Duterte's termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement would not have cancelled the 2020 Balikatan exercises between the USA and Philippine militaries. That is because the Duterte's decree would not have taken effect for 6 months and the drills would have taken place within that timeframe. Nevertheless the 202 Balikatan exercises have been shelved.
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| https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/3/27/balikatan-2020-canceled-covid-pandemic.html |
In a statement released on Friday, the United States Indo-Pacific Command announced the cancellation of the Balikatan 2020 scheduled on May 4-15 in the Philippines in accordance with travel restrictions issued by both countries in light of the pandemic.
“In light of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding COVID-19 pandemic and in best interest of the health and safety of both countries’ forces, it is prudent to cancel Balikatan 2020,” said Adm. Phil Davidson, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command.
Balikatan 2020 would have been the last of the military exercise held annually for more than three decades. President Rodrigo Duterte in February announced the termination of the VFA, which legally allows the presence of the foreign troops in the Philippines for the drills.
The pact's end will take effect 180 days after the Feb. 11 notice sent by Foreign Affairs Sec. Teddy Boy Locsin to the US Embassy, unless there is an arrangement for both governments to end the termination period early or extend it.
With the whole world focused on the COVID-19 crisis it is not likely that the VFA will be on the discussion table anytime soon. While the world has come to a standstill China is taking the advantage by continuing to build in the WPS.
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| https://asiatimes.com/2020/04/china-seizes-covid-19-advantage-in-south-china-sea/ |
In recent days, China has conducted military drills and deployed large-scale military assets to the maritime area while at the same time officially celebrating strides made in exploiting disputed energy resources in the fossil fuel-rich sea.
While some see China’s nationalistic messaging as a bid to rally its people during difficult Covid-19 times, others view the increasingly aggressive naval maneuvers as a bid to exploit America’s weakened condition to secure new advantage in the hot spot theater.
According to China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, China recently conducted its most successful extraction of natural gas from gas hydrates both in terms of volume and production within a single day in a contested northern region of the sea.
The ministry trumpeted its “solid technical foundation for commercial exploitation” to become the first country in the South China Sea to exploit gas hydrates, mineral deposits at the bottom of oceans, by utilizing a horizontal well-drilling technique.
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has also flexed its naval muscles in the area through recent military drills led by the country’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. Those followed on aircraft-carrier-led drills in the northern portions of the South China Sea.
“Under difficult sea conditions in the early spring in the Bohai Strait, multiple J-15 fighter jets took off from the flight deck of the Liaoning and successfully landed several hours later, indicating the success of the technique rehabilitation training for instructors at Naval Aviation University,” announced the PLA Daily on March 23.
“Training for war preparedness will not be stopped even in the middle of the Covid-19 epidemic, and the training of carrier-based fighter pilots must continue.”
Who are they training to war against? The USA? The Philippines? The AFP says they have not taken their eyes off the WPS.
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| https://globalnation.inquirer.net/186525/key-role-in-covid-19-fight-wont-peel-ph-military-away-from-west-philippine-sea-duty |
The Philippine military, which is now playing a key role in the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, continued to perform other critical tasks, like its operations in the West Philippine Sea.
The Naval Forces West (NFW), in a statement, said although the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is gripping the entire country, the NFW has “instituted measures to ensure sustained operations in the West Philippine Sea.”
The NFW said its priority was to protect personnel in their West Philippine Sea tasks.
On Thursday, the NFW gave recognition to Navy men and officers who finished their four-month tour of duty at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
The BRP Sierra Madre was deliberately grounded in the shoal in the late 1990s to assert Philippine claim over the area.
The Navy men were honored for their “selfless service” in “enforcing maritime laws and protecting Philippine sovereignty amid the volatile condition in the disputed area.”
To assert the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, a group of sailors and marines had been deployed on rotation of three to six months to nine Philippine-occupied islands in the area.
On Thursday (April 2), the Philippine Air Force deployed two S-211 trainer aircraft to continue maritime patrols in the Western Command’s area of operations, which included West Philippine Sea.
Clearly this deployment of sailors and marines is not deterring the Chinese from their actions in the WPS. The patrols may continue regular but the COVID-19 has upended the AFP's routines.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1252524/ph-militarys-routine-programs-come-under-covid-19-attack |
The pandemic’s impact on organizations worldwide did not spare the Philippine military, which thrives on routine. And while it has taken a pause in counterinsurgency operations because of separate truce declarations by the government and rebels, the Philippine military has found a new, largely unknown enemy in COVID-19.
AFP chief of staff Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. had tested positive for COVID-19 last week after being exposed to a carrier, a senior officer.
While social distancing was enforced in the military at the onset of the health crisis, the virus, like an infiltrator, still found its way to the highest levels of chain of command.
Most of the military commanders may be working remotely because they are on quarantine, but technology has allowed them to keep the organization running.
“Physically, they are not able to meet and discuss. But thanks to the technology available. They can still gather heads together, discuss, and decide,” AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Santos convened the Board of Generals through video teleconference to discuss “important matters.”
“The AFP chain-of-command is as strong. Its efficient and effective functioning are unhampered by the quarantine requirements for some who are part of it,” the spokesperson said.
Gatherings like flag-raising and flag retreat ceremonies were set aside for the time being, said Arevalo. Large, collective exercises like mass calisthenics every Tuesdays and Thursdays were also temporarily stopped.
Tight restrictions have also had an impact on the military program to modernize.
Part of the modernization program that had been set aside was foreign travel by officers for post-qualification inspection of materiel and weapons. Meetings had also been cancelled, according to a senior defense official.
