Money was the subject of last week's martial law update and this week's could very well be the same. In order to win the war against the NPA the Philippine government is bribing rebels to surrender. The E-CLIP program assures money, housing, jobs, and no consequences for rebellion and terroristic actions.
A total of nine former communist rebels and militia members in Negros Occidental received PHP485,000 in cash assistance from the government’s Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) on Monday afternoon.
Seven of the recipients, who used to be New People’s Army (NPA) cadres, were awarded checks worth PHP65,000 each, broken down into PHP15,000 in immediate assistance and PHP50,000 in livelihood aid, while two Yunit Militia members received an immediate assistance of PHP15,000 each.
The DILG is the lead agency in the implementation of the E-CLIP, which entitles a former rebel to receive immediate assistance of PHP15,000; livelihood assistance, PHP50,000; firearms remuneration, PHP12,000 to PHP500,000; half-way house assistance; PhilHealth enrollment and medical assistance; education assistance; housing assistance; legal assistance; and healing and reconciliation initiatives.
That's a lot of money and benefits. Being a former rebel pays big time. They don't have to worry at all about the fact they are terrorists and have committed offences worthy of death. If they surrender they will be welcomed with open arms.
“Due to the relentless combat and pursuit operation of this unit (36th IB) in an attempt to rescue the four kidnapped victims, the terrorists were forced to release their hostages because it hinders their mobility,” the 36th IB CMO officer said.
He added that field units in the area were still in hot pursuit operation to rescue the remaining abducted civilian who is being used as human shield against the pursuing government troops.
Meanwhile, in his statement Tuesday, Lt. Col. Xerxes A. Trinidad, 36th IB commander said “The terrorists were clearly trying to recover Ibuan area by threatening the community thru kidnapping”.
“Further, they have poisoned the minds of the innocent civilians for them to stop their support to the government particularly in the operationalization of CAA patrol base in their community. Moreover, our units are continuously conducting pursuit operations to rescue the remaining civilian who is still being held and used as human shield by the CNTs,” he said
“To the CNTs, release the remaining civilian. It is not too late, lay down your arms and return to the folds of the law. Embraced the government in achieving genuine peace and avail the Enhance Comprehensive and Local Integration Program E-CLIP and surrender to the government,” the 36th IB commander added.
After calling these men terrorists who have poisoned the minds of civilians and who are using hostages as human shields Lt. Col. Xerxes A. Trinidad goes on to plead that they surrender to the government and avail of the E-CLIP program. Absolutely no consequences for their actions. And all at the expense of the taxpayer which means those same people who's minds were poisoned by these terrorists will be paying them if they do avail of E-CLIP. What a twisted world.
But this is the Philippines. Up is down and right is left and malversation of funds is OK if the President says it's for a good cause.
"I'm asking COA to reconsider – ano ba naman 'yang (what is) P5 million. Actually, that P5 million is worth billions in terms of your kind generosity to finance the poor people na Muslim para makapag-Hajj (poor Muslims so they can participate in Hajj)," he told a roomful of Muslims and government officials.
COA, in its 2018 audit report on the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, had said that P5 million was transferred by HUDCC to the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) to pay for Hajj expenses of Marawi residents.
But COA said the money should be refunded since it is "not among the authorized expenses in the Memorandum of Agreement executed by the Office of the President and the HUDCC."
The P5 million was part of the P500-million fund from the Office of the President for operational expenses of Task Force Bangon Marawi, headed by the HUDCC.
HUDCC chief and task force chairman Eduardo del Rosario had previously said P5 million paid for the Hajj expenses of 27 Marawi displaced persons.
(To the individual Muslim believer, no matter how many mansions you give him or her, a simple token of generosity allowing him or her to go on Hajj is more important.)
"What's more important to you, your house or Hajj? He will readily say Hajj," he added.
The HUDCC, asked to justify the fund transfer, said devoting the funds to Hajj would allow "social healing of the victims" of the Marawi siege.
Duterte told state auditors to deepen their understanding of Muslim culture, saying this would cause "less friction in society."
He then said that if COA's findings lead to jail time for Del Rosario, he and his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte should also go to jail because they both dedicated some Davao City funds for Mecca pilgrimage of some Davaoeños.
"Don't put Del Rosario in jail because I'll have to go to jail too, and Inday. We will revolt in Mindanao. I will start again to gripe against the historical injustices of the Moro," said Duterte.
If the Hajj is more important than a house then why were only 27 people sent on the trip? There are 50,000 people without homes. Why send only 27? Who were these 27? Do they have any direct or indirect relationship to the President or to any government officials? Questions abound and answers will probably not come. Duterte has previously expressed his disdain for the COA even "joking" about tossing them down a flight of stairs. How much more money for the Marawi rehab fund will be used on projects for which they are not intended? What about money from Davao City? Was that legal? How much was used?
Even if 50,000 Maranaos remain without housing at least some of them can now start working again thanks tot he Red Cross.
The Red Cross is an organization that enables. This is why it is important that we help people restore their livelihood sources,” the PRC chair added.
Meanwhile, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer, who is currently in the country for an official mission, said the organization will continue to help people affected by conflict.
The joint early recovery operations conducted by the PRC and ICRC provided livelihood and shelter repair assistance for a total of 6,014 families from the most affected areas, including over 2,000 returnees who used the P10,000 cash grant to start small businesses.
