Last week we read that the DND had admitted defeat in the war against the NPA. "We cannot do it," said DND Secretary Lorenzana referring to stated plans to defeat the NPA in 2019. But they can do it in three years time he said. In the meantime the AFP Chief announced a grand scheme to defeat those wily commies, one which will require the assistance of every LGU in the nation.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1073621/afp-chief-of-staff-to-lgus-declare-reds-persona-non-grata |
The Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr., urged other local governments to follow the example of Sibagat town in Agusan del Sur, which formally condemned the communist rebels.
In a statement on Monday, Madrigal lauded the municipality for declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) persona non grata in a Dec. 21, 2018, council resolution.
“We hope that more LGUs (local government units) will finally recognize the need to take similar actions against the NPA and its front organizations and join the whole-of-nation approach to completely annihilate the communist armed conflict,” he said.
This is undeniably a brilliant move on the part of Sibagat's town council and a how-did-I-not-think-of-that suggestion from the AFP Chief? Why did no one think of this before? Why haven't all the communist organisations and fronts as well as their members been declared persona non grata? However this proposal is still kind of weak. What is needed is a national condemnation from Congress signed by the President. That will end the insurgency by...lowering their morale because it will show they are unwanted?
Of course if the communists were declared persona non grata throughout the land wouldn't that hinder the efforts being led by the government to bribe them into surrendering? Who would risk showing up to get their P65,000 and free housing?
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| https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1017104 |
The Negros Oriental Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has allocated P260,000 worth of financial assistance to four rebels who have surrendered in the municipalities of Mabinay and Zamboanguita.
DILG Provincial Director Dennis Quiñones said the rebel returnees were awarded the financial grants through the department’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
Quiñones said the former rebel beneficiaries were given immediate livelihood assistance worth P65,000 each to provide them with the necessary aid in their reintegration to the mainstream society where they belong.
Part of the financial aid distributed includes immediate assistance, livelihood assistance, and firearm remunerations.
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| https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1783222 |
THE City Government, along with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), are planning to build a shelter for former New People's Army (NPA) rebels.
According to Allan Porcadilla, focal person of the Enhanced - Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) concerns, the city is now looking for vacant lots where the proposed halfway house would be built.
The shelter will house former rebels before they will be returned to their families. They will undergo a rehabilitation program, and will be given livelihood projects, farming, livestock, raising, life skills training, therapeutic and psycho-social activities, value formations, among others, to prepare them in their return to the community.
City Administrator Teddy Sabuga-a said the city currently has 10 former rebels from Barangay Besigan but are still under validation.
Sabuga-a said this project is funded by the national government and is worth P5 million, pointing out that the reintegration of former rebels is a priority program of the government.
With all that free money and housing and job training and healthcare it's a wonder more poor people don't join the NPA just so they can surrender! What a payday that would be. Probably more than they will ever see again in their entire lifetime. Where is the government getting the money to pay for these programs? I don't know but the DND knows the NPA is getting their funding from local politicians and businesses.
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| https://www.bworldonline.com/lorenzana-funding-for-reds-a-challenge-to-government/ |
“For me, funding, more than top-level leadership, is the more critical challenge for the government in 2019. We enter an election year. CPP-NPA generates huge funds by extorting money and collecting permit-to-campaign fees from local candidates,” Mr. Lorenzana said in his speech at a forum in Makati City on Thursday, Jan. 17.
He added, “What can we do? To businesses and the private sector, stop giving so-called ‘protection money’ to the CPP-NPA. They are actual threats, you need to work closely with the AFP and PNP in your area.”
The Defense chief added, “To local candidates, show your love for our country. Do not pay any PTCF (permit-to-campaign fees). Stop funding the communist insurgents who do nothing but sow terror and anguish within our communities.”
Mr. Año said the collection of the said fees is prevalent in Mindanao. Martial law continues to be enforced in this region.
“This is prevalent in communist insurgency affected areas like in Eastern Mindanao, Western Samar, and Bicol. Konting areas lang pero inaabuso ng (Just a few areas but this is abused by the) CPP, NPA, NDF. They collect from mayors, governors, councilors, and even congressmen,” he said in an interview.
