Philippines Defence Forum

[Fsjal]

Just finish it quickly before the situation gone out of control. I found it rather pathetic that PH lost a city to Rebel attack. Are the PH army is so weak or the Rebels are just too strong?

The commanders are just corrupted as the government. That's why the nation isn't united.

 

[Bienvenido]

Just finish it quickly before the situation gone out of control. I found it rather pathetic that PH lost a city to Rebel attack. Are the PH army is so weak or the Rebels are just too strong?

It's not really the whole city that was occupied by these terrorist group but only small portion (5 out of 95 villages) yet sad to say I think the whole city is paralyzed, catatonic and bleeding. Well I hope Aquino should know that by delaying and hesitating to take definitive actions, more serious incidents could sprout anytime, anywhere or everywhere in the future. The test of a true leader is his resolve to deal firmly with any threat against the nation and procrastinating in hope of resolving this thru negotiation is only playing right into the hands of Misuari.

 

[Pinoy]

Aquino: MNLF's happy days are over
BY NATASHYA GUTIERREZ

MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III arrived in Zamboanga City on Friday, September 13, and made it clear that the rebels' days of inciting chaos are over.

Aquino addressed reporters past noon upon his arrival 5 days since the stand-off between government troops and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels, and vowed the government will continue to track down "lawless elements."

"Tapos na and maliligayang araw nila (Their happy days are over)," he said, expressing confidence that government forces are can defeat the rebels and prevent the violence from spreading to other towns and provinces.

He said the military is "sufficient" and "overwhelming" in terms of numbers and equipment, and that the rebels are now contained in 4 barangays.

"Hindi natin sila pinayagan makapagkalat ng lagim (We did not allow them to sow terror)," Aquino said.

No surrender?

The President also took the chance to deny a Rappler report that around 80 rebels surrendered Thursday night, September 12, echoing the denial by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

"Mali ata yun, walang sumuko (I don't think that's correct. No one surrendered)," Aquino said, but adding that there were some MNLF members who were arrested.

Rappler reported the surrender, based on information obtained from the ground. Police intelligence sources and residents in Barangay Sta Barbara told Rappler they surrendered to a team of the Philippine National Police, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime.

Sources said: "A certain member of MNLF under commander Ismael with white flag reached our position and negotiated their surrender. About 80 of them are armed and one is wounded."

The MNLF member who served as the coordinator was identified as Paulo Casa. At around 6:30 pm, he said he approached government troops positioned across the street from the mosque they were occupying in barangay Sta Barbara.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala also denied the rebels surrendered, saying negotiations are still ongoing.

Willing to cooperate

Aquino said the objectives behind the MNLF's actions remain unclear, but emphasized "there are really some groups that don't want the Comprehensive Framework Agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to continue."

He said the administration continues to speak and negotiate with MNLF head Nur Misuari.

The President asserted that the government has not failed in addressing the demands of the MNLF. He said substantial components of the government's 1996 agreement with the MNLF was implemented, including the integration of more than 6,000 former rebels into the state security sector.

He said the aspects of the agreement that were still unmet were because the government was waiting on actions or updates from the other side.

In his address, Aquino gave assurances the government is looking at possible charges it can file against Misuari and his men, something he ordered Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to do since the start of the crisis in Zamboanga.

The President thanked soldiers, and said the government values their lives as much as it values those of civilians.

"Nandito kami kasama ninyo (We are here with you)," he told at least 300 government troops.

Different government agencies have been mobilized to address the needs of affected residents, he said.

"Preservation of life is paramount," he said, vowing safety for the people of Zamboanga. – with reports from Karlos Manlupig/Rappler.com

 

[Pinoy]

Philippines, Japan agree to increase flights in 'most liberal' air agreement to date
By: Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
September 13, 2013

MANILA - The Philippines and Japan have agreed to increase flights between the two countries -- an increase that the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) described as the "most liberal" to date.

In text message to Interaksyon.com, CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the air panels of both countries signed a new air service agreement (ASA), increasing the traffic rights or total maximum flight frequencies for the airlines of each country to 400 per week between Manila and Narita from the previous 119 flights.

"We also agreed on new traffic rights between Haneda Airport and Manila at 14 flights per week for each side, and unlimited traffic rights between points in the Philippines except Manila and points in Japan except Haneda," Arcilla said, adding that, "Fifth freedom traffic rights remain as previously agreed."

