It looks like Abu Sayyaf is just jumping at the bit to avail themselves of Duterte's amnesty promises. Free money, free housing, free job training.
Just kidding.
These terrorists are up to their old tricks again.
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/987167/albayalde-abductors-of-2-policewomen-in-sulu-linked-to-abu-sayyaf-splinter-group |
The group, Albayalde said, had demanded a ransom of P5 million for the release of the policewomen, from police and local government negotiators, though Albayalde maintained “we will not give in to these kinds of demands that we consider terrorist activities.”
The government won't pay a P5 million ransom but they will provide millions in free housing, training, and assistance. Did Chief Albayalde mention that in his speech? "Please lay down your arms and surrender and we will pay you."
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| http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/04/18/9-suspected-abu-sayyaf-bandits-killed-in-basilan-clash-military |
At least nine suspected Abu Sayyaf Group members were killed after government forces attacked the lair of the terrorist group in the village of Mahatalang, Sumisip, Basilan on Wednesday, the military said Friday.
"The lair of the terrorist group." How dehumanising. Calling their hideout or home a liar like they are animals. Would Duterte appreciate that? He wants everyone to live in peace and if you paint your enemy as less than human how can peace be brought about? Why didn't the AFP go into the AFP hideout with flyers listing the benefits of surrender? Don't they want to see these men live productive lives in peace paid for by the taxpayers?
The commander of Joint Task Force Basilan, Brigadier General Juvy Max Uy, said members of the Abu Sayyaf who previously surrendered to the government helped them in tracking down the whereabouts of Indama’s group.
What a bunch of traitors! Why didn't these surrenderees encourage their former partners in crime to surrender? Maybe they don't want so many people taking advantage of what the government has to offer. Maybe they don't want too many flies on the paper. Maybe they don't want a crowd. Maybe they are doing what just about everyone does in this country which is take advantage of their fellowman.
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/987678/with-rehab-plan-marawi-land-prices-skyrocket-10-times-marawi-housing-rehabilitation-palace |
Some landowners in Marawi have raised the value of their lands as the government is looking for sites to build the housing units for the displaced residents of the war-torn city, an official said on Friday.
“[From]the previous market value [of] P500 per square meter, the asking price [now] reached P5,000 per square meter,” Adoracion Navarro, Undersecretary for Regional Development of National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said in a Bangon Marawi briefing in Malacañang.
“The assumed cost of land is 10 times the going rate, and that is because—that’s what being offered by the land owners in Marawi,” she said.
I can just imagine the wheels running in the heads of these land owners. It probably goes like this. So much money is coming in from Manila and from abroad that of course the government will pay. Why wouldn't they pay?
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| http://globalnation.inquirer.net/166490/us-donate-additional-3-5m-marawi-city-rehab-us-envoy |
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| https://www.rappler.com/nation/188574-premier-li-keqiang-china-donation-marawi-rehabilitation |
Maybe if the news had not broadcast all this information the prices would be not have increased ten times their normal rate. Or rather maybe if the government had kept it all hushed up and not revealed the exact amounts being donated then these landowners would not have dollar signs in their eyes. Or peso signs. But transparency is a must especially in a situation like the rebuilding of Marawi and especially in a country like the Philippines where corruption and graft and plunder run rampant.
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| https://www.untvweb.com/news/recto-pushes-for-live-streaming-of-boracay-and-marawi-rehab/ |
He said the proposal is to promote transparency in these two big-budget government projects ensuring that the budget, time and the specifications are followed.
Under the Project DIME, or Digital Imaging for Monitoring and Evaluation, drones, satellites and other technologies will monitor the development of these projects.
This might be a little too much transparency. This proposal is more James Bond than it is realistic. Just imagine if they had used these technologies to live-stream China's development of the Spratly Islands into military fortresses. The country with the slowest internet in Asia is going to use drones and satellites to live-stream the tedious process of rebuilding Marawi? It's laughable. The money necessary, the time required, the scale of the whole operation makes it totally unfeasible and unrealistic. Watching the live-stream of the building of Marawi would be like watching paint dry. Why not outfit every worker with body cameras?
While every other city in the country is now plagued with election banners and campaign parades with supporters banging on drums slowing down traffic Marawi remains an election free zone.
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/987699/no-el-imposed-in-marawi |
The city, wrecked by the war on Islamic State (IS) that lasted for five months, would not have elections until security officials decided it was safe.
This sent some residents complaining that after losing valuables, livelihood and property during the war, one of their most basic rights would be gone, too—the right to suffrage.
Sumalipao said despite the liberation of Marawi from IS followers, the military did not recommend elections in all of the city’s 96 villages.
She said some residents, including her, saw the suspension of elections as a way to force incumbent village officials to toe the line on what the government wanted to do in Marawi.
An interesting conspiracy theory but I reckon the government will do what its going to do in Marawi and that includes building another military base and developing the city in a modern design with little to no input from the Maranos.
The safest city in the country, Davao, is not putting elections on hold.
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| https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/05/04/251-davao-villages-in-poll-watch-list/ |
Of the 251 areas, Compostela Valley province and Davao City have the most EWAS with 68 and 55, respectively.
Davao City has one area placed under Category 1 and 54 under Category 2.
Areas placed under Category 1 have records of politically motivated violent incidents and may likely occur during the elections due to intense partisan political rivalry, while areas under Category 2 have serious armed threats posed by organized threat groups like the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), the Bangsamoro Independent Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
All the 68 areas in Compostela Valley are placed under Category 2. Compostela Valley is known to be a hotbed of the CPP-NPA.
Political violence in Davao? How is this possible? I thought Duterte eradicated crime and made it the safest city in the country if not the world. Compostela Valley "a hotbed of the CPP-NPA?" The AFP says their numbers are dwindling in that region.
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THE Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID) said that the number of New People’s Army (NPA) members have dwindled, especially in Compostela Valley province.
Despite the dwindling numbers the NPA is still active.
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| http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/652224/5-soldiers-hurt-in-clashes-with-suspected-npas-in-cagayan/story/ |
And despite this continuing terroristic activity Duterte is still hopeful for the peace talks.
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/987318/duterte-optimistic-about-peace-talks-revival |
President Duterte is optimistic the peace negotiation between his administration and the communist rebels would reopen again.
However, he asked the New People’s Army rebels, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to rest their guns for a ceasefire.
“I do not want to fight with you. So if we are going to talk (peace) again – I believe we will talk again – then you should calm down,” Duterte said in a speech here before the beneficiaries of the government’s land reform program.
I don't think the NPA heard him. Perhaps he should shout louder.
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