Last week I wrote about how the citizens of Marawi are demanding the full truth about what happened before during and after the Marawi siege. The government had prior knowledge but there were lapses in intelligence which caused them to completely fumble the ball. And here we are again. After another bus bombing in Mindanao the PNP say they will be investigating any intelligence lapses.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1175713 |
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into possible lapses in the security measures in the wake of four bomb attacks in Mindanao, as police commanders are warned against sloppy work in protecting their areas of responsibility (AORs).
PNP director for operations Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon said the Regional Director of the Police Regional Office 9 is doing an assessment if there were lapses in the intelligence-gathering and security measures in Isabela City in Basilan where two people were injured in Monday’s twin explosions.
"We cannot sacrifice that every day we suffer bombs in your respective areas o baka meron mas magaling na kailangan humalili doon sa mga commanders (or there are better ones who can replace the commanders),” de Leon said in a media statement Thursday.
De Leon said PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. has ordered police regional directors to continuously investigate the blasts to find out if there were lapses in the intelligence units and personnel.
After the two bus bombings in Tacurong City and Koronadal City last week, de Leon issued a memorandum to all regional directors and unit Commanders to intensify the security measures in their areas to prevent a repeat of the incident.
Three days later, two separate explosions occurred near a fast food restaurant and near the garage of a bus terminal in Isabela City.
The PNP is not admitting that there were intelligent lapses but only that they are looking into the possibility there were such lapses. And with good reason. Even after the Marawi siege the AFP and PNP continued to downplay the seriousness of the remnants of ISIS in Mindanao.
In August 2018 there was a series of suicide bombings for which ISIS claimed responsibility but which the AFP downplayed as mere propaganda.
Hataman also downplayed claims by the Islamic State, saying, it was propaganda by the terror group. “Mahilig naman mag-claim mga yan. Mga yan mahilig din mag-propaganda. Hindi naman suicide yun kasi nasita,” he told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
The province is also a known stronghold of the militant group Abu Sayyaf whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Several foreign fighters had been killed in clashes with soldiers in Basilan in recent years.
https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2018/08/martial-law-6-pnp-vs-100-npa.html
Lo, and behold it turns out the men who carried out these recent bombings are also connected to ISIS.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1605712/suspect-in-bus-bombings-slain-in-afp-operation-pal-nabbed |
Military authorities today announced the death of a suspected terror group member believed to be behind the bombings in central Mindanao.
Another Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terrorist group member was also arrested.
Lt. Colonel Rommel Mundala, commander of the Army’s 90th Infantry Battalion, said the joint police and military operations Wednesday morning in Mlang town, Cotabato province led to the killing of a certain Monir Lintukan and the arrest of his companion, identified as Randy Saro.
Government forces recovered from Saro and the slain gunman assorted firearms, bullets, and improvised bombs, Mundala added.
The operation was launched in Barangay Dungguan after intelligence agents confirmed the presence of the two suspects in the marshland area, according to Colonel Jovencio Gonzales, 602nd Infantry Brigade commander.
Citing intelligence information, Gonzales said the suspects were involved in the recent bus bombing in Koronadal City, the blast in Tacurong City, and the previous bomb attacks in Mlang and Aleosan towns of Cotabato, and the one in Parang, Maguindanao.
The two reportedly belonged to the DI faction headed by Commanders Almoben Camen Sebod and Omal Kamsa, a member of the Islamic State-affiliated Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
Brigadier General Eduardo Gubat, 6th Infantry Division commander, assured the public that the military would continue pursuit operations against terrorists operating in Central Mindanao.
He lauded the operating troops and directed them to maintain an offensive stance against local terrorists hiding in the marshland of Maguindanao.
We can see here that it is indisputable that ISIS had a hand in these bus bombings. Leave it to the PNP to downplay the seriousness of these events.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1605540/pnp-local-terror-groups-may-be-behind-mindanao-blasts-sara-duterte-not-a-target |
The recent bombings in the cities of Koronadal and Tacurong, may be the handiwork of local lawless groups out to sow terror and impose their presence in the area and are not targeting Vice President – elect and incumbent DavaoCity Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday.
Danao said the individuals or groups behind the bombing may just want to sow terror in the area or may just want to make their presence felt.
“Ang isa siguro diyan is to sow terror and isa siguro is just for them to be felt that their presence is there,” he said.
The PNP is looking at extortion as a possible motive for the explosions but they have not yet ruled out terrorism.
Danao said the explosions “could be more of the extortion activities” especially as some individuals or some groups might have been affected by the result of local elections there.
This article was published BEFORE it was revealed that ISIS was involved but it shows how the PNP is not taking the threat of terrorism seriously. Local crime groups? Is that really how they describe the local ISIS regiment? It's a no-brainer that Sara Duterte was not a target as these bombings took place nowhere near her! These cops are stupid. Or maybe worse they are dissimulating. The insurgency won't be defeated with lies.
A week before this bombing the AFP was dropping bombs on the Dawlah Islamiyah!