"This is a major breakthrough, especially that Japan is a major and third biggest tourism market for the Philippines, and also since the last talks was held in 2008, and the current Philippine entitlements are almost fully utilized," he said.

Arcilla described the new concessions from Japan as the "most liberal increases that we have concluded so far, made possible by the current liberal aviation policies of both the Philippine and Japan."

The air talks were held last September 11-13 in Tokyo.

Arcilla said the expected traffic rights will support the expansion of the Philippine-Japan market.

At present, Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific fly to Japan, but other Philippine carriers are expected to enter the market as well.

PAL controls 43 percent of total seat capacity in the Philippine-Japan route, while Cebu Pacific has less than three percent.

PAL flies to and from Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka and Tokyo, while Cebu Pacific operates three weekly flights to Osaka.

For Japan, both Japan Airlines and ANA fly to the Philippines.

Before this new deal, Japan had prevented Philippine carriers from mounting more flights because of the safety concerns raised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The international body as well as the European Union however recently removed the Philippines from their blacklist.

Data from the Department of Tourism showed that visitors from Japan totaled 412,000 last year.

Philippines, Japan agree to increase flights in 'most liberal' air agreement to date - InterAksyon.com


Philippines to hold 'air talks' with Israel, Russia in November
By: Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com
September 12, 2013

MANILA - The Philippines plans to hold air talks with Israel and Russia in November, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said today.

Jesus Ibay, CAB officer-in-charge for planning and research, told reporters that the Philippines is looking to hold discussions with Israel on November 4-5.

Air talks with Russia are scheduled on the same month, but an exact timetable has yet to be drawn.

Earlier, the Philippine air panel concluded successful air negotiations Macau and Brazil.

The Philippine Air Services Negotiating Panel is composed of officials from the CAB, Departments of Transportation and Communications, of Foreign Affairs, and of Tourism, as well as from the Clark International Airport Corp and representatives of local airlines.

According to CAB, air talks this year would be aligned with the priorities of the Department of Tourism to meet the government's tourist arrivals target of 5.5 million.

The Aquino administration is pursuing air talks as part of its open skies policy. The government aims to generate six million tourists, three million jobs and $4.6 billion in tourism revenues by 2016, allowing the sector to contribute 6.35 percent to gross domestic product.

Philippines to hold 'air talks' with Israel, Russia in November - InterAksyon.com

 

[Pinoy]

Israel distributes goods to 'Maring' victims in Marikina
By Dennis Carcamo (philstar.com) | September 13, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - The Israeli government has distributed relief goods to Marikina City residents affected by tropical storm "Maring" last August.

The relief program, led by Ambassador Menashe Bar On and Mayor Del de Guzman, was conducted Thursday at the the Marikina Sports Complex.

The food and perishable goods were given to the residents of several villages of the city.

"Israel has a long history of helping others, the Holocaust taught us that we have a responsibility towards each other as human beings, and should always help no matter of our cultural differences," Bar On said.

In the Philippines, Israel had sent medical teams and donated relief goods during typhoon Ondoy in 2009 and rains brought by "Habagat" in 2012.

 

[Pinoy]

Muslims see punishment for Misuari's followers
By John Unson (philstar.com) | September 13, 2013

COTABATO CITY, Philippines --- Pious Muslims firmly believe “murkah” will fall on the renegade Moro revolutionaries for the troubles now causing miseries to thousands and for having disrupted, as a consequence, the journey to Mecca of zealous pilgrims to perform the obligatory hajj.

Muslims believe in murkah, or divine wrath, as punishment even for the mere thought of harming someone, which for them is an affront in the same magnitude as having deliberately done real harm to others, regardless of their religions and races.

Many clerics were disgusted with the plight now of some 2,000 prospective pilgrims in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, stranded by the closure of the seaport and airport in Zamboanga City due to security constraints.

“True Muslims ought not to cause any discomfort, or any inconvenience to people that are to perform religious activities, or any congregational activity with noble purpose. Importance of religious activities and practices can never be outweighed in importance by any desire to fight a premeditated war,” said Imam Abdulmuin, a Yakan cleric.

Islam has extensive teachings against actions that disrupt religious practices by Muslims and non-Muslims.

Catholic residents of Zamboanga City are to commemorate the “Fiesta Pilar” on October 12, a yearly event graced by pilgrims from Basilan and Lamitan City was well.

