President Duterte named them in public. 
“Lumalabas na ganun (Looks that way),” Densing said in the interview aired on Monday.
According to Densing, Duterte’s decision to name the narco politicians in public is to guide voters in the midterm polls. 
“The elections are coming and because we have a narco list, the people would need to know,” he said. 
He said the President was willing to take the risk in naming the politicians in public, hoping that he can influence the voters. 
“We can at least reduce the number of narco politicians in local government. I think the President saw that,” Densing said.
Despite admitting that the release of this list will directly affect any investigations into these politicians Densing still defends the manoeuvre by saying it could "reduce the number of narco politicians in local government." That assumes all these men are up for reelection and that the people have read the list. It also ignores the fact that the best way to get these men out of politics is to file cases and arrest them.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1100128/palace-insists-miriam-santaigo-was-never-icc-judge
On Monday, Panelo said the appointment of Santiago to the ICC in 2011 should be considered void because the Philippines was never officially a member of the international body. 
Panelo, however, said the Philippine government need not pull out former law dean Raul Pangalangan from the ICC as the Philippines was never under ICC jurisdiction.
This narrative that the Philippines was never a member of the ICC is very bizarre but is in keeping with other the same tactics used against Supreme Court Chief Justice Sereno whose appointment was declared invalid and against Sen. Trillanes whose amnesty Duterte declared void "ab initio."

Apart from being a possible debt trap, Africa said the ODA made it too easy for China to declare the loan in default and declare “all the principal of and accrued interest … immediately due and payable.” 
According to the agreement released by the Department of Finance, the loan is governed by Chinese laws and any disputes will be settled in the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. 
Africa said that under the agreement, the Philippines “waives any immunity on the grounds of sovereignty” and may give up natural and strategic resources to China in case it defaulted on the loan. 
The construction of the dam also comes at the price of the lives, lands and livelihood of indigenous peoples, according to members of the Dumagat tribe.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1100147/senators-not-buying-palace-assurance-on-china-loan
Senators on Tuesday expressed concern over the country’s loan agreement with China for an irrigation project in which the Duterte administration used “patrimonial assets” as collateral that could be seized by Beijing if the government defaulted on its payments. 
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio last week raised the alarm over what he described as lopsided provisions in the $62-million loan agreement to build the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, including the arbitration of any dispute by China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission in Beijing. 
Carpio warned that in case of a default in the payment of the loan, China could seize the gas-rich Recto (Reed) Bank in the West Philippine Sea as a “patrimonial asset” or an asset “dedicated to commercial use” by the Philippine government.
Duterte is very fixated on getting loans from China to build these projects yet all of these loans have terms which are unfavourable to the Philippines. 