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1601769/air-ground-assault-vs-dawlah-islamiyah-in-maguindanao-leaves-1-dead |
A member of the Islamic State-linked Dawlah Islamiyah-Torayfe group was killed in what the military called a “preventive military operations” in Datu Salibo town in Maguindanao on Monday morning, authorities said.
The Joint Task Force Central and 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division, in a statement on Monday night, identified the fatality as Sadam Salandang alias Sadam.
The cadaver was turned over to local officials of Datu Salibo for proper burial, the 6ID added.
BGen. Eduardo Gubat, acting commander of 6ID and JTF Central, said the team’s field artillery conducted indirect fire aimed at the area where the armed members were hiding at Sitio Patawali, Barangay Ganta.
“Their forces were further weakened after the close air support was conducted in the right place of the target,” Gubat also said in the statement.
In 2017, police reported that the Islamic State-influenced Abu Torayfe was injured and eventually died after a joint military and police operation in Maguindanao.
Torayfe was blamed for the series of bombings in Maguindanao, Cotabato, and South Cotabato, targeting government forces and civilians.
Here we see the AFP carrying out preventative operations against the DI which means they recognize the threat but for some reason the PNP downplays it by calling the bombers "local crime groups." Where is the communication between the AFP and PNP? They should be working together but it seems they are not.
Less than a month remains for the AFP to fulfill Duterte's order of defeating the NPA on his watch. Can they do it?
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1175355 |
The Philippine Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade (102nd IBde) has repositioned its forces to defeat the remaining New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Misamis Occidental.
Dubbed the final push, the 102nd IBde aims to bring down by June the Guerrilla Front Sendong, the last remaining organized front of the NPA’s Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee (WMRPC).
The active NPA members are scattered in different areas in Misamis Occidental.
“The additional forces will support the 10th Infantry Battalion in all of its operational activities in Misamis Occidental,” Brig. Gen. Leonel Nicolas, 102nd IBde commander, said in a statement on Saturday.
The 102nd IBde is the primary unit of the 1st Infantry Division tasked to defeat the NPA’s WMRPC operating in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Misamis Occidental.
Nicolas said the people of Misamis Occidental have nothing to fear as additional soldiers will ensure that they are protected.
He urged communities to remain vigilant and actively support the campaign to end the insurgency.
“This is a battle that cannot be won alone by the barrels of our gun but by the unification of the government and the people against an ideology that has brought terror and cost the lives of many throughout the years,” he said.
Samar appears to be where much of the fight is happening.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1175276 |
The recent surrender of a team leader and a member of the New People’s Army has further weakened the communist terrorist group in Eastern Samar, an official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Friday.
Lt. Col. Joy Leanza, commander of the PNP’s 1st Eastern Samar police mobile force company (ESPMFC) based in Dolores town, said the strength of the NPA has been weakening almost daily.
"Clearly, a large portion of the communist membership was reduced as almost every day, NPAs ceded to the government forces in all parts of the country. Their organization has weakened due to the aggressive campaign of the task force to end local communist armed conflict and the attractive full package guaranteed by the government's livelihood program for former rebels,” Leanza said in a statement.
The official issued the statement two days after the surrender of "Ka Ebir", a team leader of NPA’s squad in Eastern Samar, and "Ka Ogis", an active NPA member in the province. They are both residents of Dolores town.
"Ka Ogis" handed over a fragmentation grenade while "Ka Ebir" gave up his 9mm pistol to authorities when they showed up at the ESPMFC headquarters.
The two admitted that testimonies from their former comrades about the government’s sincerity to help rebels has encouraged them to lay down their firearms.
“Both surrenderers admitted to being swindled by ideologies fed by the NPAs that were all hoaxes and devoid of truth. They were recruited and became full-time members of the NPA when they were still minors,” Leanza added.
The surrender of rebels to the authorities is a wake-up call to their comrades who are still hiding in the mountains to abandon the NPA, the official said.
Doesn't it just warm your heart knowing that these terrorists and likely murderers will now get a hefty benefit package from the government while law abiding folks get nothing?
The insurgency won't be won by actually killing rebels and rebels surrendering. No. To win the AFP needs your help.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1175457 |
The support of villagers in Northern Samar in the fight against the New People’s Army (NPA) has contributed largely to the government’s bid to end the communist armed struggle.
Lt. Col. Joemar Buban, commander of the Philippine Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion, said former NPA allies in the community have been sharing valuable information that led to the discovery of NPA lairs and recovery of rebels’ firearms. They also convinced some NPA members to surrender.
“Their show of support to end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) is a manifestation of their rejection to the atrocities of the communist terrorist group in their areas,” Buban said in a phone interview on Monday.
Clashes happen in some parts of Northern Samar as soldiers respond to information from villagers about the presence of armed men.
“Because their organization have been weak, the NPA resorts to use of banned explosives since they have no capability to face soldiers in an armed encounter. You will notice that recent encounters only last for few minutes since NPA fighters are outnumbered,” he added.
Are you doing your part?
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