Big news this week regarding the Visiting Forces Agreement. Duterte has ordered the suspension of it's termination.
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The Philippines has informed the United States that it was suspending for six months the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement, the treaty which governs the presence of US soldiers conducting military exercises in the country.
Posting a copy of his note verbale to the US Embassy in Manila on Twitter, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said the suspension of the military accord was upon President Rodrigo Duterte's instruction and "in light of political and other developments in the region."
"I issued this diplomatic note to the US Ambassador. It has been received by Washington and well at that," Locsin said.
The note, dated June 1, said: "The suspension shall start on even date and shall continue for six months, which period is extendible by the Philippines for another six months, after which the tolling of the initial period in Note Verbale No. 20-0463 dated 11 February 2020 shall resume."
Shortly after Locsin's tweet, the US welcomed the Philippine government’s decision.
"Our long-standing alliance has benefited both countries, and we look forward to continued close security and defense cooperation with the Philippines," a US Embassy statement said.
This reversal is in contrast to Duterte's previous statements saying his mind is made up and indicating the VFA was gone for good. It is however only a temporary suspension good for six months and extendible for six more months. That's better than nothing.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1104926 |
“Ang nangyari lang po, nasuspinde ang termination. Hindi pa po niya sinasabing hindi na tuloy ang termination. So wala pong nagbago sa pag-iisip ng ating Pangulo (What happened is the termination was just suspended. He’s not saying that the termination is already lifted. The President has not changed his mind),” Roque said.
The Philippine government has decided to suspend the abrogation of VFA “in light of political and other developments in the region.”
Roque said the Philippines is recognizing the US, its long-time ally, as a “friend” who can lend a hand especially in the fight against terrorism.
“Alam niyo po, bago na ang anyo ng terorismo ngayon. Wala na pong kinikilalang mga border at wala na pong kinikilalang mga bansa. So lahat po ng bansa na ating kaibigan, Amerika, Tsina, Russia, India, Australia, lahat po sila, importante lahat (You know, terrorism now has a new face. It knows no borders and countries. So, countries like America, China, Russia, India, and Australia are important because we consider them as our friends),” he said.
Of all those countries it is America who gives the most. And the Philippines knows that!
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/06/03/2018434/duterte-saw-untimely-abrogation-vfa-us-during-covid-19-pandemic-lorenzana |
In a virtual interview with CNN Philippines' "The Source", the Defense chief said he was told that the Philippines needs cooperation from other countries amid the pandemic, which has infected more than 6 million people across the globe.
"We need to cooperate with other countries to fight the pandemic and I think the president (Duterte) thought that it's untimely to end the VFA at this moment," Lorenzana said in the interview Wednesday morning.
Asked if he was consulted on Duterte's decision to temporarily halt the termination of the military pact, Lorenzana said the issue came in a meeting with the president about a month ago.
"We discussed about it... I think he said it's not timely to end the VFA because of what's happening worldwide," Lorenzana said.
With the six-month suspension of the abrogation of the VFA, Lorenzana said the US may increase its assistance to the Philippines to fight the COVID-19 crisis.
"They already gave us some help, assistance especially in providing equipment in our quarantine facilities," Lorenzana said.
Data from the US Embassy as of May 19 show that the US government has provided more than P785 million (nearly $15.5 million) worth of COVID-19 assistance to the Philippines.
The US government's assistance to the Philippines has so far supported the increase of DOH testing capacity, upgraded laboratories and strengthened specimen transport system.
The US may increase its assistance? So it's all about the freebies! Are they even paying attention? The US has no plans to stop giving assistance to the Philippines. They have already given millions to fight COVID-19. The US military continues to give support of all kinds in the fight against terrorism. The Philippines is a strategic country in the South Pacific and the USA will continue to have a presence here with or without the VFA.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105005 |
The United States embassy in the Philippines said on Friday it will give an additional PHP201 million or USD4 million aid to support the vulnerable population in Mindanao affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
This brings Washington's total assistance to the Philippines to over PHP978 million or approximately USD19.5 million.