The Philippine Army’s scheduled inspection in the US set this month of Cobra helicopters and C-12 aircraft, which are on the military’s wish list, may have changes, too, said Army spokesperson Col. Ramon Zagala.
Delivery of assets, like six units of A-29B Super Tucano aircraft for the Philippine Air Force, had been further delayed because of the pandemic, said PAF spokesperson Maj. Aris Galang.
It remained to be seen whether final inspection of the Philippine Navy frigate BRP Jose Rizal would push through in South Korea before the ship’s scheduled delivery at end of April.
But despite the attack on routine and schedules by COVID-19, Arevalo said he believed the military remained “stable.”
“Our people can be rest assured that their AFP is stable as it is strong come COVID-19 or high waters,” he said.
From modernization to training the entire AFP has been upended by COVID-19. Like the rest of the world they are attempting to work within the parameters of social distancing to combat both the virus and the insurgents. Battling the virus means protecting those on the frontline.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1098447 |
Lt. Col. Joey B. Baybayan, commander of the Army's 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn), said there would be no “ceasefire” in the delivery of support services to members of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), which is composed of personnel of the Department of Health, local government units (LGUs), Philippine National Police (PNP), and other line agencies manning the quarantine checkpoints.
Baybayan said the Philippine Army, as a member of the IATF, would ensure the security of all task force members during the round-the-clock quarantine checkpoint operations.
The NPA has bared their plans to battle COVID-19.
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| https://www.bulatlat.com/2020/03/30/reds-launch-campaign-against-covid-19/ |
The New People’s Army celebrated its 51st founding anniversary, March 29, by mobilizing its forces to fight the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said.
In its message to the NPA, the CPP Central Committee directed the NPA to mark its anniversary “by reaffirming its pledge to serve the people by mobilizing its forces, together with the revolutionary mass organizations, in a public health campaign to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”
The CPP directed the NPA, especially its medical units, to carry out the campaign in coordination with revolutionary village health committees to help contain the disease, give special attention to the elderly and pregnant women, help care those who have been infected and promote personal hygiene and community sanitation.
In addition, the CPP directed its members in the cities to carry out similar mass campaigns, while raising demands for mass testing and other public health measures.
So the plan is to demand mass testing and promote person hygiene and community sanitation. Wouldn't it be a sight if the NPA dropped their fight against the government and began a war against polluters? NPA could stand for No Pollution Army. They could go around cleaning up rivers and communities covered in litter. 50 years of a campaign like that and the Philippines would be a healthy place to live. But that is not how it is.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1098226 |
Government troops recovered over the weekend a high-power firearm and assorted ammunition reportedly stashed by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the upland villages of Malapatan town, Sarangani province.
Valdez said government troops initially found on Saturday morning a total of 490 7.62-mm or M14 ammunition at a portion of Sitio Mahayag, Barangay Upper Suyan.
The official said it was discovered based on revelations from a former NPA combatant identified as Marcko Simon alias “Tarzan,” who surrendered in the area on Feb. 27.
The returnee was also responsible for the recovery last Feb. 29 of an AK47 and two M16 rifles that were also stashed by the rebels, he added.
“The ammunition was reportedly owned by the NPA’s Guerilla Front Tala (71) and stored in the site by an alias Yoyong last December,” Valdez said in a statement.
On Sunday morning, he said government soldiers also unearthed a caliber 5.56mm M16 rifle with four magazines and 82 ammunition in Sitio Salyan, Barangay Sapu Masla. The firearm was located through accounts from another rebel returnee identified as alias “Willie,” he said.
And on it goes. More weapon caches found and more rebels who surrender getting free cash assistance while law abiding citizens wallow in poverty.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1098631 |
A total of 26 former fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Samar province received PHP1.85 million in cash incentives on Wednesday.
The turnover activity, dubbed “Peace towards Prosperity Initiative”, was conducted in separate ceremonies in the towns of Matuguinao, Paranas, and Calbiga.
This is part of the national government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which provides a financial package to former rebels as they return to the mainstream society and live a normal life, the Philippine Army said in a statement issued on Thursday.
“We are happy whenever (a) rebel surrenders and returns (in)to the fold of the law. The Communist Terrorist Groups (CTG) deceive and agitate members by injecting ideologies against the government. You are just victims of such deception.” said Maj. Gen. Pio Diñoso, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division.
It's the same routine for the AFP but with the added burden of being at the frontline assisting in the fight against COVID-19. It is a battle on two fronts. What they need is a morale booster.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1098873 |
"We are pleased to announce that the AFP chief-of-staff General Felimon Santos Jr. has been tested negative for Covid-19,” Arevalo said in a statement on Sunday. “He is thereby deemed to have recovered although he has not experienced any of the symptoms of virus infection ever since.”
Arevalo said Santos was initially tested positive for Covid-19 on March 27 after coming into contact with a senior officer, who was the AFP’s first official case of the disease early last month.
"We wish to thank everyone for the continuing prayers and support accorded to the AFP chief and to every soldier, airman, sailor, and marine who tirelessly protect fellow Filipinos and the communities against Covid-19 and other threats to national well-being," he added.
Arevalo reiterated the AFP’s appeal for everyone to cooperate with the ongoing efforts to contain the virus by staying at home, using masks whenever possible, observing proper hygiene, and maintaining physical distancing.
"This battle against Covid-19 is everybody’s fight that should start from our respective homes. The life we are saving by doing that could be our own or that of our loved ones," Santos said.
Good for APF Chief Santos. Now back to the trenches as the war continues.
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