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1065738
"Iyong Koreano na pinatay sa Crame. ‘Yan si Acierto, pati si Fajardo (That Korean who was killed in Camp Crame, Acierto and Fajardo), they were the ones who killed that Korean," he said. 
The President said Acierto is also behind the import and distribution of about 1,000 pieces of AK-47 units to communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels. 
He said Acierto was "dismissed from PNP (Philippine National Police) effective Aug. 14, 2016 due to (the) procurement of AK-47 rifle(s), which eventually landed in the possession of the New People’s Army." 
"He (Acierto) was the guy na nag-import ng AK-47 -- 1,000 something pieces. Tapos idineliver niya sa New People’s Army (He was the guy who imported AK-47s – 1,000 something pieces. Then he delivered them to the NPA)," Duterte said in his speech during the distribution of grants to beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1100346/ex-cop-aciertos-link-to-jee-ick-joo-slay-not-established-says-albayalde
“Actually, sa ngayon walang feedback sa amin na he (Acierto) was directly or indirectly involved. I think that part is still under investigation, although na-identify kasi kaagad kung sino ‘yung mga directly involved gaya nina Colonel Dumlao who are in jail actually,” Albayalde told reporters at Camp Crame. He was referring to Lt. Col. Rafael Dumlao III, who is currently detained at the PNP Custodial Center.  
(Actually, as of now there is no feedback to us that he was directly or indirectly involved. I think that part is still under investigation, although those directly involved were immediately identified like Colonel Dumlao, who are in jail actually.) 
“‘Yung participation niya kung meron man, hindi pa ma-identify until now. ‘Yun nga after that kasi na-dismiss siya from the service,” the PNP chief said. 
(His participation, if there’s any, has not been identified until now. It’s because after that he was dismissed from the service.) 
Acierto was dismissed from the police force in August 2018 following an order from the Office of the Ombudsman over the anomalous issuance of AK-47 rifles during the Aquino administration.
Acierto claims many of the men Duterte surrounds himself with are involved in drugs.  Specifically he has named Michael Yang, a Chinese envoy, as being involved in the drug trade. Now Duterte is attempting to silence Acierto and sully his name by outright lying about him.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/ulatfilipino/689053/barangay-kagawad-sa-san-jose-romblon-arestado-dahil-sa-m16-at-45-na-baril/story/
A local official charged with illegal guns.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1100743/village-councilor-wounded-in-sampaloc-shooting
Another local barnagay official shot. Attempted assassination?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1100713/suspect-dead-village-chief-nabbed-in-batangas
In Ibaan town, Emiliano Barte, village captain of Barangay San Agustin, was arrested for illegal possession of firearms around 11 a.m. Wednesday. 
Police said Barte was the leader of the so-called Barte Criminal Gang which was being linked to Ibaan mayor Juan Toreja. 
Toreja, who has earlier denied the accusations and announced that he was no longer running for the May elections, was among the local chief executives named by President Duterte as involved in the illegal drugs trade. 
A local official nabbed for illegal gun possession who is also the leader of a criminal gang with ties to the mayor who is on Duterte's narco list. Interesting.


https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/224759/duterte-orders-re-arrest-of-suspect-in-christine-silawan-killing

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he had ordered the re-arrest of the teen suspect in the killing of 16-year-old Christine Lee Silawan, whose body was mutilated and whose face was skinned down to her skull. 
In his speech during PDP-Laban campaign rally in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, the President said he called the prosecutor who ordered the 17-year-old suspect’s release. 
“Sabi ko: I-recall mo yung desisyon. Have the guy re-arrested,” the President said. 
[I said: Recall the decision. Have the guy re-arrested.] 
On Friday, the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office ordered the release of the teenage suspect from the social welfare department’s custody because the arrest made by the National Bureau of Investigation was invalid since it was done without a warrant. 
“Di ako papayag ganunin ang bata. Binalatan mo ang bata. Mahuli ka ilang days, tapos palayain? Imposible ang hot pursuit na 24 hours lang. Six days, it’s still hot pursuit,” he added. 
[I won’t allow the child to be treated that way. He skinned the child. It took a few days to arrest him and then he’s released. It’s impossible to have a hot pursuit in just 24 hours. Six days, it’s still hot pursuit.]
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/224831/lapu-lapu-prosecutors-dutertes-order-to-detain-anew-silawans-murder-suspect-will-not-influence-murder-probe
A phone call from President Rodrigo Duterte  will not influence the course of the preliminary investigation being conducted by the panel of prosecutors of the Lapu-lapu City Prosecutors Office on the murder case lodged against the 17-year-old suspect in the murder of Christine Lee Silawan. 
City Prosecutor Ruso Zaragosa admitted that he was questioned by the President in a phone conversation on why he ordered the release of the suspect last Friday, March 22. 
“Gipasabot nako nganong ingon ana among decision nga wala mo-fall  sa hot pursuit ang pagdakop sa bata. Convinced ra siya but naa pud siyay gisulti nga basin masulod ra sa hot pursuit [ang pagdakop]. Mura ra mig nag estorya, nag discuss,” Zaragosa said.

(I explained why we came up with the decision that the arrest of the boy did not fall under the principle of hot pursuit. He was convinced but he also mentioned that perhaps the arrest could still fall under hot pursuit. We just talked and discussed about the case.)
No matter which story is true, that Duterte ordered the arrest or that Duterte and the City Prosecutor only talked it over and came to some rational conclusion, the fact is that the President ordering the arrest of anyone is out of line and should not be tolerated but of course every one will tolerate it. There is also the fact of the PNP bungling this case by arresting the man without a warrant thus allowing the main suspect to go free which is ridiculous. Doubtful this girl and her family will ever see justice but who knows?

