It has become increasingly clear the the AFP and the PNP are expecting another terrorist attack. Not just a few bombs here and there but a full scale siege against some city somewhere in the Philippines. Maybe even Manila!
At least 300 militants from a pro-Islamic State alliance that last year held a southern Philippine city for 5 months have regrouped and are planning similar attacks elsewhere, the army said on Monday.
He said the rebels broke into smaller groups with some slipping into the capital Manila to carry out bombings.
Gone are the "alleged regrouping" and "we are looking into it." Now they are saying as a matter of fact that some rebels have slipped into Manila to plan attacks. The AFP has also been kind enough to let the public know that 23 groups have combined to form ISIS-Philippines.
Security analyst Rommel Banlaoi identified the 23 groups as follows:
1. Ansar Dawlah Fi Filibbin (ADFF)
2. Rajah Solaiman Islamic Movement (RSIM)
3. Al Warakarul Islamiyah Battalion
4. Jama'at Ansar Khilafa
5. Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF)
6. Ansharul Khilafa Philippines Battalion
7. Bangsamoro Justice Movement
8. Khilafa Islamiya Mindanao (KIM)
9. Abu Sayyaf Group (Hapilon faction)
10. Syuful Khilafa Fi Luzon
11. Jama'atul Tawheed Wal Jihad (IS Lanao in Butig)
12. Ma'rakah Al-Ansar Battalion
13. Dawla Islamiyyah Cotabato
14. Dawlat Al Islamiya Waliyatul Masrik
15. Ansar Al-Shariah Battalion
16. Jamaah Al-Tawhid wal Jihad Philippines
17. Jundul-Tawhid Battalion (ASG Sulu)
18. Abu Dujanah Battalion
19. Abu Khubayn Battalion
20. Jundallah Battalion
21. Abu Sadr Battalion
22. Jamaah Al Muhajirin Wal Anshor (Philipina)
23. Islamic State of Marawi
Interestingly this CNN article mentions a PNP memo which had been circulating through social media.
In fact, in a leaked confidential memorandum from the Philippine National Police in Region 10, Manila is among the six areas that are allegedly targets of 'ISIS bombers'.
"Their targets are the populated areas, malls, and plazas. Cities mentioned are Zamboanga, Davao, Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, CDO, and cities of Northern and Southern Luzon," the document stated citing a text message received by the regional intelligence office.
The PNP confirmed the authenticity of the document but it's content is still subject for validation.
"The document is authentic. It really came from R2 of PRO 10, yung intelligence. However, the contents of that document requesting for validation is yet to be validated," said Philippine National Police (PNP) Spokesman CSupt. John Bulalacao in a phone interview.
Bulalacao said PNP Region 10 has already launched an investigation saying that whoever leaked the document will be met with administrative cases.
Bulalacao advised the public to refrain from circulating or sharing the documents in social media so avoid public panic.
Here the PNP says the document is authentic but then...
PRO-Northern Mindanao spokesperson Superintendent Lemuel Gonda said the memorandum was “purely fabricated and maliciously publicized to malign not only PRO-10 (Northern Mindanao) but the entire PNP.”
"PRO-10 (Northern Mindanao) categorically deny the preparation nor the dissemination of the memo," PRO-Northern Mindanao regional director Chief Superintendent Timoteo Pacleb said.
However, the Northern Mindanao police will have to validate the information and probe the source of the fake memo.
If the memo is fake then why would the information have to be validated? If the memo is fake then who released it? If the memo is fake how does that malign the entire PNP? It could just be a prank. But then again why does PNP Spokesman Bulalacao say its authentic? Why the contradiction? The public doesn't need a memo to know that terrorism remains a grave threat in Mindanao.
PRO spokesperson Superintendent Lemuel Gonda said they are treating the proliferation of the fake police memo as a communications gap that affects operational security.
Gonda is referring to the statement of PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao regarding the authenticity of the document.
What is a normal peace and security situation in terrorist infested Mindanao? Now we get the answer to the question "Why did Bulalacao validate the authenticity of the memo?" It was a communications gap! Remember last week when the AFP said there would be gaps in any security measures? Let me refresh your memory.
The PNP and he AFP had better close as many of those gaps as they can and quickly.
Duterte's all-out war against the NPA has yet to happen but it could be that such a war will turn out to be unnecessary.
In order to help them win the war against the NPA the DOJ has been seeking the formal declaration of the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organisation. Along with the CPP the DOJ is also asking for 600 individuals to be declared as terrorists.
By declaring the groups and individuals terrorists, the government would be able to monitor them closer, track finances and restrict their access to resources, among other things.
The petition included Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, appointed in 2014 as UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, who was listed as a senior member of the Maoist rebel group.
