News Updates - 28 December 2009 (Monday)

NPA rebels kill 79

By Fernando M. Cariaso

People’s Journal – www.journal.com.ph

Monday, December 28, 2009

NEW People’s Army rebels in Davao executed a total of 79 people from January 3 to December 17, military records showed.

In a statement, the Armed Forces said a record of incidents involving the NPA death squads and admitted by the local NPA hierarchy shows 48 civilians, 15 soldiers, 12 Cafgu and four policemen were killed by communist rebels.

”The list also shows the months of February, May and July as the most deadly having nine victims each, while March and October both have eight fatalities. The months of April and November list six dead each while June and August both register five killed. The less deadly months include September, December and January with four, three and two victims respectively,” the statement said.

Included in the list were 18 government troops who were unarmed when killed by the terrorists.

The Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Conference for Peace and Development claims that 357 lumads were killed by NPA terrorists from 1998-2008.

One of the victims was Datu Leling Anresan, former general manager of the Monkayo Ancestral Domain Management Office and a deputized environment and natural resources officer who was shot to death by suspected NPA gunmen.

He was allegedly warned by the NPA to stop confiscating illegal logs from individuals who had secured the blessing of the NPA.

His relative, Datu Pascual, also a Denro, was killed by the NPA after exposing the rebels’ extortion activities and protection of illegal loggers in 2007.

AFP scores against Western Visayas NPA

By Perla G. Lena

Manila Bulletin – www,bm.com.ph

Monday, December 28, 2009

ILOILO CITY (PNA) – The intensified anti-insurgency campaign waged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against insurgents has gained ground with the AFP’s accomplishments including the apprehension of armed rebels and the discovery of their camps.

The year kicked off with the capture of five New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in southern Negros Occidental, specifically in Himamaylan on February 4.

The 11th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Franco Nemesio Gacal captured rebels Reneboy Joreno, Junior Moreno, Ronilo Balismo, Ritchelyn Lozano and Bidok Bilando.

The successful operation was followed by the capture of two top-rank NPA rebels in Bacolod City on February 21 identified as Rogelio Danoso alias Haron and Ka Gildo, allegedly the Secretary of the Northern Negros Front Commitee, Kilusang Rehiyon-Negros (KR-N) and his companion, Roberto Espinosa alias Ka Berto and Ka Demar, squad leader of Squad 1, Platoon 1, Kilusang Larangan Northern Negros (KLNN), KR-N.

They were arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant for arson by combined operatives of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) Intelligence Branch/Special Operations Group (SOG) and the 303rd Brigade of the Philippine Army led by Police Superintendent Rosauro Francisco Jr. in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City.

Meanwhile, the Army's 47th Infantry Battalion captured eight members of the New People’s Army (NPA) from Teams 1 and 2 of Limbaong Platoon, Central Front Committee, Kilusang Rehiyon-Panay (KR-P) on September 27 inside a house in Barangay Banban Pequeno, Calinog, Iloilo.

The NPA members were identified as Carl Teodosio, alias Amy who is the political officer of Limbaong Platoon; John David, alias Jojo; Rodney Catamin, alias JM; Berard Gicalao, alias Art; Joemer Begayo, alias Mark; Dennis Dote, alias Sam; James Latombo, alias Sonny; and Jojie Belo, alias Glen.

Their capture was complemented by the discovery of an explosive laboratory by the NPA in Igbaras, Iloilo on September 28.

Lt. Col. George Joel Lalaquil, Commander of the 82nd Infantry “Bantaylaya” Battalion (82IB), said the Igbaras rebel camp was established as the KR-P’s Explosive Laboratory in Panay before the government forces disrupted their operations and confiscated their equipment after its capture.

The camp yielded a stockpile of landmines, high-powered ammunition and assorted items including prohibited marijuana dried leaves and other illegal drugs.

After almost two months, on November 5, two sisters who were NPA cadres surrendered to the military in Negros Occidental. Emma Calderon, 36 years old, and sister Joan, both residents of Barangay Pula, Kanlaon City, Negros Occidental surrendered to the 303rd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army based in Murcia, Negros Occidental because of hardships that they experienced while holed up in the mountains for many years.