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Painting the Red Sidewalk Red

These hardworking men are painting the red sidewalk red.






What is the point of this? Its dumb enough that a perfectly good sidewalk was torn up and destroyed with debris laying on the side of the road for months as they glued those faux brick tiles on the smooth concrete.




It's dumb enough that the curb was hand painted with yellow and black stripes using non reflective paint which totally defeats the purpose of the curb being painted so it can be seen at night. At least I think that is the purpose of painting the curb but then why use black? Heck why not use white like these guys:


This whole project of beautifying sidewalks by glueing faux brick tile to the concrete is happening all over town and it makes no sense whatsoever. These sidewalks were perfectly fine. A sidewalk serves a utilitarian purpose of allowing people to walk safely from one destination to another. Unless the sidewalk is in a car-free pedestrian shopping area it makes no sense to embark on a beautification project.

Because this project has taken so long to complete trip hazards were introduced thus making the sidewalks more dangerous.



It's bad enough they created these trip hazards when just a few yards away is the following sight:


Why are those two men painting the red sidewalk red? It's make-work. It serves no purpose except to further whatever scam is taking place here. How would this scam work? Perhaps someone suggests this worthless project and the city agrees to it and then there is overbidding and skimming from the top. It has been almost a year since these projects have begun and they are still not finished. I'm pretty sure it's a scam of some sort. If it's not a scam it is mighty stupid and pointless and the money could have gone to a more needful project somewhere else.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

The Day I Met Bong Revilla

The day I met Bong Revilla started off like any other day. I woke up at 4 am, ran 5 miles, took out the dogs, and went through all the other morning rituals that mark the beginning of each day. The meeting with Bong Revilla would not be until after lunch so there was plenty of time for the excitement to build. This meeting had been planned for about three weeks and I was prepared though there was not much preparation to speak of. My goals in meeting Bong Revilla were two: have him sign his comic book to PF (no way would he sign it to Philippinefails) and ask him a question that has been consuming me for the past two years. 

As to the nature of the meeting I was quite in the dark. At one point I was told we might be having lunch with Bong Revilla. The we I refer to are my friends who are Bong Revilla supporters. Their house is filled with boxes of campaign materials: posters, t-shirts, comic books, flyers.


I was under the impression that as a thank you for working for his campaign Bong Revilla would meet with them when he stopped in town for an event. As I said lunch with Bong sounded exciting but it was not to be.

On the day of the meeting we were told the meeting would take place between 2 - 4 pm. One of my friends was in contact with Bong's secretary and she would call and tell us when he was on the way. We arrived at the hotel at around 4 pm and waited around until he showed up. Not many people were there. Just our group of five people and a few others who were having coffee in the dining area. One of the requirements to meet Bong Revilla, so I was told, was that I had to wear a campaign t-shirt. That was not something I wanted to do at all but I slipped it on anyway.

The secretary told us Bong was in a meeting with the mayor and would arrive shortly. He did not arrive until 4:50 pulling up in a large caravan. Bong was standing in the truck bed of the leading vehicle tossing out t-shirts to the few people who were outside. Then he got down and made his way to the hotel lobby.




He walked around shaking hands as people approached him. He took photos with people. We all walked over to him and shook his hand said hello and had a photo. Then he took a photo with the hotel staff.


After that it was as if the sea parted and everyone left. Bong was all alone. I was nudged and told, "He's free. Now's the time to ask your question." So, pen and comic book in hand, I approached him and said, "Excuse me." One of his cameramen said to Bong, "Hey boss!" and motioned toward me and then I had his full attention. I held out my comic book and asked if he would sign it.  "To PF," I said.


At this point I was shaky and nervous but as he was signing his autograph I asked my question. "Sir when you are elected Senator will you initiate an investigation into the Marawi siege in order to find out what happened, how it happened, why it happened, and to prevent it from happening again?"

He looked at me intently, nodded his head, and said, "Will do that." Then he walked away to mingle with a group of men one of whom I was told was a big donor.

