The latest updates in the war on terrorism from the PNP and the AFP are not very hopeful. It seems they are expecting their efforts to fail. When you read their assessments you get the idea that they are just waiting for the next major attack so they can say, "See, we did all we can but they took us by surprise."
"All the major key cities in Mindanao are candidate to become Marawi Part 2," he said in a press conference.
Dela Rosa, however, assured that they are on top of the situation to prevent a repeat of the Marawi City siege which claimed more than 1,000 lives and displaced thousands of residents.
But he pointed out that it would be difficult to lay a siege similar to Marawi due to its scale.
"It will take some time. Large-scale attack like Marawi will take months or years in the making bago 'yan magawa," Dela Rosa said.
"Ang binabantayan na lang natin ngayon 'yung threat na manggagaling doon sa mga naiwang miyembro ng Maute ISIS. 'Yung mga pocket attacks, lone wolf attacks—'yan ang babantayan natin dahil madali lang carry out 'yan. Pero 'yung large-scale attack like Marawi siege, medyo mahirapan pa sila ngayon," he added.
The PNP is expecting another Marawi siege but until then it's going to be lone wolf attacks. Actually the attacks have been sporadic fights between the AFP and a few terrorists here and there. The PNP says they will be intensifying security measures but who knows what good that will do as the AFP tells us there will always be gaps in security.
"There will always be a gap in the security measures being implemented by every nation in the world, big or small. Terrorists will always look into those gaps and take advantage of them," he added.
Despite this, Datuin said the AFP aims to strengthen security measures with the help of the public in order "to fill in those gaps.
"We call on our people to help in the effort against terrorism. The fight against terrorism is not the sole responsibility of the [government] or the security sector but of every citizen of the republic," he added.
"Every nation big or small has gaps in their security" is just a terrible excuse for if another attack happens. It's like when Adam passed the blame to Eve. Who cares if other nations may or may not have gaps? The Philippines needs to secure their own gaps. I know it's kind of hard to do when Lorenzana says if China abides by the UN ruling it would help greatly in securing the country and now China is militarising islands in the SCS. The borders are porous remember? That's why The AFP needs your help!
They have asked for help previously from residents of the ARMM but why would they bother helping? The AFP has pleaded for the public to report strange goings on in their neighbourhoods. The Muslim community in Mindanao is so tight-knit it's hard to imagine them doing such thing. They would get murdered for sure. Good thing the AFP has been taking everyone's guns.
Seventy-one high-powered firearms and 17 low-powered firearms were surrendered. These include home-made Barretts, M-16 rifles, M-14 rifles, garand rifles, M-203 rifles, and calibers .45 and .38 pistols.
This program will also lessen the problem of ‘rido’ caused by land and family feuds, which are common problems in this part of southern Philippines, he said.
“Sanhi ng kaguluhan 'di lang sa ating bayan kundi sa buong ARMM [Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao]. Ang loose firearms sanhi ng kaguluhan. Pangarap ko sa ating bayan ay bumalik tayo sa mapayapa at maunlad na bayan,” Manalao said.
There is no conflict in our country but in the entire ARMM [Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao]. The loose firearms cause disturbance. I wish our people to come back to a peaceful and prosperous country
He said the ‘balik baril’ program is a success as the ‘rido’ problem in the area has decreased.
Homemade rifles of every sort. Filipinos sure are industrious when they want to be. The admission that the entire ARMM is in conflict because of loose firearms is not much of a revelation. It's only a confirmation of what everyone knows: the ARMM is violent! Rido killings are down and that's a good thing but it's a bad thing that it took martial law and gun confiscation to return any semblance of peace.
Sobejana said the recovered arms cache included four M-14 rifles and four M-16 Armalite rifles.
How is eight rifles an arms cache?
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| First result for Google image search of "arms cache" |
Here a little there a little I suppose. With every terrorist they capture or kill that's one less weapon off the...jungle streets? There will be blood in the jungle but also in the streets which is why the AFP is drilling in urban warfare exercises.
It's good they are getting some training in urban warfare. It's certainly not bad. But with all this preparation let's hope the AFP and DND verifies intel reports and acts on them unlike last time. Never forget what led to the Marawi siege was that the AFP did not follow up on intel and they allowed weapons to flow into the area because of peace talks with MILF and MNLF. Has that situation been rectified? Can AFP approach suspicious people with weapons and confiscate them? There is much more to be done than just military training.