Hampered

Muslim pilgrims are supposed to take commercial flights from Zamboanga City to Manila, en route to Saudi Arabia, where they are to perform the hajj, which is one of the so-called “Five Pillars” of the Islamic faith.

These five pillars, regarded as the main foundation of Islam, include absolute belief in Allah, praying five times a day facing the direction of Mecca, giving of zakat (alms) to the poor, fasting from dawn to dusk during the 30-day Ramadhan season, as a spiritual purification process to strengthen faith.

“In Lamitan City alone there are dozens of them (pilgrims) who cannot depart. Local officials are helping facilitate their departure via small motorized vessels, but we’re having problems with security procedures, which are understandable because of the security problems in Zamboanga City, “said Vice-Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan said.

Thursday’s running firefights between Moro gunmen and government forces in the Colonia-Burgos District in Lamitan City prevented hundreds of well-wishers and prospective pilgrims from Basilan's Al-Barka, Tipo-Tipo and Sumisip towns to get through the city’s port where they are wait for the resumption of voyages from the local seaport to Zamboanga City.

The Lamitan City government even helped negotiate for the military’s assistance in working out the return to the three towns of the stranded pilgrims and their relatives who were to send them off.

Amir Mawalil, director of the Bureau of Public Information in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said ARMM officials are now documenting the pilgrims that have arrived in Zamboanga City before Monday’s start of hostilities between Moro National Liberation Front Liberation (MNLF) members loyal to Nur Misuari and government forces.

“These concerns are now being looked into by the ARMM leadership. There are efforts now aimed at helping facilitate their departure for Saudi Arabia,” Mawalil said.

Flights for Tawi-Tawi pilgrims

The management of Cebu Pacific has agreed to transport 300 pilgrims from Tawi-Tawi to Cebu City via special flights to start Friday, according to Tawi-Tawi Rep. Hadja Ruby Sahali.

Tawi-Tawi is touted as the ARMM’s most peaceful province, which has newly-rehabilitated airport where big planes, such as an Airbus 300, can land and take off.

Secretary Mejol Sadain of the National Commission on Filipinos helped negotiate for the special flights, Sahali said.

Tawi-Tawi Gov. Nurbert Sahali and the office of his lawmaker-sibling, who was vice governor of the province before her election on May 13 as congressional representative, have volunteered to pay for half of the cost of the transport of pilgrims from the Island province to Cebu.

“It’s fortunate enough that we have an airport that can accommodate big passenger planes and we have no security problems in the area, even if there are local MNLF forces,” Rep. Sahali said.

Sahali said provincial officials have been assured by Tawi-Tawi based MNLF leaders that they will not join in the violent forays in Zamboanga City of Misuari’s followers.

Sahali said the governor of Tawi-Tawi, members of the provincial board and the religious communities have also been assured by local MNLF officials there will be no spill over to the island province of the conflicts in Zamboanga City and Lamitan.

Spiritual standards

Islamic missionaries in Maguindanao have complained of the adverse effects to the public and this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims from the ARMM of the conflicts the MNLF “Misuari group” instigated.

“We have been taught, as written in the Qur’an and as exemplified by Prophet Mohammad, that warfare in Islam is only for defense of land, nation and religion,” said Ustadz Fahad.

Another cleric, Ustadz Yahyah, said warfare in Islam is governed by doctrines on respect for the lives of non-combatants and protection of the welfare of children, the elderly and women, which can never be compromised under any situation.

“Muslim warriors fighting war for defense purposes are even obliged to give food and sanctuary to enemies that have lost capability to fight, or have conceded. They must be fed and given sanctuary and returned to their homes, and not tortured or slaughtered helplessly,” he said.

Muslims see punishment for Misuari's followers | Nation, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

 

[Pinoy]

Aquino: Military operation in Zamboanga to continue
Bodies of 6 MNLF gunmen retrieved
By Julie Alipala, Dennis Santos
Inquirer Mindanao

Government troopers continue their assault on Muslim rebels Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013, at Zamboanga city in the southern Philippines. Philippine troops battled Muslim rebels on two fronts Thursday, after extremists attacked a second city near the southern port where guerrillas have been holding scores of residents hostage in a four-day standoff with government forces. AP

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Government forces assaulted positions held by Moro National Liberation Front guerrillas in Zamboanga’s Santa Catalina district here on Friday, barely 30 minutes after President Aquino announced there would be no let-up in military operations to dislodge an unknown number of MNLF gunmen who have been occupying at three least city districts and holding a number of hostages since Monday.