The inclusion of a UN special rapporteur on this list of alleged terrorists has riled up many people with the UN High Commissioner making comments about Duterte appearing to need a psychiatric exam and other groups blasting this as a war on indigenous people.
The Katribu ng Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas named the IP activists and advocates IPs tagged as CPP-NPA members in the petition filed by the Department of Justice as:
- Vicky Tauli-Corpuz – a Kankanaey and the U.N. special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
- Beverly Longid – a Bontok-Kankanaey activist from Cordillera, International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation global coordinator and Katribu international solidarity officer
- Windel Bolinget – a Bontok-Kankanaey, Cordillera Peoples Alliance chair and Katribu national convener
- Joanna Cariño – an Ibaloi elder and activist, SANDUGO co-chairperson
- Joan Carling – a Kankanaey, former CPA chairperson and former Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact secretary-general
- Jose Molintas – an Ibaloi lawyer and public servant, former national vice-president of the National Union of People’s Lawyers and former member of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- Datu Isidro Indao – a Matigsalog-Manobo village chief, council member of the PASAKA Lumad Confederation in Southern Mindanao and an active member of the Parent-Teacher Community Association of the lumad school run by the Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc.
- Datu Mampadayag – a Banwaon village chief and member of the TAGDUMAHAN lumad organization
- Datu Mandayhon – a Talaandig village chief and member of the PIGYAYONGAAN lumad organization
- Sergio Lumonday – a Manobo and the Tinananon Kulamanon Lumadnong Panaghiusa secretary general
- A dozen other indigenous leaders, activists and community organizers
The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation said the charges against them “are not only false and fabricated. They are baseless and malicious with intent to harass and intimidate those listed in the petition and the people’s mass movement to submission.”
Their inclusion among the more than 600 persons in the DOJ petition “is meant to cripple the people’s mass movement in the country and criminalize the legitimate struggles of the people by proscribing them as terrorist acts,” the IPMSDL added.
“We condemn the Duterte government for filing trumped-up charges against IP and human rights defenders while protecting big businesses and landlords who steal and plunder indigenous peoples’ ancestral lands and resources,” it said.
The administration
hit back saying all these charges are not unfounded
and are based on evidence.
“Ms. Tauli-Corpuz and the other individuals mentioned in the petition are there because of their membership in or association with the CPP-NPA as reported over the years by the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Cayetano said on Friday.
“If indeed Ms. Tauli-Corpuz and the others named in the petition are innocent as they claim they are, they should see this as an opportunity to clear their names and prove in court that they have never been members of or associated with the group,” he added.
Does Cayetano know that in court the burden of proof is on the accuser? It would do well for the administration to release their proofs showing us that she is indeed a member or associated with the CPP.
If an all-out war does break out the nation can count on beloved hero and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao to help in the fight.
With his confirmation as a reserve Army colonel, Senator Manny Pacquiao said Wednesday he is ready to help in the fight against terrorism.
"We're ready and we know and train there. Our position, what we should do, will we, "said Pacquiao.
"Even today, we're always in the government," he added.
He said he is even thinking of joining the regular military force.
"Anytime (I'm ready for the state) and I think it's going to be active in order to provide support and inspiration for those troops," he said.
He added that he is willing to be assigned in Mindanao and even die for the country.
"All (I do) just as long as the Lupang Hinirang always wants to 'die for' you," he said.
That section has been run through Google translate so everyone can read his remarks. Not a great translation but Manny's patriotic intentions come across quite clearly. He is willing and ready to die for his country. But he is not alone! He is not the only lawmaker newly confirmed as an AFP colonel.
The Commission on Appointment (CA) on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of House of Representatives Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and seven other lawmakers from both houses of Congress to the rank of colonel in the reserve force of the various services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Alvarez was confirmed as Colonel of the Philippine Navy-Marines.
Also confirmed were the nominations of Senators Loren Legarda and Manny Pacquiao as Colonels of the Philippine Air Force and Philippine Army (PA), respectively.
The CA also confirmed the nominations of four lawmakers from the House to the rank of Colonels: Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas (Judge Advocate General Service), Deputy Speakers Gwendolyn Garcia (PA) and Bai Sandra Sema (PA), as well as Rep. Roy Loyola (PA).
Meanwhile, the ad interim appointment of Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn P. Agabas as Colonel of the Philippine Army (Reserve) was also confirmed.
“After a thorough deliberation, your committee unanimously voted to favorably recommend for the Commission’s confirmation and its consent to the ad interim appointments and nominations,” he said in his sponsorship speech.
With their outstanding qualifications and wealth of experience in their fields of expertise, Honasan said the batch of nominees is symbolically “a representative of the cross-section of the best citizen army in the world”.
The AFP is the best citizen army in the world? Now that's what I call Pinoy Pride!
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