The fight against terrorism in Mindanao and the rest of the country is far from over. The AFP does not think now is the time for negotiating with the NPA.
When will the all-out war against the commies that Duterte has been promising commence? It's kind of hard to fight a Maoist group when the political party you are the head of is fawning over and allying itself with Chinese Maoists! Kind of hypocritical actually.
What about ISIS? Earlier in the week the AFP said they were confirming reports of Maute regrouping but now they have confirmed that it is true.
"Actually that's expected. In fact, after the Marawi liberation, the common action of the supporters of the enemies neutralized is to recruit," Bautista said in a recent interview with reporters.
"We have received reports that the recruitment is not limited within Lanao del Sur. It also continued in the areas of Basilan and Sulu and even in the area of Palimbang (a town in Sultan Kudarat)," he added.
Bautista said a number of government troops are still deployed in Marawi City as there are threats of another possible attack by the Maute group.
"The recruitment continues, meaning when there is recruitment there is still a possibility that they will siege or occupy another city, not particularly Marawi City. That is a big possibility," Bautista said.
The AFP and the PNP are not shy to tell the public that they expect the Maute Group to attempt another siege. It's almost as if they deem it inevitable and nothing can be done about it. Last year when the AFP was informed in April of the Mature Group's plan to lay siege to Marawi did they think it was inevitable? They sure didn't seem to do much about it. Will this same scenario play again? Will the AFP receive reports of an imminent siege and do nothing? There are plenty of ways to stomp out Maute and the other Islamic terrorist groups plaguing the country. There seems to be only two dominant strategies for winning this war: political and martial.
Duterte's strategy for winning the war is political.
“What setup do you want, Maranao region, Maguindanao region, Iranun region and (Sulu region) for Misuari? If you don’t want to mingle with other people, then we will put up regions for ourselves,” he added.
Duterte wants to divide up the nation into regions. If each tribe has their region then they won't need to fight. He's got the leaders of the terrorist organisations MILF and MNLF on his side.
Anything to get their dream of a de facto Islamic State in Mindanao.
The USA's solution is martial.
“Fortunately, the Philippines were able to take back and liberate that territory with the assistance of the US and other in the international community,” said Sales in a telephonic press briefing on Thursday.
Governments should address the conditions that could contribute to the rise of terrorist organizations in the Philippines and other countries, he said.
As for the Philippines, the US was looking at other types of partnerships to include border security, improved information sharing and law enforcement coordination.
“It is a vital interest of the US to make sure that a partner like the Philippines is protected against terrorist organizations like the Maute group and the local ISIS network,” he said.
“You can expect a hundred percent of the assets of the US government that the Philippines would request,” Glawe told reporters in an interview on Friday. “We are committed to our partnership and friendship with the Philippines in our global fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda.”
Last month, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson announced that Manila has joined the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
I wonder if anyone in the US Dept of Defence thinks the solution to terrorism in the Philippines is the passage of the BBL and federalism? Probably not! I must admit I missed the news that the Philippines has joined the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
“We were able to announce today it’s now 75 members because we welcomed the Philippines,” Tillerson said in a joint press briefing with the Kuwaiti foreign minister, which transcript was made available at state.gov.
The Philippine government has yet to announce its participation in the coalition.
Why would the Philippine government not announce its participation in this coalition? There is not much news on this coalition just like there is not much news on "Operation Pacific Eagle" except for articles that are very critical of it and Duterte's participation in the program.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes over the weekend disclosed that the government has kept Filipinos in the dark about Operation Pacific Eagle: Philippines, a new US-“counter terror” operation in the country.
According to Reyes, Operation Pacific Eagle: Philippines aims to maintain “active US military presence in the region.”
“It was launched by the US as early as September 2017, yet the Duterte government has kept silent about it,” said Reyes.
What is Operation Pacific Eagle?
According to DoD officials, OPE-P is a comprehensive campaign to assist the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in their fight against violent extremist organizations,
including those affilliated with ISIS (collectively referred to as ISIS-Philippines or ISIS-P)
and other terrorist groups that do not profess a connection to ISIS. The DoD did not
provide an anticipated end date for OPE-P, stating that the operation was conditions-based
and will terminate when the AFP no longer requires U.S. military assistance to address its
internal terrorist threat.
An open-ended US military operation in the Philippines which the Philippine government has yet to disclose or the media to report on! And no wonder. With Duterte's turn toward China this is not something he would want to publicise.
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