Mr. Aquino arrived here Friday morning to check on the condition of ground troops and the affected residents.

“Their happy days are over,” the President said to at least 300 government soldiers at 12:33 p.m. Friday. At 1 p.m., soldiers in Santa Catalina armed with mortars, M-203 grenade launchers and machine-guns fired at positions of guerrillas belonging to a faction of the MNLF headed by MNLF founder Nur Misuari.

A few hours later, at least five armored personnel carriers were seen moving into the besieged area, where smoke could be seen billowing from at least three areas where fires had been reported.

Thursday night, Ustadz Ismael Dasta, leader of the Basilan-based MNLF forces holed up in Santa Catalina, had called for a ceasefire, saying there were wounded hostages.

On Friday morning, Dasta told the Inquirer they were open for negotiations and a ceasefire.

When the military started its operations at 1 p.m., Dasta again called the Inquirer. He sounded angry and said in Filipino: “Where is the ceasfire? What is this? We had proper talks since last night and this morning and now this. They are hitting us with cannon, mortar and M-203.”

Dasta refused to identify the persons he claimed he had negotiated with.

At the height of heavy firing, mostly coming from the side of government forces, a fire broke out on Lustre Street.

The firing also happened minutes after a number of people, apparently hostages, waved a piece of white cloth some 500 meters away from the military’s position.

Capt. Arvin Lawrence Llenaresas, chief of the 7th Scout Ranger Company, said they did not have a “clear number of civilians being held hostage and taken as human shield by these rebels.”

In his speech at the Western Mindanao Command headquarters, Mr. Aquino said the government valued not only the lives of civilians but also those of the soldiers.

“In behalf of the people, I thank you,” Mr. Aquino told the soldiers.

The President said the government had not failed in addressing the demands of the MNLF or Misuari, who has been critical of the government’s peace talks with the Moro islamic Liberation Front, which had broken away from the MNLF after it concluded a peace agreeement with the government in 1996.

The MNLF guerrillas who occupied at least three seaside Zambonga districts belong to the faction of Nur Misuari, who has complained that the government had failed to fully implement the 1996 peace agreement, prompting him to declare independence for the Bangsamoro Republik.

“The government has not stopped talking with him and the MNLF,” Mr. Aquino said.

He said substantial components of the agreement had been implemented, including the integration of more than 6,000 former rebels into the Armed Foirces of the Philippines.

Responding to a report that Misuari had disowned the actions of the MNLF forces who entered Zamboanga, the President said he heard about it but was not aware that Misuari had condemned his followers actions.

MNLF guerrillas from Basilan, Sulu and Zamboanga Sibugay arrived in Zamboanga City on Monday, claiming that they were scheduled to march to and hold a rally at Plaza Pershing, the city’s central square fronting City Hall. Their presence caused panic among residents in several coastal distgricts and sparked sporadic exchanges of fire with government forces.

Mr. Aquino said the rebels were contained in four districts and “We won’t let them spread more mayhem.”

Mr. Aquino also denied reports that 80 rebels had surrendered Thursday evening.

“The report is wrong. nobody surrendered. There were some who were arrested and others who were driven away,” he said.

In Santa Catalina, three suspected MNLF members were captured and turned over to the police on Thursday night. Another MNLF fighter identified as Bashier Daud was turned over to the military Thursday night due to injury.

Dasta said during a lull in firing Thursday night that he had requested the government troops to secure Daud for medical treatment.

Col. Ignacio Obligacion, chief of the Army’s 102nd Brigade, said they “just accepted this Daud and brought him to the hospital last night for treatment.”

Dasta also said none of his men surrendered, but a few had left them, including the father of former mayor Tahira Ismael of Lantawan in Basilan. He added that two of his men were killed in the fighting Thursday.

But Llenaresas, the 7th Scout Ranger Company commander, said they got information that three MNLF mebers, including a woman sniper, were killed.

Catholic priest Michael Ufana, who had been held hostage by another group of MNLF men, was also freed early Friday morning. He was brought to Camp Batalla for debriefing and medical check-up.

 

[Pinoy]

 

[Pinoy]

Obama to visit the Philippines in October
BY RAPPLER.COM
POSTED ON 09/14/2013

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – US President Barack Obama will make his first trip to the Philippines in October, the White House announced.