And that's my meeting with Bong Revilla.  He went upstairs to freshen up and when he came back down to leave we approached him again this time to get his autograph on my t-shirt.


Much to my horror I saw that all my photos of Bong were awful. They were all blurry and out of focus so I attempted to get at least one good photo as he was leaving.


My impression of Bong Revilla is that he looks nothing like his campaign picture. On his poster he is light skinned and youthful looking. In person he is still youthful looking but he is dark, heavy set, and reminded me very much of Elvis Presley. He had a lot of swagger in his walk and was even carrying around a towel at one point. His voice is also deep. He was wearing a campaign t-shirt but his belt buckle was a skull and crossbones which is exactly the kind of flair Elvis might wear. 

Now as for the meeting itself I was very disappointed. As I said above I was under the impression that my friends were working for his campaign and as a thank you would get a personal meting with Bong. It turns out Bong Revilla had no idea who my friends were and no meeting was ever set up. The situation is a little complicated but the gist is they had been in touch with his son and it was his son that promised the meeting unbeknownst to Bong Revilla. 

As for the question I asked him...it was kind of pointless. I really thought we would get to meet and speak to him in an intimate and personal way not just shake hands in a hotel lobby. I certainly can't hold him to his word or even consider it a promise of any kind. He has likely forgotten me already. 

But I will never forget the day I met Bong Revilla.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Martial Law: Threatening War

Well, he did it again. Duterte terminated peace talks with the communists for the...how many times is that now?

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1020119
“I am officially announcing the permanent termination of our talks between the Government Panel and the Communist Party of the Philippines,” President Duterte said. 
“I’d like to announce that I am no longer entertaining any interventions or maybe persuasions in this democratic state of the Republic of the Philippines,” he added. 
The Chief Executive also said that the CPP could talk to the next president, indicating that there would be no more discussions under his administration.
On again, off again do peace talks really matter when the AFP and the NPA continue to engage in combat?
https://thedailyguardian.net/negros/army-npa-clash-in-escalante/
A gun battle erupted between members of the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) and more or less 10 New People’s Army (NPA) fighters in the mountainous area of Barangay Mabini in Escalante City, Negros Occidental Thursday night.
More or less then 10 NPA fighters? When was the last time the AFP and the NPA went head to head with large battalions firing off machine guns at each other in the jungle or the mountains? It's always a few NPA ambushing the AFP or PNP and then running off into the night or the AFP engaging a few NPA after hearing about their presence in a remote locality. It is never anything significant. It's a waste of time really. Perhaps that is one reason why the AFP agrees with Duterte's move to end the peace talks...again.