“If they can campaign in those areas, that’s an advantage against their political opponents and that means votes. Also they are hoping the NPAs will endorse them.”
Mayors, governors, councillors, and congressmen are paying the NPA for the privilege of campaigning. Pathetic if not downright treasonous. One of those congressman is undoubtedly Rep. Reynaldo Umali. In 2017 he practically admitted having paid the NPA's extortion fee. Why does Lorenzana throw up his arms and lament, "What can we do?" Two years ago Duterte warned firms who paid NPA exertion fees that they would be shut down.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/946676/firms-paying-revolutionary-taxes-to-npa-face-closure-duterte |
What happened? Another empty, worthless threat? More hot air and bluster? Seems to be that way.
Aside from tempting NPA soldiers with financial freebies the government continues to distribute free bullets to any NPA soldier bold enough to ask for one.
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| http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1059148 |
Reports from the 2MIB said government troops were conducting combat clearing operations when they encountered some 30 NPA members at about 7 a.m.
While there was no casualty on the side of the Philippine Army, Sedano said there were reports saying some rebels were wounded.
"Residents in the area reported that they saw some wounded armed men being carried by their comrades as they withdrew," he said. "We continue pursuing them until they will surrender and or be driven away from the residential area."
Why didn't the AFP pursue them until they were captured or killed? It's no wonder this war has been going on for 50 years now with no end in sight. Even if there is another shot at peace talks the end is nowhere in sight!
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1073687/andal-insists-duterte-ordered-him-to-do-back-channel-talks-with-reds |
On Monday, Andal told reporters that Duterte asked him to do back-channel talks with the communist leaders, though, he said, “in my private capacity.”
He claimed that Duterte gave him the order on Tuesday night last week.
YAWN!!! Even if this guy is lying, which the Palace say he is, this is the exact same place the country was in last year at this time!!!
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/639468/opapp-pushing-peace-process-with-reds-quietly-unofficially-dureza/story/ |
In both situations you have a man saying he is doing what he can to press for peace with the reds and both situations are without the express consent of Duterte. Both are dated mid-January. It's like deja vu.
Speaking of which.
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| https://www.rappler.com/nation/221040-list-philippine-firms-tapped-marawi-debris-clearing |
The government has chosen 3 Philippine firms to clear and manage debris in Marawi City’s “most affected area,” an essential step in the war-torn city’s rehabilitation.
The 3 firms are tasked with debris management in sectors 2 to 9 of Marawi City’s most devastated area. The Bangon Marawi Task Force had divided the 250-hectare area into sectors for efficiency and organisation.
Sectors 2 to 9 includes the Sectors 5, 6, and 7 where a majority of the commercial establishments and public buildings are located.
While progress is being made in these sectors, debris clearing in Sector 1, a small “pilot” area where 411 houses once stood, has stalled.
This was after the NHA suspended the work of contractor FINMAT International Resources, Incorporated (Finmat) when it was found that it demolished “several structures” without obtaining a permit from the Marawi City government.
The NHA is now waiting for Finmat to respond to the show cause order on its suspension. If NHA is not satisfied with the firm’s response, it may decide to cancel the contract and choose a new firm for the job.
Finmat’s contract with the NHA is worth P75 million. It was supposed to complete the work in 6 months, after the rehabilitation groundbreaking last October 30, 2018.
Along with debris clearing, the government wants to ensure there are no more unexploded bombs hidden in Marawi’s most affected area.
The task force’s target is for the area to be certified clear of bombs in August this year.
“We need to certify [as cleared of bombs] the 250-hectare property of MAA on or before August 2019,” Escalada said during the subcommittee hearing.
Total deja vu! Groundbreaking started last October. The problem is that they had to stop because the contractor the government hired did not have proper permits! So now they are starting over again. Oh and one more thing...there is still live unexploded ordnance in the area!
Debris clearing is about to start for the second time, the area has still not been cleared of bombs, how much will this project end up costing? Much more than projected no doubt. Thankfully the upcoming BOL plebiscite will be the end of all the war in Mindanao. No more Marawis! Just say "Yes" to the BOL and "No" to terrorism.