In a statement on Friday, September 13, the office of White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said: "The President will travel to Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines from October 6-12 as part of his ongoing commitment to increase U.S. political, economic and security engagement with the Asia Pacific."

Manila will be Obama's last stop. He will first attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders in Bali, then the US-ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Brunei, and meet with Prime Minister Najib in Malaysia.

"The President will then travel to the Philippines, the fifth Asian treaty ally he has visited during his presidency," the statement said.

"He will meet with President Aquino to reaffirm the strong economic, people-to-people, and security links between our two countries," it said.

Malacañang spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Obama will be Manila October 11-12 "upon the invitation of [His Excellency] President Benigno S Aquino."

The two presidents will "discuss ways to further strengthen the enduring Philippines-US alliance including the expansion of our security, economic and people to people ties," the Palace said.

Obama’s visit comes as Washington and Manila negotiate an agreement that will allow increased rotational presence of American troops in the Philippines, and give them wider access to the country’s military bases. It is forged amid tension between the Philippines and China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Yet Filipino activists criticized the deal as a ploy to circumvent the constitutional ban on permanent bases. It is envisioned to be an executive agreement between the US and the Philippine departments of defense, and does not require Senate ratification unlike a treaty.

In August, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel also visited the Philippines and discussed the agreement with President Aquino.

Obama’s trip also coincides with his administration’s so-called pivot to Asia, Washington’s effort to rebalance its strategic priorities to the Asia-Pacific.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel first announced the trip when he visited Manila last month.

“I spoke with the President and he is very much looking forward to his trip to Southeast Asia and I know that the White House is preparing for that and his meetings. There’s a lot to discuss,” Hagel said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

Obama to visit the Philippines in October

 

[Pinoy]

Philippines supports US repivot to Asia
Thursday, September 12, 2013

THE Philippines support the United States government's repivot to Asia policy since it will enhance the military-to-military engagement between the two countries, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr. said Thursday (Manila time).

The envoy said this as the two countries prepare for the third round of negotiations on a framework agreement that will allow the increased rotational presence of US military forces in Philippine camps.

Cuisia noted that the "increased attention" the United States is placing on the Asia-Pacific region is important to ensure the growth and stability in the region.

"As a treaty ally, the Philippines recognizes and accepts our important role in the rebalance to Asia. We welcome the US rebalancing to the region as a clear recognition of the importance of ensuring the stability and growth of the Asia Pacific region," he said during the Ambassador's Forum at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a Washington-based think-tank.

"We view the rebalance as more than a policy decision, but a strategic imperative, as the Asia-Pacific region has become the nexus of the world's most dynamic of opportunities, and the most intransigent of challenges," Cuisia added.

The third round of negotiations are for a framework agreement that would make possible a more robust military-to-military engagement between the two treaty allies that would cover arrangements for the temporary stationing of US troops and assets in Philippine military facilities.

"We are working closely with the United States on mechanisms that will ensure that our security arrangements remain relevant and mutually beneficial," the envoy said.

He added that this complements initiatives being undertaken by the Aquino government to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines and attain a minimum credible defensive posture.

US President Barack Obama announced his government's repivot to Asia amid China's massive economic and military growth. His government said this is to ensure the stability of the Asia Pacific region, including the Southeast Asian region where more than $5 trillion of global trade passes annually.

A fifth of this amount belongs to the United States.

China continues to frown on what it sees as Washington's intervention in a regional dispute, referring to the territorial issues between Beijing, Manila and four other claimant-states to the resource-rich Southeast Asian region.

The four other claimants are Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.

To establish a credible defense posture, Manila sought the US help under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), which includes a provision under which Washington is ordered to aid the Philippines in modernizing its military and coming to its defense in case of external armed attacks.

Washington already has increased military presence in Singapore and Australia.

But aside from the military presence in the region, Cuisia said both countries will also work to enhance "the economic dimension" of the repivot policy and other areas that require stronger international responses such as "humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities, transnational crimes, and combating pandemic diseases."

Cuisia noted that the increased cooperation between the Philippines and Asia has been engendered by the economic dynamism of the Asian Pacific, which has also resulted in the increased economic interaction between the US and Asia.

In the case of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the envoy said the value of US exports to the 10-member bloc is about the same as those to China and four times the value of US exports to India.