https://www.untvweb.com/news/afp-on-dutertes-move-to-scrap-talks-with-reds-its-the-right-thing/
“Dapat lang. 31 years of deceptive ploys using peace talks, across five administrations, only resulted to more terrorist NPAs being released, an opportunity for the CTG (communist terrorist groups) to recruit and recover lost areas of influence, publicity for Joma [Sison] in the international arena as a ‘dove,’” AFP deputy chief of staff for civil-military operations Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr. said in a message sent to media on Friday. 
Parlade added that the decades-long peace process “wasted government funds spent for negotiations and junkets, opportunity losses for investments and development because of prolonged and intermittent fighting.” 
“They had their best chance when peace was offered again to them by PRRD [President Rodrigo R. Duterte], offering Cabinet posts in good faith for them to help in good governance but they blew it by attacking projects, killing society forces, and even innocent civilians,” he said. 
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday permanently ended the peace negotiations and told the communist rebels to just talk to the next administration. 
Malacañang followed this up with an announcement that a new panel will be created to pursue localized peace talks with communist members on the ground in line with the government’s new whole-of-nation approach to end the 50-year armed struggle. 
It seems the peace talks aren't 100% over because Duterte will now begin pursuing localised peace talks which according to the AFP have been very successful.
Meanwhile, AFP spokesman, Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, slammed Sison for calling President Duterte “stupid” for pursuing localized peace talks with the NPA instead of re-engaging with the Utrecht. 
“Mr. Sison has the temerity to call President Duterte ‘stupid’ for thinking that government will be successful in attaining peace by engaging NPA commanders and fighters on the ground instead of the CPP-NPA’s national leadership,” Arevalo said in a statement. 
“Mr. Sison speaks like a smart aleck to conceal his panic. He is of course aware that localized peace engagement has been immensely successful,” he added. 
He said since January 2018, localized peace talks have resulted in the surrender of more than 11,000 NPA regulars and supporters who have realized the deception made on them by the CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front (NDF) leadership that are mostly based in Utrecht, Netherlands. 
“They have realized that they have been deceived and have descended from their mountain hideouts to rejoin their families, avail of government benefits, and live normal lives,” Arevalo said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1065401
https://www.untvweb.com/news/govt-to-create-new-panel-for-localized-peace-talks/
President Rodrigo Duterte has terminated the appointments of the members of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) negotiating panel. 
But the decision, according to Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. will pave the way for the creation of a holistic panel that will supervise localized peace negotiations. 
In response to the issue, NDFP Founding Chairman and Chief Political Consultant Joma Sison in a statement on Thursday (March 21) accused President Duterte of having no interest in the peace negotiations because “he has always schemed to use the armed conflict as an excuse for carrying out martial law nationwide” and “in order to realize and impose fascist dictatorship on the Filipino people.” 
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a press briefing said Sison “read it wrongly.” 
“That’s why there will be creation of panels, it’s localized. That would be more favorable to them,” Panelo concluded. 
The new panel, Panelo said, will commission representatives from different sectoral groups, local government units, and the military.
Just like with the Muslims any talk about "peace" with the communists must be done with the government and the communists being on the same page about what peace means. For the government peace seems to always mean cessation of hostilities. For the Muslisms it means implementing policies beneficial to the Bangsamoro people which will ultimately lead to independence. For the communists it means the signing and implementation of the CASER, Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reform.
“CASER is the trigger mechanism that would lead to the discussion of constitutional reforms and end of hostilities,” said Government peace panel member and former Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza after a two-day consultation-workshop on the government’s proposed social economic reforms and ceasefire here in the city. This is a first on the series of regional consultations on the said drafts to be conducted nationwide.
https://peace.gov.ph/tag/comprehensive-agreement-on-social-economic-reforms/
You can read the CASER here and you can read what I have previously written about it here

This document is 173 pages of broad and general calls for reform in industry, culture, agriculture, and other areas of the government and Philippine life. The one thing lacking is there are no methods of implementing these reforms. There is nothing exact. It's as vague as the term "social and economic reform." After listing the various reforms sought for a particular area there is a schedule of implementation like the following:
Section 1. The Parties shall create a mechanism to ensure that the Agreement on Financial, Monetary and Fiscal Policies (FMF) is respected and effectively implemented. 
Section 4. The Parties shall, within three (3) months from signing this Agreement, agree on the composition, functions, mechanics and logistics of the JMC-FMF and on the implementation schedule and work plan containing the dates and time frame for undertaking their respective commitments under the Agreement on FMF.
These terms are too vague and the timeframe for designing a method of implementation, 3 months for each section, is too short. The danger in signing such an over broad agreement is that the CPP will undoubtedly accuse the government of not keeping its word when all these reforms are not implemented due to disagreement on the methods of implementation. These are not reforms that can happen over night or in 3 months. The CPP is not taking into account the slow nature of government especially the corrupt Philippine government.

Signing the CASER and implementing all the reforms therein is what the communists consider to be peace. The government could never gain anything by subscribing to such terms. It would be foolish to ever sign that document. The genius of localised peace talks is that they bypass having to sign the CASER and deal with NDFP and CPP leaders and involve only the government and the regional band of NPA fighters. The bad thing about localised talks however is that the government is basically bribing those men to lay down their arms. With the E-Clip program every person who surrenders is given a house and money and training to get a job. And who pays for that but the taxpayer? No NPA fighter should get free housing and money while many regular Pinoys are living in dire squalor and poverty.

MNLF founder and Chairman Nur Misuari has returned form his trip abroad and now he is threatening to go to war if federalism does not push through.