The number of households to receive these machines is about 100. This is not the first time sewing machines have been donated to Marwai siege victims. In 2018 50 sewing machines were handed out to Marawi siege victims by The Philippine Business for Social Progress.
Displaced Maranaos aren't the only ones getting new toys. The AFP is getting new helicopters and drones.
The Philippine Air Force continues to expand and grow its fleet as it awaits the delivery of six A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft and 16 Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters between this year and 2021.
The contract signing for the purchase of the Black Hawk combat utility helicopters was unknown to the public for sometime even after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced in December last year that the PAF has selected the Black Hawk to replace the cancelled contract of 16 units of Bell 412EP Helicopters from Canada.
While Lockheed Martin is an American defense company, Lorenzana said the Black Hawk helicopters for the Philippine Air Force will be built by Poland’s PZL Mielec, its biggest production facility outside the U.S.
“This will replace our ageing Hueys. It will be used to transport troops and supplies, humanitarian assistance and disaster response during calamities,” he told Inquirer.net as he confirmed the signing of the contract in April.
He said the deal was worth around P12 billion.
The Vietnam War-era Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopters are currently the workhorse of the Philippine Air Force.
The Philippines, sustaining its bid to beef up its surveillance capabilities, is acquiring eight ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) worth $9,633,665 from a subsidiary of aircraft maker Boeing under the United States Foreign Military Sales program.
“In addition, this order provides for spare payloads, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools, training, technical services and field service representatives,” the company said through the US Department of Defense.
The ScanEagle is a well-known tactical UAV and used principally for maritime surveillance, with most of the procuring states intending to use it to patrol their vast maritime waters.
All those new toys won't be arriving immediately which means they won't be used in the upcoming assault against Abu Sayyaf.
MILITARY operations are expected to further intensify in the province of Sulu following the arrival of more soldiers there and the death of the last remaining captive of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
The deployment of the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (1st BCT) over the weekend has made Sulu as the most military saturated province in the country, given that the 11th Infantry Division (11th ID) has also been predeployed or based there.
“As of now, we are really saying there is no more [captive]. In the past, we have records but, without the proof of life, there is no more report [that] they are still there,” Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command Spokesman Col. Gerry Besana said.
Horn, who was snatched in Tawi-Tawi along with another foreigner in 2012, was the last remaining captive of the ASG in Sulu, according to Besana. More than a week ago, however, Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said that the ASG is still holding 11 captives, including the Dutch.
With the absence of any kidnap victims in the hands of the ASG, Besana said nothing will no longer hold the military from further intensifying its operations in Sulu in its effort to stop terrorism in the province.
So which is it? Are they still holding 10 people captive as Lorenzana says or are there no more captives as Col. Gerry Besana says? Even the PNP says the ASG is still holding hostages.
While the military’s Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said there was no more hostage held by ASG after the death of Dutch bird watcher Ewold Horn, the Philippine National Police-led Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) said six people — two foreigners and four Filipinos — kidnapped by the bandit group were unaccounted for.
The names of the kidnap victims are still listed on their white board at the AKG office here, a reminder that they still have to secure six hostages.
Police Maj. Arthur Valdez, an AKG officer, said that despite not having proof of life of these ASG hostages, they were still considered “missing.”
Valdez declined to give details on the remaining hostages but an AKG source, who asked not to be named for lack of authority to speak to the media, said two Vietnamese and four Filipinos were still unaccounted for.
“For as long as [there is] no proof of death or life, they will stay in the list,” the AKG said.
Maybe the AFP can use the drones they currently have to verify the fact before they go hog wild. Of course they have been preparing for all-out war against the NPA and Abu Sayyaf for a long time so who knows if they even will launch an intense operation against Abu Syyaf. What if instead of an intense firefight with ASG the AFP had an intense boodle fight?
Two years after an extremist siege left Marawi City in ruins, the military has stepped up efforts in helping address the causes of violent extremism in Lanao del Sur.
Philippine Army's 103rd Infantry Brigade, led by Brigadier General Romeo Brawner Jr., together with other stakeholders, conducted peace-building events and dialogue with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) community in Barangay Padas, Pagayawan, Lanao del Sur.
At a briefing at the headquarters of the 103rd IB in Kampo Ranao, Marawi City, Brawner said the activities for the day aimed to provide a first-hand coverage of the AFP peace activities with the MILF, along with other partners such as NGOs, the media, military reservist forces, Upsilon Sigma Phi organization from the University of the Philippines, among other stakeholders in the province.
Brawner said a playground will be provided for the young MILF, to provide a avenue for cohesive and positive social engagement instead of divisive and potentially vicious activities that could drag children and the youth into violent extremism.
According to Brawner, the sole intent of the activities is to break the cycle of violent extremism.
Activities undertaken during the event include medical and dental services, livelihood projects, awarding of the first-ever playground set up in the MILF community; boodle fight with the MILF, Maute -ISIS returnees, among other programs.
The AFP has provided the first ever playground in the MILF community in hopes that it will encourage positive social engagement and deter children from violent extremism. Who knew preventing terrorism could be as easy as playing on monkey bars, slides, and teeter-totters? To quote Lenin, "Give me four years to teach the children to play on the playground and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted."