The series of accomplishments yielded one .38 caliber revolver; two .45 caliber pistols; three M16; one M14; assorted live ammunition and magazines; five homemade shotguns; two rifle grenade; one hand grenade; one fragmentation grenade; anti-personnel mine; one unit ICOM hand-held radio, an NPA flag and subversive documents.

News Updates - 22 December 2009 (Tuesday)

Rebels pose as press, raid Quezon police station

By Gina P. Elorde and AFP

The Daily Tribune – www.tribune.net

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Communist insurgents disguised themselves as journalists to gain entry into a police station before looting it, a report reaching the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, Quezon City said yesterday.

According to the report, around 4 p.m. Sunday, five women presented themselves as members of the media who were ostensibly seeking an interview with those manning the San Narciso Municipal Police Station in Quezon province.

In the course of the conversation, however, other rebels dressed as soldiers burst in and subdued eight officers.

The guerrillas escaped with five M16 rifles, five handguns, four shotguns and assorted ammunition, computer equipment, money and police uniforms, the report said. They also reportedly took three cellphones and cash amounting to P30,000.

No one, however, was hurt in the raid.

Police and military troops were immediately dispatched to pursue the rebels, resulting in the recovery of three getaway vehicles used by the insurgents.

The police manning the station were ordered immediately relieved for “negligence.” They will be subjected to re-training and pre-charge evaluation for violating the operational procedures of the PNP.

The PNP quickly ordered the setting up of checkpoints in vital points in a bid to net the rebels.

It also placed all police units nationwide on full alert as the anniversary of the communist movement approaches on Dec. 26. The occasion is usually marked by the rebels with heightened attacks on government installations and security forces.

The 5,000-strong NPA is the armed wing of the underground Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging a Maoist rebellion since 1969.

The NPA have been stepping up attacks in recent weeks, targeting the military and police and rural businesses who refuse their extortion demands.

On Dec. 15, nine rebels and one soldier were slain as troops attacked an NPA camp while two government troops and a bystander were slain on Dec. 17 when NPA fighters attacked a road project, both in the southern island region of Mindanao.

CHR: Walang Martial Law abuses sa Maguindanao

Abante – www.abante.com.ph

Martes – 22 Disyembre 2009

Walang nakita na anumang uri ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao ang Commission on Human Rights (CHR) sa loob ng walong araw na martial rule sa lalawigan ng Maguindanao at iba pang lugar na sakop ng deklaras­yon ng Martial Law.

Ayon kay CHR Commissioner Jose Manuel Mamauag, wala umanong naidokumentong reklamo ng rights abuses laban sa Armed Forces of the Philip­pines (AFP) at Philippine National Police (PNP), ang mga grupo ng abogado na ipinadala ng komisyon upang magsagawa ng field surveys sa Maguindanao.

Ang AFP at PNP ang nagtulong para ipatupad ang batas militar sa mga raids at seizures sa lahat ng bahay at ari-arian ng angkan ng Ampatuan. Dito, nakarekober ang grupo ng daan-daang high po­wered firearms, libu-libong ammu­nitions at iba pang armas panggiyera na ga­mit ng mga CVOs at private armies ng mga Ampatuan sa kanilang pamama­yagpag bilang political warlords sa Maguindanao at pagpatay sa 57 inosenteng sibil­yan sa masaker noong Nob­yembre 23, 2009.

Pinuri naman ni Pangu­long Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang AFP at PNP sa paghawak sa sitwas­yon sa Maguindanao sa pamamagitan ng pag-aresto sa mga Ampatuan bilang perpetrators umano ng 57 biktima. Sa kabila umano ng ilang lapses ng AFP at PNP, nagawa pa rin ng mga ito ang kanilang trabaho bilang protektor ng mga Filipino at mga Discipline at Professional Armed Insti­tutions ng gobyerno.