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| http://www.mindanews.com/peace-process/2019/01/duterte-yes-to-bangsamoro-ends-50-year-armed-struggle-begins-new-chapter-in-our-history/ |
“This landmark law was not built entirely from scratch. It echoes the aspirations and principles embodied in the past peace agreements with different Moro fronts. Indeed, it is a product of the blood, sweat, and tears of many great men who came before us,” Duterte said in a 35-minute speech at the Peace Assembly for the Ratification of Republic Act No. 11054 at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex within the compound of the seat of the 28-year old Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) .
“We are here. Insha’Allah. God is great. Allahu Akbar,” Duterte, the country’s 16th President and first Mindanawon to lead the nation, declared as he raised his clenched fist.
Duterte explained that ratification of the law “will not only serve as an expression of your desire to end more than half a century of armed struggle in the region. It will also serve as a testament to your determination to bring genuine peace and development in Muslim Mindanao through an autonomous government that truly represents and understands the needs of the people.”Bless his misguided and sincere little Muslim heart but Duterte is dead wrong. If these people wanted peace they could have simply dropped their arms and STOPPED killing their own people. No one is forcing the Moros to slaughter their own.
The report cited violent extremism, terrorism and rido (clan feud) as among the leading security problems in the Bangsamoro.
Marawi City, capital of Lanao del Sur, sustained heavy damage from bombing sorties by the Philippine military during the five-month siege of Islamic State-inspired militants in 2017. Rehabilitation of the country’s lone Islamic city is yet to start after the groundbreaking ceremony late last year.
Other parts of the ARMM and neighboring provinces had experienced bombing incidents using improvised explosive devices staged by suspected terror groups.
The report said conflicts also arise due to land disputes, kidnapping and election-related violence.
Advocates of the Bangsamoro Law said that while it could not solve all the problems in the region it would help address the phenomenon of violent extremism.How will this law address violent extremism? They don't say because they can't. A big part of the problem fuelling the violence is clan feuds and land disputes. Those incidents could easily be stopped if people didn't get so hot headed. Also there is the problem of IEDs but who is being blown up? They are. The Moros. They are being killed by their own people. Remember the people of Marawi knew about the Maute stockpiling weapons and planning an assault but they said nothing because they thought they would be spared because they are Muslims. They weren't spared!
And now we are supposed to believe peace will rule the land once the BOL is implemented?
Let me reiterate once more. The BOL is part of the peace agreement between the government and the MILF and no one else. The MILF is getting a pretty huge chunk of pie and other groups aren't exactly happy about it. Does no one else see the irony that the government and MILF and every BOL proponent is promising peace as soon as the BOL is implemented but the AFP and PNP have increased their presence to ensure a peaceful plebiscite? Do they see the irony that Lorenzana has publicly stated he hoped the MILF could help keep peace and order in the area once the BOL is implemented?
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1074767/red-wearing-mnlf-misuari-members-oppose-dutertes-bol |
While President Rodrigo Duterte was rallying the Bangsamoro to vote for the ratification of Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), about 3,000 members of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF-Misuari faction) gathered at the Cotabato City Hall here, opposing what Duterte was campaigning for.
He also urged them to stand up against Islamic violent extremism.
“We must stand together against ISIS because they know nothing but to kill,” Duterte said, adding he would never talk peace with the dreaded Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) that operates mainly in ARMM provinces.
But not all were supporting Duterte’s BOL.
Sam Mundas, an official of Cotabato City government, said the MNLF and other Bangsamoro people voluntarily showed up at the Cotabato City People’s Palace (City Hall) in red shirts chanting “No to BOL” and “Yes to Federalism.”
They brought with them the original MNLF red flag.
“We are from MNLF Nur Misuari faction, we are opposed to BOL and we want federalism to come,” Ansarudin Asim, one of the MNLF members gathered at the city hall compound, about 800 meters from ARMM compound where thousands of MILF and pro-BOL gathered to listen to President Duterte.
No to BOL, yes to federalism? What a choice! Duterte is far from the mark in regards to ISIS. There has been bloody Islamic violence long before ISIS appeared on the scene. Much of it was perpetrated by the MILF! And the government is crazy enough to give them the keys to the new BARMM in the name of peace.
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