The funding, to be implemented by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to reach over 100,000 persons with distributions of essential hygiene supplies, handwashing stations as well as promote hygiene to reduce transmission risk.
The aid agency will also continue providing water supply in transitory sites in Lanao del Sur for families displaced by the Marawi Siege and in North Cotabato for earthquake-affected communities.
Almost a billion pesos in aid to fight COVID-19 through USAID. The Philippines has nothing to worry about in terms of freebies. That means the reason for Duterte's suspension of the termination is likely because he knows terminating it is a bad idea no one in the region wants except China and he is looking for an excuse to reverse his rash decision. I suspect the VFA will ultimately not be terminated but we shall see.
In the meantime it's business as usual with the AFP fighting rebels, rebels surrendering, and rebels being given huge amounts of freebies at taxpayer expense.
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| https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1043867 |
Forty-seven former rebels (FRs) in South Cotabato received P65,000 financial aid from the government as beneficiaries of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
The cash aid handed to the FRs in a ceremony at the South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center on Thursday included P50,000 livelihood assistance and P15,000 immediate assistance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
In separate events earlier this year, these individuals received P20,000 each from the Provincial Government of South Cotabato as well as technical trainings, such as poultry production, from the Technical Education and Skill Development Authority (TESDA).
Josephine Leysa, regional director of DILG XII in a message read by a representative, told the FRs, “I remember Gov. (Reynaldo) Tamayo Jr, mention in one of his speeches for barangay officials who attended a regional gathering where he announced the surrender of rebels who had enough of the difficult life in the mountains and forests. The governor said, ‘the rebels came down dahil ramdam nila ang tulong ng gobyerno.’ Your presence here today is a testimony of that fact.”
Apart from the P65,000 aid for each of the former rebels, the government units that received the FRs also received a total of P987,000 or P21,000 for each FR as reintegration assistance.
Reintegration assistance funds are intended for the subsistence of the FRs as well as for expenses in securing documents such birth certificates and identification cards, and expenses for mobility.
These FRs are being cared under the Regional Intelligence Unit XII of the Philippine National Police and the 27th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.
They surrendered and laid down their arms to government troops in December 2019 and January 2020.
That's P86,000 for some of these rebels just for surrendering! 18 rebels in Samar recently graduated with new skills.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1104915 |
At least 18 former rebels in Northern Samar completed on Thursday the skills training program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
In a statement, TESDA Eastern Visayas Director Dante Navarro said the graduates have undergone a three-month training on bread and pastry production and cookery at Las Navas Agro-Industrial School in Las Navas town.
TESDA awarded certificates of training to the graduates and distributed starter tool kits consisting of an electric oven, pastry blender, and other cooking and baking materials.
Each former rebel also received PHP4,900 allowance, Navarro said.
During the awarding ceremony, 12 of the former rebels, who are farmworkers of the provincial agriculture office, also received their monthly salary.
Some of them have also got their Philippine Health Insurance Corporation identification cards, which they can use to avail of the government’s universal health care program, the Northern Samar provincial information office reported.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Army expressed their continued support as the former rebels carry on with their reintegration process in society.
“We are here to guide and help them as they start living a normal life and become part of the province’s progress,” said Lt. Col. Juan Gullem, commanding officer of the Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion.From fighting in the revolution to learning how to bake bread and pastries! Actually bread baking seems to be a common career path for former rebels.
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| https://www.kalinawnews.com/army-tesda-distribute-cash-allowance-to-scholars/ |
The primary beneficiaries of the program who undergo Technical-Vocational training are those former members of Underground Mass Organizations (UGMO) and Former Rebels within the Army unit’s Area of Operation as a result of the Community Support Program Immersions. While on training, the students are given a daily allowance of Php100. There was a delay on the distribution since the country faced an unexpected pandemic during the past few months. Upon the declaration of Modified General Community Quarantine in the whole Province of Cotabato, TESDA, in partnership with 72IB, was able to reach out to the students in their respective barangays. The distributions took place in barangays of Gayola, Kidapawan City; and New Cebu, Pres Roxas where students took up Nail care/ Bread and Pastry training and Automotive training respectively; while at Brgy Basak, Magpet, the students also took up the Bread and Pastry and Shielded Metal Arc Welding trainings.