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/3/20/Rodrigo-Duterte-Nur-Misuari-war-federalism.html
President Rodrigo Duterte said Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari threatened to go to war during their meeting in Malacañang Tuesday evening. 
"Kagabi nag-usap kami sa harap ni Gen. (Carlito) Galvez, sa OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process)," Duterte said in a speech at the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino - Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) campaign rally in Marikina. "Sabi ko, 'Let us talk sa iyo.'" Sabi niya, "O sige. Pero ito ang gusto ko, federalism." 
[Translation: Yesterday we talked in front of General Galvez, in the OPAPP. I told him, "Let's us talk about you." He said, "Okay, but this what I want, federalism."] 
Misuari met with Duterte, Galvez, and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon. In the meeting, Duterte said Misuari claims the Moro community wants federalism, as supposedly promised by then President Corazon Aquino. 
"Sabi ni Misuari kagabi [Misuari said last night], 'If you do not give it (federalism) to me, let me be very honest. I will go to war," Duterte revealed.
It's all so ridiculous. Cory Aquino promised federalism to the MNLF? Really? No. No agreement made with the MNLF promises federalism.

Former MNLF chairman Muslimin Sema said there was no reason to threaten war” as he cited the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) signed by the MNLF and the Philippine government. 
“While federalism may be a solution to the Bangsamoro issue, the 1996 FPA does not provide for it but merely for meaningful autonomy and the integration of our fighters to the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” Sema said in a statement. 
“There is no valid reason to make threats of war, veiled or otherwise. War is not a child’s play and already considered uncivilized,” Sema stressed.
https://www.manilatimes.net/misuari-incapable-of-waging-war/530496/
What she gave them was the ARMM and the MNLF messed that up big time because it wasn't the independence they actually wanted. How is it that before Misuari left the Philippines Duterte was talking about a gentleman's agreement with Misuari and now he is talking about war?

https://www.untvweb.com/news/palace-duterte-wants-a-gentlemens-agreement-not-new-peace-deal-with-mnlf/
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Friday (March 1) clarified that President Rodrigo Duterte does not intend to create a new peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). 
Instead, Medialdea said the Chief Executive wants an agreement in form of a formal writing between him and MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari for the sake of achieving peace in the Mindanao region.
Where did he go? What did he do? Who did he talk to? He went to the UAE and Morocco to attend two meetings of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
On Tuesday night, Misuari left for UAE to attend the 46th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on March 1 and 2. 
He will stay in UAE until March 11 before proceeding to Morocco to attend the 14th session of the Parliamentary Union of OIC member states in Rabat, Morocco, on March 13 and 14.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1090428/president-eyes-misuari-as-uae-emissary-lorenzana
It should be remembered from last week's martial law update that the MNLF is the only Filipino Islamic group recognised by the OIC and they have been observer members since 1977. This means that they do not recognise the MILF which is now in control of the BARMM. At the UAE meeting a declaration was issued with the following pertinent points:

30.
Renew the collective position of the Member States against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, express our concern regarding the danger of terrorist groups which threaten the stability, security and territorial integrity of Member States, emphasise the importance of setting the legal legislative measures aiming at the promotion of counter extremism, including combating discrimination and hatred, criminalising actions related to disdaining religions and sanctities, combating all forms of discrimination, rejecting hate speech, criminalising discrimination between individuals and groups based on religion, belief, rite, faith, sect, race, color or ethnic origin, and combating the exploitation of religion for the takfirism of individuals and groups by imposing repressive sanctions on associations and events aiming at the disdain of religions, discrimination or incitement of hate speech. 
31.
Affirm the conviction that extremism and terrorism are closely interlinked and that it is essential to deal with environments that foster extremism through effective approaches to address all root causes leading to extremism and what follows in terms of involvement with terrorism.
https://gulfnews.com/uae/government/abu-dhabi-declaration-46th-session-of-council-of-foreign-minister-of-the-organisation-of-islamic-cooperation-1.1551555952948
The OIC's rejection of terrorism flies in the face of Misuari's declaration of war if no federalismWhat happened in Morocco? They too penned a declaration which practically mirrors the declaration made in Abu Dhabi. There is also a group photo where Misuari can be seen and identified by his distinctive headgear and beard.