Wala rin umanong pang­hihinayang ang Pangulo nang ideklara nito ang Martial Law dahil nagresulta ito ng katatagan sa lugar, naaresto ang mga Ampatuan, nabawi ang mga ga­mit sa giyera at nadurog ang kanilang private armies, bagay na nagpabalik sa lala­wigan ng Maguindanao sa normal na sitwasyon.

News Updates - 16 December 2009 (Wednesday)

CHR: No martial law abuses in Maguindanao

By Ryan Rosauro

Philippine Daily Inquirer – www.inquirer.net

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

AMPATUAN, MAGUINDANAO—The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has found no rights violation during the eight-day martial rule in the province.

CHR Commissioner Jose Manuel Mamauag said no complaint of rights abuse had been documented by a team of lawyers sent by the commission to conduct field surveys in Maguindanao.

But despite the lifting of martial law late on Dec. 12 and the supposed return of civilian authority, the provincial government remained closed on Monday, as did the municipal governments of Mamasapano and Datu Unsay.

The acting heads of these government units are still to be appointed by Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong, the acting governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Adiong had said he would await the results of the finance and personnel audit before making appointments.

Evacuees

Hundreds of families living in known bailiwicks of the powerful Ampatuan clan have yet to return to their homes.

On Monday, Mamauag said he had asked officials of Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town to tell evacuees that the Army had declared their areas safe.

But 111 families were still staying in makeshift shelters around the barangay hall on the national highway in Salman.

The families fled their homes in Sitios Talpuk, Upper Masalay and Upper Malating, which are near the site of the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan.

Barangay Councilor Noriah Dalamba said the evacuation started on Nov. 23 itself because the residents feared being caught in a crossfire.

The evacuees return to the barangay to tend their farms and check their households during the day, Dalamba said.

They are still waiting to be assured of their safety, she said.

Ghost village

The interior barangay of Nabundas in nearby Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, which used to have a population of more than 1,000, has become a ghost village.

The houses are deserted except for a very few.

A woman, who arrived mid-morning of Sunday with her husband and two children, said they just came to check on their farm animals.

She said it would take some time before the residents came back, and that most of them had fled to their relatives in the nearby Shariff Aguak and Mamasapano towns, and even as far as Esperanza town in Sultan Kudarat.

“During the day, we open our small store to soldiers stationed in the village. They buy cigarettes, alcohol, mobile phone loads,” the woman said.

Nabundas serves as entry point to Shariff Aguak’s Barangay Koloy, which is known as the stronghold of the Ampatuan clan’s militias.

Live ammo

In Datu Piang town, Catholic priest Eduardo Vasquez warned residents to be careful of possible live ammunition buried hurriedly by fleeing militias loyal to the Ampatuan clan.

Vasquez said an 8-year-old girl from Damabalas village had been treated for shrapnel wounds in her right hand at the Catholic parish’s health center.

Army sergeant main suspect in shooting civilian dead

By Thom Pica

The Manila Times – www.manilatimes.net

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Camp Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet: A technical sergeant of the Philippine Army voluntary surrendered to the Bontoc Police Station after a shootout along the road with an armed civilian due to traffic road altercation in Tocucan Barangay, Bontoc, Mountain Province the other day.

The suspect was identified as Technical Sergeant Ricardo Abalos, detailed at the 77th Infantry Battalion and currently the training officer of newly recruits CAFGU in Mountain Province.

According to the initial reports by Police Chief Insp. Marcial Faed, the fatality is identified as Abelardo Fakat Jr., 54 years old, married and resident of Barangay Caluttit Bontoc Mountain Province.

Faed said that a witness who is a member of the CAFGU identified as Ulysis Sawad, 53, resident of Barangay Tocucan, told the police that he and suspect Abalos, were proceeding towards Bontoc town aboard a motorcycle when they heard the horn of the victim’s vehicle following behind them.

Abalos then pulled over on the side of the road to give way but altercation ensued when the victim alighted from his sport runner Toyota revo with plate number PN 141.

Heated argument between the two prompted them to pulled out and draw their guns and after the shoot out the witness said he saw the vehicle of the victim speeding off to Bontoc. Abalos called him to go back to the camp but the victim allegedly followed them and reportedly fired at them.