US direct investment in the region was $99 billion in 2006, fourfold that of China and tenfold that of India, and has gone up to $159 billion in 2011.

Meanwhile, the ambassador also called on the international community to support Manila's bid for an international arbitration in the case it filed against China before the United Nations-backed International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (Itlos).

"To support the Philippines in the path we have chosen to peacefully settle the [West Philippine Sea] dispute is to support a rules-based international order, where disputes are settled not through force or might but through an objective and just application of international law," Cuisia said during the same forum.

The envoy made his remarks a few weeks after the Philippines was told to formally present its case before the five-member Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague that was convened at Manila's request to resolve issues related to China's claim over the West Philippine Sea.

"At the end of the day, the case we have lodged before the Arbitral Tribunal will be a building block towards the strategic landscape of the future," Cuisia said. "A victory for the rule of law will guarantee a rules-based regional landscape, where all nations can grow and prosper together."

The envoy said the Philippines is "counting" on the international community not just to support the Philippines but the "primacy of the rule of law" as well.

He said that if the international community will express its support to the arbitration, they would have "contributed significantly to shaping an enduring peace for the Asia Pacific region."

Cuisia pointed out that in the last two years, there has been a heightened increase in intrusions from China in Philippines-claimed territories.

"This creeping assertion violates the Philippines' territorial sovereignty and sovereign rights. It is our duty to pursue the national interest and defend the Philippine territory and maritime domain," he said.

While some would like to characterize the issue as a purely territorial dispute that should be resolved directly by the parties concerned, Cuisia said the maritime row has far reaching implications to the international community, in terms of respect for the freedom of navigation and commerce and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

"We believe all countries whether directly affected or not, have an interest and a stake in protecting these fundamental tenets of international law," he said.

Cuisia also expressed his appreciation to the statements of support from other nations, particularly the United States, which also believe that the pursuit of dispute settlement mechanism under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea should not preclude negotiations on a binding Code of Conduct.

"Through these various mechanisms, our vision is clear: to contribute to creating a rules based framework that will provide a just, peaceful and enduring solution to the disputes in the South China Sea," he said.

Tensions between Beijing and Manila increased when Chinese vessels intruded into the Scarborough Shoal, which sits well within the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

The result was a two-month naval standoff in mid-2012 that was followed by several instances of diplomatic spats and more than a dozen protests from the Philippines to China.

In January this year, the Philippines brought the case before an arbitral tribunal under the Itlos. China, in February, said it will not participate in the arbitration that seeks to invalidate its nine-dash line claim.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2013/09/12/philippines-supports-us-repivot-asia-302843

 

[Pinoy]

Philippines, Albania sign visa waiver agreement
By Matikas Santos
INQUIRER.net
Friday, September 13th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines- Filipinos can now go to Albania, one of the top travel destinations in the world, without getting a visa.

Philippines recently signed an agreement with Albania, the number 1 country for travel in 2011 according to travel magazine Lonely Planet, for the waiver of visa requirements, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“On September 9, the two countries signed the ‘Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic, Service and Official Passports’,” the DFA said in a statement.

“The agreement will facilitate exchanges of high-level and official visits and hopefully pave the way for greater cooperation in the political, economic and cultural spheres,” it said.

Albania, which is located in Europe just northwest of Greece, was visited by 4.2 million tourists in 2012. The tourism industry has been contributing up to 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2013.

“Since backpackers started coming to elusive Albania in the 1990s, tales have been told in ‘keep it to yourself’ whispers of azure beaches, good cuisine, heritage sites, nightlife, affordable adventures and the possibility of old-style unplanned journeys complete with open-armed locals for whom travelers are still a novelty,” Lonely Planet said in its website.

The 28,748 square kilometer country (smaller than the Cagayan Valley Region in Luzon which is 31,159 square kilometers) is home to nearly 3 million people as of 2011.

Philippine ambassador to Albania Virgilio Reyes Jr. signed the agreement which was the first since bilateral diplomatic relations was established between the two countries 26 years ago.

“The signing ceremony was preceded by a meeting between the two envoys that discussed the status of Philippine-Albanian relations and other agreements under negotiation, including a Cultural Cooperation Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Establishment of a Political Consultations Mechanism between the Philippine DFA and the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” it said.

 

[Pinoy]

Finish the muslim barbarians who have no respect on humanity.