5. We renew our rejection of extremist thought and condemnation of terrorism which targets several Islamic and non-Islamic countries. We call for a head-on confrontation of its roots and causes and intensified cooperation among the members of the International Community to achieve that aim. In this respect, we demand taking action to counter extremist and bigoted discourses, whatever their sources and origin, rejecting the establishment of any links between terrorism and Islam and Muslims, and the exploitation of terror claims in campaigns against Islam and Islamic Civilization. 

6. We call for the resolution of conflicts in certain regions of the Islamic World, by dints of dialogue, negotiation, and peaceful means. We emphasize the necessity of sparing civilians the consequences of these conflicts, providing them with the requisite protection, and guaranteeing their moral and material rights to safety, security, social services, and all the necessaries of dignified life. We reaffirm our rejection of civilian hostage-taking, arrest, detention, and their use as a means to exercise pressure in conflicts.
http://www.chambredesrepresentants.ma/en/news/rabat-declaration-14th-session-puic-conference
This declaration also does not sound in concert with Misuari's declaration of war.

There are two things that could be happening here. One is that Misuari is just acting out. This is what Senate hopeful Samira Gutoc thinks.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1098498/senate-bet-says-misuari-threat-to-wage-war-a-political-strategy
Moro National Liberation Front chair Nur Misuari’s alleged threat to wage war if federalism is rejected may be a “political strategy” to express support to President Rodrigo Duterte, opposition senatorial bet Samira Gutoc argued Thursday. 
Gutoc said that while the threats need to stop, Misuari might not mean what he said. 
“Ang malaking pang-kontra natin sa ganitong posturing ay panawagan galing sa isang batang Marawi kagaya ko na nakaranas ng gyera, na wakasan na, tuldukan na ‘yung karahasan at pagbabantang ganito,”  the former ARMM assemblywoman said. “I think it’s only a matter of language.” 
(The biggest deterrent against this posturing is an appeal from a native of Marawi like who had experienced war. We need to put a stop to threats of violence like this. I think it is on). 
I know that the Chairman does not mean a physical war. Sometimes, he only expresses his feelings and sentiments through mga ganitong pagsasalita (words like these). It might also be just a political strategy para maipakita ang suporta kay Pangulong Duterte (to show support to President Duterte).”
It's funny how she apologises for Misuari by saying he does not mean what he really says when Misuari has gone to war many times over independence. In fact the last time was the 2013 Zamboanga siege. But why would he threaten war over federalism? DND Secretary Lorenzana also thinks Misuari is posturing to get attention.
Lorenzana dismissed Misuari’s threat as mere “sound bites in an attempt to make himself be noticed.” 
“But he is missing a great chance to be really relevant. He should accept the BARMM, work within it and lend his leadership, stature and expertise to make it succeed,” the Defense chief said. 
“My guess [on his threat]? He’s bluffing,” he added.
https://www.manilatimes.net/misuari-incapable-of-waging-war/530496/

The other thing is that could be happening is maybe Misuari was told by someone to threaten war. Perhaps one should consider the OIC as the Islamic version of the Round Table, CFR, Trilateral Commission, and other groups working towards international hegemony but an Islamic hegemony rather than an Anglo-American hegemony. Perhaps Misuari was given instructions from his handler or financier to threaten Duterte upon his return. Just who did he meet in Morocco and the UAE? The Sandiganbayan should never have let him leave the country or post bail. The country has enough on its hands without having to listen to threats of war from Misuari.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1065350
Military troops pursuing the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao have recovered more anti-personnel mines, mortars, rifles, and communication devices from the extremist group. 
On Thursday, elements of Army’s 37th Infantry Battalion (IB) said they found an abandoned safe house in Barangay Penditin, Shariff Saydona Mustapha town with three anti-personnel mines at about 7 a.m. 
The improvised bombs were kept in the ceiling of the house made of wood and bamboos. A few hours after, troopers belonging to the 34IB clashed with about 20 BIFF members in the same village that lasted for 30 minutes. 
The militants splintered into smaller groups and fled after the firefight. In an ensuing clearing operation, 34IB troopers found one Carbine rifle, two anti-personnel mines, and personal belongings of BIFF members.
It seems terrorists always get away whenever the AFP conducts a raid. Maybe next time.