Can you imagine a former rebel who probably has blood on their hands giving you a pedicure or a manicure? Or baking your bread?
There is a new anti-terrorism bill awaiting Duterte's signature which has caused a furor among its opponents. They say that it puts a damper on free speech and lends greatly to Red-tagging. One of the most famous instances of Red tagging was the Morong 43 back in 2010.
This was a group of alleged health care workers arrested over possession of firearms and explosives. They were basically all released.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/208580/court-orders-release-of-morong-43-health-workers/story/ |
A local court on Friday ordered the release of the “Morong 43" – the group of health workers arrested in February on suspicion that they are members of the New People’s Army (NPA). Judge Gina Cenit-Escoto of the Morong Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 78 on Friday granted the health workers’ freedom after 10 months in detention, upon motion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to withdraw criminal charges filed against them. The charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, as well as violation of the election gun ban, were originally filed against the Morong 43.
The presiding judge said in the resolution that the health workers were arrested during an “illegal search," since the warrant used to raid the place where they were nabbed did not satisfy certain constitutional requirements. “The search warrant… should particularly describe the place to be searched… The subject search warrant made mention of an entire barangay where the properties to be seized may be found," Cenit-Escoto said in the resolution. The decision likewise ruled that the Morong 43 cannot be prosecuted since items being used to prove their guilt cannot be admitted by the court. “All the items seized during the illegal search are prohibited from being used as evidence. Absent these items presented by the prosecution, the conviction of accused-appellant for the crime charged loses its basis," the document read.
All evidence was thrown out because the illegal search made it inadmissible! Just goes to show that the authorities must stick to the letter of the law no matter how hard it is. It turns out these people were probably not just "health workers."
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| https://www.kalinawnews.com/one-of-morong-43-dies-after-2nd-mindoro-encounter-in-four-days/ |
One female NPA terrorist died after a 10-minute encounter against soldiers at Brgy Mangangan Uno of Baco, Oriental Mindoro on Thursday afternoon.
The military identified the dead terrorist as Lorelyn Saligumba alias Fara, the Political Instructor of KLG ICM’s Platoon Dos and a member of “Morong 43” whom left-leaning organisations branded as “plain health workers” when they were apprehended in 2010.
According to Col Jose Augusto Villareal, Commander of the 203rd Infantry Brigade which has operational jurisdiction over Mindoro Island, government troops recovered from the encounter site one firearm, an IED, technical gadgets, personal effects, food stuff, medicines and voluminous enemy documents with high intelligence value.
He said that “our troops were responding from reports from concerned citizens about the presence of about 10 NPA extortionists who were forcing people to give them food” which, according to him, “is an indicator of the NPA’s crumbling mass base support and the prevailing extreme hunger that they are now suffering in the mountains of Mindoro due to our relentless focused military operations.”What can we learn from this? That there are indeed communist front groups in the Philippines? Of course that is standard communist tactics having front groups. There are plenty of those in the Philippines. Everyone knows this. What we can really learn is that not all red-tagging is without merit.
You know this insurgency is one more indicator of how backwards the Philippines is. While the rest of the world has moved on as the Cold War ended 30 years ago the Philippines continues to fight a communist revolution! 50 years of fighting a communist revolution!! Just give up already. It took Mao, Castro, and the Bolsheviks only a few months to win their respective communist revolutions! What is wrong with the Philippines?
According to the AFP it's almost all over.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1104503 |
"As we come close to the second half of this year, we are proud to report that our internal security operations continue to bring us closer to realizing our vision of a complete victory against the communist scourge in the country,” AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. said in a statement.
This came as six members of the New People's Army (NPA) were killed and eight others were captured in joint military and police operations from May 24 to 30.
“Our troops on the ground continue to prove their operational excellence in neutralizing the threats posed by the communist terrorist group in the countryside. Our strong partnership with local chief executives also helped NPA members to safely return to the fold of the law,” he added.Seeing as the AFP has been saying this for at least 30 years since Cory Aquino took office I take it with a huge grain of salt. Best to just keep on fighting instead of making predictions.
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