 

[Pinoy]

US earmarks P26.4 million for Zamboanga aid

The United States government has set aside $600,000 (roughly P26.4 million) to help address the immediate needs of some 14,000 citizens displaced by the ongoing crisis situation in several areas of Zamboanga City.

In a statement issued Thursday afternoon, the US Embassy in Manila said the emergency assistance, which will be released through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is an expression of concern for the well-being of the people of Zamboanga.

“The United States has always been there for the Philippines in times of need, and we continue that tradition today for those suffering in Zamboanga,” said US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr.

According to Ambassador Thomas, through its local partner Growth With Equity in Mindanao (GEM), USAID has procured 5,000 bottles of water, 1,500 sleeping mats, blankets, tooth brushes, toothpaste, buckets, and canned goods for distribution to those in need.

He said the USAID expects to procure a total of 10,000 units of these items to help meet the needs of evacuees.

Additionally, Thomas disclosed that USAID is supporting the local construction of 40 portable toilets and is providing four 500 gallon water tank to ensure better sanitation and access to water for those who have been displaced.

He pointed out that the delivery of these items has been coordinated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) with the support of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P).

“This coordination of Philippine and US partners for the assistance of people in need, is an example of the close working cooperation between both countries,” Thomas declared as he revealed that the items sent were requested by the local government of Zamboanga City.

“While we continue to pray for calm to prevail and for a peaceful and speedy resolution to this crisis, we are proud to be able to work beside our Philippine colleagues in time of need,” the top US diplomat in the country stated. “I want to commend the people in the local community who are banding together through social media and other means to help their friends and neighbors.”

US earmarks P26.4 million for Zamboanga aid | Manila Bulletin

 

[Pinoy]

Misuari, myths and the MNLF
09/14/2013

He speaks as if he has not failed his own people. He talks as if he had taken good care of their needs.

How many else are like him who has put self and ego above community? How many else are like him in a region once proud and rich but which now thrives on its homegrown industry called violence?

How could this man — and others like him — face us, blame the world, society, and history for what essentially has been squandered opportunity? Wasn't he given every chance to rectify what needed to be rectified? Wasn't he offered the gubernatorial post of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on a silver platter in July 1996, even before his group could sign a peace agreement with the Ramos government? Wasn't his separatist movement given all the resources and assistance it needed and wanted after it signed the final deal in September 1996?

The past is an easy recourse for those who have failed. Nur Misuari basks in the past and, unfortunately, so do some of us.

One former government official said in a recent TV talk show that the Zamboanga siege could have been prevented had the Aquino government paid closer attention to Misuari. He forgot to say Misuari has been getting attention for more than two decades now. Cory Aquino first did the honors on Sept 6, 1986, when she went all the way to Jolo to meet him and return the salute of his armed troops. Constantly threatened by military coups and transition problems, however, Ms Aquino failed to sign a peace pact with the MNLF. It took her successor, retired general Fidel V Ramos, to seal a deal with the rebel firebrand.

It is worth recalling how Misuari negotiated that deal. Because if the 1996 peace agreement is infirm, that's largely due to how it was negotiated.

Misuari held peace talks with the Ramos government with clear tactical goals in mind: the MNLF should take control of the regional government; the MNLF should be given a piece of the pie in the bureaucracy; the MNLF should be provided livelihood projects. Ramos had the same tactical goals, too — to pull the MNLF into the mainstream through political and economic concessions. He did this in two ways: set up government structures to accommodate the MNLF and lure them to electoral politics by promising to support them in the ARMM elections.

Was ARMM even part of the 1996 peace agreement? No. The MNLF loathed ARMM; they joined the peace talks precisely to kill it and replace it with a provisional government. This is why it pushed for the establishment of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD), envisioned as the transition authority towards a powerful and more independent regional government, similar to what the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is negotiating now with the Aquino administration.

READ: The MNLF, MILF and 2 peace agreements

When both parties entered the final stage of the peace negotiations, Mindanao politicians, fearful of a powerful SPCPD, campaigned hard to weaken it. As the final provisions were being hammered out, the MNLF refused to accept a "toothless" SPCPD. The mostly Catholic power brokers in Mindanao, on the other hand, branded the proposed SPCPD as a provisional government in disguise.

A deadlock followed, and Ramos dispatched Misuari's former University of the Philippines buddy, then Executive Secretary Ruben Torres, to the Middle East to ask Misuari to persuade the MNLF to resume the talks. It was in Dubai where the "package deal" was offered to Misuari. The MNLF would accept a powerless SPCPD; in return the rebel leader would run unopposed as ARMM governor.

On July 8, 1996, before any final agreement could be signed and despite warnings from his MNLF comrades that this was a trap, Misuari registered as a voter in Jolo. Malacañang by that time had managed to convince Congress to postpone the ARMM polls from March 1996 to September that same year. In my previous interview with Torres, he recalled that moment when Misuari filled up his voter's certificate as a prelude to his gubernatorial candidacy.

"Ruben, is this surrender?" Misuari asked him. Torres said, "I pitied him at that point. I told him, of course not. It's just a scrap of paper. You can withdraw it anytime and it will then mean nothing if you resume your revolution."

READ: The 1996 peace agreement

Misuari would later demand that he be named head of the SPCPD. Even Indonesia, an MNLF supporter, was skeptical. They feared the two agencies would divide Misuari's attention. True enough, soon after the peace agreement was signed and he became governor of ARMM and head of the SPCPD, Misuari came face to face with the nightmare of running a government.

Internal revolt

The demands of the bureaucracy bored him; he preferred to travel abroad or stay in a Manila hotel and come to appointments 4 hours late. In the end, his long and frequent absences turned ARMM into what it's always been: mismanaged, corrupt, unable to serve the Bangsamoro people.

Meantime, the SPCPD, tasked to facilitate socio-development projects in Mindanao, could not hit the ground running, powerless as it was, and confronted with roadblocks thrown its way by anti-MNLF executives in Mindanao. The MNLF knew it signed an agreement that paved the way for a weak SPCPD. But because of the protests against the original vision for the council and the enticements dangled before them, they gave in — at their peril.

By the time the SPCPD's 3-year term was about to expire in 1999, Misuari was faced with an internal revolt. As I write this, I vividly remember all of them — their anger, their hurt, their harsh words for their chairman, their deep sense of regret over bungled chances.

You have to understand: MNLF leaders are most articulate when angry. They plotted to oust Misuari as chairman, conniving with some government officials along the way. They had wanted to do it earlier, but since he was both ARMM governor and SPCPD chairman, ousting him also spelled political death for the MNLF. Thus they planned to give him a graceful exit through a law that would ban him from seeking re-election. The MNLF leaders were convinced he would not win another bid anyway. And the SPCPD was also about to end.

The astute Misuari of course found this out so he called all his leaders to a meeting in Zamboanga and let them sign a petition of support saying he was the "life and soul" of the movement. They signed, including some who were part of the ouster plot. Such was — and is — the mythical charm of this man.

Over the years, the MNLF splintered into factions. Muslimin Sema would become mayor of Cotabato City and officially replace him as chairman of the MNLF, a move never recognized by Misuari. The soft-spoken Melham Alam, whom I met in one of Zambonga's coastal villages in 1999, formed the breakaway Islamic Command Council. Parouk Hussin also once headed the faction composed of MNLF's top leaders. Some disgruntled members joined the Abu Sayyaf while others stayed in the mainstream with jobs or livelihood projects.

But the MNLF's mass base remained where they were before the 1996 peace agreement because of the failure of administrations tasked to serve them and their leaders who betrayed them. They remained in poor villages struggling to make both ends meet, isolated from the new world, and thwarted by limited access to basic government services.

To them, Misuari remained their savior. A savior who has repeatedly failed them, yes, but a savior who might just bring them to the promised land.

Misuari knows this, and he has exploited this to the hilt. Whenever he got sidelined he would again go to this mass base, scream independence, and pander to their basic needs. We have a stake in this land we once owned, he would tell them. And they would nod in agreement.

READ: MNLF's major attacks

If these villages were to become modern local governments run by honest and competent leaders, Misuari would have no audience.

So the challenge isn't simply to make him irrelevant, but to constantly remind him – and ourselves — that he blew it. And blew it badly. - Rappler.com

 

[Wholegrain]

Even your media admits that he commands a significant following among the Moro people. The Philippines better start listening to his demands.

To them, Misuari remained their savior. A savior who has repeatedly failed them, yes, but a savior who might just bring them to the promised land.

Misuari knows this, and he has exploited this to the hilt. Whenever he got sidelined he would again go to this mass base, scream independence, and pander to their basic needs. We have a stake in this land we once owned, he would tell them. And they would nod in agreement.